September & October La Vie

La Vie

September & October 2023

Club Contacts

General Questions/Club Reservations

Concierge

281-899-3200 | concerige@royaloakscc.com

Membership

Membership Director - Terri Kennedy

281-899-3207 | tkennedy@royaloakscc.com

Membership Assistant - Lizz Barber

281-272-6665 | lbarber@royaloakscc.com

Member Statement/Accounts Receivable

281-899-3253 | ar@royaloakscc.com

Dining

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

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 | golfshop@royaloakscc.com

Head Golf Professional - Ryan Miller

281-899-3205 | rmiller@royaloakscc.com

Director of Instruction - Derek Hooper

281-899-3217 | dhooper@royaloakscc.com

Welcome New Members!

July & August 2023

Stephen & Honor Canon

Ned & Lydia Mojuetan

Cameron & Mia Coffey

Austin & Peyton Nichols

Stephen Le

Kent & Madison Weinkauf

Guillermo Paez & Lucia Del Real

Norio & Keiko Matsunaga

Andrew & Dawn Koenig

Tyler Ball & Lindsay Hummel

Brandon & Colleen Thrasher

Rodrigo Dominguez & Stephanie Martinez-Larrea

Luis Cobo & Maria Aranguren Dominguez

Martin Perez & Noemi Ibarrola

Gary & Natalie Garza

Chris & Katherine Wadley

Membership

At Royal Oaks Country Club, our Mission Statement defines our commitment to our members.

“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.”

Royal Oaks Vision Statement exemplifies the importance of a private club within the community.

“To be recognized as the private Club of choice for Houston families by offering a convenient and relaxed lifestyle with superior amenities and facilities.”

Royal Oaks Country Club offers a world of opportunity. Established in 1999 as one of the first Country Clubs within the Houston area in over 50 years. In 2015 Royal Oaks Country Club became Member-Owned and since has been shaping the traditions and lifestyle to benefit the Membership and future generations to come.

This picturesque, beautifully manicured 185-acre property features the Fred Couples Signature Golf Course, Sports Complex, Tennis, Pickleball, Aquatic Center, and multiple fine and casual dining options. Royal Oaks Country Club is surrounded by the lavish Royal Oaks Community, providing a relaxing, fun, and safe environment for adults and families.

Royal Oaks Country Club offers a variety of amenities for all ages and interests. Our Staff strives to provide world-class service to its Members and Guests and welcomes you to the Club.

Looking for an escape during the week or on the weekend? You and your family will find it here! Royal Oaks Country Club is dedicated to providing premier Club events, social and recreational activities, and full-service amenities for its members.

• Golf: Enjoy a round of golf on our 18-hole Fred Couples Championship Golf Course; up your game on our practice greens.

• Swimming: Relax by our newly renovated pool complex or have a poolside meal or cocktail.

• Tennis & Pickleball: Come out for a game of tennis or pickleball and enjoy a quick lesson on one of our 7 outdoor lighted courts.

• Fitness: Stay in shape with our state-of-the-art fitness center or with many varieties of group fitness classes.

For more information about Membership and referring a friend to the Club, please contact Terri Kennedy, Membership Director, tkennedy@royaloakscc.com, (281) 899-3207.

Terri Kennedy Membership Director tkennedy@royaloakscc.com

(281) 899-3207

A Message from the President

I hope you all have been smart and taken a get away from this sweltering heat this summer. It has been brutal but meanwhile the Club keeps chugging along. We have made some great progress in the last few months and if you haven’t already seen it, I hope you will be as pleased with everything as I have been.

We are putting the finishing touches on the replanting and drainage around the tennis court and swimming pool area and it looks fantastic. I hope you all have had a chance to see and use the new furniture in the Palm with the new chandeliers and sconces, it really shines. We have also gotten the new sun shades installed around the pool and they have been a resounding success. They are so flexible and provide so much shade that tables can be completely covered by them. The landscape lighting around the Clubhouse and pool walkways is almost complete and is a beautiful backdrop for our lovely Club at night.

