the nineteenth
In this Edition ... 3 ... President's Message 4 ... Interview: Architect Ian Andrew 6 ... Junior Profile: Kaylan Green 7... Talkin' Shop: Chris Piedimonte 8 ... Spring 2022 Wine Pick 9 ... 1-on-1 with Matthew Clancy 10. Scarboro Trivia
Editor Carlos Verde Contributors Stuart Bowden, Chris Piedimonte, Nico Barrett Special Thanks Kaylan & Marc Green, Matthew Clancy, Ian Andrew
I
03.22
President's Message Spring has just arrived. Unless you were in the sunny south, most folks are disembarking from the cold weather and snow, and looking forward to longer days and warmth. Over the winter, our leadership team put together offerings to enhance the winter months at Scarboro. As spring continues, watch the eblasts for updates. For your board and leadership team, winter is the time when we wrap up the last vestiges of 2021, hold the Club's Annual Meeting, reflect on the prior year and look forward to the future. The board held its Strategic Planning Workshop in early March. Much work is done in the background by the Club's committees and employees to set the stage for the 2022 golf season and the years beyond. For our committee members, I encourage you to take advantage of the Club's orientation session at the end of March. For our membership, we will be holding an information session on April 21. In 2006, renowned golf architect Gil Hanse and Ian Andrew, were retained to restore our classic Tillinghast course design. We are pleased to feature an interview with Ian Andrew in this edition as well as revisit the architects who have graced the fairways, greens and rough at Scarboro. You will also hear from our members and staff. As we look forward to the coming season and on behalf of the Board, Be safe.
Stuart Bowden Club President
From the Archives
1) Secretary Jan Lake, Head Waitress Marjorie Cryderman and General Manager Evert den Boer at the 1970 President's Ball. 2) Arnold Palmer admires a shot during a 1961 Match Play contest against Gary P layer at Scarboro, with a crowd looking on. 3) The SGCC greens department in 1926. 4) A photo of the clubhouse facing east, taken in the lead-up to the 1953 Canadian Open.
Architect's Eye: A Discussion with Ian Andrew Ian Andrew is a Canadian golf course architect based in Ontario. His Toronto-area renovation projects include the likes of St. George's, Scarboro, Isl ington, Oakdal e, Cedar Brae and Maple Downs. Carlos Verde (CV, The Nineteenth): Ian, you first got into
architecture in 1989. Where did the idea to pursue this begin, and what was your first opportunity? Ian Andrew (IA): I was 13 years old watching the Pebble Beach Pro -Am with my father when I started sketching holes. I asked him if people designed golf courses, then got a few books together. He realized I was serious and encouraged me and taught me about the game and its architecture. In my mid-teens we started making trips to see famous courses. The first thing I ever worked on was a green for Carrying Place. I was 16 years old. It's crazy in hindsight, that they let a 16 year-old build a green with the superintendent! I did two greens, one that still exists and the other is gone - the one with three tiers - and it's probably better for golf that it is! CV: The restoration of courses is a key theme for you, and evident in much of your Toronto-area work. Where did the idea of returning to the original architect's design stem from? IA: It began with frustration. I'd seen a couple golf courses done - mainly by Stanley Thompson - where the renovations were awful. I was frustrated watching really interesting, golden-age work disappear. At the same time, I ended up working with Lookout Point and quickly realized I didn't know enough about (architect) Walter Travis. I went on a bit of a tour, took some time to learn about Travis, and came back to eventually restore some things pretty well. That gave me the confidence to be a bit more aggressive in my restoration, and the journey culminated in St. George's where we really leaned into a pure, true restoration. CV: That work at St. George's is cited often. It's obviously a prestigious club, both in terms of social standing in Toronto and visibility with the Canadian Open. What was a highlight of your work on that property? IA: I felt the weight of the world. One of the most prominent courses, and one of Thompson's best-ever projects - I was being given his greatest piece of work, and my first thought was 'don't mess it up'. Ultimately the detailing took us to the next level on that project, and a magical moment occurred for me in that I realized that level of detail was what made these projects work. That work gave me a profile that was separate from (architect and then-boss) Doug (Carrick), and after nearly 20 years together it was time for me to strike out on my own. We parted really amicably, (and) I think Doug should end up in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame - he's been that important to the game, and I was lucky to work for him. CV: Let's consider your other Toronto projects. Islington, Cedar Brae, etc. Of the private courses in the GTA you've worked on, which project stands out? IA: Islington always will, because of the greens. They'd said they wanted to be known for the most frightening and fast greens in the city again, (and) had troubles with turf loss. If greens are steeper, they're going to be healthier - and you don't have to manage them to get speed, they'll just naturally be fast. Your 7th green at Scarboro is a great example; nobody has to manage that to make it difficult, it just is because gravity is three -quarters of the player's problem.
