Bartram Mowers, the regional dealer in East Anglia for turf care equipment manufacturer Ransomes Jacobsen, has signed a third five-year preferred supplier agreement with Ipswich Golf Club.

Neill Ellice, general manager at the club, said: “We have an excellent relationship with Bartram Mowers and Ransomes Jacobsen.

“We are fortunate that geography comes into play as Bartram’s Ipswich branch and Ransomes Jacobsen’s headquarters are less than a mile away as the crow flies but, having said that, the service we receive is of the highest order.

“There was some stiff competition for this agreement, but the trust we have established over the years and the service offering won the day.”

One of the first purchases under the new agreement and delivered at the start of this season was an Iseki TG5470 with cab and MX front loader.

“The TG5470 is an excellent general purpose tractor for numerous golf course applications,” said Graham Brumpton, course manager at the 6,500 yard heathland course. “We are committed to improving the heathland environment here at Purdis Heath and use the tractor and loader to remove the top layer of vegetation and expose the native soil before we distribute the heather brash to start of the regeneration process.”

Also included in the course maintenance equipment at the club is a Jacobsen Eclipse 322 greens mower.

“My predecessor, Norman Fenwick, waited until the launch of the Eclipse before purchasing a replacement greens mower,” Graham added, “because he had been involved in its development and had an inside track to its innovative features.

“We’re having 27 new homes being built close to the club boundary, so the reduced noise levels from the small engine in our hybrid version will certainly help with any noise pollution issues. Also, the fuel savings are impressive; it runs for a week without refuelling.”