Golf Greenkeeper
Level 2 Apprenticeship
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 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
- Preparing the golf course for play
- Preparing and using specialist equipment to maintain and renovate turf surfaces
- Applying turf treatments and controlling weeds, fungal diseases, pests, and turf disorders
- Maintaining and renovating bunkers
- Maintaining drainage and irrigation systems
- How to identify plants and trees
- The principles of mowing and machine maintenance and their operation
- Soil and plant biology
- The strategies for controlling weeds, pests, diseases and turf disorders
- The need and implications of rolling, verti-cutting, scarification and aeration
- To recognise the importance of environmental and ecological best practice
- How course maintenance practices affect the environment
- Basic computer skills
Qualifications Awarded
- Apprenticeship Certificate
- Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1)
- Level 2 Award in the Safe Application Knapsack Sprayer - Hydraulic Nozzle (PA6A)
- Level 1 in maths and English Functional Skills (if applicable)
Delivery model
Online and in college weekly delivery. A mix of online and practical learning at our Plumpton College campus will include skills and knowledge assessment, qualification quarterly workplace competency, and efficiency observation and assessments.
Course details
| Dates & Location |
Next cohort enrolment in August/September 2023 with commencement of in college delivery from October 2023 |
|---|---|
| Duration |
Typically 24 months (some apprentices could complete sooner depending on their previous experience and qualifications, their perfomance during the apprenticeship and the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in the workplace) practical period with 3-month End Point Assessment window. |
| Costs |
Costs to the employer will be dependent on several factors such as age of apprentice and size (number of employees) of the business. Please contact our Business Services team on 01273 892127 for more information. |
Entry Requirements
- Maths and English assessment
- Existing skills, knowledge and behaviour assessment
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.
Plumpton College has industry expert tutors providing the most up to date learning and assessment who have over 50+ years’ experience of 'Head Greenkeeper' roles on different style of courses.
Plumpton also has access to guest industry speakers to provide variety of insights to enhance knowledge of learners.
Future Opportunities
This Standard is recognised by the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), the Professional Body for Greenkeepers. At the start of the Apprenticeship, the Apprentice will be registered with BIGGA.
Upon completing this Standard, the Apprentice will be eligible to join BIGGA as a full member and become a BIGGA Accredited Greenkeeper.
Opportunity to progress further onto the Advanced Sports Turf Level 3 apprenticeship.
