I bought a used Land Pride 7ft finish mower a few months ago for $600 from a client. I fixed their three way light switches and told them not to worry about paying me for it as I was only there half an hour. They asked if I'd needed a mower. hahaha After finding out that it was just sitting there with two flat tires, but in perfect condition, I jumped on it. They hadn't used it in years and wanted the space in the barn. It even has a slip clutch.
My tractor is 4 wheel drive and has 35 hp at the engine. Nothing fancy, but it pulls the finish mower allot easier then my 6 foot shredder. I mow once a month here in East Texas where hay farmers can get three cutting a year. I mow Bahia, Bermuda, Johnson, Dalas grass all mixed together with all sorts of weeds. The blades are on the dull side, but it cuts it beautifully!!!!!
There are a few areas that the grass is extremely heavy and I'll go over it twice just to get everything perfect. In the thinner or lower areas, I can cruise through it twice as fast as I was with the shredder. I think the guild wheels are what make the biggest difference. The tractor isn't lifting anything, it's just pulling the mower.
I've found that with less weight on the rear end, I can get through softer dirt and I also don't leave as many ruts or tear up the ground as much. The biggest difference is along the banks of my lake and pond. I can get closer to the water and keep on going with the finish mowere in areas that I got stuck with the shredder.
Eddie