LCCC November 2020 Newsletter

THE

CREEK NOVEMBER 2020

STAFF DIRECTORY & CLUB HOURS Joel Inman General Manager/COO jinman@laurelcreek.org

Golf Course Tuesday to Friday 8:30 a.m. - Sunset

Elisha Carson Controller ecarson@laurelcreek.org

Saturday & Sunday 8:00 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 Matt Walbert, PGA Head Golf Professional mwalbert@laurelcreek.org Peter Rosenblatt Executive Chef prosenblatt@laurelcreek.org

Tuesday to Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Outdoor 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

Carol MacLennan Director of Tennis cmaclennan@laurelcreek.org Mike Holak Pool Manager mholak@laurelcreek.org

ON THE COVER The Gilliland Family: Kiel, Sharon, Lacey & Garrett at the annual Halloween Party

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

O

ur Mission Statement goes: “Laurel Creek Country Club is characterized by an active membership that shares a unique social experience built upon outstanding golf, a dynamic family environment and the superior service and amenities of a premier club.”

At any given time, different parts of this mission statement jump out at me…recently it’s been dynamic. With the new year almost upon us we look forward to a more structured, dynamic new year.

Dynamic is defined as a process or system characterized by constant change, activity or progress. While this year has undoubtedly been “dynamic”, some of it was not so positive.

However, not all of it was bad and understanding what wasn’t so good helps us make the necessary changes to improve what we do.

This year posed several challenges that we are still dealing with even today. Some of the changes affect how we operate and how the staff accomplishes their daily tasks.

Some of the changes were easy to make, others have taken more time. The staff has really put forth an outstanding effort to make sure that when you are here, you enjoy your time, the same

as you did in prior years. Other challenges involve the tools we use. One in particular wasn’t up to par with our expectations and I’ve already started on making the necessary changes to improve that tool…it’s our mobile app. Unfortunately our current app did not handle the needs and demands of this dynamic year.

With most everything shifting to reservations and online ordering, the app’s performance was barely adequate to be kind. With more and more members using the app for their membership needs, we needed a better platform than our current one. I believe I’ve found the best app to not only handle our current needs, but also any future needs we might have. It is extremely customizable and adds several new features that will not only enhance your experience but also make the teams ability to serve you easier. I anticipate launching our new mobile app sometime in January so keep an eye out for information on when it’s ready for download and also how to use it to its fullest.

Our next newsletter won’t come out until January so if I don’t see you before then, stay safe, stay well and have a great rest of the year.

MEMBERSHIP

Patty Fagan D I REC TOR OF M EM BERS H I P

T

his is the time of year when people begin to give thanks for all their blessings.

Although it’s nice to count your blessings on Thanksgiving, I try to write five things that I’m grateful for every day. Some days have the same five things written in my little note pad—I’m grateful for my children who are healthy and strong; Grateful that my 84 year old mom is still with us; Grateful for my husband; Grateful for the roof over my head that I call home; and grateful that I have a job that I love. Today, my list includes all of you. I’m extremely grateful that you’ve continued to support our wonderful club during these unforeseen times. I know I speak for the entire LCCC Team when I say “Thank You”.

We all have the ability to cultivate gratitude so take a few minutes of the day to focus on what you have and develop an “attitude for gratitude”.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a happy and joyous holiday season

Welcome

OUR NEW MEMBERS TO THE LCCC FAMILY

GOLF

Matt Walbert HEAD GOL F PROF E SSI O N A L

A

s the cold temperatures and frost delays begin to dominate the course, play is beginning to slow down after an incredibly busy season.

Despite the early closure and state mandated restrictions that followed, 2020 rounds of golf saw historic numbers at Laurel Creek. On behalf of the entire Golf Staff, we cannot thank you enough for the continued support all season long!

Our Ladies 30&3 Clinic and the Junior After School Academy were two newly launched programs to help grow the game within the club. The After School Academy provided an outlet for our Juniors to get out to the course this Fall and had over 120 participants over a 6 week period. The 30&3 Clinic saw just over 100 participants since September, including three of the ladies graduating into the 9-Holers group! We cannot wait to continue this momentum in the Spring!

As we head into the winter season, the Simulator’s doors are officially open for individual or group play, lessons, or just for a practice session.

Reservations will be made available for two weeks in advance to all members with full golfing privileges as well as Social members. Please ensure you register in advance and sign in when you arrive to play!

