Land maintenance for a golf course is an exact science and art. For a course to be considered within the standards, there are numerous requirements for everything from the height of the grass to the speed of play, which will change between fairways, greens and roughs. Crews must rely on reliable golf course maintenance teams to get the job done right and to keep up with demanding maintenance schedules.

We will examine two important decisions when purchasing the necessary equipment. First, should you buy or lease your machinery? If you are going to buy, should you buy new tools or used lawn equipment?

Buy or rent

Many times people ask this question when looking at a new car, but when they equip a maintenance fleet with the tools for their trade, the decision becomes much more detailed.

The main advantage of equipment leasing is that the crew never has to deal with obsolescence. When the terms of the lease end, the contract can be renewed with the latest equipment. Teams will have access to the latest machinery and technology without having to worry about outdated models. However, there are many basic pieces of machinery that don’t really change with the times. A lawn mower or bulldozer won’t drastically advance beyond perhaps a few extra conveniences.

Therefore, buying the most equipment is the best option in many cases. While loan payments can sometimes be higher than lease payments, at the end of the loan period, the equipment remains on the golf course. Well-maintained mowers and tractors will last a long time, offering many years of service without having to worry about monthly payments. In the end, this offers greater financial flexibility as a team will only pay expenses when they use the equipment, rather than making payments even if the equipment is not used.

Like buying a home instead of renting, with each passing year, your own assets become worth more and more compared to entering into new leases or rentals.

New or used lawn equipment

That said, golf course maintenance equipment can be an expensive investment. Without a large amount of free capital, most people will end up taking out a loan to buy new machines. Still, the latest models offer the peace of mind of knowing that the machines will get going and shouldn’t have a problem for many years to come. However, there are other options.

Obviously, used lawn equipment has the advantage of being less expensive than a new model. Being able to buy a tractor directly will save on interest payments. While repairs and maintenance can be a bigger problem for using lawn equipment, the monthly savings will more than offset that expense. Most large mowers and machines are built very well and will last a long time, even when purchased used.

Ultimately, these decisions have to do with looking long term. While leasing is attractive for short-term decision-making and smaller businesses struggling with cash, buying the necessary tools will always pay off in the long run.