FULL CIRCLE: Rob Schrader Named Director of Golf at Treetops Resort
By Greg Johnson –
Rob Schrader, recently named the director of golf at Treetops Resort, proves you can come home again.
Schrader, 55, started his full-circle golf career as a bag drop employee at Treetops in 1988 at the original Masterpiece course.
“I started at bag drop here, then spent four or five years splitting my time between Florida in the winter and Treetops in the summer,” he said. “After that, I worked at a few other area courses, like Michaywé Pines, then moved to Arizona and worked there year-round for a while. Eventually, I came back to Treetops. I stepped away from the business briefly but got back into it. I had the opportunity to come back to Treetops and work with Mark Hogan (head golf professional at Treetops), a great guy who goes way back to the start of the (Gaylord Golf Mecca).”
Along the way, Schrader built an impressive resume with golf positions at Grand Cypress (Florida) and Desert Mountain (Arizona), just to name a few. He also worked alongside some of the game’s top golf instructors. Including Rick Smith, the original head golf professional at Treetops, and the legendary Jim Flick.
“I learned from some great people at some great places, and that all started at Treetops,” he said. “I remember Treetops when it was new. I’ve been in the golf business for a long time and coming back here and helping Treetops with a fresh outlook is what the people here are going after. After I reached out to Mark, he worked to bring me back. It is kind of a full-circle career for me.”
Schrader describes himself as a golf guy and a family guy.
“We’ve gone back and forth, down south, out west, renting, trying to run a family while moving around, and we’ve always just loved Gaylord,” he said. “We love the area, the history it has for us, and the whole family just feels welcome when they’re here, especially at Treetops.”
He said it is wonderful to be home again.
“It’s exciting to be here, to have the opportunity at where I started on the bag drop, where they introduced me to golf. Now I get to come back, help them and thank them for giving me the opportunity,” he said. “I know the property like the back of my hand, and it’s great to see the people here are still all about the clientele. The core values have not changed since 1988. It’s a good fit.”
He said his goal as director of golf is to elevate the golf experience for every golfer who visits.
“I have the experience and the passion. It feels great to be back,” he said. “I can’t wait for golf season to start.”
