The Creek News October 2022

CREEK

STAFF DIRECTORY & CLUB HOURS

Joel Inman - General Manager/COO jinman@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9702

Elisha Carson - Controller ecarson@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9703

Patty Fagan - Director of Membership pfagan@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9706

Erin Schafer - Director of Events eschafer@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9707

Karen Wright - Clubhouse Manager kwright@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9711

John Geller - Service Director jgeller@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9713

Nevada Groulx - Director of Communications ngroulx@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9715

John Slade - Director of Golf Course Operations jslade@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9713

Bob Hennefer, PGA - Head Golf Professional bhennefer@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9712

Peter Rosenblatt - Executive Chef prosenblatt@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9710

Carol MacLennan - Director of Tennis cmaclennan@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9722

Mike Holak - Pool Manager mholak@laurelcreek.org | (856) 291-9723

FRONT DESK | (856) 291-9701

PRO SHOP | (856) 291-9718

Golf Course

Tuesday to Thursday

8:00 a.m. - Sunset

Friday 8:00 a.m. - Sunset

Saturday & Sunday 8:00 a.m. - Sunset

Pro Shop

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

Saturday & Sunday 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Dining

Tuesday thru Thursday 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 & Oasis

Closed for the Season

On the Cover: 2022 Member-Member Winners

John Venne & Brad Mills

Joel Inman GENERAL MANAGER

Iremember

growing up, running up to my mom, and asking her “what’s for dinner”? I also remember cringing when she would tell me, and it wasn’t something I liked. Some ridiculous things like vegetables or some other healthy thing to eat. There was the rare occurrence of something kid friendly like pizza or chicken tenders. My sister was the opposite of me…she loved the veggies and the salads. My dad on the other hand only wanted meat and potatoes…he was just that kind of guy. To be honest, I’m not sure what my mom liked to eat even though she did all of the cooking. I just always assumed she made what she liked.

My mom’s challenge was very similar to what we, as a club, face today. If we were simply a seafood restaurant, then as long as you wanted seafood, you’d be more inclined to join us…if not then I don’t expect we would see much of you. We cannot overly theme our offerings: Upscale, Casual, Vegetarian, etc.. or we risk limiting the times you may want to dine here. So, unlike a Capital Grille, or an Applebees, or a Chipolte we have an obligation to try and provide something for everyone.

We try our best to make sure no matter what you are in the mood for, you have an option here at the club. While we may not always have exactly what you desire, one of the great things about belonging to a private club is the ability to modify or simply create your own dish. As long as we have the ingredients, we are always more than happy to accommodate all requests. On top of being able to create your own dish, we also change out a portion of the menu 6-8 times a year. We do this mainly around the seasons so that we can capitalize on the freshness of the ingredients and on the creativity of our chefs. During the times between menu changes, we have weekly specials to give you even more options.

On the horizon, there will be another option. We are in the process of renovating the Terrace Room with the hopes that we can use that room to provide another dining venue for you to enjoy. We have been working with an Architect and an Interior Designer to come up with a plan for that mostly underused room. As things unfold, we will keep you all in the loop so you can watch it come to life.

I hope you all get to enjoy this beautiful season and as always, I look forward to seeing you at the club.

Patty Fagan

DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP

Fallhas finally arrived and that means a flurry of member events from now thru the winter season. For years, Laurel Creek has had a reputation for hosting the most amazing events for our members and this rings true today more than ever. Our goal is to create magical moments for your family and having events that fill up quickly is a compliment to the entire LC team.

I know some of you have been wait listed for our Annual Halloween party and the upcoming Fall Gala. The Halloween event will be held outdoors so be rest assured that we will get everyone off the wait list. We have been successful in getting everyone off the wait list for all sold out events last year so for those waiting for Gala tickets, please give us some time to confirm reservations and you’ll be notified once your tickets are confirmed. As always, if you’ve registered for either event and know that you cannot attend, please cancel thru the app so that those who want to attend, can.

