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. Joel Simmons recently chatted with John Ballard, golf course superintendent, 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.
The PGA Championship returns to Valhalla in 2024 and John shared with us the work that goes into the preparation, including 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!