gmé | issuu 45

mansfield’s dreamIrish billionaire Jim Mansfield wanted to builda course that would one day be regarded as

Ireland’s best golf club, so he set aboutcreating the PGA National Ireland in Dublin.

The leading business magazine for the pan-European golf industry

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It’s in the Bag...As the R&A approves the use of GPS, Golf Plus goes the distance with yardage solutionsthat conform, comply and generate profit.

It’s in the Bag...As the R&A approves the use of GPS, Golf Plus goes the distance with yardage solutionsthat conform, comply and generate profit.

Contents

In the great tradition of lobby correspondents everywhere, the September issueof Golf Management Europe brought you the news that the R&A were set tochange the rules relating to GPS technology.

Like good Parliamentary correspondents, our reporters had been cowering inthe modern-day equivalent of the bars and clubs to piece together the

story. And sure enough, not much more than a week after we hit thestreets the R&A announced changes to the rules to take effect fromJanuary 1, 2006.

New decision 14-3/0.5 allows a committee to permit the use ofdistance measuring devices by local rule. This applies to devicesmeasuring distance only; not any other conditions that mightaffect a player’s game, such as wind or gradient.

In the absence of such a local rule, the use of a distance-meas-uring device remains contrary to the rules. The biggest benefi-ciary in all this, however, is not the golfer: it is big business.

One of the first conglomerates to celebrate was GPS Incwhich even put out a statement which said: “We control thepatents to this emerging new technology. As this $38billion industry upgrades and installs GPS systems, we willbe collecting fees almost every time a golf ball is hitanywhere on the planet.”

Sadly, golf - like anything else on the planet – is nowbeholden to the money men. Much lobbying has obvi-ously been carried out on behalf of the industry andthe R&A – and the USGA, for it too is culpable – hassuccumbed. It has probably even traded off – notthat we are ever likely to be told how or why.

But one is left with the distasteful notion that golf,the last bastion of sporting traditionalism, has nowpartaken of the corporate canapé – and there is nogoing back.

Whenever a hoop is placed by big business, golfwill be jumping through it.

But such a step comes with a caveat. Professionalfootball in England leapt over to the dark side in1992 with the formation of the Premiership. Thathanded the running of the game over to the moneymen. And for a decade or so everything seemed rosy.

Now attendances are down, clubs are haemorrhagingcash and there is a growing movement of dissentdemanding a return to more traditional values.

So beware – the happy hand waving a fistful of dollarsmight turn out to be the grim reaper in an Armani suit.

Is Golf now toobeholden to Big Business?

issue 45credits;editorJohn Vinicombe

contributorsDavid BowersNeville JohnsonRob Wright

publisherMichael Lenihan

administrationSharon O’Connell

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cover story 7

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mark smith 20

Golf Management Europe November 2005

News

November 2005 Golf Management Europe

Lead StoryNew interpretations of the Rules of Golfallowing the use of distance measuringdevices by Local Rule and also empowercommittees to accept, as an “administra-tive error”, cards where the correct scorehas been entered on the wrong card,have been announced.

The R&A and the USGA have announcedthese changes among 111 amendments tothe book Decisions on the Rules of Golf.Published every two years, the newedition becomes effective for all golfersfrom January 1, 2006.

Mark Roe and Jesper Parnevik weredisqualified at the 2003 OpenChampionship at Royal St George’s forentering their correct scores on thewrong scorecards.

In the future, committees will beallowed to correct such an error withoutpenalty. Revised Decision 6-6d/4 gives acommittee the power to strike the wrongname from an otherwise correctlycompleted score card and add the correctname, without limit of time.

Another major change is the governingbodies’ sanction of the use of distancemeasuring devices, including GPS basedsystems and laser rangefinders.

New Decision 14-3/0.5 allows acommittee to permit the use of distancemeasuring devices by Local Rule. Thisapplies to devices that measure distanceonly, not any other conditions that mightaffect a player’s game such as wind orgradient. In the absence of such a LocalRule, the use of a distance measuringdevice remains illegal.

Another New Decision (16-1e/2) helpsthe player who inadvertently makes aputting stroke with both feet square onto the hole, often to avoid taking astance on another player’s line of putt.

In this instance the player will not bepenalised under Rule 16-1e, which wasframed to prevent “croquet style”putting.

A significant revision to Decision 4-3/1has also been made. A change in theinterpretation of what is considered to bethe “normal course of play” will allow therepair or replacement of a damaged club,provided that the club was not abused.

Each year The R&A and the USGAreceive thousands of requests to clarifythe Rules for incidents that haveoccurred throughout the world at alllevels of the game.

New rules announced thatlegalise the use of GPS

Barenbrug open new facilityKees Bleeker, (pictured above left) CEO Royal Barenbrug Group officially opened the

new production and warehousing facilities at Barenbrug UK’s headquarters in Bury StEdmunds last month.

Speaking at the opening Mr Bleeker said: “In our discussions with the UK companyit had become very clear that if they were to meet their objectives this extension wasessential. The company has already claimed an important position in the UK marketand our aim is to make Barenbrug the undisputed number one in the UK grass seedindustry.”

Primula’s newboot camp

Developers have announced plans tobuild a multi-million pound golf and hotelcomplex near Barnard Castle, Teesdale.

Primula Ltd aims to bring residentsand business on board in their bid totransform the former Humbleton armycamp, which lies off the A67, into a 120-room hotel and golf course employingover 200 people. Construction work couldbegin early next year if the developmentmeets planning regulations.

The proposals include an 18-holechampionship golf course, golfing holi-day lodges, a leisure club, tennis courts,swimming pool, spa, leisure centre andan in-house team of beauty therapists.

Previous plans for a similar develop-ment on the site were approved in theearly 1990s when landowners George andJohn Richardson gained permission tobuild a 28-room hotel, golf course and73 chalets.

The development was eventuallyshelved because of the economic impactof foot-and-mouth in the region.

No show forRansomes

Ransomes Jacobsen has formally noti-fied the IOG and its dealer and distribu-tor network that they will not be exhibit-ing at IOG SALTEX in September 2006.

However, the Ipswich-based companywill be exhibiting in 2007 and everyother year thereafter as managing direc-tor, David Withers explained: “We begana dialogue with the IOG back in 2003 inregard to the possibility of exhibiting atSALTEX on a bi-annual basis.

“As strong supporters of the IOG wemade sure that they were aware of ourconcerns, providing them with sufficienttime to make their plans accordingly.

We shall continue to be supportive ofthe IOG and look forward to maintaininga constant exchange of communicationson how we can work together.”


Alan Pierce, assistant greenkeeper at Ham Manor Golf Club, West Sussex, hasbecome 2005 champion student greenkeeper, after winning the prestigious Toro

Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award. Pierce was nominated by his course tutor atPlumpton College and proceeded through a regional final before going before a panel

of specialist judges at the national final of the competition, which is sponsored byToro, and organised by BIGGA.

Pierce scoops Toro award

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New schoolthreatens golf

Edinburgh residents have expressedfears over development plans which willlose them a nine-hole golf course.

The plans use Portobello Golf Course asa site for a new high school, and residentsspoke out at a public meeting where over100 people listened to claims thatencroaching developments could leave thetown without valuable amenities.

Portobello councillor LawrenceMarshall said there were many questionsabout Portobello High School beingmoved to another site. He said: “It is ahuge problem as the school needs play-ing fields too.

“I think the golf course is an idea sitefor the high school because within thePortobello catchment area it is the onlysite I can think of which would allowplaying fields too.”

However, this idea was hotly contestedby members of the public, with one mansaying he moved to Portobello a year agoprecisely because of the green spaces.

Made to measure by MizunoMizuno has extended its consumer custom fitting service with the opening of a new

English National Fitting Centre. The Mizuno staffed centre at Pachesham Park GolfCentre, in Surrey, follows in the footsteps of Mizuno’s Scottish Fitting Centre inCumbernauld. Andy Kikidas, product manager for Mizuno said: “The first fitting suitein Cumbernauld, Scotland has been fully booked since we opened in April 2004 - witha waiting list of about two weeks. As a result we’ve recently opened a second fittingsuite at Cumbernauld to accommodate double the amount of guests.”

News


Barrelfield Golf and its sister companyBarrelfield Construction have merged toform one organisation, called 360 Golf.

The new company claims that it willallow a single senior management teamto offer an unrivalled portfolio of solu-tions to the golf industry, including a fullrange of golf management, design andconstruction and consultancy services.

360 Golf director Melvin Thomas, oneof the founders of Barrelfield Golf, said:“This is an exciting development for acompany which has been supplyingsuccessful and innovative business adviceto the European golf market for 15 years.

“We’ve become a multi-talented golfcompany with a broad range of knowl-edge and expertise - including the designand build of courses and clubhouses, themanagement and operation of golf clubs,and the provision of sales, marketing,membership and financial advice to golfbusinesses in our consultancy role.

“By forming one new company, weexpect 360 Golf to grow even faster andit makes it easier for the senior manage-ment team to market our services, whichwe believe are unique in the Europeangolf industry.

“Given that we exist to help our clientsachieve their ambitions, our customerswill also find us easier to deal with, andcombining the two halves of our businessmeans that we will be sharing our inter-nal resources far better,” concludedThomas.

Barrelfield Construction was formed in2000 with the specific remit to build thecourse at the exclusive Queenwood GolfClub, on the outskirts of London, for therenowned US developer, Fred Green.

On the management side, BarrelfieldConstruction was involved in manyaspects of this multi-million pound proj-ect - finding the land and assisting inthe purchase, compiling and submittingthe final planning application and assist-ing in the project management.

The Surrey-based company has alsobeen instrumental in helping to launch anumber of other top courses, includingCaversham Heath, the first UK golf courseto open in the new millennium.

Barrelfield Golf was set up in 1990 byMel Thomas, Paul Wright and AndrewRichardson, three golfing acquaintanceswith vast financial, greenkeeping, realestate and marketing expertise.

