Hart Common Golf Club makes further investment in Husqvarna Robotics

The 18-hole golf club based in Bolton first invested in new Husqvarna technology back in 2022 which saw the installation of a handful of professional robotic mowers including a trial of the brand’s now highly popular commercial mower for golf application, CEORA™. Since then, the course has upgraded its fleet even further with another seven smaller Husqvarna robotic lawnmowers to help cover those trickier areas, while CEORA™ continues to maintain those larger, open areas. The golf course now has 10 robotic lawn mowers helping to maintain the green and saving time for the greenkeepers to focus on the more important tasks.

Here Husqvarna speaks to Catherine Roberts, head of greenkeeping at Hart Common Golf Club, on how autonomous robotic solutions have continued to support the business.

How did you first hear about robotic mowing technology and what made you consider these solutions for your golf course?

“I had initially heard about robotic lawn mowing from greenkeeping magazines as this was starting to become a topic of interest for the industry. I knew of Husqvarna’s domestic robotic mowing solutions for the home garden which at the time all included a boundary-wire, so when I found out about the bigger commercial offerings and how they could potentially benefit the golf course, I was definitely interested. I then worked with Husqvarna on a product demo and once I saw it in action, had a mower quickly installed by Chelford Farm Supplies. The rest is history and we’ve never looked back.”

How many robotic lawnmowers do you now have in your fleet?

“Seeing the benefits that the robotic solutions provided us with over the first few years, it felt like an absolute must to invest in more. We have since installed another seven commercial Husqvarna mowers including the Automower® 550 EPOS™ which are successfully taking care of those fiddly areas and operate at the bottom of the course and on the slopes, while CEORA™ takes care of the large areas of the course. While we haven’t had a full season yet, as we move into spring and the grounds conditions improve, we’re confident in the results we are going to achieve.”

What has your journey been like since you first installed your robotic lawn mowers?

“We have experienced a simple purchase journey working with Husqvarna and Chelford Farm Supplies throughout which is great. We were one of the first to trial CEORA™ so there was plenty of support available, but we had multiple follow ups with Husqvarna following the installation to make sure that we were getting the most out of the machines.

“We still get follow ups even now which is very good, although, after our third installation, we were pretty competent, so follow ups are now check-ins to make sure everything is running smoothly as we are capable of doing the installation ourselves and getting set up. Through the support we’ve received, it’s easy for us now to look at the best GPS unit, find a good spot and get the cable laid, so it’s then a quick job for an electrician. We also have an irrigation system that takes power from the control room, but we also have 50Kw solar panels so getting power for this many mowers isn’t too big of a challenge for us.”

Do you still receive a positive response from your greenkeepers and players?

“Our visitors still love our robotic lawn mowers. They are always shocked when they spot them and will stand and watch them – even the team will stand and watch them when they’re working away on the slopes!

“For us, the robotic lawn mowers have been a game changer and we wouldn’t be without them now. The course is of much higher quality, providing a consistently pristine turf. They save the team so much time and decreases the workload so our greenkeepers can focus on more rewarding tasks which is invaluable.”

Do you have any plans for more robotics?

 
“Absolutely, at present, we currently have three holes on the course uncovered. It’s very much in the plan to have full coverage on the course and will be investing in more autonomous solutions later this year.”

For 2024, Husqvarna has recently introduced the Automower® 520 EPOS™– the newest addition to the family of wire-free professional robotic mowers. Using systematic cutting, the mower delivers high productivity and a cost-effective solution for smaller commercial areas.