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Golf Course Maintenance Budgets:

Knowing where not to cut is just asKnowing where not to cut is just as important as knowing where to cut!

David A. Oatis, DirectorNortheast RegionUSGA Green Section

Golf Course Maintenance by the decade…

•• 1970’s: Decade of 1970’s: Decade of Speed and EfficiencySpeed and Efficiency

•• 1980’s: Decade of 1980’s: Decade of QualityQuality

•• 1990’S: Decade of 1990’S: Decade of RestorationRestoration

•• 1990’S: Decade of 1990’S: Decade of The EnvironmentThe Environment

•• 2000’s: Decade of 2000’s: Decade of The EnvironmentThe Environment

•• 2000’s: Decade of 2000’s: Decade of The BudgetThe Budget

With respect to turfgrass maintenance equipment:

Smaller and lighterSmaller and lighter almost always

translates to better

With respect to turfgrass maintenance equipment:

Smaller and lighterSmaller and lighter almost always

costs more too!!!

Membership Expectations

• Do you know what they are?

• Do you have a Mission Statement?– Do you have “Maintenance Guidelines”?– Do you have Maintenance Guidelines ?

• Do your golfers understand your traditions and goals?

• Newer members?

• Is there a plan to achieve your goals?

It’s essential to be on the same page as the golfers… especially in a difficult economic climate…

When budgets are altered, course conditions will be

altered as well

Now is the time to identify, or clearly re‐state to your members, what you are trying to achieve.

And this needs to be communicated to members and

staff…

To deliver a premier standard

Example:

Mission:p

of excellence across all features of our membership experience.

What is your desired level of golf course maintenance?

Does it match your golfer’s desired level of maintenance?

Level of Maintenance• Green Speed

• Firmness

• Cutting heights

D i d i• Desired grass species

• Aesthetics vs. Playability

• Playability vs. Reliability

• Level of detail

• Bunkers: groomed surfaces or hazards?

• Natural areas or “unnatural areas”?

Maintenance Standards

A clearly stated plan regarding the daily maintenance of the golf course i h ifi l d fwith specific goals and performance criteria. It should be reasonable, agronomically sound, and feasible.

This is a statement of philosophy, not a set of specifications!!!

Purpose of Maintenance Standards

• 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 whatThe first step is to identify what you want to achieve…

…then figure out what it is going to cost

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.

Typical Northeast Typical Northeast Budget BreakdownBudget Breakdown

Percentage of total operating budget:Percentage of total operating budget:

•• Labor 60Labor 60‐‐65%65%

h lh l•• Chemical 8Chemical 8‐‐10%10%

•• Fertilizer 4Fertilizer 4‐‐5% 5%

•• Equipment. Repair 4Equipment. Repair 4‐‐5%5%

••Misc. 15Misc. 15‐‐20%20%

Every budget can be cut…

The trick is to cut in areas that won’t beThe trick is to cut in areas that won t 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

• Skip pre‐emergent herbicide applications

• Reduce working hours (OT)

• Cut experienced labor

• Cut conferences and continuing education

• Energy audit

• Implement IPM program

Adjusting Mowing Operations

Intermediate Cut?

Mowing Patterns Stripes - vs – Black/White Mowing

• 27-hole facility • 2 mowers per side, mowed 4x per week.• Fairways mowed 30 weeks per year• Fairways mowed 30 weeks per year.

Stripe Mowing

Payroll: 6 mowers * 3.5 hrs * $12/hr * 30 wks * 4x/wk = $30,240.

Fuel: 4.5 gals * 6 mowers * 120 mows * $2.40 = $7,776.

$38,016

Contour Mowing

Payroll: 6 mowers * 2.75 hrs * $12/hr * 30 wks * 4x/wk = $23,760.

Fuel: 3.5 gal * 6 mowers * 120 mows * $2.40 = $6,048.

$29,808

Clippings can account for as much as 1‐2 lbs. of N per 1000 ft2 each year!

Clipping Dispersal Strategies

• Growth regulators• New mowers• Blowers• Drag mats/ropes/hoses

Will you save any money?

“Step Cut”“Intermediate Cut”

Rough ≤ 2.5‐3”

“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!!!

Poa Annua Seed Head Control

• Yes for greens• $5‐10,000 for fwys• Seedheads last into June

• Playability???• Turf health???• Turf composition???

• Work 24 hrs/wk

• 5:30 AM 9:30 AM

Full‐Time vs. Part‐Time Staff

• 5:30 AM ‐ 9:30 AM

• 6 Days/Week

• No overtime

• No benefits

• Use Temp Agencies For Special Projects

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

Top Ten Bunker Whines:• 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:– Add interest

– Add strategy

– Penalize

– Direct play

– etc.

• Bunkers cannot be consistent

• Bunkers are not always “fair”!

Bunker Maintenance

• Reduce bunker maintenance– Less raking

L d i /t i i– Less edging/trimming

– 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

BeautifulBeneficialPlays Well

Can be difficult/expensive

to attain!!!

Beautiful???BeneficialPlays Terribly

Attractive (unnatural)No impact on playExpensive

Surveyed 15 private courses in Northeast Region

(11) 18 hole facilities

The Hidden Cost of Trees




Information compiled on a “per 18 hole basis”

Typical Tree BudgetsBudgeted Maintenance

HighLow Average

35 000 20 8958 500

HighLow Average

85,090 34,27217,462

35,000 20,8958,500

“Annual Tree Projects”

In‐house tree work

Storm damage

Tack on this much extra!!!

• Annual debris removal

– Leaves

– Fruit

– Branches

• Storm debris removal

HighLow Average

55,000 31,8159,500

Additional mowing costs

– Labor for trimming

– Herbicide to reduce trimming costs

– Extra string trimmers

– Mower maintenance repair

– Shortened mower life

HighLow Average20,000 9,7691,668

Don’t forget… Don’t forget…

–Extra string trimmers

–Shortened mower life

–Mower maintenance and repairp

HighLow Average18,090 5,712200

Impact on bunker maintenance

– Debris removal• Acorns, leaves, pine needles, etc…

– Root incursion in bunker– Root competition w/turf on banks

HighLow Average9,765 3,626300

What about the cost of specialized equipment???

– Blowers

– Chain saws

– Cherry pickers

– Stump grinders

– Leaf vacuums

– Tractors

– Chippers

– 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

SeedingLabor

FertilizerR

StakesRopes

SignsCultivation

Impact on turf performance:• Air circulation

• Shading

• Traffic flow• Root competition

Electric fans

Root pruningp

• Fertility

• Labor

• Pest control products

Root pruning


So, what do trees really cost???


per 18 holes….

So, what do trees really cost???

But there still are many more significant but

hidden costs

Golf Course Accessories

Course Improvement Projects:

• Prices have come down

• In‐house– Equipment?– Equipment?

– Expertise?

– Safety?

– Projects may take longer

– Maintenance may suffer

• Land clearing companies

When considering cut backs, always ask:

• 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…

Never Compromise Long Range Programs

• Aeration/soil modification programs

• Tree management programs

• Capital equipment budget

• Weed control programs

Thank You

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