Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group

Transcription

1 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group David H. Robinson Senior Director - Golf Grounds; Marriott International / The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., LLC TAO Committee Chair

2 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Backgrounder Who We Are We are a committee comprised of the top agronomic officers of the nation s largest multi-course golf companies representing more than 800 golf courses. We are responsible for the conditioning of those facilities including maintenance, agronomics, economics, and environmental stewardship. Our Mission To enhance golf course ownership through active leadership that advances and promotes the art, science and business of sustainable golf course maintenance. Why We Collaborate We are passionate about the game and business of golf and we see opportunity to positively influence the sport through our collaborative efforts on information sharing, education, economics of maintenance, and environmental stewardship. What We Strive to Accomplish Our current strategic initiatives include: Operations study to define operational metrics Participation in the education of the public on the benefits of golf courses and the key drivers of sustainability Development of GCSAA educational sessions Monitoring of the emerging market for carbon credits and/or nutrient credits Development of constructive methods for TAO idea and information sharing How We Work We are lead by an elected steering committee comprised of a chairperson and vice chair who are elected by the TAO committee for one year terms. The vice chair transitions to the chairperson position at the end of that year. The steering committee also includes the immediate past chairperson and an NGCOA facilitator. Sponsors participate periodically and we engage golf s allied associations in our initiatives. We make decisions on a consensus basis. When We Meet We convene twice a year at the NGCOA s Annual Conference in February and again at the NGCOA s MCO Retreat in July. The Steering committee meets via conference calls between meetings and sub-teams comprised of TAO members are utilized in order to progress the strategic initiatives on our agenda.

3 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Accomplishments Networking Roundtable discussion and sharing of ideas on all operational aspects of multi-course ownership and management including, but not limited to agronomics, business, environment, and government. Allied Association Relations The Golf Course Superintendents Association, Golf Course Builders Association, the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and the USGA Green Section are all active participants in the TAO Group. Specialty Equipment and Chemical Product Needs Syngenta and The Toro Company sponsor and are active members of the TAO Group. Their participation affords TAO representatives immediate access to inside information about new equipment and chemical development before it is available to the general market. It also allows the TAO Group to express specific concerns and needs in regards to their respective products. Education Education tends to be focused on single course superintendents. It focuses on technical agricultural topics that are comprehensive, affordable, and attainable. Through the TAO Group, the goal is to provide education for the multi-course operators by developing educational tracks that include financial, business, people management & communication skills, and credentials. In addition, the TAO Group has presented an educational seminar at the GCSAA Education conference for the last 5 years. Environmental stewardship & ROI The TAO Group works with other industry organizations to evaluate and modify certain industry standards to improve environmental sustainability. The TAO Group discusses how environmental compliance and environmental safety issues can translate to ROI, how the industry communicates and promotes environmentally sensitive golf courses to effectively improve public perception, and how to best capitalize on Carbon & Nutrient credits/trading, Water Conservation Programs, and Third Party Programming. In addition, several of the TAO members take leadership roles in promotion of Audubon International, EPAR, and Carbon Footprinting. TAO Benchmarking The goal of the TAO Operating Metrics Survey is to provide comparative benchmark information against which TAO industry companies/facilities can compare their agronomic operating performance. This information provides valuable insights for gauging strengths, weaknesses and improvement opportunities in the area of agronomy.

4 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Directory American Golf ASGCA Audubon International Billy Casper Golf Century Golf Partners Management LP ClubCorp USA Inc Clublink Corporation CourseCo Crown Golf - UK Cypress Golf Course Services Eagle Golf e-par USA, Inc. Forward Group French Golf Course Owners Association GCBAA GEO GolfHyatt GreatLife Greenway Golf Heritage Golf Group LLC Hilton Golf Worldwide Honours Golf IGM/Meadowbrook Golf Kemper Sports Landscapes Golf Group, LLC Marriott Golf Mosaic National Golf Management Nicklaus Design Oak Golf Inc OB Sports Omni Hotels and Resorts Pacific Links PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties Pinehurst Poppy Hills Golf Course Reed Smith Sterling Management Sunbelt Golf Corporation / RTJ Syngenta Professional Products Ted Horton Consulting The Toro Company Troon Golf USGA USGA Green Section

