Written by: Mitch Rupert, Communications Manager, Bloom Golf Partners

I sift through dozens of resumes daily, hundreds weekly. I’m always fascinated by the choices candidates make in how they present themselves in the documents they use to express interest in a job.

You can tell who has put a lot of thought and care into their resume, cover letter, and portfolio. But it also amazes me how in an industry which is predicated on execution of the details, how often a candidate lacks the details in their application documents.

I understand that in the haste to discuss your accomplishments in your previous and current employment, some of these details may fall through the cracks. But when preparing your resume, there are some basic non-negotiables which should always be included.

— Contact information
— Previous employers
— Dates you were previously employed
— Your title at previous jobs
— Location of your previous employer
— Certifications or higher education degrees

I believe the small habits of a person reflect the whole character of that person. How can I trust that you’re going to remember to handle the details of maintaining the golf course which takes its presentation to the next level if you’re not paying attention to the details of your application documents?

So take plenty of review time for your cover letter and resume. Ask people you trust to give it a once or twice over. Trust the spell check function on your computer. And make sure your documents reflect the person you’re trying to present to a hiring committee.

About the Author

Mitch Rupert

Mitch Rupert brings more than 20 years of high-stakes interviewing experience—from covering professional and youth sports as an award-winning Associated Press journalist—to his role with Bloom Golf Partners. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has supported candidate communication, interviews, and due diligence while applying his storytelling and research expertise to the executive search process.

Written by: Mitch Rupert, Communications Manager, Bloom Golf Partners

One of the most difficult aspects of interviewing for jobs is trusting that your knowledge, your experience, and your skills are enough. Everybody is looking for that little edge which is going to help separate them from the rest of the field.

But hiring committees are seeking genuine people. Genuine people are confident in themselves without being cocky. Genuine people know they are enough and they don’t have to sell themselves more and more as they progress through the interview process.

It’s like a baseball pitcher who throws a really good curveball and gets a swing and miss. If they feel they have to throw an even better curveball on the next pitch, they’ll end up trying to hard and flattening out the pitch, leading to a 450-foot home run. Don’t flatten your curveball by trying to do too much as you progress in the interview process.

A hiring committee has moved you forward in the process because they liked how you presented yourself and your ideas in your previous interview. So trust the person you introduced a club to in your initial interview is exactly the person you should again show to the club in subsequent interviews. Be confident in your knowledge. Be confident in your experience. Be confident in your skills. And be confident that YOU are enough.

About the Author

Mitch Rupert

Mitch Rupert brings more than 20 years of high-stakes interviewing experience—from covering professional and youth sports as an award-winning Associated Press journalist—to his role with Bloom Golf Partners. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has supported candidate communication, interviews, and due diligence while applying his storytelling and research expertise to the executive search process.

Written by: Mitch Rupert, Communications Manager, Bloom Golf Partners

Things I care about when conducting an interview:
1. If you can stay on point.
2. How easily you can explain your experiences.
3. Your enthusiasm.
4. Whether or not you’re genuine.

Things I don’t care about when conducting an interview:
1. What you’re wearing.
2. Where you’re sitting (so long as it’s quiet).
3. What’s in your background.
4. Whether or not you’re using your phone or a computer.

I know what’s important to me as the individual conducting a job interview. The things I do care about are what matters. The things I listed that I don’t care about are, to me, ancillary things that have zero bearing on whether or not you’re able to do the job you’re interviewing for.

But it’s also important to remember that just because it doesn’t matter to me, doesn’t mean it’s not critical for everyone else who sees your interview. They are areas worth considering as you head into your next job interview, even virtual interviews. Are you dressed appropriately? Are you clean? Is there a better option than sitting in your vehicle? Is your sound quality going to be at its best with the device you’re using.

These areas can really enhance your professional presence. And your professional presence tells a story about you and how you approach the details of your life and your job. I am not a believer that everyone needs to wear a jacket and tie for an interview, but I also believe you should dress for the job you want, so factor that into your plans as you prep for your interview.

I think candidates often get lost in the blue collar nature of the work to maintain a golf course and its equipment that they forget the white collar nature of the clientele they’re serving, and the people who make the hiring decisions. So ask yourself as you prepare for your interview, what story are your telling with your professional presence? What story are your documents (resume, cover letter, porfolio) telling to those who are reading them? Are they carefully groomed or haphazardly put together? If you can figure out what story you want to tell to the person conducting your interview, you’re going to find the right balance of professional and relaxed allowing you to be comfortable.

About the Author

Mitch Rupert

Mitch Rupert brings more than 20 years of high-stakes interviewing experience—from covering professional and youth sports as an award-winning Associated Press journalist—to his role with Bloom Golf Partners. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has supported candidate communication, interviews, and due diligence while applying his storytelling and research expertise to the executive search process.

