Significant new investment at Farleigh GC

Farleigh Golf Club, situated on a 350 acre estate on the North Downs in Surrey, has recently purchased a fleet of turf maintenance equipment from their local Ransomes Jacobsen dealer, Ernest Doe and Sons Ltd.

The fleet includes four Jacobsen Eclipse 322 hybrid mowers for use on the club's greens and tees, two Cushman Turf-Trucksters with attachments, two Jacobsen fairway mowers, Jacobsen rotary mowers for maintaining surrounds, semi-rough and rough, an Iseki compact tractor and a Smithco bunker rake and greens roller. In total an investment with a retail value in excess of £390,000.

Martyn Levitt is the Finance Director of the Foxhills Group of Countries and said, "We already own the Foxhills Club in Ottershaw and have recently added Farleigh to our portfolio. It has a lot of potential, but we knew it would need a significant level of investment, especially in the playing facilities.

We went through a tender exercise with the three major players in the industry and contacted Ransomes Jacobsen through their local dealer Ernest Doe. We were delighted with the speed of response and, in consultation with our agronomist David Whitaker, we selected the Ransomes Jacobsen proposal as our preferred option.

"Marc Hayton, our Owner, is looking to form long-term business relationships with trusted suppliers as we grow the business and the Ransomes Jacobsen-Ernest Doe combination fits this requirement; their responsiveness and attention to detail has been first class."

Michael Mann is the Course Manager and was appointed in January this year. He heads a greenkeeping team of six, which will rise to 10 as the season progresses. He was previously Deputy Course Manager at Westhill Golf Club and prior to that an Assistant at Wentworth.

Commenting at the recent handover of the equipment he said,
"This has been a very good career move for me. Marc Hayton and the management team are very customer focused and the level of investment in course maintenance equipment has been fantastic."

General Manager Andy Callister added, "The investment doesn't stop with the equipment; we are undertaking major course renovation under the guidance of Dave Pottage. Our former Visitors 9-hole course is being upgraded and is scheduled for completion in May 2011.

This will be followed by our current back 9, which will include the addition of a new lake and will be completed in October 2011; then from October 2011 to March 2012 we'll complete the 27 holes with the back 9 renovation, giving us three 9-hole loops which will help us manage the course in a more practical manner."

"Over the next 24 months we will invest over £5 million making Farleigh a place to relax for all the family, whether it's on the golf course, in the new Destination restaurant, a drink in Bar Nineteen or when attending one of our events. This all begins later this year with the clubhouse, which will undergo a £700,000 refurbishment by the award-winning interior design company DesignLSM, who were responsible for the Galvin La Chapelle restaurant in east London and the Runnymeade Hotel."

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