By The Numbers

With early order season upon us, Golf Course Industry recently conducted research seeking to identify trends in superintendents annual purchasing ritual. Here are three key findings from the research.

GCI Research

No. 1
More the merrier
Superintendents indicated they prefer to purchase their chemical products from multiple sources, with nearly three quarters (74 percent) doing business with three or more local distributors.

Mark Knapke, superintendent at Mercer County Elks Golf Club, Celina, Ohio, says his four sales reps are very knowledgeable and they play a key role in keeping him on budget, which is key when presiding over a public course.

"I am always looking for ways to improve the golf course and everyone I come in contact with is an asset for improvement,” Knapke says.

In the Chicago market, Darin Douglas, superintendent at Mt. Prospect Golf Club, Mt. Prospect, Ill., works with five distributors on a regular basis. "I've found my board likes me to spread the money around a bit instead of focusing on one or two companies," he says. "It’s also nice to support the companies that are members of our local superintendent association.”

However, while the trend may be to maximize purchasing from multiple sources, 62 percent of respondents indicated they were in the process of consolidating their purchasing when using EOP.

No. 2
EOP Advantages
More than half of superintendents surveyed (55 percent) indicated they value EOP for the financial discount.

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In addition, 57 percent of superintendents indicated they make as much as three quarters of their chemical purchasing for the next year during EOP season.

Steve Babcock, Big Spring Country Club, Louisville, Ky., says he carefully plans his agronomic programs, making notes and documenting adjustments throughout the year.

“EOPs allow me to maximize club savings by ordering all products at one time, both agency and non-agency," he says. "Without early orders savings I don’t believe I’d have enough money for my plant protection program.”

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EOPs allow Dale Ekman, Drayton Valley Golf Club, Drayton Valley, Alberta, to increase the volume of his booking program to include all of the following years’ products at one time for all areas of the course. "In the past, this course only [made purchases] in the spring or when needed for each general area and only took advantage of lower overall pricing," he says. "Now, we have a volume discount price, and most years we are offered bonus products through the EOPs.”

Savings, though, isn't always the primary goal with EOPs, superintendents say. Rather, they prefer the flexibility of purchasing core products at favorable terms for bankable problems, while retaining some financial freedom for additional spending to address the unknown issues in-season.

“I have only been a superintendent for close to 50 years and in my experience and my area and climate, I am not smart enough to make early order purchases and be correct enough that it will cover all things that might arise," says Jerry Broughton, Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City. "The possible savings can be offset by one small purchase. With a limited budget I must be correct or need more money that I do not have.”

EOP does have its fair share of pros and cons, says Connor Healy, Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest, Ill. “I can save a couple thousand dollars easily depending on the size of the order,” Healy says. “It does limit flexibility somewhat, but I use these programs to purchase my ‘fixed-cost items.’ I spend roughly 80 percent of my budget this way. I have considered going away from it to compare, but I believe it wouldn’t be equitable."

It's all about the cost savings, says Jim Pavonetti, Fairview Country Club, Greenwich, Conn.

"I limit the early ordering only to products that are a staple in my program," Pavonetti says. "I then leave enough flexibility in the budget to try new products that come out during the season or change my program on the fly due to changed weather or turf conditions.”

No. 3
Same old, same old
Overall, superintendents don't anticipate major changes heading into this year's EOP season.

GCI Research

Paul Dushane doesn't expect to alter his EOP strategy this upcoming year. "I am very pleased with the performance and pricing of the EOP’s that I utilized this past year,” says the superintendent at Kensington Metropark Golf Course, Brighton, Mich.

Likewise, Ekman says it'll be the status quo for him with EOP. "I don’t anticipate any changes to this year’s purchases through EOPs due to tight economic spending at this club," he says. "We anticipate holding our spending on maintenance to be able to expand our spending on renovations.”