Tag: maintenance

Review of Hurdzan’s Golf and Law

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Michael J. Hurdzan, Golf and Law.  Golf Course Safety, Security and Risk Management.  Edited by Ron Whitten.  Hurdzan Golf Publications, Columbus, Ohio.  Hardcover, May 2018, available on Amazon, $65.00. Reviewed by John Strawn, Director, GGA Partners

Michael Hurdzan has designed some of the world’s best golf courses, among them Erin Hills, the US Open venue in Wisconsin, and two of Canada’s most acclaimed courses, The Devil’s Paintbrush and The Devil’s Pulpit.   His impressive portfolio of course designs nestles among a broader range of accomplishments.  Hurdzan has a PhD in environmental plant physiology; following active duty in the US Army, he served in a special forces reserve unit for thirty years, retiring as a Colonel.  Now a Fellow in the American Society of Golf Course Architects, he was ASGCA president in 1984-85.   In partnership with his son, Chris Hurdzan, he leads restorations and renovations of classic courses, such as The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, Scioto Country Club in his native Columbus, Ohio, and Vermont’s Burlington Country Club.

Hurdzan is outspoken advocate for sustainable golf development.  He’s delivered hundreds of speeches on best practices in golf operations, highlighting the impact course design has on maintenance.  He’s one of the world’s leading authorities on golf’s environmental impacts.  He’s written a series of books, including a comprehensive treatise entitled Golf Course Architecture, familiarly known as “the modern bible of golf course design.”

Now, with his seventh book, Hurdzan has turned his attention to the intersection of golf and the law, striding into a contentious arena where few non-lawyers have dared to tread.  “I have been shocked,” Hurdzan writes in the introduction to Golf and Law, “that the golf industry, in general, has been so slow or inactive in trying to educate golfers and course operators to make golf and golf courses less hazardous.”

Though not a lawyer, Hurdzan has testified in numerous lawsuits, acquiring knowledge of golf’s legal quandaries firsthand, often sitting in the hot seat as an expert witness subject to cross examination.  He’s testified on behalf of both defendants and plaintiffs.  Golf and Law examines some of those cases, drawing valuable lessons for course managers, superintendents, and private club boards on how to assess and ameliorate risk.

Golf and Law was edited by Ron Whitten, a writer and former prosecutor who abandoned the courtroom years ago to take on the role of golf course architectural editor at Golf Digest, where he established himself as an authoritative voice on design.  Whitten also collaborated with Hurdzan on the early stages of the design of Erin Hills.

But it’s Hurdzan’s voice we hear on the pages of Golf and Law, a clarion call reflecting the authority and presence that’s given his courthouse testimony such persuasive authenticity.  When you’ve learned to give orders that may have deadly consequences, you don’t take risk lightly.

Hurdzan’s book advises course managers and club members to forestall risk by undertaking a prudent, ongoing and realistic assessments of any potential hazards they can identify—and we’re not talking about bunkers here, but rather lake edges, aging trees, blind shots and steep slopes.  He makes a case for modest interventions, above all the use of simple warning signs, but makes it clear that the strongest protection against risk lies in good planning and design.

The number of pages Hurdzan devotes to golf car issues—and he prefers “car” to “cart” because the former implies greater operational risk, and the whole point of Golf and Law is to provide guidance on managing risk on golf courses—may not be surprising, given that more than 15,000 golf car accidents are reported every year.  Although he doesn’t state what proportion of golf-related lawsuits involve cars, from the cases he presents the impression is that cars are golf’s greatest danger.

As in his previous work, Hurdzan’s goal in writing Golf and Law is to make the golf industry better–a safer place for golfers and staff alike, where everyone is alert to the risks inherent in balls traveling at skull-cracking speeds and cars are driven with the risks of operating them clearly in mind.   This book belongs on every prudent club manager and superintendent’s shelf.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

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Experts in the fields of economics, demographics and climatology tell us that recessions, housing booms, population shifts and catastrophic hurricanes are coming. They just don’t know precisely when any of their predictions will come true, exactly where they will occur or who among us will be affected.

Closer to home, in the business of golf course and club management, it’s also likely we will see irrigation system breakdowns, fertilization miscalculations and budget shortfalls. That’s why it’s wise to plan for what may well be the inevitable as well as the unknown.

Warren Buffett once observed, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” In other words, before the benefits come foresight, a plan and action. With the optimism of the new year now beginning to blend with reality, it’s time to make sure we have our most critical plans in place.

