Scarboro The Nineteenth - November 2019

11.19

nineteenth THE

SCARBORO GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB MAGAZINE

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Scarboro’s membership drive was a great success It has introduced a new dynamic at the Club

By Scott Hay, Sales and Marketing Manager Scarboro Golf & Country Club

T

he

2019

season

witnessed

the

and the stability members were seeking as a

culmination of efforts to position and

means of ensuring Scarboro continued to deliver

market Scarboro Golf and Country Club for

the highest quality golf experience possible for

the future. Working with Scarboro’s Membership

all members alongside exceptional service in and

Committee and Board, together we developed a

around the Club House.

program that worked with existing members to deliver change we can all be proud of. As Sales and Marketing Manager I am pleased to report that the

In practical terms this means ensuring Scarboro continues to put its best foot forward.

The

factors

that

differentiate

Scarboro

are

membership drive launched in August, and recently

numerous and well known to many long-term

closed, proved a great success. Our drive produced:

members.

1. 50 new Principal Members

to be invested in. First and most obvious is our

2. 31 conversions to Principal from other

spectacular A.W Tillinghast golf course. It is always a

categories

Those

differentiators

will

continue

fun challenge and unique in design when compared

3. 12 additional family-oriented memberships from new Principal members

to other GTA clubs. “Every hole is different, and you will never get bored;” these observations are

Beyond the numbers our membership drive has introduced a new and younger dynamic at the Club,

commonly said of our course.

Some of the other amenities that help us retain

with many new members joining Scarboro for both

existing

golf and a place where they and their families can

include our dining facilities and the incredible job

enjoy the country club experience.

Chef Chris and his team do in the kitchen. Mixing

Fifty-six is now the average age of our Principal

a great atmosphere with great food and friends

members while 52 is the average age across all

is a combination members have all come to enjoy

categories. This is an important demographic shift

Scarboro.

that bodes well for Scarboro’s future.

members

and

attract

new

members

Also, our Performance Centre continues to offer

In addition to changing demographics, the

golf enthusiasts and beginners alike the chance to

membership drive has also had a welcome impact

hone or develop their golf skills over the Winter using

on the Club’s financial position, providing certainty

the latest technology that will quickly eliminate

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

cold and snow from one’s mind and replace it with

part of the Scarboro experience. And that success

thoughts of Spring and the start of the golf season.

isn’t just measured in the fun kids have at the Club.

This year, our Professional Team has increased their

Scarboro’s junior programs produce great golfers!

service offerings yet again, adding for members

Three of the last four Club Champions at Scarboro

the opportunity to join the Titleist Performance

were juniors – a fact that surprises many when they

Institute (TPI) training. TPI training helps members

first hear it. Such success is a testament to the instruction and programming our Professional Staff here at the Club.

With that said, I also tell prospects considering Scarboro that it is so much more than a golf club.

Scarboro offers great food, friends and most importantly fun for everyone 12 months of the year, and it is only getting better.

As always, our best ambassadors are our existing members. If you know a person or family that you think would enjoy of Club, please share my contact information with them and I will be pleased to

to enhance their golf skills and overall health.

For anyone with children, the success of our junior programs this season has been an important

speak to them.

Scott Hay at shay@scarborogcc.com or by phone at 416-266-4546, ext. 241.

Bruce McEwen’s 2019 championship season His secret to success? Give every shot 100%

By Maureen Barrey

G

olf greatness is amongst us and the history

include

books have opened at Scarboro. Bruce

to his wife Debbie in

McEwen has accomplished an incredible

1979 and then the birth

feat of winning not one, not two but three major

of his son Marc in 1987

tournaments this season here at Scarboro – the

and his twin daughters

Arnott, the Men’s Club Championship, and the

Natalie and Renee in

Men’s Senior Club Championship. And that is not

1989. As golf continued

all. He also won the Senior Amateur tournament in

to be important to him,

August at Weston Golf Club. That totals four wins

Bruce once again joined

this season!!!

Whitevale Golf Club in

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Bruce to

his

marriage

1989.

discuss his golf season and you would never find a

At the time Bruce and

humbler man when it comes to taking credit where

his family were living

credit is due.

at Victoria Park and St.

