I had the fantastic opportunity to work in this interesting country between 2002 and 2007. For the previous 10 years I had worked at Marriott Dalmahoy near Edinburgh Scotland where I had combined a fairly hectic tournament playing schedule with a fair amount of coaching. At the end of the playing season 2002 I was approached to see whether I would be interested to take up a position in Croatia near the capital city of Zagreb. Having discussed the opportunity with my wife we decided it would be interesting to live in a different country and as the kids were not due to start school for two years we had the possibility to be adventurous.
FEGGA Bringing Together People and Organisations to their Conference in Copenhagen
The Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA) recently held their annual Conference in the northern European city of Copenhagen. The conference brought together some 44 organisations from Europe and beyond with an agenda filled with many of the pertinent subjects challenging the golf industry today. The Conference was held at two venues this year; this first day was held at the wonderful and unique setting of Copenhagen Golf Club, where the delegates were treated to a tour of the golf course following a busy seminar schedule. The second day was held at the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel, which provided excellent facilities for the formalities of the seminar day, along with other meetings coming under the umbrella of the FEGGA Conference.
COMMONSENSE GREENKEEPING Not so common?
01-10-2009
“There are not many golf courses being run with an open cheque book and a fulfilled greenkeeping wish list”
Terry Farkin, Course Manager at Dartmouth Golf and Country Club, and golf course maintenance advisor, wants to see a
more commonsense approach to greenkeeping and suggests that giving in to the golfers with big egos is not the way to go.
STONE ME! Greenkeepers learn new skills
01-10-2009
With an old dry stone wall at Mold Golf Club in
Flintshire falling into disrepair, Head
Greenkeeper Colin Jones and his staff enrolled
on a college course to learn how to restore it to
its former glory using traditional methods
Why do we need a cooling system?
05-04-2010
There are many engine problems associated with the cooling system that can be prevented by a little maintenance.
Wood on course!
08-12-2009
Jonathan Wood, Course Manager at Enville Golf Club, is one of the newly formed Midlands Gingerbread Men. Here, he talks about the
ongoing work being undertaken on the two courses, one of which is used as a regional qualifier for The Open.
RANSOMES JACOBSEN EQUIPMENT MAINTAINS GOLF COURSE AT FIVE STAR LUTON HOO HOTEL
10-11-2009
Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa is a luxury five star resort, located within an historic Grade 1 listed property painstaking restored by the owners, Elite Hotels. Facilities include an
18-hole golf course, a magnificent spa and over 1000 acres of parkland and gardens created by Capability Brown. The 7,107 yard, par 73 golf course is one of the longest courses in the UK and is maintained with a selection of Ransomes Jacobsen equipment supplied by local dealer, Ernest Doe and Sons Ltd of Benington. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company.
Tournament preperation
14-05-2009
Those two words can cause fear or excitement on the golf course. At the least they mean long hours for everyone, very early starts and for me personally, very late finishes as I’m mostly the last to leave. It has been known for me not to leave at all, preferring to sleep in my truck ready for the next day’s early start.
Rotary Mower Blades
14-05-2009
As part of our regular quest for the perfect aftercut appearance, we diligently sharpen and maintain the blades on our rotary cutting units. We make sure that the blades are sharp and able to provide the cleanest cut possible to continuously chase that perfect aftercut appearance. But are you also aware that there are a couple other areas of the blade that need to be checked to make sure that the blades are structurally sound and also to make sure that there is no other condition with the blade that can make the entire machine require more power to operate and decrease the overall efficiency of the unit.
RANSOMES JACOBSEN CONTINUES TO INVEST IN NEW PRODUCTS DESPITE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
15-04-2009
Ransomes Jacobsen and its affiliate company Jacobsen based in Charlotte, North Carolina, continue to invest in new products that demonstrate their unrivalled commitment to the sector, despite the economic downturn. Ransomes Jacobsen and Jacobsen are Textron Inc (NYSE:TXT) companies.
IT’S A SHAW THING!
15-12-2009
Roger Shaw is a man on a mission, his goal
is simply to develop and deliver a high
quality golfing facility. However, when will it
be considered finished? To date he has
spent every day of the last sixteen years
dedicated to the cause!
Laurence Gale MSc walks the course
Core products go back to the roots of Groundsman Industries
16-04-2009
Groundsman Industries celebrate two decades since the inception of their unique elliptical plunge action mechanism now used in their range of pedestrian and tractor mounting turf aerators which have carved a reputation for simplicity, performance and reliability.
