IGFH Map 🗺

Meet somebody a short drive away, or on the other side of the world. Communicate stories of successes, hardships, and learning experiences. Lend a helping hand, give information to a prospective employee about where you’re from, investigate an area you wish to work, and begin to build your network exponentially within this new and innovative, first-of-its-kind, IGFH Member Map platform.

Between making the world a more accessible place, encouraging safe and educated travel for work, and providing the seeds of professional networking in areas people are yet to visit, we imagine this tool to be a unique and helpful offering, solely provided by and for the IGFH community, with our shared motivations in mind for positive and productive communication.

We welcome input on how we can better utilize this tool to make the experience better for all.

What Is The IGFH Map?

The IGFH Map is an interactive network that allows IGFH members to browse and contact like-minded turf management professionals around the world.

The Map gives industry professionals the ability to research new areas of the world by searching countries and localities, and finding contact information for local turf managers or turf industry-related professionals.

If you’re not set to travel yourself, but want to participate, you can act as a regional resource for individuals looking for more information about your area. If you’re contacted by another member, you can give honest input on the types of grasses they manage, your local climate conditions, common issues, and the highlights of working in your country or city.

Both travel seekers and local resource participants can gain exposure to the worldwide turf industry population to seek employment, build their personal networks, or offer hiring abilities to a larger crowd of job seekers.

Whether you find yourself curious about what it’s like to work in another city in your home country, or what steps would be helpful to take in finding a job on the other side of the globe, this IGFH Member Map is a great place to start because of the welcoming and inclusive motivations we all share.

I’m a traveler seeking to use this map. How do I start?

We recommend that you mentally list the top three areas you wish to research. Consider the turfgrass surfaces you wish to work on, as well as the climate, social scene, safety, history, and demographics of the areas you’re considering.

Narrow your top three, and begin using the map to investigate the contacts shown in the IGFH Member Map. Once you find some sources within the area that interests you, and who match the type of grounds you’re looking to manage, use the email address provided to contact the person.

Ask whatever questions you may have, and hopefully, this contact will supply you with the information you’re looking for, or point you in the right direction to learn what you need to know prior to beginning your job search.

It could be the case that this contact knows of open positions available in the area, or the best places to look. This platform should give you confidence in the knowledge that you’re contacting a like-minded turf professional.

I’m not looking to travel, but I’m happy to be a resource for my locality. What do I need to do?

Simply enter your contact information and you’ll be tagged to your region on the map. When prospective travelers or local professionals search your area, they can use your listed e-mail address to contact you for information about your area.

We ask that you respond openly and honestly, and if the answers to questions aren’t known, just provide some insights into starting points to help the person learn more about your region. We don’t expect each participant to be a full-on expert on their area—more a friendly like-minded connection, who can act as a “light-house” or an “oasis”, providing guidance regarding their locality. Once contacted, consider your network expanded.

I have an open position at my workplace, and I’m considering hiring an international employee. What can I do to communicate this on the map?

We’re constantly improving the usability of this map. Eventually, we plan to introduce unique identifiable icons on your tag, which you can use to notify the community that you are currently hiring. This type of notification could also be used to encourage volunteering for events at your club.

We expect this ability to encourage exposure and open lines of communication far and wide for international hiring. Contact us for more about posting current job openings.

I am a university faculty member or turf consultant. How can I make use of this map?

Enter your contact information and we’ll tag your location on the map. By acting as a resource for the global turf community, you can extend your customer or student base.

Members may contact you for general information about your university, career mentorship, or any other educational information/advice. This gives you the opportunity to recruit prospective students to your programs, services, or online education platforms.

I own a turf-related business. Can I tag my business to be seen on this internationally utilized map?

We’re working to allow businesses to purchase advertising space on the map in the form of a visible tag over your store locations or dealerships.

By showcasing your company on our Map, you have a great opportunity to build your brand awareness and get your business seen by a wide variety of turf professionals within the IGFH community. Contact us to learn more about advertising opportunities.

How will this Map be monitored for proper use?

We rely on participant reporting to notify us of any unwanted communications or generic solicitations. That type of communication will not be tolerated, and may result in removal from the Map and a ban on re-addition to the Map.