All change at Barrelfield as360 Golf is launched

As this edition is the last of 2005,Portman Publishing and Communications,publishers of Golf Management Europe,would like to wish all our readers andadvertisers a very happy festive season,and the very best for 2006.

Our new-look website was launchedrecently, so please feel free to visitwww.portman.uk.com and take a look.

The Club Company is continuing tosearch for suitable sites for the expan-sion of its country club concept followingits recent refinancing.

The Reading-based company, whichwas acquired by Legal & General Ventures(LGV) in May 2004, has been refinancedwith debt facilities of £60m from AngloIrish Bank.

It confirms LGV’s support for The ClubCompany, said LGV managing director BillPriestley: “We’re delighted with ourinvestment,” he said.

“The refinancing reflects the strongperformance of the business since theacquisition and is a testament to themanagement team and the growingpopularity of the country club format.”

The Club Company’s searchfor suitable sites continues

GME signingoff for 2005

Club Car has won a new NationalAccount contract to become the exclu-sive supplier of golf and utility vehiclesto Woburn Golf and Country Club.

Winning this account is extremelysignificant for Club Car as not only is it asix-year deal, but it was previously heldby one of the company’s competitors.Furthermore, Woburn has also made theswitch from petrol to electric golf cars.

Eddie Bullock, managing director ofWoburn Golf and Country Club wasinstrumental in bringing Club Car onboard as he is keen to ensure that theywork with the best companies in thebusiness, and is delighted with the newlong-term partnership with Club Car.

Although the quality of the productwas an important consideration, the highstandard of Club Car’s after sales servicewas equally important in making theirfinal decision as Bullock explained.

“At Woburn we pride ourselves onworking with the very best suppliers, andfirmly believe that Club Car provides thepremium product in the golf car market.The partnership with Club Car is just oneexample of our ongoing commitment toproviding members and guests with thevery best possible golf experience.”

Woburn has taken on a fleet of 53 redPrecedent golf cars, the bonnets of whichhave all been customised with the club’sname and crest.

Club Car winsnew account


Golf PlusWalters House, 12 Merlin Centre

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Telephone: 01494 795111Facsimile: 01494 461107

www.golf-plus.co.uk

Cover StoryGolf Plus, who claim to be Europe’sbiggest manufacturer of buggy-borne GPSdistance systems, will be the only all-British company manufacturing andsupplying a hand-held GPS version nowthat GPS has the R&A’s blessing.

The High Wycombe-based companyintroduced its new GPS device only weeksago. Called the Caddy, it’s an all Britishproduct - a fact which is proudly empha-sised by managing director Jeremy Cooke.

The recent announcement that hightech distance aids will henceforth be inbounds gives his brand new product whatCooke believes to be a unique positionwithin the UK market.

“Our Investment in the design anddevelopment of the Caddy commenced 18months ago, with the full understand-ing that distance measuringdevices were not allowed incompetitions at that time.

“Our research showedthat, on average less than30 per cent of roundsplayed by golfers are subjectto the relevant ruling. We cannot say weanticipated the relaxation of rule 14.3but we are obviously delighted with theR&A’s decision.”

The company already has over 600 UKcourses mapped and back orders for morethan 1,000 units.

Golf Plus claims that it is mapping newcourses at a rate of ten a day, and wherepossible, endeavours to map a coursewithin 14 days, subject to a customerorder.

Although the Caddy is a consumer prod-uct, it has distinctive added value for clubofficials. In addition to speeding up play,

it offers the pro-shop a three-prongedincome source: A trade margin

from pro shop sales, fromrental fees, and from marginsreceived from the sale of

GPS maps (Caddy Maps). At less than the cost of a

modestly priced driver it looks setto be a ‘must have’ accessory forperformance hungry golfers.

“We can only hope that the substantialadditional income and profit opportunitywill be recognised by clubs such thatthey choose to implement the local rule,”said Cooke.

Golf Plus fly the flag whilstkeeping the distance

COVER STORY

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Recent improvements at St Enodoc GolfClub, in Cornwall, received glowing praiserecently from the best amateur golfers inEngland.

The English Men’s County Finals 2005were held in late September at the clas-sic links course, which was by remodelledWeller McEvoy in the spring of 2005.

The Captain of the winning Yorkshireteam, Iain MacKenzie, said of the remod-elled 98-year old golf course: “The courseis a great test for a good golfer, and overthe five days every player I spoke tothought the golf course was fantastic.

“It looks so natural, like it’s meant tobe there, and to be honest none of usnoticed the changes so they were obvi-ously very sympathetic to the layout.”

Peter McEvoy OBE, of golf courseremodelling firm Weller McEvoy, said:

“St Enodoc has always been one of thejewels of English golf, but given recentequipment improvements it was gettingeasier for the good golfer.

“We’re simply restoring the challengethe golf course presents without chang-ing its essential character, and we’redelighted that the changes are provingpopular.”

The decision to alter the Church courseat St Enodoc was not taken lightly bymembers and club officials. “It’s almost70 years since James Braid made the lastof his alterations at St Enodoc,” said TuckClagett, general manager at the club.

“We saw several golf architects during2004, and then Peter McEvoy set up aMembers’ evening to explain his ownconcept. We were impressed, and select-ed Weller McEvoy soon afterwards.”

News


Strutt & Parker have sold FrodshamGolf Club near Chester to the owners ofnearby Northop Golf and Country Club.The club had been offered with a guideprice of £1.9 million and attractedstrong interest from a wide range ofinterested parties.

Neighboursbuy Frodsham

New coursecould beDynamite

Phase one nears completion at fire-ravaged Chart Hills

A desolate strip of land that was oncehome to Alfred Nobel’s British Dynamitecompany could be transformed in amulti-million-pound project.

Ardeer peninsula in Ayrshire, a sandyexpanse between the River Garnock andthe sea, is to be reclaimed to create achampionship golf course and more than2,500 homes. Tourism chiefs have prom-ised their support, describing it as an“astonishing proposal”.

Described by Nobel as a “sand desertwhere the wind always blows, oftenhowls, filling the eyes and ears withsand”, the two-mile brown-field stripemployed generations of people at one ofthe world’s largest explosives factories.

Having lain barren for years, itsmalaise was lifted only by the Big Idea,a £14m development designed to cele-brate 1,000 years of invention. The proj-ect lasted only three years.

Now the peninsula, recently mootedfor a Scottish Power wind farm scheme,is owned by NPL Estates. The firmintends to transform Ardeer over the nexttwo decades, reinvigorating the infra-structure of Ayrshire and enliveningIrvine and Stevenston.

At the heart of the planned develop-ment lies a championship golf course.While the land requires about £7.5mworth of remedial work, NPL believes theterrain offers ideal foundations for thePeninsula Golf Resort.

Weller McEvoy earn plaudits

The first phase of the rebuilding of thefire-ravaged clubhouse at Chart Hills GolfClub is nearing completion.

Work on restoring the clubhouse to itsformer glory has been progressing steadi-ly since fire ripped through the buildingin Biddenden, Kent, on September 14.

Chart Hills general manager MatthewMay said: “We are now nearing the end ofphase one of the building work, whichinvolves the complete removal of debrisand dangerous structures from thedamaged areas of the clubhouse. Thatshould be finished next week.

“That will be followed immediately bythe start of phase two, which will involvestripping out what is left of the upper

floor, and turning our attention to thelocker rooms on the ground floor whichwere water damaged.”

The third and final phase of the recon-struction programme will be the rebuild.

May added: “The plans are still beingdrawn up as far as the actual look of thenew clubhouse is concerned, and thetimescale involved depends very much onthe weather. That is the first variable.

“The timing of the rebuilding of theclubhouse is good from a golf perspectiveas we are entering the quieter months ofthe season, but it is not a good time forthe reconstruction work because wenever know what the winter weather willdo,” he concluded.


Four years ago, David MacIndoe, course manager at Killarney Golf Club in Co.Kerry,Ireland, purchased a Wiedenmann Terra Spike from local dealer Seamus Weldon withthe aim of improving the drainage on his flagship Killeen course. “I know that our

deep aeration programme on the Killeen greens has kept them playable duringinclement weather,” he said. MacIndoe and his team purchased a Terra Spike XP

following a six-month trial on all three courses back in 2001.

Play on with Terra Spike

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A mother of three who supports aBritish plan to build a golf coursecomplex in rural Brittany, France, is beingdriven from her home by a campaign ofharassment that culminated in themurder of her pet horse.

Deborah Beattie du Preez, 36, original-ly from Aberdeenshire, said she had beenvilified by local people after acting as aninterpreter for the British entrepreneursbehind the £2.5m project.

The killing of her miniature horse,which was kidnapped, disembowelled andthen dumped in a field, followed a seriesof attacks on other pets.

“How can I live in a place where thereare people around who behave like that?I have three children and I am a singlemum. I would not say that I am scaredbut I am certainly not relaxed about thesituation.”

Du Preez’s problems appear to stemfrom her association with a Britishcompany, Chateau du Moulin Roul, which

is behind plans to build an 18-hole golfcourse plus a luxury hotel and homes on300 acres at Théhillac and the neighbour-ing village of St Dolay.

After applying for planning permission,two of the firm’s directors - Jon Griffithsand Philip Heaney - agreed to outlinetheir proposals at a meeting in thevillage as part of a month-long publicinquiry. Du Preez, who speaks fluentFrench, said that she would interpret.

During the meeting she tried in vain toexplain to a rowdy minority of criticsthat the scheme would mean hotel jobsfor local women and work on the golfcourse for young men with agriculturalskills.

The critics were not convinced, howev-er, claiming that the course would be tooexclusive and the green fees too expen-sive for locals. One farmer interruptedproceedings by crying “Brittany for theBretons” and “The land here is only forpeople who were born here.”

John Deere has just published its 2006Collection catalogue, which is packed fullof personalised merchandise featuringthe companies famous leaping deer logo.

