The planned seven workshops have now been completed
with excellent feedback from the delegates. 57 staff from GTC Approved Centres all involved in
delivering turf education attended the workshops.
The aims and objectives of the workshops were met with
all delegates from the GTC Approved Centres agreeing to promote the Sustainable
Golf Course programme and the R&A Benchmarking Service to all levels of
greenkeeping students.
The Learning Materials developed by the GTC were
circulated and will now be integrated into the appropriate chapters of the
learning materials. These are available to purchase from the GTC website Learning Materials.
Steve Isaac presented at three of the workshops along
with two other members of the R&A Golf Course Committee, Dr Keith Duff
presenting at three and Paul Seago at one workshop. The presentations used by the R&A representatives are now
available on the GTC website and have been circulated to those delegates
requesting it for use with students.
Steve had prepared two presentations, one for England
and one for the Scottish event, the only difference being the slides showing
the Benchmarking Service, which now includes the EGU and SGU logos respectivley.
A feature of the workshops was the course walk with the
Course Managers featured during the day and adding a real practical aspect
which the Centre staff fully appreciated.
There is a clear indication from Steve Isaac that the
R&A see greenkeeper education and Course Managers as the main avenue into
more golf clubs engaging in both the sustainable golf course programme and
using the benchmarking service.
The GTC and its Approved Centres have a major role to
play in ensuring qualifications and the education courses for all levels
include the sustainable golf course programme and benchmarking service.
In summary all turf staff from the GTC Approved Centres
were 100% behind the programme and appreciated the day hosted by the GTC.
Many delegates also stated that they appreciated the
opportunity to have an update from the GTC on the work to review
qualifications, the apprenticeship framework and other related matters to
greenkeeper education, training and qualifications.
Report by David F Golding
Education DirectorJuly 2009
