gmé | issuu 89

GolfManagement Europe

UK £6.00 Eur 7.00US $9.00

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Andalusia, Arcos Gardens is rapidly forging a reputation for

its quality both on and off the coursepage 19

sol trumps the competition Experience excellence with Sol Golf International... ‘Creators of the World’s Greatest Golf Courses’

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publisher’s editorial

It is always gratifying to obtain feed-back from our readers relating to the arti-cles we carry and we’ve received some interesting emails regarding the interview with Tony pennock in the last edition.

pennock spoke passionately about the points4Golf scheme which he has imple-mented at his club, rye Hill, and while some correspondents shared his enthu-

siasm others said they had struggled to implement their own similar programmes.

And that was the crucial point – they had looked at flexible membership schemes and gone off and attempted to construct their own, in much the same way you would read a book about golf course architecture and then go out and attempt to re-design your own course.

It never ceases to amaze me that golf clubs, so keen to cut costs in the short term, will look to do things themselves rather than employ a knowledgeable professional with whom there is some comeback if things go awry.

I’ve spoken before about golf clubs neglecting their own image by taking their own course photography instead of engaging a professional golf course spe-cialist – it’s fine if they’re for a small sec-tion on your website, but don’t expect the media to use them, for they won’t be good enough quality.

It doesn’t work with something as sim-ple as that so why would it when you’re planning major structural or strategic changes?

The same applies to flexible member-ship schemes: why take a chance, fudge it and run the risk of alienating large sec-tions of your membership, when you can engage a professional and implement a successful, proven scheme.

Whether it’s a membership scheme, course redesign, clubhouse construction or a new IT system, think long-term and

engage a professional. These people tend to be good at what they do; it’s how they make a living. It’s worth re-membering. GME

Expert advice the safest way to make changes

Michael [email protected]

Having recently built Trump’s course in Scotland, Sol Golf are rapidly expanding.

7

The Golf Trick Shot Boys have the ability to entertain and thrill at any golf venue.

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Golf simulators have in the past been a luxury at clubs. But could that soon change?

25

new general manager of the UKGCoA, James Cameron, talks to GME about the future.

31

Golf management Europe is published six times per annum by ppC portman.

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Associate Editor David BowersContributors James Cameron, Ed Doling, James de Havilland, Adam lawrence, Barney leaf, Scott macCallum, Kevin nash, Aidan patrick

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“why take a chance, fudge it and run the risk of alienating large sections of your membership”

one of Golf Management Europe’s staff writers, Kevin nash, died in Bournemouth Hospital in february, just 11 days after being taken ill with pancreatitis.

Kevin, who was just 57, was a former sports editor with the Daily Echo in Bournemouth, and started contribut-ing to GME in 2011.

All at GME would like to extend our sincere sympathies to his wife michelle, and his three children at this difficult time.

4 GME AprIl 2013

headline news

members at more than 1,800 golf clubs in the UK will be eligible to win an exclu-sive BoSS watch from April, after the luxury German brand pledged to send a specially commissioned, limited edition timepiece to every member making a hole-in-one in a bona fide club competition.

With nearly 4,000 holes-in-one recorded during 2012, BoSS Watches could feasi-bly send out around £1m-worth of timepieces in the promotion, while the ace-making golfers will also receive exclusive member-ship of the BoSS Watches H1 Club – launched in associa-tion with The Telegraph and HowDidiDo – which provides access to exclusive benefits and H1 Club merchandise.

more than 1,800 golf clubs currently use the HowDidiDo system, allowing members to

analyse their game and compare performance with other players – at their own club or across the entire HowDidiDo network.

It remains a free service to any golf club whose admin-istrators use ClUB2000 soft-ware from Club Systems International, which is in place at around 2,000 UK clubs.

It is also used for official ConGU handicapping and competition results, mean-ing that no registration is required to participate in BoSS Watches’ spectacular £1m watch campaign, as details of all official club competitions are recorded on the system, so holes-in-one will be noted and auto-matically ratified by the golf-er’s club.

Stephen Brydon, UK sales and marketing director for mGS Distribution, the official

licenced UK distributor for BoSS Watches, explained: “To the majority of amateur golfers, recording a hole-in-one will be the most memo-rable thing they achieve in golf – yet all many have to show for it is a dent in their bank balance after buying a round of drinks in the club-house.

“We aim to make it a lot more memorable for them by presenting them with an exclusive BoSS watch, only available to golfers who record a hole-in-one.

“It will provide a constant reminder of the sight of their ball popping into the hole and the emotions attached to that very moment.

“It also adds extra excite-ment to club competitions for golfers who may not be in with a chance of winning the event, for they know that every time they stand on the tee on a par-three, they are just one shot away from winning a stunning timepiece.”

Barry Dyett, managing director of HowDidiDo, added: “participating clubs will receive point-of-sale material, including posters, and beer mats. This is an exciting development for both clubs and their members and we believe it will be quite a topic of discussion in clubhouses up and down the land.”

boss watches to reward members hole-in-one

The Golf Consultants’ Association has chosen Howard Swan – golf course architect at Swan Golf Designs – to become its chairman for the next two years.

The Association, now 19 strong, offers a very wide variety of consultancy disci-plines focusing on the golf business on a global scale with clients at home and abroad.

There is no doubt, in these tough times for the golf industry, sound, and well reasoned advice from expe-rienced specialists and experts with proven track

records can give exception-al value to the business of any golf development as well as any existing golf facil-ity, no matter where it might be.

“I am privileged to have been elected to the chair-manship of the Association and look forward greatly, with my colleagues, to build-ing on its success of giving excellent expert advice to clients in projects throughout the world,” commented Swan.

“In this day and age we must make sure that those we serve are given the best help to maximise their

returns, to do so with realistic investment levels which can realise those returns, and I have no doubt whatsoever that the members of GCA can deliver this assistance extremely well.”

The northern Ireland High Court has ruled against the national Trust and given permission for work to start on the £100m Bushmills Dunes golf resort near the Giant’s Causeway on the country’s north coast.

The national Trust had submitted a legal chal-lenge against the devel-opment, claiming it would have a major envi-ronmental impact on the UnESCo designated World Heritage site.

But, more than a decade after the initial planning application was lodged, a judge endorsed last year’s deci-sion by the northern Ireland Environment minis-ter, Alex Attwood, to give the go-ahead for the project.

Work on the course – to be designed by David mclay Kidd – is likely to begin towards the end of the summer and take two to three years to complete.

swan to take up new role as leader of the Gca

Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel is to create a new international spa resort on the french coast, close to the end of the tunnel, featuring a championship course designed by renowned US architect Kyle phillips.

The site is located at the foot of Cap Blanc nez, next to the departure point used by louis Bleriot when he made the first aerial crossing of the Channel, and will also include residential accom-modation, with views across the Channel.

The 160-hectare project also includes 40 hectares of residential accommodation which will feature more than 500 homes, 90 villas and 180 apartments.

Construction is expected to start next year, with a scheduled opening in 2016.

Eurotunnel to develop french resort

MASTERING THE ART OF SYNTHETIC TURF INSTALLATIONS

6 GME AprIl 2013

news

Starting New At Golf (SnAG) has teed off its in-troduction of golf into the African market by work-ing with a local business in nigeria. 2AT limited, a local nigerian company, has been established with the simple vision of introducing golf in a fun and accessible way to as many children as pos-sible, and has introduced a programme called ‘let’s play Golf in School’.

More than 270 golf indus-try professionals attended the second Golf Business and Industry Convention (GolfBIC) at the mar-riott forest of Arden, last month.

The first Suffolk Golf Week will tee off in April to inspire more people to start playing the game. The event will offer free tasters to beginners and returners at 12 clubs and driving ranges across the county. After each session, participants will be given information about low-cost follow-on coaching opportunities, including a six week course of group lessons with a pGA professional from £30 per person.

ClubstoHire.com, the award-winning golf club rental company promot-ed by Europe’s ryder Cup captain paul mcGinley, has expanded its presence in Spain to include new services at Barcelona and Girona airports.

Souters Sports has recent-ly carried out extensive drainage works at Dunikier Golf Club in fife, to help allow for almost uninterrupted play during wet weather.

in briEf;

KpmG will honour the outstanding achievements of two of golf’s most influen-tial leaders at the 10th annu-al Golf Business forum at St Andrews, June 3-5.

George o’Grady CBE, (pictured above) chief executive of The European Tour, and Tim finchem, pGA Tour Commissioner, have been announced as joint recipients of the 2013 Golf

Business forum lifetime Achievement Award.

o’Grady, a former invest-ment analyst in the City of london, joined The European Tour in 1974, while finchem, a lawyer by profes-sion, served in the White House as Deputy Advisor to The president in the office of Economic Affairs, 1978-79, before joining The pGA Tour in 1987.

Commenting on the awards, Andrea Sartori, head of KpmG’s Golf Advisory practice, said: “George o’Grady and Tim finchem have made outstanding contributions to the development of golf as a sport and business.

“professional tournament golf, and the television and media coverage it gener-ates, has been a critical factor in the development of golf, in both mature and emerging markets, world-wide.”

The 10th anniversary Golf Business forum at St Andrews will feature a stellar line-up of investors, developers, owners and operators, who will share their insight and analysis on future economic prospects and the latest trends.

The agenda will focus on an evolving golf business, how the industry is facing the future, the changing wants and needs of custom-ers and the globalization of the game.

Golf business forum set to honour Tour bosses

Tributes have been paid to one of Golf Management Europe’s writers, Kevin nash, who died in Bournemouth Hospital, in february, just 11 days after being taken ill with pancreatitis.

Kevin, who was just 57, was a former sports editor with the Daily Echo in Bournemouth, and started contributing to GME in 2011.

AfC Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe and Stoke City manager Tony pulis were among the sports personali-ties who mourned his pass-ing.

Kevin’s wife, michele, said “He was a wonderful father and so proud of his three children (Amy, 22, Harry, 19, and 12-year-old phoebe) and all their achievements.

“His family were his great-est pleasure, along with his golf. It is a shock for the whole family because it was so sudden.”

GME regular peter Simm, a friend for many years before they both wrote for the magazine, said: “no matter what the brief, nashy always saw the positives in a situa-tion and faced each chal-

lenge with enthusiasm and with a smile on his face.

“His copy was always well-researched, knowledgeable and fair, and he was a delight to spend time with on and off the course.”

Tributes flood in for GME contributor Kevin nash

Whether golf clubs are worried about inclement weather rendering playing conditions unplayable, or ensuring that club premises and facilities are insured, a new insurance product can provide peace of mind and the ability to allow clubs to protect their income.

Born out of a joint venture between golf marketing and distribution specialist,

YUmAX, and lockton – a privately owned insurance broker – swingSUrE™ is golf insurance that brings all components of golf cover under one umbrella.

members can benefit from loss of club subscription liability insurance if they are unable to play golf due to injury or ill health and the golf club can benefit from a hole in one facility that offers

a brand new revenue stream to any forward think-ing golf business.

roger Wolfe, co-founder of swingSUrE ™ said: “It is essential for golf that we find creative ways to keep the business going in times where rainfall records are being broken, membership numbers are dwindling and traditional revenue streams are being challenged.”

