gmé | issuu 38

A Troon ChampionJohn Deere wins the Silver Salver for best

supporting role at an Open Championship

A Troon ChampionJohn Deere wins the Silver Salver for best

supporting role at an Open Championship

property mattersSelling your golf club, or even obtaining a

valuation, can often be a complicated matter.GME assesses the market, and investigates

who can offer what and at which price...

The leading business magazine for the pan-European golf industry

GolfGolfManagementE u ro p e page 27

UK £5.00 Eur €7.50US $9.25

August 2004www.portman.uk.com

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Contents

While many golf industry pundits continue to predict the slow demise of thenew-build industry in the UK, there is one part of the business which appears tobe flourishing.

Property consultant FPDSavills claims smaller golf businesses are in increas-ing demand. The company’s Oxford office has just sold one nine-hole

course, has three more on the market and is evaluating several others.

Leisure property specialist Sarah Payne said: “There are some excitingopportunities around for golf professionals, investors and lifestylebuyers. We are seeing a lot of interest, particularly from people whowant to start operating their first golf business.

“Opportunities to buy these smaller golf courses can be rare,especially if would-be purchasers have strict requirements as tothe type of property they want.

“We are getting a good response to our marketing campaignsfor these properties.”Which is good news for those intending to purchase andinvest in the industry - but it does beg the question ‘whyare so many people selling up?’The belief that only the third owner of a golf club has afuture is regularly trotted out within the industry andthe current proliferation of small golf businesses on themarket would tend to support that theory.And if the slowdown in new builds does meander to aneventual halt, the opportunities to be the second orthird purchaser will theoretically become rarer as aconsequence, suggesting now is the time to jump onthe merry-go-round.But it’s not just small businesses becoming avail-able. If you have a spare £100m lying around P&Owould be happy to talk with you regarding thepossible sale of the La Manga Club golf and resortcomplex in Spain.And the American Golf Corporation has also put its23 UK golf courses up for sale.

So there is potential for new investors at both endsof the market and that is arguably good for theindustry and good for the consumer.If new investors are willing to enter into themarket, albeit on a small scale, people will see thatthe industry is remaining buoyant despite the slowdown in construction.

And the break up of large conglomerates should meanbetter service for the individual golfer.

Golf buoyant asclubs continueto change hands

issue 38credits;editorJohn Vinicombe

contributorsDavid BowersNeville JohnsonRob Wright

publisherMichael Lenihan

administrationSharon O’Connell

printColourspeed

Golf Management EuropeSuffolk Studios284 Ravenswood AvenueIpswich IP3 9TQUnited Kingdom

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No part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted in anyform without written permissionfrom the publisher.

Whilst due care to detail is takento ensure that the content of Golf Management Europe isaccurate, the publisher cannotaccept liability for errors.

© Portman Publishing andCommunications Ltd 2004

cover story 7

toro heritage 20

design matters 15

bearwood lakes 23

Golf Management Europe August 2004

News

August 2004 Golf Management Europe

Lead StoryAmerican Golf Corporation, the world’sbiggest golf course operator, has put its23 clubs in the UK up for sale with aprice tag in the region of £50m.

The group, which operates more than200 golf clubs in the US, is understoodto have appointed Close BrothersCorporate Finance to find a buyer forAmerican Golf UK with a price of between£45m and £50m.

The clubs for sale include St Mellion, aJack Nicklaus-designed course.

Information has been sent to prospec-tive buyers, including trade rivals,private equity firms and propertyinvestors.

The decision to sell the business comesafter the acquisition of its Santa Monica-based parent company 18-months ago bya financial consortium led by GoldmanSachs and Starwood Capital.

The new owners are said to have decid-ed that the UK division is too small towarrant keeping it.

American Golf up for sale

Kingsbarnsrevisited?

A Californian businessman is hoping tocreate a new championship golf courseand a hotel complex as part of a £20mdevelopment near Inverness, Scotland.

The proposals for Castle Stewart, nearDalcross, are the brainchild of the manbehind the successful Kingsbarns golfclub at St Andrews.

Detailed plans are expected to be onthe table by the end of the summer.

The Fife course is one of three createdworldwide by Mark Parsinen, a formerSilicon Valley computer executive. Hespent three years searching for a site foranother similar development in Scotland.

He believes the area between CastleStewart and the Moray Firth is ideal.

It is proposed that the scheme wouldeventually include two 18-hole golfcourses, a clubhouse and a 120-bedroomluxury hotel.

Platts Harris Ltd, the agricultural,construction and groundscare dealerbased in Tuxford in Nottinghamshire, hasbeen awarded the Ransomes Jacobsendealership for the area.

Platts Harris is a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Lookers Plc, a major playerin the motor trade with many prestigevehicle dealerships throughout the UK.

In order to ensure continuity of serviceto customers in the area and a smoothtransition of the business, the currentteam of four experienced staff have allbeen offered, and have all accepted,employment with Platts Harris.

The business will operate from Tuxford,with an after-sales support centre basedat existing premises in Darley Dale, serv-ing Derbyshire, most of Nottinghamshire,and North Leicestershire.

Simon Wilson, managing director ofPlatts Harris said: “We view the award ofthe Ransomes Jacobsen dealership as avery positive move for both parties andwe are joining the dealer network at avery buoyant time, with very strong salesof core business products.

“Not only have we acquired themachinery and parts inventory, but alsothe majority of workshop tools andequipment. This will ensure that wecontinue to support all customers with athoroughly professional sales and after-sales service.”

Club Car rules on TourClub Car has delivered eight new rules cars to the European Tour. Club Car is the

official Golf Car supplier to the European Tour, and provides at least 70 Club Car golfcars to each and every European Tour event. All of the Club Car vehicles are essentialto the creation and smooth running of each tournament, and the entourage is dividedinto 25 staging cars, eight rules cars with the remainder used by television crews.

Platts Harrisjoins the fold


It’s becoming quite an exciting year for grass seed company, Barenbrug. Not onlyis it celebrating its centenary, but during the 100-year celebrations held recently at

the Palace Het Loo in the Netherlands, Barenbrug was awarded the designation‘Royal’ in the name of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Paul van den

Berg, Barenbrug Group head of communications said: “We are proud to be nowknown as the Royal Barenbrug Group.”

Barenbrug gets Royal Seal

Wales’s first Nicklaus Joint Venture golfcourse is already attracting a huge inter-est from prospective members - sixmonths before its opening.

The 7,000-yard, par 72 MachynysPeninsula Golf Club near Llanelli, whichis set to open this autumn, has alreadysigned up more than 100 members.

“I had expected a healthy interest in afacility of this calibre, but I’m absolutelystunned by this level so far in advance,”said Jim Anderson, the joint venture’schairman and managing director.

“This is not a club in an exclusivesense - because it will be open foranyone to drop in to play golf - subjectto a handicap certificate,” he said.

The golf course has been designed byGary Nicklaus, son of the legendary Jack,who has played on the PGA and EuropeanTours himself and is an accomplishedcourse architect.

Joint venturea success inWales

Two Midlands’ golf courses, HinkseyHeights near Oxford (pictured above),and West Midlands Golf Club nearMeriden, Solihull, have been able toovercome planning difficulties with thehelp of environmental consultancy SLRConsulting.

At both locations, this resulted in theaward of full planning permission,despite local opposition to the courses.

Principal Jeremy Smith, who managedboth projects for SLR, said: “We used adetailed assessment of the local land-scape to redesign the courses.

“This approach had two key benefits: itmeant the courses caused less environ-mental impact making them more accept-able in planning terms. Secondly, itmeant that each course was tailor-madefor its location and is therefore unique.”

Planning Ahead with SLR

Construction Remodelling Water Features

Tel: 01604 468908Fax: 01604 474853www.deltagolf2000.co.uk

180 Ruskin Road, Kingsthorpe Northampton NN2 7TA

BAGCC

The first of the Ransomes Jacobsensponsored Higher Education students onthe BIGGA Scholarship programme werepresented with their degrees at a gradua-tion ceremony at Cranfield University atSilso recently.

Barry Dore and Peter Jones donnedgown and mortar board to receive theirMSc degrees in Sports Surface Technologyfrom the Chancellor of the College, LordVincent of Coleshill. A third BIGGAScholarship graduate, Eoghan Buckleywas unable attend as he is currentlyundertaking an internship in the USA.

All were given substantial financialsupport from the scholarship schemewhich was set up by BIGGA two yearsago. Dore was the first to mount thestage and spoke later of the pride he feltin his achievement: “Receiving this qual-ification means a great deal to me.

“The training I have received hasgreatly improved my knowledge of sport-sturf science. It will also allow me toconsider employment options in thefuture that I would never have been in aposition to consider before.

“I can’t thank BIGGA and RansomesJacobsen enough for their support duringthe course.”

Peter Jones, who runs Peter JonesAssociates Ltd, was equally delighted andsaid: “It was a proud moment for mewhen I received my degree from CranfieldUniversity.

“It more than justifies the many, manyhours spent studying and writing assign-ments. I am greatly indebted to BIGGAand Ransomes Jacobsen for the wonder-ful support they have given me and myfellow scholarship winners and I wouldencourage others to take advantage ofthe support there is out there for peopleattempting to better themselves througheducation.”

News


A Qualified Success forBIGGA Graduates

Lambert Smith Hampton is seeking agolf course developer to regenerate a200-acre site in central England on theinstructions of owner, Harworth Estates.

The site near Burton on Trent atSwadlincote, Derbyshire, already hasplanning permission for a 27-hole golfcourse, driving range and clubhouse.

