Landmark Media News

Burhill Golf & Leisure appoints Landmark Media

05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Burhill Golf and Leisure Ltd, one of the UK’s largest and most successful golf course owners and operators, has appointed Landmark Media to handle its group-wide communications.
The Company, which operates three members’ clubs, including Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, and seven golf centres, has also commissioned Landmark Media to manage local media campaigns at a number of its venues including Aldwickbury Park and Redbourn, both in Hertfordshire, The Shropshire Golf Centre and Wycombe Heights in Buckinghamshire.
Gary Firkins, Landmark Media Director, said: “Burhill Golf and Leisure is one of the most forward-thinking golf course operators in the business, with a portfolio of outstanding golf centres that are highly successful in attracting and maintaining new golfers – men, women and juniors – as well as regular, experienced golfers. We look forward to working with the Burhill Group and its growing number of golf centres.”

Oldest swinger hits the headlines

04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Shropshire Golf Centre was the focus of national and local media attention in December when Britain’s oldest golfer, Charles Viner, teed off at his home course to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Landmark Media’s Matt Moore managed a targeted media campaign that saw The Shropshire and Charles feature in The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Express, the BBC Sport website, BBC Midlands TV, BBC Radio Shropshire and on the front page of The Shropshire Star.
“Charles is an amazing individual and coped with all the media interest fantastically well,” said Matt. “This was always going to be a story that would attract a great deal of attention, but our prime goal was to ensure Charles’ wellbeing and that The Shropshire Golf Centre, part of Burhill Golf and Leisure, benefited positively from local as well as national media coverage. To that end, it was a very successful campaign.”

Stylo shoes back on course

31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Stylo, one of Britain’s best known golf shoe manufacturers, is back on course following major investment, a brand relaunch and a comprehensive redesign of its products.

New look Stylo shoes, including the brand’s bestselling Typhoon line, are benefiting from an injection of style and technical innovation that has resulted in a 15% increase in year-on-year sales across the company’s account base of more than 500 green grass golf shops.

Mark Wilkinson, the clothing and fashion entrepreneur who acquired exclusive rights to the Stylo brand 12 months ago, said: “Stylo is still one of the most recognised British golf brands among consumers and has a rich heritage that includes associations with some of the biggest names in international professional golf.

“The brand has been treading water in recent years, but we are now reinvigorating Stylo designs with bolder styles and brighter colours that appeal to more golfers, while retaining the core values of the brand that appeal to the more traditional customer. We have done this with the help of designer Sandy Baker, who heads up our in-house design studio in Leicester.”

For more information, contact Gary Firkins on tel +44 (0)1780 752790.

CMAE appoints Landmark Media

11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) has appointed Landmark Media as its international press and publicity adviser.

The specialist golf marketing and public relations agency will manage the CMAE’s Europe-wide media activities and communications.

“This is an important time for the CMAE as we enhance our offering of professional qualifications and member benefits,” said Jerry Kilby, CMAE Chief Executive Officer.

“As our membership continues to grow, it is increasingly important that we communicate our activities and reach out to club managers and organisations across Europe. Landmark Media has a proven track record in pan-European public relations and is ideally positioned to spread our message across the Continent.”

Among the CMAE’s upcoming events is the third Business Management Institute (BMI) at St Andrews, November 1-6, 2007, run in conjunction with the Club Manager’s Association of America (CMAA). It offers all managers – including entry-level managers, golf maintenance and agronomy professionals, to senior executives and golf industry professionals – the opportunity to learn from experts, academics and experienced club managers.

Landmark Media Director Gary Firkins said: “The commercial success of clubs, particularly golf clubs, is often dependent on the quality of their managers and staff. CMAE members benefit enormously from ongoing professional training and development, and we will be working closely with the Association to raise its profile and communicate the benefits of membership via targeted, quality media across Europe.”

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) is a non-profit making professional association with members involved in the management of sports clubs (golf, tennis, sailing, rowing, rugby, football, cricket), health & fitness clubs, leisure, city and dining clubs located throughout Europe. CMAE is closely aligned with the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) and actively participates in the annual World Conference for club managers and other international events.

In addition, the CMAE is the pan-European ‘umbrella’ organisation for a variety of national trade associations for club managers and secretaries. National associations can affiliate to the CMAE, thereby giving their membership access to the CMAE education programme and other CMAE and CMAA international activities and events.

