A wide area turf mower (10) has a wheel supported main frame (12) and cutting units (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34) movably connected to the main frame (12) and positioned in rows (36, 38, 40) in a staggered order to form a mower cutting configuration for cutting a continuous swath of turf between any two outer cutting units (26, 32) located respectively on opposite sides of the main frame (12). One row (38) of the cutting units comprises a first pair of interconnected outer and inner cutting units (26, 28) at a first side (18) of the main frame (12) and a second pair of interconnected inner and outer cutting units (30, 32) at the second side (20) of the main frame (12). The inner cutting units (28, 30) are pivotally connected to the main frame and the outer cutting units (26, 32) are pivotally connected to a respective inner cutting unit (28, 30). Hydraulic cylinders (42, 44) cause the outer cutting units (26, 32) to fold in a direction towards the rear end of the main frame (12). Hydraulic cylinders (50, 52) cause the inner cutting units (28, 30) to lift in an upward direction. A controller operates all of the hydraulic cylinders.
