La Vie
January & February 2021
Welcome To A Royal New Year!
A Message from the President Hello Fellow Members, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and that you all are ready for a fresh start in the New Year. I am very appreciative of the support that Membership has given me over the last two years as Vice President and as I transition into the new role of President this New Year. I want to start off by thanking our past President, Luke Drury, for all he has done over the years for our Club and our Membership. I’m honored to be able to take on this role and I look forward to being able to serve you all in 2021. First, I feel it is important to reflect on the amazing staff we have here at Royal Oaks. Through what was a trying year, the Royal Oaks staff stepped up to ensure that the Club operated in accordance with state ordinances to keep our members safe, but to also ensure that our members felt a sense of normalcy throughout all of 2020. The staff got creative with drive-thru events, to-go meals, and even socially distance gathering to ensure all our members were able to create memories together. We are also extremely lucky to kick off the year with such a talented team who have been recognized for their performance that continue to bring a great success to the Club. Recently, Derek Hooper was recognized for being in the Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, and a Top 50 Coach for Operation 36. Also, our very own David Altemus was accredited with the Certified Club Manager designation (CCM) by the Club Management Association of America. David joins more than 1,600 club managers worldwide who have attained this hallmark of professional, he is also one of very few that hold the honors of a PGA professional with CCM certifications. We greatly appreciate what all our outstanding team brings to Royal Oaks to make this Club the best in Houston! Secondly, I want to thank all our Members who came out to our Town Hall Meetings on January 12th, 13th, and 14th. As we move forward with our Long-Range Plan, we appreciate your time to stop by and listen to the presentations, ask vital questions, and most importantly your vote! The rollout of this plan is very exciting, and I think all our Members should be thrilled for this opportunity to expand our Club, but I encourage our Membership to keep in mind that with change comes great opportunities, this plan will allow our Club to make strides in not only our Membership but our overall Club attitude. We are also having some new programs in the works for 2021 to better serve our Membership, so stay on the lookout for those as we roll those out soon! Lastly, our Committee selections for 2021 have been announced and I want to thank all our members who have stepped up to volunteer their time to contribute to the Club’s success and allow us to grow in new areas this year. You can view our 2021 list of Committees along with Board updates by visiting the Club’s website ‘Member Central’ tab and selecting ‘Boards and Committee’. I look forward to all the opportunities this New Year may bring, and I cannot wait to see what our Club’s future holds and appreciate the opportunity to serve this Membership. Sincerely, Dave McMahon Board of Directors, President
SHHHHH... LADIES ONLY Happy New Year and Welcome 2021! If you are already a Member of thr Royal Oaks Country Club Ladies Association (ROCCLA) Congratulations! You will have a year filled with fun. If not - we encourage you to join us! It will be a marvelous start of 2021. Just call the Concierge and request to join today, the annual fee is just $50. Our Members keep busy and have met both digitally and face-to-face during the very different year we had in 2020. Despite the special circumstances, there were still a lot of fun events that took place. When we couldn’t meet face-to-face, we turned to digital media. Zoom Happy Hours and Book Clubs were highly appreciated. When Fall arrived, we met outside in a safe manner and it was so fun to see everyone in person again. There will be many fun activities coming in 2021. We are hoping to restart Mah Jongg, Bunko, Bridge and other fun games regularly as soon as it feels safe to do so. Other fun activities such as exploring Museums and off-site field trips are being planned, and don’t forget our other special events and Happy Hours! Check your Royal Oaks App for upcoming event dates and be sure to RSVP through the App or by calling Concierge. Bring a friend or someone new to join in on all the fun!
