gmé | issuu 46

under starters ordersAlthough Goodwood is famed the world overfor it’s horse racing and motor sport, owner

Lord March has ambitious plans to develop agolfing centre of excellence bar none.

The leading business magazine for the pan-European golf industry

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January 2006www.portman.uk.com

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Partners in TimeFor the last decade, the Ryder Cup has chosen to partner with Club Car. Now that’s reliability.

Partners in TimeFor the last decade, the Ryder Cup has chosen to partner with Club Car. Now that’s reliability.

Contents

As Freddie Mercury once said: “Another one bites the dust.” Spin it how youlike, but the decision by organisers to move the Fairway exhibition to “a newdate and a new format” is just more grist to the mill for those who think the

golf industry is over burdened with trade shows. It will now run “simultane-ously with and alongside Golf Europe” at the end of September.

On the plus side, the statement announcing the move claimed optimisti-cally: “Golf Europe opens up new, international customer potential forFairway with more than 6,000 international visitors, over 50 per centof these from abroad.”

However, of arguably more relevance is the information found inthe following paragraph.

It states: “It has turned out that due to the innovation cycles inthe sector, suppliers of golf course machinery would find itsufficient for Fairway to take place at two-yearly intervals inthe uneven years 2007, 2009 etc., because in the even years,these suppliers plan to take part in GaLaBau, Nuremberg, aswell as BTME, Harrogate.”

Cut through the verbosity and it’s plain to see ‘suppliers’are saying there are too many shows and they can’t affordto attend them all.And stating the obvious, the release concludes:“…holding the two trade fairs at the same time willbring about cost savings which Messe München canpass on to Fairway’s exhibitors. Fairway’s area pricesfor exhibitors can therefore be reduced by approxi-mately 20 per cent to the price level of Golf Europe.”This argument has been put forward by this publica-tion on numerous occasions. You don’t need to holda degree in economics to work that out. It may be this move will prove to be the catalystfor a sea change within the industry. If other showsfeel this is the way forward there may be a briefflurry of mergers or acquisitions – and probably notbefore time.There is finite money in the golf industry and theexpectancy has been to spread it too thinly for fartoo long. Exhibitors require quality not quantity.They need to be able to maximise their business atone or maybe two shows a year. This applies not only to turf exhibitions but allshows connected to the industry. The decision to runFairway and Golf Europe simultaneously could turn

out to be a very shrewd one commercially. And abouttime too.

Fairway takes astep in the rightdirection

issue 46credits;editorJohn Vinicombe

contributorsDavid BowersNeville JohnsonRob Wright

publisherMichael Lenihan

administrationSharon O’Connell

printColourspeed

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yearplanner 18

finance 15

mannings heath 23

Golf Management Europe January 2006

News

January 2006 Golf Management Europe

Lead StoryIt has been announced that with immedi-ate effect, Fairway, the Munich TradeCongress - which had originally beenscheduled for March 2006 - will from nowon be combined with Golf Europe.

The new event will take place betweenFriday, September 29 and Sunday,October 1, 2006 at the New Munich TradeFair Centre.

With the combining of the two tradefairs, organisers Messe München hope toconcentrate on making the new formatan even more internationally-recognisedevent for the entire golf industry.

Golf Europe, which recently took placein October, attracted more than 6,000visitors, over 50 per cent of those fromoutside Germany.

“This was not the first time that theidea of combining both Golf Europe andFairway had been discussed,” commentedFrank Thonig, president of GMVD.

“The new dates in the Autumn willprovide us the possibility of taking a stepin the direction of internationalism andlink numerous industry dates.”

Manfred Wutzlhofer, chief executiveofficer of Messe München GmbH. said,“Fairway as a trade fair is not beingdiscontinued in any sense; to thecontrary, it is being developed further.“Synergies can be linked and costsreduced. This is a great chance, which wedon’t want to miss taking advantage of.”

Cost savings will be passed on toFairway’s exhibitors with stand spacecharges being reduced by 20 per cent tothe price level of Golf Europe.

Stefanie Gerhardt, Fairway and GolfEurope’s press officer, said: “Fairway andGolf Europe together will be a perfect andstrong European platform for golf. It is agreat chance for Fairway to become moreinternational.”

Messe Munchen announceplans to re-orgainse Fairway

EGU sign upwith E-Z-GO

E-Z-GO has agreed to supply theEnglish Golf Union with golf cars for allof their Championship events and as partof the deal, will also become the firstsponsor of the EGU Community.

After a successful 2005, when E-Z-GOvehicles were used at the European MensTeam Championship and the HomeInternationals in addition to the majorannual national events, E-Z-GO willhenceforth become the exclusive supplierof golf cars to the EGU for the next threeyears.

Less is morefor Kubota

In common with a number of othermajor groundcare machinery manufactur-ers and suppliers, Kubota has announcedthat it will be exhibiting at SALTEX andBTME in alternate years with effect from2006 onwards.

This decision means that the turf tradeshows to be supported actively by Kubotain coming years will be BTME 2006,SALTEX 2007, BTME 2008 and so on.

Announcing the company’s decision,David Roberts (pictured below), salesand marketing manager of Kubota UK’stractor and groundcare division,explained that the move would enableKubota to invest more time and moneyinto localised demonstrations andcustomer support.

“Instead of expending major cost andeffort on two national trade shows eachand every year, we will be concentratingresources on giving more of ourcustomers more of what they are askingfor,” he said.

New Stadium marks the endof golf at Princes

Kent golfers are feeling teed off afterbeing told their course must close. ThePrinces Golf and Leisure Club, in Dartford,received a letter from their local councilin November, stating that it must closefor ‘health and safety’ reasons.

The letter coincided with the start ofconstruction work on a £6.5m sportscomplex to provide a stadium forDartford FC and an all-weather pitch forpublic use.

A council spokesman said: “We hadhoped golfers would still be able to enjoy

basic access to the course during theconstruction phase, but had always madeclear the arrangement would dependupon health and safety advice.

“Sadly, a health and safety auditconcluded the presence of golfers orwalkers on the site was incompatiblewith the significant construction activitydue to take place.

“While it is disappointing that wecannot keep the course open, the councilmust put health and safety considera-tions first.”


John Shaw Machinery has won a five-year Toro machinery deal with four golfcourses owned by Ron Noades, the former chairman of Crystal Palace FC. The coursesare at Surrey National, Woldingham, Westerham and Godstone. Simon Hodsdon, the

golf clubs’ md, said: “Our group course manager Matt Macklin has built up a verystrong relationship with Toro over the years. And this was instrumental in the deci-sion to standardise on Toro when we purchased Woldingham and opened Godstone.“

Noades turns to Toro

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Verdura startsto take shape

Sir Rocco Forte recently visited Sicilyto attend the ground-breaking ceremonyfor Verdura Golf and Spa Resort - RoccoForte Hotels’ first resort property, whichis scheduled to open in 2007.

It is a €129m hotel and golf resort onthe southern coast, in a small villagenear Sciacca, just over an hour’s drivefrom the international airport in Palermo.

The development will consist of a 200-room, ocean-view hotel, two champi-onship golf courses, a hydrotherapy spa,sports facilities and a relatively large realestate development.

Two 18-hole championship courses,plus a nine-hole course, will be designedby Kyle Phillips who designed the highlyacclaimed courses at Kingbarns and TheGrove, in Hertfordshire.

The golf club will include a restaurant,cafe-bar and retailing in addition to thenormal golfing facilities. Guests will alsobe invited to use the private beach atthe hotel.

Turnberry back on Open rotaThe 138th Open Championship will be returning to Turnberry, Ayrshire between July

16-19, 2009, taking place on the resort’s renowned Ailsa Course. Turnberry’s general manager Stewart Selbie said: “This announcement consolidates

years of work and co-operation between The R&A, South Ayrshire Council andStarwood Hotels and Resorts, owners of Turnberry. I am thrilled for everyone on theTurnberry team who has worked on this.”

News


PGA launches TV channelThe Professional Golfers’ Association is

launching its own broadcast channel overthe internet on the back of a new dedi-cated broadband service for golfers.

PGA TV is set to drive golf enthusiaststo subscribe to PGA Broadband, whichwas launched in November, featuring anextensive variety of ‘infotainment’.

The exclusive presence of PGA TV onPGA Broadband signals the first phase ofits development, with the broadcast of

‘live’ daily news bulletins, tournamenthighlights, golf tips and instruction,interviews with the stars and real-timeleader boards.

The PGA is hoping to tap into itsreadymade market of over five milliongolfers in the UK, and plans to sell thebroadband service via its network of4,500 golf club professionals across theUK and Ireland, as well as through itsendorsed Golf Pages magazine.

New coursefor Blackpool

A new nine-hole golf course and bowl-ing green is planned near Blackpool.

Fylde Council planning chiefs recentlyagreed to the scheme in the Stainingarea, although, approval of the scheme –put forward by landowner and farmerPeter Wigglesworth – still depends on anenvironmental report on its impact onthe countryside.

