Kiki’s SpinachFeta Pockets by Kiki’s Gluten Free Foods LLC

Each recipient of this year’s Food & Beverage Innovations (FABI) Awards, which will be showcased at the 2013 National Restaurant Show on May 18-21 in Chicago, demonstrated the ability to cater to increasing consumer demand for on-trend foods, such as using gluten-free, organic and all-natural ingredients.

Plenty of attractions will draw attendees to the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show—including a presentation by Anthony Bourdain—but for food-and-beverage operators, great ideas and consistent follow-through are the true stars.

This year’s recipients of the Food & Beverage Innovations (FABI) Awards, which will be acknowledged at the May 18-21 show held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, displayed high marketability, met nutritional needs, and offered operator benefits, says John Li, Senior Vice President of Research & Development for Bloomin Brands, Inc., and one of 12 judges for the competition.

Each recipient demonstrated the ability to cater to increasing consumer demand for on-trend foods, such as using gluten-free, organic and all-natural ingredients.

“With gluten-free and vegan products, we know that those people with extreme food allergies and dietary restrictions come through our doors on a day-to-day basis,” says judge Brad Nelson, Vice President and Corporate Chef of Marriott International.

Edison Grainery’s Organic Quinoa Pasta

The FABI 2013 Award recipients include:

• Dawn Foods’ TasteFills™;
• Edison Grainery’s Organic Quinoa Pasta;
• Hail Merry Snacks’ Merry’s Chocolate Miracle Mini Tart;
• Kiki’s Gluten Free Foods, LLC’s Kiki’s SpinachFeta Pockets;
• Nu-Tek Food Science’s Salt for Life™ Sea Salt Blend;
• Sinco Inc.’s Italcrust Ancient Grain Handstretched Woodfired Frozen Pizza Crust; and
• Wagshal’s Imports’ Fermin Iberico de Bellota Smoked Panceta.

Sifting through all the trendy products available to F&B operators is a daunting task, Nelson acknowledges, but the FABI awards aim to give operators a starting point.

“To determine where to start, I think you first need to take a look at your market landscape and make sure your market will respond to the trend,” Nelson says. “Most important is to build trust with your guests. You can make new ideas work when they trust that they can be adventuresome, and it will meet their expectations. Educate your guests and show that you’ve done your homework, and they will be much more responsive to new things.”

Adding menu items gradually can help ease the transition for members and guests, satisfying nutritional requirements while still getting the flavor satisfaction provided by less healthy foods, says judge Greg LaMothe, Vice President of Restaurant Concepts and Hospitality for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.

“Start with a few items and highlight them on menus—talk them up,” LaMothe says. “It takes some experimentation and requires feedback, so chefs should be talking to their club member audience to gauge satisfaction and test boundaries. These members eat this food frequently, so they stand to benefit most from increased healthful offerings.”

Downed trees from Superstorm Sandy were salvaged and turned into posts with nest boxes for American Kestrels.

Standards that provide wildlife with quality living areas when they settle down after winter travels are being implemented at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., and no animal is more thrilled with the collaborative effort than the American Kestrel.

The staff at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., is making sure the sounds of spring can be heard loud and clear through the club’s habitat restoration project, the New Jersey Audubon’s Stewardship Blog reports.

As a member of New Jersey Audubon’s Corporate Stewardship Council, Trump National is implementing standards that provide wildlife with quality living areas after winter travels.

To prepare for native vegetation seedings and plantings this spring, the Trump National staff, led by Director of Grounds Tyler Otero, has been working over the winter months to remove non-native invasive vegetation from the property. The efforts to establish habitat meadows, which consist of native wildflowers and warm-season grasses, and to plant native trees and shrubs around wetland and other riparian zones on the property, will enhance the course’s value to migratory birds and pollinators, the Stewardship Blog reports.

“It’s pretty exciting to see the variety of migrants already coming through the property,” says John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. “Ring-necked ducks and hooded merganser have already arrived and are using the on-site water features.”

Trump National GC’s staff and New Jersey Audubon joined forces to prepare the Bedminster, N.J., property for returning spring wildlife.

With assistance from NJ Audubon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, club staff placed numerous bird-nesting boxes on site, in anticipation of spring migrants. Staff also salvaged downed trees from Superstorm Sandy to create posts for kestrel nest boxes on site, the Stewardship Blog reports.

“The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America, and it has recently been placed on New Jersey’s ‘Threatened Species’ list,” Parke says. “One of the main reasons for its decline is the lack of habitat and scarcity of nest sites. Being a secondary cavity nester, it does not excavate its own nest cavity; the kestrel requires a hole in a tree, like an abandoned woodpecker hole.

“However, this little falcon will readily utilize man-made nest boxes,” Parke continues. “So with the nest boxes in place overlooking open areas of the course, as well as the grassland restoration areas, I guess you can say the American Kestrel will now also experience luxury living at a Trump property.”

The ECM awards ceremony, held in the University Club Atop Symphony Towers in San Diego

The 2012 recipients of the Excellence in Club Management (ECM) awards, co-sponsored by Club & Resort Business and the McMahon Group, were honored during a special reception, dinner and ceremony held in the University Club Atop Symphony Towers, in conjunction with the Club Managers Association of America’s annual conference in San Diego.

On a sparkling Saturday night, thirty-four stories above downtown San Diego, 130 of the country’s most accomplished club managers and their guests enjoyed panoramic views of the city from the picture windows of the University Club Atop Symphony Towers. The stars were also out inside the impressive ClubCorp setting on February 9th, as the 2012 recipients of the Excellence in Club Management (ECM) awards, co-sponsored by Club & Resort Business and the McMahon Group, were honored during a special reception, dinner and ceremony held in conjunction with the Club Managers Association of America’s annual conference.

The annual awards are selected through nominations submitted on behalf of qualified candidates by other parties. A Selection Committee comprised of a peer group of club managers conducts the judging; the McMahon Group and Club & Resort Business are not involved in the selection of the award winners. Winners are selected solely on the basis of their achievements at the club they currently manage; “lifetime achievements” are not considered.