Note: This article was featured https://golfprop.com/profile-team-history/

Continuing from last month’s interview with Tyler among the questions I posed was how important is geographical experience given the different varieties of turfgrass. Bloom answered; “Geographic and turf experience matters, and clubs in a given climate often prefer someone who already knows the local turf, labor market, vendors, agronomic calendar, and labor market. That said, adaptable supers who’ve managed both warm and cool-season grasses, or worked the transition zone, are genuinely more employable across regions. The ones with the widest range usually earned it on purpose, moving regions early in their careers to build that breadth. With that said, there are a lot of superintendents who possess the “green-thumb” and can adapt. Understanding water, soils, problem-solving and having a high attention to detail translates to any region.”

He emphasized that an important element is the familiarity of the membership with golf course maintenance and their “IQ” about golf course maintenance.

A big part of golf course maintenance (like everything else) is technology. In the turf care world there is the use of drones, autonomous mowers, precise data collection through the USGA’s Deacon/GS3 package, analysis and more. Bloom shares that technology, especially at upscale courses and clubs has gone from “nice to have” to “expected”. Drones are used for scouting and mapping. Autonomous mowers help combat labor shortages and data collection/analysis is how superintendents defend decisions and manage resources.

Bloom specifically mentioned GPS sprayers and autonomous mowers as game changers from the labor and efficiency perspective. These tools help protect the environment with better accuracy in application save on fuel consumption. Bloom emphasizes that having the technology is one thing but using and applying it has a learning curve that can’t be ignored. 

One thing I’ve observed over the years is superintendents assuming general manager roles. I asked Bloom if developing these skills is a real asset or if there aren’t many clubs seeking that. In addition to the CMAA having branded a path to the GM role, “the awareness of this pathway is really lacking on both club and candidate side. More clubs are open to the superintendent-as-GM or director-of-operations model, particularly those consolidating agronomy, clubhouse, and grounds under one operational leader. It’s not the majority of the market yet. But for the right person at the right club, it’s one of the highest-ceiling moves in the industry.”

Bloom believes more clubs should consider this for “cultural purposes”. He says; “Often, the people who know your club best from membership to finances and operations are the existing department heads. In my estimation from my experience, the best form of recruiting and retention is internal development. I think you could say that for any business. If you observe the trends of turnover at the GM/COO role, historically there have been 3-4 year appointments, which by and large is symbolic of the governance turnover.”

In closing, I asked Bloom what I may have missed. He mentioned compensation expectations, a cultural fit with GM and committees, leadership style fit and long term retention. He noted that general managers often last only 3-5 years while superintendents and clubs should be looking for at least a 5-10 year term, if not more. Bloom says: “The best hiring decisions weight fit and leadership as heavily as agronomy.” He emphasized that just because a candidate doesn’t come from one of the older, more “esteemed” clubs doesn’t mean they’re less qualified.less. It’s spending on the right things, and telling the committee the trade-offs before conditions slip instead of after.” Bloom enthusiastically encourages including written maintenance standards in any open job offering so everyone knows what’s expected.

About the Author

Larry Hirsh of Golf Property Analysis, President, is an industry leader, author and frequent lecturer with unparalleled credibility and experience. Hirsh was instrumental in establishing the Society of Golf Appraisers (SGA) and was its first president. He has pioneered a variety of valuation and analysis techniques now considered standard in the industry and shared them through his many articles in a wide variety of professional journals and industry publications. Hirsh has also authored a text on the valuation and analysis of golf course and country club properties to be published in 2016.

Note: This article was featured https://golfprop.com/profile-team-history/

It goes without saying that the golf course superintendent plays an important role at any golf course. He or she is responsible for the maintenance, condition and appearance of a large property and managing the crew that makes it happen. Tyler Bloom of Bloom Golf Partners has made it his business to help clubs find the right person for the job. A Penn State Turf graduate (4 year) and former superintendent with a Human Resources certificate from Cornell, Bloom understands the challenges clubs face. Recently, I had the opportunity to pose some questions to Bloom about how he goes about helping clubs find the right one for the job – and how he helps superintendents find the right landing spot.

The first thing I asked Bloom was what skills, besides turf expertise are necessary for success as a golf course superintendent. He answered: “The best superintendents I place are business managers who happen to know agronomy. They run a P&L, lead a team of fifteen to forty people through a labor shortage, and translate agronomy into the language a green committee actually speaks – member expectations, not soil science. Communication and financial fluency separate the top ten percent far more than turf knowledge does. Every finalist can grow grass. The one who gets hired can stand in front of a board and command the room.
They are intuitive with nature, and know where to be on a Tuesday morning as much as Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m., and have trained their staff to think the same. Extremely observational and have a high attention to detail. They don’t drive by small items – whether that be trash, low hanging limbs, or grass clippings.”

In addition, he listed the following as critical traits:

• Highly observational
• Attentive to Detail
• Systematic & Program focused
• Resourceful
• Leadership

Bloom also indicated that different skill sets are required for private, daily-fee, resort & municipal facilities. At private clubs the superintendent needs to be a politician, dealing with membership and committees. The daily-fee and municipal segments reward operational efficiency and resorts require the skill to enhance guest experience, often over multiple courses. As Bloom says, “The pattern underneath all of it is simple: the higher the expectation-to-budget ratio, the more the job becomes about managing people and perception, and the less it is about turf. At every level, the fundamentals of what “great golf conditions” looks like is imperative to their success.”

