GMé | issuu 9

GolfGolfManagementE u r o p e

BROCKET MANN

FEBRUARY 1999£3 4.25 $5

The definitive business magazine for the European golfing industry

Dieter Klostermann owns over 30 golfclubs around the world. We meet himat his first UK acquisition, BrocketHall, a charming course with a

colourful history

Have the vision.Look a fair way...

Have the vision.Look a fair way...

GOLF COURSE DEVELOPERSAND CONTRACTORS

IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT DOING ACOMMERCIAL GOLF DEVELOPMENT

IN EUROPE ONE CALL COULDMAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE

E.R.M. GROUP LIMITEDFIRST FLOOR

BARCLAYS BUSINESS CENTRE46a HIGH STREET

HEATHFIELDEAST SUSSEX

ENGLAND

Tel: +44 (0) 1435 862200Fax: +44 (0) 1435 865500

Email: ermltd.aol.com

Group Limited

E.R.M.

EDITORJohn VinicombeEXECUTIVE EDITORAlister MarshallNEWS EDITORDavid BowersSTAFF WRITERSColin Cameron, Andy Ford,Peter Simm, Duncan WrightPUBLISHING EXECUTIVEPaul Hughes

PUBLISHERMichael LenihanDESIGN & PRODUCTIONAngus DayACCOUNT MANAGERStephen TurrellADMINISTRATIONSharon O’ConnellPRINT & REPROColourspeed & PPG Repro

GOLF MANAGEMENT EUROPEIS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BYPORTMAN PUBLISHING &COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

GOLF MANAGEMENT EUROPE24 HIGHCROFT BUSINESS ESTATEENTERPRISE ROADWATERLOOVILLEHAMPSHIRE PO8 0BTUNITED KINGDOM

TELEPHONE(44) 01705 425000FACSIMILE(44) 01705 [email protected]

WEBSITEWWW.PORTMAN.UK.COM

ISSN1368-7727

SUBSCRIPTIONSUK (6 issues) £18Europe (6 issues) £24Rest of World (6 issues) £36BACK ISSUES/SINGLE COPIESUK & Europe £4Rest of World £7

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATIONMAY BE REPRODUCED ORTRANSMITTED IN ANY FORMWITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSIONFROM THE PUBLISHER.WHILE DUE CARE IS TAKEN TOENSURE THAT THE CONTENT OF

GOLF MANAGEMENT EUROPEIS ACCURATE, THE PUBLISHERCANNOT ACCEPT LIABILITYFOR ERRORS AND OMISSIONS. CONTRIBUTORS OPINIONS MAYNOT NECESSARILY REFLECTTHOSE HELD BY THE PUBLISHER.

' PORTMAN PUBLISHING & COMMUNICATIONS LTD 1999

GolfGolfManagementE u r o p e

FEBRUARY 1999 ! GOLF MANAGEMENT EUROPE 3

ContentsContentsGOLF MANAGEMENT EUROPE

Cover StoryComputers can aid

the smooth runningof any golf club, butFairway Systems can

guarantee a moreprofitable approach

to your business

Page 7

FEBRUARY 1999Issue Nine

Historic Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire providesmany naturally picturesque golfing features.

We meet the new owner who has set about takingthis awe-inspiring club into the next century

Full story on page 23

inside

GolfGolfManagementE u ro p e

Join our Club Pay and play or pay

and stay? Two ofour editors enter a

heated debate on therespective merits of

proprietory andmembers’ clubs

Page 8

Roque SteadySituated on Spain’sCosta del Sol, the

San Roque Clubhosts the annualEuropean Tour

Qualifying Schoolfinals

Page 20

Built to LastWith increasingly

fewer new golf coursesbeing built, we take a

look at the overallhealth of the golf

course constructionindustry

Page 26

tumble ends withloss of membershipfor lady captain

A lady captain’s desire forcompensation following a fall led tothe revoking of her membership at anEast Anglian Club.

Margaret Hargrave (60), had beenon crutches for seven weeks followinga fall down steps on the ninth hole atLinks Country Park Hotel and GC,near Cromer, when she received aletter informing her she was no longerwelcome at the four-star establish-ment.

Hargrave, who had been a clubmember with husband Keith for 14years, had broken her ankle in twoplaces, and was seeking compensationthrough the club’s insurers.

However the club has since refusedto renew the couple’s £275-a-yearannual membership at the course inWest Runton.

A stunned Hargrave said: “We arenot out to get the club at all. We havehad a lot of happy times at the cluband enjoy going there.”

4 GOLF MANAGEMENT EUROPE ! FEBRUARY 1999

newsnewsThe lead editorial in the November

1998 edition of GolfManagement Europe, attacking

the sexism that still exists at many golfclubs, provoked a strong responsefrom our readers.

The comment, entitled “Ladiesdeserve to be on level par,” wasprompted by the Equal OpportunitiesCommission’s report, Equality in the21st Century - a new sex equalitylaw for Britain.

The editorial stated that golf “is stillin the Dark Ages when it comes to thefairer sex” and said “forward-thinkingclubs should make public their backingof the EOC’s campaign.”

Many did, including DavidBosomworth of The Wynyard Club inClevedon, who wrote: “We do nothave lady members, simply membersand it’s a philosophy that has not onlybeen welcomed but positively encour-aged by the vast majority of our 320members.”

He added: “Sexism ismost certainly dead - infact it’s never been aliveat the Wynyard Club.”

Diane Hopkins,secretary andmanager of theCatterick Golf Club,a private members’club, claimed thatthey were “an oasis inthe depths of NorthYorkshire.”

She said: “Not onlydo we have a lady secretary/managerbut also our ladies have full equality.”

Glyn Selway, president of WillowValley Golf & Country Club in WestYorkshire made the point: “With themixed economic forecasts facing thegolfing world, it is a brave (or foolish)club that can afford to discriminateagainst half of its prospective customerbase... the time for change is longoverdue.”

Feedback confirms clubs canhappily provide equality

Playgolf developnew range

The Trafford Centre RegionalSports Complex has announced thedevelopment of a state-of-the-art golfdriving range, scheduled for comple-tion by Spring 2000.

Warwickshire-based Playgolf Ltdis to develop a 64-bay range on 26acres of the 150-acre RegionalSports Complex site adjacent to there-built Trafford Centre, the £600mshopping, restaurant and entertain-ment city adjacent to Manchester’sM60 outer ring road.

The company also operatesManchester’s Heaton Park golfcomplex, as well as courses at Brid-lington, East Yorkshire and Calverley,Leeds, each of which include either adriving range or practice field.

The Trafford Centre will hostPlaygolf’s first stand-alone drivingrange.

Still at the design stage, a systemof lights will provide late-night golf,which will allow the view of theoutfield to be changed at will.

Landscaping and building workwill commence in the spring, follow-ing completion of a contract to buryexisting overhead power lines.

Three new members of staff have joined Howard Swanand his principal assistant Nigel Henbury at SwanGolf Designs. Ljubica Jovetic (pictured) has worked

for the Croatian Golf Association and for the past eightmonths has been responsible for site work on Croatia’sfirst modern golf course, the Swan-designed DolinaKardinala Golf and Country Club.

Also joining the practice are Richard Myers and BobbieSmith both landscape architect graduates with domestic andinternational experience.

Both join the practice as assistant golf course archi-tects and will be attending the BIGCA’s DiplomaCourse in Golf Course Design as post graduates atMerrist Wood, Surrey.

Swan in recruitment drive

The newly-created post of director ofsales at the Celtic Manor Hotel andCountry Club in South Wales has beenfilled by Eyvonne Dight. Dight (31) whotook up her position after a successfultwo-year spell as senior area salesmanager at Marriott St Pierre nearChepstow, also spent six years withSwallow Hotels.

Membership & AdministrationBooking & Green Fees

Pro-Shop Retailing &Stock Control

Loyalty Schemes

Food & BeverageSystems

Access Control

Hotel Management

Financial Accounting

is the leading integrated point-of-sale and managementsystem specifically designedto ensure the smooth day-to-day running of a modern golf

club. The system is available in modules or as a fullyintegrated package.

For further information please contactEuro Systems Projects Ltd at:

Europa House, Kimpton Link Business Park, Kimpton Road, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9QP

Tel: 0181 251 5100 Fax: 0181 251 5101

e-mail: [email protected]

See us at

GolfExpo &

Clubhouse


Following increasing worries over the development of young British golfers, One 2 One - the digital mobile phone company - has donated £5,000 to the

Golf Foundation following the One 2 One Find a Tiger competition, held at theOne 2 One British Masters last September. The money will go towards golf tuition

for children who attend the starter centres all over the UK.

GOLF FOUNDATION RECEIVES ITS ONE 2 ONE

BRITISH INSTITUTE OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS

Swan Golf Designs LimitedTelfords Barn, Willingale,

Ongar, Essex CM5 0QF, England

Phone: 01277 896229 Fax: 01277 896300E-Mail: [email protected]

Howard Swan M.ScNigel Henbury B.A., Dip.Arch.

Golf Course Architects

member of the

Guildford GC’s new clubhouse was opened in December by Peter Alliss,broadcaster, writer and former Ryder Cup player. The members’ club,located on the Merrow Downs, was founded in 1886 on the site of a

famous racecourse and is the oldest golf course in Surrey. Its members were keen to preserve the character of the old Victorian club-

house while providing additional space and modern facilities. The £650,000development project was completed by a local firm of builders, LT Deeprose Ltd,and the majority of the work was completed last winter.

More than half as much again was added to the overall area, providing newkitchens, a dining room for over 100 people, an extended lounge, new 19th bar,changing rooms and an upper gallery bar and balcony with views over the course.

Top commentator opens new clubhouse

Goodway to goRobin

East Brighton professional RobinGoodway is to coach at a new golfcomplex at Reimscheid near Cologne.

Goodway, (39), takes up his newduties at the beginning of March and itis by no means certain that his place atEast Brighton will be filled. “The shopside of things has been very difficult,”said Goodway, who has worked atEast Brighton for the last fours years.

“The job in Germany was simplytoo good to turn down. The first nineholes have been built with the backnine to be finished by 2000, andalready there are 400 members.”

No stranger to European golf,Goodway has worked in Denmarkbefore becoming the professional atWaregem in Belgium.

Alan Grant, captain of EastBrighton, said the position of clubprofessional would be reviewed by thecommittee. “We are well aware of theslowing down in trade at clubs andwonder whether having a full-timeprofessional, and the retainer involved,is justified.”

