Tag Archive for: golf

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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Overhauling golf course roughs

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Overhauling golf course roughs: When it comes to rough management, Dave Lowe, Head Greenkeeper at Bawtry Golf Club, Austerfield, Doncaster has his work cut out. Bawtry Golf Club is a superb, 18 hole parkland course covering around 150 acres and measuring nearly 7,000 yards off the championship tees.

The club is undergoing a huge development plan, building a large, 64 bedroom hotel on site as well as a driving range, spa, fitness suite and new 6 hole pitch and putt course. Soil types vary massively across the course from light sand to heavy clay, with many greens falling into the latter. Dave goes on to explain ‘The heavier soils mean the ground is particularly good at holding onto nutrients and so fertiliser usage here is very lean as, with the clay, the greens don’t need much encouragement to stay green’. When coming to the rough, this can be a challenge as the rich clay soils can quickly accelerate growth. ‘By cutting and dropping, the mower can increase this effect as well as resulting in a grass mat, creating a thick sward where golf balls disappear instantly’ Dave goes on to add.

Overhauling golf course roughs

Overhauling golf course roughs

Over the last 6 years the rough has seen major changes with the adoption of a new rough thinning management strategy utilising both an AMAZONE Profihopper and a Groundkeeper. Dave comments “In the rough we used to have 6’ – 8’ weeds, getting thicker and thicker year on year”, once a ball landed in the rough it was almost guaranteed to be lost. This was simply due to it being unmanaged and being too thick’.

Implemented 6 years ago, Dave and his team of 4 changed their approach to rough management, aiming to keep the rough thin and wispy, working to eliminate those thicker grasses. During the winter, the Groundkeeper will be working 6 weeks straight cutting all the rough back down to a very short length, almost scalping it off down to nothing, to try to promote thinner grasses and knocking back the thicker sward. ‘The members comment that they wish the course was like this all-year round, of course, but once it starts to grow back, it makes a really nice rough where the ball can be more easily found and yet there is still a penalty incurred’. During the summer months, however, the team let the rough grow, maintaining this structure of mainly thin grasses, meaning that even towards the end of the summer it’s still easy for members to find their balls. This has come with huge praise from members, saying it makes a massive difference – and Dave agrees “It’s a really important part of the course for us, so we want it to be very presentable as we’ve not got quite as many features as some courses have”.

Alex, the deputy head greenkeeper, is the primary Groundkeeper operator at the course, working long hours during those winter months to bring the rough back into check. He does several passes and loves the Groundkeeper saying, “If it was up to me, I’d have another one tomorrow!”. Even with its huge collection hopper capacity of 3,000 litres, Alex states that he can still easily manage to pick up over 25 loads a day.

Another key task for the Groundkeeper GHS 1800 Jumbo is leaf collection, replacing the need for yet another machine on the fleet. The Groundkeeper being described as “fantastic” for leaf collection, really saving the team time due its large, 1.8 metre working width. The Profihopper PH1250 being used predominantly for undulating terrain as well as scarifying and core collecting.

The Profihopper has been used extensively for scarifying and a lot of the collected material will be recycled during the development of the new 6 hole pitch and putt course coming in the future.

They found with the wet weather experienced this year, they’re still able to get on the course, ‘Because of this full mix of soils on the course, some areas such as the greens are fairly wet, but with the Profihopper we can get on and collect in most weathers. Over last few years we’ve had a lot of success mowing in the frost, getting exceptional collection quality and yet keeping the ground in good shape. For scarifying and mowing we’ve found the blades to be extremely hard-wearing, even though the machines have been hammered. You have to say that the Groundkeeper is pretty much bulletproof,’ concludes Alex.

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Newquay Golf Club welcomes John Deere GPS Sprayer

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Newquay Golf Club welcomes John Deere GPS Sprayer: A Cornish golf club has become the first in south-west England to invest in a satellite-guided John Deere sprayer to help keep its course the in the best possible condition.

