Frank Hunter and Greg Kohn with the golf rack
Lorraine Wilson
Through club member Wayne Caudill, the Robson Ranch Pro Shop proposed that the Wood Shop custom make a golf rack. The challenge, along with the specifications, were sent out to all Wood Shop members. The first step would be to price out the cost of making the rack (wood and labor) and let the Pro Shop know, just to make sure it was within their budget. The second, and most important step, was to find woodworkers willing to tackle the project. As an incentive, a reward of $25 of wood from the shop was offered to the woodworker(s) who would take on the challenge.
After some debate and much discussion, two woodworkers finally stepped up to accept the challenge—Frank Hunter and Greg Kohn. Choosing the right wood was very important, as it would have to be strong and sturdy enough to hold 80 golf clubs while also producing a beautiful golf rack. Red oak was finally selected as the wood to use. As the Wood Shop only stocks rough-cut boards, every board selected for the project had to be jointed, planed, cut to specifications, and sanded.
Next came the huge task of putting all the pieces together. Four hands were just not enough to get so many separate pieces to stay together while the glue was still wet. Thankfully, others in the Wood Shop stepped up to hold on! Although it was quite a task, woodworkers working together can accomplish a lot! Finally, after a couple of weeks of manual labor, sweat, and contemplation, the final product was all together and standing on its own.
The next step was to sand the entire golf rack, piece by piece, section by section, sanding the red oak until it was as smooth as velvet. The last step was to use a dark stain on the red oak to produce a beautiful finish. The final measurements of the golf rack were 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep by 5 feet high, and it will hold 80 clubs for display in the Pro Shop.
There are many talented woodworkers in the Wood Shop, and this project is only one of many they have made for various individuals, organizations, and for our own fundraising events. The Wood Shop also offers furniture repair, with Greg Kohn and John Maltby helping Frank Hunter with this valuable service to Robson residents. It seems like these guys have fixed every chair at the Wildhorse Grill, along with some other interesting requests from residents. So, if you have something made from wood that needs to be repaired, come by the Wood Shop and get a quote from one of these talented woodworkers/furniture repairers.