Depends on how much work you plan to do.
Scag and the like are very expensive mowers intended for the top end of the pro business.
When I was young I started out with Briggs & Stratton.
When I went pro I used a wide variety of brands. The choice for the best service for the money is Snapper.
However it's not so much the brand as the particular model. Different models carry different motors and that's the most important thing.
Engines can be broken down into three basic catagories.
Cheap: These are the engines you'll find on K-mart and Wal-Mart specials that are on sale really cheap. On average will give about 30 hrs. engine life. Stay away from these.
Moderate duty rated engines: These are the ones you'll find on your better consumer brands. Scotts, Craftsman etc...
They can with proper care and use give years of life and represent the best buy for those starting out. I still use these level of mowers for much of my work and have several that are well over 15 years in age.
Top end pro gear: This of course includes the brands you mentioned. They represent a major investment however, the only places I've seen these in use are at golf courses and country clubs.
Coincidently msot of Scags motors are built by the same engine manufacturers that build the engines for Briggs, Tecumseh, Sears etc...
With Scag you are assured of the highest quality tho'.
If you are young and starting out I'd advise getting a Craftsman with a commercial duty engine.( Cast iron sleeves in the engine as well as high quality alloy engine parts. most of the Craftsman line carry such, just ask when talking to the salesman.)
If you have the money a Snapper is a good choice as well.
Scotts is a sturdy mower, however it's external parts such as control cables and such are proprietary and can only be gotten through a Scotts dealer or if carried by an after-market shop are more expensive.( I have a Scotts that I've refitted with standard parts)
If you are cutting alot of grass you might want to consider a riding mower for large areas and a walk behind for trim and tight spots. This however necessitates a truck and trailer, more expenses.
The most important thing to remenber starting out is too keep the start up cost to a minumim. (I started out cutting yards on the weekends with just a 22 inch push mower. By the end of the summer had three mowers and an partner as well.)
When I went pro I started out with 4 walk behinds, 2 riding mowers and 2 weed eaters.
I alos hired 2 helpers.
This worked for most of the years that I worked the lawn care business.
The key to remember is to work with speed and efficiency, volume is the key to sucess once you've attained a certain level in the business.
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