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How to hire a golf course superintendent

Golf course superintendent hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring golf course superintendents in the United States:

  • There are a total of 32,722 golf course superintendents in the US, and there are currently 12,772 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a golf course superintendent is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per golf course superintendent on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Taylor, MI, has the highest demand for golf course superintendents, with 4 job openings.

How to hire a golf course superintendent, step by step

To hire a golf course superintendent, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a golf course superintendent:

Here's a step-by-step golf course superintendent hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a golf course superintendent job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new golf course superintendent
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a golf course superintendent do?

Golf course superintendents are skilled professionals who are responsible for providing care and maintenance to the golf courses they are working for. These superintendents must supervise a team of staff members to coordinate work schedules for landscaping and maintaining the golf course grounds. They are required to manage irrigation systems by providing reports on the retaining ponds and other water source usage. Gold course superintendents must also provide technical and safety training for their employees when operating machinery and power equipment.

Learn more about the specifics of what a golf course superintendent does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The golf course superintendent hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a golf course superintendent to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a golf course superintendent that fits the bill.

    Here's a comparison of golf course superintendent salaries for various roles:

    Type of Golf Course SuperintendentDescriptionHourly rate
    Golf Course Superintendent$10-32
    Irrigation ManagerAn irrigator manager handles the monitoring, inspection, and maintenance of irrigation systems. They are responsible for developing ways to manage and improve land... Show more$11-21
    Grounds Maintenance SupervisorThe grounds maintenance supervisor is in charge of the maintenance and landscape crew. These are people who mow lawns, trim overgrown shrubs, irrigate planting beds, and perform a host of other outdoor maintenance tasks... Show more$11-19
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Mowing
    • GRASS
    • Course Maintenance
    • Fairways
    • Golf Courses
    • Pro Shop
    • Pesticide Applications
    • Maintenance Equipment
    • Irrigation Systems
    • Course Management
    • Maintenance Practices
    • Course Set-Up
    • Golf Carts
    • Turf Grass
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage nursery and landscape surrounding campus center, leading maintenance and management projects.
    • Operate various equipment, including: riding and push mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws, bunker rakes, etc.
    • Resolve customer complaints while maintaining budgets and staff payroll.
    • Experience with marking and measuring of fields to NCAA regulations.
    • Mow, weedeat and edge all turf areas as needed.
    • Maintain time and attendance payroll records, and department records management.
    More golf course superintendent duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your golf course superintendent job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A golf course superintendent salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, golf course superintendents' average salary in wyoming is 59% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level golf course superintendents earn 67% less than senior-level golf course superintendents.
    • Certifications. A golf course superintendent with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a golf course superintendent's salary.

    Average golf course superintendent salary

    $38,861yearly

    $18.68 hourly rate

    Entry-level golf course superintendent salary
    $22,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average golf course superintendent salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New Jersey$49,237$24
    2New York$48,757$23
    3Maryland$38,923$19
    4Michigan$37,793$18
    5Virginia$37,431$18
    6California$36,900$18
    7Florida$35,255$17
    8Arizona$35,049$17
    9Iowa$34,939$17
    10Ohio$34,725$17
    11Illinois$33,968$16
    12Texas$31,837$15
    13New Mexico$31,042$15
    14Utah$30,987$15
    15Oklahoma$30,754$15
    16Wisconsin$30,599$15
    17Georgia$30,561$15
    18Washington$30,381$15
    19Kansas$27,654$13
    20Colorado$27,653$13

    Average golf course superintendent salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Middlebury College$107,607$51.731
    2Washington County$69,105$33.22
    3Woodberry Forest School$61,381$29.51
    4Denison University$48,735$23.431
    5Georgia State University$48,580$23.362
    6Salt Lake County$43,018$20.688
    7Remote$40,573$19.51
    8City of Austin$40,458$19.45
    9Minnesota Limited$40,191$19.32
    10Sensei Project Solutions$39,719$19.10
    11Landscapes Unlimited$39,719$19.10
    12CSW Group$39,719$19.10
    13BrightView Landscape Development Inc$39,510$19.0036
    14ABM Industries$38,717$18.614
    15BrightView$38,252$18.3921
    16Penn National Gaming$36,253$17.43
    17Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City$34,487$16.58
    18Coral Hospitality$34,228$16.46
    19City of San Diego$34,182$16.43
    20Wheaton Park District$33,745$16.223
  4. Writing a golf course superintendent job description

    A job description for a golf course superintendent role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a golf course superintendent job description:

    Golf course superintendent job description example

    Since Arrowhead Golf Club’s historic opening in 1927, it continues to offer a superb golf experience to its guests. The course is comprised of three nine-hole courses where guests can experience the feel of a private club at one of the finest municipal courses in the state.

    Arrowhead Golf Club was Audubon Certified in 2020.

    The Position :

    What will you do?

    • Responsible for timely chemical applications to golf course properties and fertilizer applications to tees, greens, fairways, and rough areas.
    • Supervise and participate in operation and maintenance of pumps, and in maintenance of irrigation and drainage systems.
    • Understand and identify turf diseases and insect pests.
    • Supervise pesticide application and/or operate and calibrate pesticide application equipment.
    • Assist in planning and supervising maintenance of greens, tees, and fairways; schedule work, and supervise employees and the use of equipment.

    Why you should apply :

    Arrowhead is owned and operated by the Wheaton Park District. Park districts are all about leisure, recreation and conservation. If this interests you, we offer the following:

    • $45,000.00 per year
    • Health (HMO or PPO), with very low employee contribution for employee, spouse, and dependents.
    • 100% employer paid dental insurance for employee, spouse, and dependents.
    • 100% employer paid vision insurance for the employee
    • 100% employer paid life insurance at 1.5 times your annual salary.
    • Health insurance incentive up to $4,500 per year.
    • FSA and Dependent Care pre-tax via payroll deduction.
    • Pension Plan through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, including employer contributions
    • Paid time off including 12 sick days per year, 12 vacation days, 2 personal days (pro-rated first year), 12 ½ holidays.
    • Free use of fitness center, two pools, golf, and entrance to Cosley Zoo to employees and family members eligible for insurance coverage.
    • Tuition Reimbursement, discounts on merchandise, professional memberships, and other voluntary benefits.

    The Qualifications :

    To be considered for this position, we are looking for:

    • A degree in turf management/soil science or related field preferred.
    • Minimum of one (1) years’ golf course experience with increasing responsibilities in turf management including experience with various fertilizers, pesticides, drainage systems, irrigation systems, and supervising staff.
    • Must be familiar with Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
    • Must have a valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record and able to operate a manual transmission.
    • CPR/AED certified or obtain within one (1) year of employment
    • Illinois Pesticide Applicator’s License or obtain with thirty (30) days of employment.
    • Must be able to move objects (bags/jugs of fertilizer and chemicals) up to 50 lbs.
    • Must be able to be continuously exposed to all weather conditions and OSHA approved pesticides and chemicals.

    The Wheaton Park District is an equal opportunity employer. EOE/M/F/D/V

  5. Post your job

    To find the right golf course superintendent for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with golf course superintendents they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit golf course superintendents who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your golf course superintendent job on Zippia to find and recruit golf course superintendent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with golf course superintendent candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new golf course superintendent

    Once you've found the golf course superintendent candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new golf course superintendent first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a golf course superintendent?

Recruiting golf course superintendents involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $38,861 per year for a golf course superintendent, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for golf course superintendents in the US typically range between $10 and $32 an hour.

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