The Birnam Buzz - October 2025 by birnamwood

BIRNAM BUZZ

DEAR MEMBERS OF BIRNAM WOOD

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Richard De Schutter, President

With summer now officially at an end,

I’m pleased to report member use and club revenues over the season were at record levels. It’s terrific to see so many members taking advantage of the many amenities that the club has to offer.

As but one example, master suite garden cottage bookings reached 75% of occupancy for the month of August. These lodgings with stunning views have become a real showcase as evidenced by repeat bookings from using parties. Likewise, rounds recorded and overall play on the golf course was likely higher than any previous year. Such as hardly surprising considering the amazing condition of the course under the stewardship of our Director of Agronomy, Brian O’Laughlin.

As others in this Buzz edition will be reporting, serious work on the golf course has begun with planned repairs of the 17th hole pond. Players around the course will also notice the imprint of future temporary greens which will be brought into play beginning early next year. An extensive analysis of playability during the rolling restoration beginning March 1 is close to finalization. I’m hopeful of being able to publish a full report very soon of what Birnam Wood golfers can expect by way of course access during restoration and other options. Stay tuned.

Likewise, by way of construction, work has begun along the 10th fairway with drilling for a new well. Apologies for noise being created, but it will be well worth the inconvenience as this well has the potential of reducing the annual water cost to the club by six figures.

Our Fall and year end holiday activities are scheduled to begin with Halloween fright night scheduled in late October. We expect over 450 member and guest participants to celebrate the occasion. Among the celebrants, none will be more joyful than Chef Abdu and his kitchen crew who will have moved from his summer home mobile kitchen into their brand-new state of the art facility.

See you at the club.

FROM THE GM’S DESK

Jordan Sweeney, CCM, CSW General Manager and Chief Operating Officer

As we enter the final month of our fiscal year,

I want to take a moment to reflect on what has truly been a successful year for Birnam Wood. We have met our budget goals, navigated challenges, and continued to keep our member experience at the highest level.

This is also the last month we’ll be working out of our portable kitchen! By the time I write my next article, our brand-new kitchen will be open and ready to serve you. I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Chef Abdu and his team, who have done an incredible job producing high-quality meals under tough circumstances. Their dedication and resilience kept our dining program running strong through the temporary setup, and I could not be more proud of their efforts.

As the new kitchen opens, please keep an eye out for communication about dining operations. We expect the temporary trailers to be removed in early November, and once they’re gone, we’ll re-sod and replant the area so it blends seamlessly back into the Club landscape.

On the golf course, there are several exciting projects underway. As Mr. De Schutter mentions in his article, the reconstruction of the lake on Hole #17 is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by mid-November. In addition, work has begun on drilling a new well near Hole #10—an important step in supporting the course long-term and one that also provides a beneficial ROI for the Club.

Looking ahead, the golf course restoration project is on track for next year. Importantly, our course will not be closed during the restoration. Director of Golf Brian O’Laughlin and his team have created a plan to keep golf available by temporarily converting holes (other than the par 3s) into par 3s, complete with temporary greens. Our goal is to do our best to ensure golf is available at most times during the restoration. We are finalizing a schedule that outlines when each hole (or group of holes) will be out of play, and we hope to share that schedule with you very soon.

There are a lot of moving parts right now, but the goal remains simple: to ensure your membership experience is second to none, even during major projects. Thank you for your continued support of the Club and for helping us finish out another strong year together.

See you at the Club.

FROM TEE TO GREEN

Brian O’Laughlin Director of Agronomy

October is here and fall is officially in the air.

A couple of small rain events helped guide us out of summer, and now pumpkins are filling the stores while Halloween decorations seem to be going up everywhere. It’s wild to look back on how great this summer was and how quickly it went by.

