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Final Report of the Special Golf Course Committee
Walt Morrow Construction P. O. Box 770 Meridian, ID 83680 January 20, 2004 Mayor Tammy de Weerd Meridian City Council Meridian City Hall 33 E. Idaho Ave. Meridian, ID 83642-2631 Dear Mayor de Weerd, As the Mayor and Council know, on December 16, 2003 I presented to you the final report of the Special Golf Course Committee in connection with Cherry Lane Golf Course. As the Council acknowledged, and for which I thank the Council, the Committee worked diligently and thoughtfully to compile this report. The Committee is now looking to the Mayor and Council to decide the immediate and longer-term actions of the Council to carry out the recommendations of the Committee. The committee has identified several items that can and should be addressed by both the City and Cherry Lane Golf Course operator. On behalf of the Special Golf Course Committee, I request that the Mayor and City Council establish a time and place for a work session between the Council and Committee to determine these immediate and longer-term actions to be taken by the City and Golf Course operator. If the Council has determined that the Committee is no longer needed in this process, please notify me and the Committee will be released. Sincerely, m~~ Walt Morrow Chairman xc: Meridian City Council Special Golf Course Committee (w/encl.) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1' Final Report of the Special Golf Course Committee To the Mayor and City Council City of Meridian December 2, 2003 ~'. Will Berg Keith Bird JoAnn Butler ~~ Tom Funkhouser Sharon Gallivan ~~!. Jim Johnson e Jennifer Lovan-Holloway David Moe F Walt Morrow Charlie Rountree Creg Steele '.Y ~: r ~~ TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction .................................................................. 1 2. Brief History of Cherry Lane Golf Course ........................................... 1 3. Growth and Planning in Meridian ................................................. 2 4. USGA Evaluation .............................................................. 3 5. Inspection Notes and Photographs ................................................ 6 6. Meridian Special Golf Course Committee .......................................... 21 7. Funding Options/ Alternatives ................................................... 23 8. Recommendations ........................................................... 26 Attachments: Tab 1 Chronology of Development of Cherry Lane Golf Course Tab 2 USGA Turf Advisory Service Report ' 1. Introduction ' In September, 2002, Meridian's golf course operator and tenant, Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc., met with Mayor Robert Corrie to discuss the continuing needs of the municipality's Cherry Lane Golf Course. Although construction on the City's Golf Course began in the 1970s, and continued in the '80s and '90s, a baseline report on exactly what infrastructure makes up the City's Golf Course had never been done. l With portions of that infrastructure nearing 30 years in age-in some instances, past its useful life-it F became imperative that the City understand what infrastructure physically exists and the condition of that infrastructure in order to plan for replacement and modifications at the Golf Course. As described further below, the Mayor and City Council, recognizing the City's valuable asset in Cherry i Lane, authorized a baseline study conducted by the United States Golf Association. After receiving the results of that study, Mayor Corrie called a special City Council workshop. Members of the Meridian community were invited that have, over the years, been associated in one way or another with the Golf Course. The purpose of the Council's special workshop was to briefly review the baseline study, receive ' ' comments from those familiar with the histo of the Golf Course develo ment and to establish a S ecial ry p P Committee whose purpose would be to identify: 1) the existing needs of the City's Golf Course; 2) estimate the replacement or repair costs; and 3) propose possible funding strategies the City can explore ' ; to meet those needs. ~ This report of that Special Committee attempts to familiarize the community with the history of Cherry Lane Golf Course, report on the findings of the USGA baseline study, report on the findings of the Special ' Committee, and make recommendations on further efforts by the City and its Golf Course operator to ensure that Cherry Lane Golf Course becomes the asset Meridian envisioned in the 1970s and desires 3 today. 1i 2. Brief History of Cherry Lane Golf Course i Cherry Lane Golf Course has been an ongoing project of Meridian since the late 1970s. The volunteer spirit of those Meridian citizens that joined together with developers to construct Meridian's largest recreational asset represents all the best of Meridian's community spirit. As a comparable example, j Meridian Speedway is a recreational facility that was developed decades ago through volunteer efforts that ' ; brought both recreation and recreation dollars to a then much smaller Meridian. Back in the 1970s, the Western Ada Recreation District was formed. The District, too, was manned by many volunteers who were instrumental in completing the Meridian swimming pool and who worked to upgrade Meridian's fledgling parks. Cherry Lane Golf Course recently hosted a tournament for the many Friends of Meridian Parks ' I sponsored by a continuing volunteer committee for the improvement of Meridian parks. Over the years some of the money raised has gone to help the local boys and girls club, the local baseball fields, soccer ~ fields, and the skateboard park. This year, funds were provided to Adventure Playground, which serves the physically handicapped and youth baseball. Likewise, Cherry Lane Golf Course was an early endeavor by the City, service clubs, the Chamber of Commerce, and residents to provide recreation and recreation programs to attract additional recreation dollars into the City. Cherry Lane was conceived at a time when municipal resources were small and volunteer efforts were large. Directors of Cherry Lane Recreation and employees at the Golf Course ' continue to serve on volunteer parks committees as well as serve the Course. Cherry Lane Golf Course ' ' and its people are a testament to the "can-do" volunteer spirit of Meridian. The City's ambition and volunteer efforts did not see easy gains. A combination of hard economic times and unfulfilled promises made the Golf Course development very slow going. This chronology of the Golf Course development history is compiled from the City's files and is found in Tab 1. What is apparent from the chronology of the Golf Course history, is that Golf Course property changed hands several times resulting in little continuity in development. '-~;' PAGE-1 1 The continuity found with the City Councils and volunteers, however, continued unabated. When the City Council met for its special workshop in January, 2003, several former City Council Members and former golf course committee volunteers elaborated on the history of those times. This testimony is found as well in Tab 1. Concisely, in 1978, Meridian entered into an agreement with the developer of the proposed "Cherry Lane Village" for the construction of the first nine holes of the Golf Course. The installation was to be at no cost to the City, with the transfer of these nine holes to Meridian after written acknowledgment from the developer's engineering consultant that construction specifications were met. Any defects in construction were to be corrected by the developer prior to transfer to Meridian. No written engineering g acknowledgment has ever been found. As stated at the City's special workshop in January, 2003, it is common knowledge that the first nine holes of Cherry Lane Golf Course were not properly constructed. Under this same agreement with the original developer, an additional nine holes was to be designed and installed, again, at no cost to the City, and then transferred to the City following appropriate development. ' Unfortunatel ,the ro ert that was to be the second nine holes of the Golf Cours r Y P p Y a everted to the original owners, and the property was then sold to other developers. Those developers assisted (along with the continuing volunteer efforts and infusion of cash by the City and the Golf Course operator) with the installation of the Golf Course's second nine holes. During 2000, Cherry Lane Recreation completed construction of a new clubhouse at a cost of approximately $800,000. Once the first nine and the second nine holes were transferred to Meridian, management and ' ' maintenance responsibilities also transferred to Meridian. Unfortunately for Meridian, neither the on final 9 nine holes nor the second nine holes met any recognized standards. Under the original agreements, Meridian has the ability to contract with a third party to manage the Golf Course and the City remains solely responsible. Management and maintenance by the City are to be "at a standard of quality consistent with similar public municipal golf courses throughout the country." To begin to develop our community's standards, the City committed to an inspection of the Golf Course in cooperation with the USGA. 1; 3. Growth and Planning in Meridian ' The development of Cherry Lane Golf Course is best viewed in the context of Meridian's growth. In 1978, when Cherry Lane Golf Course was a gleam in the City's eye, Meridian's population was less than 5,000 individuals. In 1978, the City published its first Comprehensive Plan. In the 25 years since, Meridian has seen its population increase to approximately 40,000 individuals (with an expanded City boundary, the City has estimated a possible population of 92,500 people by 2010), two new Comprehensive Plans have been adopted, and much of the infrastructure at Cherry Lane Golf Course has reached the end of its useful life. Meridian's Jul 2002 Com reh n y, p e slue Plan recreation goals are to provide a broad range of parks, recreational programs and recreational facilities in Meridian.' Actions cited in the Comprehensive Plan to accomplish this include: Assess the existing park and recreation facilities based on current regulatory, safety, and quality standards. Update and maintain existing parks and facilities to meet all regulatory, safety, and quality standards. • Support funding of Comprehensive Parks & Recreation System ("CPRSP") projects and programs. ': Supportjoint use agreements with the Meridian Joint School District, Western Ada Recreation District, ACRD, and other private and non-profit entities. '. PAGE-2 '' 1 1 To formulate the City's recreation goal during the most recent Comprehensive Plan process, Meridian asked its citizens to identify the community's recreation needs. With this information Meridian prioritized actions to implement these needs. Meridian then categorized these actions as "immediate" (0 to 1 years); "intermediate" (1 to 3 years); and "long-term" (3 to 5+ years). These actions include: • Support funding of the CPRSP projects and programs. (Intermediate) • Assess the existing park and recreation facilities based on current regulatory, safety, and quality ` standards. (Ongoing) • Identify recreation needs of the citizens of Meridian. (Ongoing) • Review the CPRSP annually to evaluate and set goals. (Ongoing) • Support acquisition and development of new park land to meet the growing open space needs of the community. (Ongoing) a Support joint use agreements with Meridian Joint School District, Western Ada Recreation District, ' ACHD, and other private and non-profit entities. (Ongoing) Although assessment of existing City facilities is listed as an "ongoing" activity, assessment of the Cherry Lane Golf Course has not occurred on a regular basis over the last 25 years. 'o Both the Comprehensive Plan of Meridian and the Comprehensive Parks & Recreation Systems Plan provide the basis for Meridian to manage its existing recreation facilities and programs, and to develop future recreation facilities and programs. The Comprehensive Plan contains an inventory of existing park ' ~ facilities and asix-year capital improvement plan to address needed im rovements and ro rams at those P P 9 facilities. The CPRSP Action Plan was developed by the City to: 1) provide specific recommendations on recreational facilities; and 2) present a funding and implementation strategy. Yet the Comprehensive Plan and the CPRSP fail to mention, even once, the largest recreational asset of Meridian: Cherry Lane Golf Course. The Golf Course was not addressed by the Parks Commission which was both focused on other park needs of the City and did not realize the depth of the Golf Course needs. Now that the needs are better understood, the Comprehensive Plan and the CPRSP must be amended to rectify this omission. With these additions, Meridian's main planning documents, the City, its citizens, and Cherry Lane Golf Course are given an advantage when attempting to raise funds and make improvements ' at the Golf Course. This oversight in omitting the Golf Course from the planning documents should no longer be acceptable to the City given the known infrastructure needs of the municipality's Golf Course. The fact that there are. major infrastructure deficiencies at Cherry Lane Golf Course is so clear that the City authorized the Course evaluation by the USGA, the Mayor and Council held a special workshop (January, 2003), and the City established a Special Golf Course Committee to specifically identify the golf course deficiencies and to propose recommendations for the City to remedy those deficiencies. '' 4. USGA Evaluation Following the September 2002 meeting between Cherry Lane Recreation and Mayor Corrie, the Mayor ' -' and Cherry Lane brought a request before the City Council (September 17, 2002) asking that Matt Nelson of the United States Golf Association ("USGA") provide the City with a baseline evaluation of the infrastructure at Cherry Lane Golf Course. The Idaho Golf A ssociation had provided Cherry Lane Recreation with a strong recommendation that Meridian contact the USGA's Turf Advisory Service, which has served several other courses in Southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon including: Banbury; Scotch Pines; and Spurwing. 1 Not only would the USGA Turf Advisory Service provide a baseline evaluation for the City's Golf Course, by subscribing to this Service Meridian would also obtain: a written report of the USGA's findings and 1 PAGE-3 ' L recommendations for continued course development; year-round consultation by telephone; and the ability to attend seminars with agronomists at regional meetings. Hiring the Turf Advisory Service for this baseline study was also seen as a way for Meridian to solidify its ~ relationship with the Idaho Golf Association and the USGA. Viewing all of this as very positive results for the nominal fee paid to the USGA, the City Council authorized the one-day intensive inspection of Cherry Lane Golf Course by the USGA. ' ~ The USGA inspection of Cherry Lane Golf Course occurred on the fine fall day of October 21, 2002. Council Members, Meridian staff, the Golf Course operator and members of the public were all invited to participate with the USGA agronomist. The review was designed to provide a broad overview of the Golf Course, but was also designed to address very specific items. For example, there was to be a detailed g look at trees, grass, soils, infrastructure and equipment. As Mr. Matt Nelson, the agronomist, described it, the review was to go from "soup to nuts." A full copy of the Turf Advisory Service Report is found in Tab a 2, and is summarized below. Notes and pictures taken during the inspection are found in Section 5 immediately below. 1 ~. First and foremost, the infrastructure at Cherry Lane Golf Course was discussed during the inspection. As noted by the USGA, serious infrastructure deficiencies limit the ability of Meridian and Cherry Lane to d provide the golf environment the City desires. These serious deficiencies include: an inadequate and failing irrigation system; poor construction techniques throughout the newest nine holes; the lack of a centrally-located maintenance facility; and the need for more maintenance equipment. ' ~ Although agronomic (that is, turfgrass and tree) improvement programs were discussed durin the 9 ) inspection, the USGA agronomist pointed out that no significant agronomic improvements could ~ be expected at the Golf Course until the irrigation system -the life blood of the Golf Course - is addressed. x. Deficiencies The separate front and back nine irrigation s stems are se crate and oorl desi ned and Y P P Y g i constructed. The system serving the older nine holes is due for replacement (the useful life span ~ is approximately 25 years). • The irrigation system installed on the new nine uses components better suited for residential use. • The sprinkler heads (Falcon) have not been observed at any other golf course visited around the country. Golf course sprinkler head models should have been used for the front nine. • Broken water lines and component failure is common on the back nine, resulting in poor turfgrass health, especially in the middle of the fairways. _ There is inconsistent and inadequate spacing between sprinkler heads, i.e., sprinkler heads are spaced more than 100' apart (typical irrigation designs utilized triangulated spacing of 65' to 75' between sprinkler heads). • The irrigation system lacks a centralized controller and sprinkler heads are unable to be isolated (because of significant differences in water requirements on a course, golf courses strive to control one or two sprinkler heads from one valve). ' ~' Small pipe sizing throughout the course results in compromised operating pressure and water distribution. • Inadequate pumping results in significantly extended run times, reduced flexibility in the system and greater wear and tear on the components. • The existing maintenance facility is located too far from the golf course, posing safety concerns and inefficient use of time. • There is a lack of maintenance equipment, including dependable aeration equipment. ' ~ Greens 1, 6, 7 and 9 are constructed at an extreme slope (as much as 7 - 8% compared to the standard of 1.5 - 2% at the potential hole location) posing maintenance challenges, and compromising playability. PAGE-4 w ~~ ' ~ Greens on the new nine are not constructed to any specifications recognized in the industry, resulting in dry spots and turfgrass inconsistency. • Topsoil is lacking throughout the new nine, which accentuates deficiencies in the irrigation system. I The irrigation canal that cuts across No. 3 fairway is not grassed (at the insistence of the canal company), inviting pedestrians and bicyclists onto the course, and compromising safety. ' ~ Recommendations • Retain the services of a qualified golf course irrigation consultant to audit the existing system and develop plans for replacement with a proper system. Replacement is likely the only feasible option.2 • Retain the services of a qualified golf course architect to design and rebuild the greens on the new nine to an accepted specification. • Locate the maintenance facility close to the course and provide areas within the facility for proper storage of equipment and materials. In 1995, the City, Cherry Lane Recreation and Brighton Corporation discussed locating the maintenance building in an area west of the practice green and the then #1 green. Brighton asked that Cherry Lane Recreation have its architect set the ' ~ location. • Lightweight fairway mowers and rotary mowers (for the roughs) should be obtained to improve ~ cutting quality and turfgrass health. There has been discussion between the City and Cherry Lane Recreation in connection with the possible Golf Course use of Meridian Parks Department equipment (and vice versa), which equipment is only used occasionally. This sharing of equipment (possibly with the payment of a rental fee) would seem to be an effective use of public ~ equipment at public facilities. Of course, details of how such expensive equipment would be used ~ and by whom would have to be worked out between the City and Cherry Lane Recreation. As S described below, one recommendation of the Special Golf Course Committee is to encourage the P City and Cherry Lane Recreation to use good-faith efforts to work out such details for the joint, 7 efficient use of such equipment. • Greens should be core aerated twice annually with 5/8" diameter hollow tines. • Greens should be lightly top-dressed at least monthly. • Continue to core-aerate fairways at least once annually with piston-driven fairway aerator. 's Annually fertilize fairways with 3 - 4 lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1000 S.F. • Continue to overseed fairways; annually overseed fairways with perennial ryegrass at a rate of 200 - 300 Ibs per acre. • Negotiate with the canal company to grass the recently-culverted irrigation canal; grassing will not 1 ' restrict the canal company's right-of-way. • Slowly introduce a partial system of cart paths throughout the golf course surrounding greens and tees. • Plan the location of the partial system of cart paths so there remains the possibility of a ' ` continuous cart ath s stem at a future date. P Y On November 12, 2002, Cherry Lane Recreation addressed the Mayor and City Council at apre-Council '9 hearing and presented the Council with the United States Golf Association Turf Advisory Service Report. Also presented to the Mayor and Council was a compact disk containing pictures taken during the inspection some of which are found in the Section below. The Mayor and Council received the report and discussed the need to set aside time to discuss the report. At the November 12 hearing and in a November 21, 2002 letter to the Mayor and Council, Cherry Lane Recreation proposed that the City organize a golf course committee to plan for the needed improvements ' : at the Golf Course. Cherry Lane also indicated to the City that it might be very beneficial if the City would dedicate a staff person (and some of that person's time each week or month) to participate with and assist the committee. For example, the City's Parks Department employee, Elroy Huff, and the City's Parks ' Board Commission Member, Creg Steele, both indicated a desire to work further with Cherry Lane PAGE-5 '~ Recreation and the City to accomplish improvements at the Golf Course. Also, because financing strategies were likely to be explored by the committee, it was thought that a staff person from the finance office of the City would be invaluable. The committee did not have someone from the finance office of the ' City to assist its work, but the City must ensure that the finance office of the City fully explores further i funding strategies and makes a recommendation to the City. ' ~ 5. Inspection Notes and Photographs i ~. PAGE-6 '~ '~ USGA INSPECTION OF CHERRY LANE GOLF COURSE ' OCTOBER 21, 2002 MINUTES ' Attendees: Matt Nelson, USGA ' Creg Steele, Meridian Parks and Recreation Commission Will Berg, Meridian City Clerk Jennifer Lovan-Holloway, Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. Nancy Link, Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. ' ', Tom Funkhouser, Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. Sharon Gallivan, Spink Butler Clapp, LLP 1 Matt Nelson with the USGA conducted the inspection. The inspection began with a Q & A among the attendees regarding the background and history of the course. Jennifer Lovan-Holloway was the primary source for the responses. The issue of the maintenance shed and property to be donated for the shed was addressed as well. Jennifer estimates that 30,000 - 40,000 rounds of golf are played each year at the course. There are five full time employees. The development of the course in two phases was explained. The goal of the inspection was defined: 1) work together to see that the City has the golf course the City was promised by the developers; 2) identify deficiencies in the infrastructure; and 3) propose avenues to improve the course. The field inspection started on the practice green. Matt Nelson stated that the practice green is subgrade and not very well constructed. He also said that the practice green generally takes a lot of abuse, more than other areas on the course. He addressed the cart paths and stated that the paths may be placed to better distribute traffic and reduce comoaction. PAGE - ~ n i 'll At the 200-yard marker Nelson took a bore sample. He described the water problems and discussed the placement of the sprinklers, noting that there seemed to be no real pattern of placement and coverage. Jennifer said that this area originally had very poor coverage and Cherry Lane Recreation had added approximately 8 sprinklers to this area. Nelson pointed out two issues: 1) the line is undersized (Tom Funkhouser said the line was 3" from the pumphouse); and 2) the pressure at the pumphouse is 70 lbs. and only approximately 50 lbs. in the field. There was some discussion about whether the line might actually be 6 inches at the pumphouse or 4 inches. Nelson asked if Cherry Lane had tried doing some overseeding. Nancy Link and Jennifer stated that overseeding has been done. ' PAGE - 8 The first three holes are the area that the top soil was scraped off by the developer to move to subdivision building lots. Nelson said that the topsoil issue is something that should have been addressed in the construction contract. He stated that a golf course architect/designer would have been valuable in the initial stages of development. 1 First Green: Nelson remarked that the slope of the green (7-8%) should be no more than 1-2% to keep the greens slower. He said this green was a "do-over." He also remarked that the cart paths should be relocated to the other side of the green. _, Hole No. 2 fairway: No - ~ `~` sprinkler heads? Nelson described the triangulated spacing of sprinkler heads that should be found in this area. This prompted a discussion of how the course was originally financed, and the allocation of expenses for the necessary improvements. Will Berg explained the $650 lot assessment and mentioned the $100 lot fee. Jennifer talked about the slow market in the 1980s and how the second nine was put on hold. The three developers responsible for the course were identified: Kent Barney, Brighton Corporation, and Steiner Development. Jennifer mentioned that Brighton had recently brought in more trees, and Steiner had added irrigation lines. PAGE - 9 ''. 1 1 1 1 No. 3 Fairway: Nelson remarked that the aeration they have been doing (see No. 2 Green: Nelson inspected the soil in this area and said that the clay is "wicking" the water away from the green. This is evidenced by the fact that the course manager has had so much trouble getting grass to grow where Tom Funkhouser put in a plug (see picture) to see if the plug would grow. picture of tractor aerating m later) is good, but what they ~ _ ~ "~ t `- `~"'~' ~'~~ ~ - ,~ y~y~,~ need to do is look at possibly , :',z~~~#~*+~ ~:. purchasing TORO or John _,,,, ~':'.F F,~=, ~ ~,, . Deere equipment. Nelson - said to go down about 3-4" ,~~~-~ .P_ ' ~x~ ,~ :" and pull a plug. CLR is using ~'°` • '=;~~~ i. ~;•, .... a tractor that has a "slicing" F - action rather than tines that ` .k , penetrate to a greater depth. ,~; -~ ~; Nelson suggested that CLR - ~- should look for someone who -~~~~. is starting a contract aeration ~ =' company and have them ~'~~_ ,' ~ ., aerate as far down as possible. He said the soils are ~-~;~ very tight and it probably ; wouldn't go very far for the first few attempts. CLR needs to aerate at least annually, but "irrigation is the huge problem here." Nelson said that it would take at least $1 M to do the irrigation right, and he figured that only a third of what was needed was actually done. Matt stated that it wouldn't matter how many holes you punch in the turf, without an adequate sprinkler system it won't make any difference, you'd just have poor turf with holes. ' PAGE - 10 ~~~~ 1 Tiled ditch: Nelson said that grass is needed over the ditch. According to Jennifer, Tom and Nancy, Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District will not allow that. Since the new elementary school opened, children are riding their bikes down this "path" and ,~: ~ ~ ~ are coming into the path of play. Nelson said CLR should present Nampa- Y;'~ Meridian with the safety issues and the ~} 9'>„~ f,. environmental fact that turt is the best filter for possible pollutants. Jennifer noted that both the canal company and someone working for a developer are driving trucks down this "path." No. 3. Green & No. 4 Tee box: Root growth is good, but the concern is thatch. Nelson demonstrated how the different layers in the sod accumulate water and how similar they are to "growth rings" of a tree. Nelson stressed that water management is crucial, and although the problems here are not unusual, the problems are not what you want. Aeration and top dressing will help and should be done in the spring and fall, perhaps mid-May and Labor Day. This schedule will preserve the play time as much as possible. Nelson said that this condition can become a real problem if the soil gets compacted. The sample Nelson took had good density and strong root development. This condition in this area requires more difficult water management as problems with weeds and moss can result. PAGE - 11 1 1 No. 4 Green: Jennifer noted that the course °gained" property here from a developer when a subdivision was platted. No irrigation lines are available to water this area. This is one location suggested for the new Maintenance Shed. Jennifer has been watering some of this area with a hose. No. 5. "Core aeration" will have longer lasting benefit here and would be a good tool to use in conjunction with the blade tool currently being used. Will mentioned that Dave McKinnon is the City staff person working with the golf course now, since `^~"` ~;- reorganization after staff members Shari Stiles and Tom Koontz left. Nelson ' questioned whether there was any ~ - , ' : y: professional involved with the design of :. ~ -,; ; the golf course. All said "no." Sharon Gallivan asked Nancy about Brighton's plan designed by David Peugh. She said that plan was never used. Nelson mentioned again that the irrigation for the course should have been $1-1.5M and that the developers really got a good deal out of the City on this. Again in this area, Nelson pointed out the poor spacing of irrigation heads. He said it should be no more than 60-70 feet, and that they should employ a "wedge" pattern. He also noted that the heads on the sprinklers are °residential" heads, and that they aren't appropriate for a golf course. ' PAGE - 12 t 1 u ii '~ z~. #7 Pond and Hole: This is an example of the "fluid" property boundaries around the course that changed as residential subdivisions were approved and built.' A Tee box had to be moved because it ended up in the back yard of one of the residential lots. Sharon asked if the golf course had been surveyed in the last two years; Jennifer indicated it had been just "spot surveyed" meaning that CLR knows what the golf course is only after the developers place the subdivision boundaries. ~' Jennifer said that they have played with a 6" bump this summer because of the poor condition of the course in this area. This area is also where the issue of drainage _ swales on the golf course was raised. Will mentioned that there ` was a triangle property here that Steiner was supposed to swap. Jennifer said the swap had taken place. 1 The boundaries only now are somewhat known. given that the surrounding subdivisions have been platted. In effect, the City's golf course was defined by various developers during the course of development over 30 years. Although an invoice for a survey was paid by the City, the particular survey has not been located. PAGE - 13 1 1 1 1 u PAGE - 14 Well: There is a well near Black Cat that is on the golf course, but no one knows who owns it. Jennifer has done some research. There is a wide expanse of almost flat, featureless ground. Nelson remarked that they should have been able to use the fill dirt for molding the course. According to Jennifer the contractors used quite a lot of dirt to build up and level the residential lots. This area next to the road is the only area that isn't fenced from the road. Jennifer said that former Planning Department Director Shari Stiles didn't want a fence there. Will suggested that a split rail fence would be good to separate the area from the road. There was discussion about a paved access that had been removed and replaced with "pavers" through which the grass would grow. This "grass-Crete" treatment would allow a truck to come in and service the "port-a- potty" at that end of the course. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 t 1 1 No. 10 : Nelson said this area has good root development. "Not terrible some sand down there, and it is distributed." He said the speed and slope of the greens are problematic. Jennifer commented that the lower handicaps don't like playing their course because it's too fast. ~' Pumphouse: ~r Problems with _ ,:. ,: ..~ erosion caused PAGE - 15 CLR to make repairs last ~ °, ~~~~ ~~- L~ ~ year. Brought ~,; r t in rocks to ~~°. z ; stabilize. ' . ''' No. 11 Fairway: Jennifer and Nancy commented that this is ' an area where the survey is off by about 40 feet or so; the ' irrigation doesn't go to the edges and that leaves a "no man's land" that is just weeds and not getting watered. Will mentioned the "piecemeal" nature of the acquisition of the course. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ~; fi.~ ~ 3R a ?'Y~ Y~~C~ ~ o _ _ . ~ ~S ._ .~, _ sip,- ~ ~[ ~;- ,~ '.- 'r ~~ , _ ~..~ ,,.: t :, ~;`• .~ PAGE - 16 ~~~~~ ~ k~~~ E. ~~,, Also, in this section there was a ditch that was tiled and grass was grown over the top (question: why did Nampa-Meridian Irrigation allow them to grow grass here but won't allow it in the newer area?). All that remains visually (other than a very noticeable depression) is a gravel "path." This gravel area tends to funnel the golf cart traffic to the center. Nelson said they should remove that area and plant grass to distribute traffic. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 No. 12: Compacted soil - difficult to penetrate sand layer. Again, Nelson points to irrigation problems. PAGE - 1 ~ The strip of land in this picture is the one that Cherry Lane Recreation was told they should maintain. The similar strips along the sidewalk are maintained by the Homeowner's Association. (Behind *9 Green.) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Current Maintenance sheds: Across Cherry Lane, next to the Albertson's. We crossed Cherry Lane in the golf carts. The golf carts may be run in the streets within that square mile, and outside, only to the maintenance facility. PAGE - 18 No. 13. This is where the restrooms are located. General discussion about having the Boy Scout troops come in and paint. This area is usually the worst on the entire course, but not too bad this fall. Problems with a particular kind of problem grass, and some mold as well. tih `~` ' .. ~` :~,~ ~ .-:.. 1 Ladies Tee: "Size of a postage stamp." 1 1' ii PAGE - 19 South of the Clubhouse: This is the area that the City wants to see the maintenance shed located. CLR has informally discussed with the City that this would be a good location for a picnic area and an outdoor reception area such as promoted in Meridian's parks and recreation plan. CLR is concerned about mixing maintenance traffic with pedestrians. