THE VOICE OFA STRANGERThe right consultant, when utilizedproperly, is a valuable resource to anygolf course operation, big or small.

BY JIM SKORULSKI

courses across theUnited States.With no specificproducts to sell,this extra set ofeyes helps cut

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General consultantshelp identify andsolve a wide rangeof agronomic andmanagement issuesin the fjeld. Whenaddressing morecomplicated issues,the consultant maycall upon morespecialized resourcesto help solve theproblem.

One of the Green Section's early responsibilitiesincluded providing a non-commercial informa-tional service for member clubs. The advisoryservice was limited during the early years, but theservice was expanded considerably in 1953 whenthe Turf Advisory Service was introduced by theGreen Section.

There are many types of consultants to choosefrom. Agronomic consultants are helpful in diag-nosing and solving agronomic problems, to helpeducate course officials, prioritize maintenanceneeds, confIrm the need for and plan programsand capital projects, introduce new research andideas, or act as an objective third party to evaluatemanagement programs and bring a fresh perspec-tive to the golf course.

There are many types of specialized consultantswho focus on specific areas, such as irrigation,drainage design, architecture, pond management,environmental planning, business and marketing,nutrient management, trees, facility design, andsafety.

Agronomic consultants may be affiliated withthe USGA, regional golf associations, privateentities, or universities or extension agencies.There are commercial consultants who areemployed by companies to help sell products andprovide their customers with product supportand/or agronomic advice. Consultations may berequested by the superintendent, general manager,course official, or owner. Many golf course super-intendents already have worked or eventually willwork with a consultant of some sort. Choosingthe right consultants, understanding their role, andpreparing thoroughly for the process are criticalto maximizing the benefit of the meeting.

CHOOSING THERIGHT CONSULTANTThe old adage "never bring a knife to a gunfight"is most appropriate when it comes to selecting aconsultant. A golf course architect or pondspecialist may not be qualified to develop a pro-gram to improve your greens, and likewise anagronomist is not the ideal candidate to provide adetailed design plan for new greens or ponds. Inmany instances it is wise to begin the consultingprocess using a general consultant. An agronomicconsultant will complete a wide-ranging reviewof the golf course, tackling all agronomic andmanagement issues. An experienced agronomist,not unlike a good general practitioner, will beable to deal with the vast majority of golf courseissues and will defer to specialized consultants(designers/ engineers) when more specific advice,planning, or design work are necessary. A generalagronomic consultant should be able to helpcompile information and prioritize recommenda-tions provided from specialized consultants anddesigners. Agronomic consultants are also used toreview architectural plans for agronomic sound-ness and maintenance practicality. Each individualagronomist will likely have a special expertise butshould be capable of addressing most manage-ment issues on a golf course.

Larger capital projects, including irrigationsystem redesign, major site drainage, golf coursedesign, computer shade analysis, environmentalpermitting or site assessment, and renovatingmaintenance or clubhouse facilities, are bettertackled by more specialized consultants or de-signers. Those may include irrigation consultants,golf course architects and design consultants,drainage engineers, arborists, and environmentalspecialists. Designers and engineers will consultwith each other and develop new design plansand oversee the construction or installation oflarger projects.

Selecting effective consultants is not unlikechoosing a building contractor, golf course archi-tect, or a fmancial planner. The people you selectmust have the appropriate knowledge and experi-ence to get the job done correctly. Local or atleast regional knowledge is helpful. They mustalso be credible, able to communicate effectively,and get along with a wide range of personalities.More importantly, they must possess a high levelof integrity if their recommendations are to becredible and in the best interest of the golfcourse. There are some consultants who lack

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credibility but may be attractive to the unwary,offering miracle cures that are often too good tobe true. They usually are not in business for long,but they can leave an expensive path of destruc-tion and disappointment. Good reputationsfollow good consultants in this industry, and theopposite is true for those with questionable pasts,so do your homework when selecting the rightperson for the task.

In the best of worlds, the consultants youchoose to work with should be independent andmust be objective if their recommendations areto serve the best economic interest of the golfcourse. Commercial consultants will also strive toprovide effective information, but there may be abias to their recommendations. For example, thefinancial planner who is affiliated with a brokeragefirm may promote mutual funds and other invest-ments sold by that brokerage company. Thefinancial planner's recommendations may beeffective, but there may be equally or moreeffective and less expensive opportunities withother investment companies that you will nothear about. Be aware of any affiliations a consul-tant may have and consider what implications anycompany or product associations may have on therecommendations you receive.

