There are two basic types of mowers used for large areas of turf or grass, such as on a golf course or athletic field. A popular reel mower, like the Reel Master, has a cylinder of blades that rotate to push up the grass as it cuts. A rotary mower has blades that spin and horizontally to cut the grass.
The reel style is more efficient and cost effective because it uses less power, and it can simply be set up to drag behind a tractor. In fact, a reel mower will use about 50 percent less fuel per acre than a rotary style mower when both styles are going at the same speed. With a reel mower, the number of blades used (usually five or six) can affect the fuel consumption of the mower around 8 percent to 12 percent. The more blades a mower has, the lower it can mow. However, efficiency is the key when mowing a large area, along with the frequency of how much a turf sprayer is used. The number of blades and frequency of using sprayers is determined by a turf manager, or golf course superintendent.
For golf courses that have high growing, natural grass, the reel style mower is preferred for more than just its efficiency. However, both styles of mower can be towed behind a tractor for mowing rough along side the fairways. For courses that have high growing dry grass, a reel mower would be preferred.
Guest post provided by Global Turf Equipment, a trusted pre-owned club car carryall dealer. Visit www.globalturfequipment.com for more information.