TurfOps Weekly | Issue #008

The shop lights come on before sunrise. A reel grinder is warming up, carts are rolling out of winter storage, and the whiteboard in the maintenance shop still has a few open slots on the staffing list. Spring startup is underway across northern courses, but one question still lingers in many operations.

Do we have the people we need this season?

For years the labor conversation in turf centered on seasonal crew numbers. Could we find enough operators to mow rough, rake bunkers, and keep up with the daily routine? That challenge still exists, but the labor gap across many operations now reaches much further than the morning crew meeting.

The real pressure often shows up in the shop and around the edges of the operation.

Equipment managers are responsible for fleets that are more complex than ever. Electrical systems, onboard diagnostics, sensors, and software now sit alongside reels and hydraulic lines. When a shop position sits empty, the entire operation feels it. Repairs slow down, maintenance intervals stretch, and downtime starts to creep into the schedule.

Irrigation knowledge is another pressure point. Many courses depend on one person who understands the system well enough to troubleshoot wiring, valves, and communication issues. When that expertise is missing or stretched too thin, small irrigation problems quickly become big ones.

Even seasonal positions are changing. Fewer applicants arrive with golf course experience, and many workers are looking for flexible schedules or shorter commitments. For managers trying to staff a full operation, the traditional hiring pool is simply smaller than it used to be.

That reality is starting to change the way some turf managers think about hiring.

Instead of asking whether someone has worked on a golf course before, many operations are beginning to ask a different question. Can this person learn systems and solve problems?

Mechanical aptitude, electrical skills, and comfort with technology are becoming valuable traits on a turf team. A candidate who has worked with agricultural equipment, small engines, or technical systems may be able to learn turf operations quickly. In some cases, that skill set may be more valuable than years of golf course experience.

This shift also connects to another quiet trend in the industry. Autonomous mowing, GPS guidance, and data driven equipment management are slowly entering real operations. These tools won’t replace crews overnight, but they do change the type of skills that help an operation run smoothly.

A team that understands both turf conditions and the equipment running across them will have an advantage.

For managers preparing for the season, a few practical adjustments can help widen the hiring pipeline.

• Look beyond golf courses when recruiting. Trade schools and agricultural equipment programs can produce strong candidates.
• Pay attention to mechanical and electrical aptitude during interviews.
• Cross train crew members so basic equipment tasks don’t always fall on one person.
• Consider creating year-round technical roles that support both the shop and the course.

These ideas don’t replace experienced turf professionals. They simply recognize that the skills needed to run modern operations are expanding.

Courses outside the United States are navigating many of the same pressures. Operations in Canada, the UK, and parts of Europe report similar labor shortages and are experimenting with new hiring approaches as equipment technology evolves.

None of this removes the importance of turf knowledge and experience. The best operations still depend on people who understand the land, the grass, and the rhythm of the golf course. But the workforce supporting that work may start to look different.

The next great turf employee might not come from a golf course background at all. That person might arrive with tools in their hands, a technical mindset, and the willingness to learn the craft of turf along the way.

Bottom line: The future turf workforce may include fewer traditional hires and more technicians, mechanics, and problem solvers who grow into the turf side of the work.

— Kurt TeWinkel

Every spring, the same bottleneck shows up in maintenance facilities across the industry. Equipment rolls out of winter service, mowing schedules ramp up quickly, and the shop suddenly becomes the busiest place on the property. When one mechanic or equipment manager is responsible for every adjustment, repair, and blade change, even small delays can ripple across the operation.

The reality is that many shops are running short staffed. A quick look at the TurfNet jobs board shows dozens of open positions ranging from equipment managers to irrigation technicians and mechanics. When those roles are difficult to fill, small operational adjustments inside the crew can make a meaningful difference.

One of the simplest improvements is basic cross training.

A few small skills spread across the team can take pressure off the shop during the busiest parts of the season.

• Teach two operators how to perform basic rotary blade swaps.
• Train one assistant to help with reel and bedknife grinding prep and cleanup.
• Build a five minute daily equipment check routine before machines leave the shop.

None of these tasks replace the expertise of an equipment manager. But when the crew can handle small technical tasks, the shop can stay focused on the work that actually keeps the fleet running.

