gmé | issuu 20

ryder cup 2001After events at the Brookline Country Club in

1999, The Belfry is set to stage golf’s biggesttournament. But what does the Ryder Cupreally mean to the rest of the golf industry?

The leading business magazine for the pan-European golf industry

GolfGolfManagementE u ro p e page 27

August 2001www.portman.uk.com

UK £3.50 Eur €5.75 US $5.25

Brabazon RyderThe Belfry awaits as John Deereprepares for golf’s main event...

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Bernhard Langer has a very valid point. The German, veteran of nine RyderCups, believes the time has come to restructure the qualification rules for theRyder Cup.

He has spent this year earning his crust on the US Tour as opposed to itsEuropean equivalent and he hasn’t done at all badly .

There is little doubt that he is an essential ingredient if Europe are toseriously threaten the USA at The Belfry in September.

Yet as it stands, he will not be an automatic qualifier, because his standing in Europe is a lot lower.

In the 21st century, with supersonic flight now de riguer, how canthe powers that be justify sticking with the clearly outmodedqualification parameters.As Tiger Woods’ dominance of the game becomes greater -seemingly tournament by tournament - more and more ofEurope’s top players are going to be drawn to the US to pittheir wits against Woods, week in, week out.Yet while that is already happening, back home in Europe,the attitude remains that Europeans should compete inEurope. Thus we are left with the ridiculous situationthat anybody who wins any one of the top half-dozentournaments in Europe is likely to be thrust into theRyder Cup team, regardless of experience.The qualification rules were originally set up to rewardthose players who performed consistently throughoutthe season. Now those same rules aredoing exactly the opposite.These people are professionals and they want to testthemselves against the best - and who can blamethem?Similarly, millions of European golf fans want tosee Europe’s strongest-possible team out againstthe might of the USA. Yet with the existing rulesin place we are not likely to see that this year.

Captain Sam Torrance does have the luxury of hiscaptain’s choices, but, as the old English proverbsays: you can’t get a quart into a pint pot.

The current qualifying rules may have sufficed 20years ago, when the team was largely UK based,but there is no excuse for such an insular, islandmentality in the first Ryder Cup of the 21st century.

Golf is a global sport - and that should be recognisedin Europe’s participants in this year’s most prestigious

golf tournament.

Contents

Golf Management Europe August 2001

Ryder Cup re-think nowneeded

issue 20credits;editorJohn Vinicombe

contributorsDavid BowersAlister MarshallRob 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.

Whist 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 2001

cover story 7

course design 15

SALTEX 12

the belfry 23

News

August 2001Golf Management Europe

Lead StoryThe European Institute of Golf CourseArchitects will present a two day confer-ence in December this year at QueensCollege, Cambridge.

Golf, Housing and the Environment -Planning Opportunities for the 21stCentury aims to bring together golfcourse architects, planners, architects,developers and all those interested inthe planning of golf and residentialcommunities.

The conference will include a reviewof the history of golf and real estatedevelopments and will examine presentEuropean planning policy.

There will also be detailed analysis ofcase studies from around the worldwhere residential areas have beensuccessfully integrated with golf and theenvironment.

The demand for housing in the coun-tryside and the impact of golf on green-field sites will also be discussed as willthe development of resort complexes inSouthern Europe and elsewhere aroundthe world.

EIGCA president, Simon Gidman,commented, “We felt the time had cometo bring together everyone involved inthe planning of golf and housingcommunities with a view to improvingthe way these schemes are to bedesigned, developed and managed in thefuture.

“Our keynote speaker will be renownedgolf course architect Desmond Muirheadwho has worked for years on integratinggolf and real estate and will provide uswith a valuable insight into the variousmethods used throughout the world, butparticularly in the United States.

“We anticipate that the conference willattract planners, architects, landscapearchitects, developers, builders andmanagers, so we look forward to welcom-ing delegates from a wide range of disci-plines and providing them with an excit-ing opportunity to discuss the wayforward.”

The conference will be staged atQueens College, Cambridge on December11 and 12, 2001.

Architects plan forCambridge debate

Updating your handicap and payingyour greens fees may not be anythingnew on a membership card, but a jointventure between FöreningsSparbankenand the Swedish Golf Union may allow anew card sporting a unique micro-chip,to be used to withdrawn cash, purchasefuel and buy groceries.

“We want to be able to offer thewidest and most relevant range possi-ble,” said Kennet Karlsson, marketingmanager for cards and payments atFöreningsSparbanken.

“Our association with the Swedish GolfUnion is part of an ongoing developmentprocess to tailor new applications tobest serve our different customersegments.”

The Golf Card (Golfkortet) is beingtested during the 2001 golf season atthe Chalmers Golf Club in Gothenburg,the Ljunghusen Golf Club inFalsterbonäser and the Rönnebäck GolfClub in Malmö and will be graduallyintroduced at all golf clubs in Swedenfrom next season.

New conceptfor SwedishGolf Union

Crown Sports is improving its golfclubs’ incomes following the installationof Sales Manager by software solutionsprovider, SDA.

The organisation operates 19 healthclubs and eight golf clubs and hasadopted Sales Manager for ACT2000! asits standard system following an auditof its sales and IT systems by SDA.

Jim Mills, Crown Sports group salesmanager said: “We were looking to stan-dardise our sales and IT systems toprovide synergy between the golf andhealth clubs and chose SDA due to theirvery good understanding of the market.”

No handicapfor CrownSports

Queenwood Golf Club, a new 18-holeexclusive golf complex located in Surreyscheduled to open in October, hosts aprestigious clientele and a reputationwhich is set to become one of the bestin Europe.

With the air of exquisite taste, ElliottLinked Modules (ELM) were appointed toprovide a temporary clubhouse withamicable room for a high status pro-shopand trophy area.

With the aroma of class the temporaryclubhouse provides unique facilities for

top executive members which shall beused for the next year whilst the newclubhouse is being constructed.

The temporary clubhouse overlooks theDavid Kidd-designed golf course withimmaculate fairways.

Elliott provided their standard linkedmodule together with a very high speci-fication along with exclusive features.

With one swift swing of their clubElliott had this beautiful re-locatablebuilding on site and ready to use withinsix working days.

Elliott hit’s a hole in one


Accommodating contractors, administrators and 170,000 spectators who attendedthis year’s Open Championship proved an easy task for the R&A thanks to building

solutions provided by Portakabin. Michael Wells, championship assistant at the R&Asaid: “We have hired buildings from Portakabin for the Open Championship for the

last three years, and we are always very impressed with the level of service wereceive, as well as the quality of the buildings.”

Firm foundations at The Open

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Textron Golf and Turf has announcedthe introduction of a No Pay ‘til May2002 finance scheme on their completerange of turf care equipment.

Products available under the schemeinclude the Jacobsen golf range of preci-sion mowers and fine turf mowers forsports ground and landscaping applica-tions from Ransomes together with thelarger, ride-on mowers for municipal andcontracting applications, also from theRansomes brand.

The offer including a zero per centfinance package means that with imme-diate effect all relevant equipmentpurchased in the UK for a limited periodonly will have payments deferred untilMay 2002.

Marketing director at Textron, PeterBell said: “This latest offer from TextronTurf Care Finance with zero per centfinance provides end-users with a rangeof options, including hire purchase, leasefinance and operating leases together

with other specially tailored packages tosuit their, very often, individual require-ments and comes with the added benefitof no repayments until May 2002.”

Textron launch buy now, pay later finance scheme

FPDSavills have been instructed to sellAdlington Golf Centre, near MacclesfieldCheshire. The golf centre was opened in1992 and developed by the currentowners into a successful business andlocally renowned golf facility.

Included within the complex is a 24-bay floodlit driving range, integral pro-shop, a nine-hole par-three academycourse built to USGA specification and adetached three-bedroom house.

The 125-acre site also includes addi-tional land with planning consent toconstruct two separate nine-hole cours-es, plus additional driving range andteaching facilities.

Jeremy Rollason of FPDSavills said: “Itis extremely rare for such a specialistand successful golf business to beoffered for sale, particularly in such anaffluent area.”

Offers are invited as a whole at £2.5million, with a possibility of a separatedisposal of the house.

Golf Centrefor sale

News


Hampshire-based Flowtronex Europe isset to open a new sales and servicecentre on the Algarve, Portugal, laterthis summer.

The company’s pumping systemsalready form the backbone of irrigationsystems for the growing number of golfand leisure complexes on the Algarve,and European sales manager, KevinShaw, will be taking up full-time resi-dence in the Portuguese sun.

Commenting on the new office, Shawsaid: “Portugal already has the highestconcentration of Flowtronex equipmentanywhere in Europe apart from the UK,and our systems are the driving forcebehind the irrigation on many of the

major courses on the Algarve, includingVilamoura, Quinta do Lago and Vila Sol.”

In addition to the new Iberian office,Flowtronex are also responsible for theinstallation of two new pump sets, bothof which include the company’sSmoothflow control system and monitor-ing software Pumplog at the K-Club,Ireland, venue of the 2005 Ryder Cup.

One of the sets serves a brand new 18-hole course and the other will beinstalled this summer on the existingcourse, which is undergoing a refurbish-ment programme in preparation for 2005.

The installation is part of a £1 millioncontract awarded to irrigation consul-tants TIS (Sandbach).

Flowtronex Europe booksAlgarve and K-Club tickets

This year, Shell’s Wonderful World ofGolf Challenge was held between the twocaptains of this years Ryder Cup teams;Curtis Strange representing the US andSam Torrance representing Europe.

The event was held at Carnegie Abbey,Rhode Island in June, which is a tradi-tional style links course designed byDonald Steel and Tom Mackenzie andconstructed by Brian D Pierson.

