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Many superintendents say that when they take on the role of managing a maintenance team, more of their day is spent growing people than growing grass. Cultivating a collection of highly trained individuals who work effectively as a team is difficult, but it can be one of the most rewarding parts of the job when done well. Through the USGA Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program (GAP), we’re learning a lot about training and mentorship in the golf course maintenance industry, and one of the most important parts of our program is using objective measurements to monitor each apprentice’s progress. This article provides an overview of how we use learning objectives to guide and assess training for employees at different experience levels. These concepts work great in an apprenticeship context, but they are also very applicable to any kind of staff training. Let’s start with the basics!

What Is Training?

Training is the action that we undertake to gain or impart knowledge, experience or a new skill set. It differs from traditional content delivery because it is an active process. Training is done to orient, ensure compliance, provide practice and/or troubleshoot. It can be done in groups, individually, online via tutorials or in person as a demonstration. Training itself is important, but measuring its effectiveness is paramount. The most efficient and objective way to do this is by evaluating employee comprehension based on objectives.

"Training itself is important, but measuring its effectiveness is paramount."

Why Are Objectives Important?

Integrating learning objectives into a training plan can be a great way to ensure accountability for both the trainer and trainee. A targeted set of learning objectives provides the trainer with a record of assigned tasks, a method for measuring achievement, and evidence of either success or a need for further training. Learning objectives provide the trainee with direction for the next phase of their professional growth, a record of the guidance they have been given, and proof of competencies. If a trainer believes that an employee has achieved success at a level that merits promotion, the record of met objectives serves as empirical evidence to justify the decision. Conversely, if a trainee feels like they need more support to advance in their post, this information can help show where challenges for either the employee or the trainer have arisen.

The Anatomy of a Learning Objective

A complete learning objective looks very similar to the S-M-A-R-T goals that are often used in professional development. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. A quality learning objective goes a step further and specifies a task related to the objective that can evolve based on evaluation. The following examples of learning objectives in action are drawn from real training scenarios that we’ve encountered in GAP and are broadly relevant to the type of training that superintendents face all the time.

Case Studies in Training Using Objectives

Employee A

Employee A is brand new to golf course maintenance. It’s their first day and you’d like to train them to rake bunkers. You develop this goal: “By the end of the week, Employee A will be able to rake the edges of a bunker well.” This is a good goal as it specifies the time frame, the specific action, the form of measurement, and is both attainable and relevant. But it could be better and adapted to specific stages of training. One way to reframe this goal as a true learning objective is: “Employee A will be able to rake the edges of the entire greenside bunker on the first hole within 90 seconds.” This objective might look very similar to the original goal, but there are important differences so let’s break it down a little. The new objective is:

  • Specific: Hole 1, greenside bunker

  • Measurable: The entire edge of the bunker 

  • Attainable: Just one bunker 

  • Relevant: First bunker on the course with other bunkers that need to be raked

  • Time-bound: 90 seconds

This objective is set within a specific task and upon completion of the task, the trainer can assess two primary components: Did Employee A finish the entire bunker within 90 seconds, and did they rake the edges properly? If Employee A did not finish in 90 seconds, then the next learning objective can be adapted by extending the time or by teaching them a quicker raking method. If Employee A finished in 90 seconds but didn’t do the job properly, then the new objective integrates quality of work into the “measurable” component of the objective.  

Employee B

Employee B has been working on the golf course for a month. They have completed objectives that included operating motorized equipment and being able to cut grass with a push mower in a manner that did not cause unnecessary damage to the turf. This reassures you that they are probably ready to operate a greens mower. You take Employee B out to the nursery green and do a walk-mower orientation. You complete a pass while pointing out specific techniques in a series of steps. This is called a “Steps and Key Points” lesson and provides the trainee a demonstration of the ideal method and a list to refer to. They can use these steps to ensure they have completed the task using the preferred method.

There might be 10 steps in the lesson, and you emphasize the steps for turning as being important. Employee B will now try mowing with the objective: “Employee B will be able to mow the entire nursery green in 12 minutes with no scalping using the steps communicated during the demonstration.” Employee B picks up where you left off and upon completion of the green, pulls off to reflect. You notice one scalped area on the collar but before pointing it out you ask Employee B to reflect and evaluate their own performance against the objective. This begins to shift accountability over to them. When they are asked to evaluate, they must review the objective and their performance, and test their comprehension of the steps and key points. They point out the scalped area, and you ask them to assess what caused it. If they cannot identify a cause, you can point out the steps related to turning the mower and putting it back down without cutting into the collar. If they can explain what caused the scalp, then you can form a new objective that transitions the training to the course and targets another skill.

Employee C

Employee C is a veteran in the industry. They can be trusted to carry out anything that needs to be done as an operator but have yet to take on a leadership role. A bunker needs new sod on the perimeter, but instead of dictating the objective before assigning the task to Employee C and a new crew member, you task Employee C with developing their own learning objective to strengthen their leadership skills. Employee C has already demonstrated competence in the task, so the need now becomes for Employee C to be able to guide a new employee through the training to lay sod. Employee C articulates an objective using the SMART scheme and adds in a tailored component specific to the task at hand. You acknowledge the objective and observe Employee C as they assign tasks to the new employee, train them on the steps and key points to lay sod effectively, and watch as the sod is laid in real time.

The objective you are now assigning to Employee C becomes: “Employee C will be able to show a new employee the primary steps and key points needed to lay sod and guide the new employee through the process and a reflection on the task within one hour.” The objective is long, but it is comprehensive. It serves as an informal contract between you and Employee C that can be referenced during a later meeting. It gives you a place to begin an evaluation and gives Employee C the agency to make decisions that pave the road to their next promotion.

The Role of Mentorship

Mentors are a key component in a successful apprenticeship or training program. In GAP, we work with the apprentices to identify a person at the golf course where they work – often an assistant or superintendent – who can monitor the student’s progress and help guide their learning. When facilitating the development of customized training plans, I provide a sample objective that demonstrates a complete learning objective and task the mentors and our students to make their own. I check to make sure their objectives reflect the traits we look for and leave it to them to continue the cycle of developing objectives and reflecting on outcomes throughout the year.

At check-ins, I use the Employee A, B and C scenarios as starting points. I look for evidence of learning objectives met, unmet and/or undeveloped. For students with learning challenges, I recommend changing the delivery method. For example, a steps-and-key-points demonstration might be best followed up by texting the steps to the employee so they can reference them each time they carry out the task. Additionally, some employees might want you to observe them for longer while others want minimal monitoring. We communicate to the mentors that learning styles differ in a multitude of ways. Finding out the best learning style for each employee is crucial for long-term retention.

Designing learning objectives can take time, but if done continuously and authentically, it can be a hallmark of successful professional development at your facility. If you want to learn more about the GAP program, you can visit our website or reach out to me directly at v-cletot@usga.org. Admissions are rolling with application reviews beginning August 1 and continuing until all cohorts are filled. We currently have spaces open in Pinehurst and Myrtle Beach. Housing assistance is available, and international students are encouraged to apply!