Golf Course Superintendent

Golf Course Superintendent

COLONIAL COUNTRY CLUB | FORT WORTH, TEXAS

JOB TITLE:   Golf Course Superintendent

REPORTS TO:   Director of Agronomy

COMPENSATION:   Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

RELOCATION:   Relocation assistance available

LOCATION:   Colonial Country Club, 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth, Texas 76109

About the Club

Colonial Country Club is a private, member-owned club in Fort Worth with one of the most recognized courses in American golf. Founded in 1936 by Marvin Leonard, the Club was built around his commitment to championship golf and bentgrass greens in North Texas. John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell shaped the original course, which hosted the 1941 U.S. Open. Colonial later hosted the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open and the 1975 Tournament Players Championship.

Colonial has hosted a PGA Tour event every year since 1946, the longest continuous run at the same host venue on the Tour. The event is now the Charles Schwab Challenge and remains central to the Club’s identity, operating calendar, and national profile. The course is also known for the demanding three-hole stretch at holes 3 through 5, widely called the Horrible Horseshoe.

The Club completed a major restoration led by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. The work reintroduced elements of the course’s historic character while renewing all turf, irrigation, drainage, and a hydronic system that supports the bentgrass greens. The restored course reopened for the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. Colonial is also advancing a broader campus plan that includes clubhouse, maintenance, tennis, and practice-facility improvements.

Club website www.colonialfw.com

Job Summary and Essential Functions

The Golf Course Superintendent reports to and assists the Director of Agronomy in leading the daily maintenance, conditioning, presentation, and tournament preparation of Colonial’s championship golf course and related grounds. The Superintendent translates the Director’s agronomic strategy into clear work plans, provides visible field leadership, and ensures that the team consistently delivers playing conditions appropriate for Colonial’s members, guests, and PGA Tour event.

This position requires a hands-on leader who can organize people and resources, train and develop employees, monitor turf and soil conditions, uphold safety and regulatory standards, and communicate effectively across the Club. The successful candidate will respect Colonial’s history while bringing sound judgment, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement to the Agronomy Department.

Essential Responsibilities

- Assist the Director of Agronomy in developing and executing daily, weekly, and seasonal golf course maintenance programs.

- Direct and supervise daily maintenance operations, ensuring the golf course is prepared to the highest standards for members, guests, and tournaments.

- Lead, train, motivate, and mentor the golf course maintenance team while promoting a positive, professional, and safe work environment.

- Schedule daily assignments, allocate labor and equipment, and monitor timely completion and work quality.

- Operate specialized turfgrass equipment and maintenance machinery, and oversee the team’s proper, safe use.

- Monitor turfgrass health and playing conditions across greens, tees, fairways, roughs, bunkers, and other maintained areas.

- Implement approved fertility, irrigation, pest-management, mowing, cultivation, and plant-protectant programs.

- Scout for insects, disease, weeds, and other turf or plant-health concerns and communicate findings promptly to the Director of Agronomy.

- Supervise chemical and fertilizer applications in accordance with label requirements, Club policies, and applicable regulations.

- Maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing turfgrass management and chemical applications.

- Assist with irrigation-system operation, troubleshooting, and routine maintenance.

- Promote safe work practices and ensure compliance with OSHA standards, Club policies, and chemical-handling requirements.

- Attend and participate in Green Committee meetings, and accurately record and distribute meeting minutes as directed.

- Assist tournament operations, tournament committee members, and vendors in preparing for and supporting the Club’s PGA Tour event.

- Communicate effectively with the Director of Agronomy and other Club departments regarding course conditions, maintenance activities, and upcoming events.

- Help develop and maintain a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement within the Agronomy Department.

- Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Agronomy.

Qualifications

- Degree or certificate in turfgrass management, agronomy, horticulture, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and progressively responsible golf course experience will be considered.

- Progressive experience in golf course maintenance, including meaningful responsibility for daily course setup, turf programs, irrigation, staff supervision, and tournament preparation.

- Demonstrated ability to lead, train, motivate, and hold a diverse team accountable while maintaining a respectful and safe workplace.

- Strong working knowledge of cool- and warm-season turfgrass management, fertility, plant-protectant applications, cultivation practices, irrigation, drainage, and moisture management.

- Experience producing championship-level playing conditions at a private club, major tournament venue, or similarly demanding golf operation is strongly preferred.

- Ability to plan work, assign labor and equipment, monitor results, maintain records, and adjust priorities as course and weather conditions change.

- Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare accurate Green Committee minutes and coordinate with Club departments, tournament personnel, committees, and vendors.

- Current pesticide applicator license or the ability to obtain the license required by the State of Texas within the Club’s designated timeframe.

- Valid driver’s license and the ability to meet the physical and scheduling demands of golf course operations, including early mornings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours during tournament preparation and execution.

- Commitment to continuing education, professional development, and active participation in the golf course management profession.