Irrigation plans are fundamental building blocks for every golf facility manager concerned about course conditions. Sound irrigation planning ties directly to the standards of excellence that are part of the overarching agronomic plan. Irrigation philosophy, methods and frequency must support and be consistent with the intended turf conditions for the course. Through attentive practices in most jurisdictions, golf has become an even more diligent user of water as many facilities now rely entirely on recycled water. A sound irrigation plan provides for three important factors: matching water consumption to expected results, measuring water consumption to ensure under-usage whenever possible, and seeking new options for further efficiency where sensible.

Rain Bird’s Bryan Stromme encourages managers to establish realistic expectations for what the superintendent wishes to accomplish. Stromme emphasizes that the system infrastructure and the intended outcomes – turf conditions – must be aligned. He adds that “having individual sprinkler control is critical. The faster you can water, the more efficient your system will be for energy and irrigation effectiveness.”

Fertility plans are mission critical for most golf courses considering the high standards of care and upkeep demanded, as well as the advancing requirements of sophisticated hybrid grasses. The first step in developing a fertility plan is to determine the desired level of course conditions and the corresponding turf standard. While there is no “perfect” fertility plan, the key to the planning process is nitrogen supported by phosphorous. The best plan for each facility also prioritizes environmental impacts to the site.

Nick Kearns, director of greens and grounds at The Oaks Club in Osprey, Florida, says he begins with a review of the prior year’s results and executes biannual soil and tissue sampling on each of his two courses. “Our two golf courses react differently,” he says. “The Heron, the Bermudagrass course, requires routine nitrogen applications. When applying we try to use the BMP rule of thumb of a 50 percent slow-release blend. With the Eagle, the paspalum course, we very rarely apply a granular nitrogen product because it can lead to an increase in disease pressure. The products that we apply to the entire course are 99 percent potassium based with minor elements blended in.”

Capital asset plans are a top priority for golf course and turf and facility managers because of life cycle demands and the time required to sequester and reserve needed funding. Craig Johnston, a partner at Global Golf Advisors in Toronto, says, “Clubs with golf courses and sports fields have an enormous appetite for capital.” He points to three key steps for asset replacement planning.

“First, planners must identify every asset that requires replacement, from the water fountain to the irrigation system,” he says. “One should have a depreciation schedule that lists all current fixed assets, the initial cost of the asset and the life of the asset. Start with this list to take a current inventory of your assets.  Make sure that all assets owned by the organization are included on the list and any assets the organization has sold or disposed of are removed from the list.

“Next, establish the replacement dates required for each asset. Use the depreciation schedule to set a target date for replacing each asset.  Finally, identify the financial resources that will pay for the assets that must be replaced. These days that’s often a hybrid of capital dues, capital reserves, short-term debt and capital calls on the membership.”

This article with authored by Henry DeLozier for Golf Course Industry magazine.

Using Technology to Your Operational Advantage

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In what ways are clubs realizing operational gains through new technology solutions? GGA’s Martin Tzankov outlines the solutions helping clubs to reduce costs and enhance the playing experience.

Golf and innovation do not always go hand in hand. Attempts to bolt new age technology into a traditional game and well-established club structures have often produced mixed results.

However, this doesn’t prevent club leaders constantly being inundated with new platforms, systems and applications, each with the promise of revolutionizing club operations or the member experience.

To help bring a meaningful commercial focus to this conversation, the following are some new technologies that are taking seed and proving their worth in providing actionable business intelligence, operational gains, and cost savings.

Keeping members moving

As much as we want to allow members to move around the course at their own pace, maximizing their enjoyment and social opportunity, there will often be certain individuals who create discontent through slow play.

While you may, at least anecdotally, know who these individuals are, there is often an absence of cold, hard proof.

This is where GPS-technology comes in. It’s now possible to track individual member movements around the golf course and monitor how long it takes them to play an average round. Armed with this intelligence, club leaders can address this issue and make significant inroads to solving problems around pace of play.

Clearly, there’s a balance and sensitivity to be struck when tackling this topic, and individual circumstances and other variables come into play. For this reason, you may wish to only address individuals who are repeat offenders at peak times of play – in other words, those who impede the experience for other members and guests. In any case, the data you obtain from the GPS-technology will play a fundamental role in overcoming this all too common problem.

Cutting down maintenance

There’s another side to GPS-technology; one which has the potential to unlock major cost savings. By tracking the movements of players, you can quickly establish a picture of where the common ‘pinch points’ or bottle necks lie on the course, areas where players tend to hit and lose balls, or particular hazards they find difficult to overcome.

This data will allow you to work with your superintendent more closely and proactively; looking at the root causes of the problems players face and, indeed, don’t face when navigating the course.

