From Elkridge, Maryland, IAA student (Institute of Agriculture) William Walsh is in his second year at the University of Maryland, majoring in Golf course management. He interned at a private golf course Rolling Road in Catonsville, Maryland where he worked as a greenskeeper. Every day he would wake up at 5 am to work on the golf course till mid-afternoon. This year was the year for him to be able to see the hot working conditions he might endure while on a golf course.
This was Will’s first time working on a golf course. He was able to learn firsthand experiences on how to maintain and run a golf course. Will was able to learn from the superintendent how to manage and delegate different daily tasks for each worker. He was able to learn that there is always something to do on a golf course. There is no downtime only when it rains. Will loved seeing what work that he put in everyday of his internship into a beautiful, maintained, and clean course you created. As he reflected, Will said Knowing that your work is helping others and making people appreciate your hard work is a pleasure.
Although his summer internship is done, Will still works at Rolling Road on weekends as he is a full-time student during the week. He plans to continue to work on the course to gain more experience in the field. The more time you spend on the course the more you learn about your job and responsibilities. His goal is to be able to become an assistant golf course superintendent by learning and experiencing running a course. As Will continues his path of working and studying with the IAA he will be able to take full advantage of the turfgrass and golf course management courses they provide.