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 CLR would like the city to explore obtaining other property on which to locate the maintenance shed. PAGE- 20 6. Meridian Special Golf Course Committee Following receipt of the USGA report, Mayor Corrie set the time and place for a Meridian City Council Special Workshop. This workshop was held on January 27, 2003, with 27 attendees.3 A number of the attendees who have seen the Golf Course develop over time provided an extensive background for those who were unaware of the history. See Tab 1. Following the historical review, the attendees had a free- ' flowing discussion for almost two hours on the items that needed improvement at the Golf Course stating their ultimate aim was to discuss solutions and how to move forward to make needed improvements. At the workshop, City Council Members voiced their desire to have a list of needed improvements, an ' understanding of what it would cost to undertake those improvements, and an overview of financial strategies to fund improvements. With such knowledge the Council Members acknowledged they could work to prioritize improvements at the Golf Course and get the strong message to the general public that there is a very real need for funding for Cherry Lane Golf Course. Attendees a reed that the Cit and Cher Lane Recreation are res ntl w 9 Y rY p e y orking together in a public/private partnership; the City had not received all that the City had expected to receive from the original Golf Course developers; the goal is to make a better situation than what exists today; and a ' 3 committee should be formed to provide the Council with the information desired. Walt Morrow and Charlie Roundtree were nominated as co-chairs of a Special Golf Course Committee with Walt Morrow to call the first meeting. Members of the special committee included: ~r' Will Berg (City Clerk) Keith Bird (City Council member) JoAnn Butler (Cherry Lane Recreation) Tom Funkhouser (Cherry Lane Golf Course Superintendent) Sharon Gallivan (Cherry Lane Recreation) Jim Johnson (Meridian businessman and former Meridian official) Jennifer Lovan-Holloway (Historical Perspective) David Moe (former Parks Board member) Walt Morrow (Co-Chairman; former City Council member) Charlie Rountree (Co-Chairman; former Meridian City Planning & Zoning Commissioner) Creg Steele (Meridian City Parks Board) ' The committee met four times between April 30 and June 25, 2003. At the first and subsequent meeting, the function of the committee was re-stated by Walt Morrow: We are a special function committee ... here ... to determine what type of physical improvements ' ; that it would take to [bring] the golf course ... to whatever the standard might be. As Tom explained, ... the USGA standard is not a standard that's cast in stone for each golf course it's something that makes a golf course more playable. 1' Our charge [from] the City Council ... is simply to determine what type of physical improvements can be made to the golf course, the approximate costs of those improvements, then recommend ' ways of maybe financing those costs and ... the City Council and the Mayor and the Council can determine what standard they want that golf course to be and how to pay for that standard. Immediately following is the special committee's list of Golf Course needs. The committee made good ' faith estimates of the costs to meet these needs based on the practical experience of several committee members. The special committee acknowledged that these costs could vary in either direction by 10%. '- PAGE - 21 ~_ 1~ ~'. ~' r LIST OF GOLF COURSE NEEDS PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF COSTS (in order of priority) Improvement'' Projected-Cost ' Source of Funds Irrigation system $1-1.5 M Meridian Maintenance Building Metal building? No paint/no maintenance 40x80 $45 per sq. ft. $150,000 Meridian New Greens: 1, 6, 7 & 92 $8,000 each Meridian Re-build bunkers on new nine $2,000/bunker x 10 = $20,000 Meridian Lightweight Fairway mower $60,000 ($30,000 each)3 Cherry Lane Recreation Dedicated rotary mowers $24,000 each (1 necessary) Cherry Lane Recreation Aerating equipment or contract° $12,000 Cherry Lane Recreation Plant grass over irrigation canal $1,000 (No. 3 Fairway) Meridian Cart paths throughout systems $50,000 Cherry Lane Recreation Trees about 100 trees initial planting ($50 - $100/tree) $10,000 (immediate need) Meridian/Cherry Lane Recreation Carts $30,000 Cherry Lane Recreation Picnic Area: Tables, Gazebo, BBQ, Scoreboard areafi $50,000 Meridian/Cherry Lane Recreation New Restroom' $75,000 + sewer and waterB Meridian Clubhouse Maintenance (ongoing annual) $3,000 Cherry Lane Recreation Miscellaneous Equipment $50,000 Cherry Lane Recreation Equipment Rental $25,000 Cherry Lane Recreation Identifying and then bringing the Golf Course within a certain standard has been a major focus of the Special Golf Course Committee. The Committee acknowledged that no standard can truly be reached until the irrigation system is addressed. As Matt Nelson, USGA, stated in his report, "Significantly 1 All costs are +/- 10% z Others could be rebuilt but not necessary now; not due to bad slope. 3 Cherry Lane Recreation rents 2light-weight mowers today. a Lease now which may be the way to go. Secondary issue. s Throughout greens & tees on front 9 only -gravel or cinder; non-priority. 6 Cannot complete until location identified. ~ Non-priority. 8 Non-priority. PAGE - 22 1 ~' improving the quality of the golf course will depend entirely upon improving the irrigation system." [Emphasis added.] In an attempt to start the process to identify a standard, the Special Golf Course Committee identified the four most comparable golf courses around the Treasure Valley (all surrounded 1 by residential subdivisions) that, if emulated, might bring Cherry Lane Golf Course up to a standard desired by Meridian and the golfers that patronize the Course. These four courses include: Eagle Hills; Indian Lakes; Plantation; and Warm Springs. 1 7. Funding Options/ Alternatives Meridian's desire in the 1970s, to develop a community golf course to attract business to locate in the community, remains an appropriate goal for one of the fastest growing cities in Idaho. In the 1970s, the desire of the City was to have a quality golf course. There is certainly strong doubt that the City received what it was promised. Now, more than 30 years later, the City recognizes the municipal goal to refurbish Cherry Lane Golf Course so that it becomes what the City desired -- a quality golf course recognized as such in the Treasure Valley. For this admirable goal to be met, funding options must be identified, sought out, received, and applied to refurbish the infrastructure at Cherry Lane Golf Course. 1~ Of course, all of this is easier said than done. The charge of the Special Golf Course Committee was to identify deficiencies at the Golf Course, make a broad brush guesstimate of costs to remedy these ~ deficiencies, and identify possible funding solutions. With this identification, the City and its staff can rank the various options and make decisions as to which options the City will pursue. ' A few members of the committee met with attorneys and bankers who have worked with the City in the ' recent past in connection with bond financing (in connection with the City's police station), and also met with an attorney that has assisted the City in connection with its urban renewal efforts. These meetings j were done to familiarize the committee with some of the nuances of financing strategies. What became clear to the committee is that financing efforts must be undertaken with strong assistance from the City ~ staff with authorization from the Council. Without this authorization it will be difficult for the City to complete its actions. 1 The most immediate action to the undertaken by the City in its funding strategy is to place the improvements in the City's Capital Improvement Plan. The necessary Golf Course improvements identified here should be transferred from this special committee report directly to the draft Comprehensive Parks and Recreation System Action Plan and adopted along with that Action Plan. Generally, there has been sustained pressure on all local governments to finance public facilities; recreational facilities are typically low on a city's priority scale. Property taxes together with special users' ' , fees have generally proved insufficient to make up the shortfall of revenues needed to fund necessary infrastructure. Against these pressures, municipalities have increasingly expected private developers to build, donate or pay for infrastructure projects either in whole in part as a condition of development. Meridian is certainly no exception here and is familiar with the legal issues in connection with the propriety 1 of such conditions or payments required with any development approval and the point at which the line should be drawn between legitimate and illegitimate conditions. 1 ; Specifically in connection with Cherry Lane Golf Course, developers over the years were required to build, donate or pay for the Golf Course's infrastructure. The clear pattern that emerges from the City's files is that the area surrounding Cherry Lane Golf Course was developed in a piecemeal fashion over 30 years, 1 and the development of the Golf Course was conducted in a manner far short of typical golf course development standards and far short of the City's expectations. The area surrounding Cherry Lane Golf Course is now all but residentially-developed. With this 1 development completed, the City no longer has the opportunity to exact, as a condition of development, improvements at the Golf Course, and no longer has the opportunity to require that developers pay special 1: P AGE 23 1~ ~' 1 ~ i } ~' ~: 1 '~ assessments to facilitate golf course improvements. The donations and construction of the Golf Course over the past 30 years have been described. The City has also authorized special fees in connection with residential lots surrounding the golf course. The City authorized golf course development fees of $650 per residential lot (paid upon application for a building permit), from lots in Ashford Greens, The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivisions, and others. These $650 special assessments were first discussed in 1995 between Meridian (Mayor Kingsford), Brighton Corporation and Cherry Lane Recreation and later authorized by the City Council. The City committed $350,000 from the City's Enterprise (sewer) Fund for installation of improvements to the Golf Course. Around this same time, there was an ongoing fund-raising effort to raise private funds to supplement the City funds. The goal was to raise $500,000 with the expectation of raising at least $200,000. In addition, the City was soliciting volunteer labor and suppliers to augment the Enterprise Fund dollars and the private dollars.4 The total fees to be assessed, and the collection by the City to date, are indicated in the table below: CITY OF MERIDIAN GOLF COURSE EXPANSION FEES REVENUE & EXPENSES ($650 per lot -approx. 555 lots) Beginning: Nov ember 1995 through September 30, 2003 Fiscal Year # Lots Fees Received Expenditures (October-September) 1995-1996 24 $15,600.00 $339,185.87 1996-1997 27 $17,550.00 $52,682.08 1997-1998 54 $35,100.00 $0.00 1998-1999 71 $46,150.00 $0.00 1999-2000 41 .$26,650.00 $0.00 2000-2001 62 $40,300.00 $0.00 2001-2002 65 $42,250.00 $0.00 2002-2003 52 $33,800.00 $0.00 (ending Sept. 30, 2003) Totals 396 $257,400.00 $391,867.95 10/1/03: 42 lots left remaining per Building Department Total Fees Received at $100 per lot Oct. 1991 -Sept. 1997 $7,900.00 Estimated interest earned: at 5% 2 yrs 1996-1997 $1,170.00 ($23,500.00) Totals: $266,470.00 $391,867.95 Balance: ($125,397.95) According to the table immediately above, provided by the City Treasurer's office, special assessments totaling $266,470.00 have been received by the City to offset expenditures of $391,867.95. The table PAGE - 24 1~ ' x above indicates that approximately 159 residential lots are left from which to collect this special assessment. If that is the case, the City will eventually collect approximately $369,820 to offset expenditures. The reader should note that, because of development modifications around the Golf ~ Course, there is some confusion as to how many lots are actually available from which to collect this special assessment. The numbers range from 44 lots to 159 lots. A number in the lower portion of this range appears to be more likely to be correct. ' ' No one source is likely to fund all of the identified Golf Course needs. It may be possible for the City "mix and match" the ossible fundin sources to facilitate the identified Goff Course needs. As stat i t p 9 ed n he CPRSP: ' ,~ C " " [ ]ost and revenue balance may be achieved by establishing funding objectives which require that a portion of revenue be generated from the tax base while the balance of funds are generated ~ through discretionary sources, interlocal agreements, and enterprise opportunities. The City i should advance specific financing opportunities within present statutory capability and then combine new funding alternatives it determines appropriate for acquisition, development, operations and maintenance of park and recreation facilities. ' I Also as stated in the CPRSP, the Parks & Recreation Department policy of economic performance is stated as follows: ' ' The Department will identify and utilize a combination of revenue centers with emphasis on formation of public/private joint ventures, partnerships or concession agreements. Such revenue centers shall be organized to create funds to create a capital trust fund, and to create a revenue share to support qualified public service (non-revenue) programs that are for the well being of the ' j community. Possible funding alternatives include: General Obligation Bonds: With these bonds, the Cit borrows mone for ublic facilit Y Y P Y development to be repaid with funds generated by an increase in property taxes. These voter- ~ approved (two-thirds of all voters required) bonds establish an increase in property taxes for a ' period of time (typically 20 - 30 years) necessary to repay the bonds. The money raised can only be used for capital improvements and not maintenance. 1 • Revenue Bonds: Revenue bonds may be issued based on leasehold values of land, facilities and ° operating entities that create a cash flow. Voter approval is required. Revenue and general obligation bonds should possibly be considered for use as a function of enterprise activity where 1 public/private partnership recreation opportunities-such as Cherry Lane Golf Course-are found. General Fund: The Cit 's eneral fund takes in revenues and makes ex enditur Y 9 p es for the ongoing operation of City functions. As noted in the CPRSP Action Plan, funding of i ' mprovements at Cherry Lane Golf Course is an ongoing activity of the City. Some general funds i may be available to assist with refurbishing the Golf Course. • Certificates of Participation: this option would have the City sell COPs to lending institution and '' use the loan from the lender to make improvements at the facility. The lender would secure ties the loan by taking title to be facility prior to the repayment of the COPs. The loan is repaid from revenue generated by the facility or from the City's general operating budget. This option is subject to judicial approval. ', • Grants: Grants are available from a variety of sources, including the USGA Foundation and Community Development Block Grants. The City can also obtain grants to assist with park and recreation facilities other than Cherry Lane Golf Course thereby freeing up municipal funds for use at the Golf Course. PAGE - 25 • , Joint Public/ Private Partnership: The City s. CPRSP Action Plan discusses this approach whereby the City enters into a working agreement with aquasi-public or private corporation to help ~ fund, build, and/or operate a public facility. Once the City has entered into such an arrangement, operation of the facility is conducted by the Corporation and the City benefits by receiving rent. Today this represents the very situation between Meridian and Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. Cherry Lane helped facilitate the construction of the golf course by various developers, the coordination of donations and volunteer efforts over the years. The City receives rent from the ' ,' Golf Course operator. Other funding mechanisms are necessary at this time to further the joint public/private partnership ~' between Meridian and Cherry Lane Recreation because the facility has been hampered by poor construction as well as many components reaching the end of their expected life. 8. Recommendations '. 4 Amend the Comprehensive Parks & Recreation System Plan and the corollary "Action Plan" to establish a goal to improve Cherry Lane Golf Course to the standard desired by the community. • Amend the City Capital Improvements Plan to list the infrastructure needs at Cherry Lane Golf Course along with a time frame for making those improvements. ' ? Develop a direct liaison relationship between the Parks & Recreation Director and/or Recreation Program Manager and Cherry Lane Recreation. City personnel (finance and legal) should review all possible sources of funds to capitalize the Golf Course infrastructure. ~ The Special Golf Course Committee report should be shared with the representatives of the ~ homeowner's associations that are in the vicinity of the Golf Course. Further input should be provided by these associations.s i j The Special Golf Course Committee report should be shared with season pass holders and the men's and women's golf associations at Cherry Lane Golf Course. Further input should be provided by these golfers. ' ~ The City should retain the services of a qualified golf course irrigation consultant to audit the existing system and develop plans for replacement with a proper system. • The City should retain the services of a qualified golf course architect to design and then have ' ~ rebuilt the reens on the new 9 to an acce ted 9 p specification. The City and Cherry Lane Recreation should identify and locate the maintenance facility close to the Golf Course. ,' The City and Cherry Lane Recreation should use good faith efforts to jointly purchase and use golf course/park equipment. The City should advise Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District that the City -' requires Cherry Lane Recreation to grass all tiled irrigation canals running through the Golf ' Course. • Meridian and Cherry Lane Recreation should strengthen their public/private partnership as a positive step in advancing park and recreation services for Meridian citizens. ', • Cherry Lane Recreation should maintain the junior golf programs at the Golf Course at the present level with a goal to increase such programs. ~` Cherry Lane Recreation should maintain its new class for 5-8 year olds, pla ing three holes. Y ,^ PAGE-2 6 't 1 • Monitor, maintain and improve Golf Course infrastructure pursuant to identified needs and ~- amendments to the Meridian Comprehensive Parks & Recreation System Plan and Capital Improvement Plan. (ongoing) C ENDNOTES: ' 1. Cherry Lane Recreational Programs/Events: 1 Cherry Lane Golf Course has expanded its recreational programs as Meridian's population has dramatically increased. In addition to working with Meridian's Parks and Recreation Department, Cherry Lane Recreation assists the City by providing its own extensive golf programs at the City's municipal golf course. In a recent letter to be City, Cherry Lane Recreation took the opportunity to let the City know about the exciting events that have taken place at the golf course recently. These include: • For the third year in a row, Meridian High School golfers (boys), using Cherry Lane as their home course, have taken the 5-A District State Championship. Meridian High School golfers (girls), using Cherry Lane as their home course, qualified this year to go to the State Tournament. • Cherry Lane added another summer session of golf classes in July (taught by the Men's Association) in cooperation with the City's Parks and Recreation Department. These classes serve students attending school year-round. Cherry Lane has a new class for children ages 5 - 8 who pla 3 holes Burin the class. Y 9 • Cherry Lane is offering a $10.00 card for Mt. View high school students. ,.D • For the second year, Cherry Lane offered golf lessons as a part of the City's Parks and i Recreation programs. Pupils who have completed grades 3 - 7 had the opportunity this summer to learn the basic olf techni ues of drivin chi m and uttin Four two-week I 9 q 9. PP~ 9 P 9~ sessions were offered for $10. • Golf lessons are also offered through the City's Parks and Recreation program for '' beginning and intermediate golfers aged 13 years and older. Classes cover the ro er P P grip, stance, and swing, along with the basics of chipping and putting. Professional golfers volunteer to teach adults through the City recreation program. • Cherry Lane annually holds the Wally Lovan Foundation Memorial Scholarship Tournament (founded in 1995). Twenty teams played in the tournament. The Foundation generates college scholarships to assist Meridian and Mountain View High School golfers. • Meridian High School uses the golf course driving range for its physical education ~' classes. • Cherry Lane hosts one or two Idaho Junior Golf Program tournaments each summer. • Cherry Lane started its own junior league in 1988. Fifty to 60 players from the age of 5 through 17 play on Wednesday mornings throughout the summer. • PGA Magazine and the President of the PGA of America (June, 2003) made special mention of the work accomplished by Cherry Lane Golf Course to encourage juniors and families to play golf. n On September 13, 2003, Cherry Lane Recreation held an anniversary celebration at the Golf Course with some of the original City Council members, members of the original golf ' ? course committee, and those "old-timers" still with us who regularly come to play at Cherry Lane Golf Course. 2. The USGA suggested the following irrigation experts: Carl Thuesen ' ~ 1925 Grand Avenue, Suite 105 Billings, MT 406/252-5545 Dale W inchester Dale Winchester & Associates, Inc. 2215 East Pinecrest Lane ' i Sandy, UT 801/571-6060 ~ Bob Bryant ' Bryant & Gordon P.O. Box 17539 ~ Irvine, CA 949/724-8998 i 1 1 3. Attendees at the January 27, 2003 Meridian City Council Special Workshop: Will Berg Tad Holloway Walt Morrow Keith Bird Elroy Huff Bert Myers JoAnn Butler Jim Johnson Bill Nary Mayor Robert Corrie Grant Kingsford Bill Nichols Tammy de Weerd Nancy & Tom Link Charlie Rountree John Ewing Jennifer Lovan-Holloway Gary Smith Tom Funkhouser Laree & Rick Lovan Creg Steele Sharon Gallivan Cherie McCandless Ron Tolsma Bob Giesler David Moe Brad Watson Joe Glaisyer Max Yerrington 4. See, July 18, 1995 correspondence between Brighton Corporation and Meridian. k '~ 1 1 1 1 ,t 1 1 7 Association Representative Registered Agent Ashford Greens Owners David Turnbull, President Association Management, Inc. Association, Inc. 12426 W. Explorer Dr., #220 1521 E. Boise Avenue Boise, Idaho 83713 Boise Idaho 83706 James Place at Ashford David Turnbull, President Association Management, Inc. Greens Owners 12426 W. Explorer Dr., #220 1521 E. Boise Avenue Association, Inc. Boise, Idaho 83713 Boise Idaho 83706 Cherry Lane Village No. 3 Lonnie Morgan, President Jacqueline B. Call Homeowners Association, P.O. Box 655 3645 Woodmont Dr. Inc. Meridian, Idaho 83680 Meridian, Idaho 83642 Cherry Lane Village No. 3, 4 Lonnie Morgan, President (DBA) and 5 Homeowners P.O. Box 655 Association Meridian, Idaho 83680 Lake at Cherry Lane No. 6 Dick Cude, co-chairman Charles F. Brickley Homeowner's Association 2430 N. Alto Lane 3354 W. Montrose Lane Meridian, Idaho 83642 Meridian, Idaho 83642 '1 1 CHRONOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT OF CHERRY LANE GOLF COURSE' August, 1975 City Council hears Fuller/Barney proposal for Cherry Lane Village (320 acres; 18- hole golf course centered around a 7-acre lake; 1,060 single and attached homes or apts.; commercial). Golf course construction to begin Fall, 1975. This did not occur. January, 1976 City Council discusses providing a golf course as a marketing tool to bring larger cor orations to Meridian. June, 1977 Developer (Leavitt, which became Leavitt-NuPacific) presents City Council with conceptual plans for golf course. City Council conditionally approves plans and specs for the golf course pending acceptance of a mutually agreeable plan between the developer and the City with counseling provided by the City Attorney and JUB Engineers representing the developer. Cherry Lane Village Subdivision No. 1 a roved. August, 1977 Wallace Lovan and the Golf Course Committee formally approves plans and specs for the proposed golf course. Golf course formally approved by City Council. December, Memorandum of Understanding executed between Nu Pacific, as developer, and 1977 Meridian. Developer to design and construct 9-hole course at developer's cost. Upon transfer, City, at its own expense, to maintain at a standard of quality consistent with similar courses in the country. City will cooperate with a golf a enc or association. October, 1978 Agreement between Meridian and Nu Pacific. City responsible for the management and maintenance of the golf course property. City may contract with any third party for management and/or maintenance of the City's assets but remains solely responsible. Management and maintenance to be at a standard of quality consistent with similar public municipal golf courses throughout the country. City will cooperate with an individual, golf agency or association for an annual inspection and review of the management and maintenance of the golf course to insure the standard of quality is met. (See, Sept. 28, 1999 Memo to City from City attorney.) Lease between Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. and Meridian. Tenant may build, own, operate and conduct a clubhouse restaurant (including the dispensing and sale of foods and beverages) and amusement enterprises such as tennis court and racquet club. Tenant, insofar as it is economically possible, to promote and encourage use of premises for entertainment, instruction and social opportunities for children. Tenant to cooperate and work with City's Recreation Committee in developing City recreation programs for youth. Tenant pays taxes and assessments upon building and improvements and pays charges for gas, electricity, light, heat, power and telephone or other communication service, rendered or supplied upon the land. Tenant has the right to make alterations and improvements reasonably necessary. Tenant to maintain the golf course in sufficiently good condition that City is not in violation of City's its agreement with NuPacific. June 1978 A royal of Cher Lane Subdivision No. 2. November, Leavitt, represented by JUB Engineers, requested City approval of a change in the 1978 Cherry Lane golf course master plan because of the acquisition of additional ro ert . May, 1979 Representatives of Cherry Lane Golf Course (Lovan & Stanwood) present City Council with a list of construction roblems at the olf course, es eciall the ' Information taken from Meridian City files. TAB NO. 1 -Page 1 '~ 1t 1 ~' 1' 1 i '? sprinkler system, resulting in additional expenditures. Mayor and Council send letter to developer stating that the sprinkler system as installed is inadequate: "... it is almost needless to say this has caused an undue hardship on the Cherry Lane Recreation Association." June 1979 Cher Lane Golf Course receives a conditional use ermit for a snack bar. July, 1979 City Council approves Jensen/Lampe annexation. JUB Engineers, representing the developer, explained that part of this property is needed to expand the golf course. September, P&Z recommends denial of Cherry Lane Village West (Subdivision No. 3) stating 1979 that there are numerous problems with the existing 9 holes and the developer (Leavitt-Nu Pacific) was reneging on its obligation to construct the second 9 holes timely, thus providing the City with asecond-rate golf course. Following a discussion of the quality of development in connection with the first 9 holes and the dela in timin for the second 9 holes the Council denied the lat. October, 1982 Barney and Leavitt-Nu Pacific request approval for a retirement center. During the hearing, the developer states its belief that the developer is not locked in to the placement of the golf course greens. Unclear from file whether this request was ever a roved. October, 1984 Part of olf course Lot 9 of The Lake at Cher Lane deeded to Cit b Barne . September, City Council approves The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivision No. 2: 21 building lots 1985 plus 2 lots added to the golf course. Conditions include widening and lengthening hole no. 3. Discussion of fact that previous property divisions have created problems in terms of land locking the applicant's parcel and also creating roblems in develo in the rest of the olf course. May, 1990 Evidence in files that at this time a $100 per lot contribution was being required to fund the com letion of Cherr Lane Golf Course. June, 1993 City calls meeting of Barney, Clegg, Tealey, Hubble, Corrie, Lovan, Turnbull, Torfin and Forrey to discuss golf course master plan and property owner commitments. Approval of Cherry Lane at the Lake. Letter to Barney from Mayor (Kingsford): "... Meridian will develop the golf course fairways, and greens, within your proposed subdivision. The City must gain title to the affected golf course land through the final planning process. As a condition of approval for your subdivision, the City will assess a $600 golf course development fee to each lot in your subdivision, collected at the time of building permit application. The City intends to construct fairwa sand reen im rovements durin 1994." September, Memo to Council from Forrey: "Conversations with landowners and the developer 1993 indicate to me that several items pertaining to the golf course development are still unresolved. City Council may want to table action pending a coordination meeting between all parties to work out details of this project." Appears action on Cherry Lane at The Lake Subdivision No. 3 tabled. May, 1994 Development of Subdivision No. 3 appears to have transferred from Barney to Steiner. Steiner representative indicates Steiner will construct 2.5 holes and Brighton Corp. will construct 6.5 holes of the second 9 holes. Steiner requests and receives a density transfer in exchange for donating 14 acres to the City and changes in the golf course master plan. Councilman Morrow indicates desire to receive title to the 14 acres as soon as ossible. August, 1994 Ashford Greens conditional use application. (Brighton) Plan of golf course layout revised after consultation with Kingsford and Lovan. Brighton considered alternative olf course desi ns. December, Subdivision No. 3 final plat approval. Kingsford asks Steiner representative 1994 (Campbell) to work with Brighton to identify the location of the 250 parking spaces and the maintenance buildin for use b the olf course. April, 1995 Final plat approval The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivision No. 4. Kingsford rails at Steiner re resentative for alle ed stri in of to soil from the Cit 's fairwa s. TAB NO. 1 -Page 2 ''; 'E 1 1 ~ ~. July, 1995 Steiner attorney writes to all lot purchasers that each lot will be subject to a $650 golf course development fee payable to Meridian upon application for a building ermit. July, 1995 Letter from Brighton to Meridian re: Ashford Greens: "An area south of the proposed club house location and west of the practice green and current number 1 green was designated as an area for maintenance buildings. This will need to be laid out by [Lovan's] architect. We would want to see quality materials in the construction and sufficient landscaping screening to mitigate the street exposure im act." March 1996 Annexation and zonin of .48 acres to "cleanu "Subdivision No. 3. Steiner July, 1996 Golf Course Construction Committee formed. Boise Research Center, Inc. agrees to donate land to City for City to construct approximately 2 holes. Agreement recites: "City has commenced and shall continue, all at its sole cost and expense (with assistance, donations and fees from others, which may include assignees of other land owned by BRC) ... substantially in compliance with the general scheme and layout for the Golf Course Improvements as provided on ... Exhibit C." The agreement also recites that long-term maintenance will be maintained as per USGA maintenance and operation standards, as amended from time to time, and in a matter not inconsistent with the Lease with Cher Lane Recreation. September, Final plat for approval for The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivision No. 5. Steiner 1996 argued that no golf course development fees are due because the subdivision is not adjacent to the golf course. Councilman Morrow replies: "... the issue in terms of what ground pays golf course development fees was set by the original proposal that was put forth in 1978 by Mr. Leavitt of Leavitt-Nu Pacific and the grounds that were incorporated and the premise which City excepted the deed to the golf course and the promise that they were going to have 18 holes and a club house at no expense to the City and be donated by Leavitt-Nu Pacific. It is my understanding that the grounds that were part of their original proposal were the ones that would be limited to the olf course fee." Undated file Final lat a royal for The Lake at Cher Lane Subdivision No. 6. Steiner November, The City Council had an extensive discussion regarding drainage wells on the golf 1998 course and maintenance being required by the golf course tenant vs. the developer. [Which one? This discussion was in connection with Ashford Greens No. 1 which was originally planned by Brighton but apparently, after losing the option, developed by Steiner.] The Council concluded: "We do not feel that it's appropriate for this developer to pass responsibility for maintenance to the golf course." [Note that a storm water drainage easement references the ACRD manual stating that the homeowners association and/or Cherry Lane Recreation will do light maintenance of the storm water ponds in Ashford Greens subdivisions 5 and 6. Seems to imply they also do the heavy maintenance rather than ACHD. December, Preliminary plat of approval for The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivision No. 8. 1998 (Steiner) Project connects The Lake at Cherry Lane with Ashford Greens Subdivision and borders the clubhouse. Lovan and Doug Campbell (Steiner) to reach agreement on land swap to accommodate golf course needs and club house location. April, 1999 Final plat approval for The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivision No. 9. (Steiner) Conditions include: any re-routing of the Eight Mile Lateral to be done within the boundaries of the subdivision and not the golf course [?]. Comment made by neighbor at the hearing to the effect that the "operator of the golf course" is not providing the lakes. [Any provision of a lake or lakes is not an obligation to the golf course tenant and operator.] TAB NO. 1 -Page 3 '~ 1 1 l ~~ i 1 December, Final plat approval for The Lake at Cherry Lane Subdivision No. 8. Appears 1999 portion of land found on the preliminary plat left off final plat and left to be platted when a land exchange between City and Steiner is completed. Appears portion of the land o tinned b Bri hton came to be owned b Steiner. A rox. 2000 Files indicate that land exchan a between Steiner and Cit com leted. September, Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. renews its lease with Meridian. 