The winners, left to right: Robert Jones, Paul Skelton, Eric Dietz and John Dorman (the fifth winner, Michael Chase, was not present)

The 2012 group, which has five award winners because of a tie that resulted from the judging in one category, were presented with their ECM awards during this year’s event, which was sponsored by Bollinger Insurance, ClubCorp and Toro.

Winners of 2012 awards, which were presented by William P. McMahon, Sr., Chairman of the McMahon Group, and Frank Vain, President of the McMahon Group, included:
• The James H. Brewer Award (Country/Golf Clubs with 600 or More Full-Privilege Members)—Robert E. Jones, CCM, CCE, ECM, General Manager/COO, Desert Mountain Club, Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz.
• The Mead Grady Award (Country/Golf Clubs with Fewer than 600 Full-Privilege Members)—Eric J. Dietz, CCM, PGA, ECM, General Manager/CEO, Lakewood Country Club, Rockville, Md., and Paul K. Skelton, CCM, ECM, General Manager/COO, The Country Club at DC Ranch, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• The Mel Rex Award (City, Athletic or Specialty/Non-Golf Club)—John P. Dorman, CCM, ECM, General Manager, The University Club of New York, New York, N.Y.

The recipient of the 2012 Rising Star Award, Michael A. Chase, Jr., CCM, ECM, Club Manager, The Loxahatchee Club, Jupiter, Fla., was not present to accept his award in San Diego, as he dutifully stayed in Florida to oversee an event at his club. His award was accepted by The Loxahatchee Club’s COO/General Manager, Kevin Carroll, CCM.

The event was sponsored by Bollinger Insurance, ClubCorp and Toro.

Many previous winners of the ECM award, which was established by the McMahon Group in 1997 and has been co-sponsored by Club & Resort Business since 2005, were also present and recognized at this year’s dinner, along with those who have served on the judging committee for the awards.

A full listing of judges and past winners, plus information on how to nominate candidates for recognition in future years, can be found at the special website for the ECM Awards program, www.clubmanageraward.com.

Presentations for ECM winners are also held at their individual clubs throughout the year, and in-depth articles detailing the achievements that led to their selection will appear in upcoming issues of Club & Resort Business.

The show floor at GIS in San Diego

Back-to-back shows in San Diego gave course superintendents and club managers ample opportunity to peruse this year’s displays of productivity-enhancing and revenue-producing products.

The weather was unseasonably cool, to the point where local Southern Californians could be seen on the street in full overreaction gear, complete with mittens, ski hats and face scarves.

But for those who came to San Diego at the beginning of February from much harsher winter settings, the 50-degree days still provided a welcome break. And real warmth could be found on the trade-show floors of the Golf Industry Show (GIS) and Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) World Conference, held back-to-back over a four-day stretch in the San Diego Convention Center, as club managers, owners, golf professionals and course superintendents came together with industry suppliers to spark a lively and upbeat shopping—and buying—atmosphere.

Toro displayed it Multi Pro sprayers.

Here are highlights of what some of the more prominent exhibitors featured in their displays at this year’s shows:

Toro® displayed its new Twilight™ Golf lighting products, designed to help  club and resort properties drive additional revenue by extending daily activities such as putting practice among members and guests, and also by promoting after-dark weddings and other special events. The Twilight Golf package includes battery-powered, completely wireless Twilight Golf Cup Lights that can be swapped out with existing cups in seconds, with no disruption to the greens. While the cup lights’ energy-efficient, low-voltage, LED lamps sufficiently illuminate the flag and putting green surface, they emit very little heat, eliminating risk of injury or attraction of insects. In addition, a perimeter lighting system is available to illuminate the entire green, using lighting receptacles that are permanently buried underground, just off the putting green surface, so they remain unnoticed and do not intrude with daytime play. An innovative, quick-connect system allows lights to be easily snapped in during evening use and removed when finished.

The Toro booth also featured the Multi Pro® 5800 and 1200/1250 sprayers, which offer 300-gallon and 175-gallon tank capacities, respectively. Multi Pro models offer six-diaphragm pumps to supply twice the flow for spray operation and simultaneous aggressive agitation. Precision and accuracy are assured through spray systems using  the Pro Control XP console, which has been updated with new software to improve response time and desired spray rates.

E-Z-GO’s versatile Refresher 1200 offers up to 19 modules, for on-course sales of everything from shirts to cigars.

At the exhibit shared by Textron companies Cushman® and E-Z-GO®, visitors saw the latest update to the Refresher 1200, a service vehicle that features innovative FlexServe Technology to help golf facilities and resorts quickly and easily customize food, beverage and merchandise offerings for specific customer profiles. The system features a modular design that allows a course to customize the Refresher 1200 within minutes to accommodate a variety of different products, from hot food to cold drinks to apparel. There are 19 different modules in all, ranging from merchandise racks to humidors.

A 12-sq. ft. counter wraps around the unit, providing ample space to prepare drinks and meals, and provide an inviting area for customers to gather. Specially designed inserts, certified by the National Sanitation Foundation, allow  consumable ice to be stored and served.

The new design also has significantly more storage space than previous models or competitive units, with 12 cu. ft. of beverage storage and an optional module for another 3 cu. ft.

The Refresher 1200 also features 5.7 cu. ft. of merchandising space, expandable with optional modules to a total of 18 cu. ft. A 3-cu. ft. refuse container offers a spacious, easily accessible receptacle for trash and recyclables.

Beneath the hood, the Refresher 1200’s 13.5-hp, 401cc Kawasaki® engine generates the power and torque needed to traverse steep paths. A limited-slip differential greatly improves traction on wet or loose terrain, while helping to protect turf from damage due to wheel slippage. A new suspension keeps the ride smooth and comfortable throughout long days on the course.

Club Car’s new four-person vehicle, the Precedent 4Fun, is designed to help attract new players and bring former players back to the game by reviving golf’s social appeal.

Cushman® also displayed the fully electric Cushman Hauler™ with a 72-volt AC drivetrain, upgraded from more traditional 48-volt systems, to provide the range and power once exclusive to gas-powered machines in a silent, zero-emissions vehicle. The new Hauler offers up to 50 miles of range between charges.