I’m happy to share that the big projects we’ve been talking about these past few months are now fully underway and moving along nicely. The pond project on hole 17 is progressing well. While the rain caused a minor setback, we still consider it on schedule. It’s funny how unpredictable the weather can be—after a hot, dry year, we ended up with not one but two September rain events. Crazy! Still, the work is moving forward, and we expect to finish on time within the six-week window.

holes with very little disruption but make a big difference for playability through the winter.

The well drilling has also begun. Equipment arrived as planned, and the crew is hard at work. I know the noise and heavy machinery aren’t exactly the most pleasant sights or sounds out on the course, so I truly appreciate everyone’s patience while we get this done. To help keep the project and play moving smoothly, please check the temporary local ruling in case your ball ends up in the construction zone.

On top of that, we’re just about finished with greens’ aerification and rough inter-seeding. All of the rough has been inter-seeded, the temporary greens are in place, and we’re already seeing some early germination on the first few holes. Every green has been aerified, and on October 6 we’ll wrap up with a deep tine aerification. These are small

I want to take a moment to thank all of the Homeowners who have been impacted by these projects—and those who will be during the upcoming restoration. I know it can feel like a hassle having equipment and crews working so close to home, but your patience and understanding mean a lot. The noise and disruption are temporary, and the results will be something that benefit the course and community for years to come.

As always, please remember to fill in your divots and fix your ball marks. I’ll see you out on the course!

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CLUBHOUSE OPERATIONS

Luis Flores

With the Holidays fast approaching,

we have several Signature Club Events opening for reservations in October. These include The Citrus Singers, Brunch with Santa, our Champagne & Caviar event featuring Ruinart, and our New Years Eve Party. These events will open at 9:00am - 60 days before the date of the event.

Event List and Reservation Opening Times

• Citrus Singers – October 10th

• Brunch with Santa – October 14th

• Champagne & Caviar – October 20th

• New Years Eve – October 31st

Signature Club Events Cancellation Policy

Due to the fixed costs associated with our signature events, the Board of Directors approved a 7-day cancellation policy for these events. The policy states that members will pay full price if they cancel their reservations within 7 days of the event. The signature events are:

• Family Fright Night

• Thanksgiving

• Citrus Singers

• Brunch with Santa

• Champagne and Caviar

• New Years Eve

• Easter Brunch

• Mother’s Day Brunch

• Summer Party

This Halloween, d on’t just be g ood… be Wicked! Thursday, October 30th at 5:30 PM.

$125++/Adult || $59++/Kids

Step into the Magical world of Oz where you can spend One Short Day in the Emerald City. Step into the Magical world of Oz where you can spend One Short City.

Prepare for a night where you can Defy Gravity and let the magic of Oz take over. for night you can Gravity and let the magic of Oz take over.

We will have an adult DJ and a Kids DJ that will have you Dancing Through Life.

Our P opular LED Kids Dance Floor will return with a Wonderful Co stume Contest. have adult DJ a Kids DJ will have you Dancing Through Life. Our Popular LED Kids Dance Floor return with a Wonderful Costume Contest. THIS EVENT will end at 9:00pm For G ood. THIS EVENT 9:00pm For G ood.

MEMBERSHIP

Welcome New Members – September 2025

Michael and Nancy Hamilton

Social

Trina Grokenberger, Richard Branning, Howard Rochestie

Michael was born and raised in Santa Barbara. He attended Santa Barbara High School where he played volleyball. He went on to earn his BA from Cal Poly and his master’s from the University of Mississippi. Nancy was originally from Mississippi and attended Mary Baldwin in Virginia before attending law school and working for Morgan Stanley in their legal compliance office. She moved to Santa Barbara and has had a very successful real estate career as a partner in the Calcagno and Hamilton Real Estate Group. They raised their three children in Santa Barbara and all attended Santa Barbara High School.

