Winter 2023 Almanac

ALMANAC

From the General Manager

As you will see in the following pages, Champions Retreat had an epic year in 2022. The growth of our Membership and their use of the Club was felt throughout and we are thankful for such a great Membership to be as supportive of our efforts during that time. We are also pleased that our greens surfaces have aged and become more receptive over the past year, allowing for a pure roll and consistency throughout the year with lessening the threat of exposure during the summer months.

Some areas that have continued to experience the growth of our Membership is in the tournament calendar. In response, we have added a second Member-Guest that will be conducted exactly the same as the normal September event. Invitations for this year’s Member-Guests will be sent to your home shortly, so please be on the lookout. Separately, the Club’s website is another great source of this information, including updated menus, monthly calendars as well as your ability to review your statement.

Some of our other events (Ice Breaker, Turkey Shootout and Nightmare Before Christmas) this past year were also well-subscribed, so the limitation of guests in these events will be the new protocol until the Member demand has been satisfied.

As the new year is upon us, we offer the reminder of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will again be held in late March. Correspondence on the topic has been mailed directly to you from our friends at the Augusta National, but we are happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Finally, in an effort to celebrate the successes of our team…I a sk that you join me in congratulating our Director of Golf, Mike Rymer, on his Merchandiser of the Year Award. This honor is given on behalf of the PGA of America, and specifically in the state of Georgia in the Private Club sector. Mike’s management and his staff’s presentation of our golf shop has earned him this year’s award and we could not be more proud.

We look forward to seeing each of you throughout the year and again, we thank you for your continued support of our teams.

Cameron S. Wiebe, PGA Champions Retreat General Manager

(706) 854-6999 |

cameron@championsretreat.net

Cameron S. Wiebe

Membership

It is hard to believe that in November 2022 I came upon my 1-year anniversary as your Director of Membership.

It feels like just yesterday I was writing in this Almanac issue introducing myself. Perhaps it is like the saying goes, “Time flies when you are having fun!" Over the past year, I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting so many of our existing Members and your loved ones, colleagues, or friends. By doing so, it has only strengthened my admiration for this property through the collection of personal memories and stories you have shared with me. Thank you for welcoming me into Champions Retreat with open arms.

Additionally, over the last year, we have extended a warm welcome to new Members from all around the world, many of which were referrals on behalf of an active Member. Our Membership continues to grow in a positive direction, and we thank you for being such great advocates of your Club.

Collectively, we strive to provide an exceptional experience and a sturdy framework for our membership to blossom and maximize their experience. With a variety of Member tournaments, events, family milestones and networking that is possible, we anticipate that 2023 will continue that trend. Thank you for choosing Champions Retreat and sharing those moments with myself and our team.

As we head into 2023, we are excited and ready for great camaraderie, great golf and southern hospitality. I am proud to be a part of this Membership community and can’t wait to see each of you soon.

Kelly Pickard | Director of Membership & Sales (570) 269–8382 | kelly@championsretreat.net

Lodging & Facilities

As I reflect on 2022, the cottages at Champions Retreat have provided the backdrop to many great memories. From the Member-Guest, family occasions, buddy trips and weddings…we are proud to have played a role in each of them. Additionally, many of these events used our services including massages, charcuterie trays, Chef experiences, BMW rentals and a list of many more. We thank you for including us in these events and hope that you will continue to engage our Concierge team to make your next stay a great one.

With the continued growth in our Membership, we have experienced elevated demand during all times of the year. Where January and February are normally a quiet time, we have noticed that the cottages are still getting used. With that, be sure to book your cottages in advance to ensure that you secure the cottage and timing needed to best satisfy your trip to the Club.

We look forward to a great 2023 and hope that you will continue to include Champions Retreat in your activity away from home this year. Please don’t hesitate to contact Erica and Jillian in Concierge to best plan your next visit.

Food & Beverage

What an amazing year 2022 turned out to be. While summer typically slows due to hot weather and course maintenance, this past summer that time was active with Member sponsored private dinners and committed golfers. Summer activity grew into a busy fall season, starting with the Member-Guest and continuing through October and November. Even the December activity at the Club was one of the busiest in our Club’s history. Member participation in all elements of the Club has shown the health and pride that we all have for the property, and we are thankful for your support.

Thursday nights have continued to offer the popular prime rib night, which happens every other Thursday in the Grille house. Fire & Ice has also been a huge hit with our Members and their guests every Friday night. Enjoy a cigar and specialty cocktail by the fire while li stening to live music in a beautiful setting.

2023 Masters has enticed many of our Members that enjoy the week to include Champions Retreat in their festivities. The Steakhouse in the Barn will be another success, and I suggest making reservations now to ensure your spot. “28," our casual dining including pizza and pretzels, will have an even larger presence with the addition of a tent in the four-squares. This setting will be perfect for a casual night after the tournament with friends. Reservations are not necessary in this space, and we expect it to be a lively event each night.

Chef Ross is working on new menus for winter and spring with seasonal produce and creative touch. Both lunch and dinner menus are innovative, beautiful and delicious. Look for announcements in your weekly emails and join us to try his latest creations. Also, in the next few months we will have a number of events you should not miss - Winemaker Dinner, Valentine’s Day Dinner (It is on a Tuesday night this year), and Mother’s Day Brunch, to mention a few with more in the works.

