Thank you Building Fund grows! for support Over 100 golf clubs have to date This year for the first time responded positively to the letter BIGGA members were asked to sent by BIGGA President Viscount assist with the Volvo PGA Whitelaw asking for a contribution Championship held at Wentworth towards the building of BIGGA's Golf Club at the end of May. A new Headquarters and Training team of 80 members drawn from Facility. nearby clubs were on hand over the Among the golf clubs to donate to final two days of play. The main the fund this month is the recently role of each member was to accom- opened Merrist Wood Golf Club pany a game, from start to finish, based at Merrist Wood College in and rake any bunkers found by the Guildford, Surrey. College Principle players, a task normally carried out John Riddle presented the cheque by the caddy. There are several ben- to BIGGA's Education and Training efits arising from this course of Manager Ken Richardson (right) action:- during a recent open day at the col- lege. Merrist Wood is the first col- 1. The caddy is left free to con- lege in the country to make a dona- centrate on the game and the play- tion. er's next stroke. The Association would like to 2. It helps keep play continuous thank the following golf clubs for and thereby reduces delays. their donations. 3. While walldng the course the Clubs who donate £250 or more support team member is able to will each receive a plaque in recog- keep a watch for any divots, litter nition of their generosity, while etc which may have found their each golf club which makes a dona- way into a bunker and thereby pose tion will appear on a Roll of a potential problem for subsequent Honour within the new building. games. 4. The support team members were on hand to help the Coombe Wood GC Manchester GC Sandy Lodge GC Wentworth greenkeepers in the event of bad weather. Coventry Hearsall GC Masham GC Scarcroft GC Coxmoor GC Merrist Wood GC Seacroft GC The event was thoroughly Crompton & Roy ton GC Moor Hall GC Sherwood Forest GC enjoyed by all those who took part Dore & Totley GC Moortown GC Sonning GC and we have been invited by the Dunfermline GC Moray GC Stand GC PGA European Tour to look at pro- viding a similar team for 1999. Edenmore GC Mullion GC Sundridge Park GC Congratulations to Edward Enfield GC Murrayfield GC Sunningdale GC Kitson and his colleagues at the Flamborough Head GC Nairn GC Tain GC PGA European Tour and to Chris Kennedy and his greenkeeping staff Banchory GC Glenbervie GC North Hants GC Tandridge GC Goodwood GC North Oxford GC Temple GC at Wentworth for a well organised, Beaconsfield GC well presented tournament. Habberley GC North Wilts GC Tenterden GC Bedale GC Thank you to the Scotts Birchwood GC Haggs Castle GC Pollok GC The Wisley GC Company who provided each Bishop's Stortford GC Halifax GC Potters Bar GC Thorpeness GC BIGGA member with a shirt, jacket and baseball cap as well as the Blackmoor GC Ham Manor GC Purley Downs GC Tidworth Garrison GC catering in the BIGGA marquee. Brancepeth Castle GC Hampstead GC Pyle and Kenfig GC Tulliallan GC Bristol & Clifton GC Handsworth GC Ranfurly Castle GC Tynemouth GC Bromborough GC Hankley Common GC Roehampton GC Tyrells Wood GC Cardigan GC Haywards Heath GC Royal Birkdale GC Uttoxeter GC David heads Chestfield GC Hindhead GC Royal Burgess Golfing Wakefield GC Childwall GC Ipswich GC Society of Edinburgh WalmleyGC Chipping Norton GC Kilmarnock Barassie GC Royal Cinque Ports GC Walton Heath GC towards the Chorlton-Cum-Hardy GC Kirby Muxloe GC Royal Guernsey GC West Byfeet GC Churston GC Knowle GC Royal Liverpool GC Whitley Bay GC Deep South Clitheroe GC Lincoln GC Royal Porthcawl GC Whittington Heath GC Little Aston GC Royal St Georges GC Worcestershire GC ConwyGC Rigby Taylor has Loch Lomond GC Royal West Norfolk GC Worksop GC Cooden Beach GC appointed David Rogers Coombe Hill GC Longniddry GC Royal Wimbledon GC York GC as Technical Sales Representative covering the south coast of England from Dorset to BIGCA elect Howard Swan as new President Hampshire including Wiltshire. The British Institute of Golf Belgium, joining the Committee. architects and to advance our own David is well known to Course Architects has elected Martin Hawtree stepped down as educational efforts for our mem- greenkeepers and Course Howard Swan as its President for President, after 18 years of service bers and students alike," said Managers throughout the the forthcoming year. to the Institute. Howard. area having had extensive At its AnnuaI General Meeting, "I am privileged to have become In the Autumn the Institute will experience during the Swan's confirmation at the head of President of what is Europe's lead- stage its International Conference past 15 years most the Institute was accompanied by ing