Apawamis Now Fall 2022

AsI pen this note early in September, our kids are back in school, the summer gives way to fall, the new 1911 Grill Room Deck is a popular dining destination for golfers and members, and our Fighting Frogs bring home the championship trophy once again (story on page 32). It’s a beautiful season around the Club.

In addition, we have just crowned our new men’s and ladies’ golf champions. Congratulations to Tommy Mangan and Natalie Grainger Pederson who played nailbiting matches with Matt Murphy and Happy Dailey. A large contingent of members came out to follow the competition and see firsthand the skills of our finest golfers (story on page 16). Incidentally, you will soon find the Men’s and Ladies’ Club Championship trophies in their new home in the newly remodeled Trophy Room. These trophies chronicle great golf through the years, and they share the room with our three national trophies: The Havemeyer, The Curtis Cup, and The Senior Women’s Amateur—proudly displayed for all to see.

It’s that time of year when operating and capital budgets move to the front of our priorities. The Board and management team will assess the current year and plan our financial matters for the upcoming year. As is our standard practice, Brian Baldwin and Donna Gallo will direct a detailed bottom-up review of our plans and the costs required to achieve them. Our Treasurer, Sean Wallace, reviews these plans and then works with the Finance Committee to provide direction and oversight. We finalize our plans in early October and present them at our Governors’ Dinner to get their feedback, and then it’s presented

to the membership at our Annual Meeting. As with previous Boards, this is the most critical part of our Board responsibilities.

Just as important, the Board focuses a lot of attention on ensuring that the Club continues to be a special place for our members. Our Club has remained a cherished place because we attract great members and we provide excellent sporting and social activities. During our Master Plan information gathering phase, I recall that our members’ number one priority was maintaining the culture of the Club—more important than any other single aspect.

With this priority in mind, with the reopening of our clubhouse, the Board will be reinforcing our rules of conduct and reservation policy. First, it is important that all members refresh their understanding of our rules. It is incumbent upon all of us to

live by these rules. We have asked our club managers to help members who may have forgotten them. As a member, if you see a fellow member needing a friendly reminder, it is appropriate to find a manager on duty and have them address the situation. You will notice that the current Board is actively and respectfully helping our managers reinforce our rules. Second, our chef, his team and service staff have elevated the member’s dining experience within the Club’s food and beverage operations. As a result, our dining areas are busy. Please make a reservation ahead of time online through the App or by contacting the Front Desk. The team has tightened our ticket times and service standards, but we need your help to deliver a seamless experience.

This issue of Apawamis Now revolves around the topic of risk and reward. The Club has had its fair share of risks, but it also has reaped tremendous rewards, as evident in completing the upper campus remodel project, a portion of the Master Plan (story on page 6). Everyday life at the Club has a mix of risk and rewards, and we hope that you enjoy the stories by the various departments of the Club and their takes on risk and reward.

Kind regards,

ROBERT S. AMATO, PRESIDENT

MEMBERSHIP

Beth Delaney,

Maryanne

Paton’s

Kevin and Maryanne Lynch, Steven

and Nancy

THE APAWAMIS CLUB

Officers

Robert S. Amato, President

John J. Regan, Jr., Vice President

Sean R. Wallace, Treasurer

Michael L. Manire, Secretary

Board of Governors

Robert S. Amato Robert Brennan James Dean John A. Dudzik Donald L. Gorski

P. MacKenzie Hurd Elizabeth Everett Krisberg Brian Leonard

Michael L. Manire Patrick J. McGovern Blair Endresen Metrailler David Parsons

John D. Shuck

Sean R. Wallace

Samuel H. Lerner (Jr. Advisor)

Management Contact Information General Manager/COO

Brian C. Baldwin, CCM Ext. 121 - bbaldwin@apawamis.org

Head Golf Professional James Ondo, PGA Ext. 156 - jondo@apawamis.org

Golf Course Superintendent Michael McCormick mmccormick@apawamis.org (914) 305-5434

Chairman of Squash Peter Briggs Ext. 202 - racquets@apawamis.org

Director of Squash Cameron Pilley Ext. 202 - cameron@apawamis.org

Director of Tennis Stjepan Beg Ext. 263 - tennis@apawamis.org

Director of Paddle Tommy Gregurovic Ext. 263 - platformtennis@apawamis.org

Facility Operations Manager Kyle Schutte-Bell

Ext. 140 - kbell@apawamis.org

Executive Chef Ryan Foo, CEC Ext. 152 - rfoo@apawamis.org

Clubhouse Manager

Beata Nemcokova Ext. 139 - beata@apawamis.org

Controller Donna Gallo, CHAE Ext. 110 - dgallo@apawamis.org

Director of Communications and Marketing Shawn Rowley Ext. 122 - communications@apawamis.org

Main Phone Numbers

Clubhouse (914) 967-2100

Squash (914) 967-1253

Tennis (914) 967-5140

Golf Shop ............................... (914) 967-2209

Tee Times (914) 967-5871

AsI reflect on the topic of risk and reward, I immediately think of two of our recent, considerably large financial endeavors— irrigation and upper campus renovation projects—which required the risk of spending Club monies during unsettled economic times for the United States.

We faced a major decision in February of 2021 when Texas suffered a major power crisis due to severe storms sweeping the United States and suddenly, the cost and supply of goods around the country was in question. I received an urgent phone call from Golf Course Superintendent Michael McCormick informing the Green Committee and me that we needed to decide quickly on locking in and purchasing 15 miles of irrigation pipe (HDPE). This consequential decision would need to be made three months early to ensure that we would have materials for the irrigation project. The catch was that it would come at a 15% price increase. Should we take the calculated risk of pre-purchasing the HDPE piping along with moving forward with the overall project just coming out of COVID?

Collectively, we made a unanimous decision to go ahead and purchase the irrigation piping months before we had initially planned. This locked in the price and materials needed to start the project. Days later, pricing for HDPE soared, and the manufacturing plants stopped taking orders for 2021! The actualized reward is that the project would have been roughly $1M more if we hadn’t taken the risk and instead started in 2022, due to increased labor and material expenses. More importantly, we would have lost a lot of our rough and playing surfaces on the golf course. With the record-setting dry July and August temperatures, our irrigation (sprinkler) system could not have been installed at a better time for the unanticipated drought we experienced this summer.

With certainty, we can say that if the new system had not been installed and completed before the season, the playing conditions and aesthetics would have been drastically different (worse) this summer. We’ve been well-rewarded financially—and in terms of member-satisfaction of Club grounds—for the risky decisions made early on.

Our second calculated risk has also paid off: the highly anticipated clubhouse remodel (upper campus renovation project) is 99%

complete. We are meeting our budget and continue to be on schedule (based on our initial permitting delay). The Board, advisors, and I made calculated decisions to take on this project in an uncertain environment, and we believe the risk was, once again, definitely worth the reward. Tight financial controls were put in place from the very start of the project. Every dollar spent was vetted by the Construction Committee, me, and finally by Donnelly Construction, our construction management firm. Our processes and expectations were set at the beginning of the project and did not change.

Every morning when I arrived at the Club, I would start my day with a walkthrough alongside Project Manager Greg Szatmari. Having worked with Donnelly Construction since 2007, I had developed a good relationship with the firm. Now that I’m in the head seat, I never let up on my expectations of completing the project below budget and before the anticipated completion date. The Club and I are very fortunate to have such dedicated Board members who volunteer so much of their time. In particular, Bob Amato, Jim Dean, and Don Gorski have easily put in 40 hours a week. Thank you for your unwavering support.

Opening walls within a 100-year-old building is always nerve–wracking, but the Club was fortunate only to have a few minor surprises. Months before construction, we opened various walls and ceilings to verify we knew what we were about to embark on. As a result, we kept our change orders to a minimum, and we were able to address other various items due to tight financial controls and competitive bidding. Capital projects of this size typically run over budget easily due to change orders. We were focused on minimizing change orders but always addressed issues to ensure we fixed them permanently. Competitive bidding led by Donnelly Construction and our Committee allowed us to stay on budget. However, some items were out of our control. Many of those were delays on doors, windows, and furniture, as I’m sure we have all experienced over the past few years due to supply shortages.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive since we welcomed back our membership at the grand reopening party on August 20. We still have a few outstanding items: the bi-folding doors and minimal pieces of furniture, but overall, we could not have been happier with the first phase of our Master Plan. I thank the roughly 50 members who helped us throughout this process.

I look forward to taking the momentum from the upper campus project to the lower campus. We have built strong relationships with our contractors and are committed to deliver an enhanced lower campus for the 2024 season!

1890 Club Room and Bar

Please welcome the newest additions and congratulations to all of the families. If we missed including you, we’d love to share the news. Send us your bundle of joy photo and birth date and we’ll include him or her in the next edition of the Apawamis Now Submit your details to Shawn Rowley at communications@apawamis.org.

Alexander Stryker Aidi

Olivia Milcrest Canning

Corinne Creamer

George David Mitchell

Merritt Jane Ginnings

Rose Murphy

James John

BY SHAWN ROWLEY, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Thissummer season has been one for the record books. We've increased participation at all of our social events and many dining facilities, and we expect the same for the fall/winter holidays. Many events have had a waitlist, so check your Wednesday emails and follow us on Instagram for when registrations open. Registrations can be made at apawamis.org, through the App or by calling the Front Desk.

Our Fourth of July celebration was bigger and better than ever, with nearly 1,600 members and guests attending the festivities. Children and adults enjoyed various games in keeping with our traditional carnival-style activities, complete with bounce houses, a petting zoo, horse rides and oversized lawn games. In addition, we served an over-the-top buffet with plenty of adult beverages. We capped the evening off with our annual grand firework display.

Returning to the social line-up, the Lobster Bake was held at the Halfway House with multiple buffet stations, including a raw bar. Typically this event replaces the à la carte menu and takes place at the Terrace, but the Club wanted to offer a change in location since the upper campus's new outdoor venues were still under construction. At this year's event, we added live music performed by Ray Greiche. Ray's music is a little rock with a hint of country, which was the perfect musical backdrop to a beautiful night out.

