Dear Members,

This week, we’re trialling a robotic mower we’ve aptly named “Robo-keeper” (part robot, part greenkeeper) on the Garden Course and practice range semi-roughs as part of our ongoing push for quality improvements, innovation, and enhanced sustainability.

Robotic mowers promise consistent turf quality, lower running costs, and reduced environmental impact. Our trial will evaluate cut quality, turf health, energy use, and how well it supports our greenkeeping team.

The Kress RTKn series (www.kress.com) mower operates under GPS guidance, stays within set boundaries, and pauses if approached. We’ll compare its performance to traditional equipment and monitor overall impact on the course.

If successful, this technology could mean valuable labour savings to redirect, more precise and frequent mowing, quieter operation, much lighter mower footprint, reduced emissions, and potentially better playing surfaces.

There are different manufacturers to try and so expect to see similar robots navigating the courses soon. We’ll share updates as the trial progresses.

John Lockyer
Director of Greens