Noelle Wolf (Finley Brooks Matheson II)

Resident

Dewey Nicks, Rachael Douglas, Anne Towbes

Noelle was born in Detroit and moved to Honolulu at the age of 12. She then attended USC and graduated with a BA of Fine Arts from the USC School of Cinema and TV. She began a career in photography and worked both in New York and KA as a photography agent representing world-renowned photographers in advertising, fashion, celebrity and music. She more recently shifted her focus to the Non-profit world. She has collaborated and donated her time to the Princes Grace Foundation, Friends of Acadia, Lotus Land, Lupus L.A. among many others. She has two children and enjoys tennis, golf, boating, hiking horseback riding and spending time at her beach house.

In Memoriam

Meda Morrison Member since 1990

Bryan Ward Member since 2023

John Gurash Member since 2019

Ron Moy Member since 2025

Candidates for Membership

The following new candidates for membership will be considered at the next meeting of the Membership Committee:

Ann Backen

Social Membership

James Mintie, Mary Ricks, Jeanette Root

Owner/Founder Backen & Backen Design Firm

Gene Rayfield (Gayle)

Social Membership

Lindsay Parton, Robert Fell, Scott Adelson

CEO – Regent Lighting and CEO - Rayfield Investments

Hardin Ramey (Betsy)

Non-Resident

Tim Underwood, Kirk Davis, Doug Thompson

Ramey Law Firm

Parker Peterson Jr. Golf

Lindsay Parton, Billy Grokenberger, Crosby Slaught

Property Management and Security Consulting

Michael Walker (Kelly)

Resident

Brent Peus, Will Geyer, Jason Hughes

CEO, Stax Engineering

Gwendolyn Godvin (Max) Jr. Golf

Billy Grokenberger, Crosby Slaught, Jeff Cole

Founder, G McGee

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 October 17, 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

Austin Muller

Emily Roos

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving

Seating times: 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM.

Join us for our Annual Thanksgiving Event! Celebrate with your family and loved ones and let us do the cooking.

$95++ Adults | $45++ Kids

October 2025

GOLF NEWS

Michael Goodcase, Director of Golf

We are currently in the middle of inter-seeding on the golf course to help fortify our Rye rough that runs throughout the golf course. As a reminder, we want golf cart traffic to drive in the fairways as much as possible. Our Bermuda fairways are heartier and they take the wear and tear much better. Thank you.

September was also the home to Lady Macbeth’s Challenge, our ladies’ member-guest. Big shout out goes to Leslie Robinson, Tournament Chair, for a wonderful event for all our ladies and their guests to enjoy. The set-up was magnificent and our culinary team, led by Abdu Romero, did an excellent job delivering spectacular meals. The golf course was in beautiful condition, thanks to Brian O’Laughlin and his staff. They were formally thanked by all the women at the always popular greens’ crew equipment parade on Friday. Congratulations to our overall champions: Esther McKinley, Gail Harling, Joyce Raymond, and Susie Casey. They were tied for the lead after round one at 134. They improved by six strokes in round two (128). The two-day total of 262 was good enough for a five-stroke victory over the secondplace team of Kathy Barton, Sandy Foster, Celeste Turbeville, and Allie Banyattrakoonpan. Our gross winners were Jill Mazursky, Amy Alcott, Jennifer Chisik, and Mayumi Post with a two-day total of 315. That was good enough for a two-stroke victory over Asia Anthony, Barbara DeGroot, Elizabeth Slaught, and Wendy Laub.

We have a few remaining events for you to enjoy throughout the rest of the year. Be sure to sign-up on the App. The ladies have a First Tuesday event in each of the final three months of the year. Both the men and women will have guest days on November and December. The Men’s Match Play Club Championship begins in October and runs through the end of the year. The ladies will also have their Halloween in October and Turkey Shoot in November. Finally, there will be two couples’ events: Mars vs. Venus in November and our 9-Hole Couples Christmas Tournament in December.

