CREEK THE
AUGUST 2020 NEWSLETTER
STAFF DIRECTORY & CLUB HOURS Joel Inman General Manager/COO jinman@laurelcreek.org Elisha Carson Controller ecarson@laurelcreek.org
Golf Course
Tuesday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. - Sunset Friday 7:30 a.m. - Sunset
Patty Fagan Director of Membership pfagan@laurelcreek.org
Saturday & Sunday 7:00 a.m. - Sunset
Erin Schafer Director of Events eschafer@laurelcreek.org
Pro Shop
John Geller Clubhouse Manager jgeller@laurelcreek.org
Tuesday to Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Friday 6:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Nevada Groulx Director of Communications ngroulx@laurelcreek.org
Saturday & Sunday 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
John Slade Director of Golf Course Operations jslade@laurelcreek.org
Outdoor Dining
Matt Walbert, PGA Head Golf Professional mwalbert@laurelcreek.org
Tuesday thru Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Peter Rosenblatt Executive Chef prosenblatt@laurelcreek.org
Saturday & Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Carol MacLennan Director of Tennis cmaclennan@laurelcreek.org
Tennis
Mike Holak Pool Manager mholak@laurelcreek.org
Pool
ON THE COVER
Courts are open for play
Open 10:00 to 9:00 p.m. daily until Labor Day
4th of July Mixed Tournament L to R: Lisa and Tim Sindorf, Terri Corbo, and Andy Dietz
BOARD OF
TRUSTEES Daniel Bianco President Michael Hughey Vice President
Scott Duman Treasurer
Sean Fox Secretary
Erich Herkloz
Troy Hopper
Michael Kassak
Gene Martin
Mark Muir
Tony Palmer
John Venne
Ken Zimmer
Joel Inman
J
GE NE RAL M AN A G E R
ourney or destination? When my family travels, we are always challenged with this question. My wife prefers to keep going, not make any unnecessary stops and reach our destination as soon as possible. I’m more of the kind that likes to stop once in a while, see what’s out there and enjoy the journey a little. No one is right or wrong, it’s just a personal preference… A little over 10 years ago I met a Board Member of Laurel Creek by the name of Scott Hill. Those of you that are new to the club may not have known or remember him however his impact on the club is still felt today. Anyway, he was leading the Search Committee as they were looking for someone to be their next GM/COO. He and I met a few times and discussed the club and more importantly where he and the other Board Members wanted the club to go. Not to keep you in any suspense, I was lucky enough to be the one chosen to help get the club moving in the right direction. Over the next several years, we all worked together, focused on our destination, however enjoying the journey of improvement we were accomplishing. Scott Hill loved this club and being a part of making us the great club we are today. He didn’t mince words and always told you what you needed to hear, even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. He was the driving force behind the renovation of the club and putting in place the great new restaurant we enjoy. Even though he was keenly aware of our destination, I believe he loved the journey every bit as much. Scott Hill passed away on New Years Day in 2019 and was never really able to enjoy the hard work he had put in with getting the club’s renovation completed. Those that were closest to Scott felt that it was important to leave a subtle memory of him here at Laurel Creek. As you make your way to the first tee or the driving range you can see what this “memory” looks like with the addition of this beautiful clock. I want to thank them for their generosity and the memory of someone who was so exceptional and dedicated to this club.
MEMBERSHIP
Patty Fagan D I REC TOR OF M EM BERS H I P
W
e are eight months into 2020 and I think we can all agree that it has been a year that we will never forget. On the bright side, even with all the club’s limitation including outdoor dining & take-out and pool occupancy at 50%, we’ve managed to have over 40 new families join LCCC since May. You must wonder why someone would choose to join our club at this time, so I asked and here’s what some new members had to say: “We had been thinking about joining for a while and finally decided to take the leap because we figured that with no foreseeable travel plans, work commutes or other social obligations, what better time than now to be able to get to know the club, spend quality time with the family and mingle with other members.” –Nikita Patel “Security in the sense of community during a time of uncertainty (a warm smile even behind the mask), appreciating LCCC’s high standards & diligence for following protocol/cleanliness and access to amenities and fine dining where there is no other comparison in the area.” –Emily Graham “We have always been thinking about joining the club. We have many friends that belong and have enjoyed being their guest. Joining the club during the pandemic allows us to enjoy things we have been missing in a smaller community.”—Kelly Nyikita “Since the pandemic, there aren’t a lot of activities that you can do or places that you can go. For me, joining LCCC to enjoy golf is a great way to pass time, meet new people and enjoy the outdoors.”—Matt Pattoli Thanks to all our current Members that have been so supportive and referring your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to our club. It is the best endorsement bringing new members on board to join our ‘Laurel Creek’ family. Stay cool, keep hydrated and I look forward to seeing you soon at the club or lounging poolside.
