TENNESSEE TURFGRASS

On May 3, 2022, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay held the inaugural First Green event in the state of Tennessee.

Paul Carter, certified golf course superintendent at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay welcomed 23 students from Hixson High School, along with chaperones and invited guests for a morning of education on the golf course. The students were studying agricultural studies under Mr. Lee Friedlander, lead instructor of agricultural studies and FFA advisor at Hixson High School. Carter had been working with Friedlander for two years to host this event, but it had been delayed due to COVID restrictions involving field trips.

The First Green is a STEM based education program from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America which uses golf courses for education and environmental outreach. The learning labs are designed to demonstrate to the students how the principles of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are used daily in the field of golf course management.

Throughout the morning the students and guests were guided through four learning labs with each emphasizing how STEM is used not only in the classroom but on the golf course. The learning labs consisted of a wildlife station, a Cool Tools on the Green station, a Soils station, and a Math on the Course station.

The wildlife station was hosted by Matt Vawter, Park Ranger at Harrison Bay State Park and David Stone, retired golf course superintendent at The Honors Course. Vawter spoke to the students about how golf courses can provide a safe and suitable habitat for wildlife to live, in addition to protecting the environment. The students were especially excited to see Scarlett, a trained red-tailed hawk, which Vawter brought to show. Stone shared several different resource books on birding along with new phone apps the students could use to help identify birds.

Brad Marcy, Golf Course Superintendent at Indian Hills Golf Course, Murfreesboro and Bill Czekia, University of Tennessee turfgrass research plot manager, shared with the students how technology and engineering are used in golf course management at the Cool Tools on the Green station. At this learning lab students learned about the different types of grasses grown on a golf course along with how a putting green is constructed. Different styles of golf course maintenance equipment were displayed, and the students participated in hands-on practice of measuring greens speed, moisture content in the greens, and cutting a cup in the putting green.

Ron Wright, Southeast Field Rep for GCSAA, spent the morning speaking with the students about the different types of soil types found on the golf course. The students learned the difference between silt, sand, and clay and how these soils impact the air and water movement for turfgrass. Students learned about how soil filters pollutants to clean water and provides food and structural support for turfgrass, plants, and trees.

The Math on the Course Station was hosted by Tyler Guy, Golf Course Superintendent at Signal Mountain Golf and Country Club and Ryan Swilling, Regal Chemical Company sales representative. Students took part in measuring and calculating the area of the rectangular shaped chipping green and the irregular shaped practice bunker. Students also calculated volume measurements to determine the amount of sand required to fill the practice bunker to a specific depth and used that value to calculate the cost of sand to fill the bunker with fresh sand.

In addition to the learning labs, two activity stations were set up so that participants could hit golf balls on the driving range or putt on the putting green. The students received instruction from Lamar Mills, Chattanooga area director for the Tennessee Golf Foundation and Robin Boyer, head golf professional at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay.

Special thanks to all the volunteers who donated their time and shared their knowledge with the students to make this event a success. Without them this event would not have been possible. Thank you to Mr. Friedlander and the students from Hixson High School for their participation and enthusiasm and thank you to Paul Carter and the Bear Trace staff for hosting the event.

The First Green program was a perfect opportunity for me to reinstate out-of-the-classroom learning for my students in a way that connected important STEM and soft skills with career skills and a lifetime sport. My students loved learning about all the science behind golf course management and getting a taste of the game of golf. It was a great experience that I hope to offer again to my students in the future. – Lee Friedlander

For information about The First Green or about hosting an event at your course, visit https://www.thefirstgreen.org/ or contact TGCSA at info@tgcsa.net.

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