The Grand Reopening party was met with great anticipation by the membership and had a fantastic turnout of over 300 members. The Club Board and staff were excited to welcome everyone to the newly designed 1890 Club Room/Bar, Trophy Room (formerly the living room), Founders Room (previously named the main dining room), 1911 Grill Room and Deck, and the 19th Hole Patio. We can wait to use these spaces for the upcoming holiday season.

The annual Labor Day barbecue was well-attended despite the drizzly weather. We welcomed 330 members, again one of the biggest turnouts ever. The decision to take a risk and set up the entertainment outdoors, hoping the weather would hold off, worked out perfectly. While parents sipped their drinks, kids were strolling around enjoying games and one of the most popular features of the evening, the bouncy castle. Chef Ryan's buffet was once again a big hit. After everyone took a moment to eat, the kids were ready to watch the magic show on the new 19th Hole Patio.

In its 16th year, Family Camping Night was another fabulous night under the stars. It kicks off with everyone setting up their tents on the 15th fairway, followed by a buffet spread fit for royals and concludes with traditional fireside s'mores and an outdoor movie.

To check out all the action caught on camera, visit the event photo album on apawamis.org (mobile or desktop; not available on the App), located under the Dining and Events navigational heading.

Images from Fourth of July, Reopening Party and Family Camping Night. Photos courtesy of DS Photography

The Risks and Rewards of Hiring

BY MICHAEL DI MAGGIO, FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGER

In

the hospitality industry, specifically food and beverage, trained and well-seasoned staff are hard to come by. The bygone decades of the 1920s through the early 1990s allowed service employees to earn a livable hourly wage and provide for their families. During those times, service staff could make a career from their pay while working the day-to-day operations of a restaurant, hotel, or country club. As career employees, many of the staff in these positions were masters of their craft, honing their abilities through years and years of diligent hard work.

However, this has changed over the last 20-plus years due to declining wages, preventing many service industry employees from building a true career in this field. Because of this, today, we rarely find “career” servers or bartenders in their late 20s, 30s, or beyond waiting on tables or fixing a contemporary cocktail behind the bar. Instead, these service positions are primarily taken by high school and college students as their first job or as a stepping stone to get through those four years of college. As a hiring manager, bringing on young, untrained, inexperienced staff is challenging and risky. However, with proper tutelage and training, it can also be rewarding.

Since the early 2000s, I have been the hiring manager for service staff positions at each establishment I have been employed. I have hired hundreds of young people. I’ve introduced them to the workforce and have trained them on how to be the best employee they can be. But, despite a uniform lack of experience among applicants, I do not hire everyone who applies. With high school and college kids, the experience for the position is typically not there, but their personality is. The interview allows me to make a relative judgment on the potential employee’s character while also allowing them the opportunity for a great first impression. I thoroughly enjoy making the phone call or emailing someone I have recently interviewed and letting them know that they have successfully attained the position. But it should be noted, once the job is attained, that’s when the real work begins.

Roughly 85% of the employees I hire have no experience in the food and beverage industry. They do not know how to set the table, take food or drink orders, place the orders in the point-of-sale system, perform proper service techniques, and on and on and on. We (myself and the rest of the management team) are starting from scratch every year with most of the staff.

Every time we hire someone with no experience, we take a risk. Every time we schedule that employee and put them on the floor for service, we take a risk. The employee may be so nervous that they cause our members to have a less than desirable dining experience, or they may make costly mistakes such as getting a table’s order wrong. Getting the level of service to excellence requires significant instruction, patience, routine, guidance, teaching, and leadership. Refining these young minds and encouraging them to be better at their craft every day is a challenge, which I thoroughly enjoy. It’s a great pleasure to see someone begin their journey very green and leave with the skill of a seasoned service employee.

Though the wages of a service position do not offer long-term benefits, our young employees gain valuable life-long skills that do prepare them to be handsomely successful in their future. In hospitality positions, they develop and refine their people skills: communication, the ability to read body language, cognitive and emotional empathy, time management, teamwork, and leadership. Fulfilling these roles will also teach them how to handle stress in certain situations and learn from mistakes. I believe that the hospitality industry helps young people become more confident, sharper, and better able to handle life’s difficulties.

The reward for hiring inexperienced, untrained employees is twofold. In one aspect, you get to watch a young person grow in their professional setting. Day by day, week by week, you see them come into their own. The other aspect is you get to witness this employee head into their future. Whether it’s a high school student heading off for their first year of college or a college student heading off to begin an internship or career, you will know that you have done your part to help mold and shape the personality of this particular individual.

I’ve run into many previous employees over the years—now all grown up with big careers and families of their own—telling me how integral those years spent in the hospitality industry were. I can’t help but feel an immense sense of pride when this happens. Being a part of their lives and positively molding their character through the ups and downs of the hospitality industry is incredibly rewarding. In the end, when done right, the risk is worth the reward.

Juan, Dan and Morne

Yolandie, Anthony, and Anca

Whenthe Communications Committee decided on the theme Risk and Reward for the Apawamis Now, Jana Seitz immediately came to mind. If you know Jana, then you know she’s an adventurous soul, and some of her adventures involve risks that most of us would never dream of taking.

Moving to suburban Rye from urban Austin at age 40 after having her children seemed like a risky leap at the time for Jana. Those who have met her know she does not necessarily fit the “suburban mold,” with her signature twang and boundless energy that regularly takes her hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing, and shooting.

“I’m just impulsive,” says the Monroe, Louisiana, native. “I do what I like to do or what I see that needs to be doing [sic].” This take-charge philosophy is how she ended up being the President of the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, a Columnist for the Rye Record, and the creator of a successful camp for kids out of the Rye Nature Center, Paddle Adventure Camp. She has undoubtedly made herself right at home in the ‘burbs, the result of bold action. Jana pitched the editor, Robin Jovanovich, of the Rye Record, and ever since, she has written a column, “Day Trippin’,” about her adventures. She went up to the Director at the Rye Nature Center with plans to create a camp taking groups of young teens for eight weeks in the summer to kayak and hike all around Westchester County (Jana swears she is finally retiring after eight years—but we’ll see!). Rather than try to fit in, she has molded the suburban experience to suit her supercharged lifestyle, and in doing so, she is an inspiration for many to dream bigger.

When she met her husband, Andy, Jana was living in Texas and was a paddling instructor for at-risk youth with the Texas River School by day and an actress by night. She proudly embodies the “fake it till you make it” expression. “I’ve never had a plan. If you just walk through the door, things will happen,” Jana describes. This approach earned her the title of “Queen of the Wildlings,” among close friends. Jana has also been keeping busy chronicling every single one of her adventures, which she has compiled into a book entitled My Suburban Escapes: The Wanderings of One Westchester Wife The manuscript is ready for a publisher: her next goal. She’s finished putting pen to paper, and now it is time to assemble it for the big reveal. Glimpses of her book are recorded on her web page and social media (follow @mysuburbanescapes).

Jana married into the Seitz family, a well-established Apawamis clan known for being good golfers, exceptional squash players, and stepping up and serving on the Board of Governors. Andy recently rolled off the Board, after six years chairing the Golf and Green Committee. He played a big role in ushering many of the recent changes to the golf course. Jana’s children, Joe (19) and Kate (16), participated in the Junior Sports program and continue to use the Club to socialize with friends.

Living at the edge of the Club has allowed Jana, a non-golfer, to take full advantage of the course. Jana claims, “The 18 holes are my back 40,” which explains how she never misses an opportunity to break trail snowshoeing. Jana has even imagined how she could “live off the land” at Apawamis, hunting deer and fishing in the pond if we hit Armageddon, a scenario which she detailed for the Rye Record. Being a 7 iron’s distance from the 19th Hole has also made it easy for her to get home safely after being “Chickened.” Jana likes to have fun and having the Club as an extension of her backyard has allowed her to create many memories with family and friends around Apawamis.

Come to think of it, Jana says, “It was Andy who took the risk by moving me outta the South, but I’m reaping the rewards.”

Taking risks is living life; sometimes, the risk is the reward

,

It

From the

BY ROBERT A. DOTO, ARCHIVIST

is always fun and informative to look back at history to read what was written about Apawamis in its earlier years. We extracted a piece from "Fifty Years of American Golf" by H.B. Martin, published in 1936.

Delving into the early history of Apawamis, the famous old club at Rye, in "Westchester County, we find that golf was not played there until 1894 although the club was founded in 1889 and incorporated in 1890. The original grounds were on Forest and Apawamis Avenues, not far from Long Island Sound, where the activities were limited to tennis and social life. In 1902 the club moved to a tract about half a mile away on the Boston Post Road, where later on the first golf course—a small and rather primitive six-hole course—was laid out. This golf club—which was to be famous in later years as the home of the Seniors' championship, the scene of the famous Hilton-Herreshoff match in 1911 when Hilton's ball supposed to have hit a rock a rock and bounded on the green to give him the hole and the championship, Walter Travis' last stand in tournament golf, and many other invitation affairs—moved to its present location in 1899.

If Bluejay Bill were alive he might enlighten us on the caliber and championship of Apawamis golfers. Bluejay was the club mascot and as fine a chap as ever grew feathers, but he was for all that only a bird. He was everyone's friend and on occasion he would perch on a golfers, or caddie's, shoulder and ride along with the foursome for few holes. Bill was up for honorary membership and might have been elected had he not been found guilty of being rude to a guest, something that Apawamis would never stand for. Said guest, had just teed up his ball when Bill swooped down, knocked the ball of the little peg, and made

away with the tee. Ellis Knowles will vouch for this story and he will add too that Bill was not ostracized completely after that, since he hung around as a general pet and the boys used to amuse themselves by tossing him little wooden tees which he would catch in his mouth with rare skill. Bill died and his remains, appropriately mounted, rest under glass in Jimmy Thomson's shop.

