Catching up with Mark Rathert
Marion High School graduate Mark Rathert began designing his future before he even knew it on the former sand greens at Marion Country Club.
Today, he designs golf courses for a living, and loves nearly every minute of it.
The Marion County Record caught up with Rathert this past weekend to learn about his job, family, and passion for “Caddyshack.”
Q. What year did you graduate from Marion High School, and how long did you live in Marion?
A. I was born and raised in Marion through high school graduation in 1971.
For a brief period from first grade through fourth grade when we rented a house in Wichita, while my father worked on several building projects.
However, we always had the house in Marion on north Cedar Street. “Ann’s Park” is still on the east half of the property.
Q. What sports and/or activities were you involved in at MHS?
A. Well it’s no surprise that I played golf all four years, some intramural basketball, and summer baseball for a few years.
Team sports never worked out too well for me, so I gravitated to golf where getting to play in the golf tournaments was completely up to my performance, not the coaches’ opinion.
I also played baritone saxophone in the band for three years.
Q. Who was your favorite teacher at MHS and why?
A. I had several who helped shape my future interest.
The late Dwayne Reusser taught mechanical drafting and golf, which I really enjoyed, then John Schultheiss took over his position my senior year.
Leroy Dreier taught me how to type, and I always respected Conrad Steinel, Howard Stenzel, and Rex Wilson.
I wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed while there, as applying myself was a bit of a problem, but I did have a good social life driving a ’62 Valiant up and down Main Street.
Don Heinrichs was the guidance counselor who suggested that college might be too difficult for me. As they say, you can’t always judge a book by its cover; I did just fine in college.
Q. What education and career paths have you taken since leaving MHS?
A. I graduated from Butler County Community College with an AA degree in 1973, and then transferred to Kansas State University.
I enrolled in the college of architecture and design, majoring in landscape architecture and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture in 1977 (with honors, to Mr. Heinrichs surprise).
Upon graduation, I started work for Robert Trent Jones, Jr. “golf course architect” in Palo Alto, Calif.
I then left Jones to work with Mike Poellot, a former vice president with Jones, until 1989 when I started Rathert Int’l. Golf Design. This is my 31st year as a golf course architect.
Q. Where do you live, and where else have you lived since leaving MHS?
A. We currently live in Greenwood Village, Colo., a suburb of Denver.
After graduating from KSU we moved to the Bay Area of Northern California where we spent 15 years, then the Denver area for the past 16 years.
Q. What is one thing your former classmates may not know about you?
A. I have designed more than 80 golf courses in 10 countries and 14 states.
I have flown more than two million air miles, and for 15 years of my career I was away from home working more than 250 days a year; which would add up to quite a few hotel room nights.
You can consider me a true travel and hotel snob, as I know what I like!
Q. Since leaving high school, what have been the biggest priorities in your life?
A. My family. I am proud to say that I have been married to Kathy (Kelsey), MHS class of 1974, for 32 years.
We have one child, Heather, who is the love of our lives.
Heather has some medical issues that required constant attention for her first 12 years, and Kathy did a marvelous job keeping her well, especially with all my travels and no local family support.
Heather graduated from the University of Denver in 2005 with a degree in Accountancy.
She is currently working for EKS&H a large accounting firm here in Denver.
This past year she married Jonathan Edwards. He is a computer programmer working for SLS; Specialized Loan Servicing.
We like being close by and watching their lives and careers take off together.
Q. KU, K-State, or a different school?
A. Kansas State because it has a nationally ranked department of landscape architecture.
Honestly back then, my mother didn’t have the resources to send me to a private school, nor did I really understand the importance of that kind of education.
When I graduated from K-State, I was selected by my professors to enter the ASLA National Student Competition for the top students in landscape architecture.
My entry was a golf course and housing development design.
It must have been pretty good as I won the competition. Shortly thereafter, I received a letter from Harvard University inviting me to enter their masters program.
About the same time, I also received a job offer from Robert Trent Jones who you could consider the “Harvard” of golf course architecture.
I chose to go to work for Jones. How blessed can you be, getting to go do what you dreamed of doing?
Q. If you could be the star of one movie or TV show, what would it be?
A. Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack. He played the Al Czervik character.
Q. Obviously you follow golf, what other sports are you passionate about?
A. We follow the University of Denver hockey team, as Heather is a DU alumnus.
I like watching professional football and I guess the [Denver] Broncos have grown on me since living here in Denver.
Occasionally, some Rockies baseball; if they are in the World Series.
Q. What is the most challenging aspect of your current job?
A. Finding a project to work on, as golf courses have been somewhat over developed here in the United States.
The economy has currently limited private clubs from doing many significant renovations.
There are a few prospects here and there, but most of the opportunities are out of the country. So, I may have to relocate overseas as I don’t feel up to the grind anymore of flying back and forth.
We’ll have to wait and see what’s next.
Q. If you were stranded on a desert Island, who are three people you would not want with you?
A. Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reed, and John Kerry. May I add Al Gore too?
Q. What are your best memories of MHS?
A. I enjoyed developing great friendships and having the freedom to do some stupid things and learn from my mistakes.
I wish I would have been a better student, but I was still searching for my passion.
After all, that is what school is all about; being exposed to many things and hopefully something will grab your interest.
Golf was my sport, and mechanical drafting was my best subject, which led me to landscape architecture.
I blended that with my passion of golf to become a golf course architect.
I still fondly think about learning to play the game on the sand greens of Marion Country Club, as I have now played three-fourths of the top 100 courses in the United States.
Q. Do you follow politics? If so, who do you think (not who do you want) will win the 2008 presidential election?
A. I have been known to have some observations, opinions and, comments!
John McCain: I have faith that the Hollywood production and young peoples love affair of B.O. will not produce the result the mainstream media keeps predicting.
Q. If you could meet one person no longer living, who would it be?
A. My mother: I miss our conversations.
She always was there to give me either the encouragement I needed, or a good kick in the butt!
Today, I guess it would be a big kick in the butt!
If you would like to nominate a MHS grad for “Catching up with...,” contact Mike Norris at mnorris817@gmail.com, or (620) 382-2165.
Last modified Aug. 6, 2008