When I asked about educational background, Bloom shared that a (strong) two-year turf program is one of the strongest credentials in the industry and has produced superintendents at the very highest level. It is absolutely sufficient. Clubs that filter for a four-year degree are usually using it as a proxy for maturity and communication ability, not agronomic competence. That said, he emphasized that the best form of education is hands-on in the field learning from a great mentor.

I asked how clubs can attract the best candidates and how they can avoid discouraging the best from applying. Bloom said:

“Clarity and respect win candidates more reliably than an extra few thousand dollars. Strong candidates read a search for signals: does the club invest in the property, is the leadership structure stable, will there be autonomy and a real budget, and is the GM or committee someone they can actually work with. A defined vision, a funded capital plan, and a professional search process tell a top candidate this is a place to build a career, not just fill a job. With that said, money talks. We’ve seen an increase in salaries over the last five years anywhere from 15-40% in some geographic and club demographics. What is surprising to me is the delta between the golf course superintendent and director of golf. I am blown away by the discrepancy between the two, and the last I checked without great golf conditions, there’s no golf course.”

Conversely, to avoid discouraging the best candidates from applying, Bloom cited a history of high turnover, committee micromanagement, deferred capital investment and a GM who treats the superintendent like labor. Bloom advocates a market analysis comparing clubs’ maintenance budgets, programs and expectations to select the right candidates for interview.

Unfortunately, lots of clubs do not have written maintenance standards established but encourages candidates to ask about a club’s budget, capital investment history and to ask (after review) what can be done more efficiently and cost effectively. Bloom’s searches for clubs often includes a property analysis.

In my travels I’ve noticed a wide disparity in maintenance budgets. According to Bloom, “The cost-effective operators are ruthless about matching agronomic inputs to what members actually expect, not the tournament conditions no one asked for. The importance of a unified maintenance standards to me is a lost art, and I learned this as an intern. They invest in soil health, water management, and cultural practices that lower long-term costs, and they use data to defend those decisions to the committee. The skill isn’t spending less. It’s spending on the right things, and telling the committee the trade-offs before conditions slip instead of after.” Bloom enthusiastically encourages including written maintenance standards in any open job offering so everyone knows what’s expected.

About the Author

Larry Hirsh of Golf Property Analysis, President, is an industry leader, author and frequent lecturer with unparalleled credibility and experience. Hirsh was instrumental in establishing the Society of Golf Appraisers (SGA) and was its first president. He has pioneered a variety of valuation and analysis techniques now considered standard in the industry and shared them through his many articles in a wide variety of professional journals and industry publications. Hirsh has also authored a text on the valuation and analysis of golf course and country club properties to be published in 2016.

Note: Paul MacCormack joined us on the second episode of Leadership on the Links, Podcast episode. As we enter the dog days of summer – a time when the demands of the profession are at their peak – we invited Paul to share his perspective. His perspective serves as a valuable reminder that how we navigate the season is just as important as the results we achieve.

If you think about all great coaches both past and present, it was never about winning. If we pause and reflect on all of the great music producers or artistic mentors, it is never about recording a hit record or helping to produce the perfect painting. If that was all about, struggle would ensue. The pressure to perform becomes a barrier and the creativity required to unlock the possibility gets buried under layers of stress and anxiety. 

All great coaches, producers and leaders have one thing in common; they are able to create the conditions for potential to be realized. They can help those in their charge to dive deeper into themselves and tap into things they never knew existed. They show how a shift in perspective can free up creativity and allow solutions to find you. The hit record, the championship or the breakthrough at work happens by accident; it’s simply a by product of the process. 

Have you ever wondered about the ingrained patterns and internal stories that keep you from a happier, more fulfilling existence? 

What if there were someone who could create the conditions that would allow you to move past these issues and access a deeper, wiser part of yourself? 

What if, by working in concert with a coach, you could begin to bring a deeper awareness to all your experiences and start living a happier, more peaceful life? 

This is why The Mindful Super Coaching Program was created. My years as an Assistant, Superintendent and General Manager have taught me a great deal. My career has taken me far and allowed me to meet so many wonderful people who have shown me that there are ways to be in the turf industry and live a good life at the same time.

But it’s my time in silent reflection (along with speaking, writing and teaching about mindful living) that has taught me…

• That presence is the foundation of life. 
• The value of a flexible perspective.
• That it’s ok to not always know the right answer
•  And that I can achieve far more by accomplishing far less. 

Winning and success aren’t the most important things…simply being here, right now and allowing life to unfold naturally, is the way. 

When we are able to practice and place our intention on reflection and introspection, 

• We begin to move past our internal barriers and gain more insight into how we work best. 
• We learn how to deal with stress, overthinking and conflict in more positive ways. 
• We come to recognize the value of (un) learning and simplicity.
• We learn the value of failure and the power of learning to let things be. 
• We come to understand that force and hard work, while valuable in and of themselves, aren’t always the best options. 

