BIG RAPIDS – David Hansinger has assumed the role of Head Golf Pro/Manager at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Course, marking a return to his alma mater. Hansinger, who earned a degree in PGA Golf Management from the university in 1985, joins the staff following a career that included extensive work with federal and military golf facilities.
The appointment brings Hansinger back to Big Rapids after he spent the majority of his career managing courses along the East Coast. He retired from the federal government system approximately four years ago and worked at a public facility north of Baltimore before accepting the leadership position at Katke.
Hansinger’s professional background includes 25 years of managing golf courses for the federal government. He entered the federal system in the mid-1990s as the military began transitioning from using retired military members to hiring PGA professionals to run its courses.
The return to Michigan is a significant personal milestone for Hansinger, who was born and raised in Mount Clemens. He met his wife while they were students at Ferris State, and the couple is celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year. “The opportunity to come back home with family here in Michigan and the opportunities to reconnect with family are very important,” Hansinger said. “The other thing is my wife is from Michigan, we met up here at Ferris, and we’re getting ready to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary this year… So, there’s a lot of connections here.”
In his new role, Hansinger intends to provide mentorship to current students within the PGA Golf Management program. He plans to draw on his own experience with the curriculum and internships to help students prepare for the industry. Hansinger also aims to increase community engagement with Katke Golf Course. He expressed a desire to ensure residents know the facility is accessible to the public while also supporting student-athletes and local high school programs.
“There’s an opportunity, in my position, to make sure people in this community are aware that we not only have a golf course, but they have access to it,” Hansinger said. “We love that our student-athletes have such a great facility, but we want more people to be involved.”
Hansinger’s top priorities moving forward include launching junior golf camps and increasing the course’s visibility at local events. He also plans to develop closer working relationships with Ferris State men’s and women’s golf head coach Sam Stark and assistant coaches Kosta Ramirez and Tom Stark.