AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWSLETTER
Leadership EX ECU T I VE CO M M I T T E E Seth Lee, President | slee@summittalentgroup.com Steve Schrenk, Vice President | sschrenk@eqr.com Andrew Schickner, Treasurer | aschickner@s1services.com Scott Segrist, Secretary | ssegrist@apexhomeloans.com Howard Feldman, Past President | howard.feldman@cfmktg.com BOARD O F D I R EC TOR S Jeff Martin Colton O’Donoghue Lurdes Abruscato Sean Battle Mike Malone Scott Segrist Heather Smyth Dustin Heusser John Deleonibus Michael J. Jack Lou DeBenedetto Scott Nicholson CO MM I T T E E S Golf - Scott Segrist | ssegrist@apexhomeloans.com Junior Golf - Dustin Heusser | dustyh711@comcast.net Green - Colton O’Donoghue | odonoghueclan@verizon.net Tennis - Heather Smyth | hsmyth68@hotmail.com Membership - Lou DeBenedetto | ldebenedetto@gmail.com Finance - Andrew Schickner | aschickner@s1services.com House - Mike Malone | michaelbmalone@gmail.com House - Lurdes Abruscato | lurdesabruscato@aol.com Swim Team - Sara Magden | saraeliz82@me.com Audit - Andrew Schickner | aschickner@s1services.com Compensation - Seth Lee | slee@summittalentgroup.com CCWGA Chair - Sondra Rappaport | sondrarappaport@gmail.com CCWTA President - Amanda Shumate | amanda.shumate@me.com
M A NAG E M E NT Bill Jankowski General Manager bill.j@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 231 Steve O’Grady, Chief Financial Officer steve.o@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 232 Kirk Warburton Golf Course Superintendent kirk.w@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 250 Colin Brennan Director of Food and Beverage colin.b@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 234 Alicia LaPreze Food and Beverage Manager alicia.l@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 396 James Diamantides Food and Beverage Manager james.d@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 397 Tom Caswell Executive Chef tom.caswell@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 246 Rob Anderson Facilities Manager rob.anderson@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 247 Chris Cozzillio Director of Tennis chris.cozzillio@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 265 Daniel Bengtson Head Golf Professional daniel. bengtson@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 222 Deborah Eubank Membership Coordinator deborah.e@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 233 C LUB P HONE NUM B E R S Main Clubhouse 410.489.4653 Golf Shop 410.489.5224 Tennis & Fitness Pro Shop 410.989.3683 Green Department 410.489.9178
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 • 3
A MESSAGE FROM
the General Manager Dear Members, I hope you and your families have been enjoying a great season at Cattail! Our Golf, Tennis, and Restaurant teams have done a tremendous job this year delivering a high-quality season of tournaments and events and they are not finished yet! Please check out the Club Calendar as we have many fun and unique events leading into the fall months! Our Membership levels are growing exponentially as we continue to attract many new Golf and Social Members to the Club. The new families are very impressed with what Cattail has to offer and are thrilled about the Club’s renovation plans. Don’t forget about our Member Referral Program! MEMBER REFERRAL PROGRAM GOLF - Refer a new, first-time Golf Member, receive a $500 statement credit SOCIAL - Refer a new, first-time Social Member, receive a $300 statement credit and the new Member receives a $300 statement credit On behalf of the staff at Cattail, I would like to thank our Membership for your contribution toward our Employee Appreciation Event. The employees really look forward to this event year after year and it would not be possible to treat our employees as well as we do without you! I continue to be impressed by how well our Membership treats the staff with respect and gratitude, which is a reflection a great Club! See you at the Club! Bill Jankowski, General Manager
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 U P COMING E VE NTS AU G U ST
PR EM I ER EV EN T: FAM ILY N IGH T O N TH E FARM T HU R SDAY, AU G U ST 22 , 201 9 FRO M 5:00-8 :00 PM Come enjoy an action-packed night before the kids go back to school! Event will feature farm-style kid and adult buffets, petting zoo, pony rides, cowboy rope trick artist & more! Cost: $25++ per child, $20++ per adult for buffet. Reservations are available now through our Club Calendar at cattailcreekcc.com.
