The Pellucid Perspective - September 2012 - (Page 11)

GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION Course construction work showing some signs of life Few new courses, but architects, contractors and suppliers finding renovation and remodel work By Jim Dunlap C hristmas stockings may still be a little lighter this year ment cards back telling them what their customers say needs for the families of golf course architects, contractors and to be done. They’re putting out capital improvement money, but construction suppliers than in the pre-2008 years, but if they’re using it wisely, doing a little bit at a time. No matter what Mr. or Ms. Santa is prepared to take on smaller jobs for less the job is, when people see the improvements, it makes a big money, those stockings may contain something other than rocks. statement.” Wolfe said the majority of Pro-Turf ’s work, which The combination of generally benevolent 2012 weather, hungrier has been plentiful, is relatively minor work such as bunker work contractors and another year of deferred maintenance having or tee leveling, but there have been times he’s had to turn down passed appears to be spurring an uptick in minor coursework jobs because there’s so much demand. projects, if not new courses. While architects supplement increasingly rare design work “I think there is some of that,” said Phoenix-based course ar- with land master planning, landscape architecture or other work, chitect Forrest Richardson. “What I’ve seen is that operators and companies like Landscapes Unlimited and Toro have hedged owners realize that now is a good time, with the their new course construction bets as well. cost of money and other costs down. That may “What I’ve seen is Landscapes CEO Bill Kubly, whose firm gets eventually lead to an uptick. What I have seen more than its share of what new course conthat operators and struction work there is, also branched out into is an interest in doing these types of projects.” Throughout the 1990s and during the first owners realize that other forms of construction such as parks, few years of this century, “golf course construcsports fields and commercial complexes, and tion” signified new golf courses or major rebuilds, now is a good time, has also steadily expanded Landscapes’ course or “blowups.” Those days are over, and will alownership and management division. Toro, with the cost of most certainly never return in America. As of meanwhile, has augmented its irrigation system money and other business with products designed to improve the early August, the National Golf Foundation had detected a whopping six new 18-hole equivaperformance of existing systems, rather than a costs down.” lents opened in the U.S. in 2012. NGF Senior more costly full system replacement. Vice President Greg Nathan estimated that the “We’ve seen consistent work improvement FORREST RICHARDSON year’s total would be somewhere between 10 and since 2009, after everything came to a halt in COURSE ARCHITECT 15 new 18-hole equivalents opened domestically 2008,” said Steve Snow, director of golf sales and (which may still turn out to be high). Given the service for Toro Irrigation. “Some of the projects reluctance of lenders to finance new golf, the that were put on hold are starting to come back. moribund real estate market and the ominous golf participation The part of our business that’s growing the fastest is the ‘upgrade’ statistics, most of the new fairways and greens in America are likely business. We’ve developed more and more products to improve to be located on already existing golf courses. [existing] systems, so a superintendent can improve his existing The mild winter and early spring weather, particularly in the system by just putting in conversion assemblies, or improve system Northeast and upper Midwest, provided unexpected cash flow, performance and efficiency without forklifting in [and paying for] and combined with the ongoing battle for share-of-golfers, a a new controller system. People are definitely looking for producnumber of clubs and courses decided to pull the trigger on long- tivity improvements on things like fuel, power, labor and water.” delayed course improvements. Architect Tom Clark admits that he and partner Brian Ault “The first five months of the year were pretty darn good,” said are not as busy as they once were, but says he’s as busy as he John Brauer, VP of Sales for IVI/Sandtrapper. “Some people wants to be at this point in his life. He sees work coming along spent some money last year, and now their neighbors are hav- “in dribs and drabs,” but says, “It certainly isn’t a great rebound ing to spend some to keep up, especially since the first of year’s by any stretch of the imagination, but there’s a pulse. It may be weather was pretty good.” weak, but it’s a pulse.” Kip Wolfe, director of operations for Arizona-based Pro-Turf In these struggling times for the golf course construction inn International, agreed, saying “A lot of clubs are getting com- dustry, a pulse definitely beats the alternative. The Pellucid PersPecTive www.PellucidcorP.com 11 http://WWW.PELLUCIDCORP.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - September 2012

The Pellucid Perspective - September 2012
New golf industry financing sources emerge
How is your course really doing?
Industry finally warming to SNAG Golf
Sometimes figures lie, and liars figure
Course construction work showing some signs of life
August golf weather impact: Another winner
Chesapeake area courses hanging on by a claw
Phoenix considers options for municipal courses, including closure
FedEx Championship is confusing, but Rory isn’t

The Pellucid Perspective - September 2012