Welcome to GreenKeeper University! This module is intended to introduce you to the Moodle Platform and give you resources to help you be successful.
Welcome to GreenKeeper University!
- Advance your career in turf management taking courses from the top experts in the field.
- Earn your certificate after successfully completing GreenKeeper University courses.
- Work at your own pace. Take one course at a time or multiple courses to progress more quickly.
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The 2020-2021 course listing, descriptions and individual start dates are listed here.
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To register for an introductory course offered through the Great Lakes School of Turf Science, click this link.
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To sign up for a advanced course from the list below, click this link.
The 2020-2021 course listing, descriptions and individual start dates are listed here.
To register for an introductory course offered through the Great Lakes School of Turf Science, click this link.
To sign up for a advanced course from the list below, click this link.
Available courses
This comprehensive introductory online school is taught by 11 experts in the field. This 12-week school covers the principles of turfgrass science with a golf-turf focus, ranging from turf selection to soil fertility and pest management. This school has educated over 300 practitioners since 2014 and we are excited to be offering it on the GreenKeeper platform this year.
- Teacher: Matt Cavanaugh
- Teacher: Kevin Frank
- Teacher: Dave Gardner
- Teacher: Brian Horgan
- Teacher: Paul Koch
- Teacher: Ed Nangle
- Teacher: Aaron Patton
- Teacher: Frank Rossi
- Teacher: Eric Watkins
- Teacher: Chris Williamson
Much like the Great Lakes Golf Edition, the Lawns/Grounds/Sports Edition is an introductory school for lawn care operators, grounds and parks managers, sports field managers, and anyone interested in maintaining turf in a professional, non-golf setting. Students will learn the principles of turfgrass science in this 12-week school taught by six experts in the field. Practitioners of all ages have found value in this school and we are pleased to be offering via GreenKeeper University.
- Teacher: Matt Cavanaugh
- Teacher: Dave Gardner
- Teacher: Brian Horgan
- Teacher: Paul Koch
- Teacher: Aaron Patton
- Teacher: Frank Rossi
- Teacher: Chris Williamson
Sound soil management is the building block of a healthy system. Dr. Doug Soldat leads this course focusing on the basics of soil science, management of soil physical properties including organic matter, different types of cultivation techniques, and the construction and management of different root zone systems.
This three-week course weaves through the history of golf and maintenance practices that have led to our modern day maintenance practices. It is filled with easy to interpret turfgrass research that supports, or leads to questioning numerous cultural and mechanical practices and their impact on turfgrass agronomics. Topics covered include but are not limited to mowing, irrigation, fertilization, topdressing and rolling and proven method that can lead to economic savings with increased customer satisfaction.
- Teacher: Thomas Nikolai
Turfgrass plants need to adapt to changing weather conditions or they parish. This course will cover different forms of abiotic stress, how they impact plant health, and provide management strategies to over-come stress. Different topics include heat, cold, too little or too much light, drought, ice encasement, desiccation, and traffic damage. Multiple stresses, plant health, and plant health promoting products will also be discussed.
Dr. Paul Koch teaches this course which provides a comprehensive introduction to the primary diseases of cool-season turfgrass. Students will learn how to identify diseases, receive the most up-to-date research related to integrated disease control strategies, and work to develop comprehensive disease control programs specific to their location.
- Teacher: Paul Koch
Dr. Jim Kerns leads this course which provides a comprehensive introduction to the primary diseases of warm-season turfgrass. Students will learn how to identify diseases, receive the most up-to-date research related to integrated disease control strategies, and work to develop comprehensive disease control programs specific to their location.
- Teacher: Jim Kerns
This course is taught by Dr. Ben McGraw. The class is designed to provide a fundamental understanding of the basics of entomology, an extensive overview of the major cool- and warm-season turfgrass insect pests, and integrated pest management strategies for their control. A major emphasis of this class will be on identification and behavior of key turfgrass pests. Chemical management will be covered in-depth and the latest findings from university led research will be covered.
- Teacher: Ben McGraw
Dr. Kerns leads this course which focuses on turfgrass integrated pest management, the diagnostic process in turfgrass systems, resistance management, disease epidemiology, principles of disease management and cultural control strategies.
- Teacher: Jim Kerns
Precision turfgrass management uses observations, data, and models to improve management efficiency in turfgrass systems. This course will cover turfgrass growth potential, various turf and pest models, manipulation of growth with nitrogen and PGR programs, clipping volume, crop sensors, mapping date and construction of prescription maps for precision applications with variable rate sprayer systems.
Plant growth regulators are widely used across the turfgrass industry. This course will focus on how to program PGR applications, either applied alone or in combination, on different turfgrass species and areas (greens, fairway & collars, sports turf, etc.). Both cool and warm-season turfgrasses will be covered. Students will learn how different products and application strategies impact turf health, color, and performance. It will also cover PGR-induced collar decline and how clipping volume measurements can help refine your PGR program.
This fast-paced course will use recorded lectures, live discussions, engagement with excel and web-based tools, and weekly quizzing to help students understand the subject matter. Finally, students will create a PGR program for their facility that will be reviewed by Dr. Kreuser.
Dr. Paul Koch leads this important course on responsible pesticide use in turfgrass systems. Topics will include pesticide toxicity, use BMPs, measuring pesticide risk, organic and pesticide alternatives. The course also focuses on disease models to time fungicide applications. Students will finish the course with awareness of IPM goals and ways to document progress achieving those goals.
- Teacher: Paul Koch
It's been said that common sense and drainage are needed to grow turf. And, if short on the former, than add more of the latter. This course covers various aspects of turfgrass drainage including slope, soils, layers, root zone construction, drainage technologies and cultivation techniques to improve drainage.
This course will cover various aspects of turfgrass fertilization including a thorough examination of nitrogen fertilizer, other secondary and micronutrients, cost-benefit of different fertilizer sources, nutrient demand & clipping volume, and the impact of fertilizer in the environment. At the end of the course, students will build a nutrient management plan for their facility.
Dr. Doug Soldat will discuss turfgrass irrigation strategies, technologies to measure water status and water more efficiently, the factors driving evapotranspiration and teach students how to create a water budget.
This course focus on measuring and managing soil chemical properties. Topics covered include soil pH, cation exchange capacity, soil sampling techniques, and different soil test extraction and quantification methods. Dr. Soldat will then cover different ways to interpret soil test results including SLAN, BCSR, and MLSN.
The ever-changing weather is constantly impacting turfgrass managers. This course will cover the fundimental proceses driving weather at global and local scales, weather vs. climate and climate change, accessing and interpreting different sources of weather data, and use of high-resolution weather models to plan turfgrass management practices.
This course, taught by Dr. Aaron Patton, will provide a fundamental understanding of weed ecology, an extensive overview of all major cool- and warm-season weeds, and integrated pest management strategies for their control. Chemical management with a heavy emphasis on pesticide resistance and rotation will be covered in-depth and the latest findings from university led research will be covered.
