May 2014
www.blackdiamondranch.com
A Message from Doug Egly, General Manager Dear Black Diamond Members:
Club Staff Doug Egly
General Manager degly@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-3440
Matt DiMase
Director of Golf Course Maintenance mdimase@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-0404
Peggy Gleason
Accounting pgleason@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-0254
Mary Napolitano
Fitness Center mnapolitano@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-3385
BrAD T. REID
Club Manager breid@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-3440
Bryan Richard
Director of Golf brichard@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-3446
KERRY ROSSELET
Membership and Real Estate Director krosselet@blackdiamondranch.com 352-453-5473
JENNIFER STAUFF
POA Manager jennifer.ncpm@wildblue.net 352-465-6933
KENNETH TUFO
Executive Chef ktufo@blackdiamondranch.com 352-746-3449
As the spring season is behind us, I know many of you have or are planning to head back to your other home away from home. This season has been full of events and always something to do. Many thanks to everyone for all your participation in the various events. I am very blessed to be part of such a great community that is so giving – including the Black Diamond Foundation tournament and the requests for donations for your charitable groups. Also, the Conquering Cancer in Citrus County golf tournament that raised over $24,000 this year. Something we should all be very proud of. With the summer season here we will start to see some course closings for routine maintenance. Please check the course closing schedules on ForeTees for dates should you have guests planning on visiting during that time. To date, transition of the winter grass to the summer grass is going well.
Matt has finalized all of the preventive maintenance items from mole cricket application on tees, fairways, roughs and greens to pre-emergent for weed control, to transition fertilizer applications. We are very excited with the current golf course conditions compared to last year’s transition. We have now held our second Advisory Board meeting. Minutes of these meetings will be posted by email and/ or on our website and we encourage each of you to share your comments and ideas with members of the board. Your Advisory Board has been working closely with management to help improve all aspects of Black Diamond club life. Have a great summer, Doug
Membership and Real Estate Corner
Thank you to Lloyd and Joan Beasley for referring their friends Gilbert and Gloria Hardesty as our newest Full Golf Members. We would like to send a warm welcome to Gilbert and Gloria Hardesty. Congratulations to Lloyd and Joan Beasley for being the first eligible referral to win the trip to Dove Mountain. In April we had 3 real estate closings with a total of 8 for the year.
Kerry Kerry Rosselet Membership and Real Estate Director
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A Message from Bryan Richard, Director of Golf We hope that the April showers will bring in the May flowers but for some of our Members the sun was out in full swing for their tournament dreams. Our Once Upon A Time Ladies’ Member-Guest had wonderful weather and new champions this year. Jennifer Polich, and her partner Cindy Higgins, came away with a two-shot victory over defending champions Debbie MookSang and Sisi Hedges for the Overall Low Gross title with a two-day total of 147. The team of Jan Chesser and Judy Stant played very well to take the Overall Low Net title by a single stroke over Sharron Rosenberg and Heidi Phillips. It was a great tournament for all of our BDLGA Members and their guests. A very special thank you goes out to Pam Vlcko on being the chairperson and also Connie Hammontree for all of her work decorating the entire club house. Our BDLGA’s Memorial Tournament For The Joyce Burns Cup was a tremendous success even though the ladies had to dodge heavy rain drops at times. We had a total of 28 teams that participated in this years’ event, an increase from the prior years. The team of Linda Thomas and Diane Collick were victorious in the three-hole shoot-out over the 6 other flight winners to be crowned the winners. Thank you to all who participated in this special event and a special thank you to our co-chairpersons, Vicky Marinelli and Suzanne Menorca, for a job well done. As we roll into the aerification process, a complete list of closures have been posted on the Fortees website. Please consult the website for the Summer Schedule. On another note, it has been brought to our attention by some members that the prizes of the Conquering Cancer Tournament were announced incorrectly.
The following prizes were awarded. 1st Place - $25.00 Golf Shop Credit 2nd Place - $15.00 Golf Shop Credit 3rd Place - $10.00 Golf Shop Credit
Bud Daly winner of the Jackpot Joker at Nine and Dine.