The Starter station is getting it’s finishing touches and looks so professional and clean. It will be nice to have our staff under cover while they work. The crowning touch is the beautiful copper roof and fabulous golfer weathervane. It is the perfect accompaniment to the project. All it needs is a glass in its hand and it would be the embodiment of this Club.

The Golf Course reopened after being closed and Cody and his crew got a lot done. Aerification has been finished on our greens, fairways, and tees. We have hired a company (ArborCom) to produce a 3D model and inspection of our tree/shade ratios to sun on some of our greens. Specifically, they have analyzed holes 1,4,6,10 and 11 to give us the data needed to make strategic decisions to improve the health of our current and future greens. New French Drains have been installed in 20 different areas around the course and the drains should help improve playability of the golf course after rains. The cart path has been repaired and replaced in areas throughout the course and reinforced with rebar for better durability. We have re-grassed 15 tee boxes with Zeon Zoysia grass for a better playing surface and experience. The Bunker edges have been repaired around the course where they had settled and the bunker on 11 was reshaped (warranty items from the initial bunker renovation).

In August our Golf Course Master Planning Committee started interviewing for the course architect. Stay tuned for updates as we continue the process of creating a Master Plan for our Golf Course. Thank you to Dave Trout (Chair), Karen Brand, Luke Drury, John Nowak, Paulanna Wilkinson along with our staff of Ryan Miller, Cody Alexander and David Altemus for taking on this very important project.

The Clubhouse is coming along beautifully. Most of the walls and trim have been painted and wow is it so much

bigger in appearance now that it is so much lighter and brighter. The wooden herringbone flooring has been completed and looks gorgeous. The hall has also been completed with travertine down the middle and wooden borders. I can’t wait to see the finished projects. I hope you all will say a special thank you to the staff that have had to work through all of this in the offices. It was pretty hectic for a while and the fumes got a bit heavy but they all cheerfully persevered. We are on track to finish on time but there is still a way to go.

The Oaks is now starting to show what the external finished project will look like. I love the way it blends in so seamlessly with its matching stucco and stone trim to mimic the Clubhouse and Starter station. The Nano wall is in and the view from the curved window is superb. How much fun it will be to sit there with friends for an afterround cocktail. They have started the laborious job of putting in all of the wiring and cables that are necessary for all of the various computers and equipment required for our teaching, fitting and simulators. For the next few months, it will seem like it has stalled but they will be working on all of the internal finishing touches so be patient.

The Club has continued to have a strong fiscal year where we are ahead of plan in cash flow and unencumbered cash is roughly $300k. Our big news it that we have finally received our long awaited 2020 and 2021 Employee Retention Credits (ERC) from the IRS. Total ERC money collected is just under $1.4 million. When added to the Lakeside members trial Membership fees we have a nice nest egg for future projects. Some of the projects your Board is considering is Racquet expansion for Tennis and Pickleball, Kitchen renovations for the Main Dining Room, and preparations for the Golf Course Master Plan. As we get further along in our plans, we will keep you informed.

Meanwhile I wanted to give some information about the Club itself. We have been slow with most of our facilities closed but our staff have all been very accommodating about taking holidays and rotating where they are working so that we can keep everyone happy until we are fully operational again. We appreciate their flexibility.

This September we will be sending out our Annual Member Satisfaction Survey. PLEASE take the time to fill it out and make sure your spouse/significant other does the same. Your Board uses this information to make changes to our Club to meet your wants and desires.

Thank you for reading this and I’ll look forward to seeing you around the Club!

Allison Zuber

ROCC would like to thank Diane Sperandio and Angie Gooch for the great photos they took at Lunch Bunch and Happy Hour!