Commenting on the application, alocal councillor said: “The golf course isan ideal use for this part of land inStaining. Getting the bowling greenincluded in this project is also a good bitof planning gain for the village.

“The village doesn’t have a bowlinggreen and when it is complete it will bea great facility for local people to use.”

The report explains how developerswill deal with the fact rare great crestednewts were found on the land – and howthe owners plan to protect the creatures.

Wigglesworth said everything hadbeen done to satisfy the requirements ofthe report and he expected building toget under way as soon as possible.

He said: “The course will be a fairlyforgiving, evenly laid-out track whichhopefully will be fun for golfers of alllevels of expertise. It will be fairly casualand you will not have to be a member toplay. People will be able to just show upand have an enjoyable round.”

Golf on theup in Bulgaria

A new, luxurious golf complex will bebuilt near the town of Kableshkovo atBulgaria’s Black Sea seaside, with €53mbeing invested in the complex that willcover more than 200 hectares.

The luxurious site will also includevillas, pools, a racecourse, tennis courts,a casino, a polo ground and a full 18-hole golf course.

At a Sofia development forum lastyear, foreign experts said Bulgaria hasthe potential to turn into a major golftourism destination, with plans toconstruct 40 new courses before 2020.

Meanwhile, two more complexesdesigned by Ian Woosnam in collabora-tion with European Golf Design, will bebuilt in the country for a cost of €118m.

The two golf complexes will be inBlachik - at Bulgaria’s Northern seaside -and between the towns of Razlog andBansko in the south-west of the country.

Jack on course at Monte ReiMonte Rei Golf and Country Club on Portugal’s Algarve coast, is on course to meet

its opening date of Autumn 2006. The 7,200 yard course, which is set in over 1,000acres and surrounded by an exclusive residential development, has been designed bythe Nicklaus Golf Design and boasts a clubhouse with breath-taking views across thecourse towards the sea and the mountains, all built in the classic Portuguese style.


www.ppcgolf.com | 0870 241 4678

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Club CarGreenbank House, Swan Lane, Hindley Green, Wigan WN2 4AR

Telephone: 01942 503141Facsimile: 01942 503150

www.clubcar.com

Cover StoryAccording to Club Car, after membershipfees the largest potential revenue genera-tor at golf clubs is golf cars. Whether youare running a few cars or a large fleet,return on investment is not only realisticbut can genuinely create a significantnew revenue stream.

Club Car has carried out extensivemarket research since the 1990s thatclearly shows how the changing face ofgolf has directly influenced internalpurchasing decisions.

In the past, clubs tended to be reluc-tant about investing in golf cars as theywere considered to be expensive, unman-ageable and unnecessary.

There was limited demand from golfers,but the face of golf has changed, as havethe demands on courses. When it comesdown to it there are three key factorsthat open the golf car debate.

Firstly, golfers want to play morerounds in faster times, secondly golf clubmembers are older and less mobile, andfinally, golf clubs are businesses andtherefore must make money.

Whilst these socio-economic develop-ments are forcing clubs to reconsidertheir stance on golf cars, the study alsoshows that additional income is the mostinfluential factor in realising the intro-duction of, or increasing the size of, afleet of golf cars.

Club Car claims that if one entry levelDS car is hired twice daily at £15 perround, it can return an annual gross prof-it in excess of £10,000.

Based on the same assumptions and ahire charge of £20 per round, a single topof the range Precedent car would gener-ate a gross profit of nearly £14,000 perannum.

Club Car’s long-term business strategyof Good, Better, Best has seen themdevelop a product range that makes itpossible for clubs of all sizes to run afleet of golf cars whether it is the DSmodel, which was market leader for 20years or the premium PrecedentChampion.

Club Car drive home justhow profitable buggies are

COVER STORY

News


After 80 years as an unincorporatedorganisation the English Golf Union(EGU) has amended its structure to bothprotect the assets of the Union and atthe same time modernise the Union’smanagement.

The new structure, which received thefull approval of the County Unions, cameinto being in November and will see theprevious EGU responsibilities splitbetween two new and separate compa-nies, The English Golf Union Limited andEGU Property Company Limited.

The EGU will manage the core activitiesof the Union supporting players, clubs,counties and the hundreds of volunteersinvolved in the game, as well as the day-to-day management of The National GolfCentre and the courses at Woodhall Spathrough a 100 per cent subsidiary,Woodhall Spa Golf Management 2005Limited.

EGU Property Company Limited willown and manage land and buildings atthe Woodhall Spa site.

The EGU, which had been anUnincorporated Association for over 80years, recognised the potential unlimitedliability exposure of its Committeemembers.

The new structure ensures that thispotential liability is removed.

As an incorporated body the EGU isnow limited by guarantee - the guaranteebeing the 34 County Unions, the NationalAssociation of Public Golf Courses(NAPGC) and the Artisans Golfers’Association (AGA) with the limit on thatguarantee being £1.00.

The changes also included a streamlin-ing of the management functions withthe aim of improving the speed and effi-ciency of decision making so benefitingall the stakeholders of golf in England.

Both the number of committees andthe number of people serving on theremaining committees will be reduced.

Paul Baxter, EGU chief executive said:“I am confident that the game of golfwill benefit from the new structure. Wenow have a modern and efficient organi-sation which is qualified to take on thechallenges that lie ahead.”

The arrangement does not alter thevoting structure of the EGU. That remainswith the 34 County Unions, the NAPGCand the AGA and the EGU emphasisesthat it is these voting representativesthat remain the vital link between theclubs and their individual members.

EGU announce newmodernised structure

Plans afooton the Wirrall

The Wirral could have a new champi-onship golf course as part of plans tocreate a £70m golf resort. Consultantssay a new course would be vital to makeWirral the centrepiece of ‘England’s golfcoast’.

They propose an 18-hole course to bebuilt east of the current municipal one atHoylake.

In a report to the council, Wirral’sdirector of corporate affairs, Jim Wilkie,said: “A 60 hectare, top-quality integrat-ed golf resort would include a new 18-hole championship-standard course eastof the municipal course with potentialwater features.”

Consultants Jones Lang Lasalle,commissioned by Wirral to look at thefeasibility of the resort, said it wouldhave to be centred around Hoylake toassociate with Royal Liverpool Golf Cluband its hosting of this years Open cham-pionships.

They also stressed the need for a mini-mum of 27-36 holes.

Hill Barnstaking shape

A £750,000 investment is starting toreap rewards at Hill Barn Golf Club inSussex. The club has undergone a raft ofimprovements aimed at restoring theclub to its former glories, and the posi-tive feedback to the club near Worthingsuggests the investment is alreadypaying big dividends.

Owner Richard Haygarth (picturedabove), who bought the club in January2003, said: “The golf course is beingmaintained to much higher standardswith the aim of making it a great golfexperience.

“On a few holes you are immediatelyfaced with spectacular views across toWorthing, the English Channel and eventhe Isle of Wight on a clear day.”

China stamping on fraudAcushnet, along with other major golf brands that form the US Golf Manufacturers

Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group, have announced that the Chinese government haslaunched a major new offensive against manufacturers and retailers of counterfeit golfequipment in China.

The offensive comes after recent meetings between Chris Israel (InternationalIntellectual Property Rights Enforcement Co-ordinator) and Vice-Premier Wu Yi, wherethe widespread problem concerning counterfeiting of golf equipment was addressed.


One of this year’s largest and most challenging Toro golf irrigation projects hasbeen completed at North Berwick Golf Club, in East Lothian. The new system,

installed by contractor Arden Lea Irrigation, comprised all greens, approaches, fairways, tees and some carries and walkways. Irrigation consultants Robin Hume

Associates STRI Irrigation Services, in Shrewsbury, designed the upgraded irrigationsystem at North Berwick.

Toro rises to the challenge

Introducing the versatile MT313Mini Triple Turf MowerA superbly engineered, reliable and cost effective mower.

Ideal for Tees, Surrounds and Fine Finish Areas.

Buy Hayter and you buy after sales service second to none, low lifetime operating

costs and of course, a machine with functionality, comfort and reliability.

Call us now on 01279 723444 or visit our website www.hayter.co.uk

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Also introducing to the Hayter range the Toro Out Front Rotary Mowerand Zero Turn Mower.

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A bunker witha differnce

Two greenkeepers have been re-livingtheir lucky escape after digging up a 10lbanti-tank mine on their Moray golfcourse. Not quite the new bunker theywere after but then what’s a greenkeeperto do when 10lbs of TNT is blown up onhis pristine course?

Peter Fiske and his assistant DaveMurdoch were digging a new bunker atBuckpool Golf Course when they uncov-ered a large metal object. It was onlywhen the pair took it to their shed towash it they realised that things weren’tquite par for the course.

Police sealed off a 100m exclusion zonearound the course until bomb squad offi-cers arrived to blow up what was discov-ered to be a live anti-tank device fromWorld War Two by that time, the luckyduo were stood well back.

