When it comes to the care and maintenance of a golf course, there are always more tasks than there is time. While pushing to use as many precious minutes as possible to make a positive impact on the course, an important area can get overlooked – the turf care facility.
Often built in a remote corner of the property, the turf care facility is typically hidden from view and easily forgotten about by those who do not call it their home base. It is easy to fall into the trap of feeling like details there do not matter as much, and while it doesn’t need to be the Taj Mahal, it should be functional and efficient. Spending a small amount of time keeping the area clean and organized will do more than promote efficiency. It will help instill an attention to detail among the staff that will translate to the golf course and help build a sense of pride in the property that pushes employees to take the extra step.
Keeping the maintenance yard clean should be part of the crew’s regular responsibilities, whether these tasks are treated as a group effort or a rotating weekly responsibility. Treating it like any other task reinforces the idea that caring for the facility is part of maintaining the entire property. Hold this space to the same standard of cleanliness you expect when caring for areas that golfers use. Basic tasks like sweeping floors, wiping down tables and cleaning restrooms don’t take much time, but they make a noticeable difference. The same goes for rinsing off muddy shovels and clearing grass packed into string trimmer heads before putting tools away.
For equipment technicians, cleanliness in the equipment repair area isn’t just part of the job – it’s a safety issue. Tools should be put away daily and floors kept clear of tripping hazards. Spills need to be cleaned up right away, and storage areas for fuels, oils and lubricants should be kept clean and well organized. Once you’ve got the shop and maintenance facility looking the way you want, there are two simple rules for everyone to follow: Put things back where you found them, and if you make a mess, clean it up.
An important feature of the equipment repair area that often gets overlooked is adequate lighting. This space shouldn’t feel like a cave – if it does, it’s neither safe nor efficient for your equipment technician. High-quality, precise work simply can’t be done in poor lighting. Improving visibility may mean upgrading or adding overhead fixtures. Switching to LED lighting can increase brightness while allowing for more fixtures on the same circuit. Equipment and tool storage areas should be well-lit also. By providing more light you can eliminate the frustration of rummaging around to find the right tool or damaging equipment trying to pull it out of a tight space in the dark.
It’s understandable that some details around the maintenance facility get overlooked when things are busy out on the course, but it’s worth finding time to keep it as clean and functional as possible. It may not be easy at first, there will need to be accountability, and it will take time to become a habit. However, what comes out of this work will be worth the effort. Efficiency will increase, safety hazards will be mitigated, and without preaching it, a sense of pride in the overall property will begin to grow.
West Region Agronomists:
Brian Whitlark, regional director, West Region – bwhitlark@usga.org
Ross Niewola, agronomist – rniewola@usga.org
Heather Schapals, agronomist – hschapals@usga.org