Visit our webpage at http://www.sapelohammockgolfclub.com Sapelo Hammock Golf Club November Newsletter 1354 Marshview Drive NE Shellman Bluff, GA 31331 From the GM: Feels like fall is really here as the mornings have brought us a nice departure from the summer s heat and humidity. With that we can also look for some changes on the course. Temperature changes start to slow the growth of the turf and the lies start to get a little tighter. Hope you have learned a few short game techniques in the past few months that can be applied on the course. October was a busy month with golf events, weddings and other social events at the club. A summary of some of the major events can be found in this issue. Big thanks go out to all who participated and especially to those who were instrumental in organizing and volunteering to make them happen. Lastly, a thank you to all who came out on our Owner/Member, Customer Appreciation Day all 134 of you. It s our way to say thanks!!! A quick update on our Grab & Go program. We are definitely up and running and the program seems to be well received as a perfect complement to our hot dog and brat station. Try one and let us know we ll continue to bring in a variety and look for your favorites! A couple of quick reminders of upcoming events here at Sapelo Hammock. For those who are planning on joining us for the November 11 th Salute to Veterans Dinner. Reservations are required and there is still availability in both the 6:30 pm and 7:15 seating s cocktails from 6:00 pm. Secondly, there are a limited number of spots open for the 5 th Annual Keith Swindell Harry Long Benefit Golf Tournament will be played on Saturday, November 18. Proceeds from this event benefit the Morgan Chapel Food Bank. Lastly, mark your calendars for the Christmas Dinner on Saturday, December 2. Call the club to sign up. As always, thank you to the Social Committee who organizes all of our special dinner experiences. My thanks again and I am privileged to serve as your General Manager & Director of Golf. One last note don t forget to set your clocks back Sunday, November 5. An extra hour of sleep awaits. Jim Mancill, PGA General Manager/Director of Golf
From the Course: Fall is finally here and the cool mornings we are having sure do feel nice. This is a great time of year for golf, football and the upcoming holidays. Although this is one of my favorite times of the year, I wish summer wasn t ending just yet, so we would have a little more time to improve the course. This season has certainly flown by, but it has been a rewarding one. We still have much to do to get the golf course where it needs to be. None of our goals could have been met without the continued support and commitment of the executive committee, our owners and our members. I want to thank all of you for your contribution to the improvement of the course, and the encouragement you have given to me and my staff. Over the next few weeks as the grass starts slowing down, we will be turning our attention to the fall and winter projects planned for the course. With the help of our men s group volunteers, one of these has already begun; the cleaning out and cutting of unwanted plants and growth in the marshes. Our goal this winter will be to complete this removal on all holes and to open up additional marsh views where possible. My staff will be doing some light pruning and cutting of the lower limbs throughout the course. We will also be removing the succors at the base of the trees. The bunkers need to be reworked this winter as well. Many of our bunkers need more sand in the faces and leveling in the bottoms. This can be a time-consuming process, but it will provide improved playing conditions and consistency. This fall we will be applying a pre-emergent herbicide for the control of weeds, course wide. As you already know, weeds are a major issue on the course but we have a solid program in place to control them going forward. Thanks to everyone from the men s group who helped on our last work day, the bunkers and ponds look great. I have certainly enjoyed my 5 th season with you here at Sapelo Hammock. This truly is a great golf course, and one that I am proud to be superintendent of. Together we have reached some short-term goals and my staff and I look forward to accomplishing much more during this upcoming fall and winter season. If there is anyone interested in volunteering, please contact me at 678-570-1888, or Lou Fuentes at 912-312-1029. Chris Hankey Director of Golf Course Operations
From the Tee Golf Tip of the Month: Wedge Fitting We covered the basics of playing around the green by covering chipping, pitching and lob shot techniques. That is a good start but one of the most overlooked area id actually using the right tools for the job. Wedge fitting is a lot more than going to the sales rack and picking up the bargain wedge. Taking the time to get one that matching your game, or course conditions can make a world of difference. The following is an excerpt from an interview with Bob Vokey, considered by many to be the finest fitter and builder of wedges in the world. Bob has been making wedges for 40 years, and has been making them for Titleist for 19 years. As you use the feedback from tour players looking for a club that will execute a variety of shots, what s that mean for the recreational golfer? A lot of these players [on Tour] and especially weekend golfers need to realize that the game is played 100 yards and in. These guys out here, they hit 14, 15 greens a round. What s the weekend golfer hit, six or seven? That s a lot of time spent dealing with misses. So maybe guys should think about throwing an extra wedge in the bag to help them hit a couple of different shots. It might help them enjoy the game a little more. Speaking of the weekend warriors, what do you think your average amateur golfer needs to know about picking a wedge? Gaps. Knowing how far you hit your wedges. Sand wedges have stayed at 56 degrees. But when I was growing up, pitching