professional body in the field, at Wentworth on November 17 recently with Gem Jeremy Pern being made Vice and look forward to a busy and and 18, together with the Professional (Sta-brite President, and Neil Coles, Ken productive year. We have much to Barenbrug European Architects' Supplies) prior to joining Moodie and Bruno Steensels, from do to bring together all Europe's Trophy. Rigby Taylor. July 1998 Greenkeeper International 7 Video firm Lord Whitelaw in the frame hires new director After eight years working on the development and operation of the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, Kevin Munt has moved into a new role as a Director of Plexus Projects Ltd. Plexus Projects is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lanyfax Group a leading design and installation company in the audio visual and video conferencing market. "I felt that after 25 years work- ing at all levels within the golf business it was time to/ull all my experience together an offer it to people who are working to further develop the game," said Kevin. The company has been formed to provide a high quality project management and consultancy ser- vice to developers, architects and commercial operators within the leisure industry. Through the Lanyfax Group's computer gener- ated design capability Plexus is able to offer a visually lead approach to the design and man- agement services currently avail- able to the leisure industry One of Plexus Projects first Having reached his 80th Birthday in June the Association's President, Lord Whitelaw, has moves in the leisure market has been reviewing his personal commitments. He has decided to step down from his position been to form a division in the golf with BIGGA after this year. In recognition and thanks for his support to the Association since industry, this has been achieved by its inception in .1987 Gordon Child presented Viscount and Lady Whitelaw with a framed print the acquisition Project Golf Ltd of the 13th hole at Nairn, the course where he spent many of his early golfing years. the owners and operators of the 1997 Senior Tournament of Champions. Kevin has developed a vast field of experience within the golf Watch the birdie! New project industry, encompassing course maintenance, design, construction The largest single day birdwatching exercise on golf courses and facilities management through produced a remarkable score of 272 species from the 116 beckons to toumament promotion and golf clubs in 18 European countries which took part. staging. His previous employers include Country Number Different Best site count for Phil of clubs species Royal Dornoch Golf Club, the Wentworth Club, John Jacobs Golf Ireland 21 102 Bandon (57) Associates and Kajima (UK) Phil Langdon has joined Wardle Engineering with whom he help to England 20 108 Corehampton (62) Consulting Engineers as Projects create the Buckinghamshire Golf Scotland 13 96 Hilton Park (64) Director, having worked for Club, one of the country s most Watermation since 1988. Phil successful new golf facilities. Wales 12 88 Woodlake Park (52) will be responsible for project Kevin was also instrumental in Denmark 65 Faaborg management and inspection of bringing tournaments such as the works by contractors on behalf of Andersen Consulting World Estonia 1 75 Niitvaija our clients in addition to under- Championship of Golf and the Finland 3 84 Virvik (61) taking site survey and appraisals Senior Tournament of Champions of existing irrigation systems in Iceland 6 46 Ness (28) to Buckinghamshire Golf Club. order to make recommendations Norway' 37 Meland as to system upgrade and exten- Sweden 2 97 Falsterbo (87) sions. A BTLIA committee member, Sir Michael ... Austria 4 71 Waldviertel (41) Phil's practical experience and Germany 4 82 Nordkirchen (56) knowledge of irrigation installa- Michael Bonallack, Secretary of tion ensures that our expertise the R&A, has been awarded a Hungry 50 Hencse National extends right across the board knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Netherlands 7 104 De Heemskerkse (58) from survey, feasibility study, Honours List. design, specification to installa- Switzerland The 63 year-old five time Amateur 1 41 Club de Bonmont tions supervision and inspection Champion who was already a holder Italy 8 137 Fiordalisi (79) of the contractor's works. of the OBE has been at the helm of "With Phil based in Scotland, Portugal 4 80 San Lorenzo (61) the R&A since 1983 and this latest Bill Hawthorn based in the honour comes on top of host of acco- Spain 7 142 Ulzama (93) South and head office the lades he has received from the game Midlands the company now has itself. true nationwide coverage giving Colin Montgomerie was also hon- Total 116 272 our clients a quality service," said oured in the same list with an MBE.