RANSOMES JACOBSEN SPONSORSHIP HELPS MORE TALENTED YOUNG SPORTS PEOPLE
16-04-2010 Ipswich, Suffolk (April 16, 2010) Ransomes Jacobsen, the Ipswich-based turf maintenance equipment manufacturer, continues to sponsor the Suffolk SportsAid Foundation with two young Suffolk athletes, Joe Bloomfield and Keiran Clements, receiving grants to help fund their training as they progress their careers at national level. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
First GreenCast Turf Talk Live Forum on-line
16-04-2010
Whilst the political leaders go head to head on matters of the economy and public services, turf managers can get instant answers to more pressing questions of options to enhance turf quality this spring, with the inaugural GreenCast Turf Talk Live Forum on Wednesday 21 April.
NEW RANSOMES JACOBSEN EQUIPMENT FOR THE BLAIRGOWRIE GOLF CLUB
17-03-2010 Ipswich, Suffolk (March 17, 2010) The greenkeeping team at The Blairgowrie Golf Club in Perthshire have taken delivery of new golf course maintenance equipment from Ransomes Jacobsen’s dealer for Scotland, Fairways GM of Kinross. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
GEO CERTIFICATION FOR RANSOMES JACOBSEN’S THREE-HOLE GOLF COURSE
18-03-2010 Ipswich, Suffolk (March 18, 2010) Ransomes Jacobsen’s three-hole golf course, located at their European headquarters on the outskirts of Ipswich, has been certified by the Golf Environment Organization (GEO). The RJ National joins some illustrious company including courses at St Andrews, Gleneagles, Celtic Manor, Loch Lomond, Riviera Cancun in Mexico, the Montgomerie in Turkey and Klosters in Switzerland. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc (NSYE: TXT) company.
The good oil
18-04-2009
Whether mineral or synthetic, the
quality of oil used in any machine
will have a major bearing on its
performance and life expectancy.
Here Royal Melbourne Golf Club
turf technician Luke Spartalis gives
the lowdown on the lifeblood of any
machine and poses the question –
mineral or synthetic?
ROYAL BELFAST GOLF CLUB’S PIONEERING APPROACH TO MAINTAINING STEEP SLOPES USING RANSOMES SPIDER MOWER
18-09-2009
The oldest golf club in Ireland, the Royal Belfast, founded in 1881, has taken a pioneering approach to managing its steep banks and slopes with the introduction of a Ransomes Spider II remote controlled mower from local RANSOMES JACOBSEN dealer Broderick (Northern Ireland) Ltd. RANSOMES JACOBSEN is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
RANSOMES JACOBSEN MOWER RIDES THE HIGH SEAS
19-03-2009
Ransomes Jacobsen, the Ipswich-based turf maintenance equipment manufacturer, has supplied one of their newest state-of-the-art walk-behind mowers for an unusual application – mowing an extensive area of natural grass lawn on Celebrity Cruise Lines latest cruise ship, the Celebrity Solstice. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
RTJ - going to extraordinary lengths
19-04-2009
David McGregor is a former intern of the Ohio State University programme (see issue 12). As part of the programme he worked on the US President's golf green at the White House and was seconded to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, USA.
NEW E-Z-GO GOLF CARS FOR DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY GOLF CLUB
19-04-2010 Ipswich, Suffolk (April 19, 2010) Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club has purchased a fleet of four E-Z-GO RXV golf cars from their local dealer Rickerby Ltd of Carlisle. These latest buggies from the world’s largest golf car manufacturer, replace the club’s previous LPG-powered fleet and will be used by members and the increasing number of visitors to the 128-year old club. E-Z-GO is a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company
‘THANK YOU’ TO GENESIS ORWELL MENCAP DURING VISIT TO RANSOMES JACOBSEN
20-07-2009
A party of managers and team members from Genesis Garden Furniture, part of the Genesis Orwell Mencap organisation, visited Ransomes Jacobsen recently to receive a personal thank you from Managing Director David Withers, in recognition of their contribution supplying bespoke wooden furniture for the company’s three-hole golf course. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
The tide is high!
