Where can a student who wants to learn more about GCA

[Patrick_Mucci]

work this summer ?
 
I know some students who are interested in GCA who want to learn more about it by being interns.
 
Should they try to work on a green's crew or for a GCA firm or both ?

[PCCraig]

They would learn the most about GCA looping at a great golf course. I know I did when I spent time caddying at The Country Club of Brookline while at school in Boston.


They would likely benefit greatly working on a grounds crew, in particular at a course undergoing an in-house renovation/restoration.

[Tom_Doak]

Send them to Streamsong to work on the finish crew of the new course this summer.  A summer in Florida will teach them a lot about the glamorous life of golf course construction, and if they're still excited after that, maybe they're for real.

[Blake Conant]

Tom and Pat, I agree with Florida on the condition that the person is ready.  Moving halfway across the country, living with strangers, and raking, sand proing, or edging bunkers for 3 months requires some level of maturity.  If they're absolutely green to golf construction or maintenance, a summer of manual labor on a grounds crew at a cool club would give them a taste of the industry.  Meanwhile they could still study architecture in the area.  If they have some idea what they're getting into, labor wise, being part of a finish crew would be great experience.  Good luck

[John Kavanaugh]

I always enjoy the job postings on Turfnet.com. Looks like there are 160 summer intern jobs posted including a paid stint at Augusta National.  http://www.turfnet.com/jobs/c5-summer-intern/page-6

[Peter Pallotta]

Patrick -

Long before I took up the game, I worked on the grounds crew one summer when I was 19 or 20. (I already liked golf, i.e. I watched it on television, but the game, I felt then, 'wasn't for someone like me'.) By the half way point of the summer they had me mowing greens and cutting pins.

My memory might be faulty, but I seem to remember how just those two functions -- along with watching hundreds of golfers of all kinds play golf holes in every way and from every spot imaginable -- got me thinking and understanding a bit about golf course "design" (I thought of it as "design" back then, not "architecture").

I do remember that, on some days, when I was feeling mischievous, I would cut most of the holes/pins in difficult spots, e.g. if there was a fairway bunker on the left side I knew that most would be trying to be on the right side of the fairway....and so I cut the pin on the right side of the green, a few paces back of the greenside bunker! (I didn't have a clue back then what my actions might mean in terms of pace of play...)

In short, I think I did learn something about golf and design working on a grounds crew -- and it was certainly an easy job to get.

   

[JJShanley]

I do remember that, on some days, when I was feeling mischievous, I would cut most of the holes/pins in difficult spots, e.g. if there was a fairway bunker on the left side I knew that most would be trying to be on the right side of the fairway....and so I cut the pin on the right side of the green, a few paces back of the greenside bunker! (I didn't have a clue back then what my actions might mean in terms of pace of play...)

I just assumed that folk who did that had had a recent argument with their spouse.

[Peter Pallotta]

 

I think that might be true at the high-end private courses and quality clubs, where they actually have grown men doing the work, and men who have some training at it

If you ever encounter it at a low rent public/muni, it's more likely that a teenage goofball like me is the cause.... 

[Joe Hancock]

Pat,

I understand there will be some work at Pine Valley and Merion this coming summer. There may be a language barrier as the consultant is a Russian guy named Skuardoff Teezarus.

Sorry. 

[Howard Riefs]

I always enjoy the job postings on Turfnet.com. Looks like there are 160 summer intern jobs posted including a paid stint at Augusta National.  http://www.turfnet.com/jobs/c5-summer-intern/page-6

Likely another competitive position:


http://www.turfnet.com/jobs/j35612-summer-intern-national-golf-links-of-america-southampton-ny

[Tom_Doak]

Likely another competitive position:


http://www.turfnet.com/jobs/j35612-summer-intern-national-golf-links-of-america-southampton-ny

Yes, but with a personal recommendation from Patrick Mucci I'm sure they would move right to the top of the list!

[John Kavanaugh]

Many Superintendents at the finest clubs have lost any sign of a defecatory signature.  They require an intern just to remind the dog who's boss.

[Ryan Coles]

Internships. One of the few examples of the rich exploiting the rich....

[John Kavanaugh]

From what I have observed most Superintendents jobs would be easier without college interns. A college internship is where a kid who loves golf learns he won't be playing much anymore thanks to his chosen profession. They quickly become disillusioned nascar driving burdens on the membership and staff. I can't believe they are paid at all when you could get a hard working grunt for less.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Internships. One of the few examples of the rich exploiting the rich....

Ryan,
 
Tell us how a college student, on a needs scholarship, who approaches a company and wants to intern because he's interested in that field, is an example of the rich exploiting the rich ?
 
Especially when the company isn't hiring new employees.
 
Would you also tell us how a medical student, doing their internship, is an example of the rich exploiting the rich ?

[Ryan Coles]

Patrick

You go first

Tell me how someone can live on nothing or $10 dollars an hour?

Internships in this country are seen differently as this article (from those left wing firebrands at the Daily Telegraph) shows:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11223361/Unpaid-internships-closed-to-all-but-the-super-rich.html

[JJShanley]

Patrick

You go first

Tell me how someone can live on nothing or $10 dollars an hour?

Internships in this country are seen differently as this article (from those left wing firebrands at the Daily Telegraph) shows:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11223361/Unpaid-internships-closed-to-all-but-the-super-rich.html

I'm a graduate student, and that's probably what I make.  I can even play golf!  I do it because I know this way of life is temporary, but also that it'll likely lead to something better in the future.

[Ryan Coles]

How do you afford golf holidays to Scotland and Ireland on $10 an hour?

[Ian Mackenzie]

If I was in college, was seeking a job in GCA, and wanted an internship, I would:


1. Offer my services for free (plus expenses) to an architect who basically works on his own. (One of the "Doak Cubs", as an example.)
- help them with communication, presentation materials  plus scheduling and "fetching lunch" at same time. Returning calls, etc. while they are in the field.


2. Go to Scotland and become a caddie and tour courses when not looping. (Sound familiar?)


3. Or, show up at Fazio, Nicklaus' or (other's) door with my portfolio and offer to work for free, then wait tables at night and on weekends if I had time.


Oops, 1 and 3 are kinda the same...but different.

[JJShanley]

How do you afford golf holidays to Scotland and Ireland on $10 an hour?

I can't.  But I can afford trips back home to visit my parents, during which time I play a spot of golf.

[Ian Andrew]

we need a delete button ....

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick

You go first

Tell me how someone can live on nothing or $10 dollars an hour?


When "room and board" are supplied, it's quite easy for a student with no family obligations.

$ 400 to $ 600 a week is a lot of beer money

Internships in this country are seen differently as this article (from those left wing firebrands at the Daily Telegraph) shows:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11223361/Unpaid-internships-closed-to-all-but-the-super-rich.html

[Ben Lovett]

I think a more appropriate title would be "work experience "
I was fortunate enough to intern at East Lake whilst attending turf school at Penn State and was well looked after.
The money I earned through working endless hours week on week paid me through my second year.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Pat,
Shouldn't you have an architectural intern by now?