Ordering and applying fertilizer in bulk applications saves money in the long run.Bulk purchases do require adequate storage space, which can be a disadvantage.

Maintenance on a Shoestringby PATRICK M. O'BRIENDirector, Southeastern Region, USGA Green Section

Source: Pannell, Kerr, Forster, 1993

or approximately $875,000 at an 18-holefacility. The percentage cost differencebetween the highest (far west) and lowest(midwest) regions is almost 95%. Opera-tional maintenance costs have been risingapproximately 8% annually over the past 10years, compared to an average inflation rateof approximately 4%.

Despite these numbers, many golf coursesare being operated with budgets far belowindustry averages. These represent golf

'f\. man who says somethingcan't be done, should get out ofthe war of the man doing it."

- Chinese proverb

GOLFCOURSE maintenance costsare skyrocketing, according to thelatest information from Pannell, Kerr,

Forster (PKF), an accounting fIrm that hasbeen tracking these fIgures for over twodecades. In 1993, the average maintenancecost per. hole in the United States was$34,671 (Table 1).That's an average annualbudget for an 18-hole golf course of just lessthan $625,000. These cost fIgures vary byregion, with the highest cost generally beingin the far west and eastern regions, and thelowest cost being in the south and midwestregions. For example, in the midwest region,which has an eight- to nine-month golfseason, lower labor costs and water expen-ditures reduced the average cost per hole to$25,045 in 1992, or approximately $450,000for an 18-hole golf course. In the far westregion, which has a 12-month golf season,higher labor costs, and expensive water, theaverage cost per hole was $48,793 in 1992,

1992

1991

1990

Table 11990 to 1992 Average Maintenance Costs per Hole in the U.S.

Far West East South MidwestU.S. Region Region Region RegionAverage Average Average Average AverageCost Cost Cost Cost CostPer Hole Per Hole Per Hole Per Hole Per Hole

$34,671 $48,793 $30,330 $29,628 $25,049

$30,870 $37,945 $27,991 $28,737 $23,529

$28,114 $35,396 $24,814 $26,633 $21,293

courses that can get by with what can betermed Maintenance on a Shoestring. Atwhat level does Maintenance on a Shoestringbegin today? According to a fall 1994 surveyof 16 USGA Green Section agronomists,annual golf courses with maintenancebudgets of $300,000 or less could be con-sidered in this category. A Maintenance ona Shoestring designation does not necessarilymean that a course is without resources or'has an inferior maintenance program, but

JULY/ AUGUST 1995

Table 3Moccasin Bend Golf Club Maintenance Budget Categories,

Showing Percentage of Each Budget Line Item

Table 21992 Major Operational Budget Line Item Percentages

Far West East South MidwestU.S. Region Region Region RegionMajor Major Major Major MajorLine Line Line Line Line

Line Category Item % Item % Item % Item % Item %Payroll Expenses 60% 52% 67% 65% 66%& Benefits

Course Supplies 22% 25% 21% 20% 18%& Contracts

Equipment & 9% 10% 8% 11% 7%Irrigation Repairs, \.,

Water, Drainage System

All Other Items 9% 13% 4% 4% 9%

Source: Pannell, Kerr, Forster, 1993

Establishing a BudgetThe budget is the fmancial map for the

golf course maintenance department. Thereare two types of budgets needed at a golfcourse: operational and capital. The opera-tional budget details the anticipated expensesfor the upcoming year. Most operationalbudgets are divided into two simple cate-gories, termed payroll and operating ex-penses. Labor costs usually represent 50%to 65% of a budget. They generally includewages, payroll taxes, medical insurance, andother benefIts. Operating costs make up theremainder of the budget, and can include ahost of categories, such as fertilizers, chemi-cals, bunker sand, equipment and irrigationrepairs, etc. Table 2 compares the U.S. majoroperational line item percentages withseveral regional averages from a PKF survey.

because of their chosen budget, they could beconsidered in this category. To make up forthe smaller budget, it is essential to operatethese facilities with superior managementand expertise.

