La Vie
November & December 2020
Celebrate Together This Holiday Season!
A Message from the President Dear Fellow Members, These last couple of months have been perfect weather for the membership to enjoy our great amenities. We have had fantastic turnouts for our more traditional events, such as our Halloween party, which had over 250 attend over two time blocks and all was held outside to create a safe and friendly environment for our members and their guests. Shout out to the staff, as you can imagine, the increased level of difficulty to hold two events in the same location back to back was a challenge. The Royal Oaks team continued to add some great new events during this time to take advantage of the awesome weather and the desire from the membership for more outdoor events. There was everything from an acoustic guitar player at the Palm to a symphony on the lawn enjoyed with great food. The staff really appreciates all the great feedback from the members. I also wanted to highlight some of the exciting new projects for improving the Club that we are currently implementing. Just to name a few, the Club has begun the process to replace/upgrade the tennis lighting around the courts and just completed an improvement project for the decking behind The Palm Grille and given it a fresh coat of paint. The money contributed to the beautification fund is also being put to good use as we are about to install two fire pits near the first tee area with improved landscape lighting to add ambiance and improve our outdoor casual areas. We are also stocking the pond on hole 10 (behind the tee box) with bass and bait fish to add an amenity for families to enjoy. The Long-Range Planning Committee and Board have worked very hard to finalize the plans for a Capital Project. We will be sending it out in much greater detail when it has been completed, approved, and is in its final form. The plan has evolved and still includes a Member Activity Center with indoor/outdoor teaching bays, casual eats and a newly relocated Turn service, covered patio with great views, outdoor seating areas and firepits and an all sports simulator that can be enjoyed by all of our members. In addition, we plan on reducing almost half of our bunkers and installing new liners and sand in the remaining bunkers. We currently have 5 test bunkers on our golf course to not only test the playability but also the drainage systems of the two companies’ products. The importance of the drainage is easily highlighted by the 1,400+ hours of labor required this last year to repair bunkers after even mild precipitation amounts. The Club is also planning to include a lighting plan for the outside of the Main Clubhouse to create more ambiance and a safer environment for the Membership. The last component will be the debt reduction plan that will put our Club in a position to succeed for many generations to come. We will continue to provide more details in the coming weeks and plan to hold town hall meeting(s) with the membership in January. It is important to remember that the plan will not move forward without a positive response and vote from our members. As many of you know, this is my last La Vie article to write as your President. I want to thank the membership, the RO team, and the Board for the great support I have had during my term. There are so many great relationships that have come from this position, and I will miss the daily interactions that came with it. However, though some of you have grown tired of my presidency, I will remain on the Board for the next two years of my term and intend to help carry out our plans that we have worked so hard to develop. I am confident in the future of our Club and will fully support our future officers. Luke Drury, Club President Royal Oaks Country Club
SHHHHH... LADIES ONLY Hasn’t this fall weather been just amazing? I’d definitely Looking forward, we have a chance to break out the say we deserve it! glue guns and get crafty! We are having a cork wreath tutorial on November 5, from 1-4 pm. Next, A Day at What a year 2020 has been. The neighborhood and Brookwood is coming up on November 17. Members golf course have never looked so gorgeous. The same and their guests will bus together to Brookwood to goes for our wonderful ROCCLA members! We enjoyed tour the grounds, enjoy lunch together, and do some our annual ROCCLA movie night on September 15. holiday shopping! On November 18, we will have our Members and guests were treated to delicious and Royal Bookies book club meeting, followed by our perfectly presented boxed meal prepared by the club monthly happy hour. Bridge, mahjong, mexican train, while watching ‘Barefoot in the Park’ under the stars, and bunko continue to be postponed but committee on the event lawn. It was a fun time with friends, and members are still actively monitoring the situation and the weather was a dream. holding out hope that we can meet in person and play together again soon. We have also had to postpone our On September 30, ROCCLA hosted our annual annual member luncheon to the spring, in the hopes Cocktails & Croquet, with members gathering (safely) that we may meet in a large group, and safely. on the croquet lawn to play a few rounds, while enjoying a complimentary cocktail. We followed that December will bring more fun events! Watch your with delicious finger foods served by the club, while emails and mark your calendar for our upcoming Bingo members chatted and caught up with each other. night, holiday happy hour, book club, and a planned October brought our annual Halloween Witching ‘artistic outlet’ night. Hour, with members bringing the fun with witchy hats and costumes, and more competitive fun out on the green with lawn bowling.