Andrew's GTA-area work includes renovations at Scarboro, St. George's, Oakdale and Islington among others.
The golf course isn't overly hard, but what I enjoyed was putting that level of thought into the greens. CV: You've done some original work as well. How does the process change when you're building something from scratch, like Club de Laval-sur-le-Lac? IA: It's fun to think about in two ways: one is how you want the round to go, how the holes play collectively. The other is how the game is played - in my case, I like the ball to get on the ground and moving. Laval-sur-le-Lac has four greens which fall away from play. One of the greens goes dead sideways. It's an unusual approach: almost all modern architecture pitches back to front to make it receptive and visible. Laval-sur-le-Lac forces you to make running shots, bouncing shots - it's very golden age. I've got a potential project down in Niagara Falls, and I could use that at this point in life to show people a bit of me and allow people to play that (style) alternative. It's the only thing I still want to have happen: Get a raw piece of land and build something for public play. CV: Let's talk Scarboro. It's Canada's only Tillinghast course, and you had a role in its renovation. What are some of your favourite features of the golf course?
Interview continued on next page
ult's got one of the best collections of Par 3s in Canada."
Alister MacKenzie, because he understood how to incorporate nature and make things both natural and beautiful. He mastered strategic placement along with unparalleled beauty. Stanley Thompson, the foundation of Canadian golf architecture. He was the beautiful and the playable. He made sure there were ways for the average player to play, but if you had to score you also had to take on more of his trouble. A.W. Tillinghast, last. He showed us what championship golf is supposed to be, and I love the fact he mixed up his styles and architecture from tiny greens and super-short fours to incredibly long fours and large greens. The other thing is, if you look at Winged Foot, it wasn't a great site but he made it a great golf course. He was better at manufacturing landscape than anybody in history. CV: Ian, thank you for your time and best of luck with that prospective project in Niagara Falls. IA: Truly a pleasure. You have a fantastic golf course and club there at Scarboro.
IA: Remember when I said I felt the weight of the world at St. George's? Scarboro is similar as Canada's only Tillinghast course, it comes with the same weight. I did the initial renovation with Gil Hanse, and I've taken care of tree removal, tees - let's call it housekeeping - ever since. It was so great to work with somebody with such a great knowledge of Tillinghast. Rather than feeling all the weight, I found all the history we needed (and) we made a few decisions related to things he did at other courses. The mounding complex close to the green on the 1st hole is a good example. CV: Over the 18-hole layout, what are one or two of your favourite features? IA: It's got one of the best collections of Par 3s in C anada. I love the little short 11th hole, the joy in that everyone can reach the green and feel the rush of opportunity to make a two. The 2nd hole is such a challenging Par 3, and you follow that with the 4th, then the 14th... it's a great set of threes. You have to have a bit of game to get through that section, (and) every one of them is exceptionaI. I love the short fours. I know there's some criticism you come in short, but the 15th hole is excellent and the 7th is the best shortfour in Canada, no question. Whenever I take friends there, it's the same bet every time. It's
A finite number of spaces remain for entry into our popular two-year Learn to Play Program! Designed as an introduction to both the sport of golf and club life, the program has grown exponentially in recent years and is ready to provide another great season of on-course learning and off-course socializing in 2022! Year One of the program comprises four group clinics, an on-course clinic and two one-on-one lessons, in addition to a number of 3-hole social events. Year Two retains all events and clinics from the first season, and adds two additional one-on-one lessons to maximize learning opportunities.
275 I think (on 9), and l'Il pay them five bucks for a par and they pay 10 if it's a bogey. If it's their first time playing Scarboro, I always get 10 bucks! One of Tillinghast's strengths are those little short, off-angle greens. All trouble, short-fours was something he was exceptionally good at - the one at Scarboro reminds me of the one at Fenway. Overall, Scarboro is a great piece of land and the river's used well. Given the choice, I would pick it over just about any course in Toronto - it's a better, more interesting golf course. That's part the land, part the quality and part the details of the course. CV: One parting question: Who is on your 'Mount Rushmore' of golf course architects? IA: Harry C olt, the first great architect and roadmap for every architect that followed him. The quality of his courses, considering he didn't have the body of work to draw from that we do, is remarkable. He's the foundation that the remaining members of Rushmore - as well as myself - work from.
