Carden Park in Cheshire has committed an estimated £1 million to enhance its entire golf offering, improving the guest experience and sustainability throughout.
The five-star resort is home to two championship golf courses – including the Nicklaus course, designed by golfing legend Jack and his son Steve – and will benefit from major upgrades including a new buggy fleet and refurbished cart paths.
Meanwhile, the Cheshire course, which first opened in 1993, has seen new lining installed across all bunkers in a two-part project completed last month.
As part of the resort’s long-term commitment to sustainability, the new 59-strong fleet of golf buggies run on lithium batteries, which boast significantly improved lifespan, efficiency and temperature tolerance when compared to the common lead acid alternative. Across both courses, £150,000 has been invested in cart path restoration to maintain standards after the winter months.
The resort has also added two Greensmaster eTriFlex electric mowers – which, significantly, are emission-free when compared to the diesel alternatives that had been used previously. More advanced and efficient than their predecessors, the state-of-the-art electric mowers also carry benefits including heavily reduced noise pollution and the elimination of potentially harmful chemicals such as hydraulic fluid. The machines have been sourced from Cheshire Turf Machinery, which has been serving the area for more than 25 years.
Away from the golf courses, Carden Park have also began refurbishing many of the hotel’s rooms and suites. Prototype rooms with new furnishings and state-of-the-art showers have already been completed, each enjoying magnificent views across the estate.
Hamish Ferguson, director and general manager at Carden Park, said: “Constantly improving is at the core of our ethos at Carden Park – as technology evolves, it’s a fact of the hospitality world that guest expectations will evolve as well, and we always want to stay ahead of that curve. With that in mind, we have been investing heavily across the entire resort for four years now and golf remains a crucial part of what we offer as a resort.”
Josh Dhallu, golf business manager at Carden Park, said: “With the summer season now here, we’re very happy with the changes we have made across our entire golf offering to ensure that the experience for our members and guests remains fresh and enjoyable.
“Our team are firm believers in doing whatever we can to look after the environment and that extends to our greenkeeping staff, so the new lithium-battery buggies and electric mowers are welcome additions to the resort and are designed to improve the player experience as well as sustainability.”
A stone’s throw from the England-Wales border, Carden Park is a 1,000-acre estate within easy driving distance of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Chester and Wrexham.
The resort’s spa opened in 2020 and is currently nominated for two awards by the Good Spa Guide – ‘Best Hotel Spa’ and ‘Best Spa for Sustainability’. The Spa at Carden features one of the country’s biggest outdoor spa gardens, a panoramic sauna and extensive treatment menu.