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 September & October 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 Dearest Members, Thank you, for all your support of the club this year!! It really feels like the community became much closer through all the craziness and it’s been wonderful to witness. The team has been working hard to ensure a safe environment and we sure hope that you have been able to spend time at your Club as a second home to continue to live an active lifestyle. You are the heart of this club and we continue to bring in the most wonderful people. I am just so excited about the future! As our current Membership initiative comes to an end on November 30th, we hope that you can still get your friends in under the current incentives. We will continue to offer the preview option but have done some modifications. The next plan will have the following changes: • $1,500 application fee to enter the preview program for Golf Memberships. This fee will be applied to the initiation fee should they join in the first 90 days of their membership preview. • Preview memberships will be available for Golf, Executive, Sports and Young Professional memberships. • Statement credits for the incoming member and the member who recruits them will be for 12 months, reduced from the current 24 months. No time like the present to secure their membership to get the most incentives! All applications received by November 30th will be eligible before we transition to this new plan on December 1st. We continue to grow as a community and will also now be offering a Complimentary Social initiation fee to all new residents who join within the first 6 months of closing on their home in the neighborhood. They still must be approved as members but a great way to get them engaged early and this $1,500 value can be applied towards any upgraded category. I will be working with realtors and the HOA to ensure we give them a warm welcome. As we continue to provide the best services possible to our members, we want to be hearing from you! There are a lot of great future plans, including the launch of a new texting platform called ‘Zingle’ which will allow us to serve you that much better. Stay tuned and stay engaged! You are the reason we do what we do each day and are always looking for more ways to improve. Reflecting on this year, I know that our community has learned to value our close relationships and the luxury of being part of a private club that much more. I do hope that you share this with your nearest and dearest and I’m here to assist in any way I can. Happiest of Holidays and I am looking forward to a great 2021! Warm wishes, Meghan
Membership Director - Meghan Smith msmith@royaloakscc.com
WE’VE GOT YOUR HOLIDAYS COVERED! Dear Members, Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner, and hopefully the cooler weather as well. We will be offering menu options for you and your loved ones to enjoy for the holidays.
Executive Chef - Eva Barrios, CEC ebarrios@royaloakscc.com
We recently made changes to the a la carte menu and I hope you have had a chance to try the new dishes we are offering at the Bistro. My team and I were eager to share the new dishes and different flavor profiles. We have changed one of the breads in our Bistro bread basket as well, introducing our new marinara parmesan pastry. You may not know, but now all desserts on the Bistro menu are made in house! Have you tried our birthday cake truffles yet? We are also now offering Blue Bell rocky road and strawberry ice cream options. Please stop by the club or order to-go. This is my favorite dessert menu yet!!! Additionally, we are offering full a la carte menu on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, including our daily specials.
Homemade Pumpkin Syrup for Pancakes This is one tasty recipe for the holidays. It is very easy and goes so well with pancakes, waffles, croissants, and French toast. My son loves breakfast and the holidays even more. This is a perfect receipe for all those who are a fan of both! Happy Holidays! Best Always, Chef Eva. Ingredients: 1.5 cup light corn syrup 1 cup water 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1 stick of cinnamon 1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 whole clove 1 smidge ground nutmeg 1 tbsp arrowroot with 2 tbsp of water mixed together
Directions: 1. On a small sauce pan, add all the ingredients except the arrowroot mixture 2. On medium heat, simmer all ingredients 3. Add 2 tsps of the arrowroot mixture into the sauce pan and whisk well. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes 4. Check the consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon. If it is too runny, add an additional tsp of arrowroot and simmer for an additional 15 seconds 5. Turn off heat. Carefully strain syrup with a small strainer. Reserve syrup and discard cinnmon stick and any remaining items in strainer. Let it cool and room temperature and enjoy!
