Lou,
One problem is Supers are not supposed to play golf, they are supposed to be working. That is not the case everywhere, but it is in many places.
My son, Ryan, who you know, is studying to be a Superintendent. He has a pretty good background as he has worked the last 5 summers on a golf course and has a nice reference from an internship last year. He just interviewed for an internship at a very well respected private club with a nationally known Superintendent. The Supt told him in the interview, in no uncertain terms, that he would not be allowed to play the course, or practice, ever. This is a leader in our industry.
How do you learn to set up for the game if you never play the game?
Perhaps the superintendent at this club is trying to sift the applicant population for those candidates who are serious about the nitty-gritty.
But some clubs do trade on exclusivity. I suspect that they understand the trade-offs and maybe they buy the expertise elsewhere.
I prefer clubs which are more relaxed and understand the important role that well-trained, happy employees play in the process. In my book, it doesn't get much better than Cypress Point where caddies get to play on a regular basis when things are slow (many weekday afternoons; however, this information is dated as I haven't been there for nearly a decade). I suspect that the superintendent at CPC has the full support of the club to eat what he cooks. I do wonder how many superintendents just choose not to play for a variety of reasons, not least among them the fact that they're already at the club for 60+ hours each week and any spare time is best spent elsewhere.
You may know this, does the superintendent/golf agronomy curriculum include any practical experience in the game? Is there a class in course setup? I am thinking that perhaps not.
With Ryan's great upbringing and hands-on training, any club would be lucky to have him for the summer. Best of luck.