Advanced course for turfgrass maintenance
With our partners, collaborators and renowned names in the industry of tourism and golf, we have implemented, developed and endorsed the Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance.
Training and professional preparation are key objectives of the company, which shall develop and promote a series of educational programs, on its own or in collaboration with other institutions, to cover, if possible, dall aspects related to the preparation of the director or assistant manager of a golf club, as well as for other positions typical at a golf course. The intention is to promote a job market that is supervised and endorsed by the Managing Board, always providing an ethical code.
Currently, there are no specific courses as the Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance in Spain with the format and structure.
Objetives
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Objetives
Train specialists in turfgrass maintenance with the requirements demanded by the laws of the market today. Using the techniques, skills and instruments that have obtained good output in the past, along with the most modern technologies pin order to maximize the different business centers or profit and obtain the necessary profitability for the project’s viability.
It’s essential to cope with the need of specialized turfgrass maintenance training in golf. We pursue the comprehensive training of greenkeper assistants, by developing specific knowledge, leadership skills and personal initiative, they take to adopt creative decisions in complex problems and guiding them to efficiency and profitability of their work team.
Efficiency, team management and specialization will be a recurrent topic throughout the course.
Who is it for?
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Who is it for?
The program is aimed at graduates, graduate degrees, or FP2 specialized in the field (engineer or agronomist, forestry, forester, environmental...) interested in developing their professional careers in managerial positions in turfgrass maintenance of a golf course.
At the same time, the program is aimed as well at people, though without having a degree, diploma or FP2 specialized in the field, on their personal CV, have been or are related professionally to the world of golf and/or turfgrass maintenance of a golf course.
Thus, the program seeks to act and train a heterogeneous group of students. Combining the knowledge and skills of those with a degree or diploma with the professional experience of those, who know the operation of the turfgrass maintenance, creating at the end of the course a homogeneous group, able to occupy specialized positions for the turfgrass maintenance of a golf course.
As final requirement a personal interview will be made to access the Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance.
Methodology
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Methodology
The working methodology with which this course develops joins the experience of turfgrass maintenance specialists with more than 20 years career behind them, with the techniques and technologies used by the youngest greenkeepers, who are trained in new technologies.
- The program offers the student a comprehensive training yet close to business reality. It will train both, techniques and skills, through a practical approach and active involvement of the students.
- Modules in which the course is divided propose using both deductive and inductive demonstrative methods depending on the module.
- Each student will have a mentor, chosen by the students themselves during the third month of the course. The tutorials will guide the student throughout the training process and will guide him professionally for his incorporation into the labor market or to promote to positions of higher responsibility.
- All students will develop a final project at the end of the course that will be real and adapted to the labour market, if possible requested by a golf course.
- Students who pass the course will be awarded the title of Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance approved by all the associations that support the course (Professional Golf Association of Spain, and big companies in the world of maintenance and turfgrass management that have alliance with this course as Toro, John Deere, Acciona, Aqualogy, Syngenta...).
- Students who pass the course will have possibility of training with greenkepers and turfgrass maintenance specialist, who are looking to expand their staff, over a period of six months, being at the same time a test to become part of the staff permanently.
- After completing the course, students who have passed and are not doing training, will be incorporated in the job market in order to become part of the staff of a golf course in the shortest space of time possible.
Structure
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Structure
- The Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance lasts for one academic year. From October to June.
- Classroom sessions will be every Friday afternoon from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- The total number of classroom sessions will be 300.
- The number of hours during the four months of practical training will be 720 hours. These practices can be made in various geographic areas. We have more than 80% of Spanish golf courses as collaborators for the training period as well as many sports turfgrass facilities.
- The total number of hours for the course is 1.020 hours.
- The course may be financed by the Spanish Fundación Tripartita.
Content
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Content
Design and construction
- Design Basics turfgrass sports facilities
- In this module we will see all the aspects necessary to make the design of a golf course, polo, soccer, etc., taking into account the different conditions that can be found in it. Also, we will see what kind of permits, licenses and documentation are necessary to built these facilities and open to the public.
