Appealing to golf’s most major minors

For golf courses to survive in the future, they need to be involved with local communities, schools, scouts, 4-H, FFA and have a junior golf program. That might sound like a lot, but today’s junior will hopefully turn into our customers or employees in the future.

Working out of Westminster National Golf Course in Westminster, Maryland, my father and I have helped inspire more than 17,000 young golfers through pioneering a junior golf program along with hosting First Green STEAM learning programs. My dad, Paul Kraushofer, has been associated with golf for more than 60 years and has been a certified United States Golf Teachers Federation Level III Teaching Professional since 2001. He had a vision of starting a junior golf program back in 1994 at his local public golf course, Oakmont Green, in Hampstead, Maryland. Thirty years later, it is still running strong, averaging 50 to 60 juniors every Monday night during the summer break. We figure he has introduced golf to more than 16,000 juniors in this span.

I’ve been around golf since the age of 10, first attending my dad’s junior golf programs, and working on the golf course since the age of 12. I’m passionate about building the future of the golf industry, too. I’m a CGCS and a past president of the Mid-Atlantic GCSAA. I also have a dual role as superintendent and general manager at Westminster National in northern Maryland. I have seen the challenges when it comes to hiring and retaining employees over the years and felt like something had to be done. So, in 2016, I talked with my Mid-Atlantic GCSAA peers, and we took action by hosting the inaugural GCSAA First Green field trip.

First Green has proved to be an invaluable tool for golf course superintendents. Every golf course should start offering some sort of First Green field trip for their community. Having hosted approximately 18 field trips and roughly 1,700 students, I can say that hosting First Green field trips only takes a few hours out of my day but will make memories that will last a lifetime for the students attending. Our First Green programs typically involve fifth graders from local elementary schools, introducing them to all aspects of the job by rotating the students through six different stations learning about science, technology, engineering, art, math and golf, and how each is used in the golf course superintendent’s profession.

My dad and I have so much passion for junior golf and our programs keep growing and getting better each year.

Where will our kids end up career-wise? Maybe one day one of the juniors becomes a golf course superintendent or a USGTF teaching professional. Whatever profession the junior golfer or field trip attendee chooses, let’s hope that golf will still be part of their lives.

Ryan Kraushofer is the golf course superintendent and general manager at Westminster National in Maryland. This is his first Turfheads Take Over contribution.