Ladies Association

Due to the Club refresh in progress, coupled with the extreme heat, The Royal Oaks Ladies Association July 26th Happy Hour at the Palm Grille Patio was cancelled. The August 30th Happy Hour was hosted in the Ladies Locker Room. The Back-to-School theme honored Savitribai Phule, India’s first teacher in the mid 1800’s. Our ladies in attendance who were and are teachers were recognized and presented with a long stem red or yellow rose. The Royal Bookies had just gathered in the same space to discuss Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” with Ana Correa leading a thorough and interesting discussion. The staff quickly transformed the same space. The food prepared made us feel as though we were at a high-end school cafeteria. The tater tots served in individual baskets were a big hit as was the mini pizza, chicken sliders, and cups of fresh veggies with a dip. For more information on our future happy hours, please contact Roc’C Semmelbeck (semmelbeckr@gmail.com) or Su Kamis (suryani.kamis@gmail.com).

The Royal Bookies book club have chosen the following selections for their regular 4pm just prior to Happy Hour meetings: “The Marriage Portrait” by Maggie O’Farrell for Sept 27th, W. Somerset Maugham’s classic, “The Painted Veil” is scheduled for October 25th, and “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann is on cue for November 29th. Karen Shewbart (kshewbart@comcast.net) and Ellie Beeckman (beeckmae@sbcglobal.net) have done an outstanding job at book selections and interesting discussions. They are always open to suggestions of books the group might be interested in reading.

Lunch Bunch meets on the third Monday of each month at a different restaurant. This smaller group setting is ideal for getting to know each other better. On July 17th, a small group gathered at MDK Noodles followed by dessert. The August 21st Lunch Bunch, a group gathering at Bistro La Cep on Westheimer, allowed the ladies to take advantage of Restaurant Week. Sixty Vines will be on September 18th and will include shopping in Rice Village for those who wish to stay. Rosalie Italian Soul located inside C. Baldwin Hotel on Dallas is planned for October 16th. Details each month can be found on the Club App. Reach out to either Angie Gooch at angie.gooch@me.com or Jan Parker at jan.parker2022@gmail.com with any questions, comments or suggestions.

The Royal Recipe Ladies, under the well-organized leadership of Aileen Hansen, resumes in September after a summer hiatus. Be sure to check the Quick Links on the Club App for dates to sign up to join in on their monthly gatherings. The upcoming months will be on specific days to better fit the schedules of the hostesses. Aileen and the ladies have been busy scheduling this upcoming year. Thursday, September 21st will be Japanese, with Su Kamis as hostess. It was booked to capacity within the first day so be sure to check the app as soon as notices come out to secure a spot to join in. Thursday, October 12th, will be German Oktoberfest, hosted by Mary Ann Hammerle. Lorie Kapilia will host November’s Indian cuisine, the exact date is to be determined in order to not interfere with Thanksgiving. You can reach out to Aileen with any questions or comments at aileen913@yahoo.com.

The MahJongg ladies continue to gather on Thursday afternoons at 1pm in the Ladies Locker Room. Be sure to contact our lovely mother/daughter co-chairs, Kindel Burton (kindelvc@gmail) and Trisha Maley (trishmaley@yahoo.com), if you’d like to be added to the list for the next class to learn how to play MahJongg.

Mexican Train Dominos is on the first Thursday of each month at 10 am in the Ladies Locker Room. The game is easy to learn and those who have been playing a while are always gracious to newcomers. Many of the ladies stay for lunch. Contact Missie Villere (missieV316@gmail.com) or Gerrie Fick (fjimgerrie@aol.com) with any questions.

The Casual Bridge ladies play on Tuesday’s at 10 am and Advanced Bridge group plays on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Friday of each month. Contact Nancy Richard (nancywrichard@gmail.com) for Casual Bridge and Jane Williams (janerwms@ yahoo.com) about Friday Bridge.

As always, we highly recommend you keep up to date by checking out the Club App. You’re sure to find updates as the committee continues to come up with new and interesting things to do. We are always open to suggestions. We look forward to seeing you at our future events!

