Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Latrobe CC pick Toro as turf partner

Toro was recently selected as a turf partner of both Bay Hill Club & Lodge and Latrobe Country Club.

Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, is home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, an elevated PGA TOUR event scheduled for each March. Latrobe Country Club, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, is the course on which Arnold Palmer learned and honed his game.

“It’s an honor to share our expertise in turf management to build on and maintain the legacy of these two amazing courses and one of the most iconic golf tournaments in the country,” said Grant Young, general manager of The Toro Company’s commercial division. “Our proven, high-quality turf maintenance equipment is the perfect fit for both Bay Hill Club & Lodge and Latrobe Country Club.”

Palmer won a 1965 exhibition match at Bay Hill Club, which had opened four years earlier. He fell in love with the property and owned it by 1975. Four years later, it began hosting the former Florida Citrus Invitational, which eventually became the Arnold Palmer Invitational. More than bringing some of the world’s best professional golfers to Orlando each March, the tournament benefits the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, which works to preserve the legacy of Arnold and Winnie Palmer and continues to make a positive impact in the lives of children and families.

“Arnold Palmer took great pride in Bay Hill and insisted that the course be kept to the highest standards,”Bay Hill director of greens Chris Flynn said. “In partnering with Toro, we’re confident that we can meet and even exceed our turf management goals, continuing Mr. Palmer’s legacy of providing a top-notch experience to members, guests and the best touring pros in the game.”

Palmer was born in the Western Pennsylvania town of Latrobe and raised in a house on the edge of the golf course at Latrobe Country Club, where Arnold’s father, Deacon, was the course superintendent and later its head pro. One notable feature of the club is its 1947 Toro tractor, which became famous after featuring in a number of 1980s ads. Deacon, Arnold and others used the tractor to maintain the course at the club, where it remains today, an early example of Toro’s role in the Palmer legacy.

Toro is partnering with distributor Wesco Turf to support Bay Hill Club & Lodge, and with E.H. Griffith to support Latrobe Country Club.