Tag Archive for: Club

Club Car becomes Official Supplier of the CMAE

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Club Car becomes Official Supplier of the CMAE: Club Car®, a global industry-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles, has become an Official Supplier of the Club Management Association of Europe (CMAE).

Club Car has long supported the golf industry, building longstanding partnerships with organisations such as the Professional Golfers Association (PGA), the DP World Tour, the Ryder Cup, the UK Golf Federation and the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA).

Club Car becomes Official Supplier of the CMAE

Club Car becomes Official Supplier of the CMAE

The new agreement with the CMAE means that support now extends to the education of club managers through the Management Development Programme (MDP). Within the CMAE’s structured education programme are two levels of certification: the Club Management Diploma (CMDip) and the Certified Club Manager (CCM).

Andrew Bourke, Club Car’s Regional Sales Manager for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia, said: “We are very excited to support this area of the industry and help the development of club managers throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

“There’s a real opportunity to educate on fleet usage, particularly how to use connectivity – from an operational point of view and to increase revenue. A golf or utility fleet is always an investment, so our expertise on how clubs can get the best return from that investment will be invaluable to the CMAE’s members.”

CMAE’s Commercial Director Craig Cotterill said: “We are delighted to welcome Club Car as an Official Supplier. Their reputation for quality, innovation and industry leadership aligns perfectly with our mission to support and elevate club managers across our regions.

“The insights and expertise Club Car bring – particularly around fleet management and operational efficiency – will add significant value to our members and ultimately help deliver better experiences for their clubs and communities.”

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

For more information on the CMAE visit: www.cmaeurope.org

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Hayling Golf Club Practice Area Survives Rare Tidal Event

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Hayling Golf Club Practice Area Survives Rare Tidal Event: Just two weeks after the installation of a high walled, revetted practice bunker by synthetic bunker experts EcoBunker, renowned south coast links course Hayling Golf Club suffered an unprecedented tidal event that put their investment at immediate risk.

“Water resources are very limited on Hayling Island and we don’t have any irrigation on the practice ground,” explained Graeme Roberts, course manager at Hayling Golf Club. “That made EcoBunker the obvious choice for our practice bunker as it would maintain its visual appeal and playability with very limited maintenance.”

Hayling Golf Club Practice Area Survives Rare Tidal Event

Hayling Golf Club Practice Area Survives Rare Tidal Event

However, in early December, just two weeks after the practice bunker was completed, Hayling experienced spring tides and off-shore winds that led to the highest sea levels seen in many years. The unprecedented tides pushed 20 to 30 tonnes of shingle against, and through, the boundary fence, creating a slipway for sea water to run straight into the practice area.

“Over two consecutive nights the teeing and bunker practice area was completely underwater. Sediment was spread across the whole area and our new practice bunker filled up with sea water. By the time the tide had receded on the second morning, we had significant damage across the area from the sea water, including damage to the new turf that had been laid around the bunker,” continued Graeme.

“Remarkably, despite such a significant event, the only evidence that sea water had been in the bunker was the silt deposited on the liner and a sediment line where the water had reached. With a quick brush of the face and a clean of the liner, the bunker was as good as the day it went in.”

EcoBunker CEO and inventor of synthetic bunker technology, Richard Allen commented, “We have lots of evidence from our Floridian customers that EcoBunkers have stood the test of hurricanes, storms and weather events. But I’m not sure we’ve ever heard of a bunker being completely under water for two nights! This was a huge challenge for Graeme and his team, so I’m delighted that our EcoBunker technology withstood the test and was one less thing for Graeme and his team to worry about.”

Less than two weeks after the tidal event, with a quick refresh of their EcoBunker and a significant clear up of the practice area, Graeme and his team are making great progress towards providing members and visitors with the practice experience that they have invested in.

For more information on EcoBunker please visit www.ecobunker.co.uk

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Parkstone Golf Club transforms winter playability

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Parkstone Golf Club transforms winter playability: Renowned as one of the finest courses on the South Coast, Parkstone in Dorset is proudly ranked in the Top 100 golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

Upholding their championship-level playing conditions year round isn’t always easy, particularly during increasingly heavy and prolonged periods of rainfall, but it is a challenge relished by Course Manager Grant Peters and his team of 9. He explains how the club’s winter playability has taken a major leap forwards thanks to the installation of Hydrowick drainage by Djuke.

Parkstone Golf Club transforms winter playability

Parkstone Golf Club transforms winter playability

Passionate about course quality, Grant has been at the club for the last nine years and, over that time, identified that persistent waterlogging on some problematic greens – and increasingly on the fairways – was impacting rounds. Seeking an innovative, non-invasive solution, Grant spoke to contractors Djuke about the Hydrowick drainage system and the rest, as they say, is history!

“We had a very tentative trial of the system on the back half of one of our worst performing greens and the impact was immediate and dramatic” he explains. “The transformation in water movement was so good we immediately pushed the button to have Hydrowick installed on all of our problem greens. Since then, we’ve had nine greens done – turning what were some of the wettest areas of the course into the driest.”

He emphasises, “We can see an inch of rainfall and, within a couple of hours, these greens are playable where, previously, they’d have been closed for half a day or longer.”

