Meet Carson Shaw, the Superintendent Growing One of America’s Most Anticipated New Golf Courses

Every golf course begins long before the first tee shot.

Before golfers admire firm fairways, smooth greens or strategic bunkering, there are months, and often years, of planning, collaboration and painstaking work hidden beneath the surface. Irrigation lines disappear underground. Drainage systems are engineered. Grass varieties are selected. Construction crews shape the land while superintendents begin preparing for the most critical stage of all: bringing the course to life.

That’s exactly where Carson Shaw finds himself today.

Recently appointed golf course superintendent at Candyroot Lodge, Shaw is overseeing the grow-in of the new 1,210-acre public golf retreat taking shape in North Carolina’s Carolina Sandhills. While many golfers won’t experience Candyroot Lodge until its opening, Shaw has already spent countless hours helping transform bare sand into living turf.

Golf Course Trades recently spoke with Shaw about what attracted him to the project, the mentors who shaped his career, why the grow-in phase fascinates him, and what golfers can expect when they finally tee it up.

A Bucket List Opportunity

For many golf course superintendents, managing an established facility is the culmination of years of work.

For Shaw, however, the opportunity to build a golf course from scratch represented something even more meaningful.

“Golf course construction has always intrigued me,” Shaw said. “Building a golf course from the ground up has been a bucket-list goal of mine.”

That dream became reality when he first learned about Candyroot Lodge.

“From the first time I stepped onsite, I knew the destination was going to be something special and a place where I could put down roots and prove myself.”

Being involved from day one means every decision, from irrigation planning to turf establishment, becomes part of the course’s long-term identity.

Learning from Those Who Came Before

Like many careers in turf management, Shaw’s journey started with family.

His grandfather loved golf, but just as importantly, he loved grass.

“He was what I would call a ‘grass nerd,'” Shaw laughed. “He’s the one who taught me the basics of growing grass.”

That early curiosity eventually led Shaw to Quail Hollow Club, where another influential mentor helped shape his leadership philosophy.

Director of Greens and Grounds Keith Wood recognized Shaw’s potential while he was still an intern.

According to Shaw, Wood emphasized one lesson above all others:

“Attitude and effort.”

“It’s something I carry with me every day,” Shaw said. “A good attitude and 100 percent effort will take you anywhere in life.”

Today, Shaw uses that same philosophy while leading his own team at Candyroot Lodge.

More Than Growing Grass

Ask golfers about a course under construction and most imagine tractors and bulldozers.

Superintendents see something much different.

For Shaw, the grow-in actually begins long before the first piece of sod arrives.

“Irrigation and drainage systems are setting the foundation for producing high-quality turf and creating a sustainable golf course.”

Those early decisions influence every aspect of the course’s future performance.

Once grass installation begins, however, months of planning finally become visible.

“Every time we grass another hole you can see the vision becoming reality.”

Growing in a golf course demands long hours, constant monitoring and plenty of hose dragging to keep young turf healthy.

“It’s not easy,” Shaw admitted.

“But it’s also the most rewarding part of the project.”

Letting the Sandhills Be the Star

Candyroot Lodge isn’t trying to force the landscape into an artificial design.

Instead, Shaw says the goal is exactly the opposite.

The Carolina Sandhills provide naturally sandy soils that drain exceptionally well, allowing the maintenance team to pursue firm, fast playing conditions while embracing the native landscape.

Those same soils also require precise irrigation management and careful attention to pests.

Still, Shaw sees more opportunity than challenge.

“The Sandhills are home to an incredible variety of native plants, which allow us to create the rugged, natural aesthetic we’re looking for while letting Mother Nature do most of the work.”

Perhaps most interesting is what Shaw says won’t define the course.

Unlike many highly manicured facilities, Candyroot Lodge isn’t chasing perfectly crisp mowing lines.

“We want the course to feel as though it naturally emerges from the landscape and blends into the surrounding environment.”

That philosophy reflects a growing movement in golf architecture that favors natural transitions over manufactured perfection.

Collaboration Creates Better Golf

While architect Mike Koprowski shapes the design vision, Shaw ensures those ideas can be successfully maintained for years to come.

The relationship, he says, is built on mutual respect.

“I’m certainly not an architect and he isn’t a superintendent,” Shaw explained, “but we both understand each other’s roles.”

Daily conversations cover everything from green complexes and bunkers to grassing lines and long-term maintenance considerations.

“We know that working together produces the best possible result.”

That same teamwork extends to contractors and everyone involved in the project.

“Like any successful project, the best results come from working together as a team.”

Building a Team Before Building Turf

Starting a golf course from scratch also means building an entirely new maintenance staff.

When hiring, Shaw isn’t looking first at résumés.

He’s looking for character.

“Attitude and effort.”

The phrase returns again.

“We can teach someone the skills needed to maintain a golf course, but we can’t teach someone to work hard or bring a positive attitude every day.”

He credits his current staff for embracing the challenge.

“They are the backbone of this golf course and without them, none of this would be possible.”

Watching the Course Come Alive

Of all the milestones during construction, one stands above the rest.

Completing each hole.

“When everything is still bare ground, many of the subtle features and contours that give a hole its character are hard to see,” Shaw said.

“The grass highlights those details and brings the course to life.”

For a superintendent, it’s one of the first moments when years of planning begin resembling the golf course everyone has envisioned.

Looking Toward Opening Day

As Candyroot Lodge moves closer to preview play, Shaw’s attention remains focused on the greens.

“Our top priority is getting the greens fully established and rolling smooth and true.”

Each new section of sod marks another step toward welcoming golfers for the first time.

“It’s an exciting moment we’re all looking forward to.”

When that day finally arrives, Shaw hopes visitors remember far more than perfectly maintained turf.

“I’d love to say they’ll remember the grass,” he said, “but I really believe it’s the land and the architecture that will leave the biggest impression.”

His hope is simple.

“I hope they leave wanting to come back and play it again.”