“Is that real grass, because that is NOT what my lawn looks like…” is a question that Ron Patterson faces almost daily from guests at Voice of America MetroPark. Patterson, MetroParks’ Turfgrass Manager, has been with MetroParks for eight years and manages the grass and synthetic turf at Voice of America MetroPark and the Athletic Complex. (And yes, by the way- the grass is real.)

Ron is a Butler County native- he grew up in Woodsdale, where his family still resides today. “Where there is a will, there’s a way” is Ron’s motto for life. Ask any MetroParks employee, and they will tell you that Ron leads by example. Patterson has been working since he was just 12 years old, first as a caddy, then in high school he started as the Hamilton Elks’ golf course maintenance tech. After graduating, he was offered a full-time job, where he was promoted to Golf Course Superintendent of Hamilton Elks at just 21 years old! He spent 35 years with Hamilton Elks, and the lifetime of experience he gained there made him uniquely suited for MetroParks’ Turfgrass Manager role.

Leading by example is something Ron Patterson excels at- he works hard, he never complains, and is always ready to offer a solution. Everyone can learn something from Ron, whether it is how to maintain a good work ethic, or how to grow a vibrant green lawn, so check out his interview below.

What does a Turfgrass Manager do, exactly?

A lot more than you think- Ron is charged with overseeing the 45 acres of natural and synthetic turf across Voice of America MetroPark and its Athletic Complex. He manages a team of 11, and they are responsible for clearing litter, emptying trash cans, clearing the perimeter, and setting up flags and goals, trimming, mowing, seeding, spraying nutrients, fertilizing, planning and preparing for tournaments, and dealing with the heavy foot traffic after a tournament.

Ron says that the soil at Voice of America MetroPark is very clay-heavy, and it makes their aim of growing grass healthy, dense, and horizontally challenging. To combat this, Ron and his team are extremely diligent in their fertilizing and seeding- they use three different methods to seed- a broadcast seeder for right before a tournament, fracturing using their Aera-vator, and using a slice seeder. Even the synthetic turfs demand attention to detail- not as much as the natural grass, but he and his team still must brush and sweep the fields to ensure the synthetic grass strands stand up.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

It may not surprise you that after 43 years of working in nature, one of Ron’s favorite parts of his job is being able to be outdoors and enjoy the wildlife. He also credits his team with making work much more enjoyable. Outside of work, Ron still loves golf and fishing. He has two grandchildren who play sports, and Ron tries to make it to every game to be able to cheer them on. Like any good Midwesterner, he can’t wait for Friday night football!

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The heavily localized foot traffic on the Athletic Complex creates a constant battle between Ron’s team and the turf. During his time at Hamilton Elks, they would see heavy wear on the course, but it would be much more spread out. Last year at the Athletic Complex, we had a total of 323,000 visitors over the course of the year. You can imagine how a weekend of hard use from the thousands of visitors on a tournament weekend can impact the health of the natural turf. It truly is remarkable that Ron is able to keep the fields in such great shape!

Any tips for at-home lawn care?

It’s all in the roots! You want long, healthy grass roots. Aerating and fracturing help a lot with getting your grass to the level you want. And watch out for grubs- you don’t want them to become a problem. We also asked Ron what kind of grass he would grow at home if he got to choose- he replied “Prairie grass- because, of course, you don’t have to mow it!”

MetroParks is extremely lucky to have Ron as an employee, and we can’t thank him enough for all of the work he does. Ron’s parting message to any Butler County residents is this- “We’re glad that you came out to enjoy the parks. We’re here for you- so try them all. MetroParks offers something different at each one.”