I've always liked the process of asking the shortlisted candidates to come take a look at the course a couple of days before the interview. This way they can identify all the areas which they feel need to be improved upon and generally create a vision of where they would like to take the course over the next 3-5 years.
Then instead of a shirt and tie interview inside the clubhouse, play a round of golf with the candidate where they can relay this vision to you, and you can ask any questions or raise any points you have about the course as you play. You can tell a lot about a person from a round of golf and in my opinion it'd be a far more productive interview than any carried out in the clubhouse.
Very insightful. Although this should be IN ADDITION to an inside interview. That inside interview will give some insight on how the candidate will interact in Board/Green Committee meetings. The inside interview should follow along the lines Jason outlined - very good.
A couple of other things to consider. IF the last super left or way let go - identify the reasons.
Ask the candidates to submit a 1,3 and 5 yr operating plan with no direction from the club. This will give you a unbiased insight into what the candidate feels is right and wrong with the current state of affairs. It will also give you some insight into what resources he/she feels will be necessary to do the job. If candidate A wows everyone but comes in with a Augusta-sized plan and you know that isn't reality, you may want to go with candidate B.
Architects are choosen by this RFP process all the time. Clubs want someone to come in who doesn't have blinders on and come up with their own assessment. Many times you hear members say, "I've been here 30 yrs and I never saw that".
If you go this route AND give the candidate the resources outlined, you now also have a set of criteria (prepared by the super) in which to judge whether or not he/she is preforming at the level committed to in the interview. If they prepared a unrealistice operating plan in order to look good and get the job, you will know real fast.
Also, just posting a job isn't the best way to find the best guy for the job. Reach out to people in the industry (like Don M alluded to) but be careful! This is an really small world and big rumor mill. And don't get too caught up in salary amounts, you are hiring a plant manager in charge of your factory. He keeps the factory (golf course) running so it can produce your product. Think of your golf course as $10 million asset. Are you willing to risk that asset for 10 or 20 grand? A good candidate who's current club is happy with him shouldn't even be thinking about leaving for anything less than 120%. Besides, some of the better ones can make due with alot less money. For example, Assistant for Big Time CC might take the job for $20k less than Veteran from Mgmt Co. Daily Fee, but our Vet, used to tight budgets, know how to employ Best Management Practices and only sprays when an area reaches a threshold, while our Assist only knows how to spray preventatively wall to wall every 21 days. Over the course of a season, our Vet may have used only 1/5 the chemicals.