The AC Drive technology is up to 25 percent more energy-efficient than DC technology, according to Cushman, and provides for unique features such as regenerative braking, to recharge the batteries whenever the brakes are applied, as well as control to maintain constant speeds up and down steep slopes. An optional limited-slip differential provides improved traction on wet or loose turf, aiding in the prevention of turf damage.

The Hauler, available in mid-2013, will feature a maximum load capacity of 1,000 lbs. and come standard with a 9.5-cu. ft. cargo bed. A 14.9-cu. ft. aluminum cargo bed will be available as a factory-installed option.

Club Car displayed the Precedent 4Fun, its new four-passenger vehicle that will be piloted in cooperation with the PGA of America at courses that have established Get Golf Ready programs, designed to attract new players and bring former golfers back to the sport.

The Precedent 4Fun features front-facing seats for four passengers, along with attachments for four golf bags, including junior-sized bags, plus additional cup holders and a rear passenger hip restraint. Club Car expects the Precedent 4Fun to be popular at courses that want to create new opportunities for their members and guests to enjoy the camaraderie and fun of a round of golf. “That also means new revenue opportunities for the course,” noted Marc Dufour, Club Car President and CEO.

John Deere dug deep during the Golf Industry Show to make a $1 million donation to The First Tee.

Production of the Precedent 4Fun, which can include Club Car’s Visage Mobile Golf Communications System, is scheduled to begin later in 2013.

John Deere’s presence at the Golf Industry Show was highlighted by its announcement that it will donate $1 million over five years to The First Tee® and become a Trustee of the non-profit youth organization, which provides life skills and character-education programs for young people, using golf as a platform. The $1 million donation will be used to enhance the experience of The First Tee participants by creating a golf maintenance career-oriented youth development program, in conjunction with the PGA TOUR. Local chapters of The First Tee will partner with the TOUR’s Tournament Player Courses (TPC) to provide the opportunity for high school-aged participants to learn about topics in agronomy and golf course maintenance careers. As a planned extension, participants will also have the chance to experience what it’s like to maintain a TPC golf course during a tournament week.

John Deere also previewed its new A40 and V40 PrecisionCore Aerators, which offer features for increased productivity and efficiency, including:
• An articulating frame for consistent hole depth in undulating terrain
• Shift on-the-fly technology that allows users to change hole spacing while the machine is in motion
• Tight turning radius for sharper, quicker turns

Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. company, made good on its mission to “blanket San Diego in Jacobsen orange,” not only by showcasing six new and enhanced products in its expansive booth (which also included a test track), but also by parking Jacobsen-branded pedicabs and muscle cars on streets outside the Convention Center, and having  Jacobsen brand ambassadors greet guests with gift cards, t-shirts and other giveaways.

Everywhere you looked in San Diego, Jacobsen had found a new way to “paint the town orange.”

Jacobsen’s new LF510™ fairway mower was unveiled on the show floor, along with an ECLIPSE™ 322 riding greens mower with Lithium power, which visitors could take for a test drive on the in-booth track. Other new items on display included Jacobsen’s TrueSet™ cutting unit, Greens King™ 500 Series and PGM™ 22 walking greens mowers with Classic XP™ 15-blade reels. Prototypes of an innovative new bidirectional Turf Groomer with rotating brush and a seven-gang articulating rotary mower, expected to be available later this year, were also shown.

The GIS and CMAA shows (along with the PGA Merchandise Show, held at the end of January in Orlando) offered the first opportunities for Yamaha Golf-Car Company to display its The Drive cars featuring the new electronic fuel injection (EFI) technology that the company introduced last fall.

Yamaha Golf-Car President Tom McDonald reported that the first deliveries of The Drive cars with EFI were made at the end of the year, and that many more inquiries had been received since the beginning of 2013.

“The interest in converting from electric to gas in general, and to gas cars with EFI in particular, is picking up for many reasons,” McDonald said. “Operators are seeing how gas-powered cars with EFI can be much more efficient and reliable, which not only helps keep them on the course, making money for clubs, but also leads to lower labor operating costs.

Yamaha’s The Drive with Electronic Fuel Injection

“After rainstorms, gas-powered cars can get on courses much faster, because they weigh so much less than electrics, and they can also be counted on to start  in colder weather,” McDonald noted.  “Plus there’s the benefit of significant fuel-cost savings.” (When unveiling The Drive EFI model, Yamaha provided results of independent testing that showed it yielded 34% better gas mileage than the next leading competitor.)

The EFI model also offers “green” benefits compared to carbureted gas cars:
• exhaust emissions reduced by 48%
• smoother, more responsive acceleration, eliminating the potential for “carburetor stumbles”
• eliminated requirement of a choke
• automatic adjustment for changes in altitude.

The ballroom at Fiddler’s Elbow CC (above) was converted into a social center to provide a place of refuge for members and guests in Superstorm Sandy’s aftermath.

“Superstorm” Sandy brought major distress to the East Coast, but also gave clubs a chance to step up to serve their memberships and communities—and help life’s important passages continue amid the most challenging conditions.

Paramount Country Club in New City, N.Y., made sure a couple wouldn’t have to delay their “I dos” because of Mother Nature’s fury. Jennifer Strauss and James O’Brien were set to be married on November 3 at the 217-acre club, located 35 minutes from Manhattan. So when the first warnings of Sandy came, the club’s staff and management sprung into action. Chief Engineer Josh Rutkowski cleared gutters, protected windows and sandbagged at-risk locations to try to minimize expected damage to the buildings.

Still, when Sandy hit on October 28-29, the severe winds and rain toppled more than 50 large trees on club grounds, including several at the main entrance that knocked out all power and communication at the club.

General Manager Eric Wolfrey and Golf Course Superintendent Brian Chapin then spent countless hours trying to secure a generator powerful enough to run the clubhouse, kitchen and catering operation. Sitting atop the roof to get cell service, Chapin procured a large generator from Maine after days of trying. Other generators borrowed from a construction company and that were in the club’s inventory provided supplemental power.

