A new emphasis on long-range returns has caused superintendents to rethink criteria in the golf course equipment purchasing process.

 

A golf course superintendent’s job is tough, and getting tougher by the day. Enhanced expectations from well-traveled, well-informed golfers and an increasing number of environmental concerns have combined with an uncertain economy to make the job more challenging than ever.  Moreover, with unstable fuel prices, higher costs for pesticides and fertilizers, and a continuing crunch on available labor, superintendents must constantly evaluate budgets as they search for ways to save money and become ever more efficient.

SUMMING IT UP • Price is only one of several key elements in the purchasing process. • Equipment technology, plus long-term dependability, equals a cost-effective purchase. • Golf courses need to embrace the “Green” movement, and have the certification to prove it.

Lasting Impressions
As they take on these challenges, one area where superintendents can look to maximize productivity without sacrificing results is through the acquisition and extended use of cost-effective equipment.

From mowers and tractors to aerators, sprayers and utility vehicles, the prevailing mantra one hears from most superintendents these days is “parts, parts, parts.”  “I don’t care how many bells and whistles a piece of equipment has—if I can’t get a part quickly and the machine is down for any length of time, that costs me money,” says Dick Naccarato, Head Superintendent at Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Naples, Fla.

Dependability, quality and the ease of obtaining parts are key elements in equipment-buying decisions, Naccarato says, before he even looks at price.

“In tough economic times, we’re all looking to save money, so preventative maintenance and reliable customer service from suppliers have increased in importance,” agrees Mark Jewell, Head Superintendent at Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort in Flintstone, Md. (“Filling New Needs at Rocky Gap Resort,” C&RB, October 2008).

Well-Equipped for the Environment Golf courses, because of their water needs, the introduction of non-native plant life, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides, have been the (often unfair) target of some vocal critics in the environmental community. So “Going Green” these days means a lot more to golf courses than just the color of their turf—and as a result, environmental concerns are playing a larger role in equipment decisions, too. To demonstrate their roles as good environmental stewards, some courses now receive certification of their efforts through Audubon International. Designed to help protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf, the Audubon program emphasizes maximizing efficiencies while minimizing the potentially harmful effects that golf operations can have on their surroundings. To achieve Audubon certification, a golf facility must exhibit excellence in these categories: environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation, and water quality management. “To be a good environmental steward, you don’t necessarily need special machinery or equipment,” says Larry Livingston, Head Superintendent at Shark’s Tooth Golf Club in Panama City, Fla.; the club is certified as a “Silver Signature” course by Audubon International. “It really comes down to the types of pesticides and fertilizers you use, and how you use them,” says Livingston. “It’s really more of a mindset where you always consider environmental consequences before you make any decision. “For instance, if I can use one mower instead of two to accomplish a task, I’ll do that because we conserve on fuel and you pollute less, however minimal it might be,” he notes. “How sprayers are used is also a very important component in the equation.” Robin Sadler, Head Superintendent at SilverTip Golf Club in Canmore, Alberta, Canada, agrees. “The most important recent innovation to help raise environmental awareness at golf courses is spray equipment utilizing GPS technology,” Sadler feels. “These machines allow you to spot-spray with more accuracy, resulting in the use of fewer chemicals. And that in turn results in [leaving] less of a carbon footprint on the environment.”

Manufacturers are responding to superintendent’s current needs with more efficient, operator-friendly and safe machines that require less training time. “The emerging trend is cost-effective equipment that produces less noise and pollution, and [can promise] fewer hydraulic and fuel leaks,” says Naccarato. “When you combine excellent technology with service and dependability in a piece of equipment, that will save you more money in the long term.”

Machines with More Muscle
For Brad Babek, Head Superintendent at The Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Okla., a prime example of the “new wave” of equipment with these qualities is a greens aerator that he recently acquired that features innovative wheels within the coring path and cuts a large, 48-inch aeration swath.

“This machine produces a better quality of drilled hole, and allows you to shave hours off the entire process,” says Babek. “Greens are so important to the overall golf experience, and the ability to maintain them quicker and better helps the bottom line.”

Larry Livingston, Head Superintendent at Shark’s Tooth Golf Club in Panama City, Fla., concurs:  “In the old days, it would take two or three days to aerate greens, because of numerous equipment breakdowns,” he says. “[The improvements in aeration machines] allow you to save precious time that can be devoted to other parts of the golf course.”

The 2009 Golf Industry Show featured an innovative mix of time-saving equipment like this machine, designed to allow one operator to clear saturated bunkers and any standing water on the grounds.

As part of an ongoing effort to improve their quality and functionality and also comply with more stringent EPA standards, utility vehicles like this one have new, more powerful diesel engines.

To keep up with the changes in how golf is being played and how courses are being maintained, fairway mowers are now being designed to produce tighter stripes, follow contours more precisely, and offer increased maneuverability with more power, but less noise and emission.

Topdressers now feature unique spinner designs that allow operators to dial in precise and clean applications; settings range from ultra-light to ultra-heavy and everything in between.

While aeration can help prevent thatch build-up, heavier thatching remains a pesky and time-consuming problem for superintendents.  But here, too, equipment is providing a boost, through cost-effective innovations like the vertical mower.

 

“Technology for verticutting has expanded tenfold in the past couple of years, allowing us to limit thatch and make tight cuts,” says Robin Sadler, Head Superintendent at SilverTip Golf Club in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.  “Whenever you find a piece of equipment that is faster and produces a better result, you know you’ve got a winner from a time-investment, cost-ratio standpoint.”

 

Doing More Homework
To keep up with all that the latest equipment can now offer them to help meet today’s increased course maintenance demands, many superintendents are now making it a point to interact more with suppliers at demo days, national trade shows, or through one-on-one meetings with sales representatives.

Often, says Livingston, conversations about the future now focus around the need for products that will produce better results with less noise, fewer emissions, and an overall minimal negative effect on the environment.  Much like in the auto industry, however, the transition to create more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly golf course equipment products that are also cost-effective has proved to be somewhat slow and arduous.

For example, while electric utility vehicles are becoming increasing popular, they can cost up to 20% more than their gasoline and diesel counterparts. “Everybody is looking for equipment that is cleaner and more efficient than what we have, but the tough economic times make us all reevaluate how much new technology we can really afford at this time,” notes Rocky Gap’s Jewell.

As a result, while the show floor at the 2009 Golf Industry Show in New Orleans was once again brimming with new products, the prevailing attitude this year was an intensified focus on the total cost of ownership of a new product, and the rate of return that could be gained from any investment in new equipment.

To make those evaluations, superintendents are sharpening their pencils as they try to put real numbers to what they can expect to gain, and get back, from new equipment in terms of reliability, longevity, performance, productivity, maintenance, operational ease, and value-added supplier support.

“In these challenging economic times,” says Naccarato, “you can’t afford to make any purchasing mistakes.”