For the past thirteen years, Sadie came to work with me each day. She would “run” the course with me as I made my initial morning tour. Chasing squirrels and birds forte, however she did manage to find the wrong end of a skunk once down on #10. I made it a point to steer her in the opposite direction after that. It was her job to keep all critters at bay keeping your course safe for you to play. I can still see her chasing "full tilt" an eight point buck down #13 fairway and I’ll never forget how I had to “point” her nose at the geese down on #18 until it registered in her brain that those were just bigger Robbins that could be chased too!
Some of you may remember her as “Miss September” 2005 as she was a featured dog in a national calendar ad for Lebanon Turf Fertilizers. I entered her into the contest to see if we could win $2500 for turfgrass research. She came in second. If there were more women working in the profession, she would have won hands down. Men like their bird dogs better than cute and fuzzy I quess.
In the summer she spent her time under the spruce trees at the end of the range when she was not working. In the winter months her time was spent getting out of the way of my feet under my desk. Seldom did I see her “soil” your course. She had a penchant for saving her duty for my lawn at home. Some how I know I’ll miss those “land mines” this summer as I mow my lawn. She's gone but it will be a very long time before she's forgotten.
