Like Father, Like Son

For James Halley Jr., a second-year golf course management major at the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) studying turfgrass management wasn’t a coincidence, green runs in Halley’s blood. His father is a golf course superintendent and an IAA alumnus.

Halley began working at Glenn Dale Country Club in Glenn Dale, Maryland, when he was 16 years old. As a teenager working under his father, Halley just wanted to earn spending money. Thoughts of turning the job into his career came much later.  

Like his dad, Halley turned to the IAA for his education and interned at Glenn Dale.  After being at Glenn Dale for so long, why didn’t he choose another course? “I learned a lot when I started taking classes at the IAA,” says Halley, “and I was able to put it into practice and truly understand why some things are implemented and done. I wanted to be full hands on, and I really wanted to kind of pick at my father’s brain and really get into depth with his operation and   his knowledge.  I didn’t think I’d have that opportunity elsewhere.”

His daily jobs included everything from water management to survey the overall aesthetics around the course. He was able to learn about different products and closely work with his father on the various spraying programs.

Due to the fact that Halley Sr. runs two courses (Glenn Dale and its sister course Twin Shields), Halley Jr. was  given a lot more responsibility this summer that he wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.

Overall, Halley is very pleased with where he stands right now at Glenn Dale although he understands he won’t be under his father’s wing forever.  Halley shares his father’s passion for his profession.  He is confident that the knowledge and experience he gained from the IAA and his father will serve as tools for a lifetime and skills that can be applied anywhere he goes.