2003 TAB NO. 1 -Page 4 ~4 PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT OF SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP, JANUARY 27, 2003 ' Ada County Commissioner and Former Meridian Mayor Grant Kingsford: The history [goes] back to farmers in the early seventies [who thought] it would be ideal to develop a section of land that ... they all sold to create a golf course [for] the City.... There were a lot of efforts and ... in seventy-five they sold to a company out of Seattle called Leavitt-Nu Pacific [that] took options on what became the front nine and ' options for what became the back nine. They exercised those options on the front nine and did in fact [hire a] construction architect. There were all kinds of problems to that. The engineering firm was JUB and Gene Wright was the engineer and he admitted that he never did a golf course. He said that he ~ would ... estimate where the golf course was.... As the subdivision, by phases was completed, the out of bounds sides [was determined]. The sprinkler system was built. It was probably working reasonably well 1 all things considered except ... every time that they would build a house then all of a sudden the sprinkler hit their house and so Cherry Lane had to make modifications to extremes.... If that happens, of course, ' ! you don't have the coverage. Everybody wants the golf course to look just like their lawn but you can't do that with the sprinkler system that's all (inaudible). A lot of the issues there, I think there was a certain ' amount of (inaudible) involved (inaudible). The first year there was all kinds of problems in it. As time progressed a lot of things (inaudible) on the back nine that reverted back to ... two farmers.... and there ' was pressure there on City government to do away with the concept of building the back nine. The mayor at that time (inaudible). So having two ownerships there, I never did get those guys in agreement to put together a development plan that would develop the back nine. I did sit down with both ... and explored ' x the concept of] a development fee per lot that would generate some money and perhaps the City could get involved and build that back nine.... The lot fees generated [by] ... a build out at particular proposed density ... [that was] not ... eventually approved. I don't know how that came about to the point where the [particular densities were] approved. There were some condominiums and [the] concept of townhouse ' and zero lot line homes in the center. Any rate then two developers agreed to that, then they exercised some options that Brighton Corporation dropped. But Brighton, Law and Bishop where you got those 40 acres modified the development of ... it would be laid out, made it a lot more playable in a lot of respects, E more land develop (inaudible) a little wider. (Inaudible) taxpayers (inaudible). There's a lot more land on G the back nine then there is [on the] front nine.... Thirty-eight 38 acres ... of golf course property on the ' front nine and ... about 60 or 70 [acres] on the back nine.... [O]riginally the developer Don Blevins proposed that ... this was a part of getting annexation approval from the City and then ... they would build j the back nine and then build a club house and other amenities [such as] a maintenance shed, and all ' j (inaudible) accumulated over some 30 years (inaudible). They were going to build those things and turn those all over to the City in the early 80's. (inaudible) went back to Seattle and saw her (inaudible). Several ... meetings took place though before they left (inaudible) quality construction. They (inaudible) a ton of golf courses in the golf (inaudible) whatever you want we'll amend it to the golf course or amend (inaudible) shoestring golf course. He built what Don Blevins told him to build which is your golf course (inaudible) with the front nine. The back nine as I said we (inaudible) shoestring we got the - I keep ' picking on (inaudible) and I apologize. (Inaudible) Ralph got some people to help with some fund raisers to supplement the money that was set aside for the lot piece. Those people three or was it four got passes that they could use for a total of a (inaudible) period if I remember right they all donated either real cash money (inaudible) or materials (inaudible) 10,000 dollars.... Some of us that (inaudible) wrote a check for 1,000 bucks I think from just a number of -Max Yerrington was one I think and (inaudible). We ' ~ set up a budget at the end of (inaudible) construction. (Inaudible discussion) ' Kingsford: And we did. We were able to con one of John's ood friends Odale inaudible . I think one of g ( ) the things that really let down (inaudible) but the construction of Cloverdale nursery had contracted the sprinkler system on the back nine and (inaudible). And the city then pressed them to do a quality ' construction. I think they had asked (inaudible) what was designed and that never happened. So what we have now on the back nine is inferior sprinkler system as well doesn't have coverage and the right heads. ' ; There are a number of issues with that. So ... the long short of it is that we have a golf course that has problems. It has a lot of potential I think that (inaudible) through the years kind of dumped on Cherry Lane TAB NO. 1 -Page 5 1; i '~ 1 , i ' Recreation (inaudible) standard of golf course. (Inaudible) country club and certainly that is not the case. Added to that is the (inaudible) everywhere else they call it caliche. (Inaudible) history and the soil is now (inaudible) and not very good for that. Those of you who have tried to grow grass and lawns, recognize ' ~ that (inaudible) top soil you have to really work at growing a lawn. I can answer questions but from memory that was kind of (inaudible). *** ' Kingsford: (Inaudible). As we have looked at Cherry Lane over the time it was being constructed (inaudible). And then the new nine in the late 80's. There was some real shortage of golf courses at that time. I think what we have seen since then is a lot more holes (inaudible) and I think the numbers Cherry I Lane (inaudible) adjust to the economy. It's the golf (inaudible) substantially more golf courses, if you look ' i at the number of holes played today and equate that to the number of people that have increased there is ~ about double the number of holes increased with the current population. As I look at other places and certainly (inaudible) originally. Cities have a tendency not to run golf courses very well. I just was in Idaho ' ~ Falls [which City] owns three golf courses and ... they [have] a lot of debate [going on due to] raising fees because [the City is] running [in the red] in excess of $100,000 on each.... Two of those golf courses I ' have played ... are really nice golf courses and they are running in the red.... I know that was true in _ Ontario for some time the city would not (inaudible) leases them and people scraped by sometimes. It's a ~ tough business and its [a] particular[ly] tough market today because of the number of golf courses that ' ~ are around. I know that because I can get a tee time. ' ~ Mayor Robert Corrie:... I guess one of my questions I had on the back nine: if some of that work was ... not put in, [was it] just because of money ... or it wasn't followed .... I'm missing something here that you were talking about, Grant, that the City I think put in that back nine with the money from the homes ... and we find out now that the top soil is bad and the irrigation has been bad. ' I Kingsford: We knew that (inaudible). Irrigation I think is a major thing and we keep going in if that wasn't the absolute best irrigation system you could buy. I think that (inaudible) a year before we golfed ~ (inaudible) put in a new sprinkler system that (inaudible) and we golfed nine holes (inaudible). ' ~ Director of Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. Nancy Link: Even in whatever it cost [for] the actual sprinkler system on that nine. It really isn't a golf course system.... Tommy [Funkhouser] can tell you better about the configuration of where you locate the sprinkler head and how that ties into the rest of the system. And on the new nine that doesn't exists. You can't isolate heads, there are clusters of heads that work ' ~ to ether that o onto the reen oin t 9 9 g , g g o the fairways. You got to water the fairways the same as you water greens. So being able to utilize that particular system. I admire anyone who would be out there working and trying to figure out how to adjust things so they can get any kind of grass out there growing. '- Director of Cherry Lane Recreation, Inc. Jennifer Lovan-Holloway:... You did ask about topsoil. I know Grant did not go into this but I do know that we had one developer on our first three holes that did take all of the topsoil off those fairways. It was already used so there wasn't a lot Grant could do at the time. But ' ~~ he did ut that develo er on the hot seat and he did final) P p y admit to taking that. Kingsford: Interestingly enough, he filled up a drainage ditch. (Inaudible) when he covered the drain ditch ' ' over on east and the one side of number two. There was ditch about seven or eight feet deep but the (inaudible) fairway off number two. (Inaudible). Lovan-Holloway: And we planted it that way cause they gave us (inaudible). We are still picking rocks. Kingsford: (Inaudible). ' ; City Council Member Tammi De Weerd: (Inaudible). (Inaudible discussion) 1' TAB NO. 1 -Page 6 '_ ~~ 1r s Corrie: I remember it was in '82 and they scraped the topsoil off of our place too at home. And digging done about three feet I got a lot of plywood and a place where no grass would grow. w Kingsford: (Inaudible). '' City Attorney William Nichols: Commissioner Kingsford did Baldock design the back nine too? ! Kingsford: No. '_ Nichols: (Inaudible) ~ Kingsford: I guess you could say that JUB and maybe (inaudible) initially had a concept plan and I think you could find that somewhere in the file. We indicated that we added 40 acres ... that is the same [as] Brighton Corporation added 40 acres. And improved some of those holes widen (inaudible) things out primarily the same based on that (inaudible) Lovan-Holloway: Mr. Nichols ... we talked about Mr. Baldock. Mr. Baldock, that was the first automatic ? sprinkler system that he had ever done. So we were a guinea pig for that. ,E 1 r r TAB NO. 1 -Page 7 1 n t 1 1 1 1 United States Golf Association Green Section -- Northwest Region P.O. Box 5844 Twin Falls, ID 83303 USDA GREEN SECTION TURF ADVISORY SERVICE REPORT Cherry Lane Golf Course Meridian, Idaho October 21, 2002 Present: Mr. Tom Funkhouser, CGCS Ms. Jennifer Holloway. General Manager Mr. Wil! Berg, City Clerk, City of Meridian Mr. Creg Steele, Parks & Recreation Commission Advisory Board Ms. Nancy Link. Cherry Lane Golf Course Ms. Sharon Gallivan, Legal Assistant Mr. Matthew Nelson, USGA ' ± Cherry Lane Golf Course October 21, 2002 a Page 2 ' ~ INTROQUCTiON The following report will summarize topics discussed during the Turf Advisory ~ ' Service visit of Monday, October 2t, 2002, at Cherry Lane Golf Course. ' The primary topics discussed during, the visit concerned the golf course I infrastructure. Serious infrastructure deficiencies will limit the ability of Cherry Lane Golf Course to effectively compete within the local golfi market. These include an inadequate and failing irrigation system, the lack of a proper golf course maintenance facility, an ineffective cart traffic control system, insufficient golf course maintenance equipment, and poor construction techniques throughout the new nine holes. Correcting these deficiencies will require significant roves#ment on behalf of ' 1 the Lessee or the Municipality_ Terms of the tease agreement should clearly specify which party is responsible-for capital improvements and infrastn~cture items. Many golf operations with similar arrangements have worked out the. responsibility of capital improvements in the (ease with either party responsible, depending upon ' the language. The shortcomings that will be outlined in this report will require significant investment to correct; however, increasing the stream of revenue at ` Cherry Lane Golf Course will likely depend upon it, Several agronomic topics and programs were discussed during lfie visit, although implementing these programs will likely not generate significant improvements until the irrigation system is addressed_ In the and climate of the Intermountain West, no single item has more bearing on the playability and presentation of a golf course ' than the irrigation system. The next most important consideration is a centrally located, safe and efficient maintenance facility and the necessary equipment to ~ cony forth modem golf course maintenance practices. Cherry Lane Golf Course has the potential to compete favorably within the Boise golf market with an i ' ; nvestment in the most basic golf course maintenance items including irrigation and equipment. '. IRRIGATION SYSTEM ' As mentioned above, the irrigation system at Chevy Lane. Golf Course is deficient ~ in many ways. Separate irrigation systems exist for the front nine and back nine, but it might be difficult to choose which of the two is worse_ The irrigation system ' installed on the new nine utilizes components better suited for residential use or ° perhaps, community parks. In the seven years I have spent with the USGA Green Section traveling to golfi courses across the United States; I have never encountered the Falcon sprinkler heads used at Chevy Lane at any other golf course. Broken water lines and component failure throughout the irrigation system of the bade nine have resulted in poor turfgrass health. poor playing quality and ,= 1 ~' i Cherry Lane Golf Course October 21, 2002 Page 3 poor presentation. Among the deficiencies- noted in the irrigation systems are the inilowing: ''. • Inconsistent and inadequate spacing between sprinkler heads- In many locations, spacing between the sprinkler heads was estimated at greater ' , than 100'. Spacing between sprinkler heads was noted to be highly variable and the corresponding water distribution uniformity was thus highly variable. Modem golf course irrigation designs typically utilize a ' ~ triangulated spacing of 65' to 75' between sprinkler heads. 1 1 i] 1 1 Inadequate and inconsistent sprinkler head spacing coupled with insufficient operating pressure has resulted in lousy distribution uniformity of irrigation wa#er. The result is less than desirable playing quality ~ and presentation. Improper spacing with the wrong components leads to some of the worst turf in the middle of fairways, • Control capability of the irrigation system is terrible. In many instances, sprinkler heads at greens. tees and fairways are all operated together. The irrigation requirements between these distinct areas of the golf course are significantly different. Even within one area of the golf course (a green, a fairway, etc-), significant differences in water requirements will exist due to slope aspect: soil conditions, exposure, traffic, thatch, ~. ~. 1 1 1 ri Cherry Lane Golf Course October 21, 2002 Page 4 etc. Most golf .course irrigation systems throughout the West strive for individual sprinkler head control or at the least, pair two sprinkler heads together off of one valve. -The irrigation system iadcs a centralized controller and isolation capacity throughout the property is limited. The pumping and hydraulic capacities of the irrigation systems are inadequate. Reduced pipe sizing throughout the property results in seriously compromised operating pressure and poor water distribution as a result. Inadequate pumping capacity requires significantly extended run times, reduced flexibility within system operation and greater wear and tear on the components. .~ _ _. Inadequate hydraulic flow, insufficient operating pressure, aging components and variable spacing all affect irrigation quality on the older nine. The system is due for replacement.. • Gol# course sprinkler head models shoutd have been used for the front nine. The volume (gpm) and range of the heads in the ground is inadequate, even if consistent spacing were achieved. Sprinkler heads throughout the old nine are outdated and increasingly unreliable. A lack of topsoil throughout the new nine accentuates deficiencies in the irrigation system and the resulting playing quality. The industry standard for the useful lifespan of a golf course irrigation system is approximately 25 years. thus the system on the back nine is at the end of its life expecfancy. Component failure throughout the back nine reinforces this standard. The best advice for Cherry Lane Golf Course is to retain the services of a qualif+ed golf course irrigation consultant to audit the existing system and develop plans for replacement with a proper, functional irrigation system that will serve the golf course for the next 20 to 25 years. With little doubt, installing a new irrigation system is the single most important recommendation for improving turf quality and piayability at the golf course. The golf course will continue to suffer until irrigation is addressed_ Please consider the following references when developing a plan for golf course irrigation: 1 i Cherry Lane Golf Course '~ October 21, 2002 Page 5 3 '' ' ( Mr. Carl Thuesen 1 J25 Grand Avenue. Suite 105 Billings, MT ' Phone: (406j 252-5545 9 '' Mr. Dale Winchester ' Daie Winchester & Associates, Inc. 2215 East Pinecrest Lane ~ Sandy, 1.1T 89092 s Phone: (8Q1) 5i 1-606Q Mr. Bob Bryant Bryant & Gordon P_O. Box 17539 i ! Irvine CA 92623-7539 Phone: (949) 724-8998 '~ ` MAINTENANCE FACILITY ' ~ The maintenance facility at Cherry Lane has to be addressed. The existing. facility is located approximately one mile from the golf course, across a busy four-cane ~ street. This configuration is obviously unsafe and inefficient. The golf course ~ maintenance facility is truly the center and heartbeat of golf course conditioning. ' Equipment items need to be properly stored and serviced regularly to safeguard the substantial investment in equipment and achieve the highest quality turf trn the course. Employees should be provided a safe and healthy working environment: ' Running water and plumbing should not even have to be mentioned. Fertilizer and pesticide should be properly stored. A dedicated equipment wash area should be provided to contain rinsate prior to its discharge into the environment. The current ' ` maintenance facility is unsafe, contributes #v inefficiencyr and wasted time, and ma y pose significant liability. Please review the enclosed reprint articles discussing the importance of the golf course maintenance facility and standard requirements far an '' 18 hole golf course. EC,~UIPMENT G Maintenance equipment at the golf course is definitely lacking, and the resu~ing turf ' ~ quality is apparent. Regular equipment replacement promotes efficiency and quality afi the golf course. Regular replacement also prevents untimely expenditures and allows the maintenance staff to stay apprised of equipment ,` ~i Cherry Lane Golf Course October 21, 2Q02 Pege 0 'i innovations. Lightweight fairway mowers would be of great benefit at :hem, Lane ' ' Gaff Course. Lightweight mowers reduce wear injury and help safeguard turfgrass health, especially where sail conditions are poor. Most gcif r~urses have abandoned mowing fairways with gang units ten to twenty years agz:.. Dedicated r©tary mowers for the roughs would improve cubing quaiit'y and tur~cirass health. ' Dependable aera#ion equipment is a definite must at C!^iemt mane Goif Cours+~_ Please review the enclosed reprint article to Vetter asses the e~uiprner~t inv~ntc~r*y~ at Cherry Lane Goif Course vs. the standard requirerr~nts at 18 hide golf courses throughout the United States. ' ' GREENS Construction -new greens. The 1~r, 6~', 7~' and 9~' greens v~~ere crnstructed with ' extreme slope. The estimated grade at Number 1 green is between r and £~°f4. Most modem designs will not exceed 11~ tc 2°lo at any place ti7at is a potential hole location. t7bviously, this extreme slope will compromise playability and pose a rea{ maintenance challenge. The greens at Cherry Lane Gi~if Course will have to be maintained at ve slows Beds to accommodate these extrerrre sir~ es, or several ~ P p of the greens will have to be maintained independently of the others, Neither is a very good alternative. Additionally, the greens at the new nine were not constructed to any specifrcations recognized by the industry. ,~s such, localized dry spots and turfgrass inconsistencies have been a problem. Lcxikir~g ahead it may be necessary to reconstruct several of the new greens to pri~vide a reasonable i putting surface to attract increased revenue. The candific~n aE the patting g~'eens at any golf cAUrse is a huge component with respect to the ~mpetitive ability within the local market. Should these greens Aver be reconstructed, i v~~uld strongly ' ' advise utilizing the services of a qualified golf course architect to kruild the greens to an accepted specification. This will not enfy alicw the establishment r,f a clear construction contract, but also signifrt~ntl~~ increase the ~:;dds t~f pro;~idirig a quality, ' ' rc~duct to the clientele. p The slope on this green is naarfy SGi~ (estirrjated, ma~irrg rrrest c~ it not ~ suitable fc~r d h~sle lr~catir~rt- Green seeds ~,~iii have to be inept slew to f<eep this and c~rfher ste~piY sfe~ped gr~errs nla~~al~le. This cr~ulr~ jeopar-Lize ~c~rr~t~etit~veness. Cherry Lane Golf Gourse . October 21, 2002 Page 7 Core aerate and increase topdressing frequency to combat thatch. Prolific thatch layers were observed within the upper soil profile of the putting greens. Excess thatch can compromise water management, restrict gas exchange, increase fhe incidence of disease, decrease tolerance of environmental stress and increase the potential for mechanical injury (,scalping}. The greens should be core aerated twice annually with 518" diameter hollow tines. Remave plugs completely from the surface and backfili aeration notes as thoroughly as possible with sand. Early to mid May, and again around Labor Day is the preferred timing to conduct puffing green aeration. Favorable recovery will be obtained at this time of year and agronomic objectives will be met. It also would prove helpful to increase the frequency of light topdressing. At least monthly, iighfly topdress the putting greens at a rate of approximately /~ cu. yd of sand per 5:000 sq. ft. of putting surface_ Light and frequent topdressing will help dilute thatch density and minimize the potential for physical problems from excess thatch. Regular topdressing also helps maintain a true putting surface for improved ball raU. FAIRWAYS New nine. It appears that somewhat limited topsoil was left for fairway roofzones following construction. Areas of compacted subsoil limit turtgrass growth with reduced nutrient availability and compromised physical properties. Poor irrigation coverage compounds problems for turfgrass management where soil quality is poor. A lack of oxygen in the rootzone is a significant factor limiting turfgrass growth. Over time, aeration will improve soil physical properties and turfgrass vigor. At the least, fairways should be core aerated at least once annually with apiston-driven fairway aerator ar Verti-drain. Mid spring or late summer are the preferred times of year to conduct fairway aeration. Additional aeration with the Aerway slicer equipped with shatter tines every flour to six weeks throughout the season will also have a positive effect on soil conditions and the related turfgrass quality. This unit was in operation the day of the visit. and can be used with minimal disruption to the surface. An increase in nitrogen fertility may also promote stronger turf in the fairways_ I suggest targeting between 3 and 4 lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft annually for the fairways_ Push fertility in the early and late fall, and use controlled-release Products during the summer months to provide consistent nitrogen availability without surges in growth. Finally, it also would be helpful to overseed fairways annually with perennial ryegrass. This can either be conducted in conjunction with core aeration where ~~ ' .Cherry L«ne Golf course actober 21, 2t~02 Page ~ Seed is broadcast at a r~ie flf 2g~: to 3Gd ibS. ~?r ~vrc''. rJr ~rttrodu~e~ ;n#o tr3e fairways via slice seeding at the same rate, Perenr?ial ryegrass is a bench-type turfgrass specie: ~~at s fpi~ly requires feguar oeierseedir~g o maintain gcod density. 1 Number 3 -irrigation canal. The irrigation canal cutting across the Number 3 fairway was recently iulverte~i and covered. The >.vater cr~rnpany is rejecting ' proposals to paant grass over fi~:e covered ranaL In my estimation: failing to plant grass over the rigid of way is a mistake Kids jvpre observed riding bicycles across this covered canal through the golf course during the visit. Ti~is ~~road~vay'' invites pedestrians and bicyclists. and ibis cools pose a real safety concern (liability) at the golf course. Wifirout a cover of turigrass. rnvironmentai qualm also is at risk. Research partially funded by USDA has demonstrated that turfgrass is an excellent filter of storm water. prscipita~on and any applied fer~lizers. Bare soli is much more ' prone to runoff and contaminator of water resources should any runoff contain nutrients or chemicals. Finally, This large cut across the fao~-#vay is cor-promising ' the piayability of the golf hole and offering poor presentation and definition, Based upon safely, environmental quality and community aesthetics, grassing over the top of tie covered Cana! should be negotiated, Grassing would not restrict the canal ® c m pang's right of way in ar-y fashion. .., _ ~u _.._. , _._ ~.~- ~':°'~`~'~~ ~ ~ ~ 'Not only an eyesore but : this cs~vered canal without I grass invites pedestrians J and bicyclists across the ~.,, ~ golf course. Runoff from ~' .3~'"'; .rr. ~ ~"_ ~ bare sort signrficaniiy ' - ' '_p~ - rte, ~ r, ~~,3 t k _,. _ -- ~ increases the potential for environmental degradation '~`~ -~;~ ~~; vs. coverage with turf. -~ ~-~~ ,~y~i _ it ~ .,.; t~~. ~~ }~ y' f ~~~, , ~i 1 Number 't1 fairway. Eliminating the cart path through the centar of the Number 11 fairway with either sod or seed vriil immediately improve playability and presentation of the golf hole. Thera appears sufi'~ceni: area ror carts to disburse properly and avoid concentrated traf~c and ~{~ear injury at this sate. TRAFFIC Ca1VTR4L A system of cart paths throughout tha golf course ~vouid be a ,good long-term investment. Concentrated cart trafi'tc and areas of poor soli qu.aiity have res«ited in n Cherry Lane Gotf Course October 21, 2002 Page 9 large areas of worn and damaged tur. At the least, a partial system of cart paths for greens and tees should be slowly added over time. Plan locations carefully for the possibility of a continuous cart path system at a future date. It is generally preferred to wrap cart paths around greens and tees, if possible, to provide the ' greatest number of access and egress points to and from the pain and area of play. As cart paths exit teeing grounds, creating a gentry sweeping arc in one direction or another will provide multiple exit points and reduce the potential for severe wear injury developing at the end of the cart path. Similarly, as paths approach putting greens, routing these parallel with the direction of play will offer multiple entrance points and best prevent the development of wear at the end of the path. Please review the enclosed reprint article discussing tsar; path location, design and construction. CONCLUSION It was a pleasure to visit Cherry Lane Go#f course and discuss maintenance issues and infrastructure needs. Mr. Funkhouser appears to be doing a good job with what limited resources are available. Significantly improving the quality of the golf course will depend entirely upon improving the irrigation system. Replacement is likely the only feasible option. A maintenance facility and decent equipment are the next factors in the formula for improving the golf course and increasing the revenue stream. Obviously. the critical issue grill be to determine who can and is wiNing to fund the much needed capital improvement projects at Cherry Lane Golf Course to faster its sustainability. Please feel free to contact my office at any time to discuss any issue in this report or for additional information regarding municipal golf operations, golf course management and references for lease informafion. Sincerely, Matthew C. Nelson. Agronomist Green Section, Northwest Region MCN:ws Cherry Lane Golf Course _ October 21, 2002 Page 10 ' Distribu#ion: Mr. Tom Funkhouser ® Ms. Jennifer Holloway Mr. Creg Steele Mr. Will Berg Ms. Joann C. Butler ® Mr. Elroy Huff Re rims: Bypass St. Pater-O'Brien, MarchfApril `Q1 Does Your Imgafion System Make the Grade? -Huck, Sep/4ct `00 Common Sense Cart Paths - Oatis, JanlFeb '94 Checkup for the New Millennium -Nelson Nov '01 Turf Care Centers: The Heartbeat of Golf Conditioning! - Happ, July/Aug '01 Bam or Turf Care Center: Which Do You Have -Connolly, NovlDec `92 Gee, I Thought It Ran Forever - Watschke, JuUAug '87 Equipment Replacement: Choosing a Path of "Leased" Resistance -Manuel , MarlApr'94 Fairway To The Future -Links, Jul/Aug '97 Best Laid Plans -Snow, Nov'78 So, You Want To Renovate Your GoifCourse? - Oatis. SeplOct `97 r r 1 :~ 1 1 1 '~ li i' ~' 6 '' Does Your Irri ' gation System Make The Grad ? e. A guide to help evaluate factors influencing irrigation system performance. by MIKE RUCK OST GOLFERS QUICKLY recognize poor irrigation coverage by the obvious -the number and size of both wet and dry areas throughout the course. However, very few understand the many factors that affect an irrigation system's ability to apply water uniformly. First and foremost, proper design and installation aze critical. Hydraulics, head spacing, nozzle selection, control capabilities, and- climate all must be considered in the design process. If any one area is lacking, performance suf- fers. If one is fortunate enough to al- readyhave agood system in place, then routine maintenance should sustain acceptable performance. Annual adjust- ment of pumps, pressure regulators, leveling of low heads to avoid sur- rounding turf interference with spray patterns, and replacement of worn nozzles or any other damaged compo- nents must be ongoing, Outdated systems present another set of problems with aging hardware resulting in major failures of pumps,. controllers, mainlines, and fittings that can cause large areas of turf loss. To counter such problems, a daily ritual of many superintendents is to spot water, repair leaks, and continually adjust controllers -turning them up to reduce dry spots one day, and down the next to control wet spou. So much time is spent compensating for system inadequacies and inefficiencies that little time is left for other duties and the staff is constantly putting out fires. It is no wonder that irrigation systems are often nicknamed irritation systems! The Report Card Evaluation Understanding and evaluating fac- tors that influence irrigation system performance is the first step toward; improving overall performance. To understand the system's weaknesses SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ?(bn - • ---•--..~, _~ .• ,~•~~ w appucanon uniformity. t i a 1 1 i '; i r r and cNaluate where improvement is needed, consider completing an irriga- ti~m system report card. The report card can help golf course decision makers understand the various factors affecting irrigation system performance and guide them in developing improve- ment plans. This suggested method 1) identifies a system tha[ will satisfy your needs, 2) considers historical perfor- mance of the existing system, 3) evalu- ates the existing system's condition as compared to a state-of-the-art design, and 4) suggests actions to consider based upon a final grade point average (GPA). Before beginning the process, assem- ble arating team comprised of the golf course superintendent, green commit- tee, general manager, and golf profes- sional. The rating team then will evaluate several specific areas and assign grades from "A," reflecting ex- cellent performance, to "F," indicating failure for each factor listed on the report card, a system we are all familiar with from our school days. In most cases, one grade for perfor- mance of the entire irrigation system will be adequate, but in some cases a hole-by-hole grading may be necessary if: 1) Modifications affecting the irriga- tion system have been made on indi- vidual or various holes. 2) Significant elevation changes occur across the property that affect operating pressures. USGA CREEN SECTION RECORD 3) More than one pumping plant or piping system services different seg- ments of the golf course. A grade average can be determined following each step and appropriate plans to bring the system up to an acceptable grade that will satisfy your overall needs (as identified in step one) can then be developed. Understand that it may not be possible to improve every factor to the highest possible "A" grade, but raising any particular area one or more letter grade can make a difference. Step 1: Determine the Grade of an Ilrrigation System That Will Satisfy Your Needs The level of sophistication needed for an irrigation system varies regionally depending upon factors such as: 1) golfer expectations for turf quality and course conditioning, 2) labor and budget resources, and 3) climate. Not every location requires (or can justify) an "A" system that includes all the whistles, buttons, and bells that cur- rentlyare available. Using the following factors, an average grade can be devel- oped that should satisfy your overall needs. Goljer Expectations: Golfers' expec- tations and acceptance of manual watering, wet and dry areas, general turf quality, and playing conditions are summarized as: • A: Must look and play like the latest televised event. Golfers accept hand watering of greens only. • B: Excellent conditioning, tirtll. fast conditions with an occasional wet or dry area. Golfers accept occasional spot watering on greens, tees, and fair- ways. • C: Good conditions with moderate numbers of wet or dry spou. Golfers accept daily spot watering of fairways, tees, and greens to minimize problem areas. • D: Fair to poor conditions, with numerous wet and dry areas develop• ing when relying on sprinklers alone. Many hose-end sprinklers run during the day to maintain acceptable con- ditions. • F: Very poor; large wet and dr5• areas that require manual irrigation of large areas daily. Uniform soil moisture and turf color are only possible with rain. Labor and Budget: To offset system inefficiencies, use of manual irrigation with hoses and portable sprinklers is often necessary, and this can require significant labor and budget additions The following criteria can be used to determine the grade of the svstenl needed to provide acceptable condl~ lions based upon budget and labor availability: • A: Shoestring; must rely on the irrigation system entirely Only have time to mow and set up the course for play. • B: Limited; can hand ++~ster ~n spots on greens and collars \~ot mush time to spot water tees or fairways. • C: Moderate; can put out a fe++• roller-base portable sprinklers on tees and fairways and hand water greens and collars as required. • D: Large; can hide all the inrffi~i ~-. ties of the system with hand wateriri~ and numerous portable sprinkler ` • F: Infinite; we can hand ~+~;itrr ::~~ entire property if necessary. Climate: The sophistication of thr irrigation system needed is directl} related to the climate. The length of time between rainfall events sad :hr amount of natural rainfall, along ++'1fll peak daily ET (evapotranspiration re- placement requirements. must he ,,~~~ sidered. Based upon the iollo++~mg climate descriptions, the grade of im gation system needed is: Peak Daily ET Climate/ Replacement Expected in Inches Precipitation • A: >0.30 Dry desen climates. with several mon~~ls between significant rain (<15" annually ~ ~~ ««~ ~y~~m ~~ace o~ me art or to a state of disrepair? Evaluating your system is the first step in determining where improvements should be made or it the system needs to be upgraded or replaced. i r ii 1 • 8: 0,20-0.30 Interior plains and valleys with hot, dry .. summers. Regular • showers are d every three to~ Weeks (15"-25" • C: 0.15-0.20 Tlansu tior~'~ with high r~ons summer temperatures and n3irr expected every one to two weeks (25"-35" annually). • D: 0.10-0.15 Coastal climates with considerable fog;'and northern temperate r+e@ons with moder- ate temperatures. Weekly rainfall (35"- 45" annually). • F: <0.10 Our course is located in a rainforest; we receive rain just about daily (>4S" annually). Step 2: Historical Performance , After determining the grade of a system that will satisfy your needs, establish an average grade for the overall performance of the irrigation system over the past five years. Ask questions such as: wth the satiating urigation system, has the staff been able to a) keep the t~ healthy ~ of the time, b) keep the course green most of the time, c) keep the course firm and playable most of the time? Has the sY~m been reliable and not cost an excessive amount of money to main- tain? In short, the irrigation system over the past five years has: • A: Met or exceeded expectations at all times. •• B: Met expectations most of the time. • C: Met expectations some of the time. • D: Consistently fell below expec- tations. • F: Never met expectations. Step 3: Determine the Quality ~ . ~.:. of the EYisting System The intended result of an " ~ . ~ ~' ~..~ m ~ ~ aPP1Y water uniforn~ily, b t it is a mistake to think that only "head- to-head coverage" is needed for uni- formcoverage. Uniform coverage is the end result of several factors combined, including: 1. Reasonable sprinkler spacing dis- tances's~eciSed in the original design, 2. Urufonmly installed spacing and Proper configuration of sprirtlders. 