gmé | issuu 47

golf and the fairer sexAn extensive market research study recently

undertaken by the LGU has revealed that theladies game in the UK is facing some very

serious and potentially crippling issues.

The leading business magazine for the pan-European golf industry

GolfGolfManagementE u ro p e page 20

March 2006www.portman.uk.com

UK £5.00 Eur €7.50US $8.75

Toro’s New SummitAs a new season dawns, Toro signs The Gleneagles Hotel,venue of the G8 Summit and the 2014 Ryder Cup

Contents

Women’s golf in the UK is at a crossroads. A recent survey by the Ladies GolfUnion (LGU) – see page 20 – has showed a disappointing downward trend in thenumber of women playing the game in the UK. This comes as something of a

surprise given the current profile of the women’s game with Annika Sorenstamand Michelle Wie both household names – in golf households anyway.

Suggestions by traditionalists that women’s golf was better off beforeequality, however, are specious at best. What is needed now is anactive programme of recruitment by clubs prepared to work with theLGU.

Of some concern is the fact that while the survey finishes with itsconclusions – which could be drawn easily from the stats within –there are no suggestions or action points. So until a comprehen-sive plan is drawn up by the governing body it is down to indi-vidual clubs to actively recruit women members.

Too many it would seem pay lip service to the women’s game.The survey threw up some startling – and revealing – facts.Over two-thirds of clubs were found to have vacancies forwomen with an average of 26 places available. That initself suggests clubs are not pursuing women members.

More than one in four female respondents who thoughtthere were barriers to women pursuing a career in golfthought the sport was too male dominated.

Interestingly when asked what the main barriers wereto more women playing golf there was a large discrep-ancy between the views of women golfers and theviews of club secretaries.

This may suggest that although women have gradu-ated to equality, club officials are still out of touchwith what their lady members need or want. Perhapsthey need to sit down and discuss the future withtheir lady captain and some of her colleagues.

In addition, actively seeking out women green-feepaying customers and corporate visitors and askingthem in survey form what would persuade them tojoin, would appear to be a pre-requisite for futureexpansion.

In the current climate lady members will be payingmore for the privilege of joining the club than theyhave previously – and if cost is not the majorcontributory factor to them not joining then therecan be no excuse for not attracting them.

It should never be forgotten that the female poundhas the same financial clout as the male pound.

Why we shouldall encouragethe Ladies game

issue 47credits;editorJohn Vinicombe

contributorsDavid BowersNeville JohnsonTrevor LedgerRob Wright

publisherMichael Lenihan

administrationSharon O’Connell

printColourspeed

Golf Management EuropeSuffolk Studios284 Ravenswood AvenueIpswich IP3 9TQUnited Kingdom

telephone0870 241 4678(overseas +44 1473 274956)

facsimile01473 274874

[email protected]

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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 GMEis accurate, the publisher cannotaccept liability for errors.

© Portman Publishing andCommunications Ltd 2006

cover story 7

dale hill 23

golf cars 14

coursework 26

Golf Management Europe March 2006

News

March 2006 Golf Management Europe

Lead StoryUS property tycoon Donald Trump couldchange his plans to develop a multi-million pound golf complex in Scotland –and build it in Ireland instead.

A senior aide to Trump said plans tobuild a course in Scotland had run intoproblems and the company was now look-ing elsewhere.

Managing partner of Trump GolfProperties Ashley Cooper confirmed thatthe project had stalled, and added thatalthough Scotland was his first choice,he was also looking at Ireland.

Trump’s mother was born in theWestern Isles and he had expressed aninterest in developing a links golf coursein Scotland.

The 59-year-old already owns four golfcourses in the United States and his golf-ing advisers have reportedly visitedScotland. It is thought discussions tookplace between Trump’s aides and officialsat Aberdeenshire Council.

Sites at Balmedie and Hazlehead Parkhad been mooted as possible locations.But an impasse appears to have beenreached over title-related legal issues.

Cooper said: “We have had a kink inthe road with our negotiations.

“Our priority continues to be to find asuitable deal in Scotland and we hope tohave some kind of a deal to talk abouttowards the end of the year.”

However, he said that the firm is readyto go elsewhere and is currently lookingat a second option in Ireland.

Aberdeenshire Council said the plan-ning application was being treated thesame as any other. In a statement it said:“We are happy to provide support andadvice to anybody thinking of lodging aplanning application in Aberdeenshire.

“Should any application be lodged byMr Trump or his associates, it would beconsidered on its merits as with anyother planning application.”

Trump set to look elsewhereas Scottish talks breakdown

Nicklaus to make his mark inthe land of the Pharaohs

Appeal raisesaround £80k

Nicklaus Design is to create its firstgolf course in Egypt, near Cairo.

Situated at Palm Hills, the 27-holecourse will feature views of the Pyramidsand cover more than 275 acres (12million sq ft, 1.1 million sq m) of land.

The course, which is set to become thelargest in the country, will be integratedwithin the existing Palm Hills Spa andResort.

The new course is part of a boom ingolf course development and golfing-related tourism in the country, encour-aged by the Egyptian ministry of tourismand the Egyptian Golf Federation.

There are currently at least 15 coursesopen for play in Egypt and a further tencurrently under development.

Construction of the Palm Hills course isexpected to begin by the end of 2006.

Members of golf clubs all over Britainhave played their part in raising around£80,000 for the Golf Foundation’s annualappeal for 2005.

Clubs were asked to make donations tohelp fund the Golf Foundation’s impor-tant grass roots golf development workin schools, golf facilities and throughlocal authorities, which is making thesport more accessible for boys and girls.

New imagefor Golfplan

Golfplan Insurance has entered 2006with a new branding image and it claims,a brand awareness marketing strategy tobring specialist golf insurance to theattention of the golfing public.

The traditional green Golfplan leafletthat has symbolised this company’s golfinsurance policy over the past 22 yearshas been replaced by a striking newsunrise design.

The leaflets will be displayed in newtwo-tier presentation dispensers togetherwith complimentary pencils featuring thecompany’s web site which has alsoundergone a total revamp.

The company’s strong marketing policycontinues to support PGA golf profes-sionals by utilising their retail outlets asgolf equipment claims settlementcentres, in recognition of its covetedPGA endorsement, now in its 11th year.

When the free pencil roll out campaignis completed by early Spring, the promo-tion will strongly feature in over 2,000PGA outlets throughout the UK.


Ransomes Jacobsen has promoted Rupert Price, 31, to the position of salesmanager, UK and Ireland. Reporting to sales director Alan Prickett, Price will be

responsible for sales of turf maintenance equipment together with E-Z-GO golf carsand utility vehicles throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. Commenting on

Price’s appointment, Prickett said: “We identified his potential as an undergraduateand he has proved himself in his various roles over the past eight years.”

The Price is right for Rupert

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

Telephone: 0116 269 6766 Fax: 0116 269 6866

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�Specialist in Golf Course Construction�

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STRI launcheducationalDVD package

The Sports Turf Research Institute(STRI) has launched Sustainable GolfCourse Management a combined DVD andCD-ROM package to stimulate awarenessof the ecological and environmentalimpact of golf in today’s society.

The DVD, which has been sponsored byIpswich-based Ransomes Jacobsen, is atelevision quality, 30-minute presenta-tion showing the positive side of the golfindustry.

Specifically targeted at players, clubofficials, the general public and thosewithin the golf sector, the DVD attemptsto raise awareness of the importance thatgolf courses play within the landscape.

It also gives recognition to the ecolog-ical and environmental managementpractices that are taking place on golfcourses throughout the UK.

The packaged set is available from theSTRI at a cost of £19.

Grand Old Duke revampedThe transformation of the Duke’s

Course at St Andrews is the result of adesign philosophy implemented andinfluenced by leading American architectTim Liddy.

Liddy’s complete redesign of the lastfour holes of the Duke’s Course not onlystrengthens its challenge to make it oneof the finest inland championship tests

in the British Isles but also gives thecourse unique potential for future majortelevised tournaments.

The new concept of the Duke’s Course isconsistent with Liddy’s own view of howgood golf should be rewarded: “A commontrait of my design is rewarding the playerwho can manoeuvre the ball. It identifiesthe golfer with greater ability.”

News


It all adds up as Ledger joinsforces with GME

Trevor Ledger, the former editor ofGolf Course News International (GCNI),has joined the editorial staff of GolfManagement Europe. Ledger spent tenyears at the helm of the magazine, butgrew increasingly concerned about theeditorial direction it was heading undernew management.

Subsequently, the position of editorwas scrapped by the owners.

The publisher of Golf ManagementEurope, Michael Lenihan, was quick torecruit Ledger, whom he had met onseveral occasions at events acrossEurope. “Trevor is very well respectedwithin both the golf and publishingindustries,” said Lenihan.

