PRESIDENT’S LETTER By Tim Armour, President
Abraham Lincoln once said; “I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.” We are continuing our slow walk toward normalcy at Birnam Wood. We have opened Golf, Tennis, Bocce, Croquet, Driving Range and Cottages. They are not yet wide open… but they are open at least half way. It looks like the State of California will reach a reopening milestone on June 1st with the opening of restaurants and stores in most non-hot spot areas. Santa Barbara is not one of those hot spots so we are making plans for a broader resumption of services. The two areas that will be most affected by this change will be dining and Fitness. Our plan will be to reopen outdoor/al fresco dining first. The patio area from the Grill to the fitness center will be set up with generously spaced outdoor tables and seating for meals. We are wrestling with the decision to allow two different couples to dine together. We want to go slowly and cautiously in our reopening so we may begin with same family only seating initially. Servers will wear masks and follow strict protocols for distancing. For the Fitness center, we will likely restrict the number of members allowed into the fitness center at the same time. How we will handle mask requirements is being decided. Both gloves and masks will likely be provided. Classes that require members to be bunched together will not be resumed at this time. We will take this one step at a time. Initially, we will have our foot on the gas and the brake at the same time. We want to protect staff and members by being careful but feel all of our members are adults who are aware of the risks of Covid-19 and can make decisions for themselves. So we will open up in increments. Currently, we require a minimum one-week stay in the cottages, down from the original two-week required stay. That is better, but does not meet the needs of our Los Angeles members for example, who would like to get away in the summer for just a few days. We hope to lift stay restrictions soon. We need to insure we have the staffing for the extensive cleaning and sanitizing of all rooms after a member visit, which is both time-consuming and expensive. I will share a personal observation; we need to realize that we could be only in the 2nd inning of a 9-inning game. I just finished reading The Great Influenza by John M. Barry about the 1918 Influenza Pandemic which was a top 5 book recommendation by Bill Gates. They had it much worse than what we are experiencing and medical care and technology was at its infancy compared to 2020. It was an influenza virus that was much more lethal than Covid-19 appears to be and was especially fatal for younger people and pregnant women. This plague exploded in the spring, died out and came back in September in a mutated form and came again that winter in fewer places. The message is that these things are unique to each other and can be very difficult to predict. I am optimistic but I want us to be ready for a fast and flexible response if it comes back again. We have the right staff and experience to shift back to a defensive posture if that is required. In the mean time, we need to get Birnam reopened in a safe and thoughtful manner. So bear with us as we implement a slow walk toward normalcy and pray that we don’t have to walk back. Thanks for your support. Timothy Armour, President 2
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FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER By Jordan Sweeney, CSW, General Manager
Walking the halls of an empty Birnam Wood Clubhouse, I am reminded of how much fun we had last year. Many great memories have been made in this Clubhouse. In fact, at this time last year we were having weekly BBQs on Thursdays, “Wine Down Fridays,” and Bocce on the 18th fairway. We have accomplished so much as a Club and community and I am so proud to be part of Birnam Wood. As we adjust to a new way of living, we are determined to keep the Club’s members and staff safe. Every move we make in the reopening process will always hold the safety of our members and staff as a priority. We opened Tennis, Bocce, Croquet and the Driving Range last month and we are currently working on a “phase 2” plan which consists of opening dining on the terraces and reopening the fitness center. Policies and procedures will be different, especially in the beginning, but we are hoping for some ‘normalcy’ in the near future. I hope everyone has been enjoying the daily video updates from our staff. You can track all videos on our website under the video tab. We hope to keep these video updates coming, even after COVID-19 is gone. The golf course remains full. I want to thank Mike Goodcase and his team for ensuring that golf is fun and safe. Mike’s plan and vision have worked. Our members have been able to ride in a cart, use the driving range to warm up, and have the use of a flag stick, all of which have helped golf feel more normal. Marty and his team conducted a modified aerification of the golf course last month. I want to give a big shout out to Marty and his team for their continued hard work and dedication to our beautiful course. Thank you all for your thoughtful e-mails and continued support. Our kitchen remains busy as we continue to offer meals three times a day, seven days a week. Please stay well and I hope to see you around the Club very soon! Jordan Sweeney, General Manager/ COO
BIRNAM WOOD GOLF CLUB 2031 Packing House Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108 Phone (805) 969-2223 Fax (805) 969-5037 www.bwgc.net Email: frontdesk@bwgc.net BOARD OF DIRECTORS Timothy Armour President Robert Nourse Vice President/ Treasurer James Carder Secretary Jeffrey Barbakow Director Bryan de Ponce Director Richard DeSchutter Director Vicki Hazard Director Ilene Nagel Director Lizzie Peus Director Andrew Powell Director Connie Stein Director Diane Sullivan Director Robert Veloz Director COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Alex Nourse A&L Bob Hollman Bridge Diane Wootton Bulletin Alex Nourse Cottage Roger Lenard Croquet Robert Nourse Finance Robert Veloz Fitness Bryan de Ponce Golf Andrew Powell Green Nanette Vaughan Homeowners Ricardo Calderon House Peter Slaughter Legal Lizzie Peus Membership Ron Robertson Jr. New Member James Carder Tennis Holly Armour Women’s Golf Assn. THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, JUNE 26TH AT 8:30 AM.