While there are design and maintenance tactics which can help mitigate lengthy ball searches in notorious areas, the real cost savings come from the areas where players tend not to venture…

By determining where these areas lie on the golf course through player tracking data, you can take the decision to reduce inputs and turf management in the knowledge this will not impact the playing experience. The benefits of increased maintenance efficiency to the Club are extensive. Financially, the Club will realize substantial cost savings from a reduction in chemical inputs and by doing so improve the long-term ecosystem of the course environment. From a labor perspective, reducing the managed area of the golf course will free up the workforce to increase its focus on other areas of the course and development projects. Whatever timeline you attach to these changes, the tangible long-term benefits are there and waiting to be realized.

Real-time security and data

A wave of clubs can be found upping their game when it comes to security. We have witnessed clubs installing technology such as retina scanning, geofencing, or keycards and access fobs to know who is at the club and when.

While security is the fundamental motivation behind such a move, the data this presents to clubs can prove invaluable in learning more about member engagement. Yes, there is a time commitment involved in analyzing and extracting some real value from this information, but if it can help you learn more about how some members’ engagement has tailed off, or which facilities or events they are engaging with over others, you can develop tactics to re-engage these members and boost their satisfaction levels.

Take events as an example. You may have a successful, thriving events program but find that a combination of POS and member data reveals that these are only really popular among elder members, while younger members are largely absent. We already know that the injection of younger members into these events is viewed favorably by elder members, and increased socialization will encourage a greater sense of attachment to the Club. So, it makes sense to conduct analysis into younger members’ attitudes, wants and needs from an events program so you can build on its success and make it more inclusive too.

A final thought

When it comes to implementing new technology, my message is this: be open to change. Your club may have established processes or ways of doing things, and it can be uncomfortable when technology threatens to change those. This will result in some clubs shying away when, actually, those that prosper will be accepting of the fact that change is inevitable. Not only that, they will see the opportunity change can bring.

For advice on introducing new technology to your Club, connect with Martin Tzankov.

Inspired by the Masters

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There are superintendents who say they dread the first full week of April each year because they know their members are glued to their televisions watching the Masters and wondering why their course isn’t also perfect.

If they needed someone to blame for the condition known as Masters envy, they could look no further than Jim James, the senior director for club and hospitality operations at the Augusta National Golf Club. If they did, they would see someone whose commitment to excellence goes far beyond flora and course conditions.

“We simply try every single day to be the absolute best we can at everything thing we do,” says James, who has been on the job at Augusta National since 1995. “We look at every single day as an opportunity to improve. When we find we are not the best, we are relentless and incredibly focused to make sure that we improve.”

Of course, there also are those superintendents who watch the tournament and find inspiration and challenge amidst the azaleas, dogwoods and meticulously groomed grounds.

It is the attention to detail that inspires Jon Jennings, the superintendent at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, host of last year’s U.S. Open. “My takeaway each visit is that no matter how inconsequential a detail, they are extremely important for the overall success of the Masters,” he says. “Upon returning home, I try to instill that level of quality with our staff and have them visualize that everything we do in course preparation is important in the grand scheme of things from a player-experience perspective.”

The Masters provides professionals with instructive and insightful examples that guide innovation, brand management and continuous improvement.

Keith Wood, director of greens and grounds at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte N.C., is no stranger to big-time golf, having hosted the 2017 PGA Championship. But he recognizes something special when he sees it.

“I learned early on that if there was a week or two to have my greens as good as they could be, I needed to peak around the Masters,” Wood says. “There is nothing better than getting compliments on how your course is playing while everyone is buzzing from the excitement of a great Masters tournament.”

Wood, who is preparing Quail Hollow for the 2021 President’s Cup, says the Masters’ grounds and agronomy team set the bar for tournament golf each season. “I am in awe of the horticulture and the health and beauty of the landscaping they do,” he says. “All shrubs and trees on the property are perfectly placed and maintained. They do a wonderful job of embracing the heritage of being a plant nursery and then take it to the next level with world-class horticulture skills.”

Carlos Arraya, director of grounds and agronomy at historic Bellerive Country Club near St. Louis, finds motivation in the history of the club that has played host to some of golf’s most memorable tournaments.

“The Masters inspires me to communicate and focus on Bellerive’s great traditions and championship history,” says Arraya, who prepared Bellerive for the 2018 PGA Championship. “Even though the Masters is one-of-a-kind, every course has its character and own story.”

The attention to detail and the steady progress on new solutions – from technology to labor deployment – serve as guidance for Arraya’s planning purposes. “The takeaway that resonates in my mind every year while watching the tournament is that a vision accompanied by a strategic plan can produce golfing excellence for the players and patrons,” he says.

While some may dread Masters week for the envy it produces, the great ones welcome golf’s first major as a learning experience. They know that even though they don’t have Augusta National’s budget or staff (more than 2,000 during tournament week), they can make their own commitment to excellence, looking at each day as an opportunity to improve.

This article was written and published by Golf Course Industry Magazine by GGA Partner Henry DeLozier.

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