Joint-venture aiming to protect clubs


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Sol Golf International – which was established in 1998 – has rapidly gained a reputation as one of the world’s leading golf course construction companies, specialising in the construc-tion of new courses, modifi-

cation of existing courses and with a growing exper-tise in links courses.

In the last five years Sol has worked with the r&A on the remodelling of The open venue courses at royal Birkdale, Hoylake, muirfield, Sunningdale and royal lytham and St Annes.

more recently, Sol Golf International has started work on a new course at feddinch St Andrews, in Scotland – designed by Tom Weiskopf – which will be handed over ready for play in early 2015.

last year saw the comple-tion of the new Trump Golf links in Aberdeen, the culmi-nation of two years work with architect martin Hawtree, and is currently gearing up to start work on the second course at Trump

International Scotland – to be known as the macleod Course – with work due to start at the end of this year.

last year, Sol Golf also completed a second phase of work at royal Aberdeen Golf Club, completed the reconstruction of Ullna Golf Club in Sweden and are currently working on the construction of a new 27 hole complex in Belgium.

Already this year, Sol Golf International have complet-ed substantial remodelling programs at Sunningdale Golf Club – on both the old

and new courses – and in Ireland at Tralee Golf Club, Ballybunion Golf Club and at Carton House in prepara-tion for this year’s Irish open.

“A lot of our work is awarded on the basis of recommendations as to our ability to bring projects with-in budget and to a very high standard,” said michael o’leary, managing director.

“We also secure a high level of repeat business which speaks volumes for our quality of workmanship and our working relation-ships with our clients.” GME

sol Golf international turns the sod in st andrews

“We also secure a high level of repeat business which speaks volumes for our quality of workmanship”

8 GME AprIl 2013

news

John Deere limited has renewed its membership of the UK Golf Course owners Association (UKGCoA) as a Diamond Corporate partner, a year on from their initial partnership announcement at BTmE 2012 in Harrogate.

“The UKGCoA is delighted that John Deere has renewed its commitment to support the continued development of the associ-ation, as we grow towards our 200th member golf course in early 2013,” said

the former UKGCoA execu-tive director Jerry Kilby.

“for the UKGCoA to have one of the premier brands in golf course maintenance equipment as a corporate partner is a wonderful acco-lade and endorsement of the association, and of the work we undertake on behalf of the proprietary sector of golf course management in the UK.”

John Deere limited turf division sales manager Joedy Ibbotson added: “We are very pleased with the excellent relationship we have established with the UKGCoA since joining last year.

“John Deere is fully committed to working together with the associa-tion to support their key objectives in this important sector.”

John Deere renews its uKGcoa commitment

Just like its illustrious name-sake, Cypress point, the point at nefyn is something rather special.

lying on the west coast of the llyn peninsula in north Wales, the golf course ranks as one of the most spectac-ular in the UK and is known the world over for its dramat-ic cliff-top position overlook-ing the Irish Sea.

nefyn and District Golf Club boasts 26 holes, with eight in a single loop on the point as well as the new Course of 18 holes flanking the cliffs, beach and ocean as it winds its way south and eventually inland to the clubhouse.

The famed holes played on The point have been described as “like playing

golf on the deck of an aircraft carrier” and rank as one of the most picturesque golfing settings anywhere in the world.

nefyn is now embarking upon a significant golf course renovation project under the direction and guidance of Swan Golf Designs with the objective of upgrading all the holes, improving their playing strat-egy and maximising the golf course’s setting within its outstanding natural land-scape.

SGD has been working with the golf club for over two years on detailed, long-term plans which will prepare the course for the long-term future, and it is the first phase of these plans which is now being imple-mented.

The work currently under-way includes the renovation of bunkering on the 11th on the new Course and the introduction of an “alternate

12th” hole on the old Course which will enable golf to be played on The point in all weather condi-tions.

It may well be that, after the new holes are opened for play in may, the new 12th will be incorporated into a nine-hole layout making “The point at nefyn” one of the most spectacular nine-hole golf courses in the UK.

Commenting on the changes, Simon Dennis, general manager of the golf club said: “We believe that nefyn and District Golf Club has reached a new dawn with the commencement of our ambitious course reno-vation programme.

“The work currently under-way will raise the standard of our already memorable golf course, making the most of what nature has provided to create a unique playing experience,” concluded Dennis.

nefyn gets the point of working with sGD

The Wiltshire Hotel Golf and Country Club, formerly owned by media tycoon Eddy Shah, has been sold in a seven-figure deal.

The resort has been purchased by a team including Andrew Dunkley, formerly md at the Gallagher Convention Centre near Johannesburg, and pGA professional Haydn Barrell.

Dunkley said: “We had been looking at buying properties for about two years, and we looked at about 45 in total.

“Ultimately, The Wiltshire was the only place we saw that actually was the kind of size we liked. The other places we saw were too small. The other attraction was the poten-tial and the versatility. It matches our skillset.

“We recognise the economy isn’t fantastic at the moment but we invested with that in mind. We know we are going to have to sit it out for a year to 18 months before we start reaping the benefits.”

Huxley Golf, the pGA’s offi-cial supplier of all-weather golf surfaces, has announced the appoint-ment of a new Authorised Distributor and Installer for both the Czech republic and the Slovak republic.

Huxley Golf Bohemia will bring world-class all-weather

professional greens, tees and practice aids to what is one of the fastest growing golf markets in Europe.

located in the heart of central Europe, the Czech and Slovak republics are countries in which the game of golf enjoys growing participation levels, with

over 100 golf clubs and 50,000 registered golfers in the Czech republic alone.

Winter often brings an unsettled climate to the region and so, to combat this, both countries play host to a significant indoor golf-ing market, ensuring golfers can continue to practise.

central European dealer for huxley


news

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news

Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club has purchased a Jacobsen Gp400 tees mower and a Cushman Turf-Truckster complete with a WideSpin 1540 top dresser from ransomes Jacobsen dealer, J & Gm Thompson.

Campey Turf Care have renewed their partnership of fEGGA. Dean Cleaver, executive officer for fEGGA said: “It’s very important for us to have the leading industry organisations as our part-ners. Campey Turfcare Systems is one of our strongest partners and share the same visions for our industry.”

Monte da Quinta is coming to the aid of golfers again this year after renewing its offer to refund golf bag carriage charges to guests staying at the portuguese resort.Visitors can earn up to €40 back on the cost of their holidays when they stay at the luxurious venue on production of a valid airline golf baggage receipt.

Golf Empire and The PGA in England (South) are combining their market-ing efforts to make an irresistible offer to any golfers that fancy trying what many know to be one of the best formats for a day’s golf – a pGA pro-Am.

Fuller’s brewery has be-come the latest compa-ny to take out corporate membership at the new Centurion Club near St Albans – which will open in July – and is destined to become one of the finest private members’ golf clubs in England.

in briEf;

The Toro Company and lely UK have renewed their joint support for the UK Golf Course owners Association (UKGCoA), cementing their support for this important industry sector.

The turf maintenance machinery and irrigation systems manufacturer, and its UK distributor have been

a UKGCoA Diamond Corporate partner since its inception in 2010.

This renewed agreement now extends their support by a further three years, taking their sponsorship up until the end of 2015.

former executive director of the UKGCoA, Jerry Kilby said: “We’re delighted that

Toro and lely have renewed their commitment to the UKGCoA and my successor, general manager James Cameron, is looking forward to working with them as we continue to support and interact with golf course owners.

“Toro and lely have been with us from the start, but the new agreement will see them work even more close-ly with the UKGCoA, active-ly participating in events such as our recent annual conference held at the forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.”

newly appointed general manager, James Cameron, added: “We are thrilled that Toro and lely are on-board until 2015.

“I intend to maintain the fantastic relationship that Jerry Kilby has cultivated with Toro and lely over the years, and would like to thank them for their contin-ued, and much valued, support of the UKGCoA,” he concluded.

cameron welcomes Toro support for uKGcoa

With a focus on mobility and proprioception, the spring 2013 Tiger Woods Collection maximises range of motion while keeping posture in check.

Striving to make Woods’ apparel better, Kim Kenney, design director for nike Golf, looked at what the distrac-tion points have been for him throughout his career.

“for Tiger, we found that the key areas of distraction were his collar and sleeves,” Kenney said. “Tiger was typi-cally adjusting his sleeves before he addressed the

ball, moving the garment’s shoulder seam back as a way to mark his golf stance.

“Then, after he followed through he had to adjust and pull his sleeves back to the original position.”

To solve this problem, a continuous shoulder seam was ergonomically engi-neered on the back side of his polo which highlights a proprioceptive point that informs Woods he is in the desired position.

“I consider my apparel to be as significant as the rest of my golf equipment,” said

Woods. “my test sessions with the nike apparel team led us to construct a polo that frees my swing starting at address and continuing through impact and my follow through.”

Tiger and nike perfect the seamless swing

The chairman of Troon Golf has insisted golf needs to get its “head out of the sand” and start offering much quicker rounds.

Dana Garmany told website Golf Business News that just because three-to-six hour rounds of golf have been successful for the last 50 years, this does not mean this is the appropriate model of the game for the future.

He said: “The people who enjoy and play the game now are looking for ways to reduce their time exposure, and we want to assist that.

“But perhaps more impor-tantly, we find a large group of people will not even try the game because we do not have a one-hour game, or something they can do without a full or half-day commitment.

“The key to survival is change, and for people to get their head out of the sand and realise just because something was done a certain way for 50 years, it does not mean it will be successful going forward.

“Young people do not think golf is cool, do not think the rules make sense and do not think the dress codes make sense.”

Golf told to get its head out of the sand


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Golf club software firm intelligentgolf has moved to new premises at The Warwickshire Golf and Country Club, after a period of growth.

The company, which is set to announce a series of new business wins over the coming weeks, has complet-ed its move into sizeable new offices in The Woodcote House, adjacent to The Warwickshire’s club-house.

over 150 UK golf clubs have made the switch to intelligentgolf in the last four

years, as managing director, Jamie Abbott explained: “Golf is in our DnA as a company, and as individu-als,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier with our new base, particularly since The Warwickshire is where intelli-gentgolf started.

“We needed more room to expand our growing team, and this was the ideal solution. It does feel like we are coming home.”

Abbott, who worked for IBm in Warwick before becoming an independent IT consultant in 2000, was

granted a ConGU handi-capping licence in 2006.

Intelligentgolf grew out of a project he created at The Warwickshire to create the first web-based golf handi-capping system of its kind.

The firm now creates bespoke software for all kinds of golf club technolo-gy, including membership and subscription manage-ment, tee time booking and e-commerce.

plans have been unveiled for the first 18-hole champi-onship golf course in montenegro. It is to be built with 100 per cent British capital and will be open for visitors on the Dalmatian Coast by spring 2016.

