Ryan Kraushofer CGCS

For GCSAA Board of Directors

Sustaining the quality of GCSAA through integrity, honesty, and experience.

About me

My career in golf started when I was 12 years old. My parents would drop me off at a small, family-owned golf course while they played, and I would help around the clubhouse — washing carts, taking out the trash, vacuuming, or doing whatever needed to be done. At the time, I had no idea it would eventually turn into a career.

Today, I’m the Certified Golf Course Superintendent and General Manager at Westminster National Golf Course in Westminster, Maryland. I started my career as a superintendent in 2007 after completing the Turfgrass Management program at the University of Maryland, and I’ve been fortunate to spend nearly my entire career at the same golf course where I got my start.

Over the years, I’ve learned that you don’t have to work at the biggest club or have the largest budget to make a difference in this profession. You just have to be willing to get involved, share ideas, help others, and give back when you can.

That mindset is what led me to become involved with the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents, where I spent nine years on the Board of Directors, including two years as President. It also led to my involvement with GCSAA, First Green, National Golf Day, Rounds 4 Research, and many other opportunities to serve our profession.

In 2025, I was elected to the GCSAA Board of Directors. Serving on the Board over the past two years has been one of the greatest honors of my career. It has allowed me to meet superintendents from across the country, listen to their challenges and ideas, and gain an even greater appreciation for just how diverse our membership is.

One area I’m especially passionate about is introducing the next generation to our profession. For more than 10 years, I’ve been involved with First Green, and Westminster National has now welcomed more than 2,000 students to the golf course for hands-on learning experiences. Watching that program grow and helping other superintendents get involved has been incredibly rewarding.

As GCSAA begins its next 100 years, I believe our greatest strength continues to be our members and our willingness to help one another. I’m proud of where I came from, grateful for everything this profession has given me, and honored to have the opportunity to give something back.

None of it would be possible without the support of my wife, Sierra, our children, Amelia and Rory, my employer, and the entire Westminster National family. Their support has allowed me to pursue opportunities I never could have imagined when I was that 12-year-old kid washing golf carts.

In closing

Golf has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. That early job doing small chores was the start of a career as a Golf Course Superintendent & General Manager, working for the same family at Westminster National Golf Course. Now, 28 years later, I’m still proudly working for the same family that opened the door to this amazing career path.

If you would have asked me 10 years ago if a guy from a low-budget public golf course would have the chance to run for the National Board of Directors, I would have said, “no way!” But after serving on our chapter board for nine years — including as President in 2019–20 — I know it’s not about how popular your course is or if you have the biggest budget. It’s about love of the game, networking, volunteering, and dedication.

I am deeply passionate about the GCSAA and its mission, especially the opportunities it creates to strengthen and expand career pathways for the next generation of turfgrass professionals. I have hosted over 24 First Green events over the last 10 years and introduced more than 2,000 kids to the game of golf and the golf profession.

I’m a strong public advocate, having secured more than 10 TV interviews and 26 minutes of television time to promote our industry. I’ve also been a proud leader for the National Golf Day community service project in Washington, D.C., putting in over 30 hours of planning this year alone, organizing and hosting the First Green field trip at Langston Golf Course in 2024, and personally raising more than $24,000 over the past three years to support our service project needs.