SUDBURY -- Coworkers, family and members of the Cedar Green golf course are marking a milestone for long-time employee Gerry Laferriere.

Laferriere is marking 51 years as the greens superintendent at the golf course.

“The one thing about working on a golf course is that you have to love it, you can’t just come here and say you’re going to make a salary and you’re going to go," said 78-year-old Laferriere. "It’s seven days a week, and it’s long hours. The job is to run the construction, run the golf course, all the buildings, and be a father to the people that worked for me for years and years. It’s been fun and I hope I can go another, till 95 maybe!”

In honour of Laferriere, the second hole at Cedar Green will be dedicated to Laferriere. In addition, the team has also set up a scholarship in his name.

“John Alpaugh who used to be our general manager now is president of All Turf and he came up with the idea of the scholarship and I was floored by that and thought that’s just a great idea to honour Gerry,” said Sam Yawney, president of Golf Sudbury. “I was thinking about it and 'let us chip in,' so it started out as a thousand dollar scholarship and we bumped it up to $2,000 by doubling it from Golf Sudbury.”

Laferriere said that he is overwhelmed by the support.

“I can’t believe it, this is so great," reflected Laferriere. "For people to do that on my behalf, that is just quite an honour let me tell you to have something like that done."

Laferriere says he does not plan on retiring anytime soon and says he’s really enjoyed being a part of the Cedar Green family for five decades now.