Penn State Turf Students Headed to the Ryder Cup

February 24, 2012 in 2-year

Medinah Country Club’s Director of Grounds and Penn State alum Curtis Tyrrell has invited 20 Penn State Turfgrass Students to help prepare the course for the 2012 Ryder Cup. Students within the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program (the 2-year program) will fly to Chicago in September where they will assist Tyrrell and his full time crew ready the course for the biennial golf match between teams from Europe and the United States.

Arrangements for this once in a lifetime opportunity for the students at Penn State has been in the works for several years and was made possible due to the hard work of Tyrrell and several commercial sponsors. According to John Kaminski, Director of the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program, “This is going to be a chance for the students to be a part of golfing history and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Medinah Country Club and industry sponsors.” Sponsoring the students are Toro/Reinders, Syngenta, Pearl Valley Organix, Chicagoland Turf, JW Turf/John Deere Golf, Wadsworth Golf, Bayer Crop Science, and Nadler Golf Cars.

“Medinah Country Club is proud to host the Penn State students as part of our volunteer team for the 2012 Ryder Cup Matches, “ Tyrell says. “This experience will provide these future turf managers insight into major tournament preparations and operations, which is something that will be useful for them throughout their careers. We are grateful for our sponsorship participation in making this unique opportunity a reality.”

In addition to the existing students making the trip to Chicago, Kaminski has reserved spots for two students entering the program in the fall. These spots will be randomly selected from those students accepted into the program in 2012. “In addition to the diverse classes, the 6-month advanced internship, and the hands-on training provided to the students, opportunities like this help to prepare students for a leadership position in the turfgrass industry,” said Kaminski.

Penn State’s Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program is an accelerated training program for those wanting a career in the golf course industry. Since 1957, Penn State has graduated over 1500 students. Graduates can be found at top golf courses around the country and around the world.

For more information on the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program visit www.turf.psu.edu/certificate.