BIRNAM BUZZ
DEAR MEMBERS OF BIRNAM WOOD
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Richard De Schutter, President
One of my Saturday morning golf buddies is a fellow former Chicagoan, Jim Lodas.
Jim holds the distinction of longest tenure of any club member having joined in 1968. After a round of golf and some prodding, he reminisced about his long association with the club and I thought it would be fun to share it here.
Q. You joined Birnam in 1968. How long had the club been open when you joined?
A. Less than a year.
Q. You must have been among the first to apply. Do you remember how many members were there when you joined?
A. I was the seventh Junior member to join. There were less than 100 full members including founding members.
Q. Do you remember what was the cost to join at that time?
A. The initiation fee was $200 and dues were $19 monthly. I was concerned when I joined that the club was about to impose a hefty dues increase which they sure enough did three months later. Members got hit with a 10% increase taking dues to $21 a month.
Q. How is it that you became a member?
A. In those days, I was seriously into tennis having played on the UCSB tennis team under Coach Ed Doty. Ed was the
*1968 - Hole 16
*Jim Lodas, McLean Member-Member 2025
first tennis Head Pro at Birnam Wood. After graduation followed by a two year US Army stint, I returned to Santa Barbara and was told by Coach Doty that I should check out this new club in Montecito called Birnam Wood. So I did
Q. What was your impression of Birnam Wood when you saw it for the first time?
A. When I first visited the club, it was, as now, fully enclosed by a fence which looked stark at the time. I wondered who in Montecito they were tryingto keep out and questioned whether it was right for me being just two years out of college. But then again, I had just returned from Vietnam, and I thought if I survived that, I deserved something as a reward. I was a little apprehensive because many returning vets were subject to hostility due to Vietnam anti-war sentiment but the membership here could not have been nicer. I immediately felt at home.
Q. Did you ever meet the developer Robert McLean personally?
A. I never met Robert McLean personally, but got to know the Birnam Wood Vice President at the time, Pete Sears quite well.
Q. How did that come about?
A. When I expressed an interest in joining the club, Pete Sears invited me to lunch. At the end of the meal, he asked if I wanted to become a member and of course I said yes. He then said “You are now a member”. That was my exposure to the membership committee.
Q. At the time, the club was anxious to sell property and build new homes. Were you approached?
A. Yes. I was shown a homesite lot off the fourth fairway on Forge Road. It looked appealing until I asked about the price. It was listed at $25,000 which I thought was outrageously high. So to my everlasting sorrow I passed. (Editor’s note; the last remaining homesite lot in Birnam Wood sold for $4.3 million in 2022.)
Q. Maybe not your best investment decision but you later made up for it. Still in those early days, is it true that Sam Snead played the course and Trent Jones changed the routing on the eighth hole as a result?
A. Yes. Initially the tee box was further up and it was a short par four. Sam Snead played it and easily drove the green hitting over the trees. He didn’t much care much for the hole and let Trent Jones know it. Jones then moved the tee box back to where it is today.
Q. When you first joined the club, it sounds like you were much more into tennis than into golf. What was the tennis program like in early days?
A. Birnam had a very strong tennis program with a lot of great players. Members included Lee Reid, the number one player at UCSB, Steve Geremia, Michael Dill and others nearly as good. They brought guests such as Edgy Scott, number one at Cal Berkeley, and Kathy and Wayne Bryan among others. The Birnam Wood club professionals at that time recognized the value of tennis to the club so they created early tournaments that facilitated entertaining, excellent play. It felt like a tennis oasis in the desert.
Q. I’m betting you were on the winning side of a number of those.
A. Yes I played in a substantial number of events and won more than my fair share with some great partners. Maybe my favorite was Kathy Bryan who was a fantastic player. She actually played at Wimbledon and once made it to the Women’s Quarterfinals both in doubles and mixed categories. We won the mixed doubles event at Birnam in 1978 when she was at least seven months pregnant. The incredible part of the story is that she was carrying twins Mike and Bob Bryan; now considered the greatest professional men’s tennis doubles team in
history. Among their many records, they held the number one ranking in men’s doubles for nearly ten years. It’s still amazing for me to think back on playing with their Mom in our club tournament.