Save the Date!

Mark your calendars for the Ladies Association Luncheon on November 2!

A Message from Chef

Dear members,

We are back!

It felt long but it was worth the wait. The Bistro looks better than ever, and we are so glad to welcome you back.

We have a lot in store for September and October: wine events including a wine dinner and a wine class, our annual Dinner en Blanc, a Murder Mystery Dinner and of course our Halloween party amongst other things.

We changed the Bistro menu to reflect the season and we are still welcoming your private dinners and cooking class requests.

During the summer we continued to look for better ingredients. I’ll make sure to send you updates on what we found, but I can already let you know that our seafood will be better, and our butter will be outstanding.

Furthermore, we started a quest to remove all UPF (Ultra Processed Food) from your menu and food choice at the Club. Although we cannot guarantee that everything we prepare will be to everyone’s taste, we have a responsibility to care of everyone’s health and the quality and safety of the food we produce.

In France, we call this time of the year “la rentrée”, when school restarts and everyone goes back to work and restarts their normal routine. A good rentrée sets the tone for the rest of the year. So, let’s make it a great “rentrée”!

See you soon at the Club.

Olivier Burgos, CEC Executive Chef

oburgos@royaloakscc.com

(281) 899-3294

The Wine Times

Hello Royal Oaks Family! I hope everyone was able to utilize some, if not all, of my tips for staying cool this summer. This summer more than any I remember required extra effort.

It was so great to see those of you that came out to our Cellar Tasting at the end of August. It was such an amazing event and great turnout. We had a wonderful time and that was all thanks to you.

The Main Clubhouse level and Bistro are reopening soon with an awesome face lift, and with that comes lots of excitement. I invite you to watch a few things that come in September!

We will be featuring a tasting for Alexander Valley Vineyards on September 9th in a very social setting to meet with your fellow wine drinkers and catch up after the summer. They have wonderful white wines to enjoy in the Houston heat, as well as the well-known Cyrus Red Blend! A couple weeks later we will be

pouring extravagant wines at the Boich Family Wine Dinner. This event taking place on September 22nd will feature some of the best vineyards that produce

Cabernet Sauvignon in California such as Missouri Hopper and Wall Road!

Come check out our new look in the Bistro and try some of our new Wine Flights! Flights are a great opportunity to discover new wines that you wouldn’t normally take the chance on. We will have a few options to try from!

It’s an exciting time here at Royal Oaks, and what better way to be a part of the joy than to spend it with close friends, a tasty glass of wine, and some wonderfully prepared food.

I look forward to seeing you all, Nazdrowie!

Marek Lubecki Food and Beverage Manager

September Events

September 8th

September 9th

September 14th

Nine, Wine, and Dine Alexander Valley Vineyards Wine Tasting Trivia Night

September 21st

September 22nd

September 29th

Themed Thursday: Creole Boich Family Cellar Wine Dinner Murder Mystery Dinner

Save the Date!

Diner en Blanc- 10/13

Yappy Hour – 10/15

Spirit & Cigar Night – 10/19

Wine Education Class – 10/21

Themed Thursday: New England – 10/26

Family Halloween Party – 10 /27

Social Life

Hello Members,

We are looking forward to reopening the Clubhouse this month and hosting events in the refreshed spaces! We have a variety of Club events on the calendar for September and October, so there is truly something for everyone.

Kicking off the month in our newly decorated Fleur de Lis Room is the Alexander Valley Vineyards Wine Tasting on September 9th. There will be 7 different wines to taste, along with light hors d’oeuvres from Chef Olivier. Come check out the fresh new look and enjoy some wine at the same time! On September 14th we are bringing back our Trivia Night, which was so much fun last year! You can sign up with your own team or come alone and we will pair you up with your fellow Members. There will be prizes awarded to the winning teams!

