bucking the trend

Cedarbrook looks for creative ways to attract golfers

A study by the National Golf Foundation, an industry research group, reported that nearly 3 million of the 26 million adult golfers in the United States quit each year. The obvious reasons are health, job and family obligations, and other leisure-time activities. However, the research indicated several other underlying factors. They are that the game is too difficult, too time-consuming and too expensive.

The good news is that people continue to take up golf, albeit at an average of less than 1.5 percent a year. With many clubs and courses struggling in an overbuilt industry, the survivors need to find creative ways to stay ahead financially. A good example is Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania.

Cedarbrook is a family-owned and operated facility. Former dairy farmers Ted Stawovy and his brother, Ben, opened the first 18-hole course in 1962. A second 18 holes opened in 1987. Ted’s son, John, is superintendent of both courses. John’s brother, Tim, runs Willowbrook, a nine-hole course also owned by the family that includes a ski hill.

Give golfers a good value
“I think we’re holding our own,” John says. “We get together with other course owners and we’re all in the same boat. We’re healthy financially, but maybe not to the degree we were in the boom times during the late 1990s. Today the play isn’t what it used to be, so we’re starting to feel a pinch here and there.”

Key, Stawovy says, is giving golfers the best product possible for their money.

“We also want to be affordable,” he adds. “People can play Saturday morning for $46, including a golf car. We’re always working on something new; we don’t just sit here and let the course age.”

Recent projects have included moving some tees to make them more user-friendly. In other areas length has been increased on some holes, and the steepness has been taken out of several bunkers.

“People can see we’re not just sitting on our golf course collecting money without putting anything back in,” Stawovy says. “We’re almost obsessed with making sure our customers are happy. There’s a lot of sweat equity at Cedarbrook. This is a family business and we do most of the work ourselves. Sometimes we think more with our hearts than our heads, but we’re always looking to make this place better. We have a reputation at stake. Knowing this facility is a part of me makes my job even more enjoyable. Hopefully this will always be part of our family.”

Encourage play
Cedarbrook does whatever it can to encourage play. Outings, which account for 25 percent of revenue, have a 95 percent retention rate. There are nine-hole leagues on five days during the week and on three evenings.

“People are changing the way they play golf,” Stawovy says. “Not as many people want to play 18 holes during the week. Our tee sheets aren’t as full on Saturdays.”

Incentives are offered to encourage family participation. On any day, parents can bring children and they play nine holes for free. Children also get a free lunch.

Scheduled to open this year are a golf academy and practice facility.

“Our philosophy is to develop new players,” Stawovy says. “There will be junior golf programs and clinics for families and couples. We want to give something back to the industry and draw more attention to Cedarbrook.”

Greens receive ‘country club treatment’
Cedarbrook sits on 360 acres. The maintenance staff has three full-time, year-round employees and a total of 15 on the course in peak season.

“In spring,” Stawovy says, “keeping ahead of the grass is a challenge. We aim for a decent level of maintenance, but we don’t cut any corners on greens. They get the full country club treatment in terms of grooming, aerification, topdressing, rolling and the quality of the products we use on them. It’s pretty much the same with fairways. We cut them at 1/2 inch and pick up the clippings. To reduce maintenance, some rough areas are planted with native grasses, and we don’t have flowerbeds around tees.”

Greens are cut with Jacobsen’s Greens King VI and fairways are mowed with LF-3400s. However, the hero of the fleet is the HR-9016 Turbo. This rotary mower has a 16-foot cutting width and mows up to 16.5 acres an hour.

“There’s no way we could mow 36 holes of rough at the frequency we do without the HR-9016,” Stawovy says. “We can cut the entire rough at least once a week, and that’s 180 to 200 acres. It roars away eight hours a day, five days a week. We got the mower with the mulching kit, and we don’t sweep leaves in fall. The HR-9016 turns the leaves into a fine till. The kits stay on all the time because we get such a clean cut. There are no hunks of grass blowing out the back of the machine. Our roughs are a lot cleaner since we got this mower.”

The Greens King VI is equipped with Jacobsen’s patented Turf Groomer, and it is used every other day.

“We cut at .115 inches,” Stawovy says, “and the quality of cut is excellent. Our greens are in great shape because we keep them healthy. We do tissue testing monthly and test the soil in fall and spring. We give the greens what they need.”

The superintendent says he definitely needs the right equipment to deliver a quality product.

“With my small staff I have to have productive equipment,” he explains.

“The LF-3400s are great because they cut so nice at a high rate of speed. We get our fairways mowed and get out of the way of golfers. In summer the first tee time is at 7 a.m., so we’re starting on fairways at 5 a.m. and picking up clippings.”

The Greens King VI, LF-3400 and HR- 9016 were purchased at the same time.

“We buy equipment in packages because of the discounts,” Stawovy says. “We’ve looked at leasing, but what’s worked for us is to pay off the equipment and run it a few more years. We can’t afford to keep turning over new equipment. I’ll wear out the HR-9016.”