Q. You joined as a young man, but then left California to start and conclude your business career in Chicago. How did that happen?
A. My college major was math and for the first 20 years I belonged to Birnam Wood, I taught math at City College and UCSB. In 1987, one of my closest college friends, Blair Hull, who would later become known as an icon in the options business, asked me to work with him in his fledgling Chicago business until the school year started again in September. At the end of summer, he asked me to stay. At that time, the options business was absolutely intoxicating to a math junkie so I stayed and joined the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Stayed for the next 35 years commuting back and forth but the smartest thing I did was to keep my full membership at Birnam Wood all those years.
Q. Given your history, how would you say the club has changed both in terms of culture and membership over the years?
A. Early on, the membership numbers grew but slowly. We never approached membership numbers as we have today so I felt like I knew everyone. The junior membership remained small and the full membership was older. As I said earlier, starting in the late 1980’s, I spent my primary residence years in Chicago returning for long weekends to Santa Barbara every month until I returned full-time in 2022. Since returning, I’ve used the club much more than during my Chicago days and have come to discover that the active membership is becoming younger with some truly outstanding golfers. To my delight, the young members have treated me with warm friendliness, kindness, and more respect than I deserve. The reality is these young members are the future of the club and in these members, I see a great future for Birnam.
Q. Well said. As a next to last question and other than regularly beating me at golf, do you have other hobbies?
A. I fly a Cessna 182 out of Santa Barbara airport and a Bonanza A36 out of Santa Paula. My love of flying goes back to UCSB when I was enrolled in the army ROTC program. They trained me as an army aviator as my speciality. The pilot bug bit me and never Let go.
Q. Final question. I know you’ve won the RTJ golf member guest tournament four different times. I played in that event and never have done very well. Do you have any advice?
A. Yes. Pick great partners.
As readers can discern, Jim seems to have found the winning formula not only in golf but for life in general. My thanks to him for being such a good sport both on and off the Links but, more fervently and on behalf of the club, for being such a strong contributing member throughout the many thick and thin cycles over the years.
Richard De Schutter, President
FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
Jordan Sweeney, CCM, CSW General Manager and Chief Operating Officer
Dining in the Trailers – A Temporary Culinary Adventure
We are officially in full trailer mode for dining! Thank you all for your patience and enthusiastic support as we made this big transition. If you’ve seen the setup, you know how much work has gone into making this possible.
A huge shoutout to Israel Ruiz, our Director of Facilities Maintenance—he’s a rock star. Alongside Luis Flores, Director of Clubhouse Operations, and their hardworking teams, they built a fully functioning kitchen right on the grass. It’s a temporary fix, yes—but a mighty impressive one!
We know the trailers aren’t ideal, especially with the view partially blocked, but keep in mind: in just six months, we’ll have a brandnew kitchen with space and tools to deliver even better-quality food and service.
In the meantime, we’re offering some exciting new dining options to keep your experience fresh and fun:
• Monday: Take-out only
• Tuesday: Lunch service + take-out for dinner
• Wednesday: Regular lunch + Chef’s Table prix fixe dinner
• Thursday: Breakfast and lunch as usual, BBQ dinner with themed nights sprinkled in—keep an eye out!
• Friday: Full breakfast and lunch + Chop House night
• Saturday: Regular breakfast, lunch, and à la carte dinner service
• Sunday: Buffet brunch + Sunday night burger buffet
This is just the beginning. As we settle into the flow of trailer service, we’ll be watching closely and looking for ways to do more. It’s our first remodel of this scale, so we’re focused on doing it right—but we’re open to expanding offerings if the opportunity presents itself.
Your experience is always our top priority.
Thanks again for your support—and don’t forget to swing by for Happy Hour, every Wednesday through Sunday from 3–5 PM. Enjoy half-off drinks and small bites!
See you at the Club!