Paramount CC’s Executive Chef Lloyd Modeste

Rutkowski then spent days repairing damage from the storm and helping a commercial electrician rewire power sources. Executive Chef Lloyd Modeste slept at the club every night to ensure the generators were properly preserving the integrity of his food.

Less than a week after Sandy slammed through the area, Strauss and O’Brien stood as planned in front of 150 friends and relatives to exchange their wedding vows. “Despite the challenging weather conditions and the turmoil surrounding it, you were able to pull everything together and create a wonderful and very special evening for our family and friends,” Ron and Renee Strauss, parents of the bride, wrote to the club.

Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club hosted an impromptu exchange of nuptials and provided much-needed respite for its members after the storm hit Bedminster, N.J. While power went out, trees came down and rivers overflowed throughout the state, Fiddler’s Elbow opened the day after the hurricane and used “robo” calls and e-blasts to let members know the club was still open. Members and local residents took advantage of hot showers, electronics-charging capabilities, Internet access and meals during the storm (with the club’s dress code temporarily suspended).

Brian Chapin, Paramount CC’s Golf Course Superintendent

Businesses took over meeting rooms, the ballroom was converted into a social center so members could mingle, watch television or just rest, and a full slate of children’s activities kept youngsters busy, including pumpkin painting and movie screenings. The kitchen kept hot coffee flowing and supplied fresh-baked cookies.

A November 4 wedding, originally planned for another venue that was unable to open, was held on the property as well.
On November 15, a member hosted a “Day of Rebuilding” event at the club, at which donated goods were collected and trucked to the hard-hit New Jersey shore.

After the roads were cleared and power was restored, the Fiddler’s Elbow staff received a deluge of thank yous: “We don’t know what we would have done had you not remained operational during these last two devastating weeks,” one member wrote. “Being able to eat and shower at the club was a little bit of ‘heaven’ in an otherwise ‘hellish’ situation.”

With 363 attendees, the Centennial Celebration was the best-attended event in Merion GC’s history.

An impressive blueprint for how to stage a once-in-a-lifetime, or at least once-in-a-century, gala was recently displayed by Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

Many clubs founded during golf’s original heyday in the U.S. are now nearing milestone anniversaries. These birthdays offer special opportunities to celebrate a club’s traditions and unique standing—but marking the occasion properly and memorably isn’t something that happens overnight.

An impressive blueprint for how to stage a once-in-a-lifetime, or at least once-in-a-century, gala was recently displayed by Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., when that storied club marked the 100th year of its historic East Course with a Centennial Celebration for 363 members on September 29—the best-attended event in Merion’s history. The party also served as a full dress rehearsal for activities being planned for next year, when Merion and the Hugh Wilson-designed East Course will be the site of the 2013 U.S. Open.

Nearly a year before this year’s anniversary event for the course, a committee of club members and staff, including General Manager Christine Pooler, Clubhouse Manager Clive Smith, Executive Chef Jerry Schreck and Catering and Events Manager Tara Lyons, began to plan the details that would ensure a special evening.

Banners specially made for the Centennial Celebration lined the drive as guests arrived.

Club members were then let in on those plans when they were sent a hand-calligraphed invitation and a limited-edition booklet, “A Centennial Celebration of the East Course.” The members were invited to morning golf followed by “dinner and dancing in the finest Merion style.” Response cards with acceptances began to arrive “almost immediately,” the club reports.

When arriving for the event, members found special banners on lampposts lining the drive leading up to the club that showed a century-old photograph of golfers. A 1912 Marion Bobcat Model 33 Speedster was parked in front of the clubhouse, and Head Golf Professional Scott Nye and his staff personally greeted each guest as the Washington Memorial Pipe Band filled the air with the music of Scotland.

As guests approached the 80’ x 70’ Century tent erected for the evening, with end-of-century light posts illuminating the way, each signed a certificate commemorating their participation in the celebration.

In another nod to history, guests were seated at long banquet tables with candelabras, and nearly the entire interior of the tent was lit by candlelight.

Guests dined on Maine lobster and creamed white corn tarts, a baby frisee salad and coffee-crusted filet mignon. Two special-label wines were produced for the occasion in partnership with Miner Family Winery, and a “birthday” cake in the shape of the East Course was served on the first tee.

In the words of one member: “The presentation, the service level, decorations, food, entertainment and creativity on all levels was outstanding.”

GOLF 9/12 is an annual event that was started at golf courses worldwide in 2011 to rekindle the spirit of unity that prevailed the day following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The nonprofit initiative encourages people to play golf at their local facilities during the week of September 12.

One of its co-founders, Johan Immelman, a past Southern Africa PGA Tour commissioner and the father of 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman, was at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on September 12, 2012 for its second annual GOLF 9/12 event.

“9/11 certainly is one of those big moments in our lives that we will never forget, and those that come after us will know about it,” Immelman says. “We started GOLF 9/12 last year as a history lesson, but it will also make us look forward.”

American flags stand in as flagsticks for the GOLF 9/12 annual event.

The Augusta tournament, along with another GOLF 9/12 event that was held September 10 at the Country Club of Columbus (Ga.), served as a pilot program to shift the focus of the event. While the nonprofit originally supported armed forces charities and 9/11 victim memorial funds, it now recognizes the valor of first responders.

Proceeds from the golf tournament fundraisers were donated to scholarship funds to help first responders, along with their spouses and children, attend colleges or technical schools in their communities. GOLF 9/12 also contributed $10,000 to each of the scholarship funds at Augusta State University and Columbus State University, where Immelman’s oldest son, Mark, is the head men’s golf coach.

“Our vision is to form as many partnerships as we can with universities, athletic departments and first responders,” says Immelman. “The scholarships are established locally, and the money stays in the communities.”

While 13 four-ball teams teed off at Forest Hills, 24 four-ball teams participated at the Country Club of Columbus.

Retired Brig. Gen. Jeff Foley, who serves as Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center Vice President of Military and Global Affairs, and Clint Bryant, Augusta State Director of Athletics, co-chaired the GOLF 9/12 event at Forest Hills.

Johan Immelman, right, poses with his wife, June Immelman, and Capt. Mallory Jones, Richmond County Marshal’s Office, at a GOLF 9/12 event.

