Benefits of A Municipal Golf Partnership

The definition of partner is two parties engaged in the same activity. 

BrightView Golf Maintenance currently engages in the same activity with 27 municipalities maintaining 576 holes of golf in eight states. Municipal partners represent roughly 1/3 of our course portfolio. We are proud of each partnership and address them individually.

There are easily identifiable reasons that municipalities are increasingly pursuing golf maintenance partnerships as there are significant advantages to these relationships. Let’s outline some of them:

1. Labor - An outsourced company takes on/brings in all labor, including compensation, burden, benefits, and retirement. Perhaps the most challenging component of working together - outsourcing - takes that issue off the plate of a municipality. Many times, long-tenured employee salaries have exceeded normal thresholds, jeopardizing the economic success of the facility. Outsourcing corrects the labor expense. 
2. Equipment - Outsourced companies are responsible for all equipment and resources necessary to maintain the golf course. An outsourced company, as an equipment expert, brings a deep understanding of the types of equipment needed, life expectancy of each piece of equipment, and how to properly maintain it.
3. Resources - Outsource maintenance companies are also experts in specific chemicals, fertilizers, and wetting agents to most efficiently bring golf course conditions to high levels of quality. Using a ‘no-guesswork’ approach by constant sampling of soil, water, plant tissue, and nematode population allow for prescriptive-based agronomic plans to be implemented. Most municipalities simply do not have this expertise, so bringing a private company trained in this area of work assures the municipality that its golf course asset is being professionally maintained.
4. Safety - As part of a large outdoor asset management company, BrightView is inherently focused on the safety of its employees and the facilities we service. Safety training and recording are part of our everyday activities. Our safety records are exemplary. Safety is of high importance and is taken seriously every day.
5. Accounting - Also, as part of a large corporation, BrightView has systems in place that allow for a consistency of accounting across all facilities. These systems have evolved from using tried and true methods, resulting in efficient and error free accounting.   
6. Conditions - Last and most important and rated as the No. 1 determining factor of where people choose to play golf, high quality conditions, especially on the greens, is vital to a golf facility filling its tee sheet. Providing improved and high-quality playing conditions is the sole focus of an outsource company such as BrightView Golf Maintenance. The company is built around certified golf course superintendents who are highly trained in the field of agronomy. In most cases, an outsource company offers a level of expertise that is not prevalent within a municipality’s employee ranks. Superintendents must keep up with education for accreditation so that they are up-to-date with new products and techniques.    

“Hiring BrightView Golf Maintenance resulted in a dramatic change to our golf course conditions and turf health in less than 18 months,” said Allan Bowman, Director of Golf, Village of North Palm Beach, North Palm Beach Country Club.