MARCH 1990 Golf Course News 9 low-cost muni' courses of legendary architect Pete Dye. $500,000 on maintenance and the golfers. They all have degrees in just great. The engineers and land "The cost of the land is the big- thing makes ahalf-million per year. agronomy. And we go out there planners are a pain-in-the-butt. But gie. You can control the construc- And you haven't sold your first and build a course that's easy to the people actually on site building tion costs. Sure you can't build a $3 sandwiches or Budweiser, yet" maintain. We're not trying to build them, we have fun. I'm taking 20 million course on a swamp two feet Dye's $250,000 fee is modest a PGA West. But we're not out people over to Scotland this year, below sea level in Jacksonville compared to many architects Qack there building 18 bowling alleys all bulldozer operators, or golfers the work done. All the pencil push- (Fk), or on a rock pile for that Nicklaus charges $1 million for either. We're out there to build 18 who happen to run bulldozers I ers in the world, and engineers amount But given a fair piece of instance) and considering the good golf holes." should say. All they'll do is come and all that stuff, aren't worth two land, and by trying to keep your family name. With computers, high-tech back with more ideas. It will bene- beans unless you have the coop- earth moving to a minimum, you "I think I can build a golf course equipment, specialized golf con- fit me," he said. eration of that guy with the diesel can easily build a golf course for cheaper than most people. And I struction companies and a staff of "My talent lies with a bulldozer. all over his shirt. That computer $2-1/2 million. And you can build a can do it because I don't have plans. various experts becoming the I was raised on abulldozer. I started doesn't build that golf course. good, functional clubhouse for I don't do drawings. I'll use con- norm at many architectural firms, on a bulldozer when I was 8 and When the bulldozer guy out there Dye is a throwback to another era. in the woods comes up on a mag- $500,000. ceptual routing plans. And IH do now I'm 34. And I really know how nificent 150-year-old oak, he (hope- "Then, at $25 a clip, if you play whatever needs to be done for the "Nobody enjoys building a to work with the people running fully) says 'Maybe I should go 40,000 rounds a year, that's $1 mil- county and local agencies. After course more than I do. Working the heavy equipment around this thing and ask some- lion. You spend $400,000 or that, the people I work with are all with the bulldozer operators, it's "Those are the people that get body.' Well if it's on a computer readout, that tree is gone. The human element is what makes the Dye difference." Dye also keeps his costs low by maintaining a small staff and using mostly local rather than imported Columbus labor. "I don't have any payroll," said Dye, who shares an office with a part-time secretary. "I built eight made another courses last year at an average of $4 million each. That's $32 million and I didn't have any payroll. bfe discovery "Whenever I go some place, whoever is building the course pays for everything. I charge a flat fee and the work just gets done. in the1500s The main reason is we use local It's been the same stoiy for centuries—big discoveries help. I don't have a construction generate a lot of excitement. company I take from Florida to Today, the big discovery in Columbus, Ohio has been the North Carolina to Chicago. I just go out there, put one person on the John Deere 1500 Sprayer and Spreader, and the job they've job and hire local people. done on some of the areas most prestigious golf courses. "The first thing I do is find a Courses that have hosted such tournaments as the farmer who moves dirt and talk to U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Ryder Cup, Memorial, PGA and him. I'm not going to bring up a NCAA championships. person from Florida because he's "The accuracy of our 1500 Sprayer is amazing" says going to have to sit there and learn MarkYoder of Scioto Country Club. "The Micro Irak something that someone who's monitor tells us exactly how much we're applying at any been working up there 20 years iven time. It's one of the best equipment investments already knows," Dye said. frmad e last year" "And you always end up some- "The stability of the 1500 makes it perfect for our hills',' how getting some great talent. The says Mike McBride of Muirfield Village. "We started with on-site supervisor is the whole key. Those are the people I haul over to one 1500 for top-dressing and were so impressed with it, Scotland. Those are the people I we purchased another for spraying our fairways." send to the job site. When you just "The maneuverability is a big benefit for us" says bring in one or two guys to do the Gary Rasor of The Ohio State University. "It allows us to shaping and hire the rest local, it spray in places where we couldn't get to otherwise." just works out better. ^ 44 Versatility is the big plus for me',' says David Hull of "But a lot of guys will sub the job Columbus Country Club. "We use one 1500 for both spray- to established golf course build- ing and top dressing. Having one traction unit to do both ers. Those guys will bring in 60 jobs saves us money" percent of the crew and hire just 40 For the name of your nearest distributor, or free percent, where I'll do 98 percent literature on all John Deere's Golf and Turf Equipment, call local and just two percent foreign- 1-800-544-2122 toll free or write John Deere, Dept. 956, ers. It's kept me out of hock." Moline, IL 61265. We know, like these turf professionals in Land change Columbus, you're going to like what you see. OK'd for course For free information circle #105 The Harmony Township, Pa., Planning Board has approved an The John Deere 1500 helps ordinance allowing land used for a Columbus, Ohio area super public golf course to fulfill open- intendents (I to r) David space requirements in a proposed Hull, Mark Yoder, Mike 434-acre development McBride and Gary Rasor Buttonwood Country Club Inc. maintain their courses of Harmony sought the ordinance. at world-recognized The board told Buttonwood it must standards* build the development on a mini- •September 1989 GolfMaaaanerated the mum of 250 acres, with a mini- three best conditioned courses in the world as Augusta National, Muirfield Village and Scioto. mum of 110 acres for the 18-hole golf course. The town's planner, John Mad- den, told officials the course would Runs SAFETY be an ideal way to preserve open MJOHN DEERE j Like a lite with it space. .