LEARN MORE Jessica McGoey Membership Manager e I jmcgoey@scarborogcc.com o I (416) 266-4546 Ext. 241
Junior Golfer Kaylan Green Grateful for Scarboro If you enjoy a weekday twilight round in the summer at Scarboro, there is a good chance you have seen the father-daughter duo of Marc and Kaylan Green working away on the golf course. Kaylan, 11, has seen her game improve steadily since joining the club with her father a few years ago. "It's been really fun joining the summer camps, meeting new people and then playing with them outside of camp," said Kaylan. "The course is beautiful and challenging, and I really enjoy playing with Matt Clancy's daughter, Sophie - we're around the same age, and it's a lot of fun!" For father Marc, the decision to join Scarboro was an obvious one that has since paid dividends. "I was a public player for almost 20 years, and joined here really because of Kaylan - it gave us something a bit closer to home, and it's a gorgeous property with amazing facilities," reflected Marc. "It was a really good decision for us, (and) what she's been able to get out of this has been absolutely amazing." While university is still the better part of a decade away, Kaylan is already thinking of her future in competitive golf. "I want to get a scholarship and make (golf) something, because I'm good at it," she said. "I'm good at driving the ball, and work on that a lot. I'm going to work more on my putting, since that's the biggest part of the game and if I can get that good it'll be smooth sailing." As for those twilight rounds during the summer?
"There's nothing better than playing with your own kid, especially when she's starting to beat you," chuckled Marc. "It's magical, being able to watch her grow here and improve in such an amazing place, there's nothing better than that." Her work with the entire golf professional staff at Scarboro especially Samantha Hall and more recently Matthew Peavoy - has played a key part in her budding success. "I worked with Sam for a while, specifically on my swing and driving the ball," said Kaylan. "Now I'm with Matt, he's great, and we use speed sticks to warm up and work on my chipping a lot." The future is undoubtedly bright for Kaylan, who plans to play in more competitive tournaments this summer.
Talkin' Shop with Head Golf Professional Chris Piedimonte The 2022 golf season is quickly approaching. O ur new inventory is beginning to arrive fast and furious, the month of March is jam-packed full of fitting days from the golf industry's most recognized clubmakers, and our Performance Centre is seeing plenty of use. Scarboro's team of Golf Professionals is here to serve our membership and ensure you have the right tools, learning opportunities and expertise to play your best this season. Whether it be a driver, bag or golf balls, the four items below could help you start the year off on the right foot.
Callaway Ro gue Driver Callaway is calling its new Rogue ST Drivers a "breakthrough in driver performance", citing industry-leading innovations like their Tungsten Speed Cartridge, Jailbreak Speed Frame, and an A.I. designed Flash Face. O verall, the Rogue is "engineered for maximum speed with exceptional levels of forgiveness." Callaway Fitting Date: April 14 Contact: Brad Milligan I bmilligan@scarborogcc.com
TaylorMade Stealth Driver TaylorMade is hailing its shift away from Titanium face to Carbonwood as the dawn of a new era, ushering in "better energy transfer and faster ball speeds across a large area of the face." The company also says its layer of polyurethane - covering the entire face of the club - will optimize total distance across all playing conditions. TaylorMade Fitting Date: April 8 Contact: Matthew Peavoy I mpeavoy@scarborogcc.com
Golf Shop: (416) 261-3393 I proshop@scarborogcc.com
Callaway Chrome Soft Balls Vessel VLS Stand Bag Vessel's next generation of stand bag puts the emphasis on lightweight comfort. The VLS is crafted from nylon twill and boasts several specialized features, including an exoskeletal base. The VLS was designed to reduce the weight of your load for an effortless carry. With a total of 6 pockets, this stand bag has storage to carry what you need.
Callaway increased the core of its ball by 80% in size to improve distance and forgiveness. There is also a new material used in these balls called Graphene. It is 200 times stronger than steel and comprises 0.4% of the golf ball itself. Graphene reinforces the core of the golf ball. These Callaway balls are available in two signature patterns. The Truvis pattern improves visibility and Triple Track improves alignment.
