IAA Internship Stories: Jacob Kilmon

December 1, 2015

Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) student and Golf Course Management major Jacob Kilmon recently experienced what he believes was a once-in-a-lifetime internship. Kilmon, a Harford County native, spent his summer at Patriots Glen Country Club, a public golf course in Elkton, Maryland. The course prides itself on offering outstanding service to golfers. Patriots Glen had been closed for a couple of years, until “two new owners flipped the course to recreate a PGA-style course for public use,” according to Kilmon.

Like any golf course management intern, Kilmon had plenty of opportunities to get his hands dirty; but he was also entrusted with many new responsibilities. He assisted with pesticide applications and rebuilding bunkers with new drainage and sand. He performed irrigation control, aerating, topdressing, and mowed greens, tees, and fairways. Of all the tasks, Kilmon considered tubing in the irrigation pond in order to rake out algae to be his favorite and most unusual.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to receive professional training and experience with a course and staff of PGA caliber, but with a realistic budget. Most of these executive courses have plenty of money and it’s easy to make certain decisions, whereas with Patriots Glen we had to work within our budget to make the board members happy,” said Kilmon. Along with operating machinery, sodding, and sprigging, Kilmon received valuable experience building both turf management and leadership skills.

Working at Patriots Glen gave Kilmon the confidence needed to be successful within the golf course management industry. The skills, knowledge, and connections Kilmon made are cherished as the keys to his future success.