“I felt it would be a great loss to thegolf industry if Trevor decided to pursue

publishing interests in another field, so Iwas quick to offer him the chance to joinGolf Management Europe.

“There is little doubt that his recruit-ment strengthens us even more and willenable us to cement the position of GolfManagement Europe as the leading busi-ness magazine within the industry.”

Ledger said: “I would like to thankeverybody for the help they gave me overthe last ten years at GCNI. It’s been areal blast.

“But now I am moving on and lookingforward to helping establish GolfManagement Europe as the market leaderin the golf industry. I’ve come to knowMike and the staff of the magazine quitewell over the years and we share a mutu-al respect.”

New ownersat Dudsbury

Dudsbury Golf Club in Dorset has beenpurchased by David and Beate Braban foran undisclosed fee.

The new owners, who intend to refur-bish the clubhouse and incorporate ahigh-class restaurant and piano bar,purchased the club from the Legg familywho instructed Savills Leisure.

Subject to planning permission, theBrabans are hoping to build a 40-bedroom luxury hotel with spa andfitness facilities, and also increase thenumber of golf cars currently used by theclub by installing an all-year-roundbuggy path.

Portobellounder threat

Protestors are fighting £36m plans tobuild two schools on a golf course inScotland. Education chiefs want toreplace two ageing schools on land atthe nearby Portobello Golf Course.

Although the plans have the backing ofparents and teachers, residents andgolfers are prepared to fight tooth andnail to keep the nine-hole course and theadjoining football pitches and parkland.

Public opinion on the plans is beingsought informally, and many in thecommunity are incensed about theimpact on the local area if the newschools are built.

Ian Boggie, secretary of PortobelloGolf Club, which has about 120 members,said: “I imagine a lot of people will notbe very happy about this. It will cause alot of upset, and there will be a lot ofprotests.

“We were just about to start up ajunior section, and were hoping toattract about 50 kids from local schools.Now that may have to be put on hold.However, if the council has got some-thing in mind I’m not sure there’s anawful lot we can do.”

The council has promised to build anew golf course and clubhouse inBrunstane to replace the historic one inPortobello, which is 150 years old thisyear. Golfer Marion Summers, 59, said:“We will get a petition up. I have playedgolf there for 30 years, a lot of peoplelearned to play on that course.

“The great thing is it is in the heart ofthe community and people can walk toit. If it moves so people have to drive toplay, it will lose members.”

On tap withJohn Deere

John Deere launched its new golf irri-gation system at the Golf Industry Showin Atlanta last month.

Currently only available in the US, thenew irrigation system features a full lineof state-of-the-art heads, valves, control,sensing and communications systemsavailable to One Source customers.

“We’re pleased to offer this new prod-uct line to our golf customers,” saidGregg Breningmeyer, director of sales andmarketing for John Deere. “Until thispoint, One Source distributors only hadaccess to irrigation products in specificregions.

“With this introduction, all 44 NorthAmerican One Source distributors are nowable to provide a full range of John Deeregolf irrigation products.”

GME understands that John Deereintends to roll-out its irrigation systemthroughout Europe next year.


The Toro Company8111 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis MN 55420, USA

Telephone: 001 952 888 8801Facsimile: 001 952 887 8258

www.toro.com

Cover StoryToro is celebrating its success in securinga deal with yet another prestigiousScottish golfing venue - this time, theworld-renowned Gleneagles Hotel inAuchterarder, Perthshire.

The famous resort has signed a supplyagreement for a comprehensive range ofToro course machinery that includes tees,greens, fairway and rough mowers, aswell as utility vehicles and aerators.

Lely’s Toro sales manager Jeff Anguigesaid: “We are delighted to be workingwith The Gleneagles Hotel, and lookforward to developing the partnershipand meeting their course machineryneeds for the foreseeable future.”

Barry Beckett, Toro’s senior marketingmanager added: “Naturally we are pleasedthat Gleneagles have chosen to work inpartnership with Toro, and the deal isfurther testament to the unrivalled repu-tation that we have gained throughoutthe industry.

“We always appreciate that clubs havea choice when it comes to choosing acourse machinery supplier, and we areencouraged by the number of clubs thatcontinue to choose Toro.”

The Five Red Star resort, which was thesetting for the G8 summit of world lead-ers last summer, offers three champi-onship courses together with a myriad ofsporting and leisure activities.

As well as the challenge of the King’sCourse, the secluded charms of theQueen’s Course, and the nine-hole WeeCourse, there is the PGA Centenary Coursecreated by Jack Nicklaus in 1990, venuefor the 40th Ryder Cup matches in 2014.

The original Gleneagles courses,although not by the sea, resemble olderand more established links courses inScotland and were designed by reveredgolf course architect James Braid.

Appointed by Donald Matheson thefounder of Gleneagles, Braid began turn-ing the dramatic landscape into theKing’s and Queen’s Courses shortly afterthe conclusion of World War One.

Set in 850 acres of stunning scenery,Gleneagles is one of the leading golf andspa hotels in Scotland. The magnificenthotel was designed in the style of aFrench chateau and Capability Brown, thecelebrated 18th century landscapegardener, inspired the landscaping.

Gleneagles sign with Toroin preparation for 2014

COVER STORY

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News


The future of the Royal Norwich GolfClub looks uncertain after it was revealedinvestigations are already underway tomove the entire club and sell the land forhousing.

The club has been in existence formore than a century, but it could beforced either to relocate to an existingclub or to create a completely newcourse at a local green-field site.

A letter was sent out to all membersand staff in January informing them ofthe possibility of relocating the club as itwas not believed there was a “sustain-able long-term future” beyond the nextten years at its current site.

Blaming safety issues and recentchanges to planning laws which couldimpact on the ability to sell the land forhousing, the letter, from club captainBrian Puplett, added: “We feel that theoutside world is closing in and we are ina vulnerable position with our neigh-bours.

“Recent changes in planning law haveresulted in the club being advised,professionally, that we need to protectour position regarding the RegionalSpatial Plan.

“If we do not act by the middle of thisyear, we will be precluded from any real-istic chance of obtaining planningpermission until 2021, as all of theassumed residential growth in Norwichwill have been allocated to other sites.”

Puplett said the club’s aim would be tobuy an existing club, with the letteridentifying Weston Park Golf Club, atLenwade, just outside of Norwich, asbeing “open to an approach”.

Alternatively, a completely new coursewould have to be developed at a green-field site. Although the 120-acre sitewould be likely to fetch millions if sold,the letter to members reveals it is not asvaluable as was estimated in the past.

A special meeting will be called whenthe club comes up with any outlineproposals, with members being fullyconsulted on any major decisions.

The club, which celebrated its cente-nary in 1993, is one of only three royalclubs in Norfolk and has hosted countlessamateur and professional tournamentsover the years, including the ladies’British Strokeplay Championship and thefinals of the English Ladies CountyChampionship.

Royal Norwich shapes up toacquire Weston Park

Naan golferswelcome

A south Wales restaurant chain hastaken over the clubhouse catering atPeterstone Lakes Golf Club, locatedbetween Cardiff and Newport.

It is believed to be the only clubhousein the UK to have its own Indian restau-rant.

The Cinnamon Group has entered intoan agreement with the golf club to runits conference, wedding and banquetingfacilities, in addition to providing aunique bar menu for the 600 members.

Bodrul Hussain, one of the directors ofthe Cinnamon Group, is a member at theclub. The 11-handicapper explained: “Italways struck me the area didn’t havemany Indian restaurants.

“When the idea came up we thought itwas a fantastic opportunity and we’reconfident it will become the perfect 19thhole.”

Welsh Tour pro Bradley Dredge was allin favour of the new restaurant. He said:“I think it’s a great idea. I love Indianfood. I think it should go down verywell.”

John Deere appoints new mdAfter 37 years of dedicated service to John Deere, Alec McKee (pictured above right)

retired at the end of December 2005, and was replaced as managing director of JohnDeere Limited by Richard Johnson (pictured above left).

“Alec’s broad business experience in Europe, Russia, and North America and hisextensive knowledge of dealer operations will be greatly missed,” commented JamesIsrael, Deere and Company’s vice-president, marketing and product support for Europe,Africa and the Middle East, when the announcements were made.

Marcus Whitejoins IrriPlan

Marcus White has become a partner inindependent irrigation consultancyIrriPlan. He’ll work alongside GilesWardle in the business he founded andwhich celebrated its 10th anniversaryduring 2004.

Commenting on the new partnershipWardle said: “It combines the skills ofthe two most qualified irrigation engi-neers in the UK golf industry, both withsignificant experience of working onmajor projects here and abroad.

