Crew scheduling...Split crews? AM/PM shift Cancel The title field is required!

1. Sam Welch

   

   0 posts
   
   7/16/2011 4:07 PM

   I'm looking for some ideas on scheduling my staff in order to minimize working through play. I worked several years at a club with two courses and we used a 'gap' system on one course or the other each day and it worked great. But it worked because we could have one course without the gap to keep members happy and we would pile everyone up on one course in the morning then on the course with the gap in the afternoon. With the right machinery and manpower it worked great, I don't think I can pull it off though at an 18 hole facility.
   
   My GM and owner have brought up having a full-time staff that preps the course in the morning then some part-time guys that come in later in the day to do most of the mowing when there is less play on the course. We generally have very little play in the summer after 1 pm due to the heat and a primarily older membership. Is anyone using this method? Suggestions on how to pull it off? My main concerns are finding the part time people plus I'm afraid my full-time guys won't like it too much if they no longer get to operate mowers. Keeping myself and my assistants happy while splitting time working the evening shift also concerns me although I think whoever has that shift would come in later, too.
   
   We are in the rare situation these days of trying to move from a struggling lower-end private club to competing with the other high-end private clubs in the area due to new ownership and much greater resources. But simply suggesting that I need a big staff similar to those clubs has not been accepted to this point even with man-hour studies completed to show the size of staff I need. I, along with every other department head, am being asked to think outside the box.

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   7/16/2011 4:07 PM

   In my mind (I am old) "outside the box" is robots. Reality would sound more like a workday of 6-10am and 2-6pm.

   
   
   
   
3. Patrick Reinhardt

   

   0 posts
   
   7/16/2011 5:07 PM

   Sam,
   We run the gap system, even with having just 18 holes. The tee sheet is blocked on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:10-1:10, and we are able to accomplish all tee, approach, and fairway mowing in that time, along with doing other jobs like edging irrigation heads, edging paths,spraying tees or fairways, etc. It is also a huge help getting around the golf course for wilt watching. We are running a staff of approximately 15 this summer with this system, down from past staff of 26. Granted, there are a lot of areas that we have made cuts and reduced maintenance, but the gap system has been a huge advantage with our lighter staff.

   
   
   
   
4. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   7/16/2011 5:07 PM

   I know some guys mow 9 holes daily, 6-7 days a week. All ahead of play. No gap, and no afternoon shift. It also helps them when wilt watching in the afternoon since they aren't mowing.

   
   
   
   
5. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   7/16/2011 6:07 PM

   My staff 75% of the men start at 5 AM and then I have a few come in at 9AM every day so have have two or three on every Pm until 5:45 Pm they can do rough mowing and or hand water if needed. Works well for us
   Keith Pegg Zama Japan.
   

   sam1627 said: I'm looking for some ideas on scheduling my staff in order to minimize working through play. I worked several years at a club with two courses and we used a 'gap' system on one course or the other each day and it worked great. But it worked because we could have one course without the gap to keep members happy and we would pile everyone up on one course in the morning then on the course with the gap in the afternoon. With the right machinery and manpower it worked great, I don't think I can pull it off though at an 18 hole facility.
   
   My GM and owner have brought up having a full-time staff that preps the course in the morning then some part-time guys that come in later in the day to do most of the mowing when there is less play on the course. We generally have very little play in the summer after 1 pm due to the heat and a primarily older membership. Is anyone using this method? Suggestions on how to pull it off? My main concerns are finding the part time people plus I'm afraid my full-time guys won't like it too much if they no longer get to operate mowers. Keeping myself and my assistants happy while splitting time working the evening shift also concerns me although I think whoever has that shift would come in later, too.
   
   We are in the rare situation these days of trying to move from a struggling lower-end private club to competing with the other high-end private clubs in the area due to new ownership and much greater resources. But simply suggesting that I need a big staff similar to those clubs has not been accepted to this point even with man-hour studies completed to show the size of staff I need. I, along with every other department head, am being asked to think outside the box.

   
   
   
   
6. Graham Kornmeyer

   

   0 posts
   
   7/17/2011 7:07 AM

   I bring my guys in at 4AM, and they rarely get caught by golfers when they are mowing. I would look into having the part time guys wilt watch in the afternoon, and get all the course setup and mowing done in the AM. Just have one of your assistants come in at 9 or so and stay with the guys that are wilt watching. Of course you will need lights on all of your mowers, and we also have added LED flashlights to all our hard hats.

