Our search projects, networking, and research consistently show that creating a great, healthy workplace culture is a top priority for both current and future club industry professionals—and it’s increasingly valued by club members as well.
Let’s cut through the noise: workplace culture is not your mission statement, your core values poster, or a once-a-year staff survey.
It’s what your people experience every day — in the way they’re spoken to, how they solve problems, who gets listened to, and whether they walk into work feeling like a valued contributor or just another replaceable part.
If you want to lead a high-performing team — whether you’re running golf course operations, a turf maintenance crew, or a full-service private club — you have to know how to identify your culture before you can improve it.
Here’s 5 clear, no-fluff steps to evaluating the culture you’ve built (or inherited).
1. Watch the Behavior, Not the Branding
Culture isn’t what leadership says — it’s what the team does when no one’s looking. Start by observing:
- Who speaks up in meetings, and who stays quiet?
- Do team members share knowledge or hoard it?
- Is the default tone encouraging or dismissive?
- Do people take ownership of problems or hide from them?
High-functioning cultures show signs of mutual respect, trust, and psychological safety. People aren’t afraid to speak honestly or admit mistakes. They pitch in without being asked.
2. Listen for What’s Not Being Said
What your team doesn’t say tells you as much as what they do.
If your staff avoids eye contact, gives short answers, or never offers suggestions, you may have a culture of fear or disengagement.
If people stop bringing you problems, that’s the real problem.
Encourage open feedback, but more importantly — prove through action that you value it. If people risk telling you the truth and nothing changes, they’ll stop trying.
3. Pay Attention to Turnover and Tenure
Turnover is one of the loudest signals of cultural health — or lack thereof.
People rarely leave over pay alone. More often, they leave because they don’t feel respected, listened to, or invested in. Look at:
- Who’s leaving, and why?
- Are good people recommending others to work there?
- Are people growing in their roles or getting stuck?
High retention rates aren’t the goal — high engagement and development are. Sometimes a team that’s too “comfortable” is a sign that accountability and growth are missing.
4. Ask Better Questions
Don’t wait for the annual staff survey. Culture is built daily — and it should be assessed often.
Try questions like:
- “What makes your job harder than it should be?”
- “When was the last time you felt really proud of your work?”
- “If you could change one thing about how we operate, what would it be?”
- “Do you feel like your voice matters here?”
Create low-stakes, consistent opportunities for feedback: casual check-ins, anonymous polls, 1:1 walks. Most importantly, act on what you learn.
5. Look for Ownership and Energy
You can sense a strong culture. People:
- Show up early because they want to — not because they’re afraid
- Help new hires without being asked
- Speak positively about the team even when nobody’s watching
- Treat the property like their own
They own the mission because they feel ownership in the environment.
On the flip side, when people only do the bare minimum or say things like “That’s not my job,” that’s your culture talking, too.
Final Thought: Culture Happens — By Design or By Default
If you’re not intentionally shaping your workplace culture, something else is doing it for you: burnout, poor communication, bad habits, or legacy behaviors.
The most effective leaders in golf and hospitality don’t let culture be an accident. They design it, protect it, and refine it constantly.
“Culture isn’t a project. It’s a standard.”
Start identifying your culture today — before it identifies you.
If you’re in need of further insight and best practices to develop your workplace culture, set up a FREE Talent Strategy Call with our team.
About The Author
Tyler Bloom is the founder of Bloom Golf Partners. A former golf course superintendent and turf professional, Tyler’s love of all things golf began at the age of six when he stepped onto the course for the first time.
Tyler has an Executive Certificate in Talent Acquisition from Cornell University and a degree in Turfgrass Science from Penn State University. With 20 years of experience in the golf and turfgrass industry, Tyler has worked directly with reputable club leaders at some of the most prestigious clubs to place over 300 professionals in executive and management level positions throughout the United States.
Are you ready to build a top-performing team that drives results? Our proven framework, methodologies, and implementation is based on our personal track record of developing world-class teams. In addition to talent acquisition, we provide leadership development and ongoing consultative services for the golf course and club industry. Our team has personally coached and mentored dozens of future golf course superintendents across the United States.