The decision to go with Meissl was like a hole in one for us.

John Jahr, Hamburg entrepreneur and successor of the famous publisher, is president of the Morsum Golf Club on Sylt. To be able to offer their guests a more pleasant experience, when outside in the typical Sylt wind and weather, he and his board decided on Meissl. Read our interview to find out how this has turned out for him, even in his private life.

Meissl: Mr Jahr, is it at all possible to play good golf on Sylt with the wind?
John Jahr: “The Morsum Golf Club is quite well hidden on the eastern shore of the island. The course offers wonderful views of the adjacent Wadden Sea, but due to the wind and the many water hazards, it is definitely somewhat of a challenge even for low handicappers.”

Meissl: Which brings us directly onto the topic! Did the wind also influence your choice of patio umbrellas?
John Jahr: “Definitely. We needed a very stable solution here that could withstand extreme wind and weather conditions. Our new Meissl umbrellas can stay open up to wind force 9, which says a lot about their quality and construction.”

Meissl: How did you hear about Meissl in the first place as it is an Austrian company?
John Jahr: “During personal visits to restaurants here in the north, I was so often impressed by the additional outdoor spaces created there by Meissl and thus personally enquired with the restaurateurs.“

Meissl: But you are a golf club, not a restaurant?
John Jahr: “That doesn't matter. Our club members also prefer to be outside. Our goal was primarily to improve the quality of time spent outdoors when the weather was not at its best. Now, after tournaments even when it is drizzling or it is late in the evening, we sit under two 7.50 x 5.00 m umbrellas which have an electric opener, floor stand, steel plate, protective cover, infrared radiators, lighting and even rain gutters. This is now practically an enlargement of our clubhouse by 75 square metres and is something extra special that our previous conventional umbrellas could not offer. Without exception, everyone is thrilled.”

Meissl: Which other requirements did you need for the solution from Meissl, apart from great stability?
John Jahr: “We have huge windows overlooking the tee. This beautiful view from the inside should in no way be impaired by the indelicate brackets of the umbrellas. It was therefore great that Mr. Gloger from Meissl came by personally to plan and measure it all. Without this personal support, I would not have been able to make an informed decision, not even in terms of materials and colours. The fact that someone from Meissl came all the way from Austria, especially for this, was worth its weight in gold.”


Meissl: We also have a special branch on Sylt for customers like you?
John Jahr: “Yes, that also had a positive influence on our decision. Because if something really should happen to the umbrellas, then someone can very easily and quickly be on-site to sort it out.”

Meissl: And the decision to go with Meissl even had private repercussions. What were they?
John Jahr: “Well, what is good for the club is also an ideal solution for us privately: We now have four half umbrellas with heating from Meissl, two in the dining area in front of the kitchen and two by the pool, which offer us flexible possibilities to enjoy long evenings with up to 15 people underneath them. In terms of delivery and assembly, this was no small matter, because a crane was needed to place them behind the house. But the investment has been worth it, because this is now the most durable and safest solution imaginable for years or even decades to come.”

Meissl: Mr Jahr, what final tip can you give our readers?
John Jahr: “Plan in some time, because a professional solution like this is not something you can do overnight. First, someone from Meissl comes to measure and plan everything. Then the umbrellas have to be made individually which can take 6-8 weeks until everything is ready. We decided to do this during Corona and can therefore now enjoy the summer. It has already paid off wonderfully for us in terms of the effort, but also financially and now we are reaping the benefits.”

Meissl: Thank you very much, Mr Jahr, for this very pleasant interview.