3. Sprinkler and nozzle performance in thoroduces optimum coverage with- ~tem'~ ~ pararrreters (i.e., sPaclug distance, layout, and system hydraulics). 4. Fleldble controls with the ability to manage the amount of water applied based upon vary$~ site requirements (plant and turf speaes, soil types shade influence, slope, etc.). S. Reasonable numbers of sprinklers assigned to control stations. . 6.. Proper hydraulic design (correct P1Pe and Pump saes, operating pres- sures, and flow rates). i 7. Properly installed, reliable hard- warecomponents (controllers, fittings, thrust blocks, pipe pressure rating etc.). In smeary, an th'igation system works on the "weakest link in the clrairr theory. If any one of the above areas ~ is la ~S, undesirable results often occur: In the folio~vurg section, each of the above areas will be giaded against current state-of-the-art design standards. S~ SP~BDistances: Phys- ics dates that throwing water a short distance requires~less energy (P~sure) than discharging water a greats? dis- tance. Operating at lower pressures reduces operat' costs and rrrrrrrrrrizes development of fine droplets that, when affected by wind, upset applica- tion patterns. This is why new iniga_ lion systems are designed with closer. ate as t low~erd with sprinklers that oper- uniformi pressures. Also, application ty genenrlly is better when smaller spacings. assign a grade for a designed spacing of primary P~Y~$ areas as follows: • A 565 feet • B: 66-75 feet • C: 76-85 feet • D: 86-95 feet • F: 2 96 feet SP~g and Conh'8m'ation Uni- formfty: Sprinkler spacing should be uniform in distance and.configuration (equilateral triangles or squares). Spac- ing reduced in one direction to com- pensate for wind generally is not recommended because wind direction and veloaty are usually different each day. The following criteria can be used to glade sprinkler spacing and uniformity: • A: Equilateral triangles or squares, installed within 5% of designed spacing. • B: Equilateral triangles or squares, installed within 10% of designed spacing. • C: Uniformly sized non-equilateral triangles or rectangles. • D: Single row, uniformly spaced (fairways). . • F: Vatyrng spacing with no appaz- entplan considered. SPrfnkler/Norzk Performance: if sprinkler and nozzle Perfomrance are not.matched to the installed spacing and configuration, then application urufonmity will never be achieved. To measure sprinkler distribution perfor- ce, conduct acatch-can test and evaluate the data. The basic procedure is as follows: S~'rEMBER/OC7YIARA •,rv,n • •~ ena result is improved water application uniformity ma:nrenanca 1 1 '~ '. i i i '' J fi '~ ~' '' k f 1{ L 8tipg all aprinldera in the arena to be testied to a level grade. , . •, ~ , .~. Inaped nozzles of complement . ing heads. Replace m~urlatched. or 3 ~~ ~ valves 4. '~ . mat ao~~~$rbtatic:,al speed is within tl~emanutactiu~ls apedflcadona. (Impact heads are~oon- trolled by pmper~y tensioned: return- adjustzuent, while stator.`twd no ~~ combinations. contml•; gear 5. Plrace •unifonm~}r Sized C8tch-CBTIa five feet aptut throughout the test-aria, 6.Operate each aprinklerin$uendng the area for 15 minutes. ~,~'~ ~~ ~ -~;;,;,~ 7. Measure sod record tlie'deptl of water in each container. •; . .. 8. Evaluate•the~data.~ •:~•'•y°~r ~ ~.:~~ 'Note: Data: can be evaluated'man-. . ually or udth computer software'. to deternttne ~ dtstrt5utton uniformity (D[n and/or achedultng coefftclsnt. (SC): Per additional infoxmatton• re- . 8m'dtn8 these ~ formulas or:~avatlRitla... software, contact The Center`~for~Yrid: gatlon ?technology (CITE ~at'Pnesno . State ~ilntversitx Fresno; •Caltfon~t~a;. ((559)278- ttherefere!tces listed at•the end o this article~or vlsit.~ •~_;. ~.: , Whcre.high SC an low. U:values ~~ .' oP~~B P~~,`:~ sprinkler brigatlon corlerag~ The lack ot~~ apendbeg an inordinate spadng, nozzle selection, and/or ~ wear should be c1~~oam- SCand DU v~altbiea ~ r+esul~,:y~et•wet tius~ystemautomati . ally, closer~~ batiop •of ~. controller. progijstprning, ~na1 P~~s; flow,-~rolodtiea Pipe `~~5, ~ soil ~ .compacdoa';~.aa~ potential water. ~ P~~~i~~r (SA~tand 1~ are wananted:• The follovving ~cdterla. can be used to .grade catch,-can test ... ~~•. . ~ SC DU - ~:•A:,~~ :: ; . . ,51.2 - -~-- >8546:• . • B. ~ 1.2-L3 75-8576 ' .: ~ , • C: ~. 1.3-1.5 65-7576 ~ ~ ;~ •.; : D: .. •L5-1.8 55-,6.5.96, '~, ; ! P: , . `. > 1.8 < 5576 ~ ~. ~~ . IllKolna~C COl~trolS: ~ pro- gcammedcontrol systems p hh much, when; and wherewaterw ~ apPtied• TAY balance ~~ I~ydraulics; maintaia~me~dtpti~q~t~gw ~'• •balodtiea, and•optindze ope~timgtv3a: • dowtirne frames. Thefollowlu~crlterIa canbe used to grade suto~c': • A :Computerized centraY controls `with: flow ma~i~ing software;, aolid- .state satellites; on-site weather station, and hand-held'radiocon ~ ~J • & Computerized central controls with flovwmanaging software, electro- mechanicsi . satell~, and access to public weather~station data. ~. • C Solid~tate cen>ral control rutth- out flow managing software, • • D: E1ect<+o-mechanical central and satellite controls. • .. . S ~ Statioil~b~• ge: du the total number of a~rinklers per satellite station maeases fleadbili~ Iadi`-idually controlled heads throughout .the' tees, fairways, and roughs, along with dual heads at greens (one set of heads directed at the puffing surface, with a separate set of heads directed at the green surrounds) to allowmore finite rpanagement of water have become common with new de- sigaa. The folio criteria can be used to grade sprinkler station assign- ments: • A: Individual sprinkler control throughout greens, tees, fairways, and roughs, with dual heads at green perim- ~ B: Individualwii+es to all sprinklers. Individual spprinkler control at greens and tees and dual peaimeter heads at greens. Fairways and roughs have not more than three sprinklers per station, with individual wu+es accessible within wntrol cabinets to allow easy station ~~e head control at greens, notmore than two heads perstation on tees, and not more than four heads der station in fairways and roughs. Station assignment wires are permanently spliced underground and require trenching to make Changes in station assignments.. Fairway and rough sta- tlassig ~ eats operate parallei to the •.D: Z1vo l perstation on greens, no morethanfive sprinklers per station on tees,' fairways, or roughs.lbe, fair- way, .aud rough heads operate parallel to direction of play.' • F: Any kind of control with more than two sprinklers operating per eta- tier on 'greens, or fairway sprinklers ape ot~perpendicularisr (5+om tree line), as opposed to parallel ~yS. >~:,, ..., ~,,.. `: Sys Hy aullc~ Plow Vilocttles; and ~wOperational .Windows": To assure optimum operating pressures, ~eiftciency; and the avoidance of water hammed proper 'hydraulics must be d~yesigae~d inn the system from the start ~~rraa esign and pipe sizing is based upon 1) the number of acres to be ~, 2) peakwater replacement amounx ~~ ~ cvmpaiaaan81or use system7r u USDA (iRESN SECTION RECORD I , requinemen~a, and 3) the number of ~. ~ ~ . ~ ~' `~'~ ' hoots available to complete an lntgti. ! ~~'~ during Peak water replace- . ~;, ttrettt, ;. e t ' It is common' for sprinklers Ito ` ye' ;; ~: added where defidendes m the o ~,,. .... ~ des~t are notioad or as golfers' ' ~ h doydr ulicthallct+eaae: ~ This can ' ~+eaW' ~ :~. ~Y overloading the or• ~::` 1110 Op ~ +F hoots o daylight mtha~ ~ tO ~ "~ ' ~ Mere with ~;,. PAY and maintenance. Overt ,. ~mdraulics must be avoid~ed~ ..: it is ' to operating an eJectsical ~ ~'. , I azNit with too man a lien Y PP oes. Eyed:; . i loua~deyd' aedeetrl~ g gives out! Over•~:~,:Y systems generate heat'"~~'~ ~'. ~,: ,' Overloaded cx and blow fuses,., ~•~` 't' ; ~ lion systems develop, • >~~,~ ".y ~~ flow velodties that `` :,~ waterhammer, Waterh ~k~'~,~:.. ''~' . ' ~ Y dgues and ruptures Pipe. Excel- . ~ stye velodtiea also cause pressure losses.. A mod hydr`auUc,dest with a'; .. 1 that contribute to poor coy 8n ~1onn require eaten the o *i~~pa ~d ~ 1~ atep.;towards achieving a>y ttr-gat dow to~ tnaln n proper operating ~ : . I pressures. 'Therefore, evalua ~ o ~ acxordIrigly by the number of major window is often a fafr p~'ational failures occurring each season; I assessment of • A: Zero to one potential hydraulic problems, and poor • B: T1vo to four performance !n this area warrantscon- • C: Five to seven saltation with an irrigation designer.'Ib • D: Eight to ten evaluate the overall hydiaulip of the • F: Eleven or more m;~ ~ the operational window re- Oti~et- Ratr'rt quired to complete an automatic cycle 8 Factors: Some sites at peak demand without ex requ~ site-specific rating factors I flow velocities of 5 feet per second ~ could Bred by the tatiti~ team. • A 5 7 hours include the followutg: ~ • B: 7-8 hours ' Ii'ump output • C: 8-10 hours • Well output • D:10.12"hours ~ Lake storage capadty • F::12 hours or more ' • S~mp conditions x ~~~ty: No matter how • Zl+se influences . w a system distributes water it must • Water cHemistry as it relates to also be,. reliable. Chronic failures of lateral or nisinlitre Pipe, fi um s permeability or control systems can be a sign of poor . qu~ty products,~inconect installation SAP 4: Lnplementing Changes• 4 to ues, and/or aging components or 3eeldng Additional Help in need of replacement. Normal wear C ~ . and tearfailures should not become an such d'usrth pppresst tp~e~o~~~ issue until a system reaches more than valves, lifftiig and leve regulation 20 Years;of age. Frequent pipe failures:. re la ~g low heads,. a o soo ~ ~ p . dng spriillder nozzles or cotttrol ~~S , net t'ari indicate that pipe ~ ` systenla; can offer reasonable impt+ove- and fit ~'ngs of improper pressure ratin were used,- or i S ' ..menu. Bringing in an irrigation design, P was not sized cot- , consultant to"' erform a more complete rectty and maximum flow velocities P '' have regularly. been exceeded. Addl- dnpieS area identidfiedhFinall~itus tionally,.. if epoxy :coated steel or PVC < Im o t to understand that irrigation mainline fittisigs are utilized, chronic u P '' failure can be Pg~des often require large. capital. of the expected earlier in the life ~ `expenditures .=to offer notices a tin; . system Their replacement with proyement. Recommendations based longerlastirig and far more durable ' upon` the grade point' average derived ~ ductile iron components is suggested, from. the various factors evaluated in '; System reliabilt ty may be ranked Step 3 ar+e: -r»~• w.w raun~rgureq sprinkle bpour is ~n system urortiry of an "A"grade. Final GPA • A: Excellent system; proper main- tenanceshould maintain this status for a number of years. • B: Good system; possibly begin- ning to show some age, but proper maintenance should prolori$ useful life expectan~ maintain efficiency, and possibly o er improvement. • C: This system needs work, and improvement ma be possible, depend- ing upon the problems. The assistance of an irrigation designer may be helpful. D: Seek the advice of an irrigation designer for improvement. • F; Get a good irrigation designer and get out the checkbook; nothing short of complete system replacement can likely help. References Solomon, K H. 1988. A New Way to View Sprinkler Patterns. Center For Irrigation Technobgylrrigation Notes, August. Pub- lication No. 880802. Zoldoske, D. R, K H. Solomon, and E. M. Norum. 1994, Unifornuty Measuremenu for. 'Ilufgrass: What's Best? Center For Irrigation Technology Ir-'igatton Notes, November, Publication No. 941102. Wilson, T. P., and Zoldoske, D. F. 199;. Evaluating Sprinkler Irrigation Unifnrmii~ Centerforlrrfgation Technology Imgorron Notes, July. publication No. 970703 MIKE HOCK is the agronomist ~n rhr Southwest Region, where u~atP- usr eiiciency is of the urmosl impo--ancr and the acid climate quickly sh~u~s an irrigation system with a /ailing Rrod~ SEP'fF.MBER!nCTpBER?rxr~ ; ~J j• ~ i 4 3 r r 1 1 - la_.. f' _ ... ~C4MMON . .T, SEN SE CART PATH S :. . , . by DAVID A.~OATTS .. Ditecto>; Nortltehstem Region, USGA Green Section -.,. S A GREEN SECTION agronomist location. Traffic ftnrn golfers-and their carts" of traffic on turf, there ace two basic ways of who sees mote than 150 golf cout~es , each .year, • I believe that the vast ~ ~ , . can make it impossible to grow.liealthy turd,.,. and tlje resulting wom turf and rutted.or bare handling traffic successfully: channel the traffic o -hard im ervious fa majority of• cart path:,projects do ;not.. soil is;unattractive and~provides apoorplay- ' , p ~ sur ces or spread it out over as large an area as possible AI- accomplish their most basic obJectives, ~ which ate to minimize wear problems and ' ingsurface. Rules problems ~lso can result. Under the Rules °of Golf relief can i b . ~ though these concepts may seem elementary, i i . improve~aesthedcs. This truly is one of the. , no e . granted unless the aces is marked "ground t s more compljcated•when the prospect of makings transition from one method to the most overlooked areas in golf course trisin- ,~ under repair" or is deemed to be a part of the other is considered. ~~~• ~ ,, Although there are•more than a few, ugly, ~ goad'or path and is ~so marked. When'these situaiions occur in high-play areas, defuridon Somewhere along the.line, concentrated wear usually occurs If a continuous s ste cart paths in existence. I contend that they all ~ have one or more of several characteristics i and'marking complications ensue. ~ Aside from the remedial cultural programs . y m of paths is not co be installed, or if golfers will be allowed to venture off the paths ~ n common: poor design, construction, .oi that can be employed to minimize the effects , .provisions must be made for getting the carts - .. .. ~ :1:. i Funneled rn~tc results in unmanageablt wear.. ...... , . ' .. 1 - "We Have tYl~ accessories should be easy to move so that ,. ~~ 1 ~ ., the Enem and traffic patterns can be adjusted fiequattly. . . A . '• .., ~ ? ~ •- ~ • : , They Are ~ ~-- r ~ It also tray bC possible to locate cart paths. ~ ..,~.. ~ ~ :~ .r~. tr ~ t~ ~e~m0at~' farthgr. leY stcQw~ Solf~a arse :~ s ~ ~,p~p~a ~ • In - mote 'Ve`;pll Yh~ .: i:. ~ ., ~Y ~ •. Multiple entrykxit - .-- - - _ the . world. R1gl!..g9~.. ~BhdY• ~PmB P~ fatther . PAY points for golfers yet when theca same can iedtrce their impacron play-and course people drive golf cam, aesthetics. Entry and exit, opportunities intelligence oftet} is should be.provided only'where appropriate. k conspicuous by its Planting absence. Simply put: golfers . sometirrles It is essential to avoid safety problems ~ . Ctirrbing ~ _ ,. commit , incredibly regardless . of the nature 'of the + golfers. ., I :.:•.1 foolish ~of.. Serious accidents can result in disability or ~,1; ~;1~ , ~+, •lessnes ~r~-¢~a ,~ y , deathY~and expensive-lawsuits are a possi- 1 . ,. are.t;die,lwbeoe~, bilit~•tpatmustbe'planrudfas•Wherepos- . i ~~ foot wide • . ~ ~ • - sible' avoid dangerous design~features such ~g area ~ ; of. a go~,~art,;,q~u?,.., ., r ~. ; acallY, , they ,'are ~ Con-. as steep slopes and sharp, improperly banked :. . '~ ~ centrating ,oil . their`` toms. For particularly difficult=Projects it is . ~ . ~ ~: , , game, ~ _ ~.1'QCate' wise to involve a qualified engurar in the ~ Multip>e ~ 1- • . , ; .then golf ~~ t,}~k- design phase and to research local constrtrc- ~'Y Pow ~ > ~ . ~8. m., . ~,~°~fei's don codes. It is also a~ good~_idea m discuss for carts ' „,when, opeiapng golf " PmP~ cart P~ Pmj~ with your incur- . ~ , carts.. Littli,.tt}pttglit is anee'agent. Golfers are outforfunand com- given to ~ how their petition;' while saferymay tint be uppermost carts should be oper- in their thoughts, liability and safety should aced. Since it is not be uppermost in yours. ' like driving an auto- Whether or not there are immediate plans ' mobile, where the to install a system of tee-to-green cart paths, ' threat of personal. a comprehensive plan to do so should be i = '• ~ ' ,.,~ , - danger tends to keep developed. A qualified golf course architect r 1 • •~ {,~ , ~ e ~ ~ ~c~ne s can•be an invaluable ~~~ ~n a c~rrt •'x3 ti N~f ~ i, ~ , nr. r: ..T'~ FIST t~n~1 1 ` - ~ ~ r~ 4s~~ W ~ ~ , ' ~3'! aplag t7C ~P ~.a f b: ' 1 a~''~ ~ ;'~ `~ ~'~• ~y ~,p,• ` ~od~cf~ ears~l'~°'~•. lion `~.: 1 ~ J : ~ ~ ,~ '.. _ r. ~ Qn t OVelk y. ZQ ~P , ,~ a :;/~: ~ •¢~ ~ ~ , . ~ . thlj~k ` h ~ 'but and~cost and reduce ~ pose}-biliry of waste. ' I , ,: ><, ,,~, .. .' _ a•;{,sYsta'm~:of baths m .piecemeal '' vj ''~• ?~~ -y. i.T;:~, ~~ :..~~~tk~~{,~ ' •us, d ~f~~ +-~!3~±f~olltfia 80uT1L~ plal~,:ls llkely..t0 w* :, ~' Y ~ r ., ~- T '~j ~ ~ ~ ~~~; °~''and '~eM as many problems,as it .. _ . ' .'j t V}'~ ' ~ ~ "{y'; "A-~qy 1 ~~~:'~^~d~ d"te ~' . ~--,Y~-,y f.d,,r, . f ~ ~;x '~_ =. ,. ~ :~ ~ -~, , - • ~ "~ ~ ,i ~~ r^ t~ '~~~ .. Y : ~ r ~ ~;` Av idi~ig Wear tr~td~•cart Petits F,~ •r .~, .r ~ ti~leq,. dry + i., t r ri iy . ,~,.F , ....+~'~ P~ y f'?~a.:, ,~,~ T` j.. 4~ ~ { : r :;~ I `t + . .. r thCleBSOQfi~ r Cat't Sty _ .~ : ~ ~ ~ . ,~ t ~ ' - die'" r ~ is t `Plate ~s~ !'~e~r :prob- . .. r,.. sJ~' •7 ~ ' ~, ~ . ;;~¢ „w ~, ~~ ,, •~ ';~ ~ r; not , t,8en8C,t0 uts~l them 1 .~ tis~Y ~'~~ `"~ ~ ` ' ~ !. ~ fi- ~t, ` ~'- s _ :bag• 'a-~~~ ~ r ggal~ 1;.,~~acrcomph$hal. °~,,'~~ L~`~•~ Fx , . '~ }l'`~; + :~ aidb ~Ye~;~at Unbelievably, fhat~i~~ly what•ia done . .. '` , ~ ..r • . ¢ atm~n~+courses W}thtti~ycartpaths wear. ~•~tt cart path'design fvr green comp/ , ,,, a Y~ a,~. ., ~..~• ~ ~° ' - :.. , . • ~ ~ ..`- ~., .".+6~ •~~• ,i,?r".err r . ''~,'~. t4^t ',,,,, faY .Or'Ilbl~.~ . oA S;'arEa entry;and exit • • ~~. , r,, N ~ - t" ~"` t~s y,. ~ ~~ g : t"arr• . ~. points,. around t11CC featll s~~ECOS~ LCCSi , .1. , r: a_: 1'7j,.. t i,;~.~ '" ~' ~~; "~; eff, ort tai'; carts ~ and primary ,landing zones) ~and`et pouts ~~ - A ~~ - . ' ~.~'~ y ~ A. safe/ ~ 'non- where carts frequently have to pass each . - ~ ~kr, destrq&r~~~triantrer. othez. , . On:;~, • b , .~ltattd, One key to avoiding wear around paths ttte~~ u golfers aE ''" - iGputses is to maximize the number;of enury and exit ... alt: y impos- points for the carts This may sound.~basic, .; .. on and off the aths without causin excess . ,, sible to conaol:'For co ~~ svj, ''difficult but it is overlooked more often-than not. slue ,wear at those.. locations.; The, paths W cligtitele, diFectional 'ass ds ~i~slgns, Forcing carts to enter atid?y~cit.in juat.a few themselves must lie wide enoughFand durable ;<s;ropes, ~arriet~, etc.) ahot~}c} ~ sturdy restricted areas;causes unmanageable wear • . enough to wittrstand traffic acid Rtain defini= ~' 1 and resistant to damage;They a~so'srioiild be. •- ; problems. The solution:tisually:is'to.txpend .. tion.,without bein a:burden to..the~mautte= ,~~N o obvious:. For instance ,"' take . 'cart, paths well out in firont of the feaau~e t~ancx staff and~ihe-budget..They also mush ~",~`v~ith• an'arrow or sunple,~ ,icy be area to provide 20 tto ,40 linear yards of 6e designed m •such a way as to tie easily, ,. r~; sEti~'icient to duECt, carts ~tg~ ~,y, ~ rextt a 1, potentutl entry aa~,l e>~ttpoints. If die location r ° used by the golfers, but'they mustnot ~e'~o ,.,: path~at a~courae with cggsC ••,u~~~lfers: {Rf :tlu :path >s. along .the. perimeter of the obanisive,-.i+~ taaffect.playability~advetsely~ '~ tit even sturd stakes an~`ti fiO ins ': hole, the'extensions tria start',pr end in a - - ~ Y . ,y ~ P~ Y Y• The.~roject "is, getting`a bit more complicated ~~#lot" be entirely . sffecttve' at ~~tatses where , ' stratght'line parallel- W ttis. line'of PAY (~ .Rww, istt't its ~ golfers are less; trrrtrdfirI {~~All` direcgonal Fgtu;~ 1). Unforquiately, the -'ptes• ence of 4P •..Y ~ =.ra{ fry'- ~`i°~ ' 7 iron •~.nndcv CCP'1'fAN oc!`AOn .. S•.', _ %. .. ; ~ : tl Y -Y, ... I i I ~~ 1 i ~~ ~~ 1 J '3 1 ,. 1 g ~ g (P~c~Y in an •appmach) may mare this difficult or impos- -rblo. If that is the case, the cart path can leaatcan.berlocated.in,a~ ~` la area. If l n'`r P ~ d10.; o~adon;~ ~~_::..r; towards•tlre•eenter:c~dne:lwlus •(in, ~'rgnt of~a , ,;t, toe), the path should end in ~ wid~,~,(see ' ;, ~,orn Figure:2)un,!~io:i~llC,,..'f?`i1' :{ .~i:~.'.J~~::rC1i1 .,. of treea;are.rc~ni5~ed itn:lugh, .~ ; ~~,:nI Thuls,•entry:sndexit~poit~,sho ,no ,lziv locatediaheavily.,D;~dareaslFu~Yoi~ ,Un cart path locations that place trees;byt~;eenz the entry .and,+exitr~irats, sod: RhezPnfttai7(7 tratfic.flow :~ form immovable,ba~iers,.,, r,r that funnel; traffic ~itn addition tq~ competiittg .,;:r withtrlr~ i! 2291l1U r3?'[;> l:i:. x.':71 urf .r.:.t~ . d.'t lu ia::a.comctlon.,pracdce •to b~rild.,widf; ,, fan-.'or.ball-shaped.entrykxit pads for carte;;{ paths::Ofoen this is: helpful, but rawly. is it,_ .:., surfficietntbyitsel~ Combi»r4g_the extensions.,,; ~ with - the:.:widened: startingy ~; -•$tPl~~1°l; ~ ~ r; points is muuhmare_e~ec~ye. Rega of~:ol t J WhiCh'rtyCfhOd(S); 8rC'uSCdR SOrnrC,;typC,,Qf J ~,r, banier•urstrally is needed w~~ndicaic where,: carts should inter and exit the ~.' paths.~Again,';~. keep it as simple as possible when,stlectit-~~,~ signs arrdlror bacriyr~.. :. ::. ... , , • ~i Topography tpuat'4e ~slefulty conrideied :.. whew the locantiQtt, agcl Aength, of ,tile exten-,.i; , sions are deoerTilicned.: baths should never, : Start Ol' S,Wp.l~rl 01r~~lear slopes,,Aside,froin . obviatasafCty,conoettts, t~neSlopes,y!ilftecZd,.; to •chaanel..tratlio. More. fiiction :and slip,-, . page. between :.titer ,and. turf result ~ when .. carts change. spends on~slopes, and this will ," . cause coca more wear .damage. ' :17ne;locatyonr;chosen €or cart paths have . ,~ a bigimpact.on-playability; west; and safety, ., bur they. also greatly.. affect .aeesthetics.;.Uri; ' ; fordloately;;;rlneir ~locatioas •ror}utunes..sie , ~.,. chosen; by; default.. That is, the, path is. in Y; stalled wherever the wear spots develop: Th~sr t, amounts to taking the path of least resistance, and it falsely assumes that paths should ? necessarily::,be:,loc•,ated where the golf ' MJ '.. JJ surreally driXe~cts~;::; -, ,; .. ~ 1~ .. tr ` Asautrriag.,,that 4he. Farts have tnulgple and•o ~ Pq~~$rs~$ 8olfers"to.a, from,thefeatunerareas must now;.beFrFgn;., sidend: ltQUting a cart path .to the edge of ~. grten;and off, to the e¢~, of the `eext tee guaraatees;,wear pgQb~g~s, because it prc~=',' . vides`.a : xery ]united number of entry , an~~ Cxrt pomLi~fOI thC:$Olf~ersL~l~IUS 1S m8~ WO}~. , by the piesen~~: gf immovable obstuctons between'the~path.and given or tee. ,Ttee$,, shrubs, severe mouunding, bturkeers,_ etc.,'all serve W funnel traffic. Wherever possible, wrap paths:.atvund tees:and.gc+eens so that multiple entry and exit; poirtts,~aFe Y provided .for the $0~err dlrectionai aids often work txst `:~ ric control. Nothing is mole aesthetically disnlptive _ - -than an exposed view of a cart path in an otherwise natural setting. Depending on the - smhitectural design of the golf hole and its topography, it often is posaible oa hide~cart ,; ., Psths .view. First, rdentif~ t~re intended line of play and"the'area4'where golfers are most likely to congregate. 'lixs and landing ..zone are obvious choices, but these may be others.' Next, consider how the existing topography aught be used to obsctue the t~• ,,.Ncart,gat~;pr~make ltdesg,~byioug. U~lizadon f of mounding or curbing or performing re- grading work all can be effective means of blocking the view of a path. HoweverG mounding or use of curbing must not be so severe as to adversely affect traflc flow One of the easiest ways to hide paths is to pay close attention to the angle at which '..:they ace installed. Installation at an angle away from the primary view can make • , them~practicaUy invisible (see Figure 3). On ~'reladvelykflat ~ terrain,: this .may .have lisle impact on the cost of installation and re- quites only careful planning. This method also is effective when paths cross areas in play or are routed up steep slopes. Routing the path across the slope and tilting it inward is an especially good ploy. ..:.~ ..~:1~Vmding cart paths tend to look more natural, but the toms should be properly . :/ .n 3'~ ~ ..}~........,. . . (Figure 1). Aside from logistical obstacles (hole design, topography, etc.), safety issues may be the biggest limiting factor with this type of installation. Cart .,,:: ; ~~ u.r~,„ , .: p~tins should not be located ' m areas where $4lfers, fight be subject to ~§hots'~froit•::~-• --....._. -.~,: • - adjacentholes. Golfer sufery ~ ""'•' " '' of paramount importance its cart path design. i.Itn.situadons where wrap- ........ _.__ . _ ..... _.__.._._... _........ around design is not pos- sible, be sate that the area between the path and feature area •is as wide rand unob- ~ ' stated as ~ possrble: Retie= ~ : -:; .~.r ~ILr.,I~ r; stgc~~of' gieensrd"e ~'b~inkers'-- ; y rQ .9~:asr.;: ''' "'' '' ~ ~" ~ 17:',A apd~,~atoundrng, may be '' .2rnisa,zrtr,: gechssary','to~ widen the `r n •%~~ zsz~n~ p ~" Sageway.' Removal or ~ y4 .1- .rn~ .~: Ie~C~CStIOn Of ttee3 shrubs . ptna4r}erital~'plantings; or'~ •'` ~ ryui~: even ball washers'and trash-'ia ~~'~`r•r`~-. .,,. receptacles' also may im- ..;t ~' -- pinve traffic ,flow: ° As men- -' ~. : r?•: ~ : ~ :, doried earli~r, traffic con4rol " t~.r r:i ;~, „~ a~sones ~should~ 6e de=~'• ~ .taz,31. r • stoned` to' be effective and r:; : u l ~n:k~ ~ ~,' . , easily,°movable ' ``' °' ~'1? ~'Wirtpa~und desi n.' ,.,, fr .ro,G:, Ti ~ cs~ ~ail2 Ysr:r Figure 2 Path ends diagonally to play, producing multiple exit points 12-foot-wide passing area ),. ~' ~ `ir .~ ::f'' :,,; w :a.. zse .,. ./~ y~:, :,, Curbing ... gn ncduce~• wear~car this7eeti, ., ;~. 'JANtL-R1f/F$HRt1AItY 1994 3 ,.. .. ' 1. ~ • ; l 1, t ~ i S: , ., v . E '7~1 ..ti:r• .. I• !. line H^ •.i y '1.,,~~-.t .: 1- x r f~. .. ~ , ~'•; . '' e ti ~ y : by both foot and' cart tuff c. Carta anti tur(- Hiding path through angle of instaUarion ar use Qf mound7rtg and curl>lrtg r ~'r"~' «l ~Y . ;` - ~ : ; • ' .: ,; y .: ~, ~ ,,'p ~ , ; ~ :material's' (scones esPeciallY): • which .may . - ~~ '1 JN:. J . a.f~ 12'.x!:1 ~ '~ ~S{. ~'~.6t~ L, !pnr'$ent'8~ r~ f~`'°j ~ 0 CBUSI~•'COatly dainBSe LO . ;,~~~~ r ; ,~ ;,~ .n,);,~, ;..~,~mowingcgtriPtrreat'::.. LI,~t)tu~.,r:•. • 1 < :>/...., q`~-{ :~i,~M"~~ .• ~ In ad~.tion, path definition problems teed ~ „,L r ~;,,.: ,~ ~ ,~;.; , ~ ~ s ~ ;'to ariae less-stable'materials an used. Primary view => ~ '~ :~`~ ~ .,'ta ~ Installation of forms is~stiggested, and Pro- • A ' y `~ :' :. ; ~ , . , ., ...,~ ~. visions should be made in the budget m per- ~~'~ ): ~a E ~ x ,,~., ,~~"~~ ''<,,s~,ti y~, ty'~g9r ~~•I • nuL the'neoessary mauttenanoe, WhrCh may ' ~ - i r'v'i r. - - ~ ~ .. J ..,.! ""fir; ~ ~%~i{l'i ~ ' ~ be aubstantral. ~ ) . i i : w: i ~ ~. .: . ~, `.. ,t . .. , ,. ,1; ` , Vt K..~t '~ C~, rbing •la essential' around'feaan~e areas '~ ~ `^r ~ ~+ to prevent paths from'grovvmg v+nde>c Golfers rl . ,., ~~ • ~: , ' ,~,. •~., {~, o ~,~,/ ,<, haVC a subCOnaCroUa •urge t0 poll Carta Off ' ~ -' ... .. ~ ! ~ ~: ~, ° w".:~ ~S ~::.~;;~,~ ~.';., ?the paths by just a foot or so unless they are - .° .. ' .. . Curbing ` ;~~ > , ~ , -., ~i - Physically prevented from doing so. Regard- . "`' ' • ~ . ., ~ s . ~~+, "` ~ ~ ~ ~,; `~~' less of the malarial utilized, the curbing .` .. ~!;• "•'`'• ;r.^'`~` t~'~•.~'~.~`~ should'be'installed with the soil and turf primary ...,rwiiiiuuwtbraultgrhillWrfl ~-~ it""aMI,WIAftr~,.,.,' ' . view -> ~;; . ~,~ flush•with the cop of the curb..'Ihis makes • ,Y _ .. .. .. y:;~' . ~o,' _~ .. ! ;'.;1y~- ~'? ~r''}Qh?~°1'~..:i ''`i iz7mnurrg CBSICL lKBterlala that Can be OSCd . _ ~° ~.`• ' ~t~r::f~;:;: ~ for. curbing vary widely'snd include, but ' ~ ,•. • , ~ , ~ .1 * ' • . `: ;; ' ~ are not limited m, the following:•steel, con- . ~•' 1 . ~'~ r`~ ' " crate or concrete fabricated Products. asphalt, . „• , , ' `: • '~ ~ ~:,.;~' Belgian block; landscape , • ': ,` ~ - timbers and rail- . .. .. • :. h. ti+1~ •~.~; '~: 1 ~: ' ,;,.: _ .4' ..;' ~~;:..'.>.' • ~''.. road tics. Just be sure`m install Curbing only ':.. Angled Away,: .... .. :.:.,~4•_..p1 '~~.~ .. in areas where the carts are riot m be given . , s~ ..;~, Y,.„ ,.; options' for`exiting'~or eriterin8 P ~~';, ` , ~ the nth. + pa .. Provisions~for disabled golfers also should view -> be ~ `ve~rt full consideration: • ~' gi 11 ~ .._ .. _ .. s th is an'esseatial ~nent .. '.. . _ . ....~ . .. _ . ,,: : I .: i .;•,u. ~ °f~q art Pa .proms ~ a ' '`' ~ .. ..:.~1~, '., ~. ~+~: comaion'•failing is to install•paths that are ' i . • . _ ,,,~ ~ ~ ,.~`" .. • _ less`than eight feetwide. NarioW paths are . ~i, ~ ,~~:' ` " more difficult for golfers and maintenance. - ; ,i,,., . ~: a t; ; 's r; , . equipment to negotiate; 'hence this: recom- Path made mon~obvious !ry angling towards primary view ~ mendation. Installing paths less than eight ' . _ ,: ... • . ... . , . ;'`;'' ;,- ~.~~• feet wide leads to wear along.the edges and :h„) ~;• more,rapid deterioration of the path.•Paths ,.: ~ • . ~ .:` •~ musf',~be'even widei'tin~ areas where carts Prunary;vtew ~ ;_ ...,. •1 ,, ~,,~.~ 'congregate or pass one another and in areas.. ~ , ~ ,. ~ : _ ~° ` ;, :. , heavily used by the ~ maintenance stafl~ ~ ~'. ,,;'i~ ., ~., • ~`• Widths in these areas should be 12 feet or i .. .. ' a:~ '....., , i. , . t? . - . . ;~ 'Cart paths can have a significant effect r ; r . _ ..`.. • ~~ _.+,, ~ . , on sulfate drainage. Installed above. grade, ,iu: .~;~i;~r :.~; o :. ,. .,, bankedf and gentle. Since golfers are not typically require cough less{~qng; tam, path's' can block suiface'drainage'and cause paying f close ..attention to where they are tenance. Due to differing tasteat~~ud~etary • water'm` collect ui adjacent turf areas. la- driving sharp,~laends ate one of the first areas constraints,? and :potential effete ion play; stalled below grade; the 'paths tray remain where golfers `;will have a. difficult time courses often usg less stable ~tr}~feii~la sych' wet.• The~+ can be used'~itr t~ positive way m ' P keeping darts on the path: Locating a path in as gravel, rock or bACk dusk; d~c,po~ed' uitemept water and channel it m appropriate a dense grove of trees may do a good job of granite, cnished ,sheps, pir~ st;avj!+)r~ood ~. ` collection ~ pornts 'Drai~'iage swales can be hiding it, but entry.and exit atEas•should be chips mulch, etc. t~nfortunt}tely,lt~}e leis designed into cart paths`:'Keep in mind that flee of trees:. stable matcrials,are;subject.t~o ~ ntitpgpe~r,of thei+e'trtay'l~e`envrrvninental•factors m con- ' pigblems, most .o~,which atz,;ela~. to un- sider; the most important being the potential ,. , . ' `' • , •- wanted movement. Foy in~tancQ~:,tnost .are. impact on course runoff rim streams or Materials ~' . `..; •• ~~•, .•.~ ~ .•~• subject to erosion,,which carilb.S`;e~gpecsaIIy other'waterbodies. ~ . . ' } ~ Any number of different .materials can troublesome with paths located on slopes: • .. be used to build cart paths, and they can. be_ Many tend. to be dusty when dry, ,and muddy Conclusion : ;, organized into the two basic categories- - ' .: c and prune m splashing when wet, WoodChips Cart path installationcan be expensive and ' loose and stable. Concrete and asphalt ate the may stick to golf spikes, and the dustier disruptive, and"since most golfers' find them most commonly aced' stable materials and materials may be tracked onto turf areas distasteful, there is a strong tendency to do - ~~ ~ ~ , - - the minimum. The shortest routings ' ~ possible are often chosen. and widths are made as narrow as possible. This is a false ecatomy. Cart path systems can be installed in phases to spread the cost overra period ' of time, but the urge to skimp on design and materials should be avoided at all costs. When considering a cart path project, it is ' ~ imperative to start with a good plan and to make a firm commitment to quality. The common excuses of "it's the best we could do: ' "you should have seen it before; ' or ' ~ "it's all we could afford" don't wash. Poorly planned and installed cart paths are a waste of money because they ate no mote attrac- tive or useful than the bate, eroded soil they replace. Cart~paths ate along-term invest- ment, so take the time and effort to design and install them properly. A Checklist for Developing a Cart Path System • Have applicable safety guidelines been met? • Have multiple entrykzit points been created for carts? • Have multiple entrykxit points been cheated for golfers? • Ate the paths of adequate width? • Has curbing been installed where appropriate? • Has disabled golfer access been included in the design? • Has surface drainage been considered? • Has environmental consideration been given to storm water disposal? • Have stable materials been chosen for paths subject to erosion? • Will the new paths be clearly and cleanly defined? • Have tree root interference problems been avoided in high-traffic areas? 1 V_~.. _~._~J ~~~ __~L_ !~ L!_I_ _I___ _____ _.___.I__ !_ -_ __ _I ___L!I~__ C~1=~ECKUP FOR 1'I-~ NEW • MILLErTIVIUM ~'~~oes YourE i nett . ~ qu p Feet 11 Mahe the Cut. Meeting player expectations requires the right tools. by MATT 1vE><soly 1` F YOU'RE A GOLF COURSE official or course owner who has { been involved in purchasing golf course maintenance equipment, you might think that the Starship Enterprise is docked at the maintenance facility. The cost of golf course maintenance equipment is high, but when consider- mg present maintenance standards ~ and player expectations at many golf courses, the cost of various equipment items really is not so surprising. Putting I greens commonly are mowed at'/. inch or below Tees and fairways are being cut at '~ inch or lower. Bunkers (once known as hazards) are raked with un- believable regularity, topdressing sand is ' ~ applied every week or two at rates so light that golfers can't notice, special- ized products are applied at rates of a few fluid ounces per acre or less, and cultivation is performed in a manner intended to minimize disruption to play. Has golf course conditioning gone ' haywire? Regardless, the cost of meet- : ing today's player expectations is high, and if the course maintenance staff ' does not have the tools to get the job done, players should stop making un- founded comparisons to other golf courses. There are several essential aspects of remaining competitive in the golf market. Customer service, location, golf course design, and conditioning likely top the list. Service and mainte- nanceare the two that matter every day, and it is the latter that this article addresses. Proper conditioning of the golf course depends upon the skill and expertise of the golf course superinten- dent, .a well-funded budget, and the necessary tools to get the job done (3). Given the exacting specifications of present-day playing standards, having the right tools for the task at hand separates the good, the bad, and the ugly (6). Following is a sample equip- ment inventory for an 18-hole golf course, designed to provide high quality ' playing conditions. This list may iden- tify shortcomings in your equipment inventory that could be a major limiting factor in realizing the desired playing conditions at your golf course. Regional differences and special circumstances will necessitate some variation from this sample. Mowing Equipment Mowing is the most routinely per- formed cultural practice on the golf course. The quality of cut clearly has a major influence on the playing surface, and it also can significantly affect the health of the turf. A dull mower can increase disease incidence, adversely affect the plant physiologically, and increase water use. Heavy mowing equipment imparts wear injury to the turf and causes soil compaction, both of which are commonly observed prob- lems. Properly selected, dependable mowers are a must for good turf. Greens: Six to eight walk-behind putting green mowers are most com- mon. If you do not walk mow the putt- ing greens -strike one. Walk mowing has consistently demonstrated the best playing conditions and the healthiest turf (5). Grooming units should be included to lightly vertical mow when conditions are favorable (16). At least two triplex mowers for greens are necessary for verticutting, weekend, or special occasion mowing, and for mowing following topdressing appli- cations. Three or four triplex mowers are needed for the greens if you cannot walk mow Collins: 'Iivo walls-behind mowers for the collars should suffice. A distant second is mowing collars with a triplex mower that also can be used to mow tees and approaches. Fairway mowers should not be used to mow collars. Remember, the heavier the machine, the more the turf is damaged. Tees: 'Iivo or three triplex green mowers should be part inventory for tee mowing. Tee mowers also are commonly used to mow approaches. This strategy prevents heavier fairway units from turning in this critical play area. Some of the best courses go one step further. Tees, col- lars, and approaches at these courses are walk mowed with wider walk- behindmowers, usually up to 26 inches putting of the NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 -~......., ..