N O V E M B E R
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AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
Newsletter
NOVEMBER
2023
AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
In This Issue Welcome New Members President's Message Fun Around the Club Golf Report Men's Golf Men’s Interclub Golf Club 18 Holers 9 Holers Racquet's Up! Racquet Member-Guest Photos Man on the Street Employee of the Month Events Oyster Roast Photos Member Social Photos Racquet Beach House Dinner Dj Trivia Night Monthly Member Social Holiday Gala Member Holiday Cocktail Party Robber’s Row Grille Dinner Thanksgiving To Go Heritage Golf Text Club Happy Hour Menu Camelback Resort Special
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NOVEMBER 2023
AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
Welcome New Members
PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEWEST CLUB MEMBERS: Ed and Joan Janes (Social) Vincent Weichert (Racquet)
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Written by Dave Donnelly Although at times, I feel like every day in Port Royal is a holiday, I welcome the cooler temperatures and the accompanying increase in family and social events. I am proud of the way our members support the Heritage staff and families. That love and respect was on full display at the recognition luncheon for Eddie Brown, who earlier this year retired from “his job” of forty years! Eddie’s legacy and son, Paris, who also works at the Club, gave a speech that touched the soul. A shout out to Vinnie Conte, golf operations, for organizing this tribute!
Keith Swinehart congratulates Eddie while letting his family know how much we miss him! A huge thanks to Angelo Verde, Board Racquet Chairman, the Racquet Committee, Dale Brown, Director of Racquet Sports, and Jim Henington, Food & Beverage Director, for making this year’s Tennis and Pickle-ball Member Guest a success! The turnout was fantastic and Angelo is already petitioning for more courts to accommodate next year’s event. I have been informed that we have already reached a quorum for this year’s ballot issues. Thank you to those who voted! A reminder that this year’s annual meeting will be on Tuesday, Nov. 7th. The meeting will start at 6:30 in the Clubhouse followed by an impromptu update and brief Q&A session with Eric Boberg, Vice President of Operations at Heritage Golf Group. Know your social calendars are filling up, and I hope to see you at Trivia night, and the Gala, as well as on the course/courts and around the Clubhouse.
FUN AROUND THE CLUB Written by Anne Gerth We are approaching “the most wonderful time of the year,” and your club has a few wonderful events to help you celebrate the holidays in style. November begins with Fall DJ TRIVIA on Monday, November 13. Assemble your team of 8 players, name your team, and RSVP below. Teams of 8 or fewer only, please. Remember to have each team member also RSVP. We will have a yummy dinner prior to the game. Where can you have this much fun for only $25 per person? And did I mention that there are prizes? This event sells out so don’t delay.
RSVP HERE Our Monthly Member Social will be held on Monday, November 20 which is a bit later in the month than usual due to the Concourse d’Elegance. It’s still $10 per person for an evening of friends, food, and fun.
RSVP HERE Mark your calendar now for our Holiday Gala on Sunday evening, December 3. Enter a Winter Wonderland for a festive evening. This event is Black Tie optional and has assigned seating at tables of 8. Don’t know who to sit with? No worries! We will seat you with other great club members for the evening but if you do have preferred tablemates, please list them on the RSVP form. Target The Band will be entertaining us with popular music perfect for dancing. You will soon see a registration form with entrée options.
RSVP HERE
FUN AROUND THE CLUB Written by Anne Gerth The holiday festivities continue with the club’s Holiday Cocktail Party on December 8. This event will feature appetizers and sweets for $20 pp. Festive attire, please!