SOCIAL LIFE The holidays are upon us, and I know everyone is ready to celebrate this season (and the end of 2020)! While holiday celebrations may look a little bit different this year, we are still here to help with all of your party needs. Of course, the Club offers the perfect setting for your socially distanced gathering, and we are still taking every precaution necessary to keep you and your guests safe. For those wanting to celebrate from home this year, we are offering some new holiday catering packages that will make entertaining at your home a breeze! We can coordinate décor, equipment rentals, and even other fun activities to keep the kids entertained at family gatherings!
Catering & Events Director - Allyson Brown abrown@royaloakscc.com
We also will have Christmas Dinners available for pick-up on Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve catering packages available for pick-up. Call me to discuss your party options, and get a spot on our calendar!
BE ON THE LOOKOUT Member Holiday Celebration Breakfast With Santa 12 Days of Christmas Family Christmas Dinner New Year’s Eve Dining
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2020 w e i v e R n I r a e Y A
Boost Your 50+ Immune System! As we head into winter months of other colds and flus, plus coronavirus. Craft a lifestyle at the club to build your immune system! It is believed that our immune systems today is not “weaker” than those of generations ago but are more “dysregulated”—the medical term for a biological process of function that isn’t working the way it should. Your immune system is less able to tell a deadly invader from harmless one, for example, and more likely than in the past to attack your body’s own healthy tissue by mistake.
Fitness Director - Pam Owens powens@royaloakscc.com
Create Your Best Day Healthy Start Breakfast Fiber (fruits, vegetables or whole grains) is the nondigestible carbohydrate that feeds the good bacteria in your gut. These amazing bacteria help keep the immune system ready when needed. A half-cup of wheat bran has 12.5 grams, and by adding berries, you’ll earn a few more. Plus, blueberries and other dark-colored berries are rich in flavonoids and antioxidants that improve the health of macrophages and other virus-eating cells.
Brisk Cardio
“Immune cells circulate the body during exercise and for two or three hours afterward,” says David Nieman, director of Appalachian State University’s Human Performance Lab. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of cycling, jogging, or walking that’s brisk enough to make you breath hard. Walking on the golf course instead of using a cart counts too!
Post-Workout Meals
Order soups, salads and sides from the club composed of a full of variety of fruits and vegetables. Nutritionally, the variety is the most important thing so shoot for at least 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Start Your Relaxation Routine
Stress is a high-powered immune suppressant! Participate in our mind-body activity such as yoga or swimming, meditation or casual socials with members. In one study, adults cut stress with weeks of mindfulness training and, as a result, they were 20 percent less likely to experience respiratory infection. And don’t forget to schedule a massage to get all those touch-induced relaxation benefits!
Visit Your Friends Virtually or Outdoors
Emering research indicates that loneliness and social isolation can increase inflammation throughout your body. Experts aren’t entirely sure how, but they do know that the effect appears to increase with age. If the weathers nice, consider scheduling a socially distanced walk in the park (with a mask on, of course). Otherwise, video chats on Zoom or Google Hangouts can fill in the gap until sunnier days return.
Dine With the Fishes
Acids—the kind found in oily fish like mackerel, fresh tuna, sardines, and salmon—can measurably reduce levels of inflammation in older adults, according to a review from researchers in Italy. And animal studies indicate that dietary fish oil can increase the health and circulation of antibody producing B cells.
SPORTS CLUB
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Grace joined the Sports Club in 2009 and participates in classes and workouts for the past 11 years. She has fond memories from the days of 6 am Boot Camp where she first got to know other members. She recently retired from a corporate position and now finds more time to work out with Angie, her new personal trainer, attend exercise classes, and swim to get back in shape. She and her husband, Rocky, participate in many of the dining and special events and she has been a member of the Ladies Association for many years. She is planning to learn to play Pickle ball as her next new adventure at the Club. Angie Zoboroski azoboroski@royaloakscc.com | 832-723-6350.
