Tag Archive for: golf

New Golf Course Apprentice

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New Golf Course Apprentice: A green keeping apprenticeship at the internationally-renowned Castle Stuart Golf Links is the ideal job for Ethan Ramsay due to his love of golf and of working outdoors.

Ethan, 17, started his new role this month at the four-time Scottish Open venue, but is already very familiar with the famous links.

The former Millburn Academy pupil has spent time at Castle Stuart on work experience and was also part of the bunker squad during the 2016 Scottish Open. In addition, the 13-handicap golfer has played and caddied on the course several times.

“The Scottish Open was an amazing experience and gave me a taste of what it would be like to work full-time on this great course”, said Ethan. “I like playing golf and enjoy physical, outdoor work so I am delighted to get a chance to start my apprenticeship here.

“I hope I can have a career in the golf industry and that the job will also help my golf, at least on this course.”

Ethan joins a team of 11 full-time green keeping staff at Castle Stuart who are preparing for the 2018 season opening on 23 March. They will be joined by two seasonal staff between April and October.

While receiving on-site training at Castle Stuart, Ethan will also be studying for Scottish vocational qualifications in sports turf maintenance at SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College, in Fife, for three years.

Head greenkeeper James Hutchison said: “Ethan is really enthusiastic and has a real get-up-and-go attitude. He is keen to learn and is always asking questions which shows he wants to progress.

“At Castle Stuart he will be involved in all aspects of the course so he will develop a wide range of skills. If people impress here there will certainly be opportunities to move up the career ladder.”

Apprentices have a world-wide career opportunity with Caste Stuart as it offers placements and exchange programmes with other courses. In the past greenkeepers have visited Europe, Australia and the US as part of their learning experience.

James added: “Greenkeeping is a great career for young people. We have a fantastic working environment here and provide apprentices with the right tools and on-site training to prepare them for whatever they want to achieve.”

The quality of the Castle Stuart links has been praised by the likes of Phil Mickelson, who won the Scottish Open in 2013, and the 2016 winner Alex Noren. It is regarded as a model for modern course design by testing the best but being playable and enjoyable for players of all abilities.

Castle Stuart has also won awards for its environmental management, the course having been created from an area of former farmland and a site rich in wildlife.

For more information, visit: www.castlestuartgolf.com

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Textron Keeps Meldrum Peaceful

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Textron Keeps Meldrum Peaceful: Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course extended its hotel in 2016 to 55 rooms, and since then has invested in golf course maintenance equipment and vehicles from Textron Golf in order to lessen noise levels around the hotel grounds. The equipment featured on the five-year lease deal includes mowers and vehicles across the Jacobsen, Cushman and E-Z-GO brands. Local dealer Fairways GM facilitated the purchasing process and is providing continued after-sales support.

Meldrum House Country Hotel is a four-star hotel in a 13th-century estate house, the oldest stone building in Aberdeenshire. The hotel is set in beautifully manicured grounds which are maintained by Kenny Harper, Golf Course and Estate Grounds Manager, and his team. Having spent five years at Gleneagles, and 20 at Meldrum House, Kenny said:

Textron Golf Keeps Meldrum Peaceful

“The golf course here is a members-only course, and it is crucial that whilst we keep our members happy, we also need to be mindful of our hotel guests, as the rooms and the golf course are very close to each other geographically.

“I looked into the Jacobsen Eclipse 322 riding greens mower, and it ticked all of the boxes for us. The noise levels are dramatically reduced, meaning that we can cut greens around the hotel whenever we like without disturbing anyone. As well as the noise advantage, the Eclipse 322 doesn’t use any hydraulic oil, which means there aren’t any disastrous leaks on the greens either. I also like being able to set speeds and clip rates using a passcode so that everything is being cut consistently. The members have noticed the difference on the course; our greens have never looked better.”

As well as three Eclipse 322 greens mowers, Meldrum House has also invested in two LF570 fairway mowers, two Cushman Hauler Pro vehicles (one with a sprayer, and one with a topdresser), three Cushman XD-R vehicles one Jacobsen TR-3 mower, one AR-3, one HR500 wide-area mower, one Truckster XD, and Iseki tractor and 10 E-Z-GO RXV electric golf cars.

