John Reilly is an old friend of The EarthWorks Podcast who always brings great turf conversations and plenty of laughs. Recently, John found himself facing a transition many longtime superintendents eventually encounter: moving on after losing a position he held for many years.
Rather than slowing down, John has built a diversified business that includes sand injection work, autonomous mowing technology, and traditional turf consulting. He remains deeply connected to the industry and continues to share his experience and perspective with turf professionals.
John is also one of the pioneers of using paspalum on golf courses. In this episode, he discusses what he has learned from growing and managing paspalum over the years, why he believes it produces an exceptional playing surface, and some of the misconceptions surrounding the grass. As John explains, paspalum prefers fresh water but has the ability to tolerate salty conditions.
The conversation explores paspalum’s versatility, its ability to produce significant root mass, and how managing organic matter biologically with a carbon-based approach can help create outstanding playing conditions. John believes paspalum has a growing future in golf, particularly for courses looking to reduce inputs, chemical use, and overall maintenance costs.
John also talks candidly about career transitions, staying optimistic, and finding new opportunities while continuing to do what he loves: talking turf.