Jonathan Parrish of Lambert SmithHampton said: “The potential for thesite is huge and I am really lookingforward to getting a developer on boardas soon as possible.

“With planning permission alreadygranted indicative plans outline waterfeatures and even a stream flowingthrough the course to add to the chal-lenge.”

The site is on former colliery land situ-ated close to the Derbyshire andLeicestershire border. Sandwichedbetween the A38 and A42/M42 withaccess into the motorway network thesite enjoys excellent transport links.

Site seeksDevelopment

North Staffs Irrigation has recentlycompleted a challenging irrigation instal-lation at one of the countries newest andmost luxurious leisure retreats.

Over £2million has been spent restor-ing the 18-hole golf course at BoveyCastle in Dartmoor National Park since itwas purchased by Peter de Savary.

Under the direction of irrigationconsultants IrriPlan, North Staffs beganwork on site in late February.

A Logic Aquarius 2400 controller,Tonick decoders and Hunter sprinklerswere installed to provide water to thegreens, tees and two fairways at thewooded parkland course.

The system also extends to the course’spractice greens and tees as well as thecastle’s lawn, putting green, croquetlawn and tennis court.

Director Martin Hinchliffe said: “Thishas certainly been one of the most chal-lenging contracts we’ve worked on. Thecourse is built on granite so we had touse a 13-tonne excavator to install thepipework. We’re thrilled to have playedour part in the course’s restoration.”

Bovey Castle proves a toughchallenge for North Staffs

Hotel back oncourse

The St Andrews Old Course Hotel hasrecorded a profit after two poor years inthe wake of the terrorist atrocities ofSeptember 11, 2001.

Visitor numbers have increased and itsDuke’s championship golf course - whichis popular with overseas visitors - hasmade its first profit.

The company, which is 99.8 per centowned by Japanese company Kosaido,stated that it made a net profit of£241,000 in the year to March 31,reversing a £281,000 loss in the previousyear.

Jonathan Stapleton, general managerof the Old Course Hotel Golf Resort andSpa, also predicted the business wouldmore than double profits in the currentfinancial year to take it back above the£500,000 profit level.


John Deere LimitedHarby Road, Langar,

Nottingham NG13 9HT England

Telephone: 01949 860491Facsimile: 01949 860490

www.johndeere.co.uk

Cover StoryWhen the 133rd Open Championship tookplace at Royal Troon in July, it was theeighth time the competition had beenheld on the famous links, and the fourthtime in 22 years that course managerBilly McLachlan had been involved withthe world-famous event.

Coincidentally, this was also the fourthconsecutive Open at which John Deeremowers had been used to prepare theChampionship course, following Royal StGeorge’s last year, Muirfield in 2002 andRoyal Lytham and St Annes in 2001.

Eight John Deere 220B 22in greensmowers and two 2653A tees andsurrounds mowers, supplied by local John

Deere dealer Nairn Brown Ltd of Busby,Glasgow, had been working at RoyalTroon since last autumn.

The walk-behinds were used to cut allthe greens for this year’s OpenChampionship, and the ride-ons, in theirthird season on the course, were used tocut the surrounds and any slopes wherethe ball runs off the greens.

Billy McLachlan has been at RoyalTroon for 23 years, ten of them as coursemanager, and currently manages a staffof 14 including a full-time mechanic. Allthe greens staff were involved with thedecision to choose John Deere mowersfor the Open course’s preparation andmaintenance.

“We decided to bring the walk-behindmachines in early to try them outthrough the winter, and let the team getused to them,” said McLachlan.

“Everyone to a man likes the mowersand gets on well with them. They’re easyto use and give an excellent cut, it’s assimple as that.

“We’ve been using the triple mowerssince 2002, so we’ve had good experi-ence of John Deere and the dealersupport available from Nairn Brown.

“We also get tournament support allyear round, not just for the Open.

“This was a big part of the decision togo with Deere, as their parts backup andservice is most impressive - if I phonewith a problem, someone from the dealeris round straight away to deal with it.

“I would have to say they’re the bestmachinery company I’ve ever dealt with,as far as the whole sales and supportpackage is concerned.”

John Deere helps turnRoyal Troon into a Classic

News


CorrectionIn the June issue of Golf Management

Europe, the feature ‘Mutually Exclusive’may have given the impression thatDavid Kidd’s work at Colne Valley GolfClub was a personal commission.

Howard Swan of Swan Golf Designswishes us to point out the work wasundertaken on a project managementbasis under the design of his practice.

We are happy to correct this impres-sion and apologise for any confusioncaused.

A Dartmoor farmer cleared of breakingplanning laws after building a golf courseon his farm will try again to get planningpermission for its use.

John Dance, 56, celebrated after a juryat Exeter Crown Court failed to reach averdict, and the case against him,brought by Dartmoor National ParkAuthority, was dismissed.

Dance was accused of failing to complywith an enforcement notice issued by thepark banning him from playing on the

nine hole, par 34, 2,050 yard course atReddacleave Brakes in South Devon.

Dance will now seek fresh planningpermission for limited use of the course,on part of his 76-acre sheep farm, afterbeing warned that a ban on playing isstill in force.

He said: “We were always complyingwith the order, and now I will be talkingto the group of golfers and friends whoused to play on the course to considerwhere we go from here.”

The Spanish leisure resort of La MangaClub has been put up for sale at an esti-mated £100m. The sale offers the chanceto buy an ‘exclusive’ 1,220-acre resort onthe Costa Calida including a five-starhotel, three championship golf courses, a28-court tennis complex and an eight-pitch professional football centre.

It includes 1,675 villas and apart-ments, as well as another 84 acres ofland for further residential or commercialdevelopment.

The resort, owned by shipping giantP&O, also features swimming pools, aspa, shops and a casino, and has hostedthe England football team for pre-seasontraining, Spanish Open golf champi-onships and international tennis tourna-ments, including the Davis Cup and theFederation Cup.

However, it has also a less glamourousreputation as a middle-managementFaliraki where executives can loosen theirslacks after a round of golf.

In the evenings, the critics say, theresort provides a ringside-seat fromwhere one can watch sporting heroes go

on the rampage in the close confines ofits nearly all-male bars.

The resort has been home to severalscandals in recent years. Earlier this year,sexual assault charges were boughtagainst three Leicester City footballers,who were accused of attacking threewomen during a training break at LaManga.

Although the charges against the threewere dropped, the episode merely rein-forced the resort’s raffish reputation.

The ports and ferries group, which hasowned the club for 17 years, announcedplans for the sale alongside its half-yearresults.

A company spokesman said the salewas not related to the scandals that havebeset the resort.

“We said about two to three years agothat we were considering such a sale. Theresort is in very good shape and the saleis part of our strategy of getting out ofproperty.”

P&O bought La Manga Club in 1987 andspent £37m on new hotels and upgradingsports facilities over the past five years.

La Manga’s £100m price tag

Ransomes Jacobsen has confirmed thatFairways GM Ltd will succeed ScottishGrass Machinery Ltd as the distributor forRansomes Jacobsen products in Scotlandwith effect from November 2004.

Fairways GM Ltd is a subsidiary compa-ny of the Fairways Group Ltd, a holdingcompany operating diverse, yet comple-mentary companies in the sports amenitysector.

David Withers, sales and marketingdirector at Ransomes Jacobsen said: “Weare delighted to confirm the appoint-ment of Fairways GM as our new dealersfor Scotland with effect from 8thNovember.

“The Fairways Group is a well-run andvery professional business and I havegreat confidence that they will help uswith the continued growth of the busi-ness here in the UK. We warmly welcomethem to our dealer network.”

Managing director of the FairwaysGroup, David Rae (pictured) added: “Thisappointment is a significant step forFairways and we are equally delighted tobe joining the dealer network of such amajor player in the international turfcare industry.”

SGM loose RJ franchise

Farmer wins planning dispute


Independent turf consultant, Robert Laycock, has been appointed to provide agro-nomic support for a fourth successive year to the 11 course managers responsible for

16 golf courses at Marriott Hotel and Country clubs throughout the UK. In additionto providing technical advice and assistance on all aspects of turf and soil manage-ment, Laycock’s role also involves the provision of detailed soil and plant analyses,

as required and requested by the individual course managers.

Marriott re-appoint consultant

Eagle Creek opens in FloridaThe eighteen hole resort course at Eagle Creek Golf Community in Orlando, Florida,

saw its first play recently after just one year’s construction and growing in. The 7,198yard, par 73 course has been designed by Swan Golf Designs in collaboration with RonGarl Designs from Florida.

The developer is the Emerson Group from Manchester, who also own Boavista GolfClub on the Portuguese Algarve.

The Eagle Creek course, an Audubon International Silver Signature Course, bringssome European influence and style to Central Florida’s golf belt, giving the EmersonGroup a rather different opportunity in marketing their new course.

A Scottish Highlands cottage completewith a stunning golf course has beenteed-up for sale.

Fraser McLauchlan’s five-bedroomhome overlooks the rolling nine-holecourse set amid stunning scenery on thebanks of Loch Leven.

The 45-year-old farmer and his wifeLorraine, 38, are looking for at least£595,000 for their golfers’ paradise.

Included in the price is the practicearea, licensed clubhouse and greenkeep-ers’ sheds. The 2,519-yard, par 34Dragon’s Tooth Golf Club nestles nearBallachulish.

A local property dealer said: “Manyforeign golfers would consider the oppor-tunity to own a golf club in Scotland,surrounded by spectacular scenery, as adream come true.”

The Dragon’s Tooth course wascompleted in 2002. It is a mixture of parthree and par four holes, plus a challeng-ing par five at the eighth.