“This will enable us to offer a widerrange of services to our existing clientbase within the golf and sports turfindustry.”

White joins the company from 2ic,where he was a partner for four years.


The Wildernesse Golf Club at Seal, near Sevenoaks in Kent, has taken delivery of aWiedenmann Terra Spike XF from local dealer, Ernest Doe and Sons. Huw Morgan has

been course manager at the club for the past 12 years and during his tenure has wonthe 2001 BIGGA Excellence in Greenkeeping award and in 2002 became a Master

Greenkeeper. He was formerly head greenkeeper at Southerndown Golf Club nearBridgend and certainly appreciates the benefits of deep aeration to a golf course.

Terra Spike in the Wildernesse

www.swangolfdesigns.comINTERNATIONAL GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS

t f+44 (0) 1277 [email protected]

+44 (0) 1277 896300

If you’ve got wind, read on...For courses where wind is a regular

factor, RainBird has developed the newEagle 700/750 Wind Tolerant nozzlesfollowing research proving that loweringthe trajectory of the spray is only thefirst step to a fully effective solution.

Making a sprinkler that performsconsistently well in windy conditionsrequires a significantly deeper under-standing of the issues involved, and

better technology and design for thesolutions required.

The new RainBird Eagle 700/750 WindTolerant nozzles combines a lower trajec-tory with innovative design features thatproduces a larger water droplet size tocounter the strength of the wind moreeffectively, and a specially adapted spraypattern that make the sprinkler trulywind tolerant.

Divorce onthe cards atGretna

Members have launched a campaign tosave Gretna Golf Club from the threat ofclosure. Owner Martin Birnie says theclub is no longer commercially viable andcould close at the end of March.

Feelings were running high at a meet-ing in January when more than 50 clubmembers turned up at the clubhouse todiscuss how they might be able to savetheir club.

One option is to persuade Birnie tosell the land as a club and then find abuyer or funding.

Past captain and handicap secretarySteven Burgess said the closure threathad come as a complete shock tomembers.

The 48-acre nine-hole course, whichwas designed by Nigel Williams, waspreviously used as agricultural landbefore it was developed as a golf courseby Birnie’s late father in the early 1990s.

News


With construction activities underwayat Vasatorp Golfklubb, the course archi-tects at Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest andAssociates (AHSF) are poised to continuetheir remaking of the Swedish golf land-scape.

AHSF was responsible for the new HillsGolf Club, unveiled last year nearGothenburg, and with another hotlyanticipated project, Sand Golf Club, near-ing completion in Jonkoping, AHSF wasthe natural choice to upgrade Vasatorp,one of Sweden’s first true championshipvenues (pictured below).

Vasatorp, which now boasts 45 holes,will soon present four distinctly differentgolf experiences to its members and theirguests. Currently, the club boasts a clas-sic British 18-hole parkland course, anewly opened nine-hole short course anda testing, full-length nine-hole loop.

With an eye toward attracting futuretournament play the club has retainedAHSF to remake the full-length nine-holeloop and add nine more to create what isessentially a brand new, 18-hole champi-onship course at the club which is locat-ed in Helsingborg.

Ground was broken late last year, and agrand opening has been scheduled forspring 2008. “This project is part renova-tion, part new design,” says SteveForrest, partner and principal at AHSF.

“But our remaking of the existing nineholes is so extensive, it’s more accurateto call it a brand new 18-hole course,” .

“As one gathers from Vasatorp’s histo-ry, the club has maintained an interest inimproving the facility, expanding it andattracting prestigious tournaments. The18 holes we’ve designed here will do allthree things.

“Stylistically, the existing nine-holeproperty is accented by a some beautifulmature trees - oaks and towering, oldpines - while the new nine has beenrouted on open land using a linkslandtheme, with spectator mounding separat-ing the playing corridors.

“It’s going to be long enough to testthe world’s best players - some 7,300yards - but I believe competitors, specta-tors and club members will be moststruck by the variety of strategic chal-lenges. It’s going to be quite a golfcourse.”

Arthur Hills/Steve Forrestturns up the heat in Sweden

Golfer’s biblenow available

The 2006 edition of The R&A Golfer’sHandbook - the ultimate reference bookfor golfers and club officials - has beenpublished by Macmillan, priced at £25.00

The R&A Golfer’s Handbook provides awealth of information and statistics, andhas once again been edited by RentonLaidlaw, former golf correspondent forthe Evening Standard.

Toro encouraged by firstquarter profits

The Toro Company has reported netearnings of $14.3 million, or $0.32 perdiluted share, on net sales of $369.6million for its fiscal 2006 first quarterended February 3, 2006.

In the comparable fiscal 2005 period,Toro reported net earnings of $11.2million, or $0.23 per diluted share, onnet sales of $346.9 million.

The international business posted ahealthy sales increase, primarily from itsturf machinery and irrigation markets,together with strong contributions fromHayter Ltd, which the company acquiredin February 2005.

Compared to the fiscal 2005 first quar-ter, international sales grew an impres-sive 33.9 per cent.

New Alliancetakes shape

Four of Europe’s golf groups havejoined forces to form the Premier GolfAlliance, a unique partnership that willoffer members unique deals at golfcourses and resorts across Europe.

The quartet of golf companies involvedare the British-based Leaderboard Group,Open championship venue WestinTurnberry Resort, Le Meridien Group andthe MedGroup, which owns La MangaClub (pictured above) in southern Spain.

The Premier Golf Alliance was thebrainchild of Leaderboard Group chair-man Paul Gibbons, in conjunction withthe group’s sales and marketing director,David Walls.

Walls said: “The idea is to make inter-action between selective golf companieseasier and to make membership of any ofthe clubs owned by the four groups moreexciting and advantageous in terms ofquality opportunities.

“We felt it was about time we workedtogether to offer our loyal members morevalue for money with their memberships– and there’s clearly no better way thanby taking advantage of terrific deals andinitiatives at some of Europe’s leadinggolf clubs and resorts.”

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Golf clubs are set to be ‘shaken but notstirred’ by the news that Ian Fleming haswritten another book – but this is not aJames Bond thriller!

This Ian Fleming, a VAT specialist fromCarlisle, has put his knowledge of bothgolf and accountancy to good use to pena book about the turbulent history andpitfalls encountered by golf clubs from aVAT point of view.

Fleming, who works as group VATconsultant for Carlisle accountancy firmArmstrong Watson, was inspired to writethe book after his passion for golf ledhim to look into the complexities of theVAT aspects of the golf business.

“I’m a keen golfer and although it mayseem odd, golf clubs have had a lot ofproblems with VAT since the system start-ed,” explained Fleming.

“There have been some fascinatingcourt cases and tribunals with some legalwrangling ending up at the EuropeanCourt of Justice and I thought it wouldbe a useful tool for people to know thepitfalls to look out for from the start.”

A Walk down the Fairway of ValueAdded Tax, priced £16.95, was snappedup by London publishers Spiramus Presswho published the book in January,featuring Carlisle Golf Club on the frontcover.

News


The World isVAT Enough

Tee AnotherDay for MrGolf-finger

Sir Sean Connery has splashed out£44,000 to join one of the world’s mostexclusive golf clubs.

The James Bond legend has becomeone of the founding members of theAbaco Club in the Bahamas, which is runby Bovey Castle boss Peter de Savarywho built up the club after selling theluxury Skibo Castle estate in Scotland.

Set on a 500-acre peninsula on theprivate island of Abaco, the course canbe reached only by private plane.

The club brochure boasts it is “theonly Scottish-style, championship 18-hole tropical links golf course in theCaribbean.”

Buying a small cottage on the estatecosts more than £750,000 and a plot ofland can cost up to £2m.

A club spokesman said: “When he firstcame to tee up Sir Sean said, ‘Lads, thisreminds me of Scotland. Scots only wishthey had this type of weather’.”

Swan Golf Designs has begun the nextphase in the renovation of the 1932 linkscourse at Miramar, just south of Oportoin Northern Portugal.

The original Mackenzie Ross layout hasalready seen the redesign of three greensalong the Atlantic shoreline with thecreation of two new holes and a practiceground and academy.

Later this year, Swan Golf Designsintends to redesign the remaining six

greens for reconstruction in two furtherphases of the renovation programme.

Commenting on the project, HowardSwan said: “I am pleased to be back atone of Portugal’s oldest courses, on sucha beautiful links, and a wonderful tradi-tional character to the club and course”

In Miramar’s long-term plans is anextension to eighteen holes togetherwith the provision of a driving range andthree hole academy course.

Swan’s Top Gun at Mirimar

Licence toThrill atHeaton Park

Heaton Park Golf Club, Manchester,has won the ‘Best Municipal Golf Coursein Great Britain’ award for 2005.