An honor that is common to both concerned is that Gene Sarazen looks back with pride upon the days when he toted clubs at Apawamis and had the distinction of being Frank Presbrey's special caddie. Likewise

Apawamis is proud of the fact that one of its boys turned out to be a worlds champion.

It is painful to be compelled to debunk the story of the "Hilton Rock" because it never happened as we described in the press, although, as recounted in a later chapter, there was foundation for the oft told yarn. But there is another story told about Apawamis course that is true, an it has something to do with hitting rocks. A few may recall that James Soutter, played the 11th hole about 20 years ago, was out of bounds twice, and yet scored a deuce on the hole. It is the story of sliced drive and sliced second shot, neither one of which came to grief. The drive was badly sliced and flew to the opposite side of the road where it hit a rock and bounded back on the course. The second shot also was sliced and it too went out of bounds; and as luck would have it the obliging little ball again contacted a rock, bounded back to the green and holed out in the cup, much to the astonishment of the players and the caddies [sic].

This piece includes information about our founding, Bluejay Bill, Gene Sarazen, and James Soutter—who is James Soutter?

Calculated Risks of Turfgrass Management

Earlyin my career, I had the opportunity to intern under Dick Bator at The International Golf Club in Bolton, MA. Mr. Bator was then and still is a legend within our industry, having held superintendent positions at some of the most prestigious clubs in the country, including Oak Hill, Pine Valley, and Merion. Mr. Bator played an integral role in the early stages of my career. He taught me many profound lessons, from agronomics to personnel management, work ethic, intensity, discipline, sense of urgency, and attention to detail. Mr. Bator did not favor individuals who possessed bold egos and would often remind us that at the end of the day, we, as golf course superintendents, are more or less glorified farmers. Upon reflection, some 15 years later, he was right—almost.

Like farmers, we are ultimately entrusted with the care and upkeep of living plants. We are judged on the performance of the plants that we maintain. However, unlike any farmer who is responsible for the growth of their specific crop, we are responsible for the playability of our crop. Playability, as you’ll see, is often in opposition to growth

Currently, there are roughly 2.1 million farms and ranches within the United States which encompass approximately 915 million acres. Most of these farms grow and maintain crops that put food on our tables daily. The farmers responsible for upkeeping these crops do everything within their power to keep the healthiest plants possible to produce the greatest yield.

But we, as superintendents, are not only judged on the health of the plants we maintain but also, perhaps at an even greater level, on the speed, firmness, and texture of the turf surfaces that we grow. Our purpose, therefore, is not to produce plants that grow and yield, but to produce plants that are perfect for golf.

BY MICHAEL MCCORMICK, GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

Poa annua, the predominant turf species on our golf course, is an unbelievable plant. Walking down the street, you can experience healthy Poa annua growing in the cracks of the sidewalks and roads. This Poa is not watered routinely, fertilized, mown, or sprayed with plant protectant products, and yet it grows strongly. So, within a golf course setting, we water it as little as possible to produce firm conditions, fertilize it as little as possible to reduce growth rates, apply growth regulators to suppress growth even more, and mow it at heights as low as 0.080”. Ultimately, we attempt to bring our plants as close to death as possible without actually killing them, all to produce firm and fast playing conditions.

But in bringing our plants close to death in order to deliver the most premium playability possible, the margin for error is small. This means every effort we take is a calculated risk. Below, I will describe some of the calculated daily risks we take to produce the most elite conditions possible for our members and guests.

MOWING HEIGHTS

Throughout my tenure, we have reduced mowing heights on all fine turf surfaces by nearly half. Upon my arrival in 2016, fairways were cut at the height of 0.550”, tees and approaches were cut at 0.450”, and greens were cut at 0.125”. We now mow our fairways and tees at the height of 0.300”, our approaches at 0.200”, and our greens at 0.080”. Reduced heights of cut have led to tighter textured, smoother, and faster playing surfaces over time.

While the height reductions have positively impacted the golf course’s playability, mowing at lower heights increases risk.

Plants maintained at lower heights must be cut more often, requiring increased labor hours. Mowing playing surfaces at a greater frequency increases mechanical stress on the plants from equipment traffic. Plants cut at a lower height are also more susceptible to disease, requiring greater reliance on fungicide applications. Lower heights also result in a greater susceptibility to wilt and heat stress, narrowing the margin of error for moisture management. Conversely, lower heights also make plants more susceptible to scalping under excessive moisture conditions. Lastly, tighter-cut turf surfaces are more vulnerable to winter injury, including crown hydration and wind desiccation.

To alleviate these risks, we must constantly make prudent decisions on the frequency at which we mow playing surfaces. While we rarely adjust heights of cut in the growing season, we often have to skip mowing surfaces if the soil profile has excessive moisture. During periods in which we are experiencing extreme heat or humidity, we may only single cut instead of executing a double cut on the putting greens. Occasionally, we must sacrifice playability to ensure that we can maintain some level

of plant health. The heights at which we mow our playing surfaces are undoubtedly far below what our “crop” prefers to be maintained. We routinely assess our mowing frequencies weekly to mitigate excessive turf stress throughout the season.

“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary”

–Jim Rohn

FERTILITY

We apply many different granular and liquid fertility sources to our playing surfaces throughout the growing season based on needs determined through laboratory testing. Upon receiving test results that determine current fertility levels available in the soil of tissue of the plant, we can make an educated decision on the application of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and magnesium), as well as micronutrients (iron, manganese, boron, etc.). Depending on the cut height, each playing surface has a different fertility requirement. That said, we make fertility applications based on laboratory testing in a manner that ensures we are on the spectrum’s absolute low end as it relates to fertility needs. A standard turfgrass management textbook will state that in order to maintain healthy putting surfaces, one should apply between 2.5 to 3.5 lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. over the course of one growing season. At Apawamis, we use less than 1.0 lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. per year. To reduce growth rates on putting greens, we apply much less nitrogen fertility than the plant requires to flourish. Reduced growth rates lead to tighter textured playing surfaces, increased speeds, and more consistent playability over the course of a day. While reduced fertility enhances playability, it can also make the plant more susceptible to disease, traffic stress, and heat stress, and inhibits the plant’s ability to recover from various stresses. No different from managing mowing heights, we must make sound decisions on fertility inputs daily to ensure that the plants are healthy enough to survive through the growing season.

MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

Each playing surface on the golf course requires a different amount of water to thrive. The longer the leaf blade, the more water is required (rough needs more than putting greens).

During certain periods of the year when we experience rain events, we cannot control how much water is applied to the golf course. While we cannot control rainfall, we execute various procedures (aerification, topdressing, drainage, and more) to help water move off the surfaces of playing surfaces and through the soil profile.

During drier periods of the year, we rely on irrigation to ensure plants receive adequate moisture to survive. We utilize our irrigation system to deliver a baseline of uniform moisture throughout the property. Our new irrigation system can apply specific amounts of water to independent playing surfaces. To elaborate, we can water only the fairways at 0.05” and only the rough at 0.10”. While the irrigation system does a phenomenal job of delivering uniform amounts of baseline moisture throughout the property, we still utilize hand watering to supply water to specific areas within playing surfaces that require additional moisture. These areas include high spots, knobs, drain lines, and regions where bedrock is close to the surface. Our irrigation practices revolve around a minimalist approach. When we have control over moisture, we attempt to deliver the absolute bare minimum possible. This results in drier soil profiles which lead to firmer surfaces.

At our best, our putting surfaces are at their wilting point. The wilting point occurs when there is no longer enough moisture present in the soil profile to prevent the plant from wilting. In the morning, we utilize moisture meters to understand what level is currently present within each portion of each playing surface. We then apply enough moisture to prolong any wilt stress until the early afternoon. Once we reach this point, we reassess our moisture levels and deliver enough water to get the plant through the remainder of the day. There is a fine line between the wilting point and severe turf stress. In order to stride this line without subjecting the plant to injury, we must make educated decisions and take calculated risks each day of the growing season.

PLANT PROTECTANT APPLICATIONS

As stated above, our agronomic program revolves around our ability to promote premium levels of playability. This inherently subjects the plant to many abiotic stresses (droughts, heat, traffic, and mechanical). In turn, the plant is more susceptible to biotic stresses (disease, weeds, and insects). Along with fertility applications, we must also make routine plant protectant applications (fungicides, insecticides, herbicides) to ensure we do not experience severe turf loss.

In the Northeast, there are many diseases and turf insects that can cause profound damage almost overnight. To alleviate this risk, we employ a preventative plant protectant application program that attempts to forecast which disease, weed, or insect could be a threat at any time and stop it from ever occurring. If we had an unlimited budget, it would be easy to ensure that we never had a disease, weed, or insect breakthrough. However, given that we must operate within a set budget, we utilize laboratory testing and the evaluation of weather patterns to make these decisions. We always strive to apply the least amount of plant protectant to the golf course—and into the environment—as humanly possible while ensuring that we do not incur devastating turf loss.

Growing a lush, green, and aesthetically pleasing golf course is not extraordinarily difficult. As standards for turf conditions and playability have increased, we are ultimately starving the plant of nutrients and water, mowing at heights lower than we should, and relying on plant protectants to reduce turf loss from biotic stresses. These risks that we take daily are thoroughly calculated, and we must constantly evaluate the benefit of each risk we take to reap the greatest rewards. As we strive to elevate the golf experience at Apawamis to the highest level possible, we must ultimately push the envelope.

BY JAMES ONDO, PGA, HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL

There

may be no greater example of risk and reward than competitive individual sports. In individual sports, such as golf, athletes put everything on the line, whereas in most other sports, you can rely on a team and coaches. Only the player, not the team, can determine the outcome in golf. As a golf professional who loves to compete, there is nothing better than watching someone enjoy competitive success on the golf course. As we draw nearer to the end of our golf season, I reflect on the excellence we were treated to in our championships by our members this year. The individual competitive golf season at Apawamis is always capped off by our club championships, many of which culminate on Labor Day weekend each year. This year we were fortunate to experience two epic final matches in our Men’s and Ladies’ Club Championships.