TheCompleteModularSystemE~S~P

Comment


CommentLEAD EDITORIAL

The United States of America is a vast place,we know that, yet last month’s US PGAMerchandise Show in Orlando and the USPGA National Show in Las Vegas in August

are the only major exhibitions for the sport in 1999.Yet Europe seems to have an endless supply of

shows and exhibitions further fragmenting the sport onthis continent.

Last month, Harrogate in Yorkshire hosted theBTME’99 (British Turf Maintenance Exhibition), whilelater this month Golf Expo’99 takes place at the NECin Birmingham. March sees Fairway’99 in Munich andthe Clubhouse Exhibition at the National AgriculturalCentre.

In fact, June and December are the only months in1999 without a major show connected to a facet of thesport somewhere in Europe.

Which, in basic terms, means that there are onlytwo months of the year when a course will have its fullcomplement of staff working if they want to keep up-to-date with advances in the industry.

A course manager from a forward-thinking complexon the continent admitted recently he could not affordto continue allowing staff to visit exhibitions. It wasmore cost-effective he claimed to send them toOrlando for a week and cope with a skeleton staff atthe course.

It would appear there are too many individual vest-ed interests in European Golf and the time has surelycome for at least some of the exhibitions to merge,specifically to make it easier to attend.

If it is more cost-effective for a golf club on main-land Europe to send several of its staff to Florida for aweek than to attend three or four shows dotted aroundEurope, the alarm bells should be ringing within theindustry.

One of the worst case scenarios would be UScompanies winning orders which could just as easily befulfiled by European companies who were not exhibit-

ing in the US. The Orlandoexhibition would appear tobe the perfect template foran all-encompassingEuropean show.

Hopefully, Europeanorganisers will get togetherand soon follow the exam-ple. Remember, in thewords of BT - it pays totalk.

Does Europe haveto show off?

T

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ERIC HEPWORTH

The 6th, Carnoustie Championship Course, ScotlandVenue of the 1999 Open

One pest that has yet to appearon golf courses, but will makeits debut within the next year

is the dreaded Millennium Bug. While some may decide that poten-

tial troubles in the year 2000 make agood enough reason to steer clear ofcomputers, they are also turning ablind eye to the benefits of running aclub on a PC - a more efficient, eco-nomical and profitable way forward.

Fairway Systems, based inEvesham, is leading the way in thecomputerisation of golf courses.Unlike the products from some othersuppliers, its Executive InformationSystem is fully millennium-compatible.

As managing director GordonBunker explains: �Our customers arealready taking tee bookings for theyear 2000.�

The Executive Information System isan innovative piece of software thatguarantees to increase the net incomeof each course that uses it, employingadvanced business techniques tomaximise revenue.

With optional modules that caterfor reservations management, member-ship and administration, pro shopretailing, stock control, conference andbanqueting, as well as interfacing withproducts like Great Plains, Micros andFidelio before recommending anysolutions, Fairway Systems worksclosely with each club to evaluate anddetermine their specific needs.

Every organisational aspect of clubmanagement is covered, with the aimof making it more profitable. A clubcan also be made more accessible byallowing Internet and automatedtelephone access to tee bookings.

�First and foremost, we�re not asoftware company - we�re a solutionscompany,� explains Bunker. �Our typi-cal customers are those who treat golfas a business; commercial operatorsand those at top-end resorts, as well asmunicipal and proprietary courses.�

Over 325 courses in seven coun-tries have so far employed the system,and, because it is fully equipped tohandle the Euro, is in an ideal positionto spread even further across Europe.

Windows 95® client and serverbased, it is also Windows 98® com-patible and works with the Oracledatabase. It is also supported by ahelpline, available 24 hours a day,seven days a week to ensure thesmooth running of every club thatinstalls the system.

With two updated versions of theExecutive Information System everyyear, the software is constantlyevolving, which means that it is bothtried, tested and proven while alsomaintaining the company�s positionat the leading edge of technology.

Gordon Bunker is adamant that thesoftware�s effectiveness improves withevery new club they visit. �All 325 golfcourses that we have worked withhave helped to shape the program.Our customers are our designers.�

Have the vision...

PO Box 2000, EVESHAM, Worcs, WR11 4YL, UK

Telephone (44) 01386 871490 Facsimile (44) 01386 871500

Email: [email protected], http://www.fairway.co.uk

I �ll not beat about the bush. I am,unashamedly, a dinosaur; one ofthe old brigade who believes that

an Englishman�s golf club is hiscastle. I have not the slightest wish tobelong to a club run by a businessorganisation for profit.

A proprietary club serves a usefulpurpose in providing a facility fornewcomers to the game to get ahandicap. There can be no doubt thatis good for the game.

When the R&A recommendedyears ago that the EGU should issuea directive for the expansion of golf,the way was open for proprietaryclubs to make an appearance.

There was much money to becreamed-off and it remained true thatbeginners could not walk into amembers� club and start playing.There had to be an in-between way.

But now the word seems to be,and it can also be applied to somemembers� clubs; if you�ve got themoney, welcome aboard.

In matters of detail, the profes-sional at the proprietary club oftenfinds himself overruled by the green-keeper or agronomist. Run as purelya business, the club is there to makemoney and will stay open until therainwater closes over the till.

Through the elected committeestructure, private members have a sayin the running of their club whichsometimes involves a shareholding.

There is not the slightest reasonwhy members� clubs should meandearer golf. A good example isthat excellent shoreline course at

Littlehampton where there has beenonly an 8% increase in subs over thelast four years.

For £800 a combined husband-and-wife membership may bepurchased and I cannot thinkof anybody who would notsay that it is value for money.

When priority is devotedto maximising on every

conceivable opportunity to show aprofit, the proprietary club cannot failto treat members on sufferance andoften put the needs of societies first.For sound commercial reasonsproprietary clubs are able to defendtheir position.

New courses often form part of areal estate deal, selling plots of landaround or near the perimeter and, inmatters of design, nothing will doexcept a self-styled championshipcourse of 7,000 yards plus, which, inthe main, are nothing more than pay-and-play facilities with a bit of icingon the cake.

It has often been said, with a gooddeal of truth, that members� clubs arebastions of snobbery. But the verybest of them have not made themistake of being snooty on groundsof financial clout.

While some may operate an oldboy network, that is because a club isallowed to frame its own rulesproviding there is no breach in law.

And who ever heard of a captainbeing sacked in mid-term? Ithappened early last year at a golf andcountry club in Sussex as punishmentfor an alleged breach of manners inthe dining room.

At a members� club that issuewould have been dealt with by thecommittee, if it had got to that stage.The well run members� clubs believemore in the quiet word in the earrather than draconian measures.

The television exposé of North-wood ripped apart a facade that needa breath of fresh air and I dare say itis a far better club now after therumpus died down.

But, if it comes to elitism, whatclub could be more exclusive, and forall the wrong reasons, than Augusta,the home of the Masters?

However, at the best members�clubs, there is a very real sense ofsupporting the institution by visitingthe bar after playing. More often thannot at proprietary clubs you seegolfers coming straight off the courseand changing their shoes in the carpark. And they are usually the biggestoffenders in flouting a dress code.

A secretary of a members� club,who did not wish to be named, put itthis way: �The type of person whojoins a proprietary club has a limitedgolfing ability, at least to start with,and has been rejected or thrown outof a members� club.

�The proprietary club will takeall-comers regardless and it is notsurprising that at such clubs thereis no sense of loyalty. There is noin t e r e s t i n deve lop ing a c l ubatmosphere.�

Viewpoint


ViewpointCLUB LOYALTY

Faced with a choice of allegiance to a traditional members’ club oropting for a wider golfing agenda of the proprietory clubs, two of

our editors pull no punches in making their preferences known

the club has

always belonged

to the members“

”Home of the Masters, The Augusta National in Georgia has a reputation as being one ofthe finest clubs in the world - a status sadly

tainted by allegations of elitism

CLUBTIESCLUBTIESBy John Vinicombe, editor


ViewpointViewpointCLUB LOYALTY

A s a member of a differentgeneration to my esteemededitor, and having only

played golf for a few years, I do notshare his Jurassic enthusiasm formembers� clubs.

I am against elitism in all formsand in any walk of life. And before allthe retired Majors and Colonels outthere - who may have squeezed theirway into respectable positions purelyon past glories and bluster - point thefinger, I am not a communist, ananarchist or a subversive.

I believe in equal opportunities,regardless of race, creed, gender orsocial status - in fact I was the authorof last issue�s editorial on equality forwomen - and members� clubs have apropensity for ignoring this basichuman right.

I also detest titles. The inferencein calling somebody sir or madam, isthat they are better than you. Suchsubservience is rooted in the belowstairs� mentality of Victorian times,and should be banished back there.

So understandably I would objectto addressing somebody I had beenon first-name terms with for severalyears as Mr. Captain. In the sense ofleading a sporting team, �captain� isnot a proper noun and therefore doesnot warrant a capital letter, yet it isoften afforded one purely because it isdeemed a superior position.

Is it? Of course not. Captaincy ofa club is an honour, but one whichshou ld b e b e s towed upon i t sincumbent for reasons other thanpecuniary status.

A friend of mine was given thenod that he was in line for thecaptaincy of a members� club - I dostill mix with them you see - but let it

be known that he would not wish totake up the position because he didnot have the financial clout to fulfilthe role.

Yet he would have made a superbcaptain from a leadership perspective.That sort of social snobbery stillprevails at some members� clubs.

No wonder the secretary of themembers� club in John�s case for thedefence wished to remain anony-mous. His mitigation was actuallydamning prosecution evidence.

As was the anecdotal example ofthe captain sacked mid-term for �analleged breach of manners�, I amafraid I fail to see the problem.Captaincy may put you on a pedestal,but it does not give you the automaticright to look down on people.

I realise not all members� clubslive in the Dark Ages, but conversely,not all proprietary clubs pay lipservice to their customers.

I am not a member of any club. Iprefer to move around and playdifferent courses on a weekly basis.And my current tenure as news editorof Golf Management Europe allows meto do so.

But I often return to my localproprietary club, where the course isexcellent, the staff are friendly and themembers and clubhouse welcoming. Ido not need to wear a jacket and tiein the clubhouse, nor do I have to tugmy forelock at anyone in particular.

There is a thriving junior section,which is affordable and open to allmembers of the social spectrum, agood pro shop and a fine team ofteaching professionals.