LCWGA

I

t’s a wrap! Can’t believe our season has come to an end, but I am sure I am not the only one happy to see 2020 winding down and looking forward to what 2021 will bring.

October was action packed and although at times we felt like we lived in Seattle we were able to get all events in and we played until October 28th. Maybe going forward we will continue the new tradition of playing through all of October. This could be a good thing that came out of 2020!

Congratulations to the following cup winners for 2020: Presidents Cup – Lynne Demmerly, 1st time ever Secretary’s Cup – Chrissy Duman and Stephanie Moccia, defended the cup for the second year (This is Chrissy’s 6 straight cup, the first 4 were with Tammy Boone.)

Laurel Creek Cup – Christine Blessing (came down to the wire and Lynne almost pulled it out) Eileen Ramasamy organized an excellent closing day and the meal was amazing!! Well done to team Teri Barlow, Lynne Demmerly, Eileen Ramasamy, and MaryAnn Stack who won the team scramble event. Team Anita Albright, Linda Angstreich, Ineke Daniels and Mary Heselton came in second by one stroke. Closest to the pin winners were Christine Blessing and Rookie of the Year, Lynne Sergi. Long Drive was won by Eileen Ramasamy.

Many season long awards were handed out so I will mention the names of those that won in alphabetical order: 9 holers – Linda Angstreich, Donna Colabella, Jacqui Ebert, Rita Gordon, Mary Heselton, Lynne Sergi and Susan Studley, and Lillian Vankounett.

18 holers – Christine Blessing, Eileen Burke, Ineke Daniels, Lynne Demmerly, Chrissy Duman, Eileen Ramasamy, Angela Rekant, Marybeth Taras One last thing, in case you did not know Vincent and Hanna welcomed their new healthy baby boy on October 18th and his book “Raised By the World” will be released on November 18th.

AROUND TH

HE CLUB

FOOD & BEVERAGE

John Geller C L U BHOU SE M ANAG E R

Steven Sienkiewicz

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

In college I took a junior sommelier course and was the only one in my class to pass.

What’s the best advice you were ever given?

Who was it from?

Always be true to yourself and everything else will fall into place -My best friend in college Cody.

If you had to pick one age to be permanently, which age would you choose?

22. Probably one of the best years of my life.

If you could only eat one item for every meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’d have to go with avocados. Honestly I could eat an avocado with every meal.

What do you dream of owning one day?

My own house.

What’s the first concert you ever went to?

I’ve actually been to a lot of concerts, but most likely it was some underground bands playing at a random bar in Camden.

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

Since I’ve started working at Laurel Creek I’ve gained more interest in golfing and I definitely strive to get better.

What do you do to turn things around when you’re having a bad day?

When I’m having a bad day I try to surround myself with the people I care about. Friends and family always bring out the better side of me.

What is something you would love to do within the next year?

Travel to Hawaii if COVID allows If you were the only human left on Earth, what would you do?

I’d live under the belief that I truly wasn’t the last human and search the world for more survivors.

What’s one hobby you’d love to get into?

Refurbishing video games and systems.

CHEF’S CORNER

Pete Rosenblatt E X E C U TI VE C H E F SAVORY SAUSAGE & APPLE STUFFING 8-10 servings 1lb cubed day-old crusty bread or packaged bread cubes 1lb ground pork or turkey sausage 8oz unsalted butter, plus 4oz 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced 1 medium yellow onion, diced 3 ribs celery, diced 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped 3 cups turkey or chicken broth Salt and pepper

Sara Nieves Housekeeping

Thank you, Sara for all that you do!

Preheat oven to 350. In a large deep skillet sauté sausage in 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat.

Using the back of a spoon, break the meat into small pieces until cooked through. Remove sausage from the pan and reduce to low heat. Add 8oz of butter, onions, celery, apples, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 7-10 minutes until soft.

Add the broth to the pan and bring just to a simmer.

In a large bowl combine the bread, sausage and broth mixture and season to taste. Butter a baking dish with 2 oz butter, transfer the stuffing into the dish and top evenly with 2 oz cubed butter. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the top is golden and crispy. *the uncooked stuffing can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking.

RACQUETS

Carol MacLennan DI RE C TOR OF TEN N I S

H

ow do the Laurel Creek Country Club Tennis Championships compare to the US Open Championships? Let’s take a hard look at the facts.

So there you have it, folks. A fair and unbiased comparison. Be honest…where would you rather play?