The Men’s Club Championship got off to a tremendous start, with Matt Murphy earning medalist honors with an impressive score of 3-under par, 69. Matt reeled off victories against Charlie Steers, Tod Pike, and Sam Lerner to reach the finals. On the other side of the bracket, 16-year-old Tommy Mangan earned his berth in the 36-hole finale by beating Connor Hatch, Jeff Pike, and Dana Pike. In the final match, Tommy went up early, but Matt battled back and ultimately gained a 5-up lead through 26 holes. After trading birdies on 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, and 17 over the final 18 holes of the match, it was Tommy who put himself in a position to win on the 36th hole. With over 75 members on the course supporting our finalists and many members following online, it was so much fun for the entire membership to watch Matt and Tommy coming down the stretch. The grit and determination Tommy showed throughout the match was inspiring. After Matt missed the 18th green, Tommy confidently twoputted from 25 feet to become the 2022 Men’s Club Champion. I have a feeling we will be watching these two players battle it out in the club championship for many years to come. Congratulations on your first championship win, Tommy! At just 16, Tommy Mangan ties for second-youngest Men’s Club Champion with James M. Dunn, who also won at age 16 in 1984.

This year was the 102nd edition of the Ladies’ Club Championship, and we had 20 participants vying to win the title. It has been great to watch our championship participation grow over the past few years, and the depth of talent in our Ladies’ Club Championship only continues to get better. This year, our defending champion, Natalie

Left column to

column:

Men’s Club Champion:

Men’s Senior Club Champion:

Club

Grainger Pedersen, would meet our nine-time champion, Happy Daily, in the finals. This matchup proved to be one for the ages, with great play from both competitors throughout the entire round. A large gallery of members cheered on Happy and Natalie as they matched each other’s great shots and scores for 18 holes. Ultimately, Natalie prevailed with a solid par on 18 to solidify her repeat victory in the Ladies’ Club Championship. Congratulations, Natalie!

Before our Labor Day weekend championships, the following individuals claimed victories in their respective events:

• Men’s Senior Club Champion: Dana Pike

• Ladies’ Senior Club Champions: Jean Serenbetz (gross) and Nancy Bello (net)

• Boy’s Junior Club Champion: Nicholas Smith

• Girls’ Junior Club Champion: Hailey Ryan

Congratulations to all of our Club Champions!

Earlier in the season, Matt Murphy won the Cardi Cup, our premier stroke play event of the season, with a two-day total of 1-under par, 143. Matt has been on quite a run this year. He also qualified for the 41st U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, contested at Erin Hills on September 10 through 15. Matt shot an even par, 71, and then survived a 4 for 3 playoff at Essex County Country Club to punch his ticket to his first USGA National Championship! Congratulations, Matt!

The professional staff also had a great year of competitive golf, with Tanner Megal winning the Met PGA Assistant’s Spring Major at Saint Andrew’s Golf Club on May 16. Tanner carded a 3-under par, 69, which included six birdies to get himself into a playoff against Pete Ballo of Connecticut Golf Club. After hitting the green in regulation, Tanner two-putted from thirty feet to win on the first playoff hole. Brandon Holden qualified for the 46th National Assistant PGA Professional Championship via his T-6 finish at the Met PGA Assistants Championship on September 6 and 7. Brandon shot 67-69 at Bethpage’s Red Course, with only two bogeys in 36 holes. The National Assistant PGA Professional Championship will be played at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL, on November 17-20. Earlier in the season, Jacob Lehman won the Met PGA Gil McNally Award, which recognizes the assistant professional in the Met PGA Section that lowered their tournament scoring average the most compared to the previous year. Jacob lowered his scoring average by nearly four strokes, earning him top honors! Our professional staff works very hard and puts so much energy into improving our members’ golf games and golf experiences; it is so rewarding to see each of them make great accomplishments and achieve their own personal goals on the golf course. I couldn’t be more proud of our team, and I look forward to watching our professional staff continue to achieve great things in the future!

Watching our members and professionals excel on the golf course is so much fun. Carrying on the longstanding tradition of competitive golf at Apawamis is exciting. Our program is in a great place, and I look forward to seeing many of our members, junior athletes, and golf professionals enjoy the competitive aspect of golf and carry the Apawamis banner forward in the tournament golf scene. Thank you all for another tremendous competitive season at Apawamis.

The Explosive ise of Junior Golf at Apawamis

BY MONIQUE THORESZ, PGA,DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION

If you think you’re seeing more kids playing golf at Apawamis lately, you’re not imagining things. Over the past decade, the Apawamis junior golf program has been thriving following a major overhaul in 2012, and those changes are starting to pay huge dividends. The program revitalization, along with many younger families joining the Club, has led to a resurgence of young golfers playing and improving—at a rapid pace.

Some members may not know that Apawamis has had a rich history of junior golf excellence for many decades, with several juniors going on to play college golf and succeeding at a high level on the amateur stage. I must confess that until I began writing this article, I didn’t know much about the competitive record of Apawamis juniors, and I have since become inspired to make our members aware of this great history. As I began researching and speaking with people, the floodgates of information opened up! Unfortunately, there is no way to include all that I have learned in this article. And, although I have done my best to track down as much historical information as possible, there will inevitably be things I have missed, for which I apologize in advance. I welcome any additional information that members may bring to my attention.

JUNIOR GOLF ORIGINS AT APAWAMIS

Apawamis’ first Junior Club Championship was in 1956, the same year that Doug Casey’s family joined the Club. Head Professional Jack Patroni (194671) had several assistants, one of whom was Miller Barber (pictured below), an outstanding player who won his first PGA Tour event in 1964 and went on to win 43 professional events. Doug Casey remembers playing golf with Miller as a youngster “for chocolate chip cookies.” Doug was the Junior Club Champion in 1963 and caddied and shagged balls on the driving range in the 1960s and 70s.

Another Assistant Professional under Jack Patroni was Bill “Cotton” Dunn, who ran some fledgling junior clinics in the early 1960s. Mary Watkins, who grew up at Apawamis, remembers clinics with a handful of kids who would go out on the course to play afterward. Maryanne Lynch remembers attending junior

clinics run by Cotton Dunn with her siblings around the same time, but notes that it was a relatively informal program, and there wasn’t as much emphasis on juniors having “fun” through the game as there is today.

Growing up in the late 1970s, Norman “Chip” Snow, the 1980 and 1982 Junior Club Champion and 1985 Men’s Club Champion, remembers playing for Apawamis in junior interclub matches at Winged Foot and Wykagyl. Those matches “were a great experience and prepared me to play in tournaments,” he says. Apawamis’ difficult conditions “taught me the value of precision shots and helped me develop a very good short game,” he added, reflecting on the need to carefully choose which club to hit from the tee, valuing accuracy, not just distance.

Although there was a smallish junior program in the 1960s and 70s, current and former members that I have spoken with generally agree that it was in 1982, when Mike Summa began working as an Assistant Golf Professional under long-time Head Professional Frank Cardi, that the junior program began to grow. Mike and a couple of the other Assistants, Freddy Harkness and Peter Elder, ran a modest junior clinic program at the time. Although many of those that I spoke with remembered that Frank Cardi was a bit less enthusiastic than his assistants were about encouraging juniors (and women) to use the practice facilities and golf course. Unlike today

with Apawamis being considered an active “family club,” at that time, Apawamis was much quieter and more focused on men’s golf. Doug Casey remembers that it was the addition of the pool in the 1970s that transformed Apawamis into much more of a “family club.”

Mike Summa took an interest in young juniors who came out to practice and play, teaching them about etiquette and rules, giving lessons here and there and, as noted above, running a modest junior clinic program. The former junior golfers

I spoke with agree that Mike’s influence on them as young players was instrumental in developing their games and moving them to the next level. But, to be fair, the golf industry was very different back in the 1980s and 1990s, and not many facilities had full-blown junior programs or even full-time teaching professionals, as we see today at many clubs.

By the time Mike Summa became Apawamis’ Head Professional in 1988, a steady stream of juniors was beginning to improve and take the game more seriously.

In 1989, a new era in junior golf was born with the advent of the Apawamis Junior Sports Program. With the Junior Sports Program now providing an opportunity for regular instruction in multiple sports by the various professional staff for several weeks in the summer, some standout junior golfers emerged.

Perhaps the best-known and arguably most successful young golfer from Apawamis was Johnny Williams, who was the Junior Club Champion in 1983 and 1985 and went on to play golf at Rollins College (Class of 1989). Johnny walked onto the team his freshman year and earned a scholarship for his remaining three years. He qualified for the US Amateur in his junior year in 1988, playing at Merion Golf Club, and finished third in the NCAA Division II Championship in 1988, which earned him a First Team All-American designation. After college, Johnny turned professional, playing on the South African Tour, Canadian Tour, Asian Tour and Hogan Tour (what is now the Korn Ferry Tour) for a couple of years before starting his business career.

Another excellent golfer of the same era as Johnny Williams was Jimmy Dunn, who played Division I college golf at Loyola University, graduating in 1989. Cabot Williams—Johnny’s younger brother and Junior Club Champion in 1987—followed Johnny to Rollins and played on the golf team, graduating in 1994. Mike Saunders, the 1988 Junior Club Champion—whose parents were instrumental in bringing the prestigious American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) tournaments to Apawamis in the 1990s—was also a great golfer and played college golf for Georgetown, graduating in 1994. Mike worked for the AJGA for a time after college before starting his business career.

Jimmy Dunn

Sergio Garcia named an honorable mention Rolex Junior All-American in 1998 after winning the Marsh Junior at Apawamis. Photo courtesy of the AJGA Blog

In all, Apawamis hosted five AJGA events throughout the 1990s, the last in 2010. Perhaps the most famous winner of an AJGA event at Apawamis was Sergio Garcia, who won in 1998.