Cottage witha real view

SPEEDCUTCONTRACTORS LTD

Established 1977

Quality Sportsturf Services

Construction

Drainage

Renovation

Groundworks

OXFORD 01865 331479

www.speedcutcontractors.co.uk

[email protected]

Hedge End Golf Centre (under construction)Astley Hall Golf and Leisure First 9 holes of 27 holesSilvermore Golf and Leisure Redesign and renovate rangeDownshire Golf Complex Redesign and renovate rangeDowns Meadow Golf Course Reconstruct Tees

‘The Established name in Golf Course Construction’

Artington Golf Limited28 Pump Lane, Waterlooville

Hampshire PO8 9TSTelephone 023 9259 2390

Facsimile 023 9257 0218www.artington-golf.co.uk

Golf Course Constructionand Driving Range Specialists

Yamaha’snew UMAX

The new Yamaha G23 UMAX utilityvehicle brings to the market a versatile,flexible, all-purpose machine designed tooffer outstanding performance and relia-bility for a multitude of uses.

Available in either petrol or electricversions, the new G23 UMAX boasts manyfeatures and benefits to meet thedemands of the utility vehicle market.

The 363kg payload cargo bed comeswith a folding tailgate, prop rod andhydraulic assisted tilt and fold facility

and is constructed in a lightweightdurable Roto-moulded material. The lowloading height of the cargo bed makesfor easier access whether loading orremoving material.

News


Although a primary school inSouthampton might seem a strange placefor the start of a joint golf collaboration,the work between AFT Trenchers andJohn Pierson (Specialist Maintenance)Ltd has paved the way for similar proj-ects, with golf high on their agenda.

Sinclair Primary School in Southamptonis part of Southampton City CouncilsOpen Spaces Division.

Headed by Graham Pugh, the Councilrecently sanctioned the installation of afull land drainage system at the school,and awarded the contract to Dorset-based John Pierson.

The work was undertaken during lateJuly and early August to co-incide withthe school holidays. The main drainageinvolved 4-5m spaced 650mm deeptrenches with 550mm (6-10 ml) gravelplaced above Wavin Land Drainage pipe.This was then topped with 100mm rootzone.

In the Autumn the contractors willreturn to complete the secondarydrainage contract with installation ofgravel band drainage using lytag at rightangles linked to the shortest distancebetween each drain.

The purchase of an AFT Trenchers 100followed previous work using an AFT45but as owner John Pierson commented:“We need to have a more robust machinefor heavier work and large jobs.

“Where there is poor material belowground the solid and reliable AFT 100offers us great manoeuvrability andprovides an assurance that the job willbe completed on schedule.

“Buying from a UK manufacturerenables us to source parts or generaltechnical back-up without delay. BothAFT and ourselves work extensively in thegolf sector, and it is our intention toundertake more of this type of work ongolf courses over the coming months.”

AFT breaks old ground

In an unusual move away fromconstructing golf courses, Artington Golfhave finally opened their own 50-baydriving range at Hedge End, nearSouthampton.

The floodlit range, which has takenalmost a year to complete, has alsobecome the new headquarters for BAGCCmember Artington Golf, with managingdirector Ted Awcock overseeing bothbusinesses.

“The whole Awcock family are involvedwith both Artington Golf and the HedgeEnd Golf Centre,” said Awcock.

“My sons Mark, Paul and Adrian havebeen working in the golf courseconstruction business for most of theirworking lives, and when we saw the siteat Hedge End, we all could see theopportunity to build something quitespecial, which at the same time, couldreally show off our skills in constructionand ground works.

“I am reaching the age when travellingconstantly each day is less appealing, soto be able to travel to work within halfan hour or so is a real bonus.

“My wife Rita helps run the cafe-barand the general running of the site. Ihave a wonderful office from where I canrun Artington Golf and keep a close eyeon the range,” added Awcock.

The range itself, which is constructedover two tiers, has 25 Power Tees on theground floor, along with bay heaters andeven fitted carpets. In addittion to thedriving range, there is also an AmericanGolf Discount centre at the site, withover 3,000 square feet of retail space.

“We had a few issues to deal with priorto opening, but now that the centre isup and running we are all very proud ofour achievements,” concluded Awcock.

Golf’s drivingTed mad

FPDSavillssell Falmouth

The sale of Falmouth Golf Club hasbeen concluded successfully. The club,which had a guide price of £1.5 million,produced a great deal of interest fromapplicants, both locally and nationally.

Although the sale price has not beendisclosed, a number of bids werereceived, with the new owner beingDavid Hughes, who intends to improvethe clubhouse and appoint a residentpro, whilst making the course a littlemore forgiving for the average golfer.


Must be the Floratine.Turf strength is our focus

That�s why we added powerful antioxidants to the best biostimulants

available - to give your turf even morepower to be stronger, longer. Floratine is

committed to exceptional value andperformance in products and service.

Your turf will appreciate the difference.

David [email protected] 658021Homestead Farm, Ringwood Road

Three Legged Cross, WimborneDorset U.K. BH21 6QY

Tel: Verwood +44 (0)1202 813592Fax: +44 (0)1202 826447

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONOF GOLF COURSES, BOWLING

GREENS, CRICKET SQUARES TENNIS COURTS AND

SPORTS PITCHES

Golf Course and Sports GroundConstruction Specialist

Vertidrain Hire Gravel Binding

BAGCC

John Pierson(Specialist Maintenance) Ltd

HeadlandsExpansionStand H44Tangent, Headland’s newest addition totheir pesticide range, highlights anexpanding portfolio of weed and pestcontrol products for the UK amenitymarket.

The 450 g/l glyphosate formulationfeatures “Envision Technology” - aunique surfactant system that increasesreliability of total weed control as well asproviding both user and environmentalbenefits. The product is classified as non-hazardous, and may be used in aquaticsituations.

Tangent joins the selective herbicidesBlaster - used on woody and difficult-to-kill weeds in grassland, and Relay Turf,

the popular wide-spectrum, broad-leavedweed control for managed amenity turf.

Tordon 101 provides control of a widerange of deep-rooted perennial broad-leaved weeds and woody species includ-ing Japanese Knotweed, in amenitygrassland such as roadsides, railwayembankments and industrial sites etc.

SALTEX News


Stand U10Golf course managers not convinced thata small agricultural tractor is the bestoption for their needs no longer have tocompromise on power and features.

With the new McCormick GX55 andGXH55 tractors spanning the gapbetween these and the traditionalcompact, they can have the power andstrength they need in a lighter, smallerpackage.

“The GX55 and GXH55 is light butpowerful - in fact, we believe it’s themost powerful compact with hydrostaticdrive,” says John Percy, McCormickgroundcare specialist.

“On flotation turf tyres it has a lightenough tread to work on tees and greensbut sufficient power to also work on thefairways and in other demanding situa-tions.”

The fourth model added to McCormick’sGX-GXH line-up has 54hp at its disposalthanks to a high-spec version of the two-litre Yanmar four-cylinder diesel engine.Turbocharging and a multi-valve cylinderhead help it develop high power andtorque outputs.

Four-wheel drive is standard, completewith electro-hydraulic diff locks in bothaxles for maximum traction.

McCormick adds compactsrange to golf portfolio

Help STRIcelebrateStand G162004 marks STRI’s 75th anniversary, andto celebrate this milestone a number ofevents are taking place throughout 2004,including a celebration party at SALTEXon Wednesday September, 8.

Visitors to STRI’s marquee, will be ableto join in the fun whilst picking upinformation and checking out new prod-ucts and special show offers.

To coincide with the show, the STRIare launching a new website, whichcharts their history month by month,highlighting the events which havehelped shape the future of the turf careindustry. Access to the new site is viawww.stri.co.uk.

Stand B16Lloyds and Co of Letchworth will beexhibiting the Rasant/Aebi range of trac-tors at SALTEX this year.

This range of systems and multi usetractors can now be accessed via thedirect Lloyds sales network, along withan endless range of products which canbe mounted to these machines includingflails, rotary mowers, sweepers andcleaning equipment.

However one of the prime reasons forLloyds handling these machines is thenew front mounted cylinder gang mowerswhich have been developed to fit thisrange of machines.

The KT50 Systems tractor fitted withthe Lloyds front mounted triple outfitthe units are the robust and reliableUniversal Cutter which is available infour, six and nine bladed cylinder optionsalong with a choice of fixed or floatingheads ensuring the outfit gives usabilityin every situation.

The new Paladin Dual and TG fine turfmowers fitted with groomer will be onshow along with the new Hovermowerwhich has taken the industry by stormsince its launch earlier this year.

Lloyd’s ever popular Leda gangs nowcome with optional hydraulic wing liftframe which are available to suit anyapplication.

Along with the Pentad Hydraulic gangmower which has a choice of fairway andrough cut cylinders. The Greenline andRotary mower ranges will also be ondisplay.

Lloyds newTractor Boys


SALTEX will see the UK launch of John Deere’s latest five gang, rear enginedcommercial mower, alongside a wider range of brand new mowers, utility vehicles

and compact tractors. This new version of the 1905 mower features a Yanmar 47hpfour-cylinder diesel engine with hydrostatic transmission and hydraulic diff lock as

standard, and optional four wheel drive. It will also be available with or withoutROPS, or with a luxury Mauser cab, including optional air conditioning.

New mower for John Deere

Stand P36At SALTEX, Bernhard and Company willbe introducing their latest up-grades totheir fleet of grinders, which includesrefining the electrical system of theExpress Dual 3000 to make it even easierto access for maintenance purposes.

Providing accuracy of the highestlevel, developments to this spin grinderalso include a new improved chassisconstruction for even greater rigidity.

