Tag Archive for: Chooses

Ground-breaking resort chooses Club Car

in , /by

Ground-breaking resort chooses Club Car: Club Car, the world’s largest manufacturer of small-wheel electric vehicles, has supplied a fleet of cars to Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, the first 18-hole golf facility in Rwanda.

The resort is in the centre of the Rwandan capital, Kigali, and features a new Championship course by Gary Player Design. The 65-hectare site had previously been a nine-hole course but has been reinvented into 18 new holes, plus a driving range.

Ground-breaking resort chooses Club Car

Ground-breaking resort chooses Club Car

Nathanael Pietrzak-Swirc, International Director of UGOLF, the management company for Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, said: “There were many reasons why we opted for Club Car – style, comfort, features and, most importantly, reliability. Club Car fits so well with the 5-star experience we are looking to deliver.”

Kigali Golf Resort and Villas is the first in the Rwandan government’s target of creating four golf courses in the next five years to give Rwandans and expats the chance to discover the game, as well as tap into the international golf tourism market.

With long-term ambitions of hosting tournaments, Kigali Golf Resort & Villas also boasts a new clubhouse, health club, spa and tennis club. Real estate will also be an important component, with around 150 villas planned across the development.

Nicolas Le Glas, Club Car’s Regional Sales Manager France, Middle East & Africa, added: “This is an ambitious project and we are proud to be part of the first development of this kind in Rwanda. The resort has a mix of Tempo cars which are electric, aligning well with the resort’s green strategy, and four-seater Onward vehicles, which will be used as a VIP car to let people discover the course and to transport golfers between the 12th and the 13th holes, which is quite a long walk.”

With completely customisable options – including colour, seats, storage, wheels and three programmable drive modes to maximize performance, Club Car’s Onward Passenger vehicle comes with a 4.7hp motor and 375 Amp controller as standard which deliver outstanding hill-climbing power and acceleration.

Nathanael Pietrzak-Swirc concluded: “One of our aims is to attract international travellers, particularly business people. We already have 250 members and we are aiming to have 500 within three years. The resort’s city centre location will be a major draw for people wanting to play golf during a trip.”

Club Car supplies many of the world’s leading golf destinations with its wide range of vehicles, and is an official supplier to the European Tour, the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and St Andrews Links Trust.

For more information on Club Car visit: www.clubcar.com

For more information on Kigali Golf Resort & Villas visit: www.kigaligolf.rw

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Portlethen GC chooses Wiedenmann

in , /by

Portlethen GC chooses Wiedenmann: An Aberdeenshire golf course has added a 4.05 m winged Wiedenmann Terra Brush to its fleet at the same time as updating its Terra Spike GXi8 HD.  Portlethen GC, six miles south of Aberdeen, made the double investment during early summer. Neil Sadler, head greenkeeper since 2009, had no hesitation in opting for both machines.

“Our GXi8 HD was a ‘like for like’ purchase.  We’d got one of the very first at launch ten years ago and it’s literally given hundreds of hours of neat aeration.  We part exchanged and the new one took over from where we left off …  it is superb, so versatile, with many tine choices.   It has considerably improved the surfaces of our tees, greens and approaches. If our fairways weren’t as rocky, it would be used there, too,” said Neil Sadler.

Portlethen GC chooses Wiedenmann

Portlethen GC chooses Wiedenmann

Built just over 40 years ago, Portlethen GC, offers golfers two challenging parkland circuits of nine holes and the option of four different courses, all with an abundance of natural features. Course development has seen the planting of around 21,000 carefully selected trees, restoration of a drystone dyke, construction of stone bridges, new tees at several holes and a pond at the short fifth.

Neil leads a team of three, supplemented at times by two seasonal staff. In summer, their day begins at 05.00 am giving them three hours to work on the course ahead of first tee off at 08.00 am.

“The more we do ahead of play the better. Once the golfers catch you up, it can be a dangerous sport,” continued Neil, who unfortunately ended up in A&E twice last year, after being struck by a golf ball.

