Village Greens Cuts April Seasonal Labor By 50 Percent

April showers prevented days of golfing at Village Greens, canceling the Illinois State Scramble and other events and forcing the course to reduce its April seasonal workforce by 50 percent to cut costs. 

Chicago received 4.9 inches of precipitation in April, according to the National Weather Service. That amount was 1.22 inches higher than normal. 

Brandon Evans, general manager for Village Greens, said the course saw a drop in the number of golf rounds played from 4,654 rounds in April 2010 to 2161 rounds in April 2011, a decrease of 54 percent.

Village Greens was hit harder than the rest of the Chicago region, which, based on early numbers, saw a decrease in the number of rounds played of 25 to 30 percent, he said. 

Especially costly: Village Greens had to cancel the Illinois State Scramble on April 22 due to standing water, which cost the course $18,000 in returned entry fees and a total of $25,000 with investments in tee gifts, labor and food.

Other courses were open and using golf carts that day, Evans wrote on the course's website to announce the cancellation of the event. But standing water prevented Village Greens from hosting.

The course also lost the Legends event, the opening Thursday Ladies League event and multiple days of permanent tee times in April due to weather.  

With decreased revenues, the course cut April seasonal labor by 50 percent from last year, cutting the cost of total seasonal labor to its lowest amount for April since 2007. The year-to-date costs have also been the lowest since 2007. 

Evans wrote in an e-mail that the golf course serves a "valuable function as water retention/detention for the village of Woodridge, protecting homes and businesses from flooding during rain events." 

But accepting extra storm water presents "significant challenges," he wrote. When the course receives half an inch of rain or greater, the course has standing water.

If that standing water remains for 48 hours or more, and if the course also experiences humidity or high heat, the course "will become less than optimal (or in some cases die altogether)."  

Wet conditions can close the course, or golfers may not be allowed to use golf carts on the property because the carts cause rutting and turf damage. About half of the Village Greens' golfers use golf carts. When the course disallows cart use, it loses those golfers as well as others who would accompany them in the golf outing. 

Either situation means fewer, if any, golfers using the course on certain days. 

Despite April's losses, Evan said golfers who come out in May will see a golf course in good condition from plenty of rain and the lack of play.

"We have some of the best, most loyal customers in Chicago, and they’re itching to get back on the course," Evans wrote. "We hope April, 2011 was just an aberration and that the remainder of the golf season is greeted with warmer, drier weather."

Below are two charts showing the seasonal payroll comparison from 2007 to 2011, first in April and second for the year-to-date.