SEPTEMBER 2022 • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 3
|
|
Talking Ocean Organics with Rob Dorsch, Superintendent of Richter Park Golf Course, Danbury, CT
The 3rd edition of our 2022 “Talking Ocean Organics” Newsletter takes us to one of the finest public golf courses in the country, Richter Park Golf Course in Danbury, CT. Our article will focus on Rob Dorsch who’s been the superintendent at Richter Park since 2006.
|
|
Classic beauty -- 5th hole at Richter Park
|
|
We’ll talk about Rob’s personal and professional journey, the special property he looks after, and how he’s incorporated Ocean Organics products into his agronomic programs.
About Rob
Rob was born and bred in Danbury, CT. “I grew up in Danbury and graduated from Danbury High School,” Rob stated, “I became interested in golf and got a job working at Richter Park washing golf carts when I was 15. When I was 16, I worked on the maintenance crew for Tom Pelletier. I also loved to play golf and was on my high school team.”
After high school, Rob attended the University of Connecticut (UConn), majoring in finance. “I attended UConn for a year. I decided to transfer to Texas State University in Waco, TX to continue my finance degree,” Rob recalled, “Texas State was also a turf school. I had a friend, Jeff Smith, who worked in the golf industry. He pushed me to pursue a turf degree and I took his advice.”
Rob, while in school, did internships at Plano CC in Plano, TX and at Lake Kiowa CC in Lake Kiowa, TX, the latter working for his mentor Jeff Smith. Rob graduated with his turf degree in 1994.
|
|
“In 1995, I moved to Scottsdale, AZ and got a job as 2nd assistant at TPC Scottsdale working for Gary Myers. I moved up to 1st assistant later that year.”
After about four years, Rob took another job across the street. “I went to work for Todd Norton at Kierland GC.” Rob remembered, “it was a grow-in and I had worked with Todd previously at TPC Scottsdale. I was part of the team that grew-in the last nine of 27 holes. It was more money and the club was managed by Troon so it was also a good opportunity to grow within their organization.”
That opportunity presented itself in short order. Troon hired Rob to be superintendent at Eagle Glen GC in Corona, CA. in December of 1999. “It was a great golf course and I had a blast,” Rob laughed, “I enjoyed my time there.”
In 2004, Rob faced a dilemma. “My mom still lived back in Danbury. My stepdad was ill with leukemia. My mom couldn’t travel to see her grandchildren. It was a tough time. I resigned my position at Eagle Glen and came back to the east coast,” Rob lamented, “I got an assistant’s position at Silver Spring CC in Ridgefield, CT working for Peter Rappoccio. It was very difficult for me having to take such a big step back. It was a tough transition professionally and personally. I left Silver Springs after nine months and went to work on the commercial side of the business.”
In 2006, the superintendent’s position became available at Richter. Their superintendent, Mark Mansur, had moved on to manage Winterbury Hills GC in Southington, CT.
|
|
“I was contacted by Dennis Keeler who was the head of the authority that ran Richter,” Rob smiled, “and in 2006 I was hired as the superintendent for the course.”
And Rob’s been there ever since. “The one thing that working at Richter taught me is to get a lot done fast,” Rob laughed, “We do a minimum of 40,000 rounds of golf every year. During the height of Covid-19, we were averaging 46,000 rounds for those two years. We’re a factory. The budget is fair but not great. There are 5 full timers including me and about 12 part timers that I mix in. The player etiquette was bad when I got there and it’s gotten worse.”
|
|
“One thing that working at Richter taught me is to get a lot done fast,” Rob laughed, “We do a minimum of 40,000 rounds of golf every year."
|
|
On a personal note, Rob met his better half Misty in Denton, TX and they were married in 1995. They have three beautiful daughters, Skylar-24 (Skylar lives in Arizona and is an Interior Decorator), Payton-22 (Payton works in the industry with Craig Kirby of Golf/My Future My Game & Gina Rizzi of Radius Sports LLC & ARCUS Marketing), and Savanna-18 (Savanna is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina).
|
|
Left to right: Skylar, Savanna, Misty (Rob's wife), Payton
|
|
|
On another note, Rob is a cancer survivor. I haven’t met many people who are as tough, resilient, and as positive as Rob and I thank him for this interview. The added bonus was that we were able to do it at our favorite Danbury watering hole, Rosy Tomorrows.
|
|
About Richter Park
In 1937, Stanley and Irene Richter, a wealthy couple from New York, purchased a working farm at the outer edge of Danbury, CT for use as a vacation home. Stanley died in 1967 and not long afterward Irene donated the property to the city. Danbury turned the house into an arts center and much of the farm into a nine-hole golf course. The Richter’s used to race their horses on what’s now the 5th fairway. The city added more acreage and in 1974, a second nine opened.