Newquay Golf Club took delivery of the John Deere HD200 ProGator precision sprayer earlier this month after identifying the machine as a tool to reduce costs and enhance its environmental profile.

Newquay Golf Club welcomes John Deere GPS Sprayer

Newquay Golf Club welcomes John Deere GPS Sprayer

The state-of-the-art unit is the first of its kind to be installed in the region and was supplied by local dealer Masons Kings.

Head Greenkeeper Dan Kendle said the purchase was all about sustainability.

“We like to keep up with advancements in technology because they can make us more efficient and do things more accurately,” he said. “Sustainability is the big thing on golf courses as far as I’m concerned and the GPS functionality in the sprayer allows us to be more targeted in our applications and therefore reducing the impact on the environment.

“Over time, it will enable us to use fewer chemicals, less water and save on fuel and time which are also big plus points.”

John Deere’s GPS sprayer is at the forefront of modern golf course maintenance, promising to enhance application accuracy when applying fungicides, herbicides or nutrients to tee boxes, fairways and greens.

The HD200 ProGator is packed with advanced features including autosteer, data recording, and independent nozzle control which automatically shuts off when the sprayer boom reaches a set boundary.

These innovations ensure efficient and eco-friendly operations, enabling precise treatment applications and minimising waste by avoiding spraying non-target areas such as bunkers and hedges.

Masons Kings’ dedicated Integrating Technologies Team carried out the installation with Dan and the club’s greenkeeping staff, ensuring that the sprayer is fully operational and ready to deliver top-tier performance.

Dan added: “We are extremely grateful for the support from entire Masons Kings team which has been instrumental in bringing this revolutionary equipment to Newquay Golf Club.”

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JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach

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JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach: The prestigious JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester, Staffordshire is preparing to host the LIV Golf UK event next week, from 26-28 July 2024, replacing Centurion Golf Club in Hertfordshire as LIV’s UK LIV stop.

JCB has hosted events in the last two years on the Legends Tour, the DP World Tour’s veteran circuit. They now join an ever-growing list of UK golf courses in connection with LIV Golf and its financial investment in the professional game.

JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach

JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach

The new Golf and Country Club opened less than five years ago in September 2019 and its testimony to Golf Course Manager Callum Wark and his 33-strong team that this is already a tournament standard course, having hosted events on the Legends Tour and the DP World Tours veteran circuit.

Previously from Loch Lomond Golf Club, Callum joined the original JCB Course Manager Euan Grant as a Senior Greenkeeper in June 2016, along with another 15 people who were all instrumental in the construction and grow-in of the course.

Kerr Hunter from Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS), which encompasses Symbio, Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, and Turfkeeper, has dealt with Callum since his inception at the club.  Callum explains, “JBC wanted an organic and sustainable course. Euan had been working with Kerr from his former club and wanted the same results. With the active ingredients in fungicides being slowly removed from the market we wanted to proactively manage our greens moving forward and wanted to adopt a biological programme that required less input from us.”

In 2018 Euan became the General Manager and Callum was promoted to Golf Course Manager. He oversaw the official launch of the JCB Golf and Country Club, which was designed to reflect the bold, ambitious vision of Lord Bamford, Chairman of the iconic construction and agricultural equipment manufacturer JCB who wanted nothing less than the creation of a tour-ready contemporary masterpiece in course design.

Internationally renowned Robin Hiseman of European Gold Design was commissioned to create the stunning, contemporary layout in beautiful rural Staffordshire. The 7308-yard par 72 course has been designed to challenge elite golfers at full distance while allowing corporate golfers an enjoyable experience.

Callum continues, “I’m not against chemical inputs and where I need to, I do use them, but I find that by following a biological programme we only have a limited need for them. There is a high level of expectation that the course is in immaculate condition. We cannot afford for our members to see any disease or scarring so as a preventative we currently spray fungicide preventatively on the greens three times a year, but we are planning on reducing this to two times if possible. I see it as a safety net.”