RSVP HERE I think it might be helpful to clarify our club's social policy regarding guests. We have many newer members who may be unfamiliar with our policies. This is straight out of our member's resource area on the Members Portal. First priority is always for our members. A) Prospective Members - The Port Royal Plantation Club promotes providing prospective members the opportunity to experience club activities. Members are encouraged to invite prospective members for a maximum of two [2] Board sponsored social events excluding member-only cocktail parties, the annual Holiday Gala, the Monthly Member Social, and Net Nine and Dine. The price for these guests will be the guest rate quoted by Heritage and will not include any subsidy that the Board may provide to members. To provide priority to members for events that have limited seating capacity, prospective members will be allowed to attend only if seating space is available. B) Single Members - Our single-status members are allowed to invite a guest to any social event of the club. The same guest may be invited two [2] times each quarter and no more than five [5] times a year. C) Out-of-Town Guests - We welcome out-of-town guests (guests staying in members’ homes that have traveled more than 50 miles away) of our members to all social events excluding the annual Holiday Gala. The same guest may be invited one [1] time a quarter but no more than three [3] times a year. Prior approval by the Board or Heritage is no longer required. The price for your guests will be the price quoted by Heritage and will not include any subsidy that the Board may provide to members. Also, in order to provide priority to members for any event that has a limited seating capacity, out-oftown guests will be allowed to attend only if seating space is available. Enjoy the cooler weather and See You Around The Clubhouse! Anne Gerth
GOLF REPORT Written by Guy Suchy
This could be the start of something big! On November 8, the Golf Pro Shop is going to host our first-ever Wonder Woman’s Day. Open to all female members of Port Royal Golf Club, the day is going to be fashioned after the monthly Super Men’s Day. You sign up - get selected for a team based on your handicap - play a fun game selected by the organizers of the event - have lunch afterward - and have a great day! What’s unique about this event is that it’s open to all female members of the Club. For the past few years, our female membership has been fractured, with isolated groups doing their own thing. This event opens up the field and allows groups and individuals to intermingle. My hope is we get a big turnout for the event, have great weather, and get such positive feedback that more days like this are planned for next year. Two members of the PRPC Board are responsible for promoting this event. Jim Walker, Vice President, and Linda Gorski, Membership Chair. They have asked a few members to organize and run the event. The hope is that this small group can morph into a Women’s Golf Committee - similar to our Men’s Golf Committee that will have a voice on the Board for all female members. From where I sit as Golf Chair, having such a Committee that will represent the ladies is needed. Changing topics a bit, you may have missed the news from last week, but Ivor Robeson passed away. Some of you may be asking who the heck is Ivor Robeson, but true golf aficionados know him as the voice of The Open Championship. For forty-one years, Mr. Robeson announced all the players at The Open Championship. From 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Without a potty break! Quite the accomplishment if you ask me. Now I bring up Mr. Robeson because I believe he also announced who was the “Champion Golfer of the Year,” after that person won the tournament. And that got me to thinking; we don’t have a Champion Golfer of the Year here at Port Royal. If we did, however, and got to vote, I’d have to cast my ballot for Rick D’Arienzo. Serving as Captain of the Designated Drivers, Mr. D’Arienzo and his team won both the Men’s Spring League and the Men’s Summer League. Both the Spring and Summer Leagues had pretty stiff competition, yet the DDs plowed the field in both seasons. Mr. D’Arienzo also captained his Super Men’s Day teams to two wins this year. Considering the teams and games change each month, this is also a big accomplishment. With two more Super Men’s Days remaining this year as well as the Two-Man Match Play Tournament this month, who knows how much more hardware he will capture?
GOLF REPORT Written by Guy Suchy Lastly, to cap off a great golf year and to lock in my vote, he won the Individual Stroke Play competition in October. Coming from the middle of the pack after the first day, Mr. D’Arienzo was the best player on the second day and earned the win by shooting 75 gross from the white tees to claim the title.
Congratulations to Mr. D’Arienzo for a fine golf year. Looking forward to next year and finding out who our Champion Golfer of the Year will be. Till Next Time, Guy
MEN'S GOLF Written by John Strasburger
2023 Men’s Club Championship This 2 day major tournament hosted 27 players in 3 flights. Championship Flight Played from the White tees, gross scoring format Battling back from carding a 10 in Round I, Rick D’Arienzo shot a sizzling 75 to win the Club Championship by edging out, Carl Nelson by one stroke. Pictured (right), Rick D’Arienzo & Carl Nelson. Rick’s 2-day Gross score: 163
Member Tee (Net) Flight Pictured, Flight winner Bill Hazel and runner-up, Jim Stauffer. Bill’s 2-day Net score: 149
MEN'S GOLF Written by John Strasburger Black Tee (net) Flight Pictured: Flight winner Bill Papale, and Runner-up Rick Gorski Bill’s 2-day net score 157
Congrats to Early-Bird Trevor “TO” Owens for a hole-in-one on Robbers Row, Hole #8, 166 yards. Trevor scored this ace with his trusty 7-iron. Now that’s impressive!
