I'm a high school senior and I want to become a golf
course superintendent. What are the best schools for
this area of study? topThere are good programs offered through many universities
and colleges. Universities have traditional four-year
degrees, often in agronomy or horticulture, and some offer
two-year associates degrees in turfgrass management.
There also are programs offered by two-year technical schools
and community colleges. When investigating schools, ask
about the program's reputation, type of skills learned, and the
success of the graduates. A helpful publication is the
College Guide, from the Golf Course Superintendents Association
of America (
www.gcsaa.org
), which answers many of the important questions about
turfgrass management programs across the country.
Occasionally, I see a product or business advertised as
"USGA Approved" or "USGA Certified". How
does a company receive such a USGA
endorsement? topThey don't. The USGA does not approve, certify, or
endorse any product or service. In fact, any company or product
making such a claim is likely to find themselves in contact
with our legal staff.
What is a good way to keep up with the information that
your Green Section agronomists are seeing in the
field? topThe Green Section continually updates the Green Section
portion of the USGA Web site. One feature is the regional
updates, written by the Green Section staff. The regional
updates highlight what the agronomists observe during their
Turf Advisory Service travels in each of the eight Green
Section regions. The information is updated every two to
three weeks and can found at:
www.usga.org/green
.