“Our club is supportive. They appreciate we need kit that helps us do the job efficiently and quickly. The Terra Brush was another easy decision.  I’d seen the Wiedenmann demonstrated and remembered it. Our previous brush had given good service but had only one row of bristles on the wings. The Wiedenmann has four rows of bristles across its entire extended width; the row pattern is a mixture of straights and diagonals.  The bristles, therefore, are more consistent and connect better with the turf, even on undulations, so really stand the grass up or work the top dressing in harder. We chose medium firm bristles.

“September through to October, the brush is out first thing every day, brushing dew from fairways and approaches. A quick pass keeps the fairways clear of debris, the removal of the moisture leaves the grass plant drier and we follow on with a clean cut.  Later on, when not cutting as much, brushing just keeps the presentation levels high. It is fantastic for sward refinement and standing the grass tall.

“We’ve only top dressed a few greens since it arrived, but I know it will work well.”

Neil already has a Wiedenmann Mega Twister blower with a 230° swivel capability and a Wiedenmann 1.7 m Terra Rake in his fleet.

“I’ve not quite got the full Wiedenmann set.  The Super 500 is on my wish list but that will have to come later,” joked Neil. “No surprises, we need a strong blower to manage our leaves. They are quite a job; the Mega Twister is sufficiently powerful and its twisting spout allows the tractor to keep moving, avoiding frequent stops to turn around and re-position.

“We take the Terra Rake through semi rough before we cut it, to clear it out and remove thatch. It gets run through the fairways a couple of times during the season. We rake the leaves as well plus lots of other uses. So far, we’ve neither had opportunity nor time to work our Wiedenmann machines in combination, but once the season quietens it’ s only a matter of time,” concluded Neil.

John Morton, Area Manager at Fairways GM, the Scottish dealer for Wiedenmann UK, and Wiedenmann UK’s Andy Kerr were on hand to install both machines.

Portlethen GC hosts the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship jointly with Murcar Golf Links from July 25-26 followed by the Scottish Men’s Match Play on July 28-29, 2021.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Club chooses Reesink Turfcare

in , /by

Club chooses Reesink Turfcare: Reesink Turfcare’s ReeAssure maintenance scheme has been worth its weight in gold for course manager Rob Peers at Hever Castle Golf Club in Kent.

Rob knows all too well what a worry it can be when you don’t have maintenance cover when very suddenly a few years ago, his full-time mechanic had to leave his job and the club was left without someone covering the maintenance of its extensive and comprehensive fleet.

Club chooses Reesink Turfcare

Club chooses Reesink Turfcare

Rob says: “We were unexpectedly directionless which was a real worry. We’re a mainly Toro club, so I put a call into Peter Clarke at Reesink’s Sheffield Park branch to see if he could help and he introduced me to the ReeAssure scheme. I signed up and the weight was taken off my shoulders and dealt with. In a nutshell, what Reesink’s maintenance plan has given me is an immediate and ultimate peace of mind.”

Rob chose the Gold plan and couldn’t be more surprised or pleased at the value this offers: “The pastoral care is fantastic and absolutely everything is included from nuts and bolts and cable ties to cylinders and bottom blades,” he says. “I am genuinely gobsmacked at what good value it is and amazed that they can do it all for the price.”

This is the whole idea behind the scheme which also has a Silver and Bronze option as David Jackman, operations manager at Reesink, explains: “We designed these plans to provide an affordable option for everyone with the best support at a fixed price and no hidden surprises. Whether you choose the Bronze, Silver or Gold plan, they are perfect for efficient budgeting and cost control. Reassurance comes from knowing you can be assured your machines will perform to the best of their ability whichever package you have.”

Rob couldn’t agree more as he says: “The cost is ringfenced and I don’t have any hidden surprises which means I have absolute control over my budget.”

