Assistant Superintendent Hiring Criteria Used by Golf Course Superintendents

Of the many opportunities available upon graduating, most turfgrass management/turfgrass science students seek assistant golf course superintendent positions. By tradition, faculty are responsible for preparing graduates to serve as capable assistant superintendents. Moreover, faculty are queried for guidance on how to best compete for these assistant positions. Our objectives were to develop relative rankings of educational credentials, skills, and experience most desired by superintendents when hiring assistants; and to determine whether these rankings vary by geographic region, type of golf course facility, superintendent education level, or number of years experience. Approximately 400 golf course superintendents responded to a national survey in early 2000. Respondents indicated work experience, education, communication skills, appearance, and references to be the first‐through fifth‐most important hiring criteria used to evaluate assistant applicants, respectively. The majority of responding superintendents identified crew supervision as the most important technical work experience and an associate's degree or certificate as the minimum educational requirement. Ranking of hiring criteria did not vary, but superintendents of specific regions had differing opinions on the importance of golfing ability, pesticide license possession, and irrigation experience. Superintendents of private golf courses weighed applicant appearance more heavily than superintendents of golf courses accessible to the public. The minimum education required of applicants corresponded directly to the educational level of the superintendent. Results may enable turfgrass management/science faculty to advise students how to best compete for assistant superintendent positions.