21-04-2009
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club has a postal address of King's Lynn but is, as the crow flies, closer to Skegness on the other side of the Wash. It is a unique course in many ways, not least that the tide has a huge effect on getting to and from the golf course
SALDANA GOLF CLUB’S NEW E-Z-GO GOLF CAR FLEET
21-07-2009
Saldana Golf Club, located six kilometres from Burgos in northern Spain, has recently purchased 16 of the latest electric E-Z-GO RXV golf cars from local distributor Green Mowers. E-Z-GO is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
JACOBSEN GREENS AND FAIRWAY MOWERS FOR MIDDLETON HALL GOLF CLUB
22-03-2010 Ipswich, Suffolk (March 22, 2010) Middleton Hall Golf Club, situated in a parkland setting within the former grounds of the 17th century Middleton Hall in the heart of Norfolk, has Jacobsen’s local dealer in Norfolk. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company. purchased course maintenance equipment from Bartrams Professional of Norwich, Ransomes
THE TIGER WOODS DUBAI CONTRACTS FOR £1.5 MILLION OF TURF MAINTENANCE MACHINERY
22-06-2009 Initial fleet of Ransomes Jacobsen golf course maintenance equipment and vehicles delivered
Ipswich, England: 22nd June, 2009 – The Tiger Woods Dubai, a member of Tatweer, today announced it has contracted Ransomes Jacobsen, the UK-based turf equipment manufacturer, to supply over AED 8 million (£1.5 million) worth of golf course maintenance equipment for its centrepiece, Al Ruwaya Golf Club, the first golf course design created by Tiger Woods Design. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
Yorkshire’s hidden gem...
22-12-2009
The fifty-three bunkers, a multitude of burns,
and several streams running through the course
present varied maintenance challenges that are
no different to most other parkland courses
JUST LIKE THAT! THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GOLF COURSE
24-10-2009
Golf Course Designer, Jonathan Gaunt, gives us a
fascinating insight into the design and build of a
new course in Fes, the medieval capital of Morocco
and home to Tommy Cooper’s hat.
The language barrier, flat location on a flood plain
and redirecting a river were unique challenges for
the whole team as Jonathan explains
And here’s to you MR ROBINSON
24-10-2009
Having had a ‘year out’ to travel around the world, Colin Robinson returned to take up the position of Course Manager at King’s Lynn Golf Club in Norfolk.
He talks to our editor about his plans for improving one of East Anglia’s finest courses.
Aeration and play
25-02-2010
The key to success on many golf courses depends on course utilisation. Many golf courses are experiencing revenue dropping in the following categories; clubhouse revenue vis-à-vis poorer bar takings and, membership fees. To compensate for that course managers are under pressure to keep greens open for play at all times. That puts considerable pressure on traditional course maintenance procedures such as aeration.
Workshop technicians 3
27-04-2009
I have a commissioning process for new machines that helps me to order parts and claim warrantees, when the machine may not be readily to hand and to record other information relevant to that machine that will be required at some time in the future. It goes something like this:
Workshop technicians 4
27-04-2009
So you want some grinders?
A simple costing exercise is needed to clarify things for the people who sign the cheques for capital expenditure. Start with: ~
Workshop Technicians (part 1)
30-03-2009
Here at The Celtic Manor Resort we have a large, well equipped, well stocked workshop facility employing three mechanics and a workshop manager. That is to maintain and service machines for 54 holes, a large practice area, driving range, chipping greens, machines operated by various departments in the hotel and golf club plus the golf cart hire fleet and course ranger vehicles. There are sometimes not enough hours in the day and with such a large fleet of diverse machinery it is understandable why there is a considerable workforce to maintain it.
But what about the economics of employing in house mechanics as opposed to contracting out repairs and servicing?
In the past I have worked as a single handed mechanic on a large golf complex consisting of two golf courses and no hire fleet, that was a busy job and was only just manageable with machinery levels “only just there”, and by that I mean that there was very little flexibility for machinery down time.
Workshop Technicians (part2)
30-03-2009
Here at The Celtic Manor Resort we keep a fairly large stock of parts to minimise down time but it can soon get out of hand if not carefully monitored, nonetheless it is essential to keep a certain amount of stock rather than working on a “just in time “ basis, which would work well if only we were clairvoyant.
The result of so much servicing is large amounts of “controlled waste”, oil filters, fuel filters, oil, grease cartridges, oily cloths, soak up pads and aerosols. Expand this still further with batteries, oil containers and drums, waste antifreeze, brake fluid and contaminated fuels the “controlled waste” becomes easier said than dealt with. We have an excellent company who removes all of the above items and generates the relevant paperwork to enable the correct audit trail to be maintained as legislation demands. This company also removes our waste chemical containers, gloves, spray suits and all other spraying related items, all this at a modest fixed annual cost for as many items as you need removed and as often as they need removing, I would recommend them to anyone. Tyre disposal is one thing they don’t touch and with a fleet as big as ours they are a problem. There are around 1000 potential punctures/tyre changes to deal with and the spent tyres soon mount up. It is essential to sort out their disposal sooner rather than later, your local tyre distributor may well dispose of two dozen tyres without too much hassle but one hundred may be another matter.