Not just that though, regular maintenance helps maintain the optimum retail value for his machines should Rob wish to sell them on. “It’s a real selling point that these machines are kept in the best possible condition, with regular maintenance and everything documented,” he says. “It’s like selling a car, the more detail you can give for its maintenance history the best retail value you’ll get.”

But Rob’s concluding point was undoubtedly the best of all. When asked if there was anything else to add, he said simply: trust. “I trust them to react quickly, keep my machines running and deliver a fantastic service; so much so that they have become such a valued member of the team that they’re now essentially key holders.

“There aren’t many people I’d trust my keys to, but the Reesink team is one of them. If they haven’t finished by the time I need to get off, I am more than happy to give them the keys and leave them to finish, lock up and turn the alarms on.”

With Reesink’s ReeAssure plans there’s the option for warranty programmes and the guarantee that buying Toro comes with buying into a support network like no other. The parts backup is second-to-none and as a Toro customer you are never more than a maximum 72-hours away from the part you need, for minimum downtime and maximum productivity.

“My advice to anyone would be, do it, you won’t regret it,” finishes Rob.

Call 01480 226800 or go online at reesinkturfcare.co.uk to find out more.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Bernhard and Company chooses GMS

in , /by

Bernhard and Company chooses GMS: Bernhard and Company Ltd, a world leading provider of turf care solutions, has appointed GMS as its international marketing agency.

The company, headquartered in Rugby, England, supplies sharpening systems to over 65 of the world’s top 100 golf courses and over 75 of the top 100 US courses. As a leader in sports surface air movement and moisture control solutions, it also holds an exclusive license to distribute SubAir and Turfbreeze systems to golf and sports facilities across EMEA and parts of Asia.

Bernhard and Company chooses GMS

Bernhard and Company chooses GMS

“At Bernhard and Company, we have amazing partners and associated stories, most of which have not yet been told to their fullest. We’re therefore very excited to partner with such an experienced and reputable agency as GMS,” said Angelique Crosnier, Marketing and Internal Sales Manager at Bernhard and Company.

“Their stable of clients and the length of relationships speaks volumes for their service levels. We’re excited to watch our content and reach flourish under their guidance.”

Over its 150-year history, Bernhard and Company’s precision sharpening equipment and specialist guidance have played an integral role in the setup of a multitude of elite events run by the PGA Tour, European Tour and USGA.

“We’re thrilled to be activating what is an extensive brief from Bernhard and Company,” commented Sam Elder, Director at GMS.

“Through our recent discussions with them, myself and the wider team at GMS have been hugely impressed by the company’s commitment to providing exceptional products and services, but also their vow to continuously improve when it comes to sustainability, conservation and its relationship to golf course and turf maintenance.

“As undisputed pioneers and leaders in their field, we feel they’re a great fit with our other clients and we’re eager to bring their stories to life alongside their experienced team.”

The partnership, effective January 1st, 2021, sees GMS take on the role of global marketing agency for Bernhard and Company, with an emphasis on PR and content production services.

 ABOUT BERNHARD AND COMPANY

A specialist in sports turf technology, Bernhard and Company is committed to providing leading turf care solutions to golf course and pitch care specialists worldwide. From blade sharpening systems to sports surface air movement and moisture control solutions and supplementary lighting solutions, the Bernhard and Company product portfolio is focused on providing its global customer base with championship turf and world-class playability. Bernhard and Company’s turf health solutions are used at top 100 courses and famous sporting venues around the world. For more information, visit www.bernhard.co.uk.

Find Bernhard and Company on their official social media channels:

  • Twitter – @BernhardCompany
  • Facebook – Bernhard Company
  • Instagram – @BernhardCompany
  • Linkedin – Bernhard Company

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Prince’s GC chooses innovation

in , , /by

Prince’s GC chooses innovation: Prince’s Golf Club recently underwent an extensive renovation process to all three nines on the 27-hole property, which saw developments made to bunkers, teeing grounds and a number of greens, with plans in place to make further improvements in 2020.

In order to produce work of the highest quality and keep the fine links turf as healthy as possible, the club made significant investment into to the latest Bernhard grinding systems.

