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Turfgrass Management Certificate Program

DID YOU KNOW: The average Golf Superintendent salary in Oregon is $74,850 (according to Salary.com)

The career possibilities of turfgrass management are endless.

Whether you work for a lawn care company, manage an athletic field, landscape at a city park, work at a golf course or just want the best lawn on your block, our turfgrass management program can help you succeed.

This online turf management certificate program is also great for anyone interested in a profession that deals with lawn care. If you work for a hardware or lawn care store and field customer questions or consult with landscape architects, this course will give you the language, knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

Study turfgrass, golf courses, integrated pest management and more

This series of courses provides specialized training in three areas: turfgrass management, golf course management and integrated pest management. Throughout these courses, you will learn about:

  • What types of fertilizer to use on a lawn and when and how to apply them
  • Irrigation best practices for your turfgrass
  • Agronomic and managerial aspects of golf course maintenance 
  • Putting green construction and turf selection
  • How to read a pesticide label
  • Key laws and safety materials associated with being a pesticide applicator

Together, these courses will provide a comprehensive introduction to turfgrass management that can help you enter or advance in this industry.

Take the whole Turfgrass Management Program

This series includes the following component courses, which may be taken together or individually:

COMPLETE IN TWO MONTHS:  It's possible to finish the entire program in two months (taking all seven courses together). If you take three courses at a time, you can complete the program in six months. All courses begin in October, January and February annually.

Please note: This course is designed for those working in northern climates such as Oregon and Washington, Europe, Scandinavia and parts of Canada. By focusing on these climates, you'll gain detailed information you can apply to your own park, field or lawn.

Course Hours and GCSAA Class A Credits

If you're looking to become GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) certified, you can take this online program and get GCSAA credit toward your certification. This program is designed to be a cost-effective way of getting those points for the GCSAA golf course superintendent credits.

Course Title Course Hours GCSAA Class A Credits
Introduction to Turfgrass Management 30 3
Introduction to Golf Course Management 36 3.6
Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety 18 1.8
Irrigation and Drainage 21 2.1
Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Suppression Using Fungicides 30 3
Turfgrass Mathematics 36 3.6
Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management 36 3.6

 

Study turfgrass management with the experts

This program is designed and led by Oregon State University experts in turfgrass management with experience and connections throughout the industry. From golf courses in Europe to Disney theme parks and more, our instructors bring a wide range of knowledge into the classroom. You will benefit from their experience through weekly video lectures and discussion boards.

 

 

calendar
Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18
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Asynchronous
location
Online
price (2)
Full Program: $2,695
Individual Courses:
$325
(+ $60 non-refundable registration fee, per course)
2755
Additional Information: Earn your Certificate as quickly as two months.

risk-free-boxEnjoy peace of mind with our risk-free guarantee on online instructor-led courses.


No degree or prerequisites required

Turfgrass Management Program Course Start Dates

Introduction to Turfgrass Management

Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18

Introduction to Golf Course Management

Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18

Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety

Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18

Irrigation and Drainage

Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18

Turfgrass Mathematics

Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18

Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management

Fall 2023
October 23 - December 3, 2023
Winter 2024
January 8 - February 18

Instructors

Dr. Clint Mattox

Dr. Clint Mattox graduated from Purdue University with a turfgrass science degree in 2000 and has been involved in the turfgrass industry since that time. From 2000 until 2012, Clint worked overseas, primarily in Europe, where he was an assistant superintendent in Berlin, head greenkeeper at Paris Disneyland, and finally grow-in and maintenance superintendent at the Arnold Palmer designed Vignoly golf course near Paris. In 2013, he began graduate studies at Oregon State University focusing on managing turfgrass diseases in the absence of fungicides. He finished a doctorate degree in March 2020, majoring in Horticulture with a minor in Botany and Plant Pathology where he focused on managing the turfgrass disease Microdochium patch in the Pacific Northwest using alternatives to traditional fungicides.

Dr. Alec Kowalewski

Alec has over 17 years of research experience and multiple publications on various cool-season and warm-season turfgrass species obtained while employed at Michigan State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia and Oregon State University. Alec is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University and teaches several undergraduate classes in the Department of Horticulture. Alec also provides Extension material for stakeholders in turfgrass and landscape management.

Alyssa Cain

Alyssa has a master's degree from Oregon State University in horticulture with a focus in turfgrass maintenance. Her research as a master's student was to assess annual bluegrass herbicide resistance in the state of Oregon and find alternative control methods for this weed. Alyssa's undergraduate degree, also from Oregon State University, in Bioresource Research led her to research conventional farming's impacts on insect biodiversity on Christmas tree farms. Alyssa has spoken at several university-hosted integrated pest management seminars, educated school IPM coordinators and assisted in teaching OSU turfgrass courses.

Past Students' Work

Take a look at some recent projects our students have created.