- Construction and Renovation of turfgrass sports facilities
- In this module we will see the basic knowledge required to undertake, manage or supervise the construction or remodelling of any element present in a sports turf system (green, bunker, tee, football field, etc.).
Maintenance
- Introduction to plant physiology. Recognition of turfgrass species. Implementation of a meadow
- In this module will make a brief review of the basic knowledge of botany, physiology and plant systematics, seeing the differences with other higher plants. Later we will focus on the knowledge and recognition of species and varieties used in sports turfs. Finally the most important features expected of a sports turf and the different ways of implementing a sports turf meadow.
- Elementary Work: mowing, watering and fertilization of turf species
- In the mowing sub-module we will study the most important parameters in relation to the same and the different equipment commonly used for it.
- In the irrigation sub-module we will study the different components that form part of an automatic irrigation system, including the pumphouse; as well as a fundamental understanding of hydraulics and design.
- In the fertilization sub-module we will take general notions of soil science, with special emphasis on concepts related to plant nutrition. Also, we will see the guidelines necessary for the realization of a plan of fertilization on each of the areas that can compose a sports turf installation. The machinery used for this work will also be considered.
- Secondary labours: Aeration, punctured, scarified, phytosanitary treatments
- In the aeration sub-module we will study the tasks which act, either on the floor or on the plant, with the aim to improve conditions for grass growth; and the machinery used for such tasks.
- In the phytosanitary treatments sub-module we will study all agents that can cause damage to the turfgrass, both biotic and abiotic. Similarly, we will see the control of the different damage, with particular emphasis on the law on phytosanitary treatments.
- Other tasks: Maintenance of bunkers and lakes. Grove maintenance and gardening. Other maintenance
- In the maintenance grove and gardening sub-module, we will see basic notions about Arboriculture and Gardening necessary for proper implementation and subsequent maintenance of such items, or when other professions need to do this maintenance.
- In the other tasks sub-module, we will study the maintenance of bunkers, lakes, roads, changes of flags, etc.; as well as the tools and machinery necessary for proper execution.
- Basic mechanic for machinery maintenance of sports turfgrass
- In this module the basic operation of the machinery used in the maintenance of sports lawns, both in electrical, hydraulic and mechanical components will be studied; and the adjustment of it, with special emphasis on the adjustment tasks related with mowing of this turfgrass.
Other important aspects
- Budget in a maintenance facility of sports turfgrass
- This module will see the documentary part of the maintenance: records, files, notebooks of field, etc .; and the development of different budgets that may be required in an annual exercise.
- Team management, motivation and customer service. Relations with the management of the facility.
- In this module we will see an overview of the company that manages sports turfgrass installation, paying particular attention to the interrelationship between the different teams and customer relationships. We will see the different governing bodies of a sport club and which are their functions.
- Masterclass conducted by greenkeepers and maintenance managers of sports facilities
- The sustainability of sports turf maintenance.
- The preparation of a high-class championship.
- Legal aspects related to the maintenance of sports facilities turfgrass.
- Maintenance of a sports field with very limited resources.
Evaluation
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Evaluation
The evaluation of the program will be continuous and summative.
- Modules: each module will be evaluated independently through the case studies and works done.
- Final course project: concerning the final course project, it will help teachers to definitely access, whether knowledge has been correctly transmitted and if the students have achieved the general objective pursued with the course.
Faculty
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Faculty
The teaching sessions will consist of professionals with extensive experience, which combines education, theoretical knowledge and specific business experience in sporty turfgrass maintenance that will enrich student learning.
The faculty who teaches this program are one of its basic pillars, as many are directors of maintenance and green spaces of golf courses and sports facilities, with great experience. So the students will have the opportunity to keep contact with them for their future incorporating to the labor market.
The Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance will count among others with the following faculty: View Faculty View Faculty
Price
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Price
The Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance will be approved by all associations, seals and alliances that endorse and support this course and seek the approval of other agency prestige within the golf market and tourism in general.
Advanced Course for Turfgrass Maintenance: 6.850€
6.850€
The course may be financed by the Spanish Fundación Tripartita.
