August 25, 2026
Kress showcases unmanned mowing during Portugal Invitational
“Turf professionals could see that autonomy is no longer a distant concept. It is a working solution.” — Dario Alonso, CEO of Kress South Europe
Kress put unmanned turf-care technology in the spotlight during the inaugural Portugal Invitational, held at The Els Club Vilamoura in Portugal’s Algarve region.
As an Official Partner of the tournament, the manufacturer hosted 75 guests from Europe and North America, including golf course superintendents, greenkeepers, course managers and owners. The programme combined championship golf with demonstrations and visits designed to show how unmanned mowing can be integrated into everyday course maintenance.
“Turf professionals could see that autonomy is no longer a distant concept. It is a working solution.” — Dario Alonso, CEO of Kress South Europe
The clearest example came at the nearby Old Course Vilamoura, where two Kress robotic mowers were deployed. According to the company, the installation demonstrated how planned, repetitive mowing can be handled autonomously, allowing greenkeeping teams to spend more time on areas requiring specialist knowledge and human judgement, including agronomy, irrigation, course presentation and the player experience.
Visitors were also introduced to the Kress MasterSeries robot mower and the Kress EyePilot 4×4, both developed for the coverage, accuracy and varied terrain found across large and complex sites.
“Golf is one of the most demanding environments in grounds maintenance, which is why it provides such a meaningful benchmark for our technology,” said Dario Alonso, CEO of Kress South Europe. “In Vilamoura, turf professionals could see that autonomy is no longer a distant concept. It is a working solution.”
The programme also included a visit to Quinta do Lago, where superintendent Scott McLean gave guests an insight into the expertise and attention required to maintain one of the Algarve’s leading golf destinations.
Kress argues that autonomous electric mowing can help courses reduce their reliance on diesel-powered machinery, cutting local emissions and noise while providing consistent mowing throughout the operating schedule. The company positions the technology as a way to extend the capabilities of existing grounds teams rather than replace their expertise.
This distinction is particularly relevant as golf venues face growing pressure to improve environmental performance without compromising playing conditions. By transferring predictable mowing work to unmanned machines, operators are able to redirect skilled staff towards more complex and visible aspects of course preparation.
The implications also extend beyond golf. Courses are among the most demanding professional turf environments, where surface quality directly affects play and presentation standards remain high. Technology capable of operating in such settings has applications across sports grounds, resorts, universities, municipalities and other organisations responsible for large, high-quality landscapes.
The Portugal Invitational was staged from 27 July to 2 August and featured 78 players competing for a US$3 million purse. Zach Johnson won the inaugural title with a 19-under-par finish.
For Kress, however, the event served as more than a sponsorship platform. By bringing turf professionals together and supporting its claims with working installations at established Portuguese courses, the company sought to demonstrate that unmanned mowing is moving from an emerging technology to a practical component of professional grounds maintenance.
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