The Springfield Story, March 2023

March

2023 Board of Directors

David DeLorenzo President david.delorenzo@gmail.com

703.887.0505

John Astorino Vice President

john.astorino@longandfoster.com

703.898.5148

Caitlin Clark Secretary sheaclark@comcast.net

703.967.8997

Bob Sampson Treasurer bsampson71@gmail.com

703.362.0027

Mike Cozad mcozad@advairac.com

703.926.6758

Tom Davis tdavis@gandrellc.com 703.772.5015

Joe English jenglish@bsbllc.com 571.214.4673

John Palladino jape199@aol.com 703.901.0744

Charles Rolen rolencw@gmail.com 703.862.9370

2023 Committees

Audit

Joe English jenglish@bsbllc.com 571.214.4673

Communications

Katie Kissal katiekissal@gmail.com 703.244.4583

Finance

Bob Sampson bsampson71@gmail.com

703.362.0027

Fitness

Gayle Burgoyne gayleburgoyne@aol.com

703.455.3985

Food & Beverage

Brandon Streicher brandon.streicher@gmail.com

414.628.2362

Golf

David Kelly davidnkelly@verizon.net

703.786.0980

Green

Dan Derisio dderisio@yahoo.com 703.618.1720

House

Julie Graham juliegraham10@me.com 703.650.8788

Membership

Jon Danforth danforth.jon@gmail.com 703.409.7388

Personnel

John Astorino john.astorino@longandfoster.com 703.898.5148

Rules

Lynn Blasch cl.blasch@verizon.net 703.451.1448

Social Jen Palladino jennix4@aol.com 703.303.8779

Natalee Olah olahnatalee@gmail.com

Strategic Planning

Joe English jenglish@bsbllc.com 571.214.4673

Swim/Pool

Mike Goede goedes@me.com 703.927.0941

Tennis Campbell Palmer campbell.palmer@gmail.com 703.258.2255

Lentz Wheeler: Looking Back on 25 Years at SGCC

BY EMILY KAUFFMAN | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

It’s the end of an era: Golf Course Superintendent Lentz Wheeler has retired after twenty-five years of service at Springfield Golf and Country Club. We hope you join us at his retirement party on Sunday, March 5, 2023 from 3:00-5:00 PM in the Ballroom.

Lentz is a beloved fixture on the golf course and around the Club. He’s easily identifiable in his ever-present Tennessee orange, usually with a clipboard in hand and a dog or two by his side.

Being outside first thing in the morning with his dogs, Jack and Gill, is Lentz’s favorite part of the job. The course, he says, is prettiest in the early morning when there’s a nice dew on the ground. Away from the equipment, where it’s quiet, you can really appreciate the wonder of nature. There’s an added benefit to the early, solitary mornings outside: “I’m a little cranky in the

morning; my guys don’t really want to be around me,” Lentz laughs, “So, it’s good to get some alone time on the course first thing.”

Lentz began his career in the Landscape Architecture department at the University of Tennessee and credits one of his professors, Dr. Callahan, for setting him on the path to success. “If I went back, I don’t think there’s much of anything I’d change,” Lentz says.

Lentz himself became a positive influence and leader. “Lentz understands his employees,” says Brian Maloney, who served as General Manager of Springfield Golf and Country Club from May of 1998 through January of 2018. “He had very little

Continued on Page 6

Lentz & his Crew celebrate the end of the 2022 season

Summer campers on the nature trail

Lentz with honey produced by SGCC’s beehives

Lentz tending one of his wildflower gardens

Lentz & Brian Maloney hit the golf course for a round

Lentz helping lead a birding tour of the course for members

turnover in his department.”

Oscar Garcia has worked on the SGCC Grounds Crew for eighteen years (and counting!). Oscar says the reason there’s so much stability in their department is because Lentz treats his crew like a family: “The day that I became a US Citizen, Lentz

was there. He always encouraged us guys to learn English and that once the path [to citizenship] was clear, to go through it. The day I took my Oath, he was there; it was nice support. It’s a big deal, it’s a big day. I have the picture he gave me hanging in my living room.”

Lentz greets participants of the final Lentz’s Revenge Golf Tournament in November 2022

Josh Tremblay, PGA & Larkin Gross, PGA help out the Grounds Crew during the pandemic

Oscar Garcia becomes a US Citizen

“I love to research and read,” Oscar says. “When I first came here, I remember we had a problem with a piece of equipment and I was guessing because I had come from a place where you don’t have to read. Lentz suggested to me that I read through the manuals for the machines, so I started reading and that created for me a habit of reading. I research these days on the internet, of course, but I do my own research for electrical problems, hydraulic problems, all that. But at the beginning, it was him who encouraged me to do that.”

Lentz has a stellar track record of providing quality training and education to his employees, a skill that had a ripple-effect on the Golf Professional Staff during 2020 when they pitched in to help out the short-handed Grounds Crew: “I started helping their crew out one day a week and then got the rest of our golf pros to follow suit,” says Director of Golf, Josh Tremblay, PGA. “It brought us closer together as a staff and we gained a deeper appreciation for their work. I don’t think we want me rolling greens any more, but I refined my cup cutting technique and even got to use it about a year later when we needed to change a cup on fourteen and the maintenance staff was gone for the day.”

