Converting waste ground alongside the Ransomes Jacobsen manufacturing facility in Ipswich into a three hole golf course proved a challenging and rewarding project
THE RJ NATIONAL B
uilding a golf course on a factory site in the middle of Ipswich may seem like a crazy idea, but not when the client is Ransomes Jacobsen. This unusual course construction opportunity fell to Essex based Grassform Ltd., who built the three-hole course on the site during 2007. Known unofficially within Ransomes Jacobsen as the ‘RJ National’, the course features a challenging set of holes, bunkers and water hazard just yards from the company’s manufacturing facility and offices.
A variety of challenges in designing, constructing and implementing a course in such close proximity to a working factory site were in evidence, but Ransomes Jacobsen were adamant that the project had little impact on the environment as well as giving an aesthetically pleasing sight to both staff and visitors alike.
The course is available for use on open days and for demonstrations of Ransomes Jacobsen’s range of fine turf mowers.
The design of the course was carried out by Swan Golf Designs, who were
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required to incorporate best practices and principles in environmental sustainability into their concepts and final plans. It was built on a piece of bare wasteland from a level site and is a testament to the skill of the contractor in landscape creation and shaping as well as interpreting the ideas of the architects. Also part of the project was a noise testing area, situated to the side of the course. This is part of Ransomes Jacobsen’s machine testing policy and allows machines to be checked for peripheral working noise in a grass based environment, as would be found on a golf course or sports field. This area also doubles as two 5-a-side football pitches for staff use. A bespoke multi-purpose decking area was also built between the car park and course, adding to the aesthetics and providing a raised platform, overlooking the course, for hosting events. The decking and hardwood furniture around the course, are all FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. The landscape and planting plan was
carefully designed by Swan’s Mike Wood to complement the existing native
vegetation and to further enhance the landscape character and ecology of the site. Only native species were used in scrub and tree planting. Close attention to detail was particularly important in species selection, woodland edge enhancements and methods to increase habitat diversity without damage to areas of the existing ecology. Interesting areas of natural vegetation and individual trees were retained. This careful planning of vegetation was matched in other areas. Part of the remit was to remove a vast
area of heather to be stored and utilised later on the finished site, giving a natural feel close to the predominantly heathland area to the east of Ipswich. Although the site is fairly free draining, due to the sand based heathland soil, the RJ National still required a basic drainage scheme. A system that included gentle slopes and open swales to shed water was built with pipe drainage installed as and where required.
The course drains into the centrepiece of the site, the lake, which includes a fountain. The introduction of the lake not only allows for drainage outflow and
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