I admit there is an influx of soci-eties which occasionally forces one�stee-time back, but you can�t make anomelette without breaking eggs.

I am more than happy to mix withall these people, because they arehappy to mix with me regardless oftheir gender, creed or handicap.

It is a pleasant club - and popularto judge by its day visitors - and if theproprietor chose to sell, that wouldbe his prerogative, because, unlike somuch in this wonderful sport, I amprepared to move with the times, andaccept change gracefully.

I am loyal to this club eventhough I am not a member. Loyalty,like respect, is earned and cannot bedemanded. Still, you pay your moneyand you take your choice... I knowwhich I prefer.

Golfers of the Victorian age chosethe land with an eye for natural beau-ty as well as for the needs of the gameof golf. And, in accordance with themanners and modes of the time,formulated their own set of rules.

It may seem preposterous that in1888 when Brighton and Hove GCwas founded, the sub was two guineasand the committee had to think longand hard about whether charteredaccountancy was a profession.

Anybody in trade could not possi-bly aspire to membership and it wasnot until the early 1930s that thequestion was resolved.

But the club has always belongedto the members and, despite someproblems, it has continued to satisfythose who play under its bannerwhile proprietary clubs in the areafeel the pinch.

Recently the professional at aproprietary club in Sussex quit in

order to pursue the third year of acomputer science course at univer-sity. He is 34, married and with afamily to support.

� B u s i n e s s i n t h e s h o p w a sterrible. So much for membershiployalty. They didn�t support me,but that was not surpr i s ing ast h e y d i d n � t f e e l a n y l o y a l t ytowards the club.�

I am loyal to

this club even

though I am not

a member

“”

...In the BalanceBy David Bowers, news editor

Following the success of lastyear’s inaugural show, theClubhouse Exhibition will again

take place at the National AgriculturalCentre this March.

Although the exhibition has beenmoved to a Tuesday and Wednesday,the format will remain the same, withthe conference programme including

seminars from The Golf Foundation,BIGCA, Association of Golf CourseOwners and the Golf Research Group.

Portman Publishing, publishers ofGolf Management Europe has onceagain lent its considerable support tothis year’s event, and staff will bepresent at the show to discuss allfacets of the company’s portfolio.

Following a lengthy period of research anddevelopment, Lombard General Insurance

Company have relaunched Golf Secure - aninsurance package targeted at privately

owned golf clubs. The new package sees theaddition of some important new covers and

the enhancement of a number of existingpolicy benefits.


newsnewsThe worst kept secret in golf was

finally made public knowledge onJanuary 15, when The Kildare

Hotel & Country Club - better knownas The K Club - was formallyannounced as the host of the 2005Ryder Cup.

The club, located 20 miles outsideof Dublin in Straffan, Co. Kildare, wonan unanimous vote by the Ryder Cupcommittee to stage the 36th encounterbetween the top golfers of Europe andthe United States.

The 2005 Ryder Cup will be onlythe second time a non-British coursehas staged the event in Europe.Developed by the Jefferson SmurfitGroup, the course was officiallyopened in July, 1991.

An Arnold Palmer design, it hashosted the Smurfit European Opensince 1995, in addition to the SmurfitIrish Professional Championship andthe PGA Cup matches of 1992.

Dr. Michael Smurfit, chief execu-tive of The Jefferson Smurfit Group,said: “It has been the club’s ambitionsince 1990 to bring the event toIreland and build a complex worthy ofhosting the most prestigious golfingcompetition in the world.

“The importance of this event forIrish sport, and for the country as awhole cannot be overstated. It willattract large numbers of visitors and willput Ireland at the front of the worldsporting stage for an entire week.”

Special K earns big payday

tour adopts euroAs the dawn of 1999

brought closer Europeanharmonisation, it alsobrought changes to thePGA European Tour.

The Euro has nowbecome the new currencyof 11 European countries and KenSchofield, executive director of theEuropean Tour, has announced thattour prize money will now be quoted inEuros, rather than English pounds.

He said: “This is an historic day onthe eve of our 28th season. We believethe decision to adopt the Euro compli-ments the fact that we are by title, theEuropean Tour, and as a pan-European organisation we are awareof our responsibility to embrace thenew political era.”

The first Tour event to award prizemoney in Euros was the South AfricanPGA Championship.

no more slipperyslopes with trudec

Slipping accidents could become athing of the past thanks to Trudec’sversatile ‘Multi-Mat’ flooring system.

Providing a non-slip, comfortableand attractive cushioned flooring

surface, ‘Multi-Mat’ is ideal forthose slippery shower areas.Supplied as interlocking PVC tiles,the surface can be laid quickly andeasily without the need for anyspecial preparation. Tiles can also be repositioned and

removed if required. Available in arange of colours, the ‘Multi-Mat’ iseasy to clean and maintain withdrainage holes to allow water toquickly drain away.

GME adds presence to Clubhouse show

Willow Valley Golf & CountryClub in Yorkshire has purchased a

further 60 acres of land in order toensure its long-term security and

enhance its members’ facilities.The two year-old club already

boasts three courses of differingdegrees of difficulty spread

over 200 acres, but thereare no immediate plans for

development of the new fields.


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Tel: +44 (0)1386 871490 Fax: +44 (0)1386 871500Email: [email protected], http://www.fairway.co.uk

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March will see the fifth golf course congress and exhibition to be held at theMOC, Munich. Targeting golf course operators, club managers and owners, lastyear’s show attracted over 1,500 trade visitors from 18 countries.

Better known as Fairway’99, the congress, which will incorporate a two-dayexhibition, has become an important part of the European golfing calendar.Included among this year’s lectures is a report on the ‘Planning and constructionof economical golf courses.”

Play has now fully begun on thereconstructed greens atEdenbridge Golf Club in Kent,

which were redesigned by architectDavid Williams.

At the beginning of 1998, the clubtook the decision to rebuild all 18greens to modern USGA specificationswith perched water table and a sand-based rootzone.

The work was undertaken duringthe first three months of last year byGrassform Ltd whilst play continuedon temporary greens.

Despite recording one of thewettest autumns this century, play hasbeen continuous and the new greensare fully operational.

Commenting on the project,Williams said: “ Edenbridge is notunusual in being an excellent coursebut suffering from bad greens in winterconditions.

“With many neighbouring coursesoffering all-round play on greens ofmodern construction, the club felt itessential to take this drastic step.

“I am certain this is somethingwhich will be of increasing interest tomany existing clubs where greens areoften unplayable during the winter.

“A combination of an experiencedarchitect and contractor can ensurethe work is undertaken quickly andeconomically, with the club losing verylittle play.”

news


newsESN for saleas Leadbetterrelocates

East Sussex National is up for salealthough it has just announced apackage of new developments.

ESN, which occupies 1,000 acreson the Little Horsted Estate, has beengranted planning permission to build acovered driving range complex.

It sets the seal on an agreementwhich will see the European headquar-ters of the David Leadbetter GolfAcademy relocating to the venue fromChart Hills. The launch is expectedearly in April.

The move to ESN will bring addedbenefits to the fully-subscribed mem-bership and is also expected to givecorporate business a further boost.

The development is seen as anindicaton of the current owners’ deter-mination to secure the future of theclub - two courses, Horsted Place, nowa hotel, and 325 acres of farmland -which was placed on the market for afigure in the region of between £13mand £15m.

The club and land is currentlyowned by the Kuwaiti InvestmentHouse and the sale is being handled byChesterton HMH, which specialises ingolf clubs, and London-based propertyagent Knight Frank.

Paul Forshaw, of Knight Frank,said: “We have already had quite a lotof interest, not from corporate groups,but also deep-pocket private investors.”

Whoever buys the property is likelyto keep the golf club as it is, althoughfurther expansion of the hotel is possi-ble. There is a possibility of an addi-tional 200 bedrooms being addedalthough there is no planning permis-sion for such a development at present.

fairway�99 takes shape

Tigger links-upCoventry RFC scrum-half,

Anthony ‘Tigger’ Dawson (26) hasbecome the latest addition to theLinks Leisure management team.

A professional rugby player since1996 he will combine his rugbycareer with that of marketing thefirm’s range of Pro-Tee golf acces-sories.

Educated to degree standard,Dawson will strengthen the overallLinks Leisure management structure.

The West Essex Golf Club haslaunched its own website on theInternet. Packed with details and

over 150 photographs of thecourse, the site can be found at

www.westessexgolfclub.co.uk

Rebuilt greens a success at Edenbridge


Peterstone Golf Club situated between Cardiff and Newport was sold recently byFPD Savills. The club, which in recent months had been in receivership was valuedat around £1.5million. Commenting on the sale, Richard Rees of FPD Savills said:

“As the golf course market and indeed the wider economy become increasinglyunpredictable, only the best courses in the best locations achieve maximum value.”

sale of peterstone golf club completed

Following the retirement ofJonathan Franks as secretary of the

BAGCC, it has been announced thatDavid White will take over the post.

A 17th-century spur-toe iron hasbeen sold in New York for almost

$280,000 (£170,000), reports theDaily Telegraph.

A survey of hospital records at theRoyal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley,

highlighted the dangers to childrenplaying golf. Over a three-month

period, 23 children with an averageage of eight were admitted followinghead injuries gained on golf courses.

Former heavyweight boxer,Henry Cooper, spent Christmas in

hospital after being bitten by anadder on a Buckinghamshire golf

course. He was bitten by the snakewhen he entered some long grass to

look for his playing partner’s ball. Dummer Golf Club, near

Basingstoke, Hampshire has beensold for £2 million.

in brief...In a thrilling finale to the 1998 national finalof The Times MeesPierson Corporate Golf

Challenge, held at Spain’s La Manga Club inlate November, the competition was won by

Toddington-based Hatch End Fruit. Withover 1,000 companies competing for the

title, an estimated 120,000 golfers registeredfor the event.

Membership redefined at Rudding Park

Rudding Park GC, Harrogate, islaunching an innovative newscheme which if a success could

revolutionise the way that people playtheir golf.

The forward-thinking Yorkshireclub will now allow members to tailorthe cost of their membership to suitthe amount of golf that they play withits new ‘Gold Card’ initiative, whichoffers a set number of rounds over a12 month period.

On the first level of the scheme,‘Gold One’ offers 12 rounds of golf ayear, ‘Gold Two’ provides 24 roundsof golf with four allowed for guests,while ‘Gold Three’ supplies 36 roundsa year with 16 guest rounds.