Fact #1: US OPEN: The US Open is an annual tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY. LCCC: Laurel Creek Club Championships is an annual tennis tournament played on outdoor har-tru courts at the Laurel Creek Country Club in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Conclusion: Except for the surface, they are obviously very similar competitions.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2020 CLUB CHAMPIONS Men’s Singles Club Champion: Ross Charbonne. Marcelo Bartholo, Finalist Women’s Singles Club Champion: Pascal Salah. Denise Giannone, Finalist Men’s Doubles Champions: Brian Kares & Joe Hanuscin.

Greg & John Gentek, Finalists Women’s Open Doubles Champions: Greta Beatty & Sue Williams Danai Hanrahan & Denise Giannone, Finalists Women’s B Doubles Champions: Sonia Bodiwala & Reetika Joshi Angelica Dau & Marianne Sims-Kellogg, Finalists Mixed Open Doubles Champions: Denise Giannone & Grier Arthur Lak Stockham & Ross Charbonne, Finalists Mixed B Doubles Champions: Reetika & Sam Joshi Kelly & Chris Moye, Finalists Pickleball Club Champions: Jim Barling & Martin Dau Steve Ems & Pat Procacci, Finalists

Fact #2: US OPEN: Men’s and Women’s Champions are honored with a personalized trophy and a small check with their name on it ($3,000,000). LCCC: Men’s and Women’s Champions are honored with a personalized trophy and parking space with their name on it.

Conclusion: US Open champions have no place to park. LCCC champions are always guaranteed a parking spot.

Fact #3 US OPEN: The US Open is an International event. The men’s singles champion Dominic Thiem is from Austria and Naomi Osaka is Japanese and Haitian. LCCC: Laurel Creek Club Champions represent internationally, too. The Men’s champion Ross Charbonne is originally from Trinidad and Tobago and Pascale Salah, the Women’s champion hails from Germany.

Conclusion: Tennis champions come from all around the globe but only LCCC Champions call Laurel Creek their home.

Junior Clinics on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, 4 to 5:30 will continue until the end of November All Adult Clinics will continue as long as the weather allows!!

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

T

his past week’s mild weather was, to say the least, quite unusual for our region. The end of October usually brings us crisp, cool conditions, with low humidity. While many players may have enjoyed being able to continue wearing shorts, the daily prolonged fog was certainly a challenge for anyone teeing off before noon.

So, what’s the downside to this weather from a grass-growing perspective? Well, typically by the end of October most of the turf diseases we treat for are no longer an issue. However, the mild nighttime temperatures and constant leaf moisture are conducive to the development of Dollar Spot disease. While widespread damage is unlikely, as turf growth slows now, any pitting from the disease may linger.

There’s a fairway out there somewhere...

We may finish October with only a single frost event, and are still seeing insect activity.

We really need some cold temperatures to put the bugs to bed for the year.

This weather has also put a “damp-er” on our rough aerification. When we pull plugs, we expect them to dry, not become wetter from all of the moisture in the air.

Certainly none of these things could be labeled as devastating, but it once again shows that weather is our ruler. While we may start with a good game plan, the need to make game time changes will always exist.

Dollar Spot has remained active due to warm, wet conditions.

Upcoming Events SUN

MON

TUES

NOVEMBER

WED THURS

FRI

SAT

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Live Music: Chris Stevens Band 6:00 pm

Live Music: Class A Kings 6:00 pm

Live Music: Modern Mojo 6:00 pm

Ladies’ Day Out 1:00 pm Live Music: Oliver Dagum 6:00 pm

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Dave Phinney Wine Dinner 6:30 pm

Thanksgiving To Go

Live Music: Dennis Matthews 6:00 pm

Live Music: Wayside Shakeup 6:00 pm

Live Music: Live Music: Jeff Selby Duo Carl Filbert 6:00 pm 6:00 pm

DECEMBER SUN

MON

TUES

WED THURS

FRI

SAT

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Cakebread Wine Dinner 6:30 pm

Cakebread Wine Dinner 6:30 pm

Live Music: Chris Stevens Band 6:00 pm

Live Music: Wayside Shakeup 6:00 pm

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Club & Course Closed

Live Music: Class A Kings 6:00 pm

Live Music: Joe Parker 6:00 pm

Club & Course Closed

Live Music: Oliver Dagum 6:00 pm

Live Music: Carl Filbert 6:00 pm

Live Music: Doug Jennings 6:00 pm

701 Centerton Road - Mount Laurel, NJ - 08054 - www.laurelcreek.org