I like square corners but don't have the room to do the 270 turn, nor do I like the way turning that sharp digs in the front tires. Plus the extra driving compacts the lawn more on the edges and corners.
With my hydro, reversing quickly is not such a big deal. So on each corner, I over-run about 1/2 tractor length and start turning into the corner. Then I back and turn the opposite direction, and then pull forward straightening into the next side. The whole turn takes only 3 or 4 seconds.
I start by going around the permiter and work towards the middle. Once the rectangle gets down to the last few passes, I skip the short side and just U-turn around to the other long side.
One thing I learned is that two quick passes over the lawn makes a much nicer looking cut than going slow once over. Especially if you change the pattern, you catch all the ratty stragglers that somehow escaped being cut the first time around. So once I complete the pattern, I keep going in the opposite direction around the rectangle.
The 2nd pass is in the direction so the discharge chute pushes the clippings back towards the outside leaving the whole lawn completely clean of clippings, leaves, and the goose feathers that collect down by the lake.
- Rick