The course is built on land close to the JCB headquarters in a mixture of established woodland and farmers’ fields. The site wasn’t the easiest to work on as there was a lot of clay and drainage was a challenge. Hiseman and his team moved over 400,000m3 of earth to produce the course.

OAS helped with the specification of a full assembly grow-in programme to enable the course to be built with a biological base. Some of the products used included Mycorrhizal Inoculant for greens and tees and Mycorrhizal SeedCoat for fairways and outfields

along with Caviar, calcium and magnesium.

Callum adds, “Today the soil is biologically active and the course is maintained with a vigorous organic and biological programme. We have four Compost Tea brewers and use Compost Teas every two weeks to feed the soil life and enhance the soil food web. We have a full greens programme to aid in the prevention of disease and improve plant health.  We have fantastic results and the OAS biological products maintain the quality. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!”

Origin Amenity Solutions is the major supplier to the JCB Golf and Country Club for their putting greens. As well as a myriad of biological products such as ThatchEater, seaweed, CMS Shoot, DegrAid, Biotabs and Liquid Aeration, Callum has been using OAS Iron products for the fairways, ‘it is a high-quality product and one that works with our programme.”

‘Symbio ThatchEater is a core product for us. Our members demand high-performance surfaces. They must be firm and fast at all times. We still need to aerate regularly but ThatchEater is my go-to product.”

“The service and advice I receive from Kerr at OAS is invaluable.  We have a planned programme, but we tweak it accordingly.  A few years ago, I had a problem with plant parasitic Nematodes. Kerr recommended Root Repair.  The problem was eradicated, and I’ve never had an issue since.  The biological approach works for us, our greens are tournament-ready, and the club is looking forward to an exciting year ahead.”

For further information or to discuss a bespoke programme for your club contact the OAS team on 0800 138 7222 or email sales@originamenity.com

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Jacobsen™ electric fleet to prepare Le Golf National

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Jacobsen™ electric fleet to prepare Le Golf National: Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd., a Textron Inc. company and the renowned manufacturer of Jacobsen™ high-quality turf maintenance equipment, is proud to announce its support of Le Golf National in Paris, the flagship facility of the French Golf Federation, as they work together to prepare this summer’s world’s stage for the biggest names in golf. This will be the first all-electric fleet of mowers to maintain an entire course in the world.

Jacobsen equipment has more than 100 years of experience producing the highest quality cut for golf, sports turf, and commercial use. To drive a more sustainable future for turf management initiatives, Jacobsen offers the same precision cut with powerful, long lithium battery life using its ELiTE series of equipment, activated by Samsung SDI technology. These fully electric units enable one to keep up with the needs of the course, and maintain a cleaner, fresher environment without hydraulics, to minimize the risk of spills or tailpipe emissions. This results in a quieter course for golfers, without the addition of harmful chemicals to the land, air and water surrounding them.

Jacobsen™ electric fleet to prepare Le Golf National

Jacobsen™ electric fleet to prepare Le Golf National

“We could not be more excited to bring this groundbreaking technology to the world,” said Simon Rainger, Vice President, Turf for Textron Specialized Vehicles. “This relationship aligns perfectly with our mission to provide superintendents and golfers with exceptional experiences, and we look forward to showcasing our commitment to creating low maintenance and greener solutions for participants and fans on the world stage.”

Jacobsen, with the addition of Pace Technology, is the answer that the world has been waiting for when it comes to golf course maintenance. The Pace Technology systems in place allow Le Golf National to know when, where and exactly what needs to be tended to on the courses at a given moment through a centralized process. Pace Technology can be accessed from any device and features real-time tracking and task management to maximize the effectiveness of your operation. Users can track and measure the power output per hole of the machines to maximize their performance and develop a bespoke picture of how they work on the course. While this is the first facility to go all electric, Ransomes Jacobsen is committed to fully electrifying golf and sports turf facilities across the globe in the years to come.

