Golf Course Industry Magazine estimates that a club’s average operation costs are shy of $800,000 a year. Although more than twenty items make up the budget, mowing equipment accounted for 58% of the top capital budget expenditure.
That data made me curious as to what the average price to mow a golf course is. The factors that impact this cost include how many months of the year a golf course is open, the cost of fuel, labor, and equipment.
Costs To Factor In When Calculating The Price Of Mowing A Golf Course
Before I give you the average price to mow a golf course, you need to know what to factor into your cost.
Machinery
The most significant expense of mowing a golf course is the equipment itself. When you need to acquire new equipment, it impacts the overall cost of mowing. For the period it takes for you to pay it off. The best way to reduce costs in the long term is to conduct routine maintenance on your machinery.
The other factor to consider regarding machinery is the number of mowers that you possess. The more mowers you own, the quicker you get the job done, but it increases the number of employees required.
Labor
Even if you plan to acquire a self-driving lawnmower like Rijswijkse Golfclub in The Netherlands, you will still need somebody to control it. Labor costs vary depending on your city. As a result, golf courses in urban areas will have a higher wage bill than those in rural locations.
Frequency Of Mowing
The frequency that fairways, rough, and greens are mowed depends on the preference of the greenskeeper. Private courses that demand perfection, require their staff to mow different areas of the course daily.
Conversely, the municipal course that I grew up playing on mowed the fairways, greens and, rough once a week.
Remember that the more times that you mow the course, the higher your overall cost will be.
Length Of The Season
The length of the season at your course will also impact the annual cost of mowing. Golf courses in Florida or Hawaii tend to stay open year-round. However, in the north, it is common to see clubs close during the winter.
Naturally, golf courses open year-round will have a higher mowing cost than those that only operate in spring and summer. Golf.com’s Paul Sullivan supports this statement by explaining that golf courses in Hawaii cost almost $1 million per year more to run than a club in the north-central states.
Fuel Or Electricity
Whether your mowers run or gas or electricity, you need to factor their prices into your mowing budget. Fuel and electricity prices will vary depending on your location and your utility provider. If you have a fuel mower, you need to calculate the cost based on gallons, whereas electricity is priced per kWh.
What Is The Average Price To Mow A Golf Course Per Year
Now that you know what to include in your calculations. Let’s see what the average price to mow a golf course is.
The Golf Course Industry magazine forecasts that a golf club’s average cultivation and mowing budget is $45,646 per year. They do note that private clubs spend just under $55,000 a year on mowing.
Final Thoughts
In our quest to determine the average price to mow a golf course, we learned that mowing equipment accounts for 58% of a course’s top capital budget expenditure. It is also clear that clubs that stay open year-round have higher mowing expenses than seasonal courses.
In conclusion, The Golf Course Industry magazine has helped us determine that the average price to mow a golf course is $45 646 a year. Are you still interested in owning a golf club? If so, you can continue your search on golfcoursesforsale.com.
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Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
