Groundhog leads the field for golf course irrigation expert
02 May 2008
Leading irrigation specialist Peter A Easton Irrigation Ltd has purchased a JCB Groundhog 6x4 utility vehicle for its work at Scotland’s premier golf courses.
The Scottish-based expert develops and installs irrigation systems at high profile sports facilities such as premier football stadia, golf courses, local authority projects and private gardens.
Indeed the company’s current project is the new irrigation system covering tees, greens, approaches and fairways at Nairn Golf Club – a prestige venue which hosted the Walker Cup Tournament. The new Groundhog is currently assisting with irrigation service work - transporting people, tools and equipment around the site. In particular it has proved effective for moving the electric fusion welding kit and towing the trailer used for piping.
Owner Peter Easton said: “we are not the largest company but we have been successful through priding ourselves on integrity, the quality of our work and attention to detail. As part of this offering, we must ensure we operate the best equipment available.
“We have evaluated the JCB Groundhog over a period of time and it has been faultless – doing everything we could wish from a robust utility vehicle. It looks the part, the specifications are excellent for our needs, and the service and advice from our JCB Groundcare dealer Frank Nicol has been first class. With this in mind we have bought the model ahead of others we tested and look forward to a long and effective service. From our experience we’d expect that other firms in our line of work will switch to JCB once they have tested out this model.”
Tailor-made for the golf course management trade – the JCB Groundhog utility vehicle has proven popular for its productivity and reliability. Outperforming competitive models in terms of the performance and reliability it can bring to businesses, the Groundhog offers great traction in the difficult ground conditions and slopes typical of golf course terrain. It is ideal for transporting people across rough and delicate ground, offering versatility, performance and operator comfort.
The 6x4 configuration, permanent 4-wheel drive utility vehicle is powered by a 768cc, liquid-cooled, 20 hp (14.9kW) diesel engine. It features CVT transmission including manual differential lock with a Kevlar drive belt for enhanced durability.
The machine delivers class-leading performance with a max travel speed of 18 mph (29 km/h), max payload of 500kg and a towing capacity of 500kg. The 6x4 configuration gives four-wheel drive operation for performance in arduous conditions and the model has a superior power-to-weight ratio compared to leading competitor models. Allied with a choice of turf or rough terrain tyres dependent on the application, the machine imparts minimum ground damage on delicate surfaces and delivers great traction in heavy ground.
The JCB Groundhog is sold through a network of specialist, professionally trained, factory-backed dealers and is supported by the JCB Service organisation, providing the very best in parts and service back-up.
