Tag Archive for: Club

Club agree Avant partnership

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Club agree Avant partnership: Norwich City’s training base in Colney has been renamed the Avant Training Centre after the club agreed a new partnership with the UK branch of the Finnish-established company AVANT®.

AVANT®, who produce world-renowned articulated compact loaders, are long-term supporters of Norwich City having first partnered with the club in 2019. The new agreement will extend their support for a further three years until the conclusion of the 2026/27 season.

Club agree Avant partnership

Club agree Avant partnership

The grounds team at Carrow Road and the AVANT® Training Centre utilise AVANT® equipment on a daily basis and are set to be among the first to adopt the brand’s EV capabilities, which are currently in development.

AVANT® have a global presence that includes a base in Norfolk which has sold over 7,000 loaders to a broad spectrum of UK customers, including farmers, landscape gardeners, local authorities, equestrian owners, construction industry, arborists, private individuals and so much more.

Ed Turnham, head of sales and acquisition at Norwich City, said: “Whilst AVANT® are a Finnish brand, they are yet another business who have deep roots in Norfolk and the wider region, supporting some of our core industries, such as agriculture.

“With distributors in 60 countries and turnover of €300 million (£258m) worldwide, they are a significant global player, and we are excited to announce them as the named partner of our state-of-the-art training facility.”

Raimo Ala-Korpi, managing director of Avant Tecno (UK), said: “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Norwich City, especially during a time when the club is deeply focused on its academy and talent development. The club’s ongoing commitment and investments in the training centre and academy strongly align with our own mission and values of fostering efficiency and productivity.

“Collaborating more with the operations and grounds teams further underscores this alignment. These are just a few of the many reasons why we are incredibly proud of our long standing partnership with Norwich City, and we look forward to extending this partnership for another three seasons.”

For more information, please visit www.avant.co.uk

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The Golf House Club, Elie prepares for 150th anniversary

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The Golf House Club, Elie prepares for 150th anniversary: The Golf House Club, Elie is preparing for its 150th anniversary celebrations with the help of three new Toro Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 hybrid mowers, signifying the club’s commitment to providing an exceptional golfing experience – as it has done for a century and a half.

The traditional links course, located just 12 miles from St Andrews, is the third oldest in the world, with a rich golfing tradition dating back to 1589. For course manager Matt Baird, only one brand is fit for such a historic course: Toro.

The Golf House Club, Elie prepares for 150th anniversary

The Golf House Club, Elie prepares for 150th anniversary

“Though our golfing history dates back to the 16th century, the club was founded in 1875, so we’re eagerly anticipating our 150th anniversary next year,” he says. “It’s going to be a huge occasion and we’re busy renovating tees and preparing the course – that’s where the new Toro mowers will come in.”

The trio of hybrid mowers, supplied by Reesink Turfcare, are classic Toro – precise, productive, highly efficient, and capable of the perfect cut – and exactly what Matt’s come to expect from the brand.

“We’ve been using Toro’s flawless Lynx irrigation system since 2019 and a 3420 hybrid mower for some time now, so we know just how good Toro is,” says Matt. “With all the work ahead of our 150th anniversary, it was the perfect time to expand our fleet and bring in more hybrid power.”

The 3420 is enhanced by Turf Guardian leak detection technology and provides immediate audio and visual indication of possible hydraulic fluid leaks. While this is already at minimal risk due to the hybrid engine, it provides an added layer of reassurance. “Not only does it offer us peace of mind, opting for a hybrid also helps us reduce our total emissions as a club,” confirms Matt.

“We’re working hard to improve surfaces, especially tees and approaches,” he continues. “On a traditional links course like ours, people expect to be able to putt from approaches – with their precise quality of cut, the new 3420s will help ensure our surfaces are immaculate.”

But the deal is as much about the people as it is the brand, according to Matt: “Working with John Rankin and Reesink has been a breeze. With all the renovations going on, there’s a long list of jobs to complete, but they’ve been efficient and reliable – just like Toro! – and that’s made life much easier for us.”

To make a start on the journey towards reduced emissions, visit Reesink Turfcare at reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Committee for Golf Club Salaries publishes 2025 salary recommendations

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Committee for Golf Club Salaries publishes 2025 salary recommendations: Following extensive research, the Committee for Golf Club Salaries (CGCS) has recommended a 5% increase in the salaries of golf club staff for 2025.

The full CGCS statement can be found on the BIGGA website.

Committee for Golf Club Salaries publishes 2025 salary recommendations

Committee for Golf Club Salaries publishes 2025 salary recommendations

The increases will be added to the salary calculators provided on the CGCS website and take into account the National Living Wage increase, which is set at 5.8% in 2025. The recommendations also take into account the prevailing economic environment and the importance of golf facility staff to the overall industry.