The highest level, ‘Unlimited Gold’,buys - as the name suggests - unlimitedgolf throughout the year with eightguest rounds included.

Other benefits of the scheme includedriving range discounts.

CREDIT CARD HOTLINE 01705 425000For more information and online ordering, see our website at: www.portman.uk.com

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� Above:LondonGolf Club,England.

� Left:BrunnthalGolf Course,Germany.

� Liners for water storage reservoirs, ponds and lakes.

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� Comprehensive advice regarding design and construction of reservoirs and lakes.

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GEOSYNTHETIC TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDNags Corner, Wiston Road, NaylandColchester, Essex CO6 4LT

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FeatureFeatureCOURSE MAINTENANCE

It�s all very well having a refurbished clubhouse or brand new signs tobeautify the golf course, but if the hallowed turf that the golfers step outonto is not up to the job, they will soon go elsewhere. All the graphite shafts and titanium heads on clubs count for naught if

the playing surface resembles a rugby pitch, which is why course mainte-nance is such an important part of a golf club�s business.

When Johnson Seeds went into receivership, it came as a major shockto greenkeepers and many others, who were aware of the reputation theyhad built up over 175 years. However, fears that one of the most respect-ed seed producers in the industry could disappear overnight weredispelled when Perryfields took over the ailing company ➧

Article Written ByPaul Hughes

DDrreessss ttoo ImpressDDrreessss ttoo Impress

As winter draws to a close, golfers will soon be back out onthe courses in force. With this in mind, we take a look at

some different aspects of golf course maintenance.



A teenager in comparison to thecentenarian it has taken over,Perryfields have been in existence for18 years, but have seen rapid growthwith their policy of competitive pricingand putting the customer first.

Now Johnsons has been incorpo-rated into the group, they are aimingto amalgamate the best elements ofboth companies: the strong sales andaccounts department of Perryfieldscombined with the technical team andrespected product range of Johnsons.

Perryfields will no longer sell theirPRO range to the golf course market,preferring to concentrate on localauthorities, landscape contractors andthe amenity market, while allowingthe strong reputation of the well-established Johnsons products tocontinue and expand the golf side oftheir business. REVAMPThe old Johnson product range willsurvive but will undergo a revamp.Already having seven of the top tencultivars in the Sports Turf ResearchInstitute range, they are now in theprocess of improving them with someof the best cultivars from Europe�sbreeders.

Products l ike J1 and J2 wi l lcont inue to provide a qua l i typlaying surface for greens, whiletees and fa i rways wi l l s t i l l becatered for by the J3, JG54 and J5mixtures. J8 is the recommendedsolution for the rough.

In any case, their technicalsupport team can advise on thecorrect mixtures to use, or evenprovide a custom-made combinationfor optimum performance and anideal playing surface.

January�s British Turf Manage-ment Exhibition saw the officiallaunch of their new catalogue, along

with the announcement of their newdistribution network and servicerange. Derek Smith of Perryfieldscalls it �the new face of Johnsons.�

He is also confident that they arenow the biggest and best in theamenity market by a long way, withthe best mixture range available.

He said: �I�m glad that Johnsonshave survived. They are now progressingto a strong future where they can grow.

For some, however, grass can�tgrow quick enough, especially thoseworking to tight deadlines or needingto rescue a course quickly. If theprospect of instant turf is highlyappealing, Inturf, the trading name ofYorkshire-based Turfgrass ServicesInternational, make it their business.

Turf growers and turfgrassspecialists Inturf were formed in1985, but managing director DerekEdwards has worked in the turfindustry for thirty years.

With his background in horti-culture and turf irrigation,themove into turf production camenaturally.

Desp i te Edwards admit t ingthat : � I don � t even know howto turn a computer on!� thecompany has expanded to thepoint where , in 1998, theysupplied around 400 acres of turf,for a variety of purposes includingfootbal l , tennis , rugby and, ofcourse, golf.REVAMPHowever, the strength of theirreputation can be ascertained bythe calibre of venues supplied. Forfootball, read Wembley Stadium.For tennis, read Wimbledon.

For rugby, read the MillenniumStadium, Cardiff, the new home ofWelsh rugby. Numerous golfers onnumerous courses have also felt thebenefits of Inturf�s work beneaththeir feet.

Illustrated above, extra overhang is created by hydraulically moving the cutting units left and right on Toro’s new reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder. This is most useful for cutting around bunkers

TURF AERATOR SPECIALISTSLeading the field in aeration technology

Five pedestrian models, two tractor models and one turf vehicle mounting (From 18” to 72” swath.)GROUNDSMANS rugged sealed bearing mechanism is maintenance free and carries a 24 month factory warranty. Its patented mechanism moves the tines back after plunging into the ground giving a cleaner action which requires NO TURF RETAINERS.Patented core collection attachment (aeration and core collection in one pass.)Fast coverage (up to 6000 sq yds/hr @ 3”crs.)Quick change tine holders (under 2 min each.)Hollow, solid and chisel tines.Depth adjustable up to 5”

CALL US FOR A PRODUCT VIDEO, DEMONSTRATION OR JUST CALL TO DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS

SOUTH ENGLAND DAVID MEHARGMIDLANDS DEAN BROUGHTONSCOTLAND SANDY ARMITNORTHERN IRELAND BILL WARKEREPUBLIC OF IRELAND JOHN FORAN

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THE PROVENPERFORMERThe sturdy walk-behind 60 trencher from Case

Easily manoeuvred in confined areas, yet offering big trencher features like hydrostatic

ground drive and hydraulic boom raise and lower

Just walk the unit up the trailer ramp and chainto the trailer for ease of transport

Also fitted with a neutral safety start system, engine

“oil-alert” system and low-effort

colour-codedcontrols

L.D. BOURGEIN OXFORD LIMITEDSouth Hinksey, Oxford OX1 5AZ

Telephone: 01865 735420Fax: 01865 326155

Website: www.bourgein.com Email: [email protected]

To hire or buy... For further information contact:

Northern office:Howford Lane, Acomb NE46 4FA

Telephone: 01434 608898Fax: 01434 608898

wessex horticulturalproducts Ltd1-3 Hilltop Business Park, Devizes Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire. SP3 4UFTel: (01722) 337744 Fax: (01722) 333177 E-mail: [email protected]

Wessex have been supplying the Amenity market for manyyears with the highest quality Screened Soils and Turf Dressingsand have the enviable reputation of supplying top quality prod-ucts, at competitive prices, and to very exact delivery schedules.We manufacture the following range of dressings, either to ourown high specifications or to our customers’ specifications:

• ROOT ZONE MIXOur standard 80/20 mix uses a high quality, uniformparticle sized sand, whose high specification meetsUSGA recommendations as laid out for Golf Courses.

• 3 MM FINETURF DRESSINGSPerfect for top dressing of golf greens and tees and for allapplications requiring a superfine dressing.

• BAGGED DRESSINGSUsing the highest quality kiln dried sand and light sandyloam these free-flowing dressings can be easily spread withstandard spreading equipment.

• 6 MM DIVOT MIX & MM SPORTSFIELD DRESSINGSThe Divot Mix is ideal for golf fairways and the SportsfieldDressing is ideal for all general landscaping areas.

• WHITE BUNKER SAND

• SCREENED SOILSWe supply a Light Sandy Soil and also a Mendip soil (with a high clay content.)

WESSEX - COMMITTED TO QUALITY

For new golf course construction,Inturf work closely with the golfcourse architect to match the grassroot zones and provide the idealcustom-grown playing surface.

Their turf is grown at their ownnurseries at Pocklington, East Yorkshire,and Grantham, in Lincolnshire, as wellas sites in Scotland, Northern Irelandand France.

As the originators of the Big RollTurfing System, they are no strangersto turfing innovations.

Inturf Integrated Turf Modulesallow play to continue on worn-outtees and heavy-use areas with easily

replaceable natural turf units, whichcan be produced to order and helpmaintain a playing surface all yearround.

With the capacity to harvest anddistribute up to 50,000 square yardsof turf every day of the week,they can get ramshackle playingsurfaces up to scratch quickly andeconomically.

Founder members of theTurfgrass Growers AssociationLimited, they are also ISO 9002Quality Assured.

Once the seeds have been sown,or the turf laid, grass needs to bereined under control, and this iswhere the products of Textron TurfCare & Specialty Products come intothe equation.

The Ipswich-based companyhandle a wide variety of turf caremachinery, with names like Jacobsen,Ransomes, E-Z-GO, Iseki, Ryan,Cushman and Bob-Cat in their range.

One piece of machinery that NigelChurch, Textron product manager,thinks could make a big impact ongolf courses is the E-plex II, an elec-tric greens mower.

In an area of the industry wherethe equipment is predominantlydiesel-run, it is quiet and environ-mentally friendly. Electric runningcosts also compare favourably tothose of diesel.

The E-plex II runs off of arechargeable 48 volt battery, which,once full, provides three to three anda half hours of mowing, sufficient forall 18 greens on most courses and isas easy to operate as a golf buggy. ➧

Inturf created the innovative Big Roll system thatgreatly speeds up turf application time, pictured here, prior to laying by machine

Feature


FeatureCOURSE MAINTENANCE

LANDLINELLAANNDDLLIINNEEAccomplished in all aspects of

LINER DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

Previous customers include:

CAVERSHAM GOLF CLUBWOBURN GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

MERRIST WOOD GOLF CLUBBIDDENHAM GOLF CLUB

CELTIC MANOR GOLF CLUB

Contact Mike Pomfret:1 BLUEBRIDGE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE HALSTEAD ESSEX C09 2EX

Tel: 01787 476699 Fax: 01787 472507

��

� ��

��

�

�

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��BAGCC

The main benefits are a distinctlack of noxious diesel fumes andthere is no risk of spilling hydraulicoils that can leave unsightly brownpatches on golf courses.

There is also no need to buy dieseland oil, or find storage space forthem.

The new model offers improvedtraction which provides constantand exact mowing speeds, even onuneven terra in . More e f f i c ientsteering, regenerative service brak-ing and improved operatorcomforts make it an improvementon other models.

Lack of noise is also a majoradvantage. Nigel Church explains:�Many greenkeepers want to get outonto the course as early as possible,but in residential areas, they may notwant a diesel mower barking away at

five-thirty in the morning.�

FUTUREHe also points out that the UKmarket in particular is behindScandinavian and continentalmarkets when it comes toembracing developments in elec-tric machinery. He says: �It�s the future ingeneral. That�s the way it�sgoing to go.�Toro have also introduced newturf maintenance products

onto the market to make the green-keeper�s job an easier one this year.

