county/city support Cancel The title field is required!

1. John Vice

   

   7 posts
   
   2/26/2015 8:02 AM

   Has anyone struggled w/ support from county/city comissioners/board? What have you done to gain support when industry cost are going up, budgets are going down, and demand for revenue is up? I know mother nature plays a big role in our profit for the course, but when they only see the numbers, how do you make them understand a lot of things are out of control? I love my job and willing to do what it takes to keep this place going, but frustrating. Thanks for any advice.
   
   Bryan Vice
   Superintendent of The Willows
   The Golf Courses of Kenton County
   Independence, KY

   
   
   
   
2. Gary Carls

   

   19 posts
   
   2/26/2015 6:02 PM

   Bryan,
   
   Part of why I chose to retire last year was because of this challenge. In our municipal setting things ran pretty well when we had folks higher up in the City that understood that golf was a business that was driven by customer support and wasn't simply a matter of looking at pure numbers. Golf revenue was driven by having good customer satisfaction and providing them with course conditions that they could find at other local facilities.
   
   As some of these folks moved on it became more of a numbers game with the new leadership with little regard for trying to be competitive in the local market. Staff was cut, materials budgets reduced and things were allowed to slide. At the end we didn't even staff the courses (mow or do course set-up) on Holidays while we continued to charge the customers premium rates on those days. Add two long-term restaurant closures at both courses (won't really get into why) that chased tournaments away and it's hard to wonder why people still show up.
   
   My staff still worked and did whatever they could to try and provide good course conditions with little or no support from above. That's the only reason play numbers didn't completely fall off the chart. Now in the midst of their 2nd restaurant closure that started in early December the folks downtown still seem surprised that play numbers continue to fall. The staff there is frustrated but they still take pride in their work and work hard. Not sure that will last forever.
   
   In summary, if you don't have people at the top that understand the golf business it may not be worth continuing to beat your head against the wall. I always believed that you could only do the best you could with the resources you are given but at some point either our own pride (and future career prospects) or your future health need to be a factor that needs to be considered.

   
   Gary K. Carls, CGCS, President - Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative
   
   
3. Wahlin Scott B

   
   2/27/2015 11:02 AM

   I spent my last 12 years at a municipal course before retiring. It ran independently of any other funds, general or utilities until the day I left. (Correction: I was escorted off the property by FOUR police officers! How much did that cost?) Three hurricanes, the great recession and an onslaught from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection completely destroyed our Golf Fund. FDEP spent $100,000 dollars to determine that a 25 year old South Florida golf course legally used MSMA in the past. All this while their kids ground in fields laden with the stuff. I am not bitter!

   
   
   
   
4. Christopher Jacques

   

   0 posts
   
   3/23/2018 11:03 AM

   I believe we don't do enough to promote ourselves and the work we do to the powers that be. That being said, have you tried hosting your governing body for a day or even a few hours. Perhaps inviting them to view the maintenance operation on a site visit and what it really takes to provide quality turf conditions might open their eyes. Have them show up for breakfast at 7 am and escort them around to view mowing ops, course set up, spraying. Or have them come when you are aerating and topdressing, something very labor intensive and it might open their eyes. Sponsor a guest speaker, maybe the local GCSAA rep to come and discuss the cost of operating a golf course. Being proactive and reaching out to the board members and promoting our brand should be one of our primary jobs! The PGA has really done a much better job at this than we superintendents!
   Chris Jacques
   Grounds Superintendent
   City of Concord, NH