Seniors in the Penn State Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program had the opportunity of a lifetime when they were invited to volunteer at the 2015 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. What has become a annual tradition for the 2-year program, the “Senior Field Trip” is meant to take the students into the field to work together on a specific project.

The field trips started in 2012 when 20 students were given the opportunity to volunteer for the Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club. Working with Penn State alum Curtis Tyrrell (Director of Grounds at Medinah), students were flown to Chicago where they spent the week getting the course conditioned for the top players in the world. Students have also had the opportunity to travel to GCSAA Headquarters in Lawrence, KS to meet with and learn from the industry’s top leaders.

Next week, students in the program will once again head to Atlanta where they will help to prepare East Lake for the Top 30 golfers in the world at the 2016 Tour Championship.