Jordan Sweeney General Manager/COO
May 2025
Cinco de Mayo Dinks N' Drinks
Cinco
June 2025
MEMBERSHIP
Welcome New Members – April 2025
John Perry (Joy)
Social
Sam Wolcott, Dennis Sanan, Brian Bunnin
John received his BA from Harvard in 2003 where he played 4 years of varsity football and was an AllIvy League Linebacker. He was a Fellow at Harvard in 2004 and received his MS from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008. He later worked for Booz Allen Hamilton and then started a 501c3 non-profit organization
Elizabeth’s Canvas which provides free art programs to low-income cancer patients and their families. Joy received her BS from Baylor University in 2000. John is currently Vice President of Riot Games where he leads R&D. Joy does private consulting for venture capital firms and is a Board member at Montecito Union School. They have a daughter, Finley, who is an avid athlete, playing tennis, golf and soccer. They moved to Montecito in 2023 and are excited to join Birnam.
Ralf Pohl (Pamela Prichett)
Resident
Roger Hill, Bob Montgomery, Ryan Malmsten
Ralf was raised in Germany where he attended a German Business School after completing the International Baccalaureate at the Frankfurt International School. Pamela received a BBA degree in Finance at Texas A&M University. They live in Chicago but recently purchased property in Santa Barbara. They have two children and the whole family enjoys playing golf. Ralf is currently the president of Ampelco Ribbon & Napkin Company. They are very excited to join Birnam and look forward to golfing with their family.
Ben Elliott
Jr. Golf
Tim Hatton, Ryan Malmsten
Ben is 21 years old and is currently a Junior at Southern Methodist University. He is a member of the Phi Delta fraternity and represented Texas in two US surfing championships. He is currently a member of the River Oaks Country Club and has held internships at Prime Flight Aviation and Platform Partners. His parents are joining as Social Members, and he has chosen to join as a Junior because of his love of golf.
Priscilla Turner (Timothy)
Non-Resident
Betty Urban, Monica Epstein, Paul Darin
Priscilla graduated from Indiana University School of Business (Kelly School) with a BS in Finance. She worked in the banking industry including Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley and recently retired. Tim has a career in commercial banking with regional banks. They were both directors of a small family-owned bank which sold in 2019. They have two children, one of whom lives in Santa Barbara. Priscilla is an avid golfer and is looking forward to joining the ladies’ golf group and enjoying Birnam Wood when she is in town.
Greg Elliott (Michelle)
Social
Tim Hatton, Ryan Malmsten, Kelly Vandever
Robert graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Mathematics with high honors. He began his career and has worked for 35 years managing information and telecommunications companies focusing on executive leadership, capital acquisition, staffing, world-wide marketing, sales, general management and Board of Director activity. He is currently on the Board of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and a member of the La Cumbre Country Club. He has three grown children and is looking forward to spending time at the Club with his many friends.
Dr. Ronald Moy (Lisa)
Non-Resident
Morris Muscatel, Devra Lieb, Jill Mazursky
Ron trained at UCLA and did his Mohs/Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. Lisa graduated from UCLA in Art History. Ron is a Senior Vice President of the Skin Cancer Foundation and President of the American Academy of Dermatology. He is still practicing medicine. He and Lisa both play golf and are looking forward to golfing here at the Club.
Candidates for Membership
The following new candidates for membership will be considered at the next meeting of the Membership Committee:
Elena Danielson (Lee)
Real Estate
Resident Bel-Air CC, Beverly Hills Women’s Club
Michael Rice (Laura)
Founder Sterling-Rice Group
Resident Snowmass Country Club
Mr. Chuck Lande
Mr. Tony Merrill
Mr. Steve Hayes
Mr. David Willette
For the best interest of the Club, information regarding any candidate, whether favorable or unfavorable, is earnestly requested. Communications concerning any applicant may be made personally or by a signed writing to the Membership Committee. All communications will be held in strict confidence.
Please submit comments by Friday, May 16, 2025 .
Membership Committee:
Kelly Vandever, Chair
Jen Abed
Marta Babson
Darryl Becker
Bryan Brand
Rob Crane
Monica Epstein
Trey Evans
Chris Gregoire
David Grotenhuis
Vicki Hazard
Ryan Malmsten
In Memoriam
Myrna Gaskin Member since 1971
Jean Ogle Member since 1976
Jamie Constance Member since 1971
Victor Atkins Member since 2001
Austin Muller
Emily Roos
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CLUBHOUSE OPERATIONS
Luis Flores
I’m happy to announce the return of the Santa Barabara Food Bank “Backyard Bounty Program”. On May 27th, volunteers from the Santa Barbara Food Bank will be here to harvest the Club’s citrus trees as part of its Backyard Bounty Program to provide fruit to needy members of our community. If you have trees with more lemons, limes or oranges than you can eat, this is an opportunity to have Food Bank volunteers pick your fruit instead of paying the gardener to haul fallen fruit to the trash.