Lentz’s skill, and that of his crew, is what keeps our golf course in such fantastic shape: “The course keeps getting better each year and I tell students all the time if they can learn to putt and score here, they’ll be able to play most anywhere,” says Josh. “Our greens are always in good shape and usually fast with more break than people realize.”

Brian Maloney agrees and adds that the membership’s confidence in Lentz’s competence is also evident: “Over time we had issues here and there, but everybody always knew that Lentz put as much effort as he could into everything and if something happened it was beyond his control.”

Lentz is the only Golf Course Superintendent Brian has ever worked with; something for which he is grateful: “I had Lentz for my whole Club career-I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have that be the case. He’s as dedicated an employee as you will ever find. In the summer, when it was hot, Lentz would roll every foot of the golf course, scouring for hints of disease or anything else. And you’d see him at seven-thirty at night, but what you might not know is that he got to the Club at four in the morning.”

The two worked together at Hidden Creek, and Brian likes to joke that Lentz is the one that hired him at SGCC after what started as a reference call for Lentz turned into a job offer for Brian as well.

Lentz remembers his journey to Springfield fondly: “I got a call from my assistant saying there’s two guys from the VSGA here who wanna talk to you.” It turns out those “two guys” were SGCC members Bob Weyers and Bob Moss, the Club’s President at the time. “I’d put in a good word because I knew this job was opening up,” Lentz recalls. “I had the best interview; I came home that night saying ‘I’m going to Springfield!’”

Lentz’s arrival at Springfield in April of 1998 was a boon for our membership. “He brought ideas that I couldn’t believe,” says Brian. “His vision always centered around making the course better for the players in all aspects - functionality as well as aesthetics. And he did it all with limited resources. He just gets it.”

Evidence of Lentz’s artistic eye can be found all over the golf course, especially in the flower beds and pollinator gardens he planted as part of the Club’s journey toward certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. This massive undertaking, which began in 2010 and was achieved in 2018, designates SGCC as an environmental steward and means we use best management practices in environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation, water quality management, and outreach and education.

One of Lentz’s initiatives was the construction of nature trails which allow members to try and spot the 113+ species of bird that call our course home and which our summer campers enjoy exploring as well. During our recertification in 2021, the inspector commented that the environmental initiatives taking place at SGCC are among the best of the nearly hundred Audubon Certified golf courses in the US and Canada.“The best thing I’ve done, I thought initially it was re-grassing the golf course, but you’re always dealing with nature so there’s some goods and bads with that, but the Audubon certification,” Lentz smiles, “I put a lot of effort into that. That’s my favorite thing that I’ve done, without a doubt.”

While he says he’ll be around SGCC to visit friends and his dogs, don’t expect to see him too much. Lentz wants to give new Superintendent Shawn Gill the space to do his thing, and he wants to explore his own interests outside of turf care. “I’ve got a lot of things on my mind,” Lentz says, “I’ll be staying active.” He’s compiled a list of what he’s going to be doing with all his free time that includes getting back into painting and guitar, improving his swimming skills, taking dance lessons with his wife, birding, gardening, hiking, fishing, and, of course, plenty of golf. 

Golf Pro’s Pointers:

A Season Start Q&A with SGCC’s Director of Golf, Josh Tremblay, PGA & Director of Instruction, Robert Simpson, PGA

BY EMILY KAUFFMAN | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

EMILY KAUFFMAN: We’re coming up on the start of a new golf season. What are useful etiquette reminders for players as they return to the course?

JOSH TREMBLAY: Proper pace begins with being on time for your tee time, ready to go. Too often we see members arriving at the tee at their tee time and then they need to go get a towel or a water bottle. Also, if you’re not going to use your tee time or if you need to make changes, let us know. You can call the Golf Shop or update the online tee sheet.

EK: Are there common issues you run into at the start of each golf season?

JT: When practicing on our short game areas, please do not take divots on the areas within a few feet of the chipping green. When the fairway opens up, remember to take divots in a line and not in a scattered pattern.

EK: There were several changes to the Rules of Golf that went into effect on January 1, 2023. Are there some you think are particularly relevant for our membership?

JT: I think the one our members will encounter most is the simplified back-on-the-line relief option. They are now required to drop their ball on that line and it may roll up to a club-length in any direction.

EK: Last month, Robert Simpson mentioned how important it is for golfers to temper their expectations when they return to course. What are some things you struggle with/it takes you time to get re-acclimated to when the season starts back up?

“One of the most fascinating things about golf is how it reflects the cycle of life. No matter what you shoot the next day you have to go back to the first tee and begin all over again and make yourself into something else.”

— PETER JACOBSEN

JT: Many golfers know this but the short game touch is usually one that many golfers struggle with regaining after a long break.

ROBERT SIMPSON: I recommend starting on the putting green to get readjusted to the “feel” as Josh mentioned. Putting is easy to put off and avoid paying much attention to. But from an overall game perspective, it has a huge effect on your score. A good putting round can save a bad ball striking day and your score, and a bad putting day can ruin a great ball striking day and ruin your score.

Head out to the putting green and try this 30-minute ten-ball, circle drill:

1. Mark 10 tees around the hole in a circle from 6 feet away

2. Make all 10 putts in a row, going around the circle

3. If you miss start over

4. Once you make 10 in a row, move the circle in to 3 feet

5. Repeat, making all 10 in a row from 3 feet

6. Leave the circle of tees at 3 feet, then find a 20-foot putt, make all 10 into the 3-foot circle in a row

7. Repeat again from 30 feet to finish the drill

Pro Tip: After 5 makes, take the balls out of the hole to unclog it so the last 5 putts can go into the hole.