The montenegro govern-ment has outlined plans to develop tourism in the coun-

try and the golf course is to become the newest attrac-tion of porto montenegro, a mega-yacht marina located next to Boka Group’s Sea Breeze development, on the Bay of Kotor.

The course will also feature a clubhouse, golf academy, driving range and training facilities.

The main feature of the course will be the breathtak-ing mountain and sea views that will be visible from every hole and the course will have a “classic British” theme throughout.

Steve marnoch of Golfmarnoch has been appointed to design the course.

He said: “The golf course will have some great natural features and is bordered by a native landscape of pines, oaks and cypress trees.

“It is our intention to rein-state the rich natural land-scape that currently exists and within that create a wonderful first golf course for montenegro.”

Marnoch to design first course in Montenegro

software firm returns ‘home’ to Warwickshire

12 GME AprIl 2013

newsnews

ransomes Jacobsen’s three-hole golf course, located at their European headquarters in Ipswich, has been re-certified by the Golf Environment organization (GEo).

With this latest accolade, the rJ national becomes the first golf course in the UK to be awarded GEo Certified™ status for excel-

lence in environmental performance for a second time.

following his assessment, Keith Duff, an independent verifier accredited by GEo said: “The creation of this small golf course, built and managed to good sustaina-bility standards, has hugely improved the environmental quality of the area.

“What was once covered in cement and scrub, as part of an industrial park, is now an ecological asset.

“Good areas of semi-natural habitat have been created and are developing well, and there are plans for further biodiversity initiatives.

“record keeping is exem-plary, regulatory compli-ance is unblemished, and there are very high quality innovative communications, including newsletters and video blogs, to show others how the work is being done and what the benefits are.

“The quality of the playing surfaces is also very high, demonstrating well how playing quality and sustaina-ble management can go hand in hand. I have no hesitation in recommending that this course should be re-certified.”

The unique three-hole golf course was the brainchild of David Withers, then md at ransomes Jacobsen and now president of parent company, Jacobsen.

“With the support of some of our industry partners, our parent company Textron, and a tremendous team effort by everyone at Ipswich – spearheaded by matt lebrun, our former greenkeeper, the rJ national has been a great success,” Withers said.

“The course is a great asset for testing machinery, showcasing the products we manufacture and is a facility to demonstrate our environ-mental leadership to distrib-utors and customers.

“Hopefully our example serves as an inspiration – showing that creating and maintaining a sustainable golf course can be good for golf and good for business.”

GEo’s chief executive Jonathan Smith added: “We are delighted that the rJ national has been re-certi-fied, representing as it does, sustainability throughout their golf environment through a continued commitment to protect and enhance nature.”

rJ national re-certified for continued excellence

plans for the future of Herne Bay Golf Club have been on public display in the town.

Developer Quinn Estates unveiled its plans for a Tesco store, sports pitches for clubs across Herne Bay and up to 400 homes at an exhibition.

It plans to submit a planning application to Canterbury City Council for the scheme, which includes a football pitch plus mini pitches, cricket pitch, six tennis courts and clubhouse, a new hockey pitch, shared hockey and football pitch and sports pavilion.

Director mark Quinn said: “I think this is a great opportunity for Herne Bay. We have the back-ing of sports clubs who will gain brand new facili-ties and I hope local people will welcome improved shopping.”

The plans are backed by a host of clubs, includ-ing the local youth foot-ball club, and the town’s cricket, hockey and tennis clubs.

The Egyptian golf devel-opment market has regained most of the vigour it possessed before the revo-lution of 2011, according to two golf industry profession-als who are working on a number of projects in the country.

Tim lobb, principal of Thomson perrett & lobb, and Tad King of Connecticut-based contractor King Golf International recently returned from a week-long visit to the country, and report that local developers are confident about the future and looking to push forward on their projects as quickly as they can.

“Although the political uncertainty caused by the Egyptian revolution inevita-bly put development on the back burner for a time, the economic fundaments underpinning golf and real estate projects in the coun-try have always been extremely strong, so I’m not

surprised to see developers wanting to move forward,” said lobb.

“Although the political situation remains complex, development companies are clearly taking the view that Egypt is now on solid ground, and open for busi-ness,” added King.

The fate of a Staffordshire golf course continues to hang in the balance as council officers consider a number of options for its future.

As the liquidation process continues for Tamworth Golf Centre, officials have said

they must wait for the outcome of a creditors’ meeting before announcing their decision.

options under considera-tion include re-opening the course on an interim basis under external manage-ment and closing the course

while considering long term re-development options.

Council leader Danny Cook said: “Tamworth Borough Council is looking at the options for the future of the course, now that Tamworth Golf Centre ltd is no longer trading.”

future in the balance for Tamworth

Egyptian golf market regains some vigour according to lobb and King


news

Southern Golf provide services for golf course construction, renovation and contract maintenance throughout Europe and the Middle East

UK office: (44) 01926 400985Portuguese office: (351) 282 763 770Oman office: (968) 964 57741

www.southerngolfconstruction.co.uk

Envirosports limited have been commissioned by Trump national Golf Club in florida to re-construct sever-al bunkers using their patent-ed EnviroBunker construc-tion method.

EnviroBunker is a mainte-nance free bunker face and edge solution that offers a minimum design life of 20 years and combats all forms of bunker erosion.

The breakthrough into the US market developed as a result of close consultation with nicklaus Design who are leading a re-develop-ment of Trump national, with a full bunker renovation being a leading priority.

rhydian lewis, co-director at Envirosports limited said: “nicklaus Design pushed hard for EnviroBunker to be used at Trump national and

we are privileged to have an opportunity to showcase our product to a new market, as well as a prestig-ious client.

“To be associated with nicklaus Design is a testa-ment to the progress that we have made as a company and the growing reputation of EnviroBunker in the international market-place.

“The timing of the project could not be better for us as we have just received formal notification of grant of our patent in both the UK and the US, with Europe to follow thereafter.

“This long awaited news will secure the long term future of our company and ensures our exclusive rights to the EnviroBunker construction method.”

Envirobunker commisioned on nicklaus project

rockliffe Hall in County Durham has been selected as the host venue for one of the UK’s most prestigious, televised golf tournaments.

following two successful years of hosting the Championship of Durham, the William Hunt Trilby Tour Grand final will this year take place at rockliffe Hall on August 28.

The Trilby Tour is the UK’s premier televised amateur golf tournament, broadcast exclusively across the Sky

Sports network attracting over two million viewers, and was founded by world-renowned fashion designer and golf enthusiast, William Hunt (pictured right).

In 2013, over 1,000 golfers will compete in the Trilby Tour, each taking part in one of the eight regional championships across the UK with the aim of making the top ten of the event and, in turn, earn the right to play in the Grand final at rockliffe Hall.

rockliffe hall to stage Trilby Tour Grand final

14 GME AprIl 2013

company profile WEbliNK; ClUBInCorporATED.Com

If the headline above seems a little boastful, it isn’t. Club Inc truly does have experts in every facet of a golf club’s operation, and specialises in assisting clubs – anywhere with members and facilities, not just those in golf – in all activities from governance to hosting international events.

The man who came up with the idea of Club Inc is a familiar name in the golf industry: Niall Flanagan, formerly direc-tor of operations at the St Andrews Trust and chief executive at Loch Lomond.

He’s spent a career working at five-star establishments, and the knowledge he gained and the experiences he can draw upon travelling the world in those roles, made him the ideal man to set up what he described as a “one-stop shop”. But when you work with Club Inc, you’re not work-ing just with Niall Flanagan.

“It’s about Club Inc, not me,” he explained. “I wanted to build a brand which could offer a one-stop shop. When you’re a chief executive at somewhere like Loch Lomond a lot of things come across your desk and you meet a lot of people.

“We’ve been able to draw upon our contacts to bring in associates from inside and outside the industry, each of whom is an expert in their field.

“In our first year we were able to illus-trate to the industry that we are the ‘go-to’ people for help, whether the requirement is for personal betterment through train-ing or an element of club management, be it legal, health and safety, HR, media, finance or administration.

“I’ve been in the business for 25 years, and I’ve been lucky enough during that time to benchmark with some of the best clubs in the world. The experience I’ve gained is not just in being connected to the right people, but also in seeing best practice at every level.

“Whatever the issue we have the talents within our organisation to get to the bottom of it and help. It’s that one word – help – which keeps reoccurring whenever we discuss Club Inc. That’s what we do: help.”

The timing of Club Inc’s arrival – it celebrated its first anniversary only in February – could not be more auspicious for the golf industry. Many clubs are struggling as the recession continues to drag them down and, having already made cutbacks, they may not be in a posi-tion to employ somebody in their specific area of need.

Flanagan added resignedly: “I imagine there will be a number of clubs who will

club inc. The ability to Deliver Everything

When niall flanagan decided to setup Club Inc

just over a year ago, little did he anticipate the level of success that the brand

would enjoy in its first year. Article by David bowers.


be struggling further come April 1 when their members decide they can’t afford to stump up the cash to pay their fees. And we are there to offer our expertise in any way we can.”

Much of the winter has been spent working alongside more than 100 individ-uals, helping them with personal career

development, while the Friends of Club Inc database has already topped 15,000.

The company isn’t just well connected, it’s good at what it does, which is why people continue to work alongside them.

Flanagan added: “We’re currently putting together Club Inc Concierge which will give members added benefits by putting together the sort of bespoke packages that haven’t been available before. “We’re working with some large hotel chains to see how they can get into golf even if they are a city-based group, offering packages through the contacts we have.

“We’re also working alongside a company in Turkey which is looking to build a number of golf courses and we’re also helping the Seniors Tour.”

In sporting terms, the company got off to ‘a flyer’ last year, with its hugely successful invite-only European Club

Leadership Summit. It attracted 50 of the top sports leaders in Europe, including the LTA’s Roger Draper and the R&A’s Ken Schofield, to Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis Club, where the delegates networked, learned from their peers and discussed how they could improve their respective industries.

The Summit also received sponsorship support from Toro, TaylorMade and UBS Wealth. Flanagan (pictured right) concluded: “We’re probably the only company who can do everything.

“We’re not just ‘another consultancy’. If you need help or advice, then we’re the people to come to, whatever it might be. Whoever works with you can rest assured you’re in partnership with an expert.

“Because the brand has attracted so many experts in their field, we can pretty much cover any requirement a club has; or that of an owner or an entrepreneur, who wishes to build or own a club.

“From the ground up, whether the club is established, just starting or simply wants to get better at what it does, through training and education, or through better contacts or the implement-ing of specific policies, we will have the answer.” GME

“We’re probably the only company who can do everything. We’re not just ‘another consultancy’.

if you need help or advice, then we’re the people to come to, whatever it might be.”

left hand pagegolf trick shots

Their theme, twice the tricks... twice the banter... and twice the entertainment sums up the double act of the Golf Trick Shot Boys – a unique collaboration of two of the industry’s leading trick shot specialists.