Free copies of the fourth John DeereCollection catalogue are available nowfrom your local John Deere dealer.

John Deereleaps ahead

French unease at proposednew development in Brittany

News


Citing Houston’s inability to deliverpreviously agreed upon services, officialsof the Golf Course SuperintendentsAssociation of America (GCSAA) and theNational Golf Course Owners Association(NGCOA) have announced that the GolfIndustry Show and their respectiveeducation conferences will be conductedin Atlanta in February 2006.

The conferences and trade show wereoriginally scheduled to be in NewOrleans; however, due to the destructioncaused by Hurricane Katrina, officialsannounced that the events would relo-cate to Houston.

The dates for the 2006 conferencesand show will remain the same as wereoriginally planned: the GCSAA EducationConference (Feb 6-11), the NGCOASolutions Summit (Feb 7-10) and theGolf Industry Show (Feb 9-11).

“Officials from Houston had said theycould meet our needs,” commentedGCSAA CEO Steve Mona, “but as discus-sions progressed, it became obvious thatsignificant hurdles needed to be cleared.

“In the end, we agreed that theproposed arrangement would not createan experience that would meet ourexpectations.”

At the official launch of GolfEx Dubai,an international golf summit and desti-nation for the business of golf, therecord for the world’s largest golf tee wasbroken.

GolfEx Dubai claims to be the firstconvention of its kind aimed at unifyingthe golfing world and intends to bringtogether the industry at one singlevenue. It is aimed at opinion formersand decision-makers who are instrumen-tal in developing and growing the sportaround the world. Primarily a conference,it will also host a trade exhibition andgala dinner.

GolfEx Dubai will be held at theJumeirah Conference Centre betweenJanuary 29-30, 2006. Further informationcan be found at www.golf-ex.com.

GolfEx Dubaitees-off

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG)has announced that Geoff Webb has beenappointed chief executive.

Formerly director of facility and stadiadevelopment at the Football Foundation,and before that head of major projects atthe Lawn Tennis Association, 43-year-oldWebb brings to the IOG a high level oforganisational and leadership skills.

Commenting on his appointment,Webb said: “In my new role I relish theopportunity to help further raise theprofile of groundsmanship in the UK.”

IOG appointWebb as boss

PGA EuroPro Tour turns toSkycaddie for guidance

GCSAA moves to Atlanta

The PGA EuroPro Tour have signed along-term agreement with SkycaddieEurope, giving players the use of state-of-the-art handheld GPS systems on theirtour in 2005 and 2006.

The Skycaddie system allows players topinpoint their exact position on eachhole using a 4.8oz handset, which utilis-es precise, GPS mapped plans of thecourses.

The Skycaddie, which is around the sizeof an average mobile phone and has abattery life of over ten hours, also has apatented ‘intelligreen’ feature, whichallows the player to see the front, backand centre of the green from any position.

“Skycaddie Europe is delighted tobecome the Official Range Finder of thePGA EuroPro Tour,” said Skycaddie Europesales and marketing director, JackieHitchcock.

“We are keen to see the Tour developwith this outstanding range finder, whichwill allow players to know not only

distances to greens, but how far it is toreach or carry a hazard such as a bunkeror water.

“Skycaddie is already used on anequivalent tour in the USA and we arecertain that the players on the PGAEuroPro Tour will be able to take advan-tage of the benefits of the Skycaddie.

“The European Tour has caddies andextensive yardage books and the playersnever hit a shot without knowing theexact distance.

“The Skycaddie will give players on thePGA EuroPro Tour all the detailed infor-mation that enables a player to play theway the course was designed to beplayed. Along with the players regularyardage booklets, the Skycaddie will givethem active GPS wherever they are onthe course.”

Skycaddie Europe will also present theplayers who qualify for November’s TourChampionship with a complimentaryhandset for use in 2006.

Sky’s the Limit


GPS SPECIAL REPORT

Just when you thought it was safeto dismiss distance-measuringdevices, the R&A and the USGAhave changed the rules sanction-

ing their use in competition. As ofJanuary 1, 2006, you can pass a localrule allowing these devices to be usedon your course.

Concerns about legality and sports-manship are now redundant. Fewcommentators ever thought this wouldhappen so soon.

The powers that be had alwaysresisted the use of such aids - presum-ably as being contrary to the spirit ofthe game. And many more puristswould probably agree.

Nevertheless, for now, any concernabout a threat to the uniquely quaintsight of golfers pacing backwards andforwards from yardage markers,complete with rangefinders and otheraids to help them calculate their distancefrom the pin needs to be suspended.

What you most likely want to knowreally is this: if demand for this technol-ogy does dramatically increase as aresult of this ruling, will you be spend-ing or making more money on your golfcourse in response?

But before delving into anyeconomics analyses, let�s take a quicklook at the science driving the moreglamorous end of the distance-measur-ing spectrum - Global PositioningSystems, or GPS.NetworkGPS is fundamentally a network of 24satellites, circling the earth in veryprecise orbits. Working synchronously,these satellites allow GPS receivers toidentify precisely any location on earthby latitude and longitude.

Why 24? Because at any one time,GPS receivers need to �see� at least foursatellites to accurately identify its loca-tion. And 24 satellites is the precisenumber that allows just that.

Five land-based managementcentres around the world constantlymonitor the satellites� location, lettingeach one know where it is as theysilently soar 12,000 miles above theplanet. The satellites send signals thattravel at the speed of light, which a GPSreceiver can intercept to identify a satel-lite�s position relative to earth.

Essentially, the GPS receivercompares the time a satellite signal wastransmitted with the time it wasreceived. The time difference tells theunit how far away the satellite is.

The receiver then does some verynifty calculations, taking into account itsdistance from the satellite, as well as thesame info from ideally two other satel-lites it�s locked onto (a fourth allows alti-tude calculations relative to sea level).

And before you know it, the receiverknows precisely where it is! It evenworks in any weather conditions,anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. !

The recent change to the Rules of Golf could well mean that distance-measuring devices -particularly GPS systems - are just about to hit the big-time. Rob Wright reports on thepotential impact that this major development could have on your course.


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Launched and maintained by the USDepartment of Defence, the system wasoriginally designed for military use,including a variety of covert uses suchas weapons targeting and ground trooplocation information.

However, with the end of the ColdWar, the Americans probably couldn�tjustify sustaining such a costly propri-etary system any longer (a $12bninvestment) and so made it available tocivilians for commercial and/or privateuse worldwide.GolfWhich is where your golf course comesin. Some bright spark realised that ifyou inform a GPS receiver in advancewhere a particular point (or �target�) is,it can calculate how far it is from it inan exact straight line because thereceiver can always know where it is.

So, if it�s pre-programmed with agolf course�s key points (known aswaypoints in GPS lingo) the device cantell the user how far their ball is frommajor targets such as bunkers, waterfeatures, the pin, or even the front, backor centre of the green.

The main aim of a golf GPS systemthen is to provide players with distancesto all kind of features on the course andespecially to the green they�re playing.

And if you know how far you areaway from carrying the bunker, orhitting the centre of the green, then thisshould make shot and club selection somuch easier, speeding up play andincreasing enjoyment of the game byinspiring confidence.

Which of course means that you canget more rounds in and increase yourrevenues. Imagine how many more teetimes you can squeeze in each year ifyou can reduce every round each dayby 15-20 minutes.

But this does rely on the accuracy ofthe data surveyed from your course.Making an accurate waypoint survey ofyour course (also known as mapping)then becomes critical.

This is done in one of two ways:either by walking around a course(taking readings at key points around it,or by using a GPS survey unit strappedto someone�s back, giving a much morecomprehensive level of detail) or aerialphotography, overlaid with an ordi-nance survey map, typically used toproduce a graphical representation ofyour course.

Some courses are better suited toGPS than others. In order to obtain anacceptable level of accuracy, the GPSreceiver must have a non-obstructedview of the sky. Typically, indoor use ordense foliage interferes with the signal.Which means that courses where yourball can often be buried deep amongstlots of trees may have problems utilis-ing golf GPS effectively.

In operation, the receiver will giveyou feedback in the form of either textor graphics, depending on the solution.And the solutions have diverged intotwo main approaches: course-owned orplayer-owned systems.

Player-owned systems are usuallyhandheld solutions that yield their infor-mation on simple text-based screens.Typically costing around £250 eachdistributors are making them availablefor golfers and clubs to buy, as well ason lease-rent contracts to golf clubs.

A number of text-based solutionshave emerged on the market. These canbe handheld solutions, devices that sitin a cradle on top of a golf bag, or on abuggy.

Claiming to be the smallest hand-held GPS device on the market today,GolfLogix xCaddie from GolfLogixEurope, utilises hardware developed byGarmin International - commonlyreported as the world leader in GPS.

Like most portable units, xCaddiehas the advantage of being taken to theball�s exact location. The displayeddistances are therefore the real yardageto negotiate, without having to makecorrections for differences between cartand ball location.

But it�s not available for golfers tobuy. Phil Lewin, a director ofGolfLogix Europe, says the companybelieves that for now, golfers are morelikely to rent it than buy it. So they sellor lease-rent the units to courses, whocan then supply the units with buggiesand increase their cart fees by anythingfrom £2 - £5 accordingly.

�GPS will become a service stan-dard which golfers will start to demand- especially at visitor courses,� Lewinpredicted.

SkyGolf�s SkyCaddie solution isanother variation on the handheldtheme. When we caught up with found-ing partner Glynn Patrick, he was busypositioning the company for growth inresponse to the new R&A ruling.

SkyCaddie has an exclusive�IntelliGreen� feature, which lets youmove the image of the flag to the pinposition of the day on an exact outline ofthe green on its screen. It then gives youdistances to the flag, the front and backof the green on your line of approach.

