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August 1st, 2025
CLUB MANAGEMENT UPDATE
August may be a slower month at the Club, but there’s still plenty happening behind the scenes and on your plates!
We recently rolled out new lunch and dinner menus, and we hope you’ve had a chance to try some of the fresh new favorites our culinary team has created. From casual bites to elevated classics, there’s something for every appetite.
This month, we also kicked off our first-ever Member Appreciation Week thank you to everyone who joined us and enjoyed the sweet deals! It was our way of saying thank you for being part of what makes Boca Royale so special.
For our year-rounders, we’re bringing the fun with a Summer Shellabration on Friday, August 23rd. Get ready for coastal cuisine, great music, and an evening of summertime vibes.
Looking ahead, Boca Royale will celebrate 60 incredible years in January 2026, and we’re already planning a memorable celebration to mark the occasion. Stay tuned for sneak peeks and save-the-date announcements this fall!
To our snowbirds enjoying the northern sunshine—we miss you! We hope you're having a relaxing summer and we can’t wait to welcome you back soon. Friendly Reminders:
�� For the safety of all, walking dogs on the golf course is not permitted.
�� Kindly refrain from taking phone calls in the dining room to maintain a pleasant atmosphere for all.
⛳ If you're heading out to play golf, please check in with the starter first before beginning your round.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you around the Club!
WELTER
Thatisquiteatitle!Canyoutellusexactlywhatthatentails?
IacceptedthejobhereatBocaRoyaleasGolfCourseSuperintendentinNovember 2021.Myfocusthenwasstrictlytomanageandimprovethegolfcourse.Later,Iwas askedtooverseetheProShopandstaffaswell,thusthetitlechange.
WhatwasyourpathtoBocaRoyale?
ImovedtoFloridafromSouthCarolinainDecember2016toworkforGasparillaGolf ClubinBocaGrandeandthenfromOctober2019throughNovember2021,Iworked forIMGasagolfsuperintendent.Atthattime,aconsultantfromBuenaVistarecruited metoBocaRoyale.Ilive10milesaway,andIwaschallengedbytheneglectedcourse thatneededtobebroughttoahigherlevel. Andthiswasgeographicallydesirabletoo!
Whatwasyoureducationaljourneytowhereyouarenow?
I received my BS degree in Business/Finance from Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg,Maryland.Ihadajobinthebusinessworldbut“Iwasnotmadetosit behindadesk”.IthenmovedtoFloridaandplayedthemini-tourforawhile.After that,IbecameaClubProfessionalinPennsylvania,andthenArizona.In2010,Iearned a2-yeardegreeinTurfManagementwhileworkingatPineNeedlesCountryClubin PinehurstfollowedbyTheCliffsinMountainPark.IworkedataGaryPlayercourse whichwasmassive,with6acresofgreensand65acresoffairway.Thatisalmost4 timeslargerthanBocaRoyale.
Tellusaboutsomeofyourmentors?
George Thompson (a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America)wasoneofthe1 formallyeducatedsuperintendents,andoneofthe1 to growsampleplotsofdifferenttypesofgrass.ChrisMintmierofPineNeedlestookme underhiswing,andpromotedmygrowthinthefield.Hetaughtmetheinsandthe outs and some of the tricks of the trade, including spraying, crew management, schedulingandbudgeting. st st
Whatwereyourinitialprioritiesforthenewgolfcourse?
Weprioritizedirrigationofthetees.Wealsoleveledeverygreenandbuiltthemback brand new. We needed to ensure irrigation to the greens and approaches. We also workedoncartpaths,replacingsomewithcoquinashell.Wewillcontinuetoreplace morescartpathsastimeandbudgetsallow.Iamveryhappywiththecoquinalook becauseitlookssonatural.
Whatwerethechallengesintransformingthenewcourse?
Asyouarewellaware,itwasweather,weatherandweather!Werenovatedthecourse through3hurricanesand100inchesofrain.Andweclosedandreopenedin8½months!
Whatsuppliesandmaterialswereusedinrenovatingthecourse?
4200tonsofgreensmix(170truckloads)
750tonsofbunkersand(30truckloads)
750tonsofcoquina(30truckloads)
2milesofirrigationpipeand220sprinklerheads
1mileofdrainagepipe
365,000squarefeetofsodpalettes
400,000squarefeetofrolledsod
4000bushelsofsprigsforgreens
Whatareyourdailyresponsibilitiesandwhatdoesaworkweeklooklike?
MygreenscrewandIstartthedayat6AM,rakingthesandtrapsandgettingthegreens readyforplay.Ourgoalistostayoutofthegolfers’way.Wemowand/orrollthegreens dailyandmowthefairwaysthreetimesaweek.Wemowtheroughindifferentareason Monday,TuesdayandWednesday.Weblowtheclippingsandmowaroundthebunkers. We are constantly repairing the cart paths and adding coquina. And of course, we troubleshootandworkonanyspecialprojects.
During the week that the course will be closed, we will spray the entire course with insecticide, fungicide, herbicide and fertilizer. That will help with weed control. We will prepsodandrelocatesomeforsparseareas.Wewillbedevelopingsomecoquinacutthroughstomakecoursenavigationeasier.Andwewillaerifyandverticutteeboxes,and aerifygreensusingthenewest“Dryject”highspeedwaterinjectionaerationsystem. This willallowthegreenstohealmuchfasterthanthetraditionalplugaeration. Iaman“Active Environmentalist”asopposedtoan“EnvironmentalActivist”.
