While we mostly focus on robotic lawn mowers, we’ve got a unit here that we just can’t resist—the Echo Range Picker 1250 (Echo RP1250), which is designed to gather golf balls off a driving range, and it just might revolutionize golf course maintenance and care.
We recently installed the Echo RP1250 at the Westerville Golf Center in central Ohio to test out the unit, and we think it hits a hole-in-one for robotics to improve golf range maintenance and golf course groundskeepers.
HOW EFFICIENT IS THE ECHO RP1250?
The Echo RP1250 can gather up to twelve thousand balls daily. We find that the unit picks up about three hundred balls at once before needing to deposit them at its target drop-off location. This translates to the machine emptying a couple of times an hour, which makes the Echo RP1250 very efficient.
The emptying process is completely automated, making golf ball retrieval practically effortless for driving ranges.
It is guided by real time kinematics (RTK), which allows the RP1250 to do systematic movements, thereby increasing its efficiency. The unit’s RTK also lets us define areas where we want it to work and where there may be a high density of golf balls that are going to be hit on the range.
Our test used a ground wire as a redundant boundary just in case the RTK malfunctioned, so that the unit could reorient on the ground wire system. But the unit’s RTK never failed. So, a ground wire may not be necessary for the Echo RP1250.
HOW DURABLE IS IT?
The Echo RP1250 is strong enough to withstand the impact of a golf cart. Yes, you can run it over with a golf cart, and the little guy will probably be just fine.
This makes it the perfect unit for active driving ranges and makes it ready to withstand golfers with poor aim (or maybe great aim depending on how you look at it).
It also can endure the uneven terrain of a driving range.
HOW ADAPTABLE IS IT?
During the test, the ball deposit area was at least four feet above the ground. Therefore, we built the Echo RP1250 a ramp with heavy duty vinyl mats for traction’s sake so that it could deliver the balls to the desired location and recharge when needed.
The ramp was about four feet by three-and-a-half feet. We didn’t install guardrails, yet the Echo RP1250 stayed centered on the track even when it encountered wet conditions. There were no catastrophic doomsday events as we had initially feared.
This is key because it shows that the Echo RP1250 can travel to pretty much whatever spot you need it to—it can adapt to your golf course’s needs and layout.
CAN THE ECHO RP1250 IMPROVE RESULTS FOR GOLF COURSES?
Yes!
The Echo RP1250 keeps driving ranges clean in real time so that you get your inventory returned into your sellable stock.
It also removes the need for someone to run a golf cart, a Kubota, or utility task vehicle to retrieve the balls, which cuts down on labor costs and frees up staff to tackle other tasks.
It’s also whisper-quiet and emissions-free, making for a greener golf course maintenance program.
You can control it with an online portal or smartphone app.
You may want to pair the Echo RP1250 with the TM-2000 Robotic Mower so that you can achieve healthier, better-looking turf in addition to keeping your driving range ball inventory consistent for your customers.
AUTMOW IS HERE TO PERFECT YOUR GOLF GAME
We at Autmow believe that the Echo RP1250 is one of the best golf course technologies to have and will help you with your driving range maintenance needs.
Autmow can help you perfect your golf course’s driving range game (but we can’t help you on your golf swing—you’re on your own for that) with the Echo RP1250, and we can help you pick out the perfect robotic mower for your needs.
If you’re in the Ohio area, feel free to check out the Echo RP1250 in action. If not, then contact the experts at Autmow today so that we can answer any questions that you have and connect you with our nationwide dealer network.