Finally, the last two Fridays of the month will feature special dinners with the Boich Family Cellar Wine Dinner on September 22nd and the annual Murder Mystery Dinner on September 29th. Boich Family Cellar is a special winery that focuses on crafting small batch single vineyard wines from some of the top vineyards in Napa Valley. The 5 wines featured at this dinner are extremely high quality and very exclusive. For those that love exquisite wines and food, this is a can’t miss opportunity! If dressing up and playing fun characters is more your style, all while enjoying great food & drinks, then the Murder Mystery Dinner

is for you. We assign all the characters in advance, so you have time to prepare your role and dress the part, which makes the evening that much more fun!

In October, we have several annual events such as the ever-popular Diner en Blanc, Yappy Hour, and Family Halloween Party. Diner en Blanc is hosted at a surprise location each year, so be sure to sign up for this dinner on Friday, October 13th, to see where we go next! The Family Halloween Party takes place on Friday, October 27th, and is a member favorite! Hopefully, the weather cooperates, and we can keep it outside this year which makes it extra spooky and allows for more activities and entertainment.

The Club is also hosting another night at the firepits on October 19th for our Spirit & Cigar Night, and our second Wine Education Class on October 21st. Lastly, don’t forget to join us for one of the monthly Themed Thursdays! Chef is preparing Creole cuisine on September 21st, and a New England inspired menu on October 26th.

I look forward to seeing you back in our beautiful Club soon!

Allyson Brown Catering and Events Director abrown@royaloakscc.com (281) 899-3293

Greens Update

Last summer I began this article stating how hot and dry it’s been and it seems this summer had to one up the previous. If you exclude the torrential downpour of 3” we received July 6th we have again only received 3.1” of rain since May 15. This coupled with constant “excessive heat warnings” of temperatures in the 100’s has made for a difficult summer. We are looking forward to the end of summer with slightly cooler temperatures and perhaps a little rain. One can hope…

The summer season was highlighted again this year by our course closure in July. This time was well spent and allowed us ample time to complete multiple agronomic practices around the course as well as other involved projects. The fairways were aerified twice, the greens were aerified three times plus a DryJect soil amendment injection and the tees and approaches both received a single aerification. On top of the aerifications we applied approximately 600 tons of sand to the fairway surfaces to work toward the overall improvement of the playing surface. All other short grass areas were also top-dressed multiple times in addition to aggressive verti-cutting.

The closure was not only spent aerifying the golf course, but various projects took place as well. We used the time to repair nearly 4,000 square feet of cart path and installed close to 250 linear feet of curb around the course. Fifteen tee boxes were selected around the course and re-grassed with Zeon Zoysia grass. The size of these tee boxes was increased where possible as well. Some bunker repair work was completed and most notably the shape and size of the front greenside bunker on #11 was modified to improve the playability of the bunker.

I am most excited about the additional drainage that was installed in key areas around the course. We installed approximately 2,000 linear feet of Turf Drain, French drainage, at 20 separate drainage basins. Many of these basins also had a new PermaBasin installed to replace the existing drain basin. The new drainage is the same as what was used down the right side of #1 fairway, at the 100yd marker on #5 fairway and at the start of #10 fairway. These drainage additions are a welcomed improvement to the course infrastructure and will have a positive impact on your golfing experience during the wetter months.

The cultural practices we perform during our summer closure are a key component to the quality of the playing surfaces leading into fall and are completely necessary for the long-term health of the course. I expect the course to be in fantastic shape this fall, and the thought of a July closure will be a distant memory.

The golf course maintenance team has put a lot of hard work into the course over the last few months and will be preparing the course for fall tournament season over the next few months. We look forward to seeing you out here during your next round.

Cody Alexander Golf Course Superintendent calexander@royaloakscc.com

899-3200

The World of Golf

Despite the summer heat, golf operations have continued to flourish these past few months. Over the closure, the construction for the new starter building was completed and the professional staff tackled many small improvement projects.

