Daryl Dampney, manager of Parley Golf Centre, with the new robot that collects the balls on the driving range.
Parley Golf Centre has recruited two new hard-working members of staff – a pair of robots.
One of its new employees – dubbed the Mowbot – spends its life cutting the grass on the range.
Daryl Dampney, manager of Parley Golf Centre, with the new robot that cuts the grass on the driving range.
The other drives itself around scooping up the range balls and, when it has 300, deposits them at its docking station.
It drops them through a special grill where they are automatically rinsed before being fired back to the range where they are given a proper wash.
The high quality Callaway balls are then available for the golfers from the ball-dispensing machine at the centre in Dorset opposite Bournemouth airport.
Parley Golf Centre’s new robot collects the balls on the driving range.
The automation of the range saves time, increases safety, and the reaction of members and visitors has been positive.
With a major £250,000 investment programme underway to turn the centre into the finest practice facility in the region, the robots free up staff for developing the new course and for other innovations.
Created by Automated Managed Services under the ‘TrueBot’ brand, the robots are thought to be the only ones working in the region. They are about four feet across and run quietly over the grass.
Parley Golf Centre’s two new robots – the one in the oreground collects the balls on the driving range and the other cuts the grass.
Daryl Dampney, manager of the centre, said: “We recently introduced a state-of-the-art simulator and now we’ve brought in the robots because we want to continue innovating.
“The robots save a huge amount of time and money we can just leave them to it all day without having to worry about the range.
“It means our ground staff can concentrate on developing the new course and the other practice facilities we are bringing to the centre.
“There are wires buried around the range and the robots are programmed to sweep the area inside them.
“The ball collector robot goes most often to the places where the majority of balls land and it can be controlled by text message.”
Pic caption: Daryl Dampney with the ball collecting robot
Notes to editors:
Parley Golf Centre in Dorset is set within a beautiful 800 acre farming estate next to the River Stour close to Bournemouth Airport.
It is home to the 17th century Parley Manor and to Parley Equestrian Centre. Wildlife includes roe deer, badgers, foxes and a pair of rare Grey Partridges. And you are likely to see a family of alpacas roaming around too!
Parley Golf Centre opened in 1991 as a six-hole course, but quickly expanded to nine holes and a 27-bay, floodlit driving range was added.
Currently the site is being transformed into a centre of excellence (which does not affect the course). When completed it will be twice its current size.
The nine-hole course is being rebuilt with carefully configured tees allowing for a round of 18 with a total distance of 5,111 yards.
Indoors will be further putting facilities as well as other innovations to accompany the popular café/bar.
There will be a private room with a driving bay that will include seating and will be available for hire and for business meetings.
Head greenkeeper Ian Noble is assisted by Mark Gregory and John Morey.
Resident professionals include Chris Brook, Marcus Urbye, and Peter Thompson.
For more information contact Ed Baker at Deep South Media on 01202 534487 or 07788392965