Carnegie Abbey is the third CarnegieClub to have hosted the event which haspreviously been held at Skibo Castle andCherokee Plantation.

Several thousand local spectatorsturned out to witness proceedings, withCurtis Strange taking the honours with atwo-stroke victory.

Captains duelby the bay

The STRI have appointed Conor Nolanto help cope with the demand for STRI’sadvisory services in Ireland.

Nolan joins Ian McClements, who hasworked as STRI’s adviser for Ireland since1991. McClements will continue to coverareas north of Dublin whilst Nolan willcover the southern half of Ireland.

A graduate of University CollegeDublin, Nolan has considerable workexperience covering regular maintenanceof golf courses, grow-ins, constructionand golf course design.

In addition to Ireland, Nolan hasworked in a number of other countriesincluding the US, Slovenia, Hungary,Austria, Switzerland and the United ArabEmirates.

STRI appointIrish recruit

Tractors distributed in the UK byCharterhouse Turf Machinery havescooped a major European award fortheir innovative features.

The Antonio Carraro Ergit TC and ErgitTN tractors triumphed in the best ofspecialised category in the Tractor of theYear awards 2001 at the recent FIMAexhibition in Zaragoza, Spain.

A panel of trade journalists, represent-ing a dozen European countries, consid-ered no less than 19 tractors from allover the world.

“We sincerely congratulate AntonioCarraro on winning this prestigiousaward,” said David Jenkins, managingdirector of Charterhouse Turf Machinery.

“This confirms our belief that thesetractors break the mould of conventionalcompact units, with power outputs start-ing where others leave off and uniquefeatures that set them apart.”

Charterhousescoop Euroaward


John Deere LimitedHarby Road, Langar,

Nottingham NG13 9HT England

Telephone: 01949 860491Facsimile: 01949 860490

www.johndeere.co.uk

COVER STORY

Cover StoryJohn Deere has been appointed the offi-cial supplier of turf maintenance equip-ment for the 2001 Ryder Cup at The DeVere Belfry.

The competition takes place on TheBrabazon Course from September 28 to30. It is said to attract a worldwide tele-vision audience third only to WorldCup football and the Olympics.

The De Vere Belfry, world-famousvenue of the 1985, �89 and �93 RyderCup matches, and home to theEuropean PGA since 1977, already usesa full range of John Deere machineryfor course preparation and maintenancethroughout the complex.

A staff of 40 operates a total fleet ofmore than 50 machines to maintainthree 18 hole golf courses - theBrabazon, Derby and PGA National -on 500 acres.

�We are delighted to be associatedwith De Vere Hotels and with the RyderCup, one of the world�s greatest golfevents at one of the world�s greatestcourses,� commented Graham Williams,division manager of John DeereLimited.

�This exciting partnership under-lines the remarkable progress we havemade as a business since entering thegolf equipment market seriously in themid 1990s.�

John Deere�s worldwide commercial& consumer equipment division, locatedin Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, manu-factures and distributes a full line of golfand turf equipment, from greens, tees andfairway mowers to aerators, compacttractors and Gator utility vehicles.

John Deere is the official golfcourse equipment supplier to the USAPGA Tour, providing a full range ofmachinery on an exclusive basis to thetour�s network of Tournament PlayersClub (TPC) courses around the world.

The company is also the title spon-sor of the John Deere Classic, a regularstop on the USA PGA Tour, which wasplayed for the first time in 2000 on thenew TPC at Deere Run course in Silvis,Illinois.

John Deere gearing up forRyder Cup success

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Turning the Tide


SPECIAL REPORT

In the concluding part of John Vinicombe�s special investigation into the threat of coastalerosion, we examine how Pebble Beach � arguably one of the world�s best known golfingresorts � deals with the full force of the Pacific Ocean.

Coastal erosion is costingmoney and some clubs arein no position to committhemselves to heavy expense.

But a traditional showpiece like StAndrews Jubilee course, which ismanaged by the St Andrews LinksTrust, has not held back.

Damage caused by unusually strongwesterly winds has caused the dunes toretreat by several metres, resulting insignificant amounts of sand being lostto the estuary and the sea.

If left unchecked, these levels oferosion would seriously threaten theeighth fairway of the 105 year-oldJubilee Course.DefenceThe St Andrews Links Trust authorisedplans to carry out work to stop thethreat and Maccaferri was appointedmain contractors to install sea defencerevetments as part of a £200,000 invest-ment aimed at saving the course whichmakes up the St Andrews LinksComplex.

In a contract valued at £60,000,gabions, Reno mattresses, Bidim geot-extile and bio-degradable erosioncontrol materials were specified toarrest further erosion along the coastbordering the Eden estuary.

The approved scheme was designedby HR Wallingford and the contract isbeing supervised by Fraser SmartArchitects of Leven. Commenting onthe project, Fraser Smart, said: �It wasvital to act quickly and prevent furtherdamage.

�The whole undefended face of theestuary is vulnerable to erosion, but ourimmediate task was to protect the mostexposed areas, in particular the coast-line adjacent to the Jubilee coursewhere the beach was less than two tothree metres from the eighth fairway�.

Commenting on the work completedby Maccaferri, Fraser Smart said:�With time of the essence, Maccaferriwas able to utilise its specialist exper-tise to expedite the construction work,completing the coastal revetments with-in in a very short time scale, helping topreserve the Jubilee links.�

Whenever the sea threatens,Britain�s golfing heritage is at risk.Take Royal Aberdeen, for example, thesixth oldest club in the country, found-ed in 1780.

In the very early days they playedon the links close to the harbour but thepast century has seen the club basednorth of the city at Balgownie.

Before 1888 the golfers had tocompete for the use of the originallinksland with cricketers, footballers,

herring fishermen drying their nets andthe turf-cutters seeking to repair therace course.

How many members, I wondernowadays, take in the magnificent viewof the North Sea from the clubhouseand ponder the timeless battle waged bythe waves?

Yet at Rye, many miles to the south,the sea has been conquered and theJubilee Course was, at the turn of thecentury, under the Channel.

C


The 10th, Ballybunion Old Course, Ireland

e P r H i O c T h O e G p R w A o P r H t Y h

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It is even harder to believe that asrecently as the mid-1960s, the sandhillsdid not exist and that, from time totime, the tide broke through the bank onwhich the fifth tee is situated and flood-ed the left hand side of the eighth fair-way.

The process of land recovery tookplace over many years as the coastalcurrents changed and the sea retreatedgradually towards the harbour mouth.Nearly 40 years ago there was a largeenough area of dry land to encouragethe thought that one day it would besuitable for golf if the occasional flood-ing could be prevented.AdviceRye�s committee sought expert adviceon how to achieve that, but on hearingit might well cost £3,500, decided tolead nature to work on its own.

Thus the matter rested for thefollowing five years and all the whilethe sea currents were diverted furtherfrom Rye as a result of a new sea wallsome miles away. By 1970 a line ofsandhills had sprung up, givingcomplete protection from the sea andfloodings.

The committee could no longerignore the presence of 100 acres of dryland registered in the name of the cluband decided in 1971 as a first step todemarcate the land with a fence todemonstrate the owner�s intent to makeuse of it.

Nothing came of an idea to let sheepgraze on it as a temporary measure.The following year planning permissionfor nine holes was granted and this wasdesigned by Frank Pennink and by1979 the first competition was played.EncroachSo much for a success story in Sussex.How do courses outside the BritishIsles fare when the sea begins toencroach?

The 18th at Pebble Beach is one ofthe most famous holes in golf. But thepar 5 dog-leg hugging the Montereypeninsula would be under the Pacificnow but for recent coastal erosionwork.

The 1998 El Nino storms struck theCalifornian coast hard after washingaway much of the 17th green and 18thtee in 1984. Prompt action to stabilisethe area three years ago prevented thelast green being undermined.Storms�We would have lost the green and thefront of the green back to about 150yards,� commented Mark Michaud,former Pebble Beach superintendent.�Without the new walls, if we had acouple more epic-type storms, wavescould easily have eaten away across thecourse.�

While we envy Californiansunshine, in winter at Pebble Beach it isnot unusual for 20ft waves to crash onto the 18th green and threaten theancient Lodge.

The first sea wall was built thereover 80 years ago and repaired in themid 1930s and patched up again. Butthat never really addressed the problem.

�About five years ago they got seri-ous about the project,� said JohnKasunich, a principal with the engineer-ing firm, Haro Kasunich & Associatesof Watsonville, California.

Comparing a 1945 aerial surveywith one 50 years later, engineersconcluded Pebble Beach was losing anaverage of three inches a year to theocean.

This explains why Pebble Beachembarked on an estimated three and ahalf million dollar scheme with theaddition of stabilising sea walls alongthe ninth hole and 10th green.

Work continues at Pebble Beachalthough Mark Michaud said: �You�renever going to stop those wavescompletely.�

Similar measures have been carriedout at nearby Cyrpress Point. But, asMichaud also observed: �Part of theappeal of these courses is that they arechiselled by nature.

�But there�s a bad side. Naturenever stops. It will continue to sculptaway, and no doubt one day parts of thegolf course will be lost.�

A unique golfing accessory, which couldgive players more control over their game,has been developed by a company in theNorth West.

The Optimiser Golf Ball Cleaner, is aneffective cleaning device and only golf ballcleaner that incorporates bristles andsponge technology to ensure maximumdirt removal and, therefore, maximum shot-saving capabilities.

The bristles’ tufts have been carefully designed to scour into the dimples on theball, removing any dirt which may affect the accuracy of its flight path. The perfor-mance can be likened to the cleaning action of a toothbrush.

