About Us

Meet the Team

LaBar Golf is a high-end golf course construction and renovation company based in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Operating primarily in the Northeast, LaBar Golf also works on select projects across the United States. The company touts an expert management team with over 100 years combined experience and outstanding labor crews. With an exceptional track record for timeliness, thoroughness, and dedication, LaBar Golf brings an unparalleled level of excellence to every project.

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Rich LaBar

Managing Member

Rich LaBar

Founder and Managing Member, Rich has had a passion for golf since his first golf swing at the age of 14. With more than 30 years of experience in golf course construction & renovations, Rich brings an unparalleled level of expertise and dedication to his clients’ projects.  LaBar Golf was started in June 2012, and through Rich’s vision and leadership, the company has grown rapidly and is today ranked as a top U.S. golf renovation and restoration company.

Prior to 2012, Rich spent 8 years working to develop business and manage projects with a regional golf course renovation company. During this tenure highlighted by a 36-hole renovation of the world-famous Baltusrol Golf Club, Rich played a major role in more than 25 successful projects at some of the United States’ most exclusive private golf courses. Rich began his career during college summers as part of the team responsible for building Crystal Springs Golf Course in Hamburg, New Jersey. Working as a crewmember, Rich honed his craft, absorbing the fundamentals of basic golf course construction, including drainage, irrigation, and grow-in.

In 1993, at the age of 24, Rich was named Assistant Superintendent at Bowling Green Golf Club in Oak Ridge, New Jersey. Within two years, he was named construction & grow in superintendent for Black Bear Golf Course in Franklin, New Jersey, making him one of the youngest managers in the business at that time. His rapid rise in the industry continued with the oversight, planning, development and construction of Ballyowen Golf Course and Wild Turkey Golf Course, both designed by Roger Rulewich. Rich graduated from Rutgers University in 1991 with a Bachelors of Science in Economics and Business. In 1993, he completed the Rutgers Turf Management Program. He lives in Harding Township, New Jersey with his wife Bridget, son Philip, daughter Anne, and two dogs Lily Belle and Finn.
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Shellene Elmore

Member
Kenneth Urbano

Kenny Urbano

Member

Kenny Urbano

Kenny joined LaBar Golf in 2012 as a Member of the LLC. As Project Manager, he has overseen some of LaBar Golf’s top client projects including Ridgewood Country Club, Plainfield Country Club, Century Country Club, and Omaha Country Club.

Prior to 2012, Kenny spent 8 years with a regional golf course renovation company providing shaping and project management to various renovation projects in the New York City metro area. His varied responsibilities included management and shaping of bunkers, tees, and green construction, all phases of site work, house and building demolition, hardscape construction, including belgium block and masonry wall installation, pond dredging, expansion and lining, underground storage tank removal and installation, and
soil remediation.

For more than 20 Years, Kenny has worked in a variety of settings including managing projects for a site contractor, a golf course construction company, and an environmental remediation company.

Kenny resides in New Providence, New Jersey with his wife, Heather and daughter Kaleigh and son KJ.

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Todd Saganiec

Project Manager

Todd Saganiec

Todd joined LaBar Golf in 2012 after working with Rich LaBar in the late-90’s in the construction and maintenance of multiple golf courses at the Crystal Springs Golf Resort, where he served as an Assistant Superintendent at Wild Turkey Golf Club. He also worked as Assistant Superintendent at the Green Brook Country Club in North Caldwell NJ. 

Todd serves as a Project Manager for LaBar Golf at many top clubs In the U.S., including Pinehurst No.4, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, The Colleton River Club, Westchester Country Club, Fenway Golf, Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster NJ, Savannah Golf Club and Washington Golf & Country Club.

Todd’s passion for the game and its architecture, experience, and leadership skills make him a valuable asset to any project he leads.

Todd graduated in 1998 from the Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management Program. He resides in Absecon, NJ with his wife Emily and 4 boys Ryan, Dylan, Deacon, and Owen. When not on the golf course working, Todd can be found surfing, golfing, skiing, or traveling with his family.

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Mark Smith

Project Manager

Mark Smith

Mark joined LaBar Golf in 2012 after working with Rich LaBar on a variety of projects since the late-80s. He brings more than 40 years of experience in the golf course construction industry. Mark has handled project management for a variety of clients, such as Echo Lake Country Club, Rockaway River Country Club, Rumson Country Club, Burning Tree Country Club, Century Country Club, and Montammy Country Club.
 
Prior to 2012, Mark and Rich LaBar worked together at a regional golf course renovation company where Mark served as project manager at several of the top courses the New York metro area. During this period, Mark executed a 36-hole renovation project of the famed Upper and Lower courses at Baltusrol Golf Club (Springfield, NJ).
 