PR EM I ER EV EN T: GU YS N IGH T O U T F RI DAY, SEPT EM B ER 6 FRO M 6 :00-1 0:00 PM Special night featuring a Southern-style buffet, billiards, scotch tastings, putting contest & drinks by Signature. Cost: $30++ per person. Registration will be available through the Club Calendar at cattailcreekcc.com
19-20 Fall Restoration 22 1/2 Price Cocktail Nights start (available weekly through 10/24) 22 Family Night on the Farm 24 Family Tree Golf Tournament 24 Back-to-School Pool Party 24-26 USTA Junior Tennis Tournament 25 Sunday Brunch 25 Junior Golf Skills Challenge 30 Nine & Dine
S E PT E MBE R 2 Labor Day Shotgun 4 After School Golf Clinics start 6 CCWTA Social 6 Guys Night Out! (Rescheduled Date) 7 Husband and Wife Golf Event 8 Sunday Tailgate Specials start (available select Sundays during football season) 10 Thanksgiving Carryout Orders available 13 Women’s Tennis Member-Member 14-15 Club Championship Qualifier 18 Family Night - Reptiles Alive! 20 Prime Rib Night 20-22 Club Championships 21 September Date Night 25 September Men’s Guest Day 27 Nine and Dine 29 Sunday Brunch
SAVE T HE DAT E S October 5 Women’s Member-Member 10-12 Men’s Member-Member 19 Fall Fest 24 Family Night - Creepy Crawlies & Spooky Stories 25 Oktoberfest Theme Night
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 • 5
Sips & Savors
UPDATE
Even though the summer is winding down, the Food & Beverage team is introducing several new items and events that are sure to get everyone ready for the season. Starting Friday, August 2, our dinner menu featured several brand-new items, packed with seasonal produce and flavors. Some of the NEW items include: Entrée: CHILI LIME SALMON $26 GRILLED SALMON / MANGO PEACH CHUTNEY / LIME CHILI AGAVE / BABY ARUGULA / CHERRY HEIRLOOM TOMATO / CHIVE BASMATI RICE. Entrée: HONEY ROSEMARY LAKE TROUT $18 PAN SEARED LAKE TROUT / HONEY ROSEMARY BALSAMIC GLAZE / SUNDRIED TOMATO / FRENCH BEANS Entrée: GARLIC CHICKEN & OLD BAY SAUSAGE PASTA $14 CAJUN ALFREDO / BROCCOLI / YELLOW PEPPER / MANCHEGO CHEESE. Vegetarian Entrée: BLACKBEAN SALSA NAAN FLATBREAD $11 SOUTHWEST BLACKBEAN SALSA / MANCHEGO CHEESE / NAAN BREAD We are bringing back one of our signature events: Vino on the Patio! Don’t miss this exclusive event featuring a five-course tasting menu with wine pairings. Chef Tom’s menu includes: Charcuterie and Cheese, Bison Strip Loin, Exquisite Shellfish and Much More! The kids (and kids-at-heart) won’t want to miss this month’s Family Night on the Farm on Thursday, August 22, 5:00– 8:00 pm. Not only will there be a tempting farm-fresh menu, everyone can enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo and a bounce house. Finally, we are working on a new cocktail menu and we need your help. On Thursday Nights in August and September we will offer select cocktails for half price. Stop by try one and let us know what you think! We’re revving up for fall and looking forward to helping you enjoy it! See you at the Club! Colin Brennan, Food & Beverage Director
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BUNKER to BUNKER Dear Cattail Creek Members, The summer months are rolling right along, and Mother Nature sure has left us with her fair share of heat! We are looking forward to some exciting events on the horizon. • Junior Club Championship: Saturday, August 17 through Sunday, August 18 • The Family Tree (former Parent-Child): Saturday, August 24 • Junior Skills Completion: Sunday, August 25 • Labor Day Morning Shotgun: Monday, September 2 • Husband-Wife Tournament: Sunday, September 7 • Fall Men’s League Begins Tuesday, September 10
Lastly, with the summer coming to an end, I would like take this time to thank all our Outside Service Staff and PGM Interns that will be returning to school soon. They all have been an integral part to our golf operation, and everyone has done a phenomenal job working together. Our Outside Service Staff and PGM Interns are usually the first people you see when you pull into the Club and they have provided our Membership an excellent customer service experience. Our interns Mason, Derek and Jackson will be returning to their respective colleges with a great foundation in the golf business because they had a chance to experience such a strong energetic family club atmosphere. So please be sure to wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors and we look forward to finishing the year strong with our fantastic Golf Professionals and remaining Outside Service Staff.