Golf was fIrst played on sites that requiredvery little maintenance. The fIrst Scottishlinks courses were shaped at no cost by thewind, rain, and the burrowing activities ofsheep. Golfers played on these sandy sitesonly where the grass grew best on its own,and sheep maintained the turfed areas. How-ever, maintenance standards have come along way since the days of sheep-keptgrasses. Today's park-like surroundings re-quire a reasonable budget and a labor forceto keep them up to standard. If a course setsa budget of $300,000 or less, certain priori-ties must be established to make best use ofavailable dollars.

Following are the most often expressedconcerns of course owners, club officials,and golf course superintendents regardingbudgeting priorities at golf facilities withoperational budgets at or below $300,000.Basic ideas on operational budget prepa-ration, establishing priorities, and oppor-tunities for maintenance cost saving ideaswill be shared.

Hire a KnowledgeableGolf Superintendent

From the informal 1994 fall survey of theGreen Section staff, every agronomist agreedthat hiring an experienced golf superinten-dent is a key to success at low-budget facili-ties. Experience counts, because with itcomes knowledge of short-cuts and how tospend available money. A good superinten-dent can optimize the agronomic program,including product purchases, staff training,and chemical applications. Savings accruedbecause of sound decisions will more thanmake up for the higher salary required foran experienced individual in this criticalposition.

This qualified superintendent doesn'tnecessarily need to have strong academiccredentials, such as a B.S. Degree or certifIedgolf course superintendent (CGCS)status,but a combination of education and experi-ence is a plus. The person should be a well-trained and experienced individual who willprevent waste, spend funds wisely, and makegood daily decisions.

The PlanThe fIrst step in predicting the mainte-

nance costs of a golf course for the next fIscalyear is to develop a plan. A meeting can beheld between the golf course superinten-dent and the owner or green chairman, forexample, to determine maintenance" objec-tives, policies, and planned improvements forthe next golfmg season. Based on thesepriorities, the superintendent can estimate the

2 USGAGREEN SECTION RECORD

Categories

Payroll ExpensesWagesTaxesBenefIts

Operating ExpensesFertilizer & ChemicalsEquipment & Irrigation RepairShop SuppliesUtilitiesVerti-Drain ExpenseGas & OilMiscellaneousGreen Section Turf Advisory Service

funds needed for each line item of theoperational budget.

One public course that meets the criteriafor Maintenance on a Shoestring is theMoccasin Bend Golf Course, Chattanooga,Tennessee. Owner Wesley G. Brown and golfsuperintendent Lee Roy Webb include thesepriorities in their plan:

• Level and intensity of maintenance• Predicted fertilizer and pesticide use• Anticipated equipment and irrigation

parts• New bunker sand• Tee leveling projects• Gasoline and other power costs• Meeting and travel expenses• MiscellaneousWith a plan, it is now possible for the golf

course superintendent to establish a budget.

% Total Budget

51%5%3%

15%10%5%4%2.5%2%2%0.5%

/

Capital budgets include expenditures forlarge equipment and items with a life expec-tancy of more than one year. Two categories,called capital improvements and capitalexpenses, may be included in this budget.Capital improvements improve the value ofthe golf course and could include a newirrigation system, bridges, tree plantings,new greens, maintenance facility, etc. Obvi-ously, these items typically require largefmancial outlays. Long-range plans for fiveyears or more are usually developed, settingpriorities for these expenditures and estab-lishing target dates for project completion,and are updated annually. Capital expensesusually refers to any new equipment pur-chases, but also can include office furniture,new computers, office lockers, and manyother items. Buying a few new pieces ofequipment annually, even if only a modestamount of money is available, helps to meetthe long-range goals. It is better to stretch outequipment replacement by making a few keypurchases every year, rather than gettinghopelessly behind and eventually facing theneed for significant expenditures.

Employee training is critical in any golf course operation, but it is especially importantwhere small staffs necessitate more independent work.

