The Bulletin continues its regular offseason Tee To Green feature in which we introduce to readers a Central Oregon golf professional or other notable member of the local golf community. This week, meet Ron Buerger, director of golf at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond since 2007.

Buerger grew up in the San Diego area and began to play golf when he was 11 years old. He started working in golf in high school in 1983, employed by the pro shop at Singing Hills Country Club near San Diego.

He played golf briefly for San Diego State University before leaving school and starting his professional career. Buerger played sparingly on the developmental Golden State Tour.

In 1989, Buerger moved to Central Oregon to become an assistant pro at Bend Golf and Country Club. In 1991 he moved to Eagle Crest Resort, where he stayed for nine years and was the first head pro at the resort’s Ridge Course when it opened in 1992.

From Eagle Crest, Buerger moved to River’s Edge Golf Course in Bend to be a teaching pro for three years. In 2003, he moved to Missing Link Family Golf Center in Redmond, where he spent three years.

Buerger also became the head coach of Redmond High School’s boys varsity and junior varsity golf teams, which he still coaches.

And in January 2007 Buerger accepted the director of golf position at Eagle Crest Resort, where he has been ever since.

Q: What led you to become a professional?

A: For me, it was just that I developed a passion for the game at a really young age. That drove me to, obviously, participate in the sport a lot. The team and the atmosphere that I was exposed to growing up in the business was such a neat environment that I couldn’t imagine at that time there being anything better than being able to play golf, work with a great group of people, and be around the game like that. It was the accumulation of those things.

I watched Jack Nicklaus at the San Diego Open one year at Torrey Pines, and he set the course record at Torrey Pines South (site of the 2008 U.S. Open). I followed him every step of the way, I don’t remember my age. I remember seeing the crowd and the reaction. I think he shot a 64, or maybe 65, that day. It was just an experience seeing that firsthand, and it was enough to drive me to have an interest in the sport, which drove me to wanting to be in the business and make a living in this business.

Q: What brought you to Central Oregon?

A: It was probably family. My parents had moved here prior to me coming to the area, and I would visit them and started getting kind of exposed to Central Oregon. And I kind of fell in love with the area and I wanted to be close to family. When I discovered that there was every bit the opportunity to be in the golf business in this area as there was in San Diego, it was a no-brainer.

It’s just the mountain, the lifestyle, the outdoors, the skiing, and all the amenities of the area was a lure after I got the initial exposure.

Q: What is the most common mistake you see recreational golfers make?

A: I would sum it up this way: The average amateur works too hard at trying to manipulate the golf ball where they want it to go. They don’t realize that the process needs to be much more automatic than it really is. In other words, there is a steering process that goes on with trying to manipulate their shots.

Everything from topping the ball to hitting a big slice, leaving the club-face angle open, is a derivative of somebody physically trying to manipulate the club face squarely on the ball as they perceive it happening.

The swing needs to be more natural; it needs to be much more rhythmic and flowing.

Q: Did you ever try to make the PGA Tour?

A: I did play some what I consider Double-A golf. I played the Golden State Tour a couple of times. It became pretty apparent pretty fast that unless I was willing to not be a family guy, be on the road a lot, spend all my time playing … I didn’t have the luxury to really commit to those things.

It was pretty obvious that at my current state (at the time) that I wasn’t really good enough to play on the tour.

Q: What is your lowest score ever?

A: Sixty-four, and that was here at Eagle Crest at the Ridge. That might have been about 1998. Although the round that I think of the most is … a round one year at the Running Y (Ranch in Klamath Falls) where I made nine birdies. That’s almost the same thing, but it is interesting when you think about birdieing half the holes.

Bio Box

Name: Ron Buerger

Birth date: Sept. 13, 1967

Residence: Redmond

Birthplace: La Mesa, Calif.

Family: Wife, Shela; four sons: Tre, Shane, Luke, Isaac

Education: San Diego State University

Special interests: Spending time with family

Turned pro: 1988