High-tech robotic mowers are maintaining the turf at this Florida golf course
AI-assisted summary
The mowers are quieter, more efficient, and better for the environment than traditional gas-powered mowers.
The town has been using the mowers since August at the recreation center and since October at the Par 3 golf course.
The town hopes to expand the use of robotic mowers to other areas in the future.
For the past six months, the daily hum of lawn maintenance at the public golf course and the recreation center in Palm Beach, Florida, has become noticeably quieter.
In what representatives say is an effort to provide a smoother customer experience, boost efficiency and reduce noise, the town's recreation department is using robotic mowers to trim the grass at two of its most popular recreation facilities.
One 160-pound Husqvarna Ceora electric mower and one 30-pound Epos 550 mower cut a portion of the grass daily at the Palm Beach Par 3 golf course, while the same machines mow the athletic field and front lawn at the recreation center twice a night during the growing season and once a night during winter — depending on the weather — said Tim Campbell, Par 3 superintendent.
The mowers, which cost $30,000 for the larger model and $5,000 for the smaller one, have helped streamline operations at the two facilities while also improving customer satisfaction, Campbell said.
The town has been using the mowers at the recreation center since August and at the Par 3 since October. They are battery-powered and automatically return to their base for recharging.
"The robots are electric, so they are quiet," Campbell told the Daily News. "That one feature alone helps us improve our customers' golfing experience and makes us better neighbors to the residents north and south of the course."
Campbell said he and Mark Bresnahan, the town's recreation director, have consistently explored robotic mowers and other technology to help enhance customer service and optimize operations.
Campbell has researched the mowers "for years," waiting for the technology to improve before bringing them to the town.
During a golf course superintendents' conference last year, Campbell learned that many golf courses around the country were experimenting with the mowers in small areas. He and Bresnahan then scheduled a demonstration in the spring and one in the summer to see if the machines could keep up with the town's summer growing conditions.
The mowers "did great," Campbell said, and the town purchased four to mow the soccer field and front lawn at Seaview Park, and holes No. 3 and 4 at the Par 3 golf course.
There are numerous benefits to using the robotic mowers, Campbell said:
The machines help maintain the quality of grass on the golf course and help improve turf quality
They lessen the need for labor and fuel
They reduce the risk of mowing unsafe slopes or being struck by golf balls
They decrease the town's carbon footprint
The mowers also free up staff to focus on other tasks, especially during busy periods, Campbell said.
"Instead of having a staff member out mowing, we can have them work on other things to improve the condition of the golf course," he said.
Campbell said residents could see more of the robotic mowers.
"We hope to expand the fleet at Par 3 so that most of the course is mowed with robotic mowers," he said.
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