For the Members Monthly Newsletter
August 2024
Champions Retreat at a glance
c lub c oncier G e
Tuesday - Saturday
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
G rille H ouse
Tuesday - Saturday
Breakfast 7:00 am - 10:30 am
Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sunday Brunch
11:00 am - 2:30 pm (closed for dinner)
H alfway H ouse
Tuesday - Sunday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
G olf s H op & p ractice f acilities
Tuesday - Sunday
7:00 am - 7:00 pm
f itness c enter open 24/7
THE GRILLE
The Land
6 OZ FILET MIGNON 46
shallot & herb butter
To Start
BABY ROMAINE 14
white anchovy dressing | brioche couton | pecorino romano
HEIRLOOM TOMATO 16
burrata | basil | aged balsamic | olive oil
ANSON MILLS CORNBREAD 5
whipped honey butter | sea salt
SUMMER SQUASH SALAD 14
spiced yogurt | pickled onion | radish |mint | pine nuts
GEORGIA PEACHES 15
ricotta | local honey | pecans | crispy ham | summer berries
DAY BOAT CATCH CEVICHE 18
citrus | avocado | jalapeño | cilantro | red onion |tortilla
Scratch Pasta
FRESH CATCH SEAFOOD 27
squid ink pasta | fresh seafood | calabrian chili | san marzano tomato | lemon
LAMB RAGÚ 26
north african spices | curry yogurt | aged sheep cheese
BURRATA RAVIOLI 20 pomodoro sauce | basil | olive oil
CACIO E PEPE 19
bucatini | pecorino romano | toasted black pepper
HERITAGE PORK CHOP 34 mustard sauce
DRY AGED PRIME BONE-IN RIBEYE 70 chimichurri | horseradish sauce
JOYCE FARMS CHICKEN 25 cornmeal fried | house hot sauce | collard slaw
The Sea
HALIBU 32
capers | lemon | herbs
WHOLE MAINE LOBSTER 49
broiled | drawn butter | charred lemon
ORA KING SALMON 27
smoked tomato | chimichurri
LOCAL FRESH CATCH MP seasonal selection
Sides
SWEET CORN 8 corn butter | bacon | pickled jalapeño
PARMESAN & TRUFFLE FRIES 7 black garlic aioli
SEASONAL MUSHROOMS 9
garlic | shallot | fine herbs
ANSON MILLS GRITS 8
sweet grass dairy cheese | heirloom popcorn
POMME PUR É E 7
crème fraîche | chive
SUMMER SQUASH 9
smoked tomato | squash blossom
Dinner Menu | August 1, 2024
Golf Course Update
GREENS AERATION
• Core aeration removes organic matter from soil profile. We used tines ½” diameter with holes spacing 2“ x 2” with approximately 48 holes per square foot following impact 4.91% of the green surface. We applied 55,000 lbs of sand during this process.
• Fertilizer and soil amendments applied based on the results of soil testing.
• DryJect uses a high-speed, water-based injection system to blast aeration holes through the root zone to fracture the soil. The patented vacuum technology simultaneously fills holes to the surface with high volumes of sand or amendment. This means you can relieve compaction, increase water infiltration, reach the root zone with oxygen and amend your soil with high "volumes of material, all at once. We applied 108,900 lbs of sand during this process.
• Greens aeration as a hole went very smooth and was a success.
TEE AERATION
• All tees that were not resurfaced with new grass and top dressed were aerated twice. More top dressing on tees will be done through early September.
• The tees that were resurfaced were aerated once before new grass was installed. These tees will be top dressed and aerated once the grass is secure and in place.
• Once this process is complete, we will have applied 240,000 lbs of sand on tees.
FAIRWAY AERATION
• Fairways on Bluff and Island were aerated, vertically mowed, and top dressed.
• Creek fairways were vertically mowed and top dressed.
• All approaches and aprons were aerated and top dressed.
• We used approximately 2,880,000 lbs of sand in these areas.
THINGS TO COME
• AUGUST GREENS AERIFICATION
Greens aeration and DryJect is scheduled for August 12-14. The golf course will be closed during this time. This may seem too soon, but when you look at our annual rounds counts from month-to-month our golf season is from March-June and September-November. These cultural practices are not ideal during the winter months, therefore we have scheduled these practices during the hottest and slowest rounds count months, July and August.
• TREE PROJECT
We will begin removing trees on select areas of the golf course to improve sunlight and air movement, which results in better turf conditions. Our team will grind down the stumps, remove the organic matter, add necessary topsoil to properly grade the area and resurface the areas that we with grass where needed. This work will take 2 weeks for tree removal and an additional week for regressing the areas.
• SINK HOLES AND STUMP REMOVAL
We will have a team begin repairing sink holes and removing stumps on the golf course. These sink holes are hazardous to our golfers and damage our maintenance equipment. This work will consist of a 4-man crew that will remove the grass surrounding the area, dig up the stump, back fill and grade the area, then replace with new sod. This work will go on for approximately 4 weeks. Additional tee grounds on constructed on Bluff #3 and #4. We are planning to build additional tee grounds on these holes for more variety on this lengthy par 4’s of the bluff course.
ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
• We have done well this year as it relates to staffing numbers. We have the largest team we have had in years, helping make this property what it is and will become.