CLUB CONTACTS General Questions/Club Reservations: Concierge 281-899-3200 | concierge@royaloakscc.com
Membership:
Membership Director - Meghan Smith 281-899-3207 | msmith@royaloakscc.com Membership Assistant - Lizz Barber 281-272-6665 | lbarber@royaloakscc.com Member Statement/Accounts Receivable 281-899-3253 | ar@royaloakscc.com
Dining:
Assistant Restuarant Manager - Cheryl White cwhite@royaloakscc.com Pick-Up/To-Go Orders The Bistro: 281-899-3230 The Turn: 281-899-3227
Events:
Catering & Events Director - Allyson Brown 281-899-3293 | abrown@royaloakscc.com Catering Coordinator - Lauren Davis 281-899-3290 | ldavis@royaloakscc.com
Sports Club:
Front Desk 281-899-3250 | sportsclub@royaloakscc.com Fitness Director - Pam Owens 281-899-3236 | powens@royaloakscc.com Tennis Director - Peter Farrell 281-899-3219 | pfarrell@royaloakscc.com
Golf:
Golf Shop 281-899-3270 Head Golf Professional - James Brown 281-899-3205 | jbrown@royaloakscc.com Director of Instruction - Derek Hooper 281-899-3217 | dhooper@royaloakscc.com
Welcome New Members November & December TK & Angelina Kim Shea & Jessy Morgenroth Jennings & Claire Thuen Yuki & Akiko Nishikawa Mike & Margaret Rauber Mike & Rebecca Knapp Kathleen Dohmlo & Tait Tomb David & Carolina Vennie Jeffrey Sun Ramon Louriro & Joann Gronstal Jimmy & Jennifer Howard Alex & Fabiana White Madhav & Rohini Mohan Igho & Victoria Okotete Akira & Eri Hayasaka Karl & Sandy Willman Steven & Wendy Krueger Francisco Menidburu & Maria Del Mar Perez
Jason & Rori Feldman Pedro Londono & Nour Salmen David & Robyn Murphy
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A MESSAGE FROM MEMBERSHIP Dear Members, Happy 2021!!! I know we have all been looking forward to a New Year and your team here is very excited about the continued improvements and adventures to come. As I reflect on 2020 and think about what I want us to focus on in 2021, one word keeps coming to mind Ownership. Not only you, the members, understanding your responsibility as the owners of the club but allowing your Royal Oaks team and department heads to take ownership of their responsibilities. We want you to know us and allow each of us to address your needs directly. We are only as good as what we are communicated, and we want to ensure we are providing the best services to you each day. We ask that you make a proactive effort this year to get to know and allow our department heads and team members to assist you directly when and where they can. I can assure you, we do not bite, and we are focused on meeting and exceeding your expectations. Let us own our roles!
WE’RE UP TO SOMETHING AWESOME!
As owners of the Club you have a big responsibility to ensure that the Club grows and prospers with not only the addition of new members but engagement from our current families. The team is busy coming up with creative ideas to keep you entertained but we need to also see you using the membership. We need you to own your role in the Club’s long-term success. The membership department will be focusing on the onboarding process of new members and ensuring that we are doing all we can to ensure everyone in the family is enjoying their membership. We ask that you partner with us and make a conscious effort to smile and welcome new faces. Take ownership of building the culture and community only the members can create. Please know that my door is always open, and I am never too busy for your referrals. Together we are going to OWN 2021!!
Cheers to Health and Prosperity, Meghan
Be on the lookout for our new texting platform, Zingle, launching soon! Get instant access to ask questions, request services, or learn about the weekly specials!
Membership Director - Meghan Smith msmith@royaloakscc.com
THE HOLIDAYS WERE A SUCCESS! Happy New Year to all of you from the ROCC Culinary Team. I hope you all enjoyed the holiday celebrations that the Food and Beverage team offered throughout November and December. They were great months to celebrate the holidays at the Club as well as ordering To–Go meals to enjoy at home. Thanksgiving was lovely and a great success and December was fun all around. My favorite of the 12 days of ROCC holiday celebrations was the baking class with the teens. We made homemade pop tarts! I have shared the recipe with all of you here. Please be sure to send photos of the pop tarts when you make them! They are so easy and fun. I want to thank you once again for your support towards the Culinary Team. The team is consistently doing their best to show their dedication to the Club and to their profession. It is important for them to provide a wonderful breakfast, lunch, and dinner experience for you here at the club or to-go. I appreciate all the feedback from members during the months I have been here and I view them as an opportunity to grow and to guide my culinary team to further their culinary skill set. We also recently rolled out a new Bistro menu. We hope that you try the new items and some old favorites and let us know what you think!