The BWWGA 2025 most improved players:

January - Terri Bennett

February - Karen Peus

March - Joyce Raymond

April - Melanie Judson

May - Connie Fickel

June - -Esther McKinley

July - Asia Anthony

August - Young Sohn

SEPTEMBER

1st - Kandy Budgor - Robert Hollman 66.67 2nd-4th - Aaron Zaidoff - Betsy Bingham 44.44

2nd-4th - Jody Shapiro - Alex Fuhrer 44.44

2nd-4th - Patty Weber - Nick Weber 44.44

SEPTEMBER 18TH NORTH-SOUTH

1st - Peggy Anderson - Jean Rogers 56.94 2nd - Emily Roos - Kandy Budgor 54.17 EAST-WEST 1st - Bob Holman - Angelica Clark

2nd - Alex Fuhrer - Sarah Stephens

SEPTEMBER 25TH 1st - Morris Jurkowitz - Aaron Zaidoff 62.50 2nd - Cookie Potter - Susan Northrop 51.25

THE SCIENCE OF THE SWING: LINEAR & ANGULAR VELOCITY OF A GOLF CLUB

Scott Maier, PGA Certified Teaching Professional

Golfers spend countless hours perfecting their grip, stance, and swing mechanics. Yet behind every smooth motion and powerful drive lies a fascinating story of physics. At the core of this story are two closely related concepts: linear velocity and angular velocity. These scientific principles describe how the golf club moves through space and help explain why a professional’s swing can look so effortless yet produce such incredible distance. By breaking down these ideas, golfers can gain a deeper understanding of what powers their shots and how to improve performance.

Angular Velocity: The Club’s Rotational Speed

When a golfer swings, the club does not move in a straight path. Instead, it rotates around the body in a series of arcs. Angular velocity is the measurement of how quickly something rotates around an axis.

In a golf swing, multiple axes are involved. The shoulders rotate around the spine, the arms rotate around the shoulders, and finally the club rotates around the wrists and hands. Together, these rotations create angular velocity. The faster each body segment rotates, the greater the angular velocity transmitted to the clubhead.

Professional golfers often generate astonishing levels of angular velocity. Studies of the downswing have shown angular velocities of more than 30 radians per second, which translates into explosive energy at impact. Longer clubs amplify this effect, since the same rotational speed over a larger arc produces faster clubhead motion. This is why a driver can deliver greater distances than a wedge, although it also requires more precision to keep the clubface square at impact.

Linear Velocity: The Clubhead’s Speed at Impact

While angular velocity describes the speed of rotation, linear velocity refers to the straight-line speed of a point on the club, most importantly the clubhead. For golfers, linear velocity at the moment of impact is the critical factor in determining ball speed and ultimately distance.

The relationship between the two types of velocity can be expressed simply:

Linear Velocity = Angular Velocity × Radius

In this equation, the “radius” is the distance from the axis of rotation (often the golfer’s spine or hands) to the clubhead. This explains why club length matters so much. A longer driver swing at the same angular velocity as a shorter iron produces more linear velocity at the clubhead, resulting in higher ball speeds.

For example, when a driver is swung at 100 miles per hour, it can propel the golf ball off the face at speeds near 150 miles per hour. That increase is due to the efficient transfer of energy from angular to linear velocity during the swing.

The Double Pendulum Model

One of the most useful ways to visualize this transfer of energy is the double pendulum model. Imagine the golfer’s arms as one pendulum and the club as a second pendulum attached at the wrists. During the downswing, the arms begin to rotate, building angular velocity. At the correct moment, the wrists “release,” allowing the second pendulum—the club—to accelerate even more.

This timing is crucial. Professional players maintain what is called “lag,” holding the angle between their arms and the club shaft deep into the downswing. By doing so, they preserve angular velocity and then release it explosively into the ball. Amateur golfers tend to release this angle too early, losing this stored energy and reducing their potential club head speed.

Practical Implications for Golfers

The science of velocity is not just for physics classrooms—it has real, practical meaning for golfers of all levels.

1. Club Selection – Longer clubs naturally produce more linear velocity, but they also require greater precision to control direction. Understanding this trade-off helps golfers choose the right club for the right shot.