Our summer activities have been a blast and the 4th of July event was a big hit! We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and the wonderful fireworks display the Club put together. It was a pleasure to see everyone out celebrating with their families and a special thanks to everyone who stopped by the dunk tank to take a shot at your Golf Professional.

Upon our re-opening, we implemented an added service to the membership by putting additional focus on cleaning private carts following play. If you would like your cart cleaned, please tell the attendant following your round on 18. An attendant will remove trash, wash your floorboard, and wipe down the body of your golf cart to make sure you’re ready for your next day of play. If, at any point, you would like more extensive detailing for your golf cart (such as wash & wax, etc.), please talk to a member of the professional staff for more information and to schedule.

As a reminder, we ask members to arrive five minutes early to the starter building to gather their needed supplies for play that day. We also ask you to help us help the golf course by pairing before heading to the first tee.

As we approach the start of fall and the second half of our ‘23 Tournament Season, please see the following schedule for upcoming events.

Upcoming Events

• 9/8 - 2023 Fall Nine Wine and Dine

• 9/15 - 2023 Match Play Qualifier

• 9/23 - 2023 Match Play Championship

• 10/22 - 2023 Husband Wife Championship

• 10/28 - 2023 Senior Stroke Play Championship

WGA

• 9/6 - WGA PlayDay 17

• 9/12 - WGA Evening Social Rules Clinic IIII

• 9/13 - WGA Fall Kickoff Scramble

• 9/20 - 2023 WGA Interclub at Royal Oaks

• 9/26 WGA Stroke Play Championship

• 10/4 - WGA PlayDay 18

• 10/11 - WGA Interclub at River Oaks

• 10/11 - WGA PlayDay 19

• 10/17 - 2023 WGA Royal Tee Practice Round

• 10/18 - 2023 WGA Royal Tee

MGA

• 9/13 - 2023 MGA After Work Social

• 9/27 - 2023 MGA After Work Social

• 10/5-10/7 - 2023 Men’s Invitational

Schedules are subject to change. Please remember to visit the website for upcoming events around the Club and upcoming MGA and WGA tournaments. We hope everyone continues to have a wonderful summerstay safe and cool!

Ryan Miller, PGA Head Golf Professional rmiller@royaloakscc.com

(281) 899-3205

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure

Almost every player I meet wants to play better and shoot lower scores. Many of these players work hard on their games by investing many hours practicing. But I am yet to meet a player who has so much time available that they can waste their practice time working on skills that will not have the biggest effect on their scores.

When I have discussions with players about their game, what they do well and the areas in which they struggle, their view of their skills is often not accurate. Their view is distorted because as the player you are emotionally invested in every shot you hit, which makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be objective.

I encourage all my students to track their scores on the golf course across a few key metrics. This allows us to be certain that we are working on the skills that will yield the biggest change in score. It also allows us to track that the changes we are working towards, are moving the score in the areas we have targeted.

For anyone who invests time working on their golf game, this is a process I encourage you to follow every time you play.

Key Scoring Statistics:

1. Shots outside 100 yards – on a par 3 it should take you one shot to get your ball to inside 100 yards, on a par 4 it should take two shots and on a par 5 it should take three or less shots. The total of these shots will give you an indication of the strength of your long game.

2. Shots inside 100 yards – ideally, once you are within 100 yards of the green, it would take you one shot to get the ball on the green

3. Putts – the number of putts you take on the putting surface, per hole. Ideally this would be either one or two.

4. Penalties – an indication of your ability to control the ball and make good course management decisions around the golf course

In each of these key statistical areas there is an ideal score you are working towards based on your scoring goals. I have included a sample 9-hole score card from the front nine at Royal Oaks for a player who would like to break 90.