Holiday Spa Savings
Gift Certificate Specials - 15% OFF the following Spa Packages: Revitalize Package 45 minute Dead Sea Salt Body Scrub + 60 minute Swedish Massage Reg. $160 | Holiday $136 Specialized Modality Treatments 60 min - Reg. $95 | Holiday $81 90 min - Reg. $130 | Holiday $111 Classic Swedish Massage 60 min - Reg. $85 | Holiday $72 90 min - Reg. $120 | Holiday $102 Must be purchased on or before December 20 for services after December 25. Available for pick-up 2-3 days after purchase.
READY FOR COOLER WEATHER It seems every year I sit down to write this month’s addition for the La Vie it coincides with the first real cold front of the year. Today is of course no exception. We have been experiencing unusually high temperatures lately with little rainfall and it has allowed the turf to continue its summer growth a little longer than normal. This warm weather has allowed the course to be in fantastic shape the last couple of months and is in a great place to enter the upcoming winter months. As always we have been preparing a list of winter projects to tackle during our off season that can be completed now that there is a lack of routine mowing on the golf course. In addition to the normal tree pruning and thinning that has been taking place on a regular basis we will be focusing on some other projects as well. Drainage will again be our focus in these winter months. Some of the drain basins have developed a layer of silt around them that affects the surface drainage and ease of passage for vehicles. We will be addressing these areas by regrading them back to their original state as well as confirming proper functionality of the drainage itself.
Golf Course Superintendent - Cody Alexander calexander@royaloakscc.com
Many of the greens have developed a “collar dam” on their lower edges over the years. We have already addressed the worse of these but will be continuing the process this winter. “Collar dam” is the buildup of soil where the green meets the approach or fringe cut. This is an important process as it will help to improve the overall drainage of the greens surface after any kind of rain or irrigation event. We will again have a busy winter ahead of us and complete as many different projects as possible before the spring mowing season begins again. I look forward to seeing you out there and feel free to ask about our progress any time.
www.royaloakscc.com
HOW DID YOU PLAY IN 2020? The end of the 2020 season is just around the corner, and this year has been a little different to those in the past. Despite all that 2020 has been, I hope that you found time to play more golf and that you will be looking back on your golf year as one full of memorable rounds, with fun people, on amazing courses and many rounds of low scores. Despite the precautions we took with group sizes, our Operation 36 program was very busy again this year and it is always wonderful to see so many students from the program, on the range and putting green each day working on their game. Sometimes I have players who are unfamiliar with the program, ask if this program is right for them. They question whether their skills are beyond these classes. The reality is that everyone can improve their scoring by learning the skills delivered through Operation 36. We have had players with an index as low as scratch as well as several single figure index players join us, with them seeing their scoring improve due to the added attention to their short game and course management skills. With the new year just around the corner, I am sure you are thinking back over your golf experiences during 2020. I hope you are looking back fondly and remembering many memorable moments of great shots and low scores. If you are looking for a way to continue that great play or make a change to your current skills, in a fun and inviting environment, then I hope you will consider becoming part of our Operation 36 Community in 2021.
Director of Instruction - Derek Hooper dhooper@royaloakscc.com
Registration will Open for 2021 Winter Operation 36 Program, November 30, 2020 Classes for Juniors, Ladies and Men will begin at the end of January. Winter 2021 will mark the start of our fourth year of this program and it has been extremely well supported with over 1,000 players having joined a class to become part our OP36. To learn more about how Operation 36 works, please watch this video: https://vimeo.com/245049319 Dates, pricing and program packages will be emailed to the membership by the end of November, 2020, and will also be available on the ROCC website at that time. The 2021 Winter Semester will begin at the end of January and registration will be done by emailing Director of Instruction, Derek Hooper at dhooper@royaloakscc.com
HOLIDAY GOLF HAPPENINGS The 2020 Tournament Season almost complete, we want to thank all the Members for their continued support and participation in Club Tournaments and Events during what has been a very challenging year. In the upcoming months we will be finalizing dates for the 2021 Calendar please, plan accordingly for another year full of fun events. It is hard to believe that the Holiday Season is almost here and that 2020 is quickly coming to and end. It is that time of year that we all enjoy traveling and visiting family, remember to also invite family and friends out to the Club for a round of golf or to participate in some of the other many activities that are scheduled for the Holidays. And as always, please travel safe! Please visit the website to view all upcoming activities at the Club. Looking for that perfect club(s) for the golfers in the family, please schedule a club fitting with one of the Professional Staff members, who are here to assist you with your club fitting needs. This is a great time to hit the newest equipment and place orders for that special gift to arrive in time for Christmas. Also, remember to mark your calendar for the Golf Shop Balloon Sale scheduled for Saturday, December 5th. Come early, get the perfect gift, and pop a balloon for major savings. Operation 36 is in full swing and halfway through another session. Please plan early for the 2021 Operation 36 schedule as classes fill-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. PICK A BALLOON FROM THE CEILING AND POP IT AT CHECKOUT TO REVEAL YOUR DISCOUNT!
