How do I check a golf course’s maintenance shed for equipment past its life?

Ask for the full equipment list before you visit, then tick off each mower, sprayer, tractor and cart against what is parked in the shed. Note whether anything on the list is missing, borrowed or leased, and whether anything in the shed is not on the list at all.

Look at the condition, not only the logs. Oil stains, worn tyres, damaged cutting units and hand-made repairs tell you how a machine has been treated. Ask the mechanic, if there is one, which machines they would replace first and which they keep alive with spare parts that are hard to find.

Then turn it into a plan. Sort the equipment into fine for now, replace soon and replace later, and ask a dealer or equipment appraiser to review the list. If you expect to finance replacements, talk to a lender early so you know what the course can support. Do not forget the smaller items, such as irrigation parts, hand tools and the fuel and chemical storage. They are easy to overlook but often appear in the first year’s repair bills.

Key takeaways

• Match the equipment list to the machines you can actually see.
• Rank each unit as fine, replace soon or replace later.
• Ask a mechanic or appraiser to review the oldest machines.
• Include irrigation parts and storage areas, not only the big machines.