And the pair thanked their lucky starswhen they were told the mine was fittedwith an anti-handling device designed todetonate if touched.

Sandburn stick with DeereSandburn Hall Golf Club, Flaxton near York, opened in June 2005. “In addition to

the main 18 hole golf course, we have built two extra holes and we’re looking todevelop seven more, subject to planning permission, so that we can also provide anine hole par 3 course,” said estates manager James Hogg.

“We had always enjoyed a good service from our local dealer FG Adamson and Son,with the machinery supplied for the estate and forest lodges over the years, so wedecided to stick with John Deere when the golf course was being established.”

News


Toro is introducing a new generation ofSand Pro bunker rakes that make it easierthan ever to maintain world-classbunkers. They are joined by a new rangeof attachments that also enable themachines to tackle landscape mainte-nance jobs all across the golf course.

The new Sand Pro 5040 and 3040 -which join the existing 2020 model - arefitted with a powerful 18hp Briggs andStratton engine, and a three-wheelseries/parallel drive system for optimumtraction that allows them to efficientlymaintain all types and sizes of bunkers,including those with steep faces anduneven contours.

Unlike the 2020, both models featurethe added benefit of power steering, andthere has been a small increase in trans-

port speed to 10mph to enable the oper-ator to move more quickly between jobs.The Sand Pro 5040 has a 7.5in groundclearance and the Sand Pro 3040 a 6in.

Many of the attachments for the SandPros are new, whereas others have beenredesigned to make them easier to attachand remove. For bunker repair and main-tenance, there is a selection of ruggedattachments such as a spring rake, toothrake, spikers of various widths, a manualor hydraulic blade, a variety of mats, afinish grader and leveling bar.

They are designed to minimise manualwork and produce the finest landscapesand bunkers. Attachments for other land-scaping tasks include a rear broom, utili-ty box, debris blower and weeder/cultiva-tor.

Toro’s new kit set to tacklebunkers and beyond

Housing anissue on IOM

Isle of Man golfers are swinging intoaction to oppose an application to build17 houses and four apartments on landnext to Castletown’s golf links. Theapplication, by course owner GrahamFerguson Lacey, has also ruffled thefeathers of bird-lovers and residents.

The plan has been submitted togovernment planners and covers a trian-gular area of land adjacent to theseventh hole currently holding a green-keeper’s tractor shed.

Simon Willoughby, secretary ofCastletown Golf Club, said: “It is veryworrying really, particularly as theproposed site is by the racecourse hole,where the original Derby was run.

“We are concerned to see how thatwould interfere with the golf.”

Club Car signup Monty

Club Car has extended its reach in theMiddle East by winning yet another keynational account, this time TheMontgomerie Golf Club in Dubai.

Winning this account is extremelysignificant for Club Car as TheMontgomerie is a first class resort thatwas previously supplied by one of ClubCar’s competitors.

The Montgomerie, designed by ColinMontgomerie himself and boasting thelargest green in the world, has takendelivery of 111 Club Car vehicles.

These include Precedent golf cars, CaféExpress food and beverage machines,Villager 6 people transporters, Turf 2maintenance vehicles and the company'saward-winning CarryAll 294 All-TerrainVehicle.

Kevin Hart, national account managerfor Europe, The Middle East and Africa, isextremely proud to add The Montgomerieto the company’s portfolio.

“Club Car is delighted to be workingwith The Montgomerie Golf Club,” hesaid. “This is a spectacular venue thatwill clearly benefit from the introductionof Club Car’s market-leading golf and util-ity vehicles.”

Temporaryclosure morepermanent

A year after its ‘temporary’ closure, aCheshire golf club is still without acourse. St Michaels Jubilee opened in1977 but as problems of contaminationliterally came to the surface, it closed inOctober last year.

Now more than one year later itremains closed and the course has beenfenced off. The abandoned fairways andgreens have turned to wilderness whilethe foxes and squirrels have moved in ata club that finds itself in an ever deep-ening crisis.

It once had around 300 members. Nowit has about 50 on the membership, butonly about 35 actually play elsewhere.The club had limited tee times lastwinter at Widnes and the same nowapplies for Sundays and the occasionalSaturday at nearby Woolton.

Oddly for a golf club without a golfcourse, there is still the clubhouse,where a few still gather and where theuncertain future is discussed.

“The course is supposed to reopen,”said secretary Will Harvey, who joined StMichaels when he started playing golffive years ago.

“But then it has been closed for a yearnow and nothing has happened. Somepeople, golfers and others, do wonderwhether it will ever open again.”

St Michaels was built on land whichhad been a huge tip for waste from thelocal chemical industry.

Over 1000 UKCourses Mapped -AVAILABLE NOW!

News


MJ Abbott has been undertaking there-construction of 50 existing bunkers atLangland Bay Golf Club in Wales andrefurbishing ten bunkers at West HoveGolf Club in Brighton, East Sussex.

“At Langland Bay Golf Club it was feltbunkers had gone beyond repair, havingbeen edged back as far as possible overthe years,” said Nigel Wyatt, contractsdirector.

“All bunkers needed freshening up andthe club chose to have the projectcompleted in one hit. The new shaping isdesigned to suit the access and egress ofgolfers and maintenance equipment.”

Work included cleaning out the bunkersand removing the old bunker sand. Oncethe bunkers had been stripped any re-

usable topsoil was stored for future use.Bunkers were then re-shaped in subsoilto improve maintainability and newdrainage installed to the bunker bases.

“As we were working in stone and rockwe laid inverted turf within the bunkerbase to prevent ingress and problemsfrom these stones in later years,” addedWyatt. Re-soiling of the bunkersurrounds, laying turf and re-sanding ofthe bunkers completed the project.

At West Hove Golf Club, MJ Abbott hascompleted the second phase of a bunkerrefurbishment programme.

“The first phase was completed inMarch 2004 and we have now refurbisheda further ten bunkers for the club in2005,” concluded Wyatt.

Following a House of Lords ruling thatthrew out a recent appeal, HM Revenueand Customs (HMRC) have restated theirposition on a tax avoidance scheme thathas been taken up by many golf clubs.

Subscriptions and green fees arecollected through a not-for-profit compa-ny only to then transfer most of thismoney to the actual club, usually in theform of rent. This scheme has beenparticularly prevalent with commercialgolf clubs.

These schemes seek to take advantageof the tax system by trying to shadowthe not-for-profit status available tonon-commercial sports clubs when actu-

ally being run as a profitable business,thus avoiding having to pay VAT.

An HMRC spokesman said: “HMRC’sadvice is clear. If you buy into a schemeof this kind, or if you continue to use ascheme that you have already bought,you are almost certainly accruing VATdebts, which will attract interest, andquite possibly a penalty too.

“HMRC has engaged a team of insol-vency practitioners whose brief is torecover unpaid VAT from anyone involvedin this type of scheme, including theindividuals running the non profit-making company and the individualsrunning the commercial business.”

MJ Abbott find the sand

HM Customs new ruling onGolf Club Tax avoidance

A golf club in Carlisle is to be given a£350,000 makeover. Work has started oncreating a new pavilion at Stony Holme,to replace the one damaged in theJanuary flood, and to improve the club-house and restaurant.

Carlisle City Council, in partnershipwith Carlisle Leisure, is investing thecash for the project which is expected totake four months. Project managed bythe council’s commercial and technicalservices section, the works have beenappointed to Postlethwaite Constructionfrom designs created by Architects Plus.

It is hoped the new facilities will openin April.

New paviliontakes shape

ChickenTikka Masalafor Steve

Dr Steve Chicken, managing director ofJacobsen International, the holdingcompany for Textron’s turf equipmentmanufacturing facilities across Europe,has been appointed managing director ofthe Textron Global Technology Centre inBangalore, India with immediate effect.

The Global Technology Centre providesengineering services to all of the Textrondivisions and employs over 100 engi-neers. Rapid expansion at the Bangalorefacility is planned over the next year.

Commenting on his new position, DrChicken said: “I am intensely proud ofthe advances that we have made, whichis down to a young and vibrant manage-ment team supported by loyal peoplededicated to providing exceptionalcustomer service to turf professionalsacross Europe.

“I leave with a heavy heart, but amlooking forward immensely to the chal-lenges that await in India.”


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Over 20 new courses built in the last ten years

DAVID WILLIAMS GOLF DESIGNGolf Course Architects

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

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

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

Designers of the Kingfisher Course at Mannings Heath

Twenty-three years’ experience of golf greenkeeping make Mark Leman ideally suit-ed for his new role as an area sales representative with turf machinery specialists

Campey Turf Care Systems. Leman will have responsibility for an area that includesthe south west of England, the south Midlands, South Wales and Ireland, and was

previosuly course manager at Henbury Golf Club near Bristol, so he fully appreciatesthe demanding workload of modern turf professionals.

Leman joins the ranks

Share valueup for Langer

Former Ryder Cup captain BernhardLanger’s Langer Sport Marketing haspurchased shares in EPD Tour, asubsidiary of Professional Golf AG - thecommercial holding company of PGA ofGermany’s “PGA Group of Companies”.