EK: What do you do in the off season to help keep your game on point?

JT: Be realistic in your expectations those first few rounds and don’t forget to put some practice in. Using the simulator or an off-season training program with Robert Simpson would be advised. Also keep track of your distances as they could be slightly different from last year.

RS: The off-season is almost over, so if you haven’t done much so far, I would use this time to establish a good stretching routine that will increase your mobility and range of motion. Reggie Edwards and the Fitness Center can help with that. We also have some clinics kicking off this month that will be beneficial to tidy up your game.

EK: It’s hockey season. A lot of hockey players are big golfers – if our members aren’t busy slamming people into the boards, what are some other sports you think are beneficial for golfers to pick up or try out? Also, Josh, how proud are you of your Bruins?

JT: First off, I’m very proud of my Bruins and the amazing start to their season…I will give kudos to the Capitals fans here as they always seem to play us tough and recently beat us in Boston. Hockey does lend itself to a similar motion as golf with side bend and rotation to an object on the ground. In terms of other sports, I’ll let Robert weigh in on that but I think anything that keeps you active, using your muscles, and encourages stretching or lengthening of the muscles would be encouraged!

RS: Hockey players are some of the best athletes in the world! The things they can do on skates and ice is incredible. That being said, while hockey is a great sport to pick up, tennis is my personal favorite to see a golfer take up. Golf and tennis have commonalities from the way you use the ground to produce effortless power; the hip-drive and rotation all comes from the ground up. Both work the kinetic chain and the better you get at your serve the further you can hit your drives!

EK: Similarly, many of our junior golfers also participate in swim team and SGCC’s junior tennis program. Is there a noticeable difference between multi-sport junior athletes and those who focus on golf alone?

RS: When you have a junior golfer who is exposed to many sports, you’re creating a more rounded athlete. As a golf coach, I would rather see a well-rounded athlete come to my tee line over a young, specialized athlete. From a longterm development standpoint, the multi-sport athlete who specializes later (12-13 years old) will tend to peak in his/her college years as opposed to the early specialized (6-7 years old) athlete who could peak in junior/senior year of high school and potentially burn out going into college.

EK: Let’s talk about programming a bit…any exciting changes coming to the 2023 Golf Calendar?

JT: The Member/Member is one of our first big events scheduled for the first weekend in May. There are also some big changes to the registration process for the Member/Guest Tournament in June. Members should make sure to read the weekly Monday golf email to stay in the loop.

EK: What are the best programs for new/beginner golfers?

JT: Operation 36 is a great way to learn the game and you get on the course playing from 25 or 50 yards out.

EK: How about for experienced golfers?

Membership Corner

BY SHELLY GOOREVICH | MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

Announcing Our Spring 2023 Member Referral Program & Upgrade Special

Spring and The Masters at Augusta National will be here before you know it! Encourage your friends and colleagues to join SGCC before the 2023 season begins so they don’t miss out on golf, the outdoor tennis season, summer days at the Pool, or any of the other wonderful events and amenities that make Springfield Golf & Country Club a special place to belong.

Now through April 30, 2023, newly approved Active members referred by an existing member will receive $5,000 off the current initiation fee. New Active members referred by an existing member who join after May 1, 2023 will receive $3,600 off the initiation fee until the end of the promotion (promotion is limited to the first five (5) Active referrals to be approved).

The referring member will receive a $500 SGCC Gift Card and a Scotty Cameron Putter as a thank you.

Know a non-golfer who would be a great fit? Now through April 30, 2023, newly approved Social members referred by an existing member will receive $2,000 off the current initiation fee. New Social members referred by an existing member who join after May 1, 2023 will receive $1,000 off the initiation fee until the end of the promotion (promotion is limited to the first three (3) Social referrals to be approved).

The referring member will receive a $300 SGCC Gift Card and a Gourmet Food and Wine Basket worth $150.

For more information on membership pricing and tips on how to talk to your friends about joining, check out the “Refer a Member” page on the Club website.

Are you a current Social member considering upgrading to Active membership? Upgrade now and receive a $5,000 credit plus an additional $250 per year of Club membership to be applied toward the initiation fee. This promotion is limited to the first five (5) memberships to upgrade.

Contact Director of Membership Shelly Goorevich at 703.712.8505 or shelly@sgccva. org with questions and referrals. 

#WomenInSports: Female Golfers at SGCC

BY EMILY KAUFFMAN | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, by the age of fourteen, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys. Why? Typically it’s due to a lack of access, quality experiences, and positive role models. At SGCC, we’re thrilled to have an abundance of female athletes from as young as three-years-old up to Senior Champions, including many teenage and young adult athletes. We talked to several active female golfers to find out more about their experience both in the Club arena and on a broader competitive stage.

Legacy member Alexandra Austin was named the 2022 VSGA Women’s Golfer of the Year. Alex took up golf with her mother,

Michelle, shortly after their family joined SGCC in the summer of 2000.

Outside of being a bonding activity with her mother, Alex’s involvement in the sport also laid the groundwork for lifelong friendships: “I know the junior program here has grown a lot, but the junior program then was fun as well. I had Brandon [Luxenburg], Jonathan [Patch], and Johnny [Garstka], and we all just played a bunch of interclub matches together which made it fun.”

