Board Report

BY DAVID DELORENZO | BOARD PRESIDENT

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. At SGCC we were able to host many festive events as well as reflect on and be thankful for everything the Club accomplished in 2022. Although we are in the short, colder days of winter, Mother Nature has snuck in some mild days allowing many of you to keep your golf game sharp. If the weather is still too chilly for you, our golf simulator, which is temporarily housed in the Board Room, is available for practice, golf lessons, and social gatherings. The Pro Shop will be sponsoring some events in the coming months, but you can get out and create your own as well. This is the perfect time to brush up on your golf skills—the days are starting to get a longer and the golf season is right around the corner.

The Board and Management aim to provide the best possible experience for the membership, and many activities are moving forward as we head into the new year. January saw our largest ever pickleball tournament with 60 players competing and at least as many if not more spectators watching from the observation deck. As a new pickleballer myself, I can definitely see the attraction this rapidly growing sport has for members of all ages. If you have not tried it yet, get out there! The Racquets Department offers introductory pickleball clinics that will have you playing in no time.

We have a lot going on in the realm of facility improvements. Phase II of the golf course renovation has enhanced a couple of our signature holes with a new set of tee boxes on Number 3 and a new forward tee box on Number 15. Additionally, tree work has begun, and we will be removing and pruning many trees on the course as our focus on turf management, tree management, and course playability continues.

Renovations are nearly complete at the Tennis & Fitness Center, including a new floor and cardio equipment in the gym area. The fresh new look is modern and inviting, and I wish to thank Julie Graham of the House Committee for coordinating with Racquets, Fitness, Management, and the Board for the vision. Every time I’ve set foot in the building this winter, it has been packed with activity—from tennis to pickleball to the many youth programs the Racquets team is managing. It almost makes the cold winter days bearable to have such a fantastic facility available.

With thoughts of spring and the change of seasons in our sights, I would be remiss if I did not mention the changes at our Club regarding some long-term staff. First, after 36 years, Club Controller Martha Larimore will be leaving and moving on to another country club. The Board wishes to thank Martha for her years of service and wish her luck at her new location. Additionally, General Manager Bassam Medawar is leaving after 20 years at SGCC. The Board is in the midst of a national search with GSI Executive Search to find our next General Manager/Chief Operating Officer. Michael Hatch, of Acumen Golf, will be stepping in as our interim GM while we undergo our search. We are immensely thankful to Bassam for his many years of service to the Club. He was a good partner to the Board on many projects and we wish him great success in the future. While what seems like major change can be unsettling and adjusting to the “new” is never easy, the charge of the Board is to always look to the future of our Club, our facilities, our membership, and our assets. I assure you that we will be diligent and transparent in our efforts to infuse new leadership into our Club.

I am excited to work with you, our members, in the coming year. Our volunteers have did a tremendous job throughout 2022, adding many great new events and ideas into our already packed calendar. I would like to sincerely thank all the outgoing Committee members and Chairs for their hard work. For the first time ever, we recognized Volunteer Leadership: Linda Whitestone of the Tennis Committee was named our Volunteer of the Year with Peter Vogt and Katie Kissal also receiving awards. We could not do anything without our members getting involved, and I am pleased that we have such an inspired and active community here at SGCC. If you are new to the Club, I strongly encourage you to get involved. While I know some of you are going to find it difficult to deal with the aforementioned staffing changes, I am confident that 2023 presents us with an abundance of opportunity to evolve and grow as a club, continue to diversify our membership, improve and beautify our golf course, and engage as the best country club community in Northern Virginia.

Thank you again, and I wish you a healthy and happy 2023! 