Most golf courses want to mow the greens and collect the grass for a premium cut and even and smooth appearance. The most challenging concern with catching grass with a greens mower is that as the grass catcher fills with material, its weight is transferred to the cutting unit. This problem is multiplied with a riding greens mower because there are three cutting units and grass catchers collecting different amounts of grass, meaning different weights are applied to the three cutting units.
If the weight cannot be removed from the grass catchers, the different weights can cause different heights of cut with each cutting unit, leaving poor playing conditions and after-cut appearance. This is especially noticeable through undulations of a green and on the clean-up pass. The grass catchers on the riding greens mowers have been designed for optimum catching efficiency while maintaining a consistent, effective height of cut.
Grass catcher clip (1) and lift arm bracket (2)
The exclusive John Deere grass catcher transfers approximately two-thirds of the weight to the vehicle's lift arm. This helps maintain a more-consistent cutting height to ensure a uniform cut across all three cutting units.
The front grass catchers can be removed and installed with one hand because of an innovative clip system. The clip secures the catcher to an adjustable bracket on the lift arm, transferring weight from the catcher to the lift arm as clippings accumulate in the catcher.
Rear grass catcher (1) and bail system (2)
The rear grass-catcher mounting system simplifies removal and installation of the rear grass catcher and reduces effort.
The retaining-bail system for the rear grass catcher also uses the exclusive John Deere design to transfer the weight of the grass catcher to the lift arm.
Rear grass catcher
The grass catcher can be easily removed, without spilling the clippings, by rotating the grass catcher back toward the front of the machine until the front grass catcher lip is above the cutting unit side plate. Then, simply pull it out to the side. This can be accomplished with the cutting unit in the raised or lowered position.
Grass catcher channel
A channel in the cutting unit side frames guides the grass catcher onto the cutting unit. The channel in the castings ensures the grass-catcher lip maintains its relationship with the cutting unit when following undulations, providing for better grass-catching efficiency.
Adjustable top shield
Adjustable cutting-unit top shields also ensure that grass is thrown into the back of the catcher, even as the reel diameter decreases due to wear. The catchers are shaped and vented to allow the air from the reel to escape while retaining the clippings.
Top-shield extension for dry conditions
Extensions for the cutting-unit top shields are for use in dry conditions to maximize the flow of dry clippings into the grass catcher. If mowing predominantly in wet-turf conditions, remove the cutting unit shield extensions to reduce buildup and accumulation of clippings on the front of the grass catcher.