Dream of managing a golf course? Our program, the only one in the northeast, builds skills in turfgrass management, while providing insight into operating the course as a business. Work on our 18-hole golf course as well as numerous athletic fields as part of your learning experience.  Put your knowledge and skills into practice through paid summer internships.  The golf economy is huge and still growing and all our graduates are employed.

The Golf Course Superintendent major offers instruction for students interested in becoming golf course superintendents. Students complete a sequence of courses emphasizing horticultural practices, turf management, pest management, equipment management, irrigation management, budget planning and preparation, personnel management, and public policy. Students are required to participate in a summer internship at the conclusion of each academic year while enrolled in this program.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree program in Golf Course Management is designed to prepare future management personnel for the growing number of golf courses in the region and the nation. Graduates of the program qualify for assistant managerial positions at various golf courses, and after gaining sufficient experience, may become candidates for management positions in the golf course industry.

The program builds upon the long history of excellent two-year A.A.S. programs at SUNY Delhi in Golf Course Operations, Hospitality Management, Business Management, and Recreation Management. The Golf Course Management program offers a well-integrated curriculum that incorporates the liberal arts, general business, turf management, and hospitality management theory and application. In addition to completing a core set of courses, students select one of two program majors. These majors require an extensive 15-week internship at an approved national or international internship site.

Facilities

SUNY Delhi is proud of the outstanding facilities that support the Golf Course Management program. Delhi is the only college in the Northeast that has an 18-hole golf course that serves as an academic laboratory. The golf course has a clubhouse that houses a full-service restaurant and pro shop, a 30-station practice range, and a chipping/putting practice green. The Turf Education Center, dedicated in 1994 with industry support, houses state-of-the-art equipment, a demonstration laboratory, greenhouses, a classroom, and turf demonstration test plots. Alumni Hall Hospitality Center has a student-operated restaurant and lounge. Farnsworth Hall houses various classrooms and horticultural laboratories. A 35,000-square-foot air structure gives students enrolled in the program year-round opportunity for golf practice, education, and coaching.

Golf is a growth industry. In 2000 alone, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) reported that there were 368 new golf course openings across the country. With this development and growth has come a corresponding need for golf course managerial personnel. The number of college graduates with the combination of technical and managerial knowledge is small considering the demand. Golf Course Management graduates have a competitive edge over those with degrees in narrowly focused areas of expertise or in programs not centered on the industry.

Unprecedented growth in the leisure and service industry has created a demand for golf course managers including clubhouse managers, golf professionals, and golf course superintendents. According to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the Professional Golf Association of America (PGA), there is an ever-increasing demand for qualified individuals who understand the technical aspects of the industry and have the management skills necessary for the overall success of golf facility operations. Delhi's bachelor's degree program in Golf Course Management offers students the opportunity to develop these skills.