With safety very much to the fore newmachine guarding has been fitted and akey is required for the operator to accessthe service function and set-up modes.

“Our grinders are extremely easy to useand ten walking greens mowers can besharpened in just one hour,” saidStephen Bernhard.

“This is extremely important when weassist at top tournaments on the PGAEuropean Tour. Time, combined with toppresentation standards, is of theessence.”

Bernhardscutting it fine

Lastec showing offStand A59Lastec UK will be showing a comprehensive selection of its Articulator range ofpatented rotary mowers ‘for a world that isn’t flat’ at SALTEX. The line-up includes thebest selling 721XR, 621ER and 325EF rear and front mount models with cutting widthsof 11’ (3.35m), 10’6” (3.2m) and 6’ (1.83m) respectively.

Two versions of Lastec’s high productivity ride-on Articulators will also be ondisplay. The 3696 model has a cutting width of 8’ (2.44m) and cuts an area of 6.79acres (2.75 hectares) per hour. The 3682 model has a narrower 7’2” (2.08m) cuttingwidth and cuts 5.8 acres (2.35 hectares) per hour.

! !

! !

Past President of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects


Over 20 new courses built in the last ten years

DAVID WILLIAMSGolf Course Architects

From conception... through construction... to completionAn integrated ‘one-stop’ approach to Complete Golf Design

Course audits, renovations and improvementsTelephone: (01492) 512070 Fax: (01492) 512077

Email: [email protected] Web: www.williamsgolf.co.uk

Many successful renovation projects throughout the UK

Design in Mind

The development of club andball technology has lead to adramatic rise in the distancewhich the average golfer can

propel the ball through the air and thishas created an enormous challenge forthe average golf club.

Over the last 20 years alone theprofessional golfer has added around 30yards to his drive and this has filtereddown to the club player. True, not allare benefiting to such an extent as theymay also hit the ball a long way offline, but technology is also helping uskeep the ball straighter.

The result is that golf clubs arequestioning what they should be doingto keep up with technology and in orderto continue to present a chal-lenging course. Others areconcerned at the safetyproblems which arestarting to appear.

Most golf coursesare built on limitedsites and with verylittle, if any, room toexpand. The golf coursewas either developed to thelimits of the original land hold-ing or has grown to fill it.

Technology has always marchedonward, from the original boxwoodballs which travelled around 90 yards,to the better known feathery at around140 yards, to the early guttie at 190

yards, to the Haskell ball at 230yards,etc. The Haskell ball created a majorstir at the time it was introduced around1900 and it stimulated much debate. Classic CartoonCartoons were drawn at the time, withone classic one depicting two golfers ona par three hole of one mile 273 yards inlength. The first golfer says to the other:�Did you hit yours well, old chap?� andthe other replies... �Not very. I cut it abit; but I think it�s on the green!� It isdifficult to believe that this cartoon wasdrawn almost 100 years ago!

Luckily for most, the vast majorityof golf clubs were constructed after theHaskell Ball was introduced, or beforelanduse and planning constraints made itdifficult to purchase and develop more

land on the boundary of the course. For many golf clubs however,

land purchase is no longer an optionsince they are either hemmed in bybuilt development or are limited byfinancial constraints. They must there-fore make the most of the land avail-

able to them.Greater hitting distances has had a

major impact on the safety of golfcourses. Adjacent greens, tees and fair-ways which were once out of the rangeof the drive are now coming into play.This has forced golf clubs to rethink asthey come under the increasing threatof litigation should someone beinjured or property damaged.

Short of installing very tall, expen-sive, and unsightly fencing the usualoptions are to lose length or purchasemore land. One thing which often helpsis to focus the golfer on the landing areathrough the siting of well placedbunkers or other features.

However it is important not to createa minefield of hazards which will makethe golfer feel uncomfortable on the teeand make it more likely to miss-hit hisdrive. In addition, it is not a good ideato force the golfer to lay up if there arealso safety concerns around the greensince it may mean that he will be play-ing a 4-iron, say, into the green ratherthan a 7-iron which will increase thedanger of the approach shot.

Tee alignment is also crucial to thesafety of a hole. A tee which is orientedtowards the danger zone, or too muchaway from it, can have an adverseeffect. The tee should be directedtowards the intended landing area.

One which aims away from thedanger area can either endanger golferson adjacent holes or cause a golfer togenerate the shot which you are tryingto guard against.

For instance, where a hole runs paral-lel to a property boundary on the right ofthe fairway, if the tee is pointed too far tothe left the golfer will set up with his feetaligned with the tee but will then tend tofollow through on the true line of thehole, thus generating a slice. !

With technology enabling the average club golfer to hit the ball longer than ever before,courses are playing shorter. As Ken Moodie explains, this can have serious ramificationson your course, where safety needs to remain the number one concern.


Length120150180210

Drive260260260260260260260260260260


Where safety is a concern on driv-ing ranges or practice areas, the intro-duction of target greens can help tofocus the golfer to play down the centreof the range.

They will also encourage him tospend time practising his shorter ironsrather than blasting the ball as far as hecan with a driver. Curving the tee so thatthe radius of the curve is centred on apoint 220 yards or so down the middle ofthe range will help to improve the safetyof shots played from each end of the tee.ChallengeEven golf courses of relatively shortlength can continue to offer a challengefor the average club golfer. Rather thanplant trees, which is often seen as themost cost effective solution but merelyturns the golf holes into narrow andshaded corridors with little strategicvalue, bunkers and other hazards can beplaced to offer opportunities for �riskand reward�.

For golf courses with larger budgetsthe reconstruction of the greens canoffer the opportunity to create better pinpositions which require an accurateapproach shot to make up for relativelyshort length.

Grass hollows can be introducedaround greens to offer an alternativeform of hazard which tests the lowhandicapped golfer as much as a bunkerwill, but does not penalise the poorergolfer as much.

Grass bunkers can be placed inareas where sand bunkers would notnormally be used and deeper in thegreen in order to provide some chal-lenging back pin positions.

How often is it said that you arebetter to play through the green ratherthan being short? Most bunkers tend tobe located to protect the front half ofthe green where they will be more visi-ble to the approaching golfer.

Bunkers are costly to maintain andit is more cost effective to use grasshollows and mounds where thestrong visual contribution of abunker will not be fullyappreciated. It also seemsfairer to land in a hidden grasshollow than a blind sand trap.

To retain the challenge forthe top players it is desirable tohave some challenging longer parfour�s. For the low handicapped clubgolfer par four�s need to range in lengthfrom 360-500 yards if they are to testmost of the clubs in the bag on theapproach shot to the green. The follow-ing table shows how this is calculated.

Par five�s would need to be at least600 yards long if they were to require afull sand wedge to be played into themon the third shot and par five�s of up to550 yards are still very reachable for theprofessional golfer on his second shot.

There will be cases, therefore,where it would be preferable to turn ashort par five into a long par four tomake the course more challenging.

However, we should remember thatthe vast majority of the membership ofmost golf courses are not low handicap-pers and so they need to remain enjoy-able for all categories of golfer.

Although it is tempting to lengthenthe par three�s where there is space todo so, long par three�s should generallybe avoided since they are not enjoyableto play, even for the top golfer.

Like the par fours, a range of parthree length should be provided withpreferably at least two clubs distancebetween each so that they all playdifferently.

The table below shows a goodspread of par three�s and the extremesof length possible with different pinpositions on a green of 30 yards inlength (assuming the pin is located atleast five yards from the edge of thegreen).

The challenges which technologyhas placed on golf clubs will have

many repercussions in thefuture. At a recent conferencein Malaga, run jointly by theEuropean Institute of GolfCourse Architects and the

PGA of Europe, this subjectwas addressed in some depth.

LimitsOne of the speakers, Frank Thomas(former technical director of the USGAand inventor of the graphite shaft)suggested that golf ball and club manu-facturers were coming close to thephysical limits of what was achievable.

Then again, I recently heard arumour that Acushnet (the parentcompany of Titleist) already had anoth-er 20 yards in the bag which they wouldrelease gradually to the golfing publicover the coming years! Golf clubs needto be prepared.

Approach100120140150160175190205220240

ClubSWPW

9 iron8 iron7 iron6 iron5 iron4 iron3 iron

3 wood

Length360380400410420435450465480500

Par 4 Lengths

Length Range110 - 130140 - 160170 - 190200 - 220

Club RangePW - 9 iron

9 iron - 7 iron6 iron - 5 iron4 iron - 3 iron

Par 3 Lengths


Swan GGolf DDesigns LLimitedIInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall GGoollff CCoouurrssee AArrcchhiitteeccttssTTeellffoorrddss BBaarrnn,, WWiilllliinnggaallee,, OOnnggaarr,, EEsssseexx CCMM55 00QQFF,, EEnnggllaanndd

+44 (0) 1277 896229 +44 (0) 1277 [email protected]

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Master PPlanning oof NNew CCoursesDetailed DDesigns

Renovation oof EExisting CCoursesDesign aand EEstablishment MManagement

Restoration oof HHistoric CCourses

HAWTREEGOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS

Since 1912

5 OXFORD STREET, WOODSTOCK,OXFORD OX20 1TQ

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

Web site: www.hawtree.co.uk

Martin HawtreeFellow of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects

JOHN GREASLEY LIMITEDAshfield House, 1154 Melton Road, Syston, Leicester LE7 2HB

Telephone: 0116 269 6766 Fax: 0116 269 6866

Email: [email protected]

�Specialist in Golf Course Construction�

Wychwood Park, Royal BirkdaleRudding Park, Gog Magog

Chilwell Manor, Goodwood

BAGCC

Chiddingfold Golf ClubPetworth Road, Chiddingfold

Surrey GU8 4SL

Tel/Fax: (44) 01428 681528Email: [email protected]

Website: www.eigca.org

Glorious Goodwood


Goodwood in West Sussex is famed for its glorious horse racing and its Festival of Speed,but sadly not for its golf course. Driven by Lord March�s ambition, the Braid classic hasundergone a major facelift and is determined to reclaim its crown as the best in the South.