5 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Golf Industry Show Presentation 2011: Diverse MCO Business Models Provide Distinct Career Paths 2012: Gray to Black - The Economics of Golf Course Maintenance 2013: Managing Golf Course Maintenance Operations in a New Age 2014: Transition to a Management Company: Before-During-After 2015: Environmental Sustainability: Real World Strategies for Success

6 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Best Management Practices Series The TAO Group comprises the top agronomic officers of the nation s largest multi course golf companies with more than 800 golf courses. We are responsible for the conditioning of those facilities including maintenance, agronomics, economics and environmental stewardship. We strive to enhance the industry through active leadership promoting the art, science and business of sustainable golf course maintenance. We believe information is critical to the future health of the game and the industry. This is the first installment in a series of Best Management Practices. Golf Course Labor: Ten BMPs at a Glance Know your players, build your team: Identify individual skills and strengths to create your most effective game plan. Encourage feedback and consider incentives for suggestions that improve the operation. Offer pizza or cookouts after-hours now and then to promote bonding. Praise publicly, discipline discretely. Recruit from within: When you promote existing staff you know what you re getting and you give other staff incentive to do well to get ahead. Look laterally too. Candidates from other departments at the facility come with references from supervisors you can trust. You can also offer trial periods to test the fit, without obligation on either party.

7 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Best Management Practices Series Golf Course Labor: Ten BMPs at a Glance Increase the strength of your bench: Cross-train your personnel in essential tasks. Variety keeps the job interesting for them and provides you greater flexibility when scheduling. Employees with a broader skill-set often assume broader responsibility and address issues without waiting for direction. Communicate the game plan: Set realistic goals and objectives and make it clear to your employees how those tasks serve the facility s overall game plan. Trust then verify so staff understand they are accountable. Avoid micro-management but be prepared to inspect now and then to ensure expectations are being met. Stress safe: Properly train employees on equipment and what to do in the event of an accident. Use experienced staff to oversee and advise newcomers. Review safety procedures regularly, constantly emphasizing the importance of a safe workplace. Accidents can have a negative impact on health, morale and productivity. Schedule for efficiency: Just as you schedule more labor when there is more work to be done, schedule more labor when you can get the most work done. Identify windows of opportunity to maximize productivity with minimum interference to golfers. Split shifts to lighten staffing levels during periods of heavy play. Start your equipment technician earlier so equipment can be staged for immediate roll out when operators arrive.

8 Top Agronomic Officers (TAO) Group: Best Management Practices Series Golf Course Labor: Ten BMPs at a Glance Minimize mobile downtime: Every golf course maintenance facility is a long way from some parts of the course. Avoid the amount of time personnel spend traveling to and from between tasks. Schedule multiple tasks at remote points so return trips coincide with lunch breaks or finish times. A dozen staff members making one unnecessary round trip of 20 minutes a day costs you four hours. Weigh full-time versus part-time: Consider job sharing or multiple part-timers to replace more expensive full-time positions. This can increase your scheduling options, keep employees fresh and open the door for personnel with specialty expertise you might not otherwise need in a full-time capacity. Maintain your flexibility: Athletes stretch to avoid injury. You should be flexible too, adjusting your game plan according to shifts in weather, staff absences, canceled events and the inevitable surprises. Be prepared to adjust priorities when circumstances change and communicate the new goals clearly when you do. Monitor the money: Stay in touch with superintendents at comparable facilities to ensure the compensation you offer makes you competitive in the labor market. Make sure your job descriptions deliver the outcome you need for the money you spend. Keep a close and constant watch on payroll and build any buffer you can sending staff home when inclement weather allows.

9 Thank you!