Becoming a golf course superintendent requires completing an accredited program in golf course or turf management, gaining related experience, and diagnosing and treating plant diseases. Working as an assistant superintendent and gaining experience through internships is recommended. Relevant degree programs focus on chemistry, biology, plant pathology, and entomology, as well as managing people or programs.
To become a golf course superintendent, an interested candidate will likely need to complete an accredited program in golf course management, turf turf management, or related science, as well as gain a significant amount of related experience. This unique position can be tiring at times. It requires in-depth knowledge of how the golf course works, as well as the ability to diagnose, treat and prevent many plant diseases.
If a golf course were considered a human body, its superintendent would be a doctor. When the health of numerous species of vegetation fails, it is up to the superintendent to take the appropriate course of action. The knowledge required to do so, however, is not innate, and just as it takes a year for a medical professional to be trained, the path to becoming a golf course superintendent is not a short one.
Generally speaking, the ideal candidate for the job has extensive related experience before, during and after earning a degree. Initially, a future superintendent may find it beneficial to work on the field staff at a golf course. This experience not only enhances the knowledge of golf course operations, but also makes the person more marketable to potential schools. This position is busiest during playable months, which vary greatly depending on location. A golf course team’s work schedule may be around the clock in the event of an emergency or a major event, but is generally from early morning to early afternoon.
While training in turf management or related fields, the best way to gain the experience needed to become a golf course superintendent is to work part-time concurrently with the curriculum or as an intern during the summer months between semesters. Upon graduating from an accredited program, a young professional aspiring to become a golf course superintendent will benefit from working as an assistant superintendent first. This is comparable to climbing the corporate ladder, as a person does not directly become a CEO by earning a business degree.
There are many programs available that offer the opportunity to earn a relevant degree. These programs can vary, but most focus on chemistry, biology, plant pathology, and entomology. Managing people or programs should probably also form part of this coursework, as these professionals must also be concerned with overseeing staff and supplies.
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