THE
CREEK MARCH 2021
NEW MOBILE APP COMING SOON!
STAFF DIRECTORY & CLUB HOURS Joel Inman General Manager/COO jinman@laurelcreek.org
Golf Course Tuesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. - Sunset
Elisha Carson Controller ecarson@laurelcreek.org
Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m. - Sunset
Patty Fagan Director of Membership pfagan@laurelcreek.org
Pro Shop
Erin Schafer Director of Events eschafer@laurelcreek.org John Geller Clubhouse Manager jgeller@laurelcreek.org Nevada Groulx Director of Communications ngroulx@laurelcreek.org John Slade Director of Golf Course Operations jslade@laurelcreek.org Bob Hennefer, PGA Head Golf Professional bhennfer@laurelcreek.org Peter Rosenblatt Executive Chef prosenblatt@laurelcreek.org Carol MacLennan Director of Tennis cmaclennan@laurelcreek.org Mike Holak Pool Manager mholak@laurelcreek.org
Tuesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dining
Tuesday thru Friday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tennis
Courts are open for play
Pool
Closed for the season
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 GE NE RAL M AN A G E R “Never Eat Alone” I was lucky enough to have a thoughtful member give me this book by Keith Ferrazzi. It is a great book about people, why and how they connect to each other and how these connections help make them successful. It references ways in which to build relationships and in doing so, helps you to become more successful. I personally enjoy reading books like this, as it often provides nuggets on how to not only improve myself, but also our operations. I can’t help but to think about a saying that was drilled into me early in my career and it’s proven to be true to this day...”Relationships determine results”. We all strive to develop relationships with each other. Team Members with other Team Members, Team Members with Club Members, Club Members with other Club Members and Club Members with their Family Members. It’s one of the biggest reasons people join our great club...to build relationships. A Club environment such as ours is a perfect place to foster those relationships with people who share a common belief of wanting to belong. I see families spend a lot of quality time here playing tennis or golf or just having a quiet meal together. With the craziness of life all too often these connections are the ones that suffer. I can speak from experience that there are times my wife and I feel like an Uber driver instead of parents with each child having to be in 3 different places at the same time. So I’m sure that when you have the time to actually sit at a table and enjoy a meal and some great conversations together, you appreciate those opportunities. It’s times like that which allows all of us to reconnect and build upon those things we love to share as a family. With any luck, and of course a vaccine, we can all return to those things that keep us connected... a round of golf, time at the pool or just hanging out in the restaurant. I hope as the weather breaks you all take the time to enjoy any time you can spend with those closest to you, but also take the time to build upon your social network while you are here at the club.
MEMBERSHIP
Patty Fagan D I REC TOR OF M EM BERS H I P
I
love experiencing all four seasons, but winter seems to have lasted longer than usual. Between the pandemic and the cold weather, I’m looking forward to warmer days and seeing more of our members at the club and on the golf course.
If anything positive came from this pandemic, it would be the increased level of golf interest. Golf was one of the few activities people could do together outdoors while maintaining a social distance. It wasn’t surprising that we had a spike in golf membership even with the shut down for the first two months of spring. Many other families joined as House Members to enjoy the pool, tennis, and a safe and upscale place to dine. Even with all the restrictions with COVID, families continued to join throughout the year. Having an active membership allows the club to add more features and activities for our members and keeps any dues increases to a minimum. Although we ended 2020 with a healthy membership roster, our normal attrition rate of 9% meant we started off 2021 with fewer members. Membership interest remains strong, and I’m pleased to share that we have had an exceptional January and February of new families joining our club. Many of you have been asking about our Spring events, particularly Easter and Mother’s Day. I am excited to share that your LCCC team is busy planning the Palm Sunday and Easter events, the details will be shared with all of you very soon. However, there are CDC guidelines that we must follow. As the CDC continue to ease some of the restrictions, we will add more safe and fun events to the calendar. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and “like” our Facebook page since many of our events are listed on those social media platforms. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new members who recently joined the Laurel Creek family. Thank you for choosing to be a part of our wonderful club and we look forward to seeing you often this spring. Please check out all the new faces on the following pages and make sure to say hello when you see them at the club.
GOLF
Matt Walbert H E AD GOL F PROF ESSI O N A L
T
his farewell message comes with mixed emotions as I am sad to be leaving Laurel Creek after such a short period of time. I am incredibly grateful for the memories and bonds I was able to create, and for how welcoming each and every one of you have been during my time here. I would like to be one of the first to welcome our next Head Golf Professional, Bob Hennefer, into the Laurel Creek family. I know that Bob will feel immediately at home thanks to your incredible support of the Club and golf operation. Please join me in welcoming Bob to the family!
