Wherefore art thou Romeo? Photo by Ryan Semritc
With piercing blue eyes and a name in honor of Shakespeare’s romantic hero, it’s no wonder Romeo the dog can charm his way into a bacon snack from the clubhouse at Willows Run Golf Complex in Redmond, Wash., every morning.
That charm is evident on the 2019 Dog Days of Golf calendar, produced by GCSAA and sponsored by LebanonTurf, for which Romeo graces the cover. GCSAA members receive a copy of the 2019 calendar with their November issue of GCM magazine.
Romeo is in the running for Dog of the Year with the 14 other dogs featured in the calendar. The contest will be held Feb. 6-7 on the trade show floor during the 2019 Golf Industry Show in San Diego.
Romeo’s human, Ryan Semritc, is a nine-year member of GCSAA and the golf course superintendent at Willows Run. The 1-year-old pup’s unlikely rise to calendar cover boy started at a horse ranch in eastern Washington. The Semritc family dog, Alfie, had passed away, and they picked the blue-eyed border collie/Brittany mix from the ranch, which was offering free puppies.
“He is the most spoiled ranch dog ever,” Semritc says. “I took him to work with me the day after we got him, and now he’s at the front door at 4:45 every morning ready to go.”
Young Romeo is still learning the ins and outs of his golf course dog duties. His day consists mostly of lots of running, riding on the golf cart and providing public relations for the Willows Run golf course management staff.
“Everyone is a lot more understanding about issues if you have your dog with you,” Semritc says of Romeo’s interaction with golfers. “He’s a fan favorite of everyone here.”
When not at the golf course, Romeo lives at home with Semritc and his wife, Rosalie, and their daughters, Sonora and Violet.