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

[Ed Brzezowski]

Golf carts and cart paths!!!!

[Mark Chaplin]

We must try riveted bunkers they will last for years!

Scott sand is the one thing we have unlimited free supplies of. Cost of revetting? Well it's a winter job when you are paying the staff to do winter projects, turf is locally grown, needs minimal fuel to transport it and the machinery is hand tools. The implicit cost will be far higher than the actual explicit cost.

[David_Elvins]

Scotty Cameron putters.

[John Kavanaugh]

I hate to steal the predictable prize out of the grasp of Shivas, but, in all my years I have seen nothing more wasteful than giving away free access to Golfweek raters.  It's a con on the face of golf.

Note: Digest rankings sell memberships. I have zero problem greasing their palms.

[Sean_A]

I hear about it more than I experience it - greens stimping over 10 - what a waste both in terms of money and quality architecture.

Ciao

[John Kavanaugh]

Sorry boys but if not for carts and really fast greens I might just give up the game.

[Sean_A]

Sorry boys but if not for carts and really fast greens I might just give up the game.

No need to be sorry JakaB, its your money being wasted - tee hee.  Just don't try to run for office...

Ciao

 

[Howard Riefs]

The standard, run-of-the-mill cart path of poured concrete is such a cliche.

Go big: the faux cobblestone design:



Credit: golfblogger.com

[JNC Lyon]

Sprinkler systems in non-rainy environments.

Fazio renovations.

Excessive bunkering.

GPS-equipped carts.

[Patrick_Mucci]

P Craig,

I agree with you.

I call it the "feminization" of golf, flowers, flower beds, decorative shrubs, bushes and trees.

Years ago, while playing Lehigh, I noticed them everywhere and I mean everywhere.
When I asked the super what Percentage of his budget they occupied, labor, maintainance and expense, I was shocked at how high the number was.

If everyone of them was eradicated, it would have had no impact on the course or the play of the course and it would have allowed that savings to have been applied to more worthwhile projects,

[Morgan Clawson]

The kids who insist on carrying your bag to a cart (because you couldn't possibly carry it another step further) and pretend that they are cleaning your clubs after a round while you search for their tip.

[Mark McKeever]

Well put Pat.  At Lehigh they could use the cash to fall a few pine trees!!  Heck, they could do that at Schuylkill too, although there are fewer flowers around.

Mark

[Jonathan Decker]

"complimentary" bottled water as opposed to jugs or drinking fountains.  I've worked at two clubs that did this, one being a 36 hole university facility, the other being a very high end private club.

50,000 rounds x 2 bottles per round x $.75ea = $75,000

Keep in mind about 80% of the water gets poured after the ground.  Let's just assume they recycle all the plastic bottles:-)

Call me a tree hugger, but this waste just grinds me.

[Mark Johnson]

starters at private courses mid-week.

[jeffwarne]

"complimentary" bottled water as opposed to jugs or drinking fountains.  I've worked at two clubs that did this, one being a 36 hole university facility, the other being a very high end private club.

50,000 rounds x 2 bottles per round x $.75ea = $75,000

Keep in mind about 80% of the water gets poured after the ground.  Let's just assume they recycle all the plastic bottles:-)

Call me a tree hugger, but this waste just grinds me.

I am amazed at how much bottled water wealthy people consume

[Chris Tritabaugh]

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!

From a range standpoint yes, for all the other stuff he mentioned; no.

[Mark Johnson]

completely disagree on the range comments.   For me, a high quality range/ practice areas is a huge differentiator.

Some practice ranges I can remember which are worth every dime

1) Kinloch... best i have ever seen
2) Shoal Creek
3) Secession

[Dan Kelly]

completely disagree on the range comments.   For me, a high quality range/ practice areas is a huge differentiator.

I'm with you, Mark.

In fact, the practice area (i.e., the chipping/pitching green) is what I REALLY like at Chaska.

[Ken Fry]

Fountains.

I love when I hear someone describe a course with a comment like, "What a great course.  The fountain on 18 is first class."  Only to be outdone by turning on the lights under water after dark so said fountain can be seen from the dining room!

Ken

[William_G]

These:



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

+1

Overwatering

Fountains, waterfalls

HOw about the clubhouse, LOL!

[Mike_Young]

if it's total $$$ volume of an expense I would say lightweight fairway mowers and walking greensmowers over quality triplex units and good 11 bladed ground driven reel mowers.
If it's capital expense I would say cart paths and "shaped: practice areas and rock walls.

[jeffwarne]

Fountains.

I love when I hear someone describe a course with a comment like, "What a great course.  The fountain on 18 is first class."  Only to be outdone by turning on the lights under water after dark so said fountain can be seen from the dining room!

Ken

So I set up someone to play a famous waterfall course on Thanksgiving Day.
8:00 shotgun so course could close early for the Holiday.
They turned off the waterfall as soon as the shotgun finished playing (he watched a dry "waterfall" during lunch)

[Morgan Clawson]

"complimentary" bottled water as opposed to jugs or drinking fountains.  I've worked at two clubs that did this, one being a 36 hole university facility, the other being a very high end private club.

50,000 rounds x 2 bottles per round x $.75ea = $75,000

A lot of courses went to bottled water because they were afraid of distributing water with bacteria in it.  Not a concern with bottled water.
And if they're purchasing 100,000 bottles I bet they're only paying around 10 cents a bottle...

[Brad Isaacs]

"complimentary" bottled water as opposed to jugs or drinking fountains.  I've worked at two clubs that did this, one being a 36 hole university facility, the other being a very high end private club.

50,000 rounds x 2 bottles per round x $.75ea = $75,000

Keep in mind about 80% of the water gets poured after the ground.  Let's just assume they recycle all the plastic bottles:-)

Call me a tree hugger, but this waste just grinds me.

Gentleman,

In the Phoenix area (as the story goes) a course had jugs that became contaminated and made some people sick. Hence liability dictated water bottles. Bless our legal system.  So while it is enviornmentally wasteful, etc. it is better than no water.

Brad
I am amazed at how much bottled water wealthy people consume

[David_Elvins]

A lot of courses went to bottled water because they were afraid of distributing water with bacteria in it.  Not a concern with bottled water.
And if they're purchasing 100,000 bottles I bet they're only paying around 10 cents a bottle...

Whilst there have been a few possible incidents with water coolers and jugs of water,  I am not sure that there has ever been any widespread issue with drinking fountains or taps.