Leadership on the Links Summit

Join us at the Leadership on the Links Summit on October 12, 2026 at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, Pennsylvania. This one-day gathering brings together superintendents, directors of agronomy, club executives, and industry leaders for a day focused on personal branding, leadership development, and building high performing teams. Register here: https://bloomgolfpartners.com/our-events/

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In this episode of Leadership on the Links, we explore the science and philosophy of biological soil management with Joel Simmons, Founder and President of EarthWorks Natural Organic Products. Joel shares his journey from Penn State county extension agent to co-founding EarthWorks with the late Jerry Brunetti in 1988, pioneering a carbon based approach to soil health that was once dismissed by academics and is now standard practice across the turfgrass industry. Tyler and Joel discuss why soil testing functions like blood work for a golf course, what separates truly engaged superintendents from the rest, and how emerging technology, from autonomous mowers to AI driven agronomic programs, is reshaping the profession. Joel also reflects on his decade teaching soils at Rutgers University and how that work evolved into the GCSAA accredited Soil First Academy. If you care about agronomy fundamentals, superintendent development, or the future of soil health in golf, this is a conversation worth your time.

• How Joel's path from Penn State county extension agent and executive recruiter led to co-founding EarthWorks and establishing biological soil management in the turf industry.

• Why carbon based fertility was heavily criticized in the early 1990s and how it became a fixture in virtually every golf course maintenance facility today.

• Why Joel compares soil testing to a patient's blood work, and how roughly 15,000 annual soil tests anchor EarthWorks' agronomic recommendations.

• What has stayed constant in golf course maintenance, including superintendent intuition, and what is changing rapidly, from autonomous mowers to research on the rhizophagy cycle.

• How the Soil First Academy condenses Joel's ten years of Rutgers soils instruction into a GCSAA accredited seminar on soil chemistry, physics, and biology.

• How EarthWorks is developing an AI based program that tailors recommendations to each property's specific soil and water data.

• How Tyler and Joel evaluate genuine engagement and mastery of fundamentals when vetting superintendent candidates.

• Leadership on the Links Summit Registration: https://bloomgolfpartners.com/our-events/

• Joel Simmons – LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-simmons-504b7241/

• EarthWorks Natural Organic Products: https://www.earthworksturf.com/

• Soil First Academy: https://www.earthworksturf.com/soil-first-academy/

Few names in the professional turfgrass industry carry the weight of the Valentine family, whose multigenerational connection to Merion Golf Club spans more than a century and helped shape the foundation of Penn State's nationally recognized turfgrass management program. Growing up on the grounds of one of the most storied clubs in American golf, Tom Valentine absorbed the rhythms of course management from his grandfather, Joseph Valentine, and his father, Richie Valentine, before charting his own path on the commercial side of the industry. Today, as Portfolio Manager at The Aquatrols Company, he brings that deep institutional knowledge to bear in support of superintendents and turf managers throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. In this episode of Leadership on the Links, host Tyler Bloom sits down with Tom Valentine for a candid conversation about industry legacy, the evolution of sales, career development in the green industry, and what it means to carry a family name that helped define turf management in America.

• The Valentine family's three-generation legacy at Merion Golf Club spans from the founding era of American turfgrass management through 1989, and includes the establishment of Penn State's Joseph E. Valentine Turfgrass Research Center in honor of Tom's grandfather.

• Richie Valentine led Merion's agronomy program by empowering his assistants with meaningful autonomy, a management philosophy that produced numerous professionals who went on to lead some of the most prestigious clubs and properties in the country.

• The golf industry experienced a defining compensation and budget inflection point in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when superintendent salaries and operational budgets increased dramatically as clubs transitioned from wholly in-house operations to a model that incorporated outside contractors and specialists.

• The rise of outside consultants in the 1990s, including those on the agronomic and architectural sides, fundamentally changed the way club memberships received and acted on course management recommendations.

• Sales methods in the green industry have evolved from relationship-driven, in-person territory management toward a hybrid model shaped by digital communication and accelerated by the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, while personal relationships remain a meaningful differentiator for high-performing sales professionals.

• Tom completed his Master of Professional Studies in Turfgrass Management at Penn State at age 50, a decision he credits with making him a significantly more effective resource for the superintendents he supports on the commercial side.