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A Message from Matt DiMase Director of Golf Course Maintenance Attention Members: May is upon us and we have a lot going on on the golf courses. First, I would like to say that not over-seeding the greens this year was the right decision and we do not plan on over-seeding greens ever again. I do want to acknowledge that we do have several troublesome greens or areas on greens, but we have been working with the University of Florida and several Agronomists and we are on the road to recovery. The wet winter and extreme temperature changes led us to several disease outbreaks on the greens. We were able to treat and prevent most diseases; however in several areas we had outbreaks. Another topic I would like to touch on is water and water usage. Since my arrival I have been acquainted with almost every Official at SWFWMD (SouthWest Florida Water Management District.) This has been due to the excessive water use at Black Diamond dating back to 2009. Unfortunately for myself and Escalante SWFWMD finally handed a harsh fine to Black Diamond for the historical water use and we were then required to revise our future usage to get back into compliance. This has been a task that myself, Doug, and our Attorneys have worked on diligently and this summer we will have a new permit with new quantity allotment and will be able to adequately water our golf courses. Switching gears from water usage to trees. I have heard a lot of feedback regarding trees on the golf courses and the question has been “why are you removing trees?” My answer is to grow grass. However, many members may not realize how we determine what trees are removed and/ or trimmed. We use “Daily Light Meters” throughout the winter months to help us determine our tree program. We do our meter readings in the winter because those are the shortest day’s sunlight wise and when the sun is at its most southern point. Think about the Daily Light Meter (DLM) as this, as cumulative rainfall is measured with a rain gauge, the cumulative quantity of light is measured using the DLM. It is measured in units of mol.m-2.d-1 (commonly, moles per day.) The daily total of quantum light is called the Daily Light Integral or DLI. DLI quantifies the light available to the plant to perform photosynthesis. On an average Sunny Day in the Winter a plant averages 9 moles/day. If we are cloudy in the winter the average drops down to 3 moles/day. In the summertime, a sunny day averages 26 moles/day while a cloudy day still averages 12 moles/day. Now add large canopy trees that provide shade and imagine what little sunlight is available to the plant. Ideally for Hybrid Bermuda Grass the DLI would need to be 15+ moles/ day. With that in mind we are strategically removing trees because the instruments and tools we use as well as obvious turf conditions are requiring us to. Turf will improve with increased air flow and sunlight. A good example is #7 Quarry Green. We removed several oaks behind the
green and have seen improved turf conditions. We have also seen improved turf conditions on all of Quarry #8. We will see the Ladies Tee on Ranch #1 improve this spring and summer due to the trees removed over the winter and we plan on continuing tree removal to continue to improve turf quality. Another topic is the insecticide treatment. I am very happy to inform everyone that we treated over 300 acres of turf at Black Diamond with an insecticide that targets Mole Crickets and Fire Ants. We have seen populations of both insects reduce since my arrival and we will continue to be aggressive with our insecticide treatments. All courses have been treated wall to wall including Diamond Dunes and the Driving Range. Lastly, please keep in mind this time of the year the winter grass will be dying. That is part of transitioning back to the Bermuda Base. In April we did spray a selective herbicide on the Highlands Fairways that will kill any Rye or Poa. We did this to give the Bermuda as much time as possible to recover and grow over the summer. In May we will use a selective herbicide to spray on the Ranch Fairways to accomplish the same result. Safe travels to anyone traveling this Spring and Summer! Sincerely, Matt DiMase Director of Golf Course Maintenance Page 4
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS! BDLGA MAY LADIES’ DAY GAMES (Some games may be switched to different days because of course selection)
MAY 6, 2014
Full Ranch Team game: Nassau – 2BB Net only
MAY 13, 2014
Full Ranch Individual game: Flighted Gross & Net
MAY 20, 2014
Full Quarry Team game: Make your own foursome 2BB Net
MAY 27, 2014
Highlands to Quarry Front Team game: Pink Ball
Golf Outside the Gates
A Note from BDLGA President Nancy Carey
I cannot believe we are coming into the second half of our 2013-2014 BDLGA season! As we approach our summer months we will be playing with smaller fields on Ladies’ Days and we hope this will cut down on our time out in the heat as we get acclimated for the hot summer sun. I have so enjoyed the camaraderie and good spirited competition we experience in our weekly BDLGA Ladies’ Day events. Most of us have additional golf groups at Black Diamond on other days of the week but nothing outshines the spirit of our larger multidimensional gatherings for golf and luncheons afterwards! It’s such a great opportunity to expand your Black Diamond community relationships…both golfing and social. So be sure you have a copy of our new May-October BDLGA events schedule and plan to participate as often as possible. Historically May is the month of the year when our “Snowbirds” depart for the “Northern climes.” As you leave we wish all of you a wonderful summer and we look forward to welcoming you back at the beginning of next season.