“The Eclipse 322 and the electric E-Z-GO vehicles are another addition to our environmental plan. The reduced noise and air pollution is important to us, and we are already using wood-burning boilers to provide hot water and heat to the hotel and maintenance facility. We also use recycled rain water for washing down machines, and wild-flower plantations were used around the hotel extension which has allowed us to have bee hives on site which we produce our own honey from. Pesticides are being reduced to protect our bees and wildlife, and our new machinery also plays a crucial role in our environmental efforts.

“We are very happy with all of the machinery from Textron Golf. Textron Golf really has its finger on the pulse right now with the latest technology and providing machinery and vehicles which are built to last. We’re very pleased with what we have, and most importantly, the back-up from Fairways is superb; nothing is too much trouble, and a representative is always in to check on us.”

Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course was purchased by its current owners in 1995. A nine-hole golf course designed by Graeme Webster was opened in 1999, and an 18-hole, 7,000-yard parkland course followed in 2000.

About Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc.

Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of golf cars, utility and personal transportation vehicles, snowmobiles, side-by-sides, all-terrain vehicles, professional turf-care equipment, and ground support equipment. Textron Specialized Vehicles markets products under the E-Z-GO®, Cushman®, Arctic Cat®, Textron Off Road™, Jacobsen®, Dixie Chopper®, Ransomes®, TUG™, Douglas™, Premier™ and Safeaero™ brands. Its vehicles are found in environments ranging from golf courses to factories, airports to planned communities, and theme parks to hunting preserves.

 About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Off Road, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training.

For more information, visit: www.textron.com

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Golf Club In Top Condition

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Golf Club In Top Condition: Finley Golf Club is being kept in top condition, all thanks to its dedicated volunteers.

When visitors arrive at the course, it doesn’t take long to understand why the club is considered among the best courses in the Murray River region.

Finley Golf Club captain Rand Wilson described it as one of the Murray’s best kept secrets.

‘‘I’ve spoken to tourists from the USA and UK who say they’re shocked a town the size of Finley has a golf course and they’re just as shocked with the beautiful condition the course is in,’’ he said.

‘‘We have over 160 members and they all volunteer their time.

‘‘The only paid employees we have are part time bar staff and full time greenkeeper.

‘‘Our motto is ‘the friendly club’ so it’s natural for our members to help out when they can.’’

One of the club’s longest serving volunteers Pam Angove said without the dedication of the the volunteers the club wouldn’t survive.

‘‘The golf club is a great asset for our town and to lose it would be devastating,’’ she said.

‘‘Our president Deb Pyke has managed to gain several grants to help upgrade our facilities such as the kitchen.

‘‘I love volunteering. Every time I come here I have such great fun helping out.’’

The course is under constant care from the greenkeeper and volunteers that help mow the lawns and clean up the course of tree branches and debris.

Maintenance volunteer Barry Wilson said the course is in the best condition it has been in.

‘‘A while ago work needed to be done and the many volunteers like to present a top quality course,’’ he said.

‘‘The course in the last month has been in top condition.

‘‘Trees have been pruned and you can see right through the entire course.

‘‘When we hosted the Riverina Ladies Golf Association Championship we had constant positive feedback of players who want to come back because they admire such a great course.

‘‘Finley should be proud of its golf club.’

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Golf Club Ends 2017 In Style

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Golf Club Ends 2017 In Style: Modry Las Golf Club has ended the year in style after picking up a top award at a gala evening which celebrated the very best of international golf tourism. The West Pomerania Gary Player-designed course was named Poland’s best golf course at the World Golf Awards in Spain after a series of exciting developments at the resort and a bumper year on the course.

It is the latest in a line of awards secured by Modry Las since it was officially opened by Player in 2009. Earlier this year Modry Las received one of Poland’s top honours for its nine-hole championship course in miniature; Orli Las. This latest accolade from the World Golf Awards points towards ongoing improvements that have been supported by an internationally recognised design.

Golf Club Ends 2017 In Style

“Over the last eight years, Modry Las has been on a journey which has been underpinned by Gary Player’s fabulous design,” said Arthur Gromadzki, chairman of Modry Las. “That has been the foundation on which we have grown the resort. We have used the momentum created by Mr Player’s fantastic layout to develop the resort through on-site accommodation options, property opportunities and our wonderful nine-hole course. Modry Las has grown into an internationally recognised resort, but it all began with his vision.”