• Career paths in the turfgrass industry extend well beyond the superintendent role, and professionals who gain experience on the commercial side before returning to course management often bring a broader business perspective that benefits the clubs they serve.

Tom Valentine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-valentine-70111926/ The Aquatrols Company: https://www.aquatrols.com Merion Golf Club: https://www.meriongolfclub.com Penn State Joseph E. Valentine Turfgrass Research Center: https://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/turf

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, Tyler Bloom sits down with Stephen Tucker, Director of Equipment Operations at TPC Sawgrass and founder of Turf Addict, for a conversation spanning career development, team leadership, workforce challenges, and the growing role of technology in golf course maintenance. Stephen brings a rare perspective to the discussion, having spent his career on both sides of the equipment management relationship and now building his own software platform designed to modernize how golf facilities track, manage, and optimize their equipment operations.

Stephen reflects on his path from player to industry professional, shares what shaped his leadership philosophy across two decades at Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton properties, and offers candid insight into the workforce pipeline challenges that have long defined the equipment management profession. The conversation closes with a detailed look at the AI-powered platform Stephen has been quietly developing, a system designed to give golf operations the data-driven tools they need to reduce reactive maintenance, improve equipment longevity, and better communicate the value of the equipment team to club leadership.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How Stephen's career evolved from equipment manager to director of agronomy, and what he observed from both sides of the superintendent-equipment manager relationship.

• Why the equipment management profession has grown increasingly demanding, and how compensation has shifted to reflect the expanded scope of the role.

• The workforce pipeline challenge facing the industry, and why career awareness remains one of the most underleveraged tools for attracting new talent.

• Practical strategies for superintendents to build stronger partnerships with their equipment teams, including the value of collaborative weekly meetings and visible recognition.

• The AI-powered operations platform Stephen has developed through Turf Addict, including predictive maintenance capabilities, real-time error code monitoring via John Deere's Operations Center, and cutting unit management tools.

• Why Stephen built the platform to be AI-agnostic, allowing facilities to integrate their preferred AI system regardless of corporate policy.

• The broader implications of technology adoption in golf course operations, and what superintendents and directors should be thinking about as these tools continue to evolve.

Links and Resources

• Stephen Tucker | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrtucker/

• Turf Addict | Website: https://www.stephentucker.net/

• TPC Sawgrass | Website: https://tpc.com/sawgrass/

• IGCEMA (International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association): https://www.igcema.org/

• GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America): https://www.gcsaa.org/

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, Tyler Bloom sits down with Darin Bevard, Senior Director of Championship Agronomy for the USGA Green Section, for a conversation spanning nearly three decades of service to the game at its highest level. Darin shares how a mentor's challenge early in his career led him to trade a comfortable assistant superintendent role for a position with the USGA in 1996, and how that decision shaped a career defined by championship preparation, industry leadership, and a deep commitment to developing the next generation of turf professionals. Recorded on the eve of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, this episode offers a rare look at what it takes to prepare a championship golf course and the collaborative processes that drive decisions when the world's best players are watching.

What You'll Learn in this Episode:

• How Darin's career path from Penn State and Talbot Country Club led him to the USGA, where he has served for nearly 30 years across roles in regional agronomy and championship preparation.
• The evolution of the USGA agronomist role, from handwritten consulting reports to data-driven course management supported by tools like the DEACON platform and GPS sprayer technology.
• How Darin thinks about balancing agronomic data with field observation, and why the most effective superintendents rely on both numbers and experience.
• The collaborative process behind US Open course setup, including how the USGA works with host clubs, setup teams, and player feedback to make incremental adjustments throughout championship week.
• Darin's perspective on the USGA's Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program and why workforce development initiatives like this are critical to the long-term health of the industry.
• His excitement about autonomous mowing technology, the resurgence of turfgrass education programs, and the growing diversity of professionals entering the field.
• The personal dimension of a career in golf course management, including family members who have followed Darin into the industry.

