It’s not news to anyone in the golf world that the game has been booming over the last couple of years. According to the National Golf Foundation, there were 545 million rounds of golf played in 2021, up almost 25% from 2019’s total of 441 million rounds. Tee sheets and practice ranges have been packed and many private clubs now have waiting lists for membership. Unfortunately, as courses are busier than ever it’s becoming harder and harder to hire and retain golf course maintenance staff. A recent USGA Green Section survey of golf course superintendents revealed that finding and retaining labor were their top two challenges in 2021.
The potential impacts on course conditions can be significant if superintendents aren’t able to fill open spots on their maintenance teams or retain experienced staff members. As short-staffed teams struggle to keep up with routine maintenance, some of the detail work golfers have become accustomed to may need to be deferred or sacrificed altogether. The fact that courses are busier than ever complicates matters further, because just staying ahead of play and finding opportunities to perform certain tasks between groups is increasingly difficult. Large-scale tasks like putting green aeration and storm cleanup will take longer with fewer staff, which can extend the disruption to normal playing conditions. These examples show how today’s tight labor market can directly impact our day on the golf course, but what can courses do about it?
Unfortunately, there aren’t easy answers to the staffing issues facing golf courses and countless other industries. Nevertheless, golf course superintendents are rolling up their sleeves and attacking the issue head-on. Many golf courses are hosting job fairs, offering flexible hours, increasing wages and offering sign-on bonuses. A few golf courses that I visit have dedicated a full-time business manager to attracting, training and retaining new employees. No matter what short-term solutions golf courses put in place, the long-term choices are either:
- Significantly increase marketing, human resource and labor budgets to attract more people to golf course maintenance jobs.
- Manage fewer, well-trained employees with a professional wage on a more flexible schedule.
Both options are feasible and both will be used successfully in the future. Many facilities will choose the first option and have great success, but this approach depends on having the ability to invest more in the golf course maintenance operation and money alone will not solve all problems. Today’s employees value flexibility, continuous skill development and a clear career path. These have not necessarily been strengths of the golf course maintenance industry in the past, but things are changing rapidly.
Golf courses will also be looking to invest in technology to make their maintenance operation more efficient. Labor-saving machinery can allow fewer staff to accomplish more, but again there is a significant investment involved. Collecting data to optimize maintenance practices and focus resources where they are needed most can also be part of the solution. GPS data on golfer traffic can help courses identify out-of-play areas that could receive less maintenance. This type of data can also identify bunkers that could be removed or made smaller to save time and money without negatively impacting the golf experience. Maintaining less area is a very effective way to reduce the strain on a short-staffed maintenance team and it can help courses save money in the long run.
No matter what strategy courses use to manage this challenging labor market, golfer expectations must adapt with the times. Today’s golf course maintenance teams have their hands full, so a little patience and a kind word of thanks will go a long way. Please do your part to care for the course by fixing ball marks, raking bunkers after use, repairing divots and anything else you can think of to help. It will make a difference to the maintenance team and set a great example for other golfers to follow!