EACC NEWS East Aurora Country Club Member Newsletter May, 2018 Board of Directors Message from the President: May, 2018 Doug Marky President Jay Hoagland Vice President Human Resource Chair Golf Co-Chair Dave Finn Treasurer Finance Co-Chair Matt Hasselback Secretary House Co-Chair Membership Co-Chair John Holder Membership Chairman John McKenna Golf Chairman Frank Trzepkowski Finally the 2018 golf season has arrived but not without some false starts. When I drove down the Club driveway the week of April 16, the snow was gone and the flag on #16 was perched proudly on the green. (Drew and David are such optimists, you know). A few days later, everything was covered with snow and the flag was back in the fairway. As I write this, early in the week of April 23 rd the snow is gone again and the flag is back on the green, this time it appears, for the year! Welcome to Spring! Although the SWAT was postponed and then cancelled, and the start of the ladies 18 Holers and 9 Holers has been delayed, activity in the House has been good. Wine Down Wednesday has been as popular as always and Happy Hour on Thursdays has been well received, too. If you haven t had a chance to stop by the Club on a Thursday, please do as the ½ price specials on beer, wine and appetizers will continue all year. It s a great way to try out some new menu items. Eric has also planned a Kentucky Derby/Cinco de Mayo Party for May 5 th. Don t forget the Lucky Lady Dinner on the 10 th, and the popular Mother s Day Brunch on the 13 th. The first week of May marks the beginning of the men s Twilight League on the first and the Women s Wednesday League the next day. The Tulip Tournament on the 18 th and 19 th and the Lobster Stag on the 23 rd are both now sold out. There are waiting lists for both events. Continued on Page 2 House Chairman Audit Chairman Rick Dean Grounds Co-Chair Membership Co-Chair Mark Melas Grounds Chairman Audit Co-Chair Upcoming Events (Reservations Required) May 5 Kentucky Derby/Cinco de Mayo Party May 10 Lucky Lady May 13 Mother s Day Brunch 10am 2pm May 18 & 19 Tulip Tournament May 23rd - Lobster Stag May 28th Memorial Day Social June 2 1916 Dinner Theatre June 3 Kitchen Closed Bar Open Club Hours Sunday See Calendar Monday-Closed Tuesday-11am-4pm (Closed Dinner Twilight) Wednesday 11am 8pm Thursday 11am 8pm Happy Hour 4-6:30pm Friday-11am-8pm Saturday-11-8pm 1 300 Girdle Road, East Aurora, NY 14052 716-652-6800 www.eastauroracc.com
Continued from Page 1 Message from the President: May, 2018 Drew, Matt and their crew have been doing as much as they could to clean up the course after all the wind we have had. I know they have been delayed because the tree damage has come in a series of waves as the wind has subsided and then picked up again, during April. Just when they thought they were done and everything looked to be in good shape, it wasn t! Membership keeps on climbing. We now have 223 golf members. It seems quite a few people are able to see the advantages in joining EACC, even when it is covered with snow! You will find a list of our newest members in this newsletter. Don t forget about our New Member Referral program. If you know of a potential prospect, please contact David Jones. By the time you read this, letters will have been mailed to our members who have become delinquent in paying their accounts. A lot of progress has already been made in this endeavor. Thank you to all the members who always pay on time. As the golf season finally begins, please remember to repair your divots and ball marks and pick up your broken tees. EACC belongs to all of us. It helps tremendously when we each do our part in keeping it in great shape. Have an awesome 2018 golf season! Looking forward to seeing you on the course! Doug Marky, President When you play by the rules, defy mental demons, overcome every challenge and enjoy a walk in the country at the same time that s being alive. Arnold Palmer Gordy and Jeremy Fitzgerald at the Masters. 2
New Management Structure After nearly 18 months of planning, we are excited and proud to finally announce a new management structure at EACC. Effective immediately, Drew Thompson will assume the responsibilities of General Manager, Grounds & Finance and David Jones will take on the role of General Manager, Golf, House, and Event Operations. Utilizing the leadership talent & experience of our existing staff has been an idea the board presents to provide a better experience to our members, while providing a more effective management of EACC s resources. Each of the existing four departments (Business Office, Grounds, Golf, and House), their managers and staff naturally fold underneath these new roles. Under direction of the board, they have bolstered their assistants responsibilities over the past few seasons making a change like this possible. Moving forward Drew will be additionally supervising the Business Office operations and overall club finances. He will be monitoring all income and expense details in order to ensure adherence to budgets by all departments. David s role will grow