L-R: Brody Piel (BS ’25), Ethan Flahaven (BS ’18) and Otto Hoehl (Rising Senior).
Three Purdue turf science students and alumni—Ethan Flahaven (BS ’18), Brody Piel (BS ’25), and Otto Hoehl (Rising Senior)—are showcasing their expertise at the prestigious Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois. Flahaven, a 2018 graduate, is the north course superintendent; Piel, a 2025 graduate, is assistant superintendent for the south course; and Hoehl, a current student, completed a summer internship. Their success stems from early interests in sports and the outdoors, combined with Purdue’s hands-on turf science program and mentorship from faculty like Dr. Cale Bigelow. The article, published by Agricultural Communications at Purdue, highlights how these Boilermakers are applying classroom knowledge to maintain elite playing conditions at one of the Midwest’s most iconic golf venues.