Prince’s GC chooses innovation

The specialist grinders are designed to keep the mowers as sharp as they can be, allowing Course Manager, Sean McLean and his team to prepare the golf courses in perfect condition all year round.

Machinery Manager at Prince’s Jon Bartlett was keen to achieve more efficient accuracy and speed of work. The Express Dual 5500 and the Anglemaster 4500 provided Jon with versatility and uncompromised performance upon testing and were installed in the club’s new facilities in November.

The automated reel surveying on the Express Dual 5500 allows for maximum precision and helps to determine wear and assist with the resolution of “coned” and “barrelled” reels. With a host of features, this innovative piece of equipment allows the user to achieve the highest precision grind in the industry.

Commenting on the new Bernhard grinders, Course Manager, Sean McLean said: “We are delighted with the new set of grinders. We are always striving to achieve greater accuracy and consistency on our courses and particularly the greens.

“Being able to maintain a precise quality of cut through the automated fleet set up is saving us time and will be financially beneficial for us in the long run.”

Machinery Manager, Jon Bartlett added: “Working with such precision machines makes my job even more enjoyable. We now know that we can keep our machines updated through the remote assistance at the press of a button, which is extremely reassuring when dealing with a large fleet of machinery.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Leamington GC Chooses Foley

in , /by

Leamington GC Chooses Foley: The search for continual improvement is high at Leamington & County Golf Club, with the ambitious team of head greenkeeper and general manager looking towards the Foley ACCU-Sharp 605 for cost saving, plant health and ease of use.

The duo of head greenkeeper, Jason Cooper, and general manager, Bryan Frazer, make a formidable team through their understanding of each other’s role in maintaining and elevating one of Warwickshire’s finest parkland courses.

Leamington Golf Club Chooses Foley

The most recent display of their common objective was bringing grinding in-house with their first ever on-site grinder. Criteria were drawn up, the options examined, and the result now sitting proudly in the workshop sporting a familiar green and black, is the ACCU-Sharp 605 spin and relief grinder.

Bryan is the driving force behind what is a progressive and forward-thinking club that is always trying to improve for its members, but also the outside golfing world. His aim, by providing Jason and his team with equipment they need, is to improve on the already high standards and create new competitions by building a reputation for excellence.

Women’s golf is an area Bryan is particularly focused on and it is his hope that Leamington & County Golf Club will be able to attract some of Britain’s top female golfers in years to come – but the improvements begin by improving the course.

“The core thing for us was that buying the grinder through a finance deal was a no cost option because we already had a cost for contracting. This on-going expense is now gone, and the fixed term means we will be cost free within five years,” Bryan said.

“Our point of view on is that by learning new skills and having our own machine it would be cheaper than the winter service work and provide us with the flexibility we need to offer more events.”

“Ian invited us to Farol’s (John Deere dealership at Hinckley) for a demonstration of their Foley grinders, and it didn’t take me very long to say to Jason ‘We could definitely use this grinder to raise the quality of the golf course.’ and along with the new drainage schemes underway, we will be able to sustain a better course for the same money and then look at how we offer that to our members and the wider golfing world.”

Of the numerous considerations in the decision-making process, the most crucial for Jason was the time it would take to learn and operate the grinder for first time users. After going through training with ProSport UK’s Ian Robson, himself and two of his staff quickly realised the simplicity of operation.

Jason explains: “Learning to use the machine has been fine.. Two of us are more mechanically minded than the other that’s using it, but I wanted him on board so someone who knows the process is always on site. He found it incredibly easy and intuitive to use, with the direct training provided by Ian to explain the basics. We’ve got it on a rotation system where one strips the unit down, one does the grinding and then the other person rebuilds, and we swap it around so we all get used to it.

“The really interesting aspect we have discovered, is the concept of relief grinding, but once you understand the principle, it makes perfect sense to take grinding from basic sharpness to a whole new level of excellence. It gives us that ongoing improvement in the quality of the cut, we reduce disease, we reduce fungicides, we reduce pesticides and gain a lot of flexibility.”