When Geoff Swain, owner of Bedford Golf Club, and Kevin Carpenter, a former Celtic Manor head pro met at the Welsh resort back in 2005, little did they

realise that their meeting would be the catalyst for a double act, which is full of fun, thrills and audience partici-pation.When Swain was crowned the

World Golf Trick Shot champion a year later in 2006, Carpenter decided to emulate Swain’s success and set about creating a routine of his own – a venture which proved to be highly successful.

In the years that followed, both Swain and Carpenter were pitched against one another, both commercially and competi-tively, until the two of them decided to join forces last year and offer golf a uniquely different offering.

“We’d been competing against one another for a few years, and as we both had a huge degree of respect for one

another, we decided it would be a good time to come together and

form a unique alliance,” said Carpenter.

“In the space of the last twelve months, the venture has grown from strength to

strength, and Geoff and I have performed shows in five different countries, at

two European Tour Events and both, the London and

Manchester Golf Shows.”Last October was the start of a

busy winter for Carpenter and Swain with shows in Dubai, Abu

Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. The five shows – all in conjunction

with HSBC – also included the 2010

winning Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie, who made a guest appear-ance. The eight times order of merit winner was hugely impressed with the unbelievable hand-eye co-ordination and mind blowing shots on display.

On the back of a successful Middle East Tour, the duo were also snapped up to perform at the first two European Tour Events of 2013 – The HSBC Abu Dhabi Championships and the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

In between travelling to and from the Middle East, the double act also wowed the spectators in the Earls Court Arena with performances at The London Golf Show and were the main attraction at The Manchester Golf Show.

“The Golf Trick Shot Boys show can be tailored to meet the need of any venue and audience,” said Carpenter. “The show and presentations have been run successfully in front of 100’s at European Tour events, but is equally as effective and involving with smaller groups of 20 to 30.

“Both Geoff and I can perform at the start of your golf day which is a great way to get everybody together having fun before the serious stuff begins.

“The show acts as a great ice breaker and gives your guests common ground before the start of play. Or alternatively, why not have it at the end of your day where we can show that golf is not really such a serious game and bring a degree of reality back to those that have had a bad day at the office!”

The on course trick shot challenge offers everyone playing in the golf day an opportunity to attempt one of the trick shots demonstrated within the show. “Its more difficult than it looks,” laughs Carpenter.

“It brings lots of fun and laughter to the individual groups much to the amuse-ment of their playing partners. Plus it allows the guests to individually experi-

World Trick Shot champion Geoff Swain and Kevin Carpenter have teamed up with one another to create a stunning and inspiring golf

trick shot show as Aidan Patrick reports.

WEbliNK; GolfTrICKSHoTBoYS.Com

Twice the fun from the Golf Trick shot boys

16 GME AprIl 2013


ence the difficulties of trick shots which is a popular choice amongst event organis-ers and is a refreshing alternative to a beat the pro challenge!”

And to finish what should be a memo-rable golf day, both Swain and Carpenter make excellent after dinner speakers with stories and impressions from the world of golf and beyond.

“Its not just an after dinner speech,” added Carpenter, “its personalised to your day with a few tongue in cheek comments throw in for good measure. We will also pass on a few tips as well!”

Individually Swain and Carpenter bring their own trademark tricks to the double act making their show a truly unique experience in golfing entertainment.

Aside from owning Bedford Golf Club, Swain is also an accomplished TV Golf presenter and has interviewed golfing greats such as Gary Player and current Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter.

Swain has appeared on Sky Sports, BBC Sport, ITV, ESPN, CBS and The Golf Channel, and MC’s at golf tourna-ments and golf related events around the globe.

Swain and his individual witty banter has provided on course commentary and interviews with tour players, comedians and sporting celebrities alike, making him a great double act partner for Carpenter, who is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading golf trick shot performers.

Sponsored by Ian Poulter’s clothing label, IJP Design, Carpenter had the pleasure of entertaining the Ryder Cup hero at the Ian Poulter Junior Invitational held at Woburn Golf Club.

He has also featured on Sky Sports Soccer AM and most recently reached the last 500 from 75,000 who auditioned for the popular TV Show, Britain’s Got Talent.

“What sets Kevin apart from the rest is his amazing core strength, balance and hand eye co-ordination,” commented Swain about his partner.

“Put these attributes together with the use of props such as exercise balls and unicycles, and Kevin can create some unbelievable golf shots adding a completely different dimension to our double act.”

Carpenter also has a pedigree in teach-ing having carried out his PGA training at the Gleneagles. An overseas move to the Middle East soon followed before return-ing to the UK as heading pro at The Celtic Manor Resort.

Swain and Carpenter bounce off of one another superbly, and have the ability to throw in the punch lines at just the right the time.

As Paul Casey said after watching the Golf Trick Shot Boys: “Fantastic show guys, original, funny brilliantly entertain-ing, it was comedy with a golf club. I loved it.”

High praise indeed! GME

The Majority of the World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses Count on Toro® Irrigation Systems

n = Toro Irrigation System"Top 100 Courses in the World." Golf Magazine, August 2011. http://www.golf.com/courses-and-travel/top-100-courses-us-and-world-2011.

RANK COURSE NAME COUNTRY

1 PINE VALLEYPine Valley, New Jersey US

2 CYPrESS PoINTPebble Beach, California US

3 AuGuSTA NATIoNALAugusta, Georgia US

4 ST. ANdrEWS (old Course)St. Andrews

Scotland

5 roYAL CouNTY doWNNewcastle

N. Ireland

6 ShINNECoCk hILLSSouthampton, New York US

7 PEbbLE bEAChPebble Beach, California US

8 oAkMoNTOakmont, Pennsylvania US

9 MuIrfIELdGullane Scotland

10 MErIoN (East)Ardmore, Pennsylvania US

11 SANd hILLSMullen, Nebraska US

12 NATIoNAL GoLf LINkS of AMErICASouthampton, New York

US13 roYAL MELbourNE

(West)Melbourne

Australia14 roYAL PorTruSh

(dunluce)Portrush

N. Ireland15 PINEhurST (No. 2)

Pinehurst, North Carolina

US

16 roYAL dorNoChDornoch

Scotland

17 bALLYbuNIoN (old)Ballybunion

Ireland

18 TurNbErrY (Ailsa)Turnberry

Scotland

19 PACIfIC duNESBandon, Oregon

US

20 CrYSTAL doWNSFrankfort, Michigan

US

21 CArNouSTIE (Championship)Carnoustie

Scotland22 WINGEd fooT (West)

Mamaroneck, New York

US

23 SEMINoLEJuno Beach, Florida

US

24 ChICAGoWheaton, Illinois

US

25 PrAIrIE duNESHutchinson, Kansas

US


26 SAN frANCISCoSan Francisco, California

US

27 kINGSToN hEAThMelbourne

Australia

28 fIShErS ISLANd CLubFishers Island, New York

US

29 oAkLANd hILLS (South)Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

US

30 roYAL bIrkdALESouthport

England

31 rIVIErAPacific Palisades, California

US

32 roYAL ST. GEorGE'SSandwich

England

33 CAPE kIdNAPPErSHawke's Bay

New Zealand

34 NEW SouTh WALESLa Perouse Australia

35 SuNNINGdALE (old)Sunningdale England

36 bEThPAGE (black)Farmingdale, New York US

37 ThE CouNTrY CLub (Clyde/Squirrel)Brookline, Massachusetts US

38 frIAr'S hEAdBaiting Hollow, New York US

39 LoS ANGELES (North)Los Angeles, California US

40 hIroNoKobe Japan

41 bArNbouGLE duNESBridport Australia

42 LAhINChLahinch Ireland

43 oLYMPIC (Lake)San Francisco, California US

44 WhISTLING STrAITS (Straits)Haven, Wisconsin US

45 kIAWAh ISLANd (ocean)Kiawah Island, South Carolina

US

46 PorTMArNoCk (old)Portmarnock Ireland

47 CASA dE CAMPo (Teeth of the dog)La Romana

Dominican Republic

48 roYAL TrooN (old)Troon Scotland

49 NINE brIdGESJeju Island

South Korea

50 GArdEN CITY GoLf CLubGarden City, New York US


51 TPC SAWGrASS (Players Stadium)Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida US

52 MuIrfIELd VILLAGEDublin, Ohio US

53 bALTuSroL (Lower)Springfield, New Jersey US

54 kINGSbArNSSt. Andrews Scotland

55 MorfoNTAINESenlis France

56 CASTLE STuArTInverness Scotland

57 roYAL LYThAM & ST. ANNESLytham St. Annes England

58 dIAMANTECabo San Lucas Mexico

59 WoodhALL SPAWoodhall Spa England

60 bANdoN duNESBandon, Oregon US

61 oAk hILL (East)Rochester, New York US

62 ThE GoLf CLubNew Albany, Ohio US

63 SouThErN hILLSTulsa, Oklahoma US

64 ShorEACrESLake Bluff, Illinois US

65 MEdINAh (No. 3)Medinah, Illinois US

66 GANToNGanton England

67 oLd SANdWIChPlymouth, Massachusetts US

68 oITAVoS duNESCascais Portugal

69 CAMArGoIndian Hill, Ohio US

70 QuAkEr rIdGEScarsdale, New York US

71 INVErNESSToledo, Ohio US

72 MAIdSToNEEast Hampton, New York US

73 LoCh LoMoNdLuss Scotland

74 oLd MACdoNALdBandon, Oregon US

75 WINGEd food (East)Mamaroneck, New York US


76 kAWANA (fuji)Kawana Japan

77 roYAL LIVErPooLHolylake England

78 hArbour ToWNHilton Head Island, South Carolina

US

79 bALLYNEALHolyoke, Colorado US

80 kAurI CLIffSKerikeri

New Zealand

81 SoMErSET hILLSBernardsville, New Jersey US

82 bArNbouGLE LoST fArMBridport Australia

83 CrudEN bAYCruden Bay Scotland

84 NANEAKailua-Kona, Hawaii US

85 roYAL AdELAIdEAdelaide Australia

86 WALToN hEATh (old)Tadworth England

87 ChAMbErS bAYUniversity Place, Washington US

88 VALdErrAMASotogrande Spain

89 NorTh bErWICk (West) North Berwick Scotland

90 ST. GEorGE'SIslington, Ontario Canada

91 WATErVILLEWaterville Ireland

92 SWINLEY forESTAscot England

93 MAChrIhANIShMachrihanish Scotland

94 roYAL PorThCAWLPorthcawl Wales

95 EuroPEAN CLubBrittas Bay Ireland

96 TokYoTokyo Japan

97 VALLEY CLub of MoNTECIToSanta Barbara, California US

98 hIGhLANd LINkS Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia Canada

99 durbAN CouNTrY CLubDurban

South Africa

100 CAbo dEL SoL (ocean)Los Cabos Mexico

Sixty-seven of the top 100 golf courses in the world use Toro products for their turf irrigation needs. The list published in August 2011 by Golf Magazine includes legendary

courses like Augusta National (#3), the Old Course at St. Andrews (#4), Royal County Down in Northern Ireland (#5) and Oakmont (#8), each of which use Toro irrigation products. It also welcomes new courses like Castle Stuart in Scotland (#56), Diamante in Mexico (#58) and Barnbougle Lost Farm in Australia (#82), all built within the last three years and all using Toro irrigation.

