South Staffordshire GC signs up to 5-year lease deal with Jacobsen

By Alistair December 6, 2017 06:21 Updated

South Staffordshire Golf Club has signed up to a five-year lease deal with Jacobsen. The new machinery will join existing Jacobsen mowers already in use at the club. The delivery was made by Jacobsen UK Direct, the company’s only direct distribution channel in the UK, covering Staffordshire and Shropshire.

The lease deal machinery includes an HR500 wide-area rotary mower, an LF577 fairway mower, three PGM pedestrian greens mowers and an E-Z-GO RXV golf car. The existing machinery includes an Eclipse 322 greens mower, an AR-3 contour rotary mower and an LF550 fairway mower.

Craig Parry has been the head greenkeeper at South Staffordshire Golf Club for five years after spending four years at the Dukes, St Andrews in Scotland. Commenting on the new lease deal, Craig said: “I am delighted with the deal we have got with Jacobsen. All of the machinery will make a huge difference on the course. The HR500 with contour decks, for example, saves us so much time; it used to take 4.5 days, but now it only takes 2.5 days. We are a lot more productive, which means that we can spend more time on the smaller details around the course, which is what all golf clubs would like to do, but just don’t have the time or the staff. The HR500 is like having an extra staff member available to us!

“Due to the time we’re saving cutting the rough, we have also got some PGM pedestrian greens mowers. We’re able to hand cut rather than triple mow now, so the presentation of our greens has also dramatically improved. The PGM mowers are so light as well; the stress on the grass is minimal which is another huge bonus. I’m also really pleased with the LF577 fairway mower. It gives a fantastic finish, and it stays on cut throughout the week and requires less adjustments which, again, saves us time and resources.

“Bruce Alexander and Harvey Doughty from Jacobsen UK Direct have been brilliant. They are always popping in to check on us and making sure we’re happy with everything. I think it’s great that we’re able to have a direct relationship with Jacobsen and the factory; we’re certainly benefiting from the knowledge and efficiency it brings.”

South Staffordshire Golf Club is considered one the finest golf courses in the Midlands. Originally designed in 1908 by Harry Vardon, the course, during the years, has been ‘tweaked’ by such golfing luminaries as Harry Colt, James Braid and, more recently, Donald Steel. Set in 160 acres, the 6,587 yard 18-hole course has a championship status. It has hosted the ladies’ senior amateur championship and the Lotus Financial Invitational in recent years.