This is a financial joining of forcesbetween the German professional golfer’sassociation and a key company of theLanger enterprise based in Anhausen,near Augsburg. From January 1, LangerSport Marketing becomes a co-partner ofEPD Tour, which, is the organising bodyfor the ESPRIT pro tour.

Rainer Goldrian, chairman ofProfessional Golf AG, keeps his positionas managing director of EPD Tour alongwith the founder of the tour, WayneHachey, who continues to hold five percent in the EPD Tour.

The parties have agreed not to revealthe Langer company’s exact share in theEPD Tour, but Professional Golf AGremains the majority owner.

John Deere make a pointJohn Deere is introducing an improved version of the Aercore 800 pedestrian aera-

tor for the 2006 season, featuring a more powerful engine, smoother and more effi-cient operation and easier maintenance.

The self-propelled Aercore 800 is designed for aerating a range of fine turf areas,including cricket squares, golf greens, tennis courts and bowling greens. It is basedon the same type of heavy duty frame and tine rams as John Deere’s tractor mountedmodels, to provide years of durable, productive service.

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Renew or Bust


FINANCE

While 90 per cent of golfclubs may be short ofmembers, waiting lists ararity, and casual and

society visitor income down, whatabout the other side of the equation,cost management?

Apparently, golf club managementis becoming more professional, and asone put it, knowing the price isn�t thepoint - it�s the cost that�s key. There arevarious drivers behind better costmanagement: more commercially expe-rienced treasurers, more monthlymanagement accounts and so on, butthe main driver is stable interest rates.

So we talked to some specialistsabout ways in which each can help aclub know its costs and finance thelatest turf equipment, major course or

clubhouse projects, a new fleetof buggies, or simply reducethe time and hassle spentcollecting subscriptions.

Membership subscriptionremains the main source of club

income. But collecting it can bevery time-consuming, andmany members now preferto pay on a monthly basis.

The largest provider charges 6.5 percent for collecting fees - compare thatwith the 4.5 per cent charged by TheFees Company, a specialist serving golfclubs and private schools.

The core product is the Golf FeesPlan, a Direct Debit scheme enabling aclub to collect the entire subscriptionamount in one cheque from thosemembers paying this way, while TheFees Company collects from those indi-viduals via monthly payments. FlexibleThe Fees Company is also more flexi-ble, accommodating new members whojoin after the due date, but who want topay on a monthly basis. This makes thedifference when competing for newmemberships, or simply retaining theones you�ve got.

Norman Crawford, md of The FeesCompany, also promotes the benefits ofa mixed scheme, where larger subscrip-tions are on a Direct Debit scheme, butsmaller fees can be collected via BACS.

As Crawford points out, the hasslefor a club to invoice and collect £100 isjust as much as for £1,000, so herecommends the use of a BACS collec-tion facility. !

Despite Gordon Brown�s recent forecasts, the finances of many golf clubs have remainedsteady, despite concerns from so-called industry analysts. One problem clubs will alwayshave though, is how best to collect their annual subs, as Charles de Haan reports.


Lastly, The Fees Company offer aTreasury facility which earns interest(one per cent over base daily) on thecash pile, if your club doesn�t needsubscription income straightaway, andfrom which the club can draw downwhenever it wants. Alternatively, theBACS facility allows for the income togo straight into the club�s bank accountand earn money that way.

Humberclyde is one of the mainplayers in asset financing with over 600clubs for clients, primarily for turfequipment. John Westrope is their mainman in the golf club sector.

�Funding turf equipment is our corebusiness, although we�ve also financedkitchens, furniture, irrigation systems,and access control,� said Westrope.�Raising quality standards is driving turfequipment sakes and better equipmentkeeps coming. Clubs need to maximisetheir green keeping resource and keepoperating costs under control, and that�swhere we can really help a club.

�We�re increasingly fundingmachinery replacement programmesover five, eight or more years. We workwith dealers and clubs to audit existingstock, work out replacements, checkwhat they�d like to have, and thensmooth payments over the term so aclub knows exactly its monthly costs.

�We also arrange leases to matchthe income flows of the club, so eg.they are lower in winter and higher insummer.�

Sean Jones is ING�s key man in thesector, who added: �We�re certainlyseeing an increasing trend for contracthire, where the residual value issubtracted from the purchase price,reducing the monthly cost to the club.This makes more sense when youreplace equipment regularly and needfixed costs going forwards.

�Stable interest rates have led tomore clubs being comfortable withlonger term funding. We�re seeingmanufacturers offering deals whereinitial payments are suspended until thestart of the season, and at ING Leasewe can provide clubs with seasonalfunding where the finance charges arematched to cash flow.

�I think clubs are definitely becom-ing more professional, and more awareof the benefits of long term finance.

�They realise it�s cost, not price,that counts. The club can then ensurethe cost of maintaining and improvingtheir standards of clubhouse and coursepresentation.

�They can also benefit, for example,from leasing 2-3 machines, instead ofjust buying one. We�re increasinglyhelping them with planning equipmentreplacement plans for the next ten years,where the finance is a key element ofthe decision making process.�ImprovementsIan Henderson is the md of GolfFinance, and is also captain of TheGlen GC. He has helped many clubsfinance the improvements needed toattract or retain members, and at TheGlen this has meant financing a new£1.5 million clubhouse, whilst under-taking considerable work on the course.

�Golf clubs are more accustomed tousing finance for all sorts of things: irri-gation, extensions to the courses, newgreens, and of course, clubhouseimprovements,� he said. �Six figureamounts are the norm, and clubs arelooking ten to 20 years ahead in fund-ing terms.

�This means they�re not just limit-ing the impact to existing members, butare confident of spreading the cost tofuture members as well. This is theeffect of stable interest rates, and clubsgetting more comfortable with fundingissues.

�The club secretary or manager isthe essential component in the financialequation, along with the course manag-er or head greenkeeper when it comesto turf equipment. But from myperspective, the treasurers and commit-tee members are also becoming morecommercially aware and experienced.

�Clubs are becoming much morebusiness-like, and this is directlyreflected in the kind of business we�redoing.�

Competition is said to improve thebreed. There�s ample choice of special-ist expertise for funding virtuallyanything the club wants to consider,and if the observations of these compa-nies are correct, the golf club sector isshowing all the right signs of respond-ing to changing times.

And that�s very good news for theindustry as a whole.

�FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE TREASURERS AND COMMITTEE

MEMBERS ARE ALSO BECOMING MORE COMMERCIALLY AWARE

AND EXPERIENCED. CLUBS ARE BECOMING MUCH MORE

BUSINESS-LIKE, AND THIS IS DIRECTLY REFLECTED

IN THE KIND OF BUSINESS WE�RE DOING.�

�.. Course Control?

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

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

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

� GolfMate for players

With the GolfMate solution, you provide your

players with a personal golf assistant. GolfMate

shows the player the distance to the green, points

of interest and allows the player to interactively

measure any other distance required. Combined

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

GolfMate has a significant impact on the whole golf

experience.

� GolfMate for managers

One of the main advantages of telling players

where they are is that you know as well.

GolfMate reports �tracking data� back to you.

Although GolfMate tells the players when they

are not keeping pace, you always have the

option to send a flight a message, or even visit

them on the course without having to search for

their exact location.

� Course management GolfMate has been developed for both course

managers and players. GolfMate gives both

parties the tools for a better golfing experience.

Besides happy golfers, GolfMate gives you:

� Exact location of players/groups;

� Course analysis;

� Pace control of players/groups;

� Direct communication options with your

golfers;

� Integration with your existing booking/

reservation and POS system (optional);

� Additional revenue per round/hole using

advertising;

� Easy hand-out;

� Daily pin-position and so much more �

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

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

busy summer months made it a smart management decision�

General Manager Conleth Roche and the Moonah Links Board of Directors

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5-7IOG SALTEX [Windsor]

22-24Ryder Cup [The K Club, Dublin]

29-30Fairway/Golf Europe [Munich]

19-20Golf Expo 2006 [Moscow]

24-26BTME/Clubhouse [Harrogate]

26-29PGA Merchandise Show [Orlando]

29-30GolfEx Dubai [Dubai]

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15-18US Open [Winged Foot, New York]

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october 2006

With 90 years of experience, Toro is tequipment and irrigation systems to garound the world. Our commitment tproducts and systems to help grow anabout preserving the tradition of golf.right solution to you. Make Toro thewww.toro.com

For everythingyou ca

january 2006

Yearplanner 2006

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6-9The Masters [Augusta National, Georgia]14-16PGA Show Asia [Beijing]

27-30London Golf Show [London]

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20-23The Open [Royal Liverpool, Hoylake]

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december 2006

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Unrest at Goodwood


GOODWOOD

Golf is being presented in anew way at TheGoodwood Club prompt-ing the oft-quoted analogy

of omelettes and broken eggs. Following the successful innovation

of the Festival of Speed and GoodwoodRevival - the world�s largest and mostpopular historic motor sport events - theEarl of March has turned his attentionto golf.

