This summer I will be doing my internship at Valhalla Golf Club located in Louisville, Kentucky. The course is a Jack Nicklaus design that officially became ready for play in June of 1986. The playing surfaces are grassed with cool-season cultivars, which presents unique challenges for a golf course in the transition zone. Valhalla is now owned by the PGA of America and has a championship tradition, hosting numerous PGA Championships as well as the 2008 Ryder Cup. While championship tradition was important, my goals and objectives that I produced reigned supreme in my decision-making process.
The primary goal I hope to accomplish while interning at Valhalla is to become more proficient and knowledgeable about water management on cool season grass in the transition zone. The transition zone offers numerous different challenges when maintaining cool-season grass. Valhalla uses modern technology such as moisture meters to monitor wilt and evapotranspiration at a more precise level. This is something that I have never been exposed to and am looking forward to learning about.
Pest management is another task that I hope to be involved with. Being from the Northwest, disease is not very prominent. For this reason, I have never been able to see a lot of the diseases that were learned about in pathology class. I realize that given the championship level of turf Valhalla produces, they are most likely on a preventative spray program. Given the preventative program, I may not have the opportunity to physically ID the pests, but I will have the chance to ask questions and understand what product is being sprayed and what the target pest is for that product.
I think Valhalla is going to be a great internship for me. The course is in an environment that I am not used to and has technology that I have never been exposed too. The competitive atmosphere that 7 interns create will be fun and challenging. Valhalla gives me a chance to accomplish my goals and objectives and throws me out of my comfort zone at the same time, forcing me to be the best that I can be.
Dylan Eastin 