The Reelmaster 3100-D Side-winder triple mower is Toro�s newgeneration triple mower. Its threecutting units can be hydraulicallymoved to the left and right toincrease overhang up to 22 inches,which can be a boon when cuttingaround trees and bunkers and alsoreduces the risk of bunker edgescollapsing.

The new 5400-D is a comp-etitively priced four-wheel-drivefairway mower, which is more simplyengineered than its predecessor,the 5300-D, with a lower spec-ification and fewer, less sophisticatedcomponents that re ly more onmanual operations than computerisedsystems.

With a more powerful, turbo-charged 32hp Kubota engine it cantackle lush grass growth.

The n ew Toro Sub su r f a c eInjector is designed to save green-keepers� time and money in control-ling soil-borne pests and diseases,as well as being safer and moreenvironmentally friendly.

The ITM modular turf system can be used in the construction and maintenance

of hard-wearing areas such as tees

TURF GROWERS AND INNOVATORS OF TURFGRASS SYSTEMS

Everything Inturf

INTURF The Chestnuts, Wilberfoss, York YO4 5NTTelephone 01759 321000 � Facsimile: 01759 380130E-mail: [email protected] � Web page: www.inturf.co.uk


A t the western end of the Costa delSol, within sight of the imposingRock of Gibraltar, the EuropeanTour have their Andalucian head-

quarters at the spectacular San Roque Club.If not exactly guaranteeing unlimited

sunshine, nevertheless golf holiday brochurestend to give the impression that all you need doto escape Britain�s bleak mid-winter is take theshort flight to Malaga or Gibraltar.

But be warned. When the 1997 EuropeanTour Qualifying School finals were played atSan Roque in mid-November, even Manchester

was made to resemble a sun-baked tropical paradise whenfrom leaden skies it rained soheavily and so consistentlythe six-round tournamentwas cut to four rounds.How different it was lastyear. For the six days of thetournament - and accord-ing to the expatriate Britswho live along this delight-ful coastline - for weekafter week beforehand, thesun shone constantly outof a cloudless blue sky.

Even in inclement weather San Roque hasmuch to commend it. When it is blessed withlong, warm days it is the absolute gem on thiscoast of so many golfing jewels.

The creation of former Ryder Cup captainTony Jacklin and renowned course designerDave Thomas, backed by Japanese golf promo-tions company Asahi Kanko, San Roque is tosay the least mightily impressive.

The 6,440 metre, par-72 course, has twolinking nine-hole layouts, each with a differ-ent character reflecting the nature of theterrain, with the fairways of the first ninecarving their way through groves of corkoak, while the back nine meanders past rush-ing streams to finish in a series of holesdominated by lakes.CHALLENGEWith a large number of different tee positions,the course offers numerous combinations oflength and degrees of difficulty to challengethe expert or alternatively give the much lessexperienced player the opportunity to enjoyevery hole.

Playing off the back tees, it was quite easyto see why San Roque, which shared the firstfour rounds of last year�s Qualifying Schoolwith Sotogrande, was chosen for the cruciallast two.

For those striving for one of the top 35places out of a field of 180 to attain member-ship of the European Tour, the QualifyingSchool venue must be a fair test of golf, but itmust also be as tough an examination of skill asyou could ask for. San Roque meets thoserequirements.

ALISTER MARSHALLexecutive editor

RoqueofAgesAs home to the European Tour Qualifying School, San Roque has been boththe springboard to success and the graveyard of dreams for many budding

professionals. But what is this famous club like on a less stressful visit?

From tee to green: just one of the unforgettableviews that potential Tourcard winners have to face

RoqueofAgesTheThe

Club InsightClub InsightSAN ROQUE

Club InsightClub InsightSAN ROQUE


It destroyed the dream of Britishgolf�s brightest young hope, JustinRose, whose attempt to win hisEuropean Tour card at the first trywas left in tatters over the final tworounds.

It was not tamed but at least itwas kept under control by formerRyder Cup ace Steve Richardsonwho successfully retained his Tourcard having been forced back to theQualifying School for the first timefor nine years.

�You can�t take any liberties withthis course� he said. �It�s generallytight all the way round, consequentlyyou�ve got to be accurate. Almostevery hole requires a long think beforeyou do anything. The tension I feltplaying San Roque was matched onlyby the tension I felt playing KiawahIsland in the 1991 Ryder Cup.�

With so many holes of outstand-ing character, it must have been aproblem for the San Roque adminis-tration to select one in particular asthe club�s signature hole.

They eventually gave the accoladeto the 391-metre, par-four 18th. Theychose well. A dogleg on the left isprotected by a lake that runs along theleft of the fairway. From the lake astream then bisects the fairway to joina second lake on the right of the green.

The 18th was designed to givethose who play San Roque a lastingmemory of their experience.

However, there are so manymagnificent holes on this course thatretaining a lasting memory of them iscertainly not difficult.

The course is complementedby accommodation of sumptuousstandard in the Suites Hotel wherethe individual suites are distributedin bungalows set on a hi l ls idesurrounded by gardens.

The suites consist of one doubleor single bedroom; bathroom withseparate shower and underfloorheating; lounge; television withsatell ite channels; large fullyequipped kitchen; dining area;full air conditioning andcentral heating and twoprivate terraces.

F a c i l i t i e s i n t h eSan Roque C lub -the social hub of thecomplex - include ar e s i d en t s � l ounge ,

snooker room, an elegant restaurant,magnificent lagoon-style swimmingpool, and a cocktail bar leading to alarge outdoor dining patio, with allthe facilities complemented by afriendly, ultra-efficient staff.

San Roque hosted the UnitedStates and European teams whocontested the 1997 Ryder Cup matchat Valderrama.

This occasion was commemorat-ed by naming the cocktail bar the�Ryder Cup Bar� where one wall isdecorated by action photographsfrom the match, and the teams�conference rooms still bear the signs�European Team 1997 Ryder Cup�and �United States Team 1997Ryder Cup�.

Unlike so much of the Costa delSol where beauty has been blightedby construction, San Roque remainsa tranquil place although it is nomore than 15 minutes away from thebustle of Gibraltar.

Consequently it is an area wherewhat can be described as the magic ofthe real Spain can still be found andrelished, while its close proximity tothe hustle of the main Costa del Solresorts means they are still easilyaccessible along what is now a muchimproved road network.

But it is the golf course that hasmade San Roque what it is.

FOCUSEDFor those who, last November, werefighting for their places on this

year�s European Tour, their entireattention was focused on the

problems that each holecould create.

How to avoid the out-of-bounds area onboth the right and leftsides of the first fair-way; whether a s ixiron real ly was theclub to use to reachthe elevated green of

the sixth; whether tochance their arm and

attempt to cut the dog legon the par-four sixth that

cost one player no less than tenshots in three rounds.

And just what to do if they landedin the deep bunker that runs 60 yardsalong the left side of the fairway ofthe dogleg at the 15th.

For those who tackle San Roquepurely for pleasure without thetension of putting their careers inpro-tournament golf on the line, theirbiggest problem appears to be hold-ing concentration on their gamewhile trying to ignore the beauty ofthe surroundings that accompaniesthem on every step of the way.

Alister Marshall takes a look behindthe scenes of the Qualifying School Finalsat San Roque and discovers how it allruns so smoothly on page 32.

You can’t take

any liberties with

this course

“”

One of over seventy courses that Dave Thomas(pictured above) has designed, San Roque is

arguably one of the world’s greatest golfing venuesand resides in the ‘Golden Triangle of Golf’ with

Valderrama and Sotogrande.

As can be expected, the charming accommodation isof the highest standards, welcoming golfers the world over.

f ever a man best typified thespirit of the millennium itmust be Dieter Klostermann,a 54-year-old German whosebusiness empire is truly

world-wide and expanding even asthese lines spill from the wordprocessor.

From his power base in HongKong, the chairman and chiefexecutive of CCA Holdings exertsa massive influence on the up-marketgolfing scene, but that is onlyone of the many spheres in whichKlostermann wields tremendousclout.

This is the man who, in 1996,purchased a 60-year lease for BrocketHall in Hertfordshire for what lookslike a snip at £10m. The magnificent

18th century pile set in sumptuousparkland is already embellished byone 18-hole course and another willbe ready in the spring of 2000.

So far as the UK is concerned it iswith Brocket Hall that Klostermann ismost closely connected in a golfing sense.

His myriad business intereststhroughout the globe are in no waysecondary to the development ofBrocket Hall, but it is an enterprisethat occupies a special place in hisplans for adding lustre to an alreadyimposing list of achievements.

This is explained by the impactthat Brocket Hall made on Kloster-mann. �There were a massive numberof golf and country clubs for sale inthis country, but when we sawBrocket Hall we were just spellbound.

�There is an incredible historyto the p lace which has beenchequered right up to the recentpast . But we are a reputablecompany and I think people love tohear about the scandals, it just addscharacter to a place.� ➧

I


As chairman and chief executive of CCA Holdings, German businessmanDieter Klostermann controls 30 up-market golf clubs in countries acrossEurope and the Far East. However, one that holds a special place in hisaffections is the historic Brocket Hall, in Hertfordshire.

ProfileProfileDIETER KLOSTERMANN

TheKlostermannTouch

Interview by John Vinicombe

When we saw

Brocket Hall

we were just

spellbound

“”


Indeed Klostermann�s first golfclub in the UK does have a closeassociation with scandal and bizarreoccurrences. Lord Palmerston, thesecond of two Prime Ministers to beassociated with Brocket Hall, died ona billiards table at The Hall during adalliance with a chambermaid.

And, only three years ago, thethird Baron Brocket, Charles Niall-Cain, was jailed following a multi-million pound insurance fraud.

Dieter Klostermann, while a raptadmirer of Brocket Hall and estateright out of Constable, manages totear himself away for long periods torun an organisation which currentlyboasts 30 golf, country and city clubsworld-wide.

Yet, in blazer and charcoal greyflannels he looks every inch theEnglish country gentleman at peacewith the world surrounded by apriceless picture gallery and objetsd�art. Brocket Hall is a stately homebut one not open to the public.

I t i s , however , avai lable forbusiness meet ings, conferencesand seminars; especially attractivewhen cons ider ing i t l i e s jus toutside Welwyn and, unbelievably,only 22 miles from Hyde Park incentral London.