“None of us will ever forget the terrorist attacks of 9/11 nor the day after, when American flags were proudly displayed on front doors, mailboxes and cars – when people lined up at blood centers to make donations – when we all came together as a united America, “ says Foley. “This annual tournament is to remind people not only of how connected we were then, but to encourage that sense of unity and connectivity.”

Bryant was overwhelmed by the support from GOLF 9/12.

“This is one way that we can show our appreciation and gratitude to our communities’ first responders who lay their lives on the line every day,” Bryant says.

Immelman believes golf is a natural way to restore the united spirit of 9/12.

“The game of golf represents the best of humanity – integrity, honesty, respect, courtesy, charity, sportsmanship, and the pursuit of excellence,” Immelman says. “These are values we hope GOLF 9/12 can count on for support.”

Among the nine Golf Squad members, they speak six languages and will gladly take a snapshot of you and your foursome.

A team of course ambassadors is making sure golfers at La Costa Resort and Spa make the most of their rounds. The Golf Squad roams the Carlsbad, Calif., resort’s 36-hole North and South courses, looking to add fun, direction and encouragement to what can be a serious game.

“It’s all about making each guest feel special,” says James Hochrine, La Costa’s Assistant Director of Golf, who manages The Golf Squad.  “We want every guest to feel right at home as soon as they walk in the door.”

Though the squad will tell patrons how putts break and rake a bunker for them, they also offer an eclectic mix of interests. Between them, they speak six different languages, one used to work as an anesthesiologist and another directed customer service for a major U.S. automaker

A Golf Squad member provides guidance on the green at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.

All nine members carry business cards as they roam the links two at a time, and offer an “at your service” mentality, part of a resort-wide service excellence program that debuted in spring 2012. The squad is well educated in the idiosyncrasies of La Costa’s courses and offer expert advice on playing conditions, flagstick positions and pace of play.

“We are excited to have our ‘secret weapons of service’ patrolling our golf courses,” said Paul McCormick, vice president and general manager at La Costa Resort and Spa.  “Our goal is to enhance the guest experience at every touch point.  The Golf Squad embodies our mission to surpass all of our guests’ expectations.”

As a little incentive to keep golf traffic moving, the squad even rewards golfers who play briskly with a voucher for the first round of beverages at Diversions Lounge, just behind both course’s 18 holes.

Bee Squad team leader Jody Gerdts serves as a mentor for Town & Country Club staffers who are learning to manage the honey bee colony.

To cultivate a healthy environment at Town & Country Club in St. Paul, Minn., General Manager Vincent Tracy knew he wanted to create a bee colony, but he needed help. The University of Minnesota’s Bee Lab gave the club just that through its Hive to Bottle program.

As a hobby farmer for 32 years, Vincent Tracy, CCM, CCE, General Manager/COO of Town & Country Club (TCC) in St. Paul, Minn., knows how important bees are for pollinating food and native plants.

“I can’t remember when I didn’t have a vegetable, herb, flower garden or orchard,” Tracy says. “And one of the components to a successful garden is bees.”

While researching how to create a honey bee colony on the TCC property to support the club’s chef’s garden, course maintenance and landscaping efforts, Tracy realized he would need a mentor. He happened upon the Hive to Bottle program through the University of Minnesota Bee Lab, and jumped at the opportunity.

A progress report for Town & Country Club issued by the University of Minnesota Bee Lab (click to read)

The program helps beekeepers and bee supporters in the Twin Cities area foster healthy bee populations and pollinator landscapes through education and mentorship. In the case of TCC, the club owns the bees and the equipment, while the Bee Squad takes care of the bees and teaches the club staff about colony management, biology and pollination.

The club’s Audubon Sanctuary-certified Turf Center, a green construction that recaptures gray water, is home to the colony. Next year, Tracy plans to add two more colonies to the mix and by next summer, the club will harvest honey to sell to members.

A “Bee Meet” event is planned for September, so members and their children can learn about the project and how bees contribute to agriculture and healthy ecosystems.

In turn, the University of Minnesota collects data on colony health in hobby and small-scale beekeeping operations like TCC’s—and specifically in this case, on the effects of pesticides sprayed to control Japanese beetles. “Bees thrive in a healthy ecosystem, and by understanding regional trends in bee populations and honey bee health, we can better understand how to keep our environment healthy and productive,” says Bee Squad team leader Jody Gerdts.

Bee Squad team leader Jody Gerdts

Though the program is the only one of its kind in the country and maybe even the world, Gerdts says the unique relationship that is being created between the university’s experts and the club could certainly be duplicated.

“The need for this type of program is great, and we are working on building it in such a way that other university extension programs could adopt it,” Gerdts says.

In the future, the squad is looking to introduce programs that target native bees and bee-friendly gardens and lawns.

“We are fortunate to be able to be a part of a program that is just getting started,” says Tracy. “I can see this program growing across the United States.”

Youth Director Courtney Rebel uses social media to promote youth events. So they’re into it, and they’re making it go viral on Facebook and Twitter. They’re basically selling it for us.”

In October 2010, Palo Alto Hills (Calif.) Golf & Country Club (PAH) took a chance on Courtney Rebel and placed her in the newly created position of Youth Director. Fast-forward 20 months, and it’s a “gamble” that has paid off in many ways for the club.

“The long-term goal of the club at the time was to add more social memberships, as a bridge to proprietary golf memberships,” Rebel recalls. And because the club’s brand-new Fitness Center was opening (“Active Duty”), it made sense to push forward with ways to appeal to more families to join.

Rebel’s background includes being a certified personal trainer; she holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, the study of human movement. With experience at several other clubs to help make their skiing and aquatic programs more family-friendly, she was uniquely qualified to help Palo Alto Hills achieve its goal.

The first thing Rebel did in her new post was to create a Family Guide for the club—a booklet full of programs and events that literally had something for everyone every month of the year. Because she was in charge of hiring for the Fitness Center staff, she made sure everyone she  brought in had experience working with—and just as importantly, liked to work with—children.

