Golf Inc - April 2008 - (Page 21)

‘Let’s make it a fun experience’ OPERATIONS PROFILE Former USGA executive Tim Moraghan says golf industry needs to be more realistic on economic expectations On the course itself, Moraghan be lieves strongly in placing top priority on green conditions. “Fifty percent of the game is played on the putting surface,” he said. “When your greens are not good, I don’t care what the rest of the operation looks like. If you’re spending more time on your hazards then you are on your greens, that’s fundamencourse,” he said. “The people who are 20-handicappers are playing. I don’t like impossible locations that make me miss putts all day. Let’s make it a fun experience.” Looking at the industry as a whole, Moraghan believes the respective costs of a barrel of oil and a gallon of water are the biggest issues facing operators. In the face of that challenge, he said it’s time for everyone involved in the ga game, from owners down to player to lower the expectations they ers, pl place on superintendents. “It amazes me that you can go to the United Kingdom and play th dead, dusty, dry courses and these th think they’re the greatest thing si since sliced bread, yet we come to th U.S. and see one brown spot the an we’re ready to go after the and su superintendent’s head,” he said. “W have to lower our expecta“We ti tions if we’re going to be environm mentally sensitive.” Over the years, Moraghan has se many incredibly well-conseen di ditioned courses, but three parti ticular U.S Opens stand out in his m mind. “Last year at Oakmont Countr Club, Congressional Country try C Club in 1997 and then Bethpage in 2002 are probably the three be conditioned I’ve ever seen,” best h said. “I think the guys at he B Bethpage were a little frustrated by being called just a public course over and over again, so they were determined. At Congressional in 1997 there wasn’t a blade of grass out of place and last year it was spectacular. The place was perfect. There was nothing I could even tell them at that point.” —Scott Desiere im Moraghan spent more than two decades working to prepare the most prestigious golf courses in the nation for its most prestigious annual event. Now he’s bringing his expertise to any operators willing to listen. After 21 years as director of championship agronomy for the United States Golf Association (USGA), a position in which he was responsible for helping to prepare golf courses for national championship events, including each year’s U.S Open, Moraghan recently launched his own firm, Aspire Golf Consulting. Those who’ve worked with Moraghan know just what an asset his insights can be. “He doesn’t like to lead on how intelligent he is, but he is such a bright guy and he really knows his stuff,” said Marty Parkes, former senior director of communications for the USGA. “I’ve heard so many people talk about what a good guy he was to work with and about how his expertise was so critical for them.” Moraghan plans on being a behind-the-scenes consultant for course owners, advising them on ways they can improve their business from both an economic and agronomic standpoint. “Often times that means dispelling misconceptions about how things should be and how much money has to be spent,” he said. “The experience I’ve gathered, I can bring that to the table for the average club,” he said. “When you can reference that at Winged Foot we did this and at Pebble Beach we did this, not too many people aren’t going to listen.” T tally wrong. Your bunker does not have to be a holy land. A hazard is by definition not supposed to be a fun place.” Moraghan also thinks little things like hole locations are too often overlooked. “I see so many bad hole locations set. Tiger Woods is not playing your golf April 2008 www.GolfIncMagazine.com 21 http://www.GolfIncMagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Golf Inc - April 2008

Golf Inc - April 2008 Contents Editors Column Birney Takes NGCOA Helm Construction Costs on the Rise KemperSports Adds 14 Courses Americas: Fazio Designs St. Kitts Layout Europe/Africa: Seaside Resort Planned in Egypt Asia/Australis: Faldo Opens New Chinese Course High-Tech Tools: New Technologies that can Help Operators There's No Economic Slump at Still-Popular Reynolds Plantation Tim Moraghan Wants to Make Golf Fun Again Why a $1.5 Billion Resort has Made Environmental Protection a Top Priority Most Admired Operators Marketing Experts Make Their Pitch for Golf Courses From Korea, with Cash Last Word

Golf Inc - April 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.