TWC Spotlight - Rick Van Rooyen

It’s a lot of early mornings and beautiful sunrises for Rick Van Rooyen. His job isn’t for the weak! If you ever wonder why our greens are beautiful or why our course is one of a kind, he’s a part of the answer!

Rick’s been at The Woodford Club since December of 2023.

“I help take care and maintain the whole outside of the course, from greens, bunkers, rough and the whole outlook of the course,” Van Rooyen said.

You’ve probably seen a picture or two on our Facebook or Instagram that showcase the sunrise through the trees, fog on the grounds, or a rainbow over the pond. He’s got quite an eye for that.

“The most beautiful thing or moment on the course is when we start in the dark (early morning) and while we’re working we can watch the most beautiful sunrises coming up over the course,” he said.

Although it’s a lot of hard work, the payout is more than worth it.

“I just love being out there on the course and seeing what it looks like after we are done with our job for the day and seeing how good it looks,” Van Rooyen explained.

Over the past year, he’s had the pleasure of being a part of all different events at The Woodford Club. One of his favorites was The Woodford Legends Invitational.

“Definitely because it was my first one, the week of the Legends of the LPGA was my favorite,” Van Rooyen said. “The course was perfect and beautiful and I think we did a great job and had a great week.”

Many of the Legends boasted about our course conditions. They applauded Rick and the rest of our team for the hard work they did and the beautiful greens they maintained. These ladies have played across the world, and considered The Woodford Club one of their favorites.

At the end of the day, Rick explained how grateful he is to be a part of The Woodford Club family.

“I’m forever grateful to owners, Mr Chet Blackey, Mr Randy Clay, PGA Pro - Bob Baldassari and Scott Dornbrock, our previous Superintendent, that gave me the opportunity to work at this amazing golf course.
I also want to say Thank you to the great team that I can work with starting with everyone in the Pro shop and then to Joey Walls and Jon Perry who work with me everyday outside on the course.”

We appreciate Rick for all the hard work he does! Thank you Rick!

Thank You, Robert!

The Woodford Club’s Head Golf Professional, Robert Baldassari is leaving us for the season! Tomorrow is his last day.

After a summer full of fun, Robert is heading to Florida to work at Hobe Sound Golf Club.

Over the past few months, many of our members have come to know Robert very well. Throughout this time, Robert said he’s also been able to befriend our members and grow in his position.

“The foundation for a great golf club is already here and there is a lot of room for building and expanding on what we currently have,” Baldassari said. “The opportunity to contribute to growing the game of golf and continue growing the club itself has been instrumental in my role here as the Head Golf Professional.”

While he may not be from Kentucky, our Southern hospitality charmed him.

“Kentucky has so many rich qualities. Personally, I will miss the relationships that I've formed during my time here. I hope to stay in touch with as many of my new friends as possible after I depart back to Florida,” Baldassari said.

He has helped tremendously in our efforts to create an inclusive environment for golfers of all abilities and grow our youth programs. You could often find Robert giving golf lessons, coaching for PGA Jr. League, or keeping everything in the golf shop organized! One of his favorite memories from his time here was The Woodford Legends Invitational this June.

“I have never gotten an opportunity to spend so much quality time with as many intricate and important members of Golf's history and culture as I did during the LPGA Legends week,” Baldassari said. “An honorary shoutout goes to an event called the "Oh! Susannah", which I was so fortunate to be directly involved in the planning and coordination of the tournament.”

While he has a deep golf background, and a plethora of experience, The Woodford Club was unique for him.

“What sets The Woodford Club apart from the rest of the clubs that I worked out of are the people who I've been fortunate enough to spend almost every day with here. The membership here does not have a single bad egg,” Baldassari said. “Everyone is welcoming, relatable, and as modest as they come. It has been an overall pleasure getting to know the ones who have made this club what it is.”

Even though Robert will be trading the Kentucky cold for Florida’s warmth, he’ll carry all of his memories from The Woodford Club with him.

“The Woodford Club will always have a special place in my heart and I will be counting down the days that I can return.”

Thank you for everything you’ve done for The Woodford Club, Robert!

National PGA Jr. Golf League Championship

PGA Certified Professional, Bob Baldassari flew to Texas this weekend to represent The Woodford Club. After a busy weekend, he shared his experience with us. Take a look at what he had to say below!

It was a true honor to represent The Woodford Club as one of the two PGA rules officials at the National PGA Jr. League Championship, held at the stunning Fields Ranch Championship Golf Course at PGA Headquarters, Omni Resort. This national program, and championship event, which I used to oversee during my time at PGA of America HQ, brought together 96 talented young golfers and their families from across the country, creating an incredible atmosphere filled with excitement and camaraderie.

Being "inside the ropes" is always special for me, having done it many times at PGA Championships and Senior PGA events. But there's something uniquely inspiring about witnessing these young players encourage each other, strategize, and celebrate every great shot on the course. You hear them talk about everything from their favorite golfers and football teams to schoolwork and their little brothers and sisters who also play golf. It’s in those moments that you truly see the friendships and sportsmanship that golf fosters.  No doubt, we've seen this PGA Jr League program create lasting friendships for kids around the country. 

