Cirencester Park Polo Club is one of the oldest and possibly the most famous Polo grounds in Europe.
Cirencester has played host to members of royal families from across the world and celebrities from all walks of life.
It boasts ten match grounds spread over two sites with matches played most days between May and October. This means that the contract ground-keeper, Phil Cole and his team from Cotswold Turf Care, have their work cut-out in ensuring that all the match grounds are prepared and maintained in perfect condition.
“We use a MAJOR 7.3m Swift trailed unit for all our grass cutting. It’s about the largest make available that can be safely transported on the road. Because it’s so wide in working mode and so easy to set the working height it can cover a lot more ground, more quickly than before. With its front and rear rollers, it enables us to ensure we leave a level and striped finish at precisely the right height of cut, every time.”
Cotswold Turf Care Ltd manage not only polo grounds, but commercial properties that include schools, football and rugby pitches and the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials. “We cut six thousand plus acres a year,” added Phil. “We have a small team, so time pressure, cost and quality along with a reliable mower is essential for the job.”
The maintenance is simple with just a few grease nipples. There are no belts and just a strong, heavy-duty driveline with a shear-bolt in the PTO drive. “There’s really nothing to go wrong and it never complains even if we are cutting heavy crops of wet grass,” continued Phil. “The blades do a great job of chopping the clippings and spreading them evenly. It never leaves a windrow.”
Both the players and the spectators have commented on how good the grounds look. “At a recent board meeting, even the committee members commented very favourably about our grass cutting and the playing surface,” said Phil. “We will only use the best machinery for our customers, and this feedback is confirmation that we are doing the right thing,” he concluded.