   
   
   
   
7. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   7/18/2011 9:07 AM

   I have done it before and found it works really well if you have the right people.If you don't have the right people I found that I had to be there for both shifts.I once had a retired guy come in just for mowing fairways or roughs.This is when I found it worked the best.

   
   
   
   
8. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   7/18/2011 11:07 AM

   I've used the split crew system for years now and find it amazing. I try to schedule just enough people to mow greens, cut cups, tee service, and bunkers for the morning. The remiander of staff comes in at 11:30 am and we use them to syringe greens, apply fert on dry grass, evening topdressing, mowing when there is little to no play, etc. The morning guys are done around 2 and they fill divots, fix irrigation, etc., etc., and we don't have much down time due to high traffic on the golf course. Each dude on staff gets a couple pm and 3 am shifts a week. Breaks up their routine of early all the time, and they get to live a little in between. I've always felt the evening mowing is better for the turf due to a wound healing over the evening, and we don't leave unsightly clippings bunched up on fairways and approaches from dew on the grass. Not to mention the efficiency of not waiting on golf. The only thing I've found though, is that I tend to stay through both shifts more often than not, and that ain't good. The right people are the key. Interns make great shift leaders in the abscence of a fullt time manager.

   
   
   
   
9. Churchill Kevin

   
   7/24/2011 9:07 AM

   It would be interesting to put together a cost analysis comparing split crew vs. morning crew. This would need to include the help of the golf pro for information such as rates and peak times.
   
   Do the earlier tee times off-set the cost of adding afternoon labor?
   
   If there is such a high early morning demand, could those rates be raised? That may push golfers back to play later in the A.M.
   
   One of the big problems we have are singles and two-somes that play 18 holes in 2.5 hours. We continually work with the golf shop to minimize these instances. Instead of 2 - two-somes, we try to make it a foursome.
   
   Obviously, it's not generally our place to make those decisions. Plus I have no idea the structure of your club or the rounds you do on a daily basis. Just some thoughts as we've considered this as well.
   
   We have looked at using a split crew in the past, but due to twighlight rates and unexpected walk-ons, it was less efficient than a normal crew.
   
   Kevin Churchill

   
   
   
   
10. Chuck Barber

    

    0 posts
    
    8/8/2011 7:08 AM

    We desperately need a split crew but for us it's harder to work out than you might think. We have shotguns 5 to 7 days a week. The shotguns are a.m. and p.m. and can change with little or no notice on the course they play, their numbers, a.m. vs. p.m. and oh by the way there's the weather. I am also concerned about having to be here for both shifts. I can't let it go, I guess, and that's my fault. Also, I've thought of mowing 7 days a week on 27 holes but we're not staffed or equipped for that already. I'm just not smart enough to figure this out yet.

    
    
    
    
11. Michael Vogt

    

    2 posts
    
    8/8/2011 10:08 AM

    Sam:
    There is tremendous savings is a split crew. The number one waste of labor is waiting for golfers and travel time back to the Turf Care Center. Also as mentioned earlier; your players will enjoy a better quality of cut on dry turf especially - late in the day (fairways, rough, approaches, surrounds and tees). As far as the superintendent being on duty for all shifts, it really doesn't have to be that way, if you have a responsible foreman or crew leader. If done correctly you will eliminate most overtime but you will have a bigger crew, should be a wash in dollars. I have done it and it works, no extra headaches or heartburn just need to be open-minded and willing to change.

    
    
    
    
12. Chuck Barber

    

    0 posts
    
    8/8/2011 12:08 PM

    I don't want a spit crew, I want a split crew.

    
    
    
    
13. Homme David R

    
    8/8/2011 2:08 PM

    I have am staff and pm staff. It does work well. Mostly retirees cutting rough and fwys afternoons.
    
    However, some days its not a split crew or a spit crew. It's a s..t crew. Sorry, its August.
    
    Dave "I have no staff" Homme
    Falls Resort

    
    
    
    
14. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    8/8/2011 2:08 PM

    Heck,
    
    We can't hire enough people to split the crew up.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
15. Andrew Cross

    

    5 posts
    
    8/9/2011 8:08 PM

    I like a dry cut as much as everyone else but its easier for us to get out and cut everything first thing as we rarely get caught by play. Play has been sporadic this year with rushes at very random times. And twilight (4pm and after) is our busiest time.