A great coach can teach many things, but that isn’t their main job. When they can help you see through a different lens and begin to develop a deeper wisdom by which to live your life, their true value is revealed. 

If this sounds like something that piques your interest, head to Mindfulisle.com and follow the links to The Mindful Super Coaching Program. 

Take Care,

Paul MacCormack

About the Author

Paul’s professional career has been spent within the framework of the Turfgrass Industry. As both a golf course superintendent and General Manager, Paul has worked closely with staff and ownership to cultivate a work culture of acceptance, compassion and personal growth. 

As an author, speaker and mindfulness meditation teacher, Paul has dedicated the last decade of his career to sharing his passion for the practice of mindfulness and how it can improve overall well being. 

Paul is a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher (2021) through the Mindfulness Meditation Teachers Certification Program and also a graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island with a BA in Psychology. 

When the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship arrives at Hazeltine National Golf Club this June, the spotlight will naturally fall on the best players in the world.

Fans will see championship golf. Television viewers will see grandstands, scoreboards, hospitality venues, and the competition unfolding inside the ropes.

What many won’t see is the army of volunteers, committee leaders, staff members, and community partners working behind the scenes to bring one of the most significant events in women’s golf to life.

Helping lead that effort is Greta Siedow, General Chair of the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

For Siedow, this role represents far more than a leadership position. It is the culmination of a journey that began nearly two decades ago, long before she found herself overseeing one of the game’s premier championships.

Like many golfers, Siedow’s introduction to the game started with family. Her father introduced her to golf at a young age, and she quickly developed a passion for the sport. Throughout high school, she competed on the golf team and later continued her involvement in the game through roles in outside services and golf operations at local clubs, including Hazeltine National Golf Club.

One of those early experiences came during Hazeltine’s 2009 PGA Championship, where Siedow worked on the driving range as part of the championship operation.

Seventeen years later, she returns to the championship stage in a dramatically different role.

Meredith:

“Seventeen years ago, you were working on the driving range during the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Today, you’re serving as General Chair of a major championship at the same club. When you reflect on that journey, what stands out most to you about how your relationship with golf and leadership has evolved?”

When I reflect on that journey, what has remained constant is my genuine love for the game and the relationships it creates—connections, friendships, and even lifelong bonds that are uniquely shaped through golf.

What has evolved is how golf has shown up in my life at different stages. Early on, it was about quality time with my dad. In high school, it became a way to be part of a team. As I entered the workforce, it opened doors—creating shared ground with people, including senior leaders, I might not otherwise have had access to.

Today, as a club member and General Chair, golf represents something even broader: a sense of community and the opportunity to lead, give back, and help shape meaningful experiences for others.

Greta Siedow

As General Chair, Siedow now oversees a complex organizational structure that includes more than 50 committee and division chairs and approximately 1,300 volunteers who will help deliver the championship experience.

The role requires strategic planning, operational oversight, volunteer engagement, community relations, and collaboration with numerous stakeholders, all while ensuring the championship reflects the excellence expected from both Hazeltine National Golf Club and the PGA of America.

Fortunately, leadership is nothing new for Siedow.

Professionally, she serves as Vice President and Chief of Staff of Optum, bringing extensive experience in strategy, operations, administration, and organizational leadership. Those skills translate naturally to championship management, where success often depends less on individual contributions and more on aligning teams around a shared vision.

The scale of the event is significant, but so is the responsibility.

Major championships do not simply happen. They are built through thousands of hours of preparation and the collective efforts of volunteers who believe in the mission and the event’s impact.

Meredith:

“Leading more than 1,300 volunteers requires a unique leadership approach. What have you learned about building teams, creating buy-in, and bringing people together around a shared vision?”

This was one of the first opportunities I’ve had to truly build a team from the ground up—and it was rewarding. We’re fortunate to have such a passionate and dedicated membership at Hazeltine, which made it possible to bring together more than 60 committee chairs, coupled with a very strong community, which resulted in over 1,300 volunteers, who are deeply committed to the club’s mission and Minnesota’s passion of hosting world-class championship golf.

What I’ve learned is that when people are aligned around a shared purpose, building buy-in comes naturally. My role is to clearly define priorities and goals, communicate with consistency and transparency, and then empower individuals to operate at their highest level within their own respective roles.

When you create that kind of environment—where people feel connected to the mission and trusted to deliver—you unlock both performance and a strong sense of team.

Greta Siedow

While the championship will ultimately crown a major champion, its impact extends far beyond the leaderboard.

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship has become one of the most influential events in women’s sports, serving not only as a showcase for the world’s best golfers but also as a platform for leadership, professional development, and visibility for women both on and off the course.

That broader mission feels particularly relevant in today’s sports landscape.

