Evan Richter's internship at Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville taught him that it's the details which make a course great.
Evan Richter of Annapolis got his first outdoor job in high school caring for the grounds at Kinder Park and Farm in Millersville, MD. As he mowed and lined sports fields, he realized his appreciation for outdoor work. When he began thinking of his future, Richter realized he could mesh his love of golf with his desire to work outside, which led him to the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA).
Majoring in Golf Course Management, Richter completed his summer internship at Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville, MD. His responsibilities included all aspects of golf course maintenance: mowing greens, fairways, and rough, raking and draining bunkers, and changing cup locations on the greens. Richter gained knowledge of mixing chemicals, managing employees, and budgeting finances; yet, his favorite part of the internship was cutting fairways. Being able to see how his cut lines enhanced the look of the course gave Richter pride in his job. The internship gave Richter more insight into what is involved in a golf course management career. He learned that it is the small details that make a course great.
As a player, Richter enjoys walking onto a course and seeing the fresh, perfectly cut fairways, the raked bunkers, and the well-placed cups. Learning the work that goes behind these details has had a huge impact on him and has enhanced his passion for a career in golf course maintenance. He now has a great appreciation for the work when he walks on a new course to play.
Richter’s supervisor praised his work, saying, “Evan is always willing and eager to learn a new skill, especially working with new machinery. However, he is also a great team player and knows that the small jobs like cutting cups and raking bunkers are just as important as the bigger jobs like cutting fairways.” Richter’s internship gave him a deeper appreciation for the beauty of a course and what it takes to maintain that beauty. He is determined to do well in the field of Golf Course Management.
