John Deere, through its local dealer Godfreys from Sevenoaks, has entered a three year preferred supplier agreement with The Royal St George’s Golf Club, Sandwich, host club of The 2003 Open Championship. This means John Deere will have supplied course maintenance equipment for three consecutive Opens: in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes, in 2002 at Muirfield and now again in 2003.
Godfreys delivered its first machine to the club last October, a 2500 triple greens mower. Two further 2500s, a 3235B fairway mower, a 2653A mower for tees & bunker surrounds and a 48hp 4700 compact tractor are also now being delivered.
Royal St George’s hosted The Open in 1981, 1985 and, most recently, in 1993 when Greg Norman won with a score of 267. The 2003 Championship will be the club’s thirteenth Open, the first of which was in 1894 when J H Taylor won with a 72 hole total of 326.
“We have been most impressed by the reliability of the John Deere machines, their high quality of cut and their adaptability working over our undulating links fairways and greens,” said Neil Metcalf, course manager at Royal St George’s
The 2003 Open Championship takes place from 17th to 20th July. John Deere has also recently signed a three-year exclusive deal as preferred supplier of course maintenance equipment to Loch Lomond Golf Club, ranked among the world’s top courses and home to the 2003 Barclays Scottish Open.
John Deere www.johndeere.co.uk
Open Championship www.opengolf.com