The treasured accolade was awarded byGolfPunk magazine.

The Heaton Park course is now 96years old and is owned by ManchesterCity Council. It is run by PlayGolf, whichhas a 20-year contract with the council.

Golf mad amateur Brian Dique is thethriving club’s enthusiastic generalmanager. He said: “As well as a finecourse we also have an attractive,modern, purpose-built clubhouse whichwas opened less than ten years ago.

“Also on site are a driving range withexcellent state-of-the-art teaching facili-ties available to our teaching pro, GaryDermott, and we also have a fine par-three course.

“Manchester City Council has investedheavily in Heaton Park and it was pleas-ing to report on a record-breaking yearfor rounds played in 2005.

“To win such an award is a fabulousachievement. It is a reward for the workdone by a fabulous team of greenkeepersand all of the other staff who offer agreat service.”


There might have been familiar faces greeting visitors to British Seed Houses’stand, but the UK seed company had a distinctive new look at BTME 2006. It sported

new exhibition graphics, stationery and product literature on its stand, and enter-tained a packed house of customers and key industry delegates at its celebrity

luncheon, where cricket pundit Henry Blofeld amused his audience with tales fromthe commentary box.

New look for BSH

Scottish Grass Machinery has beenappointed as approved dealers of Torocommercial and golf products and Haytergrounds products for Northern Scotland.

The new distributorships cover theareas of Perthshire, Tayside, Angus andall points north and will be supported byareas sales managers Sandy Leys and GaryMcCandless.

Part of the Inverkeithing based SGMGroup, Scottish Grass Machinery willprovide a comprehensive sales and serv-ice back up from existing depots inInverness, Aberdeen and Perth.

Commenting on these new distributionappointments, Steven McInroy, ScottishGrass Machinery’s md said: “In buildingthis business, our focus has always beento add top quality names to the list ofmanufacturers we represent and, withToro and Hayter, we have certainlyachieved that.

“We are obviously delighted to havesecured these franchises and look forwardto offering customers in NorthernScotland the very best sales and aftersales support on Toro and Hayter prod-ucts.”

Peter Mansfield, general manager, Lely(UK) Ltd, Toro’s UK distributor, said: “Weare confident that the sales, service andsupport network established by SGM willprovide a major boost for our products inNorthern Scotland and we look forward toa long, mutually rewarding business rela-tionship with SGM.”

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

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A Somerset golf club has been boughtby its members after being offered to themarket by Savills Leisure department.

The sale of 18-hole Orchardleigh GolfCourse, near Bath, was negotiated by theLeisure Team in Oxford for close to theguide price of £1.35m.

The proprietary members’ club, set inparkland originally belonging toOrchardleigh House, has a purpose-builtclubhouse, driving range and practicearea, which complement the profession-ally designed and constructed golfcourse.

Sarah Payne from Savills’ LeisureDepartment said: “Orchardleigh is aparticularly attractive golf course, set inan attractive parkland, and is a wellestablished and profitable business.

“The members purchase of the proper-ty demonstrates how highly they valuethis well presented facility.”

Orchardleighacquired forguide price

The Way Forward


BUGGIES AND GPS

This year is set to see a massive increase in the use of GPS devices on courses, and inparticular hand-held devices. David Bowers takes a look at how your club could benefit,whilst examining the golf car market at the same time.

Like a runaway train or a snow-ball descending down a hill ina Wile E Coyote cartoon theuse of GPS units in club

competitions seems to be gatheringpace.

Many clubs have indicated theyhave little choice but to approve the useof GPS devices in club competitionsfollowing the recent Royal and Ancientruling. Some are regarding it as a posi-

tive move while others are acqui-escing with some reluctance.

However, there are alot of positives to be takenout of the ruling. For astart it makes it much easi-er to control and monitorplayers on the course.

And with an increase inthe number of courses being

mapped, commercial trendssuggest more and more players

will purchase units in the nearfuture.

That obviously will lead toincreased revenue if clubs strike a

sensible deal with the GPS compa-nies.

And if you are digging your heels inand insisting GPS units can�t be usedbecause they are on buggies and thelatter are not allowed in club competi-tions then hold your proverbial horses -because hand-held GPS units arebecoming more prevalent.Gadgets�The SkyCaddie combines two thingsmen love: gadgets and golf�� so readan article in a recent consumer maga-zine. But, heaven forbid, it should onlybe used by guys. It is the officialrangefinder for the Fore Tour and thePGA Europro Tour.

Using a powerful microprocessor,GPS, and satellite-based accuracyenhancement technology, the hand-heldSkyCaddie automatically calculatesdistances to up to 40 targets per hole,simultaneously, in under a second.

The product is bought and ownedby the player, taking away from theclub the hassle of renting units. There isan opportunity to make profit fromsales of units, but more so to get theclub name on the ever-increasing list oftop venues which are SkyCaddieenabled. !


Glynn Patrick has had an illustriouscareer in the golf industry with premi-um outfits such as Massey Ferguson,Ransomes Jacobsen and MOX. Yet it isas a partner in Internet Leisure SystemsLtd that he is most excited. For thecompany distributes the SkyCaddie inthe UK. And Patrick for one wasdelighted to see the R&A change itsrules.

�We did have an inkling it wasgoing to change,� he said. �And it�smade such a difference to people�s atti-tudes.Perception�Previously we had to rebuff the percep-tion it was cheating. But how was it?Sprinkler heads have distances on them;practically every course now offers acourse guide and the pros know everyinch of grass on the course because theircaddies have already mapped it!

�So why shouldn�t the amateur havethat advantage as well. It�s just offeringdistance information.�

Patrick insists it is the way thecourses are mapped with SkyCaddiethat gives his product the advantage.The courses are walked - often by expe-rienced golf pros - not merely adaptedfrom satellite imagery.

The greens are also walked meticu-lously to enable distances to be given tothe front, centre and rear of the greenfrom any line of view. The pin positioncan then be added according to theday�s specification.

There are already 10,000 courses onthe SkyCaddie worldwide database andPatrick insists there will be 400 in theUK alone by April - the overall target is1,800.

From point of contact, when theclub gets in touch with SkyCaddie, tothe finished product is around fiveweeks.

Patrick added: �The advantage toclubs is threefold. They get exposure ona worldwide website. They can makemoney selling the units in the clubshop. But most importantly, they canspeed up play.

�A survey carried out by Rankmarkin the US showed that on average usingGPS took 30 minutes off a round ofgolf.� He added: �Until we can map allthe courses, the SkyCaddie does offerthe facility for a player to map fivecourses himself with distances to front,centre and back of the green. That�s animportant feature.�The Caddy�Distance IS everything� claims theblurb for the Caddy which is manufac-tured by Golf Plus. The companyclaims it can map a course within 14days of an online request and the serv-ice can be requested for a course whenregistering the Caddy online in main-land England, Wales and Scotland.

The Caddy Bank is capable of hold-ing up to 10 different course maps atany one time - others may be stored in apersonal Caddy Bank and downloadedwhen it suits.

The capacity of the Caddy Bankdepends upon the membership profile.With a platinum membership there�s alot more available than simplyrangefinding. Distances can be record-ed on a club-by-club basis and recordscan be maintained for all the coursesplayed and the scores achieved at eachhole. !

�WE HAD TO REBUFF THE PERCEPTION IT WAS CHEATING. BUT HOW

WAS IT? SPRINKLER HEADS HAVE DISTANCES ON THEM;

PRACTICALLY EVERY COURSE NOW OFFERS A COURSE GUIDE

AND THE PROS KNOW EVERY INCH OF GRASS ON THE COURSE�

Mox really deliver on the whole package...�Mox were very helpful with the training, are very good at customer service, and very quick to come outto calls. Mox really deliver on the whole package, and the combination of their leasing and supportarrangements made the buggies an attractive prospect for the club.�Sally Burr, Secretary Manager Purley Downs Golf Club, Surrey.

Making the most from your buggies? Wondering about introducing them at your club? If you want a company that�s a partner not just a supplier, then come and talk to us on 0088770011 664466 000044, or e-mail us at [email protected]

But don�t just take our word for it...

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THE NO.1 GOLF CAR IN THE WORLDFor fifty years, E-Z-GO has been the world’s first choice for golf cars.Today two out of three new courses choose E-Z-GO.

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Golf Plus Ltd is part of the WaltersGroup of Companies - a £20m electron-ics manufacturer with facilities in HighWycombe and Shanghai in China -which is responsible for the design andmanufacture of the market leadingGPS-based speed camera and black spotdetection system The Road Angel.

The prevalence of hand-helddevices does not mean, howev-er, that buggy-mountedsystems are on the way out.They�re just getting better.