• Irrigation pond at Creek #9 is full of water again. From April – June of 2023 we received 17+” of rain, in April –June of 2024 we received 7” of rain. With the recent rain events in July, there has been very little need for supplemental irrigation, which has allowed our irrigation pond to recharge.
• With recent thunderstorms totaling 10" of rain as of July 29th, we experienced bunker washing due to the amount of rain over a short period of time during these rain events. When these types of rain event happen, it requires 218 man hours just to get the debris out of the bunker and sand pushed back onto the slopes. Our team has repaired bunkers on two separate occasions in the month of July, which results in 436 man hours.
WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE A COUPLES TWILIGHT LEAGUE THIS COMING FALL.
August 24th | September TBA | October TBA
Each month will have a different theme & new format. This series is designed for couples to enjoy the game of golf, socialize with other Members, and ultimately have fun!
Saturday, August 24th
FORMAT: TEAM SHAMBLE
Each foursome plays 9-holes (2 couples per foursome) 5pm Shotgun Start
THEME: NINE, WINE, & DINE
Play 9-holes with your partner
Enjoy a wine tasting on Island #3
Order dinner from a curated menu
COST: $80 PER COUPLE
Includes a golf cart, wine tasting, dinner, & prizes.
The Grainy Days of Summer
Enhancing Your Putting Game | August 1, 2024
The warmer days of summer are upon us and the weather plays a huge impact on course and playing conditions. With that, being able to read grain is integral when playing on Bermudagrass greens. At Champions Retreat, our agronomic practices are top-tier to ensure minimal grain impact. However, during the steamy days, grain can still impact your game.
If you're ever confused about grain, the first thing to do is look at the golf hole itself. On greens where grain plays a heavy role, you will be able to see a grassy side and a dead side When grass is chopped off at the roots, it creates a "dead" side. The dead side will indicate that the grain is growing away from that side of the cup and will always be opposite of the grassy side. The grain will point from the smooth side of the grass, towards the dead side.
I like to think of it this way; a down grain putt will impart less friction between the ball and the grass, resulting in the ball rolling further. Into the grain, the ball and the grass have more friction between eachother, causing the ball to reduce in distance. So, putting into the grain will play longer than it appears and a down grain putt will play shorter than it appears. Remember, grain will affect the ball more as it begins to slow down in speed!
PARENT-CHILD TOUNAMENT
August 16th
Registration: Opens August 1st
The Parent-Child is a 9-hole, modified alternate shoe event. Fun food and prizes after play.
SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
August 24th- 25th
Registration: Opens August 1st
The Senior Club Championship is a 36-hole, two-day Medal play event.
7TH ANNUAL CR CUP
November 3rd
Registration: Opens October 1st
The CR Cup is a one-day, 27-hole Ryder Cup style event that pits members aged 50 and over vs. Members aged 49 and under. Competitors play Individual, Four-ball and Foursomes matches. 36 Members per team.
WOMEN'S MEMBER-GUEST
November 5th
Registration: Opens October 1st
This is a one-day, 18-hole event. The format will consist of 9-holes of Scramble and 9-holes of Better Ball of Partners. The winning team will have the lowest combined score of the two formats.
TURKEY SHOOT-OUT
November 29th
Registration: Opens November 1st
The Turkey Shoot-out is a 9-hole, 4-person Cross-Country Scramble. This is a Member only event and is open to the first 60 to register.
Golf Shop
New Smathers & Branson Custom Scene belts have arrived in the Golf Shop!
- 100% hand-stitched needlepoint
- Stitched with French cotton thread
- Lined with full grain Italian leather
- Finished with a solid brass buckle
Show off your favorite things in life with these iconic needlepoint belts. As elegant as they are casual, these belts are the perfect accessory to help you stand out from the crowd.
Bring your friends & family to the Grille House for dinner then test your knowledge with themed trivia every Thursday night! Prizes for 1st & 2nd round winners.
SPORTS Thu, August 1
POP CULTURE Thu, August 8
MOVIES Thu, August 15 ALL ABOUT THE 80'S Thu, August 22
AROUND THE WORLD Thu, August 29
Live Music
Every Friday at 6:00 pm
August 9th
Jaycie Ward
August 2nd
Chris N'deti August 23rd
TRIVIA STARTS AT 7
PM
To make a reservation, please contact the Grille House at 706.854.6980
August 16th
August 30th
Luke Moore
Will McCranie
Tom Reed
Emma McKoan, daughter of new Member JJ McKoan, was crowned champion at the 65th Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship through three rounds of a changing leaderboard at Pelican Golf Club. McKoan captured the victory at 3-under par with rounds of 69-68-70.
When asked what this victory means, McKoan answered, “It means the world to me. I’m so excited to go to California, and it just makes me feel really good because the field was amazing this year and the fact I played really well just…it just means the world to me.”
Emma McKoan completed a remarkable sweep by securing both the overall championship and the title in the 13-15 division. She just competed in the 75th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, July 15-20 at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California and will onto play in the Girls Junior PGA Championship July 30-August 2 at Congressional CC in Bethesda, MA.
On behalf of the team at Champions Retreat, we wish Emma the best of luck in her upcoming tournaments!
