{"id":1320473,"date":"2020-06-11T22:36:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-12T04:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/glenwood-golf-course-greens-keeper-kirk-blaszyk-is-in-heaven-on-the-hill\/"},"modified":"2020-06-11T22:36:00","modified_gmt":"2020-06-12T04:36:00","slug":"glenwood-golf-course-greens-keeper-kirk-blaszyk-is-in-heaven-on-the-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/glenwood-golf-course-greens-keeper-kirk-blaszyk-is-in-heaven-on-the-hill\/","title":{"rendered":"Glenwood Golf Course greens keeper Kirk Blaszyk is in heaven on \u2018The Hill\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image p402_hide\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"701\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/06\/Blaszyk-gpi-061220-1-1024x701.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/06\/Blaszyk-gpi-061220-1-1024x701.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/06\/Blaszyk-gpi-061220-1-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/06\/Blaszyk-gpi-061220-1-768x526.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/06\/Blaszyk-gpi-061220-1-1536x1052.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/06\/Blaszyk-gpi-061220-1-2048x1402.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p><figcaption><strong>Kirk Blaszyk runs the lawn mower at the Glenwood Springs Golf Course on a bright and sunny morning.<\/strong><br \/><em>Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">During the early winter of 2019, Glenwood Golf Course superintendent Jim Richmond faced a difficult decision.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Richmond has been at the helm of the 9-hole course \u2014 known by most as \u201cThe Hill\u201d \u2014 for the last 34 years. Late in the autumn of that previous year, he lost his assistant, Jim Farris, to a long battle with cancer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">For the better part of 15 summers, Farris had been at Richmond\u2019s side, and now there was a big void to fill on the grounds crew that has always been a two- or three-man operation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cHe was a good friend. I spent more time with him during the golf season than I did with my wife,\u201d recalled Richmond. \u201cIt was a big loss.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row gspi-donation gspi-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/PI-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/PI-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Richmond still had part-time mechanic, Clarence Muhme, whom he calls \u201cthe glue that has held the Glenwood Golf Course together through the years,\u201d to help keep things running smoothly. Muhme, who owned the Little Engine Shop in Glenwood Springs before coming to the golf course 20 years ago, has fixed every machine both big and small for Richmond in helping to keep the fairways and greens on the West Glenwood course in top shape.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI think he has worked on everyone\u2019s lawn mower in Glenwood at one time or another,\u201d Richmond said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">With springtime inching ever closer, and the course opening for 2019 just around the corner, Richmond spotted a familiar face taking some practice swings one afternoon on the course chipping green near the maintenance building. The smooth stroke belonged to Kirk Blaszyk who is a regular player on \u201cThe Hill\u201d and who also possesses 22 years of experience as an assistant superintendent at the Aspen Glen Golf Club.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI just walked over to him, kind of joking around, and asked when he was going to come over to the public side of golf and leave the private course,\u201d Richmond said. \u201cHe was interested in the position, but I wondered if we could pay him enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Richmond need not have worried, because the money was never a consideration to Blaszyk when the opportunity to join many of his longtime friends at the GSGC presented itself. A dream job had come knocking at his door.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cLosing Jimmie (Farris), I knew that Jim needed help and I knew that I could step in and do a good job for him,\u201d Blaszyk said. \u201cI was also looking forward to working with (general manager) Jerry Butler and his assistant, Jim Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Blaszyk\u2019s first calling was a career as a chef after graduating from high school in Rockford, Illinois, and attending culinary school in Chicago. He served as an executive chef in that city, as well as Milwaukee and Denver, before his indoctrination into the world of golf came at a very young age. His love of the game has continued to blossom ever since.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMy mom introduced me to the game when I was 9 years old,\u201d Blaszyk remembered. \u201cShe was the president of the ladies club at the Sandy Hollow Golf Club in my hometown. The course was loaded with big trees and narrow fairways. I enjoyed every minute of being out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Blaszyk\u2019s official title is assistant superintendent to Richmond, but with his many years of navigating the 18-hole layout at Aspen Glen, he pretty much knows what to do before he is told.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cHe sees pretty much everything we need to work on,\u201d Richmond said. \u201cHe knows exactly what needs to be done without me telling him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Blaszyk even falls back on his extensive skills in the kitchen from time to time in the Greenside Grill at the golf course.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI cook for many of the special events they have up here, whether it\u2019s a club party, wedding or a class reunion,\u201d Blaszyk said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A highlight of Blaszyk\u2019s life-long golfing passion was winning the Glenwood Open Golf Tournament in July 2017. After having won the men\u2019s club championship the previous fall, Blaszyk said winning the Open was the icing on the cake to a rewarding golf season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI finally got good enough to play in the championship flight and was fortunate to be able to win. It was a big thrill for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">It would be safe to say that being at the Glenwood Golf Course is akin to a daily visit to Shangri-la for Blaszyk. But what he likes most about the gig has nothing to do with mowing fairways or marking a birdie on the scorecard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI love helping to keep things looking so nice up here and the competition of playing golf, but I just enjoy the camaraderie of being around all of these guys. Listening to the old Glenwood stories from people like Roy, David Vanderhoof, Todd Thulson, Terry Wilson, Mark Smith, Richmond, and all the other guys up here is wonderful to me,\u201d Blaszyk said. \u201cAnd, you get a lot of \u2018Thank you\u2019s\u2019 at this place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">It\u2019s beyond a hunch that there will be plenty more remarks of appreciation at the Glenwood Golf Course as long as Richmond, Muhme and Blaszyk keep doing their thing for many years to come up on the hill.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/glenwood-golf-course-greens-keeper-kirk-blaszyk-is-in-heaven-on-the-hill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kirk Blaszyk runs the lawn mower at the Glenwood Springs Golf Course on a bright and sunny morning.Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent During the early winter of 2019, Glenwood Golf Course superintendent Jim Richmond faced a difficult decision. Richmond has been at the helm of the 9-hole course \u2014 known by most as \u201cThe Hill\u201d [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1320473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-19 16:34:54","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1320473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320473\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1320473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1320473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1320473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}