Re: How do you convince a greens committee to upgr

[Paul Richards]

EDUCATION!!!!

You have to beat them over the heads with information and do it again and again.


Good luck.  It's very frustrating, but, ultimately, worth it.

[TEPaul]

quasssi:

It would seem that you have a long haul ahead of you! The simplest way to do what you're hoping for, in my opinion, is to identify a few courses in your area that have the things you're looking to propose and do to your course. Then show those that need to be convinced first those courses and explain to them that your course too can have those things (and even possibly without a cost increase!). Unfortunately you'll need to do some necessary research to be sure that is in fact true. If it is true and if they can understand that and accept it you'll be well on your way to getting what you want done!

[Forrest Richardson]

Suggest an appraisal. A bona fide golf course appraisal can not only show them improvements, but can be given to members and property owners as a link to showing increases in their stake in the course -- once, of course, improvements are made.

[A_Clay_Man]

I have pondered the best course of action for change and the only logical step is to carry some form of photographic equiptment with you and everytime you see evidence of poor conditioning film it. Also, I would include some pics of what you perceive good conditions look like, so those without a clue, can purchase one in the lobby.

[Ed_Baker]

First, how does your greens budget compare with similar courses in the area?

The problems you describe seem mostly of a manicuring, man hour accountabilty nature. If the budget is adequate, then the task of getting a bang for your labor dollar becomes much easier to fix.

One concern from your post would be why did the golf course have to be "regrassed?" Are there agronomic issues that have to be dealt with first?

Also, if you have served on the green committee and the other committee members are unconcerned about course conditions, then you face the much more difficult problem of trying to change club culture/mindset.

I faced a similar circumstance but it took 7 years and a ton of work to raise the bar enough so that rank and file members now demand excellence.

Dave Miller is a member of your club and very familiar with what methods work and what to research initially.

Good Luck.

[TEPaul]

quasssi:

Just so you can have the benefit of all our advice, the method I'm about to spell out for you works wonders in some situations and amongst some memberships and committees.

But since I don't know your members or committees or their particular frame of mind all I can do is just offer the advice anyway.

Whenever you deal with them have a big Colt Magnum 45 in a holster strapped to your waist in plain view and leave no doubt that you're prepared to use it! Not only does that facilitate persuasion and convincing it can do it extremely quickly!

[TEPaul]

quasssi:

May I ask why there are three "s" in succession in your name when it would appear two would do?

[SL_Solow]

Have you talked to your superintendent?  Does the greenskeeper feel a problem exists?  Are there soil or other problems?  Is it a budgetary issue?  If he is a competent professional he will want to do a good job and if handled discretely he should be able to help you focus on the key issues to raise with your committee and/or membership.

[TEPaul]

To convince a club to upgrade their course I like the example of Brian Silva and a good old course in Florida who's architecture had not been well looked after in many a decade (not condition now, architecture).

This will be a bit of paraphrasing but the impact should show through. (Sorry, Brian if you look in here but the story sure does reflect well on you, from all I heard). For those of you who don't know of or who've never met Brian Silva he can definitely be one of the funnier people you will run across!

Anyway, the club gets Brian to look into a Master Plan for the architectural restoration of the course, and Brian goes down there to present.

Not sure whether Brian was presenting his ideas on what generally needed to be done to a full blown committee or the whole membership but anyway Brian gets up in front of them and says:

"You people are playing golf on a real dogtrack. But underneath this dogtrack is a great old golf course and great old architecture. SOOO, you people can play on a dogtrack for the rest of your lives or you can play on a really great old restored golf course if you want me to do a master plan and restoration for you. THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

And Brian sat down!!

There're still talking about the unbeleivably effective presentation Brian layed on them--still laughing about it too!

[Patrick_Mucci]

TEPaul,

That's not the problem Quassi alludes to.

The golf course, the architecture, is fine, just the way it is.

Quassi's complaint is maintainance, or rather, the lack of it.

It would seem to be a budgetary item.  However,

If I were on that green committee the first thing I would do is have a private, candid conversation with the superintendent.  I'd find out what he thinks.
Is he requesting and getting the appropriate funds.
Is the problem really the lack of allocation of funds, or the surperintendent, or a combination ?

Admiral's Cove is one of those community courses, and the members of those courses are friendly with members of other community courses as well as other golf courses, all of whom usually take pride in the condition of their golf courses.

So, again, I think you have to ascertain the root of the problem.  Then, once it is identified, you can tackle it in prudent fashion.  That's stage two.

[TEPaul]

Pat:

I know it's the maintenance not the architecture--use your imagination, will ya?

Quasssi:

If you want to get the membership's attention on this matter just get Pat down there for the club's most attended and sumptuous dinner. In the middle of it Pat will grab a microphone and bellow at the entire assembly:

"I don't know what in God's name is going on out there on this grubby looking golf course of yours but you people must be BIASED against someone to maintain it that way and I'm here to figure out who that someone is and what the Hell's going on here...now give me your Master Plan and all the FACTS, RIGHT NOW!!"

That'll get their attention! And Pat will hand you the microphone and you put the hard sell on them!

And don't forget to show them a little bit of that holster, now!

[TEPaul]

Quasssi;

OHMYGOD, I think Fred Ruttenberg belongs to that golf club: You tell him for me to get on this situation and get in solved in no less than a month or I'll come down there and shoot him myself!