Investments in golf course improvement projects are occurring at a rate that has not been seen in a long time and we are not seeing any signs of slowing down. It cannot be overstated how important it is for stakeholders to have a realistic understanding of the project cost, the scope of work, and the time it will take to complete the project. All three of these factors are interconnected and changing one without adjusting the others will impact the quality of the finished product.
The project management triangle is an equilateral triangle where each side represents a project constraint: time, scope and cost. The inside of the triangle represents quality. This is a simple and effective concept to use when planning a renovation project.
Assuming quality is not to be sacrificed, any adjustment to the time, scope or cost of a project requires that adjustments be made to the other two constraints. This also applies to any changes made during the project, not just in the planning stage.
Another way of thinking about this is to determine which of the three constraints – scope, time or cost – is the limiting factor. Then adjustments can be made to the other two to keep the triangle balanced and ensure a high-quality product will be delivered.
Sacrificing quality should not be an option. Failure to keep the triangle in balance can have long-lasting impacts on things like course maintenance, golfer satisfaction and course finances.
The project management triangle is not a perfect model, but it helps illustrate how different project constraints must be balanced. As discussions take place around possible golf course renovation work, it is worth using the concepts of the project management triangle to educate those involved about the importance of not sacrificing quality when other adjustments are made. The Green Section Record article “Avoiding Common Pitfalls of Golf Course Renovations” is an excellent resource to review on this topic. For assistance with planning a golf course renovation, reach out to your regional USGA agronomist.
Central Region Agronomists:
Zach Nicoludis, regional director – znicoludis@usga.org
Tom Gould, agronomist – tgould@usga.org
Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service
Contact the Green Section Staff