Next, as youth events were starting to take place, Rebel and her new team made sure to survey not just the parents, but the kids themselves, about what they liked, and didn’t like, about each event.

“We had started with ‘ages 6-and-up’ events, but we soon found that 12-year-olds didn’t want to go where there would be 6-year-olds,” she says. In response, the club created events geared to different age brackets: Tiny Tots (ages 2-5), Kool Kidz (6-10), Tweens (9-12) and Teens (12-16). There are also Family events to appeal to members of all ages — and summer camps, too.

This approach has led to some fine-tuning of days and times for events geared to the various segments, Rebel notes. “We do a lot of Friday-night events from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for Tweens, while the Kool Kidz might start and end an hour earlier,” she says. “Tiny Tots are even earlier, or on a Sunday afternoon.

“Teens, on the other hand, want to feel they’re college-aged,” she notes, “so we use a 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. timeframe for that group.”
To help avoid conflicts for all events, Rebel made sure to get on the local school district’s mailing list, so nothing would be scheduled, for example, at the same time as a high school dance or junior high band concert.

Opening teen events to non-members—and having kids from the club take the lead in promoting them through social media—has led to strong attendance and great appeal for PAH.

Rebel also formed a Youth Committee comprised primarily of parents from the membership. For each Teen event, there is also an Event Team of interested teenagers. It’s Rebel’s secret weapon for keeping the “cool” factor.

“The kids on the team know that if they bring, say, 20 kids to this event, they’ll get a pizza party,” she says. “They also get buy-in to the event—they choose the menu from a list of options, for example. So they’re into it, and they’re making it go viral on Facebook and Twitter. They’re basically selling it for us.”

To introduce the Teen segment back in January, Rebel invited five other local country clubs to participate. “We made it easy for them to sell tickets to their members — we gave them a spreadsheet and kept in touch via e-mail and phone,” she says. The result? “We had 140 teens come to the first event.”

Having teens that weren’t from the club only upped the coolness factor, Rebel adds. “It’s a huge incentive to allow them to bring friends who aren’t always at the club,” she notes.

At $24.95 a ticket for an event like the Fire & Ice Lounge, where the ballroom was transformed into a teen club replete with a “bouncer” at the door, a DJ, a photo booth, poker games, food and mocktails, Palo Alto is basically breaking even on its youth events. But the return on investment is both short-term (for every youth event, an adult event is going on as well—and attendance for those is up, thanks to the peace of mind parents have knowing exactly where their kids are) and long-term (non-member kids who attend an event bring enthusiasm about the property back to their parents, who then look into membership).

In fact, in the last 18 months, 85% of the club’s new membership was comprised of families—and the youth programming is frequently cited as a major factor in their decision. “Our staff jokes that if someone is on the fence, they need to go talk to the youth director,” Rebel says.

Palo Alto Hills’ annual Family Guide reflects ongoing input from both kids and parents from within the membership.

While Palo Alto Hills is now up to about four family-oriented events a month, Rebel advises starting off with two events a month, so your team is not overwhelmed by commitment. A good staff-to-child ratio is essential for safety at each event, she adds.

“Tiny Tots are 1:5, while Kool Kids is usually 1:8,” she says. “Tweens and Teens are 1:20, but they are in an enclosed area with people at every door. We check all their bags, too.”

The true key to success with family-friendly programming, Rebel notes, is to think of what kids can’t do at home or school. “Here, they can smash pumpkins, bowl with watermelons, or throw paper airplanes into the pool,” she says.

Without missing a beat, she sums it up perfectly: “I wish I were a kid at the club.”

In addition, Rebel has taken the first Friday of the month, which historically has been the dining room’s slowest day, and turned it into a Parents Night Out event.

“It now tends to be sold out most of the time,” she reports. “Kids have developed relationships with staff and friends at these events, so it gives parents a way to let their kids socialize, and for them to have a nice dinner in the process.”

Rebel, who is also the operations manager for the club’s fitness center, says that starting a youth program doesn’t require a lot of overhead — just some creativity.

“Look at your staff and see how they’re interacting with kids,” she advises. “Maybe one of your lifeguards is studying to be a teacher. The swim coach is great with children. Just utilize them in another realm, especially because parents are already feeling comfortable with these staffers because they know them from other programs.”

When events are held, and how they are staffed, needs to vary according to the targeted age group, the PAH staff has found.

It’s also important to not repeat event activities exactly, she advises. “Last year, a Kool Kidz event was to ‘Shake Your Way to Ice Cream,’ “ she notes. “This year, that’s a family event, and it’s poolside.”

As additional safety precautions, Rebel has certified all staff in CPR, and the staff also performs emergency evacuation drills several times a year.

What about the segment of the membership that likes to use the club as a place where they don’t have to be exposed to families? At Palo Alto Hills, Rebel notes, that it hasn’t been much of an issue because the family events are kept mainly to the Fitness Center — and out of the clubhouse. She advises clubs to establish a “home base” for the youth program, even if it’s just a conference room, so that kids know where to at least meet for an event.

Also, she adds, “you always need food, even for a two-hour event”—and having a place where you can spread out the snacks is important.

Big Canyon CC, Newport Beach, Calif. Big Canyon Country Club, Newport Beach, Calif. THE GOAL: Honor active-duty Marines by treating themto a special lunch at Big Canyon Country Club. THE PLAN: Tom Evans, a charter member of Big Canyon whose house overlooks the10th hole, coordinated the lunch and other club members quickly stepped up to support the cause by buying tables. THE PAYOFF: The group of 60 soldiers enjoyed a Sunday meal featuring filet mignon that was served in a clubhouse dining room overlooking the golf course and pool. The hosts found the event to be equally rewarding for them as for their appreciative guests.

More Than a Few Good Men

Tom Evans, a retired Marine who served in World War II and Korea before building a successful data-storage business, now lives in a house overlooking the 10th hole of the golf course at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif., where Evans has been a charter member for over 40 years.

After being asked to speak, as he often is, to a Marine battalion from Camp Pendleton that was about to be deployed to South Korea, Evans formed a special bond with the group and decided it would be nice to “give them something special,” after they returned, by treating them to lunch at the club. Other Big Canyon members quickly showed their support for the cause by buying tables for the group of 60 soldiers.

