Zero Turn Mowers Cancel The title field is required!

1. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   2/13/2014 10:02 AM

   I am curious if any of you are currently using the newer Zero Turn Mowers! If so how do you like them? How long have you been using them and how are they holding up? Have you had any issues with them? are you seeing any damage from the tight turns being done by your employees?
   
   I am considering one of these to replace our Grounds Master with and would like any feedback you can provide.

   
   
   
   
2. Justin VanLanduit

   

   0 posts
   
   2/13/2014 11:02 AM

   Have 2 Toro 7210's with 100" lastec deck. Mowers run great and staff seems to like them. I have had to tell guys to take it a little more easy on turns, they get going too quick and whip the thing around. Find we are covering a great deal of ground with these two machines. Pretty flat terrain here for us.

   
   
   
   
3. Chase Walden

   

   0 posts
   
   2/13/2014 11:02 AM

   Have 2 Scag Cheetahs 60". Switched from out-fronts 5 years ago and never looked back. The maneuverability and speed has greatly reduced our trim time. Just make sure operators do 3 point or wide turns and you won't have any issues.

   
   
   
   
4. Smith Kerry L

   
   2/13/2014 3:02 PM

   I agree with the above. We have three John Deere 72" here and one has over 3000 hours on it. Definite time savers!

   
   
   
   
5. Tony Feheregyhazi

   

   7 posts
   
   2/13/2014 4:02 PM

   We have a couple of Ferris's, a 52" and a 60". We use them to get In and around trees and and tight areas. The really work well on flat terrain. We have a lot of mounding and water features so you need really good operators in those areas or they are dangerous, probably because they cut at a fairly high ground speed. Another good aspect is there is very little if any clumping from the decks and the availability to change height of cut on the fly is a plus. Great secondary mower under the right conditions.
   
   Tony Feheregyhazi
   Bridges Golf Course
   winnipeg, canada

   
   
   
   
6. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   2/13/2014 4:02 PM

   I am now on our second fleet of Toro 7210's. Love them, zero problems. On our one course, we went from using two Toro 328 Groundmasters at about 60 man-hours a week down to one guy, 35-38 man-hours a week covering the same acreage. What is so nice about the 7210's is that the transport speed allows us to quickly start back where we finished off the day before. These things fly!
   
   Our first set we had for 5 years on a lease package. When I turned them in, even with 5,000+ hours they were in such great condition with no problems that I turned around and bought the next set. I'm expecting to run them for 8+ years. This is on bahiagrass mowed about 34 weeks a year in central Florida.

   
   
   
   
7. Craig Moore

   

   0 posts
   
   2/13/2014 10:02 PM

   We have a Lastec 4520 and love it. The maneuverability and speed is amazing, the efficiency is fantastic with the 120" contouring deck. The fuel saving, labor savings and maintenance cost reductions are as much as the monthly payments which last five years. I am looking to get at least 10 years out of this unit as our primary rough unit.
   We were limited to mowing the rough once a week with three different mowers before we purchased the 4520. We can mow it twice weekly now if needed so the condition quality is another bonus feature. Train your employees properly because one could tear up a course pretty quickly, we have had minimal issues.

   
   
   
   
8. Heath Puckett

   

   0 posts
   
   2/14/2014 11:02 AM

   We purchased a Kubota ZD-331 with a 60" deck last year to replace a Toro Groundsmaster 328D w/ 72" cut. I have been very pleased with the increased productivity and quality of cut. This machine has an adjustable HOC, so we also use it to tackle some of the smaller areas that were previously being bush-hogged. The only two issues I can think of are the lack of traction on slopes, and a careless or inexperienced operator can damage turf when making turns. Since we don't have many sloped areas that are mowed with this machine, this isn't really an issue for us... but a serious consideration for someone looking at buying one. The operator issue is ongoing... but nothing a little training can't fix. It also did a great job mulching leaves for us last fall.

   
   
   
   
9. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   2/19/2014 8:02 AM

   Last season we were demoing mowers and it came down to the 100" lastec in front of a JD 1565. I was blown away at the efficiency of this machine. As a course with minimal rough anyway surrounding each hole, it saved a ton of time out there. Do we still need a trim mower, yes. But that is based mostly on some awkward bunker constructions and very narrow green surrounds. A 3500-D sidewinder can stay with the mower and do the tee, bunker and narrow green surrounds in about the same time as it takes the production mower to do their thing. The other nice feature to this is that it isn't a stripping mower. It saves time for the operator not have to maintain a contour as much and be able to mow out the left, right, back or front side while golf is 150 yds off to either side. Takes just minutes to drop the deck and mount a broom for paths, a snowblower or broom for the winter, etc. Adding pieces all the time, and looking to do a cab kit for next winter as well. I'd go this route again easily.