Lord March (pictured above), whoheads the Goodwood Group of compa-nies, is close to completing his plans fora totally different way of running agolfing facility at his country seat.

Next spring the curtain goes up on adrastically re-vamped course and club-house although many regulars of the oldmembers� club will not be there toapplaud. They have left, some pleadingpoverty, to play their golf elsewhere inWest Sussex.

The magnificent Downland 18 holeshas been the subject of a major renova-tion involving architect Howard Swanwhose brief was to enhance JamesBraid�s original while a multi-millionpound refurbishment of the Grade 1listed clubhouse is nearing completion.

When finished this will not only bethe focal point for golfers but all theother sports centred on the GoodwoodEstate. But what has been the subject ofwidespread reaction among locals is thenew way in which golf will be sold.

For some the blow fell in midsummer in the form of a letter setting outthe new structure. Lord March, orCharles to his friends, accepts thepredictable fall out but nothing has beenallowed to stand in his way of takinggolf into a new and exclusive dimension.

�Yes, we have lost members, butthat was bound to happen and I thinkthe numbers have been exaggerated.We have moved forward and I want tobring the golf here up to the level of theracing and motoring events,� he said.

Quite simply the landlord hasupgraded golf to the style, service andbenefits associated with a high level,luxury experience. His intention is todeliver golf in a completely fresh way;a way that suits the busy lives of thosewho can afford it.

Essentially, members will only haveto pay for the amount of golf they wantwhen they want it. They will no longerpay fees for times when they are absent.Once a member, golfers will just buythe amount of Goodwood Golf Creditsthat best suits their lifestyle.

Starting next year, to join golf atGoodwood, one will pay an annualmembership fee of £150 plus a mini-mum of £200 credits. The latter figurewill buy a member 50 credits giving tenrounds at peaceful times or five roundsat peak times. Credits can be purchasedin bundles of 50, 100 or 300 and areonly available to members.

The more golf a member plays, theless the rounds cost. When memberswant more they top up in the samemanner they would a mobile phone.The calendar will be split into peak,popular and peaceful times each costinga different amount of credits.

Peak is usually lunchtimes duringthe week, plus mornings and lunchtimesat weekends. Popular times relate tomornings during the week and after-noons at weekends while peaceful timestend to be first thing in the morning andduring the afternoon.ExpensiveThis system runs contrary to the habitsof old members who complain it will bemore expensive. Also, they maintain thecourse which already contained plentyof stiff climbs has been made harder onthe legs.

Lord March is unworried by criti-cisms though. �By next year we willhave a first class course. We have spentmany millions of pounds on the club-house and course and I hope very muchthat people will want to be involved atthe beginning of something new, imagi-native and stylish with exceptionalfacilities and service.�

He says the credits system willmean many members paying less. �Noone will have to subsidise anyone else�splay. Those who play a large amount ofgolf will pay more, reflecting their useof the course.

Owned and operated by Lord March, The Goodwood Golf Club has been transformed inrecent years into one of the best courses in West Sussex, but as John Vinicombe reports,not every one is happy about the changes implemented away from the course.


�In addition to the pure golf, anoptional payment of £100 will allowyou to entertain in and enjoy the beauti-ful clubhouse.

�Bringing together all the Good-wood sports has long been an ambitionof mine and the clubhouse will also bethe home of all the sports for whichGoodwood is famous and create one ofthe most exclusive and unusual sportingclubs in the world.

�The course has been made longerand tougher for the better players with aview of it becoming a tournamentvenue at some stage. I am convinced itis the way forward for us.�

His view about the changed courseis supported by Ewen Murray, SkySports golf pundit and former Tourplayer. Says Lord March: �Ewen hasgone on record to say that it is now thefinest Downland course in Britainwhich is very encouraging for us and itwill continue to grow and mature.�

The new course lay-out, whichopened for play some months ago, hassince undergone fine tuning. ExplainedSwan: �We have re-shaped one of thefairways so that the tee shot is no longerblind and refined some of the bunkersand greens and put in a buggy path toframe the course.

�With the help of English Heritagelandscape architect Tom Stewart Smith,we have also undertaken a major land-scaping scheme that will restore the trueDownland character of the course. It isnot only more colourful as a result, butmore naturally colourful.�

Mark Vickery, general manager, saysthat ambitions for the future have esca-lated as the project developed. �In thebeginning, our aim was simply to createthe best course in the area. But, as thework progressed, we came to realise thatif we were prepared to go that extra milein terms of investment, then we couldend up with one of the best golfingvenues in the entire country.

�By the time both the course and theclubhouse are formally opened in 2006,we are confident that this is exactlywhat we shall have here.�

Much of Lord March�s enthusiasmfor the project extends to the clubhouse.Although in his early 40s, he is not anactive golfer and only recently startedto take lessons. However, he needs notutoring in architecture or the finerpoints of fast cars. He is thoroughlysteeped in the history of his estate homeand has a healthy respect for the past.InteriorWhen complete the classical aestheticof James Wyatts� Georgian architecturewill be combined with an edgy andcontemporary interior style which isexactly what Lord March wants.

As Wyatt submitted his drawings in1787 to the third Duke of Richmond itwas with the express purpose of provid-ing a home for the hounds and lackeysin his service.

The building was often described asthe finest example of Sussex flintworkand the hounds lived in large rooms,one side of which were lined with ironplates heated from behind by huge firesin winter to prevent them catching cold.

Since the course opened in 1914,members who retired to the 19th holewere quite literally in the dog house.That will still be the case when thehighly rated building is restored to itsRegency grandeur but with a difference.

When Braid designed the course itwas with the intention of making it oneof the best in the country. The statusquo remained so far as the memberswere concerned until their lease expiredby which time Lord March had donesome serious thinking.

It was not enough for the racecourseto be universally known as GloriousGoodwood and an integral part ofracing for the last 191 years. CharlesMarch�s ambition, soon to be realised,was to put golf on a par with the equineand motoring worlds.

�We hope to end up with somethingreally special. The course is going to betruly outstanding and several of JamesBraid�s holes restored. As for the club-house, it is probably the best piece ofarchitecture on the estate and we arenow going to make the most of it.

�The intention is to create an ambi-ence of stylish elegance yet informaland relaxed. The most important thingis for people to feel comfortable,�outlined Lord March.

Some of what he described as the�more unsympathetic� 20th centuryadditions to the building have beencompletely removed revealing some ofWyatt�s original work. For instance, theground floor is being restored toWyatt�s plan.

�We are putting back all the Wyattdetailing,� explained Lord March. �Hisskirting, ceilings, cornices and archi-traves were all distinctively simple andvery tasteful.� Quality craftsmen havebeen brought in to reproduce themwherever the originals have been lost orare in a poor state of repair.

In Lord March�s words the club-house will embrace, �sharp, moderntouches within an eighteenth centuryshell.� The lounge, spike bar, a mainbar, restaurant and private dining roomwill overlook the terrace with panoram-ic views of Goodwood House.

Full time attendants will man thelocker rooms while above the first floorspace has been set aside for a library.Food for the restaurant will come fromthe estate�s organic farm and localsuppliers. FeaturesNew features include a bag-drop withvalet parking and a glass-fronted pro�sshop in the enclosed garden courtyardcontaining putting green and buggypark with space for 40-plus. An arch-way leads to the first tee, main practicearea and driving range.

In a nutshell it all costs a great dealof money and could not be sustainedunder the former membership fee struc-ture. Whether or not The GoodwoodClub proves to be a viable propositiononly time will tell.

But, once fully up and running it isbound to attract great interest as yetanother of Britain�s stately homes hasdeveloped further into a commercialenterprise with prestige and the corpo-rate market very much in mind.

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Manning the Lodge


CLUB INSIGHT

No less an authority thanEwen Murray, the SkySports golf presenter,declares that Mannings

Heath is his favourite course. A formerEuropean Tour player, he goes furthersaying that if he had his way, he wouldplay The Waterfall ad infinitum.

Little surprise then, thatMurray is club president andmay be seen there most everyweek when not following theTour.

This year the 18 holes towhich he is addicted deep inthe heart of West Sussex

greenery celebrated its centenary.Anybody who has exercised their

skills there will no doubt agree that itis a rewarding experience.

Before a second course, TheKingfisher and designed by DavidWilliams over 185 acres on adjacentfarmland, opened for play six yearsago, The Waterfall was in danger of

becoming over-golfed, such was itsreputation.

Mannings Heath, only two milesoutside the bustle of Horsham, waspurchased 15 years ago by a fledglingcompany started by an Italian immi-grant. Guiseppe Pecorelli, 67 arrived inthe UK from the Tuscan city of Arezzoand slowly gained a foothold in theleisure, property and hotel business. ExclusiveHe started trading as Marland Estatesand from a modest beginning ExclusiveHotels evolved. It was Marland Estatesthat became the owners of ManningsHeath at a time when locals expressedsome doubts as to the future of the club.