|
|
Richter Park quickly earned a reputation as one of the best public courses anywhere. And that hasn’t changed. The routing of the course meanders up, down, and around some very large wooded hills and there are miles of old stone walls and beautiful reservoirs and ponds that frame parts of the layout. No two holes look even slightly the same.
|
|
Richter Park quickly earned a reputation as
one of the best public courses anywhere.
|
|
The course was designed by little known local architect Ed Ryder. Mr. Ryder created a masterpiece that has been rated as one of the finest public courses in Connecticut and the country. Richter plays 6740 yards from the back tees. The course is characterized by its exceptionally large, undulating, and often two-tiered greens. But its most striking characteristic is water. It lurks on 16 of the 18 holes. Serious water crossings are required on no fewer than 8 holes including long carries on two par threes.
|
|
Richter Park hosted the MGA Public Links Championships in 1988, 1992, and 1995, thereby exposing one of the country’s finest public facilities to a far greater audience.
About Ocean Organics
Rob started using Ocean products about 3-4 years ago. In his own words, Rob describes how he incorporated the products into his agronomic programs.
|
|
Ocean SeaBlend Granular Fertilizers: “For many years I used Earthworks granular fertilizers. I first tried SeaBlend 12-4-5 side by side versus Earthworks and it won me over.
|
|
"The SeaBlend 12-4-5 has an amazing first response, the color
is great and very natural looking, and the control is great…
it doesn’t peter out. I’ve also begun the use SeaBlend AS 14-0-4 early in the season. It gives me phenomenal color with no flushes of growth.”
|
|
Ocean Liquid Biostimulants:
|
|
“I use a combination of XP, Stress RX, and Guarantee Natural in my spray programs for greens. The color and plant health have been amazing. This year I suffered through some serious winter kill. The greens were in bad shape and the soil temps were still low so fertilizer wouldn’t have much of an effect in bringing them back. I used XP, Stress RX, and Guarantee in combination to see if they would have any effect. The recovery was great. The greens filled in and the color was unbelievable. We were able to weather the storm and open the course on time.”
|
|
Ocean Surfactants: “I’ve only ever used wetting agents on greens and tees. I used Harrell’s Fleet all the years I’ve been here. With the amount of play we get I needed firm greens so the ball marks wouldn’t be a huge issue. A good friend, Wayne Lagasse of Stonington CC, strong-armed me to try Windjammer. I was a little reticent as we sometimes get 300 rounds in a day. I tried it and loved it. The greens are rock hard and I’ve cut down on watering. In a word, Windjammer is the best wetting agent I’ve ever used. I also use Privateer on my tees and plan to use Helmsman on my fairways next season.”
|
|
The greens are rock hard and I’ve cut down on watering. In a word, Windjammer is the best wetting agent I’ve ever used.
|
|
So, there you have it. Thank you again Rob.
|
|
Visit our website for more about our products
|
|
NuRelease®
Soil and Fertilizer Additive
SeaBlend®
Granular Fertilizer
Stress Rx® Foliar Fertilizer
XP® Foliar Fertilizer
|
|
Guarantee®
Natural Kelp Extract
Turf Surfactants
with a Difference
Helmsman • Mariner
Nautilus • Privateer
Ocean Organics high-performance surfactants optimize nutrient and water use efficiency while helping boost plant fitness. Each formulation contains a surfactant, an infiltration agent, and a biostimulant.
|
|
|
“Thanks for Making Me Look Good.”
– Al Choiniere
“From May through Labor Day, I can sleep at night.”
– Matt Kowal
“The color is fantastic.”
– Ethan Haveman
"The recovery was great. The greens filled in and
the color was unbelievable. We were able to weather
the storm and open the course on time."
– Rob Dorsch
|
|
Superior Strategic Stress Management
Ocean Organics, The Industry Leader
45 Years in the Golf Industry
Best Seaweed Processor — The Mother Ship
All products manufactured in Waldoboro, ME
Superior Surfactants:
Mariner® Privateer® Nautilus® Windjammer®
Superior Liquids:
XP Extra Protection® Stress Rx® Guarantee®
Superior Granular Fertility:
SeaBlend®
|
|
|
Need information? Want to chat?
Email or call your local distributor
or Kevin Collins
914-621-1151
|
|
Manufacturers of High-Performance, Science-Based
Plant Strengthening and Fitness Materials for Growth, Protection, Stress Tolerance and Recovery
|
|
|
|
|
|
|