Alamogordo High School FFA students color in the state of New Mexico on Sept. 8 to signify it as the final state to host a GCSAA First Green program. Students learned about topics like computer-controlled irrigation management, measurement of soil moisture on golf course greens and the latest equipment maintenance techniques.Photos by Darrell J. Pehr
GCSAA’s First Green program hit a major milestone Sept. 8 when Desert Lakes Golf Course in Alamogordo, N.M., hosted the golf course-based learning laboratory for students for the first time in that state. That achievement filled the final open slot in the program’s map of the U.S., with First Green events now having taken place in all 50 states.
The science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) environmental outreach program held Tuesday teamed golf course professionals from across New Mexico with FFA students from Alamogordo High School for hands-on learning at Desert Lakes.
Host Michael Bradley, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Desert Lakes since 2023 and an eight-year member of GCSAA, set up four stations for students to learn about topics including equipment maintenance, cup cutting and placement, ball-roll measurement techniques, soil moisture measurement tools and irrigation practices using Desert Lakes’ state-of-the-art computer-controlled irrigation system.
Bradley said the irrigation system employs 1,200 sprinklers to handle a million gallons of effluent water a day from the City of Alamogordo’s wastewater system. The new system, which became fully operational in July, has been a key factor in helping establish new bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens on six of the course’s holes.
“It’s the most advanced system out there,” Bradley said.
Assisting Bradley were Jonathan Reed, GCSAA Class A assistant director of grounds and golf at New Mexico Tech Golf Course in Socorro, N.M., and seven-year association member; Anthony Wright, former director of agronomy at Albuquerque Country Club, now with United Ag & Turf in Bernalillo, N.M., and an 11-year GCSAA member; Susan Matsler with United Ag & Turf; and 13-year GCSAA member Joe Villela, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Alto Lakes Golf & Country Club in Alto, N.M.
Students in an FFA class at Alamogordo High School join golf course professionals Sept. 8 for a First Green program at Desert Lakes Golf Course in Alamogordo, N.M. The event marks the final, 50th state in the U.S. that has hosted at least one of GCSAA’s First Green programs.
Organizing the event and helping with presentations was John Walker, GCSAA South Central regional representative for Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
“Hitting the milestone of 50 states reached finally with First Green is astonishing,” said Ryan Kraushofer, CGCS, a member of GCSAA’s Board of Directors who is extensively involved in First Green and serves as a First Green liaison. “It’s amazing that we’ve come this far, considering what it began as and where it is now and how many students’ lives it has reached, and how many students have reached out to golf courses to help fill job roles.
“It’s amazing. New Mexico has been on the radar here for a while now to get it to be the final state, and we’ve reached that goal today.”
Kraushofer noted that GCSAA has partnered with FFA in several ways and is seeing a payoff with more interest from FFA students in golf course maintenance jobs. Kraushofer said that at his home golf course in Maryland, he hosts fifth graders at First Green events. As a result, he sees the benefits of networking and awareness of the kinds of jobs available in golf.
“I think First Green is just going to keep paying dividends for the golf industry,” he said.
Darrell J. Pehr is GCM’s science editor