Worlds Top 100 GC Ad_GME.indd 1 1/13/12 10:15 AM


club focus

Arcos Gardens has come a very long way in a relatively short time.

Less than seven years since opening, this spectacular estate at the heart of Spain’s Andalusia region has won a host of international property awards.

The golf course is a fixture in Europe’s top 100 and the fantastic practice facilities have seen many of the continent’s top players heading to the Cadiz area to hone their skills in the warm winter conditions.

And Arcos Gardens Golf Club and Country Estate is now firmly established as a regular venue for the Spanish Ladies Junior International Championships and European Tour Stage Two Qualifying (Q2) Schools.

Ashley Northridge, a PGA professional since 1988, formerly at prestigious cours-es such as Wentworth and Palheiro in Madiera, is the director at Arcos Gardens,

and has been there from the very begin-ning.

He says: “The golf course is a huge attraction. The design is something special, as it suits players of all levels. And when you factor in our excellent practice facilities, you have a mix that makes this an all-year-round golfing haven.”

Northridge says the aim is simple – to offer a choice of top-class accommoda-tion and restaurant facilities alongside a championship golf course in great condi-tion, plus great service.

“I really want people to feel very welcome when they arrive. A smile and a warm greeting make a big difference.

“Then we have a golf course that makes you want to play it again and again, and for me, this is why we have been success-ful, and our customers keep coming back.”

Garden of EdenBefore his sudden passing in february, Kevin Nash spoke with Ashley northridge of Arcos Gardens in Cadiz, about

the spectacular rise of the stunning Spanish resort.

WEbliNK; ArCoSGArDEnS.Com

20 GME AprIl 2013

facTfilE;

Arcos GardensCarretera de Algar Km 3,5 11630

Arcos de la frontera CadizSpain

TEl; (34) 956 704 131faX; (34) 956 717 932

EMail;[email protected]

DirEcTor;Ashley northridge

coursE ManaGEr;lorenzo Basco

club founDED;2006

With just under 20,000 rounds annual-ly, Arcos Gardens attracts players in fairly equal measure from Spain, the UK, Germany and, in the winter particularly, Scandinavia.

Around a third of those rounds feature stay-and-players, while 20 per cent of tee times are taken by members and their guests.

The growing list of members and home owners at Arcos Gardens includes former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher and his TV personality daughter Kirtsty; ex-England rugby union captain and World Cup winner Matt Dawson; French golf legend Catherine Lacoste, still the only amateur to win the US Women’s Open; and top coach Simon Holmes.

“We have now created that all-impor-tant community feel to the resort,” added Northridge. “It is noticeable how strong the spirit is when everyone gathers to compete for the annual invitational and club championships.”

Arcos Gardens is located on the outskirts of Arcos de la Frontera, the start of the famous Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) route which includes Ubrique (renowned for its leather goods), Ronda (home to the oldest bullring in Spain) and Grazalema (a stunning mountain village), all fine examples of traditional Andalusia.

The historic city of Cadiz, with its Arabic and Roman influences, carnivals and magnificent beaches is just 40 miles away; while Jerez, only 25 miles away, is world famous for its wines (especially sherry), flamenco and pure-bred horses.

Here in the south-western tip of Spain you are also close to Seville, the capital of Andalusia, with its magnificent buildings and many festivals; Cordoba, a little

further inland; and Granada, at the base of the Sierra Nevada, where ex-US presi-dent Bill Clinton claimed to have seen the most beautiful sunset in the world.

Managed by Novaterra Resorts and covering 440 acres, Arcos Gardens won its first award within a year of opening, when it won ‘Best Golf Development in Spain’ in the CNBC International Property Awards. The following year, 2008, it won the same category in the ‘Homes Overseas Best Development Awards’.

One of the accommodation options is an Andalusian farmhouse, the Cortijo boutique hotel, with ten rooms around a courtyard. There are 42 two-bedroom luxury townhouses in the Fairway Gardens development, plus three large corporate villas, the federation house (ideally suited for team use) and two four-bedroom villas.

The resort also features more than 100 private homes, and, the crowning glory, a private members golf club that welcomes guests and visitors, which helps to form a very special community feel.

The magnificent 18-hole championship golf course is both beauty and beast, measuring a whopping 7,300 yards-plus from the tips... ideal for the many top players, professionals and amateurs, that flock to Arcos Gardens.

But mere mortals need not fear, because there are different tees to suit all standards. In addition, it’s not just the yardages that differ, but also angles and carries to the fairways. And those immac-ulate fairways are generally generous, making this a challenging but fair course.

The interesting, undulating putting surfaces add to the experience, with the


sub-tropical Mediterranean climate meaning that the greens are in tip-top shape all year-round.

The course is set among olive groves, and some of the trees are 300 years old, giving the course, although young, a feel-ing of maturity.

The trees themselves also bring new challenges, while low level branches make it easy to find your ball when you stray, but can restrict your backswing, meaning you simply have to take your medicine and get back in play.

The flora of the surrounding country-side changes colour, not just seasonally but almost daily and the subtle slopes and elevation changes out on the course add to the aesthetic and visual appeal.

The course itself is Bermuda grass-based, which used to give it a pale look from November onwards. Northridge says: “To prevent the whole course being blond, we over-seed the fairways and tees with rye grass in late September, which presents a contrast of colours with the rough, similar to that seen at courses in the Arizona area.”

The greens are at their firmest and fast-est during the winter months, hence the course’s popularity when most of the rest of Europe is off-season.

There’s a good variety of holes, from par-fives (including the signature 16th, with its “top of the world” feeling), that are genuine three-shot tests, through risk-and-reward par fours to some stiff shorter holes.

The clubhouse, with spa, gym, bar, restaurant and terrace, overlooks the ninth green, and the practice facilities (devel-oped in association with Simon Holmes and the Swedish Golf Federation) are among the best in Europe and include a double-ended driving range, with not a net or a mat in sight.

Ten target greens offer plenty to aim at, helping with distance control. Also on the range you will find a short iron area to work on wedge play, and there is even a fairway bunker. The golf school, with Trackman radar, is staffed by two PGA professionals.

All this helps explain why Arcos Gardens is known for close relationships with the elite of European golf, with the Swedish Federation and English Golf Union choosing the venue for their offi-cial winter training headquarters, as well as top players from France, Germany, Austria and Finland.

Throughout the winter you will see a host of national elite teams and European Tour players (with special stay, practice and play packages available for pros with a PGA card, professionals with groups of amateurs and players qualified for the Challenge Tour or better.)

There’s more than just golf, though, with tennis courts, swimming pools and children’s play area... and everyone receives the VIP treatment at Arcos Gardens, where they pull out all the stops to make this your home from home, or, as they say in Andalusia, “su casa.” GME

Premier A l l -Weather Sur faces for Gol f

UK and Overseas Enquiries: Tel +44 (0)1962 733222

Email: [email protected]

Huxley Golf All-Weather Practice Tees

The Castle Course, St. Andrews

629-Golf Management-Europe-Ads-1.indd 2 01/03/2013 12:31

22 GME AprIl 2013

recruitment WEbliNK; ColTmm.Com

People are at the heart of any great business and for the golf industry, it is no different. Continued economic challenges are requiring organisations to work smart-er and faster and in many cases, with a reduced headcount.

Anecdotal evidence gathered by specialist search company, Colt Mackenzie McNair, has shown that for many businesses, being able to manage their recruitment requirements quickly can create a competitive advantage, particularly in the lower to middle management jobs where turnover of staff is often higher than that of senior execu-tive positions.

“We have evidence that small, medium and large businesses are all seeking to solve their recruitment needs faster and in many cases, more efficiently,” said Richard Wood, director of Colt Mackenzie McNair.

“Whilst there will always be a need for a headhunt or search that can take up to three months to find the right senior manager or leader of a business, many companies have been asking us to develop a ‘scaled’ headhunt that still delivers the same high-quality candidates, but can also complement, and sit alongside, the busi-ness’s own recruitment methods.”

The recent launch of CMM Express is Colt Mackenzie McNair’s answer to this growing industry requirement.

With a targeted ‘ten-day’ recruitment solution and the promise of no fees until a successful candidate has been appointed, according to Wood, CMM Express is exactly what the golf industry has been asking for.

This innovative and highly efficient service is designed for junior through to head of department roles, and takes the typical pressure and administration of recruitment off the shoulders of the senior executive, with the objective of pinpointing ideal candidates within ten working days.

Using proprietary search techniques, personal networks, and the industry’s largest, qualified database of candidates, CMM’s specialist consultants – all with global golf and hospitality industry knowledge – fast track a scaled headhunt, targeting quality candidates that match a client’s brief.

CMM Express has the ability to rapidly deliver a very concentrated candidate choice, maybe two or three people, who have been benchmarked and matched to a detailed job specification, something that, according to Wood, is often overlooked by many businesses.

“It is always surprising to me that many organisations fail to understand that a detailed, well-thought-through brief is essential in delivering the right candidates. Senior executives must understand that the greater the level of detail at the outset of an assignment, the greater the likeli-hood of finding the correct candidate,” he added.

CMM Express is already receiving positive feedback from the EMEA golf industry with one of the early users, Swedish-based Abacus Sportswear, appointing new sales staff via the service.

Henrik Berqvist, managing director of Abacus Sportswear, said: “As a Swedish-based company we were facing problems

A new recruitment service has been specifically creat-ed for the needs of the modern golf business... delivering a concentrated candidate choice in just ten working days. Article by Aidan Patrick.

re-inventing the way in which you recruit


in hiring qualified sales staff for our UK business.

“However, once we made contact with CMM Express, I was surprised how quickly we managed to pinpoint high quality individuals. It took less than a month for us to appoint the right person and I was impressed by the results.”

Wood highlights that one of the biggest challenges facing Colt Mackenzie McNair is the need to continually educate the golf industry about recruitment best practice.

“Many employers contact us and think recruitment is simply about looking at our database and giving them a list of likely candidates the following day. Professional search and selection goes far deeper than that.

“Only 23 per cent of candidates successfully placed are sourced through our database... in other words, 77 per cent we didn’t know before we started the search,” added Wood.

“The profiling and evaluation process is very thorough, and as a result we are able to source candidates from around the globe, and connect with them easily.”

CMM’s ‘professionalising recruitment’ message is getting through though.

It has already established itself as the most thorough and trusted global head-hunt service in golf and has successfully helped businesses in a variety of sectors, including trade associations, governing bodies, the travel industry, turf mainte-nance, irrigation, proprietary clubs, equipment manufacturers, resorts, multi-

site operators, private members’ clubs and hotel groups.

“Golf has some way to go, but we are getting more businesses, big and small, understanding that they need to work with external organisations, like CMM, to develop recruitment strategies that are aligned to the ongoing needs of the busi-ness.

