NI's First Green Event Inspires Future Greenkeepers

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) hosted Northern Ireland’s maiden First Green event in June.

Held at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus, the event welcomed pupils and teachers from Ballyclare Secondary School in County Antrim.

Throughout the day, students took part in a variety of hands-on activities, ranging from changing holes and measuring green speed to building bug hotels and exploring the biodiversity of golf courses.

Among the highlights was a demonstration of the POGO tool for turf and soil analysis. Students also showed strong enthusiasm for the golf course machinery on display, many climbing aboard greens mowers and utility vehicles.

“It was encouraging to see such interest and eagerness to learn its use, price and – of course – top speed,” said Stuart Nixon, CAFRE horticulture instructor. “To me this proves that a career in greenkeeping is so much more than just cutting grass. One must be a gardener, supervisor, nutritionist and mechanic.”

Students enjoyed a hands-on demonstration with a stimpmeter, while another session on insects and habitat management emphasised how greenkeepers contribute to ecological wellbeing.

The youngsters also enthusiastically took on the task of building bug hotels, with one particularly inventive creation featuring a pinecone cannon. The day ended with a friendly putting competition and prizegiving.

Stuart added: “It was a successful event, which hopefully will encourage the next generation of greenkeepers and naturalists alike, for these two careers are becoming closer than ever before. If sustainable and biodiverse golf courses are to flourish, we will need today’s schoolchildren to understand and implement new management strategies such as those highlighted here.”

As the first event of its kind in the region, it also provided a learning opportunity for organisers, who hope to expand activities and participation in the future.

Also in June, Parkstone enjoyed hosting duties for the first time, while Hoylake and St Andrews each took on the responsibility for the third time. GI