The CGCS salary calculators also consider geographic regions, facility size, core responsibilities, club rating, qualifications and experience, ensuring recommendations can be tailored to individual members of staff.

Research is also taking place to enable the creation of calculators for addition golf facility roles including assistant manager and equipment manager or chief mechanic.

The CGCS is comprised of representatives of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA) alongside independent golf club experts.

As in previous years, the CGCS states that these recommendations are intended to ensure golf facility staff are suitably paid and valued by their employer in today’s turbulent economic environment. The CGCS has no power to compel golf facilities to adopt these recommendations, but with the securing of new and competent staff becoming ever more difficult, the committee asks venues to seriously consider adopting the recommendations.

Alongside salaries, golf clubs are also urged to ensure that suitable attention and resource is given towards the growing concern that is mental health and wellbeing, as well as providing adequate opportunities for career pathway support, training and development. If any employer or golf club committee member would like to learn more about what BIGGA or the GCMA can provide in these areas, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Contact details are on the various associations’ websites.

Head to the CGCS website for more information and to explore the salary calculators, guidelines and principles of good pay.

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Woodhall Spa chooses Club Car for first golf fleet

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Woodhall Spa chooses Club Car for first golf fleet: The National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa has chosen Club Car, the global industry-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles, to supply its first fleet of golf cars.

The Lincolnshire venue has until now not permitted buggies on its two championship courses, the Bracken and the recently-renovated Hotchkin, ranked the 58th best course in the world*, but has introduced 12 Club Car Tempos with lithium-ion batteries and Connected technology.

Woodhall Spa chooses Club Car for first golf fleet

Woodhall Spa chooses Club Car for first golf fleet

Brad Gould, Managing Director at Woodhall Spa, said: “The new carts are an exciting addition and part of several other forward-thinking developments here.

“Previously we only allowed mobility scooters on the courses, but the new fleet has lithium-ion batteries, meaning the buggies are much lighter, resulting in minimal wear and tear on the turf. They also have Visage (Club Car’s Connected technology), which gives us full control over where they can and can’t go.”

Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin course is on a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is carefully managed to restore and preserve the biodiversity and natural features.

Gould added: “As a GEO Certified organisation, sustainability is hugely important to us, so it was imperative that the new fleet aligned with that. Not only are the carts zero-emissions, they are incredibly energy-efficient.”

Andy Bourke, Club Car’s Regional Sales Manager UK, Ireland & Scandinavia, said: “It speaks volumes that Woodhall Spa chose Club Car for its first golf fleet. We’re proud to help such a prestigious venue.”

The National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa has one of the most comprehensive academy and performance centres in Europe, including a covered 16-bay range with Toptracer technology, a swing analysis room and a strength and conditioning unit.

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

Club Car’s acclaimed Tempo golf cart is fully customisable with a number of options including paint colour, seats, wheels and extra features such as USB ports, club cleaners and Bluetooth speakers.

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GreenTek’s Dyna-Seeder Units Transform Greens at Scarcroft Golf Club

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GreenTek’s Dyna-Seeder Units Transform Greens at Scarcroft Golf Club: Over the past eight years, Matt Houseman, Head Greenkeeper at Scarcroft Golf Club near Leeds, has successfully transformed the grass composition of his greens using Dyna-Seeder overseeder units from GreenTek.

Matt has been implementing a consistent overseeding program, using the Dyna-Seeders 2-3 times a year, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable.

GreenTek’s Dyna-Seeder Units Transform Greens at Scarcroft Golf Club

GreenTek’s Dyna-Seeder Units Transform Greens at Scarcroft Golf Club

“Before we owned them, we were overseeding and getting about 30% uptake, but with the use of the Dyna-Seeders we’re getting between 70 to 75% uptake, possibly even more” said Matt.  “Two to three weeks after seeding we can see distinct lines of new seed coming through, which is obviously very pleasing”

Matt says that since he started using the Dyna-Seeder units, the bent grass content in his greens has increased significantly.   This transformation is a testament to the effectiveness of the Dyna-Seeders’ technology. “As a piece of machinery, they have had probably the biggest impact of any machine we have bought in the past decade” states Matt.

 

Marcus Oliver, GreenTek’s product Development Manager says “When we visited Scarcroft recently, they were overseeding during the midst of a ladies’ competition day.  The minimal disturbance to the putting surfaces was outstanding, enabling the overseeding to proceed without disrupting play”.

Scarcroft Golf Club is just one of the many courses throughout the country who by lightly overseeding multiple times a year have managed to steadily improve the grass composition and playing quality of their greens.

For more information on the Dyna-Seeders Click Here

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