Fertilization – What Works Best?

Golf Course Management Workshop

by James Graham Prusa

James Graham Prusa

Fertilization – What Works Best?

20. FERTILIZATION – What works best?

James Graham Prusa

• Impacts on:• Pests and Pesticides• Grasses• Soil Analysis• Nutrient ‘equilibrium’

Balance of soil, plant, biosphere• Doing your own applied study to

evaluate specific to your property – what works best!

• How to set up your evaluation with scientific credibility

Fertilization – What Works Best?

James Graham Prusa

• Basic Fertilizer Products

Fertilization – What Works Best?

James Graham Prusa

‘Organic’

Fertilization – What Works Best?Organic Fertilizer Materials (Approximate Values)

Material N P2O5 K2O Ca Mg S Micronutrients

Acidic (-)

CommentsNeutral (0)Alkaline (+)

Blood (dried) 12 to 15 3 1 * * * * -  Blood meal 15 1 1 * * * * -  Bone meal (steamed)

0-2 10 to 20 0 19-25 0 0   + 

Compost (garden) Variable depending upon components and inorganic amendments such as N to feed bacteria.

Cottonseed meal 6 to 7 2.5 1.5 * * * * -  

Cottonseed hull ash 0   27 * *     +  Cotton motes

2 0.5 3 4 0.7 0.6 * - May contain weed seed

(composted gin wastes)Fish scrap

7 to 10 1 to 2 0 * * 2   -Traces of I and Hg(acidulated)

Fish scrap9 3   6 * * *  

 (dried fish meal)Hay: 3 1 2.4 1.2 0.2 0.3 * -

 Legume 1.5 0.5 1.9 0.8 0.2 0.2 * -Grass                

Manure: (dried)1.5 1.5 1.2 1.1 0.3 * * -

Feedlot manure usually

Cattle0.4 0.2 0.3 * * * * -

Contains 60-70% water

Horse                  

Poultry3 3 2 1.8 0.4 0.3 * +

Average moisture = 20%

Broiler litter1.5 1.3 0.5 6 0.4 0.3 * +

Average moisture = 70%

Hen-caged layers1.8 2.8 1.4 * * * * +

Average moisture = 37%

Hen-litter 0.6 0.3 0.2 * * * * -  

Sheep 0.6 0.4 0.1 * * * * -  

Swine - fresh7 9 9 7.9 1.7 1.8

Fe 0.39; Mn 0.04; B 0.074; Mo 0.0006; Zn

0.12; Cu 0.029 

 

Swine - liquid slurry19 22 17 8.6 2.9 4.7

Fe 0.69; Mn 0.15; B 0.69; Mo 0.0011; Zn

0.39; Cu 0.011 

 

Swine - anaerobic lagoon sludge

6 49 7 15.8 4.5 8.3Fe 1.8; Mn 0.28; B 0.23; Mo 0.0095; Zn 0.67; Cu

0.23 

 

Peat/Muck 2.3 0.5 0.7   * *      

Sawdust (mixed soft + hard woods)

0.2 0 0.2         - High C:N ratio; needs N fert.

Seaweed (dried) 0.7 0.8 5 * * * * +,-  

Sewage, sludge

5 6 0.5 3 1 1   +

Depending on source, may contain heavy metals. Use only on nonfood-producing areas(dried, municipal)

Tankage 7 1.5 3 to 10 * * * * -,+  

Wood ashes0 2 6 20 1   * + 70% CaCO3

equivalent* Present in undetermined amounts. Symbol Key: N = Nitrogen; P2O5 = Phosphate; K2O = Potash; Ca = Calcium; Mg = Magnesium; S = Sulfur; CaCO3 = Calcitic Limestone

Formulations and application methods

• Dry / granular

• Liquid

• Injection to irrigation

Fertilization – What Works Best?

James Graham Prusa

Similarities of setting up F&B costing analysis and doing the same for fertilizers & chemicals. How to really know the true costs of fertilizers…• How do you know your COS for Bar? Menu?

• Calculations for fertilizers and chemicals are similar

• VERY FEW golf course superintendents can tell you what they are paying for actual, needed nutrient elements PER GRAM! Don’t know their pour costs!

• POWER ! Takes hard work, risk, determination

• DO IT! Help your Super and build team relationship

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

Do you really need what is in all those bags? Likely not!

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

Do you really need what is in all those bags? Likely not!

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

Fertility Standards?

Nitrogen (N)

The most abused, misunderstood and most greatly needed nutrient element.

What are you paying for a gram of N? What are your N Pour Costs?

