By Howard Swan, Swan Golf Designs Limited

Swan Golf Designs teed off 2011 with the successful launch of its brand new website. Built in SGD’s distinctive style and including a host of new content, the site paves the way for what will be another exciting year as the Practice continues to sign up new projects. These will include a number of renovation projects in the United Kingdom and Ireland, two new resort courses in India as well as FirstGolf facilities in east and west Africa, in the Cape and in Jiangsu province in central China.

The new website contains information about SGD and its golf course architects, as well as details of the Company’s approach to design issues, the environment and the business of golf, underscoring the Practice’s focus on sustainability.

An extensive portfolio of current and recent projects has been included to showcase SGD’s influence on both new design and renovation projects, with photos of the construction process and the finished product. In addition, the regularly updated news pages keep clients and associates informed of the team’s recent work.

The website, created by London based web designer James Flood, also includes recently published articles by SGD architects and links to the FirstGolf websites.

William Swan adds, “We are particularly pleased with our new site; the result of several months of planning and the most significant upgrade since our website first went live. We hope that this new incarnation will be attractive and interesting to all and helpful to our existing and potential clients around the world”.

www.swangolfdesigns.com

By Howard Swan, Swan Golf Designs Ltd

Swan Golf Designs today launches its brand new website following a highly successful 2010 which saw work across the globe pick up pace and several projects recognised with prestigious awards.

Created to showcase SGD’s portfolio of work and demonstrate the Practice’s talent, knowledge and experience, the site is up and running in perfect time for BTME’s Harrogate Week where Howard Swan will run his hugely popular Design Class for the twentieth year in a row.

William Swan says:

“We are delighted to launch our new website today with its new look and a host of new content.
It was important to us to be able to show the quality and range of our work. We were especially keen to include as many images as possible in order to illustrate the beauty of many of our projects.

It is integral for any business to have a user friendly website to effectively communicate with clients. Our new site does just that and we look forward to adding to it as our work across the world expands.”

The website can be found at www.swangolfdesigns.com and can be accessed from today.
In addition to all the latest Swan Golf Designs news, it features links to the websites of FIRSTGOLF, SGD’s worldwide initiative to grow the game of golf.

By Howard Swan, Swan Golf Designs Ltd

Without doubt, 2010 was the year that confidence began to return to the golf industry. For Swan Golf Designs that translated into an exciting 12 months, with new projects commencing throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and Africa. During that time, it became apparent to the SGD team that the challenging economic circumstances have focused the attention of golfers, golf clubs and investors on one thing: the value of a course. This has meant a renewed interest in quality – quality of course maintenance, quality of course construction and quality of golf course design. Over the last year in particular, Swan Golf Designs has worked for clients committed to excellence and alongside consultants and contractors capable of providing such distinction.

As 2011 unfolds, SGD is looking forward to another year of outstanding projects, having recently agreed to design two new courses in India as well as continuing to work on existing projects across the globe.

By Andy Hiseman, Hiseman Limited

Crown Golf has given £24,436 – the year’s largest single donation – to the National Golf Club Challenge, the charity golf event which raises money for Help for Heroes through the nation’s golf clubs.

The cheque handover took place at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Surrey, one of the UK’s busiest ‘pay and play’ clubs, between Crown Golf CEO Stephen Lewis and the NGCC’s Matthew Leighton.

Twenty-eight Crown Golf clubs took part in the National Golf Club Challenge during 2010, with two making it to the NGCC’s national final at The Belfry in October where Cams Hall Estate GC, a Crown Golf club in Hampshire, finished second overall.

The £24,436 raised by clubs owned or operated by Crown Golf adds to a grand total of over £200,000 raised by the NGCC this year, making the event 2010’s largest single golf charity event in the UK. Organisers hope to top a quarter of a million pounds when all funds have been collected.

Stephen Lewis said: “Crown Golf is proud to hand this cheque over to the National Golf Club Challenge team. Help for Heroes is a fantastic charity which has captured the nation’s hearts, and we look forward to raising more money for wounded British servicemen and women returning from war zones in 2011.”

Matthew Leighton said: “We are very grateful to Crown Golf for this large donation, which represents a superb collective effort by the company’s management, staff and customers. The goodwill of golf clubs such as those in the Crown Golf portfolio has made the National Golf Club Challenge a big success in 2010, and the funds we donate to Help for Heroes as a result will make a real difference to the lives of those it supports. We aim to do even better in 2011!”

2010 was the National Golf Club Challenge’s inaugural year: over 300 UK golf clubs ran a fundraising day in July, donating the day’s proceeds to the charity. The six highest-scoring golf clubs were invited to submit a team to the NGCC Final at The Belfry in October 2010, where Marriott Meon Valley Golf was awarded the Lee Westwood Cup.

In 2011 the National Golf Club Challenge will run its second year of Help For Heroes fundraising events at UK golf clubs, and have also introduced a second challenge event in support of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

By Howard Swan, Swan Golf Designs Ltd

Three and a half years on from their initial appraisal, Swan Golf Designs has returned to Ripon City Golf Club this autumn for the third phase of the renovation programme.

The North Yorkshire course, overlooking the city’s 12th century cathedral, has itself been a presence in the region since 1908 and is laid out on some of the most interesting topography SGD has yet encountered. Sat on top of unstable gypsum deposits, the course is subject to substantial, yet unpredictable changes in the landform; occasional visitors to the course must always be aware that last year’s gentle left to right putt might now have a large right to left swing! Whilst this poses many difficulties for Ripon City’s members and course maintenance staff, the unique landscape offers a golfing experience like no other.

SGD has been working with the Club to update the golfing challenge, enhance the course’s environmental character and bring the playing strategy to modern standards. To date five holes have seen a new bunker strategy implemented and the course has benefitted from improved presentation, as well as tree and ecological management.