Jon Kindlesparger, 66, retired as the Woodland Hills Golf Course Superintendent as of Dec. 31, 2019.

In his 8.5 years at the golf course, Kindlesparger has seen an improvement in the course that is owned by the City of Fort Scott.

“The city has put some money into it,” he said. “It takes a ton of money…It was a three to four-year challenge…from not very good to playable.”

The course has been improved from “pretty downtrodden”, Kindlesparger said. “To a decent golf course now.”

“All the turf is better and in playable condition,” he said. “There is a new clubhouse and new cart shed and also playing, membership and revenue has increased.”

“Jon made a ton of difference in his time,” Rex Hall, a member of the golf course and attendee at Kindlesparger’s retirement reception Dec. 30, said.  “He made it actually look like a golf course.”

Following his retirement, Kindlesparger said he will be seeing ” a lot of golf courses and a lot of lakes to fish.”

The Fort Scott Human Resources Director Deb Needleman presented a gift card to Kindlesparger during the reception.