These are a great slate of events to finish up the summer and they are all currently open for registration on the club’s website www. cattailcreekcc.com. Thank you and we hope to see everyone around the Club soon! I would like to take this time to welcome all our new Members to the Cattail Creek family! The Warm Regards, Professional Staff is always happy to assist any Members with questions about the golf operation Daniel Bengston, or Club policies. We also have a great Sportsbook Head Golf Professional and Member Handbook that are available to reference any urgent questions you may have.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 • 7
The Green Report
FROM KIRK WARBURTON GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT
As we head into August with optimism for the brutal heat and torrential rains of June and July behind us, a brief look back at what the golf course endured this summer to date. In an average year, our area experiences 36 days with temperatures hitting above 90 degrees. This year, so far, we have already hit that number and are sitting at 36 days at the time of this publication. In the month of July alone there were 19 days that the temperature reached above 90 degrees. The combination of high humidity and large volume storm events caused saturation of the soils for much of July. Our bentgrass fairways are by nature not intended to grow in our extreme summers but they are the plant of choice as they provide a superior playing surface all other times of the year. Generally, bentgrass does well in saturated soilshence why it can be seen thriving near streams and low areas. However, the lethal combination of high temperature, wet soils and cart traffic resulted in root decline in the areas of the fairways. CAT TALES 2019 • 8
Hole #18 fairway suffered from some decline as pictured here. Interesting to note the area inside the red lines remained unscathed during the extreme conditions. This area was sodded with a different variety of bentgrass at some point in the past. These newer varieties of bentgrass are more resilient in their response to our MidAtlantic summer season.
Very conservative management of the greens was a necessary evil for the bulk of July and proved successful in maintaining the health of the greens. While greens are playing well, speeds have dropped primarily due to the lack of frequent rolling the greens and, to a lesser extent, the lack of sand topdressing applications. When the temperature permits and greens are rolled, this compacts the upper portion of the root zone as it firms up the surface, increasing the green speeds in the process. However, rolling is limited during extreme hot, humid weather as the demand from the plant for soil oxygen to facilitate proper respiration is maximized. The plant is under even further stress when soils are saturated and the pores between particles are full of water rather than the oxygen it craves. If we were to roll the surface, this would further compact the root zone and the already limited oxygen supply during the time of peak demand would be cut off; this is when greens can rapidly thin out due to suffocation. Sand topdressing applications have multiple benefits to the greens, one of which is the insulation of the upper root zone of the plants from compaction damage. However, sand absorbs heat, and the purposeful addition of heat stress to the plants and the upper root zone in hot weather equals certain further damage. Looking ahead to the August 19 and 20 aerification of the greens, this process will mark the turning point of the greens’ surfaces playing firmer and faster again.
Hole #9 green surround still looking great on a hot summer afternoon. This showcases the impact of the Tall Fescue conversion project and its benefit to the golf course playability and aesthetic. A future project on the horizon for the fall, which will continue to improve the consistency of the rough and provide a more aesthetically pleasing look, is the Tall Fescue sod conversion effort. Please note, the Course will be completely closed on August 19 and open for 9 holes only on August 20 as aerification of the greens takes place. Kirk Warburton, Golf Course Superintendent
As of now the greens management has proven successful and while the fairways put up a good fight, areas of turf in the drainage swales of a few fairways have declined in health. Fortunately, these areas of decline are not extensive, and recovery will have begun during August by our team nursing the plants back, and/or seed placed or sod replacement in those areas. From a longrange planning perspective, developing fairway drainage improvement can create a strategy for improved turfgrass health and playability in those susceptible areas. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 • 9
REGIONALS ROUND UP Boy, did Cattail represent at this year’s USTA Regional Championships! The USTA Regionals Championships are playoffs that are held for the winners of every local league in the Maryland area. To advance from the regional tournament to the sectional tournament, you must finish as one of the top two teams in the tournament. For the first time ever, Cattail had not one, but THREE teams advance to the sectional championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia! 3.0 MEN—THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS Team Roster: Doug White, Stephen Murray, Jeff Lee, Peter Hong, Kevin Talley, Ben Cimini, Tracy Cleckler, Ricardo Conti, Benjamin Hayes, Guarav Sabharwal, Michael Conron, Tom Norris, Mark Horwath, Todd Travis, Greg Wheeler. 2.5 WOMEN—TEAM FELDMAN Team Roster: Kelly Feldman, Melissa Farley, Jodi Murray, Stacy Kerrigan, Stephanie Heinrichs, Allison Cornelius, Kara Jones, Melanie Talley, Stephanie Travis, Kim Meissner, Erin Meehan, Allie Lee. 4.0 MEN—TEAM RIVERA Team Roster: Jonathan Rivera, Daniel Park, Danny Liang, Gregory Spiegel, Michael Sloan, Dean Landis, Andy Sasaki, Brian Wee, Roger Fox, Steve Callahan, David Gates, Jon Jensen, Justin Park, James Ginty, Alexander Spector, Sandeep Krishnan, William Collins, Denis Vashuk, Joseph Marino. Congratulations to these three teams and all of the hard work that you put in to get to this point!! Way to go Team CATTAIL! Good luck and see you on the courts! Chris Cozzillio, Director of Tennis
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