As Chris Frost, managing director of the World Golf Awards, noted, this latest honour confirms worldwide recognition for the resort. “Well-deserved congratulations to Modry Las on its success at the 2017 World Golf Awards,” he said. “Poland’s Best Golf Course is a prestigious international award that places Modry Las firmly at the top of the golf tourism industry.”
As well as picking up awards, Modry Las has also seen substantial increases in the number of rounds played, especially by visiting golfers. For instance, the number of green fees sold grew by a healthy 22% in 2017 while the number of rounds played as part of a stay-and-play package soared by 73%.

The impetus generated by the 18-hole signature course at Modry Las shows no sign of slowing down, especially during 2018 which is set to be another decisive year for the Polish resort. “The progress made at Modry Las has been significant and has resulted in us welcoming more golfers to play our courses,” continued Gromadzki. “Nonetheless, I am particularly looking forward to 2018 and the opening of our clubhouse. This is the next stage in the evolution of Modry Las and a pivotal point in its development.”

The clubhouse is due to open during the summer of 2018 and will act as a focal point for members, visitors and corporate clients with spacious reception areas and panoramic views. A sports bar, lounge areas, extensive changing facilities and a specialist golf boutique will elevate service levels once again, while 11 luxurious guest suites will provide additional accommodation just yards from the first tee and last green.

The contemporary country lodge will include an indoor golf practice studio, private-dining room as well as a 70-cover restaurant and terrace featuring international cuisine served with the best of Polish hospitality.

“This exciting project has been in the pipeline for a number of years,” said Gromadzki. “We wanted to get the feel of the place just right so that members and guests would feel at home, but also indulged. Our temporary clubhouse has been a great asset, but the new clubhouse will take the experience at Modry Las to another level.”

A number of smaller, but no-less important projects have preceded the clubhouse development, including the installation of a dedicated Tesla charging station at the West Pomeranian resort, which is now part of the Tesla Destination Programme. Elsewhere, the resort’s facilities have been photographed by award-winning photographer Mark Alexander who has not only captured the beauty of the championship course but has also taken the first images of the highly-anticipated clubhouse.

“It is always a great privilege to photograph Modry Las,” said Alexander. “The course has matured well and is looking terrific. The new clubhouse provides a fantastic backdrop to the closing hole, which was part of this year’s brief.”

Gromadzki agreed. “The photography taken by Mark has been viewed around the world, and I think his new set of images will generate even greater interest in Modry Las. In particular, he has used the light to capture views of the course that have never been seen before and reveal for the first time the new clubhouse.”

For more information, visit: www.modrylas.pl

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Golf Club And Street Signs Targeted

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Golf Club And Street Signs Targeted: Despite it possibly being a joke to some, many dedicated golfers were not amused.

Greenkeeper, Joe Khumalo and staff, were left open-mouthed when they discovered a yield sign, complete with the pole, stuck in a hole on the number 5 green at the Dundee Golf Club last Wednesday.

The flag had been tossed to one side. “There must have been more than one person responsible because this sign and pole are heavy,” said Joe.

He explained that the number 5 green is not near to any of the boundary fences and those playing what they thought was a clever joke may have even driven a vehicle onto the fairway to ‘deliver’ the pole.

“It must have been stolen from a street corner nearby. Some months ago the Illovo Drive/Tugela Street street sign was discarded on green number 15. We do not know if someone has a problem with us at the golf club or if they are trying to be funny. Either way, they must stop it as this golf club is for everyone’s use and we should all look after it.”

Joe said he was thankful that the yield sign had not damaged the green as the club on Friday hosted their biggest competition of the year, the Dundee Corporate Classic.

The Courier contacted Frikkie Coetsee of the Endumeni Traffic Department who said he would send officers to the golf club to collect the stolen street signs.

“It is always around the end of November and December that we see a spike in vandalism in the town of our street signs. We can only think it is bored youngsters who are on varsity or school holiday. They should remember that vandalism is a criminal offence and charges will be pressed against offenders. Having a criminal record will seriously dent your chances of finding a job. Those with information regarding the vandalism should please contact the municipality or the SAPS.”

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