Jacobsen Greens & Fairway mowers for Middleton Hall GC
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 purchased course maintenance equipment from Bartrams Professional of Norwich., Ransomes Jacobsen's local dealer in Norfolk.
Mike and Mandy Johnson purchased the club in June 2008, just as the recession was deepening. Mike has 25 years sales and marketing management experience in the engineering sector and Mandy's background is in the catering and hospitality sector.
"I've always had a keen interest in golf and owning a golf club was a good fit with our combined experience; I believed I could generate business with my background, while Mandy would look after the clubhouse-related activities," Mike Johnson said. "Recognising the need to update the course equipment, I contacted the local dealers of the major manufacturers and asked them for demonstrations and after some serious and earnest negotiations we purchased Jacobsen equipment from our local dealer, Bartrams Professional."
"The G-Plex III greens mower we've purchased has replaced an older model and if it's as reliable as previous machine we'll have no problems," said Mick Quince, the club's Course Manager. "Our older machine has now been fitted with new tees units, so we've effectively refreshed our tees machines as well.
"The other machine we've purchased is a Fairway 405, which has seven cutting cylinders and has a cutting width of 4 metres. We had our previous machine for seven years and, remarkably, only used three sets of bottom blades in all that time!
"Productivity is obviously the key factor with the 405 and it means that one of my team can cut the greens early with the G-Plex and complete the fairways in the same day using the 405. It is certainly the ideal machine for us; it follows the undulations and the rear roller brushes are superb, great in the wet or in heavy early morning dew."
Picture:-Danny Lake of Bartrams Professional congratulates Mike Johnson (centre) at the handover of the new golf course maintenance equipment