One of the many areas on campus that displays all the beauty of UW-Green Bay is the 9-hole golf course, known as the Shorewood Golf Course. Much of this beauty is due to the hard work and dedication of the golf course superintendent, Nathan (Nate) Rusch. Nate is responsible for keeping the course running and in tip-top shape through the golfing season. Nate does a spectacular job managing the grounds and ensuring the course is void of any gophers. He also maintains the equipment and oversees several student employees at the Shorewood. During the off-season, Nate can be found on any one of the many campus roadways, plowing and salting. Nate is a 1999 graduate of UW-Green Bay with a degree in Biology and Environmental Science. He comes from a family of teachers, so he thinks it only fitting to be working at the university in an education setting.
Nate loves to travel and also enjoys boating, camping and biking. On and off the job, Nate is always on the go. When asked what he enjoys outside of work, he said “I have recently started biking on a regular basis. On a nice day I will try to get 20-40 miles on”. Make some time to visit the beautiful course, and be sure to stop and say hi… if you can manage to catch a second with this active employee!
Pictured with Nate above is “Divot”, Nate’s female companion who has been with him for 15 years!
Position at UWGB: Golf Course Superintendent
Summary of what you do: I manage the grounds and equipment at Shorewood Golf Course. The winters are spent with the Grounds Department in Facilities where I maintain the roads on campus plowing and salting and work as a mechanic when there is no snow removal.
How long have you been employed: 10 years come September 2015
Brief history of employment with UWGB: I was hired on as Golf Course Superintendent for Shorewood Golf Course September 2005
Three words that describe you: Adventurous, Inquisitive, Quiet (at least until I get to know you)
Personal interests: Travel, Boating, Camping, Biking
Random facts/interests: I was one out of ten people chosen in the nation for a golf course management internship at Disney. I was offered a fulltime position right before I was supposed to leave so I did not end up going. It would have been a great experience and often wonder where I would be if I had accepted it.
– Any favorite line from a movie? Any line from Carl Spackler in Caddyshack, of course.
– Favorite travel spot? I love to travel but my favorite trips have been to Europe. I’ve traveled there five times and have loved every trip.
– Tell us a little about yourself. I am a UWGB grad, class of ’99 with a degree in Biology and Environmental Science. I started out working at Branch River Country Club in Manitowoc in 1997 and grew to love the work. Once I graduated from UWGB, I was hired on as the Assistant Superintendent at Branch and worked there until 2005 when I became the Superintendent of Shorewood.
– Tell us a little bit about your family. I come from a family of teachers. My sister teaches band in Lancaster, WI, my Dad is a retired Woods teacher and my Mom taught special needs students. I guess it’s only fitting that I work at a University.
– What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most? I really enjoy working with the student employees and seeing them grow over the years. Many of my students come into the job not knowing anything about turf maintenance and after a year or two, they are out there leading projects and coming up with great ideas for the course.
– What book did you read last? Rick Steves’ Portugal
– What do you like to do on your days off? If I have enough time, I love to travel. This is difficult to do with my job though. Even when I am gone, my phone is always on. Otherwise, in the summers I will get the boat out as much as I can and try to go camping a few weekends a year.
– What does a typical day look like for you? Every day is different for me. I have an idea of what we will work on for the day when I get in to work in the mornings, but things always come up. The job definitely keeps me on my toes! Some of the roles I play on a daily basis are mechanic (with approximately 35 pieces of equipment and 24 golf carts to keep running, this is a huge part of my job), ecologist, pathologist, office manager, irrigation tech, equipment operator and carpenter. In the winters, I put many miles on the truck, plowing and salting all of the roads on campus.
– What is your favorite sport? Definitely volleyball, although Kickball in the Quad every Wednesday is a close second.
– What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work? I have recently started biking on a regular basis. On a nice day I will try to get 20-40 miles on.
– What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? Has to be either the horse burger I had in Ljubljana, Slovenia or octopus rice in Lisbon, Portugal.
– Where would you like to go on a dream vacation? Really hoping to get to New Zealand this coming spring.