Women’s sports continue to experience unprecedented growth in viewership, attendance, sponsorship investment, and media attention. From professional basketball and soccer to golf and tennis, audiences are increasingly recognizing the talent, stories, and competitive excellence that have long existed but have not always received equal visibility.

Golf occupies a unique position within that movement.

The game serves as both a sport and a business platform, creating opportunities for networking, leadership development, mentorship, and relationship building. For many women, myself included, golf has become a gateway to professional opportunities that extend far beyond the fairways.

Championships like the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship help amplify those opportunities while creating visibility for the next generation.

Meredith:

“Women’s sports are experiencing unprecedented momentum right now. From your perspective, what makes this moment different, and why do events like the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship matter beyond what happens inside the ropes?”

Everyone Watches Women’s Sports’ is one of my favorite taglines right now because it captures what’s changing. The talent and the stories have always been there—but what’s different in this moment is the scale of visibility, investment, and belief behind it. We’re finally seeing more consistent coverage and storytelling, and as a result, audiences are connecting with these athletes not just for their performance, but for who they are as people.

Events like the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship play a critical role in sustaining that momentum. As one of the five major championships on the LPGA Tour, it provides a national platform to showcase excellence at the highest level—and to tell the stories that help grow the game. Soon enough, the coverage will extend beyond the majors, but everything must start somewhere.

You saw that play out with the attention around Nelly Korda’s U.S. Women’s Open win—her journey resonated because people understood what it meant to her. And that’s the opportunity we have at Hazeltine. There are 156 athletes in this field, each with a story just as compelling and inspiring. When we elevate those stories, we’re not just growing women’s golf—we’re shaping how women’s sports are seen and valued more broadly.

Greta Siedow

Siedow’s commitment to growing the game is also rooted in personal experience.

As a young golfer, she attended women’s golf events with her father, including the Solheim Cup and the U.S. Women’s Open. Those experiences helped shape her appreciation for women’s golf and demonstrated the importance of seeing successful women competing at the highest level.

Today, she has an opportunity to help create those same experiences for future generations.

The championship’s community initiatives include youth-focused programming and opportunities designed to introduce more young people to the game. Children ages 15 and under receive complimentary admission with a ticketed adult, helping make the championship accessible to families and aspiring young golfers.

For many attendees, a major championship may represent their first opportunity to see the world’s best female players compete in person.

Moments like that can have a lasting impact.

They can inspire participation, create aspirations, and challenge perceptions about what is possible within the game.

Just as importantly, they can help young girls envision futures for themselves not only as players, but as leaders, executives, volunteers, coaches, and decision-makers within the industry.

That representation matters.

The growth of women’s golf will not be driven solely by those competing on the course. It will also be shaped by the women leading organizations, managing events, building partnerships, mentoring future leaders, and creating opportunities for others to follow.

Meredith:

“If a young girl attends the championship this June and sees herself in the future of golf: whether as a player, executive, volunteer, or leader, what do you hope she takes away from the experience?”

Golf is unique and diverse—and I hope a young girl who attends the championship feels that sense of possibility. It can be social, a way to connect with friends and family. It can be competitive, pushing you to grow as an athlete. It can be recreation and exercise. It can also open doors professionally, creating opportunities in business and leadership.

What I hope she sees at Hazeltine is that there isn’t just one path—there are many ways to be part of the game. Whether she dreams of playing at the highest level, leading an organization, or simply being part of a community, golf can be a platform for all of it.

I hope she also walks away inspired all while believing that she belongs. That this is a game—and a space—where she can thrive, lead, and shape the future in her own way.

Greta Siedow

As the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship approaches, Siedow’s story serves as a reminder that leadership often begins long before a title is earned.

It begins with showing up.

It begins with volunteering.

It begins with saying yes to opportunities before fully understanding where they might lead.

From working on the driving range during the 2009 PGA Championship to leading one of the most important events in women’s golf, Siedow’s journey reflects the power of long-term commitment, service, and belief in the game’s future.

And while the world’s best players will ultimately determine who lifts the trophy at Hazeltine, leaders like Greta Siedow are helping ensure the stage itself continues to grow bigger, stronger, and more impactful for generations of women to come.

About the Author

Meredith Otero is a marketing strategist, former private club executive, and Director of Marketing for Bloom Golf Partners with nearly two decades of experience in the golf industry. A former NCAA Division I athlete and founder of MET Marketing, she is passionate about telling the stories that shape the business of golf, with a focus on leadership, innovation, and the women driving the game’s future. Through her writing and industry collaborations, Meredith shines a light on the people and partnerships making a lasting impact both inside and beyond the ropes.

Article featured in Golf Course Industry | Written by: Tyler Bloom, Owner and Founder, Bloom Golf Partners

You’ve just interviewed a strong assistant superintendent candidate. No budget ownership. Limited committee exposure. You’ve Nick Saban said it best: “You get up every day entitled to nothing. Nobody owes you nothing. You could have talent, but if you don’t have discipline, you get nothing.”

