2026 Numbers to Know: Facing the challenge

Superintendent Doug Ward just finished his final year at Belle Meade Country Club in Nashville, Tennessee, after running the maintenance team for 39 years. During his long tenure, he has seen the golf industry face challenges and go through ups and downs — but 2025 was one for the books. 

The weather in 2025 could be defined as “brutal,” at least for Ward. “It was very hot — extremely hot,” he says. “I can’t say that it was the worst that I’ve ever experienced, but it’s certainly in the top five for sure.

“It seems like every summer is a little bit more challenging, or maybe a little bit more extreme than the last. Sooner or later, you’re going to have that challenge looking you square in the face.”

An extreme summer in the Transition Zone is something superintendents can count on. But thanks to Ward’s experience, a solid irrigation system and a strong agronomic plan, the private facility was able to withstand the extreme heat and humidity. Ward’s best advice for superintendents when it comes to dealing with something as uncontrollable as the weather is to stay on guard. “Know what your plans are, how you’re going to manage your water,” he says. “Be diligent with that and be aware. Take care of yourself, going into it. You need to be on a good cultural program.”

Ward has a strong fungicide program, and he aerates three times a year — twice conventionally and once with a DryJect system — which helps prepare the course for unexpected conditions. 

Intense weather combined with an influx of golfers leads to limited opportunities for agronomic work. “The challenge of maintaining the greens with that much play on your golf course, I think that’s the overriding theme of golf courses in general right now,” Ward says. 

Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the course handled around 21,000 rounds a year. Now that number is above 30,000. Maintaining the course without interrupting play, especially while hand-watering, is a challenge and requires a creative solution. “In certain cases, it’s almost impossible,” Ward says. In the future, he can see the potential need for autonomous mowers and an earlier start time.

When it comes to dealing with weather, lots of play and daily challenges as a superintendent, Ward believes the most important thing a superintendent can do is to support his crew. Back in 2020 and 2021, Belle Meade had a difficult time attracting and maintaining staff. Now, Ward says that challenge has shrunk. He prioritized allowing for a flexible schedule for his employees, being mindful of their lives outside of work — a necessity in the current work climate.

But more essential to maintaining the team is to ensure everyone feels loved and cared for. Ward and his team often spend time over meals or at crew events. “You just have to believe in your guys,” Ward says. “Support them and treat them as your greatest asset there. You cannot take those people for granted. Show them you love them. Show them that they’re the most important asset there is in the business.”

Based on Ward’s experiences, he believes the stress on superintendents will only grow in the coming years. “I think it’s just definitely going to be more and more pressure put on the superintendent from here on out,” he says.

Ward is retired now, but his advice for those in the industry remains crucial: “Be aware that it’s definitely not a cakewalk out there. It’s not going to be automatic from here on out — not that it ever was — but it’s certainly going to be more demands put on superintendents from not only a quality standpoint, but from daily play.

“You just have to be prepared to put up with the additional challenges.”

— Kelsie Horner