# To greens mower or not?



## Concretestorm (May 21, 2017)

All
This is the most addictive habit I've ever had!
I've gone from a California Trimmer to a Trucut, and I need more!!
What is the determining factor in going from a powered reel to a true greens mower?
I simply cannot cut my grass as short as I want. A couple weeks ago, I decided to raise the HOC to about an inch, and that lasted 2days. 
Please explain (in simple terms) 
1-when you know it's time for a greens mower?
2-what type of options are a must? (E.g. Groomer, verticutter, etc.)
3-my yard has lots of slopes, but so do many greens. What machines do the courses use on very sloped greens?
4-is there a greens mower that the cutting head "moves" with the contour?
Thank you very much


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

1. If you wrote a post about one, It's time
2. A groomer for what we are looking to do with it.
3. Sometimes greensmowers have problems with slopes because of the roller drive. They tend to spin or slide. Not sure what courses do to help with this.
4. Redtenchu has a Toro Flex. Ware and lagerman both have JD 220e's that have "floating heads" that will contour to the ground better


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

J_nick said:


> 1. If you wrote a post about one, It's time
> 2. A groomer for what we are looking to do with it.
> 3. Sometimes greensmowers have problems with slopes because of the roller drive. They tend to spin or slide. Not sure what courses do to help with this.
> 4. Redtenchu has a Toro Flex. Ware and lagerman both have JD 220e's that have "floating heads" that will contour to the ground better


+1 What JN wrote.

1. I will add that it all depends also on how low you are wanting to maintain the lawn too. If you are wanting to maintain it at .750" or below then YES a greens mower is what you want and need.

2. I also want to add that I'm beginning to think a groomer is almost a necessity to have at the lower HOC's as it helps to maintain and control the "grain" in the grass which allows you to keep you HOC.

3. It all depends on how severe the slope is on whether the greens mower will work but you will want to look for one with a dimpled drum as it provides a little more traction than a smooth one.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

I have a pretty good slope in the rear section of my yard. I'm honestly surprised how well the drum does on it. 208 pounds does wonders. It will slip some, but it's not as bad as you might think. Show us a picture of the slope that concerns you and we'll try to offer an opinion.


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## Concretestorm (May 21, 2017)

dfw_pilot said:


> I have a pretty good slope in the rear section of my yard. I'm honestly surprised how well the drum does on it. 208 pounds does wonders. It will slip some, but it's not as bad as you might think. Show us a picture of the slope that concerns you and we'll try to offer an opinion.




It might be hard to see in this picture, but this is pretty steep. The one positive is that this portion of the yard (because it surrounds the pool) is not spray irrigated; it has soaker type hose buried under the grass. This means the grass is only wet from dew in the mornings, and I cut in the afternoons.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

I'm betting that, _yes_, that will work. At worst, you could go down the hill, but I'll bet you could help it by pushing a bit and it will go up that hill, too. That Cal could always play cleanup if needed.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I think it should handle it just fine as long as the grass is dry. If you try mowing it wet you "might" have some issues but can't say for sure. It will also depend on the direction you mow the hill too.

DFW post blocked me :thumbup:


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## Concretestorm (May 21, 2017)

Thank you very much. 
So, if you could have any walk behind, which one and why?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I'm partial to Baroness and the only other greens mower I have operated was a Toro so I can't be of too much help. I don't think you can go wrong as long as you get a mower in good shape.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong on any of the big three that are less than 5-6 years old. I'm partial to Toro because I own two GM1000's. They are so easy to work on and keep adjusted when compared to homeowner brands, and they are built like tanks.

The fancier electric models from the big three may be nicer, but you'll have to decide whether the cost premium is worth the features/maintenance.

I like units to have the same controls and operation, so I have the same two models separated by four years. One is four years old and one is eight years old. The older one only cost $400 (used TruCut prices and much easier to adjust). This way, I have a backup if my reel finds a rock in the yard, and I have the option to convert it to a verticutter.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Concretestorm said:


> 4-is there a greens mower that the cutting head "moves" with the contour?


Of the floating head models (Toro Flex, Jacobsen Eclipse & John Deere 220E), the JD will have the largest HOC range. I think the Toro and Jacobsen both max out at ~1/2" without modification.

It's tough to say on that slope - it looks pretty steep at the bottom, near the end of the retaining wall. A lot depends on how smooth it is. You're fine until one side of the drum breaks loose.



Concretestorm said:


> ...So, if you could have any walk behind, which one and why?


Most people are going to be partial to the mower they own. Comparing the two in my fleet, I can definitely see the advantages of having a floating head (e.g. shorter distance between front and rear rollers on the JD vs. front roller to drum on the Toro); however, the Toro GM1000 is an overall more compact unit that probably gets the edge on maneuverability.

Redtenchu could probably offer some insight into the Toro Flex vs. standard JD 220.


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## Concretestorm (May 21, 2017)

Thank y'all. 
Ware, your JD looks like it has an electric reel and the Toro doesn't. Is that correct?
Also, I have 2 mowers for the exact reason you mentioned,DFW. I guess I'm on the lookout for 2 mowers!
My default is John Deere, because I've used their equipment my entire life. What should I be looking for specifically on a 220? Are there different configurations (e.g. Groomers, cutters, etc)?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Concretestorm said:


> Thank y'all.
> Ware, your JD looks like it has an electric reel and the Toro doesn't. Is that correct?
> Also, I have 2 mowers for the exact reason you mentioned,DFW. I guess I'm on the lookout for 2 mowers!
> My default is John Deere, because I've used their equipment my entire life. What should I be looking for specifically on a 220? Are there different configurations (e.g. Groomers, cutters, etc)?


Yes, the JD220E is an electric hybrid... it uses a brushless electric motor to drive the reel. The Toro is all belt drive.

Groomers are optional equipment, and the time to invest in one is when you're buying the mower at cents on the dollar. I don't know if I would turn down the right deal on a mower without a groomer, but it's a nice option to have.

JD also has a rotating brush option that takes the place of the groomer and is designed to stand up the turf behind the front roller before it gets cut.


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Ware said:


> ...I can definitely see the advantages of having a floating head (e.g. shorter distance between front and rear rollers on the JD vs. front roller to drum on the Toro); however, the Toro GM1000 is an overall more compact unit that probably gets the edge on maneuverability.
> 
> Redtenchu could probably offer some insight into the Toro Flex vs. standard JD 220.


I agree with Ware.

The only real issue I have with the JD 220B is turning. When the reel lever is engaged for cutting, the drum locks up when you attempt to pull the unit backward for a turn. The unit will do an 180 turn in place (works fine), or you can lift up to put the weight on the front roller for a turn. Like anything, with more practice, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem.


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