Westminster National Golf Course Welcomes
Students from Elmer Wolfe Elementary School
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Westminster National Golf Course
2158 Littlestown Pike, Westminster, MD 21158
Hosted by
Ryan Kraushofer, CGCS
443-865-3232
westminsternationalgc@yahoo.com
Volunteers Needed! Please contact Ryan Kraushofer
Host Superintendent, Ryan Kraushofer is requesting volunteers to help with this fun day of mentorship and education. Please contact Ryan directly at westminsternationalgc@yahoo.com if you would like to volunteer.
Students from Elmer Wolfe Elementary will take part in an exciting First Green Field Trip at Westminster National Golf Course, where hands-on learning brings science, math, and the environment to life. Guided by golf course professionals, students will rotate through a series of interactive stations that highlight the many ways STEM connects to the game of golf and the care of a golf course. From putting lessons and soil science to water conservation, course design, robotics, and more, each activity is designed to spark curiosity and showcase the unique role golf courses play in both recreation and environmental stewardship.
9:55-10:10 Organization and Intros
Station 1: 10:15 – 10:33 (18 Minutes) Putting – Our teaching pros will work with the students to teach them the proper way to putt and to read contours in a green. This station will conclude with a friendly putting competition.
Rotation 3 minutes
Station 2: 10:36 – 10:54 (18 Minutes) Soils - Golf courses are community green spaces that provide recreational and environmental benefits to local areas. Golf courses are large parcels of land with healthy turf, trees and other vegetation. Collectively, they provide wildlife habitat, improve air quality, reduce noise and dust, filter surface water, recharge ground water supplies, and in many cases, are used to reclaim and restore environmentally damaged sites
Rotation 3 Minutes
Station 3: 10:57 -11:15 (18 Minutes) 411 of Golf – Students will learn about physics in golf. Such as why does a driver go further than a five iron. Once their groups ball has been hit, they will measure the distance the ball went and then convert the feet into yards.
Rotation 3 Minutes
Station 4: 11:18 – 11:36 (18 Minutes) Water Conservation - Water comprises 80 to 85% of the weight of a grass plant. In most locations, supplemental water in the form of irrigation is needed to maintain healthy turfgrass plants throughout the season. Efficient water use is a very important component of a golf course maintenance operation. Students will learn how Golf Course Superintendents do their part to conserve water use
Rotation 3 Minutes
Station 5: 11:39 – 11:57 (18 Minutes) Golf Course Architecture – Students will learn what goes into designing the perfect golf course. What features are needed to benefit wildlife on a golf course – Students will be given the opportunity to draw their vision of a golf hole
Rotation 3 Minutes
Station 6: 12:00 – 12:18 (18 Minutes) Math - Superintendents use math on the golf course in many ways and area measurements are the most important. A golf course superintendent should be able to accurately calculate the size of an area. Once the size is calculated and an application rate is chosen, the total amount of seed, fertilizer, or topdressing sand to be used can be determined. Students will figure out the square footage of the tee box. They will also learn how averages are used to determine green speeds.
Rotation 3 Minutes
Station 7: 12:21 – 12:39 (18 Minutes) Robotic Mowers – Students will learn how Robotic Mowers are changing how golf course superintendents take care of their properties. Robotic mowers use a combination of technologies to operate autonomously, including boundary systems (virtual or physical wires), sensors (GPS, RTK, LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic, and IMUs) for navigation and obstacle detection, and complex algorithms to determine mowing paths
Wrap Up and Group Photo 10 Minutes 12:40-12:55
Sponsors
Schedule
TBA
Busses Arrive Approximately: 9:30 am
Busses Depart Approximately: 1:30 pm
