Steve Sieracki, is the PGA director of instruction at Indian Spring Golf Course in Marlton, New Jersey.

Steve Sieracki on the importance of renovating your facility with the future in mind:
At the end of 2014, we began planning to renovate our grass practice range.  Throughout 2015, the renovation was worked on and completed.  Here at Indian Springs Golf Club, we have 40 turf hitting stalls to accommodate range customers; prior to the grass renovation we could only accommodate 5-10 range customers off grass in addition to our turf.  Since our renovation we can now accommodate up to 15-20 range customers comfortably off grass.  In addition, we added a new safety net separating mats from grass, which once was nine feet high by 25 feet long and now is 25 feet high by 90 feet long, installed by Tex-Net.  The renovation has been a major success, and we are beginning to see customers visit us from all over including local private facilities.

Steve Sieracki on the business impact of renovating your facility with the future in mind:
The grass range renovation took roughly one year to complete and we are elated we did it.  The new netting provided by Tex-Net cost us roughly $10,000 including instillation.  We spent another $2,000 on range supplies such as club cleaners, ball cleaners, ropes, tee markers and yardage markers for distance.  As for the fresh sod and irrigation lines needed, we were able to source those supplies from our superintendent’s course budget, but I would estimate that cost in the neighborhood of $10,000-$15,000, including labor. In 2014 we saw 2,563,190 balls dispensed. Last year after the renovation, we captured 2,771,110 balls dispensed for an 8 percent increase over one season. All said and done sales, programs and lessons are up 20 percent, and we will continue to grow and seek ways to attract new and seasoned golfers to our pristine range facility!

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email stephen.sieracki@gmail.com