Western Kentucky University agriculture instructor Pete Dobson (front right) describes a specialized lawn mower for golf course maintenance to his class at the WKU Ag Farm. Photo by Clinton Lewis

Bowling Green might not be the golf capital of the country, but the number of community courses and students learning how to manage the turf on those courses is proof of the sports popularity. Turf grass management courses started eight years ago at Western Kentucky University as a way for agriculture majors to find jobs. Now the program has 43 students majoring in turf management. To keep students in practice, the school maintains a two-hole course on the university farm on Nashville Road, according to Jack Rudolph, an agriculture associate professor. But Rudolph said that Bowling Greens climate provides some tough obstacles for students the hot, dry summers and cold spurts in the winters are difficult to manage. Our fairways on our course are Bermuda and our greens are bentgrass, Rudolph said. Bermuda grass is great to play on, but the first frost you get, it goes dormant. Despite the weather, students learn the basics of maintaining a course, such as cutting grass, fertilizing, using equipment and growing different types of turf. There is no better way to learn than hands-on experience, Rudolph said. Students also are getting some hands-on experience in the internships they have landed them in Augusta, Ga., Florida and New York. Kirk Dolan, a turf management major from Louisville, was offered a internship at Augusta. I really like the turf program here. It offers firsthand knowledge for what I want to be: a superintendent of a golf course, Dolan said. Brad Simmons, a turf grass management major from Glasgow, grew up playing golf and said this is all he has ever wanted to do. We have several turf management classes here where we learn about different soils, finances, irrigation and biology, Simmons said. Simmons said he hasnt played the course, but is glad its here for people to learn and experiment on. Simmons also hopes to be a course superintendent. Other students are in the major simply because they love the game of golf. Reed Clark, a turf grass management major from Union City, Tenn., recently graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and came to Western to pursue another degree in golf course management. I worked at Colonial Country Club in Memphis and loved it, Clark said. My goal is to be a golf course superintendent. Don Barbar, golf pro at Indian Hills Country Club, said turf management majors are sure to find job opportunities due to the number of courses nationwide. It absolutely has grown into an art and a scientific form, Barbar said. Barbar said a top superintendent can make up to $200,000 annually. I really feel like it is a wide-open field right now, Barbar said. There are so many golf courses … nationwide, its only practical that there are jobs in this field, he said. Bowling Green has two private courses, three municipal courses and two privately owned public courses.