“I started dragging a hose out just to water the greens,” he recalls. “I didn’t realize I was actually a greenskeeper.”

When the water wouldn’t soak into the ground, he tried a pitchfork. Perhaps not textbook aerification, but the instinct was already there: study the problem, try something and see whether it works.

Nearly five decades later, that curiosity still helps explain what keeps Schuldt engaged in his profession. Now approaching 20 years as Golf Course Superintendent at Seattle Golf Club, he remains enthusiastic about caring for the course, tackling projects and helping the people around him grow.

Five Holes and a Family Work Ethic

Schuldt grew up a couple of miles from Tacoma Country & Golf Club. His grandmother, an avid golfer, introduced him to the game when he was 11 and his brother was 10, arranging lessons and a summer membership at the club.

Golf quickly became a favorite.

He enjoyed baseball and basketball, too, but golf offered a different kind of challenge. The outcome depended on his own decisions and execution—a quality that appealed to him from the beginning.

Meanwhile, the brothers were learning how to work. Their mother emphasized responsibility, and they earned money for school clothes and other expenses by maintaining neighbors’ yards. Mowing, edging and pulling weeds became familiar tasks, along with managing their own equipment.

When Matt discovered that those same skills could be put to use on a golf course, the connection seemed natural.

The Mentors Who Made the Difference

Schuldt’s first golf job was in the pro shop at Tacoma Country & Golf Club. His move into maintenance came after meeting Superintendent Paul Colleran, who offered him a position on the crew.

There was one small problem: Matt hadn’t yet learned the importance of giving notice. Offered the maintenance job on a Friday, he informed the golf professional on Monday that he would be changing departments two days later.

That part of the transition could have gone more smoothly. The career choice, however, proved to be the right one.

Colleran recognized Schuldt’s enthusiasm and aptitude for equipment and projects. He also encouraged him to attend Washington State University—a suggestion that changed the direction of his life.

“He was a big brother, a mentor,” Schuldt says. “He made a huge impact in my life.”

Schuldt worked at Tacoma through college and eventually became second assistant. From there, he moved to Oakbrook Golf & Country Club as first assistant under Jake Griswold, another important mentor who expanded his understanding of fertility, plant protection and supervising people.

His next stop was The Plateau Club, where he sought construction experience and found plenty of it. During a demanding period of staff turnover, he also served as interim superintendent. Long days taught him about construction, project management and the consequences of decisions made under pressure.

Working with Peter Colleran added another dimension: how to listen, remain patient and understand what motivated individual employees.

Peter also helped Schuldt prepare for the interview that would lead to his first superintendent position at Olympia Country & Golf Club.

Walking into a room with roughly 15 interviewers, Matt briefly considered turning around. Then someone stood to shake his hand. He made his way around the table, greeting everyone, and began to settle down.

About 10 days later, the club offered him the job.

Finding a Home at Seattle

Schuldt spent nine years at Olympia, working with a membership he remembers as generous and supportive of efforts to improve the course.

When the Seattle Golf Club position opened, he applied—even though, once again, he wasn’t convinced he would be selected.

The club hired him in late 2006, and his first day as superintendent was January 1, 2007.

Nearly two decades later, he still enjoys the combination that brought him there: golf, maintenance, projects and people.

The opportunity to help shape improvements has been especially satisfying. With the club now in a second phase of construction, Schuldt appreciates being involved in the planning as well as the work itself.

But when asked what makes Seattle Golf Club distinctive, he points first to its culture.

Relationships, mutual respect and tradition are part of everyday club life, he explains. Those values receive attention in board discussions, member orientations and the way employees and members conduct business together.

“Seattle Golf Club knows who they are,” he says, “and they are very comfortable with that.”

For Schuldt, that shared understanding helps explain both the club’s standards and the longevity of its employees.

Preparing for the Next Championship

Seattle Golf Club’s commitment to amateur golf provides another rewarding part of the job.

