Host superintendent and GCSAA board member Doug Dykstra welcomes 20 students  for a day of on course learning and fun

White Mountain Country Club superintendent and GCSAA board of director Doug Dykstra hosted a First Green field trip on July 16 in Pinetop, Ariz.  20 students from the club’s junior golf and youth program participated in the field trip which introduced them to the aspects of a golf course maintenance program as well as the ecology and environmental aspects of a golf course. 

The two-hour field trip featured four stations including a cool tools demonstration area, soils lab, water conservation and management station and a very popular drone demonstration. 

Those who volunteered their time and expertise in addition to host superintendent Dykstra included Pinetop Country Club superintendent Matt Bilson, GCSAA Southwest field representative Jeff Jensen, Pinetop Lakes Country Club superintendent Favian Mejia and White Mountain Country Club assistant superintendent Andrew Pawlak.     

Dykstra and Bilson operated the cool tools demonstration which allowed students to learn about the Stimpmeter, soil moisture meter, how to cut a cup and showcased various pieces of equipment used in the day-to-day operations of the golf course.  Additionally, Dykstra demonstrated how to roll putting greens. 

Jensen conducted a soils lab for the students which introduced them to the three components of soil: sand, silt and clay.  Students used a sieve to separate soil and learned about water filtration through each of the components.  pH testing was also conducted of various soil samples. 

Mejia taught the station on water conservation and management.  He showed students how to use a quick coupler, how the irrigation system can be controlled from your phone and the efforts that golf courses put into water conservation efforts.  He also provided tips for water conservation at home. 

Pawlak oversaw the most popular station of the day demonstrating White Mountain’s use of a drone.  He showed the students how to operate the drone safely and properly, how it was used for photography, acreage determination and irrigation purposes on a golf course and he even had the students take the controls for a short time. 

Fun was had by all, and the field trip marked the second First Green event that has been held in Arizona.  A special thanks goes out to White Mountain general manager Bill Gibson, Jr. and the members of White Mountain for having the program out at their beautiful facility. 

If you are interested in hosting a First Green field trip, contact your GCSAA field representative and they will be glad to assist you and provide more information.  You can also visit the website at https://www.thefirstgreen.org/.