If you talk with almost any superintendent today, one topic comes up quickly.
People.
Not turf. Not irrigation. Not equipment budgets. People.
The turf industry has always depended on crews willing to show up early, work outdoors, and take pride in the details that most golfers and sports fans never notice. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is how difficult it’s become to find and keep those people.
A year ago I wrote a short guide about hiring and retaining turf crew members. Many of the ideas still apply. But the labor environment has continued shifting, and a lot of turf managers are discovering that what worked even five or ten years ago simply doesn’t produce the same results anymore.
This isn’t a crisis article, and it isn’t meant to complain about younger workers or changing times. Every generation says the next one doesn’t want to work. That’s been happening for decades.
What is worth examining, though, is how the hiring landscape has actually changed and what turf operations can realistically do about it.
Why the Old Hiring Playbook Doesn’t Work Like It Used To
For many years, hiring in turf operations followed a fairly predictable pattern.
You posted a job. Maybe it went on a job board or the course website. Someone told a friend. Applications trickled in. You interviewed a few people and filled the positions.
In many areas today, that process produces almost nothing.
The reality is that most potential employees aren’t sitting around searching turf industry job boards. They’re already working somewhere else. Or they’re looking at jobs in industries that move faster and advertise more aggressively.
Warehouses hire quickly. Delivery companies hire quickly. Landscaping companies hire quickly. Some of them will interview and offer a job within a day or two.
Meanwhile, turf operations often still follow a slower, more formal hiring process. By the time an application gets reviewed, the candidate may already be working somewhere else.
This doesn’t mean turf jobs are unattractive. It means turf operations have to think differently about visibility and speed.
Recruiting Is Now an Outreach Effort
One of the most consistent patterns among superintendents who fill positions successfully is that they don’t rely on job postings alone.
They go looking for people.
Local high schools with agricultural programs are still one of the most overlooked recruiting sources in the industry. Students in those programs already understand outdoor work and equipment. Many of them are looking for practical summer jobs that actually teach them something.
Vocational schools and community colleges can be another strong source of candidates. These students often want hands-on experience and aren’t afraid of early mornings.
Then there’s the simple approach that used to be common but has faded over time: community visibility.
Small local businesses often see exactly the type of people who might be interested in turf work. Auto parts stores, coffee shops, rural gas stations, and hardware stores are full of people who are mechanically inclined and comfortable working outdoors.
Sometimes a simple job card posted in the right place reaches more qualified candidates than a polished online posting.
Referrals are another underrated tool. Good employees often know other people who work just as hard. A small referral bonus can turn your current crew into your best recruiting network.
And then there’s social media. Not polished marketing videos. Just short, honest clips showing what a normal morning looks like. Rolling mowers out at sunrise. A crew preparing equipment. The quiet side of a golf course before anyone else arrives.
Those kinds of glimpses communicate the job better than any written description.
You’re Competing with Industries You May Not Expect
One of the biggest misconceptions about turf hiring is that golf courses are mainly competing with other golf courses.
They aren’t.
They’re competing with warehouses, landscaping companies, construction crews, delivery services, and sometimes fast food restaurants.
Many of those industries offer faster hiring, simpler job descriptions, and indoor environments. Some offer slightly higher wages.
That doesn’t mean turf operations can’t compete. But they often need to explain their advantages better.
For the right person, the schedule alone is appealing. Starting early and finishing early isn’t for everyone, but many people prefer being done by early afternoon rather than working evenings.
The work environment is another advantage that sometimes gets overlooked. Not everyone wants to spend their day inside a warehouse or under fluorescent lighting.
Then there’s the nature of the work itself. Turf maintenance produces visible results. You can stand back and look across a freshly mowed fairway or a striped athletic field and know you played a role in creating it.
That sense of visible accomplishment still resonates with a lot of people.
Retention Often Comes Down to the Basics
Finding someone is one challenge. Keeping them is another.
Turnover affects more than staffing numbers. It affects morale. Crews notice when people come and go constantly. Stability matters.
What’s interesting is that retention often comes down to surprisingly simple factors.
Reliable equipment is one of them. Nothing frustrates employees faster than starting the day with machines that constantly break down.
Working conditions matter too. Cold water during hot weather. A shop that’s reasonably organized. Equipment that’s maintained. Clean uniforms if they’re provided.
These details communicate something important. They signal whether the operation takes the crew’s work seriously.
Recognition matters more than many supervisors realize. A quick “nice job on that fairway” or “thanks for staying late yesterday” isn’t complicated, but it builds respect.
Variety helps as well. Doing the exact same task every day eventually wears people down. When possible, rotating responsibilities keeps the work interesting and allows employees to develop new skills.
Leadership style might matter more than anything else. Crews tend to stay where supervisors are consistent, fair, and willing to step into the work themselves when needed.
The First Week Shapes Everything
Many employees decide within their first week whether they’re likely to stay.
If the first week feels disorganized, confusing, or rushed, people start questioning their decision almost immediately.
This is where a simple onboarding structure can make a big difference.
New hires should know basic things right away. What time the day starts. What their typical tasks will be. Where equipment is stored. Who they can go to with questions.
Hands-on equipment training is important early on. So is basic safety guidance.
One approach that works well is assigning a more experienced crew member as a temporary mentor. Not a formal title. Just someone who’s available to answer questions during the first couple of weeks.
Short check-ins also help. A five minute conversation asking how things are going can surface small issues before they become bigger problems.
The goal isn’t to overwhelm someone with information. It’s to create a sense that the operation is organized and that new employees are supported.
Technology Is Quietly Changing the Workforce
There’s another factor starting to influence hiring in the turf industry, and it’s one that often gets discussed only in equipment circles.
Technology.
Autonomous mowing, connected equipment fleets, improved maintenance equipment, and better diagnostic systems are slowly changing how work gets done.
That doesn’t mean crews are disappearing. Turf operations still require people who understand the work and take pride in it.
But the mix of skills may gradually shift. More operations will likely need employees who are comfortable with equipment systems, diagnostics, and technology alongside traditional mowing and grounds roles.
For younger workers especially, that angle can actually make the industry more appealing. Learning to operate modern equipment or troubleshoot connected machines can feel like a pathway to valuable technical skills.
The industry has an opportunity to frame turf work not just as seasonal labor, but as a place where practical skills and technology meet.
A Final Thought
The labor challenges facing turf operations are real. The workforce is aging. Expectations for course conditions keep rising. Fewer people are entering outdoor trades.
But the industry still has something valuable to offer.
Turf work is tangible. It’s visible. It’s connected to places people care about. Golf courses, sports fields, and parks are spaces where communities gather.
When operations recruit creatively, treat crews with respect, and provide clear structure for new hires, good people do stay.
Hiring isn’t getting easier.
But with the right approach, it’s still possible to build a crew that shows up each morning ready to do the work.
And when that happens, everything else on the property tends to run a lot smoother.
— Kurt TeWinkel (originally posted as an article on LinkedIn)