Superintendent Spotlight:
Nate Bolhous has had two passions for as long as he can remember – golf and agronomy. It’s only natural that he parlayed them into a career as a golf course superintendent, which includes his current six-year stint at Briarwood Country Club in Deerfield.
Bolhous, 37, grew up in rural Orion, Illinois, located about 15 miles south of the Quad Cities. The grandson of a farmer and son of an agriculture salesman, Bolhous fondly recalls “Drive Your Tractor to School Day.” Being near the Quad Cities, the tractor was almost certainly green.
“It’s kind of burned into you in a way,” Bolhous said of his agriculture background and a inity for Moline-based John Deere.
His first job in the golf industry began shortly after he turned 16 on the golf course maintenance crew at Valley View Club in nearby Cambridge. Bolhous briefly had his sights set on a different career path, beginning college as an art and design major. However, he quickly reverted to what he knows best, switching to the turfgrass program at Iowa State.
“It just made sense once I fell into it,” Bolhous said.
His first full-time assistant role came at Briarwood before eventually branching out to head roles at McHenry and Naperville Country Clubs. He returned to Briarwood in the head superintendent position before the 2020 season, spurred on by the familiarity with staff, members and the course.
“The members love their course and they keep wanting to see it better,” Bolhous said. “They're allowing me kind of that freedom to do stuff and constantly make it better.”
Bolhous appreciates the opportunity afforded to him by the club to express his artistic nature in a variety of ways, including unique mowing lines and custom-made wood accessories.
“It’s just another aspect we bring to the table. How to get creative with presentation,” Bolhous said. “It’s fun.”
Maybe not as fun as riding your tractor to school, but fun nonetheless. —Casey Richards