Elumina Iberica is theofficial GPS supplier to thePGAs of Europe, offeringthe popular ProLinksystem. It currently hasaround an 80 per centmarket share of the on-board GPS market

Angela Catlin, theElumina Group�s interna-tional marketing director,is in no doubt why clubsshould buy buggie-mount-ed systems.

She said: �Handhelds aretoo small, too bulky and have to berecharged after every round. The screensare small and people cannot read them.They are too bulky for pockets.

�They are not the future and we donot see them as a threat to our businessas they act purely as a distance markeror course guide.�

�Through the unique advertisingfacility on our system, golf clubs cangreatly increase their revenue,� sheclaimed. �Our GPS system decreases

the average playing time by over30 minutes adding thousands ofpounds to revenue.

�Our course managementsystems are the third largest

revenue-generating itemsto a course after greenfees and buggy rentals.Food and beveragerevenues are increasedby 30 to 40 per cent;the number of coursepersonnel required isdecreased; and advertis-

ing and hole sponsorshipsalso add to the revenue

stream.�GraphicsThe large colour monitor actsas a professional caddie andis designed to be informative.As the buggy moves around

the course, the system auto-matically updates itself and

presents photo-quality graphics ofeach hole.

At a glance, golfers can see theentire hole, including sand, water,bunkers, trees and rough areas. Theycan also see where they are in referenceto the buggy in front of them which isvery useful from a health and safetyaspect.

Pro tips can also be accessed forquick advice. Golfers can also order foodand beverages from the convenience ofthe cart and can communicate with thepro shop for emergency assistance, sendfor a ranger, report a lost or found cluband reply to golf club surveys.

Catlin added: �The interactive tour-nament scoring turns an ordinary eventinto a customised, interactive, tour-likeevent for golfers of all skill levels. Theleaderboard can also be transmitted toany screens in the clubhouse forcompeting golfers to view results aftertheir round of golf.

�The tournament leaderboard great-ly increases enjoyment for the golferensuring societies and visitors alikereturn to the club for future events.

�ProLink makes any tournamenttasks trouble-free, keeps golfers enter-tained and leads to more tournamentrounds at courses - that�s not somethinghandhelds can offer.�

Sandy Jones, chairman of thePGAsE said in a recent newsletter tomembers: �We believe that we onlyassociate ourselves with the best, andthe leaders, in their field and Eluminaare certainly in this category.

�Having witnessed the product inaction then it is a great privilege to beassociated with the company and aproduct making the game even moreenjoyable for all golfers the worldover.�

A Textron Company

®

Elumina, with offices in the UK,Spain, France and the Middle East,holds the franchise to market across 37European countries and the Middle-East. The system is in operation atmany prestigious venues, includingValderrama - Spain�s 1997 Ryder Cupvenue, Brocket Hall and Les Bordes, inFrance.

In addition to all the benefits to thegolfer, ParView offers course managersor tournament organisers instant infor-mation such as how many golfers areon the course, where they are, the speedof - or lack of - their progress and theirup-to-date scores.

It can therefore provide a leaderboard, up-dated shot by shot, for allcompetitors and onlookers to see attheir leisure.

This link between golfer and club-house provides the chance for cateringto be arranged to coincide with thecompletion of a round and allows alsofor advertising with logos and slogansof company day hosts, and supportsponsors to be displayed on screen.

And if you�re looking to expandyour course facilities with buggies andGPS but are put off by cost, you mightbe pleased to learn that the former fran-chisee for ClubCar in the UK is back inthe golf car business - with a difference.

The directors of Abingdon-basedUsed Golf Buggies have been involvedin the industry for many years, initially

with ClubCar and subsequently Mox,before turning their attentions to otherbusiness interests within the sportingarena..

But now they�re back, as directorPaul Male explained: �The reasonwe�re back in the golf buggy businessis quite simple - people kept coming tous and asking if we could help,� he saidsuccinctly.Used�The directors of Used Golf Buggieshave been involved in the golf buggymarket for many years and we wereformally owners of one of the largestgolf buggy companies in the UK,� saidMale.

�We are not looking to competehead on with the likes of EZGO,Yamaha or Club Car, but to simplyoffer an afffordable and reliable optionfor those clubs seeking to purchase afew used golf buggies.�

The company caters for one or afleet of buggies and lives up to itsname, supplying anything from a basictwo-seater model all the way up to afleet of utility vehicles to help with on-course maintenance.

Quality control is provided by ateam of experienced staff who can alsopersonalise buggies to fit the needs ofindividual clients. They are also pleasedto advise on special requirements suchas trailers for transportation, weathercovers and security locks.

Ladies in Peril


LADIES’ GOLF

Giving women golfers equalrights with men may havebackfired if a surveycommissioned by the

LGU proves to be on the ball. Only just one club in six has a wait-

ing list for female membership and oneof the reasons is that applicants shy atpaying the same level of fees as men.

The most comprehensive study ofladies� golf ever conducted in GreatBritain and Northern Ireland carried outby Comperio Research is based onquizzing 1,200 golfers and 369 golfclub secretaries. The findings should actas a wake-up call for clubs draggingtheir feet into the 21st century.

While massive media attentionfocuses on the glamourous images ofAnnika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie andtrendy teenagers like HenriettaBrockway, the situation at grass rootslevel where everybody has to start,

conveys a different message from theworld of millionairesses.

A downward trend in the number ofwomen golfers, who are also golf clubmembers, underpins the research proj-ect that drew critical acclaim from with-in the LGU.

Andy Salmon the chief executivesaid: �We have a wealth of new infor-mation which in many cases confirmswhat has long been believed. Clearly,the ladies� game has a number of issueswhich need to be addressed for the longterm good of the game.

�We have shared and discussedthese findings with the ladies� andmen�s unions in each of England,Ireland, Scotland and Wales and nowlook forward to seeing how they andtheir respective partnerships, whererelevant, utilise the data to take thegame and specifically, ladies� golf,forward.�

It is Salmon�s opinion that the LGUneed to get to grips with their members�requirements. �With so many changesin lifestyles and attitudes, it is moreimportant than ever that we understandthe views of women golfers about theirgame and its future developments.�

The survey revealed that the averagegolf club in Great Britain has 103women members, each paying an annu-al membership fee of £460 althoughthese figures do vary between counties.VacanciesOver two-thirds of clubs were found tohave vacancies for women with onaverage 26 places available. Clubs werefound to have 460 men, 107 women, 58boys and only seven girls as members.

According to the survey, the averagewoman golfer is between 55-64 yearsof age with a handicap of 25, plays twoor three times a week and golf is hermain pastime.

As John Vinicombe investigates, despite the best efforts of high-profile ladies such asMichelle Wie and Annika Sorenstam, the state of the Ladies game in Great Britain is farfrom healthy with club after club reporting a reduction in female members.


She is married with children and hasplayed for 17 years. Nearly nine out often have another member of theirhousehold who plays golf.

Questioned on barriers to morewomen playing, the principal responsesin the questionnaire were: lack of time,53.9 per cent; lack of TV coverage ofwomen�s golf, 42.2 per cent; clubs toomale dominated, 41.6 per cent and tooexpensive, 40.5 per cent. Clubsperceived as unfriendly polled 28.9 percent; lack of family atmosphere, 24.9per cent and dress code, 16.1 per cent.

Although access to membership isnot a barrier, with 96.5 per cent of clubssurveyed having equal admission forboth sexes, researchers found strongsupport for the view that governmentshould legislate to make discriminationin clubs on the basis of gender, illegal.This situation already exists in Ireland.

Additionally, two-thirds of womeninterviewed thought that men andwomen only clubs damage the image ofthe game. But views were less clearcuton the future for men or women onlyclub membership with less than 49 percent viewing them as unacceptable.Over one-third supported the right tochoose membership of a men only orwomen only club and 16.4 per cent heldno strong opinions.

The LGU has over 200,000members at 2,700 clubs. Numbers inGreat Britain and Northern Ireland hasfallen from 225,276 in 2001 to 215,437in 2005.

Ironically, in Scotland, the home ofgolf, membership of women�s sectionsdropped by 10 per cent in five years.While there are 200,000 male clubmembers, the figure for women is lessthan 35,000.

In the past the majority of clubsoperated a system whereby women paidlower annual fees. The other side of thecoin was a condition of less access toplay and no voting rights. Often therewere complaints at being cold shoul-dered and treated as second classmembers. Under the Sex DiscriminationAct, the gender inbalance was redressedand total equality established.

This, however, for some womenhaving to count their pennies, is therub. Having to take out the samesubscription as men imposes a financialburden although the majority of clubsoperate special husband-and-wife fees.