Bruce grew up in Scarborough right next-door

Clair, Bruce and Debbie

to long-time friend and golf partner Frank Mihalek

wanted to move their

(also a member at Scarboro). Saying Bruce “loves

family further East and if Bruce would have his way

the game of golf” is an understatement.

it would be as close as possible to Scarboro Golf

Listening to his golf experiences is both a real treat and a window onto how golf has long been

and Country Club. They made their move back to Scarborough and Bruce joined Scarboro in 1994.

a part of his life. As young boys and wanting to

Golf is a big part of Bruce’s very fulfilling life. He

play golf, Bruce and Frank would take the bus or

estimates he has played over 600 golf courses,

hitchhike to golf courses such as Tam O’Shanter,

many of them designed by A.W Tillinghast, the

Cresthaven, Unionville Family Golf and others.

famous golf course designer behind the course

Bruce began caddying when his father was a

we experience at Scarboro today. Bruce loves a

member of Whitevale Golf Club and later jumped

friendly round as well as entering amateur events

at the opportunity to caddy at Scarboro Golf and

where the competition tests his skills.

One in particular stands out in Bruce’s mind was

Country Club.

At 13 Bruce became a Junior player at Whitevale

at Parry Sound Golf and Country Club in 2011 where

and continued to play there until his father passed

Bruce shot a 30 on the front nine and scored a “68”

away in 1975. Other major life moments for Bruce

to win the tournament. Playing with his old friend

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Frank, Bruce also won the Provincial better ball

something we can all learn from.

What is in Bruce’s golf bag? Well, it is a mishmash

in 2011.

As Bruce and I were talking for this column,

– a Mizuno driver, Callaway irons, Titleist wedges

fellow member Barry Cox politely came over. Barry

and an Odyssey putter. How much does he

congratulated Bruce on this year’s victories and

practice? Never. If he goes to the range it is “to see

in particular he praised Bruce for his Scarboro

what hurts.” His basic principles of golf are “grip,

Club Championship win. It was not an easy victory

stance, don’t move your head and complete your

for Bruce; he described the battle for Scarboro’s

back swing.”

Club Champion title as a tiring one. The final group competing on Sunday was Bruce and

In addition to our Club Championship, Bruce went on to win Scarboro’s Seniors Club Championship.

two intermediate members that are half his age.

When you add in the win of the Arnott with

It came down to Bruce’s 18th hole par to clinch

partner Frank, Bruce has made history at Scarboro.

the tournament. Bruce shot 77, 71, 73 over the

Even with this success, Bruce is clearly very humble about his victories. When asked how it

three days.

Bruce has won the Club Championship three

feels to have had a season like 2019, Bruce replies,

times. His lowest round of golf at Scarboro is 68

“it feels good,” and if you can believe this, his goal

and his current handicap is a two. When asked what

is “to try and get better.”

he attributes to his success at the game, his reply is

We can all learn something from Bruce and his

simply, “there is not one shot that I don’t try 100%.”

approach to golf, yet the message I picked up on

He doesn’t think about the other players. He is

loud and clear from him is to have fun. Enjoy the

out there keeping track of his own game. “You are

game and enjoy the people you play with.

only in charge of your own ball” says Bruce. That is

Congratulations Bruce on a great season!

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Scarboro’s women golfers had a record year $3,847 was raised to help feed those in need

By Karen Fraser, Women’s League Convenor

G

iving back to the community is at the heart

And

finally,

with

the

Holiday

season

fast

of the Scarboro’s Women’s Golf Section.

approaching, the Women’s Golf Section will keep

It is a tradition of giving that goes back

the spirit of giving alive by sponsoring a food drive

many years. Through weekly 50:50 draws during

in support of the Bluffs Food Bank. Starting on

Women’s League play, as well as “Buy a Mulligan”

November 11, a charity tree will be on display in

campaigns during our Member Guest and other events, the Women’s Golf Section raises funds for charities that help women, children and families.

The organizations that the Women’s Golf Section supports with these funds include Emily’s House (Child Palliative Care), Scarborough Women’s Centre (Women’s Resource Support), and Dr. Roz’s Healing Place (Women’s Shelter).

This year, we began a three-year relationship with the Bluffs Food Bank, and thanks to the generosity of Scarboro’s women golfers, a record $3,847 was raised to help feed those in need. This milestone was achieved with the additional support of Diana Kolpak, who entertained members during a special benefit performance of her cabaret show “Blue” on September 20th.

In addition to the funds raised, the Women’s Golf Section joined together to form the “Period Posse” helping to round up feminine hygiene products for marginalized women and girls. Three large bags of products were collected and delivered to the Bluffs Food Bank.

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to Scarboro’s Women’s Golf Section for your ongoing care for our community!

the Bistro where all members can drop off nonperishable food items -- such as canned tuna or chicken, peanut butter, beans, rice or pasta -- in the donation box or alternatively make a $10 chit contribution to the Bluffs Food Bank through their Club account.

