Golf Teaching practical skills
Bunker construction is also part of the greenkeeping students' course
investing in staff and student greenkeeper training, and promoting continued personal development at trade shows and exhibitions.” “At CAFRE, our greenkeeper numbers are
at a high, which is good to see the value which local clubs put on staff training.” Stuart has quite a good CV when it comes
to greenkeeping, as he explained. “I started my greenkeeping career in 1992 at Fortwilliam Golf Club in Belfast, under Michael O’Neill. This trainee post included attending Greenmount Campus on a day release basis, undertaking a level one qualification in Amenity Horticulture, which lasted one year.” “After my year’s work placement, I knew
greenkeeping was all I wanted to do, but was unable to secure a full-time job. I then took the option of studying for the National Certificate in Horticulture at Greenmount Campus. This course gave me a good knowledge of plants, soils science, landscape construction and machinery use. On completion of my National Certificate, I was able to secure a full-time post at Massereene Golf Club in Antrim.” “This is where I played my golf as a junior member and where my initial interest in greenkeeping came from. Massereene is on the shores of Lough Neagh, which is a stone’s throw from my current course.” “I worked there for two enjoyable years, during which time I completed my Greenkeeping Level 2 qualification. At Massereene, I carried out a wide range of tasks including mowing, tee construction, bunker construction, renovation and repair, along with a large amount of machinery maintenance as we did this all in-house. “In May 1996, my old deputy at
Fortwilliam retired and I was offered the position of deputy course manager under Michael O’Neill. Michael believed strongly in greenkeeper training and enrolled all new staff on the Level 2 programme at CAFRE. As this was a deputy’s position, Michael enrolled me on the Level 3 Sportsturf Programme, which I completed in 1999.” “My deputy post at Fortwilliam involved
assisting in running a 110 acre parkland course with a greenkeeping staff of seven. This was a big step up at the age of 20 and gave me skills and experience which have served me well in my career so far. I made the decision in 1999 to leave Fortwilliam for Greenmount Campus.” “Greenmount gave me the experience of
working on football and rugby pitches and also assisting in student practicals which interested me. I have enjoyed it so much that I am still here, sixteen years later.”
30 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015
Greenkeeping skills are taught at the Greenmount campus of CAFRE, and an important aspect of the training is that it is supported by excellent resources, which includes the Greenkeeping and Golf Academy (GGA) at Greenmount and Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI)
The students, at all levels of study, have access to modern equipment and excellent playing surfaces, along with a dedicated team of skilled tutors and staff. The GGA comprises a purpose-built
reception and training area, driving range, short game practice area (putting and bunker shots) as well as the three-hole course. This facility, plus the existing sports turf
surfaces for football, rugby and Gaelic football are maintained by the staff and trainees at the campus. Specialised vocational training in greenkeeping and sports turf management is offered at a number of levels. The provision for greenkeepers starts at
Level 2, which is often described as the skilled operator level. The main course programme involves a two-year duration apprenticeship, at the end of which the trainee is a fully qualified greenkeeper and has additional industry-recognised training certificates to his or her name; the most recognisable of these additional qualifications are probably the pesticides application modules required by law. This apprenticeship course is aimed at
young entrants to the industry, who are working at a club and who would benefit from receiving training while they are gaining experience on the greens and tees at work. Older staff can still benefit from a Level 2
training course on a day-release basis. Recent research by the college has shown that the number of greenkeeping students coming to the college (GUI works across all nine counties of the province of Ulster), equates fairly closely to the number of affiliated clubs in each county. The course covers all the practical skills and
tasks associated with greenkeeping duties, and success depends very much on the individual candidate’s ability to perform these skilled tasks to an industry standard, both in terms of work rate and quality of finish. Running parallel to the apprenticeship is the unique GUI Greenkeeping Cadetship programme. The GUI supports a number of bursaries each year for young people wishing to enter the industry, allowing them to train up on a full-time basis on the academy course over one academic year. On completion, the cadets go straight into
Golf Academy student John Pomeroy from Limerick receives instruction on the perfect swing from Andy Peoples, Operations Manager and PGA professional
the industry as trained cadets. They work alongside the regular greens staff at the college, but spend two days per week studying for the Level 2 Diploma. This means they cover the course over one year, rather than two. A more recent development for the
college is the creation of Higher Education Cadetships, where a successful work- placement student from the Level 5 Foundation Degree can undertake the cadetship programme over a six month period, beginning in July each year. This additional qualification ideally
complements the Foundation Degree, but it does require a sustained intensive period of learning for the cadets. The Level 3 courses cover more
supervisory skills, dealing with technical skills such as construction, machinery management and course management. This day-release course, which also takes
two years to complete, is most suitable for newly appointed or assistant superintendents who wish to enhance their technical and managerial skills, with units covering construction and performance standards for sports turf for example. This level of study also introduces students
to research, investigating issues such as drainage improvement and developing plans and specifications that they can use in their own work place.
Chris McArthur is currently studying on
this course whilst working for Portstewart Golf Course. Chris has been selected as the representative for Scotland and Northern Ireland on the inaugural John Deere TPC Sawgrass Volunteer Programme. CAFRE also offers courses in Higher
Education, either on a full-time basis, leading to a Foundation Degree (FDSc), or on a part- time basis, usually leading to a Certificate in Higher Education (CHE). This course takes
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