It also has a hidden channel that retains water to assist in cleaning the ballthroughout the game on the course. It is a stylish and compact accessory which canbe clipped onto a bag or belt.

Described by the BBC as “a groundbreaking golf aid” the prototype has alreadyattracted interest from professional golfers. A prototype was taken to theProfessional Golfers’ Association PGA exhibition in Florida, where it received consid-erable interest.

News


De Vere Hotels, part of the De VereGroup plc, has recently gone live with anend-to-end supply chain system fromReality which has developed a fully inte-grated system to incorporate retail,warehousing and logistics functions,supported by a dedicated call centreoperation.

The system manages the nationwideon-line merchandising needs of thisyear’s Ryder Cup to be hosted at the DeVere Belfry.

The De Vere Belfry chose to outsourcethe warehousing and logistics capabili-ties to a third party in order to providethe best service to end users.

Following a competitive tender, DeVere selected Reality to control thelarge-scale customer care and logisticsrequirements necessary for the RyderCup.

Colin Bailey, director of corporatedevelopment at De Vere Group plc said:“It was critical that we found a partnerthat could deliver a true end-to-endservice for De Vere Hotels.

“Complete visibility of data across allretail operations was an essentialrequirement.”

De Vere Hotels has issued a total of300,000 Ryder Cup catalogues supportedby a national advertising campaign.

Reality’s end-to-end supplychain supports Ryder Cup

Brocket Hall Golf Club, situated in thepicturesque Hertfordshire countryside,has increased its already large fleet ofTextron E-Z-GO TXT golf cars with thearrival of ten new vehicles.

In addition to the golf cars, an OasisRefresher unit, also from E-Z-GO hasarrived to improve the refreshmentservice on the club’s two 18-hole courses.

With the arrival of the new cars thereare now, in total, 49 E-Z-GO vehicles atBrocket Hall, which are used throughoutits 500-acre estate, of which 32 of thegolf cars are hired out to members andvisitors while the remaining 17 vehiclesare used by staff for greenkeeping,catering, and as shuttles for delegates atthe conference centre.

“This equipment is ideal for our opera-tion. I have always been impressed bythe way that the E-Z-GO cars haveperformed at Brocket Hall and felt veryhappy about increasing the number wehave here,” commented course managerJohn Wells.

E-Z does it atBrocket Hall

The British Turf and LandscapeIrrigation Association has announcedthe launch of its new website.

The site, which launched in August,can be found at www.btlia.org.uk andcontains a wealth of information aboutthe association, its members and impor-tant areas of activity such as education,design and installation standards andquotation standards.

The BTLIA, which was founded in 1978as a non-profit making trade associa-tion, represents designers and suppliersincluding installers of amenity irrigationsystems.

Its membership comprises companiescommitted to the continual developmentand maintenance of standards within theindustry.

New websitefor BTLIA

New assesory set to clean-up

Formed in 1993, DFL has established itself as aleader in the field of Sports and Amenity Supplies.

+ Scotts Distributor ++ Pentagon Distributor +DFL are specialist suppliers of:

Grass seed - Fertilisers - PesticidesGolf Course Equipment - Sports Equipment

Come and see us at Stand H49 at the Saltex Show, Windsor, Sept 4,5 & 6.

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SALTEX News


Stand A48Ian Woosnam and Darren Clarke are justtwo of the many world-famous golferswho have chosen Huxley Golf all-weathergreens for practice at home.

Carnoustie Links, St Andrews,Sunningdale and Dalmahoy are amongthe many top golf courses using HuxleyGolf all-weather tees, pathways andpractice areas.

Huxley Golf is an official supplier tothe English Golf Union’s National GolfCentre at Woodhall Spa, and hasappointed distributor installers throughtthe United Kingdom and Ireland.

Distributor opportunities exist in someareas of the United Kingdom as well asin other countries. Details can beobtained from visiting the stand.

Huxley to exhibt all-weathersurfaces for golf

Stand W60Innovative products are Richard Campey’s forte and none more so than those beingintroduced at SALTEX next month.

Amongst the line-up of products will be the Dakota Turf Tender range - a versatilematerial handling system, ideal for topdressing greens, fairways and large amenityareas. Also on display will be the new Poyntz Turf Harvester which visitors will beable to see in action on the demonstration plot, close to the Richard Campey stand.

In addition the full range of Koro machines, including the Field Topmaker RecyclingDresser and Speedharrow will be available to view.

Where seeing is believing

Stand E13A new John Deere F14445 front rotarymower will be featured on the SwanPlant Services stand this year.

Swan bought two of the first machinesin the UK for its hire fleet this Spring,and the company’s first customer wasthe Borough Council of Wellingboroughin Northamptonshire.

Wellingborough have entered into athree-year grounds maintenance partner-ship contract with Swan, and the 1445is one of a fleet of mowers and otherequipment that the council now hiresfrom to maintain the whole of the townand a number of surrounding villages.

“The equipment has allowed us toreplace some of our older machines withup to date equipment, and back it upwith the dedicated service and mainte-nance cover we need to improve ourservice to customers,” said Welling-borough’s amenities customer servicesmanager Bob Carter.

Swan featureJohn Deere

Stand I12Barenbrug UK, the specialist grass seedbreeders renowned for their bright yellowcorporate livery, will add an eye-catchingsecond colour to their SALTEX stand inthe form of Green Spirit, a massivemonster tractor puller from Holland.

The company’s Dutch parent, sponsorsthis vast vehicle at various tractor-pulling events throughout Europe, andBarenbrug believe the machine’s pres-ence at the show will be a crowd puller.

Barenbrug will promote similar gigan-tic successes from their specialist grassseed range for sport and amenity turfmanagers. BARCAMPSIA, unique toBarenbrug, is a tufted hair grass that isideally suited to football and rugbypitches experiencing shade problems.

Barenbrug will also feature BAREINEwhich represents a new generation ofperennial ryegrass and has been bred topresent turf professionals with the bestof both worlds. Being a perennialryegrass, BAREINE has excellent weartolerance but uniquely combines thiswith extremely fine grass leaves makingit suitable for golf greens, tennis courtsand cricket wickets.

Barenbrug’splan monsterstand

Haslemere-based Charterhouse Turf Machinery will live up to their reputation forinnovation with a brand new groundscare product at SALTEX 2001, which is being

kept safely under wraps until the opening day. In addition, machines on show fromeach of the company’s four divisions will offer something for everyone in the

gardening and groundscare sphere.

Innovation at SALTEX


We supply golf & turf maintenance products to distributorsin Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Pacific Rim, and we’verecently expanded into Central and South America.

We’re handling shipments as small as one box of partsto complete allied irrigation packages, with many financeoptions available.

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Phone (909) 343-2100 Fax (909) 343-2110Visit us at www.agripacific.com

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Stand S30Weed Free are exhibiting the latest addi-tion to their unique fleet of sprayingmachines at this years SALTEX.

Adapted from a standard quad bike,using overseas technology coupled withpractical experience gained from theSpraying Mantis development programme,

this new machine extends the company’sservices into different areas on roughterrain.

The design has evolved duringcontracts this year which has taken thecompany beyond their normal range ofturf care treatments.

Weed Free break new ground

Stand F21Dennis mowers have been used on golfcourses for well over fifty years and, liketheir predecessors, today’s machinesoffer the finest in British engineering,innovation plus the ability to producehigh quality playing surfaces.

The unique interchangeable cassettesystems for the FT and G series providegreenkeepers with a quick and easymethod of transforming a fine turfmower into a verticutter, scarifier, sorrelroller, slitter or brush in under oneminute.

A better betwith Dennis


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Telephone: +44 (0)1277 896229 Facsimile: +44 (0)1277 896300

E-Mail: [email protected]: www.swangolfdesigns.com

Swan Golf Designs LimitedGolf Course Architects

TURF GROWERS AND INNOVATORS OF TURFGRASS SYSTEMS

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Brian DD. PPiersonTHE GOLF COURSE BUILDER

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GERMAN OFFICE: Tel/Fax (0049) 6282 40662


Design Aspects

Now that the boom of newcourse development in thelate 80�s early 90�s has tailedoff, many golf course archi-

tects spend much of their time renovatingand remodelling existing courses.

To some degree the boom in newcourses led directly to the desire toupgrade existing courses. Even in the70�s and 80�s golf club members accept-ed that when winter arrived temporarygreens would come into play and the fair-ways and tees would become saturatedand unplayable. Question

As many of the other courses in thearea were in the same condition this

did not matter greatly, but as newcourses emerged with betterspecifications, which allowedthe course to be kept open formuch of the winter, so members

began to question their owncourse structure and to seek ways in

which their course could be improved. Many of them realised that without

these improvements their course might fallby the wayside as societies left to play onmore modern layouts, green fees, particu-larly in winter, began to diminish and evenclub members began to look for alternativeclubs to join.

For us architects the experience hasbeen an interesting one. Most peoplebelieve, quite incorrectly, that renovationand remodelling works are fairly recentphenomena. "

Is your club thinking of making design alterations to your course? Current president ofthe European Institute of Golf Course Architects, Simon Gidman, talks openly andcandidly about golf course architecture and offers some advice.

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Ashfield House1154 Melton RoadSyston Leicester LE7 2HB

Telephone: 0116 269 6766Mobile: 07836 553899

Fax: 0116 269 6866

JOHN GREASLEY LIMITED

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Hole 14 Rudding Park

�BECAUSE OF THE IMPROVEMENT TO EQUIPMENT

MANY FAIRWAY BUNKERS NO LONGER TEST THE

BETTER PLAYER AND INSTEAD MAKE LIFE

HARDER FOR THE POORER GOLFER.�


Over a dozen new courses built in England during the 1990s

DAVID WILLIAMSGolf Design

Golf Course ArchitectsFrom conception... through construction... to completion

An 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

Member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects

! !

