Golf Course Maintenance Budgets: Knowing where not to cut is just as Knowing
where not to cut is just as
important as knowing where to cut!
David A. Oatis, Director
Northeast Region
USGA Green Section
With respect to turfgrass maintenance equipment: Golf Course Maintenance by the decade…
• 1970’s: Decade of Speed and Efficiency
1970’s: Decade of Speed and Efficiency
• 1980’s: Decade of Quality
1980’s: Decade of Quality
• 1990’S: Decade of Restoration
1990’S: Decade of Restoration
• 1990’S: Decade of The Environment
1990’S: Decade of The Environment
• 2000’s: Decade of The Environment
2000’s: Decade of The Environment
• 2000’s: Decade of The Budget
2000’s: Decade of The Budget
With respect to turfgrass maintenance equipment: Smaller and lighter Smaller
and lighter
almost always translates to better
Smaller and lighter Smaller
and lighter
almost always costs more too!!!
Membership Expectations
It’s essential to be on the same page as the golfers… especially in a difficult economic climate…
• Do you know what they are?
• Do you have a Mission Statement?
– Do you have Do you have “Maintenance
Maintenance Guidelines
Guidelines”??
• Do your golfers understand your traditions and goals?
• Newer members?
• Is there a plan to achieve your goals?
When budgets are altered, course conditions will be altered as well
Example:
Now is the time to identify, or clearly re‐state to your members, what you are trying to achieve.
Mission:
To deliver a premier standard p
of excellence across all features of our membership experience.
And this needs to be communicated to members and staff…
What is your desired level of golf course maintenance?
Does it match your golfer’s desired level of maintenance?
Level of Maintenance
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Purpose of Maintenance Standards
Maintenance Standards
A clearly stated plan regarding the daily maintenance of the golf course with specific goals and performance ih
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f
criteria. It should be reasonable, agronomically sound, and feasible.
This is a statement of philosophy, not a set of specifications!!!
Green Speed
Firmness Cutting heights
D i d
Desired grass species
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Aesthetics vs. Playability
Playability vs. Reliability
Level of detail
Bunkers: groomed surfaces or hazards?
Natural areas or “unnatural areas”?
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Clarify expectations of the membership
Ensure supt and committee are on same page
Ensure supt. and committee are on same page
Provide continuity
Avoid personal agendas/pet projects
Tool for resolving conflicts
Measure the performance of the staff
Must include guidance with respect to pursuit of the target:
I.e. how much risk to take to obtain desired level of playability
Is this acceptable???
Once you have the target, the necessary programs can be developed: Plan‐Based Budget
The first step is to identify what The
first step is to identify what
you want to achieve…
…then figure out what it is going to cost
Typical Northeast Budget Breakdown
Percentage of total operating budget:
• Labor 60‐
Labor 60‐65%
• Chemical 8
Chemical 8‐
h
l
‐10%
• Fertilizer 4
Fertilizer 4‐‐5% • Equipment. Repair 4
Equipment. Repair 4‐‐5%
• Misc. 15
Misc. 15‐‐20%
Once you’ve agreed on that plan, it becomes easier to consider how budget cuts will affect it.
The superintendent –and all managers– must have a seat at the table.
Every budget can be cut…
The trick is to cut in areas that won
The
trick is to cut in areas that won’tt be be
noticed or will have the least impact on playability, aesthetics, and long term performance.
Critical to make a distinction between True vs. False Savings
Adjusting Mowing Operations
• Skip pre‐emergent herbicide applications
• Reduce working hours (OT)
• Cut experienced labor
• Cut conferences and continuing education
• Energy audit
• Implement IPM program
Mowing Patterns
Intermediate Cut?
Stripes - vs – Black/White
Mowing
• 27-hole facility
• 2 mowers per side, mowed 4x per week.
• Fairways mowed 30 weeks per year
year.
Stripe Mowing
Contour Mowing
Payroll: 6 mowers * 3.5 hrs * $12/hr *
30 wks * 4x/wk = $30,240.
Payroll: 6 mowers * 2.75 hrs * $12/hr * 30
wks * 4x/wk = $23,760.
Fuel: 4.5 gals * 6 mowers * 120 mows
* $2.40 = $7,776.
Fuel: 3.5 gal * 6 mowers * 120 mows *
$2.40 = $6,048.
$38,016
$29,808
Clipping Dispersal Strategies
• Growth regulators
• New mowers
• Blowers
• Drag mats/ropes/hoses
Clippings can account for as much as 1‐2 lbs. of N per 1000 ft2 each year!
Will you save any money?
“No Man’s Land”
• Detracts from definition
• Too high for bent/poa
• Too low for bluegrass
• Gets puffy and thatchy as bent invades
• Ryegrass in fairways
• Often performs poorly
• Unnecessary at most courses!!!