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FROM THE CLUBHOUSE MANAGER
By Brendan Glesmann, Clubhouse Manager
Wow! June already? My first three months here at Birnam Wood have flown by. I’m finding out that it is true what they say, “time flies when you’re having fun!” and when you’re learning the intricacies of your new job at warp speed. But I love it. The good news is that it looks like there may be an end in sight to the shelter in place rule. The not-sogood-news is that, for the short term, life will be a bit different. As I’m sure you are more than ready to come outside and play, we have been busy opening some of the Club amenities to members. Tennis, bocce, and croquet are now available with reservations. If you would like to play bocce or croquet with some “long lost friends” (3 months is a long time when you’re cooped up in your house after all!) shoot me an email and we can set up a time. We are also offering contactless drink service for those areas. Of course, as you would expect, we continue to observe and improve our safety protocols. In other news, the Food and Beverage team and I are working with the General Manager on a plan to reopen the club for a la carte dining once we get the green light from the Governor. While it will look and operate, by necessity, differently than when you were last here, you can still expect the same great food and service as before. As Mr. Armour mentioned in last month’s Buzz, we still plan on offering takeout and grocery services for the foreseeable future. I know it has been mentioned before, but your support for these amenities has been phenomenal. The entire F&B staff send their appreciation for the opportunity to keep working.
TENNIS NEWS
By Dan Webster, Director of Tennis Recent updates: • Tennis is now available for singles and doubles. • When reserving a court please use the website. • Players are required to use Covid-19 tennis ball etiquette. • To preserve social distancing, alternate courts will be reserved for play. ( For example, no play is allowed on side by side courts.) • Tennis play is for members only. No guests allowed and no ball machine use at this time. • Please check the daily email from the general manager for updates and changes to the tennis program. • Dan is available for private lessons, no clinics. If you have any questions about kid’s summer tennis camps call Dan at 805-969-7394 for information. Stay safe and see you on the courts.
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MEMBERSHIP
The following new candidates for membership will be considered at the next meeting of the Membership Committee: Dr. Leo Alonzo (Elaine) Non-Resident, Provisional
President, Better Health Medical Group Member: San Gabriel CC, Altadena
Mr. Andy Chou Mr. David Cronenbold
Dr. Robert Beart (Cynthia) Non-Resident, Provisional
Former Chairman of the Commission on Cancer Mr. Christopher Martin Member: Annandale Golf Club Mr. Steve Buster
Mr. Jeff Cole (Alexandra) Junior Golf, Provisional
CEO of Pearly Former Member: Princeton Club of New York
Mr. Billy Grokenberger Mr. Crosby Slaught
Mr. William Jarve Junior Golf, Provisional
Co-Founder, Honeycomb Former Jr. Member, Menlo Country Club
Mr. Chris Gregoire Mr. Matthew Porter
Mr. John Owen Lowe Junior Golf
Writer and Actor Community Associations: LA Women’s Shelter
Dr. Charlie Bissell Mr. Kelly Vandever
Mr. Jim Zaleski (Beverly) Clubhouse
Founder & President, Vetronix Corporation Member: Santa Barbara Club
Mrs. Mary Hampson Mr. George Isaac
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 June 10, 2020. Membership Committee: Mrs. Lizzie Peus, Chairman Mrs. Patty Marshall Dr. Richard Caleel Dr. Ron Robertson
Mr. Andy Chou Mrs. Teri Sahhar Mrs. Gail Gelles Mr. Ryan Siemens
Mr. Cliff Lundberg Mrs. Gloria Slaughter Mrs. Allison Marcillac Mrs. Linda Whiston
Welcome!