Apawamis has also hosted seven Metropolitan Golf Association Junior Championship, which is among the most competitive junior amateur events in the area. The fact that Apawamis has graciously hosted many of these junior events signifies its deep commitment to competitive amateur golf on the junior level.

Tony McCutcheon, the 1992 and 1993 Junior Club Champion, played golf and squash for Williams College, graduating in 1999. Tony was co-captain of the team in his senior year (1999) and made All-American that year, finishing eighth out of a field of 120 in the NCAA finals. Bill Oleson, the 1994 Junior Club Champion, played college golf at Brown University, achieved “All Ivy” during his junior year, and captained the team in his senior year.

Edward C. Haley was Junior Club Champion in 1968 and an excellent player. He is the father of Ted Haley, who won the 1994 AJGA tournament at Apawamis. Ted went on to play golf for the University of North Carolina, graduating in 2000. He had a wonderful amateur career, playing in three US Amateur tournaments (1995 at Newport, 1996 at Pumpkin Ridge, and 1997 at Cog Hill).

Three junior golfers have managed to win the Junior and Men’s Club Championship in the same year: Jeff Hadley (1969), Jimmy Dunn (1984), and Christian Ostberg (2014).

Madeleine (Sullivan) Loehr, Charlotte (Gerrish) Koster, and Colleen (Purcell) Tenan, who all grew up at Apawamis in the mid-1990s, remember that the junior golf program under Mike Summa was where they grew to love the game. Madeleine says that she participated in Junior Sports Program longer than her peers because she loved to play golf and even signed up for early-morning sessions on the course before Junior Sports began so that she could play more. Charlotte and Colleen remember that the foundation they received as juniors in the basic rules and etiquette of the game have made them comfortable being on the course with others and confident in their ability to play with anyone of any skill level.

A few other players emerged to play college golf, notably Jeff Pike, (who played for Bucknell and graduated in 2010) Alex Bermingham (Trinity College), and Walker Steers (St. Lawrence University); both graduating in 2013.

Although Apawamis does not boast as long of a history of college golfers on the women’s side, there are a few standouts. At the turn of the 20th century, Genevieve Hecker won back-to-back US Women’s Amateur tournaments (then called the National Women’s Golf Tournament). Her first was in 1901, winning at Baltusrol Golf Club when she was just shy of 18 years old, finishing in a four-way tie for medalist honors before taking the final match. Genevieve also won the following year (1902) at The Country Club in Brookline. In her later years, she wrote a book called Golf For Women, the first book ever written exclusively for female golfers. I own a copy of Hecker’s book and can attest to how well some of the ideas have aged in the years since she wrote it!

Barbara McGhie, who won six Apawamis Women’s Club Championships, had a stellar amateur career, playing golf at Wellesley College (in addition to field hockey, basketball and squash). She was inducted into the Wellesley Hall of Fame for her golf achievements. When she was 17 years old, Barbara was the runner-up in the inaugural USGA Girls’ Junior Championship in 1949. In 1951, Barbara was the National Intercollegiate Golf Champion (the equivalent of the modern NCAA Individual Champion) after finishing runner-up the previous year. She also won the New York State Women’s Amateur Championships in 1951, 1952, and 1954.

Mary Watkins won the Apawamis Women’s Club Championship in 1970 when she was 18, breaking up a string of Jean Crawford titles from 1969 to 1974. As mentioned above, Mary describes a small junior clinic program in the early 1960s and remembers looking up to the great women golfers at the Club—Jean Crawford and Sis Choate—as an inspiration to improve her game. Mary attended Hollins College (now Hollins University) at the same time as legendary lifelong amateur Carol Semple Thompson. While there was not a golf team there until Mary’s senior year, they did play matches in the Virginia Intercollegiate division.

Christian Ostberg

The next female college golfer who grew up at the Club that I was able to identify was Rebecca Warner, who played for Bowdoin College and graduated in 2011.

For a little over a decade after Mike Summa left Apawamis in 2000 to become the Head Professional at The Stanwich Club, the junior golf program shifted slightly to the back burner. While the summer Junior Sports Program continued, there was no driving force behind the junior golf program from the professional staff, and participation dwindled.

overhaul was critical, ensuring that all juniors receive consistent, quality information from our professional staff. We added training programs for the assistant professionals so that every instructor that junior golfers interact with is well-versed in the theory and language used in our programs. Finally, all of our programs are based on the principles of Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD—the idea that children need to perform age-appropriate motor skill acquisition drills to maximize athletic potential). Fundamental Sports skills are layered on top of Fundamental Movement Skills in the LTAD hierarchy, with the intention of creating athletes first, and golfers second.

THE MODERN JUNIOR GOLF ERA

When I first came to Apawamis in 2011, I spent most of my time observing the existing junior golf program, which essentially meant the summer Junior Sports Program, since there really weren’t any other structured offerings. However, having spent the previous eight seasons at Westchester CC with its robust junior golf program, I knew that more could be done, and I made it my mission to create the finest junior golf program in the metropolitan area at Apawamis. James Ondo, our new Head Professional beginning in 2013, gave me wide latitude to create programs that would last the test of time and build a program from the ground up that would change the landscape of junior golf at Apawamis.

In 2013, we added the first Advanced Junior Golf Academy (our own AJGA—intentionally so-named to be reminiscent of the American Junior Golf Association tournament program) to the summer sports schedule, offering a dedicated golf-intensive program to provide advanced instruction to juniors. In addition, we rewrote the curriculum for the After-School Clinic program and the golf portion of the Junior Sports Program. This curriculum

Gradually, as the junior program grew, we added additional offerings (Saturday Girls’ Golf Clinics, Fall Ball, PGA Junior League, Junior Play with the Pro, and Elite Junior Golf). We’ve also added a Junior Certification Program, a requirement for juniors who wish to play on the course unaccompanied by adults—to ensure that the standards of play, rules, and etiquette are well understood by our junior golfers.

It may surprise you to learn that the number of juniors at the club between the ages of 6 and 17 has remained relatively steady for at least the past 12 years, leveling out to around 500 kids (give or take). That’s a lot of kids at the Club! At this point, we have added so many programs that we are truly limited in what we can offer by our physical facilities—we simply don’t have anywhere else to put more kids or instructors.

In the years since the “re-boot” of our junior program, it has grown not only in size but in magnitude. What I call the “baseline competence” of our juniors has grown exponentially as more of our

Junior Golf Programs Instruction with Monique and Jacob

kids have been exposed at earlier ages and with more consistent instruction and time on the course. We are experiencing a culture shift, and that shift has taken the better part of a decade to take hold—but we have plenty of momentum on our side now.

This brings us full circle in connecting the junior golf programs of our past, present, and future. In recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of juniors playing in local Met PGA events, playing for their high school teams, and playing in Hurricane Tour and American Junior Golf Association events. This year alone, we have had 16 juniors play in over 70 Met PGA events, Hurricane Tour events, and American Junior Golf Association events. For some, the next step will be to pursue a dream of playing college golf. And while playing college golf is not (and shouldn’t be) the overall measure of a successful junior program, I believe that if we’re doing things correctly, we should be showing our juniors what’s possible if they choose to dream.

We are especially proud of two of our juniors who have committed to play for college teams: Hailey Ryan, who has just begun her freshman year at Bowdoin College in Maine, and Sam O’Hara, who is committed to the University of Virginia program starting in the fall of 2023. Both juniors have worked hard on their games over the years and it has clearly paid off. As I write this article, nine other juniors at the Club have expressed an interest in playing at the college level. Time will tell if those dreams will come true, but ultimately, what’s important isn’t whether our kids go on to play in college or even at the elite amateur or national or professional level. What’s important is that they can dream of it.

When our members know the great history of Apawamis’ past junior golfers it helps to foster an environment where there is a healthy competition level and exceptional play—because the past can inform the future. When we show our juniors what others who come before us have done, they can also imagine those things as possible for themselves. That’s one of the essential ways that culture is created and nurtured.

I hope you have enjoyed this walk down memory lane of Apawamis junior golf history. I have very much enjoyed speaking with so many current and former members of the Club and learning about our rich history of junior golf accomplishments. As I remain at Apawamis, I will constantly strive to improve our junior program so that our professional staff can provide the most comprehensive and superior programming that our facilities will allow. I am so grateful to the membership at Apawamis for providing the resources and support for our programs over these past 12 years, and I can’t wait to see what the future will bring.

THE OF THE APAWAMIS JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAM

Provide a high-quality learning environment where juniors learn athletic and golf-specific skills that will prepare them for a lifetime of involvement in golf;

Foster an environment of fun that promotes a love for the game of golf;

Provide a pathway for committed juniors to experience competition and develop skills that allow them to test the limits of their abilities; and

Promote core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, fun, perseverance, and judgment.

Sam O’Hara, Medalist at the qualifier for the 74th US Junior Amateur Championship Hailey Ryan

Photo courtesy of NY State Golf

The

inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open was played for three days in July at Pinehurst, and Nancy Rees, a long-time Apawamis member and a member of the USGA National Rules Committee, was invited to be one of the 30 officials at the Adaptive Open. There were 96 players in the field at the Adaptive Open, each of whom suffered from some form of disability, which included entries from 29 states and 11 countries. Contestants were as young as 15 and as old as 80. For the purposes of scoring, players were split into eight categories: leg impairment, arm impairment, multiple-limb amputee, intellectual impairment, neurological impairment, visual impairment, seated player, and short stature. The event was 54 holes long and awarded two trophies: one to the low men’s scorer, Simon Lee, and one to the low women’s scorer, Kim Moore.

We caught up with Nancy to ask a couple of questions that would give all of us a flavor of how special this event was at this time, not only for golf but because of the current climate of world events.

What surprised you the most about the players?

