Am I Making the Right Choice?

Until recently, when it came to purchasing equipment, it sure seemed like there was more than enough money to go around. Few worried about whether they would secure a new lease or a new equipment package the next year. Well times have changed and the decision to purchase new versus used, lease versus buy or whether to just hold on to what we have is now the crux of every equipment decision.
   
Welcome to the new reality.
   
As you can imagine and may well know firsthand, equipment purchasing is not as simple as selecting the right color. Every golf course is different and when choosing equipment it may not be as simple as getting all of one color.
    
With that said, here are some of my cardinal rules for superintendents when it comes to equipment purchasing for this new age.

Ignore the Joneses
So many guys purchase equipment because the superintendent down the road has it and can’t stop talking about how much he loves it. I can’t tell you how many times this leads to disappointment because the equipment does not perform to the same stellar expectations.
    
Avoid the urge to purchase solely on someone else’s experience.
 

There are No Simple Answers
So, should you lease, buy or just keep what you have? There is no simple answer because it depends on your current operation. There are a few ways to approach this, though. If you are in an area that operates 365 days a year then you will operate the equipment more often. It’s that simple. 
    
Courses in these areas favor leasing equipment and for good reason. Leasing saves you a lot of money on monthly payments every month. While at the lease’s end you don’t have anything to show for all those payments, you also don’t have to deal with worrying about whether the equipment will hold up until you can make a new purchase. Leasing also allows you to stay up with the current technology. I can’t say this is the right decision for all operations, but in many cases it can be a huge plus for your course.

Used Is – and Remains – Used
I have a few thoughts on the matter of purchasing used equipment. 
    
Sometimes simple economics forces a golf course to purchase used equipment to keep their operation functioning. Used equipment comes in all kinds of conditions. Yes, many times you’re told that everything has been looked over and fixed and it functions great. Cosmetically this is true, however the most expensive parts on the machine are things you can’t see just by looking at the surface. If you must purchase used equipment, then I suggest inquiring about where it came from and ask to see its maintenance records.