With over 8,000 courses onSkyCaddie�s database, golfers can goon-line and download the mapping ofcourses they�re about to visit and knowhow to respond to hazards accordingly,because they�re familiar with how thesystem presents information.

Despite thousands of US courses onits database (SkyCaddie is an Americandesigned product) it�s still building itsdatabase over here, although thecompany will have 400 courses mappedin Europe by the end of 2005. !

Call us on 0870 112 0513 or visit online atwww.skycaddiegps.co.uk

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The Caddy from Golf-Plus, whichwas built and designed in the UK,claims to have maps for over 500 UKcourses available for download now, aswell as, intriguingly, every course inDubai.

One attractive feature of the Golf-Plus system is that they pay a percent-age of the revenue from any mapsdownloaded from their website to theclub - even if they�re not Caddy users -and in addition to any revenue earnedfrom renting the units to visitors.

The Caddy is the only system wefound that can store yardage statistics inthe unit, update them as play continuesand make them available for upload tothe Caddy website, from where golferscan print out their own yardage charts.

However, you�ll have to make anexecutive decision as to whether suchfeatures can actually neuter any manu-facturer�s claims to speed up the game.

xCaddie is GolfLogix�s introductoryproduct for golf clubs but they alsosupply an Inforemer solution that golfclubs can own under license fromwhich they can attract extra revenue.

A course-owned golf GPS system iswhere things start to get even moreexciting, offering not only more

revenue opportunities for coursemanagers, but a course managementsystem allowing two-way wirelesscommunication. The clubhouse cannow be in permanent contact with everygroup of players and know everythingthat�s happening on the course in realtime. ManagementFascinatingly, golfers can order foodand beverages while still playing, whilstthe management can channel usefulinformation like weather forecasts, real-time leader-boards, a memo to pick upthe pace of play and even paid-foradvertising.

Though clearly more expensive toinstall, the feature-rich units (universal-ly housed inside the buggy) also allowcourse managers to see precisely wherethe carts are in real-time on a graphicback in the clubhouse.

This useful security benefit can notonly help protect the club�s assets, it hasalso been known to help save the livesof those facing medical emergencies onthe course.

Here, you�ll want to make compar-isons between Elumina Iberica�smarket-leading ProLink ParView prod-uct, Golf-Plus� Ranger Plus GPS

system, as well as GolfLogix Europe�sInforemer solution (even though Golf-Plus� hands-free, buggy-based solutiondoesn�t offer two-way communication).

You�ll prefer to have more than afew carts to make your investment real-ly pay, but healthy returns should beattainable, as early indicators are thateven though they�re rented out at apremium, the carts with the system inare the ones leaving the clubhouse first.

Of course, these aren�t the onlyproducts on the market. Mercifully,GPS� bad press from yesteryear ofbeing too expensive and inaccurateappears to have been eliminated withrapidly improving miniaturisation andcheaper electronic wizardry.

All of the solutions here are not onlyaffordable, they�re often accurate towell within eight feet, which is perfectfor the vast majority of golfers.

So you can be sure that with theR&A�s ruling on GPS devices, the sky�sthe limit on the number of solutions thatwill soon emerge. But if you�re lookingfor a product that looks set to explodein popularity, offering not one butseveral additional and improvedrevenue streams, then GPS could be astar worth wishing on.

�SOME COURSES ARE BETTER SUITED TO GPS THAN OTHERS. IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AN ACCEPTABLE

LEVEL OF ACCURACY, THE GPS RECEIVER MUST HAVE A NON-OBSTRUCTED VIEW OF THE SKY.

TYPICALLY, INDOOR USE OR DENSE FOLIAGE INTERFERES WITH THE SIGNAL. WHICH MEANS THAT

COURSES WHERE YOUR BALL CAN OFTEN BE BURIED DEEP AMONGST LOTS OF TREES MAY HAVE

PROBLEMS UTILISING GOLF GPS EFFECTIVELY.�

�.. Course Control?

Do you know what is happening out there? Buggies cruising along, players slowing their pace, congestion at tee-off; all course managers recognise these issues all too well. It all comes

down to how to better manage your players when they are out on the course. GolfMate is a course management tool that gives you control and

a complete overview of your course, as well as revolutionizing the game for your players!

� GolfMate for players

With the GolfMate solution, you provide your

players with a personal golf assistant. GolfMate

shows the player the distance to the green, points

of interest and allows the player to interactively

measure any other distance required. Combined

with the Pro-tips and the easy to use scorecard,

GolfMate has a significant impact on the whole golf

experience.

� GolfMate for managers

One of the main advantages of telling players

where they are is that you know as well.

GolfMate reports �tracking data� back to you.

Although GolfMate tells the players when they

are not keeping pace, you always have the

option to send a flight a message, or even visit

them on the course without having to search for

their exact location.

� Course management GolfMate has been developed for both course

managers and players. GolfMate gives both

parties the tools for a better golfing experience.

Besides happy golfers, GolfMate gives you:

� Exact location of players/groups;

� Course analysis;

� Pace control of players/groups;

� Direct communication options with your

golfers;

� Integration with your existing booking/

reservation and POS system (optional);

� Additional revenue per round/hole using

advertising;

� Easy hand-out;

� Daily pin-position and so much more �

�The GolfMate's flexibility for use with motorised carts, walkers and

trolleys as well as the ability to help with speed of play issues during the

busy summer months made it a smart management decision�

General Manager Conleth Roche and the Moonah Links Board of Directors

EyeOn Golf B.V.

Boompjes 542, 3011 XZ Rotterdam,

The Netherlands

Tel: +31 (0)10 281 0011

Mail: [email protected]

www: www.eyeon-golf.com

Back to School


JUNIOR GOLF

George Bernard Shaw, thegreat literary lion,assuredly didn�t have golfin mind when he penned

the famous lines: �He who can does.He who cannot, teaches.�

GBS (1856-1950) was, as usual,spot on without the benefit of the inter-net. The world wide web, however,among its myriad blessings, has enableda run-of-the-mill golf pro to add a newdimension to Shaw�s dictum.

Lee Porter, (pictured above left) 35,head honcho at the Hylands GolfComplex in Chelmsford has launchedhis concept, the Junior Golf School(www.junior-golf-school.com) andbelieves it is not a moment too soon.

This summer Porter declared hisintention to shake up the way kids� golfis developed in the UK and Europe.Driven by a passion for teaching, butrestricted by time in the number he caninstruct, plus a limited catchment area,Porter became a man on a mission.

The solution was blindingly obvi-ous... the internet. How the Junior GolfSchool began is described with no lackof detail by a low profile guru unknownuntil now outside his own locale.

�PGA pro�s obviously talk to eachother. We all know that club member-ship in Britain is in decline and thereseems no imminent reversal. Future�Kids are the future of golf but the gamestill has a long way to go to encouragetheir interest, develop their skills andmake the rarefied air of traditional golfclubs easier for them to breathe.

�The scheme is unique in that whilethe club pros teach and advise, a lot ofthe work is done by the children practis-ing at home as well as learning andgraduating to higher levels on the inter-net. My inspiration came about becauseI have always felt golf has been present-ed to children as a game firstly aboutrules and secondly about playing.

�I feel this needs to change, as chil-dren have so much choice of activitythat golf needs to appeal from the veryoutset and children should not bebombarded with do�s and don�ts. If achild enjoys doing something, he or shewill want to continue and that is whereJunior Golf School is important.

�From the start the feel of thewebsite has been fun and relaxed butstill getting important messages across.

�My attitude to learning is to engageand stimulate the child�s mind ratherthan simply ramming home technicali-ties and rules. I also feel childrenshould be encouraged to play golf toenjoy it and not feel overly focussed onability tests and so forth.�

Lee Porter has been a pro since hewas 18 and played only at regionallevel. His introduction to the game wasat the tender age of eight and he wasgood enough to represent Essex at alllevels and then it was time to work hisway through the system as a pro.

He does, therefore, speak with expe-rience of what it is like to be at the startof the learning curve and his knowledgeis behind the structuring of the 30 weekcourse for absolute beginners. Whensufficiently advanced there is an 18week course split into three sessions ofsix on offer this Christmas.

Local professionals teach thesyllabus devised by Porter. This is doneeither singly or in groups then the pupilis guided through home practice andtheory learning at home via the internet.

�It�s a brilliant idea,� says AggisVarnava (pictured above right) fromspecialist junior clubmaker Feel the Fear.

The Junior Golf School is the brainchild of Lee Porter, an average club pro with the visionto understand that for golf to prosper in the future, golf clubs need to encourage morejuniors to pick up a club and learn to play golf. Article by John Vinicombe.


�As a manufacturer we feel it�simportant to get behind Junior GolfSchool because it brings young peopleinto a marvellous game and fantasticskills for life, like competitiveness,politeness and discipline.�

Feel the Fear has been quick toendorse Junior Golf School because ofits commitment to encouraging young-sters to take up golf. Parent companySenergy UK is also responsible for theBitePower and LongDog brands.

�Quite aside from the undoubtedbenefits children will get from such awell rounded course, the benefits to theteaching professional really makeJunior Golf School a must-have,� saysPorter.

�The main benefit is just howsimple and effortless it is for the pro toenrol young players and administertheir progress. Outside of actuallysupervising their skills acquisition andfault fixing, there�s virtually nothing forthe professional to do.

�The system�s reporting to the prokeeps him informed of each child�sprogress and due to the fact that theypractice and learn at home and via theweb, the pro�s time is significantly freedup for other duties and revenue earningactivities. It makes the stream ofincome for club pros a very soundcommercial proposition.�

So what are the nuts and bolts of thecourse? Lee Porter summed-up. �Thereare three key elements that makesJunior Golf School work. Firstly, thecourse is structured to develop mechan-ical skills such as muscle memory andco-ordination, but also to engage thekids mentally through a combination ofbroad subject matter delivered directlyvia the web.

