Golf Club Magazine - June 2005

ARE THERE ANY perceptions of Ireland that don’t involve subliminal golfing messages? The shamrock? A sea of clovers just doesn’t look normal unless it includes a stray golf ball. Guinness? For some, that is the raison d’être of the 19th hole. Leprechauns? Well they are small, unattractive old men who don’t want others to see their valuable items, so perhaps they’re the club captain.

In seriousness – golf in Ireland has been an expanding industry over the past few years, and the golf clubs have been helped by a unique partnership between two different companies.

For example, in 2004 Charlesland Golf and Country Club wanted to create a corporate presence throughout the whole golf course, utilising the colour scheme of gold and blue. This resulted in timber-framed signage around the course, including a major three-sectioned hardwood sign with enamelled aluminium panels, featuring competition, rules and course information and a clock, in the corporate colours, at the start of the course. Stone, given its durability and low maintenance, was also used on the tees.

Spray Chem, a Dublin-based firm that supplies clubs with chemical fertilisers, seeds and course furnishings wanted to cover everything that a course manager would need, so looked into the possibility of partnering with a signage manufacturer.

“I attended the BTME exhibition in Harrogate and was very impressed with the products on show from KWS, and my husband had already ordered some of their signs, the first to come into Ireland, at his club, Portmarnock GC. “So about four or five years ago I asked KWS if I could be their agent,” said Yvonne Ritchie of Spray Chem. The partnership has reaped dividends. Through Spray Chem, nearly 40 clubs of differing sizes have installed KWS signage.

“From day one to completion of the project, the attention to detail and courtesy shows was superb,” stated Patrick Bradshaw, general manager of Charlesland. “We will certainly use them again.”

These sentiments were echoed by Yvonne herself. “They [KWS] provide an excellent service. The signs are high quality and they are very obliging – always willing to come up with clever ideas and unique signage if that is what is required,” she said.

To prove the point one Irish club recently requested “different” signage. After formulating several ideas, the club opted for round finger posts and black, gold, silver and bronze golf ballshaped tee markers on top of wooden arches. But according to Chris White, KWS’ general manager, it is not just about one-off sales. “We are looking to come on-board with the club and help them achieve a higher level of consistency with their sign purchasing,” he said.

The relationship between Spray Chem and KWS has become so strong that the latter puts any requests for signage from Irish clubs through the former first, and Chris often supports Yvonne during site visits. But arguably it peaked earlier this year when KWS announced that Yvonne was its agent of the year for the second time.

“They sent my husband and me over for a weekend in London – providing flights, accommodation, tickets for a show and some spending money. We had a ball; a great time,” stated Yvonne.