Mowing fairways at Waushara Country Club is rewarding for 94-year-old Wautoma man

Don Bertyzk, 94, Wautoma, retired as Postmaster from the Wautoma Post Office after 25 years; he served 58 years with the Wautoma Area Fire Department and has worked at Waushara Country Club for the past 25 years. He is bright and spry and continues working five days a week!
Bertzyk said that when he first retired from the post office, he had a long list of things to do. He soon completed that list and then needed something fulfilling to fill his days. Then, 25 years ago, he was asked to help mow at the Waushara Country Club for two days in one week, and he never looked back. He is hooked on mowing fairways from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. (depending on daylight) to 11 a.m. or noon, five days a week, for a total of 32-34 hours. He said his new mower has lights on it, so now he can even mow in the dark.
He said he enjoys the outside work. No training was needed on how to mow, just how to run the mower. “I wanted to do striping on the fairways and just kept with it till I accomplished the mission,” Bertzyk said. It is just so rewarding to look back at my work; I can now do angles and checkerboard patterns, he added. Recently, the WCC purchased a new machine for him, and he is quick to tell you, with a twinkle in his eye, that he has the only mower with an awning to protect him from the sun and rain. He said his new machine is a beauty and the cost is over $80,000.
Mowing the 27 fairways and greens at Waushara is completed week after week by a 7-person crew of retired men who all work part time under the direction of Chad Weis, maintenance supervisor. Bertzyk said that Weis takes care of the fertilizing, chemicals, irrigation, etc., and the seven-man crew does the mowing. On the 27-hole course, it needs constant mowing, and a schedule is displayed on a whiteboard in the maintenance shed. Bertzyk says they gather around the table each morning for coffee and conversation before heading out on the course. They mow the fairways three times a week, and if they aren’t cutting, they are rolling.
Jordan Gerth, WCC Assistant Manager, and Jeff Eggers, WCC General Manager, said the course has had an excellent year with over 20,000 rounds of golf played. Gerth said that the course has had outings that reserve the entire course. “This year we had Operating Engineers with 280 golfers,” Gerth said. Next year there are four outings requesting the entire course, so the 27-hole course has been very popular with fundraisers.

Eggers and Gerth both agreed the women’s golf league continues to make an impact. The Women’s Invitational is always a great event, and Gerth says, “I just stay out of their way and let them tell me what they need.” They decorate holes, set up prizes, and do so many fun things to make it a success.
Eggers said he is in his second year as general manager and works with a staff of 25-30; only three are full-time. Waushara Country Club rents out its clubhouse complete with a large banquet room and full bar. Once the outdoor golf season finishes in late October, the club has indoor golf simulation leagues that play weekly. Waushara Country Club is open year-round for residents and visitors to enjoy. Their new digital lighted sign is the latest addition to the course and has brought in many new visitors and players.
Whether you are playing 9 or 18 of the 27 holes in the morning at Waushara Country Club, you will find Don Bertzyk on the fairways somewhere along the way – wave and give him a thumbs up for a job well done, enjoying his best life doing what he loves at the age of 94. He will be driving his new Toro, easy to spot as he is the only one with an awning.
Every senior citizen, after retiring, looks for their role in the next chapter of life, and certainly Don found his. Waushara Country Club is lucky to have Don, and Don is lucky to have Waushara Country Club – just a great match!