Table 4Total Golf Course Linear Edging Lengths at the

Royal Lakes Golf & Country Club, Flowery Branch, Georgia

The FlexibleOperational Budget

Most golf courses operate on a flexible,rather than a fixed budget, which onceapproved cannot be changed. Flexible meansthe budget is not exact and is subject tochange as the year progresses. Golf coursesuperintendents strive to budget conserva-tively and not exceed planned expendituresfor the fiscal year. However, anyone who hasbeen involved in the golf business knows itis wise to be flexible with a maintenancebudget. Line item categories cannot alwaysbe predicted. Some years' budget prioritiessometimes have to be changed. For example,all of the bermudagrass fairways and teeswinterkilled at the Moccasin Bend GolfCourse in 1994, causing an unexpected sprigand sod expenditure of more than $30,000.

Usually, the budget runs from Januarythrough December, although the fiscal yearcan run for any convenient 12-month period.Budget recordkeeping can be done easilytoday on a computer. Off-the-shelf spread-sheet or data base software, or custom soft-ware written for golf course operations, suchas TRIMS, SCMS, Par-plus, or GCS forWindows, are popular choices for this task.Expenditures should be allocated to aspecific line item and coded correctly. If acategory has been overspent one month, anexplanation can be included in the narrative.Also, management should never set a rulethat if a category is below budget for amonth, those funds are lost. Some golfsuperintendents are forced to spend moneyat the end of the month just to avoid losingit. Additionally, include only line items thatrelate to golf course maintenance in the

Course Feature

5.1 miles of Cart Paths

61 Bunkers

Mulched Areas

TOTAL LINEAR EDGING

budget. Other line items, such as golf cartmaintenance and repair, should be part ofanother budget. Table 3 is an example of aline item budget used at the Moccasin BendGolf Club.

The High Cost of Mowing"Mowing costs may be as high as 70 to

80% of the total budget at a low-budgetcourse," according to Dr. Joseph DiPaola ofthe Ciba-Geigy Corporation. "Labor, fuel,equipment depreciation, and equipment costsall contribute to the total cost of mowing.This figure not only includes the actualmowing operation, but also the cleanup aftermowing, which involves blowing or remov-ing the excess clippings. This cleanup mayinvolve just as much time as the actualmowing," says Dr. DiPaola. Applying agrowth regulator, such as Primo, to reduceclippings and mowing frequency to primaryplay areas, such as green banks, fairways,tees, and secondary roughs, can save money.

Edging Length Oinear feet)

53,856 linear feet

7,996 linear (eet

2,673 linear feet

64,525 linear feet or 12.2 miles

This "liquid labor" saves money by reducingthe need for mowing, clipping cleanup,edging, and mower cleanup. With less timespent mowing, it may be possible to increasetime spent on other activities of your choice.

Significant mowing costs also can beassociated with maintenance of steep slopes,bunker edging, curbing, mulched areas, cartpath edges, etc. Hand mowing, string trim-ming, and flymowing also significantlyincrease total mowing costs. At the RoyalLakes Golf & Country Club, near Gainesville,Georgia, golf course superintendent FrankSiple has measured the total golf courselinear edging lengths (Table 4). It came to atotal of 12.2 miles of linear edging, but didnot include trimming and edging aroundtrees, which isn't done at this course. The useof non-selective herbicides, such as Roundupor Finale, or growth regulators to reducetrimming along these borders saves money.

Other money-saving tips for reducingmowing costs include:

JULY/AUGUST 1995 3

Mowing requirements can be a high-cost line item in the maintenancebudget. Minimize areas that require expensive hand maintenance.

• Allowing natural grassy areas to developin out-of-play rough areas. However, givethe golfers plenty of margin for error onfairways to keep play moving and mostplayers happy.

• Reducing mowing acreage, such asaround tees, pond banks, etc. Reducing fre-quently mowed fairway turf by contourmowing to reduce fairway area.

• Eliminating ropes and stakes, whichslow mowing efficiency. Use other, moreefficient traffic-control measures, such as4-foot-tall movable indicator posts, perma-nent curbing, movable barriers, etc.

• Using rotary mowers to mulch leaves,twigs, and other debris.

• Naturalizing tee surrounds and carryareas to the fairways.

• Providing good drainage so that largermowers can operate more effectively onfairways and roughs.

