Thursday, March 28, 2024

Golf a way of life for Jeff Wendler

Jeff Wendler is a 1975 graduate of Kasson-Mantorville High School. He was very involved playing sports at K-M participating in cross country, with coach Lance Peterson, basketball, and said he really enjoyed golf, with couch Larry Engel where he won the individual HVL conference title. He also earned All-Conference honors in both golf and cross country.

His dad, Gene, enjoyed playing golf, and he got Jeff started when he was around eight years old. Since there are several places that the Zumbro River cuts through the Zumbro Valley Recreation Club (ZVRC) course, his dad would have him use the balls with slices in them when he got close to the water areas. When Jeff’s game improved, his dad let him use the better balls to continue to play.

Jeff said he was really excited the first time he could finally beat his dad’s score when he was 13 years old, and he shot a 39 that day. On Saturday mornings, his dad would drop him off at the course to look for lost golf balls. When his dad would return, they would play 18 holes of golf. Some of his best memories growing up were playing golf with his dad, he said.

During the summer, Jeff played golf and baseball, and Bob Rose would organize the summer baseball youth games. Jeff became a pretty good pitcher, and he earned the nickname “Fireball Lefty.” He pitched a perfect game against their rival Dodge Center in the summer of 1969. Since he enjoyed both baseball and golf, his dad told him that he was a pretty good golfer so he should really concentrate on golf instead.

He switched to golf during eighth grade and his baseball teammates were not happy. One of his teammates, Lee, told him, “Why do you want to play that sissy sport,” and another teammate, his long-time catcher, Ron, was also upset.

Jeff got a job at Zumbro Valley when he was 16, and he worked on the grounds crew being the low man on the job. By the third year he was the outside superintendent. His fourth year he was given the opportunity to be the overall general manager at ZVRC. His pay went from $2/hour during his third year to a whopping $3/hour in his fourth year.

One of his sisters, Diane, who was going to school to be an RN, was a big help to him in the clubhouse. After graduating from K-M, Jeff enrolled at RCTC and was thinking about Recreation and Business, but did not finish his degree.

During the winter months when he was not at the golf course, Jeff would help manage the bowling alley in Kasson. When the owner left town, Jeff and his dad looked at the possibility of taking over the business, but decided against it. They also looked at building a new bowling alley in Kasson, but later decided against doing the project.

Jeff completed a two-year course at the Rochester Vo-Tech, and earned a machinist and mold making degree and considered that type of work for a while.

Jeff felt after his fourth year at ZVRC, his thoughts wandered and he wanted to be back outside working. The Oaks golf course opened the summer of 1977. Several Hayfield people were members at ZVRC and they would talk with Jeff about their new course opening up.

In the early spring of 1979 the Oaks hired Roger Freerksen to be their new superintendent. Roger needed an assistant superintendent and Jeff met Roger in hopes of getting the job. Roger drove Jeff around the Oaks course and it had suffered much damage from the severe 1978 flood. Jeff told him he was ready to work for him and he was Roger’s assistant for the next five years when Roger left to start his own trucking business in Dodge Center. Jeff speaks highly of Roger and of what he learned working with him. Jeff would end up working a total of 44 years at the Oaks Golf Club with a ton of good memories. During his last year, he worked alongside Mike Hasley, Jeff’s 13th golf pro to work with, and Rita Srock, Jeff’s 12th clubhouse manager but they are both #1 in his mind, and they continue to be on the staff.

Jeff was proud that he was able to put so many young and retired people to work over the years at the Oaks. For many students this was their first job, and he would tell them his four work rules to follow: Be on time to work, listen and do what I tell you to do, have pride in your work, and we’ll have fun. Sometimes the young employees would be harder on the equipment, and the older guys were always on time for work and easier on the equipment. Jeff said they planted hundreds of trees throughout the course over the years at the Oaks, and improved the tee boxes, greens and built 10 new sand traps.

A very special time was when his dad and mom, Gene and Millie, came to work for him at the Oaks for 12 years. Jeff told them he was now their boss when they came to work but he said they were still really his boss. His mom was the gardener, and took care of the flowers and even would sit on the mower. Sherry Heydt of Hayfield is now the Oaks gardener and does a beautiful job. Sherry and her husband Phil have been involved in various projects at the Oaks over the years.