USGA INAUGURAL U.S. ADAPTIVE OPEN Q A

Over 25% of the players had +handicap indexes. These weren’t adaptive handicap indexes; they were the same world golf handicap that all golfers use. No one felt their disability was a disadvantage. They loved the game of golf and loved the fact that they could play in a national championship. There was one player, Brian Bemis, who had lost a leg to cancer when he was 12, had to stop wearing his prosthesis after 57 surgeries, and learned to swing standing on one leg. He was one of the most positive human beings I have ever met and he has a 6.7 handicap. Foursomes were mixed; I couldn’t imagine how that would work but it was seamless. There were eight categories of impairment [visually impaired, intellectually impaired, neurological impairment, arm impairment, leg impairment, multiple limb-amputee, seated players, short stature) and all foursomes were mixed by both gender and disability. My Monday foursome had a player with non-verbal autism, a player who was blind, one who had an amputated leg, and one without an arm. My Wednesday foursome had five legs between the five of us—two of mine, two of the player with cerebral palsy, and one original leg between the other three players. By the way, in each foursome the players shot in the 70s.

Q A Q A

What was the experience like for you?

All of us that were there were forever changed by what we witnessed. I have never smiled so much and been so emotionally moved on a golf course. This championship is what the game of golf is supposed to be: love of the game, great competition, and fantastic camaraderie. It was electric. I have officiated at over 50 USGA Championships and NCAA Championships and nothing compares to the Adaptive. It was amazing having a mix of adaptive players in each foursome; to sit in hospitality listening to four men in wheelchairs talk about the game of golf and not their disabilities. Officiating this championship felt no different than officiating at a U.S. Open. It stripped the game that we all love down to its purest form. EVERYONE stayed for the awards ceremony (seriously—that never happens). These players represented all that was good in sport and none of the ugliness that has made so much noise lately. It was inspiring to watch every single member of the USGA team staff and volunteer officials alike feel this was the greatest thing they had ever been a part of.

What was your favorite memory?

Hands down my favorite memory is of the little girl with a short arm who stood on the first teeing area the first two days until every player had signed her Adaptive Open pin flag. Totally inspirational! That little girl and many other little boys and girls are now saying, “I can do that too,” and the game and its future will be better for it. Good stuff all around!

Pete’s Point of View

BY PETER BRIGGS, CHAIRMAN OF SQUASH

Everything that happens in our lives, beginning to end, involves us either wittingly or unwittingly subject to the decisions of risk/reward behavior promulgated by ourselves or by others upon us. For the most part, we weave our own destiny unless you believe that The Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) have a divine hand in the matter—maybe.

What do risk and reward mean? Risk is the possibility of something terrible happening, and reward is the outcome product of something good happening. So how do we address this conundrum and make sense of it all?

Where is the risk/reward to one’s safety and others in driving fifty miles per hour over the speed limit just to reach our destination four minutes faster? Where’s the risk/reward to one’s health of having two bacon cheeseburgers and fries for lunch washed down with a dry martini followed by a cheesecake and a nice Cuban cigar while sitting by the pool with no sunscreen on? Why not have a kale, quinoa, and tabbouleh salad with a nice, cold coconut water while wearing a sun shirt? Don’t answer that. Why does one go parachuting when perhaps a mere acquaintance packed our parachute? The point is that we make hundreds of seemingly Pavlovian consequential and inconsequential risk/reward decisions every day without even ruminating on their consequences. The key is maintaining a presence of mind. Have the courage to dare and to take risks in our lives and endeavors but to make certain that the taken risk is calculated and not cavalier. For example, the Apawamis Board took a calculated risk in rebuilding the squash house in 2009 during economically challenging times and a similar calculated risk currently with The Master Plan on the heels of a pandemic. Both proved to be well-constructed and well-executed decisions worth the risk.

Risk is a probability or threat of damage, injury, loss, or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities that may be avoided through preemptive action. There are two types of rewards. Tangible and intangible. Tangible rewards are money and material objects. Intangible rewards are psychic and emotional remuneration whose worth is measured by the individual alone. As a teacher, I prefer the latter.

As far as competitive sports are concerned, the conventional wisdom holds that by increasing the amount of risk taken by a player or a team during a game, so rises the commensurate potential of increased return and success in the outcome of that game. However, before any of these risk/reward athletic and reallife outcomes can even occur for us, Teddy Roosevelt's exhortatory words remind us and ring presciently true. They are a call for us as humans that it is our duty to dare and to risk, to look both success and failure squarely in the eye. The true reward is in the joy and exhilaration of experiencing the process. Win or lose.

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena ….who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming … who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Understanding and embracing the inextricable relationship of risk/ reward is pure and fundamental to every sport we play and insights into what kind of competitors we are under pressure. Not only do athletic pressure and a competitive scenario give us a road map and “window to our soul,” it show us who we really are and prove that

RISK

-Anaïs Nin

we fully understand the meaning of sportsmanship and grace under fire. The philosophy of risk/reward also shows whether or not we really understand the nuances and intricacies of these games that we play and are “true students” of those games or pretenders.

On the sportsmanship side of the equation, renowned essayist, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, in his treatise called The Black Swan, wrote, “I don’t particularly care about the usual. If you want to get an idea about a friend's temperament, ethics, and personal elegance you need to look at them under the tests of severe circumstances, not under the regular rosy glow of daily life.” Amen.

On the issue of being a true student of the game, understanding risk/reward is not only mandatory but definitive.

Whether it is squash, golf, tennis, soccer, football or any athletic discipline, reflexively calculating risk/reward in real-time is the key to being a serious and tough competitor who wins on their wits and guile and never beats themselves. It’s a simple question posed throughout the duration of the game. Am I in an offensive and winning position? Then have the guts to take a risk and execute an offensive play or shot. Am I in a defensive and losing position? Then have the presence of mind, patience and self-control to execute a defensive play or shot. It all sounds quite simple. However, under extreme pressure in sports or life, it most surely takes real guts and character to show a presence of mind, patience and sportsmanship, thereby enabling us to make thoughtful decisions.

And then the day came, when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

A View From

GALLERY

BY DAVID HARRIS, JR., MEMBER

One

of the greatest rewards sports has to offer is to don the colors of your homeland and compete in its name. Our squash staff is well versed in what that means—most recently, our Director of Squash, Cameron Pilley, had the honor of this ultimate reward.

“When you put on your country’s colors you feel taller,” he said as he participated in his fourth Commonwealth Games. If you’re like me, an American through and through, your response to the previous fact was a resounding ‘huh?’ but for squash, the Commonwealth Games are the closest thing we have to the Olympics (The Briggs Cup excepted).

Formerly known as The British Empire Games (perhaps that’s why we weren’t invited), the Commonwealth Games were founded in 1930 and have been held every four years except in ‘42 and ‘46. In 2022, 72 nations participated with more than 5,000 athletes in Birmingham, England. As Cameron describes it, “When they announce your country and we walked into the stadium—there were about 50,000 people, and the crowd was going nuts—it gave me goosebumps. Looking back on it now, it still gives me goosebumps.”

Cameron is the most recent of Apawamis squash players to “put on [his] country’s colors,” but he is not the only one. For Sergio Martin, it was at the Pan American Juniors; for Simon Gondwe, at the East African Games winning the Gold in ‘88 and ‘89, representing Zambia; for Lume Landman, it was at the All Africa Games in 2011

and 2012 and the Indian Ocean Games in 2015, representing South Africa; for Squash Chairman Peter Briggs, it was as a player on the 1976 US Team in the World Championships at Wembley, England, and years later as the three-time US Team Coach in Singapore, Helsinki and Vancouver.

But in terms of competition, perhaps Cameron’s most fulfilling win was the 2018 games, held on the Gold Coast of Australia and two hours from his hometown. Cameron had the opportunity to win the gold medal in mixed doubles (softball, yuck) with his cousin, Donna Lobban, who grew up next door. When asked if he remembered the winning point, he grinned and responded, “I remember it vividly…”

“…It was ten all, [my opponent] was known to hit the ball hard and not afraid (he chose his words delicately as if speaking about a certain Apawamis member) to get in your way. She tried to hit a straight kill into the nick and shut me out. So I’m anticipating this exact shot. I commit to getting in front of her—if she hits it deep, they’ve won the point—she hits the kill. She hasn’t hit it well. It goes front wall-side wall and it’s coming back to me, and I’m in front of her now. I’m shaping up and waiting to take her up in front, and she knows it. So I’m waiting and waiting and waiting, and she runs into me, my racquet and the ball. I stop and look to the referee. It’s a stroke, and we’ve won the gold medal. I had a small tear down my cheek watching [them raise] the Australian flag.”

For the rest of us, our reward might not be as grand as standing on a podium while our national anthem is played. But we can take the reward of full effort, of exhaustion, of frustration overcome. And for me, the greatest reward is when your competitors become your compatriots.

You’ve Gotta Risk It to Get the Biscuit!

BY CAMERON PILLEY, DIRECTOR OF SQUASH

Whilemany squash players love the idea of taking a risk and going for the winning shot when the opportunity presents itself, in reality, this is not usually how the game plays out. The thought of hitting that straight volley drop or reverse winner on match point is something dreams are made of… but when the opening to take that shot comes along, far too often, we see the opportunity go begging as the player opts for a safer approach.

When we become worried about hitting the error or start playing the game just hoping not to lose, it can be a slippery slope to defeat.

I’ve experienced the highs of going for the match-winning shot (and making it!) and the lows of taking no risks, hoping not to lose, and losing. In my 19 years and over 650 matches on the World Tour, the losses I regretted the most were those where I played passively and simply hoped not to lose. The matches I lost because of playing positive, attacking squash never hurt as much because I was leaving it all out there.

But in addition to simply leaving it all out there, practice also plays a huge part in determining whether you will be rewarded for taking a risk. Like anything in life, practice makes (close to) perfect. If you are dreaming of hitting a forehand reverse winner for the trophy, practice. If you’d love to be carving a backhand cross court nick for the title, practice! The importance of practice can never be overstated.

