First Green – from pilot to progress

What started as a pilot event at Harrogate Golf Club back in 2022 has turned into a movement that’s inspiring students, teachers and clubs across the country.

 

So far, 20 First Green events have taken place, inspiring more than 700 young people and involving over 100 BIGGA members. That’s an incredible achievement and a real credit to everyone who’s helped to make it happen, from small clubs taking part in their first session to larger venues hosting full-scale STEM field trips, with many clubs now on their second or third event. Some are even taking on staff as a result of their involvement.

Each event has helped open young eyes to the amazing variety and science behind greenkeeping.

The feedback has been fantastic. Teachers have told us how valuable it’s been to show their students a real-world link between science, maths and the environment, and greenkeepers have spoken about the buzz of sharing their craft and seeing those lightbulb moments happen.

One of my favourite stories came from a school visit where a student announced, “I didn’t even know this was a job!”. By the second activity, they were already asking how to become a greenkeeper. It’s those moments that really capture what First Green is all about – showing young people that courses aren’t just places to play golf, but living, breathing classrooms, and that greenkeeping is a genuine and exciting career path where science, creativity and the outdoors all come together.

 

The past 12 months have also seen brilliant collaboration within our industry. Many of you have shared ideas, resources and photos that have helped others get started. We’ve built a great library of articles, FAQs and case studies in Greenkeeper International and on the BIGGA website, so if you’re thinking about running your first event or just want to learn more, take a look back through the previous issues. There’s loads of practical guidance and inspiration waiting for you.

And if you haven’t tuned in yet, our First Green Podcast is the perfect place to start. It’s designed as a friendly audio guide to help you plan and run your own event, from those first conversations with schools to activity ideas, safety tips and follow-up suggestions. Each short episode walks you through a different stage of the process, so you can listen on the go and feel confident about taking that next step.

If you’d like to hear more or chat about how First Green could work at your club, come and find me at BTME on Tuesday at 10:15 in Hall 3, Seminar Theatre B, where I’ll be giving a talk on First Green, sharing some success stories and answering any questions.