The Board of Directors welcomes the following members to Birnam Wood Golf Club: PROVISIONAL INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Harkrider III Jay and Bethany reside in Santa Barbara and Columbus, OH. Jay co-founded Costal Ridge Real Estate Partners, a real estate investment firm, in 2013 and is a Managing Partner. He attended Miami University, and they met while Bethany was in the PhD program for Chemistry at UCSB. They are members of Scioto Country Club and are expecting a baby this summer.
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GOLF NEWS
By Michael Goodcase, Head Golf Professional It was such a blessing to be able to come back to work. On April 30, the Board of Directors approved the use of single rider golf carts. The golf staff returned to work, cleaned and sanitized the entire cart fleet, and issued golf carts to members for the first time in five weeks. It was so great to see many members and have a chance to catch up. It was also a pleasant surprise to see so many members out playing golf. Since returning to work, we have been averaging almost 90 players a day, with some days having as many as 125 players. Play was restricted to members, immediate family and clubhouse or tennis members, if accompanied by a golf member. The professional staff was also given the green light to begin giving golf lessons. This began with playing and short game
lessons. Since then, it has expanded to individual lessons at the range. Yes, at the range. The practice facility opened to the membership on Saturday, May 9. The hours were modified and the unlimited balls had to be substituted for baskets of balls. However, members were allowed back out to the range to put in some missed practice time. Events are still on the back burner for the time being. As more phases of our operation open, the golf committee will look for creative ways to get events underway for members. I have not heard anything yet about allowing outside guests on the course. Please keep reading the GM’s daily message. It is full of important information and updates on changes in the operation.
TAKE THE TIME TO EVALUATE YOUR GAME AND SET GOALS PART 1 By Scott Maier, PGA, Birnam Wood Teaching Professional Let’s face it, life gets in the way of golf. Often, we are too busy with other things which divert our attention away from golf. As players we don’t always have the time to sit down and thoroughly evaluate our golf game and use that evaluation to set goals and develop a plan to achieve those goals. So, as golf courses and practice facilities begin to open, now is a perfect opportunity to develop a plan and achieve your goals. We will start this process by creating categories. Jim McLean divided the golf game into four equal parts and called it the 25% Theory. He called it the 25% Theory because each category is equally important. Those four categories are short game, long game, management, and mental. This month we will focus on the short and long game. When evaluating your game, it’s important to be fair and honest. The exercise below will ask you to list your strengths, yes you have strengths, along with your weaknesses. If you find at the end of the exercise that you have listed everything in the weakness’s column, you probably did it wrong. So, grab a pen and paper, create a strengths column on one side, weaknesses on the other. You can be as general or specific as you like. If you would like to use the broad categories below that’s ok. Keep in mind the more specific you are the more accurate your evaluation will be. This will help you develop a plan and better allocate practice time and improve your game. You should always have a plan when you practice. This exercise in not limited to the categories or scenarios below. If you have categories or scenarios more specific to your game feel free to use them. The first three categories are short game and as you will notice can be very specific. PUTTING - Evaluate your putting from the following distances 3 feet, 6 feet, 9 feet, 15 feet, 20-30 feet, 30-40 feet, 40+ feet. We realize 8
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that once a player gets past 3-5 feet the make percentage goes down quite a bit. So, after 6 feet evaluate your ability to 2-putt and avoid 3-putts or more. As you evaluate chipping and pitching keep in mind getting the ball on the green and two putting is generally considered a success. CHIPPING - You can use the previous putting distances to evaluate your chipping game. PITCHING - Evaluate your pitching from 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards, 50 yards. Consider evaluate pitching over trouble as well. The next four categories are full swing or long game: SHORT IRONS, LONG IRONS/HYBRIDS, FAIRWAY WOODS, DRIVER. Players can have a wide spectrum of expectations for the long game based on their ability. Too much to cover in this article. I’ll let you decide how general or specific you are when evaluating these categories. Once you have completed your evaluation and identified your strengths and weaknesses you now have a plan. Keep in mind it’s ok to focus on your deficiencies, but remember, don’t forget to spend time practicing your strengths as well. I hope you find the time to evaluate your game. You might find it very enlightening, and it can put you on the path to improving your golf game. Next month we’ll evaluate your management and mental game. Call the golf shop and schedule a lesson so we can evaluate your golf game and set goals to help you improve.
