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Henni Zuël Joins The Buckinghamshire and Arora Group as Ambassador

Matt Nicholson — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:40:26 +0000

The Buckinghamshire has announced the appointment of broadcaster Henni Zuël as its new Golf Ambassador, strengthening its profile as one of the leading private golf estates in the UK.

Zuël, a former Ladies European Tour professional and now one of the most recognisable voices in the sport, will also represent the Arora Group’s wider portfolio of golf and hospitality destinations. These include Fairmont Windsor Park and Ryder Cup candidate venue Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa.

Arora Group Partnership

The partnership brings together a prominent figure in global golf with one of the UK’s largest family owned businesses. The Arora Group has continued to expand its presence across championship golf, luxury hospitality and modern private membership.

Zuël’s role will see her acting as an ambassador across the group’s golf properties while supporting its long term vision for premium sporting and lifestyle experiences.

Fairmont Windsor Park

Return to The Buckinghamshire

For Zuël, the appointment marks a return to a venue with strong personal significance. In 2012 The Buckinghamshire hosted the Ladies’ British Masters, where she competed in her first home championship as a professional.

That week proved memorable as she stayed locally, played in front of friends and family and shared the first round lead with Dame Laura Davies, one of her childhood idols.

“I’ve always felt at home at The Buckinghamshire,” said Zuël. “From my first home championship here to today, this club has been part of my journey in golf. I’m thrilled to represent a place that stands for exceptional golf, hospitality and community.”

The Buckinghamshire’s exquisitely renovated 17th century house

Membership Vision

The Buckinghamshire promotes what it calls Membership Reimagined, offering access to a championship golf course, a restored 17th century country house and high end hospitality close to central London and Heathrow Airport.

The club regularly hosts major qualifying events and is known for combining elite playing conditions with a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.

Women’s Golf Focus

As the home of the Ladies European Tour, The Buckinghamshire continues to play a central role in women’s professional golf, staging top level competition and supporting the future growth of the game.

Leadership Reaction

Sanjay Arora, chief executive of Arora Group, welcomed the appointment. “Henni’s experience as both a broadcaster and former professional makes her an ideal ambassador as we continue to develop world class golf and hospitality across our portfolio,” he said.

Gerry Ivers, managing director of The Buckinghamshire, added: “Henni is one of the most influential figures in modern golf. Welcoming her back as a member and ambassador reflects our commitment to supporting the sport and setting new standards for contemporary members’ clubs.”

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THE INTERVIEW: SURINDER ARORA

Matt Nicholson — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:19:32 +0000

Meet the Man Who Wants to Bring the Ryder Cup to Luton Hoo

Interview Matt Nicholson

It’s been more than two decades since the Ryder Cup was last staged in England. In 2002, Sam Torrance captained Europe to a 15½-12½ victory over the United States at The Belfry, the fourth time the famous North Warwickshire venue hosted the biennial contest.

It remains to be seen whether England’s wait to host the prestigious contest will extend beyond 30 years. As it stands, Camiral Golf & Wellness Resort (formerly PGA Catalunya) in Spain is reported to be in pole position to host the event in 2031, although there has yet to be an official announcement.

One man that will be hoping to see the Ryder Cup return to England is Surinder Arora, the founder and chairman of Arora Group, owners of The Buckinghamshire Golf Club.

SURINDER ARORA IS AS COMPETITIVE ON THE COURSE AS HE IS IN THE BOARDROOM (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Four years ago, the company bought Luton Hoo, and Arora has big plans for the venue. Work will soon commence on building a new course, one that will be worthy of hosting the Ryder Cup.

That’s the dream: Luton Hoo, Ryder Cup venue 2031. He might settle for 2035, but the ambitious billionaire businessman, who moved to England from India when he was 13 years old, is ploughing on with his bold plans for the property regardless – and he has a lot of good support, too, in the shape of golfing legends Gary Player and Justin Rose.

Matt Nicholson caught up with Surinder Arora at his Heathrow offices to talk about his love of the game, and what golfers can look forward to seeing at Luton Hoo in the not-too-distant future and something special in the pipeline at his Fairmont Windsor Hotel in Berkshire.

When did you discover your passion for the game?

It was really when I moved to Wentworth in 1999. A parent at my daughter’s school persuaded me to play a game on the Edinburgh course. He gave me a shot a hole. We played two games, and I never won a single hole. He said, ‘Surinder, you’re so bad – you’ll never beat me!’ That’s what got me going.

Did you beat him?

I went and had a few lessons. Within eight or nine months we were kind of level. I remember the first time I was winning when we got to the 18th on the West.

I was one up. I said, ‘Come on, let’s double the bet.

I’ll give you a shot.’ I lost the hole, but I reminded him that he said I’d never beat him, and that I had just had to give him a shot. It was all about bragging rights.