October SUPER Men’s Day Modified Stableford Scoring format with 2 balls of 4 counting. Congrats to the winning team: John Strasburger, Dennis Darling, Ed Harbaugh & Rick D’Arienzo.
Closest to the Pin: Barony #6 (3’9”) Ed Harbaugh Barony #14 (12’7 ½”) Dave Chmielowiec The EMAIL Golf Group has an open invite to any male member who would like to play 18 holes Mon./Wed./Fri. Mornings with tee times starting at 8:28 am. Great group of guys who usually play from the black tees, however, I have been reminded that you can play from any tee you’d like.
MEN'S GOLF Written by John Strasburger If interested, contact one of these Nov. group coordinators: Monday Play: Roger Penny – rpenny@roadrunner.com Wednesday Play: Pete Howell, pethow24@gmail.com Friday Play, Kevin Nattrass, nattrass5976@gmail.com Next up: Note: several tournament date changes: Two-man match play major Tournament 1st round must be completed on or before Nov.10th. 2nd round must be completed on or before Nov. 14th. 3rd round must be completed on or before Nov. 17th. November Super Men’s Day: Wednesday, November 29th December Super Men’s Day: Monday, December 11th
MEN’S INTERCLUB GOLF TEAM Written by Carl Nelson The 2023 / 2024 Men’s Island InterClub Golf season is scheduled to start right after Thanksgiving. Our season runs from December 1, 2023, to February 21, 2024. This is barring any reschedules due to weather. Also, there is no play during the Holiday season in December from Dec 12th to Jan 1st. There are 11 teams in the league. The hosting team does not play. The format is 10 players per team per event. Each event has 100 players on the course, typically in a shotgun start. Each team fields 5 twosomes that play better ball match play against our opponent for that day. Each hole is worth a point. A win is 1 point, a tie is ½ point, and a loss is 0 points. It is a very fun format. In the past, first and second place at the end of the season has been separated by as little as a ½ point. With the league, we get to play other nice courses for basically a $55 cart fee plus $5 for tips and prizes. The maximum allowable handicap is a 20 index. The only requirement is to be a golf member of Port Royal with a Port Royal handicap listing. Part-time residents and semi-retired workers are eligible when available and encouraged to join. If you played last year, you are AUTOMATICALLY retained on this year's roster. We do have several new golf members who would be a great addition to our team. Let’s hope they join. Any member who has any questions or who has not played before please email me (Carl Nelson) at nelsoncarl78@gmail.com.
18 HOLERS
Written by Gay Halleman Look at all the ladies having fun and "Happy Hour" had just started. The Old Oyster Factory was the lucky recipient of the second Ladies Night Out this year, arranged by Carole and Cathy, the Social Committee.
Good times and good friends make for an evening filled with stories and laughter. Left side of the table, Liz Bailey, Cathy Grigoriou, Heather Stevens, and Gail Brown. The right side begins with Sophie Burger, Carole Howell, Mary Zych, and Gay Halleman. Photograph courtesy of our faithful chronicler, Carol Duffin.
The weeks of October 10th and 17th were our second major tournament, Stroke Play. Due to guests, trips, and injuries, many ladies were unable to compete on both days. The winner will be revealed at our December 6th awards luncheon. Low gross will be the Champion, with a low net in each flight. Come on out and play, the weather is spectacular!
NINE HOLERS Written by Karen Simpson We know pace of play can be a problem especially when it is extremely hot outside. We have proposed the following guidelines: 1. Show up at the tee or cart area 20 minutes before your scheduled tee-off time, ready and prepared for the round (water, bathroom, etc.) 2. Play ready golf – always – on every shot! 3. Be aware of the team in front of you and the teams behind you. If you do not see the team in front of you – speed up play. If you see teams backing up behind you – speed up play. 4. Be at your next shot and ready to hit without dawdling or visiting. Observe courtesy by not being on your phone during the round. 5. Be engaged in the game – watch your partner’s ball to minimize the time spent searching for lost balls. (note: there is a 3-minute rule when looking for lost balls) 6. One practice swing should be sufficient on the tee and on the fairway. 7. One practice swing should be sufficient when putting. The Rules of Golf recommend 40 seconds per putt although many think that is generous! 8. When driving your cart up to the green, leave it at the exit point for a quick getaway (not below the green or on the fairway) 9. Score your card on the next tee while your partners are teeing off 10. The 9-hole ladies group supports picking up after 10 strokes: the exception being tournament days. 11. When your cart partner is playing, when possible, choose your club for the next shot and be ready to play.
