Kubota’s RTV X-900 can be used for a huge number of applications, and at Dynamic Driving Range in Aylesbury a very special adaptation is helping golfers hone their skills.
Jon Rogers took over the range last year, and has invested significantly in the 24-bay range which attracts 160-180 golfers a day.
“There’s a new passion for golf since the first lockdown and we’ve had a great reception to our work to refurbish and upgrade the range,” he explains.
This has included updating essential equipment for ball picking, a process which uses a vehicle-mounted collector and container.
“We had an old utility vehicle which needed replacing, and I’ve had experience in the quality and reliability of Kubota equipment from my previous landscaping business, so I approached George Browns of Leighton Buzzard to see if they could adapt an RTV for me,” he explains.
Kubota dealer George Browns, which has vast experience of the groundcare product range, has fitted a special cab for the RTV X-900 with mesh doors and rear screen and a Perspex windscreen, plus mesh covers for the headlights, to protect machine and operator from flying golf balls. A hitch mounted up front carries the ball collector.
“The comfort and convenience of the RTV also means that it’s ideal for hand picking, placing the balls in the load bay, when the ground is too soft to use the ball collector without causing damage,” comments Mr Rogers. “The range is very wet in the winter, so the permanent four-wheel drive and good tyres come in handy.”
Looking after the 14 acre site is also made easier with the large cab able to carry a second operator when needed, along with all the tools and materials for grounds maintenance in the tipping load bay.
And it’s not the only Kubota doing duty at this expanding business.
“I’m keen to improve standards, and the triple mower I inherited was cutting the grass too short, leading to yellowing. Here, George Browns were also very helpful, recommending the Kubota F2890 out front mower, which is doing a great job. It’s easy to adjust the cut height, and like all Kubotas, very reliable.”
The 28hp diesel ride-on combines plenty of power with a 1.5m (60in) rotary deck for a clean productive cut and is a popular choice for cutting large areas efficiently.
“I also really like the powerful worklights – the range is open from 8am to 10pm so grounds maintenance work has to fit round it!”
With a new bar, coaching area and club fitment service plus plans to add 15 more bays on the roof, this is clearly a business that’s going somewhere, and Kubota is an important part of the journey.