Modern technology has,sadly, begun to overtakemuch golf course designin particular those old

courses we revere so much.In parallel some old courses (and

some not quite so old) are becomingless performable in terms of their abilityto withstand the rigours and pressuresof modern play, never mind to meet theconsiderable expectations of themodern player gleaned from the imagesof tournament play from the smallscreen.

More players, more wear and tear,more pressure on grass surfaces, morelength, shots going further at mostlevels of the game and not necessarilyin the right direction, with safety beingcompromised.

It is important to bring the course tothe modern day, and propel it into thefuture to meet the demands, the chal-lenges, the expectations, whilst, I wouldlike to think, retaining the spirit, if noth-ing else, of the original architect�sintent.

The course needs to be evaluated,with the existing design fully appraised.All aspects of the course needs to beexamined including its balance, its vari-ety, its challenge, its excitement, itssafety and its playability.

All of its component parts need tobe dissected; its greens, tees, bunkers,grass surfaces, traffic movement,drainage, irrigation, presentation andlook to how each and everyone can beimproved in a comprehensive phasedrenovation programme.

Goodwood, near Chichester in WestSussex, is an impressive example ofhow it can be done. For many years itsRacecourse, its Motor Circuit and itsdownland golf course have been recog-nised as something quite special.

The Racecourse, glorious certainly,has seen its facilities modernised torank alongside the best in the racingworld, if not better them. The MotorCircuit is enjoying a revival, and nowboasts the best of the vintage car racing.

Now the golf course has being reno-vated, restored to its splendid best - a1908 James Braid layout - to make it atrue challenge for today�s and tomor-row�s golfer.CharacterIts downland character has been putback. Its natural environment has beenenhanced, sensitively and sympatheti-cally. Its golfing challenge has beenrestored by Swan Golf Designs, work-ing alongside the club, the estate andtheir consultants. Construction workwas undertaken by John Greasley.

New holes, some rekindling Braid�soriginals, new greens, new tees, a newbunker strategy, new irrigation andsome new fairways have given TheGoodwood Club a chance to becomethe south of England�s best, the absoluterequirement of Lord March and hisfamily.

Understandably delighted with thefinished result, Howard Swan, principalof Swan Golf Designs said: �The layouthas changed substantially so that bothstart and finish are close to the club-house, with an underpass built underKennel Hill to ensure the safe crossingfrom each part of the course for players- and racing horses - alike.

�New greens, new tees, each built tohigh quality technical standards, includ-ing a completely rebunkered designmake the golfer plot his or her waythoughtfully through the round.

�New drainage, a state of the art irri-gation system and comprehensive prac-tice and tuition facilities - a range andShort Game Academy - all contribute tothis exciting renovation and restoration.

�I am sure it will stand the test oftime, and given patience, and thecontinued dedicated work of the green-keeping team, the course will matureinto what Lord March said he wanted -the best in the South.�

Toro Heritage


Gone are the days when thedistinctive red Toro logowas seen only on turfmaintenance equipment

and irrigation products.These days, the red Toro shield is

found virtually everywhere on the golfcourse, from the links themselves to theequipment maintenance shop and thegreenkeeper�s office.

That�s because Toro takes a broad,all-encompassing view of a golf proper-ty�s turf care needs. As it has for 90years, Toro provides state of the artcommercial equipment, plus it offersindustry-leading irrigation products.

But today Toro also offers numeroussolutions that aren�t clad in durable redsteel or delivering water to the turf.Toro offers golf turf professionals 24-hour access to parts and service infor-mation, online training modules, down-loadable parts and operator manuals,sophisticated irrigation control systemsthat offer the greatest operating flexibil-ity - and more.

Today, Toro offers solutions on thecourse and on the desktop to help golfturf professionals keep rolling withoutinterruption and with the best results.

Toro has created user-friendlyonline tools to make product, parts andservice information available to end-users worldwide 24 hours a day, sevendays a week.

A golf course service manager canlog on to the Toro website(www.thetorocompany.com) at anyhour to access parts manuals, seeexploded views of components andsystems through the Toro Master PartsViewer and determine which servicesparts his equipment needs.

This Toro-exclusive online access toinformation makes users more familiarwith their Toro equipment and allowsthem to order service parts quickly andconfidently from their Toro distributors.Downtime is minimised, meaningproductivity is maximised.

There�s no waiting for a returnphone call or a fax reply. The informa-tion is available at any hour in any partof the world.

Plus, by providing the part andproduct information online, Toro is ableto update it instantly as designs or partnumbers change. Users can cross-refer-ence part numbers to learn which partsare suitable for their products, and they

can place orders with the confidencethat the Genuine Toro Parts they receivewill fit their machines.OnlineToro also offers product manuals aboutcommercial equipment and irrigationproducts available online, as well asoperator training and safety information.An end-user can either read the productmanuals on the computer screen, ordownload them for easy printing.

The operator training and safetyinformation is available in the form ofPowerPoint� presentations that offerstests to ensure the reader has under-stood the information.

By using these online Toro tools, agolf course�s turf maintenance team willbecome well-informed about the prod-ucts they�re using and understand howto operate them safely and efficiently.

Toro Irrigation users will find awealth of Irrigation product informationand technical support online 24 hours aday, seven days a week. Technicalsupport tools, equipment manuals, cata-logs, and the Toro Master Parts Viewerfor irrigation products are all availableonline, as is general information aboutgolf course water management.

Toro is a name which has become synonymous with golf over the years, and not just forthe quality of its turf care equipment. As Barry Beckett explains, Toro have also becomemajor players in the irrigation sector, both at home and abroad.

FEATURE


For many golf courses, irrigationcosts make a significant impact onoperating budgets. By reviewing theToro water management informationand �Frequently Asked Questions AboutIrrigation� online, greenkeepers andmanagers can learn fresh ways tomaximise the efficiency of their irrigation. SolutionsThey can research creative solutionsand approaches that could help themimprove their irrigation and possiblylower costs.

All of these modern support toolsthat Toro offers complement the proven,reliable and productive Toro commer-cial equipment available for all aspectsof turf maintenance.

Among the newest Toro productsproviding greenkeepers with effectivesolutions are the ProCore� 648 walkaerator and the Groundsmaster� seriesof contour-following rotary mowers.

The ProCore� 648 features aninnovative design that locates the unit�swheels within the coring path so thereare no more crushed cores and nodamage to the fresh holes.

The TrueCore sensing systemensures that the tines consistently pene-trate vertically, so there�s no torn turf,just clean holes. The result is clean andeffective aeration. The ProCore� 648is fast, too, as its wide coring swath andpowerful engine allow an operator toaerate 18 greens in about seven hours.

The Groundsmaster� 3500, GM4500 and GM 4700 represent the indus-try�s broadest and most-effective line ofcontour-following rotary mowers. Theseproducts demonstrate how Toro respondsto turf professionals� changing needs.

Toro developed these Grounds-masters to provide the premium, contour-following rotary performance profession-

als sought for today�s golf turf. They arealso available in three sizes so there�s amachine to meet any golf property�sspecific productivity needs.

The ongoing Toro effort to developefficient and innovative Irrigation prod-ucts has resulted in leading-edge prod-ucts such as the popular Toro 800SSeries golf rotors.

New for 2005 products such as the835S and 855S series sprinklers offerthe golf industry�s first main nozzletrajectory adjustability (from seven to30 degrees). TruJectoryThis Toro-exclusive TruJectory�feature allows a greenkeeper to selectthe exact trajectory needed for thespecific site and conditions. The 800SSeries rotors have proven ideal for chal-lenging locations such as near low-hanging tree branches, amid slopedterrain and in windy settings.

They offer full or part circle opera-tion, making them extremely flexibleand effective for varied applications.

Toro also offers central irrigationcontrol systems for every type and sizeof golf course. The sophisticated yetuser-friendly SitePro 2.0 offers a green-keeper the choice of operating the irri-gation system with fully automatic, pre-programmed settings or controlling thesystem manually.

The Toro Gemini and Trident irriga-tion control systems have proven idealfor use on golf properties whose irriga-tion systems are upgraded or renovated.

Today, the Toro name is deliveringvalue and performance both on the golfcourse as well as in the course manag-er�s office. Toro offers a wealth of onlineproduct information and technicalsupport to serve golf turf professionalsaround the clock and around the world.

Do you have complete confidence in your irrigation system? Rain Bird does.

For more than seven years the Rain Bird Maxi Windows operated Stratus™, Nimbus™ orCirrus™ computer control systemhas been installed in Europe.

A Rain Bird Stratus™, Nimbus™ or Cirrus™ control system has been installed on over 120 Golf Courses in the UK and Ireland, together with Rain BirdEAGLE TM sprinklers.

In fact more than 600 Rain BirdMaxi systems have been installed in Europe alone.

All Rain Bird systems are installed and maintained by highly experienced contractorswith technical support and backup provided direct from Rain Bird.

Call 01273 891326 for more information about how Rain Birdcan help your club.

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Phone: 01283 841023Fax: 01283 841024

High Aspirations


How many golf clubs in theUK built during the last tenyears can claim to beabsolutely free of care in a

time of spiralling costs?Not that many, I should think,

among those proprietory new agebravehearts can face the future with theassurance of Bearwood Lakes.