If you’d like to join us in this endeavor, please email our Director of Clubhouse Operations, Louie Flores, at lflores@bwgc.net and we’ll be in touch when the schedule is set.
GOLF NEWS
Michael Goodcase, Director of Golf
April was our first month for us to host both our Men’s and Ladies’ Guest Days. Both MemberMembers were played in April, as well. Read my paragraph below summarizing the Ladies’ RTJ Challenge Member-Member results. I will recap the McLean Member-Member in my next article.
Congratulations to the our winners of the Ladies’ RTJ Sr. Challenge, Member-Member. Asia Anthony and Elizabeth Slaught won the Gross Division. They were quite consistent both days. They shot rounds of 80 and 83 to win by 12 strokes over their nearest competitor. Esther McKinley and Joyce Raymond were crowned Net Champions. They had the lowest score on day 2 over the field. Their better ball net score was 66. This helped them leap frog the day 1 leaders and win by almost 5 strokes.
Where does the time go? It seems like just a few weeks ago that Chuck Journey and Ryan Richardson were raising the RTJ Trophy as champions. Well, registration has opened for the 57th Annual Robert Trent Jones Classic. We will take entries for the first two weeks and place teams in order by club seniority. If the event does not fill up in those two weeks, we will take entries on a first come first serve basis moving forward. The format for the event will remain the same as last year; five nine-hole matches. The event will kick off with our Par 3 Contest on Thursday, July 24th. Stag dinner
The BWWGA 2025 most improved players:
January - Terri Bennett
February - Karen Peus
March - Joyce Raymond
will be held after the Par 3 Contest concludes. Friday, there will be three nine-hole matches. Saturday, the final two matches will be played, the championship horse race takes place, and the event concludes with a spectacular awards ceremony and champions dinner. Do not miss this premiere event!
Finally, Brian and his team will be performing our Spring aerification beginning on Monday, May 12th. This process will take about three weeks. Once the holes re-open after the work is complete, we will be allowing players to walk and use speed carts only. There will be exceptions, only for members with a medical exemption. The Golf and Green Committees ask for your understanding and cooperation during this important time for the golf course to recover.
EARLY HIP EXTENSION AND HOW TO FIX IT
Scott Maier, PGA Certified Teaching Professional
Early hip extension can lead to a variety of issues with the swing, including poor ball striking, loss of power, and potentially even injury. Here is a breakdown of what is happening and how to correct it:
What is Early Hip Extension?
• Early hip extension happens when the golfer’s hips push forward and rise before the club reaches impact. In an ideal swing, the hips should shift and rotate toward the target during the downswing while maintaining a stable posture.
• When the hips extend too early, the upper body is “out of sync” with the lower body, leading to off center contact with the ball and a loss of distance.
Causes of Early Hip Extension
1. Poor posture at setup – If the golfer starts with an overly erect posture or does not maintain an adequate bend from the hips, they are more prone to standing up during the swing.
2. Lack of core and glute activation – Weakness or under activation of the core or glute muscles can cause the lower body to lose stability, leading to early extension.
3. Swing path issues – If a golfer is trying to hit the ball too hard or using improper technique, it can lead to loss of balance and early extension.
How to Fix Early Hip Extension:
1. Check posture and setup:
o Ensure you have an athletic posture at address with an adequate bend from the hips.
o Focus on keeping your spine angle consistent through impact.
2. Strengthen the core and glutes:
o Performing exercises like planks, glute bridges, and leg raises can help activate and strengthen the muscles needed to maintain proper posture and stability in the downswing.
3. Focus on a proper weight shift:
o Make sure to maintain your balance and shift your weight and pressure from the trail foot to the lead foot during the downswing.
4. Drill to maintain posture:
o Practice with the chair drill: Place a chair or another object just behind your hips at address. As you swing, focus on rotating around the object without making contact. This helps prevent early extension by forcing you to maintain your spine angle and posture.
o Try the Impact Bag Drill: Swing into an impact bag, focusing on maintaining your spine angle and feeling how your hips should rotate instead of extending early.
