JCB plans to build the 18-hole, Par 72 championship golf course on 240 acres of rolling countryside to the south of its World HQ at Rocester.
When completed in 2018, it is expected that up to 100 people will be employed in groundscare and hospitality roles.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford marked the start of work on the project as a 36-tonne tracked excavator cut the first sod of earth on the 240-acre site.
A fleet of 10 JCB machines will shift half a million tonnes of earth between now and next June when the first stage of the project, which involves profiling and contouring of the site, will be completed.
When finished, the 7,150 yard golf course will be the biggest marketing tool available to digger maker JCB in its 69-year history.
Lord Bamford said: “My vision for this golf course is for it to build an even stronger awareness of the JCB brand around the world and help drive increased demand for our products.”
At the heart of this golf development is Woodseat Hall, an 18th Century mansion currently in ruins, but which will have a new lease of life under plans to renovate it as the course clubhouse, complete with a new luxury spa, leisure facility and five-star hotel-style accommodation for visiting JCB guests from across the world.
The new golf course will be made available mainly to JCB’s network of 770 global dealers.
It will be used to drive business growth, helping to build relationships with new customers and strengthen relationships with existing customers.