Tellusaboutthestaffthatsupportgolfcourseoperations?
StanhasbeenawonderfulassetinhisnewpositionastheProShopManager.Heisin charge of the tee sheets too. Steve is a very knowledgeable and reliable Assistant Golf CourseSuperintendent.Heunderstandstheirrigationsystembetterthananyone.Brian andLindarunalltheaspectsofthegolfgame,includingrunningevents,orderingclubs and giving lessons. Haley is the merchandise manager. The Pro Shop has a variety of men’s and women’s clothing lines. We can even do special orders if a club member requestsit. Andthereareatleast8fulltimeand2-3parttimestaffmaintainingthecourse. I am more there as an authority on policies and procedures. My philosophy is more collaborativethatdictatorial.
Whatdoyoudoinyourfreetime?
IenjoybeinghomewithmywifeTisha.Wehavebeenmarriedfor5yearsandliketospend relaxingtimeathometogetherwithour6cats. IenjoyplayinggolfbutIdon’tplayas muchasI’dliketo.WhenIplayatoutsidecourses,Ilookforideastomakeourcourse better.
TENNIS UPDATE
Wimbledon at Boca Royale
Members had a fun time playing with wooden racquets. It gave us some perspective on how technology comes into current play.
Here are some fun facts!
Why are tennis balls yellow?
Tennis balls used to be black or white. It was only in 1972 that the yellow color was introduced. Who was behind the color change? None other than sir David Attenborough!
At the time, he was working as a studio controller for the BBC and was involved in Broadcasting Wimbledon in color for the first time ever. Attenborough noticed that the black and white balls were difficult to see on color TV and suggested they be changed to fluorescent yellow.
A 1972 International Tennis Federation study confirmed that yes, yellow was best!
In 1986, Wimbledon officially changed the ball color to yellow…and that’s how it’s been ever since!
Are you looking to start tennis, improve your court positioning, tweak a particular stroke or simply get out to play?
PICKLEBALL NEWS
For those who don’t know, the original four Boca Royale pickleball courts were dedicated over 7 years ago, on Thursday March 15th, 2018. Below is a picture that was taken last week on the courts featuring some of the original players, still playing strong in the heat of July.
Kneeling (left to right): Harold Highman, Pam Merkle Standing (left to right): Fran Salvatore, Tom Daley, Jane KopperWoodward, Diana and Dave Alessi, Gary Mitchell, David Gillhouse, Marc and Jo Ann Wasserman.
New Cardio Machines at the Fitness Center
We have brand new, state of the art Life Fitness Aspire Series equipment at the fitness center.We have 5 new treadmills, 2 recumbent bikes, 2 upright bikes and 3 elliptical machines. They are the same brand we had before, but with so many more options. Here are a few things to check out when you come in to exercise:
- One of the main features you will notice first is the size of the screen.The screens are much larger than the previous machines. Also, they are all Smart Touchscreen technology, meaning everything you would use to control your speed, resistance, television etc. is on the screen.
- Starting the new machines is as easy as before. Simply touch "Quick Start" or "Select Program" to get going. On the treadmills, remember to attach the emergency stop clip to your shirt or belt.
- The controls are all the same. Speed, resistance, elevation, etc. Each unit has its own television which is now controlled on the screen rather than by remote control. You still have the option to watch the scenery of rolling hills or walking through the streets of a foreign country.
- Something new is you now have more tv options than network tv. A few are Disney + , Prime Video, NetFlix, YouTube, Pandora and even Sudoku! To enjoy these features, use your personal account to sign in. Make sure to sign out when you're finished with the workout.
- Cell phone users will enjoy this feature: you can now charge your phone by placing it on the console in front of you. Also, you can connect your Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch to the machine to track your workouts.
These are just a few of the features on the new cardio equipment. If you have any questions, please see John Richardson, personal trainer at the fitness center. Or call 941-896-2211 or email JRichardson2167@Gmail.com.
Lastly, it's never too late to start a workout program. Riding a stationary bike or walking a few days a week is so much better than sitting on the couch. Remember: it's better to be the oldest at the gym than the youngest in a nursing home.
StaffSpotlight HOLE IN ONE!
Meet Bob Elentrio!
Please join us in welcoming Bob Elentrio, one of our friendly bartenders, to the Boca Royale team!
Bob and his wife made the move from Philadelphia to the Venice/Englewood area in December 2024, after spending 18 years vacationing here and falling in love with the community.
He’s a proud father of two and a lifelong Philadelphia Phillies fan. When he's not behind the bar, Bob enjoys exploring the area and spending time at the beach.
Bob says one of his favorite parts of the job is getting to know both his coworkers and our members.
Celebrating excellence on the course! We’re thrilled to recognize two outstanding golfers who scored a hole-in-one this month:
Sean Sanders
Hole #5 – July 7 , 2025 th
Steve Fleming
Hole #3 – July 23 , 2025 rd
Congratulations to both of you on this incredible achievement!
