EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with John Ballard

Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville Kentucky is one of the true gems in the golf course industry. A Jack Nicklaus design built over the beautiful rolling hills of central Kentucky. We had the great honor of sitting down with John Ballard, the Golf Course Superintendent. We talked about the rich history of Valhalla, its partnership with the PGA, and the extensive history of tournaments the property has hosted including several PGA Championships and Senior Opens. In 2024 the PGA Championship returns to Valhalla and John shared with us the work that goes into the preparation. At Valhalla they do everything right so there will not only be course prep but some construction as well. Perhaps most importantly John was able to share his philosophy on how to recruit and maintain a top-quality crew and how to build a culture around that team. For the next year and a half John will be the busiest guy in turf!