2. Swing Mechanics – Maintaining lag during the downswing preserves angular velocity. Proper sequencing of the body and arms ensures that energy is delivered to the ball at just the right time.

BIRNAM WOOD WOMEN’S GOLF ASSOCIATION PRESENTS: BIRNAM WOOD WOMEN’S GOLF ASSOCIATION PRESENTS:

TRICK OR TREAT ON THE TEES ON THE TEES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH

GET READY FOR SPOOKTACULAR TRICKS & TREATS ON & OFF THE GREEN!

8AM BUFFET BREAKFAST AND RANGE OPEN

9 AM SHOTGUN START

FORMAT IS A “SCARY SCRAMBLE”

-UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY “TRICK-OR-TREAT RULES”

1:15 PM LUNCHEON ON THE TERRACE

PM LUNCHEON ON THE TERRACE

INCLUDING BOO-TIFUL AWARDS FOR GOLF & THE COSTUME CONTEST.

LUNCHEON COST $45 PER PLAYER

GOLF FRIENDLY COSTUMES ENCOURAGED!

48 HOUR CANCELLATION POLICY IN EFFECT

CO-CHAIRS :

CO-CHAIRS

COURTNEY BIANCHI, MAGGIE HERLIHY & KRISTIE CHAPMAN

COURTNEY MAGGIE HERLIHY & KRISTIE CHAPMAN

FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Scott Burton

Greetings from Athletics!

As September winds down and the final whistles blow on another month, we welcome October with the energy of a fresh kickoff. The change in season brings cooler air, sharper focus, and renewed drive — the perfect time to reset goals, refine our game, and embrace new challenges. October is where preparation meets opportunity, and we’re ready to play at our best.

IT’S THAT SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR ONCE AGAIN. TIME FOR OUR 5TH ANNUAL PICKLEBALL SHOOTOUT 2025

Each year around this time we coordinate with the professional pickleball tour in order to bring to Birnam Wood 4 of the top players on tour. This year we bring back some of California’s best. Pickleball here at Birnam Wood is continuing to grow, along with our racquets program overall. We are very excited about hosting this afternoon event. It allows us to bring out tasty treats with complementing beverages. Each member can register up to 4 guests for the 2:30 – 4:30 event. After the players finish their exhibition, we will welcome them to join in some Live ball that Jeff and Scott will run. Please don’t miss this afternoon of amazingly high-level play from our professionals.

Keep your eyes open for our Bocce Club Doubles Championships in November. Last year’s winners Marta Babson & Kelly Vandever will be up for most any challenge. Remember, all you need is one partner and some rolling skills. You Got This! More information & details to come.

News From the Courts

Jeff Villano

Activity level is picking up on the courts. It’s great to see members enjoying our adult and junior clinics, pickleball open play, events, and Women’s Interclub. Our recent Sip N’ Serve Tennis Social had a great turnout with 12 people. The competition was fierce, and everyone had a good time. Again, thank you to everyone who participates in our events, without you they would not happen. In October, be on the lookout for the Spooky Halloween Pickleball Mixer.

WOMEN’S INTERCLUB

The Women’s Interclub season is in full swing. The B team is off to a good start with a 3-1 win over Cathedral Oaks and tie against a very tough Alisal team. The C team lost a tight match versus La Cumbre and defeated Pierpont 3-1. Keep it up Ladies. Remember, matches are on Wednesday mornings so all the tennis and pickleball courts are reserved from 8:30am to 11:00am when we are hosting. Please check in with the tennis shop with any questions. Clinics are on Tuesday and/or Wednesday mornings, and the tennis courts will be blocked off. If you are interested in joining a team or have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

JUNIOR CLINICS

After school clinics have begun. If your child has a group of friends, Jeff is doing a “Create a Clinic” during the school year, just pick a time and day that works best for your group.

ADULT CLINICS

Clinics are filling up fast. Come out for our Tuesday Clay Court Clinic or Saturday Morning Live Ball Clinics. Please reserve your spot in advance on our fabulous app. We would love to start new tennis and pickleball clinics, so please let us know what times and days work best for you.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS

Please make sure you and your guests wear non-marking shoes on the courts.