Its championship history includes the 1952 U.S. Amateur, the 1961 Walker Cup and the 1981 U.S. Senior Amateur. The next chapter arrives August 28–September 2, 2027, when the club hosts the U.S. Senior Amateur again.

During Schuldt’s tenure, the course has also welcomed Pacific Coast Amateur competition, the 2009 Pac-10 Championship, junior championships and regional matches.

Preparing for those events brings a different focus to the maintenance operation, but Schuldt is quick to credit the people doing the work. Whatever the project or championship, success depends on a crew with the skills, commitment and enthusiasm to carry it through.

Passing Along What Others Taught Him

For all the satisfaction that comes from a well-conditioned course or a completed project, Schuldt’s most rewarding moments involve former employees.

Some have become superintendents. Others have moved into leadership positions outside golf. When they return to visit, he enjoys seeing both the professionals and the people they have become.

He takes particular pride in employees who arrive with little experience and leave with confidence and a broad set of skills.

“I’m passing on skills that were passed on to me,” he says.

His approach draws on the mentors who helped him along the way, as well as John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. Hard work, discipline, preparation and mutual respect are principles he has tried to apply both at work and at home.

Schuldt doesn’t describe himself as a natural-born leader. He sees leadership as something learned through experience, observation and a willingness to improve.

That outlook also leaves room for experimentation. Given the resources and the right circumstances, he enjoys trying a cultural practice and studying how it performs on his property. The same curiosity that once sent him after a pitchfork is still at work.

Family Lessons, on and off the Course

Both of Schuldt’s sons worked at Seattle Golf Club for more than six years, giving him an opportunity he values deeply: working alongside his children as they grew into young adults.

They learned practical skills, but also how to contribute to a crew, treat coworkers with respect and earn trust through their effort.

Watching them carry those lessons into their own careers has been a source of pride.

Family losses have also influenced how Schuldt thinks about his time. Losing his father and, a year later, his sister reinforced the importance of staying connected—making another phone call, taking another trip and finding time for the people who matter.

His career remains meaningful, but so do the relationships beyond it.

Camping, Cougars and a Good Comeback

Away from work, Schuldt enjoys golf and fishing. He and his wife also spend time exploring Washington with a travel trailer they purchased during COVID.

Eastern Washington and the coast are favorite destinations, often with friends and family joining them to camp.

His sports loyalties start with Seattle teams and Washington State University, although nieces and nephews have given him reasons to follow Alabama, Arkansas and Texas as well.

More than anything, he enjoys a good underdog story.

“I love a good comeback,” he says.

College sports hold particular appeal—the atmosphere, the enthusiasm and the chance that an unexpected player will become the hero of the day.

For an evening at home, Schuldt is a Taylor Sheridan fan, especially drawn to stories about the countryside, land and the people whose lives are tied to it.
It’s an interest that fits someone who has spent much of his own life caring for a piece of ground.

And although the property is considerably larger today, there is still something familiar about the work: a golfer looking at the turf, wondering how to make it better, and enjoying the people who share it.

Schuldt also presented $2500 scholarship awards to Patrick Riggs and Ty Wilson, both of Broadmoor Golf Club, to help with their continuing education in the turf industry. Eric Thompson of Tumwater Valley Golf Course reminded members of the resources available to help any Superintendent conduct a First Green event at their Golf Course. David Phipps, our regional GCSAA Field Representative, updated the gathering on a variety of initiatives coming from the headquarters team in Lawrence, Kansas, as well as a summary of the recent chapter delegates meeting. Ben Buchholz, executive director of the WA Friends of Farms & Forests, addressed the group on different bills and momentum that are gathering steam in Olympia. He warned that the legislature is not getting any friendlier with the pocket book or maintenance tools of Golf Course Superintendents. Five new Board members were elected: Superintendents Chad Wortinger, Renee Geyer and Marcus Harness, Equipment Manager Ernesto Navarro and Affiliate member Casey Kalbrener. Abel Anderson of Gold Mountain, this past year’s Board vice-president, was elected President of the Board for 2027.