Very often you’ll here me refer to our membership and staff as the Laurel Creek family. We are blessed to share so many wonderful moments in your lives like the joyous birth of Odin Hovander to parents, Blake and Septimia in July or hearing that Brett and Sara Pastorius got married on September 17th. We also feel the sadness and pain when we lose someone in our membership family. Our club lost a very special man on September 30th. Troy Hopper served on the Board of Trustees since 2016 and was recently appointed as Vice-President. Mr. Hopper loved Laurel Creek Country Club and it showed thru his dedication as Chairman of both the Membership Committee where he conducted numerous interviews, and the MEC where his focus was on improving the member experience. He was kind and gracious to me and the entire staff. He will truly be missed. We send our love and deepest condolences to his wife, Barbara and daughters, Ashley and Alexis.

Bob Hennefer

OnTuesday September 20th, I accompanied the Philadelphia PGA Staff and we played 100 holes at Laurel Creek in the 100 Hole Marathon benefiting PGA Reach Philadelphia. We started the day at 645am and completed our 100th hole at 530pm. PGA Reach Philadelphia is the nonpro

charitable arm of the Philadelphia PGA Section and is committed to serving our communities and growing the game of golf through their three pillars of Youth, Military and Diversity

PGA Reach Philadelphia provides programs that serve local youth communities such as a Golf in Schools program and we introduce and coach military and veterans to the game of golf through PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) Clinics around the Philadelphia area. Lastly, PGA Reach offers diversity scholarships to individuals from diverse backgrounds to participate in the Philadelphia Junior Tour.

Through our 100 Hole Marathon, the members right here at Laurel Creek donated over $7,000 towards PGA Reach Philadelphia and that money stays right here in this area to aid in the programs I mentioned. This is tremendous and I cannot thank you enough, I’m so proud of completing 100 holes in one day, and I’m even more proud of our membership and your efforts to support this program.

LCWGA

A MYSTERY AND MORE!

What better way to spend a mid-August day than with a MYSTERY outing!

At 7:15 am, ten intrepid women golfers met up in the parking lot of Laurel Creek, unaware of where their early morning adventure would take them. Their tight-lipped sherpas, Bob Hennefer and Brett Fernandez revealed that their golfing destination was none other than the Spring Mills Course of the Philadelphia Country Club in Gladwyne, PA. The course, established in 1890, offered beautiful fairways, friendly staff, a grand clubhouse, a cavernous locker room and caddies, yes CADDIES! All in all, a fabulous experience for those brave enough to take a chance! Special thanks to the pros for planning such a memorable day!

In other news, the final match of the President’s Cup will feature a nail-biting contest between Christine Blessing and Lynne Demmerly and the following teams will vie for the Secretary’s Cup: Stephanie Moccia and Chrissie Duman v. Lynne Demmerly and Susan Kaufman. We will let you know the results in our next newsletter. And, since we haven’t spoken about Christine Blessing nearly enough, she was also crowned Laurel Creek Ladies Senior Club Champion (with Eileen Ramasamy as Ladies Senior Net Champion)!

The 17 women golfers representing LCCC in the Jersey Girls finished up the season long competition in second place, behind Medford Lakes. The competition was tough and daunting and we are proud of the effort of these capable and enthusiastic golfers!

Finally, at the time of this update, preparations were underway for the Member/Guest event: “Making Memories”, hosted by Marybeth Taras and Eileen Kennedy. A whopping 62 ladies signed up to play, twenty more than last year! It should be a great day when many many Memories will be made!

Happy golfing!

Karen Wright

CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

Now that the kids are back in school, and sports are in full swing why not make your evening a little easier and join us for dinner. If you don’t have time to sit and relax, there is always take-out and what a great option on those crazy busy evenings. In fact, we will be introducing a new pub menu along with updates to our brunch, lunch, and dinner menus within the first two weeks of October.

SO MUCH IS HAPPENING AT THE CLUB!

THE MENTALIST

HE READ ELLEN’S MIND! FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14TH

$75 plus tax & gratuity 6:00 p.m. Doors Open, 6:30 p.m. Dinner, 8:00 p.m. Show

QUIZZO IS BACK!

It’s the Last Friday of the Month October 28, 2022 6:30 p.m.

HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY?

Dates are filling up fast and the holidays are around the corner so be sure to reach out to Erin Schafer at ext. 107 or eschafer@laurelcreek.org

Every Wednesday is Kid’s Corner 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Make your reservation on the App.

