ALMANAC FALL - WINTER 2021
From the General Manager We hope that this fall’s Almanac has reached your home with health and happiness. What a fall it has been! Since the completion of the re-surfacing in September and October, we have seen activity and participation at the Club unlike any other. Member events like the Member-Guest and CR Cup were fully subscribed. Activity in the Grille House, participation on Friday night’s Fire and Ice and regular member and guest activity has been exceptional. In the following pages, you will read about Champions Fore A Cause on December 12, some new leaders on our team, upcoming events in the New Year and updates on the course and from the Golf department. With that, we want to express our thanks to you, our Membership. We are thankful for you, your families and your continued support of our staff. From our family to yours, have a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas.
Cameron S. Wiebe General Manager, PGA Champions Retreat (706) 854-6999 | cameron@championsretreat.net
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Cameron S. Wiebe
Henrik Norlander
Luke List
Vaughn Taylor
Scott Parel
F o s r n e o a i p C m a a use h C
Matt Atkins
Shad Tuten
Sunday, December 12th at 12:00 pm Members & their Guests are invited to join us for a 9-hole shootout exhibition as we highlight six of our Touring Professionals. $50 donation per person (ages 15 & under free) includes a Grab N' Go Lunch under the Pavilion and a commemorative hat. Golf Carts will only be available for use to those who have a need based on a disability or medical condition that would preclude the Member/Guest from walking. No private golf carts please. Meet & Greet opportunities available along with a silent auction.
To secure admission, please contact the Golf Shop. 100% of the proceeds will go to charity. 706.854.6970 | golfshop@championsretreat.net
Membership As your new Director of Membership, I could not be more thrilled to join the Champions Retreat team! Through my previous employment, I was able to experience the amenities, golf, and hospitality Champions Retreat offers from a member’s lens, and now it is my honor to take the Membership seat and represent the Club, and you. A current resident of Evans, GA, I relocated to the area about 10 years ago from Pennsylvania. I grew up in the snowy resort mountains of the Poconos, and am a graduate from West Chester University, outside of Philadelphia, PA, where I obtained a BA in Communication Studies. I have two children, Kendall (age 8) and Clay (age 6) who love to keep me on my toes! When I am not at the Club, you can most likely find me at the side of a soccer field or hiking by the Savannah River. I also hold a seat on the Augusta Sports Council where I continue to advocate for the benefit and impact of youth sports in our local community.
What we’ve learned throughout the last year post pandemic, both personally and professionally, is that now more than ever, being able to connect with each other is timeless. At Champions Retreat, we are proud to be able to continue to provide our members both near and far with the foundation to do so. From a Club standpoint, the breath and depth of what we do lies within our beautiful property and the heart of our staff and Members. We couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished collectively, and how connecting with you and each other has ultimately prevailed. As we lean whole heartedly into 2022, our staff has never been more prepared, our lodging has never felt more like home, and our greens have never been better. We welcome you, your families, your guests, and your colleagues to join us in continuing to make memories. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you in 2022! Cheers! Kelly Pickard | Director of Membership & Sales (706) 854-6962 | kelly@championsretreat.net
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2022 Member Events Bonfire & Oyster Roast - January 12th Wine Dinner - January 27th Valentine's Day Dinner - February 12th Ice Breaker Tournament – February 22nd Wine & Cocktail Class - February 24th Spring Fling - March 9th Member-Member - May 7th - 8th Mother's Day Brunch - May 15th Club Championship Weekend - June 25th - 26th Member Match Play - May 28th - September 4th Red-White-Blue Tournament - July 4th
5th Annual CR Cup - November 6th Thanksgiving Brunch - November 24th Turkey Shoot-Out - November 25th Nightmare Before Christmas - December 17th Recurring Events: Burger Night every Wednesday Live Music every Friday Night along with Fire & Ice Sunday Brunch
Junior Club Championship - August 6th Parent-Child Tournament - August 12th Member-Guest - September 22nd - 24th
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Food & Beverage We are happy to see cooler weather once again this fall! With so many great programs like the Oyster Roast and recent Oktoberfest and Winemaker events, we have much to be thankful for. While the summer months had all of us busy with vacations, warm weather and greens renovation, the return of Friday night’s live music and the Fire & Ice weekly offerings, we managed to keep the Club vibrant and alive. Chef Ross’ summer menu was the highlight, specifically the Grilled Pacific Corvina with Chimichurri Sauce! As we frequently alter the menus for seasonality, the supply chain challenges are real in the hospitality industry as they are in your business lives. By frequently changing the menus, we are able to adjust, selecting the best available ingredients and avoid spikes in costs to do so.