I wish someone had handed me this earlier in my career. After thoughtful discussions with assistant superintendents throughout this winter’s conference and education season, I thought I’d share some blunt honesty from the sidelines and recruitment chair. So here it is.

The floor has moved. The modern member expects near-championship conditions every day regardless of weather, labor shortages, budgets or supply chain realities. More rounds, higher conditioning standards, skyrocketing operational costs. That’s the environment you’re walking into. 

It’s not always fair, and in many cases, it isn’t sustainable. But those are the facts on the ground. 

What that means for you is simple: showing up, working hard and waiting your turn still matters — but it’s no longer enough on its own. The bar is higher, the pace is faster and the people rising quickly are the ones who understand that early.

Here’s something nobody tells you clearly enough at the early stages: the market has already decided a lot about your career trajectory, yet it is giving you a more stable start than those before you. 

Most graduates of turfgrass agronomy programs are entering the workforce with $70,000-plus compensation packages after nine months of internship experience.

The compensation conversation is real, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Yes, the market has moved. Yes, starting packages are stronger than they were a decade ago. But there’s a growing gap between what some assistants expect and what they’ve actually built the case for. 

Compensation follows value; it doesn’t precede it. I’ve seen assistants price themselves out of the right opportunities chasing a number at the wrong time, leaving roles where they were genuinely being invested in for a $5,000 bump somewhere that offered nothing else. Two years later, they’re behind the peers they left. The number matters less than the trajectory you’re on, the people who are helping you grow and the club standards that are shaping your career. 

The opportunity is real. So is the competition. And so are the expectations that come attached to that number. You’re not owed it. You’re being given the chance to earn it. There’s a difference — and the ones who confuse the two don’t last long. 

I’ve watched talented people stall — not because they lacked ability, but because they believed their potential was the same thing as their track record. It isn’t. 

If you want to become a superintendent — and not everyone does, and that’s fine — understand the pathway looks different than it did 10 years ago. Running harder down the old road won’t get you there faster.

One of the most common myths I see is the belief that a degree or a certification is the finish line. It isn’t. It’s the entry ticket. I’ve talked with assistants who completed their turfgrass programs, landed their first role and quietly waited for their superintendent to hand them a development plan.

When it didn’t come on their timeline, frustration set in. But the truth is the best operators in this industry didn’t wait to be developed. They showed up to GCSAA events on their own time. They read. They asked uncomfortable questions. They volunteered for the problems nobody else wanted to solve. A credential tells a hiring manager you can learn. Your initiative tells them whether you will.

Only one in roughly three dozen golf course superintendent searches over the last two and a half years has yielded a challenging position from an experienced greens chair surrounding education requirements, and the desire of advanced education through on-the-job training and networking. 

The people advancing quickly aren’t just mastering agronomy. They’re learning how to lead up, how to communicate with club leadership, how to influence without authority, and how to walk into a boardroom or a green committee meeting and be taken seriously. That’s not soft skill noise. That’s the job. The sooner you start building those capabilities alongside your technical ones, the sooner the right doors open.

The rent for success isn’t just due every day. It compounds with interest. Skip too many payments early and you’ll spend years working twice as hard just to get back to even. I see many young assistants expecting a streamlined path to a superintendent position because of their years of experience versus their exposure and actual results on the ground.  

Think of it like the world’s worst adjustable-rate mortgage except instead of your house, it’s your professional reputation on the line. Showing up three Mondays in a row isn’t the bar. 

Institutional knowledge, loyalty and hunger get noticed by the leaders worth impressing. Surface-level effort gets surface-level results.

The ones who rise are the ones who stay past normal hours, ask better questions and treat every season like it’s building toward something. Because it is.

Despite everything that’s changed, some things haven’t. Hard work still matters. Pride in your craft still matters. Gratitude for the opportunity to be part of something worth building still matters. Professional etiquette and patience still matter.

The clubs and leaders that last are holding that line, and they’re looking for people willing to hold it with them. You don’t need a motivational slogan or an inflated title to move forward. You need discipline, consistency and the humility to understand that trust is built slowly and lost quickly.

I’m not telling you this because the path is easy. I’m telling you because I’ve walked it, made mistakes on it and watched others shortcut it. The ones who paid attention early are the ones leading great operations today.

You get up every day entitled to nothing. Nobody owes you nothing. Talent without discipline gets you nothing.

Pay your rent. Every single day.

Tyler Bloom is a workforce and leadership consultant and principal owner of Bloom Golf Partners.

About the Author

Tyler Bloom is the Founder and CEO of Bloom Golf Partners, a boutique executive search and consulting firm focused on the golf and private club industry. A former golf course superintendent with more than 20 years of experience in turfgrass and club operations, Bloom is widely recognized as a leading expert in workforce development, recruiting, and organizational strategy within the golf industry.

Written by: Mitch Rupert, Communications Manager, Bloom Golf Partners

I promise, when you sit across from me in a Zoom interview, I’m not trying to trick you with the questions I ask. I’m not trying to confuse you with the questions I ask. But there is a purpose for each and every question.

