WEST DEPTFORD
When it was first proposed, the RiverWinds complex was seen as a vehicle in which to improve West Deptford and the surrounding community.

The complex as a whole would house a tennis center, convention hall and a 300-room hotel. Add in professional offices, assisted living facilities and rinks for roller skating and ice skating, and all the complex needed was a first-class focal point.

On April 1, PGA professional Dick Smith officially lent his hand to making the RiverWinds golf course that centerpiece.

And Smith, more than any other golf professional from South Jersey, has the background and ability to do it.

"I am a firm believer that the success of any business is directly attributed to human resources," said Arret Dobson, president and co-owner of RiverWinds. "I am thrilled that the director of golf operations will be Mr. Dick Smith."

A quick glance at Smith's resume will confirm Dobson's belief.

Smith has long been a big part of the Philadelphia Chapter of the PGA. In fact, the Williamstown resident was the president of the Philadelphia PGA from 1991 to 1993. He is also a five-time Philadelphia PGA champion.

But neither Smith's playing ability nor his influence with the local PGA was the reason Smith was hired. Instead, to understand what Smith brings to RiverWinds, you only have to look at his last project.

"It's been an interesting four years," Smith said. "But now I'm looking at RiverWinds as the next challenge."

Smith, who at times has worked at the Woodcrest Country Club in Cherry Hill and was part of the start-up operation at Galloway National in Absecon, has spent the last four years traveling back and forth to Bethpage State Park on Long Island. Bethpage has five public courses and one, the Black Course, will be the home of this year's U.S. Open.

It was Smith, who had an apartment near the course but traveled home every few weeks to see his wife Adrienne, his children and grandchildren, who supervised the upgrading of the pro shop, cart barn and driving range for this year's big event.

"It's truly an experience I'll never forget," Smith said of working at Bethpage. "It's amazing to see what they have to go through to play golf. The facility hosts about 300,000 rounds of golf a year.

"But to get the walk-up times, people start arriving Friday for Saturday tee times," said Smith, who noted that people even sleep in their cars to get a ticket for a tee time. "There's a certain passion to that approach."

So why did Smith leave?

For one thing, Smith's job at Bethpage is done. The USGA moves in two months before the Open and runs things from that point on.

So Smith was looking for a new venture. And along came the Dobson brothers.

"I've known them for the last six years," Smith said. "They felt with my experience, on both the corporate and personal level of golf, that I could really help them."

And with an undertaking of this size, Smith's experience will be a huge asset.

The $28 million facility, which included swimming pools, gyms and a senior center, opened in early March. It is located off Grove Road in West Deptford heading toward National Park. The center is part of the township's riverside redevelopment project called RiverWinds, a 598-acre complex that will include retail and commercial space, ice and roller rinks, and a marina.

The township is spending about $56 million on the project and expects much of it will be returned through agreements with private investors.

It's the golf course that has attracted much of the interest.

``I think it will be an upscale golf course just because of the property itself,'' West Deptford Township committee member John Cobb said. ``It has a spectacular view of the Delaware and great terrain for a links-style course.

``From strictly a golfing standpoint, that area has a tendency to be windy. On certain days it will be very difficult.''

The links-style course, which will have six holes along the Woodbury Creek where it meets the Delaware River, is the cornerstone of the project. It will be owned and operated by Arret and Emory Dobson, who successfully opened the White Oaks Golf Club in Newfield two years.

``It's not an accident that the first development project that had to be looked into was the quality of golf at the site,'' Township administrator Gerry White said in an earlier interview. ``A run-of-the-mill course won't attract the interest that a top-end course will.

``The rest of the complex will feed off the course. We knew that from the start. We feel we have a great facility in the making and we wanted to give the Township what it deserves.''

With holes one through nine opening in June, and the entire layout is expected to be open by Labor Day, Smith has a full plate in front of him.

"This is more than just one year," Smith said. "This is a four- to five-year project that will grow and develop alongside the course.

"It's an exciting time and I'm glad to be a part of it."