Very much late comers in that gold-en Surrey-Berkshire-Hampshire trian-gle, the directors of this particular enter-

prise appear to have got it right in allrespects.

Nationwide, and particularly in theSouth East where too many establish-ments chase too few well heeledcustomers, there are strugglers livingdangerously close to the brink. Theydon�t advertise the fact for that wouldsend out the wrong signals.

Such troubled clubs are on an entire-ly different planet to Bearwood Lakeswhere the guiding hand of founder

chairman David Newling Ward restsfirmly upon the tiller of a happy andsuccessful ship.

Scott Evans, the general managerand one of the four directors said, afterdue consideration on my visit:�Financially, we are very sound.� Theaccent was unmistakably on the very.

�Everything you see is bought andpaid for. In a few years I think this willbecome a very famous golf club alongthe lines of Swinley Forest.� !

Bearwood Lakes has developed into one of the best golf courses in the South of England,and can lay claim to being financially secure. John Vinicombe travelled to Berkshire tosee for himself how this beautiful course has matured since it first opened back in 1996.


For an old campaigner such as I thiswas indeed a bold prediction. Forty-oddyears ago a two-line reference in theGolfer�s Handbook to the exclusive Ascotclub explained just what exclusivitymeant in a golfing sense... �guests entire-ly confined to friends of members.�

It was the word, entirely, that saidwhat Swinley Forest is all about.UniqueWhile Swinley Forest is by no meansunique in deciding who plays and whodoes not, it may be said that BearwoodLakes has joined the club without anyvestiges of snobbery. The club has aperfect right to cater for members onlyand does not dispense green fees tosundry callers.

The great strength of BearwoodLakes is that all the principal officerswere in at the beginning and havestayed together. Thus a smooth continu-ity of management is maintained.Mutual trust at all levels has been thestoutest of props ever since the openingin July 1996.

David Newling Ward, whose mainbusiness interests over the last 30-oddyears have been to successfully developa number of hotel and leisure groups,sold his main hotel concerns to a publiccompany 15 years ago. He still retainsan active investment in country househotels and city centre hotels in the UK.

He happened upon the site that wasto become Bearwood Lakes in 1994 andwas captivated by the sylvan beauty and

immediately recognised it as superbplace to build a golf course. Owned byBearwood College, the 220 acres wastaken on a 99 year lease with an optionfor a further 25 years.

�It was all down to his vision,� saidEvans. �He saw at once the possibili-ties. It had to be one of the best loca-tions in South East England. The timewas right to invest as the country wasstarting to come out of a recessionalthough it was a risky business build-ing a golf course.

�Yet the location is terrific with asufficient number of chimney potsaround and nearby Wokingham whichhas been described as the wealthiesttown in England outside London.�

The opening stanza of BearwoodLakes was not orchestrated by a one-man band. David Newling Ward hadstruck up a rapport with Ray Wilson ofSouthern Golf and Wilson was invitedto become a partner in the enterprise.He and Newling Ward are directorstogether with David�s wife Sheila andScott Evans.

Ray Wilson qualified as an account-ant before becoming a director of alandscape business which, in 1972,branched out into golf course construc-tion under the Southern Golf banner.

As managing director of the compa-ny, Wilson established an excellentreputation for course constructionthroughout the UK, Europe, The MiddleEast, Russia and North Africa.

He and Newling Ward met for thefirst time in the early 1990s working ona hotel/golf project within the groundsof Warwick castle. When the pairlooked for a course designer atBearwood Lakes they settled on MartinHawtree.

Now the 18 holes already has thelook of a settled lay-out amid a back-drop of mature oak, lime and beechtrees surrounded by Scot�s pine.

The undulating terrain, partly onsand, but mainly clay, rolls along thebanks of the 43 acre lake which is oneof three that makes it hard to believethat Heathrow is only 20 minutes drivedistant.

�We are running a business here,�said Evans. �One of the successes wasthe marketing effort before the clubopened. We took prospective membersaround in Land Rovers and sold 625debentures from a maximum 675 twomonths after opening. That underpinnedthe golf club.�

There are still the same number ofdebenture holders as it is a condition ofmembership. A full seven-day deben-ture is £5,500 and an annual sub of£2,500 added to which is a £1,175 join-ing fee. That is top whack and, depend-ing on category, the cost scales down.But, given the Bearwood Lakesmembership, who�s counting?

�For the first two years we peggedthe subs at a reasonable level,� saidEvans.


Fact FileClub: Bearwood Lakes

Bearwood Road, Sindlesham, Near Wokingham,Berkshire RG41 4SJEngland

Telephone: 0118 979 7900Facsimile: 0118 979 2911Email: [email protected]: www.bearwoodlakes.com

General Manager: Scott Evans (pictured)Course Manager: Phil Beal

Course Info: 18-holesPar: Par 72, 6850 yards (Opened 1996)

Members: 800Green Fee: N/A

�If we were going to keep the clubprivate we let it be known there wouldhave to be an increase. Since the open-ing the clubhouse has been enlargedand considerable improvements madein irrigation and drainage. Our decisionto increase the subs was approved bythe vast majority of members. Atmosphere�The most pleasing aspect is the atmos-phere we have managed to createamong the members. It is they whoshould take the credit for that. They�sell� the club by word of mouth.

�On our part we have worked veryhard over the last eight years to serviceour members. It is a very happy rela-tionship all round.

�There is competition in an area fullof famous clubs. Initially, 85 per cent ofmembers came from 15 minutes driveaway. We are only five miles fromReading with Bracknell, Wokinghamand Ascot just around the corner. Ourreputation has grown so that we are nowgetting members from West London.�

What keeps the members happy isthe immaculate state of the course andthis is down to Phil Beal, the coursemanager. He has ten full time staff andtwo seasonal. That is not a large teamfor a course of such quality. Four of thestaff were part of the original construc-tion team from Southern Golf.

Phil Beal, like Scott Evans, is also37 and has been involved in all aspectsof course construction and maintenancesince leaving agricultural college. Hehas worked at Walton Heath, Wisley,The Oxfordshire and several courses inGermany.

In the past year Bearwood Lakes hasjoined the management company TroonGolf on a sales and marketing basis.Troon Golf was enlisted to promote theclub around the world.

International Members of BearwoodLakes enjoy the exclusivity of one of

four clubs in the UK which also includeThe Grove and Turnberry.

No little wonder that a waiting list isin the offing. At the end of July therewere only a dozen vacancies left forlocals. �We are hoping to sell moreinternational memberships,� said Evanswho has walked both sides of the golf-ing street.

He initially trained as a professionalgolfer at Whitecraigs GC, Glasgowafter preparing for a career in civil engi-neering. Instead he became an assistantand gained valuable experience atTroon Golf and Country Club, Arizonalater moving to Dubai Creek Golf andYacht club and Loch Lomond. It was inDubai that he met his wife Michellewho hailed form Wokingham.

�The opportunity to become ageneral manager at 28 was wonderful.There was a buzz around the newcourse here and that feeling has neverdied down. There is so much going onand this year we have raised over£60,000 for charity from our members. Beautiful�They love it here. Actually, we seemto be in a micro climate. The membersnever tire of playing the course for it isso very beautiful and well kept. Wedon�t draw attention to what you mightcall celebrities among our membershipalthough Barry Lane has been anhonorary member for seven years andRonnie Corbett is an honorary vicepresident.

�This is in recognition of theextremely successful fund raising golfdays that he has hosted at the club onbehalf of the Home Farm Trust.�

The guiding philosophy ofBearwood Lakes is that it serves as ahaven where members, their family andfriends can relax in tranquil, comfort-able an private surroundings.

In other words it is an embryonicSwinley Forest and there can be nohigher praise than that.


In 2003 Chesterton HMH sold six courses worth £30M,including Moatlands in Kent, Vale Royal Abbey in

Cheshire, The London Golf Club in Kent, Cely Châteauand Golf in Paris and Golf Del Sur, Tenerife.

So far in 2004 Chesterton HMH has sold four complexesworth £16M. They are The Suffolk Hotel and Golf Club,Camberley Heath in Surrey, The Essex Golf Centre and

Port Sunlight Golf Centre on The Wirral.

We have a further four currently under offer worth £13M including Woolston Manor in Essex,

Farleigh Court in Kent, Gatton Manor in Surrey and an 18 hole course in Paris.

We have a further three available worth £9.5M.

Discreet sale or open market approach - we can help you

UK office: (44) 01926 400985Portuguese office: (351) 0282 763 770

Proud to be associated withBearwood Lakes Golf Club

International Golf Construction and Construction Consultants

www.southerngolf.co.uk

Property Matters


There appears to be more activity than usual in the property market at the moment.Recently some high profile clubs have changed hands, including The London Club andThe Woldingham, so David Bowers decided to delve deeper into the property sector.

Selling your house is general-ly regarded as one of the fivemost stressful things youwill do in your life. Marriage

is one of the others and I suppose play-ing golf must come high up there aswell.

But selling your house is a doddlecompared to selling a golf course. Justwalk down any high street and you willpass half-a-dozen establishments onlytoo willing to sell your house for theirtwo per cent.

But you could walk the streets foryears before coming across somebodycompetent enough to sell your golfcomplex for you. They�re as commonas hen�s teeth. Or a Great BritainOlympic gold medallist.

You can count them on the fingersof one foot. Nor is the sale a simplematter of sticking an ad in Exchange &Mart - though that could conceivablywork.

What you really need - even ifyou�re after only a valuation - is anexpert with a proven track record to talkyou through the pitfalls and tell youabout the options and how the processworks.