There are much reduced charges forjuniors and students but there is still areluctance for girls to take up member-ships unless introduced by a familymember or friend. For them the gameneeds to be cool.

Most clubs, in the current financialclimate, would look askance at anappreciable reduction in fees for adultsas many are battling to stay afloat.

The ball is now in the court of theclubs. Pam Chugg, chairman of theLGU said: �I am determined to put intoaction our aims to take ladies� golfforward and in particular, to bring moreyoung people into the game. I am awarethat there are problems getting girls intogolf and keeping them there.

�However, we wish to bring into thegame not only juniors but also youngwomen in their twenties and thirties andin order to do that we must encourageclubs to adopt a family friendly andmore relaxed attitude.

�Now, with hard facts underliningwhat we had always suspected, we canassist governing bodies, clubs and indi-viduals in ensuring that ladies� golf hasan assured future.�BarriersThe onus on clubs to change was putmore forcibly by Di Langridge, presi-dent of the Sussex County Ladies.�They must break down the barriers tobecome more accessible. To do this,they need to become sports clubs ratherthan institutions, membership fees mustbe hugely reduced and they mustprovide a social environment accept-able to young people.

�The need for smoking rooms andleather chairs has long gone, togetherwith the tweed skirts and glass of port,m�dear, mentality. Although many willnot want to agree, the establishmentisn�t what it used to be and we oldieswho love the game of golf ignore this atour peril.�

Clubs outside the scope of the surveyenjoy a special and independent status.These are the handful of women onlyclubs. Formby Ladies� on Merseyside,founded in 1896, has 250 full and 50house memberships. Full members pay£856 a year and men may only play atFormby as associate or family members.

Sunningdale Ladies� is a prestigiousaddress in Ascot while, in NorthernIreland, ladies who lunch, join RoyalCounty Down. In Scotland they congre-gate at Kinghorn in the grandly namedKingdom of Fife.

Clubs such as these are unlikely tofeel the pinch as exclusive groups ofany description enjoy a certain cachet.In the case of women�s clubs they werenot slow in taking up the game on anorganised basis. The first recordedladies� club was at St Andrews startingabout 1867 when they played over aputting course.

In England the ice was first brokenat Westward Ho! in Devon. The yearwas 1868 and by 1889 at least 14ladies� courses had sprung up inEngland and Scotland. What took themso long?

Mary Queen of Scots and the fish-wives of Musselburgh had set the ballrolling over 400 years earlier.

Location, Location


CLUB INSIGHT

When you consider howeasy it is for Premiershipfootball clubs to squan-der £7.5m on a flash-in-

the-pan striker, it�s reassuring to seehow well the money can be spent at agolf club.

The Leaderboard Group�s slogan is�owners of fine golf courses� - itmentions nothing about fine hotels, butthen Dale Hill is the only one within thegroup.GibbonsBut the £7.5m invested byLeaderboard�s owners, Paul andJennifer Gibbons, would certainlyallow the use of the adjective if appliedto the 35-room, four-star hotel, which issituated conveniently a mile away fromthe busy A21 trunk road.

General manager David Colyer tooka leap of faith when taking the job atDale Hill in November 2003.

He trained as an hotelier, with fiveyears experience at Thistle Hotelsbefore an 18-year-stint at the prestigiousSpa Hotel in nearby Tunbridge Wells.

Finding himself in effectively adead man�s shoes scenario Colyerdecided to move on. With his wifeowning a business locally, he didn�tparticularly want to return to the Cityso jumped at the chance to try his handat golf club management.

He explained: �It was somethingnew to learn. I pretty much walkedstraight into a new build. I�d beeninvolved with refurbishment before butnothing on this scale.�

He was referring to the impressiveconference and banqueting facilities atDale Hill which opened in October2004. The commitment to improve facil-ities at Dale Hill was made immediatelythe Sussex course was purchased by theGibbons-owned Leaderboard Group. !

As the only club in the Leaderboard�s portfolio to feature a hotel, you would think thatDale Hill was ideally placed to clean up. However, as David Bowers found out on a recentvisit, location is everything when it comes to playing the hotel game.


And they were true to their word,improving every aspect of the business,refurbishing each and every one of thehotel rooms to a very high standard.

Colyer is an unabashed admirer ofthe Gibbonses� management. He�s notsycophantic, merely respectful of theway they carry out their business.

Dale Hill might benefit from beingthe only course in the group with ahotel - although The Oxfordshire islooking in that direction - but one imag-ines any hotel property under theLeaderboard banner would be kept atthe same standard.

Colyer added: �While the work wasdone in the hotel there was also a largeinvestment made in the drainage on theWoosnam course. The greens areUSGA standard but at the time thecourse was originally built I think therepossibly wasn�t the money to put in thebest available drainage.

Paul and Jennifer invested in that assoon as they bought the place in August2001. �The comments we�ve beenreceiving this year say the courses arein the best condition they�ve ever beenin, which can only be down to theinvestment in them.

�One of the great things aboutLeaderboard is that we can makechanges if we want to. We have accessto Paul and Jennifer practically 24/7which is tremendous.�

It might also create a bit of healthyrivalry with another Leaderboardcourse, Chart Hills, just a few milesacross the Kent border at Biddenden.

�Ours and Chart Hills territoriescross - but it doesn�t cause problems,�added Colyer. �Chart Hills has a greatreputation for its golf course. But theWoosnam course is also a great course. Itcan play easier than Chart Hills though,so they attract a different type of golfer.Ally�Chart Hills is one of our biggestcompetitors - but also our biggest ally.For example we work together on theFaldo-Woosnam challenge, which allowsvisitors a round on the two courses plusan overnight B&B stay at Dale Hill.�

The whole package starts at just£160 and is one of the venue�s mostpopular breaks.

The two clubs also worked togetherclosely on last year�s Ladies EnglishOpen which was hosted by the Kentclub, with Dale Hill�s hotel welcomingplayers and officials. The relationshipalso benefits members.

�When we are hollow coring ourmembers are allowed to play at ChartHills and vice versa,� said Colyer. �Itkeeps the membership happy - andthat�s a big aspect of the business.�

Not as big as it could be, however,for while Colyer expresses satisfactionat retaining the majority of the 800members, he admits the club could copewith 900 - or maybe even as high as1,000.

He said: �The members here havebeen really, really positive. I�ve beenexceedingly lucky with them. They�vebeen very supportive of everythingthat�s been done.

�I suppose having two courses helpsenormously. The members tend to playthe old course which leaves theWoosnam course pretty free. That�s aluxury my colleagues within the groupdon�t have, with the possible exceptionof Sandford Springs which has threeloops of nine.�

That leaves the Woosnam courseavailable for green-fee-paying visitors,many of them on the controversial two-for-one scheme.

�We do a lot of two-for-one busi-ness in the winter,� admitted Colyer.�It�s a great concept initially but there�sa danger it may end up being the bulkof your business. It�s something we�relooking at closely at the moment.

�It creates a rod for your own backand keeps the green fees artificiallyhigh because to achieve any sort ofrevenue, we have to have fees of around£55 per round. Value�Our fee works out at £27.50 with abuggy on a midweek two-for-one - andI think that�s tremendous value. Butwhat you have to ask yourself is will£55 put people off if they don�t have atwo-for-one voucher?�

The affable Colyer is in no doubt asto the clientele he does wish to attractthough.

�If I could pick us up and move us11 miles to the outskirts of TunbridgeWells we�d clean up,� he said with awry smile. �We�re just a little bit too farout to pick up a huge amount of corpo-rate business.


Fact FileClub: Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club

WadhurstEast Sussex TN5 7DQEngland

Telephone: 01580 200112Facsimile: 01580 201249Email: [email protected]: www.dalehill.co.uk

General Manager: David Colyer (pictured right)Course Manager: Michael Mosse

Course Info: 36-holesOld Course: Par 69, 5,856 yards (Opened 1973)Woosnam: Par 72, 6,512 yards (Opened 1997)

Members: 800Green Fee: £25 - £65

�It�s a balancing act. I was given afairly strong remit when I joined thatwe needed to get the �right kind ofclientele�.

�With the £7.5 million investmentwe could sell it cheaper but it�s not thekind of business we desire. Mind you,that sounds dreadfully snobby,� helaughed.Raisin d’etre�We have two good golf courses and itwould be wrong of us to give the golfaway - we have to be very careful howwe market the business. If we gave itaway we�d be full tomorrow. But that�snot Leaderboard�s raisin d�etre. We�reat the higher end of the golf and leisurebreak market.

�We�re trying to change the style ofbusiness. It had always been smallgroups of people coming and stayingpreviously. What we want to do isattract societies and corporate business.

�We have started doing that - wehave several big clients who come here,such as HSBC and Courage - that�s thetype of business we excel at.