Surrounded by 543 acres of idyllicparkland and lakes, Brocket Hall�scharm lies in its quintessentiallyEnglish appeal that, in golfing terms,does not come cheap.

Individual full membership is£10,200 joining fee and an annualsubsc r ip t ion o f £1 ,250 whichamounts to chicken feed when placedcheek by jowl with other jewels in theKlostermann portfolio.

He is, of course, a millionaire, butlike any gentleman, does not talkabout personal details save to say thathe rose to his position of eminence inthe business world entirely by hisown efforts.

At Cornell University he studiedbusiness management and learned theAmerican way of marketing whileallying those skills to an early ground-ing on the continent in the hotelindustry.

It proved a profitable mix andwhere better to flex his musclesthan the Far East? Experience inIndonesia and Malaysia provedinva l u ab l e t o an embryon i centrepreneur who was not afraidto back his judgement in the realestate sector.

Looking back on those vital daysthat formed a launch pad for his forayinto the big time, Klostermann said:

�You couldn�t go wrong if you investedin property. In those days there was anunheard of 100% appreciation.

�As for bad moments... well, yes...but you always have times like that.Take care of the downside and theupside will take care of itself. Therehas been a bit of a financial crisis inthe Far East this year but I think theAsian markets will recover later onthis year.�CITY CLUBSNevertheless, Klostermann, whobegan his chain of successful cityclubs in Taiwan in the early 1980s,will this year devote more time toenterprises in Europe.

However, he has no big plans forhis home country and says:�Germany is a little difficult so far asthe golf market is concerned. Theclub mentality is not as strong thereas in the UK, the United States andCanada.

�It�s a different approach. Peopleare interested in golf but nothing likeon the scale that they are in GreatBritain. In Germany the idea of aproprietary club is just beginning.

�I have also looked at France andthere is not the same golfing enthusi-asm there as in Britain. Golf hasgrown there very little consideringthe population although I wouldexcept the Paris region and the Coted�Azure and perhaps Brittany.�

It is, therefore, no surprise to hearof Klostermann�s planned £100minvestments in the UK and money isbeing poured into continuing refur-bishment of Brocket Hall and thegolf courses and estate.

And, as every shrewd financialbrain knows, money attracts money.When Brocket Hall changed handsthere were just 174 members of thegolf club. Today that figure is 570 inall categories.

ProfileProfileDIETER KLOSTERMANN

There is

an incredible

history to

the place

“”

The spacious clubhouse offers a pro shop, meeting rooms, guest rooms anda dining area with views across the 18th green and lake beyond

Billiards at Brocket Hall -no historic estate is complete without stories

of past scandals, and there is no exception here!


�We do expect to make money,�says Klostermann, �and our priorityhas always been in providing thehighest quality. The members see thatand they come from a broad spec-trum. Many are very senior executivesof large international companies pluspeople who have built up successfullocal businesses.�

Brocket Hall, when completed,will have all the gracious appurte-nances of an 18th century spa-come-country house with two champi-onship quality golf courses and a lotmore besides.

Only 30 minutes from Heathrow,no wonder Klostermann musedcontentedly: �I don�t know of anyother comparable facility that canrival what we have here.�

Talk of a possible recession inthe UK economy has not keptKlostermann awake. �I think you willalways have cycles here. After talkingto many businessmen and bankers, Idon�t think there will be any slumplike that of the early 1990s.

�What I will say about GreatBritain and Europe, though, is that theUK seems to have a love-hate relation-ship, a sense of being neither in norout and there is a lack of clear direc-tion. The people in charge don�t seemto be able to make up their minds.�

During our meeting atBrocket Hall I did not gain animpression that Klostermann is apolitical animal. He is far toobusy attending to what he doesbest. For instance, Klostermannowns 100% of his business.There are no partners or share-holders giving him grief.IMAGEThat is one of his strengths and,when leafing through Kloster-mann�s career details, he presentsan impregnable, but by nomeans complacent, image.

To his backers, Dieter is rocksolid. And all because of a wheezethat should have come naturally toany enterprising English gent with afew bob to splash out.

What Klostermann did was simplyto re-invent the gentleman�s club; notquite The Drones which recruitedfrom Bertie Wooster and his pals, butsomething along those lines.

Four years ago the Gresham Clubunderwent a staggering facelift giventhe Klostermann touch. And just lookat the success of the London Capital

Club with over 1,000 members of theblue chip variety. Importantly, thereare no doors barred to women.

The chain of swank addressesextends throughout the world fromthe West End of London and beyondthe Pacific Rim. CCA, which is surelyan unique company, churns an annualrevenue of £180m and the companyflagship is the City Club of Tokyo.

In those early days it was ChaseManhattan that backed the fledglingKlostermann, helping him to openthe Bankers Club in Taipei nearly 20years ago. Now there are 30 clubs in14 countries under the CCA banner.

And the number is rising eventhough in the last 10 years the empirehas sold more than 60,000 member-ships and raised over 800m USdollars in membership funds.EXPANSIONThe English clubs are the spearheadof a major expansion into Europewhich will lead to the establishmentof clubs in major capitals over thenext five years.

Not so very long ago it wouldhave sounded crazy to open a golfclub in say, China... or Vietnam.Today all those once impoverishedcountries fall within the parameters ofKlostermann�s influence.

�We are the largest people ingolf in China and have three golfclubs there. You might say we werepioneers of developing the gamethere and the Chinese have taken togolf in a big way.

�I am very optimistic about devel-opment of the game there whileVietnam has proved an untappedmarket and we have opened a 36-holegolf and country club in Ho ChiMinh City. Saigon is also very attrac-tive. Don�t forget, it used to be calledthe Paris of the East.�

So why not India? Why not,indeed. �We have plans to expandinto Delhi and Bangalore and I mustalso say that I am very hopeful thatMoscow will be another good placefor us to build a course.�

It seems that world golf willsoon bear the universal imprint ofCCA Holdings. But not Australia.Explained Klostermann: �I wouldsay it is over-supplied with courses,some 2,000, I think, and not a verylarge population.�

When Klostermann was younger heplayed golf, although to what standard,

he did not say. Then he becametoo busy, but picked up his clubsagain last year and is a member ata club outside Frankfurt.Living in Hong Kong suits himand Nidda, his Thai wife andAlexander, their young son,admirably: �I live there because I like it andhad no problems whatsoever withthe Chinese take-over. I am apermanent resident but I lovecoming to Brocket Hall andEngland.�Listening to Dieter Klostermannset out his stall in virtually no trace

at all of an accent, it is hard to realisethat he first saw the light of day inBremen. Unsurprisingly, he has aspecial feeling for the sea.

Adorning the oak-pane l leddining room are displayed a richarray of English 18th century navalscenes. �These I particularly like,�he gestured.

For a moment I could havesworn I was in the company of theblue-blooded ancestral owner ofBrocket Hall.

profileProfileDIETER KLOSTERMANN

Available for private hire, the grand appearanceof Brocket Hall is discreetly enhanced by the

latest audio-visual mixing systems

Whilst below, the 543 acres of luxurious parkland feature natural water hazards to make

the most serious golfer go weak at the knees.

Feature


FeatureCONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION

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Telephone: 0116 269 6766Mobile: 0836 553899

Fax: 0116 269 6866

JOHN GREASLEY LIMITED

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Hole 14 Rudding Park

In a way, golfers in Britain resemblethe native wildlife. When summerebbs away and courses begin to

feel the winter chill, many pack theirclubs away and go into golfing hiber-nation, to emerge into the sunshinewith bleary eyes when spring ushersin the new season.

Many soldier on into the depths ofwinter, cheeks as red as a robin�s chestwhile they battle the elements to get around in. Others will seek warmerclimes and migrate to the IberianPeninsular for a golfing holiday.

It is at these t imes, whencourses are at their most vacant,that the majority of work by golfcourse constructors is completed,with a minimum of disruptiona n d d i s t u r b a n c e t o g o l f e r sthemselves.

BACKLOGHowever, this past winter�s weath-er has been variously described as�diabolical� and �the worst inmemory� by golf course construc-tors, many of whom have faced aheadache-inducing backlog of workafter downpours of almost Biblicalproportions.

As if this wasn�t bad enough, thegolf course construction boom finallyappears to have ground to a halt.After the eighties saw coursespopping up like mushrooms all across

the country, club waiting lists arefast diminishing despite there beinga record number of golfers playingthe game.

Indeed, the English Golf Unionfound almost 80,000 membershipson offer last year. Supply is fastreplacing demand.

The eponymous head of JohnGreasley Ltd, a specialist contractorsince 1984, says of the industry: �It�sa fairly difficult time at the moment -I�d say the industry is at its lowestebb for 12 years.�

�Golfers have such a wide choice,they can now pick and choose whichcourses to join.�

With many existing clubs strug-gling - some estimate there being asmany as 90 courses currently up forsale - Greasley points out that it is far

easier for an entrepreneur to buyrather than build at the moment.

�When someone builds a golfcourse, it is a minimum of two yearsbefore they will see a return, whereasa shrewd investor looking on themarket can get a good deal.�

An increasing lack of new courseconstruction in the UK has meantthat John Greasley Limited is increas-ingly looking to other Europeancountries for new contracts.RENOVATIONCompetition between clubs has ledthem to improving their courses andthis has meant that the course reno-vation element of Greasley�s businessis now, as he puts it �50/50� withthe course construction side of it.

Despite the precarious state ofthe industry, John GreasleyLimited has kept busy. Increasingcompetition between clubs hasmeant that more and more areopting to renovate and upgradetheir courses.One high-profile example of John

Greasley�s reconstruction work is thenew and improved Royal Birkdale.Complete reconstruction of all 18championship greens was completedprior to the 1998 British Open. �Iwas very pleased indeed with theresponse. No-one had a bad word tosay about it.� ➧

Breaking NNew GGroundArticle by Paul Hughes

Excavating for a new green construction in

progress by John Greasley Limited at Royal

Birkdale Golf Club, Merseyside

Differences in opinion on today’s golf course construction industry are vast,but one thing for certain is that forward thinking constructors are...


