Golf Staff

Rick Pohle
Head Golf Professional

Rick Pohle was named Taconic Golf Club’s head golf professional on August 1, 1983 and officially began his duties in the spring of 1984 as only the third golf professional in the club’s history. Dick Baxter was the club’s first professional from 1924-1962 and was followed by Rudy Goff from 1963-1983.

He began his professional career in 1974 as the head professional at Freeport CC in Freeport, Maine before becoming an assistant professional at the Brunswick GC (Maine) in 1976. In 1977, he accepted the head professional position at the Gorham CC in Gorham, Maine – spending the next 7 seasons there before moving to Williamstown.

He became a “Class A” member of the PGA of America in 1978 and received his Quarter Century status in 2003. His list of accomplishments in the NENY PGA Section include:

• 1989 NENY Teacher of the Year
• 1992 NENY Section Player of the Year
• 1993 NENY Section Player of the Year
• 2001 inductee to NENY Hall of Fame
• 2003 NENY Roland Stafford Award for sportsmanship
• 2005 NENY Merchandiser of the Year
• 2006 NENY Senior Player of the Year
• 2009 NENY Senior Player of the Year
• 2010 NENY Bill Strassbaugh Award

In addition, he has played in 6 National PGA Club Professional Championships, 7 National Senior Club Professional Championships and has won the Vardon Trophy for scoring average 4 times.

Coaching the Williams College men’s golf team is another duty that has long been the responsibility of the club’s head professional and Rick’s teams have continued the success that Baxter’s and Goff’s teams previously had established. His team won the first NESCAC Conference Championship in 1984 and has since added another 9 titles (league record). In 1994, post-season play was adopted by the NESCAC Conference and his teams have qualified for 10 NCAA Championships – another league record. Finally, every Williams athlete knows the value of a “Little Three” Championship and during his tenure his teams have claimed 17 titles, including the last 13 in a row.

Rick is a 1972 graduate of the University of Maine (Orono), where he majored in Physical Education and Biology.

Cathy Pohle
Golf Shop Manager

Cathy Pohle is the ever efficient manager of the Golf Shop and the most complete source of information at Taconic Golf Club. A native of Brattleboro, Vermont – she received her college education at the University of Maine, graduating with a BS Degree in Education in 1972. She spent the next six years teaching physical education in the Bath and Topsham (Maine) school systems before moving on to the golf business.

In 1978, she took over the Food & Beverage operation at the Gorham CC in Gorham, Maine where her husband Rick was the head golf professional. Her attention to detail and hard work developed a very successful and profitable business venture which was instumental in expanding the staff at the public facility. In addition, she found time to handle the financial aspects of the golf shop. With the move to Williamstown in 1983, she decided to devote full time to the golf shop aspect of the business and remains a tireless entity in that role today.

Her role in raising a family prompted her to devote many years as a volunteer coach in youth sports in Williamstown, assisting other coaches in a supportive capacity and ultimately served 6 years as president of the Williamstown Youth Center. She even found time to substitute teach in the elementary school system. In 1994, she took on the task of bringing women’s golf to Williams College when she started the women’s club team. The dream of attaining full varsity status came true 10 years later when the team was elevated to a varsity sport and she was named head coach. She served in that capacity for three more years (2004-2007) and guided the team into the NCAA Championship in 2007, where they finished in 10th place in their first ever post-season appearance. For her efforts, she was honored with the East Region Coach of the Year Award.

Cathy and Rick reside in Williamstown and have two grown children – Joey is the assistant golf professional @ the Phildelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, PA (a suburb of Philadelphia) – he and his wife Colleen live in Horsham, PA. and Becky is the assistant merchandiser/manager of the golf shop @ the Philadelphia CC in Gladwyne, PA.

Ronnie Rosko
Assistant Golf Professional

Ronnie Rosko is in his third year as an assistant professional at Taconic Golf Club. His golf career began in 2002 spending three years as an assistant at the Tater Hill Golf Club in North Windham, VT.

From there he moved on to the Dorset Field Club in Dorset, VT as an assistant professional for the 2005 & 2006 seasons. In 2007, he began another two year stint as an assistant – this time at the Golf Club at the Equinox in Manchester, VT.

In the short time he has been at Taconic, Ronnie has provided outstanding customer service and proven that he can handle the variety of duties that have been presented to him at the club. He has implemented the junior golf programs and clinics at the golf club and conducted the golf instruction for the Williams College physical education classes.

Ronnie was elected to membership in the PGA of America in 2007 and has continued to expand his knowledge through programs and seminars offered by the Continuing Education programs of the PGA. He is one of only 37 PGA members in the country that is certified in all six facets of the PGA Certification Program – this is a very remarkable feat and a most distinguishing honor. Also, he was the 2007 Acushnet Apprentice Scholarship winner.

Ronnie is a graduate of the Vermont Academy and currently resides in Londonderry, VT.

Drew Morrison
Assistant Golf Professional

Drew Morrison begins his second year on the staff in 2010, but not a novice to the golf business. Much of his early experience was conducted in the state Florida working in customer service at Hunters Run Golf & Country Club, TPC @ Prestancia and Stonebridge Golf & Country Club. In 1997, he became the assistant professional an the Dorset Field Club in Dorset, VT and spent the next 7 years there handling all the duties that one would expect as the assistant to the head professional.

After a short reprieve from the golf business, Drew moved on to serving at the Sagatoga National Golf Club (Saratoga Springs, NY) in 2005. He spent the next three years in charge of Outside Services at the demanding upscale public facility before coming to Taconic Golf Club. He has  re-applied into the PGA Apprentice Program and plans to pursue his membership in the PGA of America.

Drew attended Champlain College (Burlington, VT) and majored in Communications and Public Relations. He and his wife (Kellie) reside in Manchester, VT where she is employed at the Ekwanok Golf Club in food service.