�We have a great reputation for ourbanqueting and our weddings. SinceLeaderboard took over we�ve gonefrom seven weddings a year to around30 to 40.

�We�re now branching out as we arelicensed to carry out civil ceremonies.That�s quite an exciting step.�

He continued: �My remit was tobring on the quality and standard ofservice. I always believe you canimprove, but I feel we�ve reached alevel now with the quality of the foodthat I�m comfortable with.

�As a hotelier you always want tomake your product a little bit better - butwe have consistently good food now.We have one of the best reputations inthe area and the AA rating is the high-est-rated four-star hotel in the area.

�I know it�s a cliché but we try toexceed people�s expectations. If theyleave happy we�ve done our job right.We need to push the hotel side because,potentially, letting rooms is the mostprofitable part of the business.�

Historically, a buggy is compulsoryon the Woosnam in the summer.Colyer�s not quite sure why the deci-sion was made way back but it doesgive added value to the green fee.

The decision may have had some-thing to do with the layout of thecourse, which does not loop back to theclubhouse after nine. It simply headsstraight out - and comes back.

�That�s just the way the land waslaid out,� smiles Colyer.

And the future appears to bemapped out in pretty much the sameway for Dale Hill. When word gets out,those 11 miles to Tunbridge Wells maywell seem irrelevant.

�WE HAVE TWO GOOD GOLF COURSES AND IT WOULD BE WRONG OF

US TO GIVE THE GOLF AWAY - WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW

WE MARKET THE BUSINESS. IF WE GAVE IT AWAY WE�D BE FULL

TOMORROW. BUT THAT�S NOT LEADERBOARD�S RAISIN D�ETRE.�

Coursework


COURSE MAINTENANCE

Most of the big players inboth equipment andmaterials sectors havelaid down their latest

wares, much of it under lights andindoors at the annual Harrogate green-keeping show back in January.

If we take aeration first, there is aninnovation to the generic Verti-Drain.The company which distributes themachine in the UK, CharterhouseTurf Machinery, has teamed up witha Doncaster firm called Growing

Solutions and Technology todevelop a means of simultane-

ously injecting nutrients intofairways and greens as the

tines create airways. It�s called the

Bios Injector and ismounted directly onto a Verti-Drain unit.

Whatever the machine�s forwardspeed it can apparently apply the exactlevel of bio-stimulant determined byprior soil analysis. Eco-friendlyAn holistic, eco-friendly approach toturf improvement is the marketingspeak for this machine add-on, but itdoes sound promising, especially forclubs with Verti-Drains already.

Multi-tasking is definitely a growtharea for machinery, and typifying this isthe Wiedenmann Super 500, which isscarifier, flail mower and turf sweeperrolled into one. It can switch betweenany of these jobs quite easily thanks totool-free attachment inter-changing.

Working width for all of the func-tions is 1.6 metres and cuttings andother debris are gathered up by a vacu-um collector and deposited into a 2500litre hopper. !

As the sap on the fairways is beginning to rise, March is always a good time to look atwhat�s new - and perhaps tempting - to the world of course managers. Neville Johnsontakes an in-depth looks at who�s offering what this season.


A 2.1 metre dump facility is a usefuloption that enables tipping into trailers,bins and the like.

Also new this is a modular cassettesystem called TurfWorks that can turn atriple mower into a multi-tasker aroundthe course. It�s come on to the marketfrom Cheshire contractor and equip-ment dealer Campey Turfcare Systems,which says that components fit on tothe cutting reels of all the popularmakes of triple.

Initially available are cassettes forverti-cutting, top-dressing brushing,sarel rolling, spiking and scarifying.There is also a rotary grooming brush.All these attachments can be fitted andadjusted without tools and a �wrench-less� height adjustment� facility is aworthy feature too.

It has an interesting bonus too ofbeing able to incorporate a vibratingroller, which is a useful means ofspeeding up greens. Cassette tooling forsmaller mowers does already exist forgreens work courtesy of Dennis, butthis system for triples has wider poten-tial usage.

The mowing scene is pretty static inall honesty, thought there has beenplenty of model tweaking from all thebig manufacturers. Actually, when itcomes to grass control the most inter-esting newcomer has come from thechemicals sector rather than equipmentmanufacturers.ImpressiveTwo producers - Scotts and Syngenta -have combined forces to produce agrowth regulator liquid called PrimoMaxx. The results of trials at 25 or sogolf courses and other sports sites upand down the country are pretty impres-sive, consistently showing that it slowsvertical growth yet increases lateralgrowth and root development.

It works by blocking production ofa grass cell acid, which limits elonga-tion and shortens the distance betweenshoot nodes.

This chemical wizardry is designedto create a tighter, denser surface andthis is borne out by head greenkeepersand turf managers where trials havetaken place. The liquid is spray appliedfrom April and throughout the growingseason and it can be tank-mixed safely

with other fertilisers and nutrientsaccording to Scotts, who describe it as a�revolution�. Author�s exaggeration thismay be, but it does look like a worthylabour and machine time saver.

Probably the smallest item of kitintroduced to the greenkeeping world inrecent times is the IPM Scope, a meansof seeing what�s going on beneathgreens and fairways. It comes via turfadditive producer Headland which hasbeen using it for some time for diagnos-tic work, but now realised how useful itwould be to greenkeepers themselves inheading off and combating turf prob-lems.

It�s a digital mini-microscope offer-ing up to x140 magnification whichenables computer screen viewing ofvideo images of pests and diseases. Itcosts £260, but is surely the ultimategizmo for the hands-on head green-keeper who wants literally to keep aneye on things.

The tedious job of keeping grassrunners at the edge of bunkers in trimcould be less so thanks to a littlemachine from �downunder� called theAtom Bunker Edger.

Aussie lawn edger manufacturerAtom Industries has produced it specif-ically to deal with bunker rough edgesand it�s available now in this countryvia DJ Turfcare.

The boast is it offers an 8-foldimprovement in bunker edging and willsave a club plenty of man-hours over ayear. The National Golf Centre atWoodhall Spa is already using one, sothere�s one vote of confidence at least.

Perhaps I can mention again an ideaworth banking for next winter, which Iplugged in the last issue�s pre-BTMEshow feature. It comes from Yorkshireturf grower Lindum which is nowproducing a real grass alternative toartificial temporary tees but with stay-ing power too.

These mats are made of Grassfelt,which is ryegrass sward on a re-inforced felt base. The grower iscurrently seeing if making them withRhizomatous tall fescue makes themeven more durable. Your members willsurely appreciate such care for theirdriving when the going gets tough fromNovember onwards. !

�WHEN IT COMES TO GRASS CONTROL THE MOST INTERESTING

NEWCOMER HAS COME FROM THE CHEMICALS SECTOR RATHER

THAN EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS.�

Visit St. Andrews Links early some morning and you may be seeing red. Toromowers are used on the world’s most famous tees and greens. And the entire six-course complex is maintained by the Toro SitePro Central Control System — themost advanced irrigation system available. With over 90 years of experience,Toro is the most trusted supplier of turf equipment and irrigation systems to golf courses, parks and individual lawns around the world. Our commitment to providing innova-tive, high quality products and systems to help grow and maintain turf is legendary. We careabout preserving the tradition of golf. We also care about providing the right solution to you.

The Home of Golf isn�t the only home where Toro resides.

© 2006 The Toro Company


Spring Start for Golf Greens...Assist the plant with a strong spring start!Bypass the cold soil and spray the foliage with the essential nutrients and organic compounds it needs this time of year.Carbon NBalanced Nitrogen source with Crenic Saprins (CS)Per 4 MaxImprove density through patented biostimulant chemistryRenaissanceA balanced package of micronutrients and phytochemistryPK FlightK and phosphite with CS for spring rooting and energyProteSynPhotosynthetic support with carbohydrates and amino acids

ContactDavid Snowden [email protected] +44 7799 036996Peter Stromberg [email protected] +46 7077 70961

Different By Design

On the subject of keeping thingsgreen, look out for the new microclovermixtures from seed producer DLFTrifolium which says they are ideal forfairways and roughs.

These fine-leaved clovers stay greenall year round and dish our lashings ofnitrogen to surrounding turf and alsocrowd out weed growth. BenefitThe real benefit, claims the breeder, isthat it reduces considerably the need forfertilisers, fungicides, and even irriga-tion. Apparently there�s no other cloverthat tolerates close mowing in the waythat this does. Perhaps it�s a real moneysaver if you�re doing any large scale re-seeding of roughs and fairways this year.

There are plenty of new additiveson the market for this and that aroundthe course - too many to list here. Onethat does merit a look if your course�sfairways are plagued by plantains,dandelions, creeping thistle and the likeis called Esteem, a new herbicide offer-ing from Vitax.