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Carus Green Golf Club becomes fully automated

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Carus Green Golf Club becomes fully automated: Carus Green Golf Club, a popular golf club in the North of England, is now reaping the rewards of automation, thanks to the installation of a fleet of Husqvarna professional robotic lawnmowers.

The 18-hole course, located on the outskirts of the Lake District, embarked on its automation journey back in August 2023, following a demonstration of the Husqvarna CEORA™ on its driving range. Since then, the club has bought into the technology and rapidly scaled up its fleet of robotics to ten machines altogether; five Husqvarna CEORA™, four Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS™ and one Automower® 430X NERA.

Carus Green Golf Club becomes fully automated

Carus Green Golf Club becomes fully automated

Here, Husqvarna speaks to Warren Bevan, Course Manager at Carus Green, about the club’s robotics journey so far, and how they’re benefitting from full automation.

Tell us a bit about how your robotics journey with Husqvarna began?

“We initially had a demo of CEORA™ on our driving range and were instantly impressed. Both myself and Graham Curtin, owner of the golf course, quickly noted the quality of the cut and finish and wanted to invest in the technology and expand it onto the course itself. We’ve always been progressive and forward thinking in our approach to new ideas and technology, and after a short demonstration, it became apparent that robotics was absolutely the path we needed to explore.”

How long did it take to scale up to ten units? 

“Following the demonstration, we initially started with one CEORA™ and one Automower® 550 EPOS™ which together managed one area of the course that included four fairways with some semi-rough. This allowed us to observe the machines and plan their usage across the full course. The time period from implementing those first machines to rolling a full fleet of mowers out across our whole course was approximately six months – a quick transition but we haven’t looked back. It took some time to get all the necessary infrastructure and electrics installed, but nine months later we’re enjoying the benefits of being fully automated on all fairways, rough and approaches.”

How do the robotic mowers operate on a daily basis?

“Four of the five CEORA™’s are cutting the fairways at a 10mm cutting height; and those machines cut overnight, every night, whilst the course is closed so as to not interrupt the golfers. The machines will then recharge before automatically changing their cutting height and commencing the rough cutting during the day at 60mm.The four Automower® 550’s are cutting the ‘carrys’ from tee to fairway around the clock on a 24 hour cycle. The last CEORA™ maintains our driving range split into different zones and can cut the full range over the space of 48 hours, which has eliminated significant hours of labour a week for our team who can now focus on other tasks in that time. The last machine, the Automower® 430X NERA cuts an area just in front of the clubhouse.”

How has the feedback been from members and staff?

“The feedback we received from the members was overwhelmingly positive, with many noting the improvements in the quality of the finish, and in particular the edge of the fairways which are now immaculately maintained due to the mower’s GPS navigation system. Members also commented on the reduction in noise pollution as well as the absence of tyre marks which our former ride-on mowers sometimes caused during wet conditions.

“The feedback from our Greenkeeping team has also been really positive, with many of our staff now able to dedicate more time to take on and complete jobs we didn’t previously have capacity to do as often as we’d like, such as edging bunkers, which has now increased from once every two weeks to once a week.”

How has automation helped overcome industry challenges?

“There are two main issues that robotics have helped us to overcome. The industry is currently navigating changes to the climate, with more frequent wet days making maintaining the quality of the cut typically difficult, however, robotics really help overcome these challenges, as they can cut in any condition, whereas a conventional ride-on mower simply can’t. This year, we were able to mow the course throughout March and April, which we haven’t been able to do in previous years.

“The other challenge robotics has helped us to overcome is the labour shortage. The industry is experiencing a huge drop off in the number of greenkeepers, and robotics has not only helped plug this gap but has also freed up staff to do jobs that they previously didn’t have time to do.”

What led you to choose Husqvarna over other similar brands?

“When we were in the early stages of our robotics journey, we had a demonstration with a competitor brand, however the competitor’s machine didn’t leave the same quality finish or cut low enough on the fairways compared to CEORA™. This, combined with the level of service, enthusiasm and support from the Husqvarna team ultimately led us to become a valued partner. Since introducing the fleet of machines, we haven’t needed to use our traditional fairway mower at all.”

