Interview With Curt Rohe Executive Director Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association By Brian Weis

Below is an interview with Curt Rohe, the Executive Director at Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association. The following are a few traditional and non traditional golf centric questions that I love to ask influential people in the golf industry.

Can you provide our readers a brief biography? I got my start in golf as a caddie at Boone Valley Golf Club outside St. Louis, then working 6 summer at Boone caddying, outside services and including 3 summers on the grounds crew. After my first year at St. Louis University I answered an ad in the paper for an internship with the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association and became the PJ Boatwright Intern for the 1999-2000 seasons. After college I went to work as Assistant Manager at Franklin County Country Club in Washington, MO. In October 2001, returned full-time to MAGA and was named the Executive Director in 2008.

When did you start golfing and who introduced you to the game? Honest story, I started playing golf in back cow pasture of my younger brothers best friend. They had a small farm and in the summer would cut 9 circles in the pasture and put flagsticks in them. They had a couple Harley Davidson 3-wheel golf carts and we would go back there and knock the ball around.

What is your current home course? The Country Club of St. Albans

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment? Just getting to tell people I do this for a living! So many people ask what I do in the off-season when we do not have tournaments. When I say this is my full-time job they are sort of in awe.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course? Slow play, either when I am playing or when conducting a championship.

What is your favorite club in your bag and why? Driver, that is my most consistent club when playing...and I do not play often.

What is your favorite golf destination? Pine Valley Golf Club. I have had the opportunity to go three times and the experience is unlike any other.

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet? St. Andrews Golf Club, the home of golf.

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play? Pine Valley Golf Club

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why? That it would be less expensive, especially for those getting started. I think the cost of buying new clubs, maybe taking lessons and playing at some clubs is a bit overwhelming to beginners.

Dream foursome (living)? Jack Nicklaus, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods

Dream foursome (living or dead)? Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and Stan Musial

Favorite 19th hole drink? Transfusion