�Secondly, technology is of such astandard now that the equipment avail-able to children and all beginners ismore likely than ever to make it easierto progress quickly and hit more fair-ways. Feel the Fear is one of the highestquality and best value for money brandsavailable anywhere. That�s importantfor youngsters� confidence and parentswanting to spend money wisely as well.

�Thirdly, we have one of the highestconcentrations of golf clubs per head ofpopulation in all of Europe, so it�sbound to have a higher impact here thanelsewhere in the EU with over 4,000teaching pros who are mainly verycommitted to nurturing young talent - ifonly they had the right tools to do so -the UK will be fertile ground indeed.�

While available only in English atthe moment, there are already plans formodules in French, Swedish, Germanand Spanish because the EU preferencefor formal training and ease of deliveryvia the web makes it inevitable.

But Junior Golf School isn�t theonly game in town. Many pros usedifferent methods, whether a package orad hoc courses of their own devising,but Porter and his team have taken thisinto account.Appeal�Speaking as a coaching pro myself thisappeals to me because it�s very quick toset-up, inexpensive to get underway andeasy to administer. That means it�s easyto switch over to Junior Golf Schoolentirely or to run it alongside other meth-ods. I personally believe it�s a superioralternative but it may well be a matter ofpersonal preference by the pro or whatsuits the kids themselves,� he says.

So far response to Junior GolfSchool has been good reports Porter.One company in Ireland has movedquickly to snap up the nationwideagency for Senergy UK�s Feel the Fear,LongDog and BitePower ranges of golfequipment as well.

Until the Autumn of 2005 the busi-ness had focused on value-added acces-sories and had been actively searchingout brands of golf clubs that had the rightmix of quality and value for money. Atthe London Golf Show in April, JohnBroome and his fellow directors of Bray-based Partner Golf were very impressedwith the Senergy products.

They were seriously consideringvarious club options to add to their port-folio as part of an expansion strategywhen Senergy presented the concept forJunior Golf School. It was the dealclincher.

�Our specialist area is general golfaccessories and we�ve side-lined thegolf club market as there didn�t appearto be a suitable brand which we werehappy to take on and achieve thedesired results,� explained Broome.

�We had had associations withLongDog in the past as a sub agent andwere always attracted by the quality andvalue of the products. When this oppor-tunity arose we were extremely excitedby the prospect of being associated withthe product range and the Junior golfprogramme in particular.

�We have been watching the successof the informal Golf Summer Schoolshere in Ireland and they have beenspringing up everywhere over the lasttwo years. We are also frequentlyrequested by telephone if we supplyjunior clubs. Junior programmes arealso taking place at many of our localcourses and we have observed thegrowth of junior sales sections in manyof our golf accounts.

�It appears to me that a formal train-ing programme with the watchword -FUN - as its theme was overdue in thisarea and the Junior Golf Schoolprogramme appears to fulfil thisrequirement precisely.�

For Lee Porter the partnership withthe Irish distributor means more thanjust a potentially lucrative business rela-tionship. With the mechanics of a prorunning Junior Golf School in his clubbeing so straightforward and reasonablypriced, the scheme looks set to take offlike a rocket and not just in the UK.After all, it�s already in Ireland.

The internet connection means it ispart of the largest communicationsmedium the world has ever seen. Andinterest has been shown as far afield asthe US and South Africa.

�It�s quite dizzying when you thinkabout it,� says a bemused Porter. �All Iwanted to do was to get British young-sters to play and enjoy golf. But if thisis the pace we�re generating before weeven officially go public, how long willit be before Junior Golf School has itsfirst following in the developing worldor the Middle East or China?�

Saving Grace


BUSINESS RATES

Business rates usually repre-sent a significant propor-tion of annual runningcosts. It therefore makes

good business sense to ensure that youminimise this cost, and you thereforeneed to have a strategy for doing this.

The starting point for calculatingyour annual rates bill is your property�s�Rateable Value� multiplied by what isknown as the �Multiplier�. There areslightly different rules and definitionsfor England, Scotland and Wales. Forthis article I will refer to those currentlyused in England.Rateable ValuesRateable Values are set by the ValuationOffice Agency, an executive agency ofHM Revenue and Customs. AllRateable Values are compiled into whatis known as the statutory Rating Listwhich is a public document. RatingLists are normally updated every fiveyears and a new one came into forcefrom April 1 this year (known as the2005 Rating List).

The Rateable Value is meant to bean assessment of a property�s annualrental value - that is the rent at whichthat property could be let in a free andopen market at a specific valuation datefor its existing use. It is assumed thatthe hypothetical tenant is responsiblefor the property�s maintenance and

repairs and all other related outgoings.For the 2005 Rating List the valuationdate is April 1, 2003.

Assessing Rateable Values on prop-erties such as shops and offices is usual-ly straightforward as most are let atarm�s length and so rental evidence isavailable. Assessing Rateable Values forgolf courses is more subjective as mostare owned freehold and therefore notleased.

Over the years guidelines have beendrawn up with the aim of achievingconsistency for the valuation of golfcourses for rating purposes.

Despite these guidelines there arestill wide variations between golf courseRateable Values over various parts ofthe UK and it is prudent to seek profes-sional advice on whether your course�sRateable Value is reasonable or not.The MultiplierThe Multiplier is set by government atthe start of each Rating List and canonly go up by inflation during the lifeof that particular Rating List. This yearthe Multiplier is 0.422.

Multipliers can change significantlywhen new Rating Lists come into force.For example the Multiplier in the lastyear of the 1995 Rating List was 0.489and it reduced to 0.416 for the 2000Rating List - a 15 per cent reduction.

There is straightforward explanationfor this: business rates are a tax collect-ed by your local council which are thenpassed onto central government andunder statute the government is not toreceive more revenue as a result of arates revaluation. Thus if RateableValues rise significantly on a revalua-tion the Multiplier has to be devalued tocompensate. BaffledHave you ever been baffled by thecalculations shown on your annual ratesbill? The answer is probably �yes� if�Transitional Relief� was applied toyour bill.

In its simplest form your annual ratesbill calculation is straightforward. Sayyour 2005 List golf course RateableValue is £80,000, the current Multiplieris 0.422 so your bill for the rates yearstarting April 1, 2005 is £80,000 x 0.422= £33,760. This is on the assumption thatyou don�t qualify for any rates relief.

You may however qualify for someTransitional Relief. This occurs when anew Rating List comes into force, ashas been the case this year. The ideabehind Transitional Relief is that youshould be cushioned from large increas-es in rates bills as a result of a ratesrevaluation. Using the example above,lets say that your golf course had a2000 List Rateable Value of £55,000.

No business likes paying more than it should, and golf clubs are no exception to the rule.With Business Rates up and down the country spiralling out of control, PPC Golf partnerMark Smith takes an informed look at how to keep your bills down.


The 2005 Rateable Value of £80,000represents a 45 per cent increase on this.Last year�s bill (2004/05) would havebeen £55,000 x 0.456 = £25,080. Thisyear�s bill at £33,760 represents a hefty35 per cent increase. Many budget forrates bills to rise with inflation but sadlythey usually don�t on a revaluation.

Transitional Relief phases the annualincreases in your rates bills. For the ratesyear starting April 1, 2005 the increase islimited to: 12.5 per cent on last year�sbill plus an amount for inflation (set at3.1 per cent) plus a small additional taxto subsidise property occupiers withsmall Rateable Values (this supplementaltax is the 2005 RV times 0.007).

Your actual bill for the year startingApril 1, 2005 therefore becomes:(£25,080 x 1.125 x 1.031) + (£80,000 x0.007) = £29,650 and you havereceived £4,110 in Transitional Relief.

For the following year (2006/07) theTransitional Relief percentage increasesto 17.5 per cent. For most golf proper-ties Transitional Relief will no longerapply and you will simply pay your2005 List Rateable Value times theprevailing Multiplier.

Rates bills can actually reduce as aresult of a rates revaluation but fromwhat I have seen so far, less than 15 percent of golf courses have been fortunateenough to experience this as a result ofthe 2005 rates revaluation.RecommendationsTake advice on whether your RateableValue is too high. If it is you need toappeal it. Also, check that your rates billhas been correctly calculated and thatyou are not being overcharged. Almostalways they are correct but due to thehuge number of bills issued mistakesinevitably happen from time to time.

Make sure that you are claiming allrates reliefs that you are entitled to. Thetwo most common ones are TransitionalRelief and relief for �partly occupiedproperty�. For the latter your localcouncil may be able to apply an �emptyrate� on parts of your golf property thatare unoccupied for significant timeperiods. The empty rate is 50 per centof the full rate.

Be aware of any changes in yourproperty�s Rateable Value and if needbe, take prompt action to appeal even ifthe increase seems very small andimmaterial to you. If you have lodgedan appeal on the previous RateableValue it is extremely important to appealthe new one as well even if the differ-ence between the two is very small.

If you extend your property then itis likely to be rerated at a higher figure.You may need to appeal the new assess-ment. If you demolish parts of yourproperty then your Rateable Value mayneed to be reduced. If the ValuationOffice does not pick this change upautomatically then you may need toalert them.

Be aware that you can sometimesrequest temporary reductions inRateable Value. Common examplesinclude: damage by fire, disruption dueto rebuilding works and changes inyour locality (eg a nearby road closureaffects trade).

Consider whether you might beeligible to 80 per cent rates relief underthe Inland Revenue�s �CommunityAmateur Sports Club� scheme. This isnew legislation and is an emergingissue for the golf market. A few clubshave already been able to claim suchrelief and more will undoubtedly followin due course. TestsThere are five �tests� that you need topass to be eligible for consideration, themost notable being non-profit makingand having an �open to all� access policy.Whilst getting 80 per cent rates relief isan attractive proposition there are draw-backs in other areas and the schemeneeds very careful consideration.

The most effective way to makesure that your rates bills are kept as lowas possible is to employ a specialistrates adviser with relevant golf experi-ence. They should only charge once anyrates appeal they lodge on your behalfhas been successfully settled and youhave saved money.

