Chris Navin shares the importance of scouting your EOP options

Ahhhh, early order. In your mind, did you hear that as a relaxing “ahhhh”? Or was it a frightened scream? Depending on how you approach early order programs, it could be either. So many products, so many packaged deals, so many savings, so many “Ahhhhs.”

Chris Navin

For many, by the time September rolls around, the end of the golf season is near. For plenty of others, their season is just starting.

There aren’t many constants at this time of year. One of the few we do have is that kids are going back to school. Every August, it hits us when our invaluable college and high school team members head back to school. For some of you, it’s when your own kids go back.

My daughter Charlotte is starting second grade this year, so I’m just starting to get the hang of this back-to-school business (I’ll be a seasoned vet when Cody starts Kindergarten in a few years). Along with that business comes the shopping, the searching for deals and savings and all those outfits.

As parents, we try to take advantage of it and get all the supplies, clothes, book bags and lunch boxes so they have MOST of what they need for the school year. I say most because there’s always something to forget.

Play ball!

Then, October rolls around, and it’s early order season. Now, it’s our turn to take advantage of all the deals, packages and savings. It’s quite a bit more daunting since we are spending someone else’s money, so research, education and word of mouth are all important.

With the variety of products available across all areas of managing turf, there’s much to learn and keep track of. In addition to that, new products launch every year, there are some products that didn’t benefit your program that won’t order and some are staples that you order every year.

Regardless of your situation, you likely attend educational seminars and meetings to exchange and learn new information. That is what convinced me to try and trust, Suprado in its very first year on the market. Then, we attend our other “meetings” at a local Buffalo Wild Wings or someone’s maintenance facility parking lot, where word of mouth becomes the main source of spreading information.

Regardless of the place, take these opportunities seriously. There’s plenty to be learned. But also, do your own research on products in addition to hearing the experiences of others.

Expect a curveball

Soon enough, early order season will be here, and having as much knowledge as you can regarding products makes ordering much simpler and more confident.

Every year, we all develop an agronomic plan, and every year we all deviate from that plan because Mother Nature has other ideas. But, just as deviation is a constant, so is adaptation. As quick as I am to blame Mother Nature when we’re grinding for good turf conditions, I’m just as quick to praise it when turf conditions are premium with little daily effort.

Regardless, how we prepare months before our current conditions set us up for success, failure or any variation in between. Early order programs are a big part of that preparation. We’ve talked a lot about the constant deviations we face, but now, bask in the constant on our yearly calendar.

We know the binders and flash drives are on their way, filled with fantastic products. We know there will be savings and package deals for those products. We know the preparation for next season starts now. In a profession full of deviations, the welcomed relief of a constant will soon be with us.

Chris Navin is the superintendent at The Club at P.B. Dye in Ijamsville, Md. Navin is Golfdom’s 2023 Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year award winner.