Somebody like Tom MarriottMRICS, a director of Chesterton HMH,a specialist team of golf and leisureproperty experts.

Marriott explained: �We carry outprobably 50 valuations per year onbehalf of banks, individuals and compa-nies. These range from small drivingranges to larger establishments such asBrocket Hall (above).

�We employ two principal methodsin evaluating a golf club. First theperformance of the business. Andsecondly, comparable evidence.

�The performance is important, forwhile a number of courses arepurchased on the basis of their assets,they are in fact businesses and a numberof buyers like the fact they are buyingasset-backed businesses.Profitability�In looking at the business we take intoaccount the level of profitability;membership levels; percentage of golfincome; capex and tenure. Clearly if thecourse is leasehold we look at length oflease, whether the property is over-rent-ed and the likely buyer for, say, a shortlease.

�The capex is important because if acourse is well kept and in good condi-tion then a buyer will be more likely tobuy on a reasonable multiple. However,if he feels there is a lot of work to becarried out on the course he maydiscount it quite heavily.

�Comparable evidence is the area ofthe market which only companies such

as ours can really employ. We look atwhat has sold in the marketplace.True Value�Clearly this is not an easy method aseach golf course is individual and maybe being sold for different reasons.Therefore the prices achieved do notnecessarily reflect the true value.

�The usual process is that we quotea fee and process the work. Typicallyour fees range from £2,500 upwards,depending on the level of work.

�We obviously have to charge aminimum because no matter what thevalue of the golf course is there is still acertain amount of work that needs to becarried out.

�Therefore, a client may ask us tovalue a course for re-lending so that hecan extend the clubhouse or improvefacilities. Or he may ask us to value acourse as he is considering selling theproperty.

�In this event we would visit theproperty, talk to the client, establish alikely value, and prepare a marketingcampaign for them to consider and onceinstructed, begin the process.�

Marriott talks from a position ofsome authority. His company has soldfour complexes already this year worth£16m. Add that to the £30m worth ofsales in 2003 and it�s clear this compa-ny is no High Street estate agent. !


Most companies in this marketplaceemploy two types of marketing for theirclients. Open market marketing, whichincludes advertising and a brochure.This is usually used where the golfcourse may have a number of differenttypes of buyer.

Specialist companies, likeChesterton HMH, will have an exten-sive database, but it is quite likely thatat the lower end of the market there willbe a number of people of whom theyare not aware.

If you are considering an open-market sale it is important to look at thetime of year when it is being sold andthe renewal date of membership. It isnot advisable to advertise properties inthe middle of the summer - the holidayseason.

Better to choose either early in theyear - February or March - orSeptember onwards as, with the formera sale can be agreed before the summerseason, or in the case of the latter, a salecan be agreed by the new year, whichmeans a purchaser has the whole of thefollowing spring to ready the course fornew ownership.

Nor is it advisable to advertise agolf course for sale right in the middleof the membership renewal process asthis can have the a detrimental effect onthe morale of members, who may holdtheir renewals until they know theoutcome of the sale. And this in turnmay damage the sale process.

A private sale is a different bucket ofballs altogether, as Marriott explained:�In the case of a private sale, we do notadvertise the properties. However, wedo produce a brochure so buyers realisethe vendor is serious,� he said.

�We tend to carry out these types ofcampaigns where the golf course is of ahigher value and we have a known listof 50 to 100 wealthy individuals andtargeted companies.

�In some instances we place boxadvertisements in some of the nationalpapers to encourage other parties tocome forward. This does not normallyname the property so that confidentiali-ty is maintained at all times.�

FPD Savills is another expert in thefield - or what could be called a mine-field if you�re not consulting theexperts. Gary Witham explained howhis company works.

�We split golf work into two areas:the agency function - acquisitions andsales - which is carried out by the teamin the West End; and professional work- formal valuation work, rent reviewsand lettings - which is dealt with by ourOxford office.

�Both teams work nationally and insome circumstances in Europe, particu-larly where resort-type property isconcerned.

�From an agency perspective we areoften asked to provide our views on thelikely sales price that would be achiev-able for a golf complex. This is general-ly assessed by reference to the actualtrading performance of the property orits likely trading performance in thefuture.

�We use our specialist knowledge ofthe marketplace and the currentpurchasers who are active to form aview on likely pricing. In many caseswe are asked to consider potentialdevelopment of part of the property andthe best way to realise that value. Or toensure that an existing owner partici-pates in any future �windfall� if plan-ning consent for, say, residential devel-opment is obtained.Private�In many cases owners prefer to havetheir property privately placed withpotential buyers rather than a fullmarketing campaign - this is particularlytrue at the top end of the market wherethe number of buyers is more limited.

�Again it requires an in-depthknowledge of active buyers and theirrequirements to carry out this exercisesuccessfully. Indeed, we have recentlyagreed a sale of an M25 course on thisbasis within a very quick timescale.

�For courses at a lower level ofvalue of, for argument�s sake, £1- £3min value, the marketplace is wider and�lifestyle� buyers are active. These areoften successful business people whohave sold their main business and wishto own and operate a golf course almostas a hobby.

�There are always new buyerssurfacing or who had not thought ofbuying a course until one local to thembecomes available. In these instances itcan be beneficial to advertise the prop-erty in trade press and property maga-zines to ensure that the widest coverageis achieved.

�Clearly communication withmembers and staff must be activelymanaged in these circumstances. Werecently sold Falmouth Golf Club witha guide price of £1.5m through thismethod to a former lawyer.�

He concluded: �The structure of ourfees can vary depending on the natureof the job we are asked to carry out.

�Generally we will meet with anowner and provide initial advice at nocost with a subsequent sale fee beingagreed based on a percentage of thesale price.�

The other major player in the sectoris HHL Humberts. Companyspokesman Ben Allen takes up thestory: �HLL Humberts Leisurespecialises solely in leisure property,covering ten distinct sectors of theleisure market throughout the UK fromour London and provincial offices. !


THE GOLF SPECIALISTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM

FPDSavills London020 7409 9902 [email protected]

www.fpdsavills.co.uk/golf

For a confidential discussion contact Gary Witham

Falmouth Golf Club, Cornwall

2004 OPEN MARKET

SOLDParasampia Golf Club, Newbury

2004 PRIVATELY

SOLDWychwood Park North, Crewe

2004 OPEN MARKET

SOLD

South Coast Golf Centre

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M25 Golf Club

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The classic Hayter Harrier 56 roller rotary mower is capableof picking up tees and divots quickly and effortlessly. Thesplit ribbed roller with a differential aids manoeuvrabilityaround the tee, and gives the traditional striped finish.

No tools are needed to adjust the height of cut, which cango as low as 13mm (1/2”) giving you total control over eachtee. Built in front fins on the deck noticeably improve thecutting quality and collection ability and the large capacitygrassbag is easy to remove and fit.

The Harrier 56 can be used all year round and will minimisecompaction of tees particularly during the winter months.

So versatile, the Harrier 56 can be used in so manyareas around the club, you’ll wonder how you managedwithout one.

For more information, call 01279 723444, [email protected] or visit our website: www.hayter.co.uk.

Sorts divots, tees, cuts and stripes in one go

The Hayter Harrier 56 is a quick, yet precise, solution to your tee problems.

�This broad based leisure expertiseenables HLL Humberts Leisure touniquely cross market leisure facilitiesto a wide range of potential purchasersnationally. Individual teams specialiseexclusively in specific sectors of themarket and have a wealth of knowledgeand expertise in their specialist area.

�Golf is handled from theWinchester and London offices. In 2004alone we have handled 14 transactionsto date, the great majority of which arealready sold or let.

�Whenever HLL Humberts Leisureis requested to appraise a golf business,whether it is for sale, valuation or leas-ing purposes, we utilise two mainappraisal methods.

�The capital value of the majority ofleisure property is closely related to itstrading potential. Thus the first methodof appraisal is to analyse the tradingperformance of the business, particularlyits turnover and earnings before interest,taxation, depreciation and amortisation.

�Once the maintainable level ofturnover has been identified, a multipli-er is applied to the turnover to arrive ata capital value. AppraisalLeasehold properties are discounted toreflect the rental burden that is attribut-able to them. This appraisal method isparticularly useful for businesses withestablished successful trading records.

�The second method of appraisal isthe comparables method, whichcompares the subject property�s physi-cal characteristics against recent salesand lettings of similar properties.

�It is acknowledged that this methodis far more subjective, but it doesprovide extremely useful data, especial-ly when the subject property is underperforming financially.

�Each of these appraisal methodsprovides a reasonably accurate guide tovalue. The analysis of the data producedby these two methods is where theagent�s skill is paramount.

�Assessing the marketability of theasset, the trends within the market, afeel for how or if values are moving andthe likely level of demand for theparticular asset all play an importantrole in determining the final guide forthe price or rent of the property.

�There are two main ways in whichgolf businesses are sold - publicmarketing or confidential placing. Bothmethods have their advantages anddisadvantages and can be tailored toclient requirements.

�However, the reassurance of anopen marketing campaign for a client isthat they can be assured that all poten-tial purchasers or tenants of the club,including new entrants to the market,should be aware of the disposal andthereby they can be comforted that thebest possible price or rent is achievedfor the asset,� concluded Allen.

So if you�re reading this wonderingjust how much your course is worth,don�t bother looking on the high street.

Count on it.

