A golf course superintendent is a person who professionally manages the labor, time, materials and financial resources needed to care for the

turfgrass Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

and landscaped grounds on a

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, tee box, a #Fairway and rough, fairway, the #Fairway and rough, rough and other hazard (golf), hazards, and ...

. Golf course superintendents have also been referred to as

greenskeeper A greenskeeper is a person responsible for the upkeep of a golf course. Their duties include all Horticulture, horticultural practices, as well as the setting of flag-sticks and marking of Hazard (golf), hazards. Other responsibilities typically ...

s and turf managers. Golf course superintendents are concerned with the environmental health of the golf course, the sporting needs of the players and the financial sustainability of the golf club or

country club A country club is a privately-owned Club (organization), club, often with a membership quota and admittance by invitation or sponsorship, that generally offers both a variety of recreational sports and facilities for dining and entertaining. Ty ...

for which they work. Golf course superintendents communicate the status of the grounds and maintenance resources to members of the club’s management, owners or

board of directors A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

, green chairs and committees, golfers, vendors, suppliers, golf professionals, golf course architects and others in the golf industry. Golf course superintendents monitor the natural weather patterns, environment and other influences that affect the playing areas and landscapes with which golfers interact. Golf course superintendents monitor the health of the golf course environment through study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury to the golf course’s turfgrass fairways, tees and greens areas, as well as bunkers, areas of

water hazard A hazard is an area of a golf course in the sport of golf which provides a difficult obstacle, which may be of two types: (1) penalty areas such as lakes and rivers; and (2) bunkers. A penalty area was previously referred to as a water hazard ...

, naturalized areas and trees. Their management of the course is accomplished through a knowledge of biology, chemistry,

plant pathology Plant pathology or phytopathology is the scientific study of plant diseases caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Plant pathology involves the study of pathogen identification, disease ...

, and

entomology Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

. In the United States, golf course superintendents can be certified by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

Job responsibilities

Golf course superintendents maintain a course’s

, which is considered to be a manufactured product because it is specifically planted, raised and maintained to provide players with a surface on which to play golf. There is a science-based process behind the turfgrass they produce which involves various steps and stages throughout the year. The maintenance of the turfgrass throughout the year requires sufficient education on the distinction between the natural state and preferred state of golf course greenery. Training in fertilizers and herbicides are necessary to understanding the dynamic between a natural environment and one that is conducive to sustaining hundreds of thousands of rounds of golf per year. Many superintendents will go to secondary education preparing them for a certification from the GCSAA, the Golf Course Supererintendents Association of America. The PGA Tour sponsors a movement every year to remind golfers around the world to thank their local golf course superintendent for all the hard work they put in behind the scenes.

Sources

1. Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

2. United States Golf Association

3. North Carolina State University Turf Files Glossary

4. The North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service, INSECT and other PESTS associated with TURF

5. New England Greenkeepr

6. Rocky Mountain GCSA

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