Look Who’s Cooking

Kitchen traffic of all types and sizes is welcomed at Woodfield Country Club, Boca Raton, Fla., through two popular programs: the monthly Young Chef Cooking Experience,  which invites 12 junior members, ages 9 and up, in for an interactive culinary experience, and the Couples Cooking Experience, which offers a fresh spin on “date night” for six couples who get behind-the-scenes access.

Woodfield Country Club, Boca Raton, Fla. Woodfield Country Club, Boca Raton, Fla. THE GOAL: Engage members of all ages at Woodfield Country Club in interactive cooking and dining experiences. THE PLAN: Bring groups of children into the kitchen through the monthly Young Chef Cooking Experience; offer a fresh spin on “date night” through the Couples Cooking Experience. THE PAYOFF: Both programs are always sellout events.

Participants in the Young Chefs program get a full kitchen tour and learn about healthy cooking and eating habits before preparing, and eating, a multi-course meal that’s served in the kitchen. The Cooking Couples also get a tour (after an aperitif) and then gather at six high-top tables for lively, interactive discussion on ingredients and cooking techniques, in between five courses (each with a wine selection). Both programs are always sellout events.

Jersey Boys (and Girls)

Faithful readers of C&RB’s annual Ideas Issue know that the members and staff of Manasquan River Golf Club (MRGC) in Brielle, N.J., are always up for a good theme concept. In April 2010, “A Sizzling Show” described how the club went all-out in implementing a new Hibachi-style dining experience. This past year, “hogs and hoedowns” continued to be popular themes at MRGC.

Manasquan River Golf Club, Brielle, N.J. Manasquan River Golf Club, Brielle, N.J. THE GOAL:Develop popular themed events at Manasquan River Golf Club so members can enjoy new activities in a relaxed atmosphere. THE PLAN: The Southern Rock ‘N Roll Hoe Down allowed denim and provided special attractions like a mechanical bull. The annual Hogs Ride, led by the club’s COO, takes members on a 50-mile ride to lunch across the state. THE PAYOFF: The Hoe Down had the best turnout for the summer social series. The Hogs Ride helps members with a common interest form special bonds.

The Southern Rock ‘N Roll Hoe Down, held on a Saturday night in July, generated the best turnout for the club’s summer social series, as members enthusiastically embraced the opportunity for a casual jeans night with all the related festivities. Highlights of the event included “calf roping and bull riding” (mechanical-style), as well as billiards and dancing to a rockabilly band. Featured culinary delights included blackened filet mignon, Southern fried chicken and BBQ spare ribs.

The Hogs Ride, an annual concept started by MRGC Chief Operating Officer and motorcycle aficionado Michael Cusack, CCM, leads 30 members dedicated to “easy riding” on a 50-mile trip across the state for lunch in the picturesque river town of New Hope, Pa. “It’s a great day out on the highway for a close-knit group of people who have the same interest,” says MRGC’s Dining Room Manager, Emily Picaro. “It creates a lot of camaraderie between members, outside of the club and the golf course.” It also serves as a fitting annual tribute to the “born to run” spirit popularized by Jersey’s native son, Bruce Springsteen.

Bringing Out the Knives

Paul Verica, Executive Chef/Director of Foodservice at The Club at Longview in Waxhaw, N.C. (suburban Charlotte), was looking to cure the winter blahs—in both their creative and financial forms. There are a lot of other good club chefs in the Charlotte area, Verica thought. Why not bring them to Longview for a night of competitive cooking—and give members of all the clubs involved the opportunity to sample some very special cuisine?

The Club at Longview, Waxhaw, N.C. The Club at Longview, Waxhaw, N.C. THE GOAL: Create an event to drive F&B revenue in slow winter months at The Club at Longview and also give club chefs a new creative outlet. THE PLAN: Invite other area club chefs to Longview for a “Top Club Chef in Charlotte” competition that members of all participating clubs could attend.   THE PAYOFF: In each of the first two years of the competition, 150 people attended and over $15,000 in revenue (10% for charity) was generated.

So it was that the “Top Club Chef in Charlotte” event was created. Held in February last year and early March this year, both events have attracted 150 people and generated over $15,000 in revenue (10% of which goes to charity). The clubs of “visiting” chefs (Charlotte CC, Ballantyne CC and The Palisades CC this year; Myers Park CC was a 2011 participant) have all brought member contingents to cheer on their favorite sons; diners from the Longview “home team” fill out the remaining spots.

“It drives revenue at a slow time,” Verica says, “and also allows us to express our creativity, which we don’t get to do every day.”

View the “Top Club Chef” menus for The Club at Longview, Charlotte Country Club, Ballantyne Country Club and the Palisades Country Club.

“We have great diversity in the ways that our members enjoy boating—there are power boaters, racing sailors, and cruising sailors. So we marry a similar type of Navigator to the new member,” explains Jim Clark, General Manager. “The Navigator helps to get the new member engaged, and thereby start to build relationships with other members.”

CYC goes one step further in helping to match up new members with current ones.

The club recognizes new members by placing a “Pineapple Burgee” on their table when they are dining. “Display of club officers’ flags has long been a tradition in yacht clubs when they dine, and recognizing our most valuable asset—a new member—is also important,” says Clark.

The Pineapple flag signals new members to their fellow members and encourages them to extend a special welcome. “It’s the building of relationships that makes new members stay for the long term,” says Clark.

Rob Marbs, Executive Chef at Glen Echo Country Club, Normandy, Mo., told of starting a “to-go platter” program at his club. Glen Echo members use this convenience when they host a party, or are going to one where they need to bring a dish to share. “I specifically picked a lot of items that can be served at room temperature,” says Marbs. “Selling food with no server labor is a win-win for the club. Also, when members come to pick up their order, they usually have lunch or a quick drink. We even load their vehicle for them. The trick is to make it as convenient and fun as possible.”

Alan Jacobs, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer at Fairmount Country Club, Chatham, N.J., also reported success with a Super Bowl Pre-order “Takeout” Menu. “We were closed for dinner that evening, so the takeout menu was very successful,” he says.