Please DO NOT draw shapes or words on the wind screens. Please walk around the outside of the hedge when going to and from the pickleball area and lower tennis courts if members are playing on the clay courts.

Please sweep the clay courts after use as a courtesy to other members. Please check your guests in at the tennis shop or on the App.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Halloween Pickleball Mixer

Saturday, October 25th 1:00PM to 4:00PM

Play in fun, rotating partner round robin.

Pickleball Shootout

Wednesday, November 12th 2:30 – 4:30.

Watch a fun professional exhibition and participate in drills afterwards.

Thanksgiving Pickleball Challenge (Men & Women, Intermediate & Advanced)

Saturday, November 15th, 1:00PM to 4:00PM

Holiday Tennis Doubles Round Robin Saturday, December 13th, 1:00PM to 4:00PM

Play in a fun and festive rotating partner round robin.

Clinics are filling up fast. Remember to sign up on the App.

Tuesday Afternoon Clay Court Clinic, 2:00PM – 3:30PM Tuesday/Wednesday Morning Women’s Interclub Clinics

Wednesday, 8:30AM – 11:00AM, Women’s Interclub matches

Saturday Morning Live Ball Clinics at 9:00AM and 10:00AM (Do one or both hours)

Pickleball

Join us for one of these clinics or events.

Monday Live Ball Clinic, 9:00AM – 10:00AM

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 We need at least four players for clinics to take place. Invite your friends. Please always call or text Jeff if you have any questions.

The tennis and pickleball ball machines can be rented out at $15/hr. This is a great way to improve your game. Make sure you reserve a court and text Scott and Jeff to check on the availability. Please contact the tennis shop for more information.

Private Lessons

Please contact Jeff or Scott to set up private or private group lessons.

This month’s coaches quote comes from me. When coaching high achieving athletes for over 25 years, I quickly learned that in a “gladiator sport” such as tennis, self-care is critical. One’s mindset will usually determine outcome. Here at Birnam Wood, we are loaded with individual sports. Golf, Tennis, and Pickleball all require us to perform. Below is what has helped me, as well as the athletes I have trained.

“In individual sports, the greatest opponent is often not across the net, track, or field— it’s the mindset we carry within. Master the moment, and you master the match.”

~That’s some of our news from Athletics

Junior Clinics.

Tennis

FITNESS NEWS

Joy DuMay, Fitness Director

This month, our Personal and Group Fitness Trainer Marianna Sarkisova is our guest writer with a great article on fat loss and diet.

Enjoy! -Joy DuMay

Fight Fat with the Optimized Mediterranean Diet

By Marianna Sarkisova

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

At the start of the year, I had a client who had exceptionally high levels of visceral fat on her body. Thankfully, this was a wake-up call. When she applied a few changes to her diet, she ended up dropping 25% of visceral fat from her body in the next 12 weeks.

The diet I’m referring to is called an Optimized Mediterranean Diet, and researchers are showing that it’s up to 2x more effective than a traditional weight loss diet.

Why Is Visceral Fat (VAT) So Dangerous?

The biggest reason visceral fat is dangerous is that it’s wrapped around your organs. Visceral fat is metabolically active and releases inflammatory substances called cytokines into your bloodstream. These cytokines contribute to low-grade inflammation, which is a key driver for a number of metabolic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and certain types of cancer.

If we want to eliminate this fat from our bodies, we need to focus on the quality as much as the quantity of food going in.

Researchers ran a study where they compared 3 types of diets to see which one really shrinks visceral fat.:

Diet #1 - A Healthy Guideline Diet (Red) , which was lean protein, veggies, and fruits. They lost zero weight, but visceral fat dropped by 4.2%.

Diet #2 - The Standard Mediterranean Diet (Blue) , which is the classic olive oil, fish, and nuts. They lost 2.7% of body weight and 6% of visceral fat.