Welcome
OUR NEW MEMBERS TO THE LCCC FAMILY
The Patel Family
The Deacon Family
The Haines Family
Grant Cooper
The Nyikita Family
The Pastorius Family
Stephen & Ilana Pirrone
The Desai Family
The Connolly Family
Jack Dare
Matt Pattoli
GOLF
Matt Walbert
A
HEAD GOL F PROF E SSI O N A L
s everyone began to grow accustomed to the new routine at the club, we were able to shift our focus towards some of our “Major” golf events during the month of July. The Junior Academy has continued to see strong numbers as the future of the club begin to build their foundations for their golf and tennis swings. The new beginner Ladies Clinic, 30 & 3, has seen been met with so much popularity that we will be adding a few more clinics on in the fall. Be on the lookout for new dates in a few weeks. The spotlight of the golf programming in the month of July was on the Men’s Club Championship and Men’s Member-Member Tournament, both of which saw full fields. The Club Championship was played over two weekends, with a total of 43 players attempting to qualify for 15 spots in the Championship Flight. Both Akhil Giri (2018 Champion) and Kyle Quagliero quickly advanced through the first three matches before meeting in the 36-Hole Final. On the 32nd hole of the match, Akhil Giri was able to close out Kyle and win the 2020 Men’s Club Championship, 5 & 4. Congratulations and great playing, Akhil! I would also like to congratulate the Divisional Winners for the remaining Championship Flights: Connor Seifried (Palmer Flight), Tony Palmer (Combo Flight), and Jim Barling (Medal Flight).
The Member-Member Tournament also saw a full field of 10 flights and 120 players. After a few weather delays, the competition concluded as the sun fell over the ninth green during the final hole of the shootout. Congratulations to our 2020 Men’s Member-Member Champions, Billy O’Brien and Brian Kelly. Finishing 2nd in the tournament was the team of Rich Bandoy and Eric Moats (Wildcards) and in 3rd Place, the team of Jeff Rosser and Kevin McNamara (Turnberry Flight). Congratulations to all of the remaining Flight Winners!
LCWGA
H
ard to believe we are already a month and half into our season! As we are finally starting to see what the “new normal” is. We hosted our annual season opener on August 5th. On this day, the 9 holers and 18 holers played together as a team with a shot gun start at 8:30 am. Note, this was a change from the original schedule but one has to learn to go with the flow in these times. As always Linda Angstreich and Mary Heselton had a wonderful day planned for us.
Sadly, Jersey Girls which is a friendly social competition with Little Mill, Medford Lakes, Medford Village and Tavistock did not start in July as anticipated but it will start on Wednesday August 19th at Medford Lakes. We will all be taking our own carts with a socially distanced lunch to follow. This is open to all ladies with an established handicap and full golfing privileges, and you do not need to be a member of the LCWGA to play. Please contact Christine Blessing (blessinggolfs@gmail.com) if you can play in our first event or would like information about future dates, she is still looking for players!! The LCCC women’s cup matches are well underway. Chrissy Duman and Stephanie Moccia won their semi-final Secretary’s cup match on the 1st hole after recovering from a 5 hole deficit. Apparently they hammed and egged pretty well at the end. They are waiting to play the winner of Christine Blessing & Eileen Ramasamy vs Eileen Burke & Angela Rekant. The President’s cup is into the semi-finals. Christine Blessing is scheduled to play Eileen Kennedy and Lynne Demmerly is scheduled to
play Susan Kaufman sometime before September 20th, September 20th. This upcoming Friday, 8/7, will be the first Twilight golf of the season. Twilight golf is a fun event where a mixed team (man/ woman) is joined with another team for 9 holes followed by cocktails and dinner. You can play with your spouse, friend, child or even a colleague and it is open to all levels of membership. This is a reminder that on Wednesdays only, there will be a temporary Laurel Tee marker on hole 1 at the beginning of the fairway that can be used by all 9 holers. Since the temporary tee is not yet rated it would give any 18 holers that choose to play from the Laurel tees an unfair advantage. Therefore any 18 holers that play from the laurel tees will have to continue to use the Legends tee. But an 18 holer who plays from the Laurel tee may use the temporary marker as their drop area. As a reminder the temporary tee and drop zones on holes 8 and 14 are for our Wednesday play only and cannot be utilized during official tournaments. Finally, we welcomed 3 new members in the last month, Lex Massa, Stephanie SaintCyr (it will be nice to see Stephanie back on the course), and Amanda Zimmer. Members are welcome throughout the season. If you are a seasoned veteran or just learning the game and you have full golfing privileges, regardless of your abilities we have something for everyone. Golf and tennis seem to be the best organized sports during a pandemic where you can stay socially distanced!
AROUND TH
HE CLUB
Thank you to Mrs. Bartholo & Mrs. Carroll for sharing a few of their photos with us! Share your LC moments by emailing your photos to Nevada at ngroulx@laurelcreek.org or send us a message on our Facebook page: laurelcreekcc
FOOD & BEVERAGE
John Geller C L U B HOU SE M ANAG E R This month, I’m doing things a little differently than normal. I would like to spotlight an Employee who is on our fantastic F&B team here at Laurel Creek! I had the opportunity to sit down and interview Courtney Hansen. I learned a few things about Courtney that I never knew, and my hope is that you (our terrific members) learn a little something too!
