LAKELAND, Fla. - Aug. 20, 2015 - PRLog -- Golfers visiting Las Vegas are drawn to two beautiful Rees Jones-designed golf courses that promise high-end performance: Rio Secco and Cascata Golf Clubs, owned by Caesar’s Entertainment. Each course brings challenges and renown to the golfing experience, and IGM is proud to be the maintenance contractor for both.
Eric Dutt, vice-president for golf operations for Caesar’s Entertainment, selected IGM to take over maintenance responsibilities for the courses in February 2014. "I’m very pleased with the relationship," said Dutt. "Greg Plotner and Steve Gano (IGM’s Executive VP and VP of Operations) visit regularly, so I get the value of their expertise and insight, in addition to the director of maintenance, John Dodds, who oversees the courses on a daily basis."
Cascata Golf Club in Boulder City, Nevada is now ranked 46th among top golf courses in the country, up from 53rd in 2014, according to Golf Digest’s, America’s Top 100 Public Golf Courses. Dutt noted that Cascata is a 15-year-old course and maintaining a ranking at that level, more so improving it, "is a testament to the quality of IGM’s work, particularly with no capital outlay at this point."
Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada is home to a teaching facility run by Butch Harmon, often referred to as "the best golf instructor in the world." Harmon’s students have included Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, and he regularly brings top touring professionals to the club. "Expectations for superior performance at the course are very high," said Dutt.
Without yet making capital improvements, one of the major priorities at the courses has been improving water utilization. "We have dramatically increased water savings by basing irrigation on the principle of evapotranspiration, or factoring in the different watering needs created by sun, wind, humidity and other conditions," said Steve Gano, VP of Operations for IGM. "We’re also using the latest technology in wetting agents, products that break surface tension and allow more water to be absorbed. In addition, we have raised and leveled sprinklers to improve distribution uniformity."
"Efficiency with irrigation is a big deal in the desert; water is a precious, expensive commodity," noted Dutt. "We have regular discussions about getting better performance at less cost." With a combined 56,000 rounds of golf played at the two courses each year, daily maintenance is a priority.
Gano added that maintenance director Dodds’ crew includes a designated detail crew. "They don’t ride the mowers. Their job is to take care of the flowers, keep things pruned, and ensure the course looks beautiful."
Dutt is particularly happy from a business standpoint that he is provided an accurate forecast of his annual maintenance expenses. "That’s especially important with the way the golf industry has been hit. I operate two high-end golf courses, and I need them maintained in a way that allows us to charge the greens fees we do," said Dutt. "We serve some well-known clients who expect a certain level of performance and experience."
Dutt added, "The outsourcing model is out of the box, but it’s a model course operators need to look at. Owners with multiple facilities get the opportunity for economies of scale in such things as overseeding. The team at IGM are agronomists as well as business people who can help look at savings."
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ABOUT IGM
IGM is a leading golf course maintenance company, dedicated to ensuring the agronomic and environmental excellence of the courses we maintain. IGM contracts with golf courses, home owners associations, and country clubs to handle all aspects of turf and grounds maintenance by our experienced and trained team. Our customized maintenance programs incorporate all the resources necessary to meet the agronomic needs of the customers’ facilities – many times at a savings compared with historical spending.
For more information on IGM and the professional golf course services offered, please contact Greg Plotner, Executive Vice President, 407-589-7200. Additional information, including an electronic version of this release may be obtained by visiting IGM’s website at igminc.net.
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