Golf Shop: (416) 261-3393 proshop@scarborogcc.com
For the past few years we've been fortunate enough to have access to some wines from the Frank Family Portfolio of Napa, California. Sadly the agreement that our consignment agent had with the winery has
lapsed, so unfortunately future supply is unavailable until it is reassigned to another agency.
We still have a number of bottles of their Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon left in the cellar - all priced under $100. However before they lost the contract we were able to purchase a few bottles of their exquisite 2017 Winston Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. This universally acclaimed wine (93% Cab, 4% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc) is drinkable now, but would certainly do well to be laid down for a few years. Combining masculine notes of cedar, sweet tobacco, dark chocolate with appealing floral notes, vanilla and raspberry jam, it is a true gem and can be purchased for consumption at the Club (decanted of course!), or we welcome you to purchase a bottle to cellar. Our mark-up policy allows us to sell this bottle of wine for $307 (only marked up $25 from purchase price), but be warned we have very few in stock.
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Clubhouse Manager
One-on-One: Matthew Clancy on Club Life Since joining Scarboro in 2079, member Matthew Clancy has delved into club life head-first along with daughter and golfing partner Sophie. The recruitment specialist currently sits on Scarboro's Members hip Committee, and graciously agreed to an interview in the Bistro last month. Carlos Verde (CV, The Nineteenth): Matthew, let's start at the beginning of your Scarboro journey: when and why did you join SGCC? Matthew Clancy (MC): I was originally a Clublink member at Emerald Hills, a lovely course with three nines. But it was an hour-plus north of the city in good traffic, and too arduous to travel there and back. Basically, it was an 8-hour day and not as family-friendly as I wanted it to be with my daughter and wife. I was looking for a great club that was close to us in the Beaches. One of the reasons I joined here was the history, the tradition, but
COVID hit the next year, so I played a lot of rounds in 2020! CV: You've become involved pretty quickly here, with committees and participating in men's events. How was that integration process? MC: I found that from general membership all the way to leadership, it's very open. I'm an engaged person, I like to participate. I saw an opportunity to engage, was accepted, and from there it was great to work with people that are brighter and smarter than me in the industry - and become a part of my new community. CV: In terms of giving back to the Club, what are you doing currently to help Scarboro? MC: I'm on the Membership Committee, chaired by Jim Di Giacomo and participate with (President) Stuart (Bowden) and (Membership Manager) Jessica (McGoey), along with Jamie Levey. We cover anything to do with membership numbers,
also the connection with (then-Sales and Marketing Manager) Scott
segmentation, where we are with membership pricing, and policy
Hay. That was very important, he was open and friendly
development like dress code. Typically they're two-hour meetings
with no hidden agenda and I felt like I wanted to join. CV: When exactly did you join? MC: I joined at the end of 2019, got one round in, and then
where a lot gets covered. CV: In terms of the golf experience here, you're pretty symbolic of the new member here at Scarboro. Under 50, making it more of a family experience. Give us an outline of the direction you want to see the Club move in the future? MC: Great question. Definitely a family-first type of guy, Sophie my daughter is 10 (and) involved in all three golf camps, as well as lessons with Matthew Peavoy. My wife is also interested in joining. I found the Club's been great at creating a buddy system for the young girls, and I believe there's about 150 juniors so there's a great opportunity for them to get the social aspect too. Family-friendly, great amenities, and hopefully the chance to add more amenities in the coming years - which would make it even more advantageous to somebody looking for that full family experience. CV: As somebody that joined just before COVID, and just before the Club rocketed into a wait list position, do you feel like you got in the door at the right time? MC: I was fortunate on the timing, but the Club was at a point in its membership cycle that it needed to position the value at a different level. Now that the Club is full, that supply-demand changes moving forward. Huge score, for me, I love this place and am glad I got in when I did! CV: In terms of the golf itself, what is your favourite hole and possibly favourite memory as well out on the course? MC: Oh wow, favourite hole? Hm. Second hole, the Par 3. It's typically 200 yards and a little downhill. I hit a slight fade, so it fits my eye and can usually put a 5-iron on the green - I usually produce decent on that shot, so that's probably my favourite hole because the results are there! Favourite memory is tough, but I think it was the Men's Closing Tournament this year. The 10th hole, versus the Pro, I beat Brad (Milligan) and think I won $500 in Club credit. That's a fantastic memory!