If you’re noticing that Alex only listed boys as her golf buddies,

Josh Tremblay, PGA congratulates Christine Gray

The Holbrook family heads out on the course

Brian Maloney presents Alexandra Austin with the 2022 VSGA Women’s Golfer of the Year trophy

that’s because she was the only girl in the junior golf program. While it would have been nice to have other girls to bond with and share the experience, looking back, Alex finds the silver lining: “I think [being the only girl] helped my game? Because they didn’t let me play from the forward tees, I always had to basically “man up” and play like them.”

While there may have been a benefit to being the only girl in her group, luckily, Alex’s experience is not one shared by young girls today. SGCC’s current junior golf program includes a multitude of female athletes, a trend which is not relegated to our club alone, but instead reflects shifting demographics in the game at large.

“Opportunities have grown,” former SGCC General Manager and current Vice President of the VSGA Brian Maloney notes, “Young women golfers are highly sought after when they become proficient. We’re seeing growth in how many players are out there. We’re seeing a higher level of proficiency.” That translates into even more opportunities for a broader spectrum of ability: “The VSGA’s women’s tournament programs grew by 30% in 2022. We have women’s championships, but we also have women-only events for non-championship players.”

When asked what advice she would give to girls just getting started in golf, Alex says ““I would tell them to definitely keep with it, don’t get discouraged if you have to play with boys or get put against boys and they make comments to you. At the end of the day it’s you versus the golf course and it’s whoever gets it in the hole in the least amount of strokes. They should keep at it even if they don’t want to play collegiately or go further because it’s great networking and it’ll help them in their careers going forward.”

The Women’s Sports Foundation notes the importance of positive role models, and Brian Maloney was certainly that for Alex. “Memories I always have are going into Brian’s office and just getting him to come out and play nine holes with me,” Alex recalls. “I would ask him, “Do you have some free time?” And he’d be like “No” but then I’d say “You wanna go play nine?” So he was a big help with that.”

Pride fills Brian’s voice as he recounts the victories and successes of the many female athletes at SGCC he’s known over the years including Alex Austin, Sidney Walker, Jackie McClelland, Diane Garstka, Melanie Walker, Grace Saunders, and Raquel Walker: “I certainly didn’t have any impact on their game. I’m

A young Alex Austin & Brian Maloney on the golf course

a supporter, but I don’t do anything but lend my support; I’m not a teacher. They are all different in what they did to get there, but in all cases there is dedication to get better. Some found the road a little easier, for others it was a little harder, but one of the things you see in golf not only in all golf but certainly with these players is how their confidence develops over time. That’s a huge deal when you’re going head-to-head in competitions with other players who are good.”

Brian is close with the Austin family and still hits the course with Alex every so often, as long as it is above fifty degrees and sunny. The two shared a special moment this past January when Brian had the opportunity to present Alex with her trophy at the VSGA’s Annual Meeting.

While it wasn’t Alex’s first time being named golfer of the year, this one meant a lot. “It was a great honor considering I hadn’t really played competitive golf for a couple years because of COVID and when I got my amateur status back I had to wait out a year,” Alex says. The 2022 award came after a radical shift in her mindset: “So, not really having competitive golf under my belt for a few years, [in 2022] I went out and decided I was just going to play for fun, I told myself I’m not playing for

money anymore, I’m just going out and enjoying the game. I think that’s what helped. If I hit a bad shot I’d give myself a few seconds to get mad then just get right back into it.”

Developing golfers of all ages and abilities is a core part of the culture at Springfield. Director of Golf Josh Tremblay, PGA was the recipient of the 2023 PGA Player Development Award and one of the first professionals to bring the PGA Jr. League to the Middle Atlantic Section. He introduced the Operation 36 model at SGCC several years ago which offers targeted instruction to beginners of all ages as well as serving as a good refresher for experienced golfers.

When asked about the impact of opportunities at the Club on the development of female golfers, Josh says “Our Club Championship-Championship Flight is set up for the best sixteen golfers at Springfield, regardless of age or gender…Tee it up from the Gold Tees, and let’s see who wins! Ultimately, the individual player has to have that drive within them, but I think our environment has helped solidify their games.”

Two crucial elements for keeping girls engaged with sports are a supportive environment and quality experiences both

The WGA 18 celebrates their champions

2022 Club Champions Carlos Aranda & Grace Saunders

of which can be found at Springfield… just ask Emily and Naomi Holbrook. The sisters, ages twelve and eleven respectively, have been involved in sports at SGCC for several years. They play in PGA Jr. League, are participants in our junior tennis Academy program, play on the Junior Interclub Tennis Team in the summer, and swim for the Sea Lions.

Regardless of which sport they’re participating in, both Emily and Naomi say it is their coaches and belonging to a team made up of friends-turnedfamily that they like best. “The coaches are really nice and help me with where I need improvement,” Naomi says. Emily agrees, adding, “I like that the coaches help us understand how to get better and make sure we work hard.”

Emily and Naomi put in the work outside of team practices by playing golf and tennis with their parents as well as their friends from the Club. The girls like being active and think that playing multiple sports helps their performance across the board: “Playing so many sports gives me more strength and courage,” Naomi says. While neither sister has dreams of becoming a professional athlete, they both hope to continue playing sports for fun as they get older.

