IAA Internship Stories: Ian Patrican

October 12, 2015

Ian Patrican Follows Tradition

Frederick County, Maryland is home to some of the most scenic golf courses and skilled golf course superintendents who maintain them. Golf Course Management major Ian Patrican plans to continue the distinction. 

Patrican grew up in Ijamsville, Maryland, graduated from Urbana High School in 2012, then traveled the US and Canada playing in the highly competitive Juniors ice hockey league. When he decided to go back to school, Patrican looked to his previous experience in golf course management. 

Throughout his teenage years Patrican worked at Whiskey Creek golf course, which has been consistently ranked as one of the top public courses in Maryland, under Ed Gasper. Gasper, a University of Maryland and Institute of Applied Agriculture alumna, encouraged Patrican to attend the IAA and begin a career as a golf course superintendent. Having experienced the high standards set by Gasper, Patrican entered the IAA with a considerable knowledge which has helped him achieve excellent marks in all of his classes; being placed on dean’s list every semester.

Like all IAA students, Patrican had to complete a 320-hour summer internship. Because of his thorough understanding golf course management and strong work ethic, Patrican fulfilled his internship requirement at one of the most prestigious golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic region, the Chevy Chase Club.

During the 2015 summer, Patrican performed different tasks to hone his skills. His work included weed control, aeration of tees and greens, hand watering and syringing greens, and even running the maintenance crew. At the beginning of the season the Chevy Chase Club sodded its greens with 007 creeping bentgrass. “Being involved with the grow in and managing moisture throughout the summer to achieve the best playability was a very demanding but equally rewarding experience,“ says Patrican.

Under the supervision of well-known and respected Superintendent, Dean Graves CGCS, Patrican was able to sharpen his skills even more and helped the Chevy Chase Club surpass its members’ expectations.

Going into his second year, Patrican is eager to learn the new material that goes along with his educational track. By participating again this year in the GCSAA’s Intercollegiate Turfbowl, Patrican and his Maryland teammates will test themselves academically against other programs in the national competition.