Graduate of University of Guelph program fulfils golf dream volunteering at U.S. Open

One graduate of a University of Guelph program helped maintain the golf course at the U.S. Open.

Connor Brown graduated with a diploma in turfgrass management and participated in his first major professional golf tournament as a crew member between June 12 and 15.

He said everything came full circle for him in Pennsylvania.

“When I was there during my internship at Oakmont, that was the year they actually did the big renovation on the golf course, from redesigning fairways and expanding the green, so I was a part of that, and I got to see that this week being played by the best golfers in the world,” Brown said.

He completed a paid internship at Oakmont Country Club last year through the post-secondary school, and lasting for about four months.

Brown has always had an interest in the sport of golf. He began working on a golf course with his dad when he was 14 years old. He said he’s always wanted to work in one of the high-end clubs where the pro golfers play.

“I just love being outside and it’s a great sport to be active, walking the golf course and no golf course is completely flat so you’re always getting good exercise. You’re always playing with friends and that’s something that I’ve always loved when I was younger, and I still love today,” he said.

Now, he gets the most joy out of producing golf courses at the highest level for other people to play on.

Brown currently works as an assistant superintendent at the Oakville Golf Club, and he said the experience at Oakmont has only made him better at his job.

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He said his biggest takeaway from the tournament was getting to learn new things from different people.

“You’re working with a lot of the best guys in the industry, and you can learn a lot of new things, new way of doing things,” he said.

Brown said he might volunteer again at the U.S. Open after being invited by a course employee at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York, the host of the 2026 tournament.

He’d also like to volunteer at the RBC Canadian Open one day, too, and work alongside other U of G alumni.

“I’d love to be involved with the Canadian Open,” he said. “Just over the past couple of years, I haven’t been able to get down there because I’ve been in the U.S., and this year was the week before the U.S. Open.”

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