Ransomes Jacobsen, the Ipswich-based manufacturer of golf course maintenance machinery, supplied a fleet of mowers and other turf maintenance equipment to support the televised PGA Europro Tour Pandora Open which took place at Burhill Golf Club, from May 26 through May 28.

The event, played over 54 holes on the New course, attracted 156 golfers and was won by Robert Steele, after a sudden-death play-off with Sean Doherty, with both players carding an 8-under par score of 210.

Robert Surgey is the senior course manager at the 36-hole flagship Burhill Golf Club in Walton-on-Thames and within the Burhill Golf and Leisure Group he is responsible for course maintenance evaluations at the seven Pay & Play and three members clubs.

“We have been building a good working relationship with Ransomes Jacobsen over the past three years and were delighted to accept their offer of tournament support machinery for this event,” he said. “With television coverage on Sky, it is vitally important that we present the course in the best condition possible, and their equipment has certainly contributed to this.”

The equipment supplied by Ransomes Jacobsen included a Jacobsen Fairway 405 wide area seven cylinder fairway mower, a ride-on bunker rake, two E-Z-GO ST400 utility vehicles, two Eclipse 122 pedestrian greens mowers and the latest ride-on greens mower, the diesel-electric hybrid Eclipse 322.

“This is the first opportunity I’ve had to get a good look at their new Eclipse 322,” he added, “and it looks a very good piece of kit. It’s unique in that it’s totally free of hydraulic oil; the traction motor and cutting cylinders are driven by electric power provided by a small diesel engine and a generator. This makes them much quieter and less obtrusive out on the course.

“We’ve ordered five of these across the group and are expecting considerable savings in fuel costs plus the added benefit of their reduced environmental footprint, which is an important factor to us as we have a strict environment policy here at Burhill.”

Rob, a keen golfer with a handicap of 2, has an HND in golf course management from Reaseheath College and spent a year at Forest of Arden after qualifying. He followed this with a 3½ year term at Wentworth and a short spell at Moor Park before accepting the deputy course manager position at Wycombe Heights. In September 2007, he was appointed senior course manager at Burhill.

For more information on Ransomes Jacobsen visit: www.ransomesjacobsen.com