5/24/2013 - By Gregory Nicoll

As we head into the Holiday weekend, there is unofficial word that we are experiencing the coldest Spring in history. This has led to difficult growing conditions in some regions however many Golf Course Superintendents have had a break from the added pressures that “Mother Nature” can bring in a Spring Season, such as heat, humidity, excessive rain fall, timing of the ever-changing instars of insects, weed control, seed head suppression, the list goes on and on. 

2013 has given most a well-deserved edge on the growing season, especially in the Northern Markets.

We have heard many stories through the years of Superintendents having to do more with less. As budgets are cut and condition expectations rise throughout the industry, it gets extremely difficult for Golf Course Superintendents to manage their golf courses with the many pressures they face.

Is the season of 2013 the year of the Superintendent?

Mother Nature has given many a “hall pass” by delaying force factors of added chemistry and fertilizer applications. What does this mean? Many managers have additional inventories because scheduled sprays have been delayed by weather. What would you do?

Would you take the opportunity to use the unused inventory to make other areas on your properties more appealing? Perhaps apply an unused herbicide or insecticide application in your native area? Make a fertilizer application to the rough, clubhouse lawn, or flowerbeds? The places that used to see the attention in the past and now don’t because of tighter budgets.

How do you define added value?

Saving monies or using funds wisely? It’s a great debate. Most GM’s are all about the bottom line and need to see the “net income” dollar increase. Of course, one would say, added value on a golf course keeps the customer coming back and talking about your facility to his friends, family and business partners. What creates the “wow factor” is added value.

How will you create wow factor in 2013?