|
|
SofTrak® Synthetic Putting Greens Debut in China, a Rising Star of the
Global Golf Scene
(December 28th 2005) First Tour Quality Synthetic
Green in China is Amenity for Factory President and Employees of Golden
Friendship Investments Ltd; This Installation is Expected to be the First
of Many in Asia Given the Luxury, High-Performance and
Environmental-Sensitivity Characteristics of SofTrak
(WICHITA,
Kansas) – VersaSport International, LLC, exclusive supplier of SofTrak®
Synthetic Putting Greens (“SofTrak”) – the high-performance turf for
residential and commercial use that closely simulates the look and feel of
natural grass greens without the maintenance problems – today announces
that its Asian distributor and installer of SofTrak – Brightstone
Management, LLC – designed and constructed a luxury SofTrak green for
Golden Friendship Investments Ltd in Guangdong, China, the first SofTrak
and tour-quality synthetic green built in the country.
The
2,700-square-foot green includes multiple holes cut into its tiered and
undulating surface, as well as surrounding fringe, sand bunkers and teeing
areas from which to chip from. The SofTrak green was built specifically
for Mr. Tim Yang, President of Golden Friendship Investments Ltd, a
manufacturing company which exports products to several major home
decorating chains in the United States and Europe.
An excellent
golfer who is a member of four golf courses and chairman of the local golf
association where he lives, Mr. Yang had long been looking for a
tour-quality synthetic turf green which he could have installed at his
factory. Mr. Yang wanted a professional quality green located conveniently
to the factory so he could practice whenever his busy schedule allowed.
After discovering and testing SofTrak, which is being exclusively supplied
and constructed in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong by Brightstone, Mr. Yang
was convinced he had found the elite, high-quality synthetic chipping and
putting surface he had long sought.
“The SofTrak green is better
than I imagined it could be,” says Mr. Yang. “It is absolutely beautiful
and unbelievably realistic.”
Combining both high performance and
aesthetic beauty were imperative to Mr. Yang’s installation at the
factory, according Darsen Chen, Founder of Brightstone Management, LLC,
which, in addition to being the exclusive SofTrak distributor in Asia,
also owns and operates championship golf courses in the U.S. and Asia.
“The situations in Asia and the United States are completely
different, given the difference in land available,” says Mr. Chen.
“Americans like big, functional greens of the highest quality, as do
Asians. However, in China and Taiwan, land is precious and hard to come by
near the major cities, which all have very large populations. Therefore,
Asians pay more attention to the landscape and aesthetic value of their
SofTrak greens. So we have to combine the high-tech sensibilities of the
West with the environmental sensitivity of the East. We are very clear
that nothing is more perfect than a balance with nature. So that is our
purpose – to ensure that our SofTrak installations exude the feel of
nature with excellent performance.”
Mr. Yang’s green at the
factory (see attached image) accomplishes both mandates and met his
expectations so well that he has already made plans for several social and
short-game events at his SofTrak green for 2006, both for his employees as
well as his golfing friends.
But most of all, Mr. Yang is excited
by the prospect of further improving his short game and getting his
handicap down to zero this year so he can compete for China’s national
amateur championship.
“This is an extremely exciting and dynamic
time for China in many entrepreneurial ways, not the least of which is in
the golf industry,” says Asia SofTrak distributor and installer Mr. Chen
of Brightstone. “Providing only the best-quality synthetic greens in Asia
will ensure SofTrak’s success here and Mr. Yang’s happiness with his
SofTrak green bodes well for us in that regard.”
Further evidence
of SofTrak’s elite and superior performance can be found in the fact that
several professional golf tour stars own and practice on SofTrak greens in
the comfort and convenience of their private residences. These top players
include Fred Couples, T.C. Chen, Bruce Lietzke, Rich Beem, Steve Flesch,
Donna Andrews.
Prospective customers can learn more about SofTrak
via Brightstone Golf Management’s website ( www.golf100.com ), or by
calling 1-800-540-4899 or visiting www.versasport.com.
About
SofTrak Putting Greens
Exclusively supplied by VersaSport
International, LLC, of Wichita, Kansas, SofTrak’s cutting-edge
construction process includes laying down two layers of crushed stone
base, which enables undulations and contours to be designed into the green
as well as quick, thorough drainage of water.
SofTrak’s
proprietary RQS in-fill – a sand-like material that is unique to the
industry in that it resists hardening over time – is used to top-dress the
fine, dense turf blades and ensures SofTrak greens provide
consistent-rolling putts and accept shots into greens from as far as 150
yards. Also, the surface fibers of SofTrak greens are UV-ray resistant to
help maintain the lush, green appearance.
In addition to thousands
of homeowners worldwide, numerous commercial businesses are having SofTrak
greens built at their venues as an amenity to their core business – from
retirement communities and Bed & Breakfasts to golf course practice
facilities and condominium complexes. SofTrak greens are even being used
to replace real turfgrass greens on regulation golf courses.
SofTrak greens cost a fraction of natural turf greens without the
maintenance headaches and expenses (diseased greens, chemical
applications, specialized mowing equipment, etc.).
|
|
