By Julliana Bravo
A field trip to Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford, N.Y., entertained and educated more than 80 students from a local elementary school on June 9, as they learned about soil, water, and the geometry involved in golf as well as the animals that live on golf courses.
The day’s activities came through the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s (GCSAA) First Green program, whose mission involves providing a hands-on approach to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education. With six different stations around the course, students learned how science and math intertwine with golf and in the real world.
On the green, students learned about putting and just how important the surface is for golfers. Students who had never picked up a club drained putts and learned about the slopes on the green.
At a teeing ground, students had the chance to measure the length and width to determine the square footage of the teeing area, before running over to the soil section where the word “dirt” was not to be used. Here, they learned about different types of soil – like silt and clay – and where they’re found on the golf course.
Did you know that there are over 400 species of birds in the Met Area, each of them with their own special diet? Students found out what bird they’d be based on their wingspan and used tools like nutcrackers and tongs to mimic how birds use their beaks to eat. At the next station, Grover Alexander, superintendent at Hudson Hills in Ossining, N.Y., dispelled rumors about bees and taught the students the significance of these pollinators for the golf course and the environment.
Lastly came the water station, which fit perfectly for what was a rainy day. The student scientists learned how water is measured in the soil both on the greens and in bunkers by using the USGA’s Moisture Meter.
Although the program is designed for students, there’s always more to learn about the environment, golf, and how superintendents steward their properties and resources.