The result is simple. Less shop congestion, fewer delays, and more equipment ready when the crew needs it.

When turf managers think about labor shortages, the focus usually lands on crew size. But one of the most expensive staffing gaps often sits inside the maintenance shop.

An empty equipment manager or mechanic position creates ripple effects across the entire operation.

Repairs take longer. Preventive maintenance gets pushed down the priority list. Equipment that should be serviced overnight ends up sitting until someone can get to it. Over time, those delays begin to show up on the golf course.

Even a single machine down can create extra work for the crew.

Consider a fairway mower that goes out of service for two days. The remaining machines must cover the same acreage, often requiring additional passes or adjustments to the mowing schedule. That small disruption can easily add six to eight labor hours across the crew as operators try to keep up with the schedule.

Multiply that by a few breakdowns during peak season and the cost grows quickly.

The lesson is simple. Labor efficiency on the golf course depends heavily on the health of the equipment fleet, and the health of the fleet depends on the people working in the shop.

The equipment manager role is not just another position on the org chart. It’s a critical operational asset that keeps the entire maintenance program moving.

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Across the industry, the same hiring pattern keeps showing up. The same job boards. The same resumes. And each year, fewer applicants.

Golf course maintenance operations have traditionally hired from inside the turf world. Someone who worked at another course moves to a new one. A seasonal employee returns each year. Occasionally a student arrives from a turf program. For a long time, that system worked well enough to keep crews staffed.

But the hiring pool has been shrinking.

At the same time, the work inside many maintenance operations is becoming more technical. Equipment fleets now include onboard diagnostics, electrical systems, sensors, and increasingly sophisticated maintenance procedures. Irrigation systems require troubleshooting skills that look a lot like complex electrical work.

Those realities suggest a simple shift in thinking.

Instead of hiring only from inside the turf industry, operations should begin looking at the trades. Agricultural equipment programs, mechanical training programs, and technically inclined candidates can bring valuable skills into a maintenance facility. Many of those workers can learn turf practices quickly once they understand the goals of the operation.

The industry still needs people who understand grass and golf. But the skills required to run modern maintenance operations are expanding.

The future turf workforce may look less like a traditional crew and more like a small technical team.

Building Better Teams Podcast with Bloom Golf Partners
Episode 088 with Jordan Booth
The conversation dives deep into the challenges of recruiting and retaining talent, the importance of structured apprenticeship programs, and why training employers is just as critical as training employees. Tyler and Jordan discuss mentorship, communication, consulting, and the non-agronomic skills that separate good superintendents from great ones.
🎙️LISTEN HERE🎙️

What position has been the hardest to hire at your operation this season?
Crew member, mechanic, irrigation technician, or another role entirely.

Hit reply and let me know what you’re seeing this year. Your insight helps shape future TurfOps conversations.
Email Kurt 📩

In next week’s Issue 009, we’ll take a deep look at operational safety as northern crews get the season underway. From shop practices to first aid readiness, a few small steps now can prevent big problems later.

Two weeks ago, Issue 006 of TurfOps Weekly went out to 185 inboxes.

Last week, Issue 007 reached 285.

This week, Issue 008 will land in roughly 317 inboxes.

That steady growth has been encouraging. Equally encouraging is the engagement. TurfOps Weekly is currently sustaining an open rate around 60 percent, which is a strong signal that the topics we’re covering are resonating with professionals across the industry.

The goal with TurfOps has always been straightforward. Cover the equipment, tools, operational decisions, and the people behind professional turf maintenance across golf and sports fields.

As the platform grows, I’m working on ways to make it sustainable without it becoming an electronic billboard. Some advertising opportunities are already built into the platform, and I’m exploring additional ideas that allow TurfOps to grow without overwhelming the content.

One area that continues to stand out is autonomous equipment and technology. From connected equipment to emerging autonomous systems, the turf industry is evolving quickly, and many operators are looking for clear and practical insight.

That’s where TurfOps Weekly will continue to focus.

If there’s a topic you think deserves more attention, hit reply and let me know. Many of the best ideas for this newsletter come directly from readers working in the field.