While we are complaining about how hard to keep alive our golf course, it seems to me that golf superintendents' life is not so bad (in the US). Golf superintendents' salary grew between 2005-2011 incrementally. Of course if you are a certified golf superintendent then you can earn even better (20.000 USD difference annually!!) Let's see GCSSA figures from 2011:
However we see also that above age 60 there are very few golf superintendents in the US (5,9% = 4,023 people – GCSAA figure), but also under 29. Is this because younger do not have enough relevant experience and the elders' experience is getting outdated? Or elder golf superintendants are more expensive??
I would ask golf course managers what kind of career plan do and can you offer to these experts? These people know and feel the turf on what your service is based. So instead of sending home people above 50 and 60, train them to be updated in their profession (to know the latest developments). For freshmen, provide them with a trainee program.