Providing a dedicated sales and support function to some of the world’s most famous golf courses has seen Scotland’s top groundcare dealer increase its golf business by over 40% this year.
Over the past 12 months, Inverkeithing-based Scottish Grass Machinery Golf division, led by divisional manager Brian Goudie, has increased its turnover by £1 million to nearly £4 million per annum. Brian’s appointment by Scottish Grass Machinery followed a global restructure by manufacturer Textron which saw it dedicate its Jacobsen lines solely to the golf sector and the Ransomes brand to the municipal and facilities management markets, around the world.
As one of the top three Textron dealers in Europe, Scottish Grass Machinery Golf division immediately saw the advantages of remodelling its business according to these specialist lines and recruited Brian Goudie as the ideal candidate to head up its new golf division. Of particular satisfaction to Goudie is that around 70% of this increase in business has come from totally new custom.
Under Goudie the SGM Golf team now boasts specialists Jacobsen support through its four Scottish area managers and a full-time Jacobsen demonstrator who are supported buy Scottish Grass Machinery’s product support division. This includes 15 field service engineers all trained on Jacobsen products. Typical of the dedicated support available to golf customers in Scotland is the example of Paul Lindsay, one of Scottish Grass Machinery’s young field service engineers, responding to a service request during last month’s Open qualifier at Gullane. Paul was on the course at 3.45am to allow the greenkeepers to have the course in the best possible conditions for that day’s play.
Brian Goudie said, “As a team we offer unbeatable experience, knowledge and support. From taking greenkeepers to the States to be briefed on the very latest product innovations, to technical open days here in Inverkeithing, and supporting the ongoing development of the industry through BIGGA, SGM golf truly understands our customers’ needs.”