"Let's Play 9!"

For January we are going to spotlight on the first of our three local pros. This month we are going to find out a little more about Rodd Slater, Two Rivers Golf Course’s head pro and in the last couple years, chief of other duties as assigned.

For those of you who don’t know much about Slater, he was born in Rock Valley, IA and raised in Cherokee, IA along with siblings Ken and Ann (both accomplished golfers as well!).

Rodd went off to Northwestern College in Orange City, IA where he played football and baseball for the Red Raiders until his graduation in 1990. After college, he spent five years working in consumer finance in Rapid City, SD and Rochester and Minneapolis, MN. Golf was only recreational those years.

In 1996, Slater joined Two Rivers as an assistant pro and after some practice and play, passed the PGA playing test and was later promoted to PGA Head Golf Professional.

At the beginning of his tenure at Two Rivers, the course was in its last year as the original Boat Club layout. In fact, on the final day of the course being open, he was the last person to play the two holes that were removed the next year when Tyson began to build. Over the last 25 years the course went through a few layout changes and eventually settled into what it is now, a solid par 70 golf course where accuracy off the tees and for approaches are critical.

Over the last two years, Slater has overseen some major improvements at Two Rivers. First, a giant pond was added along the right side of both #16 and #17 and that was no minor undertaking. Next, additional sprinklers were installed in the fairways to accompany the existing watering system. This allowed the majority of the rough to now get watered as well and not just the fairways. Last year, another huge pond was installed in between #1 and #18 as well as a new tee box for 18 that makes it a 600 yard par 5 finishing hole with water down the right side and OB left. Also last year, a new driving range concrete pad was installed and a top of the line hitting mat laid down. The range was also elevated and had sprinklers installed to assist in regrowth as the teeing areas are moved around. Finally, over this past winter, the entire golf cart shed was torn down and a huge cart shed along with part of the machine shop is going in. This new shed is elevated to help in the event of the Big Sioux flooding.

Rodd, with his wife Chandee are raising two sons, Cash and Atticus. He enjoys spending lots of time with the family and traveling with Chandee. Of course, playing golf with his boys is a highlight but so is being able to watch them compete in various sports in the Dakota Valley school system.

Now, let's see how Rodd fares in our inward 9...