It is not imperative to choose a consultant whohas a pleasant personality, but it is helpful. Aneffective relationship requires trust, and it is oftenmore effective to work with someone who has apositive and constructive attitude. Developing ateam concept based on mutual trust and respectwill provide the greatest benefits.

It is imperative that the consultant possessstrong communication skills! The consultantshould be convincing and have the ability toeffectively present even the most technicalinformation to the layman. Any visit should befollowed with a timely and concise written reportthat details the observations and recommendationsmade during the visit. In some instances, it maybe useful to ask the consultant to speak to golfcourse officials or address the membership. Theconsultant should be comfortable with publicspeaking for that purpose.

PREPARING FOR THE CONSULTANT:MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS"Be prepared" is the Boy Scout motto that manyof us learned long ago. Those words are critical inour jobs, especially when dealing with a con;sul-tant who has a finite quantity of time to spend

on the golf course. It is always a good idea tocontact any consultant prior to an initial meetingto ask what information and records will be help-ful for the visit. Past maintenance records, includ-ing diagnostic information, fertilizer and pesticiderecords, soil and water test reports, budget andlabor information, the number of rounds played,photographs, and the reports from other consul-tants (if pertinent), can be useful for agronomicconsultants. Be prepared to answer questionsabout cultural practices, current heights of cutand mowing frequencies, irrigation practices,labor issues, and golfers' desires or expectations.There must be no secrets if the consultant is tobe effective and helpful, so be willing to bareyour soul.

DEVELOPING AN AGENDADevelop a written agenda prior to the meeting Consultants oftento maximize your time with the consultant. The provide multiple and

creative options toagenda does not have to be a complex document, correct an agronomicbut it should contain the primary objectives or problem that best fitsissues that you wish to be addressed during the the golf coursemeeting. The agenda will keep the consultant and financial situation.meeting attendees focused on ;.t,; ... , -the important issues and areas ofconcern on the golf course. Tryto include the names of keypeople who attend the visit orwho are the decision makers atthe golf course. Those peoplemay be critical during the visitand should be copied for anyfollow-up reports. Speakingfrom personal experience, aprepared agenda is one of themost helpful tools you canprovide to a consultant workingunder tight time constraintsand a heavy workload.

ATTENDANCEIS MANDATORYIt is important to encourageinterested parties to participatein the meeting or site visit.But it is also important to keepthe group manageable in sizeto remain efficient and adhereto the critical agenda items.A group of three to five (in-cluding the superintendent) isideal, but larger attendance

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is never discouraged and may be necessary insome instances. It is important that the rightpeople attend the visit. Those include the super-intendent, the chairman or members of theGreen Committee, influential board members,directors, the general manager, golf professional,or those who ultimately influence the decisionsmade on the golf course. Those who do notattend the field visit can submit agenda items orperhaps be invited to meet briefly with the con-sultant prior to or immediately after the visit tovoice their concerns. A "wrap-up" meeting at theend of a course visit can be very helpful and agood way to avoid potential misunderstandingsthat may have arisen while in the field.

WORKING EFFECTIVELYWITH A CONSULTANTAgronomic consulting is somewhat unique fromother forms of consulting in the golf industry .It deals not only with the science behind green-keeping, but also involves dealing with variouspersonalities and club politics. Agronomic con-sultants often have to play detective when tryingto provide explanations and develop soundrecommendations. The following will help ensureyour experience with a consultant is bothbeneficial and positive.• Consultants often are called in to calm thewaters after a problem has occurred, but theconsultant will be more effective in the long runif visits are scheduled on a routine basis. Anannual checkup can prevent a small problem orpotential issue from developing into a costly andunpleasant situation. Regular site visits allow theconsultant to become familiar with the operationand nuances of the golf course at different timesof the season. A routine site evaluation alsoprovides a historical written record of theprogress that has been made and where additionalresources and improvements are required. Thatcan be invaluable for maintaining continuity infuture planning and golf course operations.• Experienced consultants can usually sense apersonal or political agenda or recognize a loadedquestion. But it is a good idea to forewarn a con-sultant as to any possible hidden agendas or per-sonal vendettas that might surface during a sitevisit. Most consultants strive to stay above politicaland personal disputes and instead opt to providepositive and constructive recommendations thatwill move the golf course forward.