~. ~~.~•• wµ~N••~.« w u masc. nav:ng ate proper equipment allows the necessary practices to 6e completed in a short time and with the least amount of disruption to play. ' ~ f 1 r f 1' ~. '$ 1 in width. Four to six of these walk mowers would be necessary. Fairways: The advent of lightweight fairway mowers over the past 10 to 15 years truly revolutionized the manage- ment and playabilty of fairways at golf courses across the country. In fact, many golf courses with bentgrass fair- ways mow with triplex. putting green mowers. More realistic, however, is an inventory of three or four fiveplex mowers. Within this class of mower, many different models are available to suit the specific conditions at your golf course -type of turfgrass, topography, soil conditions, etc. Your course has just one or two fairway mowers? Strike two. What happens when one unit breaks down and there is no backup? Can your crew stay ahead of the golfers? Pencil out the cost of these inefficiencies and it will be apparent that the cost of an additional unit can be recovered in a short time: Roughs: Articulating rotary rough mowers with five to nine mower blades have significantly improved the mow- ing quality of turf in the roughs and streamlined maintenance efficiency. Smaller rotary and reel trim mowers allow mowing of areas that formerly could only be cut with walk-behind mowers or string trimmers. Significant scalping has all but disappeared at golf courses with an updated rough mow- ingfleet. Specific requirements depend largely on rough acreage and design, USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD but generally one or two large rotary mowers and three to 5ve trim mowers are needed. Don't forget that at least one machine will have to be set up to mow intermediate rough if this is a feature at the golf course. Advances in mower technology are, in fact, a huge reason that the roughs at many golf courses really aren't that rough any- more (17). Cultivation Equipment Proper cultivation cannot be over- stated. High maintenance standards, traffic, poor construction, bad soil con- ditions, overseeding, renovation, and/ or basic agronomic sense underscore the need for a good cultivation pro- gram. And, since golfers generally abhor most of the practices mentioned in this section, it is extremely helpful to have the proper equipment so that cul- tivationwork can be completed in a short amount of time with the least amount of disruption to play as is possible. Aerators: At least two walking putt- ing green aerators are needed. Be sure that the machines have the necessary adapters to be equipped with tines of all sizes. The ability to perfo~n specialized cultivation, including small-diameter solid-tine aeration, can .make a big difference in plant health and overall success of greens. One or two tow-be- hind piston-driven aerators are neces- sary to aerate fairways and tees. No fairway aeration equipment in the fleet? Strike three. Next batter. Unless your course is located in a metropolitan area where contract aeration is avail- able, the lack of fairway aeration equip- mentusuallyresults inthe development of agronomic problems and lousy play- ing quality. If rocks in the soil are a big problem, you may need to utilize a drum-type aerator in lieu ofcam-driven units. The holes will not be as crisp or as deep, but at least gas exchange and water infiltration will be improved, soil compaction relieved somewhat, and an opportunity to overseed created. Specialized aeration equipment, in- cluding deep-tine units and high-pres- sure water injectors, may also serve a useful niche, depending on soil condi- tions, water quality, and other factors. In many parts of the country, indepen- dent contractors perform this type of cultivation (14). Obviously, you will be limited by the schedule of the con- tractor. Timing problems and fickle weather conditions may warrant the purchase of such equipment. Seek the advice of a Green Section agronomist. university extension specialist, or other consultant to determine the best tool for the job and to justify the purchase. Core Harvester: A core harvester certainly pays for itself fairly rapidly. The crew also will be glad to take another step away from the Stone Age. Dethatching Machines: Once again, independent dethatching services have gained popularity in the turfgrass arena. ~1 ,~ r ,! '± ~~ 1 The development of new creepping ben'tgrass and bermudagrass cultivars for putting givens has prompted a • refinement of management techniques, most importantly the control of organic matter deposition in the upper soil profile. If managing putting greens with the newer grasses, take a close look at available dethatching equipment. Tb Appliiaators: Sand top- dressingcan a one of the most impor- tant practices used to improve agro- normc conditions and playability. Soil modification with sand can improve compaction resistance and drainage. Sand applications help control thatch and smooth and firm the playing~sur- face. One tow-behind drop spreading applicator is needed to fill holes com- pletely following core aeration of putt- . ing greens. For light and frecjuent top- dressing,however, stow-behmdrotary applicator greatly facilitates this prac- tice. Many of the best golf courses lightly topdress puffing greens on seven- to 14-day intervals throughout the growing season. Tow-behind rotary applicators enable superintendents to complete light topdressing of 18 greens in about two hours or less, at rates light enough that brushing or dragging is not required and golfers do not notice the practice has been done. And, if you are not toydressing the approaches, we've likely lust retired the next batter. In some areas of the country, fairway topdressing is performed to improve drainage and footing and reduce com- paction effects. Have you ever seen earthworms on golf course fairways? Research conducted at Washington State University has shown sand top- dressing to bethe most promising (and legal!) means of reducing earthworm casting problems in fairway turf. Obviously, alarge-volume materials handler is needed to perform this task. But these also are useful for many other tasks around the golf course, including bunker and cart path work and com- post and fertilizer applications. RoAers: Rolling putting preens, when conducted with moderation, ,can im- proveplaying conditions without jeop- ardizing the health of the turf. Rolling can be used to save a mowing and provide a little more leaf area vv~thout lgsing noticeable green speed. Roller; also can help prepare a seedbed and smooth newly laid sod. Select a type that best suits the needs at your course. Labor availability and operator exper- tise should be considered. Slide Seeders: A slice seeder is a must for golf courses that overseed annually. A slice seeder also is very useful when renovation isneeded followingwinter- kill, vandalism, Pest damage, etc. 'Ilrrf- giass species conversion can be en- hanced with a good slice seeder. Spiker: Atow-behind spiker/tip seeder or spiking attachment fora tri- plexmower also is a useful component of the equipment fleet S¢il is a god means of maintaining g gas ~_ change and improving water infiltra- tion in the upper soil profile. Sprayers and Spreaders Advancement in sprayer technology has enabled application equipment to keep pace with product innovation. Many of the available products cur- rentlylabeled for tw#grass use contain amazingly low amounts of active ingredient, requiring precise calibration to accurately. apply mere ounces of product per acre. These a~plicatlons must also be made over vaned terrain, in closed or tight locations, and on windy sites. Coupled with the associ- ated costs of the various products, the need for accurate applicaLon control is critical. Computerized control systems match flow with ground speed and/or pressure to maintain a uniform appli- cation rate. A dependable, modern sprayer makes, economic, agronomic, and environmental sense. Sprayers: A lightweight (approxi- mately 150-gallon tank) sprayer with sophisticated control is a must for maintaining optimal putting green Spectalired equlpmen~ including large material handlers, can improrre maintenance ef/iciency and make passible programs like fairway topdressing. health and playing conditions. Foliar ~iZa~~on~ lent ge~owth regulator use, peat control applications are integral parts of many Putting green management programs. A larger (300- gallon) sprayer for fairways and other larger turf areas also should be included, along with two backpack sprayers and two hand-held sprayers for spot appli- cations and edge applications. Spreaders: Four to akx walk-behind rotary fertilizer spreaders are needed at any golf course. ZWo drop spreaders (one small and one large) will also serve a useful purpose. One large-volume fertilizer spreader is also a necessity. Utility Vehicles Dependable transportation/work vehicles are needed to move employees around the course and complete tasks. On average, four to six heavy-duty vehicles and three to four light-duty vehicles should suffice. These numbers may need adjustments if the labor force is large. Factors and ~vclrs The inventory should include at least two utility tractors with PTO, one loader with backhoe, one dump Bruck, and at least one pickup truck Miscellaneous Equipment Most golf courses need one or two riding mechanical bunker rakes (even though hand raking is preferred), One or two sweepers, a tnictor-mounted blower, a dump trailer, and a sod cutter should be on hand. Equipment includ- ingtrenchers, chippers, stump grinders, and augers can ~usuat~y be rented if use will be limited. An absolute must, how- ever, are the proper grinding tools to giind both reels and bedknives and a hydraulic lift to service equipment (9). The shop also will require a steam cleaner, air compressors, a table saw, and a drill press. Small Equipment Plan on the need for five to seven walk-behind rotary mowers, five to seven string trimmers, at least two backpack blowers, two edgers, two chain saws, a pole saw, shovels, rakes, picks, cup cutters, sod knives, pitch- forks, and any other necessary hand tools. Protect the Investment Based upon this list, the approximate inventory value based on initial pur- chase price could easily approach or exceed $1,000,000. Safeguarding this NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 ~, 1 1 1 1 ~' 1 r uipment would seem to be common sense, but all too often golf course equipment is improperly stored and protected. Various components d e rapidly when left exposed to the weat~lrex Freventative mamtenance common>Sr is not performed on regular basis. Machinery hours shou~d be tt'acked so that regular maintenance can be per- formed. Failing to protect the equip- mentfleet dirrtinishesits useful life span substantially, resulting in significant additional expense to the operation. The value of the equipment fleet and its importance to a high quality golf course underscore the need for a full-time equipment manager. Mowers should be inspected on a daily basis (13). Preventative maintenance sched- ulesneed to bedevelopedand followed (1, 10). Awell-designed maintenance facility, with plenty of storage space and the proper work area for the equipment manager andtechnicians, isthecorner- stone of well-run golf course mainte- nance operations. Finally, operators should be thor- oughly trained on every piece of equipment to prevent unnecessary wear and abuse, and they should be able to recognize the first sign of a problem so that the equipment man- agercan service the machine in a timely manner (2, 5). Maintaining the Fleet: The Replacement Schedule Maintaining an efficient, dependable, and current golf course equipment fleet requires a thorough and committed plan (7, 8). Without one, unwelcome surprises and a financial crisis are sure to arise (3). The golf course quality and competitive status may suffer for years as a result Although there are no exact rules or formulas that can apply to all equipment or sites, there are some basic procedures and guidelines. The golf course superintendent and equipment manager should review and update the status of each piece of equipment every year. This enables a prioritization of needed items during the budgeting process (3). Hours of operation and the total cost of repair, including parts and labor, should be tracked for every equipment item. Repair costs then can be compared to the replacement cost and current value of the equipment item to determine diminishing returns (15). Hours of operation missed due to breakdown, when the equipment item should have been on the golf course, should also be tracked to evaluate maintenance effi- USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD ciency and any negative effects on P~y~g q~tY Many golf courses' that purchase their' equipment allocate a 5gure for annual equipment replacxment that represents approximately 10-159b of the total replacement value of the fleet This is perhaps a useful beginning point, but fine ring the bu eting process is only possible by use and re- pairs asdescribedabove.Again,service, storage, and operation hugely impact the optimum replacement schedule. While purchasing is usuall3r the most cost-effective approach long-term, leasing is an attractive and effective method of managing equipment for many golf facilities (12). A shortage of capital is a compelling reason to con- sider alease option. Clubs that have fallen significantly behind in equipment replacement may not be able to afford to catch up, but a lease could be an option that allows them to take advan- tage of modernization and dependa- bility. Another advantage to leasing is the lack of turnover costs when items are due for replacement. Any golf operation should work closely with an accountant to deter- mine the best fit for equipment re- placement (4). Tex advantages and dis- advantages can be compared between purchasing, financing, and leasing. Golf course superintendentsshould provide details on the status of every equipment item and also present as many options as possible for replacement When con- sidering models from different manu- facturers, be sure to include all cost factors, including the operational statistics, maintenanck requirements, and any speaal benefits associated with each model (4). Available service should be considered strongly. You need to know that parts, answers, and/or backup items will be available when needed. Conclusion The intent of this article has been to outline the requirements of a golf course equipment fleet necessary to meet the demands of most golfers. Obviously, this proposed inventory is but a framework, and individual re- quirements will depend upon regional differences, expectations, and special circumstances. The other important message is that this fleet needs proper care, protection, and regular replace- ment tomaintainefficiencyand quality, and keep up with technological ad- vances (11). A primary limitation of many golf operations is a lack of the necessary tools to get the job done. Too much money is spent on repairs, and the corresponding downtime results in reduced laying quality. Defiaencies in the e~urpment fleet will "limit the attraction of new golfers or members and compromise competitiveness in the market. How does your course rate following this checkup? Lterature Cited 1. Barauskas, A 197E You can do some- thing about the 'whether." USDA Green Section Record 9(2)35-41. 2. Bengeyfield, W. H. 1977. Great golf courses of America -their maintenance crews and equipment USDA teen Section Recodd 15(2):18-20. 3. Carson, C. 1999. Your budget is a sales tool! USGA Green Section Record 37(2): 1415. 4. Cleveland, C. 2001. Irinanaal essentials for the superintendent GCSAA Continuing Education Seminm, Dallas, Tl'xas. 5. lichner, R H.198L Quality Playingcon- dltionsand proper equipment USGA Green Section Record 19(2):16-17. 6. Gilhuly, L. W. 1987. Getting your house in order - an equipment list update. USGA Green Section Reoodd 25(5):8-10. 7. Gilhuly, L. W. 1988. Golf house manage- ment philosophy - it's a matter of quality. USGA Green Section Record 26(4):1-6. 8. Gross, P. 1993. What do club managers need to know about golf course manage- ment? USGA Green Section Record. 31(5): 8-10. 9. Happ, K 1996. Keep your edge. USGA Green Section Record 34(6):8-9. 10. Happ, K 1.996. Preventative mainte- nance at a glance. USGA Green Section Record 34(3):18. 1L Happ, K 1996. Don't be shortsighted. USGA Green Section Record 34(6):17. 12. Manuel, G. B. 1994. Equipment re- placement: choosing a path of "leased" resistance. USGA Green Section Record 32(2):1-5. 13. Monaghan, T.199L Greensmower main- tenance. USGA .Green Section Record. 29(3):9-11. 14. Vermeulen, P. 1998. Bringing in the hired guns. USGA Green Section Record 36(2):10-12. 15. Watschke, G. A. 1987. Gee, I thought it ran forever. USGA Green Section Record 25(4):7-9. 16. Zontek, 5.1989. Tluf groomers: good for the grass, good for the game. USGA Green Section Record 27(2):18. 17. Zontek, S. Smoothing out the roughs. USGA Green Section Record 38(2):36. MATT NELSON is an agronomist in the Green Sections Northwest Region. ~ ' .TURF CARE CENTERS: ~' The Heartbeat of Golf Turd' Conditioning: Like a stone thrown in maintenance activities out from the maintena by KETI'H HAPP to a pond, originate nce facility. GOLF COURSE maintenance ' involves many different disci- plines, from agronomy and business management to labor relations and equipment maintenance. While this list is by no means all inclusive, it does serve to illustrate the wide range of planning, scheduling, and instruction that takes place each day in the main- ` tenance of a golf course. The many ` facets of daily course preparation have '~ r one. thing in common; each strategy, cultural practice or management tech- niquebegins at the maintenance facility. With the day's golf schedule and weather patterns in mind, crew assign- ments are posted, equipment is allo- cated, and turf conditioning begins. Quality conditioning does not just happen; it is the end result of sound agronomic principles applied in the field by well-prepared and educated employees. The maintenance facility, also known as the turf care center or maintenance building, is the hub of all golf course maintenance activity and is one of the most important components of course infrastructure. It is much more than just a building or buildings that house the turf maintenance equip- ment. Golfers typically do not see the behind-the-scenes operations at a golf course, and the purpose of this article is to examine the form, function, and importance of an organized and well- planned maintenance facility. Location As they say in real estate, you cannot overstate the importance of "location, location, location!" This is equally im- portant to a golf course turf care center. Unfortunately, many golf course super- intendents inherit their maintenance facilities and must make the best of what is sometimes a very bad location. Maintenance buildings that are located away from the golf course can pose logistic challenges to the golf course superintendent and maintenance oper- ations. Maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of course maintenance while minimizing golfer inconvenience and aggravation remains paramount. However, when the building site is an afterthought, turf care operations suffer. Centrally located buildings may offer easier access to all areas of the course for turf maintenance but may pose obstacles for delivery trucks. If a new facility is to be built, this is one issue that must be considered. Large trucks need to have access to the maintenance compound without interfering with the play of the course. The turf manage- ment plan for the course should influ- ence the location as well as the size of the maintenance area. For example, if outing play is a main source of revenue, then the building should be positioned to facilitate rapid completion of all course preparation activities. Layout of the Facility The maintenance facility layout can influence the efficiency and effective- ness of course maintenance. Awell- planned layout has a positive effect on what can take place within the confines of the operation. While the entrance to the facility does not have to {nirror the architecture of the clubhouse or pro- course and ripple shop area, it should represent the operation's standards and goals. Subtle, low-maintenance landscaping allows the complex to fit into its surroundings while remaining functional. The building should have an ample entrance area, preferably 16' to 20' wide, with the capacity to accommo- date large tractor-trailer deliveries. Limited space restricts delivery options and can increase operating costs. For example, if only smaller trucks can be used to deliver sand or gravel, the cost of acquiring a specified quantity of product may be increased. Issues like this can be avoided with proper plan- ning when the facility is expanded, repositioned, or initially constructed. When large trucks can maneuver easily in and out of the facility, economies of scale can be achieved. Allocating generous space for em- ployee parking is important for an efficient and well-organized facility. Course employees should be able to park their vehicles safely where they do not block or interfere with work activities or deliveries and where they won't be competing for space with course patrons or members. The courtyard is an important stag- ing area for daily operations. Each morning, equipment is prepared d positioned for its eventual use on ~ , course. Staging the equipment allows-: crew members to exit the compound in an efficient and orderly fashion: This orderly exit also coincides with equipment maintenance schedules. Regular preventive maintenance sched- ules are prepared according to equip- 1111Y/AI1!_t tCr nnn, 1~ 1 s 'j 1 1 gravel, and. mulch are ~mples of products frequently uaed~durlnQ the .season. Providing easy access ows the bins to be serviced without inter- feringwiththe golf course maintenance Dow The stonsge bin concept keeps products in close proximity{. to dail operations, which also aids inventory control. Product waste can be mini- mized as distribution and allocation of specific materials is monitored. Of Particular importance is the fact that the storage bins eliminate the need to stoc de products in parking areas at the c ubhouse, pool, or tennis court facilities. 'Ifaffic flow through the maintenance co~mpl ould also be considered_ bb g directional flow hells re duce the risk of accidents and disrupp-- tions. Directional flow also helps estab- lish apattern for equipment service. When a project or task is completed, a standardized process for rehousing the equipment can be put into action. For example, some operations have em- ployed acleaning process that involves both pressurized air and water. The first phase of the cleaning process uses pressurized air to remove grass clip- pings. The dry clippiegs then can be collected and deposited in a compost- ingsite ordispersed over a selected area of the course. The odor associated with the handling and disposal of clipping debris is greedy reduced when moisture is minimized, and grease seals and wheel or axle bearings are less apt to experience accelerated wear. After cleaning with air, the machine is then exposed to a second cleaning process using high-volume, low-pressure water. The machine is washed to remove the remainder of the debris and clipping residue before it is refueled and re- turned to the storage area. Maintenance facility designers offer the option of installing a washdown pad that collects all rinsate and debris. Dave Alexdrowicz, superintendent at St. Clair C,C. in Pittsburgh, Pa., had considerable input into the design of the turf center at his course. Dave insisted that air lines be installed in the courtyard area to facilitate machinery cleaning. He also installed a washdown pad to collect the remaining debris from mowers and other equipment used on the course. Their containment feature recycles the water used to wash machinery. Particulates are collected and then deposited in the compost pile. Rinse water is filtered, treated, and re- usedwhen the next piece of machinery must be cleaned. The washdown facility gnsui+es that alulpment is properly cleaned before it is stored. Life expectancy of the equipment is maximized, and egiialb- important is the fact that dirt, debt3a, and other trash are not tracked into the maintenance building. Once the equipment is cleaned, it is fueled and positioned for the mechanic to adjust and prepare for the next use. MaLtenance Building Features The components of a maintenance building include but are not limited to the following: • Administrative offices for the super- intendent, assistant superintendent, mechanic, imgation specialist, and horticulturist. • A lunch break room that offers sufScient capacity to accommodate the entire crew • Locker room/restroom facilities for male and female employees. • Parts room for the most frequently used repair items. • Grinding room to properly prepare cutting equipment. • Paint room with proper ventilation. • Peatidde atorag den containment unit. • Heated work area for mechanic and equipment maintenance activities. • Unheated equipment forage area. • Hand tools storage rootNarea. While the pesticide and fertilizer storage areas are components of the turf care center, they are often designed and positioned as stand-alone struc- tures. Regulatory guidelines govern these storage units. Environmental and worker safety concerns must be high priority issues when the maintenance facility is designed, renovated, updated, or expanded. The building or building complex should be large enough to house all of the equipment necessary to meet agro- nomic and playability demands of the golfers. Undersized buildings only serve to fivstrate operational efficiency and can lead to a more frequent need to replace equipment. Expensive equip- mentthat has to be stored outside and exposed to the weather will wear much more rapidly. Additionally, an under- sized building makes it much more difficult to stage equipment for daily JULY/AUGUST 2001 w •»•~~,~,~~•.~ s~ many purposes. ~n aaattton to functioning as a break room, this area can be used for meetings, providing instructions to the crew; and posting work assignments. j.; 1 Y 1 ,I i 1 ~. 3 I '. '' 1i '' C ~dt a coon. Figure 1 An example layout of a golf course turf care center WwWer satdute Comport stomp Employee Parking Entrance 7bp,ou Road Bunker Sand Topdreuing Courtyard Muld~ Drainage Gravel Employee parking use. For example, it is not uncommon to hear complaints about having to move equipment in and out just to get at the required machinery, which is blocked in. This bogs down the flow of maintenance procedures and hampers the mechanic when regularly scheduled preventive service is needed. The maintenance building has several things in common with the clubhouse facility. The clubhouse exists to meet the needs of the golfers, while the maintenance building exists to meet the needs of the course. The clubhouse can be a valuable recruiting tool to attract golfers, and the maintenance building should serve a similar role. Ultimately, course conditioning, which is directly impacted by the maintenance facility, is what keeps the golfers coming back. When a professional atmosphere is per- petuated, the goals of the maintenance program can be attained and in many cases surpassed. The environment in which employees work is a critical part of the work experience, and a profes- sional work environment is a public relations tool for employee recruiting efforts. The environment should pro- mote asense of responsibility and pride in the place of employment, and meeting employee needs signals that their work is appreciated and will be rewarded. Office Space The superintendent's and assistant superintendent's offices should be located away from the equipment stor- age area to insure a quiet workspace. There is anever-increasing need to have an office with a secretary to handle daily business and record keep- ing, and office size should reflect this need. Invoices must be processed and maintenance logs must be kept up to date. Business meetings with suppliers, for example, can be conducted in a setting that minimizes interruptions. Computers are often used for record keeping and planning procedures. These machines need to be stored in an environment that does not jeopardize life expectancy. Dust and heat do not mix well with computer components. Air conditioning may be looked upon as a luxury by some, but it serves a valuable role with the increased use of computers to operate irrigation sys- tems. Acomputer malfunction could jeopardize turf health and playing performance. It is not uncommon to provide sepa- rate office space for a horticulturist, irrigation technician, and mechanic. The golf course mechanic, in particular, has many duties in addition to the up- keep of equipment. Parts must be in- ventoriedand acomplete maintenance history of each piece of equipment must be kept. This allows repair and main- tenance costs to be tracked, which in turn helps to manage future capital equipment expenditures. Machinery can be replaced before repair costs be- come burdensome. Mechanic's Office and Work Area The mechanic's area varies depend- ing upon the scope of the equipment used to maintain the course. A well- USGA GREEN SECTTON RECORD I i `•1 '~ ~~ '~ Y 1 tf ,~ ,' '~ 6 I i ., '; i. 1 '. t 1 organized repair shop offeru>g suffitaent space for work on multiple pieces of equipment enhances the efficiency of the operation. Breakdowns will occur, and often at the worst times, With suf- ficient space, preventive maintenance can be performed and, when necessary, unscheduled repays can be completed. Equipment of sU sizes should be able to fit into the shop area. A hydraulic lift is an excellent investment, and attach- ments can be purchased so that even the smallest of machines can be posi- tioned, lifted, and serviced. Locker Room The locker room should offer ade- quate personal storage space for full- time and part-time em loyees. The design should provide su~cient space to change clothes before work begins and, if desired, clean up after the work- day is complete. Locker rooms often are placed next to or are incorporated into male and female restrooms. The size of the locker rooms can vary depending upon the crew size, but there should be locker space for full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees. LunchBreak Room The lunch break room is an essential component of the building design and should be a clean area, away from the equipment storage sector of the build- ing. Employees should be able to prepare warm or cold food A sink, coffee pct, vending machine, and re- frigerator are needed components. A television and VCR often are found in this area of the maintenance building to facilitate training and instruction of new employees. Videos can be used to provide basic instruction and gpidance on new procedures and the operation of new equipment. There are videos available that detail all elements of golf course maintenance, including basic language skills. Diverse crews have diverse needs, and no need is more important than communication. Other educational and planning sessions also can be conducted in this area of the building. It is not uncom- mon to host a Green Committee meet- ing in the lunch break room. After turf care Program are cussed, committee members can tour other areas of the turf care center. Fertilizer Storage Fertilizers and pesticides should be stored separately and housed away from employees and maintenance equipment. This minimizes the chance of spills or waste while inventory con- trol is easily facilitated and safety is maintained. Pesticide Storage Pesticides should be housed in a stand-alone storage unit to minimize environmental impact and help ensure worker safegr. Regulatory agencies can provide input on the standards and specifications for these containment buildings. Conclusion What used to be known as the main- tenance bam or maenteytance shed is now an active center for learning and teaching. A turf care center evolves into a facility that meets the demands of the course, satisfies the desires of the golfers, and fulfills the needs of the golf course maintenance crew Developing and sustaining a good work environ- ment iscritical tothe inner workings of the maintenance operation. Employee welfare and safety cannot be over- looked and are issues that are vital to a successful operation. A clean working environment allows the total invest- ment in golf course maintenance to be sustained. The turf care center, as the heart of the operation, protects the operation's primary asset, the golf course. KEITH A. HAPP is an agronomist in the Mid-Atlantic Region, visiting courses in the states of Delaware, Pennsylvania eNmy- ~ Yrrginia, and West ~u-- Keith has a sub-regional of/ice located in Pittsburgfe Pa., bringing him cbser to courses in the western portion of the Mid-Atlantic Region. JULY/AUGUST 2001 - ----- --- ----^--•-o -••~~•••r»~~~~ •~•»~•y wn•Nvrscnso, wiucn u«imu~ery empaClS ere ej/ICteTtcy and effeCtlveneSS Of the operation. ~ !• ~j Gee, I Thought It Ran Forever! ~' :~ Equipment Purchasing& Inventory; Part I i' by GARY A. WATSCHKE Agronomist, Northeastern Region, USGA Green Section 'i 1! i~ 1 t '~ THINK BACK for a moment. For some of you it may seem like years, and for others it may be as close as yesterday. As you think, visualize this: A truckster rattling across the fair- way with its tailgate held in place with baling wire; or was it a chain guard, engine shrouding, or perhaps a headlight held in place on some other pica of machinery? Maybe it is the duct tape used as a battery tie-down, or used to fix the cracks and tears in the mower's seat. Maybe you see the~welding job done~to hold a wheel hub to its axle because th4re are no more threads left for the trust nut, or is it the numerous times the reel blades have been re-welded to the spiders? Be honest, look around the mainte- nance center and all will probably find at least one example similar- to the imagery given above, if for no other reason than the fact that the mechanic simply has not reached that part of the day's agenda. Sadly, when it comes to handling the huge monetary resources required to operate the grounds maintenance programs at their clubs, few member- ships realize the financial tesponsibility' they have. Oh sure, they can tell you how' many hundreds of thousands of dollars they spend each year and how they generate those revenues. But ask hov~ the club goes about replacing the enormously expensive equipment inven- tory, and they are likely to say, "Gee, I thought that stuff lasted forever!" Well, forever is a long time, but in this case not long enough. Turf main- tenanceequipment needs to be replaced, and should be replaced on a regular basis. Assuming that The Camel Golf Club has finally passed over the hump and is through dealing with money- gobblingperipheral projects (remodeling the clubhouse, refurbishing the pool, and adding paddle tennis courts), the superintendent finds, once again, he has a chance to have his golf course equip- ment inventory reviewed. The last time this happened is likely to be beyond recall. What are his options and how Jl'Ll%AlrGl'ST 1987 7 1 ~ ' • can he dl:velop sn inventory. of equipment that is reliable and will allow him to - and conditions of many lease agree- ~ menu can be set to specific term: for ranted repairs sad insurance will be the leaaeels responsibility product the best goltplaying conditions pouible? each pieta of equipment. Tbey may also be tailored to coincide with the aka ~ . There are different opportunities f There are three basic premises from and valleys of club income by setting available when the lease expires. Some which to work. They are (I) short-tetXrt rentals, (2) long-term least:, (3) direct payment"schedules to match the income- ~ producing months and allowing non- kale agreements oiler ao trade-in value at the expiration ot. the term. resulting purchasing. Awell-infBrmed decision on which premise to work from can only , payment during the few months when income is negligible. in a loan. Others offer a residual value for the equipment, and you have the option be made it a thorough system of record The most obvious advantage is that of buying it for that price or turning it ~ keeping has been used. A review of these few leases require any cash down back to the lessor. And still other ' p records can readily show which pieta,: o! equipment are used with tl}e greatest payment. The monthly payments are paid with today's dollar which allows contracts may require you to purchase the equipment eta predetermined price, , frequency. sad which are. not. Seldom-~. ~ use of the machine du ' rY ~ payment used machines; such as chippers, stump •,, and- eliminates cash die~osa! before:use. cutters; and trenchers are ob i di ` ~' leaving you responsible for selling it. '~ cars lead to" an awkwalyd situation, es th~ ~PrO'~ raWual value ~~IY ~ ° v ous can - dates to be acquired: through renting.. A ~~ :carob of the records would probably . This, conserves ~:worklpg ca I{al and ` P ' - creates a situation wber~e movie: can be invested is iaterat- account: beasittg or ~ - was .overatakd''to.treate lowed more coavtmeat-~eaae; payptenu. Situations show man others Y " pecialized pieces of equipment that are used only lrgrli' yme , ~Naed to fiaaua other: "deeded projects. = :"Then, too; estabU:hed credit' liAea will that.aet residual value at the end of the Besse force you to pay that price for the : =o~ time through" the years Pureh ,ing ~ pecialized but 'seldom used' piece= of .: `' remain opeA and enhanced, enabling the .. ~ club ~to increase its burro base. ~ . . optiop to keep or sell the machine. This . scenario ~y work out well, or it may ~ " i ~ equipment can tie-up thousands of dol-: Tara is iavento Valuable store ` 's ace ' ry'• • ..'