Links and Resources

• Darin Bevard — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darin-bevard-6b8b4128/
• Darin Bevard — USGA Green Section Profile: https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/meet-the-agronomists-new/darin-bevard.html
• USGA Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program: https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/greenkeeper-apprenticeship-program.html
• USGA Course Consulting Service: https://gsshop.usga.org/course-consulting-service
• Bloom Golf Partners: https://bloomgolfpartners.com/

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, Tyler Bloom is joined by Connor Healy, Superintendent at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois, one of the premier private clubs on the North Shore of Chicago. Connor traces his career from an early start caddying at Ravisloe Country Club to working alongside respected industry mentors at Old Elm and Olympia Fields, before establishing a long-tenured career at Conway Farms. He also discusses his decision to pursue an MBA at DePaul University while serving as sole assistant through a major course renovation, a commitment that broadened his perspective on club leadership and helped position him for the superintendent role. This is a thoughtful conversation about professional development, team building, and what it means to lead with intention at a high-caliber private club.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How foundational experiences under respected mentors at Old Elm, Bel Air, and Olympia Fields shaped Connor's approach to the profession.

• Why pursuing an MBA while managing a course renovation demonstrated a level of commitment that resonated with club leadership.

• The value of cross-departmental relationships with the director of golf and COO in building the trust and credibility necessary for an internal promotion.

• How meaningful exposure to members, board meetings, and club committees distinguished Connor as a prepared and capable successor.

• Connor's approach to staff development: assessing individual goals, building on existing strengths, and supporting team members in finding the right opportunities for their growth.

• Why consistent, ongoing feedback and open communication are central to preparing assistant superintendents for the responsibilities of club leadership.

• A measured perspective on work-life balance and how thoughtful scheduling and clear expectations contribute to a more sustainable and professional work environment.

• Connor's involvement with the Super Scratch Foundation and his commitment to supporting the next generation of golf course management professionals.

Links and Resources

• Connor Healy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-healy-2982a021/

• Conway Farms Golf Club: https://www.conwayfarmsgolfclub.org/

• Super Scratch Foundation: https://www.superscratchfoundation.org/

• Bloom Golf Partners: https://bloomgolfpartners.com/

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, we sit down with Joel Inman, CCM, PGA, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer at Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, New Jersey. After 14 years leading Laurel Creek Country Club, Joel recently assumed leadership of one of New Jersey's most historic and multifaceted private clubs.

Joining Tyler Bloom and Meredith Otero, Joel shares insights on leadership, organizational culture, team development, and navigating transition in a new environment. The conversation explores the realities of leading a large, member-focused operation and the importance of building trust, alignment, and long-term success through people.

Whether you are a club manager, golf professional, superintendent, or emerging leader, this episode offers practical perspectives on leadership in today's private club industry.

Links and Resources

• Joel Inman, CCM, PGA on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-inman-pga/

• Montclair Golf Club: https://montclairgolfclub.org/

• Bloom Golf Partners: https://bloomgolfpartners.com/

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, Tyler Bloom sits down with Tim Freund, General Manager, and James Carroll, Director of Golf Course Maintenance, to discuss the leadership, planning, and partnership required to guide a historic club through significant change.

Throughout the conversation, they explore the importance of alignment between the general manager and superintendent, the role of club engagement, and the value of investing in both infrastructure and people. Their insights offer a practical perspective on navigating complex projects while maintaining organizational culture and operational excellence.

Whether you are a club leader, superintendent, board member, or industry professional, this episode provides valuable lessons on collaboration, leadership development, and the long-term responsibilities that come with managing a premier golf facility.

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, Tyler Bloom sits down with Tim Freund, General Manager of Shoal Creek Club, and James Carroll, Director of Golf Course Maintenance, for a conversation about what it really takes to transform a legendary golf club from the inside out. When a tornado tore through Shoal Creek in 2021 and leveled 2,500 trees in a matter of minutes, it became the unlikely catalyst for one of the most ambitious renovations in the club's nearly 50-year history. Tim and James share how they turned a crisis into a defining moment, brought in acclaimed architect Andrew Green, and built the kind of GM-superintendent partnership that most clubs only talk about.

From navigating deferred capital expenses and massive infrastructure overhauls to keeping staff culture intact through a full-club closure, this episode is a masterclass in collaborative leadership, long-term planning, and what it means to truly invest in your people. If you work in club management, turf, or golf operations, this one is packed with real, actionable perspective from two leaders who are living it right now.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• How a natural disaster became the turning point that accelerated Shoal Creek's long-overdue renovation and reshaped the club's entire vision for the future.
• Why James Carroll attends board and finance committee meetings alongside the GM, and how that level of inclusion has transformed the GM-superintendent working relationship at Shoal Creek.
• The infrastructure realities behind elite golf course renovation, including how Shoal Creek addressed major water management issues that were quietly eroding the course asset every time it rained.
• How Tim and James develop their mid-level managers by bringing them into leadership meetings, co-presenting to committees, and building intentional career development paths.
• What working alongside architect Andrew Green has been like on the ground, including the creative latitude he gives his team and how his design vision comes to life through on-site collaboration.
• The honest state of the golf industry: rising equipment costs, sky-high member expectations, and why the clubs with a stewardship mindset will be the ones that retain great leaders.
• How AI and technology may soon play a role in helping superintendents better communicate course conditions and educate their memberships.