Jeff met his wife in Rochester when he was with a group of car enthusiasts for a Christmas Party. Ruth worked at Michael’s restaurant and lived in Rochester. Her first job after graduating from Dodge Center High School was at the Hubbell House. She is now back at the Hubbell House this past year as a hostess and wine steward (Level 2 Sommelier), and is very knowledgeable on the types of wine that go with foods. Ruth has two daughters Jessica and Mandy and Jeff and Ruth have four grand boys, Carson, Bennett, Jaylin and Zane.

When I asked if Ruth was a golfer, Jeff seid “I have taught many people the game and had her hit practice at a driving range and it did not go well.” She was having trouble hitting the balls and was a big threat to any gophers that might pop their head out of their hole in front of her. The range manager thanked them for eliminating some of the gophers. Ruth told him NEVER to take her to the driving range again! He did ask her again later and she responded, “don’t you remember what I told you before??”

Jeff and Ruth have been married for 21 years and they live in a town home in Dodge Center. Jeff and Ruth are big sports fans, especially the Vikings and Twins. Jeff has a huge baseball card collection including all the Minnesota Twins Rookie cards from 1961-1991 with some of those having a high dollar value. His favorite Twins growing up were Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva. Later on, he really liked Kirby Puckett and Joe Mauer.

Jeff and Ruth really enjoy watching their grandsons play sports at Byron High School even though when he was at K-M, they always wanted to beat the Bears. He now wears a Byron cap and sweatshirt. They are very proud of their four grandsons and Jeff is very proud of his three younger sisters, Diane, Judy and Linda, who are also K-M grads.

This past fall, Jeff decided it was finally time to wind up his work at the Oaks Golf Club. When he told his wife about his decision she told him “as long as I am working you need to find another job.” He had two work possibilities and then he got a call from the ZVRC course if he might be interested. Jeff met with 2 of the board directors, Scott and Ted, and liked what he heard and told them to give him a day to think about it. Jeff talked to his wife about the position and he decided to take the job. He started as the new superintendent at ZVRC on January 1, 2023.

Jeff had a big retirement party at the Oaks at the end of January with 200 people in attendance. He is really thankful for the years he was there, and the great people that he worked with over that period of time, and the many friends he has made.

Jeff has a lot of ideas to make the ZVRC course one of the best in the area, and now with Hidden Pines taking over the clubhouse restaurant, this has been a great improvement. Jeff would also like to be able to do some golfing this year as he got away from it since he was putting in 70 — 80-hour work weeks during the season, which left little time on his own.

He feels golf’s peak years were in the 1980s and 90s but now it seems that for every two courses that open, three will close. It could be the economy that affects the participation as cost is one of the factors.

During the COVID year, it seems more young people became more interested in golf as it gave them something to do outside rather than be cooped up inside. More women now play the game as well as seniors are getting involved with golf.

Jeff has shot a 65 off the blue tee at the Oaks and a 30 for 9 holes at the ZVRC course. He has won a number of club championships at both the ZVRC and Oaks courses. Even though he might not be able to match those scores, he said he will give it a good try.

Jeff has made a complete cycle, and came back to ZVRC where he started out years ago. One of his assistants at the Oaks, Rob, has come along to work for him, and he plans to hire other staff to help accomplish his goals for the course, which will include his two oldest grand boys, Carson and Bennett. He feels even though he may have less hair and added a few pounds from years ago when he started, he still has “enough in the tank” for a few more years to get the job done once again for his board and the club membership. He is looking forward to seeing old friends and to make new friends at ZVRC and can’t wait for spring to arrive.

Photo: Photo by Wayne Hendrickson Jeff Wendler, recently retired from the Oaks Golf Club in Hayfield, didn’t stay retired long. He is now working as superintendent of the Zumbro Valley Recreation Club.

 

 

Dodge County Independent

Dodge County Independent
Dodge County ADvantage
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

Dodge County Printing
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

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