Part of the supportive environment fostered at SGCC comes from the fact that it’s not all about athletes playing at the competitive level; it’s about the people who put in the work day-afterday and are dedicated to getting better. A member of the WGA-9 and advocate for private lessons with the Pro Staff, Christine Gray has the distinction of being the WGA-9’s 2022 Champion and Most Improved Golfer.

Director of Instruction Robert Simpson, PGA joined the team in April of 2022, and has been giving lessons to Christine ever since. “Working with Mrs. Gray this year was a treat! She was motivated to achieve her self-set goals. During some lessons she thought I was crazy and we would (happily) bicker

Naomi Holbrook was part of the winning team of the 2022 Pro-Junior

Emily Holbrook also played in the 2022 Pro-Junior Tournament

back and forth, then she’d hit a great shot and say, ‘Okay, you were right.’ So, we both learned how to work with each other. I had to work to find the right way to communicate with her while she had to learn to trust and believe in the process.”

Christine attributes her gains this year to the work she put in with Robert and on her own time. She suggests hitting the course before your lesson as a way to get the most out of it: “I would try to play nine immediately before my lesson. That way, things were fresh in my mind about what I thought I needed help with.”

As a player who was introduced to golf as an adult, finding camaraderie has been a huge part of Christine’s enjoyment of the sport. “Joining the WGA-9 was a HUGE help,” she says. “Golf is a really intimidating sport, so being part of a group makes it easier. There are regular times to play and you learn so much when you actually go out and play as opposed to just the driving range. The WGA-9 started a Big-Little program my first year and my Big was Stephanie Weinstein. She was so patient and made me feel comfortable on the course.”

Christine also likes the challenge and the fact that her golf game is something she can continuously improve upon. “As a beginner you have to be patient and accept the fact that you’re going to have some great rounds and some really awful ones,” she says, but consistency is key. Taking regular lessons and putting in the time in the practice areas goes a long way: “Practicing is not necessarily the most exciting thing, but it works.”

Getting in more practice is a challenge for Alex Austin as well and a goal she’s set for herself for 2023: “I’ll go out and play nine holes three-to-four times a week after work, then eighteen holes on the weekend, but now I want to dedicate two days a week after work to just practicing because I need to amp my short game up…which I hate doing but it’s very much needed.”

Besides the acceptance she found with the WGA-9, Christine Gray says the best part is the friendships: “I’ve met ladies through golf I probably wouldn’t have otherwise and am grateful for that. Plus, there are fun tournaments and social events.”

The social aspect is something that Brian Maloney has noticed sets women’s golf apart from the men: “They all know each other, it’s a smaller community, but it really is that a community. There are a lot of competitive forces, but they tend to root for each other which is a different atmosphere than the men’s side. You see encouragement amongst the women even when they are competing against each other. It’s one of the reasons why I enjoy officiating their events; I like to see how supportive they are. It’s good to see them flourish.” 

Christine Gray during a golf lesson with Robert Simpson, PGA

Turf Talk

BY SHAWN GILL | GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

As your new Superintendent, I would first like to thank Lentz Wheeler for inviting me to join the team here at SGCC. The last two years have been a couple of the best in my 35 year career. Secondly, I would like to thank the membership for their warm welcome. I can’t imagine a more supportive atmosphere, and I look forward to helping you all realize your dreams for the course.

For those of you whom I have not had the pleasure of getting personally acquainted, I’ll be out on the course every day, trying to get to know everyone.

I’ve often said that the best part of my job is seeing the sunrise and sunset, on the golf course, quite often on the same day. At SGCC, we have some absolutely amazing from which to admire our course. If you haven’t witnessed the sun breaking over the horizon from the clubhouse patio, it is worth setting an early alarm and stopping by one morning.

As we near spring and the start of the golf season, I am thrilled about how ready the golf course is. Thank you, everyone, for

being mindful of your impact by observing the cart path rules during the time when turf does not have the ability to grow out of damage. Your efforts will be rewarded by having a better course throughout the rest of the year.

Mild weather and regular rain have created optimal conditions for the sod on the renovated areas to root in. We recently pulled the covers off of the new tee surfaces on hole #3 and gave the turf its first mowing. The hole looks beautiful, and the newly constructed tees will give players of all levels a great blend of challenge and fairness, regardless of your playing ability. The tree work scheduled in Phase II of course improvements is nearly complete and will result in better turf conditions as well as a showcase of the healthy, mature trees that will guide you along each hole.

Hopefully spring will continue to bring nice weather, and one thing I know it will bring is many more people out enjoying the course. With this comes the challenge of overcoming the wear and tear that all the traffic brings while continuing to provide an enjoyable experience. To that end, you can be of great help.

One of the ideas that I try to instill in my employees is that of “taking the road less traveled.” Driving golf carts and walking to your ball over healthy, good-looking grass, rather than the obvious trail that many have used before you, will go a long way toward keeping the conditions good. SGCC has some of the best greens in the D.C. area! They are smooth and true. The number one culprit in balls veering offline is unfixed and improperly repaired ball marks. Let’s keep the greens a “bragging point” by making it look as if your ball never hit the green. Finally, please do not enter or exit bunkers by walking on the steep faces. Not only does it take a lot of time to fix the deep footprints, but, more importantly, the sand becomes uncompacted, making it much more likely that balls will plug.