Thank You from the BDLGA!
On behalf of the Black Diamond Ladies’ Golf Association, we would like to thank you for participating in our Conquering Cancer in Citrus County Golf Tournament (4C), hole sponsorship and/or luncheon. This year our Black Diamond tournament raised $24,000 for cancer diagnosis and treatment for local men, women and children. These dollars flow through the Citrus County Family Resource Center where cancer services and treatments are coordinated with local medical practices and with Moffitt Cancer Center. Many lives have been saved because of generous donations such as yours. Your thoughtfulness for those needing help in our community is greatly appreciated. Margo Grodsky and Jane Smart Chairpersons 2014
congratulations!
(check bulletin board or BDLGA section of website for details)
LPWGA “Publix” Invitational May 12th & 13th Lone Palm Golf Club Lakeland The Hammar Invitational May 17th & 18th Plantation Golf and Country Club Venice
L-R: Linda Thomas, Vicky Marinelli, Diane Collick, Suzanne Menorca Memorial Tournament for the Joyce Burns Cup winners and co-chairs
Our bdlga “Food Drive” recipient for the months of May through August is the Family Resource Center. Please remember to donate your non-perishable food items as you clear out your pantries for the summer. There is a hamper in the Ladies’ Lounge to receive your donations. Thank you! Page 5
A Message from Brad T. Reid, Club Manager We are delighted to offer our members a new Reservation System beginning Thursday May 1st! Gone are the days of logging into multiple sites for your dining reservation needs. Now you will simply login to www.blackdiamondranch.com any time, day or night. In addition to dining reservations, you will find the latest information on social events, Chef’s cooking classes, and wine dinners. With this new feature being added to our main Web site, Fore Tees Dining will no longer be used for online reservations effective Thursday May 1st. All current online reservation parameters will be transferred to the new site.
To Make Your Dining Reservation: Visit us at www.blackdiamondranch.com Log in with your Username and Password There will be three separate but cohesive ways to make your reservations: 1. Navigate to the Lifestyle tab, From the Lifestyle tab, click on Dining Reservations. 2. From the club calendar view you will be able to select the event you would like to make a reservation for. 3. There will also be a quick link on the home page that will give you access.
Should you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact The Clubhouse @ 352-746-3440.
