Director of Agronomy — Lead ‑Hole Resort Golf

Description

Cragun’s Legacy Courses is seeking an experienced and passionate Director of Agronomy to lead the agronomic operations of our 54-hole golf destination and help shape the future of one of Minnesota’s premier resort golf properties.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Cragun’s as we enter a new era of ownership investment, course improvement, and growth. The Director of Agronomy will be responsible for delivering exceptional playing conditions while leading a talented team and developing long-term strategies for the property.

After many years of dedicated leadership at the Legacy Courses, our long-term Director of Agronomy is preparing for retirement. As we make this transition, he will remain available as a resource to the incoming Director, offering valuable knowledge of the property, courses, team, and operation when helpful. This provides a unique opportunity for our next Director to benefit from that experience while having the freedom and support to lead the department, bring new ideas forward, and help shape the next chapter of the Legacy Courses.

The Opportunity

• Lead agronomic operation across 54 holes, including the Lehman 18-hole Championship course, Dutch Legacy 27-hole complex, par-3 course, and practice facilities.
• Establish and maintain exceptional, championship-level playing conditions across greens, tees, fairways, roughs, bunkers, and practice areas.
• Lead and develop a year-round leadership team and 45+ seasonal employees (12+ H2B and 10 J1 Visa workers).
• Oversee approximately $2.0-$2.5 million in annual operations.
• Provide strategic oversight of irrigation, drainage, water management, equipment, turf health, pest management, and course infrastructure.
• Develop annual and multi-year agronomic and course improvement plans.
• Partner with ownership, resort leadership, golf operations, and course architect Tom Lehman on future course improvements and capital projects.
• Prepare the property for the CRMC Championship and other signature events.
• Champion a culture of professionalism, teamwork, safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Regularly experience the courses as a golfer to evaluate conditions, playability, presentation, and the overall guest experience.

Requirements

• Set and maintain clear daily conditioning standards for greens, tees, fairways, roughs, bunkers, practice areas, and course preparation.
• Deliver consistent, exceptional playing surfaces with the goal of being recognized as the best resort/public golf conditions in the Midwest.
• Use sound agronomic judgement to balance playability, turf health, weather, traffic, labor, and long-term sustainability.
• Coordinate maintenance schedules with golf operations to support pace of play, guest satisfaction, outings, tournaments, and resort demand.
• Lead, coach, and hold accountable the year-round and seasonal agronomy teams.
• Develop the Head Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents as future leaders and provide clear ownership of their respective areas.
• Build a culture centered on pride, professionalism, communication, safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee seasonal recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, performance management, and retention, including H-2B and J-1 team members.
• Develop and execute annual and multi-year agronomic plans for all golf courses and practice facilities.
• Manage fertility, chemical, application, cultural practices, pest management, tree management, drainage, and water-use strategies.
• Develop and oversee long-term management for ponds, wetlands, shorelines, sediment, and muck accumulation, erosion, water quality, and related environment features, including recommendations for major repairs or capital solutions when warranted.
• Provide strategic oversight of irrigation…