Five year savings for a successfulappeal on an 18-hole course are typicallyin the region of £10,000 to £60,000.

Business Rates too high?Let’s talk about bringing them down.

www.ppcgolf.com | 0870 241 4678

A Star is Born


CLUB INSIGHT

So, how exactly do you goabout building a parklandchampionship golf coursegrand enough to take on

some of the best courses in Europe? What are the mission-critical ingre-

dients, the �nice-to-have-but-not-essen-tials� or the �you�ve-got-to-be-kidding�irrelevancies? And, perhaps more to thepoint, why bother to go to all that trou-ble?

When the billionaire entrepreneur,Jim Mansfield bought his own 800-acreslice of history just outside Dublin, in1999, what spread out before him mayhave given him precious little choice.

The estate was dripping with histo-ry. Previous owners included illustriousearls and ambassadors, and it had alsobeen a world-famous, highly successfulstud farm in the sixties.BlessedBut perhaps more significantly, espe-cially when looking at things from agolf course designers perspective, itwas blessed with some of the finestcountryside Co. Kildare had to offer.

Forests of woodlands, containingthousands of mature trees, were punctu-ated only by huge swathes of glorious,undulating meadows, complete with agallery of waterways and lakes. !

In an exclusive interview, Gary Silcock, chief executive at the PGA National Ireland atPalmerstown House, spoke to Rob Wright about life at one of Europe�s newest and bestgolf complexes and the pressures that comes with the top job.


With such pedigree, tranquillity andinspiring countryside giving colour andcharacter 365 days a year, Mansfieldpresumably had one thing only in mindwhen he bought this Kildare countryestate.

Mansfield already owned theCitywest Hotel, Conference, Leisureand Golf Resort -worth an estimated£241m - which was located just a fewmiles away from Palmerstown towardsDublin. Palmerstown House wasalready taking shape when he hiredPGA pro Gary Silcock in 2004 as thendirector of golf. CitywestSilcock, who hails from Scotland, wasapproached by Mansfield to manageand improve the two existing courses atCitywest, as well as oversee the devel-opment, pre-opening and establishmentof Palmerstown House.

�Jim likes to keep thing simple,�said Silcock. �My brief when I camehere was to make Palmerstown Houseone of the best golf facilities inIreland.�

Comparisons will almost certainlybe drawn between Palmerstown Houseand the K Club, especially consideringthe fact that the two are near neighbourswith just a few miles separating oneanother.

With the Ryder Cup less than a yearaway now, the entire golfing fraternitywill descend on Dublin next September,and although the centre piece will natu-rally be the tournament itself, Silcockwill have a part to play as Citywest will

be hosting the official Ryder Cup dinnerjust 48 hours before the first ball isstruck.

As a PGA pro, Silcock started hiscareer at the Duke�s Course at StAndrew�s, before moving to Parque deFlores on the Portuguese Algarve. Indiabeckoned, and Silcock found himselfemployed at the jaw-dropping US $8bnAmby Valley project in India.

Having played as a pro, Silcock�simpressive international experience ofmanaging golf courses as well as golfacademies gave him the insight andexperience that Mansfield was lookingfor.

�Jim asked me to change the busi-ness and also to lift the standard here,�recalled Silcock, talking about the twoCitywest courses, both of which weredesigned by Christy O�Connor Jnr.O�Connor�s previous work at Citywestlanded him the job of designingPalmerstown House.

�Christy knew Jim�s thinking,�recalled Silcock. �His philosophy isquite simple really. If a tree has beenthere a 100 years, rather than cut itdown, he�d rather work around it.� Andclearly, Silcock�s experience of steeringlarge-scale, landmark golf projects wasseen as complementary.

�There�s quite a buzz around PGANational at the moment,� reflectedSilcock. �We recently hosted the IrishChampionship which was well receivedby both players and the media alike,and the new clubhouse is now fullyoperational.�

No expense has been spared, and afine-dining restaurant entitled �Morell�will be open to all - irrespective of golf-ing pedigree.

Despite the high standards that havealready been set, Silcock is clearlylooking for more. �We�ve only beenopen two months,� he said. �Next yearwe�ll be open to the standard I�d like,although every week we are improving.

�We�ve spent a lot of money ondrainage this winter. But grass takestime to grow. When you have a newproject, you could throw money at itand take it from here to there very, veryquickly. But it�s got another two yearsbefore it has to be very busy.�

He wasn�t talking literally about thehigh-grade grass on the greens and thefairways, but take a glance outside andwhichever way you look at it, thecourse does look remarkably spectacu-lar in a relatively short length of time.

Several holes vie for the title ofsignature hole. Making extensive use ofwater throughout, the course, pepperedwith impressive bunkering, truly is anexceptional example of how a classicaldesign approach can encapsulate all thechutzpah and character of a magnificentparkland estate.

O�Connor quite rightly takes thecredit for the stunning design, yet hisstory alone is quite unique. �Christybroke his leg in the design-and-buildstage,� said Silcock.

�Clearly, Jim and Christy go back along way, so Jim took the decision tohouse him up in Palmerstown House


Fact FileClub: PGA National Ireland

Palmerstown House, JohnstownCo. KildareIreland

Telephone: 00353 045 871404Facsimile: 00353 045 871377Email: [email protected]: www.palmerstownhouse.com

Chief Executive: Gary Silcock (pictured right)Marketing Director: Jonathan Kyle

Course Info: 18-holesPar: Par 72, 7,419 yards (Opened 2005)

Members: N/AGreen Fee: €100 - €160

and made up a special buggy so that hecould drive around with his leg hangingout the side.

�So I think you just had a man whothrew himself into the golf course in aneffort to keep himself fully occupied.And because he was here 24/7, he hasbeen able to truly make his mark on thedesign.�ReputationO�Connor�s growing reputation as adesigner will most likely be accelerateddramatically on the international scenewith courses like this. But that liesahead. So although Silcock can�t use thekudos of a world-renowned designersuch as a Robert Trent Jones II, securingthe rights to the PGA National nameprobably more than makes up for it.

�PGA National Ireland really doeslift the bar for us,� acknowledgedSilcock. �The criteria for choosingPalmerstown House were extremelyrigorous and one of the key specifica-tions used in the decision process wasthat the chosen golf course must be inthe top ten golf courses in Ireland.�

And with the long-term plan toeventually build exclusive propertiesfor sale on the estate, Silcock is wellaware that this kind of kudos is just thekind of attention you need.

�Jim is a property developer, andthe more exclusive we can makePalmerstown House the better. Whoknows, in five years� time, we might be100 per cent private.

�Houses on a golf course are worth30 per cent more than houses not on agolf course. And a house on a private,exclusive golf course is worth 30 percent more than a house on a golf course.

�So when you�re talking about thepotential of Palmerstown, we need toensure that we get everything right. Jimalready has an idea in his mind wherethe houses are going, and if all goeswell, the first properties could well beon the market 12 months from now.�

Mansfield seems set to leave a lega-cy that will not only return a tidy profit,but looks destined to entertain thecompany of the game�s biggest namessome time soon.

�THE CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING PALMERSTOWN HOUSE WERE

EXTREMELY RIGOROUS AND ONE OF THE KEY SPECIFICATIONS

USED IN THE DECISION PROCESS WAS THAT THE CHOSEN GOLF

COURSE MUST BE IN THE TOP TEN GOLF COURSES IN IRELAND.�


The Path to Glory

WINTER GOLF

Ah the romance of Christmasand winter � plum pudding,port and stilton, happysmiling children, no tee-

times booked. The attraction soonwears off doesn�t it?

It�s essential, in order to maintainrevenue streams through the coldermonths, to have the necessary equip-ment in place. This can mean anythingfrom winter tee-mats and a covereddriving range to merely stocking winterpyramid tees in the pro shop.

Whether you�d choose to go thewhole hog and have some of yourgreens replaced with synthetic alterna-tives, to ensure all-year-round play, isanother matter.

There are one or two clubs that have� but whether the members are infavour we know not. That may be a steptoo far for many clubs, but a syntheticpractice area is viable providing youhave the necessary space.

And it doesn�t need to be too largean area. Old Thorns, in Hampshire,were the first club in the UK to have aSouthwest Greens practice greeninstalled earlier this year � and it wasquick, painless and unobtrusive, as clubpro Mark Dowdell confirmed.

He said: �It didn�t take long to putin at all and it was installed on a sparepiece of grass opposite the pro shop. Ithas proved very popular with membersand visitors alike as it is so realistic. !

As another season draws to a close, and clubs start to prepare for the wind and the rain,David Bowers takes an in-depth look at a couple of products that can make the Winter alittle more bearable for clubs across Europe.


�Putting is exactly the same as onreal grass and when chipping, the turfgrabs the ball and teaches you to let theball run out just like on a real green.

�Similarly, if you thin the ball on tothe green it won�t hold up � again justas on a real green. It�s easy to maintain� you just blow it or rake it over. Theycan be located anywhere � even next toa bunker.�

Southwest Greens has a staggering29 PGA pro endorsements and hasinstalled practice greens for none otherthan Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, JimFuryk, Justin Rose, Fred Funk, ChrisDiMarco, Dave Toms, MarkCalcavecchia, Hale Irwin and JesperParnevik to name but a few. To thatportfolio you can add the celebritynames of Samuel L Jackson, JustinTimberlake and Celine Dion. Notforgetting Old Thorns of course.

Customer services manager MattLeslie explained how the office main-tains a feedback system followinginstallations. The system works by scor-ing best to worst with albatross, eagle,birdie, par, bogey, double bogey etc.

�And we�ve yet to have anythingless than a birdie reported,� he smiled.

Southwest Greens has beeninstalling around one green a week inthe UK since appearing at April�sLondon Golf Show and that is increas-ing as the company becomes moreactive commercially.