5. Video yourself: Recording your swing can help you see if early extension is happening. Look for the moment when your hips rise or push forward before impact and compare it to professional golfers’ swings.
Final Thoughts:
Correcting Early Hip Extension can take time, but with proper focus on posture, body activation, and drills, you will improve your ball striking.
FROM TEE TO GREEN
Brian O’Laughlin Director of Agronomy
May Aerification Update
As we move into May, it’s once again aerification season at Birnam Wood. We know it’s not exactly every golfer’s favorite time of year — and we get it. But aerification is a critical part of maintaining healthy turf and ensuring great playing conditions.
The aerification process physically removes organic matter and opens up pore space in the soil, helping reduce compaction, improve oxygen exchange at the roots, and enhance water infiltration — all essential for strong, resilient turfgrass.
This year, we’re taking a slightly different approach. With plans to completely rebuild the greens next year, there’s no reason to be overly aggressive right now. Instead, we’ll focus on a minor impact strategy using a small-diameter tine and light topdressing to keep the greens healthy while minimizing disruption to play.
Here’s what you can expect:
• Aerification starts May 12th and runs through May 31st. Only 9 holes will be open each day during this period, except on Memorial Day.
• Greens will receive a light topdressing and a ¼-inch needle tine, followed one week later by a ⅛-inch pencil deep-tine — both very minimal impact to playability.
• Tees and collars will get a light sand topdressing and ½-inch solid tine aerification.
• Fairways will undergo the typical aggressive process: circlemow scalping, heavy sand topdressing, and a 7/8-inch solid tine to tackle thatch and compaction.
• Roughs will be overseeded in any thin or weak areas of Ryegrass.
We’ll start with all greens on May 12th, then move through the front nine. We’ll keep homeowners updated as we work through each area. The practice facility will stay open, but the range tee will be mats-only during aerification.
Recovery:
Thanks to the lighter approach on the greens, we expect full recovery in less than one week, depending on the weather.
The fairways, on the other hand, will take a little longer to heal, and weather will play a big role. To help speed up recovery and protect the turf, we’ll be enforcing temporary golf cart restrictions to limit traffic on the freshly aerified fairways. Last year, excessive traffic led to turf damage, and we’re looking to avoid that this time around.
We appreciate your support and understanding as we knock out this important work and keep Birnam Wood in top shape!
-As always, please remember to fill your divots and fix your ball marks. See you out on the course!
Sunday, May 4th, at 5:30 PM
Join us for our Annual Cinco De Mayo Celebration!
MARIACHI BAND & AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD $85++
Dress Code: Festive Attire
*Registration opens on Tuesday, April 8th, at 9:00 AM
48-Hour Cancellation Policy in effect
M o t h e r B r u
Sunday, M Seating Times: 11:30am,
MONDAY, MAY 26TH, AT 11:30 AM
JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY BBQ FEATURING DELICIOUS FOOD AND LIVE MUSIC SIGN UP ON THE APP OR BY CALLING THE FRONT DESK
RESERVATIONS OPEN ON FRIDAY APRIL 25TH, AT 9:00AM ADULTS ~ $70++ | KIDS ~ $35++
48-HOUR CANCELLATION POLICY WILL BE IN EFFECT
FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Scott Burton
Greetings from Athletics – There’s always something happening here at Birnam Wood—whether you’re hitting the Fitness Center, rallying on the Tennis or Pickleball courts, or enjoying the timeless charm of Croquet and our beautiful Bocce Ball courts. We’re here to support your journey toward good health and fun competition. As you’re reading this, our Summer Bocce League is underway! In the spirit of friendly rivalry and continuous improvement, we thought it would be helpful to share a few bocce ball tips to keep in mind as you aim for glory and help us crown this season’s best team at Birnam Wood.
Master Distance Control
• Focus on consistency in your throwing motion—same stance, same swing.
• Practice rolling to specific distances, both short and long, to build touch.
• Use visual targets on the court to gauge and adjust your roll strength.
Use Blockers and Protectors
• Place your bocce balls to block opponents from getting close to the pallino.
