Ringdufferin Golf Club

Down on the farm Jim's fit for the future

Belfast Telegraph, Wednesday March 30, 2005

Ten years ago Co Down farmer Jim Lindsay found himself at a business crossroads. He had a decision to make. Should he expand further into farming or go down the road of diversification? He chose the latter. Now, he is the owner of a golf course, a tennis club and a state of the art fitness suite.

All are sited among the rolling drumlins of Down at Ringdufferin, two miles outside the former mill town of Killyleagh. With Strangford Lough washing up, almost to the front door, it offers views of Portaferry, Kircubbin and Ringhaddy Sound.

Today, Jim reflects on how it all came about.

"I'm still involved in farming but my business has really moved on and changed a lot from the days when my only involvement was with agriculture," he say relaxing in his modern club house.

"It all really started at a time when there was much talk about a reform of the Common Agriculture Policy."

"At that stage, the Department of Agriculture, who I must say have helped me well along the way over the years, were giving out the first Farm Diversification Grants."

"We started our first nine-hole golf course with one of the grants. In fact, apart from the land which formed the course, there was nothing much else there at the time but a little wooden hut."

The venture took off and quickly attracted a membership of 150 golfers. "That gave me the confidence to go ahead. We bought another farm to complement our 45-acre course and went for 18 holes. Then, after being in business for 10 years, we felt the time had come to think of doing something else. It seemed obvious we needed something to run alongside the golf which has been so good to us."

"Thanks to a bit of European grant aid, we now have two tennis courts and one of the most modern fitness suites in the country. It can accommodate 300 people and is, in fact, similar to one used by the Williams Formula 1 racing time to keep their members in trim."

Only open a couple of weeks, the suite is already attracting a steady membership.

"We are offering separate memberships for our golf, tennis and fitness facilities. For those who wish we can offer a package for all three."

"Our golf membership stands at 300 and we would like to get our fitness membership to a comparable figure in the next year," Jim explains.

"We are also looking at the corporate market, providing services to those wanting to hold 'pamper' days or capacity building days."

Jim says a lot of his success can be attributed to the catchment area in which the business operates. "We have Killyleagh, Crossgar, Saintfield, Balloo, Whiterock, Killinchy and Comber around us and that's a lot of potential customers."

However, he has not forsaken farming. "It is still in the blood and we keep a few sheep and harvest a bit of barley. But I have enjoyed the business into which I diversified. Of course, at times, I feel I should have done it all 20 year earlier."

He adds: "The great thing is, the family is interested in this business and that is a bonus."

"It is very enjoyable working with the general public ... it's a completely different ball game from farming. My family," Jim points out, "have been in business in the Killyleagh area for well over 100 years. My grandfather had a nursery business in Killyleagh, supplying an area extending from Newtownards to Downpatrick. We have been involved in serving the public for a long time so the transition into farming was not a painful one."

What about the future?

"We are extending our restaurant," Jim explains, "and we hope to do weddings, corporate functions and of course, we expect more people to use our sports facilities. Who knows, we might even consider putting in a swimming pool some day."