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Courtesy on the course

Photo illustration by Kelly Neis

My club wants to involve the course maintenance staff in customer service without a decrease in conditions or productivity. For example, carry irrigation flags to mark a player’s ball location in the rough. Any ideas for this concept?

— Mark Murphy, superintendent
Bristow Manor GC
Bristow, Va.
12-year GCSAA member

How about crew members carrying a paint ball gun? Mark the ball’s location without work interruption.

— John L. Gehman, superintendent
Butter Valley Golf Port
Bally, Pa.
14-year GCSAA member

A smile and a wave will go a long way in terms of customer service. As far as locating balls, that should be entirely up to the golfer.

— Greg Chambers, superintendent
Orvis Shorefox Golf Resort
Granby, Colo.
six-year GCSAA member

Greg is right about a smile and a wave … we get compliments all the time with that. If a golfer’s ball is near us when it was hit, we will help them locate it. I will also help golfers search for golf balls, but then I was just riding around anyway — no lost productivity. I would expect and I have seen our crew members point out balls when they are nearby waiting for golfers to play through.

— Melvin Waldron, CGCS
Horton Smith GC
Springfield, Mo.
16-year GCSAA member

Trying to think as a golfer now… what would I want or expect from maintenance employees? Well, not much, really. Like Mel said, maybe a wave and a smile, maybe a, “Good morning. How’s the golf course today?” (And then be prepared for some hopefully constructive comments to pass on to the superintendent.) Point out location of lost balls as others have said. Be polite, friendly. Stuff that doesn’t take any extra time or effort, really. But no, I wouldn’t mark a ball with an irrigation flag. My tech might be digging six-inch holes wondering where the leaks are or something.

— Pete Bowman, CGCS
UAP Professional Products/Verdicon
Stockton, Calif.
23-year GCSAA member

Who will be retrieving the flags? I know. The equipment tech will be retrieving the twisted flags that will be wrapped around reel shafts and rotary spindles. I can see crew members getting tired of picking up flags and then trying to chop them up instead.

— Chris Thuer, CGCS
Bear Slide GC
Cicero, Ind.
13-year GCSAA member

This month’s Super Tips column was adapted from messages posted on the discussion forum in the members-only portion of GCSAA’s Web site at www.gcsaa.org.

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November 2006	October 2006