“Recruitment is definitely not a turn on/turn off service that is only needed when someone leaves an organisation,” added Wood – who, to highlight the detailed process CMM undertakes to pinpoint talent for global golf positions – explains how executive search works...

creation of the search briefIt is vital to define the company’s busi-

ness objectives, establish the requirements of the role, and then create the role speci-fication.

researchUsing CMM’s networks, those of our

trade partners, expertise within our in-house research team, our business’s knowledge base and our extensive social media networks, we create an outline list of potential candidates that fit the brief.

contact with candidatesCMM is a trusted business with a repu-

tation for professionalism and being discreet at all times, and therefore we find candidates (and clients) are very happy to discuss opportunities openly with us.

When we present a role to a potential candidate it is likely they will not be seek-ing new employment at that time, so it is important to engage with each candidate personally, and communicate the role as an attractive opportunity.

EvaluationWe place huge importance on looking

at each candidate’s ability to perform in the role. We evaluate their ability to adapt and thrive in the client culture, historically validate their career so far and extensively reference their performance.

We also use our own judgement, built from years of experience in the recruit-ment industry…this includes the creation of a detailed CMM Candidate Evaluation matrix, which scores all candidates head-to-head on every facet of the new role.

Delivering successOnce we are in agreement with the

client that we have established the right candidate for the role, we look to engage their services. Often, there may be some challenges to overcome, so we help to construct and negotiate the offer. We then work with the successful candidate through their resignation, and stay close to them during their notice period.

after-sales serviceIn order to ensure client satisfaction, we

carry out regular performance reviews, and nurture a long-term strategy with the business. GME

24 GME AprIl 2013

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golf simulatorsWEbliNK; forESIGHTSporTS.EU

Although golf simulators have, in some form or other, been available for nearly 40 years and have been installed in good numbers across most leisure sectors, it is golf clubs themselves who have never actively embraced the concept... until now.

Their reticence was understandable. Inaccurate, unreliable, expensive and inflexible, previous golf simulators have been unable to satisfy the most demand-ing of users – golf clubs, their profession-

als, and members and guests who would be using the system on a day-to-day

basis. At Foresight Sports we are rewrit-

ing the rules for the golf club market. The Foresight simulator

– powered by the market-lead-ing GC2 smart-camera

system – is proving itself to be the first indoor simula-

tion technology to be actively embraced by

golf clubs. Historically, just a

few simulators per year were installed

into golf clubs. Since introducing the

Foresight simulator to the European

market we are on target to install more than 100 systems this year.

It’s easy to understand why golf clubs are happy to incorporate a Foresight simulator. Previous technologies were just not accurate or reliable enough for clubs to take them seriously.

The club professional and staff couldn’t use them to teach on or to fit clubs; it added little to the club’s bottom line, save for the odd extra drink and sandwich; and golfers were left disappointed by the experience, with shots, invariably, repro-duced incorrectly.

So, effectively, they were little better than expensive gaming machines, and, considering the prohibitive cost – the best systems cost upwards of £40,000 – the clubs’ reluctance to buy into the concept is understandable.

What’s more, the units were bulky and permanent, needing an entire room set aside for their use. It was fine for a bit of fun, but unacceptable to the majority of departments within the club.

Consequently there was little or no return on investment.

That’s where the Foresight Sports simulator is turning the market on its head by finally offering a technology that ticks all the boxes for a golf club.

Ed Doling, sales director of foresight Sports Europe, explains why golf club demand for his company’s simulators is at an all-time high.

rise of the foresight Golf simulator

26 GME AprIl 2013

Because our simulator is powered by the same GC2 technology approved and recommended by the world’s leading club manufacturers, including Titleist, Cleveland/Srixon, Cobra/Puma, PING and TaylorMade, the accuracy of ball flight data and golf simulation is beyond question.

So we move from a point where previ-ous simulators ticked very few, if any, of the boxes for a golf club, to the Foresight simulator ticking them all.

It is so accurate the club professional will use it all day for coaching, equipment testing, club sales and industry leading club-fitting. Because the GC2 is so porta-ble he can take it out to the range or the chipping green, connected to his laptop or iPad, to give his lesson or custom-fit outside during good weather.

Many of our professional clients take it onto the course for a playing lesson – it’s that portable and simple to use.

When the pros aren’t using the GC2 they hook it up again in the simulator where it provides the most accurate and realistic indoor golf experience in the industry.

Members and guests can hire the system by the hour for practice, analysis of their game, or to play on any of the world-famous courses painstakingly reproduced in every detail. It’s also perfect for members and societies to enjoy nearest-the-pin or long-drive contests as part of their day.

And it’s this crossover aspect of the Foresight simulator that makes it so

attractive for the golf club, with every department benefiting.

It is the most accurate simulator on the market, ensuring golfers return time and again to use it; it’s the ultimate technology for club-fitting, teaching and retail, plus, located indoors, it guarantees members can always be golfing, while professionals don’t lose lessons or club fittings after dark or in bad weather.

Although Foresight offers a choice of more than 80 famous courses from around the world, we can also map a client’s own course on to the system, with astonishing attention to detail, allowing members and pros to use their own course, indoors, for fitting, teaching and practice.

In short, Foresight delivers top-end simulation at a mid-range price point, which, until the development of the GC2, has never been possible before.

Every golf club manages its floor space carefully. The flexibility of Foresight tech-nology means if you can swing a driver we can install a simulator in your space.

So, for the first time, a club doesn’t have to set aside a room for it unless they wish to. This flexibility doesn’t mean customers have to compromise on quality, however. Foresight simulators are five-star, hard-sided installations, such as those in constant use at Woburn and Sherwood Forest golf clubs.

Yet designs can be adapted to specific requirements, for example, when an installation is planned for the main bar, clubhouse or conference room: bespoke

Imag

e co

urte

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Spo

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doors can be built to conceal the front of the simulator when not in use; or we can include retractable netting to allow the room to be used for functions as well as indoor golf.

While the crossover nature of the Foresight technology has dramatically increased demand for the system, the weather has played its part too.

The fact that winters are now so long – it’s still snowing and we’re nearly in April – has made every professional and golf club look at the options for indoor reve-nues. Pros want to ensure they are busy any time of the day or night, any time of year, and now, with the Foresight simula-tor, powered by GC2, they can.

Our customers tell us that not only are they not losing lessons because of bad weather and short days, they’re actually booking more lessons because of the comfort and convenience of the simula-tor. They also confirm they are doing so much club fitting they don’t need to spend as much money on stock.

Many customers confirm a full return on investment after just one winter as members and visitors flock to an ‘all-weather’ facility.

We’re also busy across Europe retro-fitting at clubs where they’ve previously

purchased a simulator but were struggling to make it pay its way because it was inac-curate or no longer working. With most of the hardware already installed it’s amaz-ingly cost effective to incorporate the GC2 and Foresight software into the existing structure.

The flexibility of the system means its use within the club is limited only by your

own imagination: boosting F&B and providing added value for members and visitors in the bar; increasing retail, coach-ing and club-fitting business in the pro shop.

For the first time ever, it’s not an either/or situation – with Foresight you can do it all with just one technology. None of this was feasible before the advent of the GC2.

A search of #GC2 on Twitter will show how brands and professionals eulogise about Foresight simulation: it’s revolu-tionising their businesses. Golfers now demand technology from clubs and professionals; it’s not a luxury item, it’s an essential part of your business and, with Foresight Sports’ flexible finance options, a fully installed simulator can cost from as little as £23 / €28 (+ VAT) per day.

No wonder 2013 looks set to be the year of the Foresight simulator. GME

“it’s this crossover aspect of the Foresight simulator that makes it so attractive for the

golf club, with every department benefiting”

28 GME AprIl 2013

agronomy

They say that travel broadens the mind and if true Philip Armitage, who set up European Turfgrass Specialists Ltd three years ago, has a particularly broad and inquisitive mind indeed.

Armitage (pictured above at an Austrian course) spent over ten years working as a golf greenkeeper, starting at Bingley St Ives in West Yorkshire, before his wanderlust took him to some of the finest golf clubs in the world, including Pinehurst and Westchester Golf and Country Club, in the US, and The Belfry and The Wisley, in the UK.

After gaining his hands-on experience at these iconic golfing venues he became a Turfgrass Agronomist with the Sports Turf Research Institute, where he worked for five years, until he set up European Turfgrass Specialists in 2010.

The next major development of that company saw him recently open a main-land European branch in Germany.

Before making the move Armitage assessed the market and believed that consultancy was going to become more and more important.

“You’ve only got to look at the current horse meat situation,” he said. “Everyone thought they knew what they were getting, but when it was examined prop-erly, and analysis was carried out, it wasn’t quite what it was supposed to be.

“It’s the same in greenkeeping, every-one believes they know what they have but without analysis, you can’t really be too sure,” said Armitage, who uses the European Turfgrass Laboratories and Laverstoke Park Laboratory to test clients’ soil samples.

The company currently has clients located across seven countries in Europe as well as an established client base in the UK, and while he may have a bit to go before catching Michael Palin, he has accrued a wealth of experience on how different countries deal with the same problems that impact on amenity turf.

“I think it is absolutely fascinating to see how each country responds to the issues which we all deal with collectively,” explained Armitage, speaking from his office in Fulda, about an hour east of Frankfurt.

upon closer inspectionScott MacCallum talks with philip Armitage of European Turfgrass Specialists about how he is uniquely placed to

help your course improve its conditioning.

WEbliNK; EUroTUrfGrASS.Com


“I think there is something to learn from each country and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. We need to recognise what these are and work accordingly, embracing ideas from other countries which perhaps have a different way of looking at things.

“I must admit that I quite like the way things are done in mainland Europe,” said Armitage. “For example, in the UK there seems to be a general worry about the impact of losing permission to apply key pesticides through EU legislation, but over here there is a belief, which I share, that this brings a new dimension to turf maintenance which is quite exciting.

“It’s almost a case of not worrying if one door closes as another will open.”

Armitage has been able to bring his impressive knowledge and experience to his clients. He holds a Bachelor in Science Degree in Turfgrass Science, as well as a Higher National Diploma in Golf Course Management, and a hands-on knowledge relating to chemicals and irrigation.

However, he is amazed just how often he comes across something which is completely new to him.

“In looking at situations and potential solutions, I’ve come across products and materials which, to be honest, I’ve not

seen before and that then adds to my knowledge base when I’m talking to my next client,” said Armitage, whose choice of Germany for his European base was influenced by the fact that he has a German fiancée, who has been a great help with his language development.

“European Turfgrass Specialists has already built itself a good reputation,” added Armitage.

“We operate in a field where the British are known to have a long and established consultancy heritage so, while it is a little unusual to have someone over here doing what I’m doing, being from the UK helps.

“People are open to those who are prepared to try something new and that’s the feeling I’ve had,” said Armitage, who is one of only 25 individual members of RIPTA, the Register of Independent Professional Turfgrass Agronomists.

As for development the company is moving at a nice pace with many referrals coming through word of mouth.

“We try to build a close working rela-tionship with our clients and we are extremely grateful for the support and trust that is invested in us.