Men’s and Women’s Intermediate divisions took place on Saturday. Congratulations to Tom Berkenkamp/Eamon Burke for defeating Mark Seversen/Joel Banez, Nicole Woodhouse/Lisa Miller beat Suzanne Garrett/Ann Pieramici in a 3-game final. On Sunday morning the Advanced Women played. Hayley Carty/Megan
• If you’re leading, throw to protect your point by putting a ball in the path.
Refine Your Stance and Grip
• Slight tweaks make big differences: bend knees slightly and keep your hand relaxed.
• Experiment with grips—some roll with a palm-up bowling motion, others palm-down.
Strategic Patience
• Don’t always go for the pallino. Sometimes it’s smarter to knock an opponent out or place a blocker.
• Think 2–3 moves ahead—just like chess on turf.
Most Importantly HAVE FUN OUT THERE !!
News From The Courts & Jeff
The Member/Guest Pickleball Tournament took place March 15th and 16th. There was a nice turnout with 28 participants. The
I know many of you made it to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this past month. The weather was so nice, and the tennis was incredible. I was lucky enough to go for a few days. Each year something new always catches my attention. This year I really noticed how matches are only separated by a few points. I watched first, second, and third round
matches. Remember all these players are the best in the world. They are very talented, work extremely hard, and have great teams around them. As the level goes up, the winner generally wins around 10 more points than their opponent, sometimes even less. I watched Gael Monfils play Grigor Dimitrov. Dimitrov won the match but both players won the same number of points. An average singles match consists of 150 points. The number one player in the world wins on average 55% of the points. So that means Alcaraz, Djokovic, and Federer, in their prime, only win about 15 more points a match than their opponent. I encourage you to take Rafael Nadal’s approach and try to win every point in your matches, whether it’s tennis or pickleball, and see if your results improve.
SUMMER JUNIOR GOLF & TENNIS CAMP
Have your children and their friends participate in Biram Wood’s fun Golf & Tennis Camp. Three weeks will be offered this summer. You can participate in Golf/Tennis, Golf only or Tennis only options. The camp runs Monday – Thursday 11:00AM-1:00PM (golf), 1:00PM1:30PM (lunch), 1:30PM-3:30PM (tennis). Please contact the Golf or Tennis Shop to sign up.
Session 1: June 16th-19th
Session 2: July 14th-17th
Session 3: August 4th-7th
Another option we going to offer this Summer is a “CREATE A CAMP”. Create your own Tennis, Pickleball, or combo camp. Choose the days and times that work best for you and your friends. Please contact me for more details. I look forward to working with your children and their friends over the Summer.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tennis Member/Guest Tournament (Men’s & Women’s Divisions)
Saturday and Sunday, April 12th & 13th
Intermediate Division (3.0-4.0), Saturday 1:00PM – 4:00PM Advanced Division (4.0+), Sunday 10:00AM – 1:00PM
The first 8 teams in each division will be guaranteed a spot. Cinco de Mayo, Dinks & Drinks and Sip N’ Serve
Saturday, May 3rd, 1:00PM – 4:00PM
Participate in a pickleball or tennis social.
Pickleball Shootout
June – Date TBD
All American Sip N’ Serve
Saturday, July 5th, 1:00PM – 4:00PM
Play in fun, rotating partner tennis mixer.
Tennis
Clinics are filling up fast. Remember to sign up on the App.
Tuesday Afternoon Clay Court Clinic, 2:30PM – 4:00PM
Wednesday Morning Women’s C Team Clinic, 9:30AM – 11:00AM
Saturday Morning Live Ball Clinics at 9:00AM and 10:00AM (Do one or both hours)
Pickleball
There has been a lot of play on the pickleball courts. Join us for one of these clinics/events.
Monday Advanced Clinic, 3.5+, 9:00AM – 10:30AM
Monday Int/Adv Clinic, 3.0-3.4, 2:00PM – 3:30PM
Tuesday Beg/Int Clinic, 2.0-3.0, 9:00AM – 10:30AM
Wednesday Open Play – All Levels, 1:00PM – 3:00PM
Wednesday Live Ball Clinic, 3:00PM – 4:00PM
Saturday Live Ball Clinic, 11:00AM – 12:00PM
Saturday Open Play - All Levels, 1:00PM – 3:00PM
The tennis and pickleball machines can be rented out at $15/hr. This is a great way to improve your game. Please contact the tennis shop for more information.