RESERVATIONS

Walk-ins continue to be our biggest hurdle each evening and as a reminder we do require reservations. If you are not able to make a reservation through the App, please call the front desk for assistance and they will be able to make the reservation for you. Reservations allow us to staff accordingly as well as ensures that every member dining at the Club has the best experience.

Pete Rosenblatt

EXECUTIVE CHEF

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Yields 8 servings:

1 large butternut squash, peeled cut into large pieces

4 shallots, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 sage leaves

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

1 quart vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream salt and pepper to taste

Optional: Crème fraiche for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375. Season the butternut with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and evenly spread onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until soft.

2. In a large pot over medium low heat sauté the shallots and garlic in 2 Tbsp. butter until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the roasted butternut, sage and stock. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

3. Add the cream and simmer for 10 more minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. In a blender, working in batches puree the soup until smooth.

5. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche.

RACQUETS

Carol MacLennan

DIRECTOR OF TENNIS

TWO FUN TENNIS EVENTS COMING UP IN OCTOBER!

End of the Season Ladies Day on Thursday, October 6th! Round robin starts at 9:00 am followed by lunch in the clubhouse. Bring a friend for this fun tennis and pickleball event. Includes Tennis, lunch and giveaway. Please register via the app!

Parent/Child Up and Down the River Doubles – Saturday, October 8th at 12 noon. This competition uses Green Dot balls. Players must be able to serve and play full court.

SAYING FAREWELL TO ROGER…

The Roger Federer cocktail:

One part athleticism

One part humility

Two parts good sportsmanship

One part competitor

Serve this cocktail straight up! M105

The tennis world will forever be grateful to Roger for possessing all of the above characteristics. He is the epitome of class both on and off the court. Truth be told, he had a bit of a temper as a junior. But he’s the perfect example of how maturity, coaching and guidance can help develop a well rounded athlete. We will miss you Rogert!

ON THE COURSE

John Slade

DIRECTOR OF GOLF COURSE OPERATIONS

Asyou check out the collection of new bunkers on #15, the words of Bernard Darwin may ring true--bunkers are intended to be penal and therefore should be avoided.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to see the new fairway bunkers on #15, they are visually spectacular. The one closest to the green is eye-catching, and will be challenging to say the least. With a downhill lie, and 70 yards to the green, this is a bunker shot that few people

practice on a regular basis. This bunker definitely has the potential to get in a player’s head, however there is a bit of good news if you’re able to clear it, as the fairway will be expanded in front of the green to the right.

As noted previously, some elements of the Master Plan are executed more easily than others. While we’ve tried to work around irrigation lines during this process, there have been a couple of times when things needed to be relocated.

Upcoming Events OCTOBER

SUNMONTUES

Family Halloween Party

Tuesday Wine & Dinner Specials

WEDTHURSFRISAT

Prime Rib NIght

Live Music: Dennis Matthews

Live Music: Chris Stevens Band

8 Prime Rib NIght Live Music: Carl Filbert

Tuesday Wine & Dinner Specials

Live Music: Oliver Dagum

The Mentalist Eric Dittelman

15 Prime Rib NIght Live Music: Dennis Matthews

Tuesday Wine & Dinner Specials

Tuesday Wine & Dinner

Pahlmeyer Wine Dinner

Music: Class A Kings

22 Prime Rib NIght

Live Music: Chris Stevens Band

Live Music: Michael McClain

Quiz Night

29 Live Music: Mike Margarite

NOVEMBER

SUNMONTUES

Tuesday Wine & Dinner Specials

WEDTHURSFRISAT

Live Music: Chris Stevens Band

5 Prime Rib NIght

Live Music: Carl Filbert

Live Music: Oliver Dagum

12 Prime Rib NIght

Live Music: Dennis Mathews

Tuesday Wine & Dinner

Live Music: Joe Parker

19 Prime Rib NIght

Live Music: Chris Stevens Band

Tuesday Wine & Dinner

Buffet & Thanksgiving To Go Club Closes at 4:00 p.m.

Live Music: Michaela McClain

26 Prime Rib NIght Live Music: Doug Jennings

Tuesday Wine & Dinner