NINE HOLERS
Written by Karen Simpson 12. When your cart partner drops you off to head over to her ball, if possible, bring multiple clubs with you. 13. The best thing we can all do for each other is to encourage each other to play well! Be positive!! Support each other! Have fun! That’s what golf is all about!
Working together is the best solution to solving issues. We had ghoulish weather and we were not able to play on October 12th. We had a lovely dinner at the Club on Wednesday, October 18th. We had almost 40 people attend! Chris Paul was able to serenade us. On October 19th winners were: Low Gross 1st Place Winner; Phyllis Wibby with a 51 Low Gross 2nd Place Winners; Linda Gorski & Lisa Adamsky TIED with a 53! Low Net 1st Place Winner; Nancy Sheahan with a 35 Low Net 2nd Place Winner: Sue Walker with a 38 We also had 2 chips in on Barony both on hole #6! Cherie Bailey got a chip-in. Nancy Sheahan’s chip-in was for a birdie! The 9 Hole Exchanges are a fun way for the ladies to try other courses. We had a wonderful morning playing at Belfair.
Moss Creek was also one of the choices for October.
NINE HOLERS
Written by Karen Simpson Don’t forget to sign up for the Wonder Woman’s Day on Wednesday November 8th!
RACQUET'S UP! Written by Angelo Verde Member/Guest Tournament Our annual Member-Guest tournament and dinner were the largest yet ever! A special thanks to Dale Brown, Jim Henington, and the tennis committee of Dave Johnson, Bill Burger, Penny Osborne, Luann O’Connell, and Marsha Doney. Everyone enjoyed the dinner featuring a U.S. Open signature drink, Steak, Salmon, or Chicken main course, and a delicious apple fritter dessert topped with ice cream. Players were presented with tennis warm-up tops that were well received. While the short rainfall on Friday night caused a slightly compressed schedule, the tennis play was very competitive with some finals decided by a tiebreak in the third set. Our courtside breakfast of muffins, Danish, fresh fruit, and a yogurt bar kept the players well fed and the coffee, juices, and iced tea energized us all. Congratulations to the winners. (Members listed first, winners pictured on the front cover) 4.0 Ladies - Wendy Phelps and Jessica Phelps 4.0 Men- Scott Camp and Joe Kleinhenz 3.5 Ladies – Kathy Verde and Anne Garrett 3.5 Men - George Glatcz and David Pearlman Ladies Pickle Ball – Marsha Doney and Robin Stanzione Racquet End of Year Party and Beach House Sign-ups are already occurring for the November 10 end-of-year party at the beach house. The committee will provide the main dishes of BBQ and vegetarian chili. Please RSVP with Dale in the Sports Shop in order to get an accurate count for food ordering. Members are asked to bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert. Dale and I hope to get feedback to plan next year’s events. Court Resurfacing delayed till November The rainy weather affected our resurfacing but we are expecting the resurfacing to take place in November.
