How to hire a greens keeper

How to hire a greens keeper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step greens keeper hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the greens keeper you need to hire. Certain greens keeper roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect greens keeper also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of greens keepers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Greens Keeper	Description	Hourly rate
   Greens Keeper	Grounds maintenance workers ensure that the grounds of houses, businesses, and parks are attractive, orderly, and healthy in order to provide a pleasant outdoor environment.	$10-16
   Irrigation Technician	An irrigation technician is responsible for installing, testing, and maintaining irrigation equipment such as sprinklers, suction valves, and pumps. Typical duties for this position include operating heavy machinery for trenching, installing wiring systems for irrigation timers, and inspecting equipment for a day's work... Show more	$12-21
   Ground Crew	Ground crews, also known as ground staff, are personnel that work at the airport. These crews are either avionics technicians, customer service and ramp agents, or flight dispatchers... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Mowing
   • Hand Tools
   • Course Maintenance
   • Mowers
   • Rakes
   • Pro Shop
   • Shovels
   • Blowers
   • Grounds Maintenance
   • Lawn Care
   • Golf Carts
   • Sand Traps
   • TEE Markers
   • Irrigation Systems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Plant flowers, create custom landscapes and flowerbeds using shovels, rakes, and hoe's.
   • Use weed eater, edger, dustblowers, fertilize and over seed golf course and use hand rakes and shovels.
   • Trim and prune plants in front and back of the clubhouse.
   • Perform preventive maintenance on all equipment and assist in the changing of reels and blades on all mowing equipment.
   • Include mowing greens, raking bunkers, edging, deck mowing, watering, anything to keep the course alive.
   • Operate vehicles or power equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, chain-saws, and pruning saws.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your greens keeper job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A greens keeper can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, greens keepers' average salary in mississippi is 44% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level greens keepers 40% less than senior-level greens keepers.
   • Certifications. A greens keeper with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a greens keeper's salary.

   Average greens keeper salary

   $13.08hourly

   $27,216 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level greens keeper salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a greens keeper job description

   A greens keeper job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a greens keeper job description:

   Greens keeper job description example

   TPC Summerlin is a private par-72, 7,243-yard golf course located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Carved from a magnificent swath of rugged desert terrain by renowned golf course architect Bobby Weed, TPC Summerlin creates one of the most visually stunning tests of golf in Nevada. TPC Summerlin proudly hosts the PGA TOUR's Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, the second event of the PGA TOUR's FedExCup season.
   Tee up your career as a part of our team with the TPC Network!
   
   The Equipment Operator I is an entry-level position and is to operate equipment and/or to perform specific tasks to maintain the golf course grounds.
   
   Salary Range $13.50 - $15.75 per hour.
   
   QUALIFICATIONS
   High school diploma or equivalent education The ability to understand and follow directions and operate golf course machinery
   
   RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES
   Maintain logs for the operation, maintenance, and gas usage of each machine Perform daily tasks necessary to keep the maintenance facility clean, organized, and safe Clean machinery after each use Inspect all machines and report any deficiencies to the Equipment Technician or Equipment TechnicianPerform other functions and routine golf course maintenance activities as directed by the Director of Golf Course Maintenance Operations, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent I or Assistant Golf Course Superintendent II Be thoroughly trained for the procedures at each task prior to performing task Follow the guidelines in the Golf Course Maintenance Operations Manual for each specific task Be able to perform specific tasks relative to Equipment Operator I training including:Line trim trees, shrubs, posts, etc Edge cart paths, sprinkler heads, bunkers, etc Ball mark repair Divot filling Sod laying Utility vehicle operations Blower operations Hand raking bunkers Walk top dress equipment operation Backhoe operation Miscellaneous hand tool operations Required to wear personal protective clothing and/or use protective equipment to comply with established safety operating standards Special projects or other duties as assigned
   
   PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a variety of outdoor weather conditions. Position is very active and requires lifting, pulling or pushing up to or over 50 pounds, moving and/or lift items with awkward weights. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, color vision, distance and peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.
   
   An essential function of the job is to be able to comply with all applicable federal, state and local safety and health regulations that would apply to this job.
   
   This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions and may be modified as needed; it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The information contained herein is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job.
   
   Travel
   Travel is not expected for this position
   
   Work Schedule Expectations
   This position requires shifts as necessary based on business levels
   
   Supervisory Responsibility
   This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find greens keepers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your greens keeper job on Zippia to find and recruit greens keeper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit greens keepers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 greens keeper

   Once you've found the greens keeper 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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