In the Barn, Tamara and her team work hard to create the perfect event for whatever you might have in mind. Weddings, family milestones, tournaments and corporate retreats seem to be the most popular, but in-cottage Chef experiences are also available. Don’t hesitate to reach out to her and allow us to create your one-of-a-kind event around the property.

A new and promising year has begun, and I am looking forward to serving all of our Members and their guests this year. As always, feel free to contact me with any requests to make your next visit to the Club your best one.

Golf News

As the Club completes its 17th year and many great events have happened on these grounds, 2022 was a sea change in the growth and health of our Club. Tournament participation, member engagement and guest activity sponsored by Members were at levels not seen prior. Thank you for your support of our Professional Staff during an epic year, and we look forward to 2023 being more of the same.

As we moved into the “winter” phase of the golf calendar, we hosted some events that put an emphasis on fun and camaraderie, mixed in with a little competition. In November, the 5th Annual CR Cup was held. This popular event pits two teams of 36 players against each other in a Ryder Cup-style format; the “Overs” (50+) versus the “Unders” (49 and under)! Bragging rights are always on the line, and this year’s event was no different. In the end, the Unders retained the cup with a strong 40-32 victory. The Overs will be looking to get the Cup back in November of ’23.

The Club event calendar then pivoted to some of our most popular events here during the holiday season. The Club hosts the Turkey Shootout the day after Thanksgiving and the Nightmare before Christmas which falls on the Saturday before Christmas.

The Turkey Shoot-out is unique because it is played on a different golf course. Yes, the course is here at Champions Retreat but we take the Buff and Island nines, shuffle a few things around and you have a cross-country course. This nine-hole event featured a mix of tees and greens from each nine which also had a par 6 and a few diabolical tee shots. The team that could navigate this trickery the best would come out as champion. This past November, the Gross title, with a score of 34, went to the team of Phillip Tussey, Chris Newsome, Aaron Cozart and Will Rogers. The Net title, with a score of 29, went to Greg Honeymichael, Jonathan Lilly, Graham Wyman, and Grey Meybohm.

Shortly thereafter, the aptly named Nightmare before Christmas was hosted in December. As the name suggests, you better prepare for some 3-putts (and the occas ional 4-putt!).

The “scary” pin positions definitely kept all players on their toes. The scramble format adds an element of fun to offset the “nightmare." There was some exceptional play and none better than the team of Ryan Mitchell, Chris Blackburn, Chris Rud and Russell Fiveash. They fired an unbelievable score of 59 to capture the Gross title. The Net champions of father-s on duo Richard and Jackson Marshall, along with Ryan Marshall and Michael Downes fired a similarly sterling round of net 59.

Before you know it, we are kicking off the 2023 season with the Ice Breaker Par 3 Tournament. Stay tuned for all the exciting details!

Don’t forget to get “logoed up” here at the Golf Shop. Whether at the game, in the neighborhood or at work, there are many ways to show off the CR pride. This fall, we had our custom CR Dormie Workshop headcovers with the Island #4 scene and Smathers & Branson CR belts which had the logo of Nicklaus, Palmer and Player paired with the CR logo. The Golf House hopes to be your one-stop shop for the latest trends in golf fashion, accessories and equipment. Let one of the Professionals know how best we can assist you in your fashion or your game.

Mike Rymer | Director of Golf

Course Conditions

As your new Director of Agronomy, I could not be more enthusiastic to join the team at Champions Retreat, and while reflecting on my last 3 months here, I am eager to experience the Club's many events. With that, there is also a four-legged friend that is even more excited about being a part of Champions Retreat and her name is Drizzle. For those who have not been able to meet her on the course, Drizzle comes to the golf course daily to deter the geese from occupying residence here at the Club. Stop and say hello next time you see us passing through.

Over this short period of time, our team has accomplished a great deal of success during our Fall golf events by maintaining a firm, fast and clean course. Following the completion of the Member-Guest, the Golf Course Maintenance team began establishing the winter playing surfaces on teeing grounds and at the practice facility by overseeding with perennial ryegrass. While dry weather impeded the initial germination, we were able to manage the moisture levels to achieve the goal. Since the initial dry spell, we have experienced excessive amounts of moisture, which has led to the decline of some of the ryegrass due to saturation. We will continue to address drainage where needed and cheer for some dryer days ahead.

Another area of focus has been pigmenting applications on fairways to maintain color and definition on the golf course.

Due to the recent artic blast of cold air, all pigment has departed and color has been lost. Beginning January 9th, our team will work with permanent colorant, which behaves more like a paint to allow for the desired definition without the excessive water needed to germinate the seed.

Over the next few months, our staff will be directing their attention to winter projects. Our focus will be preparation for daily play as well as the upcoming ANWA in March. These winter projects will include overall facility maintenance, bunker sand distribution and painting of fairways. We will continue to work on building a culture within our department that is consistent throughout Champions Retreat. “Your culture is your brand,” is a moto I live by, meaning if we show that we care for our staff, facilities, equipment and property… our team will notice, gain interest into the process and the results will lead to great things in the future.

On a personal note, I am happy to report that my family and I are all once again under one roof with our move from North Carolina now complete. My wife Anne and two boys Tanner (14) and Tate (12) are excited to get to know the area. I can’t thank you, the Membership and the Leadership Team for your support and understanding over the past few months.

We look forward to the joys and challenges that lie ahead in 2023.