“I also like that Husqvarna are conducting further research into turf health and plant response from being cut with their robotic mowers.”

About Husqvarna CEORA™

CEORA™ is the ultimate solution for greenkeepers. The machines have an automatic cutting height adjustment system, meaning they can operate on fairways, semi-rough and rough, as well as other course areas, at cutting heights from 10 to 60mm. With a capacity of 20,000–25,000m2 per day, CEORA™ can cover an area of up to three regular-sized fairways every day and night.

For more information on Husqvarna visit www.husqvarna.com/uk

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Highwoods Golf Club celebrates centenary

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Highwoods Golf Club celebrates centenary: As Highwoods Golf Club celebrates its centenary year with a week’s worth of celebrations, the East Sussex club reveals how Toro’s complete turfcare offering has been central to its ongoing success.

“We’re a Toro club through and through,” says Jamie Melham, course manager at Highwoods. “Alongside our new fleet of turfcare machinery, we’re also using Toro’s Lynx irrigation system, which, together, ensures all the greens, tees, approaches, and fairways are maintained to the highest standard.

Highwoods Golf Club celebrates centenary

Highwoods Golf Club celebrates centenary

“A strategic plan has been put in place to take the course to the next level and continue to push, year-on-year,” he adds. “With all eyes on us for our centenary, that’s never been more important.”

There is a lot for the club to prepare for as part of its centenary celebrations. Highwoods has been invited to host the County Championship in July 2024, and, as general manager Rebecca Prout points out, preparation for 100 years at Highwoods has been some time in the making, beginning in earnest back in 2017.

“Over the last seven years or so, Jamie and the greenkeeping team have been working hard on several projects to celebrate our hundredth year, including a new centenary pond on hole fourteen,” explains Rebecca.

“Toro has played a pivotal role in these developments and, thanks to our new fleet, the brand will be central to ongoing improvements at Highwoods, particularly when it comes to pushing those fine turf areas to the next level.”

To do so, Highwoods has invested in a variety of new turfcare machinery. However, thanks to the club’s long-standing relationship with Toro distributor Reesink, it has been able to do so in a simple, affordable way.

With a range of finance packages available, clubs like Highwoods can have all the benefits of market-leading mowers without the upfront investment.

“Leasing Toro machinery through Reesink guarantees first-rate performance year-on-year, as we will always be using the latest kit,” explains Jamie. “That way, we’re always going to get the highest quality of cut, delivering the consistency we know our players love.”

Highwoods’ new fleet includes the Toro Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420, which, according to Jamie, has created a real buzz amongst his team.

“Everyone has been really excited to try the 3420,” he says. “It eliminates ribbing around our greens and, as the cutting units are so stable, we’ve already noticed significant improvements in the overall finish.

“By fitting an eight-bladed cutting cylinder, we can also use the 3420 on tees and approaches, which has totally transformed the way they look. The way it glides and follows the contours of the ground is truly remarkable.

“My team always takes a moment every Friday afternoon to appreciate the work and notice how beautiful the course looks,” he goes on. “It’s one of the best things about greenkeeping – the satisfaction you get when you can see the difference all your hard work has made, and Toro helps us achieve that feeling week in, week out.”

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Royal Golf Club Bahrain receives Club Car fleet

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Royal Golf Club Bahrain receives Club Car fleet: Club Car®, global industry-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles, has delivered a new fleet of golf vehicles to the prestigious Royal Golf Club in Bahrain.

The world-class venue hosted the Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour in February and welcomes 42,000 rounds a year on its two courses – the magnificent Colin Montgomerie-designed 18-hole championship layout and a 9-hole par-3 course.

Royal Golf Club Bahrain receives Club Car fleet

Royal Golf Club Bahrain receives Club Car fleet

Royal Golf Club chose the market-leading Club Car Tempo golf car in Metallic Blue Onyx complete with premium features including Visage (GPS technology), alloy wheels and comfort seats.