wedges were at 51 or 52 degrees. Now, they re all the way down to 46 degrees. You got a lot of weekend golfers who may have a 46-degree pitching wedge, but a 56-degree sand wedge. So, there s a gap in there. I d say, between four and six degrees of loft should be a pretty good gap. How do you know when the gaps are right? Test it out. Take a bunch of balls you play with and find a clear spot. Hit some full 9-irons. You ll get a little grouping. Then hit some pitching wedges. You ll get another little group. Then hit the wedges you have. And when you re done, take a look at the groups. See how far apart they are. That s how you ll know what your gaps are and what if any you need to fill. Any other advice for getting the right wedge? Know your wedge options. Know what type of grind you need, what type of bounce you need for the course you play the most often. Worry about your home course, not the place you may play once every month or two. Think about your course. Think about where your misses are. Think about the types of shots you have to hit. And then see what sort of wedges will work best for you there. What type of greens do you play, what bunkers do you play from? Are you playing to elevated greens? Well, then you might need a 58-60. But if it s all flat, maybe you re better off with a 48-52-56. Once you ve done that, get fit. Fitting is huge. Go to a Titleist fitting center or your PGA pro to help you choose. With wedges, people don t think about fitting like they do with irons. Most people go into Discount -Golf-Whatever store and grab a club off the rack without ever really knowing what it does. Jim Mancill, PGA General Manager/Director of Golf
October News & Notes NeSmith Chevrolet 2-Man Scramble October 14 & 15 Thank you to our event sponsor, Martin NeSmith for your continued support of Sapelo Hammock Golf Club and our tournament program. Great weather and super course conditions greeted this year s 2-man teams who participated in three (Open, Seniors & Super- Senior) Divisions. Our winners were: Open Division Chad Carver & Cory Martin Senior Division Jay Taub & Ron Cohen Frank Vozzolo & Graham Lewis Super-Senior Division Danny Sikes & Mike Hardy To all of our participants, thank you, and we look forward to another spirited weekend of competition next year. MGA Golf & Fishing Tournament October 25 & 26 The annual Golf & Fishing Tournament put on by the MGA was another huge success. 6 boats (18 fisherman) went out on Wednesday and caught 101 keepers. Day two was the handicapped golf portion of the event with the Captain Bob Jameson, John Wilsterman and RB Kluttz coming out on top! Some special thanks go out to our cooks, JJ Durrence and as always, Jordy Evans for a great fish fry.
LGA Halloween Invitational October 24 This Year s Players Welcome! Matching Partners! Share in some of the fun and action from the day s activities. Boo!
Overall Winners Rita Wilhelm & Mary Richards Our Host Janet Lewis & The Cat s Best Costume Winner What a Beautiful Day at Sapelo Birdie Brigade Great weather greeted all of our ghosts & goblins for this year s festivities. As always, the costumes were creative and fun. Special thanks go out to the event organizer Janet Lewis and her staff for putting on a terrific event. The prizes were fun and the pieces on the Silent Auction Table were really interesting this year. Thanks also go out to the members of the MGA who volunteered for the day especially our beverage cart/bartenders! Hope you ll be back again next year!
Upcoming Events 5th Annual Keith Swindell - Harry Long Benefit Golf Tournament Saturday, November 18, 2017 Proceeds to benefit Morgan s Chapel Community Food Bank $75 entry fee per player includes: (greens fee, cart fee, mulligan's & lunch) Limited to the first 54 Teams paid Player registration - 8 am Shotgun start - 9am
Still Time to Make Your Reservations CALL NOW! SALUTE THE VETERANS At Sapelo Hammock Golf Club On Veterans Day - Saturday November 11, 2017 Special Guest: WW2 Veteran Harold Hicks Chef Bill Marcie and his Radical Creations troops will be on deck with a Classic Gourmet Dinner that will make you forget the Mess Hall! -The Menu- Pot Roast, Chicken Picatta, Roasted Root Vegetables, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Gruyere & Sliced Almonds, Salad Station -For Dessert - Apple Pie with Hand Made Vanilla Bean Ice Cream -The Signature Cocktail- Artillery Punch! Bar open at 6pm Dinner s Seating s ~ 6:30 & 7:15 *All Veterans will be recognized* $25.00 per person for members, $30.00 non-members Make Reservations by calling the Sapelo Hammock Club House at 912-832-4653
Join us for a Wintery White Old-Fashioned Christmas at Sapelo Hammock Golf Club The Party Starts at 6:00 pm on December 2 nd Bill Marcie and the Radical Creations Elves begin serving at 6:30 -The Menu- Ahi Tuna Poke, Spicy Asian Sesame Chicken Skewers, Filet Mignon Carving Station, Lamb Lollipops, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots, Potatoes Au Gratin Farm to Market Salad Bar -For Dessert- A Variety of Petit Fours & Mini Mousse Cups -The Signature Cocktail- White Russian & the Old Fashioned Expect Impromptu Bursts of Entertainment Throughout the Evening $30 (Members) ~ $35 (Non-Members) Make Reservations Early by Calling the Sapelo Hammock Club House at 912-832-4653
Ladies, grab your Friends and Join us on Monday December 11, 2017 For Sapelo Hammock s Christmas Tea-Tini 3:00 ~ 5:00pm ish it s a tea party! We will be serving traditional and non-traditional Sweets and Savories. it s a cocktail party! The Seasonal Signature Cocktail is the Jingle Bell It s a Tea-Tini! $5.00 at the door Call the Sapelo Hammock Club House at 912-832-4653 to make reservations
Calendar of Events November Salute the Veterans Dinner...11 th 5 th Annual Keith Swindell - Harry Long Benefit Golf Tournament...18 th December Owner/Member Christmas Dinner (Catered by Radical Creations)...2 nd Holiday Tea Tini 11 th Sapelo Hammock Golf Club 1354 Marshview Drive NE Shellman Bluff, GA 31331 912-832-4653