For superintendents younger than 30, that number is just over 98 percent. Continuing education is virtually a requirement for golf course superintendents in order to perform at a high level. Entrusted with administering a large portion of a golf facility's budget and managing its most valuable asset, the golf course superintendent has become an integral member of the management team. Many have assumed roles such as director of golf, manager of golf course operations, general manager, etc. As the game and business of golf has grown, so has the recognition of the superintendent as key to the enjoyment of the game and the economic vitality of golf facilities.
Maintenance often has a greater influence than design on a course's difficulty and speed of play.
Though education, research and technology enhanced the trade, it was the creation of community that elevated the position of the superintendent. The creation of the USGA Green Section in the 1920 and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in 1926 provided a means to network and exchange information for the maintenance of golf facilities. Organizational Structure Because ownership and management structures differ from facility to facility, the golf course superintendent's role on the organizational chart will vary. For golf courses owned and operated by a municipality, the size of bureaucracy can often determine the reporting lines. Often times, members of the management team will report to a community's director of golf operations, who in turn reports to an administrator such as director of parks and recreation.