A good crowd gathered to hear Bruce Williams teach about “The Business Side of Golf Course Management” in a half-day seminar. Falling under the umbrella of classes they don’t teach you in turf school this seminar focused on the key areas for success in running a small business within an overall golf facility.
Golf course superintendents are given an average of a million dollars or more to manage for their owners. It is money that is entrusted and the expectation is that it will be spent wisely and that the department will run in a business-like fashion. There are a variety of ways to manage the money including Program Budgeting and Zero Base Budgeting, but it is imperative to use proper accounting procedures and understand the greater needs of the facility in terms of cash flow and progress toward fiscal goals for the year.
Hiring is just one part of human resources. But it might be the most important part. Hiring the right people, then establishing proper training to get the optimal output from each member of your team. This requires a lot of time and effort in the arena of personnel management. Praise properly and the same with reprimanding and constructive criticism.
The establishment of Long Range Plans, Maintenance Standards, Equipment Replacement Plans and such are all a part of an overall business plan for the golf course maintenance department. With million-dollar fleets, million-dollar budgets and multi-million-dollar properties to manage, this should be the norm and not the exception.
Through interactive discussion sessions attendees were able to share new ideas that could best position them for success. Green grass is important, but don’t ever overlook the business side of golf course management!