To say I’m excited about the upcoming year would be a huge understatement. We have a real gem of a course here. I’ve had the good fortune to have had the opportunity to play some of the finest golf courses in the world and one thing they all have in common with SGCC is that every hole is distinct. One prerequisite for my accepting any turf management position is that I enjoy playing the golf course, and that is most definitely true here. I entered this profession for two reasons: I LOVE making golf courses as perfect as possible and then I love to play on them and reap the rewards of my efforts.

I look forward to spending time playing with some of you this season and hearing what you love about your course and what your vision of it is for the future. In closing, have a great spring, hit ‘em long and straight, and have fun getting the ball into the hole on the 12th green! 

Couples Golf News

BY SUSAN & DAVID WELLS | CO-CHAIRS

We are very excited to be taking over Couples Golf from John and Kathleen Tindal. There was positive feedback last season about playing on a combination of Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. We will continue that again this season.

Our first Couples event will be Friday, April 28th. Look for an announcement and sign ups as the date gets closer. Please let us know if you have any questions:

Susan Wells, suswel@aol.com

David Wells, davidwells892@yahoo.com

We look forward to another exciting golf season! 

Notes from the Cutting Board

BY TRAVIS SIMMONS | EXECUTIVE CHEF

Charcuterie Boards are a fun, creative way to liven up home-entertaining or do something interesting for dinner. While they can get quite complex, there are some basic building blocks that will set you up for a great board.

First, start with a nice wedge of cheese, some salad greens, and dried fruit. This will give the board a backdrop for you to build from. Next, add assorted, diced cheeses that your guests can grab easily. For a “wow” factor, add a few more wedges of cheese. Finally, finish off your board with cured meats. This will elevate your board by providing a variety of textures.

While options are endless, there are a few “must have” items: blue cheese, prosciutto, and a nice honey. The tartness of the blue cheese mixed with the salty and sweet is a definite go-to.

If you’re planning to take your charcuterie board from an appetizer to the main event, the first thing to do is step up the size. A three-by-four-foot board, or about half the size of a kitchen island, is a good bet. Using the same method as before, start building the backdrop of the board. For a board of this size, you’re going to pull out all the stops: crispy breadsticks in a glass to look like a bouquet, fruit of any kind mixed into the presentation, toasted almonds, olives, and top-shelf cheeses will have your board taking center stage.

When hosting house parties around the holidays, I always have a charcuterie board. Not only has it become “which neighbor can build the best board,” but they are a gathering place to start the evening.

Pastry Chef Lindsay Webb likes to make dessert charcuterie boards – these are a great way to amp up the fun at a birthday party or sleepover. Her idea of the perfect dessert charcuterie board includes a variety of bite size sweets like chocolate covered pretzels, marshmallows, mini cookies, dessert bars, dessert shooters, cream puffs, and mini cupcakes. Like a regular

charcuterie board, the options are endless, but Chef Lindsay likes movie snacks and s’mores boards complete with different kinds of chocolate, a variety of cookies as well as graham crackers, and, of course, a Sterno and skewers to roast the marshmallows!

Thinking about charcuterie boards leads us to other popular boards…butter boards! I personally love this trend. It’s a nice touch to start off the meal with a variety of crispy, artisanal bread and assorted flavored butters. The combinations are limited only to your imagination. We will be working on butter boards in the near future! 

Want to Make Your Own Movie Night Dessert Charcuterie Board?

Chef Lindsay recommends making sure you balance salty and sweet so this fun take on a charcuterie board hits the spot. Include an assortment of your favorite candies (M&Ms, Sour Patch Kids, Twix, Twizzlers, etc.), popcorn, and pretzels. Are you a chocolate-covered raisins person? Try mixing raisins and chocolate chips in a bowl. Kick it up a notch with a Cheesecake Turtle Dip (or other sweet dip of your choice) and assorted cookies. Happy snacking! 

Coach’s Corner: Look Good, Feel Good... TRY to Play Well?

BY BRANDEN BEETS, USPTA, USTA HIGH PERFORMANCE COACH, USPTR, PPR DIRECTOR OF RACQUET SPORTS

What are the things we can control in a tennis match? Our preparation, sleep, diet, equipment, and outfit to name just a few. But the weather, sick kids, school concerns, the sound of lawn mowers beside our match court, issues at our job… these things are out of our control. The two mistakes I see players make are trying to FEEL good and trying to PLAY well, but these are also out of our control.

When players turn their match focus to themselves trying to FEEL good and PLAY well they lose sight of the objective of a tennis match: to win the match and develop as a player regardless of how we FEEL or how we PLAY. I should mention, winning isn’t the whole goal. We still benefit from getting exercise, interacting with others, getting some vitamin D, and having fun even if we lose the match. But isn’t it great when we do all those things and win?

Feeling good and playing well do not equal winning. As a young player, I fell into this trap with my two-handed backhand. I wanted it to be my biggest weapon. I wanted to hit it harder, flatter, closer to the lines, and have the ability to hit it from anywhere on the court no matter the situation. Hitting my backhand like this made me feel good and, in my mind, play my best. The problem was, I couldn’t do it ALL the time and instead of a weapon it sometimes became a mental battle I was

fighting during my matches and therefore a huge distraction from my objective. My focus became how my backhand was performing, which I equated to how I was performing, and I would lose sight of the match. Thankfully, I got wiser as I got older.