• • Leasing may also .. act": as''. a .hedge : ~ a i fl i M not.. Ol vioualy. tYrere are aomk risks to leasing:: ~ '= . . g . 8y 8 is also consumed, tnakin ususll ti bt~ " - sense n at on, oat of the 8 payments. • ~ wade will be with tomorrow's dollars '~ • " "~ The third and ps popular ,,perba most maintenance centers more'`crowded ~ and in an• inflation ary "period -.those methodofaddingtoocreplacirigequip- ,chap need be. The number. of clear-cut ~ ~ future dollars' value would be~deflated meat inventory is that bfdir+ect purchase. cases where renting is the right and . , ..... "' ~ . , ~. " The most compelUag reason is simply .proper thing to do may surprise you. , . Z;+rom a tax perspective, -since rental that buying generally results in lower ' .What about the heart of the equip..,;. ~ . j' payments. may. be charged directly ., overall costs. But how do moat clubs go mere ,inventory,.. the primary mowing. as business operating, expeaae,.;leasing about making such purchases? Unfortu- ' macbinea,~ utility trucksters, sprayers, ~ . may offer.another.•advaa4a~ei~~However, , ` nately the'majority wait until they have tractors and such? Many golf courses .. ca i l i most leases era estab `' .. ed'~iiised`on the ~ to and this places an unexpected '(and ~ i . n s mp y rebu ld this equipment ;-.. economiclifeofthemaclilAd"asopposed . during the off season and by doing sa ~:';~,~to the' tax-depreciable :lire;.-.confusing equally unpleasant) strain on the . :club's cash flow or forces the club into often keep the equipment in service. •' -`: this paste further will be the'Tax Reform borrowing the needed capital. Either j well beyond thegood sense ofeconomics.. ~ . ~ Act of 1986. Leasin cots :foes- -will g~ ~ way, a bruised and battered budget is ' There eventually comes a point at which. " . '•~•' lose the advantage of~'iinvestmant tax .the precipitated result of our Tannin P P 8 1 time repairing a machine is no longer monetarily feasible The su i t d . credits and will incur' longer depre- i when it is announced that "We need a ~ machi NOW " ~ . per n en ent . ~ c ation schedules.. This stilt does not ne ... ! ~ 7 ' ; and club must evaluate the cost otantici- paled repairs, the cost of replacement , . . diminish most of the arguments for leasing, such as conserving credit shift- Fast-learning memberships will en- with new equipment, trade-in value, it any, and the depreciation value of the , ing unusable depreciation, and easing cash flow requirements. A thorough i- duce this unnerving situation only once, after which they embark on some .present equipment. One standard rule of check with an accountant would be in sort of a planned equipment replacement thumb often used is to replace the machine when the total repair cost, order, however. The continuation of lease programs program. One popular way of financing such a including parts and labor, equals SO percent of the initial purchase price. protects against obsolescence. This ensures that new and morcaophiaticated program is to develop a capital equip- went. purchasing fund. This typically Another says to do so when the coat of all repairs since the purchase date exceeds equipment will always be at the club's disposal. Downtime and costly repairs amounts to allocating a dollar amount equivalent to 10 percent of the current ' 300 percent of the new purchase price. One method of acquiring these can be nearly eliminated while the club enjoys the benefit of the latest tech- year's operating budget. This practice can work quite effectively when applied more permanent types of equipment is through Ieasing :Leasin is m t nolo used in the SY creation of superior l i to t hose pieces of equipment that may ' . g os appealing.to municipalities or to those p ay ng conditions.. Like any piece of tape, leasing too cost less than 510,000 to S1S,000. How- ever, even if a club has an operating ` clubs that are profit-oriented organi- nations. Private clubs generall have has its sticky side. Where there is plenty f budget of S3S0,000, 10 percent would y a better cash flow, or at least it can be t d h o cash available, leasing would be an uneconomical choice. Any club would equal only 535,000. It quickly becomes evident..that it is difficult to replan crea e t rough assessments. However, leasing could ~be important to th be better off employing its ~ working i a,flect of triplexes or a pair of hydraulic em as well, if the budget is tight and the cost cap tal to .the fullest extent. Leasing will invariably cost more than purchasing five-gangs used to mow fairways. The 10 percent concept is better than nothing ' , of borrowing money is high. Leasing offers many advanta es n t the equipment (the lessor needs to make . li i , but it can have serious limitations. g , o the least of which is flexibility. The terms a v ng, too). Just as if the machine was purchased the maintenance unw Many of the country's more exclusive l b , , ar- c u s and curtain government facilities ~ '` a USGA CREEN SECTION RECORD 1 r operate on equipment replacement pro- grams, which take into consideration depreciation schedules and anticipated equipment replacement dates. Accoun- tants and equipment distributors can help set up depreciation schedules that are based upon the tax-depreciable life of the equipment and correlate it to the useful life of the machine. The club can then pay itself th.e monthly depreciation earnings and deposit them in an interest-bearing escrow account, the funds of which are reserved for capital equipment pur- chasing. Then, as a particular piece of equipment comes due for replacement, sufficient funds will be readily available. The new machine is purchased, a nea• depreciation schedule developed, a replacement date is set and the scheduled payments to the escroH' account start all over again. (A6oveJ Coopt~arive efforts produce positive results. G~etn Cholnnan Tom Croiaheod and Superintendent .Ilrun Moore sho-+•n N•irh recenrlc purchased rrocror. (1.ejrJ Moving into the modern N•orld. Club leadership needs to realize that operating a golf course is a business proposition, and with it comes the responsibility of handling the club's financial resources intelligent/}: Assum- ing swell-conceived equipment replace- ment program, utilizing depreciation schedules and replacement dates can eliminate sharp peaks in the club's operating budget and stave off Cnancially troubling times without sacrificing turf quality or playing conditions. The Waccabuc Countr}• Club, in Waccabuc, New York, where Alton Moore and 'Tom Craighead are Super- intendent and Green Committee Chair- man, respectively. recent)}• adopted this type of equipment purchasing program. As it is at many clubs. AI and his cre~~ did an excellent job of maintaining their equipment. In fact. too good of a job. since many picas of equipment had been in daily use sins the 1940s. With the mechanic retiring, and many psrts no longer available, it became apparent the club had to replace the old with new. An inventory was taken, and a wish list was compiled when it became time to catch up with modern technology. With facts and figures in hand snd lots of persuasive conversation, the chair- man and the club agreed to a five-year program. During this time the moat pressing equipment needs were addressed first, and by the end of five years nearly all ottee old equipment will be replaced. Beginning in year six, those machines purchased during the first year that have a five-year service life will be replaced with funds derived from the depreciation payments made to the escrow account. As AI and Tom will admit, this five- yeartransition into modern times repre- sents asizable piece of change to the membership. This was justified by com- paringinitiation tees, member dues and budgeted capital equipment expenses with comparable clubs in the area. All were found to be low. Initiation fees were raised 53,000 and member dues a modest 5300. These increased tunds were the source used for the initial pur- chases being made. The plan calls for spending a little more than SS0,000 for each of the five years, for a total of more than 5250,000. However, remember that the machines are being depreciated out 100 percent and the club is also making these payments to the escrow account. Even though they are experiencing cer- tain tax advantages, the five-year pro- gram is costing in excess of 5500,000. The good part is that the light is on at the end of the five-year tunnel. At that time, all the equipment will be re- placed, and a sufficient cash resen•e in the escrow account will have accumu- lated, so that all future equipment re- placementcan be done on time with the comforting knowledge that the money is available. The situation at the Waccabuc Countr}• Club was quite immense, but the solution to the problem is one that could easily be mimicked b}• an~• other club currently without an effective equipment replacement program. While there are no clear-cut Wa)•c to solve the equipment replacement prob- lem. it is good to know we have choices available. The keys are to match the right equipment for the jab. prepare a replacement schedule, develop a finan- cially responsible attitude to the prob- lem, and remember, it c(ucsrr'r last forever Jl'I.1jAl'Gl'til 1987 9 1 s f . :~. - ... ::~. ' en ant still nranr lncdequart mainrrnance facilities..Grrr the mpidlr changing golf carrst,lnr;'tjsrn_ is making it mon di~ndr ro oper7rr from orrrdared 'ldirrgs: M.3 ~ Jam. ,. ~ w .. ,° ~~ lilt ~~y~ ~ ~ l - 1 .~ SKiY41dC ~I f{0 r ~ 1 a or T r•• q!z?. , .f +, re.a~ ~ er ~`'• -qij;. •,~ 'M~~p~,+~~W`pr~'Fi`.i t4 !% r !t. f src ~~ _„ `. ,. + 7:` ~ -.,~ .'r! n la+,tif~ i l ~ '4j .~aN' ;. r ~y JI1~I~.CONNOLLY'~~`r ~.¢ ~ ,;' ~' '• ' -~ ' , . Agrono ,trust,+,No~}e~stem.Region USGA;Gr~en Section. .r~ r , i.. 4' FIItST golf courses in America . tiften`werc constructed on farmland. '' ~Most•had a.;farmhouse, outbuildings. #or a batn~that.`served io house golf course construction equipment. horses, and a fe++• pieces of moK~ing equipment. In the earl+• ,days. ortl~~ a fea° pieces of equipment were needed: for golf course maintenance. so to the place affectionaely+kno~nrasto hd ' ibam.". i~ri( is still a term used b+• man+• people. as in''Can you give me directiotu to the barn?" or •'He is probably out in the bam:" Some golf courses were not so privileged even to have a bam, and had to make do with any structure that a•as convenient and somewhat weather resistant. Old sheds. sirt;raft hangars. militan• surplus buildings (Quonset huts. or evep wooden lean-to• were used to store maintenance equipment. The basement of the clubhouse. farmhouse. ~ ~ ~: + . or pro shop;ma}.also have been used as the operation. center. In fact. substandard main- tenance facilities- predominated in golf up through recent years. There art still mam• inadequate maintenance facilities. but the rapidly changing golf course industn• is making it increasingh• difficult to operate from outdated. archaic buildings. Even so. in the midst of this chance. ++-e frequentl~• find oursel+•es referring to chz "bam" or "shed" ac the place where ++•e ++•ork: These arc terms '~, '~ ~c~+ E+IBER UECE~tBER tvv. 4 E 1 IOC m ~ g°~ ~:~Sa-.~.:i; not errata shots! Su~ul hunkrr is the proptr fessiona! and anted oltanl f g ovrtd it ` 5~~00d ~`l0°m' • !° x~. ` •.+'•.... ~ ~~ ~ t 'isJfor ~~ ~ ~ ~ rrwre difficult ro impart backspin on a f data sad teciRiettt of the, LTSG~,~ ~ ~ ~~ . h ~' .~~ing your favorite barer- ball nestled in dee bl p~ p utgrass fairway ~ i - • ~~;~~•,'~ proper term' in golf is hale. t'~tfiaps The cry was to lower the cutting heigh~• Lion Awned; eeealla t+~ceiving ~`:. thR. Pollowin finiti to the*~i "' ~ ~~~, g ~ ons will help ctarifj' t;nfortunatel}; lower cutting hejghcs on ~'s ~h~k. -,~ ~: ; ~• eboice oP 7hrf Cu,ir t: rntcr as the title of blue could Ilve with the term ghrenkeepe>alrt.fa~t;<<"•.': paptz grass fairways caused rhany ptoblertu • ' ,.,., , including Poa;a~urrrp'~~esation. scalping it has a romantic, ring to it. rominiscent of: ~ ~ -- •-'r'te Care ~ To w'acch over. protect, and and significant ><'tres~~and st rn'u Old Tom s and'his distinguished pro- tend to turf. - Pe J ry fession of • of the .. - Management pt~tcdcei;g~ W response "keeper. green. But the term Center= ,~ ~ lace at which:an~activiry or to the ttevJ•de ~es,Y aPpmpnate~ ~LS,herw P _ tnerlds for ow-cut shocks o4d .tom lax of accivides is canied out, • IPro~Y.•.a..disposGdbtthe.lettet~~c~dallsimi= `~~:• ~;iJurinB the a960s .autom~d •o Maintenance bariu ~liectme jwith ' ammed out of Les . t for '' ~ ~`:~~! n •~:,~"" equipment needed to" reduce manna! .R P~ ~ ~, Ilr~otrght rdodernization to goll=dco tae main proti;e,Si~y,.~Y'z`._ :... , • ... .•teteonce;and spnrred:df u :.1abo~~ and meet~•the~~sw demands for c ~ powerful cool;! Psychiatrists, the game of golf. Golf Burin ; ~ge3 "m ` ~;:~P turf' coridiugitS ~ The,aaRt also ~P~ Pn~hers; and: busi- ~ the'-? g: f ~ ~ •Oth Century was la ~ 4~ :: --?ire ~ ~ `workstiop;;~or: d~tG';iepair of . P Y •• : pn ` 7 ~ ttrt~ing~1Y co~tp"Ie~c:Ct{uiptnent: ~as ~weU as ~ p~rtifess~nals know the importance of .. notruriga;fed ground wittE `~ ~p off" ° ~ r kctio8.. ~Iglrt wot,d. If the wood Ixrrn: for: ~: ~ that' ma . ~4 of the ver•' creasing array of example,'iised to describe th I ~ ~~ Y have Ram ~-:~: tk' $~tssories:- fe , • " . e p ace wh~~=:.-- ~gtuion. ~A puff of dust after a faii•wayt'maahie ` ~ e I~~ s. and golf You wok; some may refer' to Webster's ~: ~ .shot was a common si ht.; Th ~ ~~~caits: Addidonal• ~ .' 4 5yj: Ss ~& uP farrp.. building for shetterin y ! g g ~ instaJ~ion • ~ ~ ,to accommodate new hardware and supplies. ~~OO' a g; .. of "fairwa ' 'rri scion syste ~ '"drast~call r ~ ~ Y ~~:.~Afew•golFcourses: vCry few, constructed ~'esoedpnQs." Vf(hat confusion there must ~ changed the way the ame w P Y cunt- .. ~ nevi;" be whetj you req. them ou area olf co. '; - g as la ed:. .. Risultenanca~ boil ' that were Y 8 w~`~:: inBYhard. soil with thin to ~ ' ,.. spa. superinanderit! 'lam USGA is a n:al sdclcler ; . I ~ r~gtass to "thick: iio'us~and beaec•capable of housing equip. usttgreen grass and moist soil. "-' ~ menc.•The ma'ori fart ~P~P~ ~nology because of i rrrt r.'.. ~ • E.. 1 . ry ~ ed: kee u sli Lance in .the ' ~ ~ p°,F '> ~;.. , Frvery, golfer had to adjust to the ,:new ,:': PInB' further. into obsolesce ice: P . P• P- utcerptetapon of the±Rules"of ;, ~ playing conditions. Some onjoyed the longer. A number of changes ~ve'occurr+ed over Go1L A trop is a device for catching mice, •, :~ green grass. but others Iparticularl~• the pro- the years that ha~•e increased the cost of •y•!• f ~ ~ . ~. ~ ~='' 1 ~. _:._ ~ ~ ~.~_ ; .. . 1. r i ..~ .. ;~ l'SG,- GREEV SECT10~ REGARD incirase that cosy. ... .-~;~ Chemical srange buildings cmr cosy 5.10.000 alone.' Funur ' i ' e»aino4[w~ GCCiliciea. High-tech equipment , , .. teCtance. The day, of reckoning _.~a 'the ~ burning. Fg11or~Wg are a kv-- more has become i~big part of every golf courseL ~ at numbet. of ~ •~ ~ ~" . ,;;:;,~; • inventory. Millions or research and marlei• ~~d .if~;~i ; times D~ ipus ~ ~:.~ ~' °jolf bole'was [e~dm and the old • ink dollars 'hive `gone coward developing ~ look -et~the' buildings ~ that- t~. ~ mabCC~toe bani vas in the; way. As a Caul[,. •P~~ ~ ~ ~Y~ than ` `';~~ backtsone'~o~' the :golf cquria<~ ~ _ ~ ~ , a rlew;~lrrf Cate Cetuer'had~.to be built. can meter pestkides, at fracdons of an ounce deparetCent. - r.~, l~ ~~ a~~ '`i 1'. ; ~, ~ •'I~ie';oof caved ~ on the adjacent golf acre. Sdaie turf _ ~t costs as•- ;; stye reasons •die cart `fadli~! i~-as age per grass eqt ~ .,; of , ~ lcc.,,...•..; ~ w~i~ same ' ' .m value 8-itok ~~ ~V course 'a~r~r~ ~•.,=:P} .. gd P ~ . , .,, ~ u~ Ya;'thtz~ ~ frightated age go egwp~;,:.,,_easy m.urtdecstan~ 1>av~'C: ~, ,;xthe $Cembe~lup into bt~ldirCg a new lluf men[ inventory is in ezass ot"SS00.000. of olf ,and the: , . ,,": . growth g ,,,af 'l GC+a ~:: ; Also.. there mays be between 520.000'and ~ • new'maintenance~'~ . ~ , . ~ • , - , , . 5l00.ooo'wortlr'ot thac are ~~:.r~r}~ ~ ~ • ~ t,,disas~er~s su~tC s3. flood. rue. ' ~ used on the if 8~ stored and ~~• ~ many pf.~. N ;• earthglCglSe,'huaricanc. tor>iado.etc.. oil9enare': f g0 coupe each season: ~ 'Artoreason' is/;first, ~,~ ~` ;'" : ~ ~ a P to a riew T1itf Care ,, Modem irrigation systenCa require a com.r:.: dCOO~e to; s~erCd 'money on ~'. ~'~ , ... "- ~.'~ building was reaching `stare pater xrnCinal that moat be atoned in a dean: ~ ~ ~ ~-r' dinin~::ioorq. locker rooms. ~ ; ~.-,a.; of:;dilapi'datiori that the membership feared dos[-free errviratrnerCt. Government regale- =:::swimming pools. and other. `` 1CSwsuits •.:tesultin truer' ' ' to the em- • ' ~ m'~ tiers require the[ employees have areas to ~ ~ ~~ acts . Golfer grid oth~~` ~~:~ployas;~0ii rare pccasions. a $overrtment eat. shower clrange clothes. and receive ~; `.~ pert- • +. ~ prio}iti because' send ~ . ~,_y eveacoitdemn d:~.aCaiateCCarce odic training .during the season }Mechanics , .. ` :the ayjprlty of their time the~e..~gn the • s building,. ' _~' ; ~?> ~ ~' ' aCe now required to wori- on mote than 100 , :.;golf course. Few;golfers bring•thetr , to ; : If. ou do not foresee a similar scenario pieces. of equipment., some weighing as ; . •; the "6~n" to sh`ow' off the new. reel's ' ;: -happening at your golf coii~se.. dteC[ you much as; 8A00 pounds with 100, feet .of _ ~pe3ucide ~torageyuilding! It is.pu wori~r could begin with a.professioAal+evaluation hydraulichose and 40-horsepower diesel.,.•.~~~;the old barn stays "the old barn"!a,`:.' ~: --~;'• ... of the .entirt golf course by a company ' { engines. usually 18-hole golf courses. rr- 4 .__ In reali[y: the reasons for impCOVement specializing in golf course building archi- quire 8.OQ0 to 12.000 square fee[. of; area ~ are not always spurred by the desire to have Lecture. A list of [here companies is avail- under cover to adequately store equipment ~ an efficient. modem Turf Cart Center Too able through the National Golf Foundarion. arm provide the space for proper mairt• ~• often. condemnation is the spark the[ sets The evaluation includes a priority listing of ,~ t. 1 ~` r ~ XO~ E>IBF.R DF.CE~1aliR Iw+: 3 . ..._ ~ wQillnQ fnr wrirrcn /egislatron hffMY addnssinc safcn• needs is frx~lislr and do~iatrous. • • 1 ~! ! i A ea+end srorrrgs ~ kespt ropdressing nwrsrfels drr and Jhrs ojdsbrit ~ .. _. .. ' the needs. of all buildings on the property. Listing the needs of the maintenance facility along with the clubhouse, locker room. swimming pool, and ocher facilities will better help the membership to visualize the entire prpject 'Rte mettibership must view,..-.:,~ the Pte! asxafl`ectir'ig the etld~e club: not just ' thettcatritenarice of tdie golf .course.' This"~ v' concept is..very~ significant it may,.t?e the °~; ' ~ factor that leads ~to success: ~ -. : -., ... ~ Puaing..th~'constnrctioli of a ~'urf.Care I Center ;at the top of the priority list sari be :, _: difficult to justify even though~~~rmay be ' ,•. ' b~Y d. Many projects are killed. be- ~~ fort they mane it to. the;drawing board be- cause of•pooc planning and preparation on ' ~ the pa;t~o~; tlu superintendent. Dreaming. . P.''an~:~ing the need for S';riew building,.a~:.~ ill sti11•mu'st be`sold , ~ to the;golfers~',~Ciesenting a•Pnolect of~su !, F Ymagaitude ~.~preparal'o~i ' >~4p~:oacir~pt'stFoll into..a gteeicom ~, Yom .mein~ance shop; Do not use ;~° sive tsritis stich,as ~~ nom, or we; beturto,~sa~rr"Tl~e golf course.bee~s a Y Zlirf ~F~ ~e~ RAY have re~ear,ctied subje~i[- ~c ~o'urt~ .that ~:""' concClV~~~T f a ~I' •• r '' ~1~ rP~; vvtll.a~dr+ess thd,~~a whY che:$o!f cot~sp~~needs a sew '~ttrf ' Make stu+e~.~o'gain , ~ _ support ~of grten ~~!i~C$ppcoprtete;gol~'co officials,,-aitd„~apprracli•, ;she meetutg;°.~ team. ?Ihe''fu~trquesaon ygu'wil! be as is. "WjtJC~~w4;;Peed.a rieyv,.'iiJrf ,fan.`( r~ l'SG.1 rREE~ .SECTIU.~ REGARD . ~~: .. '!!' 'ri:~ r1Cr! ~ ,'~. ter?" If you are not prepared, you may lose the fast and most important baNe. An appropriate response might be. "We need a better Turf Carr Center to ensure the safety of our employees. provide. the arcs to.ful~1J: . w ..~''fessioitil'guidance. ~fourtesourteiiushould ,. include: .. '. • Ten superintecii(ieeuts who hava,n~y. ..construgted new maintertenCe,l'acllitieS. • An efficiency t:valuatton company or building atrhitecr ---the 'National Golf ~~" Founderion~ cart supply ~a'lisc, of clubhouse ``: atohiceCts~ and~~onsultants~ - ' , '•v' ' • Otte engineer -The site etrginter will .' ' .~L~ndle the pennttung necessary-co,,c{on~s~o~uct :'i:i.~YK buildings:,Some:golf Cour5e3 CIIOOSe to ._ ; : do them own pernutting, in hopes .of-saving ,... ' mone}.:This is a difficult task for. the ams- . ;. teat; and it is recommended that a profes- :.• ;sional be.~paid to file: aU: pf: thz necessary . , permits.. ... . _... ., ' .;:. ' • Government and townofl5cials wlio will '''~' be involved with the ro' p leer -Meet with ' them. be polite, and~make sure theyknow ,you are ~ interested in doing everything properly and making the project run. smoothly. Ask what you can do w help them and what information they require. • Professional organizations -Nations! Golf Foundation, Golf Course Superinten- dents Association of America. liSGA Green Section. Club Managers Association. and ocher organizations that may be able to supply information needed for the project. -.the tweeds associated with the mawtenance, Step.3• Task Force ~.~f a golf course. and meet. oc e5c future.` .: - ;~nvironmental regulations fi" ; ; ~ nl gin to'; ~ .Key people at the golf. course may in- ;describe the changes ui the g~ course .irs: ° ~ _ elude the club manages building committee. ~du~try, and present the facts.;. -- J t~ l` gneen.chaimsan. president, and other inter- - ~~ ~ ~ art diffettnt app aches :that lead..; _• ested parties with decision-making power tobuconstrvctionof a new'Itiif,Caie ~en~ ~ For municipal and public-fee golf courses, "Rie~:approach chosen at your:golfclub will ~" tiie listmay include the city manages select- .dep~:~d on specifie,cirdumstarues aiid objet- ~ men. park board, citizen golf member. and ti~~::The following is a suggested_pmg~a . 'others. Some municipalities have a planning. than can be used to help;d~yelop:a~.$trgte~-,;~ ,and organization department to evaluate at agy.golf course constdenri~'the .." Hof ` the efficiency of the gulf course. The impor.- a " • ~htf Cats CeltiCt r~'° ~ ~3 tac}t:porrit LS [O have the diffetentt groups of ~ ~- . " ~,,~, ' ;.~~,' ~ ~;~ ~, ~ People Sw~cking together to; one. erid., i "9 ~ ~ • '~ Step ~; Cornmltm~eatr ~ i; x ~ ~~ ~j ~ F~•''~' ~~~ :. ~ M ~ , j s ,:Y,~, r~~ .~ ~•:~ "' n, r Ste ~4~The Cogpnrt to -the. rtiariy"r,; outs;, wor~ •' ,. , ~; Presentatlon~~ assgc~ated,;with this xproJe~ zr~..,~;~,,~ a` A~swnr~gh4hat`a ~pmfessional architect/ sex~;al years and an urilzeli4vab,~. -,w.~ ,coca ~at}t shady tias done a~rtvaluation..a dfne.tiefore the fus>;i6~Yel;. ~~ '~v~ lxofes3tonal`presentatton usfri m `arid: ;' ~: Give this P~v~Fct visual a;d~'~n}ow cat~:be~gtveit to tile, pom-, ~$wvould`~$~o ~ mlaee e o `a r in sus ~:, i~?tovu~g~"the .project: . ~•- rKr~'ll~`;~"'r~'~r r~, ~ :vc.~prepattay'to..~usatY;~ peed for each ~~~ ~~Y,• so;~4 t„ qme , r~:, are$.of the in est. Facts art ;fi . '' otu seems ~' ' '~ . ~ y , P 1 ~ ` gutty on the ' stesi ^uutu~lYr~ ~, , a ~ necessity of a separate ~` ' d atatuci ands on ~~g`~ for' ~.~• ,, ,,. 1: ,j}n!u' example, should be available tf needed: Do ~~ .~ ~~ ~ , d pt~enta~oru ~ ~ ~ ~ not.become bogged;down tnG~details unless ~ ~r~ ~,' ~~~~ :s,~T } ~~ '~~; ,~~.~~i . questioned: The objective is to gaui support r' ' ~r~w~:.~~" and ~fundin through the useF of a~ fey- ~~tep 2~ List oP,Exper,~s ~ ~~~. $ pro `:~ ' br~..,•, sional. convincing prosentation: ` j:~ind experjencedpeople:whom ypu wtll Hopefully: afterseveial rcjeetings, abudget :. use. a#"Nan;. in~ornatiAlt`sovti~e an¢:~ffi~~Rio~ .~.: 'figure vri~l be reached.an~ approval to'begin 1 ', construction will be granted. The superin- ltendent and architect already will have met ' 'many times to discuss the presentation and 'develop specifications for the Turf Care Center. After approval. meetings will con- tmue and the drawings and specifications Twill be further rcftned. Visiting a mini- mum of ten new• Turf Can: Centers and thoroughly researching the subject are ver~• Important steps. Most golf coupe super-. intendents who have built a ne~~• facilin• v~•ould do something differentl~• if gi~•en another chance. - t After the plans are de~•elopzd. a contractor )s chosen and. the plans.are further refined. Some cluh• choo.c to. hire a project man- ager he~au.e the construction of a nr~~ ' t s Turf Care Center can cost 5400,000 to S 1.5 million. This is a huge responsibility: and the superintendent may not have the time or abilit}• to supervise a project of this mag- nitude.especially during the golfing season. Many communities are very sensitive to building activity and development within their neighborhoods. and it may be wise to contact local residents to discuss your plans. One golf course project in Wisconsin spent thousands of dollars preparing and plan- ninz. onl~• to ha~•e the town residents file a petition H•hich stopped the entire project. Im•olving the communit~• shows rcsponsi- .bilin. good ste~~•ardship. and indicates that the golf' course is concerned about the local communitc. Conclusion Golfers and club members often arr willing to invest money in the conswction of a new Turf Care Center if they art ptr- sented with the facts in a professional tnan- ner. It is time that the Turf Carr Center at every golf course be viewed as the "nerve center." as Dr.• Beard describes it m his book on turfgtsss management. Even day on the golf coupe begins and ends at the Turf Care Center, and this place ~•ill always be the focal point of golf coupe management. Special rhan~s ra Grr~ Nirjirk. slrpcrinrcndcnr. and Dun Drnc!-}•. rlnh nranut~cr. n(nc~• Grccrn,•ic•!~ G>rurm• Cluh. Grxcn-rich. Cnn--ccricur. \l)~'E~IaF.R DF,CB~tBF.R 19v1 ~ ,. ~t~ f 1{ x 'tl 1i 4 k a ~. r. i1 1 1 F9IRWAY TO THE FUTURE Course renovation does not always have to be painful. by BO LINKS U SAY you want a revolution? Ever been in a feisty mood, ready to rub your hands together and stir up some mischief? Not just a little bit of mischief, mind you, but real trouble, as in Big T, which rhymes with C, which stands for controversy? The recipe is relatively simple, and when properly followed, it can ignite a civil war, pit family against family and, if things really get cooking, probably sever a few long-standing friendships. Here's what you do: Step 1 -Attend your club's annual meetu-g. Step 2~- Rise tomake amotion. Step 3 -Move that the golf course be remodeled. Don't worry about whether the motion passes. The debate alone will do enough damage to satisfy the stern- est shrapnel-tested combat veten~n. Why is this so? Because club mem- bershold their home course as close to their hearts as one of their children. And just as with a wayward child, the average member will leap at the chance to take a little corrective action if given the right opportunity. The problem is that, oftentimes, club members can- not -and do not -agree on what needs to-be done. Hence the debate, the controversy, the civil war. It doesn't have to be that way. A host of good things can flow from a properly conceived and well-executed remodel- ingjob. For openers, how about greens that drain correctly and are playable the day after a heavy rainfall? Or bunkers that have consistent, playable sand? Or approach shots that are properly framed, inviting players of all abilities to test their skill? Or tees that are level and pointed inthe right direction? You can~have all of this and more. The only trick is securing membership approval and then getting the job done right. The issues relating to course re- modeling are as many as they are complex. We've all heard the horror stories as well as the grumbling that accompanies them. "They said it would take nine months, but it took two years and USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD our new are as b py as an alligator's 'de." "Why did you install that bunker?" "VVhy did you remove that bunker?" "Why did you make such a mess?" "Why did tt cost s0 much?" Heard enough? Well, r+ela~t. These are the easy questions, folks. Althou hg we do hear horror stories and we must often confront hard inquiries, we don't hear enough about the jobs that go well. You know, those believe-it-or--not tales of construction jobs that come in on budget and ahead of schedule. Yes, it has hap- pened. And it can happen to you if you approach the issue properly and prepare accordingly. At Lake Merced Golf and Country Club in Daly City, California, a com- pleteremodeling job was a~mplished without a hitch, with far more accom- plished than even the most rabid backers of the project could have ed. e actual construction at Lake Merced took approximately 90 days. .The financial package was such that every member could afford the assess- ment. And in the end, a good golf course was transformed into a truly extraordinary one. By the time the Project was two-thirds 5njslted, even those members who had voted against doing the work had come on board as enthusiastic supporters. Doing the job Right But all of this begs the most impor- tantissue. How do you get this accom- plished? To begin with (arid to quote those athletic wear ads), get mal. Lake Merced was not remodeled on a whim. This wasn't the case of a member or small cadre of players wanting to change the course to suit their own agenda. Quite to the contrary, Lake Merced's remodeling grew out of a serious deterioration of putting green root structure and poor drainage in and around the green complexes. Once the club investigated the problem and ~ .. deaded to correct it, knowledgeable members soon realized that the econo- mies of scale dictated that they take advantage of a unique opportunity to repair other problems that, while not as serious as the condition of the root structure and drainage, had long cried out for amelioration. In short, the club confronted an agronomic crisis and chose to solve it in comprehensive fashion. And they did it within budget. And on time. The formula used at Lake Mened is a textbook example of how to do the job right. In reviewing the history of the remodeling at Lake Merced, we can learn several rules that should guide any golf course confronting similar problems or contemplating similar work. Analysis Instead of Paralysis One point to be made at the outset is that many good togreatcourses -and many average ones, too - have serous agronomic problems. Not because there is anything inherently wrong with the layout or because there has been any failure of performance by the maintenance crew. The plain and simple fact is that golf courses change over time. Every da)r there is growth and death; trees die, roou impede nearby Putting greens, limbs fall, fungus spreads, old soil compacts. Let's face it, nothing is forever, and even golf courses need some corrective surgery now and then. So rule one is, always be aware of the agronomic profile of your golf course. There are several ways to do this, but perhaps the most eco- nomical and efficient is to take advan- tage of the USGA's ~rEgrass advisory Service (commonly known as TAS). Under this program, USGA agrono- mists visit your course and advise you as to the status and needs of the play- ingsurface. Inthecase of LalteMerced, it was time and money well spent At Lake Merced, we first learned of the problems with our putting green root structure while preparing the 1 I~ r ,I f 1 IR ~~ ~1 ,! ~' ii 1. » ~--rM~~ Nun ~, ay rearranging the bunkers- trrrng renovation, the bunkers were eliminated on the Jar side of the green ~nd well /lorr o/ r/re green. These bunkers had served only to penalize the high-handr,capper ' ; nlut•rng the course. T/re renrporar~ greens, bush jorgoljers' play during construction :~'~'rc' gt~rte good and kep- the gol%rs happy during the construction process. 1 course for the 1990 U.S. Junior .~ma• teur. "When the USG cored our greens and showed us the curt samplr,. tt verified what l had been sa}ting for some time," comments Superintendent Lou Tonelli. "We had a 'black layer' beneath the surface. None of our mem- bers could see it and many of them thought everything was fine because ~~'e were able to limp along and produce good putting surfaces through the use of appropriate fertilizers and an a~t~tul lot of overtime labor. But our green had become drug addicts and they' couldn't exist for long if they stayed dependent on chemicals for survival." What caused the problem? ••Our course was originally constructed in the early 1920s. It was a tremendous track. but it had to be rebuilt in the mid•'60s." states Tonelli. ••The work had co b~~ done because an interstate free~~•a~• took away the heart and soul of the original layout. When the greens ~~•ere rebuilt back then. they used loam o~•er the drains. It was a formula for disaster and it caught up with us atier 30 yeah "The loam compacted and trapped water before it ever got to the drains." continues Tonelli. ••We had stagnant water beneath the surface and anybod}' with any brains knows you can't gro~~' grass in stagnant water. Our root structure was only about ahalf-inch deep. To compound the problem. ~~•e had to battle nematodes. ~~'ith a shal- low root structure. it was only a matter of time before disease Avon the battlz and overtook the grass. Our greens were virtually defenseless. ~~'e had to do something or risk losing them." Once the condi[ion of the greens had been diagnosed and the evidence ~~•as collected, the ne~•t task was to educatz club officials as to the seriousness of the problem. That process took about two years. Lake Merced's Greens d; Grounds Committee learned ~~•hat.vas seeded and began passing its kno~~•I- :dge to the full Board of Directors and ether members as well. Within Five years of the problem tint urfacing, many -but not enough - lub members were aware of the xistence of the troublesome black tyer and the need to correct the con- itions that caused it.. That's ~+~hen sings got dicey. A proposal was made to remodel le golf course and cure the problem. Meetings were held and debate raged: no member could get a drink in our clubhouse bar without confronting the hard questions: Did we really need the work? What would it cost? Who Il'Ll' .~L~GL'ST Imo' -. 1 ~ , 1 1 1 i '~ r '~ r I 1 '" Do the Homework ~.