As snow approaches, seniors create a ‘Winter Putterland’

If the predicted 5 to 8 inches of snow do hit the Baltimore area, residents of the Charlestown Retirement Community will be prepared with their own “Winter Putterland.”

Residents of the retirement community participated in an indoor golf tournament March 6, courtesy of a unique course built and designed by members of the on-site woodshop.

“Last year, we wanted a unique event to raise money for Charlestown’s benevolent care fund, so we came up with the idea for an indoor “Winter Putter land,” said Pat Kasuda, who organized the event.

Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church is located on the campus of Charlestown.

Kasuda contacted Charlestown woodshop member Al Schlueter who recruited fellow woodshop volunteers and led the design and construction efforts behind the 18-hole course, which includes nine unique obstacles.

The entire course is outlined with 100 two-by-fours. Volunteers sawed, sanded, hammered, and painted obstacles for the course.

Many of the obstacles are designed to divert the ball using ramps, pipes, etc. On one of the holes, golfers shoot the ball through the legs of a clown. There is also a barn, a rocket ship, and a Ravens football player.

Woodshop President John Chasse designed one of the obstacles to look like a replica of Charlestown’s entrance sign on Maiden Choice Lane. He said each obstacle ranged in complexity and time from about 12 hours to 70 hours to complete over several months.

The wood shop donated about 350 hours to the project. “The most challenging part actually wasn’t the design and construction of the course, but trying to fit all the lumber for the lanes and the obstacles, along with the ongoing builds, within the limited space we had in the woodshop,” said Chasse.

Charlestown’s 300-plus resident-run clubs were also invited to participate in the creative process.” We received quite a few unique ideas,” said Kasuda. “For example, there is a treasure chest to represent the popular treasure sales that are held on campus. Another hole depicts Charlestown’s nature trail and features a tree limb across the pathway with gnomes. Yet another has a picket fence with flowers to symbolize the garden club.”