A “feel good, play well” mindset turns your vision inward. Instead, focus your attention on strategy and don’t be stubborn

“Feeling good and playing well do not equal winning.”

like my younger self. That guy had to learn the hard way to run around a backhand to hit forehands, to play with more shape over the net, to add slice and change patterns of play when his aggressive backhand stopped working. Learn from my mistakes and begin to focus on what you can control your strategy.

Does your opponent like pace? Then slow the game down. Take more time between points, take pace off your shots, play much higher over the net, increase your spin on the ball, lengthen the rally, transition to the net, and play more east/west with your angles. Forget about feeling good and hitting a perfect shot. Become mindful of tactics (now is a good time to be working with your coach on adding tactics to your toolbox, so be sure to ask if you need help in this area). In other words, do what you need to do to win TODAY, against THIS opponent.

As only an occasional golfer, I sometimes don’t hit my tee shot in the fairway. However, I get the most satisfaction out of finding a way to recover and make par on hole with a bad

start. If I can figure out how to get around a tree, choose the right club, play to the best part of the green to set up a putt, avoid danger, and execute, then I feel successful. It doesn’t work out all the time, but it’s still rewarding because I focus on controlling what I can my mind and strategy.

You don’t have to be the best ball striker to win a tennis match. There are some things that will make a big difference and are within your control, like your shot selection, resiliency, and situational awareness. So don’t focus on how well you are hitting the ball today. Instead, adjust your court position to create pressure on your opponent! And, when you come off the court, if your coach asks you how your match went, you won’t be able to say, “I just didn’t feel good, it wasn’t my day.”

Calendar of Events

MARCH - MAY 2023

Mix It Up

BY CHRIS HUGHES | BEVERAGE SPECIALIST

Spring is right around the corner, and Beverage Specialist Chris Hughes has created the perfect cocktail to get you ready for the beautiful blooms, warmer weather, and the start of the outdoor season. The Irish Maid marries the subtle floral flavors of elderflower with the freshness of cucumber and lemon and a kick of Irish whiskey for a truly sublime signature drink. You can find it on SGCC’s cocktail menu, but you can also make it at home:

Ingredients

2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey

1 oz Elderflower Liqueur (i.e., St. Germain or St Elder)

Simple Syrup to Taste

Juice of Half a Lemon

Cucumber Wheels & Lemon Wedge to Garnish

Bridge Banter

BY DON FREDERICK

Do you feel the luck of the Irish shining on you this year? Do you play bridge? If yes, come join with the SGCC Friday Evening Bridge Group at one of our upcoming events.

We play relaxed, party bridge on the first and third Friday evenings of each month. Many of us gather for dinner first. If you’d like to join us, call Don Frederick at 703.425.9722. Our next scheduled evenings are March 3 and March 17.

Here are the results of recent sessions:

FEBRUARY 3

First: Robin Alapas & Elaine Voss

Second: Lydia Peck & John Korfanta

Third (Tie): Cindy & Don Frederick

Third (Tie): Mary & Ed Kringer

FEBRUARY 17

First: Mary & Ed Kringer

Second: Lydia Peck & John Korfanta

Third: Jane & Gerry Gawalt 

1. Fill a highball glass with ice

2. Add Jameson, elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice

3. Transfer to shaker and shake to mix

4. Pour back into highball and garnish with cucumber wheels and lemon wedge

5. Sit back, sip, and enjoy! 

Ready for Graduation?

Do you have someone special graduating high school or college this spring? We’re here to help you celebrate! Reach out to Director of Catering & Special Events Jody Tarbox for available dates for your family’s graduation party: events@sgccva.org.

Handicap Notes

BY JORDAN WEINSTEIN CHAIR, HANDICAP SUBCOMMITTEE

The World Handicapping System requires that every golf course’s rating be re-evaluated at least every ten years. Our regional handicapping authority, the Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA), makes it a practice to re-evaluate every eight years, whether or not changes have been made. A VSGA team came to SGCC last fall to re-evaluate our course, and our new ratings became effective on January 1, 2023.

VSGA evaluated each hole of the course, setting values for a series of factors including Topography, Fairway, Green Target, Recoverability and Rough, Bunkers, Out of Bounds/Extreme Rough, Penalty Areas,

“Forget your opponents; always play against par.”

— SAM SNEAD

Trees and Green Surface; and effective playing length factors including Roll, Elevation, Dogleg/Forced Lay Up, Prevailing Wind and Altitude (not a factor as we are near sea level). After their evaluation, VSGA team members played our course to gain greater insight and clarify any doubts or questions that may have arisen on specific holes or shots.

Course ratings are comprised of two components for each tee: the Course Rating and the Slope Rating. The Course Rating is “the evaluation of the playing difficulty of the course for the scratch player under normal playing conditions,” and the Slope Rating is the same evaluation for the bogey player. The rightmost column of the chart shows the differences in Course Rating and Slope Rating at every tee.

With the exception of the forward-most Men’s tees, the slope ratings for Springfield have increased, from two to seven strokes. So if you feel like the golf course has been harder to play than our previous Course Ratings reflected, you are correct!

From a practical standpoint, if you shoot the same scores this year as last year (except, again, for the Men’s forward-most tee boxes), your handicap should decrease somewhat. Think of it as becoming a better golfer by playing the same game!

Note also that VSGA has added new ratings for hybrid tee combinations - one for men, but several for women - opening up several new possibilities for playing our course. These are reflected in the chart with the notation “New.” 