! !

In fact, if you go back to the earlypart of the last century many of thefamous architects of the time, Colt,Mackenzie, Simpson, Fowler were allmaking amendments and improvingexisting golf courses.

Not necessarily to the specificationof the course as we are doing at themoment, but to the layout, to the bunker-ing and to the landscape generally.

What makes this particularly inter-esting in Europe is that many of thecourses that we renovate are some 50 to100 years old and they show all the signsof courses that have had a number ofdesign influences imposed on them.

Indeed you can go to some coursesand see as many as seven or eightdifferent styles of bunker, as the greenschairman with a penchant for one stylehas �designed� one type bunker, a headgreenkeeper another type of bunker andthe local professional another type.

Without wishing to be disrespectfulthese additions often show little imagi-nation and contradict the intention ofthe original architect who may have hada particular reason for the placement ofa feature only for the alteration to takeon a completely different emphasis.

Because of the improvement toequipment many fairway bunkers nolonger test the better player and insteadmake life harder for the poorer golfer.Changes to equipment also mean thatmost golfers play a different game nowto what they did even 20 years ago withgolfers flying the ball to the green.

As a result hazards tend to be moreto the front of the green than to the sideas they used to be. Added to that manyof the bunkers on these old coursesshow considerable signs of wear andtear and are frequently not drained.EnlargedOften too, greens and tees need to beenlarged to a more acceptable size sothat the wear and tear expected withanticipated rounds of 30 to 40,000 peryear can be met.

One of the attractions of remodel-ling a golf course is to be able removethese various layers of interference andto work to a finished article that notonly brings the course upto date from aspecification and playing point of viewbut also introduces a certain unity ofdesign and purpose to the course.

Sometimes, if a course is of somehistorical significance, it may be aquestion of reinstating the course to astyle that would have been applicable tothat era; if not, it may mean startingafresh and developing a new and moreupto date style. QuestionAnd then of course there is the questionof tree planting and landscaping. Whyis it that so many of our golf courses arecharacterised by rows and rows of pineand cupressus trees?

And what about irrigation? Mostirrigation systems have a lifespan ofbetween 20 and 25 years and many nowneed to be upgraded.

Despite the occasional heatwavesover recent years there is not an over-riding desire by most clubs to add fair-way irrigation to their system.

Part is a matter of cost, part is thedifficulty of obtaining water licencesand/or creating storage facilities and ofcourse no sooner do we have one yearof heatwave then it is followed by threeyears of wet summers and the need forfairway irrigation is forgotten. Mostclubs however accept the need forgreens, tees and approach irrigation.

Whatever is agreed between thearchitect and the club it will need thedetermination of the committee and thesupport of the golf club members to seeit through.

Sometimes these renovations can becompleted in one phase, other timesthey are spread over three to five years,sometimes longer. Whichever route isdecided there is bound to be somedisruption to the course and to therunning of the club but by carefulprogramming and consultation theseproblems can be kept to a minimum.

For remodelling to be successfultiming is crucial as it is vital that theworks are completed before autumnsets in.

The reconstruction must be donewhen the ground is still dry - anyattempt to work through the winter willcause serious disruption and damage tosurfaces elsewhere on the course whichhave often taken years to perfect.

�Open trench and trenchless land drainage forall situations where the highest standards of

workmanship are imperative�

SKILLED OPERATORS ANDMODERN EQUIPMENT

COMBINED WITH EXPERIENCEENSURE A QUALITY SERVICE

DRAINAGE LIMITED, GT ASHFIELD, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, SUFFOLK IP31 3HBTELEPHONE - 01359 259424 FAX - 01359 258073


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

Homestead Farm, Ringwood RoadThree Legged Cross, Wimborne

Dorset U.K. BH21 6QY

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

CONSTRUCTION &RENOVATION OFGOLF COURSES

BOWLING GREENSCRICKET SQUARES

TENNIS COURTSSPORTS PITCHES

(Specialist Maintenance)Limited

Golf Course & Sports GroundConstruction Specialist

Vertidrain Hire

If a club is looking to redevelop all18 holes in one season it may mean thatthe course is closed throughout thesummer; if it�s nine holes the works canbe done in three or three and a halfmonths.

Obviously these works impact onthe playing calendar of the club but itcannot be stressed enough that the play-ing programme for that year should becurtailed or reorganised to make surethat the works start on time and thusfinish on time. QuestionsMany questions need to be addressedby the club and the consultants, notthe least of which is the nature of therootzone mix to be installed on thegreens.

Most of the older greens are of thesimple �push up� construction usingindigenous soils. These days improvedmethods of construction for greens,usually based around the USGA speci-fication, means that greens should drainwell in all situations.

Specifications do not need tocomply rigidly with the USGA spec,and will often depend upon the localityof the course and on the nature of thesubsoil on which the course was origi-nally built.

Advice should be taken from aprofessional agronomist before finallydeciding on the composition of therootzone.

Whether the greens are turfed orseeded is another matter of discussionas both have financial and timetablingimplications. If seeding is chosen mostarchitects involved with renovatingcourses in Britain tend to specify amixture of fescue/bent grasses asopposed to a single cultivar. SpecifcIn parts of mainland Europe, outsideof Britain, a single monoculture maybe more appropriate but, like the root-zone mix the final choice should besite specific.

We are also often asked to commenton the need for buggy paths around thecourse. American courses and indeednew courses in Europe tend to bedesigned with buggy tracks as a matterof routine.

Whether this is entirely appropriateon remodelled courses is a matter ofpersonal preference and internal clubdebate. My own personal view, and Imust stress the word personal, is thatgolf is primarily a walking game andshould remain as such. AdditionIn hot climates or for the elderly orhandicapped, buggies are an excellentaddition and allow for the game to beenjoyed by a wider public.

But for an established golf club tobe suddenly littered with buggy pathsdown the side of every fairway, I don�tthink so!

40 years of constant investment in the latest machinery for earth moving, shaping and finishing including our own engineered equipment for bunker construction, cultivation and seeding techniques have enhanced our reputation for reliability and efficiency in golf course and sportsfield construction. Modifications including

storage lakes, land drainage and water features, budget feasibility studies and project management are all reasons why we are celebrating forty years of excellence.

49 Woodlands Road, Sonning Common, Reading UK RG4 9TDTel /Fax: +44 (0)118 972 2257 • E-mail: [email protected]

www.elygolfconstruction.com

International Golf Course Construction

Our projects include:

• Brocket Hall Golf Club, England

• Aroeira Golf Club, Portugal

• Stoke Poges Golf Club, England

• Cotterell Park, Wales

• Victoria Golf and Country Club, Sri Lanka

• The Kintyre Course at Turnberry Golf Club, Scotland

• Royal Liverpool Golf Club, England

• *Bridgedown Golf Club, England

*Designed by Seve Ballesteros

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Technology, Tamed

Technophobia is dead; longlive technophobia! Just whenyou thought it was safe tobuy an IT magazine you

could read from your local newsagent�sshelves, some new technology turns upand you feel the pressing need to renewyour membership of the Luddite Anti-Mechanisation Consortium.

But if you�re not yet up to speed onevery new-fangled thing-a-me-bob,then relax, you don�t have to be. Ifanything emerges which is likely toimpact the way you do business todayon the golf course, then we�re here tomake sure you don�t miss it.

Driving these new developments isthe possibility of resolving some typicalmanagement objectives. How cancustomer service and financial perfor-mance be improved and the administra-tive burden of the club reduced?

And how can technology do all ofthat without blinding the users withscience they can�t and don�t want tounderstand?

Software companies such asHighcraft Services, Scotland On Lineand Epic Software have set themselvesthese testing goals and largely believethey�ve found some compelling solu-tions worth considering.

For example, instead of having asystem which can only be accessed fromthe club house, why not have the club�sinformation available on the net,completely secure but accessibleanywhere in the world by anyone withthe correct access privileges so that theycan work from home if they wanted to?

Then, instead of having to paymaintenance and support contracts, aswell as update software as soon asupgrades are released, why not pay forthe use of an all-in-one applicationwhich, being modular, lets you use andpay only for the functionality whichinterests you? "

New technologies promising to radically improve life as we know it seem to grab headlinesalmost daily. Rob Wright takes you through a few of them to help you decide whether your

management systems could really do with the odd earthquake-sized revolution or not.

Your Club: who�s minding it?Running a golf club is no easy task. Your members expect a well run club, reasonable prices, and a secure but pleasantclub environment. At a time of escalating costs and rising crime against property, you may wonder how you can provideall this and keep the club�s finances in the black.ClubMINDER is an integrated club management system, based around a membership card, which has been designed togive better control in the areas of security and financial management.ClubMINDER lets you control access to the club�s premises, keeping out thieves and unwanted visitors. It can tell you who is where at any time, and can make your premises secure at the touch of a button.ClubMINDER enables you to offer discount to members whilst charging non-members the full price. Its comprehensive information system helps you make better decisions about your prices and stock.And what is so good about ClubMINDER is that it actually does all these things in accordance with yourinstructions. This means that the person minding the club is always with you.

ClubMINDER: better information, better control.

To find out more about ClubMINDER, visit our web site at www.highcraft.co.uk

HighCRAFTTotal solutions for club

management

Highcraft Services Limited313 Regents Park Road,

FinchleyLondon N3 1DP

tel: 0870 321 3119fax: 020 8343 4942

email: [email protected]


The software, being held remotely,is updated automatically - and all for amonthly subscription fee less than yourcurrent IT overhead. HighcraftServices, based in London, are promot-ing such solutions which, although afew months before their time, couldoffer all this and more.