RACQUET'S UP! Written by Angelo Verde Dale’s Corner A new recurring feature to this article will be our Pro Dale Brown’s tips for members to improve their play. How to determine what shot to hit? 1. Is this a safe shot for me to hit? ( Can I be successful 8 of 10 times ) 2. Will this cause my opponent angst? Too many players go for a shot that would be tough for their opponents to return, but they don’t execute because it is too difficult a shot to complete. Find what works for you and stick with that. Don’t forget to sign yourself and visiting guests up for Dale’s weekly clinics and round-robin play. Check the site and the pro shop for dates and times. Follow Dale on Instagram and Facebook @tenniswithdale. MIXED DOUBLES RETURNING In OCTOBER Every Sunday we will have Members mixed doubles social tennis from 2pm to 4pm. Single men and women are welcome and we will try to match people as best we can. If interested contact Kathy Verde at Kathleen.Verde@icloud.com Court Scheduling Etiquette: Our courts are very busy during the morning hours all seasons of the year. There is much enthusiasm for the earliest sessions during the summer heat months; however, as we welcome our part-time members back in the fall there will also be a great demand for early courts. Please remember to make sure we can get two sessions in before 12:30 on each court as you use Court Reserve. Leagues will also be starting match play in the early afternoons so morning sessions become busier. Also, please remember that if you have reserved a court and can no longer utilize it, please release that court as soon as you are able to but no later than 24-48 hours before scheduled play time. Having counts remain empty during the morning sessions when they could have been utilized by other members or resort guests is not desirable and the Club has asked me to remind everyone. Many tennis Clubs charge for “no-shows.” Dale and I would like to thank you for your compliance. Committee Updates: The tennis committee has asked the Heritage to start a program of member-assigned courts for tennis with an appropriate request and approval for recognized groups similar to what members have for golf play. The committee has also asked the Club for approval to start a recycling program for tennis balls and containers. We will update you on the progress of these requests soon. Remember to warm up properly, stretch, keep hydrated, and stay safe out there. Above all AVE FUN OUT THERE!
RACQUET MEMBER-GUEST
MAN ON THE STREET Lou Beaudet
1. Where were you born and where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Ferndale Michigan 2. In what year did you move to Hilton Head Island? We've had homes on the Island since 1997, first in Shipyard and eventually purchased in Port Royal in 2017. As of August 2023, we are now full-time residents. 3. What is your favorite part of the club? My favorite part of the club is the camaraderie I feel with the members, the great pro staff, the outside attendants and the wait staff at the Grill. Golf is pretty good too. 4. What is your most unusual talent? Showing kids magic tricks. 5. Who is your favorite athlete and why? Steve Yzerman who played with the Detroit Red Wings. As a player in the NHL, he embodied the values of sportsmanship. He is the game's greatest advocate. 6. What is your favorite spot in the United States? Absolutely Hilton Head 7. What is your favorite drink? Wine 8. What is your favorite restaurant? Pomodori Italian Eatery on Hilton Head Island 9. What is the title of your autobiography? "I Couldn't Do Everything In My Life, But I Tried". 10. Five minutes of perfect happiness? A walk on the Port Royal beach with my wife, Roberta.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH SEPTEMBER 2023 Kaitlin Murrell From all the Club Members and Heritage, we would like to congratulate Kaitlin Murrell – Marketing Manager for being named Heritage Employee of the Month for September. For those of you who do not know, Kaitlin compiles all the Tuesday Member e-blasts and does an outstanding job publishing the monthly Club newsletter “Around the Clubhouse”. Kaitlin started working at Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club in August 2022. Jay Rusch states “We are thrilled to have her on our team”. Kaitlin supports all departments at Port Royal as well as working closely with the PRPC Board via the “Around the Clubhouse” monthly publication and the online member calendar. Kaitlin always has a smile on her face and she's eager to help in any way she can.
EVENTS WHAT'S COMING UP IN NOVEMBER GOLF
8 Wed Inaugural Wonder Woman’s Day 10 Fri Two-Man Match Play Tournament - Day 1 14 Tues Two-Man Match Play Tournament - Day 2 17 Fri Two-Man Match Play Tournament - Day 3 29 Wed Super Men’s Day
SOCIAL 1 Wed First Wednesday Lunch & Mahjong 3 Fri Luncheon and Bridge 4 Fri-Sun Concours d’Elegance Motoring Festival 7 Tues All Member Meeting 10 Fri Autumn Meet & Eat 13 Mon DJ Trivia Night 20 Mon Monthly Member Social RACQUET 10 Tues Racquet Beach House Dinner
OYSTER ROAST PHOTOS
MEMBER SOCIAL PHOTOS
NOVEMBER 2023
AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
Racquet Beach House Dinner
NOVEMBER 2023
AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
Dj Trivia Night
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NOVEMBER 2023
AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
Monthly Member Social
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NOVEMBER 2023
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Holiday Gala
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NOVEMBER 2023
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Holiday Cocktail Party
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NOVEMBER 2023
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Robber's Row Grille Dinner
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NOVEMBER 2023
AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE
Thanksgiving Dinner To Go
Happy Hour Menu
Camelback Resort Special