Courtney Hansen
Q: How long have you been employed at LCCC? 4 years Q: What do you love most about working here? The ability to create a relationship with the members and their families. Q: What do you love to do outside of work? Ride my bike, play with my dog, refinish furniture. Q: Do you have a favorite dish on our menu? Gazpacho! Growing up on a farm, I just love tomatoes. Q: What school are you attending? What do you want to be when you graduate/grow up? Rutgers Camden Nursing Program. I am available for employment May 2021, ha!
Q: If you could interview anyone, who would it be? My grandmother who was my inspiration in becoming a nurse. She was a nurse and later in life was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so I never got the chance to learn more about her life and experiences. Q: Who is your hero? Colton, my husband. He is the hardest working and most genuine person I know. Q: What motivates you to work hard? I want to help others prioritize their health and well-being. Q: What is the most useless talent you have? Dancing. Classical Ballet, lyrical, modern, tap, you name it. Q: What are you most proud of? Being a first-generation college graduate.
CHEF’S CORNER
Pete Rosenblatt E X E C U TI VE C H E F EASY GUACAMOLE 4-6 Servings 3 ripe avocados, Mashed 2 plum tomatoes, diced
JEFF STEWART GROUNDS CREW
1 large lime, juiced Âź cup red onion, diced 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped 1 small jalapeno, minced Salt to taste Combine all ingredients and mix well. Season to taste. Serve with tortilla chips! This recipe can be made up to 8 hours in advance. Cover the surface tightly with plastic wrap to avoid discoloring.
Thank you, Jeff, for all that you do!
RACQUETS
Carol MacLennan DI RE C TOR OF TEN N I S
N
ew this summer!! Beginner Tennis Clinic every Wednesday night from 5 to 6:30. No experience necessary! Join Coach Bill and Carol for a fun group lesson. You will learn the basics of tennis including stroke production, scoring, positioning and shot selection. Registration in advance is required using the LCCC App. Want a parking space with your name on it? All you have to do is win the Singles Club Championship. Despite the Covid-19 setbacks this Spring, we are now taking registrations for the 2020 LCCC Tennis Club Championships. Registration is available using the Laurel Creek app. Go to August 13th in the app (deadline to register) and sign up. You can play in up to 3 events including Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s A and B Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Family Doubles (one player must be 17 or younger). All winners are invited to the Laurel Creek Champions Dinner in November. Did you know there’s a Men’s Challenge Ladder at Laurel Creek? Brian Kares is our volunteer administrator. Come out on Tuesday evenings at 6 pm to make a match. New for 2020! Pickleball Club Championships – Registration is available using the Laurel Creek app. Go to August 14th in the app (deadline to register) to sign up. You can play in 2 events including Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. All winners are invited to the Laurel Creek Champions Dinner in November.
Upcoming Junior Tournaments Monday, August 24th 9:30 To 11:30 11:30 To 1:30 1:30 To 3:30 3:30 To 5:30
8 And Under Red Ball Tournament 10 And Under Orange Ball Tournament 12 And Under Green Ball Tournament 18 And Under Yellow Ball Club Championship
ON THE COURSE
John Slade D IR E C TO R OF G O L F C O UR S E O P ER A T I ONS
J
uly is always hot, and this month has been brutal for maintaining turf. However, this week, we are taking a break from whining about the weather.
Instead, we want to share a few pictures taken by Mr. Jan Daniels. He truly does an amazing job of capturing the beauty of the golf course’s flora and fauna. While the turf may not be happy during these dog days, it’s nice to take a step back and note what a great home the golf course is to such a diverse array of plants and animals. Thanks to Mr. Daniels for allowing us to see the course through his eyes.
Upcoming Events SUN
MON
TUES
AUGUST
WED THURS
FRI
SAT 1
Live Music: TBA 6:00 pm
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DJ Music at The Pool 12:30 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 12:30 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 12:30 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 12:30 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 12:30 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 5:00 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 5:00 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 5:00 pm
DJ Music at The Pool 5:00 pm
Live Music: Chris Stevens Band 6:00 pm
Live Music: Oliver Dagum 6:00 pm
Live Music: Class A Kings 6:00 pm
Live Music: Michaela McClain 6:00 pm
Live Music: Jeff Selby Duo 6:00 pm
Live Music: Class A Kings 6:00 pm
Live Music: The Wayside Shakeup 6:00 pm
Live Music: Jeff Selby Duo 6:00 pm
SEPTEMBER SUN
MON
TUES
WED THURS
FRI
SAT
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DJ Music at The Pool 5:00 pm
Live Music: Chris Stevens Band 6:00 pm
Live Music: The Wayside Shakeup 6:00 pm
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DJ Music at The Pool 12:30 pm
Club & Course Closed
Live Music: Class A Kings 6:00 pm
Live Music: Michaela McClain 6:00 pm
Live Music: TBA 6:00 pm
Live Music: TBA 6:00 pm
Live Music: TBA 6:00 pm
Live Music: Oliver Dagum 6:00 pm
701 Centerton Road - Mount Laurel, NJ - 08054 - www.laurelcreek.org