This is a great thread. Iv'e been thinking of how to better market myself to cemeteries and golf courses lately. What concerns do customers like these have? How do you address them? What equipment/ skills do you emphasize to sell the job. I think we might be well suited to this kind of work since we are easy on turf and have 2 excellent climbers on staff...... Mike
We recently got a letter from a sale rep from one of the biggest tree companies in North America. He introduced himself and told us of his background and some of the places where he had work before as an arborist, what qualification he has and additional education. He also told us of what work he had performed in these place places.
Most of the regular tree work done on a golf course are usually done on a mid to high end courses, therefore, you need to have credibility and reputation. You will find yourself dealing not only with the course manager, but also the Greens Committee and sometimes Board of Directors. Most of these people are sometimes whose who of your community, thus you must be able to communicate clearly and precisely. I find that they ask very intelligent questions and knowledgeable in the field of arboriculture.
I can't speak for other courses, but on mine, we do most if not all of the big tree work in the winter. You can be a little bit more liberal with the dropping a big limb without doing a lot of damage on the grass. I know my boss emphasizes safety over everything else. If I have to drop a tree across the fairway, then so be it. If you have the equipment like a bucket truck to make your job safer, you can also arrange it so you don't damage the sod.
If you have a specific question, pm me and I will try to do my best to answer you.