Golf courses in Washington state double as learning labs, with the help of the First Green Foundation and dedicated volunteers like Certified Golf Course Superintendent Steve Kealy.
By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor
“Community outreach coordinator” is one of the many roles that today’s golf course superintendents have added to their job descriptions. Some superintendents, like Steve Kealy, CGCS, at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, Wash., are embracing this opportunity to serve as an ambassador for golf. Kealy serves on the Board of Directors and is the current secretary/treasurer for the First Green Foundation, an environmental education outreach program that partners with local schools to use golf courses as learning labs.
Super in the Spotlight:
Steve Kealy
Position: Golf Course
Superintendent
Club: Glendale Country Club
Website: www.glendalecc.com
No. of Holes: 18
Designer: Layout by A.V. McCann; finished by Al Smith,
his construction superintendent
Type: Private
No. of Members: 400
Annual Rounds: 25,000-29,000
Year Opened: Original course in 1925; moved to
present site in 1957
Golf Season: Year-round; main season is April through
October
Fairways: Poa annua
Greens: Poa annua
Honors and Awards: Western Washington Golf Course
Superintendents Association Superintendent of
the Year Award, 2002 and 2005; GCSAA Environmental
Stewardship Award, 2005; and GCSAA Government
Advocacy Award, 2005. Kealy has been a Certified
Golf Course Superintendent since 2000, and Glendale
Country Club has been certified through Audubon
International since 1998.
Under the initiative, school students go on field trips to nearby golf courses, where they can learn about the environmental and community benefits of the links, while perhaps developing some interest in the game at the same time. Students participate in hands-on activities such as testing water quality, collecting soil samples, identifying plants, designing plantings, assisting in streambed restoration, and learning about the business side of golf course operations.
The First Green Foundation does more than promote golf courses as assets to their communities, though. In addition to introducing the game to potential new golfers, the program also exposes career possibilities to students who might consider future employment on the golf course.
Kealy recently spoke to Club & Resort Business about his involvement with the First Green Foundation.
Q. How did you get involved in the program?
A. I inherited my involvement in First Green. Jeff Gullikson, who was a First Green co-founder, was formerly at Overlake Country Club in Medina, Wash. When Jeff took the position as Golf Course Superintendent at Spokane (Wash.) Country Club, he handed off his role to me. At first I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy hosting field trips; however, I soon learned that sharing some of the science on the golf course with students is extremely rewarding.
Q. What did you do to help develop the curriculum?
A. In 2006 First Green had a grant from the United States Golf As-sociation to develop the curriculum into a tool kit for use by golf course superintendents and teachers. I was involved in the focus groups, in creating an informational video for the First Green website, and in working with other golf course superintendents to help them host field trips. All of this activity was part of our curriculum development process. We continue to develop new resource materials for the website and we work on these materials as a team—with the program director, executive director, other Board members and myself.
Q. What kind of training do superintendents need to have field trips at their properties?
A. The best possible training is to review our resource materials and then observe a field trip. However, many superintendents host field trips without ever observing one. They talk with the teachers and develop activities that work well for their locale. We often get phone calls or e-mails from superintendents who have scheduled field trips, giving specific tips for activities that are appropriate for the age of the kids and the environmental resources available on the golf course.
An example would be lessons on soils or on bugs. These are topics that are taught in all grade levels, and managing soil and bugs are key to having healthy turf on all golf courses. The superintendent just needs to adapt the materials to fit.
Q. How do you prepare for the students and coordinate with teachers?
A. The most important aspect of preparing for the students is to understand their age/grade level and to find out from the teacher what the students are covering in class. I fit our learning stations with the level of the students. For example, second-graders need to be moving and doing something almost the entire time, while with a seventh-grade class, we can go more in-depth with some of the information before the hands-on portion.
Q. What kinds of materials are available for you to use?
A. First Green offers superintendents a tool kit—a duffel bag filled with soil and water testing kits. The online resources are key. Superintendents can download lesson plans and follow a step-by-step checklist for pre-field trip planning, day of field trip and post-field trip suggestions.
Q. How do you coordinate the field trips with the rest of the Glendale staff?
A. It is important to host field trips when the activities don’t interfere with what’s happening on the golf course. Monday is a good day for the golf course, so we try to do field trips then or earlier in the mornings. I check with the golf pro and the general manager to coordinate with what they have planned. We are always glad to have the golf pro and/or the general manager stop by the field trip so they know what is happening. Some of my staff help me when we are hosting the field trips. If we have four learning stations, they assist with the instruction, help set up and tear down the tables and learning materials, and stay aware of what we’re doing.
Through the First Green Foundation, students visit golf courses and learn through
hands-on activities about the scientific side of golf.
Q. How are club members involved?
A. Club members know about the field trips through my blogs, monthly newsletter and from seeing the students on the golf course. The club’s Greens Committee chair is usually very interested in the field trips, as are club members who are or have been involved in teaching. It is helpful to have club members who are connected to local schools. One of the challenges of starting a new program is to get the school involved. Until they come to the golf course, they don’t realize how many learning opportunities happen there. Club members are key to connecting to the school where their children or grandchildren attend.
Q. What do you want the students to get out of the field trips?
A. We want the students to have fun with the hands-on science activities, as well as learn about the environmental and community benefits of golf courses. We love introducing potential new golfers to the game in this fun, educational manner.
Q. Why is it important?
A. Golf courses matter. They are more than a place for golfers. Many of us consider urban golf courses to be “the lungs of the city.” That is, golf courses are significant to the environmental quality of cities. It is important for students, teachers, and communities to understand these benefits of having golf courses, along with the potential of playing a game that they can enjoy all of their lives.
Q. First Green Foundation has heard from other superintendents nationwide seeking information about implementing similar programs in their areas. What have you done to help them?
A. We set up a section of our website (www.thefirstgreen.org) to help superintendents get their program started. They can use our online lesson plans and checklists as they plan their field trips. We are also available via phone and e-mail to provide coaching to superintendents who are new to First Green.
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