Going the contractor route, how to find good golf course contractors

Using golf course contractors is always an option if all the information about building your putting green seems like a bit of an overwhelming do-it-yourself project. While on the surface it may seem like something any landscaper could put together, without experience and knowledge about greens, they may make mistakes that could be disastrous. That being said, just like in any industry, there are also poor golf course contractors who may not properly supervise the project and could lead to the same result.

So how do you find the right contractor? Again, get in touch with the superintendent at your local golf course; he/she will know who works in your area, who to avoid, and can provide contact numbers. There are also some very large golf course contractors who do nothing but golf course work and travel great distances to sites. They can be good choices, and if you are flexible about what time of the year you want the work done, you may even be able to get them interested in your project. Another place to look would be through the internet and advertising in trade magazines, particularly those from golf course superintendent associations.

If you are doing only a putting green, you may have a hard time getting the interest of the big golf course contractors as the cost for moving the necessary equipment and the right people over can be daunting, and they need to transfer that cost to you. Certainly the bigger the project, the more interest you will get. Sometimes though if you are willing to be flexible and get the work done during their slow periods, it will help. Also if they are involved in several new course construction projects they will be less interested, but again by being willing to wait, they will have periods where they need to fill in gaps in their season and your project could fit right in. If you have any questions, certainly contact us and we can help to demystify this process.

On the other hand, you could potentially use a landscape contractor as long as you hire a good experienced supervisor to oversee the project. This may take a bit more work on your part, but could easily come out as a cheaper solution. This may also be very interesting to a landscaper, as this could give him the experience to do the work of a golf course contractor on small residential jobs, giving him a new niche. In order to find a good supervisor to make this option work, I would look again to the superintendent of your local golf course. They would be the best people to know who may be experienced enough and interested in doing this work. Often the person you will get will be someone with a strong golf course background and ideally will be an assistant superintendent or superintendent who is near the project and willing to supervise it on the side. If this person has some construction experience, he may be perfect!

For help with golf course contractors contact us

For more information on building a putting green go back to Green Construction

Enough information about building a green? Go back to www.complete-putting-greens.com