What’s been your most memorable golfing moment?

I remember it clearly. I always used to say to my son, Sanjay, that one day I want to go to the Masters.

Six years ago, when it was my 60th birthday, he made a plan. He put all these dummy appointments in my diary.

Then, a couple of days before the Masters, we sat down for dinner and he said, ‘Dad, I’ve got a surprise for you. We’re going first to the Masters. First class.’

That’s not a bad birthday present…

When we got there, he’d planned for us to have dinner with Gary Player at a place near Augusta. Gary’s been a good friend for many years.

I watched the Masters on Thursday, had dinner with Gary that evening, and I played golf with him the next morning at one of the local courses.

I was standing on the first tee pinching myself, wondering whether it was all real. I never thought anything like this existed.

I remember thinking if I’d come ten years earlier, I would have gone back to England and looked for 600 acres of land and I’d have built my own Augusta National of Europe.

What about your most memorable round?

Playing with Padraig Harrington in the BMW PGA Pro-Am at Wentworth. It was about 15 years ago. I was playing off about 20. I’ve got some funny habits, and Padraig kept giving me tips.

It was one of those days. I went out in 40 and came back in 41. Maybe one day I can get to a ten or twelve handicap, I thought. I’ve never done it again, but I love the game.

SURINDER HAD A MEMORABLE ROUND WITH PADRAIG HARRINGTON (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

What is it you enjoy the game so much?

It’s just such a great game, regardless of your age. My dear friend, KP Singh, the owner of DLF, he’s 95 and he plays four times a week.

Look at Gary – approaching 90, and he’s out on the golf course every day. Then you see youngsters. My four-year-old grandson is having lessons. That’s the beauty of this amazing game.

Has the game influenced your personal and professional life?

It’s had a big impact on both in a positive way. You meet such wonderful people, young and old, and then there’s the etiquette.

I really miss it now if I don’t play. On a good day, I can play off 16. I just love the game. It’s about the people you play with and the people you meet.

Let’s talk about your work. What was your vision starting out?

When I started, I wanted to build a four-star hotel. I wanted to offer five-star service at three- and-a-half star prices.

If you can do that, you can beat your competitors. That was the vision, and we did that against the big boys. Within 12 years, we became the largest family-owned hotel company in the UK.

Tell us about how you acquired Luton Hoo?

About a year after coming back from that Augusta trip, Knight Frank rang and asked if I was interested in buying it. I said no.

Then, one Sunday, Sanjay took his wife and my grandson to Whipsnade Zoo, which is around the corner, and then went to Luton Hoo for afternoon tea.

The next day, he said, ‘I’ve got an appointment, and you’re coming with me!’ We jumped in the car and went to Luton Hoo.

As soon as I saw it and we drove up to the main mansion, I said, ‘I’m going to buy this.’ Without even going inside.

We bought it cash – sold as seen. To become the custodian of such a beautiful estate, it’s amazing. That’s when the dream of hosting the Ryder Cup started.

THE MANSION HOUSE AT LUTON HOO

Is that dream still alive?

Yes. The only problem was that the previous owner got the planning permission 20 years earlier to build the golf course, but with no bunkers.

You can’t host any championship if you don’t have bunkers. So, that’s the challenge.

We’ve been working really hard with the local authority, local planners, and Historic England.

The dream is to create something really special that not only creates hundreds of jobs, but puts central Bedfordshire on the world map.

People still talk about The Belfry, which was the last time the Ryder Cup was held in England. This is what we want to try and do.

Who will be designing the course?

We have put together an amazing team. We’ve got European Golf Design, with Jeremy Slessor and Dave Sampson.

I’ve also got Gary Player and Justin Rose. Normally you wouldn’t get two of the greats working together like that.

I’ve known Gary for 25 years now, and Justin is such a gentleman. It’s not just about building a golf course for a competition.

I’ve spoken to Justin about also doing a Rose Golf Academy for young people around the area. I feel we have the best team.

SURINDER WANTS JUSTIN ROSE TO OPEN AN ACADEMY AT LUTON HOO

Will the new course be on the existing layout?

When you drive around, you’ve got the stables on the right – that’s where the golf shop and everything else is.

You’ve got three or four holes in the middle, and then you’ve got the rest of the course on the left as you’re looking from the road.

We’re trying to remove those middle courses and return that back to parkland, which was a huge tick in the box for Historic England.

We’re taking it all the way down to the signature holes by the lake. It’s going to be amazing.

AERIAL SHOT OF LUTON HOO, WHICH SHOWS WHERE THE SIGNATURE HOLES WILL BE LOCATED BY THE LAKE OF THE NEW RYDER CUP COURSE

When will the work commence at Luton Hoo?

