Interview With Jim Richerson, General Manager Kohler Golf

Below is an interview with Jim Richerson, General Manager & Group Director of Golf for Kohler Companies overseeing Whistling Straits and Black Wolf Run. Jim Richerson comes to Kohler from the PGA of America having served as Senior Director of PGA Golf Properties, where he was overseeing day-to-day operations of PGA owned and operated facilities including the PGA Golf Club, PGA Country Club and PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida as well as the highly acclaimed Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. During the first 18 years of his career, Richerson was affiliated with the Marriott & Ritz-Carlton Hotel Corporation, holding various executive and management positions at several of the corporation's upscale golf properties, including Director of Golf Operations at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida as well as General Manager & Golf Professional positions at courses in Georgia, Hawaii, California, Arizona and Missouri. He has been a PGA Member since 1995 and served as a member of the 2010 PGA Championship Executive Committee and is the General Chairman of the 2012 U. S. Women's Open.

The following are a few traditional and non traditional golf centric questions that I love to ask influential people in the golf industry.

When did you start golfing and who introduced you do the game?
Started when I was 8 years old. My father introduced me to the game and his passion for the sport rubbed off on me over the years.

What is your current home course?
Being the GM & Group Director of Golf for the Kohler Co. I'm very fortunate that I have four wonderful home courses. The Straits and Irish courses at Whistling Straits and the River and Meadow Valleys at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, WI.

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment?
Winning the 2010 Gnarly Balls trophy.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course?
Slow play - golf was meant to be played in under 4 hours.

What is your favorite golf destination?
The American Club Resort in Kohler, of course!!

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?
I've been very fortunate to play many great courses all over the world, but have yet to have the opportunity to play Cypress Point in California.

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play?
The Straits - the views, the scenery and the challenge are second to none.

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why?
Free relief from divots. I realize it is a rub of the green situation, but hitting it down the middle and being rewarded with your ball in a divot doesn't seem fair to me.

Dream foursome (living)?
My Wife, my father and any of the four brothers or younger sister. Most enjoyable rounds of the life have always been with family.

Dream foursome (living or dead)?
Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen and Payne Stewart.

18 Rapid Fire, Off The Cuff Questions

1) Hitting Long Drive OR Sinking Long Putt?
Long putt, usually means you have won the hole.

2) Having Round of Life OR Hole in One?
Have been fortunate enough to have a hole-in-one, so I'll go with round of my life.

3) Golfing at the crack of dawn OR twilight?
Crack of down, first group out, playing in under 3 hours.

4) Hit a power fade OR power draw?
Power draw, goes farther and I need every yard I can get.

5) Beverage cart OR halfway house?
Beverage cart.

6) Bathroom OR bushes?
Bathroom, preferable with Kohler products.

7) Hot dog OR wrap?
Brat, Johnsonville brat.

8) Around the green, being in sand OR thick rough?
Sand, easier to determine how the ball will react.

9) Walking OR riding?
Walking with a caddie, best way to play and enjoy the game.

10) Do you carry traditional 3 iron OR hybrid?
Hybrid, 19 degree.

11) Do you prefer long par 3 OR long par 5?
Long par three, only takes one good shot to make a birdie.

12) Pants OR Shorts?
As a PGA professional I always wear pants.

13) Palmer OR Nicklaus?
Palmer

14) Beatles OR Elvis?
Beatles

15) Play for fun OR play for money?
Always play for a little money.

16) Bump and run OR flop shot?
Bump and run, flop shot is typically a last resort.

17) Lay up OR gamble?
Depends on the match, the situation and the potential risk. But usually I gamble.

18) 18 holes OR 36?
36 - twice the fun.