Judicious Use of Fertilizer Saves MoneyOne very important cost-cutting strategy

is the competitive bidding of seed, fertilizer,and pesticides. Don't buy all materials fromjust one company. Bid sheets with the quan-tities of these items needed should be pre-pared. Many companies offer significantdiscounts by pre-ordering materials in bulkand paying early in the spring season. How-

ever, bulk purchasesonly work if an ade-quate storage buildingis available.

Ifneed be, developan annual supply con-tract, with delivery asneeded. That keeps

. just one or two appli-cations of pesticideson hand.

Bulk spreading offertilizers, lime, andother servicescan savelabor hours. Manylow-budget coursescontract all fairwayand rough fertiliza-tions and spring pre-emerge herbicideapplications.

Fertilize the turf-grass only as needed,and base nutrient ap-plicati9ns on annualsoil test results. Con-centrate on the majorturfgrass nutrients,including nitrogen,phosphorus, and po-tassium, in the fer-tilization program.Avoid costly quickcure products for

what ails the turf. Instead, stick with a fewsimple programs that will help the grassgrow.

Maximize Labor, Equipment,and Irrigation

Employee training is especially importantat a low-budget course, since assistant super-intendents usually aren't on staff to provideadditional expertise and supervision. Investin key staff employees by sending them toturf conferences, seminars, and turfgrassfield days. Also, hire a qualified mechanic.Don't cut comers on this key staff position.Equip the maintenance staff with two-wayradio communications to increase the effi-ciency of staff and equipment.

Purchase labor-saving equipment such aspower bunker rakes, large gang units, androtary mowers, triplex mowers, etc. To re-duce wear and tear at some sites, lightweightfive-gang mowers are preferred over largegang units. Regular yearly investment innew maintenance equipment is essential,even if only a modest amount. Daily main-tenance equipment repairs and record-keeping will save money in the long run. Itis the key to avoiding breakdowns andcostly repairs. An 8' x 10' sign at the mainte-nance facility at Summit Chase Country Clubin Snellville, Georgia, reminds employees

daily that "Preventive Maintenance MeansFiner Performance."

A good, dependable irrigation system isa top priority. Monitor soil moisture to helpestablish irrigation schedules. Decreaseelectrical pump costs by irrigating between11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Ask the powercompany about load management plans.These plans alert golf course superintendentsabout high power use days, and significantsavings occur by irrigating at certain timesspecified by the power company. In mostinstances, only minor irrigation schedulingadjustments are required to participate.

Investigate the use of effluent water, butdon't buy water without sizable help from thesewage district. Be sure that processingstandards are high and th~t the supply canbe turned off when the sewage plant is notoperating properly. Set up Irrigation Conser-vation Areas and native landscape areas forwater conservation. Use new, low-water-useturfgrasses where possible.

Reducing the Effects of Bunkers andTrees on the Course Saves Money

It is desirable to have a few well-placedbunkers, especially around the greens ratherthan in the fairways. Bunkers are very ex-pensive to maintain. They are costly to rake,mow around, keep filled with sand, and keepwell drained. Remove bunkers that impedetraffic flow to key areas, and reshape bunkersso that it's more convenient to mow. Sod anysand bunker faces that wash out after rains.

Trees affect turfgrass growth by causingshade, restricted air movement, and tree rootcompetition. Maximize morning sunlightand provide for adequate air flow at greensand tees. Remove trees and brush that inter-fere with grass growth, especially on theeastern side of tees and greens. To improvea poor turf-growing environment, removelow-branched tree limbs to increase mow-ing efficiency and air movement. Prune treeroots to prevent competition for moisture andnutrients. The use of shredded hardwoodbark or pine needles under trees will reducemowing, speed play, cover tree roots, andimprove soil conditions for the trees. Periodicchemical mowing with non-selective pluspreemergent herbicides, such as Roundupand Surflan, will help reduce weeds atmulched sites.

ConclusionThere is no established standard for a golf

course maintenance budget. Tremendousvaria-bility exists in how costs and expendituresare categorized. However, implementing asmany of these tips as possible will help yourcourse save money on a tight budget. Carefulmaintenance planning can make a big fman-cial difference for any golf course that livesby the standard Maintenance on a Shoestring.

4 USGAGREEN SECTION RECORD