The Best Rough Mower Cancel The title field is required!

1. Lockhart Jeremiah S

   
   8/11/2011 9:08 AM

   We are in the process of looking for something new to start mowing roughs with and wondering what other's were using? Currently we are using a Toro 4500.
   
   Jeremiah Lockhart, GCS

   
   
   
   
2. Michael Rosen

   

   0 posts
   
   8/11/2011 6:08 PM

   That's my favorite.

   
   
   
   
3. Dinger Greg

   
   8/11/2011 7:08 PM

   That is my favorite machine in the barn, by far. 3200 hours in 8 years and it just purrs and mows like a dream.

   
   
   
   
4. Chuck Barber

   

   0 posts
   
   8/12/2011 10:08 AM

   We have a HR 5111 we bought used and although the operating position kind of stinks it works ok. I hear the new R 311 from Jac is the way to go. I demoed a lastec 4520 120" zero turn mower and loved it. I like the idea of the operator being a 3 feet off the ground and the ability to get closer to green/tee banks. If I had any money I would buy one of those two.

   
   
   
   
5. Wahlin Scott B

   
   8/12/2011 10:08 AM

   [img">http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/scottcgcs/5gang.jpg[/img">

   
   
   
   
6. Lockhart Jeremiah S

   
   8/12/2011 11:08 AM

   We have had serious issues with our 4500. Granted it was bought used but (no joke) its in the shop at least once a week. It constantly overheats and leaks axle grease. A Toro is not out of the question but it has left a bitter taste for the time being. Thanks for the responses.
   
   Jeremiah Lockhart

   
   
   
   
7. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   8/12/2011 11:08 AM

   We bought JD 1600T's last fall, and not totally happy with them. They burn more fuel then are old 5111. They are pretty tall and shorter wheel base has been an issue at one of our courses that is more hilly then ours. It seems to cut ok, but if we had our way, it would have been the new Jacs. A lot of guys in our area are going with Toro's, I believe mostly because of sales and service.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
8. Trevor Burlingame

   

   0 posts
   
   8/12/2011 1:08 PM

   We currently have both the Toro 4500 and the Jac R-311. We like the Toro better hands down. I think the R-311 can cover a little more ground, but it tends to scalp considerably more, uses more fuel, and after just 2 northern seasons of use the decks have some hairline stress cracks in them. We are considering trading it in on a Toro.

   
   
   
   
9. Douglas Eggert

   

   1 posts
   
   8/12/2011 1:08 PM

   I have a 4 and a half season old Toro 4000 rotary....guys love it, mechanic loves it, I love it. It cuts 55 acres rough twice a week. It's 4 wheel drive, use it on the tee banks , take it on green banks next to the intermediate cut on the banks. It does clump in wet high grass conditions, no big deal.
   
   It's rarely in the shop except for maintenance. 1900 hours on it.
   
   I'd have no problem buying another one with no hesitation.

   
   
   
   
10. Zemlo James M

    
    8/12/2011 2:08 PM

    We have a AR522 and it is a maintenance nightmare. Toro 4500 mows circles around it and does not spend half its time in the shop.

    
    
    
    
11. Letterman David M

    
    8/12/2011 8:08 PM

    jlockhart said: We are in the process of looking for something new to start mowing roughs with and wondering what other's were using? Currently we are using a Toro 4500.
    
    Jeremiah Lockhart, GCS

    
    
    Were all cool season and the Toro 4500 is too heavy for us. I have had 2 great mowers in the last 5 years, the Jacobsen AR-5 (previous), and the John Deere 8800 (Current). The Deer will go places you don't want to be. If I could I would combine the productivity of the Jac with the Nimbleness and climbing of the Deere.

    
    
    
    
12. Fleegel Timothy

    
    8/12/2011 8:08 PM

    We have a JD 8800 as well and it does climb anything. I wish it was wider and didn't stripe.

    
    
    
    
13. Natzel Thomas E

    
    8/13/2011 6:08 AM

    jacobson 5111,good for 10 years.

