Golf Greenkeeping Level 2 Apprentice

• A Golf Greenkeeper is responsible for the maintenance, care and overall appearance of a golf course in line with employer’s requirements. It is their job to maintain a good quality playing surface and ensure the course offers a consistent challenge and an enjoyable experience for golfers


• There are four key turfgrass areas on a golf course - greens, tees, fairways and areas of rough, each of which requires a different type of maintenance


• Using a range of equipment and machinery safely and competently will play a major part within an apprentices training programme


• Golf Greenkeepers will also be involved in hazard, environmental and ecological operations which may include bunker maintenance, planting turf, trees, shrubs and developing wildlife habitats


• The skills required to become a competent greenkeeper will be acquired whilst working as an apprentice on the golf course.


• By the end of the programme, you will know when, how and why the range of maintenance operations are carried out.

A Golf Greenkeeper will be able to:

• Maintain good standards of health and safety for self and others


• Prepare the golf course for play which will include removing early morning dew and debris from the greens, raking bunkers, moving tee markers, cutting new holes on greens


• Prepare and use equipment and machinery to maintain and renovate all turf surfaces within the golf course, including the use of tractors, ride-on machines, and specialist equipment


• Apply turf treatments to help produce quality playing surfaces, including fertilisers and top dressing


• Use a variety of integrated methods to control weeds, fungal diseases, pests and turf disorders


• Maintain and renovate bunkers and other hazards such as water features


• Maintain drainage and irrigation systems


• Prepare ground to establish turf and plants when maintaining, renovating and constructing golf course features

An Apprentice Golf Greenkeeper will develop and learn to understand the following technical knowledge:

• Identify their role in monitoring and maintaining health and safety within the workplace


• Identify a number of grasses, weeds, pests, diseases, turf disorders, plants and trees


• The primary aspects of soil and plant biology to include the process of germination - photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration


• The principles of mowing and machine maintenance and their operation


• The need and implications of rolling, verti-cutting, scarification and aeration


• The strategies for controlling weeds, pests, diseases and turf disorders


• How fertilisers, top dressing and chemicals affect playing surfaces


• How course maintenance practices affect the environment


• Be aware of the importance of the Rules of Golf and golf course etiquette


• Recognise the importance of environmental and ecological best practice


• The operation of irrigation, drainage systems and their maintenance