After Easter this year. We’re not going to wait. We’ve got to see if we can get the Ryder Cup in 2031 or 2035. We’re still going to keep pushing for 2031.

What makes the service at The Buckinghamshire and Luton Hoo different?

When I was opening my first at a hotel, I got a very experienced General Manager, who had 25 years in the Forte Hotel Group, Guy Morris.

I remember telling Guy one day that I wanted to be different from other hotel companies. I wanted us to treat our staff like family and our guests like royalty.

You recently appointed Gerry Ivers from Queenwood. Are you looking to grow your portfolio?

I’ve always said that we look at anything and everything. We have acquired Fairmont Windsor Park.

It was about 20 odd acres, and now we have nearly 250, so we can build a lovely golf course there, attached to the Fairmont. That would be built by the same team as the Ryder Cup one for Luton Hoo.

FAIRMONT WINDSOR PARK

You’ve invested over £11 million into transforming the clubhouse at The Buckingshamshire. Are any other investments planned?

I’ve given the go ahead for a drainage project. We need to replace 14 holes, so we’ll get all 18 done.

We’re taking no shortcuts. There’s also a bit of extra work to be done on the 17th and 18th holes, which will happen this year. Sanjay has an amazing golf club.

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

What’s the joining fee at The Buckinghamshire?

They are just raising the fee from £20,000 to £25,000, but it’s so close to London.

The type of clientele they’ve got now is incredible. For me, it’s my passion – and it has the Arora Group branding on the doorstep!

SURINDER ARORA (RIGHT) AT THE REOPENING OF CLUBHOUSE AT THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE WITH FRIEND KP SINGH (CENTRE) AND SANJAY ARORA (LEFT)

If you could change one thing about the golf industry, what would it be?

That’s a tough one. There’s nothing I would say I’d change. Hopefully we’ll get more people putting cash into golf rather than just saying, ‘What return can I get?’ That would be great for the game.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur looking to invest in golf?

There are always different returns. You’ll never get the returns that you can make in tech, for example.

Choose what your passion is, like we have. Then make sure, to the best of your ability, to keep in the black rather than the red

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The Buckinghamshire unveils stylish £10m clubhouse renovation

Nick Bayly — Wed, 08 May 2024 12:36:56 +0000

The Buckinghamshire Golf Club welcomed VIP guests and members to the grand reopening of its 17th century house on May 3 following an investment of more than £10 million.

The transformation of the historic country estate just 15 miles from Central London 10 miles from Heathrow Airport is part of a major investment to create a prestigious private members’ club on London’s doorstep – and signals plans by the Arora family to develop a portfolio of world class golf venues.

Sanjay Arora, President of The Buckinghamshire and Chief Operating Officer of the Arora Group, said: “This is a dream come true.

We wanted to do something very special here, to bring this beautiful house back to its best and create one of the finest golf estates and contemporary members’ clubs in the world.

Today, with the support of a wonderful team, we have realised that dream and begin an exciting journey here at The Buckinghamshire and beyond, as we seek to grow our golf portfolio.”

Alongside Sanjay Arora for the ribbon cutting was his father Surinder Arora, property and hotel entrepreneur and former co-owner of Wentworth Club, and Chairman of the Board KP Singh who, for five decades, led India’s largest real estate developer DLF and founded DLF Golf & Country Club in Delhi.

The stylish interiors give the clubhouse the feel of a London private members’ club

As the doors opened at The Buckinghamshire, members were invited to wander through the exquisitely renovated house and explore new luxury amenities, including a stylish contemporary orangery restaurant, wine bar, whisky room, lounges and locker rooms, and seven new bedroom suites.

Following a golf course reconfiguration and the switching of front and back nine holes, the comforts of the Heron’s Bar and patio awaits members, with views over the finishing hole and River Colne, making it the perfect place for post-round drinks and long lunches.

The Whisky Bar

The Orangery Restaurant

The Heron’s Bar is ideal for relaxing before or after a round

Sanjay Arora reserved special thanks for Kim Partridge, the acclaimed designer who has overseen the transformation of The Buckinghamshire’s interiors.

“Kim has perfectly realised our vision for ‘membership reimagined,’ celebrating the house’s finest classical features while creating relaxed, comfortable, contemporary spaces for our members to enjoy,” said Sanjay Arora.

“While the golf course is the centrepiece of the estate, the house is the heart of our club and whether members are golfing, spending time with family, lunching with friends and business contacts, or spending the day working”

“The house has been designed as a home-from-home in a relaxing environment, surrounded by natural beauty.”

The Billiards Room

Arora confirmed that further investment was being made in the golf course in 2024/5.