Encouraged by the results on the greens, Grant is delighted to have now rolled Hydrowick onto Parkstone’s fairways. “We had no concerns whatsoever that the system would perform equally as well here and, lo and behold, shortly after the installation at the start of November we saw 60mm of rainfall and the fairway remained playable.”

Hydrowick is one of the most efficient and effective drainage systems on the market, utilising a patented rope system to ‘wick’ away excess moisture. Laid at 2m centres, the installation process is also far less invasive than most other systems – maximising results and returning surfaces to play within 24 hours. Generating very little spoil was one of the key advantages for Grant, with Parkstone designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest meaning the club is highly constrained on where and how it can move and store soil.

The club now plans to extend the Hydrowick programme to a further three or four fairways, with installations proposed for late 2026 into early 2027. “Cameron and the whole team at Djuke are an absolute pleasure to work with. Everything from initial quotation through to installation was quick, polite, tidy and professional and the end result ticks every box for us” he concludes.

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Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa upgrades Club Car fleet

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Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa upgrades Club Car fleet: Club Car®, global industry-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles, has delivered a new fleet of golf carts to the prestigious Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa in South Africa.

Located on the beautiful Western Cape, the 5-star resort received 56 lithium-ion Tempo vehicles to enhance the golf experience on its magnificent Peter Matkovich-designed 18-hole championship course, consistently ranked in the top ten courses in the country.

Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa upgrades Club Car fleet

Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa upgrades Club Car fleet

The vehicles, delivered by AFGRI, the official Club Car distributor in South Africa, have premium features such as Comfort seats and Visage GPS connected technology.

Bevan du Plessis, Golf Manager at Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa, said: “We have many international guests, the majority of whom use a cart, and it’s essential we offer a product in keeping with the high standards of the resort. The new fleet has really elevated the golf experience. The carts not only look great but offer a smooth and enjoyable ride.

“Club Car’s Visage system has been particularly beneficial, allowing us to track cart locations, monitor pace of play and protect the course year-round, ensuring optimal playability for every visitor.

“The service and support from Club Car and AFGRI has also been exceptional,” du Plessis added. “This is our third fleet of Club Car vehicles, and they continue to exceed our expectations for quality and performance.”

Nicolas Le Glas, Club Car Regional Manager Middle East and Africa, said: “Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa offers its guests a world-class experience, and we’re proud to play a part in that with these new vehicles.”

Club Car’s highly-acclaimed Tempo golf car is used by many of the best golf venues around the world.

It delivers outstanding hill-climbing power and acceleration, and has many customisable options including colour, seats, storage, wheels and programmable drive modes to maximise performance.

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

For more information on Arabella Hotel Golf & Spa visit: https://www.southernsun.com/arabella-hotel-golf-and-spa  

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Tobermory Golf Club invests in new Jacobsen equipment

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Tobermory Golf Club invests in new Jacobsen equipment:  An island golf club with just 70 members has made a major investment to safeguard the condition of its much-loved nine-hole course. Tobermory Golf Club, a longstanding community hub on Mull, has purchased a new Jacobsen PGM 22 pedestrian greens mower and a caddy trailer to help its small volunteer-led team manage the steep hilltop layout.

The machines were sourced through Jacobsen’s Scottish dealer, Fairways GM at Inchinnan.

Tobermory Golf Club invests in new Jacobsen equipment

Tobermory Golf Club invests in new Jacobsen equipment

The investment comes as Greens Convener John Wilshire approaches a remarkable milestone — next May marks 50 years of working association with the club. Now semi-retired and working around 15 hours a week, he coordinates a small multi-skilled team who each contribute part-time hours to course upkeep.

“Our course sits on a hilltop and drains incredibly quickly, even after really heavy rain,” John Wilshire said. “Now we’re in mid-November, we’re cutting maybe twice a week at most, but in summer the workload is much higher.”

Multiple jobs are a way of life in Tobermory, and the greens team reflects that.

“Most of our greens mowing is done by one of our team who is also the local baker,” he added. “He’s in the bakery from 4.30am to 8.30am, then comes up to cut the greens. In summer that can be four or five times a week; at this time of year it’s about twice as the growth tails off.”

The PGM 22 will be used exclusively on the greens and supported by the club’s existing tees mower. The older greens mower remains as a backup, while a 20-year-old Jacobsen is still used after sanding to protect newer kit from abrasive conditions.

Fairways GM’s Area Sales Manager, Stuart Cameron demonstrated and delivered the new PGM 22 and caddy trailer, ensuring the team were confident with the setup ahead of next season.

The Jacobsen combination is expected to make day-to-day work on the slopes much easier when the 2026 cutting season begins.

“The new trailer makes it much simpler for anyone cutting the greens to load and unload the mower,” said John Wilshire. “Our previous trailer was higher and far less convenient — this one is like a little caddy.”

When the club later needed help, Service Manager Stewart Mulholland stepped in without delay.

“Service Manager Stewart Mulholland came over to the island to assist us,” John Wilshire said. “He cleared up a bit of confusion with the bottom blade and took us through the correct procedures.”

Still serving as Greens Convener, Club President and clubhouse caretaker, John has now stepped back from full-time duties. “I used to look after the whole course myself, but after reaching retirement age I now just do bits and pieces.”

Tobermory Golf Club continues to welcome members, visitors and golfers from around the world, drawn by its dramatic views over the Sound of Mull and its friendly welcome.

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