~ ;; and Present a ~ : °-_ •:: Complete Package .:~~ to the Membership . ~: 'The Greens & Grourids~? Committee and the Board"" . of Directors went back to >"~'`. r. work ~ and did some more ~ ::" homework. "One thing wet ..,. ,: M . realized," comments :~Ar,~:N,(~.rton Goode;'~'who was one'~of'the`~oard members actively promoting the re- modeling project, "is that our full membership simply did not understand chat this work was not a frill ora whim. It was something we absolutely had to do in order to save our golf course. We had to make the case, and once we did, the issue easily gained the support of the entire membership. The facts really brought us together." One technique Dr. Goode. and his small committee utilized was to target literally every member in the the club and arrange for small sessions where people could be taken out on the course, shown turf samples, and allowed to see the problem in practical terms. Members came to learn that with'better drainage, the course would be playable after a heary rainstorm, as opposed to having to wait a week or more for soggy greens to dry out. Others could see how proper drainage would eventually, and substantially, reduce maintenance expenses. ';We knew the issue was not about us, observed Club President Stan Friedman. "It was about our children and grandchildren. Although we re- stored ahistorical look and feel to our golf course, what we really did was build a fairway to the future so 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD vote, a complete plan ~j+.as. placed before a membership that was ready to receive it. Financing was arranged so that there were a variety of packages avail- able; if members wanted to pay the assessment at once, they could do so, but they could also defer payment under several monthly payment op- tions. If a member withdrew from the club before completing payment of the assessment (or prior to completion of the work in the case of a member who paid in full at the outset), he could get a pro-rats refund for his unused assess- ment. Iri short; money was removed from the debate. The only issue left was whether the work should be done. Playing Through. . Our superintendent; and his crew built a course within the 'course so members, particularly 'older members, would be able to play sn, executive course while the reconstruction work was being done. This ; arrangement worked beautifully, as no one was pre- vented from enjoying a regular weekly game. Indeed, the temporary greens were of such quality that when Super- intendent Lou Tonelli aerated them, the temporaries. compliment. _ r~+:: :asked him .john~~lyy :cut temporaries foc It was the ultimate Economies of Scale As the plan took shape, it originally consisted of remodeling all 18 greens and every bunker on the golf course. Although first consideration was given to dividing the work and doing sir holes at a time, the club quickly opted to take the plunge and do everything at once. "We wanted uniform putting greens," stressed Dr. Goode. `The only way to ensure that was to do them all at once." Soon the club realized something else. It was possible to incorporate several additional jobs into the pro- gram at marginal cost. For example, a decision was made to regrade all tee complexes and elevate the majority of them for better visibility. In addition. several improvemenu were made to the irrigation system, including installation of computer controls for indi~~dual sprinkler heads, and the installation of special sprinkler heads around the greens to ensure proper watering. "If we had done this work separately." remarked Dr. Goode, "it would have cost us ten times what we ended up ~l- ~ 1 1 u r '~ I. spending and we would have had to rip up our golf course again to do it. In essence, we got three jobs in one." How long did it take? At Lake Merced. the first cut of dirt was made on August 6, 1996. The last cut was made on November 24, just before Thanksgiving. That's 110 days, but the total requires a bit of analysis. The original goal of new greens and bunkers took only 78 days to complete. The extra time was allotted to the complete regrading of four fairways, the recon- struction of all 18 tee boxes (four sets of tees for each hole), and miscel- laneous work on the irrigation system. The bottom line is that the membership got a new facility in about three-and-a- half months. There was some rain toward the end of the job that resulted in a week of cleanup work. "The job was com- pleted before the rainy season," says Dr. Goode, "and the most compelling apsect of the onset of winter was that our new greens were bone dry the day after getting hit with an awful lot of water." By the time winter had actually come to the Bay Area, the seeded areas were covered with new growth and had roou in place to prevent a washout, and sodded areas were well on their way to knitting together. Because of improved drainage, there was no standing water on any of the greens or in any of the bunkers. "We cored some of our new greens 30 days after seeding," beamed Super- intendent Tonelli, "and we could see a four-inch root structure. That means that in the first month we got roots that were eight times deeper than our old greens that had been there for 30 years. It was the best validation we could have hoped for." In order to maintain the highest- quality putting surfaces, the club will require players to wear spikeless golf shoes. "The spikeless alternative is the future," says Goode. "Those of us who have tried them know they provide enough traction, and at the same time allow us to have greens without spike marks. By taking this step, we also can open our course at the earliest possible date and know that we're not tearing up the course which took so many talented hands to build." Watching the New Course Come into Being One thing that impressed the entire membership was how fast the grass grew. "Many of us had no idea how quickly the seed germinates," says Club Professional Jay McDaniel. "We seeded our third green in early September and we could have been putting on it a month later. Once our members saw that nape of progress, the excitement meter shot upward in a hurry." Of course. the tees and greens were closed to regular play for approxi- mately seven months fol- lowing the construction phase (ten months in all i When the club reopened to full play this June, members were happily strolling down the fairways of a champion- ship track with U.S. Open quality greens. "For many of us." says Paul Leiber, Lake Merced~s current President for 199'- 98, "this has been like the birth of a child ~l'e re watching the course come to life right before our e~•es Getting the Right People to Do the Job Although some ma~~ ques- tion the time and money that go into a remodeltr.:~ project (~`~rlty didn't they get it right in the tir~~ place?!"), there is a simple answer :o the criticism. Quality golf course design and construction take time. require effort, cost money, and after enough years pass, may need upgrading. `los: important, when Mother tiature poi^:> out a specific problem. as she did a; Lake Merced. a club refuses to resoonc at its peril. When tackling a remodeling job. a club would do well to seek out an architect and construction team ~vho are in business for the craft, and for the love of doing things right. Because it the proper sequence of elements is in place, if the work is done correctly and with a touch of artistry, it has a gooc chance of creating something magical that has the quality of great music. Indeed, as every true golfer under- stands, when a hole is done right. it has a pulse, abeat, atempo - an o~•era! rhythm that makes a plac'er's heap dance. At Lake Merced, we not only hea- and feel the music - we can see it. too Our 18 holes will be making hea^> dance for generations to come. Living in San Francisco, Californrc. 5C~ LINKS is a teal lawyer, phoro;rap%+e- ~•:.: published author. He has sert~ed o^ :~:r USGA Green Section Committee r.•:.:r 1991. IULI';AL'Gl'ST !~" 1 into the golf course to add to the continuity of the course. ,. I i $ a 1 1 Z f by JAMES T. SNOW, Agronomist, USGA Green Section 'MAGINE LIVING day to day with little regard for what may happen tomorrow, next year, or five years from now - a bleak existence, probably, with taw alternatives to meet emergencies and no provl- slons made for maintaining your lifestyle. Actually, however, we all strive to reach some goal. Can we say the same about golf clubs? It would probably be safe to say that most golf clubs do not have a satisfactory written plan or policy for running of the course and club. Very few suc- cessful bueineases are developed or malntalned without a complete long-range plan. Why should a club, with many employees and a significant bud- get, be different? The plan should do much more than deal with capital improvements, although this aspect Is cer- tainly Important. It should Include equipment acquisition and replacement, architectural changes and specific plane for maintaining each area of the golf course. Even though the course may be in perfect shape, a written policy that outlines the successful operetlona of the program and which provides for future changes la necessary for con- tinuity. THE PROBLEMS There are many good reasons for develop(ng a long-range plan. Consider the following problems which could occur unless provisions are made for dealing with them. Batting Standards Perhaps the foremost problem is having members who agree about what kind of golf course they want end can afford. They give the superintendent hardly any direction for building a maintenance and devel- opment program, and yet when things go wrong the complaints roll in. This often results in unneCes- aaryconflicts between the superintendent and the preen committee which may ultimately cause the superintendent to lose Interest. On the other hand, the average committee member has very little knowledge of what should be done to the course in terms of maintenance. He doesn't understand why things are done or what happens when problems occur. It Is easy to see how frustration and conflict develop during difficult times as the members, by nature, begin to believe that the superintendent NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1978 t 1 .~ vav u~a~ ra a~(6I1 roUnO /aCKlQg. - -- - --' - ~-" ~" " i ~~ ~f 1! i I '~ r. 1 1 doesn't know what he's doing. Along-renge pro- gFam could help resolve these problems, with the superintendent and committee combining to create a complete and comprehensive malntenanq and devebpment plan based on the wishes of the mem- berahipand the resources they have to offer. This Is the first step In planning; It defines goals and sets financial guidelines. Peopb Problems Moat clubs go through a period when actlvltlea are Presided over by swell-meaning but ~grosslve Individual In a position of authority for a period and changes the course as a monument to his term. The changes may be new greens, tees, bunker or plant- ings of trees that leave an Indelible mark on the design of the course. Too often these changes don't Nt the course theme and character. Design work Is beat left to a qualified architect, someone trained to protect the Integrity of the original design and to bring out the best of what Is available. Problems of this nature can be avoided with along-range pro- gram whk;h Includes changes based on the advice of a golf course architect, with variations possible only upon the approval of the committee and/or architect. Changes In the Groan Commitlee Many clubs have a polk:y that limits the green com- mittee chairman to a brief term In office, usually two years. He then leaves the committee. As the new chairman takes office, he usually has little Ides of what Is Involved In the total maintenance opera- tion or what should be'"expected tom the golf course superintendent. ey the time he leama it is time to leave office, and the next fellow has to learn it all from scratch. This is difficult for both the auperlntendent and the green committee chairman. On the other hand, the green committee chair- man la responsible to the membership and there- fore must be In frequent contact with the superin- tendent on course operations. Since usually he has no training in golf course management, friction may develop between him and the auperlntendent, who sometimes mistakenly believes the green com- mittee chairman la quutioning hb knowledge and suthoriy. Hero bwhen a kmg-range plan would benefit everyone. A comprehensive plan would list all course malnteMna programs and their purpose. The green committee chairman, or any other mem- ber for that matter, could refer to the plan and Immediately know what is being done and why. Ths superintendent would not have to spend so much time explaining and Juatiying hla progrems. Change of Superltttendent The change of a golf course superintendent Is aome- thing of a traumatic experience at many poll dubs. The selection committee, usually untrained In golf course operations, has nothing on whk;h to base a decbion except for Intultbn and seeing how each prospective superintendent sells himself. The auc- cessful applk:ant (snot necessarily the most knowl- edgeabteand the best qualified. With a comprehen- sive Plan, however, the committee would be better able to determine the most qualified applicant. The committee would have a good Idea of what to ex- pect from the new superintendent, end with a com- plete record of peat programs available to him, the 'new man would be In a good position to recom- mend poaitivechanges based on pastsuccessea and failures. Serlow Turf ProbNms Despite the excellence of their maintenance pro- prams, even the best golf courses will suffer losses 4f .turf under extreme conditions, ua~ally because of 'tFtA lrreathel:'Thls pro~Ulem can be very frustrating for both the superintendent and for the golfers. Members can't understand how such a disaster can happen, and the superintendent Is criticized, a sad commentary on the communications channels and public relations efforts at ao many clubs today. Thla could be avoided with along-range plan de- veloped by the superintendent and the green com- mittee. Such a plan, outlining the best steps to take to avoid such InJury (and approved, of course, by the committee), would be of tremendous value If winter InJury were to occur again. PLANNING PROCESS Dt:FINB ANA~YZa OOALB ~ ~T ~ ~ P ~ IMPTMM~aNT ~ NEW Y,OU Pl.J1N ~MENT • EVALUATE Flpure 1. A achematk outline of the general planning process. It prov/dea a syatemaUc approach to problem solving and Iona-range planning. ~ . USDA GREEN. 8ECTION RECORD ~- 1, 1 i i i 1. ii ~' i These are Just a few of the problems golf courses throughout the country face each year that could be resolved with along-range plan. THE PURPOSES OF A LONG-RANGE PLAN (A) To Improve the phys~al facilities of the golf course in an orderly manner In order to make it more beautiful, functional, Interesting and efficient. (B) To promote the Interests of the entire mem- bership rather than of a law fn~ivicni als.ot•special groups within the club. (C) To effect coordination and improve com- munications with regard to course development and maintenance, so as to avoid conflict, duplica- tion and waste. (D) To ensure that short-range actions are con- sidered In the context of long-range goals. (E) To bring professional and technical knowl- edge to bear on the decisions based on the wishes of the members. The professionals may be the superintendent, architect, agronomist or other consultants. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING A PLAN? The responsiblliry for initiating and developing the plan may fall to the superintendent, green - committee chairman, president, manager, golf professional or someone else In authority. Because the superintendent makes his living through the club and has perhaps the most to gain, he should pick up the ball and carry it. It must be stressed, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1978 1 though, that Input into the plan should come from many sources. The plan must represent the wishes of tf~ entire membership. arlow clubs have different procedures for formulating the long-range plan. Often the super- intendent and the green committee will work together, with the superintendent providing techni- cal Information and forming the basic plan based on desires and goals of the committee. Other Dubs have along-range planning committee, .separate from the green committee. This L.R.P. committee may be more practk:al at clubs with a variety of activities, such es golf, swimming, tennis and plat- form tennis,where along-range plan would Include all these activities and the green committee would have only Ilmitad Input. RegaMless of the mechanisms your club uses to form its plan, it will take hard work by many people to develop a comprehensive plan which will serve everyone's best Interests. Thera must be committee members who are willing to sacrifice some time to provide the critical information on which the superintendent can base his program. The committee should •be willing to Invest some money so that the best technical Information and evaluation can be provided. The superintendent will ,provide the bulk of this information, but others, such as architects, agronomists, engineers and other experts, should be consulted. No one person can be expert In every area of a long-range plan. Finally, there Is no such thing as a complete end final plan; many changes will occur from day to day and year to year. Therefore, there must be a commitment by the superintendent and the green f '•' ..,w, ~,,,., yr ~vn cvuras o01s your memDerah/p wsnt7 A highly nrankured, cona/atently unllorm course wl/I coat more than the ' netunll loolr." 1 i i f 1 i! ~1 r '' r committer to analyze and ttsvlss the plan on an annwl hula, or else it will lone Ib valor. . TNErpA8iC8 Of A LONG-RANGt: PLAN A welhdeHnsd prooeu Itas dewtoped by whloh a Plan b deigned. It often a ayatsmptic approach to mooting your long-ange goals and needs. and It should act u a model foryou u along-range pro- grem Is dsVal~o,ped forytw~ oourse.• . Figuro~~ showi'tlte planning ~p~opram broken down Into sewrol hub oomponents. What this sari Is thltt (1) the goals and needs of the member are defined, (2) the planning procee Is canletl out, and this results In (9), a new environment, the realization of your goab. Ttte altuatlon u then Periodically evalwtsd, and this may lead to the development of new goals and plena. As you can see,' the long-range plan la a contlnuow system which always provides for nsceaaary changes, Define Your Goals Thb Is a critical step In lire planning program, for how can a plan be designed without knowing the membero' goals and obNathrss? The superinten- dent may be of some uslstance with this step, but here is where rho members should provide the most Input. After all, the club exists for their enjoy- ment, and they are paying the bill. The goals and objective should be gAMral In nature. For exam- ple, one goal might bs "to produce tee~whlch are adequately large, low cut, level and Ilrm " Objec- tless should not be ao specifb u "the 7th and 18th teen should be rebuilt because they are too small." This specifk:. problem will be picked up and re- solved In the "Analyst" and "Design" steps. As suggested In Figuro 1, the planning process itself can be broken down Into three general com- ponents: Analyse What You Haw This la a time-conauming, step-by-step analysis of every phase of the opeation.lncluded as general areas of Interest aro greens, lase, fairways, bun- kers, landscape, equipment, buildings, Irrlgatlon, tennis courts, swimming pool, etc. Analyze each area and consider alternaties solutions to the prob- lems uyou go along. For example, "the area over the Irrlgatlon Tine on the 12th tee is sunken and may be corrected by removing the sod, adding top- soil and replacing the sod so that it conforms to the remainder of the tee. Frequent topdresing would also resolve the problem but would take longer to complete." The responalblllty for the analysis phase should be shared by the superintendent and the commit- tee, with the superintendent carrying the heavier load. Develop The Plan Based on your analysis of every phase of the golf course or club operation, the long-range plan should be developed. Specific plane for each proj- ect should be completed, along with comprehen- sive cost eatimatea and time schedules for their completion. An overall timetable for capital Im- r ~. pti'•ovemenb end equipment acquisition must also be worked out, based on the resources of the club end allowing for who will be doing the work. Out- sidecontractors often will do much of the construc- tion work, though the superintendent and hla crew ~a~y /handle a large portion of this If time and labor Recommendations for regular maintenance procedures should be finalized and incorporated Into the plan. If the members have been satlaf(ed with the course to this point, these maintenance procedures will be nothing more than what hu been done for years. However, now it will be writ- ten down as part of the long-range plan, to be re- ferred to by the superintendent, committee mem- bero or others as the need arises. Implement The Plan The implementation phase simply involves follow- ing through with the plan as you have designed it. i { 1 y~ i i 1 I j9i 1 1 '~ 1`. ';. '. '; 1Y Regarding capital Improvement work, details should be completed according to the time sched- ule. Including the finalization of dnwinga, speci- fications, bids, etc. The decisbn as to who will do the work is again worth mentbning. Often the superintendent and his crew will be given the re- sponsibiliry for such capital improvement work as building greens, teen, bunkers,, bridges, installing cart paths, irrlgatbn systems, etc. Too often they are expected to maintain the guff course in top condition and work on these projects at the same time, with no increase in the size of ttts crew. What often happens is .that the appearance and play- ablliry of the golf course suffers, and the projects are pot completed on schedule. This situation works out poorly for everyone involved, and so provisions must be made to Increase the size of the crew during periods of cepital•improvament work, or sisal offer the work to contractors outside the club. NOVEIABER/DECEMBER 1978 Some of tfxs points.whk;h will be considered as you devebp a long-nu~ge Plan are illustrated below. This example of a bng-range plan for greens b rrecessartly brief and omits many of the details which would ordinarily be Included How- . ever, it should give you the general Idea of some of the points that have been diacwaed thus tar. These goals could differ from club to dub. A LONG~AANGE PLAN FOR GAEENS Gods , high lperoen~geoof bentgreas, good density land fine texture. (2) To maintain uniform surfaces to the de- sired sP~d (3) T,o maintain resilience in the soil so that a well hit 'golf shot will stay within a reasonable distance irom the spot where it lands. ti f wat~~ pe with drought or purchased water sh • ~ . , ~' (4) To maintain the charect~r of the architec- tural design in the mowing pattern of the surface outline. Analysb (1) All gralpni contain too much Poa annua. (2) Grain Is a problem at certain times of the year. (3) There Is no turf nursery for repair work. (4) Greens No. 3, 8, 9, 17 do not provide ade- quate surface drainage. (5) Shade and tree root competition result In weak turf on greens No. 7 and No. 17. (8) There la poor Irrigatbn coverage on green No. 12. (7) Winter Injury Is an annwl problem on green No. 17. Rewmmendatlons (1) Aa pert of the routine maintenance pro- gram, the greens will be: (a) cut dally with the ap- propriate equipment at 3/18 Inch, (b) aerated In the spring and fall to reduce soil compaction, (c) vertlcut Iighty twice monthly, weather permitting, to prevent excesslve• grain, and (d) topdresaed mouthy with a material meeting USGA specs In order to produce a smooth, firm, resilient surface. (2) Overseed all greens with an appropriate bentgress twice annwlly, at the time they are aerated, to Increase the percentage pf permanent grasses. (3) Establish a putting green nursery for the purpose of repairing the greens. It shall be main- tained in the same manner as the other greens. coat - 61,000. • (4) Provide adequate surface drainage on greens No. 3, 8, 9 by Itfting sod, regreding subsur- face and replacing sod. (5) Rebuild green No. 17 according to USGA specifications. Retain a golf course architect to re- design green. Approximate coat - 613,500. (8) Relocate Irrigation heads around No. 12 green to Improve coverage. (7) Root-prune trees around greens every three years. Again, this Is only a brief outline of the type of plan you might develop for the greens. In addition, similar.plans would then be designed for other areas of the course and other aspects of the total program. For example, you might have long-range plans for each of the following general topics: Greens Irrigation System ~ Tees Collars Drainage Equipment Fairways Buildings Roughs Cart Paths and Bunkers Traffic Control Trees and landscape Swimming Pool 1; Practice Areas Tennis Courts THE BEST LAID PLANS .. . Despite the best efforts of the superintendent and committee to bring werything together in a comprehensive plan, things will be left out and tti8 r ~ •. cirounttrtancu surrounding any particular sltw- tlorl may oltange with tkns. Tftereforo, the final and conWtuing phase of the long-range plan b to psrlodbally evalwte the plan and see what K has produced If things are not as they should be, new goals may need to be defined, new analyses mode, and now reoommendatbns Incorporated Into the plan. The evaluation phase Is critical, and the best plan.wer created would be worthless without It. A formal evplwtion on an snnwt basin is a popular schedule, as` this allows snotaph time for some progress t0 occur yet Is frequent enough to keep the Interest of .the superlntsndont and comrhfttes. Many things should be considered In the devel- opment of a long-range plan, and It certainly can- not be done overnight. It may take months or even yeah to create a comprehensive plan, that serves the host Interests of the club, Its membere and Its staff. It gives the membere the opportunity to set ' the standards for the mslntsnance and develop- ment of their course to best suit their skills and desirgs. It gives them a reference point as to what should be done on the course, but it also realisth tally limits their expectations according to what they can afford and what resouroes they provide for the wperlntendent and crew. The Important point u that they understand the altwtlon In ad- vance so that disappointments and conflicts can be minimized. the long-range plan gives the superin- tendent seat of goals which seems real and defi- nite, not an abstract cloud of complaints and com- pliments from several hundred Individwl mem- bers: It leaves the responsiblllty of setting. stan- dards and finding resources to the committee of members, where it ahoul~ be. It eliminates many potantiel areas of conflict, some of which could find the superintendent's job on the Ilne. The long-range plan offers valwble dividends to everyone at a golf course. It takes a good deal of hard work to create, but what item of value doesn't? It is something that every club should develop. I • REFERENCES Carpenter, J. D., and A. 3. Lieberman 1971 Env/ronmental Dealgn: A Cit/zen s PNmer. Cornell University. Kent, T. J., Jr. 1984 TM Urban General Plan. Chandler Publishing, San Frencisco. Runyon, L. K., August 1978 The Precticality of a Long-Range Plan. The Ooll Superintendent pp. 18-23. Watson, J. R., March 1971 Tomorrow Is the Day You Should Have Planned Yesterday. USGA Green Section Rec- ord. pp. 12-15. Williams, R. 1977 Long-Range Planning Program For the Main- tenance of Our Golf Course. Rutgers Tur/grass Proceedings. pp: 21-38. U8GA GREEN SECTION RECORD r ,; 'r S~o Yo uWantT . , o Renov ate Your ~ Golf Cour se. w There are hundreds of ways for course renovation programs to o aw . Here are a few tips to make your project a success. g ~ by DAVID A. OA1TS ~~ i ~E ~i ~2 t~ 1 1 OST golf course superinten- dents eventually face course improvement projects of one type or another at some point in their careers. The proposal might be to re- build agreen or a tee or a bunker, or perhaps to add or expand a water feature. Regardless of the project, it is important to first examine the course in its entirety and to identify its strengths and weaknesses before proceeding, Course improvement projects tend to have a domino effect, and a project that improves one area of the course can easily cause problems in other areas. Projects often require considerable expense to complete and they can have a major impact on how the course looks and plays, and on the mainte- nancebudget aswell. Course improve- ment projects should be undertaken only after careful thought and much planning. Unfortunately, :many reno- vation projects turn out poorly due to insufficient planning and preparation, poor design, or poor execution. The purpose of this article is to identify some of the common mistakes associ- atedwith course improvement projects and to provide concrete suggestions for avoiding them. DEVEI.OPIIVG THE PIGAN Defining the Objective The first step is to define what you wish to accomplish through a renova- i tion or course un~rovement project. Monuments to individuals or commit- tees should be avoided like the plague. Frequently, projects that have been observed at o~er courses are sug- gested, but this amounts to little more than keeping up with the Joneses. Proposals should have a specific goal in order to avoid making change for the sake of making change. The goals may be to improve aesthetics or definition. You may want the couzse to play harder or easier, or perhaps more fairly or more safely. There may be some con- fusion as to what the course needs, and it is quite possible that your ideas are inappropriate for yourgolf course or financially not feasible. SEPTEMBER/OC,-rOBER 1997 3 ~4 ~~ I~ ~s t ,~ 1+ 1? Research YOUr Course ' I' is vital to research your own course as thoroughly as possible so that you are in possession of all of the facts when it comes time to deade on plans and projects. In the case of oldr classic golf courses, it must be determined whether renovation or restoration is most appropriate. Tbo often, fine old designs have been ruined through well-inten- tioned but thoughtless renovation. A distinction must be made between good old architecture and bad, and time and research are required to make an informed decision. Much informa- tion can be obtained from golf course architects, but it is also wise to do your own independent research. You might just discover exciting new information regarding the origin of your course! The attic is a great place to start looking for old records, pictures, plans, and documents that could provide clues to the history of the course. It may take weeks to thoroughly examine all of the old files, and you never know what you might find. Aerial photos from the early days of the golf course can pro- videinvaluableevidence. Aerial photos dating back to the '20s and '30s exist for many areas of the United States, so check with county and local munia- palities, ~lanning/engineering depart- ments, hbraries, etc., to see if they can be located. Also, be sure to check with the National Archives, Records Administration, Cartographic Branch, 8601 Adelphi Road, College, Park, MD 20720-6001. Many old photographs exist in the USGA Golf House Museum, so be sure to give that a try, too. Other methods of researching your course include interviewing longtime mem- bers and former staff regarding the history of the golf course. A soil probe and perhaps even a shovel are some of the most important investigative tools available. Probing and digging in and around greens and bunkers. can provide insight as to what has occurred overtime. Through edging, mechanical raking, and wind and water erosion, bunkers generally tend to get larger. Sand blown and blasted out of bunkers over many years can completely change bunker mound- ing and even putting green contours. In some cases the changes can be so dramatic that traffic or surface drain- age problems are created and usable cupping area is lost, leading to severe turf problems. Special care should be taken to dis- '' reardthec g urrent mowing patterns, 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD 1 since these can change drsnratically over time. In general, p greens usually shrink in size and me more rounded. If the gt~ens at your course are oval or circular th shape, there is a better than average chance that the mowing patterns have been altered over the years. Examining topography and comparing putting green soil profiles to those from the green surrounds can help determine the original putting green shapes. The amount of usable teeing area often decreases as a result of trees and vegetation encroaching along the line of play, and often this can be corrected more easily tlubugh tree and brush removal than reconstruction. Mowing patterns on tees also cari change over time, and expansion sometimes can be acccxlmplished easily through adjust- ments in mowing patterns. In the last 10 to 15 years, fairway acreage has intentionally Been reduced at many courses to facilitate lightweight mowing programs. Years ago, fairway acreage commonly ranged from 40 to 50 acres, while today they more typically range from 23 to 28 acres. If the reduction is not done properly, prime landing areas may be lost, and alignment and playability may suffer. Since many older courses were de- signed without fairway irrigation, the mcreased roll prompted architects to place bunkers further from the center point of the fairways. With the addition of irrigation and improved turfgrass quality, some of these bunkers may need to be repositioned, and/or fair- ways may require recontouring and alignment. Indeed, most old courses can be improved by adjusting mowing contours. Selection of Architects and Contractors Choosing the right golf course archi- tectand contractor for ~-our course and project is extremely umportant, and time and research are required to do it properly. The most important advice is to thoroughly check the 'references of all potential candidates. Be sure to speak with the golf course superinten- dent, green chairman, and other course officials at courses where the prospec- tive architects and coritractors have worked. Obtain a variety of pers~ec- tives and ask tough, direct questtons such as: "Would you hire them again? Were the promises made delivered on? Was the work completed bn time and on budget; if not, who was to blame?" Delays are common and not neces- eerily the fault of the architect or con- tractor, but this is something to check. Be sure to ask how much the archi- tect was on site during the project and whether he/she was accessible when not on site. It is imperative to visit the courses where the candidates have worked so their results can be observed firsthand. In the case of renovation, deade whether the work blends in well with the rest of the course, basing your judgements on the stated desires of the respective course committees. Deter- mine whether the. renovated areas require additional labor for mainte- nance. In the case of restoration, com- parethe work to old photographs and maps. IMPL~E,NI~NPATION The planning process can be very exciting and it is easy to become enamored with giandiose ProP~~ but this is somet 'lung to be especially wary of. The infrastructure of the entire facility must be carefully considered before deciding how quickly to imple- ment the program. Tbo often the money needed for a new maintenance facility, equipment replacement, or irrigation or drainage systems is used to finance the renovation progiam, and this can have disastrous and long-term effects on the financial state of the course. In the case of multi year programs, it is usually advisable to begin the imple- mentation phase slowly to aid in golfer acceptance. "Don't bite off more than you can chew" is sound advice. Similarly, choose the easiest and least controversial projects for the initial phase in order to get the clientele excited about the program and to gamer their support. Success breeds success, and a failure in the initial phase can compromise future projects. In cases where the plan is not con- troversial and the need for the work is well understood, the best course of action often is to implement the plan more quickly. Biting the bullet and performing the work in one or two phases causes more disruption in the short term, but far less in the long term. It is best to perform all putting green construction and/or regressing work in the same season so that all of the new turf is at the same stage. Building or regressing greens