Skip to main content

State of the Industry: Top 5 Challenges

How do you determine success? How do you measure the efficacy of your programs? How do you tell from one year to the next that you have improved? Metrics. Metrics are the keys to success in any industry. Understanding the THEN and the NOW and how we can ensure our future is always better than our past.

Golf Course Industry Magazine in partnership with Jacobsen and Nufarm have released their annual State of the Industry report. The results this year may surprise you. It has been a tough may years for the golf industry. Are we moving up? Let’s let the metrics show us.

READ: 2015 GCI State of the Industry Report

Over the next few weeks we will be looking at some specific area of the State of the Industry report. We want to hear from you! What are your thoughts? What are you experiencing?

Top 5 Challenges

Through our travels this year and discussions on TurfChats, labor issues were hands down the biggest challenge for course managers. Job seekers either wanted full time positions with benefits  or part time, paid in cash positions. In many cases, once the hires were made, they didn’t last long. Turnover costs money. Training, paperwork, overtime for understaffed crews while hiring. These costs ad up, when you are seeing consistent turnover. Keeping good staff also costs money. Crew lunches and other extrinsic rewards will only go so far.

2012 to 2015 comparison of Top 5 Budget Challenges

GCI0115-pg12-2

GCI State of Industry Report: Top 5 Budget Challenges

Labor costs on the rise, the need for Tier 4 compliance and health care are all factors that are driving budgets north. What are some of your budget challenges in 2015? Have they changes from 2012?

GCI State of Industry Report: Top 5 Budget Challenges by region

GCI State of Industry Report: Top 5 Budget Challenges by region

Share your budget challenges in 2015. How have they changed over the last several years? Be sure to use the hashtag #metricsforsuccess. Send a thank you to @GCImagazine @Jacobsenturf, @nurfarmUS