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5 2020 GOLF SHOP
Holiday Balloon
SALE 20-100% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE
FREE GIFT WRAPPING
Head Golf Professional -James D. Brown jbrown@royaloakscc.com
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d n u o r A e n e c S the Club
COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE Hello Members! I am so excited to be joining the Royal Oaks team here as the new Communications Manager. Over the course of my first few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know the culture and lifestyle that makes Royal Oaks such a unique and special place! As the Communications Manager, I will strive to keep all members informed about all of the latest and greatest happenings here at ROCC. You may notice some changes over the next few weeks, but have no fear - change is always a good thing, as we bring all of our social media pages and website up to date. So stay tuned for some fun, new, and exciting things to come! I can’t wait to continue to meet new members, engage with ROCC on social media, and bring you all the latest updates on what is going on here at Royal Oaks!
Communications Manager - Hannah Vines hvines@royaloakscc.com
CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for daily features, specials, updates and more!
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Remembering Kirk Poorman
On November 11, 2020, Royal Oaks Country Club held a service to remember and pay tribute to Kirk’s life. Kirk was a kind and caring man and will be greatly missed by many. You may know Kirk was an accomplished pianist and often entertained many of us at the Club with his ability to play. Kirk was also a hard worker and always went the exra mile to make sure the members and his fellow employees were taken care of. He made sure every setting looked beautiful with his decorative touches. He genuinely cared about people and went out of his way to provide members and guests with wonderful service. We will miss Kirk’s stories, his friendship, and how generously he shared his talents with us.
DECEMBER Calendar At a Glance
DECEMBER 1ST ANNUAL MEMBER HOLIDAY PARTY DECEMBER 5TH BREAKFAST WITH SANTA DECEMBER 5TH GOLF SHOP BALLOON SALE DECEMBER 8TH ROCCLA COUPLES - BINGO NIGHT REGISTRATION: 6:30PM GAMES BEGIN: 7:00PM DECEMBER 10TH HANUKKAH BEGINS DECEMBER 16TH ROCCLA BOOK CLUB 4:00PM DECEMBER 16TH ROCCLA HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR 5:00PM - 7:00PM FLEUR DE LIS DECEMBER 19TH FAMILY CHRISTMAS DINNER DECEMBER 21ST FIRST DAY OF WINTER
DECEMBER 24TH CHRISTMAS EVE DECEMBER 25TH CHRISTMAS DAY CLUB CLOSED DECEMBER 26TH KWANZA BEGINS DECEMBER 31ST NEW YEARS EVE
NEW EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT We are pleased to announce the addition of a new team member, Cheryl White, who joined us this week as an Assistant Restaurant Manager. Cheryl has well rounded experience working with Hilton, Marriott and HEI Hotels & Resorts and concepts within the JCB Management Group and the Mulligans Restaurant Group. We hope you will join us in making Cheryl feel welcome to the Royal Oaks family. She has been working hard to get to know the membership and will look forward to meeting you.
IMPORTANT HOLIDAY DETAILS Holiday Hours
Christmas Eve & New Years Eve Hours Tee Times: 8:00am - 12:00pm Practice Facility: Closes at 2:00pm Golf Course & Golf Shop: Closes at 4:00pm Sports Club & Tot Stop: Closes at 2:00pm Locker Rooms: 7:00am - 2:00pm The Bistro: 11:00am - 2:00pm
All Club facilities are CLOSED for Christmas Day and New Years Day.
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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