Once I was there, I was impressed with the depth of science involved in turfgrass management. Olds College had me; hook, line and sinker. I couldn’t see a limit to the amount I could learn about golf courses and turfgrass. I completed my bachelor’s degree in applied science with a major in golf course management. From there I started my journey working at different golf courses. I am now an assistant superintendent at The Glencoe Golf and Country Club in Calgary, Alberta, the largest golf facility in Canada. The club and its management have provided me with many opportunities to develop myself, foster relationships, and help build the turfgrass management profession and industry as a whole. This winter, I created the Women in Turfgrass Management Mentor Program. This program is designed to help women enrolled in a turfgrass education program to connect with established female turfgrass managers for mentorship. Students from programs across Canada are paired with a number of female turf managers and use online chats, phone calls and in-person meetings when possible to develop their mentoring relationship.

I have asked the golf courses that participated in the contact list to ask new hires some questions so I can start to compile data about the success of the program. I am hoping to learn how many of their applicants were students I had direct contact with, how many of those applicants were chosen for an interview, and how many of those applicants were successful in obtaining a position with the course. I am looking to build my data set over a number of seasons and measure the success of the program over time. As the program continues, I hope to grow the number of schools participating and add more presenters that can communicate their passion for the industry. I am working with The Glencoe and Olds College to develop more events that will introduce high school students to the industry. Ultimately, the program is about sharing our passion with future generations of turf managers to ensure the success of this industry for years to come.

Morgan Creighton is an assistant superintendent at The Glencoe Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Alberta.