© 2

004

The

Toro

Com

pany

To some, golf is a religion.We�ll help you renovate their place of worship

Irrigation renovation that respects its surroundings. Golfers are passionateabout their game. Which can put a lot of stress on a superintendent when it’stime to renovate an irrigation system. Your Toro distributor will work withyou every step of the way, to ensure you get the best possible system with theleast disruption to your course. We have the industry’s largest selection ofquality products, and the most comprehensive after-sale support. What’smore, we offer total solutions for your turf maintenance needs. Contact yourToro distributor or visit toro.com for more information.

Get the Message!

OPINION


Managing director of Waste2Water, Tim Earley, discusses the problems that all clubs facewhen it comes to disposing of hazardous waste materials. With the authorities keen tostamp down on clubs flouting the regulations, he has some sensible advice to offer.

You surely cannot havemissed the articles andadvertisements appearingregularly in the trade press

during the last 18 months or so, exort-ing you to install a Recycling Wash-Offsystem to ensure compliance with thenew Groundwater Regulations.

I am not sure about Europe, but, Ihaven�t heard of a UK golf course beingsummoned recently for causing pollu-tion, so has this issue been blown out ofproportion?

Until recently, this opinion couldpossibly have held some merit. Surelythe authorities must have more impor-tant pollution incident priorities than therelatively low pollution caused by wash-ing golf course equipment. What aboutindustry and farming, for example?

However, following the disastrouspollution incident, which occurred atWarringah Golf Club, New SouthWales, Australia, it is quite clear that agolf course is capable of causing signif-icant pollution, which explains whygolf course maintenance activities arecovered by the new legislation.

In case you missed the Warringahcase, which was widely reported earlierthis year, the background is briefly this.

Towards the end of last year theclub was found guilty of negligence forits role in a pesticide spill, which lead toa major ecological disaster. The clubwas fined AUS$250,000, ordered to paythe clean up costs and also undertakenecessary remedial and preventive

works to avoid any possibility of a re-occurrence. (See Golf ManagementEurope February 2004).

The total cost to the clubapproached AUS $600,000, an amountwhich would financially cripple mostclubs if imposed in the UK. ImpactWhilst the club will, presumably,absorb this financial burden in time, thefinancial and emotional impact onformer Golf course superintendent,Craig Coggins, will take a long time toheal, as he was fined $50,000 andordered to serve 250 hours communityservice for his part in the disaster.

The findings of Justice Talbotrevolved around the totally inadequatestate of the golf course maintenancecompound. In particular, a workshop,chemical store and concrete slab wheresubstances, including chemicals werestored, handled and mixed from time totime.

The concrete slab was frequentlyused for the wash down of vehicles andequipment used in connection with themaintenance of the golf course, includ-ing the application of insecticides,fertilisers and herbicides. The concreteslab was also used as a place to repairplant and equipment.

There were no bunding or otherprotection devices around the concreteslab to prevent any accidental spillageor wash-off waters from soaking away,thus contaminating the surface andgroundwater.

If you recognise the above, which isthe current state of play at the majorityof golf courses in the UK, I would urgeurgent action now. You are acting ille-gally and complacency could prove tobe very expensive both financially andfrom the inevitable negative publicity.

If you are the course manager, youare responsible for your maintenancefacility. As the Warringah case high-lighted, you will be held personallyresponsible for any pollution incident,which occurs at your facility.

With pressure on budgets, it is easyto be �talked out of� or �tempted � by thepressing need for a new greens mower,but it�s up to you to put your caseforward. In many cases, where thelegal necessity to take action has beenexplained to the committee, extra one-off funding has been made available toallow the wash-off area to be renovated.

If you are the secretary or generalmanager I am sure you are very wellaware of your fiduciary duty of care tothe golf club.

Regarding the risk of pollution, asthe Warringah case highlighted, legisla-tion is already in force and, if yourequipment wash-off and chemicalhandling facilities are deemed inade-quate and a pollution incident occurs,your management board or committeemay become personally liable.

It gets worse. If you have beenacting illegally, your golf club insur-ance will quite possibly refuse to payout.


Golf Management Europe is Europe�s leading business magazine for the golf industry �the undisputed market leader!To guarantee your own regular copy of the industry�s leading trade publication, simplysubscribe online at www.portman.uk.com or call 0870 241 4678

New magazine binders that hold 18 issues are also available, together with downloadableback issues (in Adobe Acrobat® PDF format) via our website.

Golf Management Europe SubscriptionsSuffolk Studios, 284 Ravenswood Avenue, Ipswich IP3 9TQ, United Kingdom

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This has already happened in the USso you can bet insurers here will usethis �get out clause� over here, if theyget the opportunity.

The new groundwater regulationsare part of a worldwide initiative to gettough on environmental compliance.Europe has adopted the principle of thisregulation framework and each countryis applying them according to their owninterpretation.

A range of new legislation is beingphased in and strengthened to cover allactivities, which may potentially causeground or water pollution. These newregulations are called PollutionPrevention Guidelines (PPG�s), withtwenty plus issued to date.

The penalty for infringement is afine of up to £20,000 plus recoverycosts and imprisonment of up to threemonths for more serious cases.

Guidelines directly impacting theequipment wash-off activities of golfclubs are already in force, with theresult that the majority of UK clubs arealmost certainly now acting illegally.

Wash-off operations must now becarried out in a designated, kerbed area,which drains to the foul sewer, or aclosed loop recycling wash-off systemmust be used.

Discharging or allowing washwaters, which may contain oils, greaseand chemicals to enter surface drains,watercourses or soakaways is illegal.

Being self sufficient, a Closed LoopWater Recycling System removes anyconcerns regarding groundwater pollu-tion and complies fully with all currentand foreseeable legislation, providing aprofessional approach to equipmentwashing and chemicals handling. ApproachThe Waste2Water approach is toconstruct an �Environmental ActivityCentre� with the Recycling Wash-Offsystem at the hub.

This custom designed area coversthe whole range of activities, such asdiesel refuelling, chemical mixing andloading, sprayer washing, and evenmaintenance degreasing, in addition toequipment washing.

The system takes care of spillageswith ease, removing any risk of poten-tial pollution arising from the normalday-to-day activities of the maintenancefacility.

The golf industry has worked hardto be seen as environmentally sensitiveand all clubs have a responsibility toretain that image. If you ignore this riskyou are putting not only your own clubbut also the reputation of the entire UKgolf industry at risk.

With a wide range of purchaseoptions available and, for instance, afive-year lease purchase agreementcosting less than £300 per month, thesystem should be affordable to mostgolf courses.


Portfolio

01473 270000

Marquis proud to choose RJBowood Golf and Country Club has

selected Ransomes Jacobsen turfequipment to maintain its 18 hole

championship course in the heart ofthe 2,000 acre estate at Bowood

House in Wiltshire. Golf coursemanager Ross Williams said: “The

Marquis is very proud of his courseand was personally involved in the

negotiation of the contract.”

01279 723444

Hayter rolls out new machineDenham Golf Club has recently taken

delivery of a Hayter MT313 smalltriple. Denham’s machine is one ofthe first production units built by

Hayter, and the new acquisition willbe used to maintain the large teesand surrounds at the club. Denham

are already devotees of Hayter prod-ucts and are currently using Hayter

mowers elsewhere on the course.

01480 226800

Zero turn rotary from ToroToro is giving the Z500-D zero-turnride-on rotary its public launch at

SALTEX. The machine is designed toappeal particularly to landscapecontractors and local authority

operators, and therefore it has anexceptionally rugged construction.

According to Toro, it truly offers theultimate in controlled precision-

cutting under all conditions.

01359 272000

Kingsbarns praise BarenbrugStuart McColm, course manager atKingsbarns, has praised Barenbrug

for the high level of advice andsupport provided to him since the

course opened in 2000. “Barenbrughas been a valuable partner in ourimprovement programme,” McColmsaid. “When it comes to choosingseed I want the best and they are

proven to have the best products.”

01473 270000

Super Lights at Kings HillKings Hill Golf Club at West Malling

in Kent has taken delivery of twoJacobsen SLF 1880 super light fair-way mowers from Ernest Does. The

golf club is the centrepiece of amixed commercial and residential

development, based on a US princi-ple that provides a working environ-

ment together with high qualityhomes in a single location.

01480 226800

Otterbine launch Aqua SeriesOtterbine will give a SALTEX

launch to its new series of floatingaerators for small ponds and other

water features. Called the AquaSeries, the aerators are designed foruse on ponds, lakes and other waterfeatures with a surface area of up toonly half an acre (2,000 sq m), but

which demand ‘dramatic oxygentransfer’ and intense flow rates.

01359 272000

Portmore chooses BarenbrugPortmore Golf Park in Barnstaple,

North Devon, has chosen Barenbrugfor its new, additional nine-hole

parkland course, which is scheduledto open at the end of August. The

new course has been seeded using avariety of Barenbrug products

including Bar 2 for greens, BarExtreme for green surrounds and Bar

6 for tees and fairways.

01473 270000

Eco-Friendly at LinksBridlington Links owner Phil Hancock

has recently purchased a fleet ofeco-friendly golf cars for his course.

The fleet of 16 EZGO LPG-poweredgolf cars are used by members and

visitors at the club which is situatedon the cliff tops overlooking

Bridlington Bay. The greenkeepingteam have also taken delivery of twoEZGO ST480 LPG golf utility vehicles.

Driving environmental performance.www.ransomesjacobsen.comCentral Avenue Ransomes Europark Ipswich IP3 9QG England Tel: +44 (0)1473 270000 Fax: +44 (0)1473 276300 Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd is the only groundscare equipment manufacturer accredited to ISO14001

E-Z-GO TXT

INTRODUCING THE DRIVING RANGESEE US AT SALTEX STAND V15

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

The European Leader in Leasing for the Golf and Turf Industries

gmé | issuu 38

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