Earlier in his career, Mark worked alongside Rich LaBar on the construction of the Crystal Springs Golf Club in Hamburg, New Jersey. From there, Mark worked with Rich in many roles such as head shaper, construction supervisor & irrigation installation manager at Black Bear Golf Club, Ballyowen Golf Club and at Wild Turkey Golf Club – all in Northern New Jersey.
 
Mark started his career in 1980 working in Fort Myers, FL as maintenance and construction lead at Fiddlesticks Country Club and Vine’s Country Club. He moved to New Jersey in 1989 and started his focus in golf course construction.
 
Mark resides in Andover, New Jersey with wife Cathy and daughter Sara.
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Chris Walick

Project Manager

Chris Walick

With more than twenty years of experience in golf course maintenance and construction, Chris joined LaBar Golf Renovations in March of 2015. Chris combines strong leadership and planning skills with attention to detail required by top golf clubs across the United States. Chris' broad knowledge of architectural course styles aids him in providing the best possible project results for clubs.

Chris was project manager for a major renovation at Sunningdale Country Club (Scarsdale, NY), and assistant project manager at Siwanoy Country Club (Bronxville, NY), and Burning Tree Country Club (Greenwich, CT) in 2015. Currently, Chris serves as assistant project manager for the south course renovation at the prestigious Los Angeles Country Club (Los Angeles, CA). Currently, Chris is overseeing work at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton, CT.

Chris graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration, and also holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture from Ohio State University.

In his spare time, Chris is an avid golfer and diehard Cleveland Browns and OSU Buckeyes fan. He resides in Elizabeth, NJ with his wife Maria and daughter, Abby and son, CJ.  

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Peter Sensbach

Project Manager

Peter Sensbach

Pete joined LaBar Golf Renovations in 2012 with more than 16 years in the golf industry. He is a project manager and handled the renovation work at Siwanoy Country Club (Bronxville, NY), San Gabriel Country Club (San Gabriel, CA) and is currently managing the west course bunker renovation at Westchester Country Club (Rye, NY).

Prior to 2012, Pete worked with Rich LaBar on golf course renovation projects in the New York Metro area. Earlier in his career he assisted Rich LaBar in the construction of Wild Turkey Golf Course in Hamburg, NJ.

Pete resides in Vernon, New Jersey and has three children, Morgan, Connor and Collin.

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Joey Chase

Project Manager

Joey Chase

Joey has 24 years in the golf industry. His father was a superintendent and Joey would work for him in exchange for rounds of golf. His love for the business grew from those experiences, and he joined LaBar Golf in 2017. 

Prior to LaBar Golf, Joey served five years as a greenskeeper at Domaine Imperial Golf Club in Switzerland. Prior to that, he spent 8 years working alongside Roger Rulewich, a well-known international golf course architect.  

During his time with LaBar Golf, Joey has worked on several key projects at clubs such as; Burning Tree Golf Club, The Alotian Club, The Creek Club, El Niguel Country Club, Omaha Country Club, Garden City Golf Club, Quaker Ridge Golf Club, and Oak Hill Country Club.

Joey attended Rutgers University, graduating in 2004 with Bachelors Degree in Turfgrass Management. He resides in South Salem, New York with his wife Fanny.

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Clayton Cupples

Equipment Manager

Clayton Cupples

With more than twenty years of experience in equipment management, Clayton joined LaBar Golf in 2013 after previously working with Rich LaBar in various New York Metro area projects.

Prior to that, Clayton served 10 years as an equipment operator, mechanic, and job foreman for a local construction company. Clayton honed his skills early on when he served in the 82nd Airborne and was a 62echo Combat Engineer, Heavy Equipment Operator, and Explosives Expert for 4 years.

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Jason Semaya

Controller

Jason Semaya

Bringing over 20 years of multi-industry financial experience to LaBar Golf, Jason handles the day-to-day financial needs with impeccable attention-to-detail. Prior to contributing his talents to LaBar Golf, Jason served as a controller for a large elevator consulting company for over 15 years. He also worked 3 years in the construction management industry, where he handled all aspects of accounting and learned the ins-and-outs of construction management.

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Kerri Ercole

Human Resources Manager

Kerri Ercole

Kerri Ercole brings 15 years of invaluable experience to her role as the LaBar Golf Human Resources Manager. Thorough and informative, Kerri is the administrator of all benefit plans as well as the onboarding of employees, mobility needs, and payroll. Her impressive background includes working for Blackstone for 9 years in the Benefits and Expatriate/Mobility divisions, and 4 years in the Citigroup Alternative Investment division.

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Lily Belle

Landscape Survey Specialist

Lily Belle

Lily Belle LaBar is an integral part of the company and can be found touring and surveying most projects in the Northeast alongside owner Rich LaBar. She exudes confidence in all aspects of her work and enjoys seeing all her long-time dog pals at the many courses she visits on official work.

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