A reported £1.75m secured the free-hold of the course and clubhousefollowing the death of owner GwenLatilla-Campbell, the last survingmember of her family. The familyhome, Fullers, a mock Tudor mansionwas singled out as an eventual club-house. !

Golfing breaks in the UK are becoming more and more popular, which partly explains thelink between Mannings Heath Golf Club in Sussex and South Lodge, a four-star hotel justa few miles away. John Vinicombe reports on the joint collaboration.


This proved a shrewd deal as theoriginal structure by the 18th greenmade way for a small but profitableresidential development in an unspoiledvillage that has retained its charm.

Fullers had been removed brick bybrick in 1919 from North Street,Horsham when it was known as TheOld House. The final placing was quitesplendid with a panoramic view of thecourse. UniqueThe oak-panelled interior, split into aseries of small rooms and cubby holes,nooks and cranies is an architecturaldelight. As a golf clubhouse it must beunique.

The hands-on touch at the take overfrom the Latilla-Campbell family wasGuiseppe�s son Danny. Now 39, Dannyis managing director of ExclusiveHotels and happy to announce the latestlink in a fast growing chain of proper-ties all leisure and golf related.

It is a portfolio that testifies to theexpertise of father and son and may beexplained by Danny�s appraisal of howsuccess comes to those who sticktogether and embrace family values.

�I don�t have any time to play golf,�he says. �Dad does, though. He plays atNorth Hants off a 15 handicap whileworking me hard.�

Danny Pecorelli causes no eyebrowsto raise when revealing that offers forMannings Heath - �our jewel in thecrown� - have been received and reject-

ed. It only goes to show how Guiseppehad an eye for a bargain when the timeand price was right.

�There is a real buzz about theplace. Both courses are in superb condi-tion and The Waterfall looks absolutelymagnificent.�

Guiseppe Pecorelli believed, likemost Italian fathers, in putting his sonthrough the mill right from the start.Danny personally presided over theearly days at Mannings Heath and thenshifted five minutes down the road tothe South Lodge hotel while the overallcontrol of the burgeoning business layvested in father at Pennyhill Park,Bagshot.

As Mannings Heath expanded andprospered the success story of thePecorelli�s continued with other keyinvestments: The Manor House andgolf course at Castle Combe, Wiltshire;Lainstone House, Winchester and thelatest acquisition, Fanhams Hall, Ware,Hertfordshire.PleydellAt Mannings Heath the day to dayrunning is the responsibility of opera-tions manager Jon Pleydell, 29. He is acomparatively new kid on the blockhaving arrived 18 months ago afterstudying leisure management and busi-ness studies at Buckingham Universityfollowed by a stint at Kingswood.

Playdel is a six handicap golfer andimmediately fell in love with his newsurroundings.

His concern at a proprietorial andmembers� club mix is keeping 740subscribers happy. The club is far fromstarved of success.

The scratch team won the SussexInter-Club championship for the Daviesand Tate Trophy in 1995 and a steadyflow of young players have distin-guished themselves in county eventsand some even turned professional. AndMannings Heath is the only club in theUK to have received a rosette for itscooking.

By current standards the member-ship deal is good and hardly over-pricedat £1,600. Separate Kingfisher dues ayear are £725. Green fee business isgood with £33 required for 18 holes onThe Waterfall during the week with amember. That is a highly competitiverate compared to some of the charges inthe Surrey stockbroker belt.

Mannings Heath is holding its ownagainst a national trend of fallingmemberships. In Sussex alone the dropis 1.1 per cent down. According toDavid Harmer, the Sussex CGU secre-tary, that compares favourably withlosses of up to five per cent elsewherein the country.

He explained: �The fall is probablydue to a number of factors. I don�tdoubt that more people are playing golfnow but are less likely to join a club.

�The reasons, I believe, are familycommitments, cost, mortgages andyoung families to support.�


Fact FileClub: Mannings Heath

Fullers, Hammerpond Road, Mannings Heath,Horsham RH13 6PGEngland

Telephone: 01403 210228Facsimile: 01403 270974Email: n/aWebsite: www.exclusivehotels.co.uk

Golf Director: John Pleydell (pictured right)Shop Manager: Neil Darnell

Course Info: 36-holesKingfisher: Par 70, 6,217 yards (Opened 1999)Waterfall: Par 72, 6,406 yards (Opened 1905)

Members: 740Annual Subs: £1,600

Jon Pleydell agrees: �There is aslight decline at Mannings Heath butnothing substantial. I don�t think peopleare willing to marry themselves to oneclub as they once were. They want toplay wherever they wish. A lot ofpeople don�t socialise as much as theyused to at golf clubs. A quick drink andthey are gone.

�The drink-drive law has a lot to dowith this although we run a lot of socialevents and are happy to do so. As tofewer members joining, it is not a seri-ous problem. We have a lot of youngpeople, particularly girls, comingthrough and they are the future.�

Mannings Heath does not stint instaffing levels. Clive Tucker is the headprofessional and Neil Darnell the proand shop manager. Diane Moulding iscatering manager and looks after theconference and banquetting side.Weddings are welcome. The clubmakes a point of finding out what theirmembers and customers like to eat.

�Golfers don�t want sushi. Theymuch prefer bangers and mash, some-thing that sticks to their ribs,� saysPleydell.

The Waterfall gets its name from aspectacular short hole the tee of whichused to be sited on a mat between twobeech trees and on the edge of a steepchalky drop. To the right and over alane is a hammer pond and the waterflows, and sometimes roars, through asluice and joins the stream.

The confluence has a cascadingeffect, hence the name. The old distanceused to be fractionally under 100 yards.Not many tee shots called for a wedgeand this fooled a lot of newcomers. Onthe right of the green is a delightfulprivate cottage, the garden of which,

despite a protective hedge, used to bepeppered by balls.

Some considered it a trick hole. Aflick with no more than the most loftedclub would often find the green. But fora while now the mat has been discardedand the hole lengthened so that thefresh challenge is presented from aseries of elevated tees lengthening thehole to 169 yards from the whites and132 yards off the yellows.

For years the course, set in maturewoodlands criss-crossed by babblingbrooks, undulations and valleys, held agrim secret.CrashTowards the end of WW2 an RAFHalifax, with a full bomb load from itsbase in Yorkshire, was en route toWesel when one of its engines caughtfire above Oxford. The aircraft droppedto 2,000 feet and the pilot ordered thecrew to bail out. Five parachuted tosafety but two perished in the crash in athickly wooded part of the golf course.

It is thought that the pilot, FlightLieutenant Gerry Winning did get outsafely but his body was found entan-gled in his parachute.

There was no trace of bomb aimerFlight Sergeant Jack Webb for theaircraft was blown to pieces. The ironyof the story is that the raid had alreadybeen abandoned and a call gone out torecall all aircraft.

The two victims are commemoratedon a plaque near the crash site which isstill marked by a huge crater. In someplaces bits of the wreckage are embed-ded in the trees. Fittingly, the remainsof a propeller are exhibited over thefireplace in the club lounge and visitorsoften ask about its history.

Friends Reunited


HARROGATE WEEK

Harrogate in January has become synonymous with BTME, but for how much longer? AsNeville Johnson reports, despite re-branding the event as �Harrogate Week�, many of theindustries major players have already withdrawn their support for 2007.

It�s going to be a big year for golf,what with the Ryder Cup comingto Ireland and GPS aids beingallowed in competition. It�s going

to be a big one too for greenkeepers, ormore especially the body that repre-sents their interests.

BIGGA, one of those acronymsthat�s familiar to all those that need toknow, is as every January staging it�sannual showcase and shindig. Theevent of course is BTME, again anacronym that everyone in the golf busi-ness knows - but how many actuallyknow what it stands for?

It�s always been about courseupkeep, but over the last year or so it�sengulfed clubhouse matters too. The2006 show however has gone a club ortwo more so to speak - out-of-bounds

some might say - by calling itself theHarrogate Week.

BIGGA�s official take on this isthat it is an �umbrella� branding for

BTME, the Clubhouse show for clubmanagement and secretaries, plus allthe other goings on. It says it hasbeen created to encompass what itcalls a vast array of events duringthe whole week. It also says it reaf-firms that it is not just a three-day

trade show. Now, there�s nothing wrong with an

event talking itself up, but there�s a bitmore to this than meets the eye.BIGGA is these days admitting thatits big event is more than a golf one.

In the words of its website referenceto Harrogate Week: �As the exhibitiongrows in stature, so does the audience.Visitors from local authorities, parksand gardens, football, rugby and cricketclubs wander through the exhibitionhalls alongside the groundsmen fromcastles, theme parks and racecourses.�

The fact is many of the big namesthat produce the equipment greenkeep-ers use to keep the greens, approachesand fairways in tip top nick have upsetthe turf care exhibition apple cart in abig way. AlternatingThey did this by announcing - some ofthem louder than others - at the other bigturf show SALTEX that they were draw-ing in their horns as far as exhibitionswere concerned. Major companies likeRansomes Jacobsen, Toro and JohnDeere would henceforth only have apresence at one turf care show a year,alternating between BTME in Januaryand SALTEX, the Institute ofGroundsmanship�s September showcase.