After a steady surge in rounds since last May, it feels like the golf season actually “ended” at the end of January as the snow began to fall. What was expected to be a minor lag in the winter season turned out to be 5 straight weeks of zero rounds at the club. We are all looking forward to warmer days and greener grass ahead! Next time you are on property, you will notice an immediate change with our Outside Services Operation. Ryan Daley, our Player Services Manager, will have a new office in the cart staging area. This building will immediately enhance the experience of you and your guests as we will now have a central location for all your pre-round needs. You will be able to check your guests in, grab an extra towel or water, and quickly inform our staff if you are only playing nine holes, all in the same location. You may have seen that the 2021 Men’s Golf Directory is now available to view and register for events. Last year, we saw many of our key events fill up quickly, so I highly recommend looking at the upcoming season events and registering early! Additionally, you will be receiving a “Golf Manual” over the next few weeks that will serve as a quick reference guide for club policies, event information, and more. Finally, the implementation of our new app will streamline our services, golf included! You will be able to request your clubs to be picked up a bag drop, post a score, book a lesson or tee time, register for an event, and more! Make sure you check it out as soon as it is available. I cannot thank you all enough for the incredibly amount of support and memories this past year. I look forward to visiting Laurel Creek in the future and seeing all the progress that will continue to be made!
S
LCWGA
pring is just around the corner which means our golf season isn’t far off. The usual activity is taking place, Christine Blessing is soliciting ladies to play for the WGAP team, Chrissy Duman is gathering all the necessary information for the LCWGA booklet, Angela Rekant is collecting dues, Lynne Demmerly and Anita Albright are encouraging ladies to join our fun group, all of us are looking forward to a new year, and last but not least we are looking forward to our Opening Day of golf on April 14th. Opening Day is a 9 hole scramble and is the perfect opportunity to check us out and of course the lunch afterward is always scrumptious! The cocktail party on the eve of Opening Day is always a lovely event and potential members are welcome! Nine Hole Lady Golfers are looking forward to the start of our season. We know we will be having many returning players, but we are also hoping to welcome many new additions! Opening Day is open for all of our golfers as well as any club members who would like to try out the Wednesday events. We would love to see some of the club members use this event to learn more about our group. This year, Sue Studley will continue organizing the Nine Hole Invitationals. These are always wonderful outings and offer an opportunity to play at other clubs. This year we will be playing at Ramblewood, Medford Lakes, and the Moorestown Field Club. If you have any questions or concerns about the Nine Holers, please feel free to contact Linda Angestreich or Mary Heselton!
Please note that any woman with full golfing privileges may join the LCWGA. Email Lynne Demmerly, lynne.demmerly@gmail.com or Anita Albright at aalbright@comcast.net if you are interested or have questions. Registration forms are in the ladies locker room. This group is for either 18 or 9 holers and is a fun way to meet women and play our beautiful course. We encourage registration by March 30th but members are accepted all year. Additionally, if you are a woman with full golfing privileges, have an index of 40.4 or better and have at least 8 scores posted in 2019 and/or 2020 you should definitely considering joining the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia (WGAP)! It is a great organization if you want to meet other women, if you are interested in playing golf on other courses and possibly playing tournaments in the Philadelphia area. They claim to be the oldest women’s golf association in the country and they originated in 1897 with 4 clubs and now there are 88. Our club is one of the members and we field a 7 person team that competes in 5 matches over a 3 week time span in the Spring. If you join WGAP by March 19th you could help our team compete in the matches and during the rest of the year you can play in up to 7 “open days” at other member clubs in addition to tournaments. For additional information contact Christine Blessing or go to www.wgapgolf.org.
IMPORTANT DATES: April 14 - Opening Day April 20 - On the Course Rules Clinic 11:30-1 May 4-5 – Possible Aeration May 26 - President’s Cup first round starts June 2 - Secretary’s Cup first round starts June 16 & June 23 - Member-Member July 17 (Sat) - Club Championship First Round July 18 (Sun) - Club Championship Second Round August 9-10, 16-18 – Course closed for Aeration September 11 (Sat) - SR. Club Championship First Round September 12 (Sun) – SR. Club Championship Second Round September 29 – Member/Guest Tournament October 20 - Closing Day
SPRING SERIES CLINICS Thursday, April 1 - 10 - 11:30 - Ballroom: Rules/Etiquette Thursday, April 8 -10-11:30 - Range: The Full Swing Thursday, April 15 - 10-11:30 - Range: The Full Swing Thursday, April 22 - 10-12 - Putting Green: Putting/Chipping/Pitching Thursday, April 29 - 10-11:30 - Golf Course: Course Analysis/Strategy $80/PP FOR ALL SESSIONS
Welcome Alex & Karina Bush
OUR NEW MEMBE
Dana & Luke Stahl
Gerard & Daniela Toscani
Jennifer & David Morales
The Carbone Family The Michener Family
Deborah Dunn & Joseph Barlingis
Scott & Jill Graham
ERS TO THE LCCC FAMILY
Linda Toogood & Michael Sinko
Richard Trifiletti
The Dattilo Family
The Konstantinidis Family
Vincent Cao
The Thornton Family
The Palermo Family
The Mahoney Family
FOOD & BEVERAGE
John Geller RECEPTIONIST/HOSTESS
Hayley Norman
C L U B HOU SE M ANAG E R
Where did you grow up? I was raised in Brown mills, NJ. You have your own late night talk show, who do you invite as your first guest? Tom Hiddleson for sure. He is charming, down to earth and his celebrity impressions are spot on! What are you reading now? I am currently reading “I am legend”. Anything zombie or post-apocalyptic is really fascinating to me. If you could be on reality tv show, which one would you choose and why? I would choose Nailed it! I am not the best baker, but I feel like I have a pretty good chance of winning.