Private Lessons
Please contact Jeff or Scott to set up private or private group lessons. See you on the courts.
Jeff Villano, Head Racquets Professional
As Coaches we always try to remind our players that “It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
— Paul “Bear” Bryant.
So… Get out and enjoy your own personal journey!
~That’s the news from Athletics
FITNESS NEWS
Joy DuMay, Fitness Director
The Workout with the Biggest Bang
What if I told you that there was one type of training that would torch calories, strengthen muscle, improve balance, burn fat, and increase your Aerobic capacity in as little as two 20-minute workouts a week?
What is this amazing workout? It’s Agility Training, which incorporates these four elements:
1) Focus on Change of Direction
Agility training is all about improving your ability to change direction, stop, and start quickly and efficiently.
2) Do Short Bursts of Movement
Agility drills typically involve short, explosive movements and quick intervals.
3) Improve Coordination and Reaction Time
Agility training helps you reconnect your mind and body, improving your response times and coordination.
4) Incorporate Strength and Power
Strength and power are essential for efficient agility, so exercises that build lower body strength and explosive power dominate the workout.
Wow! You say, this sounds amazing! One caveat: Agility Training is super challenging at all levels. I mention “all levels” for a reason: it is vital that you start with the simplest movements, and conquer them before moving to the next stage, whether is a bigger, faster, higher move.
That said, here are some exercises to incorporate into your fitness session. Work on performing each exercise for 30 seconds, three times, before moving to the next. The goal is to increase your speed, so do as many repetitions as you can in the time allowed. Give yourself one minute of rest after each drill.
1) Skaters: Set up a cone to your right and left and hop on one foot to each cone. For advanced moves, a. Bring cones wider apart, b. Add a hop in the middle of the skate.
2) Figure Eight: Take those cones wider and run in a circular/ crossing pattern around each one. Speed work to improve!
3) Tennis Ball Bounce: For upper body agility, bounce a ball against the wall and catch with the same hand. Advanced, catch with the opposite hand, add speed and different angles.
4) Carioca: Cross your right foot in front of your left, then bring your left foot out and step sideways. Bring your right foot behind your left, then move your left foot to the left and sideways. Do a series of ten and then reverse direction. Increase your distance or speed to advance.
5) Hopscotch: Imagine your childhood hopscotch game where the foot pattern includes hopping on one foot, jumping with both, and alternating hops on both feet. Map it out on the ground or just design a pattern you can repeat for 30 seconds. Advance by adding lateral and backwards moves.
10:00 am Walk the Wood with Joy
Join Joy for an invigorating walk on the Birnam Wood grounds that includes optional strength and agility moves, ending with a full body stretch on the Fitness Terrace Complimentary
11:00 am Centering Meditation with Lily
Enjoy a safe, vibrant and light-hearted space for self-observation and centeredness We will begin with a few gentle movements for the body and move into inner stillness Expect to be nurtured and balanced, inspired and empowered Please reserve your spot (on the app or with Joy) as Studio space is limited $30
Come join your fellow members in our beautiful, clean, and private Fitness Studio. We look forward to moving and energizing with you!
Sign up on the Birnam Wood App today! Classes are $30 each.
Contact Joy DuMay for details at jdumay@bwgc.net. Space is limited in the Studio, so those with reservations will have priority for admission to class. There is a 24-hour cancellation policy in effect.