For more information, visit: http://www.cmaeurope.org

MEDIA CONTACT
Gary Firkins, Landmark Media International Ltd
Tel +44 (0)1780 752790
E-mail gary@landmark-media.com
www.landmark-media.com

Financial Times Business of Golf

26 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Landmark Media clients benefited from coverage in the Financial Times' special Business of Golf supplement, published during Open Championship week.

The Financial Times contacted Landmark Media direct to discuss a number of articles, paving the way for KPMG Golf Advisory Services, Callaway Golf and ProQuip to be featured.

ProQuip was also featured in a company profile that appeared in the main news pages the previous day.

"The Financial Times has a worldwide readership comprising CEOs and high net worth individuals," said Gary Firkins. "Generating stories about our clients in the FT and this supplement is of very significant value."

PR seminar for PGA European Tour Courses

29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Landmark Media's Gary Firkins delivered a seminar about the power of PR at the PGA European Tour Courses conference in Spain this week.

Managers from some of Europe's best known golf courses, including Quinta do Lago, Kungsangen and host venue PGA Golf de Catalunya, participated in an interactive session focusing on using the media to raise awareness and positively influence consumer perception.

ProQuip sales success is national news

29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

ProQuip's rise to become the bestselling rain suit brand in the UK was featured in the business pages of The Scotsman today.

Please read the full press release:

PRESS RELEASE

PROQUIP IS THE UK’S NUMBER ONE SELLING RAIN SUIT BRAND

North Berwick, Scotland – June 27, 2007

PROQUIP, the world’s leading innovator of lightweight golf weatherwear, is the number one selling rain suit brand in the UK, according to the latest sales figures from golf industry analysts Sports Marketing Surveys Ltd.

The Scottish-based weatherwear manufacturer, which this year launched Ultralite, ¬its lightest ever suit, is the number one selling brand in the two largest categories in the waterproofs market, rain suits and waterproof playing tops.

Richard Head, chief designer and managing director of ProQuip, said: “ProQuip continues to develop ultra-lightweight, high performance weatherwear that outperforms existing waterproof technologies. Ultralite is the lightest suit we’ve ever made and it’s no surprise that we are leading the rain suit market in 2007 with this exclusive fabric technology.”

The latest SMS figures report a year on year sales increase of more than nine per cent for ProQuip in the first half of 2007, driven by strong sales of Ultralite suits.

“It is clear that ProQuip’s superior quality weatherwear, high levels of service to retailers and outstanding innovations in fabric technology are the key reasons why the brand continues to grow year on year,” added Richard Head.

Year on year, ProQuip’s sales of rain suits have increased by 12.2 per cent, while in waterproof playing tops, sales have risen an incredible 36.7 per cent in 2007.

The recently published SMS report also revealed:

- Proquip customers are among the most satisfied waterproofs consumers with a rating of 4.78 out of 5

Richard Head, added: “A number of high-profile tour professionals are already wearing Ultralite and they have told us that the new fabric is so light, they hardly notice they are wearing it. With the launch of Ultralite and excellent results in the first half year, ProQuip’s business is looking as good as ever.”

Customer information: tel 01620 892219; www.proquipgolf.com

Linna Golf clubhouse to open

04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Linna Golf, a member of the PGA European Tour Courses group, is set to open its new luxury clubhouse this week.
Landmark Media will be escorting journalists to Finland to see the new building and play a round of midnight golf later this month.
Among the media attending will be a writer from The Financial Times.

KPMG in the Daily Telegraph

21 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

KPMG's Golf Business Forum was featured on page three of today's Daily Telegraph Business Section.
Gary Firkins said: "KPMG gave us a brief to achieve coverage in quality business media, and this is precisely what we have achieved with this article.
"The Forum is now one of the most important meeting points for golf industry professionals from across the world – and Landmark Media was delighted not only to manage international media activities, but to participate in one of the sessions."
http://www.golfbusinessforum.com

KPMG Golf Business Forum

16 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Landmark Media’s Gary Firkins will be chairing a debate on 'Learning from the best' at the KPMG Golf Business Forum, Budapest, this week. Joining Gary are senior representatives of the The Emirates Golf Club, The K Club, Fancourt and Quinta do Lago, Portugal.