Golf holes are attractive to different people for different reasons. Some look at holes for length, some for difficulty, others for the shape and slope of a putting surface.

For Rob Lewis, the 12th hole at Country Oaks Golf Club was the attention getter. The elevation change fromthe tee through the green at the par five caught his eye, as well as the creek guarding the approach with the help of a pair of trees defining the entrance to the putting surface.

But Lewis hasn’t yet had the chance to give the 12th hole a try. He’s been too busy with his work of taking care of that hole and the 17 others at the Daviess County course.

Lewis is the new superintendent at Country Oaks. He comes from Midlothian Country Club near Chicago where he was the first assistant to Dave Behrman. In all, Lewis has served at four clubs in four states, including Oakland Hills, Birmingham, Mich., and Caves Valley Golf Club, Baltimore. Both courses have hosted major national tournaments, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open.

“I have always enjoyed golf, and I thought why not

make a career from the game,” Lewis said. “I was raised in Detroit, and started caddying at the age of 13 at Oakland Hills. I’ve always seemed to enjoy being on a golf course, and it just seemed natural to me to be outside on the course.”

The 1992 University of Michigan graduate decided to attend Michigan State in 1996 to pursue his career on the course. He completed the turfgrass management program in 1998 while serving on the grounds crew at Oakland Hills for the 1996 U.S. Open.

He also had the chance to meet one of his golf idols during an early practice round for that tournament.

“I have always been a fan of Nick Faldo,” Lewis said.

“He happened to be on the course for a practice round by himself, and there was no one around. I had some time, so I just started walking behind him. After some time, he invited me to walk along. I had a chance to meet him. It was quite a thrill.”

Lewis now finds similar thrills preparing courses for others to play. He likes a course that offers a level of playability for golfers of all abilities.

“The most important thing to me is how a course plays,” Lewis said. “A course should look good, but it should also play well. There should be some firmness, but the course should play well for every player. The course should reward good shots, but not necessarily be overly penal for high handicappers.”

Lewis believes Country Oaks has that possibility.

“The course has great potential. It is good as it is,

but it can be better,” Lewis said. “I can tell the people that play the course are passionate about the game. I’m looking forward to bringing the course to the best it can be for those players.”

Part of that plan is offering more opportunities for playing shots into the putting surface.

“I would like to get Country Oaks to the point where you can play shots into the green in a variety of ways,” Lewis said.

“Players now often hit high shots to hold the greens. That’s fine, but if we can firm some areas the course is designed to allow players to hit lower shots that run onto the putting surface. I think players should have those types of options where the opportunity presents itself.

“I would also like for the greens to be a bit faster,” Lewis said. “It’s important for the greens to roll true. They don’t have to be overly firm, but they should roll true. Golfers should be able to play the break they see. That’s what I want the greens to be like here.”

Lewis wants those breaks to be consistent this year and for the years to come.

“How a course looks and plays depends a lot upon the treatment you receive from Mother Nature,” Lewis said.

“But I want the course to develop to the point where it is less dependent upon the influences nature has upon it. I want the course to be less susceptible to heavy rains and wetness. We want the course to be enjoyable for a great variety of players under a variety of conditions.”

Becoming the superintendent is the opportunity that Lewis has been anticipating. He believes Country Oaks will be good for him, and that he will be good for Country Oaks.

“It’s very exciting for me to have this experience,” Lewis said.

“I believe that I can take the experience that I have gained and apply it to the course. I have worked to get this opportunity, and I’m excited to have the chance to make the course the best it can be.”

Down the Fairway:

Here’s some upcoming events happening at Country Oaks and Washington Country Club.

The Oaks will have a Kickoff Scramble, April 21 at 8:30 a.m. The registration fee includes your golf and a lunch that immediately follows the event. Contact them at 486-3300 for more information. The Ladies League is holding its callout meeting Wednesday at the club.

There will be Demo Day featuring Callaway, Nike and Ping.

Each manufacturer will have club fitting specialists on site and will have a full line of equipment from drivers to putters. Time is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Country Oaks Driving Range.

The Washington Country Club Ladies Golf League will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the clubhouse for dinner and an organizational meeting.

All women interested in participating in summer league play are invited to attend.

If anyone is unable to attend contact Barb Neff at 254-0651. Dues can be paid at that time for the season.

The opening golfing day for league play will be May 2.