“The responsibility given to guardians of golf courses is so vast that we should not underestimate this.

“We should appreciate the efforts greenkeepers make and support them in their daily routines.

“I think that the majority of the green-keepers we work with really love their jobs and they appreciate a little support to help them to do what they are good at,”

added Armitage who knows the benefits of long standing relationships which provide continuity and consistency to enable clients to thrive.

Among that assistance have been strate-gies to reduce pesticide applications, balance water usage and biological and fertiliser applications and implement more efficient on-course maintenance programmes.

“In my opinion a good independent agronomist should be able to help clients save money in the long term,” continued Armitage, “especially given the varied costs associated with maintaining a golf course nowadays.

“If you make the correct decisions on important matters relating to maintenance or construction works based on facts and analyses, this will always pay dividends in reducing costs in the long term and help a golf club to increase revenue and returns through having the best possible main-tained golf course.” GME

“...a good independent agronomist should be able to help clients save money in the long term... especially given the varied costs associated

with maintaining a golf course nowadays.”

European Turfgrass Specialistswww.euroturfgrass.com

The European Turfgrass Specialists can provide assistance on... Maintenance Support | Technical Advice | Construction Issues We also offer regular independent laboratory analysis and interpretation of soils and materials on a routine basis including...Biology | Nutrient | Physical | Water

Please contact us in the UK on; +44 (0)7906 191549 and from Mainland Europe on; +49 (0)175 2636100

©2012 The Toro Company. All rights reserved.

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question time

What attracted you to the position of full-time general manager at the United Kingdom Golf Course Owners Association (UKGCOA) and

what experience can you bring to the role?

I have worked in golf club management, have a sports marketing background, as well as having worked in the advertising industry in the USA, have a business degree, and I am a silent partner in a pub business.

I was attracted to the challenge set out by the chairman, of grow-

ing the UKGCOA by using my collective of commercial experienc-

es. I am also impressed with the forma-

tive work Jerry Kilby has put in and was

aware that UKGCOA are heading in the right direction.

The challenge of growth I find very appealing.

What exactly is the role of the

UKGCOA and what are its long-term aims and aspirations?

To represent the interest of proprietary golf course owners and operators in the golf industry, maintain dialogue with golf governing bodies, organisations and government and to provide accurate market information to owners and opera-tors to help them make informed deci-sions (such as benchmarking).

In addition, I aim to promote nationally, programmes that will grow the game (such as National Golf Week) and to promote and encourage professional

WEbliNK; UKGCoA.Com

cameron aiming to unite owners across the divide

following his recent appointment as the UKGCoA’s first, full-time general manager, James Cameron talks to GME about his plans for developing the owners Association,

the benefits of membership, and the delicate matter of UK taxation.

32 GME AprIl 2013

management of commercially-owned golf facilities.

Since its formation in October 2010, how many golf clubs are paid-up members of the UKGCOA and of those, how many are independent, one-course owners?

We have almost 200 golf courses as members, and around 40 per cent of those are independent, one course owners. We have a strong and healthy membership but we would like to contin-ue to grow.

What is the current annual

membership fee and what exactly are the benefits for a golf course owner?

£250 for an 18 hole course (£175 for a 9 hole and £325 for 36 holes or more). When you consider the list of benefits – which are fully detailed on our website – and compare our fees to other like-mind-ed Associations around the world, it is stunning value for money.

Owners can benchmark against other owners, save money using our group buyer, enjoy discounts to our annual GolfBIC conference or even just network amongst the entrepreneurially minded UKGCOA tribe.

We have also recently decided to remove the joining fee for a period of time and kept the 2012 rate for 2013 – now is definitely a good time to join.

UK taxation is a hot topic of

conversation at the moment, so what effort is the UKGCOA making to try and reduce proprietary-owned clubs tax burden?

The UKGCOA is following a strategy based on a belief that we may only achieve tax equality in the golf industry through Government action enforced by EU regulation. Therefore, working with the recognised governing bodies for sport (The Sports and Recreation Alliance)

and, in particular, golf (England Golf) and the European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA) to achieve a fairer taxation system for golf clubs, is key to the achievement of our objective.

We work closely with the EGCOA and continue to make submissions to relevant European and UK consultations on taxa-tion in sport, any progress on that front will be reported to our members.

Vivien Saunders at the Association

of Golf Course Owners (AGCO) has been very vocal regarding VAT and Corporation Tax. In the interesting of a unified approach, could there be a common consensus for both organi-sations to form a fighting alliance with one another?

I understand we have tried to see if we can work together, and hopefully this will happen one day. Our stance is that England Golf do not make the tax laws in the UK – the government does.

England Golf in particular have on a number of occasions been very vocal in favour of a fairer tax system, and we would like to work with them and others to achieve the level-playing-field that we are all seeking.

There appears to be a growing divide between private member clubs and proprietary owned clubs. Do you believe that the UKGCOA can help bridge that gap?

Yes, we do not believe the member-owned clubs (98 per cent of which are not private by the way, they are semi-private) are the enemy of the golf course proprietor.

Working together across the whole industry with organisations like the Home Unions, the PGA, BIGGA, GCMA, SGU and others is the only way we can grow the game and get more people playing this great game that we all love and that is the livelihood of the golf course proprie-tor. GME

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34 GME AprIl 2013

compaction

The Imants Shockwave rotary decom-pactor is designed to complement existing aeration systems. It should leave a clean finish, even in less than ideal conditions.

Campey Turfcare Systems has never suggested the Imants Shockwave range is an alternative to deep tine aeration systems. The key is to regard these now well established units as tools that can help alleviate compaction, both when used on their own or in conjunction with other systems.

The Shockwave range is divided into 155 and 210 models of 1.55m and 2.10m. These can be operated by compact trac-tors from 30hp for the 155 through to 60hp for the 210. For deeper and more intensive operations, the 2.2m ‘heavy-duty’ 220 and the most recent addition to

the range – the 2.75m wide 275 model for large outfield areas, are available.

Primarily seen as a contractor or local authority tool, these physically larger units need to be operated by a ‘heavier’ tractor in the 80hp to 120hp power bracket. They use thicker 15mm knives and also feature hydraulic depth adjustment from tractor to smooth rear roller.

All versions of Shockwave have a central gearbox from which drive passes to a shaft fitted with three-blade rotors. These blades slice a vertical slit through the turf at a depth of up to 250mm – or 380mm for the heavy duty 220 model.

Mechanically that about wraps it up. Even maintenance is minimal, there being no grease points on the smaller units with just the PTO shaft needing lubrication

The Imants Shockwave rotary decompactor range is ideally suited to golf courses with good work rates and low maintenance as operating pluses. But how do they work?

James de Havilland finds out.

imants versatility is shockingly simple

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attention. The 220 / 275 model has a couple of grease points on the rear depth roll, but that is about it.

The blades are made from drop forged steel, with a curved profile that is claimed to preserve the blades overall length as it wears. The way in which the blade is made also helps to keep the cutting edge ‘sharp’.

The blades have a slight offset that leads to a lateral shift in the sliced section of soil with each blade pass. Take a look at a Shockwave in action, and you can see the turf physically shuffling back and forth across the width of the unit as it moves forward. It is not a dramatic move-ment but it is sufficient to help relieve a layer of compaction.

The key is to establish the depth of compaction by digging a few test holes. The Shockwave is then set to the required working depth by adjusting the rear roller. It pays to follow the machine initially, checking the set depth is delivering the required results.

The simplest approach is to use a simple probe, testing how easy it is to push through the soil both before and after the passage of the machine.

The Shockwave will either push smaller stones aside or slice through them. If the stone or other obstruction will not yield to the blade, the rotary action will lift the unit up and over the obstruction.

Campey suggest this is a key to the versatility of the Shockwave as it can be used in areas that may be considered too risky to treat with a tined aerator.

If the rotors do meet an object that will not allow the unit to slice through or force the machine out of the ground, the tractor and Shockwave transmission are protect-ed via a torque-limiting clutch on the PTO. Once triggered, the clutch will reset once the obstruction has been cleared.

In summary, a Shockwave is one of those tools that can be a useful aid to relieving compaction over wider areas where surface disturbance needs to be minimised. Relatively fast and capable of working in less than ideal conditions, the Shockwave should prove easy to operate and look after.

Most important of all it appears to do a good job.

The Imants Rotoknife is another versa-tile, effective linear aerator, designed to relieve surface compaction, improve aera-tion, reduce thatch build up and remove surface water.

The first thing that strikes you about the Rotoknife is its clean and streamlined appearance. Closer examination shows that here is a very clever piece of engi-neering. With no fewer than five different functions, one would expect the machine to be complicated and bulky – but not a bit of it.

To produce such a compact piece of equipment Imants have designed a coun-ter weighted carousel system that is a breeze to operate.

Merely by removing a locking pin either side of the machine, enables the user to smoothly rotate the carousel and instantly swing into play any one of four different discs with different working depths, for any sports turf application. Replacing the locking pins then secures the unit in place ready for slitting to begin – it really is effortless to use.

It has a fast action and covers a lot of ground in a short space of time.

Its variable working depths and linear spacings, allow deep slitting to a depth of 150mm or shallow slitting at 50mm spac-ing. So it is ideal for both greens and fair-ways.

Many golf courses have a large number of trees and pathways which certainly enhance the look of the course but roots and footfall can also create issues with compaction.

Imants have applied the same simple but effective design strategy to their RootPruner for easy root management and pathway aeration. As it is narrow and compact the RootPruner will easily access tight, restricted areas.

It can prune roots up to 100mm in diameter and will stop root encroachment from absorbing valuable water and nutri-ents as well as preventing surface damage to vital areas on the course.

With the right machinery and mainte-nance programme any golf course, what-ever the soil conditions and climate, can retain its individual character and beauty and still play to the highest championship standards. GME

36 GME AprIl 2013

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Parkstone Golf Club in the suburbs between Bournemouth and Poole is a double surprise. To anyone who doesn’t know the area, it comes as a huge surprise to find so much classic lowland heath, perfect for golf, as one drives west of the New Forest.

But even someone who knows that Bournemouth and its surrounds play host to several terrific courses would be surprised walking round the Parkstone property for the first time.

A stone’s throw from the waters of Poole Harbour, and less than half a mile from the exclusive enclave that is Sandbanks, one would not expect to find a piece of dramatic topography such as Parkstone.

Originally designed in 1909 by double Open champion and Sunningdale creator Willie Park Jr, Parkstone was extensively enlarged and altered in the late 1930s

under the guidance and supervision of James Braid.

Since 1996, the course has been desig-nated a Site of Special Scientific Interest by English Nature, and the club’s stew-ardship of its property was recognised by EN in 2004, with an award for outstand-ing management of an SSSI.

The SSSI designation was controversial at the time, with some suspecting it would limit the club’s ability to manage the course for good playing conditions. Actually, the reverse has proved to be true.

