David Mason (The Metropolitan Golf Club), Mitch Hayes (The Brisbane Golf Club) and Luke Partridge (Manly Golf Club) make up a third of a list of just 10 to complete the all-new ASTMA (Australian Sports Turf Managers Association) accreditation.

The ASTMA launched the new and improved Sports Turf Manager Certification Program to recognise the country’s leading practitioners and encourage them to invest in education and professional development. Upon becoming industry certified, members attain the ‘Certified Sports Turf Manager’ (CSTM) designation after their name. 

Situated on the fertile banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River, adjacent to the renowned Yarra Bend Golf Course, Melbourne Polytechnic is ideally placed for producing turf managers of the future. The institute offers a Certificate III and Diploma of Sports Turf Management, and a Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology - Sports Turf Science and Management Major which the three students are currently studying.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of producing the next generation of Australia’s best leading managers.” – Mark Buchell

Mark Buchell, lead teacher at Melbourne Polytechnic, commented: “We are proud to be at the forefront of producing the next generation of Australia’s best leading managers, and our students’ presence in the list of the very-first 10 members to become certified via ASTMA’s new program is testament to this. David, Mitch and Luke are a credit to our courses.

“Trained by industry-leading teachers using state-of-the-art facilities and provided superb networking and internship opportunities, students complete our courses primed to be industry leaders of the future – ones with unrivalled knowledge and industry connections. 

“Our courses offer great career opportunities for highly-skilled greenkeepers, managers and turf farm apprentices, especially with the industry anticipated to grow so significantly over the coming years.”

Melbourne Polytechnic’s Certificate V in Sports Turf Management covers everything from irrigation, plant pathology and botany to construction and renovation. The Diploma is the next step in equipping students with a more in-depth understanding of plant biology, pathogens and diseases, as well as managing staff and finance.

Top image: Australian Sports Turf Association.