    
    
    
    
14. Michael Rosen

    

    0 posts
    
    8/13/2011 3:08 PM

    jlockhart said: We have had serious issues with our 4500. Granted it was bought used but (no joke) its in the shop at least once a week. It constantly overheats and leaks axle grease. A Toro is not out of the question but it has left a bitter taste for the time being. Thanks for the responses.
    
    Jeremiah Lockhart

    
    
    
    
    What year is your 4500? We have a 2006 and it had a recall that Toro fixed. If I remember correctly, it had to do with the cooling fan and an overheating issue.

    
    
    
    
15. Brian Tobin

    

    0 posts
    
    8/13/2011 6:08 PM

    The toro spartan is the only way to go, unless you can obtain a Lastec articulator. It's been a while, but I believe the 722xr is the latest model. For the money when you buy a self contained unit you are buying a tractor and a mower, if you buy a pull behind chances are you have a tractor. That tractor will be far more useful than any 5111, or 4500. In my opinion. Without knowing your situation that is always my first thought.

    
    
    
    
16. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    8/13/2011 7:08 PM

    wahlins said: [img">http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/scottcgcs/5gang.jpg[/img">

    
    
    Ditto, Scott. We run 4 of the old Spartan / Reelmaster's on just the pull behind, no hydraulic, frame. Cheap and efficient. We trim with Sidewinders, but the bulk is done with the pull-gangs.

    
    
    
    
17. Andrew Cross

    

    5 posts
    
    8/13/2011 7:08 PM

    I currently have 2 pull behinds and an amazing operator that manages to break them each time he takes them out. Luckily I have an amazing mechanic that can repair them for little to no cost.
    
    I just demoed the HR311 and have a Toro 4000 demo coming soon. Both are great units just want to see them on my course. For me it will come down to support and in my area everyone is playing catch up to the Toro distributor imo.
    
    I prefer the self contained units because my thought process is you can get in some tighter areas between trees by lifting wings. As far as the "you get a tractor" with a pull behind my thought on this is that tractor is typically always mowing rough, when rough is not being mowed I typically can't use that tractor out on the course. (If its dry my fairway heads water most of the rough as well) if its wet I can't get a tractor on the course.
    
    Its also a storage issue for me, self contained rough unit is roughly the size of a tractor.
    
    Just my 2 cents!

    
    
    
    
18. Homme David R

    
    8/13/2011 10:08 PM

    Toro 3500D. If you have undulating, severe terrain like I do, this is the best mower out there. I'm running the rotary decks, have been away from reels in rough for 5 yrs now.
    
    Dave Homme
    Falls Resort

    
    
    
    
19. Fleegel Timothy

    
    8/14/2011 7:08 AM

    How wide is the width of cut on that Dave? How many do you run and how many acres of rough to cut?

    
    
    
    
20. Homme David R

    
    8/14/2011 12:08 PM

    I have 2 of these. Takes two guys a total of about 40 manhours to cut around 45-50 acres of rough. This is due to travel time and the tricky cutting required. I also have a Ventrac for our worst slopes and that is an 8 hour circuit, once a week, plus another 4 hours at the driving range, which is small, also once a week. 5 acre range, another 10-12 acres on course for that machine. That's my fleet and it's what works best on this piece of property. I should be running another 3500D, but $$$ has to be there first.
    
    I think the 3500D is a 72" cut and the ventrac is the same.
    
    Dave Homme
    Falls Resort

    
    
    
    
21. Morozowsky Martin

    
    8/15/2011 12:08 PM

    GET SOME GOATS!

    
    
    
    
22. Wahlin Scott B

    
    8/15/2011 12:08 PM

    I have two Toro 5-gangs and a Jacobsen 5-gang. We can mow 27 holes of rough in a day if we have to. Two of the tractors are 25 years old and the rest are 8 years old. We mow fairways with a Toro 7-Gang. This is the most efficient way to mow acreage that we have found.

    
    
    
    
23. Michael Posey

    

    0 posts
    
    8/16/2011 10:08 PM

    I have the 4500 and often wonder why people are not using the 4700? I would like to demo one. Seems like it would be just like the 4500 except faster?