�We�re developing a number ofapplications which can be run over theinternet and accessed through any stan-dard internet browser,� explainedHighcraft�s managing director PaulMainstone.

�The only difference is that golfclubs already run all these applicationswithin their four walls, so all we�redoing is moving it on to the internet.�

But why?! What are the benefits?�The key thing is to increase customerservice and reduce risk,� answeredMainstone.

�Clubs don�t usually have a dataprocessing department; they�re continu-ally annoyed by upgrades; there�s ahigh cost of maintenance and supportand they hardly ever budget for replac-ing outdated kit. So technology canoften become a continual drain on aclub�s finances.

�So all that�s needed is a standardspecced PC and a large weight can betaken off your shoulders immediately.With a regular monthly charge, no set-up costs and no additional costs ahead, aclub can begin budgeting from day oneand get access to the applications theyneed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.�RadicalWith such radical proposals, Highcraftare looking to educate the golfing popu-lation with the potential in technologythat is about to unleashed.

But any readers already with inter-net access will appreciate that diallingtheir internet service provider is some-times disappointing, with engaged tonesand dropped lines a normal part of theiron-line experience, as well as preclu-sive call charges. Aren�t these a damp-ener on all this promise?

�What we�re doing is positioningourselves to help clubs to take advan-tage of this technology as it will quicklybecome widespread in several month�stime,� replied Mainstone.

�In the meantime, larger ISPs suchas BT, Freeserve and AOL offer fixed-rate access with no call charges, whicheliminate call charges. And other solu-tions such as ISDN and ADSL can offerhigh-speed access without the dial-upproblems.�

Additionally, Highcraft are promot-ing a new system for interactivecommunications called VSAT. It�s asmall satellite terminal which allowsyour computer access to the internet atspeeds 10 times faster than a standardmodem.

But its main advantage is that itsspeed makes the use of internet applica-tions that much more practical. Whichis great for golf clubs because coursesare often situated in remote areas.

Clubs therefore find it next toimpossible to get telecom or cableservice providers to provide them withanything faster than a standardanalogue telephone line. VSAT,however, can be installed literallyanywhere, giving fast access to 100 percent of the country.UsageAlthough high-speed internet accesstechnologies such as VSAT, ISDN andADSL push up the price of internetusage, Mainstone doesn�t believe thatprice will be the main driving consider-ation.

�Early adopters of this technologyare looking for wider benefits, such asspending less time keeping up withtechnology. And because they�re in atthe beginning, are prepared to pay apremium for those benefits,� saidMainstone.

Other companies, such asEdinburgh-based Epic Software, havealso developed an all-in-one modulargolf management applications whichsits on the network at the course.

Epic (nothing to do with Epic golfequipment - �an unfortunate coinci-dence�) have developed their leisuremanagement system to handle multiplefacilities.

The advantage here is that as hotels,leisure centres and other sports facilitiescan all use Epic�s �Freetime� software,the application gives golf clubs all theflexibility they might need.

So a club with leisure facilities andother booking needs aside from golfcan use the same software to managetheir entire operations.

�Our main distinctiveness, comparedto other systems available,� outlinedEpic�s managing director Peter Halton,�is that we�ve a better booking system.Clients repeatedly look at our bookingmodule, take a look around and comeback to buy ours. FreetimeThere�s e-mail or pre-formatted letterconfirmation all integrated and sent atthe touch of a button. �Freetime� is apure Windows application with all thebenefits and intuitiveness of a platformthat is the accepted standard of businessapplications. All you have to do is pointand click.�

Epic�s latest development is anEvent Management module for�Freetime�. With it, not only can abooking be made for an aerobics classhiring a hall, but each of the class�s 30attendees can be booked in using thesame software as well.


More controversial, though, is plansfor a centralised handicapping schemein Scotland. The last three editions ofGolf Management Europe have carriedvarious opinions on the debate, includ-ing concerns raised on delays andconfusion, abuse of position on the partof the Scottish Golf Union, alongsidereassurances from ScottishGolf�s gener-al manager, Nigel Ironside.

The technology involves a smartcard, which, although identical to acredit card, can store large volumes ofinformation using an integrated circuitchip. CertificateFor Scottish golfers, the card will storetheir handicap and therefore act as theirmobile, authenticated handicap certifi-cate. A tee-time booking facility, plus areward and electronic voucher schemerun in conjunction with a number ofcommercial partners will also beincluded.

And now, 17 clubs, several in theTayside and Fife regions of easternScotland as well as six in the west coastregion around Glasgow have beensigned up to trial the system. The pilotscheme started in mid-July and is due torun until the end of the season.

�We�ve rolled out a number ofsmart card-enabled PCs to gather anyobjective and subjective feedback to acentralised handicapping system,�explained Ironside.

�Toward the end of August, begin-ning of September, 15,000 cards will bein circulation with club members andthe feedback so far is that the clubscan�t wait for the cards to come outbecause it�ll circumvent the time ittakes to check a handicap.Resistance�Naturally, we have had some resis-tance to the idea from some whilstothers have been wholehearted. Thevast majority, however, are all for sucha scheme.

�One of the disadvantages of thecurrent system is that some golfers havebeen carrying an outdated handicaparound for years.

�With this system, each time thecard is used in any competition, thehandicap is automatically updated via acentral network. So the day of thebounder is numbered!�

If successful, a national roll-outacross Scotland will soon follow.Which will probably number the daysof the technophobe, as well, as peerpressure between courses will drivetake-up. TamedPerhaps more of a case of technophobestamed, rather than technology then,which�ll probably gallop aheadunchecked for years to come. So tokeep up with developments, you�d bestwatch this space as there is almostcertainly much, much more to come.

FREETIME for WINDOWSIntegrated Computer Software for Golf Clubs & Courses

Modular Pricing Policy - Systems from £695 + VAT

For further information and a free thirty day evaluation copy contact Epic Software Limited 105 Hanover Street Edinburgh EH2 1DJ Telephone: 0131 477 2545 Facsimile: 0131 624 0071 Email: [email protected]

Featuring! Central Customer Database! Member and Visitor Bookings! Internet Booking Facility! Retail Sales and Stock Control! Membership Tracking! Golf Handicaps and Competitions

Providing! Timesaving Functionality! Improved Financial Control! Powerful Management Reports! Shared Information! Built-in Flexibility! Intuitive Windows Interface

see our internet booking facility at www.golfquotes.co.uk

�NATURALLY, WE HAVE HAD

SOME RESISTANCE TO THE

IDEA FROM SOME WHILST

OTHERS HAVE BEEN

WHOLEHEARTED. THE VAST

MAJORITY, HOWEVER, ARE ALL

FOR SUCH A SCHEME.�


Barrelfield Golf Limited302 Ewell Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 7AQ

Telephone: 020 8390 6566 Internet: www.barrelfieldgolf.co.ukFacsimile: 020 8390 8830 Email: [email protected]

Building the Future of GolfBarrelfield Golf Limited has probably developed more golf clubs on behalf of clients and landowners than any othercompany in the last ten years. We pride ourselves on developing golf courses to time, to budget and which are theright product for the right marketplace.

Barrelfield Golf Limited assembles the right team of experts for each project and manages all planning aspects,design, construction and growing-in. We can be appointed as project managers, contractors or consultants.

Barrelfield Golf Limited has wide experience of the latest design, construction, drainage and irrigation methods.We can offer expert advice and service for new built projects, clubhouse construction, alterations and course improvements.

Management & MaintenanceDesign & ConstructionMarketing & Membership SalesFinance & Feasibility

ELLIOTT GROUP LIMITEDDELTA WAY CANNOCK STAFFS WS11 3BETELEPHONE 01543 404040FACSIMILE 01543 572710INTERNET WWW.ELLIOTT-GROUP.CO.UK

The Elliott Group was formed in 1963 and for over 35 years we have provided building systems to meet our customer requirements. Our success in matching customer needs to products and services has resulted in Elliott

directly employing over 700 people operating from over twenty locations around the United Kingdom.

We are delighted to have supplied the developers with a temporary clubhouse during construction of the Queenwood Golf Club, Surrey, and we look forward to being of equal service to other golf clubs

throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.

The De Vere Belfry


CLUB INSIGHT

The Brabazon course at TheDe Vere Belfry, after a£2.5m makeover, awaits the34th Ryder Cup when an

anticipated 155,000 will be there and anestimated 150m worldwide TV audi-ence will be presented with one of thegreatest sporting spectacles on earth.

The return of the Ryder cup for thefourth time to De Vere�s gold lamevenue is a unique landmark in thegame. It is the only course in the worldto have staged three Ryder Cup match-es thus confirming a privileged place,not only in golfing history, but alsowithin the leisure industry.

Let nobody lay an accusation offailure to do justice to such an

occasion at the door of the hotelsgroup. A comprehensive marketing

campaign was launched on the themeof, �Its here with De Vere.�

No stone has been left unturned toget across the message that, in terms of

preparation and presentation, the eyesof the world will be focused, perhapsnot in quite such a manner as thedisplay at the coruscating SydneyOlympics, but nevertheless a mightilypowerful boost for the image of the oldcountry.HistorySteeped in golfing history, the De VereBelfry is considered the spiritual homein Europe of the Ryder Cup.

Starting at the Worcester CountryClub in Massachusetts in 1927, thecontest has grown to such an extent thatit is now followed by golfers and non-golfers alike. When national prestige isat stake, rightly or wrongly, there isnever a lack of interest.