to officially oversee membership and events. He will focus on revenue generation and promotion, while evolving the overall EACC experience. His valuable input and general Country Club Knowledge is vital to our growth and success as an organization. In addition to golf, David will oversee the House and events ensuring that we deliver appropriate service and quality to our membership. Both Drew and David are eager to take on these larger roles in the overall operations of the club. They, along with Eric, Sally and their staffs are committed to providing a superior private country club experience at East Aurora. Please join us in supporting their efforts by providing appropriately POSITIVE and RESPECTFULLY CONSTRUCTIVE feedback. Respectfully, EACC Board of Directors 3
News from the Golf Shop: Dear Member, The month of May is here! With it, our golf calendar really starts to ramp up. We are all excited to be back on the course playing some golf and I know everyone is looking forward to a fantastic season. Events are filling up extremely fast with both the Tulip and the May Lobster Stag being sold out. It is great to see the excitement surrounding these events. ABC/Directors Cup qualifying has started and will continue through the first two weekends of May on both Saturdays and Sundays. The cost is $10 per event per attempt. You must play with someone who can verify your score. Anyone participating in the qualifier must tee off by noon. The exception is Saturday May 5 th when you must tee off by 10 a.m. because of the IJM Qualifier at noon. Please make sure that if you wish to participate in these events throughout the season, your schedule allows for you to play matches in the given windows. The Mulligans, Ladies 18 Holers and Ladies 9 Holers have all started their weekly play and it is refreshing to see all the familiar faces out playing as well as some new faces. We have started our PGA Junior League season and are very excited about our team this year. We have some players that are veterans and some rookies on the team as well which gives us a nice balance! This is a fantastic junior golf opportunity and we are thrilled to be able to grow the game here at EACC. The golf shop is fully stocked with all new apparel, clubs, shoes and all the equipment you could need! Be sure to stop in and get the latest trends in golf and the gear to take your game to the next level. Our website features a brand-new layout for the calendar that has all the upcoming events for golf and the clubhouse. Some of the upcoming events are highlighted below: May 1 st Men s Twilight begins May 2 nd Ladies WWL begins May 6 th Ladies 3 Hole Mixer/Trunk Show May 18 th & 19 th Tulip Tournament May 23 rd Lobster Stag May 28 th Memorial Day Social As we enter the golfing season, please remind your guests of our dress code for EACC. I have included an abbreviated version from what is in the directory. (Page 10) Informing your guests before you arrive can help to avoid a potentially uncomfortable situation. Thanks for your help. Dave 4
Dress Code: The following dress requirements are to be adhered to in the clubhouse, on the golf course, practice range, and the practice green. Golf Attire: The primary purpose of a Dress Code policy is to ensure that all golfers present themselves in a neat and appropriate fashion. Our policy applies to the golf course and practice facilities and is in effect all year round. Dress guidelines are as follows: Men: Sleeved golf shirts with collars or mock turtlenecks shall be worn at all times with the shirt tucked in. Slacks, or golf shorts of appropriate length (no more than 2 above the top of the knee are acceptable. Tee shirts, tank tops, cargo shorts with non-flush pockets, walking shorts, denim of any color, and exercise pants are not permitted. Women: Golf skirts, skorts, slacks, crops or capris, shorts shall be worn no more than 6 above the knee. Sleeveless golf shirts need to have a collar or crew neck and sleeved golf shirts are acceptable without a collar. Short shorts or short skirts, denim, halter/tank/tube tops are not acceptable. Headwear and Footwear: Soft spiked golf shoes or sneakers are to be worn. Sandals, slippers, and bare feet are not allowed. Hats, caps and visors shall be worn in their intended fashion with the bills facing forward. Hats shall not be worn while in the main dining room. Grounds With Drew I m sure by the time you are reading this the temperatures are well into the 60 s and 70 s and we are on our way to another outstanding golf season. I am hoping that the grounds crew has returned from hibernation. We are mowing things on a regular basis and getting caught up with the overwhelming number of things we need to get done to make the golf course the best it can be. After all, it s May!! I know most of the conversations we have revolve around the weather, especially this year. It s been difficult to ignore and I for one can say it s been like nothing I ve seen in my professional career. I m an impatient person by nature (ask anyone on my crew) and it has taken extreme