piece- meal complicates the maintenance program because different sets of greens are at different stages of devel- opment and require different main- tenance programs. This also causes greater inconsistencies in playability. ' + rv i ~~ 1 i i i~ ~~ Ii r 1 r Furthermore, putting green construc- tion work tends to be more contro- r versial in nature and few courses ever complete a putting green reconstruc- tion protect on a piecemeal basis. Generally, it is far more economical to - ' do all putting green construction work at the same time. ;! CLASSIC MISTAKES Certain mistakes seem to be repeated consistently and deserve special men- tion. The following are some of the - ~ most common: ! Not Knowing What You Have to Start With This problem can be prevented by doirr~ extensive research and getting opinrons. from a variety of sources. Much can be learned throµgh inter- viewing golf course architects, but it is also worthwhile to discuss the various issues with your Green Section agrono- mist. Seek out and visit other courses designed by the original architect of your own course. Also, be sure to con- sult with other superintendents and course officials who have undertaken projects similar to the one you are considering. Zlying to IBe Something You Are Not Every spring, Green Section agi'ono- mists meet course officials who want to Plant azaleas and rhododendrons so they can be dust like Augusta. Similarly, I have visited several courses whose natural features happened to be natural rock outcroppings, Yet the course officials wanted to remove or cover them up. Conversely, some courses in the southwest have actually constructed rocks and waterfalls fi~+om fiberglass and concrete! The point is, each course must be allowed to develop its own character. ~ng ~ imitate other courses rarely wo well. More often than not, imitators come off looking like cheap imitations. No two courses are alike, nor should they be. Mixing in Too Many Materials and Design Themes Zl~ee plantings on links golf courses are simply not appropriate. There are countless bunker designs and styles, but including many varying styles on the same course, and especially on the same hole, would be considered in- appropriate by most knowledgeable gollffers. Similarly, the features for each hole and course must be appropriate for that geographic region. Exposed, high-sand faces on a windy site can lead to more sand being blown out of the bunkers, with the ultimate results being playability problems and in- crease maintenance costs. Some consistency in design is .also suggested. For instance, rectilinear tee shapes should not be mixed with free- form amoeba-like shapes. When reno- vating aportion of the golf course, the work should blend in with the re- maining features and not look out of =haracter. Thking the concept one step further, be sure not to include too many different hndscape materials in the landscape. It is best to choose a few materials and use them throughout the course for the sake of consistency. For instance, choose one type of sign- age, curbing, cart path material, steps, etc., and try to carry it through the entire course. At all costs, avoid in- cluding too many different types, colors, and textures of materials be- cause they distract the golfers and draw unwanted attention. Failure to Plan (Ahead) Just as the title implies, poor or in- adequate planning is the root cause of SEPTEMBER/OC1'OBER 1997 . _ _ ___ ~~......vwi wis /i({UL' R OllLt aa}1/ r '" i ~~ ~~ t 1~ '! s ,$ r 1 ~e many renovation snafus, and rushing into a construction project is a recipe for disaster. Educating the golfers r+e- gardirt~ the need for the project and the rationale behind the decisions be- ing-made is essential. They deserve to be kept informed, and open forums with question-and-answer oda are good means of accompli~~g this, Research is required to identify the most appropriate grasses and materials for tee or green construction, but this is sometimes overlooked due to time constraints. Superintendents sometimes are forced to rely on old test data from another project at a different course, Also, consider individual motives when evaluating agronomic advice. If the materials and glasses chosen don't work well, it could mean your job! The scope of the work must be clearly stated, and areas of respon- sibility for the stag and outside con- tractors must be established and com- municated in no uncertain terms. Rushing into a construction project without doing your homework can result in disastrous consequences. Lack of Continuity in Leadership Renovation projects and mainte- nance programs often suer due to rapid turnover of committee members. Alister Mackenzie put it accurately in his book The Spirit of S~ Andrews when he wrote: 'The history of most golf clubs is that a committee is appointed, they make mistakes, and just as they are beginning to learn by these mistakes they ~~ii oflice and are replaced by others~who make still greater mistakes, and so it goes on." Reconstruction ot7bes and Greens for the Wi+ong Reasons More than one course has rebuilt the same green or tee multiple times, only to experience equality poor per- formance with each new version. The problem often is more related to the grass-growing environment the green or tee occupies than to the method of construction that was actually used. A favorite adage is that "even good constriction cannot compensate for a poor brass-growing environment." Thus, d you are considering recon- struction of a green or tee because of poor turf performance, be certain to i enti>jr the correct reasons for the pro lams before Ong on a reconstruction project Bove all, con- sider the grass-growing environment, and make improver~ients there before getting out the heavy equipment. Trees and underbrush that block sunlight and air circulation should be removed before considering reconstruction. In es difficult environments, i~ stallingp~ e~.'c fans for the e~dsting to may produce adequate improvement In some cases, greeng are rebu because they won't hold a shot. Th goes back to knowing what you hay to start with. Some holes, particular those on older courses, were new designed for the aerial style. of pie that is now in vogue. If you have green that won't hold a shot, considi the architecture of the hole. A downhi shot played to an elevated green, or or that falls away, is better suited for bump-and-run type of shot. Poor Performance of New Greens There are many reasons for poc performance of new greens, but ~ hags the most common is unreadisti golfer expectations. New greens requir several years to mature and stabilize and they generally cannot withstan~ the same amount of traffic and styes as older, established greens. Rushin; them into play too quickly and/o earpectirig too much too soon can resin in years of poor performance. Nev ggi~ns almost always play differentl; fi~+om older, mature greens, and the; usually require a very different main tenance program. For these reasons reconstruction of a few greens on ar old course .generally is best left as last resort. New green designs should bi checked carefully to insure that ade~ q~~ cePP~g area eldsts along with adequate surface drainage and traffic flow Again, areas of surface should not be located in highd areas. The impact of the gia~ss-growing environment on the perfom~iarice of the Putting greens cannot be overstated! An proposed new green or tee should be located so that it receives adequate sunlight ,penetration and air circula- tion. bnenting greens towards the south as opposed to the north makes a tremendous difference climatically, and generally produces healthier, more vigorous tuff. Insufficient Tee Space The following rule of thumb provides a simple and effective means of just how large tees should be: "One hun- dred square feet of usable teeing area is necessary for every 1,000 rounds of golf played annually for par 4s and par 5s. Double this figure for par 3s, the first and 10th tees, and any other holes from which irons are regularly struck." It should be noted that the The sand not removed from a bunker prior to reconstruction mss mired in sutth 1 ~~ 1 1 s '' 1 r 1 • pack two club-lengths, approadma ~ : ~ -one' dub length in the nt and on . the sides of the tce should not becon- ~ ~idenpd usable for the sake of the formula. Areas blocked by ~getation also fall into the unusable category. What the Wile of thumb does not indicate is how the teeing eras should be divided between forward, regales, and diampionship tees. This must be determined for each individual course, based on Soifer tendendes. However, thesmallest sin they yreceive the least amount of. wear. Chainpiomahip tees at some courses receive little platiy,- and it i$ generally the regular tees that should have the greatest amount of teeing area The multiple tee concept is quite popular and can add interest and flexibility to course setup. However, each additional tee increases the per- centage of unusable teeing area, and - this can elevate the cost of maintenance dnunatically. It is not uncommon to see four to five or more different tees for a given hole. but if they are small, the percentage of usable area actually maybe Quite low -Poor Performance of New Bunkers Bunker sand selection is of critical importance, and too often the choice is made based more on color than actual performance. There are no dearly defined specifications for bunker sand because choice is extremely subjective. Bunker sand performance is largely dependent on the shape of the partides and the size range of the partides induded in the sand, The best method of selecting bunker sand is to install several sands side-by-side in a bunker a year or more before the project begins. This ttyyppe of comparative study gives the gofers the opportunity to make the choice. Shortcuts during reconstruction often result th major problems, and this is especially true with bunkers. A favonte trick is to not remove the existing sand but simply to blend it with the surrounding soil and use the mixture to reshape the mounding This practice generally produces a droughty, . inconsistent soil with poor stricture that is incapable of supporting healthy turfgrass. Another common problem is failure'to provide supplemental irri- gation for the bunkers' banks, The ttufgrass surrounding the greens typi- cally is longer and'has a higher water requirement than the putting surfaces, yet with conventional irrigation sys- tams, the banks often receive less. Supplemental irrigation systems de- signed to water a banks indepen- dently of the greens will cure the problem. Failure to Make Adequate Allowances for Tl~at$c At most courses, traffic ~ one of the. most difficult problems su tendents deal with, and traffic pros are o&en created by poor design. Tlaffie problems are espedally common on older courses since most were never ~~ for the level of play they cur- mceive. effectivelyy wi' tli'tisffic and he follow iiaginvolve afewdesign oonsidetations; L Avoid I la ' immovable obstruct bona in high-traffic areas. Trees, shrubs, mounding, bunkers, etc., funnel traffic when located in high-traffic ax+eas, and thincanresult inimppossible-to- wear problems, It Is best toy ke walls-onlwalk-off areas around greens and toes as wide and as free of obstruct bons as possible. . 2. The same comments can be made for the entrances and exits ! of cart paw. Cheating as many pointspa pos- sibleforcarts toenter and exit thhss firs critical for spreading wear. . 3. Make sure that adequate surface drainage exists in all new.green d , and that the main areas of since drainage are not also the highest traffic areas. Remember, it doesn't matter how innovative or unique a design feature is; it won't play well if the tutfgiass cmri't be maintained successfully. CONCLUSION In this age of heightened environ- mental awareness, we must be espe- careful not to build environ- mental liabilities into our courses. For instance, drairi lines must be routed carefully so that pestiddes and nutrient leadsate and runoff is not emptied directly into a body of water. Buffer strips are effective filters of surface water runoff and should be planted around water bodies wherever possible to help stabilize banks and preserve water quality, More often than not, taking a critical, common-sense approach to golf course renovation will help you achieve satis- factory results. The process can be as simple as evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the course and assessing whether'or not proposed changes solve the existirig problems or create different ones. Granted, it 1E'- quires some imagination to envision . what the proposed changes will actually look like, but the plan out into the field and itir~istal ' ig a few stakes and painting a few lines to out- line the proposed work can help pro- vide a clearer image of the proposal. PinallY, taking care of obvious traffic and grass growing-environment prob- lemswill go alongwaytowards maldtig your project a success. DAVID OATIS is the director o f the USGA Green Sectton~s Northeastern Region. s i~ ~xsWas aur/ace aramage problenra ;'`. i. i 1 1' ~~ 1 1! 1 1 1 f '1 BYPASS ST. PETER: How to Have a Heavenl Munici~ al Golf Course! ~ P Taking out the politics can lead to a better public golf facility.. b9 PATRICK 1VL O'BRlOF1V "Municipal golf is one of this country least appreciated sports traditions. Instead of lavishing praise for the latest and greatest upscale private club, we ought to think more about afford- able access to quality courses near where marry people actually live." - Bradley S. Klein, Editor, Golfweek~ Superintendent News. UNICIPAL GOLF COURSES have been filling the need for affordable golf in the United States for more than 100 years. Zbday, 21 million of an estimated 26.5 million golfers in the United States play their golf on public-access courses. The demand for green fees under $40 at municipal courses is staggering. Unfortunately, a crisis exists today at many municipal golf courses. Poor management and local politics have resulted in unacceptable playing con- ditions. Excess golf revenues are being diverted to other recreational activities or into the pockets of management companies. Despite these problems, most mu- nicipal golf courses will continue to offer good. quality at fair prices. This article reviews the most common. mis- takes made and examines four case studies of municipal golf courses that have turned things around. Finally, a list of suggestions is provided to help any municipal course get on ,the road to success. The History of Municipal Golf Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, N.Y., was built in 1895 and is the oldest municipal .golf course in the .United States. Thousands of municipal courses have been built since then, and ~ they have provided millions of men, women, and children of all backgrounds with a place to learn the game.. Historically, municipal golf courses were operated MARCH/APRIL 2001 vunng creait wnene criean rs aria: ttetnpage State Park wtU host the 2002 U.S. Open Championship. . ~,y 1 1 ~~ 1 i 11 11 1 n n '~ by local parks and recreational depart- ments along with other field sport facilities, swimming pools, tennis courts, and area parks. These facilities, including golf courses, were viewed as recreational centers for the local citizens and were supported by tax dollars. As golf increased in popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, revenues at golf courses boomed. Local politicians be- gan to view their courses as a source of revenue to fund other local recreational programs and facilities. At the same time, politicians bowed to public pressure and reduced fees through the establishment of under-priced annual passes for local residents. Municipal golf courses were directed to operate as businesses, but they were not allowed to use their profits for course improve- ments,nor could they set fees that were commensurate with the service they were providing. When this occurred, course conditions frequently began to spiral downward rapidly. When a course hits bottom, the first attempt by local officials at upgrading often is to hire a professional manage- ment company to manage the entire golf course and to minimize the politics. Surveys taken prior to 1995 by the Reason Public Policy Institute indi- cate this trend. The number of pri- vately managed government courses increased 67% from 1987 to 1995, with approximately 25% of all cities employing a management company. However, the latest trend is away from management companies and toward operation of the courses as a municipal enterprise fund. An enter- prise fund is a process of funding the t ' ~ 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD golf course or other municipal service solely through the revenues it generates and without the benefit of taxpayer support. Quasi-independent golf course advisory boards are often established, and they control accounts funded by golf course revenues. Cities are finding out that they can create more efficient, better-maintained courses with fewer political disputes when using the enter- prise fund model. Here are a few real- life examples of successful municipal golf courses: Municipal Enterprise Fund Case Studies #1 Cottonwood Creek Golf Course (Texas) The Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco, Texas, was built in the middle 1980s by the city and immediately was leased to a management company. Public golfers are becoming more demanding of better golf course conditions at municipal facilities. Over the last few years of the lease, the number of rounds of golf had shrunk from 40,000 to the mid-20s as the reputation of the facility diminished in the community due to poor manage- ment. The city decided to take over the facility again and formed the Cotton- wood Creek Citizens Advisory Board. Each Waco city council person ap- pointed two members to this inde- pendent board. A total of 12 persons serve two-year appointments, with six appointments made each year. The Board is composed of all social and economic classes, and both public and private golfers. The perspectives and input from this diverse group have been invaluable. Board meetings are held monthly, usually over lunch, and generally last 90 minutes. Agenda items are discussed and recommendations made to the staff and city council on all aspects of the golf facility. The Advisory Board took a pro- active role and made a determination to reestablish Cottonwood Creek Golf Course as the premier municipal facility in central Texas. The Advisory Board's goal was to set the standard in central Texas for high quality, affordable golf. A mission statement was adopted that reads, "To provide a high quality and affordable golfing experience for central Texas golfers and a golfing facility that provides enjoyment and challenge for golfers of all skill levels," according to Michael Copp, Advisory Board Chair- man. The Board then identified and prioritized areas of need and developed a five-year strategic plan to accomplish this mission. The areas of concern in i; 1 1 1 1 order of priority were: (1) reconstruc- tion ofall putting greens, (2) installation of concrete cart paths throughout all 18 holes, (3) renovation of all bunkers, (4) new maintenance equipment acqui- sition, (5) update and improve the irrigation system, (6) tree planting and entrance beautification, and (7) new perimeter fencing in select areas. The putting green renovation and reconstruction was completed within months. Cart paths have been installed on the front nine holes, and the back nine holes are nearing completion. Some trees were removed and in other areas new trees were planted. A beauti- ful new entrance gate and landscaping were put in place. Course maintenance personnel have begun bunker renova- tion, with several of the bunkers already completed. The irrigation system is next in line to be addressed. The General Manager at Cotton- wood Creek Golf Course, a city employee in the Department of Parks and Recreation, is responsible for the budget. All revenues from the golf course are reallocated back into the facility. The city has been providing temporuy subsidies due to the major capital expenditures needed to rejuve- ? nate the course. The annual operational statements are brought to the Advisory Board for recommendations. The City Council ultimately approves the final budget and capital expenditures and generally approves the recommen- dations of the Advisory Board. The changes in conditions have made a dramatic turnaround. In less than two years time, the number of rounds of golf has increased again to over 43,000, with a continuing steady monthly increase trend. #2 Chicopee Woods Golf Course (Georgia) ' Hall County is a major metropolitan area northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. An 18-hole golf course was built in 1991 on land given to the county by the Johnson & Johnson Company. Over the past 10 years, the golf course has operated with no tax dollars under the jurisdiction of the Chicopee Woods Parks Commission, a subdivision of the State of Georgia. A Green Committee setup by the Parks Commission acts as the governing board that establishes fees, rules, and regulations for the golf course. A charter (Table 1) provides the basic philosophies that the Green Com- mittee carries out. Chicopee Woods is well known in the Atlanta area for its f affordable green fees and quality turf 'i conditions, and it attracts over 45,000 rounds of golf annually. The key to the success of this golf facility has been the governing struc- ture under the direction of the Green Committee. All revenue from the golf course, including green fees, cart fees, and driving range fees, is deposited into a reserve account. An income and expense balance sheet for the 2000 golf season is shown in Table 2. Funds from a special reserve account are used for golf carts, landscaping, maintenance equipment, capital improvements, golf course expansion, and golf cart paths. The Budget and Finance Committee, made up of the Vice Chairman and the TYeasurer of the Green Committee, prepares the annual budget for •sub- mission to the Green Committee with assistance from Dave Feser, golf super- intendent, and jim Arendt, golf pro- fessional. All financial information is public and given to the city and county officials, and is audited annually. Overall, the Green Committee con- sists of nine members who live in the community and have been appointed by the Parks Commission. Each mem- ber is appointed for athree-year term, and each member may serve a second term. The Chairman serves atwo-year term. The Green Committee also hires the golf course superintendent and golf professional. At the monthly meetings, long-range plans, fees, and other topics are discussed and reviewed by the Green Committee. This "citizen com- mittee" system works at Chicopee Woods and helps to insure quality golf for the public golfer. Chicopee Woods is currently building a third nine holes, designed by course architect Dennis Griffiths. This will be financed by a bank loan and paid for within 13 years from generated revenues. Truly a success! #3 Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Course (Massachusetts) The Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Course, built in 1991, has setup an Enterprise Account Fund to operate this popular golf facility in the town MARCH/APRIL 2001 1 r ,4 l '3 ~~ r f 1 of Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds has a reputation as one of the best munici- pal facilities in the Northeast. The course averages over 63,000 rounds per year and has a modest budget of approximately $550,000 annually. The town oversees the Enterprise Account and an independent Golf Advisory Committee made up of concerned citi- zens of the town meets monthly to dis- cuss potential issues facing the facility. The seven-member Golf Advisory Committee has several sub-committees to deal with tournaments, fee sched- ules, budgetary issues, etc., and makes recommendations regarding long- and short-range planning. The golf course is operated without any tax-generated revenue and spends what it makes. It is fully responsible for all debt service and bonds. T7~e golf facility charter includes a goal to pro- vide reasonable green fees for the residents of the community. Non-resi- dents are charged higher fees, and approximately 250/0 of the annual play comes from this income source that generates a significant portion of the annual revenue. With the popularity of golf in this resort town, a certain per- centage of the daily tee times are allocated for non-resident play due to their income value. Every holiday and weekend day in the summer typically is sold out for these tee times, and if any openings come about, they are offered to residents first. The golf course operates out of the Department of Recreation, with the Pro/Manager at the golf facility, Gary Philbrick, PGA professional, reporting to the Recreation Director. Bruce McIntyre, CGCS, is the golf superin- tendent who carries out the capital im- provementsand directs the daily course operations.ThePro/Manager and Golf Course Superintendent develop the annual budget and make recommen- dations for how to spend the money in the Enterprise Account through the Recreation Director. After the Recrea- tion Director and Golf Advisory Board review the budget, it is passed on to the Town Manager, who generally approves the proposed budget. T7~e Town Manager will then take the budget to the Town Council for final approval. In 1999, capital improve- ments for cart paths, new equipment, and irrigation improvements totaling over $200,000 were completed, with an approximate $100,000 surplus left in the Enterprise Account. These funds will be spent next year for additional course improvements or debt service. One major decision that really has promoted quality turf conditions with the high play is the fee system. Green fees for residents average between $29 and $36 for 18 holes, while non-resi- dent fees are between $55 and $69. Annual passes and discounts are avail- ableforresidents of the town for $595, and a "punch ticket" for 10 rounds can be purchased for $225. junior passes are also available for $195 annually, and this includes college students. Seniors purchase 70% of the annual passes. #4 Monmouth County Golf Courses (New Jersey) The Monmouth County Park System in central New Jersey has seven golf courses, including two facilities (Hominy Hill and Howell Pazk) in the Golf Digest Top 50 Public Courses. Dave Pease, General Manager of the MCPS Golf Courses, places a premium on course conditions. This manage- ment philosophy provides the best playing conditions possible for the daily-fee patron. Every facility is oper- ated with annual budgets in the range of $700,000 to $800,000. The successes of the management programs are based on the continuous support from all departrnents and administrations. Most importantly, the Board of Recreation Commissioners, an independent com- mission within .the Department of Pazks, has been a big plus for the famous conditions at these facilities. This boazd consists of 10 members appointed by the Boazd of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected county officials. Since the appointment is for a lifetime and without pay, only indi- viduals who have a vested interest in the county are chosen. The appointees come from all types of backgrounds, including blue-collar workers and pro- fessionals. The lifetime appointments help to insure a stable infrastructure. The Board of Recreational Commi- sioners is primarily apolicy-making board rather than a working board. This board meets twice monthly and sets the direction not only for the golf facilities, but also the rest of the Mon- mouth County park system. A few of their important responsibilities include approving course policies, operational and capital budgets, contract approval, and long-range plans. The golf course staff drafts all golf course budget issues for the Board of Recreation Commi- sioners, and Mr. Pease serves as a technical advisor for golf course opera- tions. "I keep the wheel greased for golf expenditures," explained Mr. Pease, "as all the recreational heads want a piece of the pie." Final decisions re- garding the budget rest with the Board of Recreational Commissioners, but they must operate within the budget set by the Board of Chosen Freeholders. 4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD ••,w•.w~ ~.~ spa course is a muntctpai or private facility, periodic renovations are important A new concrete cart path project was financed at Chicopee Woods G.C. by revenues from the reserve account. 1 ~- 1 11 i ~~ 1! 3 r 1 1 Funds to operate the golf courses came from the green fees, cart fees, and pro shop sales, and are deposited into the county treasury, but several trust funds also exist that retain a percentage of certain revenues for capital improve- ments. Non-resident green fees are double those of the county residents at each of the seven golf courses, and these fees usually generate 40% of the total revenue, even though non-resi- dents are only 15% to 20% of the total play. Overall, every dollar generated by the seven golf facilities is returned to golf from the county treasury and trust funds. The system works very well in Monmouth County, and over 50,000 rounds are played annually at each facility. The major complaint from the public is that "you can't get a tee time" and not that "there isn't any turf on the tees." Other Tips for Success for Public Golf Courses Municipal golf courses are a big business today, but they still offer the best opportunity to introduce new golfers to the game. The municipal facilities profiled in this article have experienced firsthand the challenges encountered with the operation of golf courses and have shared a few tips to help others stay on the road to success. Administrative • Find public-spirited golfers who play on your course and live in your community to serve on your advisory board. • Appoint citizens with varying play- ing ability. • Consider small business people, accountants, superintendents, attor- neys, and others who may have skills that you could draw upon. • Select as your first chairperson a very strong individual with strong organizational skills. • Appoint positive people to your governing board, not those who just complain. • Write a charter with your purpose clearly stated. • Hire the very best employees you can afford. Remember, excellent em- ployees will pay their way, while poor employees will not be cost effective. • Make the playability of the golf course your top priority when budget- ing any funds, either operational or for capital improvements. Eventually, the golf course reputation and consequent play will be able to pay for a few frills. • Keep "clubhouse" operations to a minimum! Remember, golfers come to play golf. • Remember that you are in a competitive situation with other golf courses and, as government or munici- pal operations, your only conflict might be that you have a community obliga- tion to provide for the young, the old, and the disadvantaged. This does not mean cheap golf for the average player. • Raise your income through an in- crease in fees each year -perhaps a minimum of 3% to 5%, and slightly more if you want to make some capital improvements. • Consider a discount for people from your political jurisdiction. • Stay strictly daily fee. • Do not issue season tickets. • Do not "yo-yo" prices, i.e., not increase fees for three or four years and then make a 20% increase. • Do not spend money for "fancy" when you don't have the basics. • Keep track of financial ratios and differences from year to year. Example: MARCH/APRIL 2001 Make some improvements on the golf course each year. Critically evaluate expenditures to allocate money to the appropriate area. i ~ i~ .~ 1 ', 1 ~I i i !. i 1 1 1 Total income divided by rounds played equals dollars brought in by an average customer. Is this number going up or down from year to year? This can be done with many different sets of numbers and tracked. • Remember to act as much as pos- sible as any for-profit business would. • Price yourself at an optimum, i.e., not so high you can't attract players and not so low that you either leave money on the table or can't give a reasonable quality product. • Be flexible with issues regarding unions, bureaucracy, and difficult clientele. • Hire rangers to police the players and ensure that customers follow the philosophies of the facility. Golf Maintenance • Make golf course maintenance the highest priority. • Keep uniform playing conditions throughout the golf course. • Do not attempt to have the "per- fect" conditions of TV golf, but do have good playing conditions throughout the golf course, in this order: putting greens, tees, bunkers, fairways, and rough. • Make fertilizer applications some- wherebetween adequate and optimum for turf growth. Too much is a waste, and too little will not give the results desired and therefore is almost a waste, too! USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD • Chemical plant protestant applica- tions should be made only if absolutely needed. • Accept some turf damage or weed infestations before initiating control measures. • Consider spot applications of fer- tilizers, herbicides and other plant protectants. • Hire an excellent mechanic and make equipment maintenance a very high priority. • Do not plant roses if you don't have good turf! • Dream but be practical. • Male some course improvements each year. • Decide where to spend capital monies by evaluating if this expenditure will tend to increase or decrease opera- tional budgets. This is not always easy, but it is very important if funds are hard to come by. For instance, permanently correcting a bunker that is routinely eroded by washouts will reduce opera- tional costs while a pretty flower bed or fountain will tend to raise operating costs. Those kinds of expenditures may be needed, but consider them carefully! • Remember that golfers come to your course to play golf. Invest as much as possible in the golf course turf conditions. • Don't spend large amounts of money on architectural improvements if they are really not needed. • Consult annually with a USGA agronomist to find out the latest infor- mation about turfgrass management, new products, and trends. • Use the largest turf equipment practical. This helps to keep Tabor costs down. • Have backups for your most impor- tant pieces of equipment. • Don't compromise on the necessi- ties offertilization, weed control, aerifi- cation, and divot repair. • Hire atop-notch assistant super- intendent. • Don't let the attitude of "I don't care" develop. Superintendents must be motivated and they, in turn, motivate the crew • As a superintendent, be seen and communicate with the golfers. There is a need for constant education. • Don't give in to the vocal minority. Develop a good agronomic plan and stick to it. • Mandate the use of non-metal spikes to reduce wear on the course. • Set up maintenance work schedules to avoid conflict between the workers and golfers during the course of normal daily grooming activities. Conclusion The public has adeep-rooted per- ception that municipal golf is low quality. Times have changed, and many municipalities are providing affordable, accessible, and better-conditioned golf courses for the public golfer. In fact, the 2002 U.S. Open will be played at the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, a state-operated golf course. There is hope for any municipal facility in need of improvements by following the advice and case studies in this article. Municipal golf courses are still the perfect venue to teach new golfers the traditions and proper eti- quette of play in an affordable and safe environment. Today's government officials might not be able to get you to heaven, but there is no reason why they can't provide a heavenly golf course. Acknowledgements: The author would like to thank Dave Feser, Dave Pease, Angelo Palermo, Bruce McIntyre, and Michael Copp for their assistance with this article. PATRICI{ M. O'BRIEN is Director of the USGA Green Section's Southeast Region. His golf career started at the North Park Municipal Golf Course, owned by Allegany County, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. c.nicopee woods Got/ Course (Georgia) operates under the jurisdiction of the Chicopee Woods Parks Commission. A Green Committee, established by the Parks Commission, conducts monthly meetings to establish fees and rules, review current activities on the golf course, and discuss long-range plans.