Like so many heathland courses, Parkstone had become choked with trees; it is often forgotten that heath is a created and managed landscape, not a natural one. Without the efforts of either grazing animals or greenkeepers with chainsaws, first birch and then pine trees will grow in their thousands, stifling the fine grasses

southern ExposureAdam lawrence talks to parkstone course manager

Steven richardson about the on-going resurrection of a heathland gem close to Sandbanks.

38 GME AprIl 2013

and especially the heather, plants that define heathland. Maintaining the SSSI has led to a major programme of tree clearance and heather regeneration that has been good for the environment, but which is also returning the golf course to a more authentic look and feel.

The Willie Park connection isn’t the only thing that links Parkstone and Sunningdale. Course manager Steven Richardson came to the club from the historic Berkshire club, where he had been in charge of the New course, back in the summer of 2011.

“When the Parkstone opportunity came up, I saw the lie of the land and realised it was a hidden gem,” he says. “Behind all the overgrown gorse and trees you could see just how good it was.”

At Sunningdale, Richardson played a major role in the recent transformation of the New course. As at Parkstone (and indeed at so many other classic heathland courses) tree growth was in danger of changing the nature of the New, which was laid out across open heath (as opposed to the more wooded Old course) by Harry Colt in the 1920s.

Large-scale tree removal, though, has returned the New to a much more authentic heathland experience, with the view from the elevated par five sixth tee in particular being among the most spectac-ular in English golf.

Richardson and the club have similar goals for Parkstone.

“What we have to do here is very simi-lar to the challenge on many older golf courses,” Richardson says.

“As well as clearing away unwanted growth and returning the course to a more natural heathland feel, we need to get the bunkers back into proportion, and make the greenside bunkers truly green-side.

“Over time, the greens have shrunk, as they do virtually everywhere, and I think the bunkers have shrunk too. So we will rebuild the bunkers over a period of time, while trying to recapture lost green space.”

Green creep is a problem that almost all courses encounter. Ride-on greens mowers are a fantastic labour saving tool, but it is always difficult to mow exactly to the intended edge of the putting surface, especially if the shape of the green is complex.

The result is that, over a period of years, the edge creeps inwards, shrinking the green. What makes this process espe-cially problematic is the fact that, on the majority of greens, the best and most interesting pin positions are close to the edge.

It doesn’t take a great deal of creep for a fantastic hole location to be lost; similar-ly, it rarely takes a huge amount of effort to recapture them.

“We probably gained over 700 sq m of putting surface last year just by mowing out the greens closer to the proper edge,” says Richardson. “Previously, the club had two bands of apron, so it was very easy to return that to green surface – once you have mowed it down, cored and heav-ily top-dressed the surface, you’re very close to green quality.


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“Getting rough down to collar height is harder, because the grass mix is often different, but it can be done with a bit of patience.”

This winter, Richardson has made a start on the bunker rebuilding programme that will be the most visible evidence of Parkstone’s transformation. Thirteen of the course’s bunkers have been recon-

structed in the last few months, while another twenty are in line to be completed in the next tranche of work, which will start in October.

The new bunkers, larger and more striking, but also gentler and more natural than their predecessors, are not dissimilar to those that Richardson oversaw on the New course at Sunningdale.

Also like the Sunningdale bunkers, the construction work has been done in house, by Richardson and his crew, rather than by an outside contractor. “I’ve no problem with contractors and have worked with them in the past, but for a project like this, it works out quicker and is just as quick to do it ourselves,” he says.

“I built a lot of bunkers in my time at Sunningdale, so I have a pretty good idea of what I’m doing. Russell Talley of Hawtrees gave us a briefing and provided

some montages of the proposed work for the first hole that we tackled, and we’ve just gone on from there basically.”

Bunkers on the eighth, twelfth and thir-teenth holes, along with one on the club’s chipping green, have been reconstructed so far. “I think the thirteenth tee shot is the biggest transformation,” says Richardson.

“The bunkers are more in proportion, and the scale of the tree clearance means there is far more heather in view, and the strategic line off the tee is much more obvious.”

The Hawtree firm – with whom Richardson worked extensively at Sunningdale – is conducting a course audit at Parkstone also. But Richardson has a pretty clear idea of what is needed.

“In three to four years, I think we will have the course pretty much where we want it. We’ll carry on with tree thinning, heather regeneration and green recap-ture,” he explains. “And then, along with the ongoing bunker programme, we’ll move onto tee work and pathway improvements.”

It’s an exciting prospect for anyone who has already seen Parkstone; for those that haven’t, start planning a visit. GME

“in three to four years, i think we will have the course pretty much where we want it. We’ll carry on with tree thinning, heather regeneration and

green recapture”

40 GME AprIl 2013

my view WEbliNK; lAYTonS.Com

The golf club has long been a place where business and pleasure merge, a relaxed environment where relationships are developed and deals struck.

This informality works well in the ordi-nary course of business development but it can be a distinct burden when it comes to actually owning or running a business

that has hitherto been a merely enjoyable obsession.

It’s common for golfers to buy into a club together or try to buy the club outright as a group. Unfortunately, in some cases, the love for the sport comes before the knowledge of how to run a successful commer-

cial venture. In other instances, buying into

a hobby has a way of making people forget the

sound business practice and disci-

pline they have exercised in other walks of life.

Business acumen and

experience

are set aside and people walk into prob-lems that they would normal identify and avoid.

From past experience, I’ve observed that partnerships in the golfing industry are some of the most likely to experience turbulence. The blurring of the lines between work and play is in fact a seeding ground for shareholder disputes.

When they happen they are, at best, a distraction that does nothing to support commercial success. When they escalate to full scale boardroom splits the club itself can be imperilled.

A corporate divorce is like domestic break-up in as much as they often have no logic or reason attached to them. What’s more, each of the parties will want to “win”, sometimes at all costs. The dispute is essentially ego-driven, with sound business reasoning left out in the long grass.

When the owners start up a new venture, they can rarely conceive of a future where the relationship might change and they start to fall out, or even envisage a situation where they’d want to go their separate ways.

laytons Solicitors has handled a number of fairly acrimonious cases for golf clubs where partners have

essentially fallen out and sought a legal remedy.

lawyer, barney leaf, shares his views on how best to

resolve a dispute.

shareholder disputes in the golf industry


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While different industry sectors contain different types of people, the process of a dispute is common to all. The process of a dispute will start with a relatively minor difference or issue but the relationship often becomes so damaged so quickly that any contact turns into a confrontation that leaves the relationship unworkable.

This process has a spiralling effect and this process is only intensified in a reces-sion, and all the associated pressures it brings, and only adds to the chances of failure. What you had initially invested in, as part pleasure and part work, is now losing money and has become more of an annoyance (at best) rather than a pleas-ure. All you really want to do is leave.

When disputes become terminal, they can be hard to handle without an agreed exit strategy. The necessity of a sharehold-er agreement may seem like basic common sense when you’re in a dispute but in the first flurry of business when people are first setting out in partnership, are the best of friends and are working in an exiting, new and fresh environment, it’s something that’s often seen as completely unnecessary.

New ventures are often so over-whelmed with the here and now, and the enormous amount of effort which is needed to start the business, that the over-

all strategy takes a back seat. Important things like creating an effective plan for how the business will go forward if one owner decides to exit are often over-looked.

At the same time, certain clauses in a shareholders agreement can become areas of manipulation.

For example, the document will proba-bly describe the circumstances that can be deemed as a trigger to force the sale of your shares. This can often have cata-strophic ramifications and could result in you loosing your ownership in the club.

Being a director of a golf club will carry the same obligations and implied laws that govern directors of other business – and the breaches that mean an individual can be removed as a director of that club.

That said, there is no obligation to sell or buy your shares unless specified in the articles of the company or a shareholders agreement. This is very unsatisfying for the departing and remaining sharehold-ers/directors.

There’s no doubt that a senior manage-ment team engaged in a serious internal conflict is distracted from its core busi-ness.

After all, the members joined the club to spend their leisure time there and the last thing they want is to be in an environ-

ment that is tainted by the owners falling out.

Business relationships can breakdown for the same reasons as marriages. Times change and you may no longer believe that your co-owners want the same things that you do; you may not believe your business partner is pulling their weight,

contributing like you or there might be a discovery of an event that you regard as an irreparable breach of trust.

The reason that you partly chose to invest in a golf club will mean that its success has a higher likelihood of failure. Often people buy into a club for many of the wrong reasons, instead of it being purely good business sense to make the purchase.

However investments can go wrong and relationships can fail, but it doesn’t have to be a bloodbath. Just identify that the investment has a higher than average fail-ure rate and ensure that the necessary shareholder/partner/member exit agree-ments are in place.

This will make the process a lot more straightforward and will set clear bounda-ries and guidelines for people looking to exit the club. It will also actually protect the most valuable asset that all the share-holders have; the club – regardless of whether you are leaving or staying. GME

“being a director of a golf club will carry the same obligations and implied laws that govern directors of other business – and the breaches that mean

an individual can be removed as a director of that club.”

42 GME AprIl 2013

I’m always intrigued by the split that exists when discussing golf in mixed company. people tend to fall into one of two camps: either they believe golf is still firmly rooted in the 17th century or they maintain that the sport has embraced the modern era and is more welcoming and open.

In keeping with my journalistic role as Devil’s advocate I tend to be the only person present who offers a third option, somewhere between the two.

As I spend 99 per cent of my working hours in the golf industry I tend to come across great examples of a modern approach to the sport; yet, conversely, there are many instances where outmoded attitudes still succeed in astounding me.

on the one hand you have initiatives like points4Golf – featured in GME last edition – crossover-style golf shoes, and technological advances like the foresight Sports GC2 (see page 25) which are most welcome.

Yet, there are still golf clubs out there which amaze me with their anachronis-tic approach to modern business. And I don’t mean those exclusive, private clubs, who don’t allow women, juniors, men with shoulder-length hair, gays, foreigners, artisans, etc into their club*.

no I mean ‘normal’ clubs who don’t call you back when you make an enquiry; clubs who wouldn’t know a good pr opportunity if it came up and struck them round the head with a mashie niblick and who balk at an

opportunity of great free publicity; clubs who alienate visitors with draco-nian dress codes; clubs who refuse to carry the excellent myriad free golf publications on offer out there in their clubhouses; clubs who don’t send their results to their local paper; clubs, in short, who still feel it is our privilege to walk their fairways and we should know our place.

Have a few golf clubs upset me since I last wrote a column? I’ll leave it to you to guess...

*As a digression I’m reminded of Geoffrey palmer’s great character Jimmy Anderson, in David nobbs’ clas-sic TV series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, who wanted to start a private army to rid the country of “communists, maoists, Trotskyists, neo-Trotskyists, crypto-Trotskyists, union lead-ers, communist union leaders, atheists, agnostics, long-haired weirdos, short-haired weirdos, vandals and hooligans.”

Sorry about that; I should remember that I didn’t get where I am today by quoting from The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. I’m not a quoting sort of person. GME

the last word

Why the golf industry can frustrate the hell out of me

“there are still golf clubs out there which amaze me with their anachronistic approach to modern business. And i don’t mean those exclusive private clubs...”

David [email protected]

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