patience for us to stay off things. We could easily make more work for ourselves and that s the last thing we want to do. We ve worked at getting done the things we can, so that we are as ready for golf as possible. So that as you are out playing in todays beautiful weather (again, I m looking into the future as I write), you re not wondering where the ball-washers, garbage cans, hazard stakes or bunker rakes are. Whatever the weather has allowed us to do over the past few weeks, we ve been out doing. We still have much to get to and, like everyone else, the weather has got us behind a little. So, as you enjoy this beautiful May day (fingers crossed) lets look forward to what I m sure will be another fantastic Summer. See you on the course! Think Spring!!! Or maybe this is an opposite year and we should think winter. It s worth a shot. See you on the course! Drew Thompson, CGCS 5
House News Spring is sooooo close, we can almost smell it in the air. We are as excited about the golf season as everyone else is, and the sooner the better. With some warm weather owed to us, we are hoping to start serving on our beautiful patio soon. Keep an eye out for changes to the menu coming as well. Chef Steve and I are diligently working to improve the quality of the food and to enhance everyone's experience while dining with us. Speaking of enhancing experiences, the food and wine pairing dinner was amazing. Our culinary team, led by Chef Steve really outdid themselves for this event. Check out some of the pictures on the East Aurora Country Club Facebook page. Great job! Happy Hour on Thursdays will continue with an added signature "cocktail" of the evening to entice our guests, along with 1/2 off beer, wine by the glass, and appetizers. As we enter into full spring mode, watch for some great May events, starting with the Kentucky Derby/Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday May 5. Then there's the Lucky Lady dinner, Mother's Day, Tulip Tournament, Lobster Stag, and plenty of golf, great food, drinks, and company. Since spring has finally sprung, the staff in the House wishes everyone a happy and enjoyable spring. Eric Kanner Clubhouse Manager We would like to congratulate Francesca Casillo on her promotion to assistant manager of the House. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Frankie has been a tremendous help and an asset to the house management team and we're so happy to have her on board! Support the Club and the Newsletter by submitting articles and pictures to: Judy Smith at: dajusmith@roadrunner.com 6
18 HOLE GOLF NEWS After the cancellation of Opening Day and the week after due to the weather, and a cool start to the season, we look forward to May to hopefully provide more golf friendly weather. A few dates to remember: June 12 June 19 President s Plaque Guest Day: bring 1,2, or 3 guests These events may seem far away, but time goes fast once the warm weather comes and I want all the golfers to know what the agenda is so that we can get maximum participation, all events are well organized and great fun for everyone! Please continue to join us for our weekly games. If you are available please sign up by 5pm on Sunday. If your plans change and you cannot make it, please call the pro shop as soon as possible so that pairings can be rearranged. Rita Szczerbowski- 18 Hole Chairperson. News from Ladies' 9-Hole League May, 2018 Hello Everyone! The 9-Hole League is ready to start our 2018 season. We will be playing on Thursday mornings at 9:30 for a fun and friendly round of golf, followed by a great lunch! Please come out and join us, meet some new friends, and get some exercise. It s never too late to sign up. Also, all women of the club are invited to come to the Ladies 3-Hole Mixer on May 6th. This fun event features professional tips, a mimosa station and even a trunk show! Call the Pro-Shop to reserve your spot. See you on the course! Lisa Bonaventura, Co-Chair 7
2018 LADIES INVITATIONAL Nice weather and the Ladies Invitational will be here before you know it so mark your calendars and line up your guest! The 2 day Tournament, July 24 & 25 is a great way to spend time with a friend and have them experience our beautiful course. Besides the great camaraderie you and your guest will enjoy, there is breakfast and lunch both days with the awards following. All you need is a handicap to participate, so keep an eye out for further details so you don t miss out on a great day. Deb Ruschmann We d like to take this opportunity to welcome the following new members to the EACC family. Please do all you can to make them feel the special connection to EACC that we ve come to expect! Scott Flaherty (Intermediate) Jacob Cislo (Sophomore) Stephen Mayer (Sophomore) Scott Converse (Sophomore) Patrick McParlane (Sophomore) Tyler Norcia (Junior) Ryan Keller (Sophomore) Michael Kwiatkowski (General) Andrew Herr (Sophomore) Gordy and Jeremy Fitzgerald at the Masters. 8