Contour Golf Limited105 The Severn � Daventry

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CONTOUR GOLF

Specialists in QualityGolf course Construction

New Golf DevelopmentsCourse Remodelling

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We’re moving into lakes and reservoirsLITERALLYWHITNELL CONTRACTS Ltd

Lionel R. WhitnellGolf Course Construction

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IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT DOING ACOMMERCIAL GOLF DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPEONE CALL COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE

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FeatureFeatureCONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION

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CONTACT THEPROFESSIONALS

Jonathan Franks Secretary, BAGCC 37 Five Mile Drive

Wolvercote Oxford OX2 8HT

Tel/Fax:+44 (0)1865 516927

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Other courses refurbished includeall 18 greens at the Leicestershire, aswell as work at St Ives GC,Bromborough GC on the Wirral andChestfield GC, in Kent. Constructionwork has recently been completed onthe Wandlebury course at The GogMagog GC, six new holes at StEdward�s School, Oxford and threenew holes at North Hants GC.

Work started in January 1999 ona remodelling project of three holes atthe Burnham and Berrow GC,Somerset, and the replacement ofsleeper bunkers at the Royal WestNorfolk GC at Brancaster.

With a plethora of new 18-holechampionship courses completed with-in the last decade, Greasley feels thatthere is a �lucrative� market for modern9-hole complexes for less accomplishedgolfers that is �not being reflected.�

Lionel Whitnell , of WhitnellContracts , agrees: �There �s anopening for pay and play courses,but they must be as good orbetter.�

Although general ly agreeingwith John Greas ley about thegeneral state of the golf courseconstruction industry, Whitnellis doing well enough to remainoptimistic about its future.

Despite admitting that �over thelast five years we thought that thegolf bubble was going to burst...as soon as one course gets built,two go bust,� Whitnell remainsoptimistic about the future of theconstruction industry.

One thing he has noticed, how-ever, is that the scale of new develop-ments has been reduced. �Thenumber of £3m and £4m coursesbeing built went down about threeyears ago. Nowadays we have towork to a much tighter budget.�

Fortunately, Whitnell Contracts isfully geared-up to cope. It pridesitself on its speed, something thatcomes as a result of a �hands on�approach to course construction. Thecompany literally moves its staff ontothe construction site and only leavewhen the job is completed.

Due to the f leet of tractors,excavators and other heavy-dutyequipment owned by its sistercompany, Whitnell Plant, it canr ightful ly c la im to be the onlycourse constructor that own all theequipment it uses.

Some of their recent work hasbeen fairly high profile, such asthe construction of the Happy ValleyGC in Caterham for former CrystalPalace - and current Brentford FC -chairman Ron Noades.

A n o t h e r e x a m p l e i s t h eCaversham Heath GC on the site ofthe Map ledurham Es ta t e nea rReading for Jack Eyston and hiswife Lady Anne. The estate, featured

in the film, The Eagle has Landed nowfeatures USGA specification greensand tees, all courtesy of WhitnellContracts.

For a company that has onlybeen involved in golf since 1996,ERM Golf Links Construction hasmade an impressive start, havingbu i l t 45 ho l e s i n t h e l a s t 12months.

A subsidiary of ERM GroupLimited, work to date has seen itwork ex tens ive ly for the twolargest golf course operators in theUK, Clubhaus plc and AmericanGolf.

In contrast to others in the indus-try, director Edward Richardson feelsthat the current state of the UKconstruction industry is �generallyquite positive.�

He indeed feels that quality ofwork being completed nowadays issuperior to that of bandwagonjumpers that joined the constructionboom of a decade ago.PROFITABLE�Developers are benefiting at themoment because contractors arehaving to work at substantiallyreduced rates. This, in turn allowsour clients, the developers, a farbetter opportunity to operateprofitable concerns.

�Too much work was com-pleted poorly,� he says. �With thebenef i t o f h inds ight , i t wouldbe worth shutting down 10% ofthe courses bu i l t and openinganother 10%.� ➧

There’s a definite move towards

making courses more playable“ ”

Whitnell Plant’s self-owned equipment enables Whitnell Contracts’ famous “hands on”approach’


J. & E. ELYLTD

49 Woodlands Road, Sonning Common, Reading RG4 9TDTel/Fax: +44 (0)118 972 2257 E-mail: [email protected]

Our projects include:

Brocket Hall Golf Club, EnglandAroeira Golf Club, Portugal

Stoke Poges Golf Club, EnglandTredegar Golf Club, Wales

Victoria Golf and Country Club, Sri Lanka.

Over 35 years of constant investmentin the latest machinery for earthmoving, shaping and finishingincluding our own engineeredequipment for bunker construction,cultivation and seeding techniqueshave enhanced our reputation forreliability and efficiency in golf course and sportsfield construction.Modifications including storage lakes,land drainage and water features,budget feasibility studies and project management.

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BROCKET HALL GOLF CLUB

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Mike Cox Golf Course DesignGolf Course Architecture � Planning Landscape Design � Contract Management

Michael A Cox BA Dip (Hons) LA19 Hill Rise, Old Woodstock Oxfordshire UK OX20 1ABTel / Fax (+44) 01993 811523

Djerba Golf Club, Tunisia while Senior Project Architect with Hawtree Ltd

Rather than simply going for thecheapest constructor, Richardson feels:�It is very important that developersgo to contractors that understandtheir needs more.� ERM emphasises�sensible fees� for �substantiallybetter work.�

Wi th a ch e r r y -p i c k ed t e amincluding experienced personnel likeJulian Covey, Tony Pearmain, JockMcShane and Patrick Pearmain,ERM aims to provide developerswith a quality finished product, ontime and at an affordable price.

�We have made subs t an t i a linvestments in personnel and equip-ment that is only now starting toshow returns, but developers appreci-ate what we have done and want towork with a company such as ours.�

The quality of their work is clearlyof great importance to them, and canbe seen at its own development,Southern Valley GC, an �aestheticallyattractive� par 70 in north Kent.

Other work includes a £500,000contract to build the second phase ofthe Knights Grange Golf Complexoutside Manchester for RivermeadHomes, a subsidiary of WimpeyHomes.

An overview of the state of theconstruction industry comes fromDavid White, new secretary of theBritish Association of Golf CourseConstructors, an organisation whichserves to maintain high standardsamong its members in the construc-tion industry.

�The industry is in a very healthystate. Most golf course constructorshave plenty of work to do.�REMODELLINGWith new course construction beingaffected by the precarious state of theAsian economy, White does admitthat a the majority of work for

BAGCC members at the moment,and quite possibly in the future, isthat of remodelling and updating.

�On many courses the bunkersare in the wrong place and needextra sand. They may look doggedaround the edges, and might even becollapsing.�

He hopes many golf course ownerswill decide that it is time to �painteyebrows back on the old lady.�

He also says that there are definitemoves away from the �owner�s ego-trip� of �championship courses�, aconcept he feels is �way past its sell-by date� considering the number ofchampionships actually held on them.

He says that many young archi-tects are aiming to �bring the funback into golf� by changing theemphasis from longer, bigger andtougher courses to ones that involve amore strategic game, accessible to awider range of players.

�There�s a definite move towardsmaking courses more playable.�

And the general state of theindustry? �I don�t see doom andgloom at all. I see a relatively upbeatindustry.�

John Greasley Limited protecting the bank of theRiver Dee from erosion and flood with gabions

and reinforced turf at Deeside Golf Club inAberdeen, Scotland

MOVINGFORWARD

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Firm FocusFirm FocusHIGHCRAFT SERVICES

Computers don�t bite. It�s apoint often made, but thebenefits of computerisedsystems are often over-

looked by those who find the tech-nology intimidating or bewildering.

However, even Luddite golferswould find it hard not to be wonover by the simplicity of ClubMinder.As Paul Mainstone of HighcraftBusiness Services explains: �Once setup, it is fiendishly simple.�

ClubMinder is a fully integratedclub management system that isdesigned to give better control over agolf club�s financial management, golfadministration and security. REAL TERMSIn real terms this means a member-ship card system that can be used fora multitude of purposes, such ascontrolling access to the clubhouse,score entry for automated handicap-ping and for purchases at the bar andpro shop.

Once installed, the golf club canuse the cards to offer members loyaltydiscounts, as well as providing awealth of information that can beutilised for highly targeted customermarketing and increased club prof-itability.SENSIBLE TECHNOLOGY�It�s all about the sensible use of tech-nology,� explains Mainstone, �essen-tially, we sell better financial service.

�ClubMinder operates like a bank-ing, rather than retailing, system,which means it only tells you thingsyou have to know, rather than givingyou reams of sales information.

�One single sheet of paper givesall the financial posting informationneeded for your accounts. This meansthat the system is almost self-control-ling.�

Since the early 1990s, HighcraftBusiness Systems have specialised in

total solutions for golf club manage-ment and have increased theirturnover year-on-year to the pointwhere they now have excellent creditratings for a company in their line ofbusiness.

One of their major advantages isthat they can provide everythingneeded to install ClubMinder, andhave also developed (and own) thesoftware used.

ClubMinder is currently installedat over 100 courses in the UK, withcustomer support centres in everycorner of the country. Windows-compatible, the system is fullyupgradeable.

The security aspects of Club-Minder are impressive, allowing clubsto monitor the usage of their facilitiesand keep track of whoever is on siteat any given time.

Unlike keys, stolen cards can beinstantly suspended from anywherethere is a linked till or PC, immedi-ately denying the illicit cardholderaccess to the clubhouse. ROYAL BIRKDAKERoyal Birkdale Golf Club hadClubMinder installed for bar dis-counts and locker room access priorto the 1998 British Open.

Liverpool�s Formby Golf Club isan example of a club that has a fullyintegrated system, with membershipcontrol, golf management, doors, tillsand even car park barriers linked bythe ClubMinder system.

However, it is not only majorchampionship courses that can reapthe benefits of the system. It is flexi-ble enough to be relevant at a club ofany size.

Through the use of the ClubhouseSubscription feature, golfers can havean account with the club, started withmoney added to the annual subscrip-tion fee. ELIMINATESIt potentially eliminates having totake any cash into the clubhouse, andHighcraft can prove that at least 25%of money invested in such accounts isretained by the club as profits.

Another example Mainstone givesof the system�s potential to increaseprofitability is that of strategic screenlocation.

�If you put a score entry touch-screen in the bar then golfers will beinclined to stay in there for a roundor two of drinks. If it is a four ballgame, then it soon increases the bartakings.

�We like to help clubs improvetheir profitability, and we do this byentering long-term partnerships withthem, offering extensive informationtechnology support.

�The key is that ClubMinder isvery flexible, and you start to seereturns very quickly.�

HighCRAFTTotal solutions for club management

Highcraft Services Limited59 Church Crescent

FinchleyLondon N3 1BL

To find out more about ClubMINDER, call 0181 343 1119or fax 0181 343 4942

Who�s Minding your club?


