HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — The United States Golf Association is expanding its Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program to Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
Officials say the program started at Sandhills Community College in the Pinehurst area of North Carolina last year and was successful.
USGA Program Coordinator Carson Letot said the hybrid learning opportunity will start in January and will be fully-funded.
“Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program, also known as GAP, bridges a gap between those folks that work at golf courses at the maintenance departments,” Letot said. “People who might have some barriers or coming from some backgrounds that would prevent them from the traditional education that would be required to make a move up the ladder to their cruise to management positions.”
Letot said it’s important to have the educational experience lean on the on-the-job training, rather than leaning it on classroom theory.
Because of that, the day starts on one of the local golf courses, partnered through the program, and will work from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.