In a way this has set the two indus-try�s arms against one another.Ostensibly they appear to have closedranks, a kind of status quo pretencewith each of the organisations expect-ing to pull in the turf care fraternity sixmonths apart. That�s all ended now.

BTME, sorry Harrogate Week, islikely to be pretty much the worthywinter trip it always has been for 2006at least. After that, who knows? !

Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd,West Road, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich IP3 9TT Tel: +44 (0)1473 270000 Fax: +44 (0)1473 276300 www.e-z-go.co.uk

Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd is the first groundscare equipment manufacturer accredited to ISO14001

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.

Tomorrow it’s your turn!

Just call 01473 270000 quoting GME 1/06 TX.We’ll be delighted to arrange a demonstration.

SEE US AT BTME STAND A23

The big guns are all there this time,but if true to their exhibition cut-backpromise will not return until the 2008event. It�s still going to be a greatindoor walk-about for anyone in thegolf club business looking to updateequipment or facilities.

In truth, there are never that manylaunches. Most of the manufacturershave traditionally unveiled at SALTEXin September, though clearly this isgoing to change since they won�t bethere now until 2007.AimYou can�t get anybody actually to sayit, but surely the underlying aim of turfcare manufacturers is to see that in theUK we get one big annual show. MaybeBIGGA and IOG have been havingsecret talks. Who knows?

The fact is greenkeepers, like theirgroundsmen counterparts, look likebeing short-changed if something isn�tdone to streamline things. One factor ingolf�s favour is that golf courses havean awful lot of grass, and it needs 24/7upkeep around the calendar.

This just may tip the balanceBIGGA�s way when the manufacturerscall the exhibition shots in years tocome. That aside, BIGGA is seeingthere is a significant shift in what itsshow offers visitors.

Education has, to be fair, alwaysbeen a prominent feature, but for the2006 event it�s possibly more eye-

catching than the exhibition halls. TheContinue to Learn programme hasmore than doubled in content.Apparently there�s more than 120 hoursof it on offer to golf course custodians.

Taking a leaf out of the EdinburghFestival book the organisers are makinga big thing about what they are calling�fringe events� too. These are basicallyseminars hosted by exhibitors and thisis surely a way of giving formalapproval to what was beginning tohappen anyway and stop them fromappearing to be break-away do�s.

If Surfactants and Soil WaterRepellence in Golf Course Soils -Water Use and EnvironmentalImplication for example grabs you, thenyou�ll be pleased to know that turftreatment producer Vitax has laid on aseminar covering it.

Or how about Aeration, Myths andLegends, an award wining title if everthere was one? A company which helpsclubs sort out waterlogging and thelike, Terrain Aeration, is at the helm forthis one.

There are plenty more such fringegatherings. Mark your �dance card�early in the show�s proceedings so youcan pick from what�s on offer and goonly to the ones that make good use ofyour time.

The Greenkeepers TrainingCommittee is making much of theshow�s diet of seminars and workshops

A Textron Company

®

and reminds those going that there is acareers fair and job shop too. It�s allabout educating employers, not justgreenkeepers, it says.

Two gatherings stick out. On theWednesday (January 25) is WorkingTogether in Golf Club Managementpresented jointly by the English GolfUnion and the Association of Golf ClubSecretaries.SustainableDuring the following day (January 26)Maintaining the Sustainable GolfCourse - very much a buzz theme ingolf currently - is the theme of what theR&A�s Golf Committee is promoting inassociation with BIGGA.

If you�ve got the time in betweenattending all these seminars there isplenty in the exhibition halls worthchecking out, especially if you didn�tmake it to SALTEX.

On the course care equipment sidefor instance, John Deere is introducingan improved version of its Aercore 800pedestrian aerator, much used forgreens work. The manufacturer saysthis upgraded one offers more efficientoperation and is easier to maintain.

It produces what the companydescribes as clean, tidy holes with mini-mal surface scuffing and hole spacingpatterns are better too. Another piece ofkit that might catch head greenkeepers�eyes is Toro�s new range of Sand Probunker rakes.

Better than their forerunners, thesehave power steering and attachmentslike rear broom and debris blower thatfit them for plenty of other jobs aroundthe course.

Winter tees are an annualheadache for head green-keepers, so what turfgrower Lindum isoffering could be aray of sunshine.

Using itsG r a s s f e l t ,which is livinggrass on a re-inforced base, theYorkshire company canprovide clubs with tempo-rary tee mats that areanything but artificial.

The grower says thegrass used for these matsis shade tolerant andwear resistant, so verymuch in tune withwinter driving condi-tions!

When it comes totaming the �nasties�that do affect fineturf on a coursehowever wellcared for, there�s anew contact fungi-cide being launched atthe show which manufacturer HeadlandAmenity modestly calls Winner.

It�s a granulated product whichdissolves in water for spray application.Fusarium, Red Thread, Anthracnoseand Dollar Spot are said to be on its hitlist and it�s especially effective when

grass growing is slow ornon-existent, so

greenkeepers look-ing for a fix in theseareas might try andtake some home andget cracking!

Two of the bignames in turf treat-ments, Scotts andSyngenta, bring anew growth regulatorto greenkeepers�attention. It�s calledPrimo Maxx andapparently trials at 25golf and other sportssites have proved itsworth in producingstronger root andlateral shoot strength.

The claim is that itresults in sward more

resistant to drought andmore vigorous at lower

cutting heights. On the grass seed front producer

Barenbrug has come up with what it saysa 100 per cent fescue mix for tees, fair-ways and roughs, which should pleasethose re-seeding or creating new stretch-es on links and heathland courses. !


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

Telephone: 0116 269 6766 Fax: 0116 269 6866

Email: [email protected]

�Specialist in Golf Course Construction�

Wychwood Park, Royal BirkdaleRudding Park, Gog Magog

Chilwell Manor, Goodwood

BAGCC

The company says it�s traditionalmake-up means it fits in with thesustainable golf objective. Called Bar20, it�s scheduled to be launched at theshow.DebutKubota will be using BTME 2006 todebut a new 32hp manual gearboxcompact tractor and two new highperformance diesel ride-on frontmowers. Also on show will be repre-sentative examples from Kubota�s 22-strong tractor line-up from 14hp to105hp suitable for a diversity of appli-cations on and off the golf course.

In addition to its two new frontmowers, Kubota will be showing itsGR ride-on mowers launched in 2005and the highly manoeuvrable ZD28zero-turn machine, with its 28hp dieselengine and 1.52m (60in) cutter deck.

Completing Kubota�s line-up willbe the RTV900 all-terrain utility vehiclelaunched last summer. Powered by a22hp diesel engine, the RTV900 has atop speed of 25mph, rugged yetsmooth-riding suspension and a three-range hydrostatic transmission givingdynamic braking and an automaticpower boost when climbing slopes. Recognising that the RTV900 will beused extensively both for people andload movement, Kubota offers the vehi-cle with either a bench seat or individ-ual seating,

As it gets closer there�s definitely abreathless feel to this year�s show.Greenkeepers, course managers andclub secretaries be warned - you�regoing to need to be fit if you want to dojustice to what BIGGA is spreadingbefore you.

ELY

E Y

J. & E. ELY LTD

International GolfCourse Constructionand Renovation

49 Woodlands RoadSonning CommonReading RG4 9TD

Reading, United KingdomTel: +44 118 972 2257Email: [email protected]

Lisbon, PortugalTel: +351 93 451 5055

Appointed contractor for the renovation work undertaken atRoyal Liverpool for the 2006Open Championship

BAGCC www.elygolfconstruction.com

�AS IT GETS CLOSER THERE�S DEFINITELY A BREATHLESS FEEL TO

THIS YEAR�S SHOW. GREENKEEPERS, COURSE MANAGERS AND

CLUB SECRETARIES BE WARNED - YOU�RE GOING TO NEED TO BE

FIT IF YOU WANT TO DO JUSTICE TO WHAT BIGGA IS SPREADING

BEFORE YOU.�

Artificial Intelligence


OPINION

Synthetic turf has come a long way since the early days of Astroturf. Nowadays, more andmore golf clubs throughout Europe are installing artificial putting greens and practiceareas as Matt Leslie of Southwest Greens explains.

As an employee of SouthwestGreens, a company involvedin installing new-generationsynthetic turf for golf appli-

cations, I have nothing but respect andadmiration for the skills of greenkeepers.

Some of the natural greens we seethese guys building and maintaining areof such a high standard that we wonderhow they manage to do it. Equally,however, those greenkeepers who haveexperienced our latest synthetic greensand tees are genuinely amazed that inmany respects we can equal, and some-times even exceed, the standards of thebest natural greens. AcceptanceOf course, I don�t expect a completeswitch to synthetics for entire coursesyet, although Arnold Palmer believesthat day is not too far away in areas thatsuffer persistent water shortages.Nevertheless, synthetic turf is gainingincreasing acceptance in golf.

