The aim of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance to young people aged between 20 and 29 years who have completed an apprenticeship in “Greenkeeping”.

Each year a student is selected from one of the States or Territories of Australia, this is done in rotation from year to year.

With the assistance of The Ohio State University, the awardee is enrolled as an International Student in the Agricultural and the Horticultural Intern program at the University. This combines theoretical studies at the University with some nine months of paid practical work at some of America’s finest golf courses.

In recent times however, because of the high standard of our Australian academic level in Turf Grass study, our awardees are assessed on arrival by the Ohio State University and most now spend their full year gaining practical experience working at top courses in the USA.

The Ohio Program arranges the placement, visa, insurance, housing and working conditions. Most of the courses where students are placed are in the top 100 in America.

The program offers interns experience in PGA event course preparation, construction, irrigation, chemical spraying, overseeding and all maintenance practices performed at a golf course that has an annual budget in excess of one million dollars.

Interns in most cases are living and working with other interns from all over the world. Courses are offered for full time study at the Ohio State University and an annual weekend workshop is held where the best turf lecturers from around America visit.

At the present time the scholarship is worth $5,000 and goes towards paying the travel expenses etc of the awardee.

For further information about the program contact can be made with – Mr. Michael O’Keeffe at The Ohio International Agricultural & Horticultural Program by email to okeeffe.1@osu.edu or visit the website at www.top.osu.edu

2015 Launceston Slide Presentation JHMS.pdf (2.1mb)

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank The Fellowship of Golfing Rotarians, Ohio State University’s Mike O’Keeffe, the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association and TAFE for their assistance.