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SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Scarboro’s Club House is your Winter retreat There are many dinners and special events to enjoy

By Nico Barrett, Club House Manager

P

retty soon we’ll be rolling up the shutters

We will note though that our hours will be

at the Oasis for the last time in 2019; the

modified when the course closes for the season.

last of the verandah tables will be stored

As in the past, we will be closed on Mondays and

away for winter and the fireplace in the bistro

open for luncheon and dinner service Tuesday

will be dancing with roaring fires. Now, we know

through Friday.

many of you think of the Club to drink and dine

On the weekends – both Saturday and Sunday

after a round on the course, but like last year we

this year– we will open for breakfast at 9am and

remain open for daily food and beverage service

serve luncheon and dinner all the way through

throughout the Fall and Winter seasons.

to the evening.*

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

in attending book your table asap. And I would be remiss in not mentioning our new holiday décor will be wowing us during the first few weeks of November – so if you or your friends are considering hosting a holiday party, Scarboro is just the place!

Throughout winter

the

months

deep, your

dark Social

Committee is putting together a schedule of Club events to keep you coming back for new and invigorated events that will be Additionally we are planning a number of

communicated

in

forthcoming

events throughout the winter. Starting with

E-Blasts. So even though the course will be

the Season Closer on November 15th – which

blanketed in snow, the Club House remains open

is sure to be a hit! We’ll also be hosting a wine dinner (our third of the year!) on Thursday November 28th – ‘The Battle of the Bottles’, a novel way to enjoy some fine food and compare notes on wines.

The

Holiday

underway

with

Season our

really

rightfully

gets famed

Children’s Christmas Party on November 24th – sign-ups for this are already brisk!

Throughout

December

our

daily

Luncheon buffets will be in full swing.

Additionally we’ll be hosting our annual Dinner Dance in December (date to be determined soon) and our ever-popular Holiday Sunday Brunch on December 15th. Closer to Christmas Day we will host a family style luncheon with a ‘film festival’ of short holiday films – watch for details.

as a place to dine, have fun with friends and

On Christmas Day the Club will be one of the few places to be open for dinner. ‘The Grand Buffet’ is sure to sell out so if you’re interested

family and enjoy a drink or Leafs game on TV. * From January to mid-April the bistro will only be open from 11-6 on Sundays.

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

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SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

The Performance Centre at Scarboro We are extremely excited to announce our fourth season of the Performance Centre at Scarboro Golf and Country Club. The offseason is the best time to improve your skill set, especially with our high-tech tools like; TrackMan, BodiTrak and K-Coach. This cutting edge technology, accompanied with the expertise of your Golf Professional staff will take your game to new heights!

The Performance Centre will open from November 15th to April 15th and is available to every member at Scarboro! Our hours of operation for November and December will be as follows: Monday Closed

Saturday

8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Tuesday

Sunday

8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Wednesday 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Thursday

8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Friday

8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

The Performance Centre will be supervised from 8am – 8pm (Tuesday – Saturday) & 8am – 6pm Sunday’s

Following the positive response from the

have been adjusted to display clearer images,

last three years, our indoor golf facility will

touch monitors to control each hitting bay and

continue to improve for 2019 - 2020 season.

hitting bays have been updated with padding

Improvements are as follows: new turf, laser

and reinforced.

projectors for high definition imagery, screens

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

2019-20

PERFORMANCE CENTRE PACKAGES Full Season

$825 (4 Lessons)

1 Month

$399 (1 Lesson)

Hourly

$35 Member fee

Junior Membership

$399 (1 Lesson)*

Guest fee

$40 * denotes restricted access on weekends in the morning until 2pm

Performance Centre members will have the

The Performance Centre is also the perfect

ability to reserve seven days in advance

place to stay up to date on equipment trends

in 1-hour increments (per member), with

in the golf industry. Scheduled demo days with

the ability to extend their stay based on

vendors showcasing freshly released clubs

availability (day of). Non-Performance Centre

customized just for you!

members will be allowed to reserve five days in advance in 1-hour increments.

NEW

PROGRAMMING

TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) Offered in the Performance Centre: • 8 Week Programme – Golf Lessons and Fitness $999.00 A properly functioning body allows a player to swing a golf club in the most efficient way possible. Additionally, physical limitations in a player’s body can adversely affect the golf swing and potentially lead to injury. TPI

FOR 2020

focuses on the body / swing connection, incorporating personalized lesson plans based on the student’s body restrictions/limitations and swing characteristics.

