Ohio State University Agricultural and Horticultural Internship

For up and coming greenkeepers one of the best ways to gain experience is through the Ohio State University Agricultural and Horticultural Internship programme, based in the United States. Established in 1979 by Mike Chrisman the programme offers internships for single greenkeepers between the ages of 19 and 27, which entail upwards of 18 months' work experience and the option of three months study at the university. Currently, between 20 and 30 Australians are working on US courses with over 120 international interns going through each year.

Interns are placed on the world's best courses, including Pine Valley (rated the number one course in the world by US Golf Digest) and Oakmont Country Club, with most of the courses involved being located east of the Mississippi. Students experience some of the best cool season grass courses in the north before moving south for the winter.

For more information about the Ohio State University programme click here to read an introductory letter from Australian coordinator David Goldie or click here to download a registration form

Alternatively, contact David Goldie via email dngoldie@hotmail.com or programme head Michael O'Keeffe on okeeffe.1@osu.edu

What is the program like?
The Ohio Program has provided many up and coming Australian greenkeepers the chance to work at some of the United States' leading golf courses. For 21-year-old South Australian Luke Partridge it afforded him the chance to work at one of the world's most exclusive country clubs - Oakmont. Click here to read about Luke's experiences at the Pennsylvania-based course which has a reputation for producing the fastest greens in world golf.