DirectionsKATH BOLTON

Travel and accomodation expert Kath Bolton believes thathopefuls at the qualifying school finals, seniors on tour and

golfers simply out for a well-earned holiday all deserveequal treatment - her recipe for a successful venture

As befits an organisation sowell versed in logistics asthe European Tour, theQualifying School Finalsat San Roque and

Sotogrande on Spain�s Costa del Sollast November went as smooth asclockwork.

All 180 players, the tournamentstaff, and over 60 golf journalists,arrived on time at Gibraltar with theirhire cars and accommodation readyand waiting.

Flights to and from the UK,ground transportation and the accom-modation - items every bit as impor-tant as making sure the players are onthe tee on time for the tense six roundexamination of nerve and skill - arethe responsibility of Kath Bolton.

Her name may be unfamiliar tothose not directly involved with theSchool, but as far as those vital partsof the pre-tournament organisationare concerned she is indispensable.

The former England B hockeyinternational who also representedHertfordshire at tennis and netball, isnow a sprightly grandmother with sixgrandchildren, running her own

professional and corporatetravel company specialising ingolf holidays and trading outof Accrington in Lancashire

under her initials - KB Golf.It was while she was employed as

a golf holiday representative at LaManga, that Kath, who has been awidow for 11 years, was appointedby her employers to look after thetravel and accommodation arrange-ments for the 1982 qualifying schoolat the vast golf complex on Spain�seast coast.TROUBLE-FREEShe handled the task with suchprofessionalism, and Tour officialswere so delighted with the smooth,trouble-free arrangements, that whenthey returned to La Manga for thenext qualifying school they specifical-ly requested that she should onceagain handle all travel and accommo-dation requirements.

After eight years at La Manga,three years ago Kath took the plungeand formed her own golf and travelcompany.

She immediate ly had oneextremely sat i s f ied c l ient - theEuropean Tour Qualifying School.

Over the last three years, in herwords: �KB Golf has expandedbeyond my wildest dreams.�

As well as continuing with themultifarious duties required to ensurethat her part in the qualifying schoolis totally successful, her company -now with an office staff of four andrepresentatives in Spain and Portugal

- also have the travel and accommo-dation responsibility for the ever-expanding European Seniors� Tour,as well as arranging five-star qualitygolf holidays for individual andcorporate clients.

Kath does not consider herself ahigh-powered bus iness womanfighting for her survival in a maledominated industry.

She said: �We try to give all ourclients exactly the same professionalservice whether they are individualgolf holidaymakers, or the players,officials and media attending thequalifying school or seniors tour.

�Obviously arranging the traveland accommodation to assist in thesuccess of the qualifying school andseniors tour is a major responsibilityof KB Golf, but those high-profileevents are no more important thanarranging a golf holiday that is thehighlight of the year for the majorityof our clients.

�You don�t get a second chance.Whether I�m dealing with an officialPGA event or a golf holiday, if ourclients are satisfied they�ll come backto us.

every season

is a new learning

process for me“

”

Smooth Operator

By Alister Marshall

A

No problem! Tranquil scenes such as this at San Roque are the resultof intensive planning.


DirectionsDirectionsKATH BOLTON

It is very satisfying for me person-ally that over a comparatively shortperiod of time, so many of our clientshave come back again. Obviously weare doing things right.

�However no matter how longwe continue, every season is a newlearning process for us, bringing withit new and fresh challenges.

�Take the qualifying school as anexample. After the four-round cut,many of the players who have beenunsuccessful just want to get home.

�Rearranging flight times, gettingthem to the airport if they haven�t gottheir own transport, can be a bit of anightmare, but thankfully it alwaysworks out at the end.RESPONSIBILITY�Whether it is the qualifying school,seniors tour or a golf holiday, Ialways take personal responsibility forour clients� accommodation. As muchas the golf itself, that is a very impor-tant part of their stay in Spain orPortugal and I believe I should carrythat responsibility on my shouldersalone.

�If we are considering a new hotelor golf complex in our brochure, Imake it a golden rule that I make apersonal visit. Having done so Ialways ask myself the same questions:If I was a client of KB Golf would Ilike to stay here? Would I be totally,and I mean totally, satisfied?

�Only if I give the hotel orcomplex ten out of ten on my ownpersonal rating system will I includethe property.�

Although Kath always plays downthe high-powered businesswomanprofile, that is exactly what she is.

Having made sure that all theplayers had gone where they wantedto go, on the day immediately after

the final round of last November�squalifying school, her final act was tomake sure the European Tour staffand the handful of golf writers still atSan Roque were headed in the rightdirection.

With Kath in the lead, a smallconvoy of cars set out for Gibraltarwith the journey timed to suchperfection to allow a visit to the DutyFree shop before embarking upon theBritish Airways scheduled flight toGatwick.

Kath returned Club Class to theUK on the same flight; waited anhour at Gatwick for her connectionto Manchester; spent a few days inher office catching up on what hadhappened during her ten days on theCosta del Sol; then the followingweek jetted out to Fort Lauderdale inFlorida to attend a golf holidaymarketing conference.

To the young players at San Roqueand Sotogrande who had so much atstake; to the press corps who had seen itall before, and to the qualifying schoolofficials it was just another tournamentin golf�s travelling circus.

It is unlikely that any of themwould even consider the planningthat had gone into it, and the multi-tude of things that could have gonewrong even before it got underwayhad it not been for the smootharrangements undertaken by KathBolton and her staff.

At San Roque, instead of givingthe impression she dislikes in anyevent, the high-powered businessexecutive, her pleasant demeanour,cool professionalism, and the price-less asset of always having time toshare in a joke, made her one of theboys - and I use that description inthe most complimentary terms.

Always the cool professional, Kath Bolton finds time for a photograph

between fixtures in her busy schedule

DAVID WILLIAMSGolf Design

Golf Course ArchitectsOver a dozen new courses built during the 1990sCLANDON REGIS GC KINGS HILL GCREIGATE HILL GC MERRIST WOOD GCNORTH WEALD GC BROKE HILL GCWESTERHAM GC MID-SSUSSEX GCTHE KINGFISHER COURSE AT MANNINGSBRIDGE GC

An integrated ‘one-stop’ approachto Complete Golf Design

Telephone: (01492) 533818 Fax: (01492) 533012E mail: [email protected]

Full member of the British Institute of Golf Course Architects

PortfolioPortfolioPRODUCT INFORMATION

NEW DEAL FOR ISEKI AND TEXTRON

! (44) 01473 270000

Japanese tractor manufacturersIseki have agreed a new fiveyear deal with Textron TurfCare, who will continue to actas their UK agent. MrFukatani, Iseki’s executivemanaging director is pictured(left) with Textron’s Peter Bell,who signed the deal which willunite the two companies wellinto the 21st century.

WHITNELL FIRST WITH DRIVE

! (44) 01543 461461

Finning (UK) Ltd have suppliedtop UK golf course constructorLionel Whitnell Plant withEurope’s first Caterpillar D5Cbulldozer with hydrostatic drive,which means that it will steer onboth tracks simultaneously andwill not cut grooves when steering. Whitnell has alsopurchased one of the UK’s firstCat 12B L hydraulic excavators.

NEW COAT FOR CLUBHOUSE

! (44) 0161 2034606

HMG Building Products andPaints have worked wonderson the moorland clubhouse ofManchester GC. The exteriorswere repaired with the uniqueHerbol Herboflex systemwhilst timber window frameswere painted with long-lastingGlasurit materials. Herbidurmasonry coating was used totreat many other sections.

COST-EFFECTIVE PEST CONTROL

! (44) 01603 619114

Toro’s new subsurface injectorsaves time and money in soil-borne pest and disease control.The 160-gallon tank 200psisprayer, linked to a coulter 16-blade system, is tractor-towedand sprays to a depth of up to1in. It is suitable for treating allareas of the golf course, fromgreen to rough at 8mph and aworkate of 3.9 acres per hour.

ID CARD HELP CLUB SECURITY

! (44) 01628 850400

A new Photo ID bureau servicefrom Emos Information Systemsoffers club security, accesscontrol and cashless paymentin restaurants, bars and evenvending machines. The systemcan also be bought or hired anduses tamper-proof photographsof members with colour clublogos and details. Help withcard design is also available.

PERSONNEL CHANGES AT TEXTRON

! (44) 01473 270000

Paul Hollingsworth (pictured),has been appointed managingdirector of Textron Turf Care& Specialty Products Europe,whose Peter Wilson moves toTextron Fastening Systems aspresident. Carl Burton is nowchief executive officer ofTextron Golf, Turf Care &Specialty Products, whichincorporates E-Z-GO.

MOWING TIME CUT IN HALF

! (44) 01473 830492

Scotts Shortcut from Scotts UKProfessional cuts mowing timeby half using the new activeingredient trinexapac-ethyl,which has been trialled through-out the UK, including Wentworthand Loch Lomond GolfCourses. Available in 20 x 120gpacks and sufficient to treat 1.5ha, Scotts Shortcut enhancescolour and thickens sward.

TORO AWARD IN IRELAND

! (44) 01603 619114

John Plummer, course superinten-dent at The Grange GC, Dublin,is the first winner of the ToroAward for Professional GolfCourse Management in Ireland.He receives a superb Toro 3000Series Greensmaster triplexmower and a two-week trip tothe United States including theGCSAA Conference and Show inOrlando. Congratulations, John!


Please visit our web site at www.toro.com for more information

When it comes to large scale cutting coverage, no one offers solutions likeToro. With 8 Reelmaster® fairway mowers from which to choose, you’ll beassured the right machine for your climate and grass type.

Backed by more than 80 years of experience, Toro offers the perfect combination of precision performancein an easy-to-use machine. Our provenreliability will keep productivity at its

peak and ensure quality of cut with theresults you need.

And only Toro can bring you TotalSolutions, our customized programoffering a complete range of products,services and irrigation, individuallydesigned to meet the specific needs ofyour course.

Toro. When you demand quality, precision and reliability.

“The turf conditions on Pinehurst’s courses have been enhanced by Toro for many years. We’re confident Toro’s innovation and leadership will provide the best turf solutions for the

1999 U.S. Open and beyond.”–Brad G. Kocher,

Director of Golf Course Maintenancefor Pinehurst Resort and Country Club

Pinehurst Resort and Country Club

GMé | issuu 9

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