Links and Resources

• Tim Freund: [email protected]
• https://www.shoalcreekclub.com/

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, we sit down with Kent Johnson, COO of Baltimore Country Club, one of the most storied platinum-level private clubs in the country. Kent pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a club culture that runs through every layer of an organization, from the board room to the line-level staff. He shares the philosophy behind BCC's "Great People Make Favorite Places" credo, how BCC University keeps staff engaged and growing, and why the club has leaned hard into becoming a community employer of choice in a tight labor market.

If you lead a club, manage a team, or are simply passionate about what high-performance hospitality looks like in a private club setting, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

What You'll Learn in this Episode:

• How Kent built BCC's "Great People Make Favorite Places" culture over eight years and why it starts long before anyone is hired.
• Why BCC University, with 70 to 80 classes per year taught by staff, members, and celebrities like Cal Ripken Jr., keeps team engagement high and turnover low.
• The role of cross-departmental leadership meetings in breaking down silos and driving the club's core values to every level of the organization.
• How hosting USGA championship events, including the US Senior Amateur and Women's Amateur, helps BCC attract elite agronomy and hospitality talent.
• Kent's honest take on where the club management industry is headed, including the workforce pipeline challenge facing agronomy and equipment manager roles.
• Why developing talent from within is the most reliable recruiting strategy in today's tight labor market.
• How the GM-superintendent relationship should work, and what "just get out of their way" really means in practice.

Links and Resources:

• Kent Johnson, Baltimore Country Club: LinkedIn
• Baltimore Country Club: baltimorecc.org
• Tyler Bloom, Bloom Golf Partners: bloomgolfpartners.com
• Book Mentioned: The Simple Truth About Your Business by Alex Brennan-Martin
• Book Mentioned: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• Club Management Association of America: cmaa.org

In this episode of Leadership on the Links, we sit down with two of the most respected figures at one of golf's most iconic clubs, Paul Latshaw, Director of Golf Course Operations at Merion Golf Club, and Golf Course Superintendent, Alexander Bonini, to dig into what it really takes to build a culture of excellence in turf management.

From Merion's legendary impact on the turf industry to the hands-on mentorship philosophy that has shaped careers across the country, Paul and Alex share the principles behind one of the most admired grounds programs in the game. We also get into the evolving role of the superintendent as both a field agronomist and organizational leader, and what may be the most pressing staffing challenge the industry faces.

Whether you're an intern just entering the field, an assistant looking to take the next step, or a club leader trying to build a winning team, this conversation is packed with insights you won't find anywhere else.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Why Merion Golf Club has functioned like a "teaching hospital" for the turf industry, developing generations of superintendents, assistants, and professionals who've gone on to lead elite clubs nationwide.

• How Paul Latshaw approaches staff culture from day one, and why attitude and effort always outrank technical skill when hiring.

• The power of tailored intern experiences and why Alex Bonini and the Merion team leverage their alumni to do the recruiting for them.

• What first-time superintendents almost always misunderstand about the job before they land it.

• How the superintendent role has evolved into a CEO-level position and why staying in the field remains the most valuable thing a great super can do.

• A behind-the-scenes look at preparing Merion for the 2025 US Amateur Championship in August, one of the most demanding tournament prep challenges Paul says he has ever faced.

• Why the equipment manager may be the hardest position to fill at a private club and what clubs need to do right now to prepare for a looming talent gap in that role.

• The generational shift happening in how young turf professionals view their careers, and why Paul and Tyler both believe we are entering a golden age for the turfgrass industry.

Links and Resources

• Paul Latshaw -- LinkedIn Profile

• Alexander Bonini -- LinkedIn Profile

• Merion Golf Club -- Website

• Bloom Golf Partners -- bloomgolfpartners.com

• Leadership on the Links Podcast -- Listen Here