The afternoon was spent on the golf course of the 2015 US Open. There was nothing but sunny skies and comfortable temperatures. The wind was virtually non-existent. Congratulations go to Chad Wortinger of Bear Creek Creek Country Club, who defended his title with a bogey-free round of 69, outlasting Nile Shrine’s Reid McPherson by three strokes. The Handicap Game winner was the team of Jamie Nilsen, Bryce Landrud, Taylor Landrud and Linden Brown almost lapped the field with a best ball score of 16-under par, earning them $100 each in Amazon gift cards.

Next year, the Annual Meeting moves back to Aldarra sometime in October.

PNW Crew Championship Leaderboard

55 – Arrowhead Golf Club (Champions)
56 – Indian Creek Golf Course
60 – The Home Course
61 – Avalon Golf Links
63 – The Club at Black Rock
69 – Palouse Ridge

The format was a four person scramble, with minimums on tee and second shots from each player. The conditions were good: clear, crisp, with little breeze. In the end, Arrowhead Golf Club out of Molalla, OR squeaked past the other OGCSA club (Indian Creek Golf Course, Hood River OR) by one shot (17-under par vs 16-under par). This marks the seventh year in a row that the OGCSA has produced the Crew Champion. So it’s “wait til next year” for the Western Washington and Inland Empire Crews.

Tumwater Valley Golf Course and its Superintendent Eric Thompson hosted its latest in a series of First Green events, the most recent at the end of September. Thompson and Tumwater have hosted First Green events over each of the past three years. The gathering has continued to grow and improve, and that success is a direct reflection of the passion, professionalism, and enthusiasm that a broad variety of constituents bring. Volunteers include WWGCSA vendors (such as Wilbur-Ellis and Pacific Golf & Turf), teachers, administrators and community leaders.

A city council member attended to learn what was going on, and listened to those gathered talk about what more can be done to increase the municipal facility’s benefit to the community it serves. Students themselves leave with a greater appreciation for environmental stewardship, science, and the many career opportunities connected to our industry.

The weather was not ideal, with a little rain and a little wind, but the students hung in there and the event was still a tremendous success. Every station was well received, and both the City and the school district expressed how impressed they were with the experience Tumwater GC provided for the students.

Click here to view the obituary on The Chronicle's website.

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The 2026 WWGCSA Crew Tournament was held at Port Ludlow Golf Course during it’s traditional calendar position in late June. Around here, until we get past the 4th of July we know it ain’t quite summer yet. But the golf gods have been good to us through the years and spared the might crews that gather for their annual championship from stormy rounds. And although it threatened, this year the weather held off for the most part until all had finished their appointed rounds.

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In the end, it was the mates from Avalon Golf Links who came in the with the lowest round, finishing with an impressive score of 58, or 14 under. They even had a bogey on the card, but held off the crew from the Home Course who shot their own impressive 60. A three way tie for third place was broken by Gold Mountain’s “Hazama” team by carding a birdie at the tough, downhill par 17th. The scorecard tiebreaker enabled them to prevail over both Seattle Golf and Sand Point Golf Clubs, each posting their own 62s.

25 teams competed from as far north as Sedro Wooley, south as Dupont and east as Leavenworth. The ferry trip may have discouraged some from the east side from attending, but for those that managed the lines and the open seas, the trip was quite enjoyable. The views from the upper decks of the big boats reminded us all of the natural beauty we are surrounded by every day but sometimes can’t see through the trees. That said, there were plenty of trees and views from the Timber and Tides nines at Port Ludlow, and spoils to be won.

A thousand dollars in prizes and a 75 pound trophy were waiting to be given away before teams ventured home. The Broadmoor crew navigated the par 3s well, winning both KPs with shots that finished their rolls within two feet or so on both holes #6 and #17. Everett CC’s “Team McCusker” captured the winnings for Long Drive, busting one deep on #8. Next up is the Northwest Crew Championship, to be held in Western Washington sometime this fall at a course to be determined.