Spotlight on … MJ Abbott

1. What are (is) MJ Abbott best known for and what do you do that we might not know about?

In the golf, sport and amenity industries we are best known for our major golf projects such as Wentworth, The Grove, Celtic Manor, Close House and Rockcliffe Hall. We directly employ 150 staff who perform a range of disciplines including construction, drainage, irrigation and finishing works. We are extremely diverse and our projects span golf courses, country parks, major landscape schemes, sports stadiums, training pitches, synthetic and hybrid grass pitches and agricultural land improvement schemes. People may not be aware that we also run MJ Abbott Direct, a webshop for all materials that we stock and use every day, available to our customer base.

2. What are you working on just now?

We are currently in the middle of a 2 year project to move Ingestre Park Golf Club onto adjoining land to make way for HS2, we have completed a first phase of a major reconstruction project at Royal Wimbledon GC, a second phase of a major reconstruction project at Hankley Common GC, a 3rd phase of bunker reconstruction works at Burnham Beeches GC. We have just finished a major bunker reconstruction project at Prestbury GC. This year we are about to start the building of a new 6 Hole academy course short game practice are and putting green at Goodwood GC, a 9 Hole refurbishment of the Garden Course at The Wisley and a rebuild of La Grande Mare GC on the island of Guernsey. We also continue to work with Chelsea FC, Newcastle United FC and Nottingham Forest FC amongst others on their sports pitch facilities. Our current irrigation projects include new system installations at Hadley Wood Golf Club, Barton on Sea Golf club and Carnoustie Golf Links along with system upgrades at Saunton Golf Club and Sunningdale Golf Club.

3. What are the biggest changes you have see in the last 10 years?

There are many aspects of the industry which are evolving rapidly, notably advances in irrigation technology and wireless control systems with telephone and tablet control, fully integrated moisture sensors and pump stations. Other changes include machinery control with tilt rotor buckets and advancements in laser and GPS control, unmanned aerial surveying with multi-rotor drones, undersoil ventilation systems to greens and stadium pitches, bunker lining systems and Hybrid Turf technology. GPS equipment for maintenance is also gaining traction where clients seek to reduced costs for maintenance.

4. What advice would you give Golf Course Architects from a contractor’s perspective?

Provide as much information as possible based on accurate topographical survey with working areas and quantities calculated as accurately as possible and provide all drawings, specification and schedule of quantities as one complete package. A combination of Brexit, Pandemic, Inflation and demand for golf has lead to a significant increase in prices and availability. It’s very difficult to predict budgets at present so it’s always worth asking a contractor to price early in the design stage or wait for the tender process before committing to a budget. Also plan for inflationary increases where a project may move back a year or two as budgets in the past 3 years have moved significantly due to inflation.

5. What interesting environmental initiatives have you seen or installed on golf courses?

Flood compensation schemes are a regularly incorporated on golf courses within flood areas and river water courses. Water harvesting and conservation are also featuring more frequently on new or improvement schemes. Irrigation technology continues to develop with increased control, accuracy and placement of water. We have also been involved with translocation of heather and acid grass habitats and have had to build several badger sets for relocation prior to working around old setts.

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