Importantly, it�s rain-fast in an hourand just three litres will cover a hectareof the course. After two years of testingcontrol of these fairway �beasts� hasapparently been no lower than 97 percent.

And finally, there�s a saying �wherethere�s muck, there�s money�. Not inany sense a new product, but therecould be a big place on the shelf thisyear and thereafter for compost, that�sright compost.

As global warming looms largerwater management gets more importantby the day and trials by the STRI ongolf fairways shows that top dressingwith the stuff aids water retentionsignificantly, and that could be a smartmove if we�re going to get the predict-ed dry summers henceforth.

Conversely, when we get too muchin concentrated bursts - as they say wewill - it�s a great way of dealing withwaterlogging too apparently. For allstudents of the game let�s hope it�s agood year for coursework.

The Hole Truth


OPINION

Chas Ayres is UK sales manager for Wiedenmann UK, the importers and distributors ofthe Wiedenmann Terra Spike range of deep aerators. In this article he dispels some mythswhich golf club committees, management and members often associate with aeration.

The question �Why do we needall these holes everywhere�will have been heard at golfcourses all over the world

and not only in your particular environ-ment. The answers, and there are defi-nitely more than one, can be varieddepending on who you are talking to.

Professional ground staff from allwalks of life can offer you detailed,exact and correct answers and thesewould predominately relate to relievingcompaction. But first we have to under-stand exactly what compaction is andwhat effect it will have on the golfcourse.CompactionRemembering a useful discussion manyyears ago about where do roots go, willhelp explain what we mean bycompaction. Roots do not grow in thesoil, but in the air pockets between thesoil particles.

Compaction results when these airpockets or gaps are closed and the rootshave nowhere to go, hence a saying youmay have heard before �shallow root-ing�.

If the air gaps close, the roots cannotpenetrate and become unhealthy. Ifcompaction exists, water will not drainfreely and will sit in the soil, eventuallybecoming stagnant.

Healthy roots will never grow inthese conditions and soon the playingsurfaces will become waterlogged orboggy and play will be disturbed.Temporary greens may come into play,or uneven surfaces may result and, insome instances, grass just will not grow.

Compaction happens in all soiltypes from sandy to clay and from chalkto silt. Compaction will normallyhappen first in high risk areas such asgreen approaches, walk-off areas andaccess points, but in the long term willhappen everywhere depending on theamount of play on the course.

Just like humans, grass needs air,water and food to be healthy; light andwarmth are also important but we arenot always in control of these.However, the air, food and water issueswe can affect.

The most popular way to relieve thecompaction and halt this potentiallydevastating situation is to put holes inthe ground (aerate) using differentlevels of heaving action relevant to thecondition and the professional green-keeper�s objectives.

Heave is the method of breakingcompaction sub surface and when usedin the correct conditions will �kick� thesub soil into life. Air can get in and givethe grasses roots somewhere healthy to

grow and this is the reason hence whyyou have �holes everywhere� at certaintimes of the year. CalendarClub Championship or Captain�s Dayare important dates in the golfing calen-dar and all greenkeepers will makeevery effort to produce a course in thebest possible condition for these partic-ular events. To achieve this, it will onlybe possible if the necessary aerationwork is carried out earlier in the season.

Another comment frequently heardis: �You have just got the greens in thebest condition they have ever been andthen you go and mess them up.�

Aeration is important throughout theyear and if the correct machine for thejob is used in the correct manner usingthe heaving action at the correct time,very little disturbance will be visible.

You may think this article is all aboutquotes, but they do go a very long wayto understanding golfers� concerns. Asresponsible manufacturers it�s our job toexplain what is happening and why.

So here�s another quote: �All topand no bottom is not good.� This phrasecould be attributed to many instances,but in this context it means that all leafand no root is not the best combinationfor a healthy playing surface.


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Looking at this potential problem ofcompaction, from the clubhouse andmanagement angle, results in all sortsof different issues. Firstly, you need tokeep the customer happy; good greensfor a large majority of the year are apriority, closely followed by other areasof the course. Happy greens will giveyou happy golfers. ReputationIf the condition of the course suffersbecause of compaction, then membersand visitors could move elsewhere allequating to a loss of revenue. A goodreputation in your local area is para-mount for repeat business which willhelp generate continuous or additionalincome.

There are many other areas thataffect your business, the clubhouse, thechanging rooms, the restaurant and bar,but all of these come secondary to thecondition of the course. Allow yourgreenkeepers to do their job with thecorrect machinery and they will deliverthe goods: a course you can be proudof.

Hopefully this article has answeredthe question raised at the beginning, butI�ll leave you with an acronym to log inthe memory bank: LAWN. (Light, Air,Water, Nutrients) are the prime require-ments to promote vigorous grassgrowth. Maybe not in that order, but allare important to the health of yourcourse.

�IF THE CONDITION OF THE COURSE SUFFERS BECAUSE OF

COMPACTION, THEN MEMBERS AND VISITORS COULD MOVE

ELSEWHERE ALL EQUATING TO A LOSS OF REVENUE. A GOOD

REPUTATION IN YOUR LOCAL AREA IS PARAMOUNT FOR REPEAT

BUSINESS WHICH WILL HELP GENERATE CONTINUOUS

OR ADDITIONAL INCOME.�

Portfolio


01473 270000

Myerscough Sign UpMyerscough College, the further and

higher education centre of excel-lence for land-based professions,has signed a five-year preferred

supplier agreement with RansomesJacobsen. The agreement has

already resulted in the delivery ofover £160,000 worth of equipment

to the college for use by students inthe Sportsturf faculty.

01480 226800

Toro gets Seal of ApprovalRoyal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, in

Richmond, has signed a major Torodeal that will bring machinery worth

£700K to its two 18-hole coursesover the next four years. Courses

manager Michael Merrick said: “Weundertook a rigorous evaluation

with four manufacturers and overall,everyone agreed that Toro was the

best choice for us.”

01359 272000

Sales Team Aims HighThe sales team at Bury St Edmunds-based Barenbrug has its sights set

on further growth following its bestyear ever in 2005. After achieving

its highest turnover figure so far,the team, now led by newly

appointed sales manager JamesIngles, announced plans to provide

specialist advice across a wide rangeof market sectors.

01473 270000

Recovering from the FloodStony Holme Golf Course was underat least three metres of water lastyear following severe flooding in

Carlisle. Although the clubhouse isstill closed, the course is now gradu-ally returning to its former condition

and has recently purchased a newJacobsen Greens King VI greens

mower from Rickerby Ltd, to helpcontinue the improvement.

01473 270000

Brocket Hall goes OrangeBrocket Hall Golf Club has taken onan orange hue following the latestdelivery from Ernest Doe and Sons.

Course manager John Moorhouse hasadded more Jacobsen equipment

including the latest AR3 surroundsand approaches mower; an AR250fine cut rotary mower; an LF4677

seven cylinder, light fairway mowerand a further Greens King VI.

0871 220 5353

Scotts appoint SquiresScotts has appointed Stephen

Squires to head its UK and IrelandProfessional Business Group as areasales director. Commenting on theappointment, vice president Fred

Bosch said: “Stephen has proven hisability to develop our PBG businessin the UK and Ireland and his over-

all experience will serve him and hisnew team well.”

0141 814 3366

Aeration is ‘Fundamental’Deep aeration is fundamental to

maintaining the high standards atFrilford Heath Golf Club according to

Sid Arrowsmith and his 17-strongteam of greenkeepers who havebeen using a Wiedenmann M180

aerator since 1994. Now almost 12years old, Arrowsmith has upgraded

to a Terra Spike XP160 which hasbeen purchased from PA Turney Ltd.

01473 270000

New Buggies at The WynyardThe Wynyard Golf Club on the

outskirts of Stockton-on-Tees, hastaken delivery of a fleet of 20 E-Z-GO

electric golf cars from local dealerRickerby Ltd. Commenting at the

handover Paul Millard, coursemanager said: “Our aim here at TheWynyard is to provide the ultimate

golfing experience for everyone whoplays here.”

Along with superb golf and tight competition, whatmakes the Ryder Cup Matches so memorable arethe stunning landscapes where championships arecontested. The dedicated teams of managers, super-intendents and greenkeepers who create these lush,challenging courses count on Toro — and so can you. The same equipment, irrigation systems and support Toro provides to its partners on PGA EuropeanTour sites is available to golf courses everywhere. Whether large or small, new orold, every golf course with the desire to provide memorable golf experiences has awilling partner in this pursuit: Toro. Count on it.

Preferred supplier to the 2006 Ryder Cup Matches.

They count on us... So can you.

© 2

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