Chester "Red" Wender (1927-2020)

(Class of 2024)

Chester “Red” Wender (1927-2020) was the golf course superintendent at Plainfield Country Club from 1952 through 1994. In those four decades, he established a national reputation for excellence, was known as the “go-to guy” for area golf course superintendents and considered an esteemed part of the Plainfield Country Club community.

In his role as superintendent, he led preparations for more than a dozen local, regional and national championships including the 1978 U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship, the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, the 1952, ’61, ’68, ’75 and 1990 NJSGA Open Championships, the 1965, ’70 and ’83 NJSGA Men’s Amateur Championships and the 1957, ’63 and ’79 Met Open Championships.

A generous mentor to his staff, Wender boasts an impressive succession of former assistants who went on to superintendent positions at other clubs, including Brett Price (Metuchen Golf & Country Club), Greg James (Liberty National Golf Club), Jim Gilligan (Bedens Brook Club), Chuck DiFrancisco (Scotch Hills Golf Club), and Lance Rodgers, the current superintendent at Colonia Country Club.

Wender was always looking for ways to improve his craft and was known throughout the region for his best practices, knack for innovation and willingness to share his knowledge. He cultivated relationships with turfgrass construction firms and the nearby Rutgers University Turf Management programs to ensure that Plainfield was among the first clubs to benefit from new research into mowers, grass, pesticides, and herbicides. For example, Wender was among the first superintendents to use three watering lines per hole (versus the standard two lines).

Wender made it clear to his staff that his standard was to always maintain the course at tournament-level quality. This extended as practicable to Plainfield’s sister course, the public West Nine, which was also Wender’s responsibility, and later the nearby Colonia Country Club, where Wender served as green superintendent for three years after leaving Plainfield. For his extraordinary career and achievements, Wender is recognized as the first golf course superintendent elected to the NJSGA Hall of Fame.