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Black Diamond Foundation
“Takes Stock” in Citrus County Children By Jill Ludowese Secretary, Black Diamond Foundation Florida’s Take Stock in Children (TSIC) program was established in 1995 as a non-profit organization that provides a unique opportunity for deserving low income children to escape the cycle of poverty through education. Active in over 800 schools throughout Florida, TSIC offers promising students a college tuition scholarship, a volunteer mentor, and the hope for a better life. Your Black Diamond Foundation has been a generous supporter of the TSIC program in Citrus County since 2007, donating $54,000 to fund 13 college scholarships. Low income children often face obstacles that make finishing high school difficult, and going to college nearly impossible. Most do not come from families with a tradition of higher education, and don’t have role models to help them move in that direction. The TSIC program seeks to provide opportunities for low income, at risk students to help them graduate from high school with the skills needed to complete their post-secondary education and enter the work force. Here’s how it works. Students are selected for the TSIC program by local community committees comprised of education and civic leaders, as well as corporate sponsors. Students are normally between the 6th and 9th grades when they enter the program, and must meet low-income and at-risk guidelines. Upon selection, students and parents/ guardians sign contracts agreeing to fulfill specific performance standards. To be awarded their scholarships, students must stay in school, maintain good grades, exhibit good behavior, remain crime and drug free, and meet with their TSIC mentors once a week. Students are held accountable; if they do not fulfill program standards, they risk losing their valuable college scholarship. One aspect that makes the TSIC program unique is the volunteer mentor assigned to each scholarship recipient. The mentor meets with his/her student at school for 30 minutes each week during the academic year. Volunteer mentors are recruited,
trained, supported, monitored, and evaluated by the TSIC local program office. Mentors serve as role models, providing academic and behavioral motivation, guidance, friendship, and support. Mentors are encouraged to remain with their TSIC student over a multi-year period. Most mentors in the Citrus County program do just that. In Citrus County, the TSIC program is sponsored by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, and serves 41 active scholars. Program Coordinator, Pat Lancaster, puts forth a full calendar of events for students, parents, and mentors. Recent activities included a “spring break” field trip for 29 students to the Kennedy Space Center, and an innovative Career Fair supported by over a dozen local businesses, government agencies, and academic institutions. As with any non-profit, fundraising is an important aspect to expand this unique program to serve even more students in need. The State of Florida sees the value. It matches every dollar donated to TSIC. The 2014 TSIC Fundraising Drive in Citrus County included an inaugural golf tournament, held in February on the Quarry Course, coordinated by Black Diamond residents Liz Blick and Linda Williams. All combined, the Black Diamond Foundation community grant of $12,000, the golf tournament proceeds, and other local donations totaled $36,000. That’s NINE new scholarships for Citrus County students during the 2014/2015 academic year. Now all that’s needed are nine new mentors! If you value education, and want to make a difference in your local community, join your six Black Diamond neighbors who already serve as TSIC mentors to deserving teens. For more information, visit takestockinchildren.org, or call Citrus County Program Coordinator, Pat Lancaster, at (352) 344-0855. Page 7
May Calendar of Events
Lunch Schedule Tues. - FRI. 11 am - 3 pm Sat. 11 am - 4 pm
4
BRUnch 9 am - 3 pm
11
Mother’s Day Brunch
5
Bible Study 11:00 am
Mahjong 12:00 pm BD Foundation Meeting 4 PM
Club Closed
12
BRUnch 9 am - 3 pm
25BRUnch
9 am - 3 pm
Memorial Day Tournament and bbq buffet 5:00 pm
Ladies’ Day A la Carte
5:30 – 7:30 pm Reservations Required
13
Ladies’ Day Mahjong 12:00 pm Bible Study 11:00 am
A la Carte
Club Closed
18
6
19
5:30 – 7:30 pm Reservations Required
20
Ladies’ Day Mahjong 12:00 pm Bible Study 11:00 am
A la Carte
5:30 – 7:30 pm Club Closed
26
Bible Study 11:00 am Mahjong 12:00 pm
Memorial Day Club Closed
Reservations Required
KNITTERS & CRAFTERS 10AM - 12 NOON
7
Men’s Day CLUBHOUSE MENU 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Reservations Required
DUPLICATE BRIDGE 6:00PM
14
KNITTERS & CRAFTERS 10AM - 12 NOON
CLUBHOUSE MENU 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Reservations Required
SLIDE BOTTOM GIN 6:30PM
21
KNITTERS & CRAFTERS 10AM - 12 NOON
Ladies’ Day Reservations Required
Trivia Buffet 5:30-7:30 pm Game Starts 6:30 pm
8