In 1999 the Ryder Cup commandeda potential audience reach of 800mthrough more than 170 countries with455 hours of programming. In addition,there was an unprecedented 1.5m visi-tors to rydercup.com with 330m hits. "

The Ryder Cup has made The De Vere Belfry one of the world�s most famous golf courses.As this year�s event grows ever closer, we sent John Vinicombe to Warwickshire to take alook first hand at the preparations for arguably the world�s biggest golfing event.


Amid all the hype and ballyhoo, andthere are sure to be controversial inci-dents, the Americans will defend thetrophy under captain Curtis Strange andconfront a European team led by SamTorrance, who in 1985, holed the putton the 18th green at the Brabazon tosecure a famous victory.

No wonder Torrance looked backwith pleasure: �I have many happymemories of the Belfry. Its a fabulouscourse - much tougher now than whenthe Ryder Cup was played there in1993 - and a great venue.�

The Brabazon was made famous bytelevision. The Hennessy Cognac Cupwas played there in 1978 and thenfollowed the English Golf Classic andLawrence Batley Classic.

These paved the way for the firstRyder Cup match in Warwickshire.Those who had criticised the choice ofan American-style course that it wouldsuit the opposition were proved wrong.

Architects Peter Alliss and DaveThomas built the Brabazon that openedin 1977, to give Europeans the experi-ence of target golf without going toAmerica and especially with shots overwater.

The course had its problems earlyon, especially as the 1976 droughtkilled off thousands of young trees.But good progress was made in the1980s and the venue soon becameestablished.IvyOriginally the ivy cladded MoxhallHall, the 300 year old stately pile stoodon the site at Wishaw without too manychanges until being developed as asmall hotel and owned by EllermanShipping Lines. The De Vere Groupbought it in the late 1970s and so beganan association with golf that has gonefrom strength to strength.

The Brabazon and the Derby cours-es opened in 1977 and the PGANational four years ago. The PGAbased themselves there and in 1981there were hopes of staging the RyderCup but the course was not ready. Theowners did not believe in rushingfences and that was to prove a wisedecision.

Four years later it was chosen andagain in 1989 and 1993. Forward plan-ning has always been a keynote of theDe Vere policy and three years ago theBrabazon was re-developed at a cost ofsomething over £3m.

The latest improvements haveallowed Dave Thomas to make over120 significant changes from aestheticenhancements to major architecturalchanges including the introduction ofmore water, enlarging existing featuresand creating new lakes.InvestmentAlso, it was in anticipation of hostingthe cup again, that the owners embarkedon a £22m investment programme toimprove facilities. From bedrooms torestaurants, leisure club to the golfcourses, no area was overlooked.

The hotel has 324 ensuite bedrooms,sumptuous suites to executive rooms withspectacular views of the course and allthis styling has been achieved to create awelcoming feel with a modern twist.

The hotel offers eight bars, fiverestaurants, the Bel Air nightclub as wellas The Shop, the largest on-courseleisure and lifestyle premises in Europethat will feature Ryder Cup merchandise.

It was last year the group acquiredtwo new golf hotels, De Vere CardenPark, home to Europe�s only JackNicklaus Residential Golf School, andDe Vere St Davids Park, both within afew miles of Chester.

One importance of the De VereBelfry hotel to the golf world isstrengthened still further as it is theheadquarters of both the PGA of GreatBritain and Ireland and the PGA ofEurope. The PGA Training Academy isalso based at the golf resort and manyyoung pros train there.

De Vere�s radically transferred froma diversified leisure group to become afocused hotels and health fitnesscompany. The process involved thetow-tiered disposal of the formertenanted and managed pubs and restau-rant divisions.

Inn Partnership, the tenanted divi-sion, was sold to Nomura for £370m inJanuary, 1999 and Greenalls pubs andrestaurants, the managed division, wentlater that year to Scottish andNewcastle for £1.4 billion.

Now the group concentrates on twogrowth markets, hotels and health andfitness and what better way to stay fitthan playing golf?

The company has two distinctiveand expanding hotel brands, De VereHotels and Village Leisure Hotels and arapidly growing stand-alone health andfitness brand, Greens Health andFitness.

�I HAVE MANY HAPPY MEMORIES OF THE BELFRY.

ITS A FABULOUS COURSE - MUCH TOUGHER NOW THAN WHEN THE

RYDER CUP WAS PLAYED THERE IN 1993 - AND A GREAT VENUE.�


Fact FileClub: The De Vere Belfry

Lichfield Road, WishawWarwickshire B76 9PREngland

Telephone: 01675 470301Facsimile: 01675 470174Email: [email protected]: www.thebelfry.com

Golf Director: Rob MaxfieldPro: Simon Wordsworth

Course Info: 54-hole ComplexBrabazon: Par 72, 7118 yards (Opened 1977)PGA National: Par 72, 7053 yards (Opened 1997)The Derby: Par 69, 6009 yards (Opened 1977)

Members: 470Green Fee: £30 - £120

Currently there are 31 hotels underthe banner and a bedroom stock of over3,885. There are 34 fitness clubs, ofwhich seven are Greens Health andFitness. Total leisure membershipacross the group now stands at 78,465.

De Vere is also leveraging its brandthrough a growing network of associatehotels and through developing exclusivetimeshare lodges on its large resort prop-erties at Cameron House (LochLomond), Slaley Hall (Northumberland)and Belton Woods (Lincolnshire).

The group holds a premier positionin championship golf with their long-standing partnerships with theEuropean Tour, the Ladies EuropeanTour and the PGA.

So we come to the top of the pyra-mid, the Ryder Cup. This new lookBrabazon promises to be even moretesting and dramatic than before.

At 7,118 yards (par 72), the coursecontains a number of holes that havebecome universal talking points.

The 10th was made famous bySeveriano Ballesteros the year after thecourse opened.

Playing in the Hennessy, he faded adrive about 310 yards to the heart ofthe green and over trees when, normal-ly, the right angled dog-leg calls for aniron off the tee. But, Seve play safe?Never.

Greg Norman later repeated the featand there are two commemorativeplaques to mark the feats.FinishSome say the 18th is the best finishinghole in Great Britain, but Peter Alliss,who should know, casts doubt on theclaim because too many players settlefor approaching it as a five hole.

How the players, European andAmerican, tackle the Brabazon, we shallsee shortly. All are bound to accord duerespect and the many overseas visitorswill doubtless sing the praises of avenue to compare favourably withanywhere in the world.

�IT WAS IN ANTICIPATION OF HOSTING THE CUP AGAIN, THAT THE

OWNERS EMBARKED ON A £22M INVESTMENT PROGRAMME TO

IMPROVE FACILITIES. FROM BEDROOMS TO RESTAURANTS, LEISURE

CLUB TO THE GOLF COURSES, NO AREA WAS OVERLOOKED.�


Ryding High

The Ryder Cup sits proudlyamong the world�s top threesporting events, alongside theOlympics and the World Cup.

In one sense, with so little at stake(the players aren�t playing for money)the �Olympics of Golf� is purely aboutsport and the pursuit of �recreationalprowess played in the best competitivespirit�.

But with a global TV audiencewhich could top 150 million, fiercelypartisan crowds, plus passions amongthe golfers themselves running a little

above the stratosphere, the RyderCup is also a theatre on which is

played the most spectacular ofsporting dramas.

Which is why internation-al corporates want to be

involved. Any event whichprovokes such intense reac-tions from both spectatorsand competitors, whilst

carrying such vast volumes ofprestige and exposure has to

be big business - particularlytrue since the 1980s, when

Europeans finally begun to chal-lenge the Americans� domination of

the event.

And in a world where team and indi-vidual pursuits have as much to do withenterprise as they do with competition,sporting venues and events are increas-ingly the place to do big business. Justhow much big business and for whom,though, is an interesting question.CoverageFor example, following the massivemedia coverage of July�s OpenChampionship, proprietary golf clubswe�ve spoken to are having to turnpeople away, their tee-times are that full.

You would imagine that after thisyear�s Ryder Cup, an even greatersurge in interest will take place, whichcan only be good for the game itselfand the infrastructure that supports itsappeal around the world.

However, we found several golfpros who believe that the event willonly have limited impact in the UK onthe sport as a whole as its coverageisn�t available on terrestrial TV.

Sky Sports have signed a four-yeardeal with the PGA European Tour toexclusively broadcast live both this year�sRyder Cup and the 2003 event at OaklandHills, Detroit; striking a deal whichincludes the broadcast rights to EuropeanTour coverage to the end of 2003. "

Every two years, the Ryder Cup carries more than just kudos for the European Tour andits United States equivalent - the commercial repercussions of the event can be simplyastronomical. Rob Wright takes a look to see who - if anyone - is going to benefit.


�Sky may well give excellent cover-age,� complained Tim Atkinson, headprofessional at Widney Manor inWarwickshire, �but my experience ofteaching people day in, day out is thatnot many of them have got it.�

His concern is that golf could go theway of other sports relegated fromterrestrial TV. �Apparently they can�tget sponsorship for darts, now,�Atkinson continued, �because no-one�swatching it.�

It�s a popular opinion Ken Schofield,executive director of the PGA EuropeanTour (whose tournament the Ryder Cupis) has been facing for some time now,having repeated a similar broadcastagreement with Sky Sports, runningfrom 1997 to 2001.Feelings�I can understand people having strongfeelings,� responds Schofield, �but atthe end of the day, we run the Tour as abusiness.�

And very big business it is, too.Figures for �99 indicate revenues ofUS$63 million generated for the PGAby that year�s Ryder Cup event alone.$13 million of this was from TV rights,contributing to $23 million profit.

Which is fine, as one of the roles ofthe PGA is to provide professionalplayers a platform on which they canshine. For this they will need somefunds. But its other role is to help drivethe game forward at all levels.

