Education Needed

Upon hearing the degree of turfgrass science, a typical response by the common person may be of a bland nature. A common response may yield, “So…you grow grass? Anybody can do that.” While this response is ignorant, the response describes the gist of the degree. Yes, growing grass serves as the primary purpose for superintendents of golf courses. However, the ability to grow the healthiest, efficient and disease suppressive plant takes high levels of education. The Pennsylvania State University describes the Turfgrass Science Degree as, “an integrated program of study that includes basic and applied sciences, business management courses and an internship…opportunities include golf course maintenance, professional lawn care…”. A noteworthy portion of the quote lists golf course maintenance as the first employment opportunity. Perhaps through coincidence, golf course maintenance concerns the majority of enrollees into the program and thus The Pennsylvania State University lists the employment first. Diving into the curriculum of the turfgrass major, many courses include the likes of chemistry, biology and earth sciences. Furthermore, a keen ability to identify pests and potential diseases within soils infers study of insects and microorganisms. Once a steady handle of pest control and soil disease identification has been met, a superintendent then must take action to counteract the antagonists. Typically, a spraying of chemicals known as pesticides must be done. Another, separate level of education must now be met. A superintendent must study and pass a pesticide applicator certification test. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Pesticide Applicator Certification can be found as an extension of the Pennsylvania State University. Withi...

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...le in the turfgrass industry. In order to consistently maintain knowledge of new findings, superintendents intend seminars and golf industry shows. Kurt Becker acknowledges the shows aside from his work, “…you need to get to these different gatherings to interact with colleagues dealing with the same issues you are dealing with… if one golf course in the area is dealing with a problem, someone else is dealing with the same problem…” (Becker). Courses do in fact deal with similar problems – especially within a short radius. See, courses close together interact with similar soil, weather and pests. Building allies with close superintendents may lead to help with problems on one’s own course. Likewise, one may have dealt with a problem a while back and knows the proper course of action to take. Superintendents share “a fraternal industry” in helping each other (Becker).