De Vere Mottram Hall was widely praised by competitors and visitors alike following the hosting of this year’s ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship. This was thanks, in the most part, to the valuable expertise and experience of individuals from across the De Vere portfolio of resorts, who came together to showcase the resort in its finest condition for the Championship.
As the first time that Mottram Hall has hosted this prestigious event, the tournament experience of staff from across De Vere proved invaluable in setting up the resort to welcome a host of legends from the game and ensure that every competitor and visitor had a positively memorable experience. De Vere greenkeepers, management and Academy staff from across the UK came together to ensure that Mottram Hall rightly positioned itself as one of the leading tournament venues in the UK.
The pristine condition of the golf course was pivotal to the success of the Championship and the team of greens staff did a fantastic job maintaining the tournament standard golf course, despite disappointing weather and growth over the winter months.
Head Greenkeeper, Stuart Stenhouse and his team worked tirelessly on the Championship golf course during the off-season to implement a programme of renovations which included several new and renovated bunkers, additional water features, a host of aesthetic improvements, plus a brand new short game practice area. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, the team decided to enlist the wealth of tournament experience from greens staff at other De Vere resorts, including The Belfry, Oulton Hall, Heron’s Reach, Carden Park, and Slaley Hall, which had hosted the Championship for the past five years.
These individuals provided additional expertise to the team at Mottram Hall and ensured that every minute detail matched up to the high standards expected at such a prestigious event. Support was also received from Toro, who provided machinery for the staff to prepare the course so immaculately.
After successful defending his crown at Mottram Hall following his success at Slaley Hall last year, Paul Wesselingh was rich in praise for the golf course and resort, “The course was just awesome. The greens were perfect, and the whole place was in first class condition. Credit has to go to all involved at Mottram Hall, especially the greens staff for getting the course into such supreme condition. You only have to look at how the whole venue was set-up to see the quality – it is a credit to De Vere and all the staff.”
The praise received from guests and dignitaries alike, just underlines the success of the £6 million investments that have been made at the Cheshire resort and highlights the great work of the management team, which includes Managing Director, James Stewart, and Regional Golf Director, Keith Pickard. James has been integral in overseeing the extensive makeover at the resort, which has enhanced guest experiences across golf, leisure and accommodation.
“We have to thank the great work of all our staff here at Mottram Hall, without their support we would not have been able to make this into the tournament standard venue that it is today,” noted James Stewart. “Keith Pickard also brought a wealth of experience to the team, having been a key part of the previous Championships when they were held at Slaley Hall in Northumberland.”
Academy staff from Slaley Hall, Oulton Hall and The Carrick on Loch Lomond were on hand to provide free tuition and custom-fitting for all spectators in the interactive zone during the tournament. They utilised their professional knowledge to educate and engage with visitors at the tournament. Tuition was provided for golfers of all abilities, including dedicated sessions with blind and disabled golfers in association with headline sponsors, ISPS HANDA.