‘A great impression is essential’

Two golf clubs, one in England and one in Wales, have carried out stunning changing room refurbishments, each with a different manufacturer. Here, we look at both.

With clubhouses thriving again, many golf clubs have taken the opportunity to invest in them – and particularly in their changing rooms.

Holyhead Golf Club

Crown Sports Lockers, for example, has been designing, manufacturing and installing golf lockers since 1993, achieving formidable, finished results that are the pride of place in an exclusive selection of the UK’s most prestigious golf clubs.

Its recent fit-out at Holyhead Golf Club was no exception! Opening for play in 1914, to keep up with the modern-day golfing enthusiasts’ requirements, the golf club in Anglesey, North Wales wanted to update its facilities to be more in line with the growing needs of its members. It decided to do some major refurbishments, that would particularly concentrate on the redesigning of the golf club’s male and female locker rooms, which were previously made of steel.

That’s when the club decided to call in the locker experts at Crown. Through Crown’s in-house design and manufacturing, they were able to provide and install the bespoke, made-to-measure lockers with ease. The dated steel lockers were replaced with quality wooden golf lockers, featuring solid oak framed, shaker doors, that transformed the area in an instant.

Stephen Elliott, PGA professional and secretary manager at the club, commented: “Using Crown Sports Lockers was a must. I cannot fault the job they have done, from designing and building the lockers, right through to the installation, the project was seamless.

“I would have no hesitation in recommending Crown Sports Lockers to other businesses. Their service and expertise were second-to-none. We are extremely pleased with the final result.”

How the locker room looked before

If you are interested in improving your golf club’s amenities, please contact the Crown Sports Lockers team at www.crownsportslockers.co.uk.

Leamington & County Golf Club

It was a case of once seen, never forgotten for Bryan Frazer, club manager of Leamington & County Golf Club, after witnessing new changing rooms at Robin Hood Golf Club in Solihull.

Locker manufacturer Fitlockers had installed the men’s facility in 2018. As a longstanding member there, Bryan saw the high quality of the wooden lockers and when Leamington decided to upgrade, he was perfectly placed to recommend the company to handle the project.

Installed earlier this year, the new light oak golf bag and visitor lockers have transformed provision at the Warwickshire parkland venue. Purchased under a Golf Finance scheme, the lockers are rented out to members to cover monthly payments and are a world away from the old cramped steel units they’ve replaced.

“More than 90 percent of the 127 installed have been taken up, with nameplates on them, and we should be fully subscribed soon,” says Bryan, “such is the popularity of the new storage with members.”

With nearly 730 playing members, the club is set to see healthy usage of the new facility, phase one of a projected £750,000 investment in the historic clubhouse – dating back nearly 120 years – which also includes a new academy and irrigation system.

“The golf boom over the last 18 months has helped us grow member numbers and increase green fees substantially,” Bryan explains.

British weather being what it is though, no doubt many rounds will be completed in wet conditions, which raises an important feature of the new lockers.

The solid oak base and ventilation holes drilled along the front edge allows each unit to breathe, so that any moisture from wet or damp golf gear can escape and prevent risk of rotting. And with no surface banding to lift off when wet, repair or replacement costs are minimised.

“I picked up the locker project two years ago, once the club had decided to move ahead with it,” recalls Bryan. “David Fitchett, Fitlockers’ managing director, had been involved with Leamington for several years, having quoted for the job back in 2012.

“The club was in good shape but lacked investment in off-course facilities. Locker rooms are, after the pro shop, the first and often the last place many members and visitors go so a great impression is essential.

“The old tin lockers were in a poor state. Some had been jemmied opened because of lost keys. Any new ones would have to fully secure personal belongings and golf equipment so that members felt more comfortable using them.”

First off, the old lockers were removed and the space redecorated before David came in and installed the new lockers. “Once the finance package was sorted, our proactive chairman and treasurer were keen to move ahead,” Bryan adds.

Most of the golf bag lockers include integral benching but several don’t. “Some of our older members, now into their 70s and 80s, find lifting golf equipment over benching a challenge so we’ve eased that for them by giving them lockers without it.”

Three island units and hanging spaces feature in the fitout, with 20 holdall lockers and 30 day visitor ones, fitted with keypad locks, completing the scheme, with upholstered benching and locker tops throughout in anthracite grey, to match the floor carpet.

“We’ve scope to add more lockers if we need them,” says Bryan, “and we may be fitting TV screens to display live scoring, and a three-piece suite for those wanting to rest up after their round.”

Tuned to the needs of a golf business, Bryan, over his five and a half years in post, has introduced methods and practices that will further strengthen Leamington & County’s trading position.

Fixing the club’s gas prices in 2019 until 2025 seems like an awfully prudent move as “they are eight times higher now than then”. Plans for solar panels on the greens team’s shed and buying and storing building materials for future construction projects are other examples of Bryan’s foresight.

Clearly over the moon with the revitalised changing facility, Bryan closes by saying: “I used to dread showing people round our old locker rooms, now I welcome the chance to.”

Visit: www.fitlockers.co.uk