UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In September, turfgrass students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to volunteer at the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship is one of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the country, according to John Kaminski, professor of turfgrass science. The championship, held at Troon Country Club and Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, is organized by the United States Golf Association for players aged 25 and older.
The students gained experience working alongside the Troon golf team on daily maintenance and tournament setup.
“This championship volunteer week compressed a season of learning into a few days,” Kaminski said. “For Penn State, having students on the U.S. Mid-Amateur crew underscores that our program values real experience, high standards and teamwork. Our students carry those habits into their future internships and jobs.”
Seth Miller, a 2004 graduate of Penn State’s two-year golf course turfgrass management program, was the hosting superintendent at Troon Country Club. He was instrumental in organizing the opportunity. Over the past three years, he has helped secure $100,000 in Troon scholarships to support Penn State students.
“Being a graduate of the program gave me the background and knowledge to be successful in our industry,” Miller said. “It also connected me with a network of other Penn State alumni and faculty whom I could rely on for additional resources. I think that’s what drives me to give back and complete the circle.”
Miller and his team established educational opportunities to complement the students’ volunteer work. These included a “lunch and learn” session with Rainbird Irrigation, covering the basics of proper irrigation management, led by another program alumnus, John Pollok, class of 1986.
Brian Whitlark, a USGA agronomist, spoke with students about the data collected on putting greens leading up to and during the championship. Additionally, Miller set aside time to go over irrigation programming, station adjusting, capabilities and expectations for irrigation software.
The students who traveled to Arizona represented the two-year program, the four-year turfgrass science major, and the World Campus online turfgrass programs. Ian Foster, of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, a World Campus student in the basic turfgrass management certificate program, was one of the volunteers.
“With Arizona being a completely different environment than eastern Canada, the opportunity really jumped out at me,” Gatineau said. “There’s a difference when you’re talking about grass types in class versus seeing the varieties in person. I also felt like it would be a great opportunity to network and meet my peers.”
Rem List, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is a World Campus student. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in golf course management and is working on his advanced turfgrass management certificate. He described volunteering at the championship as the perfect way to gain firsthand experience at a high-level event.
“The most challenging part was managing my time while also trying to meet as many people as possible,” List said. “On the other hand, my favorite part was exactly those connections. Spending time with the other volunteers, sharing stories about internships, previous experiences and future career goals was incredibly rewarding. The Penn State connection made it easy to bond, and I walked away with valuable insights and plenty of takeaways from those conversations.”
Cooper Hill, of Atlanta, Georgia, is a freshman pursuing a certificate in the golf course turfgrass management program at University Park. He had previous experience working on a Major League Baseball field and at smaller golf tournaments. Still, he said he wanted to expand his knowledge of golf course operations and see how a course is maintained before and during a national tournament.
“The best part of this entire experience was gaining an understanding of the unique ways each golf course operates and the various methods they utilize to maintain their facilities,” Hill said. “This understanding will be incredibly valuable to me in the future as I consider whether to pursue a career working on a golf course or on an athletic field, helping me make a more knowledgeable decision.”
List, Foster and Hill all noted that their time at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship will be highly beneficial for years to come.
“I was able to build my professional network and meet some well-rounded leaders in the turf industry,” List said. “I want to thank Professor Kaminski and Seth Miller for organizing and making this volunteer opportunity possible. Their support created an unforgettable experience that I will carry forward in my career.”
Foster said the experience made him appreciate turfgrass management even more.
“Everyone who was involved in this opportunity has a passion for their roles, and you were able to see it,” he said. “I feel extra motivated to grow and improve to start my career in this industry.”