Leslie explained: �Greens vary insize from 300sq ft to 3,000sq ft andinstallation takes from just a day for thesmaller greens to around two weeks forthe larger versions.

�Most of our installations have beencommercial applications, but recentlywe�ve had an increase of orders fromkeen amateur golfers including severalcelebrities.

�We�ll be having a big push in 2006,for most of our work so far has beenwon on word of mouth.�

Shropshire-based On Course offersother ways of maximising winterrevenue from winter tee mats through toRubaPath, an EPDM rubber granule-based surface ideal for ensuring pathwayuse 12/12. It can also offer the popularartificial turf variety of pathway whichalso encourages year-round usage.

The company celebrated ten yearsof trading last year and consolidated itsposition in the UK market in January2005 by acquiring Range Servant UK.

Company director AlwenaBeresford explained: �We already didsome sales and distribution for RangeServant and if they had pulled out of theUK there would have been no salessupport for the equipment already outthere. It works well as it complementsour products.�RubaPathOn Course has been offering theRubaPath for six years and the producthas been installed at around 60 UKvenues including the likes of Turnberryand Dalmahoy.

Beresford added: �When we startedthe business we found there were a lotof products being offered but nonewhich really offered a long-term solu-tion; that�s why we developedRubaPath.

�It�s laid in situ so it�s ideal for anyproject and comes in a variety ofcolours so you don�t need to have aplain old black path � and it can evenincorporate the club logo or an adver-tisement. It has a ten-year life expectan-cy because of the higher ratio of bind-ing used, meaning it is ideal for golfspike usage.

�The feedback we�ve had from clubshas been excellent. They say it�s fantas-tic for buggy use and so much quieterthan normal pathways, particularlyaround the clubhouse where younormally hear golfers� spikes. Also it�smaintenance-free because unlike woodchip or gravel pathways RubaPath can�tget washed away in the winter weather.�

Beresford is aware of costconstraints at many clubs, but believesOn Course�s willingness to work withits clients can ensure long-term benefitinstead of the false economy of a quickfix.

�Even many of the larger clubs can�tafford to pay straight away so we�llwork within the committee�s or green-keeper�s budgetary allowances,� addedBeresford.

�We appreciate the installation of aproduct like RubaPath is not a cheapoption, but it is a long-term solution andwe suggest clubs benefit from taking along-term view. We can work togetheron a plan whether it�s for three, four offive years. We�re here to help the golfclub move forward.�

The RubaPath is at the higher end ofthe price band, but there are other prod-ucts which help in the winter.

On Course also offers artificialteeing areas. Although some mainte-nance is necessary to maintain the sandlevels in the artificial turf, the benefitstend to be appreciated by both membersand greenstaff.

Beresford said: �Many of ourcustomers started off with one or two ofour �All Year Tees� but were soon backfor us to complete many more.

�It comprises two-inch long-piledgrass at the bottom and then longergrass to accommodate the standard teepeg, which can be inserted anywhere inthe tee. Hitting straight off the grass orusing a tee peg, back spin, fades anddraws can still be created just as theywould be on natural turf.

�They are particularly suited toshaded sites where growing �the realthing� causes untold problems andwhere heavy winter frosts receive littledaylight.�

The company also offers a selectionof tee mats, from the standardgalvanised frame variety through tothose with replaceable heavy use areas.


On Course�s Impaktee driving rangemat is the leading mat in the UK and isalready used at The Belfry, Wentworthand Celtic Manor. On Course�s rangemay be pretty comprehensive, but at thetime of writing there is one winterrevenue generator it doesn�t offer: agolf simulator.

They certainly don�t come cheap,but they can be leased and they doprovide an opportunity for members toplay some of the world�s best courses inyour clubhouse, while the rain fallsdown incessantly the other side of thewindow.

If you�ve seen a simulator at a road-show or exhibition, there�s a goodchance it might have been supplied byGodalming-based More Ltd, which isthe official UK supplier of mobile Full

Swing golf simulators, based around theMS Links� software. More generallyrents out its equipment for a day � butthere is the possibility of using them asa winter revenue earner, even if theymay only appeal to the well-heeled endof the market.ArrangementMore�s Roger Wolfe said: �We havebeen working on short-term leases for awhile now, so we could do that. I�mhappy to come to an arrangement onprice to suit the individual club�sneeds.�

Other simulator distributors willoffer similar services so it�s up to you.There are plenty of ways of maintainingyour revenue streams throughout theinclement weather. It just depends onhow deep your pockets are.

�WE APPRECIATE THE INSTALLATION OF A PRODUCT LIKE

RUBAPATH IS NOT A CHEAP OPTION, BUT IT IS A LONG-TERM

SOLUTION AND WE SUGGEST CLUBS BENEFIT FROM TAKING A

LONG-TERM VIEW.�


HAWTREEGOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS

Since 1912

5 OXFORD STREET, WOODSTOCK,OXFORD OX20 1TQ

TEL: (01993) 811976 FAX: (01993) 812448E-Mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.hawtree.co.uk

Martin HawtreeFellow of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects

SPECIALIST SPORTS FENCING LTDSupply and Fit High Perimeter

Ball Stop Fences

Fully enclosed Practice Ranges

Fence Repair & Temporary Installations

The Difficult We Do

The Impossible We Try

Tel: 01626 852 843 Fax: 07976 074342

Mobile: 07976 833196

Email: info@specialistsportsfencing.co.ukwww.specialistsportsfencing.co.uk

Firm Focus


COMPANY PROFILE

When one of the world�stop golfers eulogisesabout your product youknow you�re doing

something right. And Vijay Singh hascertainly been lavish in his praise for theSouthwest Greens synthetic greeninstalled in his garden.

�Having a surface this good to prac-tise on at home is incredible,� said theFijian. �My Southwest Greens puttinggreen performs like a Tour green. It�sfantastic.�

Southwest Greens is the marketleader in synthetic greens in the USand, having built more than 5,000greens across the world, has nowlaunched in the UK with a Hampshire-based office.

The company�s reputation for excel-lence is second-to-none with 29 PGApro endorsements from the likes ofSingh, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, JustinRose, Fred Funk, Chris DiMarco, DaveToms, Hale Irwin and Jesper Parnevik.

Recommendations don�t comemuch better than that; nor does a part-nership with renowned course designcompany Nicklaus Design.QualityWeston Weber, president of the US-based parent company, SouthwestPutting Green Technologies, Inc,explained: �We judge the quality of ourinstallations in the only tangible way:by analysing how the golf ball reacts tothe putting surface in every instance.

�For example, we analyse whetherthe ball is achieving a true roll on putts,with no bouncing or deviation from itsline. Or how the putting surface reactsto a ball being chipped from five yards,or pitched from any distance.

�We take pride in the fact ourputting surfaces accept all these shots,with the same spin, roll, and breakexpected from a tournament green at achampionship golf course.�

Previous nylon products sufferedfrom a lack of realism in terms of bothball reaction and aesthetics. SouthwestGreens �Pro System� is claimed to be afar superior solution, based, as it is, onthe latest developments in synthetic turftechnology.

The key to the success of this newsynthetic turf is its ability to offer all-weather, year-round playability, whilewithstanding high traffic levels andresisting compaction and wear.

Add to that its minimal maintenancerequirements and the case is made foreven the most discerning club to acceptthis �new generation� synthetic system.PractiseBut synthetic greens aren�t just for theprofessional golfer. They offer theopportunity for everyday golfers topractise on greens that replicate Tourconditions. Company spokesman MattLeslie, explained: �We have had plentyof work in 2005 but much of it has beenon recommendation � a friend of afriend, if you like.

�We will be much more commer-cially active in the new year when wehope to install greens at clubs acrossthe country.�

There is a certain degree of discre-tion at Southwest Greens which is whyLeslie doesn�t go into detail on who hisclients are. But many are householdnames � celebrities whose passion forgolf is well known.

It�s just that Leslie respects theirprivacy. He feels the company hassufficient professional endorsementswithout embarrassing celebrities. It�sunusual for a company to make such asplash in an industry without a hugemarketing budget, but Leslie feels thequality of the product has stood hiscompany in good stead during 2005.

�We were relatively new to themarketplace,� he explained. �But ourfirst installation at a golf club in the UKwas at Old Thorns, in Hampshire, inFebruary, and we�ve not been withoutan order since.

�The practice green we installedthere has proved immensely popularand we believe there are many clubs outthere who could benefit from some-thing similar. It�s an all-weather, low-maintenance facility and is within thebudget of most clubs.

�And one can be installed for thesame sort of price the club would pay tohave satellite TV sports broadcast intothe clubhouse for a year.�

Southwest Greens ontarget across Europe

Southwest Greens

UK: (44) 0845 230 [email protected]

Spain: (34) 0902 [email protected]

Benelux: (31) 040 246 [email protected]

Ireland: (353) 091 [email protected]

Swedish Inspiration


OPINION

To misquote some Chineseproverb, �We live in interest-ing times� is a good way ofdescribing the state in which

UK golf clubs find themselves as anoth-er season draws to a close. From myperspective, I just wish that golf in thiscountry could be like golf in Sweden.

I enjoy a privileged perspective ofthe bigger picture when it comes to golfclub management. Through my workwith Inside Line, my corporate newslet-ter, I speak with and listen to many golfclub managers and secretaries.

I enjoy a working relationship withthe AGCS by contributing to theMarketing module of their TrainingProgrammes; and I attend several oftheir regional meetings for one of myclients, which gives me an insight abouttheir thinking and ideas about the future.

On the club side, a colleague and Iare the marketing team for our club. Wewere asked at the end of 2004 to helpthe club to �find 10-12 new members�,which was another way of saying weneeded to market the club in pursuit ofmore income.

In fact, we�ve developed a completebusiness strategy based on the club�scurrent and new income streams, andthis has added considerably to myunderstanding and knowledge of theway things are - and what they could belike - at golf clubs.