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

Fertility Costs? Ask a good F&B manager for help !DRINK BRAND

NAME:VENDOR: INVENTORY

UNIT TYPE (BOTTLE/ LOT/ KEG/ CASE) ON

HAND:

INVENTORY COST

PER CASE/ KEG :

INVENTORY COST

PER CONTAIN

ER :

COST PER

OUNCE:

SERVING

PORTION SIZE

(OUNCE):

PRICE PER

SERVING:

NET PRICE LESS

TAX PER SERVING

:

COST PER SERVING $

:

COST OF SALES (COS)

% :

GROSS PROFIT

PER SERVING

$ :

CoronaRedding Dist. 12oz bottles $19.70 $0.82 $0.07 12.00 $2.60 $2.41 $0.82 34.00% $1.59

Pale Ale Redding Dist 12oz bottles $19.75 $0.83 $0.07 12.00 $2.60 $2.41 $0.83 34.42% $1.58

CoorsRedding Dist. 12oz can $13.45 $0.56 $0.05 12.00 $1.85 $1.72 $0.56 32.66% $1.16

Genuine Draft

Redding Dist. 12oz can $13.45 $0.56 $0.05 12.00 $1.85 $1.72 $0.56 32.66% $1.16

Pale AleRedding Dist. 15.5gal keg $96.00 $96.00 $0.05 10.00 $2.15 $1.99 $0.48 24.26% $1.51

Genuine Draft

Redding Dist. 7.5gal keg $44.50 $44.50 $0.02 10.00 $1.75 $1.62 $0.22 13.82% $1.40

Budwieser Foothill 7.5gal keg $32.50 $32.50 $0.02 10.00 $1.75 $1.62 $0.16 10.09% $1.46

Seagrams 7Southern W S

12/1L btl case $162.96 $13.58 $0.40 1.25 $2.25 $2.09 $0.50 23.90% $1.59

Lord Calvert Southern WS12/1L btl

case $100.56 $8.38 $0.25 1.25 $2.25 $2.09 $0.31 14.75% $1.78

V.O.Southern W S

12/1L btl case $162.96 $13.58 $0.40 1.25 $2.25 $2.09 $0.50 23.90% $1.59

Canadian Mist Youngs

12/1L btl case $80.04 $6.67 $0.20 1.25 $2.00 $1.86 $0.25 13.21% $1.61

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

The Grass Talks to Us. Listen with your eyes!

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Fairway Divot Damage Impact Calculator for a Golf Course -- by James G. Prusa

INPUT Metric Your Calculations INPUT Imperial Your Calculations

1 Indicate the number of Par 4 and Par five holes on your golf course:

15Your average daily number of divots

per fairway during busy

season:

1,237Your total daily

number of divots during busy

season:18,560 Indicate the number

of Par 4 and Par five holes on your golf course:

15Your average daily number of divots

per fairway during busy

season:

1,237Your total daily

number of divots during busy season:

18,560

2What is total area of all of these fairways in SQUARE METERS?

102,547

SQUARE METERS SQUARE FEET

% or Years

What is total area of all of these fairways in SQUARE FEET?

1,103,807

SQUARE METERS SQUARE FEET

% or Years

Your average daily divot damage per

fairway:18.6 199.8

Your TOTAL fairway areas

damaged daily:0.27%

Your average daily divot damage per

fairway:18.6 199.8 Your TOTAL fairway

areas damaged daily: 0.27%

3What is the total number of rounds of golf you play per year?

87,000Your TOTAL

average daily divot damage to

all fairways:278 2,997

Your TOTAL fairway areas

damaged ANNUALY:

73%What is the total number of rounds of golf you play per year?

87,000Your TOTAL

average daily divot damage to

all fairways:278 2,997

Your TOTAL fairway areas damaged

ANNUALY:73%

4How many busy months of golf do you play per year?

9Your average TOTAL divot damage ALL

fairways:75,168 809,103

How many years it takes to divot

damage 100% equivalency of your fairways:

1.4How many busy months of golf do you play per year?

9Your average TOTAL divot damage ALL

fairways:75,168 809,103

How many years it takes to divot damage

100% equivalency of your fairways:

1.4

A. Conservatively we assume that on average, each golfing customer takes 2 practice divots and 2 shot divots out of each Par 4 and 5 hole on average during a round of golf = 4 divots per person / hole/ round

B. On average divots are 15cm x 10cm = 150 cm2 per each average divot damage. This is 6 inches x 4 inches for each divot = 24 square inches

C. For purposes of conservatively smoothing out calculations, a weighted factor is included to offset a 12 month year = 12 months in a year÷ your busiest golf season months X 72%

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Admiral Yi Sun Shin 1545-1598

COST SAVING Demands

Your Willingness to CHANGE by:• Honest, critically-objective assessment of

your current practices and strategies

• Study and understanding of emerging business trends (Adm. Nelson – Trafalgar; Adm. Togo – Tsushima)

• Innovation, modification and adaptation of new (or old) methods

• Willingness to take thoughtful risks to gain the victory

• You, like Yi Sun Shin, must take a stand and have a willingness to risk being criticized by the ‘group’

James Graham Prusa

Budgeting

• Golf Course Operating Ratios – Do you know how to analyze your financials? (130 golf courses in Japan)

How to measure performance?

• Comparative metrics limited info in Asia – for now (AGIF)

• Cost-per-hole• Cost-per-hectare• Cost-per-round• Cost-per-member / customer• Spend-per-customer v Cost-per-customer• Full-time-equivalent (FTE)

Managing Costs on a Budget

James Graham Prusa

Managing Costs on a Budget

Golf Course Management Workshop

by James Graham Prusa

James Graham Prusa