Executive Chef - Eva Barrios, CEC ebarrios@royaloakscc.com
Homemade Pop-Tart Recipe Ingredients -
Dough: • 2/3 cup plain flour • 3/4 cup cold butter, cubed • 2 tbsp icing sugar • 2 egg yolk • 4 tbsp water • 1/8 tsp salt • Egg wash (egg yolk mixed with water)
Filling: • Strawberry Jam • Chocolate Ganache or Nutella Icing: • 1 cup icing sugar • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • Water (just enough to make a thick icing) • Sprinkles
Directions 1. Put the flour, icing sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix together 2. Rub in the cold butter until it resembles bread crumbs 3. Mix together the egg yolks and water and add to the dry ingredients 4. Mix in until a dough forms, this won’t take long 5. Wrap the pastry in cling wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow gluten to relax. 6. Roll out your dough on a floured surface until 1/4 milimeters thick 7. With a pizza cutter, cut your pastry into 3x4 inch rectangles. You will need 2 sheets for each pop tart 8. Spoon the jam onto half the pastry, be careful not to overfill, or it will burst during baking. 9. Egg wash your pastry, this will help the 2 pieces stick together and give your pop tart a lovely golden color. Prick the top of the pastry with a fork to release steam while baking. 10. Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown. 11. Mix icing sugar, vanilla extract, and water together until thick and spoon over pastry, then finish with sprinkles.
EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR
in 2021
CHINESE NEW YEAR COUPLES DANCING CLASS
VALENTINE’S DINNER SUPER BOWL WATCH PARTY
Looking to book your event in 2021? Give our Catering & Events team a call at 281-899-3293 or 281-899-3290
SOCIAL LIFE IN 2021 I know everyone is excited for this new year, and what will hopefully be a fresh start! Of course, there is still time until we are back to some form of “normal life”, but until then, we will continue to push forward and create new and exciting events for our members. Please remember to make reservations early as some of these events have limited spaces available due to spacing/size restrictions still in place. Many of our events have filled up quickly, and while we always try to accommodate those on the wait list, sometimes we aren’t able to accommodate everyone. If you are interested in hosting a private event, we have several spaces available, and are still hosting events in a safe manner. There are some size limitations, but we can usually find a room that will work well for your group. We also have many outside areas that are great for events and create a very safe, comfortable atmosphere! We can also offer catering pick-up or delivery orders if you choose to celebrate at home. Call me if you are interested in any of these options, and here’s to a fun year ahead, no matter what obstacles may come our way!
Catering & Events Director - Allyson Brown abrown@royaloakscc.com
www.royaloakscc.com
WISHING HAPPY & NEW
We hope you all had a won
YOU A HEALTHY YEAR!
nderful Holiday Season
Boost Your What??? Yes, it is actually true that you CAN boost your immunity and the Sports Club & Spa departments, as well as the whole club are centered around promoting your health and active lifestyle. It’s an exciting time to be a member of Royal Oaks Country Club so let’s dig into the details of how you can take advantage of using the Sports Club & Spa and all of the club’s offerings, including great dining choices, for your health. Did you know there are two types of immunity; innate immunity and adaptive immunity? Both types of immunity can be stimulated or strengthened by the type of exercise we do and the daily nutrition and lifestyle habits. In fact, 70% of your immunity is controlled in your gut and effects your immune system now and can definitely impact how fast you recover from illness. Please download and save the full COLD & FLU BUNDLE so you can understand how to build your immunity now at the club by learning when and how exercise helps when sick, how to choose dining offerings to boost your immunity and what to eat when sick. We are here to keep you healthy and fit!
Fitness Director - Pam Owens powens@royaloakscc.com
SPORTS CLUB
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Laura is a active member at the Sports Club, her and her husband, George, do Yoga at least 3 times a week. Laura is a part of the WGA here at the Club, where she plays golf several times a week, as well as a member of the Ladies Association. Laura and her husband, George, have 11 granchildren and 8 greatgrandchildren, which she always brings along to the Club’s fun events and activities. Laura & George love being members here at the Club because of the many activities it has for both adults and children.
