Centurion club to take a leaf out of romans book

The new Centurion Club near St Albans may not open until the middle of 2013 but already it has been lauded for setting a new benchmark for premium golfing facilities within the UK.

Its picturesque 7,200-yard golf club has already been described as a modern classic and that is an accolade which is likely to be endorsed when it opens for play in early July.

The Centurion Club is owned by an Anglo-Dutch quartet comprising Chairman Graham Wildish, Managing Director Scott Evans, Bert Pronk and André Pronk and right from the start they confirmed a desire to create a top quality Club where members could unwind in a luxurious setting far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern day life.

They chose acclaimed course architect, Simon Gidman, to design a world class lay-out and then brought in Troon Golf®, the leader in upscale golf course management, development and marketing, to ensure that it was constructed in such a way that it would withstand the rigours of everyday play in what is often a hostile environment.

“Our goal is always to exceed the expectation of the golfer,” confirmed Simon Doyle, Troon’s Head of Agronomy, as he overlooked the new course built on rolling land close to the Roman town of St Albans (Verulamium) and just 30 minutes by car from the centre of London.

“The Romans are famous for leaving a lasting legacy and that is something all of us working on this project would like to achieve here at the Centurion Club.”

Troon’s reputation is built on a combination of personalised service, consistency and attention to detail and all three are much in evidence in the work they have done on the golf course at Centurion Club.

Troon made a number of key recommendations that will ensure Centurion Club’s place among Britain’s leading golf clubs is assured.

“We upgraded the drainage system to ensure that it will cope with the worst of the British weather and we have also installed a state-of-the-art Toro irrigation system which allows us to water the greens independently from the surrounds.

“We want to prepare the course to tournament specifications and we also want year-round playability which is why we have re-established the greens with A1 creeping bent. This variety of bentgrass has proven itself around the world, providing a superb putting surface with all of the critical characteristics we look for.

“We’re seeking the best of both worlds here at Centurion Club,” admitted Doyle. The fairways will have a blend of fescues and ryegrasses, this will provide a diverse stand of turf stand with great drought tolerance as well as a high quality playing surface.

Centurion Club Managing Director, Evans, revealed:“One experienced player told us it was the best new course he had ever visited and several others have bought memberships on their first visit to the Club.”

The Membership Office  at Centurion Club is now open and is selling a range of memberships including Senate, Centurion and Corporate. Prospective members can contact the Club to arrange for a guided tour on 01442 510520 or visit www.centurionclub.co.uk for more information.