99 Problems?

As I consider the thick notebook of results from GCI’s 2015 State of the Industry study, the words of that great philosopher Jay Z keep floating around in my head: “We got 99 problems but the turf ain’t one.”

It was clear from this year’s responses that supers increasingly have the operational side buttoned down. The worries are on the business side: growing the game, slow play, discounting, aging memberships, etc. Agronomic concerns like water availability, regulation and costs like chemicals were way down the list.

I know you’ll read the whole thing, but here are a few key observations from the report (which will spill over into February because we had so much good stuff):

• Overall, maintenance and capital budgets are growing modestly but steadily, and the number of profitable operations has grown by 25 percent in the past three years.
• Purchasing habits are getting smarter via EOP buys and consolidation with fewer vendors.
• The number of courses overseeding is less than half of what it was 10 years ago and, consequently, dyes and colorants are exploding.
   

But, of all the eye-openers none was more interesting than this: 94 percent of y’all feel you have the confidence of your ownership or membership.

Wow. In a profession historically driven by fear and insecurity, that’s remarkable. That result ties closely to this one: 65 percent feel recognition of the profession has improved in the past decade.

Based on that, I’m willing to draw the following conclusion: The emerging golf market will be smaller, smarter and better and business-minded superintendents will thrive and, in many cases, be the most critical part of a facility’s success.

You guys hold the key to the future: the ability to present a golf course that meets or beats the expectations of the customer. The entire industry is coming your way…if you choose to get out of your comfort zone and embrace the big picture.

Speaking of the big picture, we would be totally unable to do any of this without two companies that see it already: Jacobsen and Nufarm. Sponsoring a project of this magnitude is no small investment and it takes a company with foresight to realize we must have a deep understanding of our present to be successful in the future.

It’s also pretty cool that 600 of you completed our lengthy survey! As a result, we’ll be able to increase our contribution to the good work being done by Wee One Foundation on behalf of GCI, Jacobsen and Nufarm again this year.