Diet #3 - The Green Mediterranean Diet (Green), which was loaded with polyphenol-rich foods like berries, blueberries, raspberries, pomegranates, and green tea.

They lost 3.9% of body weight, but visceral fat dropped by a whopping 14%, which was shown to be over 2-3x more effective than the other diets!

Your Body Loves Polyphenols. Visceral Fat Hates Them. Polyphenols are natural plant chemicals with antioxidant effects. They’re found in foods like berries, green tea, nuts, dark chocolate, olives, and many fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices.

When consumed in this study, they triggered the production of Hippuric acid and Urolithin A. These compounds encourage good gut health and reduce inflammation.

Step 1 – Remove alcohol

Alcohol raises inflammation, ruins gut health, spikes appetite, and gets metabolized before any other foods. This makes alcohol perfect fuel for visceral fat. Eliminating it is non-negotiable.

Step 2 – Clean up the diet

Cut out hyper-processed foods, sugars, and packaged snacks. These disrupt gut health, drive inflammation, and accelerate visceral fat storage.

Step 3 – Add the right food and drink

• Protein: 0.8 g per pound of body weight from lean chicken and fish.

• Snacks: 2 cups of dark berries between lunch and dinner to kill cravings.

• Drinks: Reduced coffee from 3 to 1 cup, swapped the rest for green tea, which is rich in catechins and, when combined with caffeine, can boost fat oxidation.

• Gut health: Added bone broth, fermented foods, and chia seeds. Ferments feed good bacteria, chia feeds them, and greens supply polyphenols, which all improve your gut and reduce inflammation.

Step 4 – Eat at the right times

No food after 7 PM (4 hours before bed), and breakfast within 1–2 hours of waking. This circadian alignment is crucial to helping drop weight and lose visceral fat without battling hunger.

Step 5 – Set the right timeframe

The last ingredient is time. With 90 days of focused effort, most people can move from unhealthy to healthy visceral fat levels.

The Final Word

The big lesson is that burning visceral fat is about food quality as much as quantity. The best part? When you add the right foods and cut the wrong ones you may not even need to count calories. So instead of obsessing over calories, focus on feeding your gut the right foods and watch your visceral fat and belly disappear.

Come join your fellow members in our beautiful and private Fitness Studio. We look forward to moving and energizing with you!

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 1:15 PM: Aqua Fit with Lily Rohzko

SAT October 11th, 10:00 AM: Aqua Fit with Nancy Clayton

October 11th, 9:30 AM: Fall Prevention with Kyle Schmitz

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.

Cancellation Policy: Members must cancel their class reservation by 5:00pm the day before the class to not be charged.

FALL PREVENTION SEMINAR

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard De Schutter

Wade Nichols

Bob Kidder

Rachael Douglas

Linda Gluck

Patricia Griffin

Billy Grokenberger

Vicki Hazard

Steve Jones

Howard Rochestie

Chris Teasley

Kelly Vandever

Charles Wilson

HOA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Wade Nichols

Richard De Schutter

Secretary Vicki Hazard

Director Patricia Griffin

RESTORATIVE YOGA WILL LEAVE YOU FEELING UPLIFTED, CENTERED AND TRANSFORMED. IT IS A GUIDED PARTICIPATION OF ALLOWING BREATH TO LEAD THE PRACTICE. MONDAYS & THURSDAYS AT 11:00 AM

LILY HAS BEEN A YOGA TEACHER/STUDENT FOR 15+ YEARS WITH SPECIALIZATION IN MEDITATION AND SOUND, ENERGY WORK AND

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

Green

Billy Grokenberger

Andrew Powell

House Rachael Douglas

Membership Kelly Vandever

HOA COMMITTEE CHAIRS

A&L Chris Teasley

Homeowners Fred Lukas

The next regular meeting of The Board of Directors will be held on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 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

Alyssa Romero, Lead Front Desk Attendant