ATA Member Spotlight on Dennis Weber

Reflections on a Career Well Spent

In 1991 Dennis Weber was working as a Superintendent at Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, North Carolina. He answered an ad for the superintendent’s position at Wynlakes Country Club in Montgomery and spent the next twenty-seven years there until his retirement in October of 2018. The longevity of Dennis’ position there was due to the Jim Wilson family, who built and own Wynlakes. Dennis says, “They have been an absolute joy to work for. I can’t imagine working for a better owner. They simply want the best for our members and they provide the means to deliver the best.”

Dennis and his wife, Karen

Dennis feels working under the kind of conditions provided by the Wilsons has become a rarity in today’s environment. “There is an ever-increasing instability with the golf course superintendent’s position. Golf course management companies have cost many great superintendents their jobs, including their way of life and their family’s way of life. It’s sad.”

Things have changed a great deal since Dennis graduated from Ohio State in 1976 with an Associate of Turfgrass degree. He had previously spent two years studying accounting, but a summer job working for his cousin, Larry Weber, led to a change. Larry, superintendent at Inverrary Country Club in Lauderhill, Florida, was a mentor to Dennis and got him started on the career of his lifetime. Dennis also worked at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, while in college. “It was an awesome golf course with so much history. My other favorite is Old Marsh Golf Club in Palm Beach County, Florida. I worked with Pete Dye during the planning, construction, grow-in, and maintenance of Old Marsh, which was built around and among some huge wetland areas which were federally protected. Best experience ever.”

Dennis is happy to pass along some wisdom to new golf course superintendents: “Thoroughly check out everything before taking a job, including the owners/ employers finances, their commitment to fixing problems, their willingness to purchase needed equipment, and make sure you know who you will answer to in the organization. Also, make certain your family will be happy with the new situation.”

Dennis has been married to his wife, Karen, for 38 years. Karen is a horticulturist/gardener and “the best partner, mother, and grandmother ever!” Their daughter Emily has a daughter and two boys with her husband. They live in Birmingham and Emily is a travel agent. Their daughter Lizzie and her husband have one boy and another due in May. They live in Silver Springs, Maryland. Lizzie travels the world working for a large non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. Their son Bob and his wife live in Ohio and have a baby due, also in May. Bob is in the commercial construction business. Apart from spending time with his family, and Dennis hopes to do more of that now that he is retired, he enjoys following college sports and building and fixing things around the house. He also helps out with his church doing maintenance.

In summing up Dennis says, “I feel very happy and blessed to have had the career I did. I was fortunate to work for some interesting people: Jack Nicklaus for eight years, Pete Dye for two years, and Tom Fazio for two years. All my jobs were great learning experiences that helped me grow and appreciate the job at Wynlakes I’ve held for the last 27 years. “This was the job I, by far, enjoyed the most, because I could grow with my family and my job. We were able to put down roots and make many lifelong friends. I don’t think I would have changed a thing if we had to do it over.”

Dennis has been a strong supporter of the Alabama Turfgrass Association and we will miss him, but hope he enjoys his retirement!