Some of those questions are about obtaining a particular answer. Some of those questions are more about the process to the answer than the actual answer itself. It is important when your interviewer asks a question that you’re able to decipher exactly what kind of information they’re trying to ascertain.

But I’m going to let you in on a secret about the one question which I see interview candidates struggle with the most. And the catch is that it’s not even a question at all. I start every interview with “Tell me a little about yourself” and no request has ever perplexed a larger number of people.

It’s an easy response to overthink. It’s an easy response that can mess up the flow and timing of the rest of the interview. So let me provide you a roadmap on what the answer to this question should look like.

First and foremost, it’s incredibly important to understand this is just an icebreaker. This is to get the ball rolling on the interview and get everyone comfortable in an otherwise uncomfortable setting of job interviews. This is not meant to be an in-depth recitation of your life story or your career story. The goal of this question is to get you comfortable in the question-and-answer setup of the interview. It’s a softball to get you settled — I promise, I’m already settled.

The most significant mistake made during this icebreaker is that this question is about some measure chronology. But I already have your resume in front of me. I know what occurred in your career and when.

The question you may be asking yourself is ‘Why does it matter how I answer this prompt?’ That’s a perfectly reasonable question. And normally this isn’t a topic which should need to be talked about. But in conducting over 1,000 interviews in the last two years, I’ve seen far too many people take 5, 10 and even 15 minutes answering this prompt in what is supposed to be a 20 or 25-minute interview. That means they’re eating up a good chunk of time on an icebreaker instead of reserving that time for the points you really want to make.

Much like you can’t win the division title in the first month of the baseball season, you surely can lose it. The same goes for an interview. You’re not going to win the interview with this answer, but you could lose it. This question is about surface-level introduction to who you are and why you’re here. This is not a question to be overthought, it is a question to be chewed up and spit out in as few bites as possible.

So here is the roadmap. All I want to know in that moment is why you’re here. Why did you get into the business? What do you love about the business? Why are you looking to move on from your current job? What piqued your interest about this job you’re interviewing for? What value can you bring to this opportunity?

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

It really is that simple, yet it’s often treated as it’s not. So don’t overthink it. Prepare yourself for what you want to touch on in that moment, but remember not to let this introduction steal the time which is vital to selling yourself and your skills.o swallow, but it’s also reality. And if you focus on the process as opposed to the result, you’re going to be able to put yourself in position to eventually find the position that is the right fit for you.

About the Author

Mitch Rupert

Mitch Rupert brings more than 20 years of high-stakes interviewing experience—from covering professional and youth sports as an award-winning Associated Press journalist—to his role with Bloom Golf Partners. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has supported candidate communication, interviews, and due diligence while applying his storytelling and research expertise to the executive search process.

You’ve just interviewed a strong assistant superintendent candidate. No budget ownership. Limited committee exposure. You’ve played their course, and know the product on the ground is exceptional, but they may be missing intangible leadership experiences and skills. You pass. Six months later, they’re thriving at another club.

Over time, I’ve develop a pattern recognition that’s hard to explain until you’ve seen it enough times.

I’ve watched hiring committees pass on assistant superintendent candidates for reasons that had nothing to do with their ability to lead an operation. No budget development experience. Limited committee exposure. Hasn’t managed member relations directly.

And I understand the instinct. Those are real responsibilities at the head superintendent level.

But here’s what those committees were missing – the assistant sitting across the table was already running data models, tracking inputs with precision, and leveraging agronomic technology that didn’t exist when the criteria they were being graded against was written. They’ve also done it at a level the club’s existing operation isn’t.

It is a paradox. We are evaluating tomorrow’s superintendents with yesterday’s ruler.

The assistants coming through the pipeline today from top clubs aren’t just boots on the ground. They are technically sophisticated, data-literate, and in many cases operationally sharper than the role they’re being hired into. What they haven’t had is the opportunity — not the capability — to own a budget, chair a committee presentation, or manage a membership relationship directly.

That distinction matters more than most committees realize.

Before a hiring committee evaluates an assistant superintendent, they need to understand one fundamental truth – the role is structurally designed to limit ownership in most organizational cultures.  However, progressive clubs are incorporating their senior management team into normal executive level conversations.

The assistant superintendent does not set the budget. They execute within it. They do not chair committee meetings. They support the superintendent who does. They do not own membership relations. They observe, assist, and occasionally participate – on someone else’s terms.

This is not a failure of ambition or capability. It is the architecture of the role.

And yet, committee after committee grades assistant superintendent candidates against criteria that the position itself prevents them from meeting. The result is a systematic undervaluation of some of the most capable emerging talent in the industry.

The question is never did they own it? The question is are they ready to?

Those are not the same question. And confusing them is costing clubs the right hire.

Three evaluation criteria dominate most assistant superintendent searches – and all three reflect the same fundamental misunderstanding.

Budget development and oversight.

