A  S T R O N G  C A R E E R  O F 
SHAPING
PRAIRIE DUNES
T
he headline fits. Joe Schmidt worked summers 
and holidays on PD’s grounds crew from 2013 to 
2018 to keep the course in shape. Now this licensed 
and certified athletic trainer is shaping you. The backstory 
of Joe tells us we’re in good hands.
“MONEY” HIRE FOR THE CLUB
While members didn’t know it yet, the Dunes was gaining 
a conscientious young man who would pay out his respect 
in reliability. Joe was born and raised in Buhler. His dad 
was a teacher at Buhler High, and his mom taught at Haven 
Grade School. It was the summer of 2013. He had Hutch 
Community College in his sights, and he needed a job.
“I’d known people from school who worked at Prairie Dunes, 
so I applied after high school graduation. I walked into 
the grounds crew office, met [then] Superintendent Jim 
Campbell, told him I was a new college student, needed to 
make money and hoped he’d put me to work. He hired me 
on the spot. 
“The first day, I raked bunkers, got to know all the little 
edging heads, and walk-mowed greens and tees. Prairie 
Dunes became my main source of income during my college 
years. I was at Hutchinson Community College two years, 
then went on to K-State. I worked during the school year, 
once over Christmas break, and heavily over the summers. 
Manual labor taught me discipline, how to work hard and 
how to get up early.”
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