Walk On By
When did you last take a look at the mowers now on offer?Compared to the pace of development that has seen new ride-on mowers introduced almost year on year, development in the walk behind tees and greens mower sector at first sight seems positively pedestrian. But those who have not studied what is on offer recently may be surprised by the subtle advances that have been made to these vitally important bits of kit.
Although it could be argued that a ride-on mower has a ‘personality’, the bond between an operator and a pedestrian machine is far closer. There is a much closer intimacy with the job being done, and the machine can be ‘felt’ as it hugs the contours of the tee or green. Nothing can beat the feeling of a job well done when a ‘hand mown’ finish has been delivered.
It is this that can make selecting the right pedestrian mower such a challenge. In the same way that one individual will prefer a given type of razor for a morning shave, it is often the case that the same sort of personal preference will influence mower choice too. Get used to a specific mower, let alone a given make or model, and it can be difficult to make a switch.
There is nothing wrong with personal preference, but it can get in the way of selecting the best tool for the job. Often a personal dislike colours opinions, as does not allowing a demonstration machine the chance to deliver. A mower brought out for a demonstration must be set up to mow a given tee or green. This can take time and patience to get right. It then can take a while to get used to the mower. The operator presence control, OPC systems, used on modern mowers can make working an unfamiliar model far less simple than it should be too.
It is not unusual for a mower to be criticised by operators because it has an over heavy handle or lever that needs to be held up to the handlebar to keep the mower running. This can completely spoil the experience of operating the mower. This could well see it being dismissed before other important factors, including quality of finish, are considered.
The problem for mower manufacturers and suppliers is that a factory fresh mower may have stiff controls. The mower may also need some additional tinkering time to set up properly; the over heavy control may be caused by a poorly routed cable or need a minor adjustment. But if this is the case on a demonstration mower, it may be enough to loose a sale.
With this in mind, it can pay to adopt a different approach to having a demonstration.
• If the operator does not like something, they should be encouraged to point it out. Whoever is demonstrating the mower must be given a chance to see if it can be resolved
• If the quality of cut does not meet expectations, find out why. Give the demonstrator time to adjust the mower
• Is the demonstration fair? Mowing a poorly prepared practice tee will not allow the demonstration mower to perform at its best
• Who is present at the demonstration? Will all those who are likely to use the mower be involved?
• If more time is needed to evaluate the machine, ask for it
• Which is more important, finish, ease of operation, versatility or price?
• Ask about after sales support. If the supplier is new, find out about them
• Ask around. Seek out opinions of those that use a given mower and see what they think
It is also all too easy to be convinced that a mower should do a bit more than just mow. Verticut, scarifier and groomer units may well be offered in some form on certain mowers, but that is not to say every additional element will work as well as the rest of the mower. So don’t order blind. Try any additional element before buying. Of course a versatile mower is a bonus, but a Jack of all trades is no good if it is a master on none.