Students can expect: • Initial screening • T hree sessions with a range of motion/ strength specialist • L esson programming specifically designed for your needs/requirements

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Spousal Introductory Clinics

High Five! Parent & Child clinic:

• 4 sessions – 1 per month starting

• 8 sessions – 2 per month starting

in January 300.00

in January $750.00

$

This introduct ory series is designed for the

A semi-private lesson that is perfect for the

novice golfer that is interested in learning the

family that is embarking on their golf journey.

game by cementing the basics. Participants

A fun setting to revisit fundamentals and

can expect to learn, swing fundamentals, short

continued development for both Parent

game, long game and course management.

and Child.

If you are interested in the Performance Centre, please speak with one the Professionals to register or for additional information. The Professional Staff is excited to kick-off the Performance Centre and have your game in tip top shape for the Spring of 2020!

TRAIN YOUR BODY:

TRAIN YOUR SWING:

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Winter is a busy season for Greens staff Managing the turf is a 12 month job

By Bill Gilkes, Golf Course Superintendent

A

t the end of a long golf season the

Next up is the dormant fungicide application

Greens staff are understandably proud

on greens, tees and fairways. We have done our

of the work completed over the year;

weed control spray by now and all that’s left is

yet they are also aware that there is work that

the application of our tarps to cover the greens.

needs to be completed to have a good start-up

“So what exactly do you do in the Winter?” is

in the Spring.

what we are asked on a regular basis.

Mornings are darker and significantly colder

Aside from giving everyone their vacations in

in the late Fall when the cultural work on the

the Winter we still have a number of things to

turf is necessary. Nevertheless, every morning

manage. This includes:

when we are frost free the machines head out

• A ll of the equipment must be serviced,

on to the course to do aerifying, topdressing,

inspected cleaned and greased and the

overseeding and fertilizing.

blades of each mower is sharpened;

And

then

there

is

the

irrigation

system

to consider and what needs to be done to

• A ny repairs/upgrades that are needed for machines are completed; • Repairs to trailers and carts and fabrications

winterize it.

are done; • T he plow and salter are installed on our pickup truck waiting for the snowfall. We plow the snow at the Club House!

• A ll of the accessories are brought in from the course and they are cleaned and / or painted; • G ardens have been cut back/ amended and shrubs have been wrapped where needed; • Water monitoring records are tabulated and Of course there is also leaves to be dealt with -- blown and picked up where possible and taken to the compost area.

filed for submission in March; • IPM records are organized and filed for the desk audit done in February;

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

• S everal staff members attend seminars and conferences in Ontario and the US;

the time frame of the ice and its density.

Our bentgrass/poa mix can last between 45

• E ach year in the off season we also break down

to 60 days under solid ice at which time we go

everything we did right and what did not

out and physically remove it. We will sometimes

do so well at in order to tweak our program

remove the snow to allow only a skim over the

and improve. We rely on the membership

tarp. That will decrease the amount of ice that

satisfaction survey here for guidance. This is

can form. Gone are the days when we would do

done at a Greens Staff Retreat;

our final spray, cover the greens and see them

• We have a job fair in February each year and

again for the first time in the spring. We even

there are over 100 resumes to go through in

bring in plugs from the greens that are frozen

order to sort out who we may hire to fill a

and grow them indoors to see if we have any

few positions on the staff;

damage.

• T he majority of our tree work is done between the months of November and January and we will still clean debris when we can get out on the course; • T he late fall usually finds us doing some sort of construction or course improvements until the weather shuts us down; but even that can carry on into the winter during warm spells; • T he

shop

is

thoroughly

cleaned,

floors

painted and the greenhouse is cleaned for spring plantings; • S upplies that are needed for spring are priced, quoted and purchased.

Although everything I have mentioned up to this point is very important the most critical thing we do in the winter is monitor the turf.

At least twice a week (more if conditions are bad) crews go out on the course to have a look at the conditions. We like to see the tarps secured with about 6 to 8 inches of snow on the top. Sometimes the tarps are visible due to lack of snow and other times they are buried. Almost

Before we know it March 1st rolls around and

every year we experience a January thaw and

we are thinking about debris cleanup on the

some ice will form from the melted snow. The

course and when we can get in the first cuts on

key is to see what the turf looks like at the time

the grass. The off season is usually as busy as

the ice first appears. We then take notes about

the golf season but in a different way.

SCARBORO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

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