WINTER IS COMING... The fall months have been very good to us on the golf course and have allowed the course to enter the winter months in terrific shape. We did have an exceptionally heavy, early frost this year that has zapped most of the color from the rough cut areas but has little effect on the overall course conditions this time of year. The early frost allowed us an earlier transition into project mode than last year and we couldn’t be more ready. This winter will again be full of multiple winter projects that we are normally not able to address during the growing season. Tree trimming will again be an area of focus along with drainage repair and enhancements. Collar dams are an area of the course that continue to plague the turf health in adjacent areas of the greens and will be addressed as well. Expect to see large areas of sod work completed near the greens over the coming months to aide in removal of this soil buildup or collar dam.
Golf Course Superintendent - Cody Alexander calexander@royaloakscc.com
We again have a busy agenda for the winter months in preparation for the upcoming growing season. This time of year is crucial for our success as a facility when we are able to reallocate our resources to the projects that ultimately improve the conditions of the course versus the regular maintenance routine. On behalf of the Royal Oaks Maintenance Team we hope that you had a terrific holiday and we look forward to seeing you out on the course in 2021.
www.royaloakscc.com
PLAY YOUR BEST GOLF IN 2021 Information on how to drive the ball further, make more putts, hit more consistent shots and shoot lower scores is everywhere. Whether you find this information in your monthly golf magazine of choice, through online videos or watching The Golf Channel, there is plenty of information and the majority of it is pretty good. Yet none of the best players in the world reached the Tour by implementing tips from any of these sources. So why would that be the best way for you to improve your own game? The players on the PGA Tours have a regular Coach who works with the player to assess their individual strengths and opportunities for improvement, and together they map out a clear plan to reach the players goals. If this is the pathway the best players use, then shouldn’t you use that same pathway? At the beginning of a new year, I encourage my players to look back over the previous year. To consider what they did well, what could they have done better, did they achieve their goals and what goals will we set for the upcoming year. From there we discuss what skills need to be improved to accomplish those set goals, and then we build a plan to ensure the identified skills are improved. The depth of this plan will vary depending on the player. A junior golfer who wants to play in college will have a different plan to an ex-college player who is wanting to go to Q School, which will be different to a Club golfer who wants to break 90 for the first time. The plan is designed to fit the player, their time commitment and skill level. As we start this new year, consider what you envision for your golf game this year. Will you settle for another year of mediocrity and frustration, or will you do something about your golf game and commit to what is required to play your best golf ever in 2021?
Director of Instruction - Derek Hooper dhooper@royaloakscc.com
Start the New Year With an On Course Assessment Shooting lower scores on the golf course is about more than a repeatable swing and predictable ball flight. You must be able to chip, pitch, putt, play from bunkers, play shots from various stances and lies, choose appropriate targets and manage your emotions, just to touch on a few. If you need to do all these things well to shoot a lower score, then is a full swing lesson on the range really going to help you accomplish that goal? Why not start your year with an on course assessment? Play 9 holes with a Coach who can observe all the areas of your game and then work with you on designing a plan that matches your goals and the time you have available. This is the only real way to discover the one or two key skills, that if improved, will yield the biggest results for your game. Reach out to one of our Professional Staff to book your on course assessment and give yourself the best opportunity to make 2021 the year you play your best golf.