FITNESS NEWS
By Joy DuMay & Liz Parrish, Co-Directors PHYSICAL HEALTH IS MENTAL HEALTH At the time of writing this article, the details of the fitness facility re-opening are unknown. One thing we all know is that our exercise routines will be affected for quite some time. Just like our personal workout choices, everyone has had a different approach to their fitness during the quarantine. Many Birnam Wood members have kept up a daily walk and started playing golf, tennis, bocce and croquet as soon as they became available. Quite a few of you jumped right into Zoom classes as we doubled our offerings, while some of you are still contemplating whether to join online exercise options. It’s obvious that regular exercise is a mood booster, with increased oxygen flow to the brain as well as muscles. A study published in the journal Depression and Anxiety in 2019 concluded that exercising more was associated with less recurrence of depression. However, that isn’t the full story. While physical activity may provide protection against a flare-up, depression might also result in decreased physical activity. This makes sense, given the ways that depressive symptoms include a strong decrease in motivation to move around and exert physical and emotional energy. According to a 2016 study published in the journal Psychological Medicine, depressed moods and high stress are big barriers to exercise, as is a lack of social support. It’s been months since the beginning of the pandemic (although it may feel like years) and it has been a stressful and lonely time for many people. You may be experiencing “quarantine fatigue” and lost your motivation. Here are some ideas to keep you on your feet and strong mentally as well as physically. 1) Set a regular day and time to exercise. A routine really helps and will get you out of your pajamas! 2) Mix it up. Try some new things, like a Zoom class if you haven’t already, or bocce with close friends and family. 3) Just do it! Make yourself do something active every day, even if it’s only for 10 minutes at a time. 4) Get outside. The sun, the fresh air, beautiful Santa Barbara – enough said. 5) No judgements. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do what you expected to do. It’s time to be kind to yourself. Your Fitness Team missed you so much! We look forward to seeing you at the Fitness Center or via Zoom soon. We are always here to support you, just let us know how we may help. Joy DuMay joydumayfitness@gmail.com Liz Parrish lizparrishfitness@gmail.com
In Memoriam Mr. Bevin Cherot Member Since 2006
Mrs. Patricia Tisdale Member Since 1986 June 2020
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Birnam Wood Fitness Center ~ June 2020
Online Zoom Class Schedule: please note links below Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
10:30-11:30
11:00-12:00 Iyengar Yoga w/ Vanessa
3:00-4:00 Core & More w/ Nancy C.
Strength & Length
w/Chava
3:00-4:00 20/20/20 w/Liz
Thursday
Friday
10:30-11:30
11:00-12:00 Iyengar Yoga w/ Vanessa
3:00-4:00 Core & More w/ Nancy C.
Strength & Length
w/Chava
3:00-4:00 20/20/20 w/Liz
11:00-12:00 Iyengar Yoga w/ Vanessa
3:00-4:00 Core & More w/ Nancy C.
