When arriving at this green last week Thursday to cut it, the mower I was using did not want to start. This is strange because the mowers we use usually start after the first or second pull of the starter cord. I persisted and the mower eventually started after about the 7th pull.
More than halfway through cutting the green, the mower left a strip of clippings that were soaked in petrol. I realised this because the clippings were darker in colour than usual and they had an unusual sheen to them and confirmed my suspicion by smelling them.
Having noticed the soaked clippings I took the mower to our mechanic for checking and he took the bottom of the carburettor off to ensure that the float wasn't stuck. His inspection revealed no fault.
The areas where the soaked clippings lay have now become dead patches on the greens and unfortunately we do not know what caused this. I was told by the head Greenkeeper that these areas will need to be patched with plugs or sods to repair them.
I believe that the mower became flooded with my many attempts at starting it where after petrol leaked onto the mower and gathered on the clippings that sometimes stick to the corners just above the reel. The clippings must have built up in this area during cutting while simultaneously soaking up the fuel and eventually giving way to gravity once enough clippings had accumulated.
One thing I have learnt from this is that if a machine is acting up compared to how it usually performs, it is advisable to immediately inform the mechanic of the problem and get the machine checked.
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