Throughout the year, Turf
Club members volunteer at local golf courses and solicit donations for the Club's annual trip to Turf Bowl. In past years, members have volunteered at U-of-M-sponsored tournaments, or grown
centerpieces of turf for various events. In 2008, Turf Club helped out the grounds
crew at the U.S. Women’s Open at Interlachen Country Club in Edina and tended the course at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine
for the men’s Senior Tour. These experiences were invaluable, and the connections made while working these events will be helpful to club members once they've graduated and are looking for jobs in the field.
My personal experience at the Women’s Open was to be
lucky enough to walk the grounds and the greens with the professional lady
golfers. Words can not describe how great of an experience that was. Also,
after I didn’t think anything could get better working on the grounds crew at
TPC, I was grateful enough to meet the king of golf, Arnold Palmer.—Joe LeVoir,
former president of
Turf Club
Members of Turf Club make
sure to have fun with whatever they do, and quickly become
close friends. Turf Bowl
Every year, Turf Club goes
to conventions of the United States Golf Course Superintendent Association and
competes in the annual Turf Bowl, an event attended by schools from around the nation. Professors who administer Turf Bowl have suggested it is "the
hardest test a turf student will ever have to take." The test includes
identification of grasses (warm and cool season), dirt,
bugs, and diseases. There are multiple-choice questions, math
problems, and a written essay. Groups are composed of four people or fewer.
Turf Bowl is like the Super Bowl of turf. It is a great networking
opportunity and a great learning experience. During the year, Turf Club
holds meetings to study for the test. Professors from the
Department or local superintendents help with the studies.
Turf Bowl 2008
In 2008, there where three
groups from Horticultural Science that competed, and the top team took
13th (out of 132 teams).
| 