    
    
    
    
24. Wilkinson Gaeren S

    
    8/18/2011 4:08 AM

    The best mower is the one that works well on your course, has good back-up and fits the budget.
    Try them all before buying, if the supplier cant demo a machine imagine how bad is service will be once you purchase from him.
    Regards
    G

    
    
    
    
25. Neidhardt John J

    
    8/18/2011 5:08 AM

    We just purchased 2 Rotary Lastec gang units in the Spring to replace 2 pull behind Toro ground driven units. These 2 units easily mow our 63 hole golf complex once weekly. We do rely on Primo during peak growth periods in the summer. However when falling behind due to rain events, it is far more easy to catch back up with the rotary units. The operators aren't on and off the units unclogging clippings from the reels like they were before. We are thrilled with our decision, and have saved money in overtime, while maintaining desirable conditions. The quality of cut is acceptable too, even better under most conditions. A great option for low budget facilities.

    
    
    
    
26. York Joshua A

    
    8/18/2011 11:08 AM

    How do you guys keep the pull behinds sharp. I have a 7 gang that has to cut about 65 acres of bermuda every week and it struggles to keep it cut down let alone smooth. We grind once a year (contracted out) and it gets dull pretty quick.

    
    
    
    
27. Wahlin Scott B

    
    8/18/2011 11:08 AM

    toughturf said: How do you guys keep the pull behinds sharp. I have a 7 gang that has to cut about 65 acres of bermuda every week and it struggles to keep it cut down let alone smooth. We grind once a year (contracted out) and it gets dull pretty quick.

    
    
    The mechanic checks the adjustment and the rollers everyday. We grind in-house 2x per year on a SIP 2000. We have two 5-gangs for 80 acres of rough and one 7-gang for 30 acres of fairway. Roughs are mowed 2x per week and fairways are mowed 3x. In the past I have had mechanics face bedknives in between grindings.

    
    
    
    
28. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    8/18/2011 12:08 PM

    toughturf said: How do you guys keep the pull behinds sharp. I have a 7 gang that has to cut about 65 acres of bermuda every week and it struggles to keep it cut down let alone smooth. We grind once a year (contracted out) and it gets dull pretty quick.

    
    
    
    We grind once a year also. The operator adjusts daily. We typically start mowing rough in June when it rains, so by now they mowers aren't cutting very clean. If we can just get about 3 more weeks out of them.....

    
    
    
    
29. Justin VanLanduit

    

    0 posts
    
    8/21/2011 8:08 AM

    I'm currently running JD 8800's and really like them. Currently we are in the middle of a greens renovation and I've just been sending those 2 machines out and mowing around greens, and tees along with everything else and it is working out great. The machine has the ability to mow in tight areas and like others have mentioned climbs very well. We manage to mow roughly 70 acres of rough with these machines in 2-3 days.
    Negatives I see with the machine is that the front wheels are basically right at the edge of the cutting width, maybe about 3 inches to spare. Another is in relation to the first mention but my guys tend to tear turf when cutting around trees as they try cutting as close to the trees as possible and that inside tire will slightly spin. I've had numerous training sessions with my guys to pretty much do a 4 point turn or more around a tree and leave a wider area that we'll clean up with string trimmers.
    Machines I've used in the past are the Toro 4500 as well as the 4700. Both machines were beasts. They could mow like no other, I just didn't like how bulky the machine was. 4700 I found pretty versatile as you could leave the far outer 2 decks up and mow as a 5 deck unit if need be. The new Toro machines help reduce the size of the machine from what I've seen, don't know about mowing quality as of yet though.
    
    Justin

    
    
    
    
30. McCallum David K

    
    8/22/2011 5:08 AM

    We mow also with pull behinds primarily.........two Jac Ramlift 5 -gangs and also with an AR5. Out of the way areas of rough are cut with rotary deck mowers. Gangs are adjusted in the morning before the start of the day and again at lunch. Reel and bedknife grinding done in the off season, unless an emergency dictates something else.