MON 9:45 AM: Strength and Grace with Marianna Sarkisova 11:00 AM: Gentle Flow Yoga with Lily Rozhko
TUES 9:30 AM: Balance and Stability with Sally Saenger 11:00 AM: Cardio Dance & Sculpt with Joy DuMay
WED 11:00 AM: Iyengar Yoga with Vanessa Bacher
THUR 9:45 AM: Strength and Grace with Marianna Sarkisova 11:00 AM: Gentle Flow Yoga with Lily Rozhko
FRI 9:30 AM: Tai Chi with Chris Wiedmann
Self Care Saturday! MAY 17
10:00 am Walk the Wood with Joy
Join Joy for an invigorating walk on the Birnam Wood grounds that includes optional strength and agility moves, ending with a full body stretch on the Fitness Terrace Complimentary
11:00 am Centering Meditation with Lily
Enjoy a safe, vibrant and light-hearted space for self-observation and centeredness We will begin with a few gentle movements for the body and move into inner stillness Expect to be nurtured and balanced, inspired and empowered Please reserve your spot (on the app or with Joy) as Studio space is limited $30
*Class Cancellations
No Strength and Grace classes May 19, 22 or 26
CLUB BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Richard De Schutter
Secretary Wade Nichols
Treasurer Bob Kidder
Director Rachael Douglas
Director Linda Gluck
Balance & Stability
With Sally Saenger
Tuesdays at 9:30am.
Director Patricia Griffin
Director Billy Grokenberger
Director Vicki Hazard
Director Steve Jones
Director Howard Rochestie
Director Chris Teasley
Director Kelly Vandever
Director Charles Wilson
HOA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Wade Nichols
Treasurer Richard De Schutter
Secretary Vicki Hazard
Director Patricia Griffin
Director Meg Pearson
Director Sharol Siemens
Director Chris Teasley
Director Charles Wilson
Director Linda Wood
CLUB COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Athletic Wade Nichols
Compensation & HR Robert Nourse
Construction
Oversight Steve Jones
Cottage Sharol Siemens
Finance Bob Kidder
401k Tim Armour
Golf Billy Grokenberger
Green Andrew Powell
$30 Sign up on the App or contact Joy at jdumay@bwgc.net
House Rachael Douglas
Membership Kelly Vandever
HOA COMMITTEE CHAIRS
A&L Chris Teasley
Homeowners Fred Lukas
Security Dave Grotenhuis
The next regular meeting of The Board of Directors will be held on FRIDAY, MAY 3O, 2025 AT 9 AM.
BIRNAM WOOD GOLF CLUB
2031 Packing House Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93108
CLUBHOUSE DRESS CODE - Country club casual dress is acceptable during the day in all areas of the clubhouse. For gentlemen this includes slacks or Bermuda shorts, collared shirts tucked in at the waist with a belt, or appropriate golf and tennis attire and for ladies this includes dresses, nice pants, skirts, and similar attire. In the evening, a country club casual dining option is available in The Packing House, the 19th Hole Bar and on the Veranda. The Club may request event-specific appropriate attire (black tie, blue jean pants permitted, etc.) for certain functions. Members hosting or sponsoring private events are responsible for communicating the Club dress code to those attending such events.
CANCELLATION POLICY - Reservations for private parties and Club sponsored events will be charged to the Member’s account unless notice of cancellation is received at the office at least 48 hours in advance. Reservations for Major Club sponsored special events will be charged to the Member’s account unless notice of cancellation is received at the office at least one week in advance. Should a cancellation be made after these times, a charge of one half of the price of the event will be made. Should no cancellation be made, the full price will be charged.
CELL PHONES AND BUSINESS PARAPHERNALIA - The use of cellular phones and other electronic and wireless devices for the purpose of conducting audible conversations is strictly prohibited on the Club premises (including the Clubhouse and the Terrace areas of the Clubhouse, tennis courts, croquet courts, driving range, and golf course), except inside parked vehicles and the locker rooms and except for medical emergencies.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION - Audio and video recording is taking place at Birnam Wood.
STAFF ROSTER
Jordan Sweeney, General Manager
Luis Flores, Director of Clubhouse Operations
Kristy Evans, Director of Membership & Communication
Michael Goodcase, Director of Golf
Brian O’Laughlin, Director of Agronomy
Scott Burton, Athletic Director
Jeff Villano, Head Racquets Professional
Nicole Landon, Director of Security
Michael Alvarado, Deputy Director of Security
Michael Weems, CFO
Claudia Raiti, Controller
Debbie Daggett, Director of Human Resources
Eric Salazar, Director of Food & Beverage
Abdu Romero, Executive Chef
Tiffany Grummer, Director of Private Events
Israel Ruiz, Facilities Director
Joy DuMay, Fitness Director
Cathy Kendrick, Lead Front Desk Attendant