In August, I was asked to join theAGCS team to play their Swedish coun-terparts, the GAF, around three wonder-ful golf courses in Southern Sweden:Falsterbo, their oldest championshiplinks course; Karlshamm, a club withtwo relatively young and fine courses;and finally Ljunghusen, 27 fabulousholes of golf laid out amongst the deepheather of the Falsterbo peninsula, andnestling right next to the Baltic. Its cali-bre? Ljunghusen hosted the EuropeanMen�s Championships in 2001.ContrastWe were afforded not only the opportu-nity to play golf, but to appreciate howgolf is run in Sweden. The contrast withthe way golf in the UK is run simplycouldn�t have been greater. The devel-opment of golf in Sweden took off inthe early 70s, and culminated in theirwhole approach to golf - total golf.

There are around 450 golf clubs inSweden, each with an average of 1,200members. Out of a population of ninemillion, some 600,000 people now playgolf. 90,000 of those or 15 per cent areunder 20. Thirty per cent are women.

I�ve lost count of the bodies that�run� golf in the UK. One body, theSGF, runs golf in Sweden via threemore that focus on different areas ofexpertise: the GAF for club managers;one for the Greenkeepers, and one forthe Professionals.

They all operate from within thesame building - unlike our�s - andapparently they all talk to each other ina genuinely co-operative atmosphere.How refreshing!

Another major point of difference:every golf club is managed using thesame software - online, of course - forall aspects of administration, accounts,membership, competitions, etc. What�smore, it was developed, and continuesto be developed, by the GAF. Nowthere�s an idea�

You could see the difference on theground, just looking out across any ofthe courses from the clubhouses, orgoing along to the practice grounds. AtKarlshamm and Ljunghusen, the prac-tice grounds were full, with golfers ofboth sexes and all ages busily hittingloads of balls, mostly from buckets ofballs dispensed by Range Servantmachines - which are designed andmade in Sweden, incidentally.

The clubhouses and the courseswere busy, and at all three you couldsee plenty of Juniors, Ladies and Menplaying. You could sense an equalitybetween all categories of golfers inSweden of the kind that we don�t gener-ally see in clubs in the UK. Juniors inSweden are universally encouraged; inthe UK, you�re more likely to hearcomplaints about �those bloodyjuniors�.

Golf may well have been conceived in the UK, but many would argue that when it comes toadministering the industry, we have already been surpassed by our European counterparts.On a recent trip to Sweden, Charles de Haan took a closer look at golf, Swedish-style.


EXHIBITION 24 - 26 January 2006EDUCATION 22 - 27 January 2006

Continueto learn

Exhibition

Education

HARROGATE WEEK is so much more than an exhibition for the golfand turf industry. Packed with innovative ideas, product launches andan outstanding education programme. With a Careers Fair, Job Shop,AGM’s, and forums running throughout the week along with Dinners,Receptions and a Banquet it’s the only place to be each January.

ADVISORY SERVICESAERATION

ARTIFICIAL SURFACESCONTRACT SERVICES

DRESSINGS & TREATMENTSECOLOGY

FINANCE & INSURANCECONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE

HEALTH & SAFETYGRINDINGMOWERS

TRACTORSTRENCHERS

BRUSHCUTTERSCHAINSAWS

CULTIVATORS & ROTIVATORSROLLERS

HAND TOOLSLINE MARKING EQUIPMENT

SCARIFIERSSHREDDERS

SPRAYERSOIL & FUEL

SOILTREES & PLANTS

TURF & SEEDVEHICLES

DRAINAGEIRRIGATION

WATER MANAGEMENTWEATHER SERVICES

HEALTH AND SAFETYPROJECT MANAGEMENT

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENTGOLF COURSE DESIGN

A1 ASSESSOR TRAININGCUSTOMER CARE

MANAGING WATERPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

L12 COACH TRAININGA1 ASSESSOR UPGRADE TRAINING

BASIC WORDBASIC EXCEL

BASIC POWERPOINTENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

MEDIA SKILLSMANAGING POA ANNUA

INFLUENCING SKILLSDISEASE MANAGEMENT

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER ONLINE VISIT

www.harrogateweek.org.ukOrganised by

As for dress codes, well, it alllooked fine - and pretty informal - fromwhere we were sitting - turtleneckshirts, trousers that stopped around themid-calf, etc. But we all know thelevels of apoplexy that some clubs seemto reach in the UK when people areseen wearing the same clothing. Wedidn�t see too many ties in the club-houses over there, either! �Yes�, I wastold, �We play golf to relax!�

The fact I perhaps admired the mostabout golf in Sweden is that anyone iswelcome to come into a golf club, andstop for a coffee, drink or meal.Seriously, if you�re driving along one oftheir many excellent roads and feel likestopping for a break, you are welcometo pull in to a golf club, should youhappen to be nearby - and presumablyknow where to find it. Can you imaginethat happening over here?

Another observation: the clubhouseat Ljunghusen was built in the 1960s,and re-built again in the exact samestyle following a fire a few years ago.It�s a superb example of an architect-designed modern building, and glazedacross the frontal aspect that overlooksthe course and heath. Thus from thecourse, which is in a huge conservationarea, the clubhouse is cleverly hiddenfrom view.

Inside, it was a paragon of moderninterior design and comfort, with built-in flexibility for arranging differentspaces for members and groups.

The style was of course relativelyminimalist, with white plastered walls,beautiful timber beams and panelling. Itwas a brilliant demonstration of howwell designed a modern clubhousecould be. While I think of it, the foodwas excellent as well.ComparisonOne last comparison. When we droveinto Falsterbo, Karlshamm orLjunghusen, we could always see largesigns near the clubhouse, whose rolewas partly to welcome visitors, but alsoto tell you which Swedish companiessupported the club. There were usuallyaround 15-20 in each case, and welearned it was to the tune of severalthousand pounds in each case. That�sanother thing you don�t see over here.

So what am I trying to say?Sweden�s got a lot of things right whenit comes to golf. This country couldlearn a lot from them. But as far as Iknow, only the AGCS has had the fore-sight to build a relationship with theirSwedish counterparts, the GAF, andgain insights into the way they dothings over there.

If I had my way, I�d have golf in theUK run by the Swedes. Trust me, itwould be better for everyone - juniors,women and men, private or publiccourses, individuals and companies. Wewouldn�t have as many attractivepeople with blue eyes and blonde hair.But in view of the benefits of total golf,I�m sure that I could live with that!

Portfolio


01473 270000

Hunstanton refresh their fleetHunstanton Golf Club in Norfolk hasrecently taken delivery of a range ofnew Ransomes Jacobsen equipment.Included in the four-year lease hire

agreement are two ride-on greensmowers, four pedestrian greens

mowers, a light fairway mower, twoutility vehicles, a tees and

surrounds mower and three compacttractors with varying horsepower.

01480 226800

Julian copping well at LelyToro distributor Lely UK has

appointed Julian Copping as retailsales manager for East Anglia. His

aim is to grow Toro business withina wide range of turf care markets,including golf, sport, landscaping

and contracting. Copping, who livesin Ipswich and is 41, brings withhim a great deal of experience in

the turf care machinery market.

0141 814 3366

Adlington opts for WiedenmannAdlington Golf Centre has recently

purchased a Wiedenmann Terra SpikeXP160 deep aerator from local dealer,Turner Groundcare. This was a signifi-

cant purchasing decision for ownerDavid Moss, who took a professionaland pragmatic approach to selectingthe right machine as it will be used

extensively on the two nine-holecourses under his management.

01473 270000

Ashbury’s High ProductivitySteve Harris, golf course manager atAshbury Golf Club near Okehampton,

has recently added a secondJacobsen HR-9016 mower to hisextensive equipment fleet. The

exceptional productivity of both9016s are being used to maintain

large areas of open rough andaround trees on the extensive 327-

acre, 72-hole complex.

01473 270000

New kit at GillinghamSteve Smith, head greenkeeper at

Gillingham Golf Club has takendelivery of new turf maintenance

equipment worth £90,000 from localdealer, Ernest Doe and Sons.

Situated close to the town centre,the 18-hole course features narrow

fairways, so Smith has selectedJacobsen Tri-King mowers as hispreferred fairway mower option.

0141 814 3366

Exciting innovations revealedThe Adare Manor and Golf Resort in

Ireland has recently replaced itseight-year old Speedlink P160 with anew Wiedenmann Terra Spike XF. “The

speed and quality of finish issuperb,” said Alan MacDonnell, assis-tant resort superintendent. “With theold P160 we could aerate one fairway

a day, now we can get round thewhole course in just three days.”

0141 814 3366

Royal Portrush impressedJoe Findlay, head greenkeeper at

Royal Portrush Golf Club is genuinelypleased with his Wiedenmann deep

aerator. “We purchased the TerraSpike XP160 two years ago, and it’s

proved to be a very versatilemachine. We’ve used it on the greens

and surrounds on both the Dunluceand Valley courses, plus we’ve aerat-

ed the fairways on the Dunluce.”

01473 270000

Unique fleet at Brocket HallBrocket Hall Golf Club has taken

delivery of a fleet of 50 EZGO golfcars, all equipped with DeltaQ

onboard chargers, the first club inthe UK to purchase buggies with this

unique charging system. The golfcars feature the patented Precision

Drive System, which has allowed theclub to specify the Steep Hill option

on all of the EZGO cars.

Tel: 0870 164 6004Fax: 0870 164 6009www.mox-iint.com

The European Leader in Leasing for the Golf and Turf Industries

Can you find what�s missing from this picture?

Introducing the Toro® ProCore®648.Its unique design places the wheels inside the aerationpath, so you won’t see tyre marks, ruts or smashedcores. And you won’t see all the extra clean-up workthat’s been a traditional problem with aerating. Toro continues to develop products that improve the condition of golf courses, while saving time and cost for greenkeepers and managers. To find out more about Toro, please visit www.toro.com

Count on it.

gmé | issuu 45

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