Women s Board May 2018 The weather has finally started to turn the corner and spring & summer events at the club are kicking into high gear! First off, I d like to thank everyone who attended our Pallet Sign Workshop on April 12th. We had a great turn out and everyone had a blast. Buffalo Collective was a wonderful company to work with and we look forward to planning future events with them. Secondly, the Three-Hole Ladies Mixer, hosted by all 3 of the ladies golf leagues, will be held on Sunday, May 6th. This will be a fun, laid back golf outing for lady golfers of all skill levels. No scores will be kept, but fun is sure to be had! There will also be an Adidas Trunk Show from 1-3pm. If the weather doesn t cooperate we have a back-up plan! Call the pro-shop to reserve your spot today! And last, but certainly not least - Lucky Ladies Night will be here before we know it! Mark your calendars (& call for your reservation) for Thursday May 10th. Doors open at 5:30pm and dinner will be served at 6:30pm. Please remember to bring cash or checks for silent auctions and to purchase Chinese raffle tickets. Several members and local businesses have made donations to the silent auction, and we thank them for their generosity. I would also like to thank those who have purchased split club tickets for their continued support. There is still time if you have an item you would like to donate to the silent auction. Please contact Emily Obrist at 716-866-8118 or ekobrist@gmail.com to arrange a pick up. See you on the course! Emily Obrist Women s Board President 9
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MULLIGAN'S NEWS Snow on the roof at the Club on Friday April 20th! No Golf today and no winners in the Pool for first Friday golf session for Mulligans. Phil Kadet put all participants names in a hat and Doug Marky walked away with $45 that was in the pot! No Mulligan rounds to this date and Friday 4/27 may be in doubt! Spring is one month late this year. IJM Update May, 2018 We are now two months away from this year s IJM and things are coming together very well. Our player selection group, led by Paul O Brien, is very excited about the strength of this year s field. The finance group, led by Ron Olson, has been busy securing sponsorships and ads for this year s program book. The Ham Am is also rounding into shape. Thanks to Frank Ziolkowski for all of his efforts. As we come into the homestretch we will start reaching out to the membership for their assistance in hosting players and serving as spotters on the golf course during tournament week. Stay tuned for the sign up sheet in the pro shop. We may also have a few foursomes available in the Ham Am. We will communicate that through the pro shop at the appropriate time. Finally, May 5 is a busy day at the Club. We have joint Cinco de Mayo and Kentucky Derby celebrations in the clubhouse and we also have the IJM Qualifier going off of the first tee starting at noon. The first tee will be unavailable from noon to approximately 2:00. As always if anyone, has any questions regarding how to get involved in the IJM please feel free to approach me, Ron, OB or Frank when you see us at the Club. Jeff Kamien Tournament Director 12
IJM HOUSING HOSTS NEEDED! With the 2018 International Junior Masters Tournament fast approaching, this is an early reminder that we will be needing hosts to provide housing for many of our participants. We would greatly appreciate your support by providing housing for one or two of the participants. The dates for housing will be from Sunday June 24 to Saturday June 30. As a host, your responsibilities are as follows: Transportation from the airport to your home (if necessary) Provide breakfast each morning Provide dinner when there is no tournament activity (usually Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) Transportation to and from the course each day Transportation to the airport for departure (if necessary) There is an 11:00pm curfew for the boys unless they have your permission to do otherwise. The boys must keep you advised of their whereabouts at all times. Lunch will be provided for the boys each day at the Club. Dinner will be provided by the Club on Monday and Wednesday. These dinners are mandatory for the participants. Your support would be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in learning more about being a host or are ready to jump in and provide housing, please contact me. Mark Melas Housing Committee markmelas@gmail.com 655-1799 (H) 474-5777 (C) 13
RESERVE THE DATES- OBSERVERS NEEDED TUESDAY, JUNE 26 FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 Come join us and see some of the best junior golf played locally. We will be needing observers for the International Junior Masters Tournament You can sign up for two hours, two days or the entire tournament. It is your choice. Sign up sheets will be in the Pro Shop June 1. Lunch will be provided for each day that you participate. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Doug Marky (652-7134), Tom Rosenthal (667-3418) or Rudy Ruschmann (652-9159) Support the Club and the Newsletter by submitting articles and pictures to: Judy Smith at: dajusmith@roadrunner.com 14