Program Overview

Introduction to Turfgrass Management

Turfgrass management is a great skill for anyone interested in maintaining a lawn or more. Whether you work for a lawn care company, manage an athletic field, landscape at a city park, work at a golf course, or just want the best lawn on your block, our turfgrass management course can help you succeed. This program is also great for anyone interested in a profession that deals with lawn care.

Program Details

This six-week online course will help you master turfgrass management essentials. At the end, you will be able to:

• Identify major cool-season turfgrass species
• Know what types of fertilizer to use in a lawn and when and how to apply them
• Utilize the best irrigation practices for your turfgrass
• Establish a successful turfgrass stand
• Understand the relationship between mowing frequency and turfgrass growth and height

You will also build a basic understanding of turfgrass ecology as well as the various turfgrass weeds, insects, and diseases.

Instruction and Expertise

This program is designed and led by Oregon State University experts in turfgrass management with experience and connections throughout the industry. From golf courses in Europe to Disney theme parks and more, our instructors bring a wide range of knowledge into the classroom. You will benefit from their experience through weekly video lectures and discussion boards.

For your final project, you will develop your own lawn care maintenance report. You will receive valuable feedback and guidance on this report that can help you continue to succeed after the course ends.

Turfgrass Management Program

This course is part of the Turfgrass Management Program that includes the following component courses:

• Introduction to Turfgrass Management
• Introduction to Golf Course Management
• Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety
• Irrigation and Drainage
• Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Suppression Using Fungicides
• Turfgrass Mathematics
• Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management

Please note: This course is primarily designed for those working in northern climates such as Oregon and Washington, Europe, Scandinavia, and parts of Canada; however, course concepts may apply to other climate zones, and some information on warm-season grasses is also covered.

Course Hours and GCSAA Class A Credits

The following courses have the corresponding hours and credits: | Course Title | Course Hours | GCSAA Class A Credits | | --- | --- | --- | | Introduction to Turfgrass Management | 30 | 3 | | Introduction to Golf Course Management | 36 | 3.6 | | Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety | 18 | 1.8 | | Irrigation and Drainage | 21 | 2.1 | | Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Suppression Using Fungicides | 30 | 3 | | Turfgrass Mathematics | 36 | 3.6 | | Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management | 36 | 3.6 |

Course Schedule and Format

• The course is offered online and is asynchronous.
• The course duration is six weeks.
• The course is available during the following periods:
  • Winter: January 5 - February 15, 2026, and February 23 - April 5, 2026.

Course Fee

The total cost for the course is $325, plus a $70 registration fee.

Instructors

The instructors for this course include:

• Dr. Alec Kowalewski, Associate Professor at Oregon State University, with over 17 years of research experience in turfgrass management.
• Charles Schmid, Ph.D., Faculty Research Associate at Oregon State University, with over 15 years of experience conducting research focused on cultural management practices for golf course turf.
• Emily Braithwaite, Faculty Research Assistant at Oregon State University, with research focusing primarily on managing turfgrass diseases.