Page 23 - GM Spring 2023

2020 interns Michael Hall and Les Kirkpatrick from Georgian College get ready to start the day.
roughs seeded to fescue. Known for drought tolerance and traffic intoler- ance, our new Riley Johns’ designed holes are focused on increased sustainability, taking advantage of the lower input requirements that come with managing fescue. Managing fescue playing surfaces and encouraging ABG on putting greens is rarely taught in the classroom here in Canada. This means interns will gain knowledge about the challenges and benefits of these practices along with great experiences with the more traditional Perennial Ryegrass maintenance on Point Grey’s non- renovated holes.
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES FOR INTERNS
All three clubs embrace data collection and analytics to develop programs and manage surface playability. This includes collecting moisture content readings, firmness measurements, Stimpmeter readings, surface organic matter and more! In their own way, each property evaluates this data to help our team make calculated decisions for the next day, or week. Interns are tasked with leading watering teams,
mastering the skillset of moisture management and processing data for irrigation decisions. This may detail how we operate with the interns during their time here at Point Grey, but we strongly pursue an environment where interns have a sense of belonging, in the hope that they become invested in the success of all three golf courses during their time at each facility.
The three clubs that participate in the VTI have a distinguished sense of place within the Vancouver community, both environmentally and socially. Combined, the courses provide roughly 400 acres of greenspace within the City of Vancouver, providing significant riparian protection along the Fraser River that features habitats for birds of prey, waterfowl, and many species of urban wildlife.
In 2022, Marine Drive Golf Club and Point Grey Golf & Country Club both celebrated their 100th year milestones as part of the Vancouver community. Point Grey was fortunate to co-host the Canadian Amateur Championship alongside Seymour Golf and Country Club in August of
2022 and now, looking forward to 2023; Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club will be hosting the LPGA Tour CP Women’s Open. Events like these engage the community as they bring people together, and successful internship candidates get to exper- ience the pride that comes with them.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORING
Agronomic knowledge and experience are certainly core benefits to the VTI, but networking and mentoring create lifetime connections that set this program apart. Tyler Patroch, AGS stated, “The organic connections that are fostered in this program last a lifetime. Mentorship has impacted my career, and I am most proud of the relationships built between superintendents, their associates, assistants, and the three clubs.”
Our interns are invited to parti- cipate in Green Committee meetings, help with membership newsletters and written communications to the entire organization. All three clubs have a continued dialogue with previous interns, many of which have taken the next steps in their golf-turf management career.
Intern Les Kirkpatrick gets an opportunity to roll, post aeration.
GreenMaster • CGSA • 23