SaddleBrooke Country Club, Tucson, Ariz., has been using its kitchen to offer Pizza To Go almost every night. “In the month of January, we increased pizza sales by over $2,000,” reports Bernie Eaton, Director of Golf Operations.

Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers, Ark., has a dedicated delivery service for homes in its community that features the full dining room menu. “We do this every day for lunch and dinner, and we also deliver to our tennis club year-round and our pool in the summer,” says Ralph Edmonds, Executive Chef. “We charge $5 for home deliveries and all orders are subject to a 15% service charge. We also offer specialty cakes, pies, breads and custom orders.”

Takeout has in fact become a worldwide phenomenon in the club world; our LinkedIn Group also heard from Taiwan’s American Club about a program it started for its nearly 3,000 members. “Our F&B was capping out,” says General Manager Todd Bretzlaff. “The outlets were always full and we were looking to grow F&B further. We came up with a take-away menu of only items that traveled well. Then we purchased the necessary takeaway containers and secured a relationship with a delivery company that would guarantee to get this food to the members’ homes within 30 minutes.” The club charges a $15 delivery fee. It also set up a dedicated take-away phone number and operator to handle the calls.

One participant, Richard McLelland of the International Club Network, did address concerns for stateside properties over potential tax issues tied to offering takeout and to-go at 501(c)(7) clubs. While the IRS states that, to remain tax-exempt, a club must limit its investment and non-member income to a level not exceeding 35 percent of its total gross receipts, it has greater restrictions on a “de minimis” amount of “nontraditional” activity, which could include takeout sales to members.

Paul O’Toole, CEC/AAC, Executive Chef of Deerfield Golf Club in Newark, Del., and Chief Culinary Officer of Forewinds Hospitality, participated in the first annual “Love Your Veggies” Lunch Break for Schools fundraising event that took place during the week of February 27-March 2 in cities across the U.S.

The effort, led by the makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings, raised funds to support the American Culinary Foundation’s (ACF) involvement in the Chefs Move To Schools campaign. This program, inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign against childhood obesity, promotes healthy eating habits and proper nutrition to school children across the country (Chef O’Toole was one of 50 ACF chefs invited to the White House last June to kick off the Chefs Move to Schools initiative).

“Our nation’s chefs have tremendous power as leaders on this issue, because of their deep knowledge of food and nutrition and their standing in the community,” Mrs. Obama has said in supporting ACF-member chefs’ involvement.

“This is just one more way that Deerfield can make a positive contribution in the community we serve,” said Chef O’Toole in describing his involvement with the “Love Your Veggies” initiative. “For a year now, I have been working closely with the teachers, administrators and students at Wilmington [Del.]’s Urban Promise School. We’ve done all kinds of cooking classes, demonstrations and tastings that inform the students of just how easy making healthy, affordable and flavorful foods can be. This is just taking that initiative to a new level.”

Deerfield GC supported the “Love Your Veggies” Lunch Break for Schools campaign by selling healthy sandwiches and entrees during the week that Chef Paul created, with a portion of the proceeds from their sale of these directed to the program’s fundraising goal.

“Chef Paul’s commitment to this program has been phenomenal,” noted Steve Furman, Deerfield’s General Manager. “We have received great feedback from parents, principals and community residents who see how much time and effort he continues to pour into the Chefs Move To Schools campaign. This program is exciting because it brings the energy and creativity right here to Deerfield’s restaurant, allowing our guests to see first-hand some of what Chef Paul has been doing to make a difference.”

During his monthly visits to Wilmington’s Urban Promise School, which has students from pre-kindergarten through seventh grade, Chef O’Toole, along with his 17-year-old daughter, Julie, conducts interactive conversations with the children about the origins of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, and chats about the effects that the sugar and starches that various foods contain can have on body performance. He demonstrates the effects of hot and cold temperatures on foods, mixes in a little physics, and then everyone gets to make and taste foods that can be created at home.

“The kids just eat this up, so to speak,” says O’Toole. “They are wide-eyed discoverers and show joy in learning that is inspirational and motivating.”

Catherine Dolan, Head of School at Urban Promise, says the children are captivated with Chef O’Toole and his ideas. “Parents tell me the kids are beginning to suggest healthier selections while grocery shopping, which means Chef Paul’s influence goes beyond the classroom,” Dolan notes. “We are fortunate to have his commitment to our school community.”

The Boca Beach Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort in Boca Raton, Fla., has literally risen to a new level of specialization by adding a “Kite Concierge” to its team.

Randy Lowe, a.k.a. “Randy the Kiteman,” will now not only direct a new beachfront kite-flying program on weekends for guests, but his unique abilities and creations will be part of available options for weddings and large group functions, and guests will also be able to purchase his specialty kites at the club.

And make no mistake, Lowe’s kites are not your typical diamond-shaped swatches of single-color fabric. His $100,000 selection of “show kites” include a 30-foot version of the Garfield cartoon cat, giant flying lobsters and other sea creatures, and even an airborne deep-sea diver.  Love imports the kites from New Zealand, home to kite-flying legend Peter Lynn.

Love’s new role at the Boca Beach Club will include selecting the kites that will be featured on the property each weekend, based on the makeup of the audience and average age on the property, business levels—and wind conditions.

The beachfront kite-flying is part of the club’s new seasonal guest programming for each Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) throughout 2012. For that schedule, Boca Beach Club has launched other new guest initiatives including stargazing, sand-castle building and poolside hair braiding, feathering, massage and spray tans, and will be home to an ongoing Camp Boca amenity.

For the sand-castle activity, the club has forged a partnership with the world-renowned TeamSandtastic and Pat Harsch, a top-tier sand sculptor for over 16 years who has entered numerous international competitions and earned top honors at the Bermuda International Pro Division Championships. Harsch created a special logo-themed sculpture for the club over the President’s Day weekend in February, and will return to make new creations during the Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day weekends. He will also teach one-hour sand-sculpting classes that will be offered to guests on those weekends, at a cost of $24.95 for adults and $14.95 for children.