With approximately 1,000 stand-alone, nine-hole and full course ranges in operation in the UK, the market may be niche, but is an attractive one for the Japanese manufacturer . As the pioneer of low ground pressure vehicles in this country, Kawasaki is all too aware of the potential of this sector which, along with the turfcare, accounts for almost 50% of all Mule utility vehicle sales in Britain today.

With the surge in the development of increasingly impressive golf ranges within the last decade, a position within the golfing market itself has been established. The versatility of the Mule for fetching, carrying general maintenance and, importantly, ball collection has only served to enhance the reputation of a working machine that more than earns its keep.

Although evidence suggests that the rate of development of the early to mid-Nineties may have subsided, new ranges are still opening up while existing ranges are upgrading facilities.

“Since the introduction of the first Mules in this country more than a decade ago, golf has obviously been one of our most important markets. The Mule was pioneered for the turfcare industry and golf makes up a significant part of that business,” added Rees.

“As driving ranges have become more popular following this resurgence in the game, so too have Mule sales increased which if you think about it is totally logical because the vehicle has evolved around the needs of the market,” he added.

The commercial consideration for owners and operators is immediately apparent. Not only does it provide a cost-effective run-around for undertaking carrying and maintenance, an increasing number of attachments for towing, mowing, rolling, watering or spraying, keep it busy all year. The development of specially adapted ball collectors not only ensures that time devoted to a painstaking chore is minimised, it also reinforces the argument that the Mule is a sound investment.

So, which of Kawasaki’s Mules is the ideal range workhorse? With four models to select from it comes down to the individual needs of the range. According to David Ball, General Manager of European Golf Machinery the Mule 550 with its 10 hp, single cylinder four-stroke engine, fits the bill for most ranges.

Indeed, this is the vehicle selected by European Golf Machinery for ball collection duties on the PGA European tour.

“We’ve recently seen evidence of a lot of upgrading of ranges with existing clubs meeting the needs of members by improving facilities and accordingly business continues to be good with sales of our ball collectors and the Mules,” he commented.

The introduction earlier this year of Kawasaki’s new Mule Diesel 3010 provides an even tougher, more durable alternative particularly attractive for those with challenging terrain and diesel accessible on-site.

The commitment from Kawasaki is clear. Having focused on the turfcare and golfing sectors in the development of the Mule utility vehicles up to now, the drive is on to create a machine that simply gets better and is as much a part of the golf range scene as the golfers swinging in the bays.