The card shows that their long game is good enough to reach their goal, but they take too many shots to get on the green from inside 100 yards (3 out of 8 occasions it took more than one shot) and they have too many 3 putts (three times). Based on this card I would most likely be suggesting this player work on their wedge game and putting distance control.

Try using this recording system the next time you go out to play. If you are unsure of what the numbers show you or what your goals should be based on your scoring goals, bring your card to one of the Teaching Professionals and we will be happy to walk you through your statistics and guide you to the skills you should be practicing.

It was shared with me that some members are having a difficult time finding open lesson times on my calendar. Although my calendar gets busy from time to time and when looking online it may show that no lesson times area available, I will always work with you to find time for anyone looking for a lesson with me. If you are ever unable to find a lesson time through the app or website, please email me and I will work with you to find a time that we can get together as soon as possible.

Derek Hooper Director of Instruction

dhooper@royaloakscc.com

(281) 899-3217

The Powerhouse

There is an area of the body with a very important status in the movement industry. It has nicknames like “powerhouse” and “king of the swing”, and it rhymes with Elvis. It’s the pelvis, of course, and golfers and tennis athletes should take note.

The pelvis is important because it connects your legs to your spine and acts as the gatekeeper for energy to flow from lower body to upper body. Basically, the key movements of the pelvis bear the big responsibility to either assist or impede power transfer.

The movements of the pelvis either build up your speed and transfer it up the chain or become the log jam that slows the energy flow. In the golf swing this log jam displays as poor sequencing, limited club head speed and can contribute to low back issues. When the hips and lumbar spine remain stiff the golfer often moves out of posture and thus limits the full transfer of power.

Pelvic motions are subtle but powerful to move and manage forces. We know from sensor technology that the pelvis performs three moves: rotation, tilting and hiking. Because of the proximity between the spine and legs your pelvic movement capacity is mostly dictated by your hip and spine mobility.

And to fully describe pelvic movement we can view these elliptical bones as a bucket of water. When the front of the pelvis tilts down we are “pouring water out the front.” And when the pelvis tilts into a posterior position at impact, we are “pouring water out of the back of the bucket.” At that moment, our glutes and abdominals contract or shorten and the lumbar back flattens into flexion. At the impact position, the pelvis also stops rotating to then allow the transfer of energy to the trunk.

In today’s video, Robert Scott, PGA demonstrates 3 great exercises you can practice gaining more strength and control of your pelvis for rotation and tilting. Please use medical advice if you currently experience low back pain as this is not meant to rehabilitate an injured back but intended to strengthen and thus prevent back issues. Please join our members-only BODY ROCC Facebook group to view this video and more or check out the full article and video at the Texas Golf Association website.

Robert Scott, PGA with Pam Owens, Golf Digest Top 50 Trainer

The Pelvis can either build up your speed or impede it.

The Sports Club

ROCC Zone Update

We’ve updated ROCC Zone which was formerly known as Tot Stop! The entire room has been re-engineered based on functionality as well as age designation. Zones have been created for activities such as eating, crafting, video games, book nook and watching movies. We have added several pieces of new furniture, colorful curtains, rugs, a couch and new colorful chairs as well as created an art display area and a themed color wall to highlight our new name sign. New toys, games, crafts, magnet board and new books have been added. The outdoor play area contract has been signed and has a target date of completion for September 2023. There will be new ground covering, playground play structure, shade structure and basketball flooring and net. Please use the APP for reservations 24 hours in advance to assure a spot. We look forward to playing with our youngest members this fall!

Zoya was in the last semester of her senior year of high school when she decided she wanted to get stronger and develop more muscle tone. She felt intimidated going to the gym because she didn’t know what to do. She started personal training with me once a week. It was hard at first being sore and learning the correct form, but she worked hard and made huge strides! She has not only gotten stronger but has gained confidence to come up to the gym on her own as well as going to group exercise classes. She now has the tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle as she goes off to UT in the fall.

Way to go Zoya!

