What's the biggest waste of money you see on a golf course?

[David Nelson]

For me it is a riveted bunker, Every 3-5 years they need redone dependent on there position. It takes huge amount of resources every year to keep on top of them i.e Turf, man hrs, machinery, fuel & sand. And to top it off they usually tend to build them back in the same position even if they dont work. fill them in!

What do you see as the biggest waste of money on a golf course?

[PThomas]

overwatering!

[PCCraig]

Extra stuff around each tee (ball washers, benches, divot sand, elaborate tee markers, yardage markers, hole signs, etc.)

Flower beds.

Driving ranges (you just need a field somewhere close to the first tee where you can hit a few wedges and/or irons...not an elaborate system of target greens, bunkers, a huge tee box, more benches, bag holders, and other general crap).

[Bruce Wellmon]

I play early almost every Saturday and Sunday.
Every Saturday and Sunday I pass a staff member leaf blowing the parking lot.
 And it is a huge lot.
Every day I think, why do we do this every day.

[Jud_T]

Clubhouses that could serve crap "gourmet" food to the entire extended Royal Family and put them up for the weekend when a shack with a cooler of cold beer, a grill with burgers, a few dry shirts and socks and a couple of sleeves of balls would do.

[jeffwarne]

overwatering!

Often cheaper to overwater=a low budget course is far more likely to do this....

[jeffwarne]

For me it is a riveted bunker, Every 3-5 years they need redone dependent on there position. It takes huge amount of resources every year to keep on top of them i.e Turf, man hrs, machinery, fuel & sand. And to top it off they usually tend to build them back in the same position even if they dont work. fill them in!

What do you see as the biggest waste of money on a golf course?

acres of maintained sand protecting the rough where a single scarier closer to play bunker would do

[George Freeman]

Extra stuff around each tee (ball washers, benches, divot sand, elaborate tee markers, yardage markers, hole signs, etc.)

Flower beds.

Driving ranges (you just need a field somewhere close to the first tee where you can hit a few wedges and/or irons...not an elaborate system of target greens, bunkers, a huge tee box, more benches, bag holders, and other general crap).

Pat - so I guess you wouldn't like this range (Diamante Cabo San Lucas):

[PCCraig]

George,

That's an impressive range facility, but if you either owned the golf course or were a member and were paying for it...would you think that's a good use of your $?

[Dan Kelly]

Driving ranges (you just need a field somewhere close to the first tee where you can hit a few wedges and/or irons...not an elaborate system of target greens, bunkers, a huge tee box, more benches, bag holders, and other general crap).

You picked the right club!

[PThomas]

overwatering!

Often cheaper to overwater=a low budget course is far more likely to do this....

pls explain how it could be cheaper..

even if it is, wasting water is never good

[George Freeman]

George,

That's an impressive range facility, but if you either owned the golf course or were a member and were paying for it...would you think that's a good use of your $?

Pat - I'm in complete agreement with you in that they are completely unnecessary.  However I think they think their target clients/members will expect this type of facility if they're paying the type of money it takes to join/be a property owner.

[jeffwarne]

overwatering!

Often cheaper to overwater=a low budget course is far more likely to do this....

pls explain how it could be cheaper..

even if it is, wasting water is never good

Let's suppose you have well water and an antiquated single row watering system and a miniscule budget.
It's the height of summer and you're losing grass which will cost even more money to reseed in the fall.
Certain areas need quite a bit more water than others due to shade, exposure to wind, elevation, soil, and drainage.
You can run the water an ideal time for certain spots, which will leave other spots dry and needing more to survive.
Or you can run it longer which will satisfy more spots and save the grass, but overwater in many.

The firm and fast so many crave comes from expensive, updated modern irrigation systems  perhaps coupled with extensive hand watering to keep all surfaces ideal, yet alive.

At a course with extremely finite resources, which would you choose?

[PThomas]

overwatering!

Often cheaper to overwater=a low budget course is far more likely to do this....

pls explain how it could be cheaper..

even if it is, wasting water is never good

Let's suppose you have well water and an antiquated single row watering system and a miniscule budget.
It's the height of summer and you're losing grass which will cost even more money to reseed in the fall.
Certain areas need quite a bit more water than others due to shade, exposure to wind, elevation, soil, and drainage.
You can run the water an ideal time for certain spots, which will leave other spots dry and needing more to survive.
Or you can run it longer which will satisfy more spots and save the grass, but overwater in many.

The firm and fast so many crave comes from expensive, updated modern irrigation systems  perhaps coupled with extensive hand watering to keep all surfaces ideal, yet alive.

At a course with extremely finite resources, which would you choose?

i see your point Jeff..I just hate so much for water to be wasted in any way

and this is not a firm and fast thing on my part,btw

[Scott Warren]

David:

For me it is a riveted bunker, Every 3-5 years they need redone dependent on there position. It takes huge amount of resources every year to keep on top of them i.e Turf, man hrs, machinery, fuel & sand. And to top it off they usually tend to build them back in the same position even if they dont work. fill them in!

I wonder what the cost of revetting every 5-10 years (only the very richest clubs would re-revet more frequently than that) is compared to the cost of constantly replacing sand that has blown out of non-revetted bunkers?

[PCCraig]

George,

That's an impressive range facility, but if you either owned the golf course or were a member and were paying for it...would you think that's a good use of your $?

Pat - I'm in complete agreement with you in that they are completely unnecessary.  However I think they think their target clients/members will expect this type of facility if they're paying the type of money it takes to join/be a property owner.

Makes sense!

[David Nelson]

David:

For me it is a riveted bunker, Every 3-5 years they need redone dependent on there position. It takes huge amount of resources every year to keep on top of them i.e Turf, man hrs, machinery, fuel & sand. And to top it off they usually tend to build them back in the same position even if they dont work. fill them in!

I wonder what the cost of revetting every 5-10 years (only the very richest clubs would re-revet more frequently than that) is compared to the cost of constantly replacing sand that has blown out of non-revetted bunkers?

Scott, good question, I have never cost it but I could try! It also depends on which way any bunker is positioned to whether it loses it's sand and 9-10 that is the bunker that will need to be revetted more frequently than the others.... A deep bunker with marram grass on the face or just a ragged edge may do the same job. I know erosion is a major factor for revetting as well but surely there must be a technique that can save all these clubs a huge amount of money each year!

[Marty Bonnar]

David,
Scott gently TRIED to tell you the correct spelling......
FBD.

[David Nelson]

yeah I see it....

[George Freeman]

These:



A simple gravel path where needed would suffice (and it looks a lot better too)...

[Dan Kelly]

David,
Scott gently TRIED to tell you the correct spelling......
FBD.

During the Second World War, with so many able-bodied Scotsmen on the Continent, naturally the Scotswomen had to pick up some of their jobs back home.

There was a famous poster celebrating those women.

One of them showed a woman flexing her bicep.

Her name: Rosie the Revetter.

[RDecker]

Most golf managers I heard talk on the subject would say that the clubhouse and particularly the dining room are the loss leaders at their club.
I'm sure there are exceptions but...

[David Nelson]

These:



A simple gravel path where needed would suffice (and it looks a lot better too)...

If there was ever a picture that summed up the title of a thread perfectly then this is it! Cartpaths, curbing, landscaping, benches, ball washers etc etc

I will keep my REVETTED bunker!

[JMEvensky]

Her name: Rosie the Revetter.

Good,but not in the same league as "more power to you...".

[Neil White]

OT but; Depending on how I'm playing on any particular day - I'd say my golf clubs...........

Neil.