To give a personal example of risk, reward, and the value of practice, I will take you back to the 2009 Dutch Open. Leading into this event, my coach and I spoke a lot about taking the opportunity when it comes, and being positive and confident in my own game. We decided to focus a lot on one particular shot—the overhead cross-court nick. It is a risky shot if you never practice it, but it can be a weapon when executed well. For roughly two months during my summer training, we finished every single training session with 10-20 minutes of cross-court nicks—forehand and backhand.

In the semi-final, I came up against a rival and peer of mine who I had never beaten and was consistently ranked higher than me. Coming into this match knowing I had just hit thousands of nicks in my training sessions, I decided that this match would be the ultimate risk it to get the biscuit! Playing positive, attacking squash all match, I found myself two games to one up and 11-10 match ball in the fourth game. After a tough, grinding rally with both of us running all over the court, my opponent hit a high lob to my backhand. There was only one shot that entered my mind—backhand cross-court nick. As I lined the shot up, it was a feeling of familiarity. I executed the shot perfectly and won the match—beating him for the first time in my career! Later after the match, he commented that he couldn’t believe I went for that shot at that particular moment in the game. I laughed it off, but my coach and I felt a sense of achievement and satisfaction just from that last shot of the match.

Risks in squash can indeed be rewarding (and match-winning!), but you can mitigate your risk by practicing your risky, winning shots beforehand.

FAVORITES

We all want to have our best game, but the sheer amount of products at our disposal can overwhelm even the best of the gearheads or the fashionistas. To help, we've asked our professionals to give us their favorite picks of the season. To order, please contact the Squash Shop.

PETER’S S.A.T. WORD of the SEASON

Peter knows his junior players spend a lot of time on the squash courts. To make sure his players stay sharp on and off the courts, he regularly posts S.A.T. words for his junior players to review.

IMPERIOUS (adjective): acting arrogantly, high-handed, or in a haughty and supercilious manner

Pete likes his players to exude a positive body language and show a confident but not imperious demeanor to the opponent while competing on the court.

• Bennett Klein is named captain of the Brunswick Team

10th Anniversary Briggs Cup benefiting CitySquash is from December 8–12, 2022.

Harrow Misfit Racket

Rhone Swift T-Shirt - White, Rhone Reign Tech T-Shirt - Grey

Mako Shorts Unlined-Green Rhone Mako Shorts Lined-White

LET'S TALK

TENNIS

BY STJEPAN BEG, DIRECTOR OF TENNIS

Yet

again, we have experienced another spectacular season on the tennis courts. The energy on and off the courts has been outstanding from the moment we opened up the courts in March, and we hope to continue deep into autumn. We are excited to accommodate the new wave of tennis enthusiasts at the Club.

The 2022 season was one of the most successful adult interclub seasons yet. The women’s teams ended in the top spots of the ladder in every division they competed. Our Women’s MITL B & C team came in second in the league, only trailing behind a tennis academy (which is, in my opinion, a club that doesn’t qualify within the same perimeters as county clubs in terms of player recruitment). Similarly, the men again made it to the finals. It is remarkable to witness our teams’ competitive spirit year after year. The 2022 season performance of our players will be hard to match in the future.

Our juniors again showed remarkable character and integrity, qualities which translated into great results. I am so happy to announce that Apawamis Juniors are recipients of the 2022 Jack Stahr Memorial trophy for the second year in a row. Being awarded the trophy means our youngsters on aggregate won the most matches out of all the clubs in this area. It is our second time winning this award, with our first time winning occurring in 2021. We also took first place in four divisions: the Boys 11 & 16, and the Girls 11 & 13, and we came in second place for the remaining divisions. To top it all off, the juniors finished the season with an exceptional showing at the end-of-season MITL tournament. It has been a season to remember! It was a great honor for the professionals to see our juniors shine on the battlefield.

• MITL 9 & U Tournament Winners: Colson Mates and Ryder Mates

• Boys 11 & U Doubles Winners: Rizq Kherani/Zayd Kherani

• Girls 11 & U Doubles Finalists: Nina Metrailler/Emily Pierog

• Boys 13 & U Singles Winner: Chris Estill

• Boys 16 & U Singles Finalist: Tyler Burke

Our Junior Club Championships were another bright spot this summer. I believe it is through participating in the Junior Grand Slam Program that builds the skills of our junior and develops the interest of being a tennis player for life, whether it is a junior who wants to make tennis their primary sport or an active Club participant who is developing a life skill.

We are amid the self-organized adult Club Championships, and final matches will commence in the fall. In addition, the winter edition of the Apawamis Now will highlight the adult tournament season, so stay tuned.

Lastly, we look forward to continuing the tennis operations well into the fall months. So join us out there on the courts!

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you and your families on and off the courts.

2022 JUNIOR CHAMPIONS

9 & U Girls

Winner: Beatrice Delaney

Finalist: Elise Geveda

9 & U Boys

Winner: Jack Eagan

Finalist: Oliver Sobol

9 & U Girls Doubles

Winner: Beatrice Delaney/Nina Heffers

Finalist: Caroline O’Neill/Cathrine Mohraz

9 & U Boys Doubles

Winner: Colson Mates/Ryder Mates

Finalist: Franklin Bruffett/Oliver Sobol

11 & U Girls

Winner: Shannon Foley

Finalist: Nina Metrailler

11 & U Boys

Winner: Chase Forbes

Finalist: Colson Mates

11 & U Girls Doubles

Winner: Shannon Foley/Whitney Dinger

Finalist: Quinn Leahy/Brooke Erickson

11 & U Boys Doubles

Winner: Shep Teillon/Ben Sobol

Finalist: Oliver Sobol/Franklin Bruffett

11 & U Mixed

Winner: Shannon Foley/Grant Morrison

Finalist: Whitney Dinger/Chase Forbes

13 & U Girls

Winner: Katie Foley

Finalist: Abigail Smith

13 & U Boys

Winner: Chris Estill

Finalist: Lawton Wydra

13 & U Girls Doubles

Winner: Katie Foley/Kaitlin Kavanagh

Finalist: Abigail Smith/Grace Steers

16 & U Girls

Winner: Lily Smith

Finalist: Elizabeth Kavanagh

16 & U Boys

Winner: Tyler Burke

Finalist: Chris Estill

16 & U Boys Doubles

Winner: Tyler Burke/Chris Estill

Finalist: Richie Morrow/Nigel Strazzinni

The Fighting Frogs Advance to Division 2

BY KIM ADAMS, HEAD SWIM COACH

Newchallenges awaited the Apawamis Fighting Frogs swim team heading into the 2022 season. They were competing in a higher division against more formidable opponents after having been elevated for winning their division in the season prior. But a few months later, the Fighting Frogs found themselves in familiar territory—at the top of the standings with a championship trophy in hand.

The team continued its incredible ascent up the ranks of Westchester swimming by winning its third division championship in as many seasons, a feat that is unlikely to have been accomplished by another team in the history of the Westchester County Swim Conference. The Fighting Frogs were Division 5 champions in 2019, Division 4 champions in 2021, and now Division 3 champions in 2022.

The team not only won Division 3 competing in it for the first time, but did so in an undefeated fashion, stunning their new opponents with a perfect 5-0 dual meet record. It was the second straight undefeated season for the Fighting Frogs, who are 10-0 across the last two summers and have not lost a dual meet since 2019. Wow, what an amazing achievement. Congratulations!

The team followed up the division championship with a strong showing at the Westchester County Swim Conference Championship, placing 10th overall out of 32 teams. It is the second straight Top 10 finish for Apawamis.

Individually at the championships, the team was led by 12-year-old Cameron Forbes. Cameron swept the 12 & Under Girls events for the second straight season, taking gold in the 50-yard Freestyle, Backstroke, and Butterfly. Her three-peat earned her the 12 & Under Girls High Point Award with a perfect 60 points. She was one of just four swimmers to win three individual events at the meet.

Cameron proved she is one of the top swimmers Westchester County has ever seen by setting new championship meet records in the 12 & Under 50-yard Freestyle and Backstroke events. Her freestyle, backstroke and butterfly times are also new Apawamis records. She was named the team’s Most Valuable 12 & Under Girl and overall Most Valuable Swimmer at the Swim Team Awards Dinner in August.

Apawamis earned another gold medal at the conference championship meet from the Boys 10 & Under 200-yard Freestyle Relay. The team of Jonathan Davis, Grant Morrison, Duncan Forbes, and Chase Forbes stunned the competition after entering the event as the 8th seed. It is the second straight season Apawamis has won this event.

Other individual medalists at the Championships were Annabelle Brandt (2nd–6 & Under Girls 25-yard Freestyle), Jack Eagan (3rd 8 & Under Boys 25-yard Butterfly), and Chase Forbes (3rd–10 & Under Boys 50-yard Backstroke). Chase also set a new Apawamis record in this event.

The Fighting Frogs had two other relay teams medal at the Championships. Both the 10 & Under Girls Relay team of Brooke Erickson, Emily Pierog, Quin Leahy, and Kay Eagan, and the 13 & Under Boys Relay team of Matt Michalik, Charlie Thigpen, Chris Estill, and Tyler Burke won the bronze medal in their respective events. The 13 & Under Boys time set a new Apawamis team record.

Throughout the season, the talented 8 & Under age group was led by Most Valuable Swimmers Jack Eagan and Carson Rooney, who were both triple-winners at multiple dual meets and posted Top 8 individual finishes at the Conference Championships. In addition, Siena Giovengo earned one of the team’s Most Improved Swimmer awards.

The 10 & Under age group provided the team with incredible depth and versatility, highlighted by Most Valuable Swimmers Chase Forbes and Quin Leahy. Chase placed in the Top 8 in each of his three individual events at the Championship meet, and Quin had two Top 16 finishes, including 4th place overall in the 50-yard Breaststroke. Kay Eagan was named a Most Improved Swimmer after anchoring the third-place relay team and also swimming up on the 13 & Under Girls Relay team.

