Blaby Bowling Club Raises the Standard of Greenkeeping with the Dennis Razor Ultra 560

Blaby Bowling Club has built a reputation for providing one of the finest bowling surfaces in the region, thanks to a combination of dedicated volunteers, meticulous greenkeeping and investment in high-quality British-built machinery.

Established in 1947, the Leicestershire club has grown steadily from humble beginnings. Its original clubhouse was a converted Leicester tram, and a piece of that history remains today, with the original tram door still proudly displayed in the clubhouse foyer. Today, the club boasts more than 80 bowling members, with new players joining regularly, attracted by the welcoming atmosphere and the outstanding quality of the green.

For Brian Hawkins, who has been the club's Greenkeeper for the past three to four years, producing a consistently true and reliable playing surface is the priority.

"A really good green encourages good bowling," says Brian. "People enjoy the game more. It's easy to criticise greens when they're not in good condition, but this one is in exceptional condition, and that encourages more members and makes for much more enjoyable play."

Club Chair Gary Tower believes the playing surface is one of the club's greatest assets.

"Brian's being modest," he says. "He does all sorts of things around the club, along with a whole team of volunteers. Everyone plays their part in making sure we've got not only a fantastic green but also a fantastic club."

He continues: "Even if you didn't play bowls, it's a lovely place to come and sit. It's a little oasis in the middle of town. Once you're here, you forget about everything else and just enjoy the surroundings."

Investing in British Engineering

When the time came to upgrade the club's mowing equipment, reliability, precision and British manufacturing were all high on the agenda.

"Buying British-made equipment is important to us," Brian explains. "Another local club was already using the Dennis machines, so we went to see them in action and had a demonstration. Once we'd used the Razor Ultra, it was a no-brainer. It was far easier to operate than the machine we'd been using previously."

The club selected the Dennis Razor Ultra 560, a dedicated fine turf mower developed specifically for golf greens and tees, cricket pitches, tennis courts, croquet lawns and bowling greens.

Unlike cassette-based systems, the Razor Ultra is purpose-built for precision mowing. Featuring a 560mm (22-inch) cutting width and an 11-bladed British-made, relief-ground cutting cylinder, it delivers the ultra-fine finish required for elite bowling surfaces while maintaining long grinding intervals.

"It's a very accurate machine," says Brian. "It's easy to adjust the cutting height and very easy to operate."

Precision That Makes a Difference

One of the Razor Ultra's standout features is its tungsten-tipped groomer, designed to lift lateral grasses before cutting.

"The groomer lifts the blades of grass before they're cut," Brian explains. "That's a really important feature because it not only gives a cleaner cut but also removes some of the imperfections from the green, helping the bowls run more smoothly."

The mower's tool-free 'click adjust' height-of-cut system allows the cutting cylinder to be adjusted in quarter-millimetre increments, enabling extremely accurate setup throughout the playing season.

"The adjustment is incredibly precise," Brian says. "You can alter the cutting height by just a quarter of a millimetre at a time, making it very easy to maintain exactly the height you want."

The Razor Ultra also features an ultra-short wheelbase, making it highly manoeuvrable on undulating surfaces, while its Weile front roller, two-section cast aluminium rear roller with steel geared differential, and high-impact acrylic guards all contribute to a quality finish and long-term durability.

Power comes from the dependable Honda GX120 engine, incorporating Honda's Q9 low-noise and low-vibration technology, ensuring reliable starting and comfortable operation throughout the season.

Maintaining Championship Standards

Green maintenance at Blaby Bowling Club is carefully managed throughout the growing season.

"We normally start the season cutting at around 10 to 12 millimetres," Brian explains. "Before play begins, we gradually reduce the height according to weather conditions. By mid-June we're typically mowing at around 5.25 millimetres."

The combination of the Razor Ultra's precision adjustment system and its 11-blade cylinder enables the club to achieve the fine, consistent finish demanded by competitive bowlers.

Reliability That Inspires Confidence

For Brian, reliability is just as important as performance.

"When you're looking after a bowling green, you can't afford breakdowns," he says. "These machines have been ultra-reliable. We service them regularly, they've got Honda engines which are renowned for reliability, and the overall build quality has been excellent."

The Razor Ultra's practical design also makes daily operation easier. A quick-release transport wheel kit, which eliminates traditional external stub axles, allows the mower to be moved safely over hard surfaces while protecting the rear roller from unnecessary wear.

"We fit the transport wheels when we've finished mowing," Brian explains. "They're easy to put on and take off and make it simple to move the machine into the garage without risking damage to the rear roller."

A Surface That Speaks for Itself

Bowlers are often quick to compare the quality of greens across different clubs, and Gary says Blaby consistently receives outstanding feedback.

"People always talk about the greens they've played on," he says. "Our green only ever gets positive comments because it bowls so true. You visit some clubs where the surface looks like a barber has cut it, but ours is perfectly smooth—almost like a billiard table."

That consistency has become one of the club's defining characteristics, helping to attract new members while enhancing the playing experience for visitors.

An Investment Worth Making

Looking back on the purchase, Brian has no hesitation in recommending the Dennis Razor Ultra.

"It's performed extremely well for us. It's easy to operate, easy to adjust, incredibly accurate and has delivered exactly what we were looking for. I'd certainly recommend it."

For Blaby Bowling Club, investing in the Dennis Razor Ultra 560 has been about more than simply purchasing a mower. It has provided the precision, reliability and quality of cut needed to maintain a bowling green that continues to earn admiration from members, visitors and opponents alike—helping preserve the club's reputation as one of Leicestershire's premier bowling venues.