Which has left people at grassrootsasking whether the PGA is sacrificingwidespread exposure, long-term gainsand a sustainable surge in popularity forshort-term profitability.

Several golf clubs have also askedwhy the tournament was still being heldin September. From their point of view,a Ryder Cup event in May would allowcourses an entire season to capitalise onthe groundswell of interest generated bysuch a high-profile event - as opposedto just one month.

And if Autumn�s weather isn�t kind, itcould wash away the potential of makingup any shortfall created by last winter�sadverse climate patterns for example.

Which would then mean that eventhough the Birmingham area where thisyear�s Ryder Cup will be held couldbenefit from an estimated £60 millionworth of extra trade, there may not beas much in it for anyone else.

Unless, that is, golf clubs decide toopen their doors and show the event ona large screen; at the very least makingmoney from beverage sales if notincreased traffic on their tees anddriving ranges.

However, this will most likely onlydraw an audience from a club�s existinggolfers, rather than generate newconverts to the game. So if the clubsaren�t likely to make much money fromthis year�s Ryder Club, who is?

Official event sponsors include ClubCar, said to be the world�s leadingmanufacturer of golf cars, transporta-tion and utility vehicles. They�ve justbuilt their millionth vehicle since thecompany was founded in 1958, buthave sold half-a-million of those sincebeing bought by Ingersoll-Rand in1995.

Club Car have sponsored the RyderCup twice before and this year are

doing so again, shipping a colossal fleetof 200 golf cars and utility vehiclesfrom the States especially for the event.

�The most visible will be thecaptains� cars, with a special paint joband the respective flags of the US andEuropean teams on the front of the vehi-cles , said Kevin Hart, one of Club Carsregional business development managers. Charity�After the event, these will be presentedto the team captains who will auctionthem off to a charity of the captain�schoosing.

�Then there�s the cars for RyderCup officials, plus the support vehiclesfor TV, media and hospitality crews,moving food and people about - basi-cally anyone involved with the event.

�Such a significant investment is tolead to a clear, direct correlation inbrand awareness and a dramatic growthin international operations and sales.�

To which one couldn�t help wonder-ing just how much investment were welooking at and exactly how much of afinancial return was expected. NeitherHart or Thierry Bouzac, Club Car�sInternational vice president, weregiving anything away...

�I�m genuinely sorry,� Bouzac apol-ogised, �but all marketing investment isclassified, strategic information. Butyou can assume that the investment isnot a small amount of money.

�The returns on an event like this,though, is not the sort of thing whichcan be precisely quantified. We do notput an estimate on the number of carswe expect to sell as a result of thisevent.�

�I CAN UNDERSTAND PEOPLE HAVING STRONG FEELINGS,� RESPONDS SCHOFIELD,

�BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE RUN THE TOUR AS A BUSINESS.�


One of the ways Club Car extractsmileage out of the Ryder Cup is to use itto reward loyal customers and distribu-tors from major international operations.

�The number of guests we provideentry tickets to is very long,� continuedBouzac. �The Ryder Cup is a superbopportunity and the best event to send amessage to the golf industry in terms ofproduct, service and relationship.

�We prepare several months if notyears in advance of this event and it ismore important for us to meet people inour hospitality tent in a superb environ-ment with a wonderful atmosphere thanit is to have a big Club Car logo on theside of our cars for the TV cameras.�PrestigeHaving said that, clearly the size andprestige of the event carries a lot ofsignificance by association for Club Car.

�We�ve been leader in our market inEurope for the last two years and we�retaking the lead in the US,� said Bouzac.�If we weren�t at the Ryder Cup we�dhave to find some other way of demon-strating our leadership.

�There�s not one single event thatcompares to the Ryder Cup. There�sjust no substitute. If it didn�t exist, we�dhave to invent it!�

So, with Club Car concentrating asmuch on brand value as their bottomline as far as the Ryder Cup isconcerned, what of other companiesinvesting in the event?

Hosting this year�s Ryder Cup is theDe Vere Belfry in North Warwickshire.Widely acknowledged as one of theleading business, golf and leisure resorthotels in Europe, the course has hostedthe Ryder Cup more times than anyother worldwide and this year, thematch will be returning to its fairwaysfor a record fourth time.

Responding to this latest opportuni-ty to showcase the group�s qualities andcapabilities to the widest possible audi-ence, the De Vere Group instigated athree-year £21.5 million pound invest-ment programme to improve thevenue�s facilities in every area andattract an international audience to theirvenues.

The acclaimed Brabazon course,one of three at the Belfry, has itselfseen modifications and improvementsto the tune of £2.5 million in prepara-tion for the Ryder Cup match.

With such vast outlay - not forgettingto add the cost of a widespread press andbroadcast media campaign runningacross Europe - you can be certain thatDe Vere predict that the scale of invest-ment will be matched by the returns.

So much so, De Vere have put them-selves forward again in a bid for the 2009Ryder Cup competition, with Slaley Hallin Northumberland as the venue.

�This event carries massive expo-sure,� explained Colin Daly, De Vere�sdirector of project management and theman charged with managing the hostingof this event.

�And to stage it for the fourth time isa clear endorsement of the quality ofexperience, service and facilities provid-ed by the De Vere Group�s hotel/healthand fitness interests as a whole.

�In spending over £21.5 million onthe Belfry, we�re looking to make it avery different proposition to our inter-national target audience. With excellentcommunications and an internationalairport nearby, we want corporate andleisure customers to come from all overand enjoy the facilities we have here.

�But even though things are verynaturally focused on the Belfry, we�releveraging the prestige of this eventthrough a marketing campaign acrossall the hotels in our group. Avenue�So we�ve just restructured our salesteams to take advantage of the eventand exploit every avenue as much aswe possibly can.�

Which is why De Vere have addedtheir own Ryder Cup-branded merchan-dise to their marketing mix, availableon a dedicated website.

For anyone looking to buy a slice ofgolfing history, the site sells a range ofitems from golf accessories and leisurewear, to more exclusive gifts such asWedgewood pottery and WaterfordCrystal. It also includes a range of itemsfrom Creative Sports Marketing. "

�THERE�S NOT ONE SINGLE EVENT THAT COMPARES TO

THE RYDER CUP. THERE�S JUST NO SUBSTITUTE.

IF IT DIDN�T EXIST, WE�D HAVE TO INVENT IT!�

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Formerly known as Cygnet GolfLtd, Creative Sports have expanded tobecome a major supplier for corporatesports events, supplying specially-commissioned, branded sporting prod-ucts to the RFU and ECB, as well as theRyder Cup.

As well as the ubiquitous teddy bear,their De Vere/Ryder Cup range includesthe official umbrella featuring a newwindproof design which allows thewind to flow freely through its spokes,preventing it from turning inside-out.

Companies such as Hugo Boss;Garrards the jewellers; Titleist, thenumber one golf ball manufacturer andCreative Sports secured a license fromRyder Cup Ltd to produce event-brand-ed goods. The cost of the licensedepends on the amount of goodsproduced.

The license is paid for in advance ofthe event so the licensee takes all therisk.

But with a number of items sellingvery well, are they as happy as De VereGroup appear to be? Mike Hinch,managing director of Creative Sportsdidn�t seem to be at all, but didn�t feelat liberty to say why.

�We�re working closely with DeVere as we do all their products,� hesaid, �as well as other companies. It�sbeen great working with them and youdo get a kick seeing Tiger Woods walk-ing down the fairway with your umbrel-la and your caddy towel in his bag.�

So we asked him if his apparentdisaffection had anything to do with thefact that their quota of items had fallento just 15 for this year�s event but hestill refused to be drawn.

Creative Sports are used as a shop-ping house by Ryder Cup Ltd. Theysource a number of products under theirlicense, which saves the Ryder Cuporganisers from issuing several licensesto any number of manufacturers. ProfitsAs Hinch has said that �it�s not somuch us that�s making the money; it�s abreak-even exercise for us�, we wereleft wondering if Ryder Cup Ltd wereinsisting on taking most of the profitsfrom the sale of merchandise with noneof the risk or any of the leg-work.

Which is fine, as long as everyonegets to eat a slice of cake as well. It justseems that even though there�s morethan enough to go around, several parties- and the sport of golf in particular - mayhave to go without dessert after thisyear�s main course at the Belfry.

Firm Focus


COMPANY PROFILE

As more golf club ownersand operators grow toappreciate the benefits ofusing not just golf cars, but

electric golf cars in particular, Club Caris delighted to announce the launch ofits new IQ 48 volt electric golf car. IQThe IQ car builds on the legendarystrengths of the 48 volt regen vehicle andreasserts Club Car�s position as the indus-try leader. The new system combinesestablished club car features with newtechnology to deliver the most advancedelectric golf platform available anywhere.

The heart of the new car is the IQcontroller. This delivers customisedperformance solutions through program-mable performance characteristics.

It also continually monitors systemcomponents and communicates with ahand held display module to delivervaluable testing and diagnostic informa-tion which in turn optimises IQ motorperformance.

The IQ car has a number of excitingnew features including multiple speedoptions ranging between 8mph and19mph together with a tighter top endspeed for consistent performance.SolutionsAs well as having fast acceleration theIQ car offers enhanced hill-climbingability and advanced regenerativemotor braking.

Club Car business developmentmanager, Kevin Hart states �The newIQ system is unique. It can be tailoredto ensure optimum performance of theIQ car for individual courses.

�The system will result in simpli-fied fleet management and hassle freemonitoring of the car which will trans-late into improved vehicle up time andlower running costs".

Comprehensive performance, diag-nostic and testing information is avail-able via an easy to use hand held display.

