Golf Greenkeeper

Course overview

Duration
Typically 15 months with a 3-month End Point Assessment
window.

A Golf Greenkeeper is responsible for the maintenance, care, and overall
appearance of a golf course.

There are four key turfgrass areas on a golf course – greens, tees, fairways,
and areas of roughness, each of which requires a different type of
maintenance.

Using a range of equipment and machinery safely and competently will play a
significant part within an apprentices training programme. Golf Greenkeepers
will also be involved in hazard, environmental, and ecological operations,
including bunker maintenance, planting turf, trees, shrubs, and developing
wildlife habitats. The skills required to become a competent greenkeeper will be
acquired while working on the golf course.

At the start of the apprenticeship, the apprentice will be given the
opportunity to registered with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers
Association (BIGGA). Successful apprentices will be eligible to join BIGGA as a
full member and become an accredited greenkeeper at the end of the
apprenticeship.

What apprentices will learn:

Maintain golf greens, tees, fairways, surrounds, approaches and areas of
rough and semi rough.
Prepare the golf course for play, in line with the
Rules of Golf and employer’s requirements.
Prepare and setup golf course
equipment to achieve required outcomes (e.g. hole changing equipment, bunker
rakes, Stimpmeters).
Prepare the ground and establish turf and plants around
the golf course and clubhouse.
Identify and control weeds, pests, diseases
and turf disorders on the golf course playing surfaces.
Renovate and repair
turf surfaces such as golf greens, tees, fairways and areas of
rough.
Maintain and renovate bunkers.
Maintain and renovate non turf areas
such as pathways, penalty areas (e.g. water hazards, ditches).
Apply
materials such as fertilisers, top dressing and seed across areas of the golf
course.
Support the operation and maintenance of golf course drainage and
irrigation systems.
Maintain wildlife habitats and environmentally sensitive
areas within the golf course.
Collect information on golf course conditions
and playability. Report information to team members and supervisors.
Prepare,
setup and use golf course machinery to achieve required outcomes.
Carry out
routine maintenance of golf equipment and machinery in line with organisational
requirements and manufacturers’ instructions. Report any faults to relevant team
member.
Keep up to date with advances in golf greenkeeping working practices
and technologies and maintain continuous professional development (CPD).
For
more information on the skills, knowledge and behaviours associated and learnt
on this apprenticeship, please download the file attached to this link: Golf
Greenkeeper Level 2
Qualifications Awarded
Apprenticeship
Certificate
Level 1 in maths and English Functional Skills (if
applicable)

Delivery model

The apprenticeship will be delivered via a mixture of practical and theory
learning at Plumpton College campus and partner golf courses on a fortnightly
basis (during college term time only), online theory masterclasses and guest
speakers and workplace visits which will include skills and knowledge
assessment, qualification quarterly workplace competency, and efficiency
observation and assessments.

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for all Level 2 programmes, will require either:

GCSE H or above in English (either Literature or Language) and Maths
GCSE
1 or above in English (either Literature or Language) and Maths
Entry 3
Functional Skills English and Maths (or equivalent qualification) at this level
or Level 1 or 2.

Should you not meet the entry requirements for English and Maths, please get
in contact with us. We are aware that there are many factors that may have
affected your previous education and grades, so will consider these in support
of the application on an individual basis.

In addition to your prior English and Maths qualifications, you will complete
an initial assessment for English and Maths as part of your pre-boarding session
in college. This assessment will give us a current working level grade and will
indicate which level Functional Skills you will be enrolled on if you have not
got a GCSE 4/C or above in English and Maths. We may contact you to discuss this
grade if we have any concerns.

If you have a grade 4/C or above in GCSE English and/or Maths, you will not
be required to attend Functional Skills English and/or Maths sessions as part of
your Apprenticeship.

Please note: You will be required to produce your GCSE certificates BEFORE
you start your course to be exempt from attending Functional Skills English and
Maths sessions.

To enrol onto an apprenticeship programme you need to be employed
with a contract of employment. If you have an employer lined up or are already
employed please contact our Business Services team on 01273 892127 or via
email.

You must be in a role that will allow you the opportunity to develop the
necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship.
Additionally, apprentices must have a working level of maths and English that
will allow successful achievement of level 1 functional skill prior to the end
point assessment.

If you do not currently have an employer please visit the main
Apprenticeships page for guidance on how to find and apply for an apprenticeship
opportunity or register for our Talent Bank service.

If you are an employer and would like to recruit or enrol an existing
employee onto an apprenticeship please contact our Business Services team
on  01273 892127 or via email.