Steve Bullman

2024 saw a number of new additions to the team at Ashridge Golf Club. Together with a new Course Manager in the form of George Little, just two months later was the arrival of a ChipMaster 220 TMP (CM220TMP) woodchipper from GreenMech. Purchased to keep on top of routine woodland maintenance, it’s delivery in September was incredibly timely as - set among thousands of acres of National Trust-owned woodland – the team braced for the impacts of a wet and blustery winter season. Heading up a team of 10, George joined Ashridge in July following seven years spent at the nearby Dunstable Downs Golf Club. One of the main responsibilities of his new role was to take charge of the heavy woodland, lending itself to the popular tree-lined 18-hole course. “The team would be keeping on top of routine pruning and general removal of old or unsightly branches but, without our own chipper, would stack these up in piles awaiting the availability of a hire machine” George explains. “To stop these backlogs the club decided to invest in our own woodchipper and opted for the CM220TMP from GreenMech.” Promising maximum chipping output with minimal investment, the CM220TMP is driven by the PTO shaft and uses its own hydraulic oil to power the rollers. It combines a large 9” capacity with a small, light footprint – something that’s incredibly important for George. “We’re always conscious of avoiding traffic on particularly sensitive areas, so rather than loading brash and timber into trailers and transporting it, we can now take the GreenMech to the exact location and chip. Reducing the risk of damage, it also speeds up the process by 300%.” “We knew the machine would be helpful, but in a few short months we’ve used it a lot more than we thought we would to the point that I’d go as far as to say we now couldn’t live without it!” Alongside routine pruning of the boundaries, which George says it’s been brilliant for, the CM220TMP also came to the rescue of a number of silver birch that fell victim to the winter storms. “Again, we had the ability to hook up the chipper and take it exactly where it was needed, to quickly and easily deal with the damage.” “It has definitely impressed us and has undoubtedly brought improved productivity to our woodland work.” He adds, “We’ve also had a good experience with dealers Avant South East Limited and GreenMech’s Neal Hussey who delivered a thorough induction and has been on hand to help us with any questions. It’s, overall, been a very positive addition to the fleet.”