Parents were thrilled to see their kids compete, and my fellow PGA and LPGA professionals who coached the teams were having a blast as well. Not only are there life-long memories to be made on the golf course during the competition, but off the course creates fantastic experiences:  One of which was when former NFL star QB Ben Roethlisberger, whose son was playing on the Pennsylvania team, was throwing footballs to the kids diving into the pool. While the parents certainly recognized him as a sports icon, the kids were just as excited to see some guy who could really throw a pinpoint pass!

It was also impressive to watch these young golfers play all day and then continue to practice on the par-3 course, driving range, chipping and putting. Their enthusiasm was boundless, and it was wonderful to see kids from different teams having fun together. 

As the three-day championship was moving into the final day of semi final and final matches, it was amazing to see the level of composure displayed as the excitement and tournament pressure increased.  And especially impressive to see how the kids acclimated to an even higher degree of intensity during the two-hole playoff was remarkable.  They executed incredible shots under pressure. These kids were simply playing golf, hitting shots, and getting excited—all with the eyes of spectators and national TV cameras upon them.

Seeing the genuine emotions from the kids—tears after a tough semi-final match and then turning to smiles and joy as they dove into the consolation match—reminded me of what the PGA Jr. League is all about. It’s not just about winning; it’s about the journey, the experiences, and the friendships they make along the way.  

I'm thrilled to see how the PGA Jr. League has grown since we started it back in 2012 at PGA Headquarters, when the CEO directed me to create a "little league of baseball for golf."  The program's goal has always been to introduce as many kids as possible to this great game, and it's inspiring to see how far it has come. Who knows—maybe one day we'll see a team from The Woodford Club competing for the national championship!

I’m also excited to continue growing our youth golf programming at The Woodford Club. The experience at this championship has only strengthened my resolve to expand our team and provide more opportunities for our young golfers to shine.

Lastly, it was fascinating to watch the behind-the-scenes magic of an ESPN production on the golf course. Working with the cameras, crew, and studio team was a unique experience, even though there was a bit of pressure to get everything right and ensure that the kids’ performances took center stage.

Bob also got the chance to see PGA Tour star Tony Finau! Finau is an assistant coach for the Utah team and his son was a player on that team! What an incredible chance to watch a great golfer coach other great golfers!

Thank you all for your continued support of our youth golf initiatives at The Woodford Club. We’re looking forward to building on this momentum as we head into another exciting year of youth golf!

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Member Spotlight - Marsha Stark

It’s time to shoutout one of our amazing members, Marsha Stark! We’re sure you’ve seen her out and about at The Woodford Club. Whether it’s volunteering at an event or playing a round of golf with her friends, her energy is always the best!

Stark became a member at “Woodford Hills” 40 years ago when she moved from Indiana! Over her time here, she said she’s created many great memories. Most of her time spent on the golf course is with members of the Ladies Association members, but Stark wasn’t always a golfer.

“Moving here from another state, we were strangers, but spending time at the club soon gave us lots of friends. I was actually a tennis player the first number of years here at the club, so when I moved on to the golf course my skills were pretty shaky,” Stark said. “As time went on my game improved, but now that a lot of time has gone on, again, my game is back to being shaky.”

She said she has more amazing memories than she can even list. She recalled when she first moved to Kentucky, when her family’s house wasn’t built yet. Her children “pretty much lived” at the club, which in turn allowed her to meet so many new amazing people. They played tennis on Friday nights and had a great group of people to spend time with.

“We were very involved with the twilight play, stayed for dinner and looked forward to more time at the club on the weekend,” Stark said. “One of my favorite times was being involved in the creation of our “first” Colonel Bogey.  He was a very dapper looking golfer. Over many years, myself and a couple other friends, gave the Colonel an annual facelift and cleanup.  It’s amazing what beauty can come from a storm broken tree.”

She recalled more memories at the Oh, Susannah!

“The Oh, Susannah, lead by Pat Smejkal, has been enjoyed by hundreds of women over the years, so more good memories there too,” she said.

While there were many happy years, Stark remembers the nerves that kicked in when they weren’t sure if they would be able to keep playing golf.

“Then we were blessed with Chet and Randy.  We became The Woodford Club, and again it is my happy place,” Stark said. “Of course, let’s not forget David, the sunshine of our lives.  We have seen so many new and exciting things happen in the last few years.  We have a beautiful golf course, a wonderful staff and restaurant.”

She complimented the Woodford Legends Invitational, and remembered the fun and excitement of the tournament. When she thinks of The Woodford Club, she thinks of family.

“The club was always where we spent time with family and friends, and now that my family has moved on to make their own wonderful memories, we still have our ‘club family’ and we will continue to make more happy memories.” Stark said.

We’re so happy Marsha is a part of The Woodford Club family. Your high spirits and positive attitude shine across the course. If you see Marsha out on the golf course, be sure to say hello!