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• Do not expect the consultant to be a hench-man who will validate all of the superintendent'spractices or support programs that promoteindividual playing preferences. A consultant, paidby a golf club or municipality, will have the bestinterest of the entire golf course and the golfersin mind. There will be times when disagreementsover programs or policies occur, and that ishealthy and one of the reasons to bring in a freshset of eyes. But many times the consultant willsupport the programs and practices in place ifthey are sound and justifiable.• Be honest and do not withhold informationfrom a consultant when answering questions andtouring the golf course. The information is in-valuable when trying to solve a problem andformulate new recommendations. Similarly, donot purposely avoid problem areas on the golfcourse during a site visit. Those areas, like thetruth, usually surface and come back to haunt youat a later date.• There is nothing more frustrating to a consul-tant than to repeatedly hear, "Great idea, but thatwon't work here." One benefit of using a consul-tant is to bring in a fresh set of ideas. Do notautomatically dismiss new ideas because they varyfrom the status quo or are not politically popular.The consultant should be hired as an expert, so bewilling to present and implement those ideas thatare provided to improve the golf course .• The level of negativity seems to be increasingon many golf courses. Some golfers appear totake delight in tearing apart their own golfcourses. It is easy to become consumed by whatis wrong with a golf course, failing entirely toacknowledge all that is right. A consultant can behelpful in pointing out the positives and provideconstructive criticism and advice when it isnecessary. Keep it positive!• A consultant should not be expected to be ahatchet man! Most consultants would choose towork with a golf course and its superintendentin a positive aspect, always looking at ways toimprove management practices and make the golfcourse as good as it can be with the resourcesavailable. There are times when personnel changesare inevitable and justified, but don't hire theoutside stranger solely to do the dirty work.• A good consultant will work with a golf courseand the resources available to it. They may notalways save the golf course money. A good con-sultant will provide realistic recommendationsand an idea of the resources that will be required

to improve the golf course to meet the golfers'expectations. It is then up to the golfers to decidewhether or not to provide the additional re-sources that are required to implement theprograms and practices .• Utilize a consultant's strengths. Complex designquestions and planning should be left to an archi-tect, while turf quality and playing conditionsshould be left to the agronomist. All consultantswill happily provide an opinion on just aboutanything. It's in their blood. Just treat it as anopinion and leave the conclusive answers to theexperts in their field .• Comparisons between golf courses, racehorsesfrom different eras, or favorite whiskies are in-evitable and can be amusing when taken in theproper context. However, it is easy to becomeconsumed by comparison, as is often the casewith golfers. Many Green Section agronomistsare asked why the greens are always faster, thefairways greener, and the water colder at thecourse down the street. In reality, conditions areoften very similar at both golf courses. Con-vincing golfers of that can be a challenge. Com-parisons can be helpful if they are realistic andused constructively to obtain the resourcesneeded to improve a golf course and meet theexpectations of the golfers. But little good willcome from unrealistic comparisons orexpectations.• Too often an agronomic consultant is utilizedto solve problems ciftera major architecturalproject is complete. Utilize an agronomist toreview the plan bifore it is implemented to assureit is sound from an agronomic standpoint (i.e.,surface and internal drainage, growing environ-ments, traffic flow, rootzone materials, orientation,etc.) and capable of supporting good quality turf.The consultant will also provide quality controlguidance to further assure the project's success.It is money well spent.• Unscrupulous consultants are few and farbetween, but inevitably a new name or facewill show up and raise quite a stir. Often theyprey on the unwary by offering the latest andgreatest recommendations, which mostlyare unproven remedies. Their fame is usuallyshort lived, but not before they wreak havocon golf courses, operating budgets, and super-intendents. Do your homework before selectinga consultant and avoid those offering novelapproaches that seem too good to be true.They probably are.

The premise of this article is not entirely topromote the role of consultants in golf or topromote the Green Section Turf AdvisoryService. The value of good consultants willquickly become evident to anyone who employstheir services. The goal of the article is to offersome ideas to aid you in selecting the right con-sultant for the job and to maximize the experi-ence. If you still remain wary of the idea ofutilizing an agronomic or specialized consultant,consider the following words of H. H. Hilton inthe book Golf Greens and Green-Keeping: "Thevoice of a stranger who has had any experienceof the game is always worth listening to. Heappears on the links with an open mind; his mindis not warped with the prejudices of many years'association.' '

The words of the stranger may be critical, andnot all the recommendations feasible, but anobjective evaluation can point out failings andweaknesses that are not fully understood, preventexpensive mistakes before they occur, and helpmake the golf course the best it can be.

Quote from H. H. Hilton in Golf Greens and Green-Keeping,edited by Horace G. Hutchinson, Country Life Limited,London MCMVI, p. 168.

JIM SKORULSKI is a senior Green Section agronomistin the Northeast Region, where he consults with golfcoursesaround the New England states and easternCanada.

An impartialconsultant can bemost helpful withmaterial selectionand developingquality controlprograms and grow-in practices that helpassure a project'ssuccess .

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