Education Partners

The Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF), the region’s umbrella golfing body, has launched a Certificate in Greenskeeping (CIG), the first of its kind in Asia.

Aimed at supporting education among golf course superintendents and improving conditioning of golf courses, the initiative is backed by The R&A, the game’s ruling golf organisation.

Richard Walne, the AGIF’s President, said: “We are excited to announce the development of this programme. The objective is to be able to offer an accessible, affordable and internationally recognised certification for superintendents.”

Walne, who is also Toro’s Australia and Asia Pacific Managing Director, said the Certificate in Greenskeeping will launch over the next three years across several markets in Asia.

“We have had productive and positive discussions with turfgrass management organisations in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

“The Certificate will provide a much-needed education path for turfgrass professionals in Asia, which already exists in North America, the United Kingdom and Europe and Australia and New Zealand,” Walne said.

Steve Isaac, Director – Sustainability at The R&A, said: “The R&A has agreed to support the AGIF Certificate in Greenskeeping as part of our greenkeeper education programme. This is a positive development for the golf industry in Asia and we are excited at being involved with this initiative.”

Education Partners in the programme are Jacobsen, Jebsen & Jessen, John Deere, Syngenta and Toro, all Executive Members of the AGIF, a not-for-profit organisation boasting more than 100 member companies from all areas of the golfing industry.

Education is one of the core activities of the Federation that will mark its 10th anniversary in 2019. More than a dozen AGIF-organised educational events across the region will take place this year.