The vehicles were delivered through Luxury Carts, the Club Car distributor in the Middle East, and also have coolers, sand bottles and inbuilt USB ports.

Royal Golf Club General Manager, Juan Manuel Fuentes, said: “Our players use golf cars here because of the high temperatures and course design. That is why we commit to offer our members and guests an exceptional experience during their rounds with us.”

“Club Car has given us just that – the 80 new cars are fantastic.”

The new cars were used to transport VIP guests during the Bahrain Championship earlier this year – the DP World Tour’s first return to the Kingdom since 2011 – held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

“Club Car is an easy choice because the product is superior and the level of service is excellent,” Fuentes added. “The cars were delivered quickly – there was not a long wait after ordering.”

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

“I’d like to express my gratitude to the board of Royal Golf Club Bahrain, Juan Manuel and Troon for continuing the longstanding relationship with Club Car.”

Club Car Tempo has many customisable options including colour, seats, storage, wheels and three programmable drive modes to maximise performance.

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

For more information on Royal Bahrain Golf Club visit: https://www.theroyalgolfclub.com

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Former Leyland Golf Club course manager joins BIGGA team

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Former Leyland Golf Club course manager joins BIGGA team: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has appointed Scott Reeves as Head of Membership, overseeing the development of the association’s membership activities.

Scott, 53, was formerly the course manager at Leyland Golf Club, where he spent 17 years. He began his greenkeeping career at Wycombe Heights Golf Club, Buckinghamshire, followed by spells at Stock Brook Country Club in Essex and Chobham Golf Club in Surrey, before relocating to Lancashire in 2003. He spent three years at Preston Golf Club before a one-year stint with Saxon Industries in a sales role. He then returned to course management at Leyland Golf Club in 2007.

Former Leyland Golf Club course manager joins BIGGA team

Former Leyland Golf Club course manager joins BIGGA team

Scott has volunteered at every level of BIGGA, culminating in his appointment as chairperson of the association in 2019. The COVID pandemic hit during Scott’s term and he worked closely alongside BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton, the BIGGA staff and National Board as the association navigated the turbulence of that period, ensuring BIGGA was well-placed to offer support and guidance wherever required.

Following his term as chairperson, Scott retained an involvement with BIGGA and still lectures on the Golf Club Management Diploma, jointly run by the GCMA, PGA and BIGGA. He was also a part of the Committee for Golf Club Salaries for many years.

Following a recent restructure, the Head of Membership position has been created by BIGGA. Scott will be responsible for ensuring the development and implementation of the association’s membership strategy, as well as taking on a senior leadership role within the organisation. He will work closely with all BIGGA departments to ensure the association is fulfilling its responsibility to members, while seeking to evolve BIGGA’s activities and offering.

Scott said: “What attracted me to this job is it is such a huge opportunity. One of the things I really valued in my time as a greenkeeper volunteer with BIGGA was the chance to make the world a better place for greenkeepers, as we always say. With a little time away, focusing on my own job as a greenkeeper, it’s helped me see just what a valuable resource BIGGA is.

“What I’d say to BIGGA members is that another one of us has joined the association. I’m someone who understands you and understands your challenges as I’ve faced many of them myself. We’re here to help you, to serve you and to make sure that you can access everything BIGGA has to offer, to build a better career for yourself and a stronger industry for everyone.”

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “We worked hard to identify the correct candidate for this position and we put all the applicants through rigorous testing as the Head of Membership will play a key role in shaping the future of the association for years to come.

“We had some outstanding applications but Scott’s passion for greenkeeping and belief in the value BIGGA brings to the industry shone through. He has been involved with committee work at all levels, including chairing the association from 2019 to 2022, a period which included the COVID pandemic and was therefore one of the most challenging of any in our history.

“I’m excited that Scott has joined the Association and look forward to embarking on what I believe is the next chapter in BIGGA’s history.”

A video of Scott discussing his new role and ambitions for the future is available to watch online here.

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