Moving forward, Sunday brunch buffet will continue into the fall. Prime rib night, another favorite, has returned and is a popular Thursday evening activity. Remember, it is every-other Thursday of the month, so don’t forget to make your reservation with the Grille House. November and December also signal the return of Holiday parties. Please contact us for your reservations to hold an intimate party for family or co-workers, as dates are limited and in high demand. As private events coincide with Member spaces, we will continue to be in contact for any upcoming changes. We appreciate the amazing support we experience from our members and guests, as we are proud to serve you daily. We are looking forward to the coming year and seeing you all at the Club soon! Fariborz Rouchi | Food & Beverage Director (706) 854-6977 | rouchi@championsretreat.net
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Celebrate Masters Week 2022 at Champions Retreat Reserve Your Spot Now! BOOK A TEE TIME on our Championship courses designed by "The Big Three" and host to the first two rounds of the Augusta National Women's Amateur.
SAVOR gourmet à la carte dishes from our Champions Steakhouse Menu featuring delicious, authentic Southern cuisine.
PLAY AT NIGHT on our Driving Range and Putting Green which will be lit every night with a bar and music.
STAY IN LUXURY at one of our cottages in the village at Champions Retreat. Available through our Masters Week Rental Program.
THROW A PARTY in The Grille House. An amazing facility that can host events from 15-50 people. From sophisticated to relaxed, The Grille House is a venue with you in mind.
For more information on Masters Week at Champions Retreat, please contact:
HAVE A DRINK in the Bluff Overlook or under the Pavilion. With spectacular views of the golf course, these two venues are perfect for entertaining your VIP groups.
Gabrielle Vincenzetti | Masters Sales Coordinator (706) 854-6981 | gabby@championsretreat.net
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*Additional venues available
Private Event Venues THE BARN AT CHAMPIONS RETREAT
BLUFF OVERLOOK
From a sophisticated night out featuring the finest culinary experience, wine, and cocktails during Masters Week, to a relaxed, convivial backyard BBQ, the Barn at Champions Retreat has you covered. The Barn can host events from 15-500 and everything in between. Whether you are looking for a gastronomical, fine dining experience unmatched in this area or the best BBQ in Georgia, our Barn is the place for your private event.
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Cocktails, Hors D’oeuvres and dinners with a view; that’s the experience at the Bluff Overlook. Situated above our Grille House this intimate space can host from 15-50 in its’ indoor facility with a wraparound deck overlooking the golf course. Perfect for a sublime cocktail and Hors D’oeuvres party where guests can mingle and socialize in a private space with a million-dollar view.
Lodging & Facilities With my arrival early in October, I have quickly grown to appreciate the special place that is Champions Retreat. More specifically, my experience in the hospitality and lodging world has led me back to one of Augusta’s finest properties.
Finally, with my arrival, the focus has been on the systems and people responsible for your elevated experience. While this will take some time, we are committed to the process and look forward to finding out how we can best serve you while on property.
