What was the project you worked on?
We did an irrigation project about five years ago, a while after I came on. When they looked for a new superintendent, they asked everybody in the interviews, “What are your feelings about the irrigation system?” The only people that got second interviews were the people that said, “You need a new irrigation system.” The irrigation system was really dated. The first year in we had a lot of problems with it, especially in the pump house. We did a good job documenting those problems.
How’d you go about making the sale to your course?
Through talks with the green committee, we knew our ultimate goal was to put in an irrigation system but it was going to be a tough sell. So we documented all the problems. If we had a breakdown in a pump station, we made sure everybody knew that. You always pre-sell any project that you’re looking to do to pretty much to every member of the board. So when you go into a board meeting, you need all this stuff pre-sold, so each board member takes ownership of the idea. When it does come up to the board, all the sudden they feel like, yeah, this is a good idea that I came up with. Even if they didn’t, they still feel that way.
It went in front of the membership. They needed X amount of percentage to get it over. We had the USGA come in and we had Dave Otis give a presentation about our irrigation system and the benefits of a new irrigation system. We did not bring in any of the consultants we had hired. We felt that the membership would look at them and say, “Well of course he’s going to say we need a new irrigation system. You’ll make money on it.” The USGA is Switzerland here. Dave did an awesome presentation. He walked off the stage and said, “I tried my best, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.” About three weeks later they had a vote, and it passed.
So what would you say were the secrets of getting this project through?
Really, just presell, presell, presell, document and use the right people. I didn’t go in front of a board and talk to them until I had spoken to each individual board member about it. You know, I would talk to the board member and say, “Hey, have you got five minutes? I just want to show you something,” and then go out and show them where I’m having trouble with the irrigation. You know, “Can you come down? I want you to take a look inside our pump house. This is what the story is here.” We took photos, a lot of photos. We had bad electrical down there. I don’t want to sound like this is a trick, but anytime you go and start saying this is a safety hazard, people listen. One of my lines is, “I hope I don’t get barbecued down there, because my wife’s gonna own the course.” My first year here, we had a lot of stressed areas because of irrigation problems. We took lots of photos to show hey, this is what it looks like. My old assistant went out and took photos of all the stressed areas. As a follow up, and it really worked out well, we took pictures of the course after the system was in for about two years. We did an August pic of what it looked like that first year, and what it looked like a year or two after we put the system in, and it was night and day. People didn’t really realize it until they saw it. The best way I think to do it is through photos. You can give them: “The PSI isn’t correct, we’re not getting good coverage.” They don’t understand it, and they really don’t care. All they care about is that the golf course is in good shape. They don’t want to hear the technical stuff.
How do you go about pointing out the need for a project without sounding like whining?
Some of that stuff, you almost have to prove yourself in other areas. If you go around saying, “This stinks, this stinks,” they’re not going to listen. But say, “This is a problem we have, this is how I propose to solve it, and this is what you’ll get.” Show how you can do things with less. People appreciate that. You have to spend the money like it’s your own. Show them where they’re saving their dollars and that’s important, it’s their money, You’ve really got to understand it’s their money, their dues. I see a lot of guys say, “It’s my golf course. I’m gonna do it.” No, it isn’t; you’re a superintendent. Keep your ego in check. You can’t keep saying, “Me, me, me.” It’s “us” and “your course”: “I want to do it for your course.” You can’t say, “I want to do it because it makes my life easier,” because you know something? They really don’t care how easy your life is. Show them what it’s going to do for them. They really don’t care if you’re here for five hours on that Saturday afternoon or what kind of hours as long as the course looks good. You’re not going to sell them on: “That’s going to free my Saturday.” You’re going to sell: “I can water in-between play and I won’t disturb you.” It’s all about them.
About the author
Kyle Brown is GCI's associate editor.
Henry DeLozier
Henry DeLozier
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Kyle Brown
