An Insider's Look

The industry has been blessed with some great fall weather, and to extent a longer golf season this year. How has that effected golf course superintendents?
The statement “we have been blessed with some great fall weather,” probably has many superintendents asking when did fall start? In the Midwest, most superintendents would hardly notice the difference between seasons. It has been an incredibly challenging year. I would have to say that in my 27 years in the industry this was one of the top five most difficult.

Many superintendents have made the choice to spend money not allocated for in their budgets because disease pressure and turf growth did not follow typical patterns.  In many cases they took action and asked for forgiveness later. The warm days and nights required additional fungicide treatments to stay on top of disease pressure and growth regulator applications to suppress turf growth. They also had to deal with 25-50 percent of their summer labor force returning to school.  Extended summertime conditions have provided golfers with terrific weather conditions to play, thus course condition expectations continue to remain high.

Superintendents also must consider capital improvement projects and seasonal cultural practices that must be completed to get the course prepared for next spring. Plain and simple -- superintendents have a full schedule until snow starts to fly.

How can a superintendent make the smart budgeting decisions now for tough conditions and or challenges they wont face for another six to eight months?
The easy answer is taking advantage of the early order programs offered by manufactures and their distribution partners. I remember when I was on the other side of the desk as a superintendent I did not want to even think about next year in October.  I had just survived the past year and I was already being asked about next year’s programs and commitments. To be honest I hated it but there was no denying the value of early order programs and the real savings that can be gained.  I had to put my personal feelings aside and my facility first. The potential savings and their benefit to my budget could not be ignored.

Secondly, although no two years in our business are the same thanks to Mother Nature, it is a good idea to evaluate agronomic programs to determine what worked and what adjustments need to be made while its still fresh in your mind.

Superintendents are excellent record keepers as a whole.  Often, the information they have compiled over several years outlines a baseline of products that are staples in their chemical and fertilizer program.  Planning to purchase these foundational products through early order programs such as the SePRO Pinnacle Program is a great way to get ahead on next year’s budget and put themselves in a strong position to navigate the unforeseen challenges they will face down the road.

What are some of the highlights of SePRO’s EOP program this year?
As a representative of SePRO in the field, one of my duties is to be a good listener.  As part of that I, along with my SePRO colleagues, have received lots of feedback on what our customers and distribution partners want to see in the SePRO Pinnacle Program.  The end result is an improved, simplified program that benefits all parties involved.

First off, the SePRO Pinnacle Program is unique in what it offers.  It’s the only program in which a superintendent can earn rebates by purchasing PGRs and aquatic solutions that don’t have a technical match on the market today.   

SePRO Aquatic Bundles are now structured to fit what type of water body a superintendent is treating and what they are treating for.  For example, Komeen Crystal – an aquatic herbicide with no irrigation restrictions, is now included in a new irrigation pond weed and algae bundle.  Other aquatic bundles include a non-irrigation pond weed and algae bundle, and an irrigation/non-irrigation pond algae bundle.  To help a superintendent determine how many bundles they may need, each bundle is approximately the amount of material needed to treat a surface acre of water with an average 4-foot depth for an entire season.   

Most importantly, superintendents can earn significant rebates, up to 22 percent.  We have heavily incentivized our program for those seeking an additional rebate on orders placed in October.  Our new online calculator has made it simple to run “what if” scenarios to easily see how rebates can be maximized.  Superintendents can learn more and register for the SePRO Pinnacle Program online at www.SePRO.com/Pinnacle.

How can a superintendent work with SePRO’s regional technical specialists to make the purchasing decisions best for their course’s particular agronomic needs and challenges?
This time of year is very busy for everyone in our industry.  We work hard to educate our distribution partners on our solutions through extensive one-on-one training and using technology to facilitate educational opportunities when we can’t all be in the same place at once. Additionally, it is my job to assist our partners working alongside superintendents to develop a sound agronomic program.  As a representative of SePRO, I have the perspective of how our products are used successfully across my territory and the additional resource of SePRO’s experienced team of technical specialists across the country.  For a superintendent, my ultimate duty is to draw on that wealth of knowledge to be a resource for them.  If a superintendent would like to get in touch with their regional technical specialist, they can locate their contact information at www.stewardsofturf.com/connect.  
Let me say from my time on the other side of the desk, I have the utmost respect for superintendents and our distribution partners. They are bombarded with information this time of year and tasked with making sense of it all.  By striving to be a resource for our customers, we can help them digest the important decisions that must be made this time of year to lay the groundwork for a successful coming year.
 

 

Have questions? Contact SePRO's Mike Mumper at mmumper@sepro.com.