This is an exciting time for the USGA as we prepare for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where the maintenance team is working long hours to provide a great test for the best players in the world. We have recently opened our new campus in Pinehurst as well, which is home to USGA staff from various departments, the World Golf Hall of Fame, and the USGA Experience which has great interactive exhibits on everything from USGA championships to the science of golf course maintenance. We are also excited to announce a $1 million U.S. Open Community Engagement commitment focused on expanding the Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program (GAP). GAP combines on-the-job training and mentorship with classroom learning in a college setting to provide a launching point for careers in golf course maintenance. We are proud of the 19 graduates from our first cohort in 2023 and excited to see our 2024 cohort continue to progress.
In partnership with the Carolinas Golf Association, Pinehurst Resort, the Dedman Foundation and Ewing Outdoor Supply, the USGA is investing over $1 million into GAP to increase the program’s impact on workforce development. We are excited to expand the program at Sandhills Community College and offer GAP across the state of North Carolina. The USGA is also providing a grant to Horry-Georgetown Technical College to offer GAP on campus in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Along with turfgrass professors Charles Granger and Jim Huntoon, our partnerships with the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association and other local associations make Horry-Georgetown the logical next step. Finally, we are excited to increase the support for GAP participants by offering the Ewing-York Apprentice Fund. This support from Ewing Outdoor Supply will provide financial support for apprentices who relocate to the Carolinas to take part in GAP.
The growth of this program is exciting, and an important way that the USGA is helping to address one of the biggest challenges facing the golf course maintenance industry. Please reach out to program coordinator Dr. Carson Letot if you are interested in supporting or participating in GAP.
Southeast Region Agronomists:
Jordan Booth, Ph.D., senior director, Course Consulting Service – jbooth@usga.org
Chris Hartwiger, director, Agronomy – chartwiger@usga.org
Chris Neff, agronomist – cneff@usga.org