TORO Dealer secures top four-course deal.

TORO Dealer secures top four-course deal.

By Lucy Ohsten

Toro dealer John Shaw Machinery has won a five-year Toro machinery deal with four golf courses owned by Ron Noades, past chairman of both Brentford and Crystal Palace football clubs. The courses are at Surrey National GC, Woldingham GC, Westerham GC and newly-opened nine-holer, Godstone. The value of the first year's purchases alone has been set at £185k.

Simon Hodsdon, the golf clubs' managing director, said: "Our group course manager Matt Macklin has built up a very strong relationship with Toro over the years. And this was instrumental in the decision to standardise on Toro when we purchased Woldingham and opened Godstone. The overall package of high-quality, reliable machinery, value for money and superb back-up was a very attractive option for us."

John Shaw Machinery executive director Steve Vogels commented: "We are very pleased to have won this order, particularly as the main selection criteria focused on customer support and service levels, as well as equipment performance. We look forward to working with and supporting Matt and the greenkeeping teams over the coming years."

Toro commercial turf maintenance products are distributed throughout mainland UK by Lely (UK) Limited, St Neots, Cambridgeshire (tel: 01480 226800), and in all of Ireland by Lely Ireland Limited, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare (tel: 00 353 (0)45 526170).

Photo caption: Pictured (left to right) are Toro's Larry Pearman, Simon Hodsdon, managing director of the four clubs, John Colebrook and Steve Vogels of John Shaw Machinery, and Matt Macklin the group's course manager, with the Woldingham greenkeepers.