Tag Archives: Richard Hills

Club Car – Gears up for The 2018 Ryder Cup following ‘Year to Go’ celebration

November 10, 2017 – Having played its part in the ‘Year to Go’ celebrations at Le Golf National in France, preparations are now underway for Club Car to provide a 500-strong fleet of vehicles to The 2018 Ryder Cup.

The 2018 edition of the biennial match will mark the 21st year of Club Car, a world-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, being an Official Supplier of The Ryder Cup.

During the successful two-day ‘Year to Go’ event, the official supplier of the European Tour presented European and United States (U.S.) team captains, Thomas Bjørn and Jim Furyk, with their specially equipped team cars, which feature embroidered seats sporting the European and U.S. flags.

“Seeing both captains in their team cars at Le Golf National for the first time was a very proud moment for everyone at Club Car,” said Marco Natale, Vice President of Club Car in EMEA.

“There have been many memorable images over the years that showcase the important role the cars have played in The Ryder Cup matches, not least Seve Ballesteros navigating the course at Valderrama, enroute to victory the last time the event was held in continental Europe and we look forward to again playing our part in what is sure to be a great sporting contest next year.” 

As in previous years, Club Car’s involvement in The 2018 Ryder Cup extends beyond the requirements of the two teams, with vehicles supplied for use by rules officials, television production teams and staging staff.

“The Ryder Cup is an event that never stands still,” said Richard Hills, European Ryder Cup Director. “From its minimal environmental impact to the technical innovations being introduced across its fleet, Club Car is a valued, long-term partner that has successfully evolved alongside the event.”

With less than a year to go until the 42nd Ryder Cup, preparations are now underway to ship a 350-strong fleet of golf cars, turf utility and transporter vehicles, from Club Car’s U.S. headquarters in Augusta, Georgia, while the remainder of the fleet will be sourced direct from its dealer network in Europe.

“The Ryder Cup is a huge logistical operation involving hundreds of vehicles,” Marco Natale added.

“However, having been an official supplier of The Ryder Cup since 1997, we have a detailed understanding of how to service the event and are perfectly placed to drive the on-course logistics of one of the world’s largest sporting events.” 

Club Car already supplies Le Golf National with a fleet of 50 Precedent i3 golf cars, all featuring the fully connected mobile golf information system, Visage.

2022 Ryder Cup – Spain announces PGA Catalunya as its Candidate to host The Ryder Cup

PGA-Catalunya-Candidatura-Ryder-2022

November 24, 2014 – The Real Federación Española de Golf (RFEG), in partnership with Generalitat de Catalunya and other public Spanish and Catalan stakeholders, have announced their intention to bid to bring The 2022 Ryder Cup to Catalunya. PGA Catalunya Resort (Girona), recently awarded European Golf Resort of the Year 2015, is the proposed venue for golf’s biggest confrontation between Europe and the United States.

The RFEG is working closely with stakeholders from across Spain and Catalunya, including the Sports Council of Spain (CSD), Generalitat de Catalunya, PGA Catalunya Resort, Diputación de Barcelona, Diputación de Girona, Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, City of Barcelona, City of Girona, City of Caldes de Malavella and the Federación Catalana de Golf to develop their bid dossier for submission to the European Tour Selection Committee by 30th April 2015.

Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the RFEG, said: “Few countries in the world have contributed as much to the development and promotion of European golf as Spain has over the last 30 years. Bringing The Ryder Cup to Spain is a central part of our strategy and will continue our proud PGA European Tour heritage. The Ryder Cup’s power to drive participation amongst new players and showcase our world class courses across the globe is unique. We are delighted to have received so much committed support from stakeholders and we look forward to submitting a compelling bid to The European Tour.”

PGA-Catalunya-Candidatura-Ryder-2022-2

Iván Tibau, Secretary General for Sport, Generalitat de Catalunya, said: “The world cities of Barcelona and Girona will be the gateways for golf fans from across the globe to experience the world leading cultural attractions, hospitality and landscape of Catalunya. We have a world class venue, established infrastructure and an unparalleled track record of delivering the world’s largest events. We should be very confident in our credentials and our ability to meet all of the requirements of a modern Ryder Cup. All of our partners recognise the wide ranging benefits that The Ryder Cup will generate – our bid committee is unified in its commitment to bringing The 2022 Ryder Cup to Catalunya.”

Denis O’Brien, PGA Catalunya Resort proprietor, said: “From its inception, the Stadium Course was designed and built with the intention to one day host The Ryder Cup. Hosting the 2022 match would be the realisation of this vision. We have worked extremely hard and invested significantly in recent years to make PGA Catalunya Resort unique. It is much more than a golf resort; it is a global golf destination. We have plans to further develop our courses and luxury property offering to introduce to the world the next generation of golf resort. This bid has our full commitment.”

RFEG is partnering with The Sports Consultancy to manage Catalunya’s bid response.

Trofeo-Ryder-Cup

RYDER CUP NEXT VENUES

  • 2016: Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota, U.S.)
  • 2018: Le Golf National (Paris, France)
  • 2020: Whistling Straist (Kohler, Wisconsin, U.S.)
  • 2022: Por decidir (Europe)
  • 2024: Bethpage Black Course (Nueva York, U.S.)