Technical
For numerous reasons - economical, societal, political and demographic - revenue decline is a very real issue for golf courses and sports facilities these days.
In many cases, turfcare managers are being asked to do more with less resource, maintaining top-quality golf courses and sports facilities on flat and, in some cases, declining budgets. And, whilst resources may diminish, the expecations of the members, players and viewers do not - they still want, and demand, a great experience and value for their membership fees or ticket price
Machinery budgets
Do more with less!
trickle effect is yet to fully recover. Day after day, clubs experienced membership decrease as the economy floundered. The result was lower revenues, which
Trevor Chard
In this article, Trevor Chard, national account manager (golf) with Reesink Turfcare, looks at how to make the most of a modest budget to retain the high standards your members and customers have come to expect. Things are still impacted by the 2008 global financial crisis. It was all change from that year forward as panic and fear, combined with uncertainty over the future of the world’s major economies kicked in and disposable income spending was seemingly instantly curbed. Significantly for the UK, the drop in tourists visiting, mainly from America, to play at our prestigious and historic courses stalled and that
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translated - then and still do today - directly to lower operating budgets, which impacts how well the job-in-hand can be done. I’m often asked what the best areas or machines are to focus on, even which is the best ‘all-rounder’ machine to go for if you are working to reduced budgets, and the fact is there is no simple answer. It is impossible to pick that one machine for a golf course, for example, that will provide the clean, sharp and precise cut members want to see on the greens, which can then turn its hand to tackling the semi-roughs and roughs. That said, whilst it is virtually impossible to cut the machinery fleet required to do an excellent job right down, planning and careful logistics management can see you use the machines you do have more intelligently, to get maximum productivity from them. Here’s how… For golf clubs, when budget allows and if you
can only purchase one mower, invest in a greens machine. Then the machine you were using on the greens can move onto the often less demanding tees, which don’t need such a fine finish. Machines these days are built to last and working a plan like this will see you get another few years, at least, of decent productivity out of them.
Hybrid and hydraulics
For longer-term, choosing hybrid, such as the Toro Reelmaster 5010-H, is a sensible decision, as is opting for less hydraulics when possible. Aside from the obvious environmental
benefits, choosing a hybrid is a good choice for your bottom line. Better fuel economy can save up to twenty percent more on fuel than a conventional mower. Add to this the benefit of a PowerMatch drive system, which sees the machine only produce the power it needs for the mowing conditions, bringing a further reduction in operating costs. The elimination of all hydraulic components within the cutting units, and therefore over one hundred potential hydraulic leak points, is another way to help save on costs.
Machinery efficiency
It can be extremely difficult to generate additional revenue, especially in such a competitive marketplace where players can ‘price shop’ for the best perceived playing value. Focus on the maximum return on your expenditure and stretching your budget by engineering efficiency from your fleet. Increased operating efficiency reduces operating costs and lowers the consumption of resources; nothing gained overnight, but long- term, say over a year or more, and your budget will go further. Let me explain… New advancements in turfcare machinery
product design and development means the opportunities for maximising machinery efficiency is better than ever. For example, a new interchangeable cylinder attachment for the Toro LT-F3000 gives the front-facing triple flail mower the capability to cut both coarse or fine grass. Such innovation has provided the groundscare sector with the ideal machine to maximise productivity and cost effectiveness - one machine can now do the job of two, and a machine that was originally intended as a flail
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