WGA-18 News

BY KATHLEEN TINDAL | CHAIR

Retirees News

BY RUSTY ROESCH

Are you a woman golfer at SGCC? Maybe you’ve heard about the WGA-18 and would like to know more. Well, here’s who we are….

The WGA-18 is a group of women who plan and play competitive golf events in a spirit of friendship and sportsmanship, and to promote friendly social contacts and interest in golf amongst the woman golfers of SGCC. We play a round of 18 holes Tuesday and Saturday mornings. We also play a fun format of 9 holes on Wednesday evenings. Throughout the year we play several tournaments and have our own Ladies/Member Guest. We welcome you to join regardless of your playing level.

Please contact our Membership Chair, Amy Liberty (amy. liberty@verizon.net) to sign up.

Our opening meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 8. Please consider attending to learn more about our program. 

The Retirees will kick off the 2023 season with our annual Registration Meeting on Thursday, March 16 at 9:00am, followed by our Opening Bash on Thursday, March 30. After being canceled last year due to rain, both the Red and Blue Team Captains are looking for bragging rights from an early win at home. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this year and we will be primed for our opening match the following week at Belmont CC.

We are using Golf Genius again for scoring this year. Not sure how to use it? Check out the “Using the Golf Genius Phone Application” video on the Club website.

We were hampered by several early losses last year, so we will need everyone ready and able to play in the early season matches. Interested in joining the Retirees? Contact Bruce Nordstrom at bnorthstream@yahoo.com. 

WGA 18 Board (left to right): Maria Supko (Secretary), Kathleen Tindal (Chair), Christina Bartlett (Vice Chair), & Lynn Gilbertson (Treasurer)

Blue Team Captain Walter Burkhardt and President Bruce Nordstrom discussing the day’s results

Fitness for Life: How’s Your Torque?

BY MOLLY FIELD | YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Twisting and trunk rotation (torque) is important everyone, not just athletes. For golfers and court sports, however, it’s essential to a strong and successful drive, serve, and play at the net.

Do you want to improve your torque? Consider yoga. In yoga, we aim to work each body part separately and investigate how our limitations and physical habits contribute to our range of motion. Some yoga poses are practiced standing up, others with the whole body on the mat. Either way, the twists we perform in a yoga practice are deeply informative in terms of where we are stuck.

In yoga, a pose called “reclined spinal twist” can alert you to tightness and limitations in your lumbar, hip flexors, upper spine, and shoulders.

It’s a simple pose, elementally, but it imparts a more complex understanding of muscle imbalance without having to worry about losing our balance. If you’re lying on your mat, you won’t fall down!

It also informs you about where you are compensating in other, often unnecessary, muscle groups —tight jaw, pursed lips, shortened breath—to “just make it” through the pose.

Yoga isn’t about “faking it until you make it.” It’s about meeting you where you are, in that moment, on that day, with no questions asked unless YOU want the answers.

Here’s how to do a reclined spinal twist (and you don’t need a mat, even though we have plenty at the Club!):

1. Lie on your back with your knees up. Feet positioned closer to your hips and wide apart from each other will increase the intensity of the work.

2. Spread your arms out to a “T” position. Look to your left.

3. Breathe. Are you breathing? It’s all going to be OK! Promise!

4. On an exhalation, let both knees fall ALL THE WAY to the right. Do you need a pillow or a cushion under your right thigh? Get one and let it support you.

5. Is your left shoulder off the mat? That’s okay. Two options: let it hang if you’re okay with that or push your right elbow and the back of your head into the mat to raise your chest and then twist your CHEST to the left to drop that shoulder down. You’ve just deepened the twist. BREATHE.

6. (You’re almost done!) You can choose to lift the right leg and place your right ankle on the outside of the left thigh. That will deepen the rotation and stretch your left hip flexor more. If you drop your knees away, you’re getting into your upper glutes at the low back. So much is going on in your body because of this pose and it’s ALL GOOD.

7. Breathe! Hold this pose for about two rounds of “Happy Birthday” and on an inhalation, lift the right leg off the left and bring both knees back to center.

Repeat on the other side sending your knees to the left. Sing two rounds of “Happy Birthday” once you decide if you want to place your left ankle on your right thigh just above the knee joint.

BREATHE! Release the left leg from the right thigh and see how you feel. Relax your jaw and your glutes. They’re not helping. Release resistance.

Was it harder and maybe more painful for one side? That’s your information. That side needs more balanced trunk rotation.

Do this a few times a week and watch what happens on the green or the courts, or when you back up your car, and when you reach for something.

When you twist, where’s the power center? Your core. If you’re returning a tennis shot, the racquet is the implement that strikes the ball. Your ability to reach that ball depends on your ability to stretch your body and move your feet.

Banish the idea that yoga means “pretzel.” Yoga is so much more: it’s about mental control, physical endurance, and breath awareness. The mindfulness of yoga transcends the mat: it informs you on the court, on the links, or in the boardroom. Yoga isn’t about STARTING strong, it’s about becoming strong. In a yoga practice, to the best of your ability you stretch, reach, twist, breathe, stand, balance, push, pull, swing, arch, press, fold, rise, bend, and concentrate.

That’s a little like life, isn’t it? Join us at the Fitness Center or via Zoom for any one of our several yoga classes. Happy breathing! Namaste! 