NEW YEAR GOLF HAPPENINGS I believe I speak for most, that we are happy to have 2020 behind us, and even though this new norm may remain for a while longer, I am glad to see that the golf activity around the Club remains very active. A very warm and sincere Thank You, goes out to you, the Members, for supporting the events that we have been able to conduct in 2020 and for your patience as we move forward into 2021. I hope you and your families remain safe and have enjoyed a Joyous and Blessed Holiday Season. With all the obstacles that we have overcome during 2020, it was another great year of golf at the Club as rounds of golf played were up more than 35%. The anticipation is that this will continue as the course remains in great shape. The WGA has their Annual Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, January 13th following the 9-hole Scramble and, the MGA will kick off its Season on Saturday, January 16th with the One-Man Scramble. We are glad to see several Members utilizing the Golf Genius app for information and live scoring. We plan to continue to utilize the Live Scoring feature for those participating in the event as well as providing information to those not playing, so they can follow the action. It will not be long until Spring is here, and we will all be ready to take advantage of warmer weather oncourse. Mark your calendars now for the multi-vendor Demo Day scheduled for Saturday, March 27th from 11a – 3p, Titleist, Ping, PXG, Callaway, Cleveland/ Srixon/XXIO and Taylor Made are all scheduled to be here. Derek and Robert have scheduled another instructional semester Operation 36 that is sure to prepare those golfers wanting to take up the game of golf from the ground up and help you become comfortable with the golf operation all the way to those golfers wanting to take your game to the next level. It is not too late contact Derek to sign up now for the 2021 Operation 36 schedule as classes are filling-up quickly.
Also, do not let your golf game go into hibernation during the cooler months, keep your game in top shape. Contact the Instructional Staff to help you improve your golf games, find more fairways, hit more greens and make more putts‌book your lesson today. Please remember to visit the website for the upcoming events around the Club and upcoming MGA and WGA tournaments.
Head Golf Professional -James D. Brown jbrown@royaloakscc.com
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Scene Around the Club
CONNECT WITH US MORE IN 2021 Hello Members! Now that I have my first few months of being a part of the Royal Oaks family under my belt, I’m thrilled to be able to help guide Royal Oaks in a big direction with exciting new projects! Looking forward into the New Year, my goal is to ensure the Club effectively commnuicates with each member and that we progress forward in having the latest and greatest communication efforts here at Royal Oaks. Having said that, we want to connect with our members more in 2021. We want to know what is going on in your life so that we can celebrate, encourage, and share the joy of each milestone of our members. Be sure to update your information with us to ensure we have the latest details! I can’t wait to connect more this year!
Communications Manager - Hannah Vines hvines@royaloakscc.com
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JANUARY & FEBRUARY Calendar At a Glance
JANUARY 1ST NEW YEARS DAY JANUARY 12TH ROCCLA BINGO NIGHT JANUARY 18TH MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY ROCCLA LUNCH BUNCH JANUARY 20TH ROCCLA WINE AND UNWIND JANUARY 27TH ROCCLA HAPPY HOUR FEBRUARY 9TH ROCCLA BINGO NIGHT FEBRUARY 12TH CHINESE NEW YEAR FEBRUARY 14TH VALENTINE’S DAY SWEETHEART DINNER FEBRUARY 15TH PRESIDENT’S DAY FEBRUARY 17TH ASH WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24TH ROCCLA HAPPY HOUR
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EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR RONY ORTIZ Rony has been in charge of the purchasing department at Royal Oaks since 2018. Rony goes above and beyond to meet the needs of all departments. He responds quickly to requests, often after hours, to be sure everyone has what they need to run smoothly and serve the membership. Every day, Rony comes into work with a great attitude and accomplishes his daily goals. When he is not at the purchasing office, Rony is in the kitchen helping the culinary team as well as helping other departments as needed. Rony is truly an exemplary employee! We are very happy to have Rony as part of our Royal Oaks team.
IMPORTANT DETAILS *PLEASE NOTE: MASKS ARE REQUIRED WHEN NAVIGATING ALL CLUB FACILITIES. We also encourage all our members to practice social distancing and to use hand sanitizer to protect yourself and other members!
www.royaloakscc.com
Mission Statement
Royal Oaks Country Club provides an environment of enjoyment to all members and their families by offering exceptional golf, fitness, recreational sports, social and dining experiences.
Vision Statement
To be recognized as the private club of choice for Houston families by offering a convenient and relaxed lifestyle with superior amenities and facilities.
Values
Members Members are our most important asset Membership is a privilege through a thoughtful selection process Amenities First class golf and recreational sports experience Remarkable social experiences promoted by members Employees Attract staff who are high performers and outstanding in their field Uphold fiscal responsibility through effective Club governance Community Promote fellowship in a welcoming social environment Adhere to the Golden Rule...treat others as you want to be treated
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