Tweet it out

Though he's a relative newbie to social media, Kevin Hicks, superintendent at the Coeur d’Alene resort in Idaho, he's found that using Twitter is a productive way to keep followers abreast of what is going on at his golf course, and to network with fellow superintendents.

“I jumped into Twitter at the very end of last year. It’s funny, I’ve always been a fairly early starter with technology, but on social media I was not,” he says. “I have found tremendous value in it. It’s great to bounce ideas off peers.

“I use social media daily basically to communicate with peers, primarily because we don't have members. Some repeat resort guests may enjoy the information as well, but the social media `conduit’ has not presented itself at our facility as it might if we had a membership. I am seeing social media used by others to keep their members informed of events and projects on the course.”

Hicks maintains a work-based Twitter page, “trying not to mix personal with business issues.” He sends out tweets a couple of times a week. “I will definitely do more once the course opens. It’s so quick and fits my schedule. I see it as an important form of communication.” He also places links to websites or other Twitter feeds on his tweets and often takes advantage of links he receives in tweets to visit sites and access information pertaining to his occupation.

Some of the information Hicks tweets about are of his use of colorants, which he began using about four seasons ago during his course’s fall snow mold treatment. Since then, he has used them during other times of the year, primarily on greens.

“In the fall, we use them to prolong the course color and possibly encourage earlier spring green-up without the use of excessive fertilizer applications. They are not difficult to apply, as they go right in the spray tank with other fertilizers and chemicals. I ran a course in Arizona for several years and I saw the value of colorants in the overseeding areas. It saves time, money and water without having to overseed. I know a lot of guys in the Tucson area use colorants with great success.” Hicks sees special value in the course’s shoulder seasons, in late fall when the turf is not at its best because of weather conditions, and in the spring to encourage earlier green up. “Our set opening date of April 1 rolls around quickly.” He adds, “In the fall, I use them to prolong the course’s green color.”

Hicks says that while he will likely become more involved with Twitter, he doesn’t envision using other forms of social media to spread information about the course at Coeur d’Alene anytime soon.

“I don’t want to get to the point where it is taking up too much of my time. That’s the great thing about Twitter, it takes only a couple of minutes to get something out there or read tweets. I might have some fun with our floating green this summer to generate interest among guests. Photos can tell a thousand words, as they say.”