Committees want to see candidates who have built and managed budgets. But in most assistant superintendent roles, budget involvement means reviewing line items someone else constructed, flagging variances, and executing within parameters already set. The candidate who hasn’t owned a budget in this role hasn’t failed – they haven’t been given the keys.

Evaluating them on this criterion is grading someone on a course they were never enrolled in.

Most inputs are monitored from historical budgeting, and often more and more clubs we work with are using zero-based budgeting.  With the advent of AI and numerous tracking systems like the Greenkeeper App, Playbooks for Golf, Sparks, and others, assistants are getting this exposure very early.

Committee exposure and member relations.

Direct committee presentation experience is rare at the assistant level – and its absence tells you almost nothing about a candidate’s ability to communicate with authority, build trust with stakeholders, or navigate club politics.

What matters is whether they’ve been in the room, whether they understand the dynamics, and whether they’ve been trusted enough by their superintendent to be present at all. Great clubs are engaging their assistant managers into these meetings, as well as helping prepare presentations, reports, and monthly on course meetings.

Most assistant superintendents interact with members daily – on the course, at the range, in passing moments that require professionalism, composure, and judgment. But formal membership relations management is reserved for the head superintendent. Penalizing a candidate for not owning something the org chart explicitly assigns elsewhere is not rigorous evaluation. It’s a blind spot dressed up as a standard.

Indicators and predictors of success

While committees fixate on what assistant superintendents haven’t been allowed to own, they consistently overlook the indicators that actually predict success at the next level.

Network strength and intentionality.

The assistant superintendent who has deliberately built relationships beyond their club – with peers, vendors, industry leaders, and professionals outside agronomy – is showing you something important. They are not waiting to be developed. They are developing themselves and creating exposure. That initiative is one of the strongest predictors of long-term leadership trajectory in this industry.

Hunger and professional drive.

How a candidate invests in themselves outside of work hours tells you more than their job description ever will. Are they attending conferences beyond the GCSAA show? Are they pursuing certifications, reading broadly, engaging in industry conversations? Are they visiting other top tier operations? Hunger is not something clubs can install after the hire. It either exists or it doesn’t.

Technical and data literacy.

Today’s assistant superintendents are operating with agronomic technology, data platforms, and precision tools that represent a generational leap from how this industry has historically managed turf. A candidate who is fluent in these tools is not just technically capable – they are future-ready in ways that many experienced superintendents are still catching up to.

Committees that dismiss technical depth as a given are leaving one of their strongest evaluation signals on the table.

Ground-level operational knowledge.

There is no substitute for having done the work. An assistant superintendent who has been boots on the ground – who knows every irrigation head, every drainage challenge, every microclimate on the property – brings an operational intelligence that cannot be taught in a boardroom. This knowledge becomes the foundation of credible leadership when they step into the head role.

Working in the right environment under the right mentor

Perhaps the most overlooked proxy indicator of all. Who developed this candidate – and how deeply? An assistant who has been intentionally mentored by a director of agronomy, brought into club leadership conversations, and trusted in front of membership is not an untested candidate. They are a developed one. The investment their mentors made in them is itself an evaluation signal. Ask who shaped them. The answer will tell you more than the org chart ever could.

Reading the Environment Before You Read the Résumé

Not all assistant superintendent roles are created equal – and evaluating candidates without understanding the environment they came from is one of the most consequential mistakes a hiring committee can make.

An assistant at a 36-hole private club with a $5M maintenance budget, and a director of agronomy who brought them into every strategic conversation is a fundamentally different candidate than one in a similar environment under a a hands-off superintendent, micromanager who never shared a budget line or encouraged them to take ownership of a project or operational standard.

Their titles are identical. Their readiness may not be.

Before the interview begins, committees should be asking three “environmental” questions:

What was the scale and complexity of the operation?

Size, hole count, maintenance budget, staff count, and facility type all shape the candidate’s frame of reference. A candidate coming from a high-complexity, high-expectation environment has been stress-tested in ways a simpler operation cannot replicate.

How much autonomy did the head superintendent give them?

This is the most important environmental question and the one committees almost never ask. An assistant who was trusted to run departments, lead staff, represent the operation, and participate in decisions is ready in ways their job title cannot capture. An assistant who was kept at arm’s length from every consequential decision is not necessarily less capable – but their readiness profile looks different.

What was the caliber and prestige of the club?

High-expectation membership environments produce candidates who have been tested under pressure – where course conditions are scrutinized, standards are uncompromising, and the margin for error is narrow. That environment builds a different kind of professional than one where expectations are more forgiving.

Often these clubs have maintenance standards that can be adapted, and we continue to hear committees asking for these written standards as part of their strategic plans, member communication and accountability.

Context is not an excuse for a candidate. It is essential data for an evaluator.

About the Author

Tyler Bloom is the Founder and CEO of Bloom Golf Partners, a boutique executive search and consulting firm focused on the golf and private club industry. A former golf course superintendent with more than 20 years of experience in turfgrass and club operations, Bloom is widely recognized as a leading expert in workforce development, recruiting, and organizational strategy within the golf industry.