Chris Estill joined the aforementioned Cameron Forbes for Most Valuable 12 & Under swimmers. Chris had three Top 10 finishes at the Championship meet. The age group also received strong contributions from breaststroke specialist Eleanor English, who placed sixth in the event at the Championship meet. Charlie Thigpen provided great versatility on his way to three Top 16 finishes at the Championships, earning one of the team’s Most Improved Swimmer awards.

Tyler Burke and Charlotte Fallon were named Most Valuable 13 & Over swimmers. Both were triple-event winners in multiple dual meets and had Top 16 individual finishes at the Championship meet. Tyler set new Apawamis records in the 14 & Under Boys Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly events. Charlotte set new marks in the 17 & Under Girls 100-yard Freestyle, Backstroke and Breaststroke events. Matt Michalik received a Most Improved Swimmer award after leading off the third-place relay team and earning a Top 16 finish at the Championship meet.

The team is sad to say goodbye to graduating team members Charlotte Fallon and Campbell Steere. Both were longtime team members who, along with great swimming talent, brought incredible commitment, leadership, and passion to the Apawamis swim team.

Other season highlights included an invitation to participate in the prestigious Westchester Country Club Invitational for the first time. The Apawamis Dive Team entered its second season and saw Top 10 finishes at the Conference Championships from 10 & Unders Chase and Riley Williams. They also set new Apawamis team records with their scores.

The Apawamis Pre-Team had another successful season, with approximately 30 five- and six-year-olds preparing to be the next wave of stars of the swim team. Across their six-week season, the swimmers participated in four meets and saw significant stroke development and time improvements in their 25-yard freestyle and backstroke races. In addition, Annabelle Brandt, Paige Morrison, and Julie Pierog competed in the 6 & Under division of the Conference Championship meet and each had Top 8 individual finishes.

Many swim team members will continue to work on their swimming throughout the winter months as the team prepares for its biggest challenge yet, competing in Division 2 in summer 2023! Congratulations, Fighting Frogs, on an outstanding 2022 season performance.

Junior Sports Camp Highlights

BY CHRIS LOCKWOOD, DIRECTOR OF JUNIOR SPORTS CAMP

I'm

pleased to say that the summer 2022 Junior Sports Camp was a remarkable success in this ever-changing landscape. The activity calendar was packed with tried and true favorites like Crazy Hair day, Group Challenge day (water balloon toss event), Sweet Treats day, and Tie-Dye day. Newly added was Halloween in July day, which had plenty of superheroes, princesses, mermaids, and more. Jean, dressed in a lobster suit, handed out treats to the campers. A welcomed treat was the return of Camp Extravaganza day to close out the year. We hosted a rodeo-themed event and requested campers and parents to come dressed in their western attire. The children participated in diving board games, cowboys relay races, and the ever-popular Big Splash Contest, all in the spirit of enjoying the community we built all summer.

As is our tradition, the Junior Sports Camp recognized a few children this year who truly made great strides this summer and represent the bright future of Apawamis. The Junior Sports Camp program believes that all children should participate in junior sports events and strive to do their best in all activities regardless of their skill level. Therefore, participation and the endeavor to do one's best are recognized equally with achievements.

Rob Castagna Spirit Award

Rob Castagna was the original Director of the Junior Sports Program and was highly influential in the program's design. In his 15 years as Director, his spirit is what exemplified this man. His drive and dedication to this Junior Sports team are what made the program we all enjoy right now. This requires leadership, participation, enthusiasm, good sportsmanship, encouragement of teammates, and team spirit; all of the attributes of Rob Castagna and the following campers displayed the same traits through their time at Camp in 2022:

Annabelle Brandt, James Brandt, Franklin Bruffett, Avery Burke, Mack Gauss, Siena Giovengo, Griffin Keogh, Zayd Kherani, Catherine Mohraz, and Nora Smyth (pictured above in order)

John W. Ferguson Award

This is our most distinguished award in honor of John W. Ferguson. John Ferguson was a member of the original Junior Sports Committee who helped to design and implement our program. He was a fine athlete who recognized the value of trying one's best to achieve a goal. This award recognizes a boy and a girl who the staff agrees is easy to work with, gets along well with peers and staff, is looked up to by peers, encourages others, is polite, self-motivated, contributes to the groups' goals, is well-rounded, and tries his or her best in all activities. The 2022 John W. Ferguson Award winners are: Kay Eagan and Colson Mates (pictured right)

We wish you all a great school year and hope that when you reflect on your summer at Junior Sports Camp, it brings as many smiles to your face as it does mine!

Already I can't wait for the summer of '23!

Now Welcoming

BY SHAWN ROWLEY, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

The Van Pelts

Call it fate or serendipity, either way, the Van Pelts were destined to be members of The Apawamis Club. Over the past 20 years, Spencer Van Pelt has known of the Club through friends of friends, neighbors at his summer home in Quonochontaug, RI, and as a resident of Rye.

So who are the Van Pelts? Spencer Van Pelt is a New York native who moved to London as a toddler and spent his middle school years in Tokyo. He returned to the States to attend high school, then he was off to the University of North Carolina for college, receiving a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Political Science and a minor in American History. Spencer works within the Investment Solutions Group at Bank of America, where he has worked for the last half dozen years. Prior to that, Spencer spent nearly fifteen years at Morgan Stanley working in the Wealth Management division. He met his future wife, Veronica Bufalini, through mutual friends after graduating college. Veronica is a firstgeneration Italian-American. Her father moved to the US to attend college at Columbia University, then returned to Rome to earn his medical degree. Later, he came back to the US with Gabriella, Veronica’s mother, to begin his medical practice. Veronica was born in Bergen County, NJ, and attended Hamilton College in NY. She earned a degree in History and has held positions with various independent film companies working with theatrical releases. She is currently the head of the HBO Documentary Films media relations team.

In June 2018, Spencer and Veronica decided to move to Rye Gardens from the Flatiron District. They were looking for a suburban lifestyle that would fit a growing family. Spencer and Veronica have two children, a son, Charlie (7) and a daughter, Charlotte (4). Charlie attends second grade at the Osborn School, and Charlotte is in the Fours Program at Rye Presbyterian Nursery School. Once they settled, they wanted to join a year-round country club that would allow the family to grow closer through activities. The Apawamis Club was a perfect fit. The Club’s familycentric programming, from Kids’ Zone, Junior Sports Camp, and the various athletic programs to the fun social events, sealed the deal. Spencer was granted membership on September 22, and his first order of Club business was to register the family to attend the Halloween party. Spencer is looking forward to becoming more active in playing squash and golf; Veronica is interested in playing tennis and spending the summer evenings at the pool. Together, they are excited to make new friends, participate in social events, and learn to play paddle tennis!

The Shaws

Adam and Kelly Shaw relocated to Rye in 2020 from the West Village. Adam, a Long Island native and former competitive swimmer, and his wife Kelly, who spent her pre-teen years in Chicago and young-adult years in Florida, were both looking for an active suburban community to raise their family, similar to their upbringing. Some of the Shaws’ top priorities when looking for a place to live were a reputable school system, a tight-knit community, lots of open space for the kids to play, and an easy commute—Adam works in the city at Morgan Stanly Capital Partners.

Adam and Kelly met through mutual friends soon after Kelly moved to New York (2012) to pursue her law career, and they later married in 2015. They have twins, a son, Aidan (6) and a daughter, Madison (6). Since moving to Rye, they heard more and more about Apawamis and how family-centric it is, and in the spring of 2022, they began the admission process to join the Apawamis family. Adam was approved as a House/Golf Wait List member in September.

As members, the Shaws are excited to hone their tennis and golf skills at the Club, attend the many family events and parties, and hopefully enjoy a few “grown-up” dinners while the kids play with their new friends when Kids’ Zone is available. One of the main reasons for joining Apawamis was so that Aidan and Madison could attend Junior Sports Camp and begin developing friendships that could last a lifetime. After having little time for recreational sports for the last 20 years due to his career and young family, Adam would like to begin playing golf, and he and Kelly want to get better at tennis. They both enjoy the social aspect of the Club (wine dinners, holiday parties) and have found that they easily identify with other members. They look forward to making lifelong friends.

Anothersummer at Apawamis has passed, and we approach the fall with the clubhouse renovations complete and the anticipation of a long fall golf season. Coming to a close is the second Apawamis Junior Summer-Guest Program—designed to attract non-legacy juniors. The program, which runs June 1 through September 30, allows candidates who are new to the area the opportunity to experience the Club, meet the membership, and become familiar with the area. Additionally, it allows the candidates and the membership to determine if Apawamis is a good fit for everyone.

There was significant interest in the program, and we had twelve individuals approved and accepted (although, unfortunately, one candidate, a former collegiate golfer suffered a fractured foot and withdrew). The eleven originally hailed from MA, CT, NYC, DE, GA, and WI, among other places, with employment bringing them to our area. This diverse group includes collegiate athletes in tennis, golf, squash, baseball, track, and football. I have witnessed them make use of all the facilities at Apawamis and enjoy cocktails and meals with newfound friends. The feedback I have received from these individuals, as well as from current members who have met them, has been extremely positive. Several have expressed a desire to pursue a Junior Membership in the very near future.

Overall, it appears that taking a chance on this new initiative will indeed benefit all and provide a new pipeline for our Junior Membership Program. If you are interested in sponsoring someone for membership or the Junior Summer-Guest experience, please refer to the Membership web page on apawamis.org or contact Patrick McGovern at pjmrye@mac.com or call (917) 543-5086.

Please Welcome our Newest Members

David and Erin Aidi Family

Alexander and Michelle Bea Family

Adam and Kelly Shaw FamilyAlexander and Bettina Funk Family

Mimi Shea Family

Patrick and Alexandra Kelly

Lawson Kelly

Margot and Matthew Sweeney Family

Spencer and Veronica Van Pelt

Justin and Jane Waluch Family