As a world class private members’ club, The Buckinghamshire, which is also home to the Ladies European Tour, is set to become the centrepiece of a growing portfolio of golf clubs and destinations within the Arora Group.

Plans to develop a new golf course at Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa, less than 50 minutes’ north of Central London, have already been approved as part of an official bid to host a future Ryder Cup.

The Buckinghamshire’s championship golf course is to benefit from further investment over the next two years

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Luton Hoo’s hopes of hosting Ryder Cup move a step closer

Nick Bayly — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:13:42 +0000

Plans to host the Ryder Cup at Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa in Bedfordshire have moved a step closer following a decision made at the highest level of government.

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa’s proposal to build a new championship course on it property was approved by Central Bedfordshire Council in June last year. The hotel’s owners, Arora Group, said it wanted to be able to host the matches in either 2031 or 2035.

Lee Rowley, Minister for Planning and Building Safety, said the government would not require the application to be called in for a further planning inquiry, which means the planning permission granted by the council stands, paving the way for the existing golf course to be extended and remodelled, as well as the building of a new clubhouse and office.

Luton Hoo currently has an 18-hole golf course but wants to replace it with a more challenging layout worthy of hosting the Ryder Cup, which can also accommodate more spectators.

Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of the Arora Group, which bought the hotel in 2021, commented: “Our acquisition of Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa was always with the intention to curate a luxury leisure and hospitality experience on the existing estate. We want to continue building on the already rich history of Luton Hoo and to ensure that any future investment into the estate will bring economic benefit to Bedfordshire and surrounding areas.

“Hosting the Ryder Cup, potentially in either 2031 or 2035, would raise the profile of the area to a global audience and the opportunity to bid to host a Ryder Cup at Luton Hoo is a very real and realistic ambition. The government’s decision not to call in the application is great news and a further step towards realising our ambition.”

The new course will be be designed to present a more suitable challenge for the demands of the Ryder Cup and provide more viewing options for spectators

It is understood that Arora has been in talks with Gary Player and Justin Rose to be involved in the design of the new course, although there is no confirmation that either has been officially commissioned.

Objections to the building of a new course have been lodged by Historic England and the Garden Trust, while councillors from Central Bedfordshire said the potential benefits to the area ‘outweighed any potential harm to the green belt’.

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Arora Group buys The Buckinghamshire

Nick Bayly — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 14:38:03 +0000

Arora Hotels, one of the UK’s largest private hotel owner-operators, has announced its acquisition of The Buckinghamshire Golf Club, a move which will see the hotel group expand into the world of luxury sporting and leisure venues.

Arora Hotels will take over the management of the Denham-based club, which is also the headquarters of the Ladies European Tour, and has pledged to use its luxury hospitality experience to reinvigorate the club, providing a new and enhanced experience for its members.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sanjay Arora, Director of the Arora Group. said: “We are delighted to announce the addition of The Buckinghamshire Golf Club to Arora Hotels’ portfolio of luxury properties. It is a stunning golf course with fantastic potential for future development, and as a keen golfer myself, I will take great pleasure and pride in having this as part of our portfolio and welcome our new colleagues to the group.”

He added: “Our team is hugely skilled in running luxury global brands and providing premium customer experiences, and we look forward to extending this expertise to the world of leisure and sports hospitality.”

Situated 18 miles from the centre of London, and 12 miles from Heathrow, The Buckinghamshire comprises an 18-hole championship golf course, Grade II-listed clubhouse, and mansion house (the Denham Court Mansion). The resort can also cater for meetings, events, incentives and weddings.

The course, which first opened in 1992, was designed by renowned architect and Ryder Cup captain John Jacobs, who turned the estate’s rolling parkland into a mature and challenging golf course. The quality of the layout and its handy location for London has seen the club attract numerous professional events over the years, including the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters for four consecutive years from 2012, while soon after it first opened it was a regular stopover for top European and Senior Tour events, staging the Senior Tournament of Champions from 1996-2000, and the Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf European Final in 1997. For the last two years it has also hosted a sectional qualifier for the Women’s US Open.

The Buckinghamshire was owned by Japanese brewing company Asahi from the outset up until the end of 2016, when it was bought by Eagle Resorts, which operates a portfolio of golf clubs in the UK, including Old Thorns in Hampshire, Tracy Park in Bath, Chart Hills Golf Club in Kent and Castlemartyr Spa & Golf Resort in Ireland. It was not disclosed how much Eagle Resorts received from the sale to Arora.

Arora Hotels operates multiple global hotel chains, including InterContinental Hotel Group, Accor, Marriot and Hilton. The group is currently redeveloping a luxury country house hotel and spa nearby in Windsor, and it has recently opened the UK’s largest hotel of 2018, the Crowne Plaza London and Holiday Inn Express London at Heathrow’s Terminal 4.

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