All these positive benefits will allow Jason to pursue his goal of having the course at the same high standard for the entire season, whilst also allowing Bryan’s vision for the club and what they can offer to expand.

Jason continues “We can plan when we’re going to grind now, for example before our main club event. We can give the cylinders a quick sharpen and we’ll have a nice crisp clean cut. We can work with this flexibility and see what we can achieve. If a mower goes off cut or the reel is damaged we aren’t waiting for a day and half for it to be fixed, we can turn it around ourselves and get back up and running within a few hours.”

Looking for ways to improve is a very strong part of the clubs continued success and by working together Bryan and Jason hope to elevate the course and fulfil its potential, and both view the acquisition of the ACCU-Sharp Sharp 605 as a vital part of that progression.

For more information, visit: www.prosportukltd.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Quinta Do Lago Chooses John Deere

in , /by

Quinta Do Lago Chooses John Deere: A major investment in John Deere golf course maintenance equipment has been made by Quinta do Lago, for use on the Portuguese resort’s three 18-hole championship courses in the Algarve. A similar deal has also been signed with sister resort PGA Catalunya in Spain.

The revamped North Course, the South Course and Laranjal are complemented by extensive practice facilities including the first Paul McGinley Golf Academy and the only TaylorMade Performance Centre in Southern Europe. Machines will also be used at the resort’s new professional level training and coaching development The Campus. Targeted at both elite and amateur sports, this will feature the first independent hybrid Desso GrassMaster training facility in Europe.

Quinta Do Lago Chooses John Deere

Quinta do Lago was voted Portugal’s number one golfing venue in Golf World magazine’s inaugural Top 100 Resorts in Continental Europe rankings list in 2016. It has also been named Europe’s Best Golf Destination at the World Golf Awards in 2015 and 2016, and been given the Editors’ Choice Award for Best International Resorts in 2016 and 2017 by Golf Digest, ensuring the venue’s place among the world’s golfing elite.

An initial fleet of 27 John Deere machines including tractors, fairway & rough mowers and Gator utility vehicles along with other ancillary equipment, supported by PowerGard extended warranty and maintenance contracts, were delivered this summer by the local, family owned John Deere golf & turf dealership Torre Marco SA. The dealership has its own fully equipped maintenance facility, the only one of its kind in the Algarve.

The choice of John Deere as Quinta do Lago’s preferred equipment supplier was made on the recommendation of golf course superintendent Paul O’Mahony, following what he describes as a “very strenuous process”. Paul previously worked his way up through the ranks at Old Head of Kinsale in Ireland, becoming course superintendent there in 2003 before moving to Quinta do Lago in 2011.

Paul formulated a unique model to measure a series of performance and quality parameters that were applied to each of the main machinery suppliers before going through the usual tender process. The model was specifically built to satisfy the resort’s full fleet requirements over a 10 year period, keeping each machine ‘in range’ in terms of life expectancy and residual value, with points awarded for service, machine quality, value and additional aspects such as training and support.

“Downtime is no time may be a cliché but that’s because it’s true,” says Paul O’Mahony. “It’s very important to have reliable, fully functioning equipment, and this has to provide the same levels of precision and quality that we as a team set out to achieve every day across all our golf operations. Having worked with John Deere equipment at Old Head and initially brought in tractors and Gators to the courses here at Quinta do Lago, I’m very comfortable that we can establish an effective partnership with the company and the dealership.

“Our staff are always put under pressure to meet expectations, and the same will apply to the machinery we use – everything will continue to be measured, to ensure we make the most of the assets we invest in. That applies not just to the equipment but to the whole package, including aftersales service and support, parts delivery, reaction times and so on.

“We are a commercial entity – our aim is to be the best and provide the best golfing experience we can. The faster, more efficient and more productive the machinery can be, the better – it all leads back to that commercial imperative.”

For more information, visit: www.johndeere.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.