Still, for the purists, there is thematter of aesthetics. For many, nothingwill ever be able to replace real grass,whether for driving, putting or anythingin between. But what about those situa-tions where weather conditions, trafficlevels or site specific factors such aspoor soil or consistent shade make itimpossible for natural grass to survive?

When put under this kind of pres-sure, natural grass can present manyacute problems. Moreover, gettingphilosophical for a moment, just how�natural� a product is natural grass whenit requires the use of so many fertilisers,herbicides and fungicides?

Tour pros have led the way inaccepting synthetic turf, particularly inthe US, by having synthetic greensinstalled at their homes to assist withtheir shortgame practice.

By some estimates, as many as 40per cent of US-based Tour pros havehad a synthetic green installed at home,yet in Europe, the equivalent figure isas low as five per cent. Currently, noless than seven of the world�s top tenprofessional golfers have a syntheticgreen installed at their homes.

The latest stuff is a technologicalmarvel, a far cry from when Astroturffirst worked its way into the nationalsporting consciousness years ago. Thatfirst-generation turf was basically acarpet laid over a pad laid over cement.

Until recently, the dominant synthet-ic greens turf in Europe has been fromthe second-generation of synthetic turf,pre-formed short fibre nylon. This mate-rial was originally a type of multipur-pose outdoor carpet, which in the 1990�swas adapted for use as a putting surface.

It is robust, low maintenance andgenerally suitable for putting applica-tions. However, it has limited contoura-bility and aesthetic appeal and is alsounable to accept shots from anydistance, preventing it from beingaccepted as a suitable option for seriousshortgame practice.

With the latest synthetic turfs, theindividual blades of �grass� are a poly-ethylene and polypropylene blenddesigned to replicate pure bent grassgreens. Natural creeping bentgrass is afavourite of golf course managers, whosay it provides a uniquely smoothsurface for putting greens.

The best new synthetic turf rivalsthe real stuff in both look and feel. It isengineered to be UV resistant and canwithstand heavier traffic than the realthing over prolonged periods, and has alife span of anywhere up to 15 years.

The backing is porous, so that waterfilters through it easily, and unlike thesecond-generation turfs that have oftenbeen rejected by potential customers,the new turfs can realistically acceptshots from almost any distance. Thiscrucial fact is what distinguishes aputting mat from a full golf green.

These latest turfs therefore offerexcellent realism and all-weather playa-bility as well as exceptional durability


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

Continueto learn

Exhibition

Education

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

ADVISORY SERVICESAERATION

ARTIFICIAL SURFACESCONTRACT SERVICES

DRESSINGS & TREATMENTSECOLOGY

FINANCE & INSURANCECONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE

HEALTH & SAFETYGRINDINGMOWERS

TRACTORSTRENCHERS

BRUSHCUTTERSCHAINSAWS

CULTIVATORS & ROTIVATORSROLLERS

HAND TOOLSLINE MARKING EQUIPMENT

SCARIFIERSSHREDDERS

SPRAYERSOIL & FUEL

SOILTREES & PLANTS

TURF & SEEDVEHICLES

DRAINAGEIRRIGATION

WATER MANAGEMENTWEATHER SERVICES

HEALTH AND SAFETYPROJECT MANAGEMENT

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENTGOLF COURSE DESIGN

A1 ASSESSOR TRAININGCUSTOMER CARE

MANAGING WATERPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

L12 COACH TRAININGA1 ASSESSOR UPGRADE TRAINING

BASIC WORDBASIC EXCEL

BASIC POWERPOINTENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

MEDIA SKILLSMANAGING POA ANNUA

INFLUENCING SKILLSDISEASE MANAGEMENT

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER ONLINE VISIT

www.harrogateweek.org.ukOrganised by

and low maintenance requirements.With such an impressive list of benefits,most people in this industry believe thatthere is a place for synthetic turf incertain situations that will allow it toenhance the game, not detract from it. CostIn terms of cost, the installation costs ofthe best synthetic greens are similar toUSGA specification greens constructedfrom natural turf. However, their excep-tionally low maintenance costs can tipthe scales in their favour, particularlywhen existing greenkeeping teams arealready overstretched.

Tees, whether on the range or thecourse, have historically been the mostpopular application for synthetic turfand merit a brief discussion. Some ofthe examples out there, especially onranges, are - let�s be frank - more plas-tic mat than synthetic turf.

This lack of realism in the turf isessentially due to previous limitations intechnology. Artificial tees need to bedurable to be cost effective and in thepast, the easiest way to achieve accept-able durability was to compromise ontheir ability to be realistic and forgiving.

As a way around this limitation ofthe turf, different manufacturers havetried different approaches includingadding �forgiving� rubber bases to theirunforgiving plastic mats or even using anon-turf, gel-filled alternative insteadof the old-school plastic grass.

The other approach to tees, alsoused on courses as winter alternativesto real grass, has been to add sand andrubber infills to longer bladed turfs.This has its own problems, particularlythe higher maintenance requirementand the issue of compaction.

The new generation of tee turfsoffers a better compromise betweenrealism and durability than is possiblewith any of these previous approaches.They are as forgiving as real grass,don�t have the same problems of main-tenance or compaction and are as hard-wearing as all but the toughest (readunforgiving) of current solutions. Somewell known clubs have already becomeearly adopters in the UK.

In the future, expect to see moresynthetic tees on the course, moresynthetic shortgame practice greens andmore synthetic target greens on drivingranges. Also, expect all of thesesynthetic surfaces to surpass the realismand quality of the current offerings. RealismThe higher levels of realism andaesthetic appeal, coupled with the lowmaintenance requirements, will resultin the next generation of golf-specificsynthetic turfs being widely adopted.We may even see new applications suchas temporary greens on actual courses.

In the end though, it will be the pullfrom members, rather than the push fromsuppliers that will make this happen.

Portfolio


01473 270000

New LPG Fleet in ScotlandDumfries and Galloway Golf Club haspurchased a fleet of four E-Z-GO TXT

golf cars from their local dealerRickerby Ltd. They will be used by

members and the increasing numberof visitors to the 124-year old club.The E-Z-GO golf cars are powered byLPG, and follow an increasing trend

by golf club owners and operators touse alternative fuels to petrol.

01480 226800

Toro the favourite at AscotRoyal Ascot Golf Club has taken

delivery of a fleet of Toro machinery,valued at £230K, for its brand new

18-hole course. As part of the rede-velopment of the famous Berkshireracecourse, the golf club has been

moved from within the track bound-ary to another location on the CrownEstate, where a new course and club-

house have been constructed.

01480 226800

Clear solution for OtterbineBrampton Park Golf Club, near

Huntingdon, has successfully over-come a long-standing problem of

invasive weeds in a 4,000sq m lakeby installing an Otterbine 5hp

Gemini Concept 3 aerator. The club’sgeneral manager Richard Oakes said:“We’re delighted. Our motto here is

‘quality on course’. Perhaps we shouldadd ‘quality on water’ as well!”

0871 220 5353

Scotts at WentworthScotts sponsored another great day

at Wentworth for the finals of theMidland Section Greensomes

Knockout Pairs competition, a yearlyevent run by BIGGA. The finalists

were Ed Stant, Paul Woodham, MikeGash and John Ganley. Ed Stant,

from Penn GC and Paul Woodham, ofGay Hill GC, retained the trophy for a

third consecutive year.

01797 320636

DED’s new ZebraReliable, versatile and easy to use,

the new Zebra P1101i from DEDmakes single-sided card printing

more affordable than ever before.Thanks to the new streamlined

design, the P110i has reduced insize and weight without any

compromise on performance, andcan produce membership cards in

either full or single colour.

0141 814 3366

Castle Royle go deepAllan Collis, course manager at TheClub Company’s Castle Royle G&CC,

near Reading, has recently takendelivery of a Wiedenmann Terra Spike

XF deep aerator. “We’re renownedhere for being open all year round,

and that’s due to the commitment ofthe team and our planned mainte-

nance regime which includes anintensive aeration programme.”

0141 814 3366

Terra-ific at ChippenhamChris Sealey, course manager at

Chippenham Golf Club, haspurchased a Wiedenmann Terra Spike

XP160. The new machine will beused extensively on greens, tees,fairways and approaches to help

improve drainage and relievecompaction. Sealey purchased the XP

as a direct result of a significantincrease in new members at the club.

01480 226800

Superb finish at BridlingtonBridlington Links Golf Club, in East

Yorkshire, has invested in a compre-hensive range of Toro turf machinery

valued at £180K. Owner PhilHancock said: “I’m delighted withthe new Toro equipment. The new

machinery has completely changedthe look of the course and broughtsome consistency to the finish,” he

concluded.

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

The European Leader in Leasing for the Golf and Turf IndustriesCome and visit us at stand M13 at BTME

Can you find what�s missing from this picture?

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

Count on it.

gmé | issuu 46

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