Golf Course Maintenance Technician is a New U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship

By Tom Lang

It’s often said that the hardest jobs are some of the most rewarding.

Golf course superintendents and greenskeepers say that as often or more times than in any other industry.

The problem is, there are not enough of them in Michigan to care for and feed our golf appetite at the massive number of courses found in the Great Lakes State. The workforce obstacles were exasperated twofold by the Covid pandemic – the overall workforce became depleted, and the popularity of the sport of golf exploded in a high trajectory – all at the same time.

In the spring of 2022, the Michigan Golf Course Association, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity and U.S. Department of Labor, announced at The Lynx Golf Course in Otsego the creation of a new Registered Apprenticeship program: Golf Course Maintenance Technician.

Through this Registered Apprenticeship program, interested candidates can further their agronomy education, work alongside field experts to gain on-the-job learning, and gain a national occupation credential. It’s a great way to expose new people to the career in general, and act as a way for golf courses to get more help more quickly. Much of the education portion is on-line training, augmented by hands-on mentorship at the golf course.

“A driving mechanism for us was the transition going on within the golf industry… that we need more qualified superintendents,” Lynx Golf Course owner Jim Szilagyi told me. “Michigan State hasn’t had as many participants or graduates in the turf program.

“There’s just not a lot of qualified help in the pipeline for superintendents, and we were going through that ourselves last year.”

The Lynx superintendent at the time had been in the business for 35 years and was ramping up for retirement. 

“The need for the program came along as we were interviewing so we thought it would be a good thing for helping ourselves at our course, and for helping our industry as a whole,” said Szilagyi, who in his late teens worked three years on the grounds crew at the course his father managed. “We need to develop people who are interested and passionate about golf and about the business of golf at all levels.

“The number one thing in golf is good conditions, greens and tees, and to improve the players’ experience.”

After Lynx Golf Course raised its hand first, other Michigan courses have joined in to help advance this type of education and mentorship: Boyne’s Bay Harbor and Highlands at Harbor Springs, Gull Lake View Resort, Scott Lake Golf and Practice Center (which initially signed on with The Lynx), Raisin Valley and The Emerald in St. Johns. Redwater Golf is the newest property to join the program.

“The need for qualified people in the golf industry is critical. The turf programs around the country are trying to keep up, but it is clear there is a more immediate need to help facilities equip their employees on staff with the information they need to grow into a more managerial position,” said Adam Ikamas, Executive Director of Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association. 

“This program will help fill that need for so many courses around the state that simply have no other options right now. Hopefully, this can provide an avenue for loyal and dedicated staff members or new hires with some agronomy background to further their education and possibly pursue a career in the golf industry.”

Learn more here: https://michigangca.org/programs/rap