Would you rather live where it only snows or the temperature never falls below 100 degrees? Neither! I cannot imagine living in a place where I have one and not the other. I like to be in a happy medium between hot and cold. If you could be in any movie, what would it be and what character would you play? I think I would have to go with Mama Mia. I would choose Sophie because of her happy ending. I mean, she lives in Greece, is well loved by everyone, has a ton of romance going on and does not seem to be struggling for money. What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? “If you want something, go get it. Period.” Pursuit of Happiness. Such a wonderful and inspiring movie. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday! After prepping and cooking all morning you get to sit down for a delicious meal, surrounded by friends and family. Favorite Starbucks drink? My friend Dona introduced me to the vanilla iced chai latte with sweet cold foam. Its delicious, I absolutely recommend it. What is something you would like to improve? I would love to expand my ASL (American Sign Language) knowledge. Being able to communicate with someone who uses hand signs and expressions as a form of communication is a beautiful thing.
CHEF’S CORNER
Pete Rosenblatt EXECU T I VE CHEF Beef Bourguignon
Krissy Grossman Server
Thank you Krissy, for all that you do!
8 servings 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2in cubes 8oz slab bacon, diced 1 pound fresh pearl onions 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered 2 carrots, cut into large pieces 2 celery ribs, cut into large pieces 2 clove garlic, thin sliced 4 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary 2 bay leaf 2 Tbsp. tomato paste ½ cup cognac or brandy 2 cups beef stock 1 bottle burgundy or any dry red wine 3 Tbsp. olive oil 2 Tbsp. soft butter 2 Tbsp. flour Salt and pepper Method: Preheat oven to 325. Heat a large Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium high heat, season the meat well with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear the meat in olive oil until browned on all sides, and remove from the pot. Reduce heat to medium low, add the bacon and cook for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Add the onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms and garlic, sauté until soft about 7-10 minutes. Add tomato paste, bay leaf and herbs and cook for 2 more minutes. Stand back and carefully add the cognac igniting it to burn off the alcohol. Add the beef stock and wine to the pot. Add the seared meat back to the pot and bring to a gentile simmer. Cover the pot and braise in a 325 degree oven for about 2 hours or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and skim any fat from the surface, place back on the stove over low heat. In a small bowl combine the soft butter and flour with a fork, stir the butter flour mixture into the stew and gently simmer for 10 more minutes.
RACQUETS
Carol MacLennan DI RE C TOR OF TEN N I S
W
ith ice and snow on the courts at Laurel Creek, outdoor play has come to a grinding halt. Kudos to Wes! He did an amazing job offering several outdoor opportunities for tennis well into January. That’s a record for outdoor tennis on the courts at Laurel Creek. But that doesn’t mean we should stop playing. Carol and Bill are running indoor ladies clinics on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30 at Cherry Hill Racquet Club. There’s also an evening mixed clinic on Wednesdays at Cherry Hill at 6 PM. You still have to register using the Laurel Creek app to reserve your spot at these clinics. Indoor pickleball is booming in our area. The best way to find indoor pickleball is to go to meetup.com. You’ll notice several daytime and weekend pickleball opportunities at Cherry Hill Racquet Club and other indoor facilities in the area.
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
A
fter a couple of relatively snowless winters, we may have become somewhat complacent, and taken for granted that the course will be accessible every day. However, a quick look at the number of rounds played so far this month (zero), makes it clear that there are times when neither golfers nor grounds staff can work on the turf. With another week bringing more snow, what can we do now? Well, January and February are the two months of the year when we are permitted to prune the wetlands crossings, and this work must be completed using hand tools only. Fortunately, snow on the ground is not an issue for completing this task.
We may have had visions of doing drainage work now, but at least we are still able to complete this necessary annual project. Many folks have had their fill of snow this winter, but soon enough, we will undoubtedly be commenting on how hot it is.
Upcoming Events SUN
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St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Specials
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: JB Rocks 6:00 pm Quiz Night 6:30
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Live Music: Carl Filbert 6:00 pm
Live Music: Jeff Selby Duo 6:00 pm
Live Music: Dennis Matthews 6:00 pm
Live Music: Nick Horn 6:00 pm
APRIL SUN
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Live Music: Chris Stevens Band 6:00 pm
Live Music: Carl Filbert 6:00 pm
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Live Music: Oliver Dagum 6:00 pm
Live Music: Class A Kings 6:00 pm
Live Music: JB Rocks 6:00 pm Quiz Night 6:30 p.m.
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Live Music: Jeff Selby Duo 6:00 pm
Live Music: Michaela McClain 6:00 pm
Live Music: Nick Horn 6:00 pm
701 Centerton Road - Mount Laurel, NJ - 08054 - www.laurelcreek.org