“Step Cut”
“Intermediate Cut”
Rough ≤ 2.5‐3” Full‐Time vs. Part‐Time Staff
Poa Annua Seed Head Control
• Yes for greens
• $5‐10,000 for fwys
• Seedheads last into June
• Playability???
• Turf health???
• Turf composition???
Greens Mowing & Rolling
• RCC has 32
greens to mow.
• 7-8 mowers per
day.
• 2-3 rollers per
day.
• Savings on a no
mow day is
potentially
$200+ per day
or $21,000+ per
year.
*Chart from Dr. Thomas Nikolai, Michigan State University
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Work 24 hrs/wk
5:30 AM 9:30 AM
5:30 AM ‐
9:30 AM
6 Days/Week
No overtime
No benefits
Use Temp Agencies For Special Projects
Top Ten Bunker Whines:
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The sand is too soft
The sand is too hard
There is too much/not enough sand The sand is too fluffy
There is no lip
There is no lip
The lip is too high
We keep getting down hill lies
The ball doesn’t release
Balls get caught up on the bank
THESE BUNKERS AREN’T FAIR
The bunkers aren’t CONSISTENT!!!
An inexpensive but totally effective solution for solving the bunker consistency problem!
Bottom Line:
• We don’t want to trick up bunkers
• We don’t want unplayable bunkers
• Bunkers are hazards meant to:
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Add interest
Add strategy
Penalize
Direct play
etc. • Bunkers cannot be consistent
• Bunkers are not always “fair”!
Bunker Maintenance
• Reduce bunker maintenance
– Less raking
– Less edging/trimming
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– Growth regulator usage
– Reduce the number of bunkers
• Build less intricate bunkers
• Teach golfers to rake them!!!
Alter Plantings
• Beware of “natural areas”
• Eliminate/Reduce number of orn. plantings
• Confine orn. plantings to the clubhouse area
• Reduce the size of plantings
• Reduce use of annuals
• Reduce number of tree plantings
Beautiful
Beneficial
Plays Well
Can be difficult/expensive to attain!!!
Beautiful???
Beneficial
Plays Terribly
The Hidden Cost of Trees
Surveyed 15 private courses in Northeast Region
(11) 18 hole facilities
(11)
18 hole facilities
(1) 27 hole facilities
(3) 36 hole facilities
Information compiled on a “per 18 hole basis”
Attractive (unnatural)
No impact on play
Expensive
Typical Tree Budgets
Budgeted Maintenance
Low
High
Average
8 500
8,500
35 000
35,000
20 895
20,895
“Annual Tree Projects”
In‐house tree work
Low
High
Average
17,462
85,090
34,272
Tack on this much extra!!!
• Annual debris removal
– Leaves
– Fruit
– Branches • Storm debris removal
Storm damage
Low
High
Average
9,500
55,000
31,815
Additional mowing costs
– Labor for trimming
– Herbicide to reduce trimming costs
– Extra string trimmers
– Mower maintenance repair
– Shortened mower life
Low
High
Average
1,668
20,000
9,769
Don’t forget…
Don’t forget…
– Extra string trimmers
– Shortened mower life
– Mower maintenance and repair
p
Low
High
Average
200
18,090
5,712
Impact on bunker maintenance
– Debris removal
• Acorns, leaves, pine needles, etc…
– Root incursion in bunker
– Root competition w/turf on banks
Low
High
Average
300
9,765
3,626
What about the cost of specialized equipment???
– Blowers
– Chain saws
– Leaf vacuums
– Tractors – Chippers – Cherry pickers
– Stump grinders
– Dump trucks
– Loader – Disposal fees etc..
Not calculated but clearly in the thousands of dollars…
What about the Turf???
• Air circulation
• Shading
• Traffic flow
• Root competition
• Fertility
• Labor
• Pest control products
Labor
Seeding
Fertilizer
R
Ropes
Stakes
Cultivation
Signs
Impact on turf performance:
• Air circulation
• Shading
• Traffic flow
Electric fans
• Root competition
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Root pruning
• Fertility
• Labor
• Pest control products
Low
1,000
High
5,000
Average
2,823
So, what do trees really cost???
Low
High
Average
30,130
192,945
88,016
per 18 holes….
Golf Course Accessories
So, what do trees really cost???
But there still are many more significant but hidden costs
When considering cut backs, always ask:
Course Improvement Projects:
• Prices have come down
• In‐house
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Equipment?
Expertise?
Safety?
Projects may take longer
Maintenance may suffer
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Will it affect the playability of the course?
Will it affect the reliability of the turf?
Will it affect the enjoyment of the game?
Will it affect the enjoyment of the game?
What are the long term consequences?
Don’t trip over dollar bills…
• Land clearing companies
Never Compromise Long Range Programs
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Aeration/soil modification programs
Tree management programs
Capital equipment budget
Weed control programs
Thank You