COURSE MANAGEMENT: The standard of excellence

There are many reasons to formalize a set of maintenance standards. As committees and decision makers change from year-to-year, a set of standards will assure continuity and help guard against "pet projects" that deviate from normal operational standards.

Standards will also uncover what’s important to golfers. As an example, perhaps edging cart paths is important to you for a certain look, yet golfers may not be concerned with edged cart paths and would rather see that labor spent on an extra weekly mowing of green surrounds.

Another item that tends to get attention is the request to "take the course to the next level." With good standards in place a superintendent can illustrate the necessary steps and cost required to achieve an increase in grooming and conditioning necessary to accomplish that "next level" of course conditioning.

Golf maintenance budget cutbacks have become a reality in this economy. However, primary play areas should be properly maintained. Standards can help determine what level of maintenance is required and what cost benefits can be achieved with fewer cycles of maintenance and other inputs in those out-of-play areas.

Most superintendents already have standards, perhaps not written, but standards nevertheless. For instance, in season, the greens are mowed six times per week, at .110 of an inch, with a Toro Greensmaster Flex 18, in four different directions alternately, by six workers in two and one half hours. Is it possible to refine these routine practices, elaborate on them and take them to the next step, such as height of cut during shoulder seasons, chemical applications, cultivation and rolling? Apply ongoing practices and record those in document form and voila, you will have a set of standards.

Maintenance standards don’t have to limit creativity or hamper the ability to manage and react to day-to-day issues. The standards can be written to quantify what needs to be cared for on a daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual basis. If established, standards will keep everyone on the same page and this is important when considering the many moving parts of a golf course maintenance regime. Be sure to include a section dealing with abnormal weather conditions that may facilitate a deviation from planned standards.

The link between the standard of maintenance and labor is unmistakable. Labor hours are the engine that drives course grooming, conditions and standards upward. The more intense the golf maintenance standards, the higher the maintenance cost. However, as a businessperson and superintendent you must have knowledge on costs to accomplish an individual standard. If a decision maker wants to make budget cuts to achieve a certain dollar amount, the superintendent armed with the cycle time and cost analysis for routine tasks can advise which areas would be of less impact to the player to accomplish these budget goals. Thus, reduction of costs can be achieved in a manner that least effects play and is agreed upon by all parties concerned. The standards in this case are the guide to labor expense and can justify appropriate allocation or reduction of resources.

Establishing golf course maintenance standards helps maintain proper levels of maintenance, allocates labor and supplies appropriately and provides continuity of maintenance from year-to-year and helps guide decision makers with established guidelines.