Lesson 1: The People Who Care for the Course
A golf course does not take care of itself. A team of people — called the grounds crew or turf staff — work early every morning to mow, water, repair, and maintain every part of the course before the first golfers arrive.
The person in charge of this team is called the Superintendent. They need to understand grass, soil, weather, water, insects, and diseases.
They are, in many ways, environmental scientists — applying scientific knowledge every single day to keep a living landscape healthy.
The next time you arrive at a perfectly prepared golf course, remember: someone got up at 4 a.m. to make it that way for you.
What do you think would happen to the golf course if no one came to take care of it for one week? One month? One year? What would change first?
If possible, arrive at the course early enough to watch the grounds crew at work. What equipment are they using? What are they doing? Write a list of three jobs you observe. Before you leave today, thank a member of the grounds crew for their work.
An early morning visit to observe the grounds crew in action is one of the most memorable environmental education experiences available to your student. Most turf superintendents are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with genuinely curious visitors. A brief introduction and a few questions can open a relationship that enriches the entire curriculum.