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
No Dinner Service
15
Reading & Discussion Group 4pm
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
WINE DINNER 6:00 PM
Reservations Required
3
LUnch 11 am - 4 pm
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
No Dinner Service
A la Carte
5:30 – 7:30 pm Reservations Required
9
bridge 9:00AM
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
10
LUnch 11 am - 4 pm
A la Carte
No Dinner Service
5:30 – 7:30 pm Reservations Required
16
bridge 9:00AM
NINE & DINE
17
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
A la Carte
LUnch 11 am - 4 pm
No Dinner Service
22
23 bridge 9:00AM 24
No Dinner Service
28
bridge 9:00AM
5:30 – 7:30 pm
DUPLICATE BRIDGE 6:30PM BINGO NIGHT 6:30 PM
Reservations Required
2
No Dinner Service Club Closed 3pm LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
A la Carte
5:30 – 7:30 pm
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
ITALIAN NIGHT 5:30 - 7:30 PM
KNITTERS & CRAFTERS 10AM - 12 NOON
27
1
29 LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
No Dinner Service
Reservations Required
LUnch 11 am - 3 pm
A la Carte
5:30 – 7:30 pm Reservations Required
LUnch 11 am - 4 pm
No Dinner Service
30 bridge 9:00AM 31 LUnch 11 am - 3 pm TURKEY BUFFET 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Reservations Required
LUnch 11 am - 4 pm
No Dinner Service
— Members — Please help us ensure that your dining experience is satisfactory by making reservations in advance for all evening dinner services. Our staffing is based on your reservations. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Page 8
Hours of Operation
Recipe of the Month - Chef Kenny
Driving Range Monday – Saturday: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Shrimp and Grits
Golf Shop Monday – Sunday: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm ForeTees Internet: 24-Hour Access
Serves 4 1 cup white or yellow stone-ground grits ¾ cup grated cheddar ¼ cup parmesan 2 tbsp. unsalted butter Kosher salt 2 tbsp. canola oil 4 slices bacon, chopped 1 lb. medium shrimp (about 30), peeled Freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 garlic clove, finely chopped ½ cup chicken broth 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus 4 lemon wedges ½ tsp. hot sauce, preferably Tabasco 4 scallions, thinly sliced 1.
In a 2-qt. saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and whisk in grits. Cook, whisking frequently, until grits are tender and creamy, 30–40 minutes. (Whisk in more water for thinner grits.) Whisk in cheddar, parmesean, and 1 tbsp. butter and season with salt; cover and set aside.
2.
Heat oil in a 12” skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel– lined plate; set aside. Reserve cooking fat in skillet.
3.
Tennis Courts Monday – Sunday: 7:00 am – 9:00 pm Pool Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm Pool temperature maintained at 84° Fitness Center Open 24/7 with use of Access Code The Clubhouse @ Black Diamond Ranch Brunch: Sunday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Lunch: Tuesday – Saturday: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Dinner: See Calendar Take-Out Window: Tuesday – Sunday: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Men’s Lounge Tuesday – Friday: 12:00 noon – close Saturday: 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm
Trivia Night Winners 4-3-14 1st Place: BDRP: $171.00
Jim & Dona Wood Steve & Fran Johnson John Bourdeaux & Gayle Wilder John & June Cushing Nancy Egly
Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, add shrimp to skillet and cook, turning once, until bright pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add garlic and cook until golden, 1 minute then add chicken broth, and scrape bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon. Cook until broth reduces by half, 3 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet along with the lemon juice, remaining butter, and hot sauce, Worcestershire and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
2nd Place LOVE BUGS: $119.70
Divide grits between 4 bowls; top each with shrimp and its sauce. Garnish each bowl with bacon, scallions, and lemon wedges.
Reading & Discussion Group
The reading and discussion group will meet on Thursday, May 15 to discuss Nancy Horan’s (author of Loving Frank) latest novel Under a Wide and Starry Sky which tells of the love story between Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny Van de Grift. Robert is in ill health, suffering from breathing difficulties, and Fanny is determined to travel the globe seeking a suitable climate for Robert to continue his writings. The selection for June is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. For more information contact Faeth Houle.
Gene & Marcia Taormina Les & Mary Bell Jim & Jeannine Love John & Donna Rose George Adler 3rd Place: NO IT ALLS: $51.30
Russ & Judy Delaney Peter & Liz Blick Walt & Marge Rizzi Dick & Nancy Carey John & Linda Williams Page 9