Overview
In early 2025, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County awarded Landscapes Golf Management (LGM) a long-term contract to operate two of its public golf courses: Hughes Creek Golf Course in Elburn and Settler’s Hill Golf Course in Batavia. Upon transition, the previous management firm removed all turf maintenance equipment, leaving both properties without the essential tools required to maintain their grounds.
The Forest Preserve needed a solution—quickly and cost-effectively. With spring rapidly approaching, the turf team had no equipment, limited procurement experience, and no available capital to purchase new assets outright.
Landscapes Fleet Management (LFM), a division of LGM, was engaged to build two complete maintenance fleets from the ground up within 90 days. Through a targeted, strategic approach, LFM delivered what was needed—on time, within budget, and without requiring the client to expend any capital dollars.
The Opportunity
The urgency was clear: ensure both courses had full turf equipment fleets in place before the spring growing season began. Without mowers, sprayers, or utility vehicles, the turf at Hughes Creek and Settler’s Hill would be at risk just as it emerged from winter dormancy.
The Forest Preserve’s operations team had limited familiarity with turf-specific equipment and no internal resources to manage a procurement effort of this scale. Additionally, the industry was still navigating supply chain issues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, making the timeline even more ambitious.
This created a rare opportunity to not only solve an urgent equipment gap, but to rethink and streamline the entire acquisition and financing process for the client.
Strategy & Solution
To meet the tight timeline, LGM mobilized a cross-functional team led by Chris Lewis (Director of Agronomy) and Bryce Juedes (Managing Director of Landscapes Fleet). Their first step was to work with Forest Preserve leadership—specifically Mike Williams and Rick Walrath—to identify the exact needs of each property and establish a clear budget.
Key strategies included:
- Conducting detailed fleet needs assessments based on each course’s size, terrain, and maintenance schedule
- Leveraging long-standing distributor relationships with Turfwerks and Reinders to locate both new and used equipment with immediate availability
- Prioritizing asset mix to maximize functionality while remaining within budget parameters
- Structuring a flexible monthly payment plan that eliminated the need for capital expenditure and fit the District’s operational budget
This approach enabled the team to navigate inventory shortages and focus on equipment that was not only available but strategically suited to the properties’ unique needs.
Implementation
The management agreement began on January 1, 2025. With the spring turf season less than three months away, the team got to work immediately. The implementation effort included sourcing, financing, delivery, and deployment of approximately 55 pieces of equipment—about 25 per course.
Despite the challenges of manufacturer delays and limited distributor stock, every major equipment need was addressed and filled within the 90-day deadline.
Implementation Highlights:
- Careful coordination across multiple vendors to ensure timely deliveries
- Ongoing communication with Forest Preserve staff to align equipment choices with operational goals
- Real-time adjustments to sourcing strategy to secure backup equipment options when inventory became unavailable
- Seamless setup and onboarding for the local maintenance teams
Results
First-Year Impact (Spring 2025):
- Fleet Size: 55 pieces of equipment delivered and operational (~25 per course)
- Timing: Delivered and deployed within 90-day timeframe
- Financial Structure: Fully financed with no capital required; structured monthly payments aligned with District budget
Operational Benefits:
- Maintained optimal turf conditions through spring and summer
- Enabled uninterrupted operations despite the complete loss of prior equipment
- Provided the Forest Preserve team with a scalable, manageable solution
Client Feedback
“We hired LGM because they could source the fleet from scratch—and we wouldn’t have to come out of pocket or manage any of it ourselves.”
— Controller, Forest Preserve District of Kane County (paraphrased)
Conclusion
The Forest Preserve District of Kane County faced an urgent operational challenge with no clear path forward. Landscapes Golf Management, through its dedicated Fleet Management division, delivered a custom solution built on experience, distributor relationships, and financial flexibility.
This case illustrates that fleet management is more than just equipment sourcing—it’s about aligning strategy, timing, and financing to support uninterrupted operations and long-term success. For Hughes Creek and Settler’s Hill, that meant turning a vulnerable transition into a well-executed launch.