Each of the cottages is unique to itself, which offers so many great options for you and your guests when staying on property. Whether wanting to enjoy an in-cottage dining experience with the Chef, privacy of a coffee on the back patio along the Creek or smaller, more intimate settings in the Bungalows… all are available. With that said, the activity at the Club has certainly been healthy since September and booking your cottage in advance is encouraged.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly for your holiday event stay-over, a date night with your spouse or a great alternative to house family visiting during Thanksgiving or Christmas. See you at the Club this fall. Lloyd Van Horn | Director of Lodging & Facilities (706) 854-6984 | lloyd@championsretreat.net
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Golf News This was a year about getting back to “normal,” or a least the “new normal." The golf course underwent a dramatic transformation this summer with new green complexes for all 27 holes and the practice facilities. This improvement will allow us to have fantastic conditions year-round. In 2021, our two premiere events were a huge success. We hosted the Member-Member Tournament in April and the Member-Guest Tournament in October. In an exciting finish to the Member-Member Tournament, Brad Jeffares and partner Robert Robertson out dueled the other flight winners in the shoot-out to capture the crown. The Member-Guest Tournament had a similarly exciting finish as the teams of Chris Ewart and Rick Shrouds challenged by Greg Conde and Steven Cruea. It took extra holes in the shoot-out to determine the Tournament Champion. The team of Ewart and Shrouds endured to capture the 2021 crown.
Fore the Ladies and the Future Champions Golf Academy continue to gain momentum as both programs excelled in 2021. These programs create new and future golfers as well as assist in fostering new friendships and playing partners down the road. We have seen the benefits as it relates to families spending time together here at the Club and on the golf course. With the holidays fast approaching, you will see a schedule of events coming from the Golf House for our holiday specials and events. We have some exciting new clothing lines and accessories in the shop that will make the perfect gift for that family member or significant other. Everyone loves to get that special item with the CR logo! Mike Rymer, PGA | Director of Golf (706) 854-6964 | mike@championsretreat.net
We also had some spirited competition in the Club Championships here at Champions Retreat. Chris Blackburn defended his title and clipped Adam McKenney by one stroke in the 36-hole event. Doug Weiss knocked off perennial champion Wayne McKenney in the Senior Division to capture the title. Charlotte Johnson continued her strong record in the Women’s Division and took home the championship trophy.
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Course Conditions With fall in full swing and all golf courses being fully back open, we hope everyone is having an opportunity to come out and play! Our greens renovations started in May on Bluff and finished up with Creek opening back up on October 1. We are pleased with the progress of the new surfaces, given the wonderful weather conditions we had for grow-in. As anticipated, the cost of the aggressive timeline would impact the 419 Bermuda grass collars. While healthy, they were going to be thin and we are addressing the fertility and overall health of those as we head into the winter months. We anticipate no issues as we look towards the spring in this area. As we are all new to the TifEagle greens, here are a few things to watch for over the winter months. Green heights of cut will be raised and the rolling and double cutting reduced due to the dormancy expected. Greens will be needle tined approximately once per month to allow for proper ventilation and to ensure surfaces dry properly during the winter months. A winter nutrient program will be in place to allow for plant to winterize properly. We also plan to introduce a 3-cup rotation, for example a left-center right or front-middle-back; that will be used starting in November until March to limit the amount of cup plugs on putting surfaces during nongrowing months.
Covers will be put on the course by the end of November to protect the greens in the event of temperatures below 25 degrees. Should this happen, we will inform the Professional Staff and communicate accordingly. Time to remove covers and allow the surfaces to warm will be necessary, but hopefully limited. Until March, the following activities are planned for the property and winter is a good time to pursue some of the following projects: • Tees, practice facility and common areas overseeding • Continued fortification of collars • Select tree removal in areas of sunlight barrier • Turf paint on all shortgrass • Bunker depths monitored for consistency, adding and removing where necessary • Winter drainage in needed areas With 2021 winding down, we are proud of all that the Agronomy Team has accomplished. I would like to personally extend a big thank you to Brad Thompson (Senior Assistant), Dalton Clark (Assistant), and Marty Boersma (Lead Equipment Tech), for their commitment to excellence during the resurfacing of all 30 greens. The entire team did an outstanding job and we look forward to steps ahead. Craig Walsh | Golf Course Superintendent (706) 524-5402 | craig@championsretreat.net
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