Saturday 10:30-11:30 Dance & Sculpt w/Joy
Sunday
9:30-10:30 20/20/20 w/Liz
Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11:00 AM Iyengar Yoga with Vanessa Bacher https://zoom.us/j/6622880054
Password: 643651
3:00 PM Core & More with Nancy Clayton
Password: 925615
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/355466507?pwd=L2M2WERRbjZ4MXhVekc3ZFhXLzFEQT09
Tuesday/Thursday 10:30 AM Strength & Lengthen with Chava Riley
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/965010067?pwd=ZXdnUXpGbHlLYlFqR29XSWlwUHFYdz09
3:00 PM 20/20/20 with Liz Parrish
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/825573082?pwd=NW84T0tNVHpHQUZoRGszT3dLVnc3QT09
Saturday 10:30 AM Dance & Sculpt with Joy DuMay
Password: Fitness
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82884727782?pwd=M1JrajhQZlRFcE43MVpSbFJPZlMzUT09
Sunday 9:30 AM 20/20/20 with Liz Parrish
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/251216228?pwd=b3FRZ2tCY0JiUDdQSjB0Ris3S0xzQT09
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Birnam Wood Fitness Center ~ June 2020 Monday/Wednesday/Friday Iyengar Yoga @ 11:00 am with Vanessa Bacher vanessabbacher@yahoo.com Using various props such as blankets and blocks as aids in performing asanas (postures), this class develops strength, mobility and stability as well as mental clarity. An emphasis on spinal health and restorative breathing improves respiration and boosts the immune system. Monday/Wednesday/Friday Core & More @ 3:00 pm with Nancy Clayton onbalancefitness@gmail.com It’s a full body workout including balance and lots of core! All you need is a little space, some light weights (you can use soup cans or water bottles) and a towel or mat for floor work. Tuesday/Thursday Strengthen and Lengthen @ 10:30 am with Chava Riley chavalogan@gmail.com Improve your balance, strength and flexibility while building stronger, leaner muscles. Stabilize your Core and gain full body strength with an extra cardio bonus! Tuesday/Thursday 20/20/20 @ 3:00 pm with Liz Parrish lizparrishfitness@gmail.com Build a balanced body in this class with 20 minutes full body strengthening, 20 minutes core work and 20 minutes full body stretching. Your body will be toned and elongated using light weights and slow, controlled movements. Use a towel or mat for floor work. All levels welcome! Saturday Dance Sculpt @ 10:30 with Joy DuMay joydumayfitness@gmail.com Let's Dance! With energizing music and easy-to-learn moves plus some muscle toning, this class will lift your spirits and get your weekend started! All levels encouraged to join! Sunday 20/20/20 @ 9:30 am with Liz Parrish lizparrishfitness@gmail.com Build a balanced body in this class with 20 minutes full body strengthening, 20 minutes core work and 20 minutes full body stretching. Your body will be toned and elongated using light weights and slow, controlled movements. Use a towel or mat for floor work. All levels welcome!
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BIRNAM WOOD GOLF CLUB 2031 Packing House Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108
STAFF ROSTER 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 or appropriate golf and tennis attire and for ladies includes dresses, pantsuits, skirts and similar attire. Blue jean pants and jackets, tank tops, cut-offs, sports jerseys, shirts with large insignias and phrases, baggy cargo pants or shorts and caps and visors worn backward are prohibited. Members hosting or sponsoring private events are responsible for communicating the Club dress code to those attending such events. CANCELATION 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.
Jordan Sweeney......................................... General Manager Brendan Glesmann............................... Clubhouse Manager Michael Goodcase......................................... Head Golf Pro Martin Moore........................................ GS Superintendent Brandon Hughes...........................................Executive Chef Jarrett Garcia......................................... Director of Security Dan Webster............................................Director of Tennis Joy DuMay.................................Co-Fitness Center Director Liz Parrish..................................Co-Fitness Center Director Ching Woodhouse................ Director of Human Resources
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.
Emily Ojerholm................................. Membership Director
FOR YOUR PROTECTION - Audio and video recording is taking place at Birnam Wood.
Manuel Orozco................................ Executive Housekeeper
Kristy Evans......... Director of Admin and Communications Eric Salazar.................................................... F&B Manager Israel Ruiz................................................Facilities Engineer Dolly St. Germain ...............................................Controller
The official publication of the Birnam Wood Golf Club, published monthly for members of the Club. Phone (805) 969-2223 | FAX (805) 969-5037 | Website: www.bwgc.net | Email: frontdesk@bwgc.net