Hart continued, �The new IQ carextends Club Car�s reputation for inno-vation while building on the depend-able features that have been our legacyand promotes Club Car�s leading posi-tion in the marketplace.�

In response to the dramatic increasein demand for Club Car vehicles thecompany expanded it's UK golf distrib-ution network. BenefitHart believes �Golf car users will bene-fit from a more regionalised network ofClub Car distributors. The aim is tobuild up a network of upto 8 distribu-tors with regional responsibility acrossthe UK.

�As part of Club Car�s commitmentto our new distributor network it is agreat pleasure to welcome Martin Lucasto the team. Martin joins Club Car as thebusiness development manager for theUK and brings with him 20 years experi-ence of the ground care and golf indus-try.�Ryder CupAs part Club Car�s ongoing commit-ment to the game of golf and theEuropean Tour, Club Car will be theofficial supplier of golf cars to theEuropean Tour.

In addition Hart explained, �Thehighlight of the year will be ourinvolvement as the official supplier ofgolf cars to the Ryder Cup 2001 andsponsor of the European Team.

�Club Car customers will be flyingin from all around the world to watchthis magnificent tournament at The DeVere Belfry.�

Horwich, England(+44) (0)1204 690515

Sevilla, Spain(+34) 620 207172

Paris, France(+33) 160 624677

Copenhagen, Denmark(+45) 3247 3307

Club Car goes fromStrength to Strength

�THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR WILL BE OUR INVOLVEMENT AS THE

OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF GOLF CARS TO THE RYDER CUP 2001 AND

SPONSOR OF THE EUROPEAN TEAM.�

Marketing Values

OPINION


As the saying goes, �I knowhalf of my marketing iswasted... I just don�t knowwhich half.�

This quote is attributed to thefounder of Lever Bros, and if he hadthis problem with his array of brandsand sophisticated backup, golf clubproprietors will find it much more diffi-cult to evaluate what is the right courseof action for their club.

The situation is made more complexby the large numbers of courses that havecome on-stream during the 90�s, makingthe marketplace much more competitive,and also the trend away from member-ships towards pay and play. ResultsOf course marketing works, but themajority of clubs don�t know to whichlevels to pull to get what results. Howmany clubs understand their catchmentand the demographics impact?

Very few in my experience... and acton it. How many clubs understand theirpositioning, relative to other clubs?

How many clubs evaluate whatpercentage of marketing budget shouldbe spent on awareness building, versuslead generation? How many clubs havedone proper feasibilities into ways togenerate extra revenue?

Very few clubs could answer thesequestions and therefore are not takingfull opportunity of developing theirbusiness.

But there are some simple rules tofollow if club owners are to make themost of their asset, and wish to attractmore revenue and loyalty from itsusers.MinorityNumber one rule - understand andresearch members and visitors views.Too many clubs follow only what avocal minority (often five day regulars)want for the club and don�t take arepresentative sample from themembership as a whole.

In my experience, only one in fiveclubs monitor the views of members,and even fewer monitor visitors viewson the club, facilities, the product,service levels, competition and otherareas such as the social evenings.

Visitors are often the best gauge oflocal opinion, as they can independent-ly rank the qualities (or improvementareas) of the course with competingones. This can help decide on wherelimited resources should be spent.

Secondly, understand the club�spositioning within the catchment.Essentially, there are four types of golfclubs; private, proprietary, pay andplay, and resort.

Large resorts such as St Pierre maynot compete with private clubs, but toomany private clubs claim not tocompete with proprietary clubs withintheir area. Often this is simply not thecase.

Analysis for demographics, pricebanding, services offered, member andvisitor comments, are critical to clarify-ing the competitive positioning withinthe catchment, and help determine pric-ing and other gaps in the marketplacethat could be filled by your club.

At least one club, I have workedwith, has buried its head in the sand andignored the competition and the progressthey were making to it�s detriment.

Thirdly, ensure that the product,quality of all promotional material andthe training and staff selection areconsistent with the product and posi-tioning. To coin a phrase, �You can�tmake a silk purse out of a sow�s ear�

Invest in the course, or real memberbenefits, before the clubhouse, theglossy brochure, the fancy logo etc.

Some proprietors have dreams ofgrandeur way beyond the clubs posi-tioning in the catchment, but equallyother clubs are not making enough of acaptive opportunity with mediocre,competing facilities.

Recognise when quality needsupgrading, and accept that benefits ofcourse and other changes are notinstant. Word of mouth takes time tofilter through to customers, but if youhave undertaken serious improve-ments... tell people!

A chain of golf clubs who mycompany works with recently importedsome professional sales and marketing

It is not surprising to learn that the vast majority of golf clubs spend less on marketingeach year than any other retail sector. GME asked Andrew Smith who is a partner inprecision marketing specialists Business Vantage does marketing really work?


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individuals from the health and fitnessindustry to work on membership gener-ation within their golf clubs with bettersystems and training. On average theirnine clubs increased memberships by50 members each in Spring, and thiswas when the weather was particularlybad.SwitchFourthly, decide when to switch thebudget from brand awareness buildinginto lead generation activity.

Monitor where and how your leadswere generated. Too many clubs spendmarketing money expecting to driveleads from awareness activity includingvia the local press, media and radio.

When sales do not happen, theystate that marketing does not work. Adownward spiral results. The real issueis that awareness has �plateaued� andmore direct methods of generating leadsmay be needed via direct mail.

My experience suggests that blackand white newspaper advertising in thelocal press is largely a waste of money -unless you are doing something dramat-ically different.

Judge the point in your lifecycle todetermine when to switch money awayfrom advertising and into direct leadgeneration methods.

Most retailers or FMCG Companieswill return between six and eight percent of turnover back into marketing.Most golf clubs only spend about one totwo per cent. This figure should behigher if it is targeted at more directlead generation activity. Confidence inmarketing will increase, because it isdirectly correlated against return.

One proprietary club I worked withadvertised for six months on a blandradio advertising campaign (targeted atyouths 16-24) getting no memberswhatsoever in the process.

They then switched to direct mailactivity offering a reduced price roundto known golfers, and employed a good�sales-closer�. From this activity, theyachieved nearly 60 members via trial-ists who played the course and convert-ed to membership.

Finally, look for opportunities toband on additional services that mayearn extra revenue.

Golf clubs do have a cachet that canbe harnessed to provide revenue inother areas, in social functions,weddings, and birthday parties etc.

Be prepared to see what the compe-tition is doing and experiment, andexploit any gaps in the marketplace.

Don�t be afraid of what the existingmembership says in terms of changingterms of reference. They won�t like anychange, but if the existing service isgood they won�t resign, and my experi-ence shows that a year or two later,members welcome the change that theywere first opposed to.AssetsHealth and fitness offers some clubs asignificant extra revenue stream, anduses assets that are under-utilised, suchas car parks, conference and cateringfacilities, staff and so on.

Intrinsically a country club proposi-tion, providing the catchment is good isa surer way of earning a better returnthan purely sticking to golf which isvery inefficient in profit per head, orreturn on capital.

SALTEX Portfolio


01480 226800

Toro boosts GroundmasterToro’s aim to provide a complete

range of Groundmaster rotarymowers with a machine for everyapplication is being boosted withthe launch at SALTEX 2001 of two

new rotaries - the Groundmaster228-D and 328-D. Both mowers aredesigned to appeal particularly to

landscape contractors and localauthority operators.

01278 427582

Bowdry praying for rainBowcom Limited, the line-marking

and grounds care specialist, willlaunch the latest developments of

the highly successful Trike andBowdry at SALTEX. The all-new Trikeis now fitted with a four hp Briggsand Stratton petrol engine to give

more power and even better perfor-mance. New features also include

extra power and greater speed.

0800 137574

STIHL set to draw the crowdsFollowing its highly successful show-

ing last year, STIHL is set to drawthe crowds again with over 60 keyproducts on stand D21, including

ten new models designed specifical-ly for the professional user. Marking

its 75th anniversary this year, thebroad range of products on show

clearly demonstrate the renownedinnovation inherent in STIHL design.

01889 590312

JCB makes SALTEX debutJCB is making tracks for SALTEX

with a brand new Robot Skid Steerloader which will appeal to the

grounds maintenance sector. Thenew Robot 190 and Robot 1110 arenow offered with dedicated tracks

as well as wheels and will be shownthis year for the first time. The

move onto tracks turns JCB’s SkidSteers into an all terrain machine.

01254 266845

Netlon raring to goThe Netlon Group, in partnership

with Growing Technologies, will bepresenting its extensive range of

products for agriculture, horticultureand landscaping on stand D9-D10 at

this year’s exhibition. A leader inthe development and application of

plastic mesh products, Netlon willbe displaying ranges for fencing,

soil and turf stabilisation.

01449 768019

Colour change for all to seeThere are major organisationaland production changes taking

place at Entec UK. Entec chipperswill no longer be yellow but willnow be produced in the orange

livery associated with Timberwolf.This coincides with a re-designed

chassis common to all petrolengines to accommodate the intro-

duction of Honda engines.

0191 267 4040

Orec Rabbit on displayAmongst the professional ground

maintenance equipment on show atthis year’s SALTEX by Tyneside-basedEnginetech will be the RM86, a new

version of Japanese manufacturerOrec’s ride on brushcutter. Like all

machines in the Orec range, theRM86 features a well-proven engine

and offers top level specification,performance and reliability.

01858 434011

Euromec riding highAt next month’s SALTEX exhibitionleading industrial and commercial

cleaning suppliers, Euromec Ltd willbe showing the Atom, and easy to

use, labour saving, ride-on sweeperwhich costs the same price as a

pedestrian sweeper. With compactgood looks, the Atom has been

specifically designed to cleanindoor and outdoor areas.

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