Zoya Zulquernain

Angie Zoboroski, Personal Trainer

The News on the Courts

What a summer! As the kids go back to school, the weather (maybe) gets cooler, and the days shorten, tennis and pickleball opportunities at Royal Oaks continue to grow and evolve.

First, a look back at what happened in the heat. Summer Sports Camp and Tennis Camp ran from June through the first week of August, culminating in an ice cream party on August 4th. Balls were kicked, hit, and thrown all over the activity lawn, fish were caught, and water splashed en route to some great memories and fun.

Many pickleballers participated in the first iteration of the multi-week event called the Pickleball Ladder. This competitive tournament series was conquered by Victor Barrionuevo in first place, who came out on top in a Top 4 Playoff with Julie Gray, Joe Levy, and Nghi Ho. Also, Special shout out to Sue Machamer who was the ONLY player to come every week for 10 weeks!

While most league play stops during the summer, not all of it does. Our men’s USTA team picked up a few new players and played all over Houston, creating new friendships and honing skills for the fall.

Congratulations to our Royal Oaks member Eoin Collins on winning the 55’s Singles World Championships in Portugal in August 2023. He went through the entire singles draw without dropping a set and beat the #1 seed in the finals. In the team event, Eoin represented the US and won 3rd place losing to France in a close third set super tiebreaker. France went on to win the team event against Italy. Incredible performances to say the least. We are all extremely proud to have Eoin as our member at Royal Oaks Country Club.

We also had several social events and drop-in clinics that kept people on the courts during the off season.

Moving into autumn, adult organized play and junior programming can be found every day of the week. Eight ladies’ tennis league teams compete in their divisions on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the men’s team battles in their league on Thursdays. Friday morning pickleball league resumes in mid-September, running adjacent to the ladder on Saturdays, which is scheduled to end in October. Junior tennis drills after school, Monday through Thursday, and match play on Saturdays. Additionally, Junior Team Tennis starts on Sundays in just a few weeks, giving kids the opportunity to compete as a team in a league against other clubs and organizations.

Royal Oaks is hosting a slew of events this fall, some of which will be the inaugural iteration of yearly events! On September 30th, come check out the Royal Oaks PickleFest! This event will include multiple tournaments, for pickleballers of every ability level, including the first ever pickleball club championships.

On October 14th we begin the Tennis Member/Guest tournament. Show off your Club to your tennis pals and show off your tennis pals to your Club as you compete and have fun with your friends and fellow Members. On November 4th, the Royal Oaks tennis staff is proud to present the restarting of the Royal Oaks Tennis Club Championships! Mark your calendars. . . Look for more information about all of these awesome events, as well as other Royal Oaks Tennis Association events, in the Royal Oaks App.

As always, the Royal Oaks Tennis & Pickleball Pros are excited to serve you (pun intended). See you on the courts!

Peter Farrell, USPTA Elite Pro Director of Tennis

Tennis & Pickleball

Fall Junior Tennis Academy

Competitive Pickleball Ladder

Beginner Tennis Drop-In

Tennis Drop-In Clinics

Pickleball Drop-In Clinic

First Annual PickleFest

Communications Corner

The Clubhouse closure hasn’t stopped us from capturing memories here at the Club! I’ve included my favorite photos from the 4th of July Party & Parade and Family Fun Night, and a few I’ve taken while on the golf course and range! I have also included some awesome photos our wonderful Catering and Events Director, Allyson, took at our Cars, Carts, and Coffee Car Show. I am so excited to see everyone together again once the Clubhouse reopens! I will see you all at our upcoming Trivia Night, Themed Thurday, and Murder Mystery Dinner events. Make sure to show up with a smile!

If you’d like to see more photos of our Club events and stay updated on news and Club updates, please follow us on Instagram at @RoyalOaksHTX! If you have any questions about our social media, ROCC Mobile App, website, or weekly emails, please feel free to reach out.

Isabela Ortiz

Marketing & Communications Manager

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