February 2017 Cat Tales

February 2017

CATTAIL’S NEWEST EMPLOYEE | MEMBERSHIP NEWS | A GUIDE TO KIDS CAMPS AT CATTAIL

CAT TALES 2016

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Leadership E X E C U T I V E

C O M M I T T E E

Howard Feldman, President | howard.feldman@cfmktg.com Seth Lee,Vice President | slee@summittalentgroup.com Scott Nicholson, Treasurer | snichlsn@gmail.com Steve Schrenk, Secretary | sschrenk@eqrworld.com Dick Lombardo, Past President | dlombardo@harkinsbuilders.com B O A R D

O F

D I R E C T O R S Jeff Martin Mike Jack Colton O’Donoghue Lurdes Abruscato Sean Battle Mike Malone Scott Segrist Ray Ignacio

C O M M I T T E E S Golf - Scott Segrist | ssegrist@apexhomeloans.com Green - Colton O’Donoghue | odonoghueclan@verizon.net Membership - Lurdes Abruscato | lurdesabruscato@aol.com Finance - Scott Nicholson | snichlsn@gmail.com House - Mike Malone | michaelbmalone@gmail.com Swim Team - Sara Magden | saraeliz82@me.com Audit Committee - Ray Ignacio | raymond.ignacio@verizon.net Compensation Committee - Seth Lee | slee@summittalentgroup.com

M A N A G E M E N T Gregory Colombo General Manager greg.colombo@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 231 Kim Kordon Controller kim.kordon@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 232 Chris Harriman Golf Course Superintendent chris@cattailcreekcc.com 410.489.9178 Gabby Forte Membership Director gabby@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 233 Gianna Ricco Communications Director gianna.ricco@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 241 Bob Wampler Head Golf Professional bob@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 222 Alex Justiniani Director of Tennis alex@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 265 Tom Caswell Executive Chef tom.caswell@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 246 Jennifer Turowski Catering Director jennifer@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 234 Danny Tucci Food & Beverage Manager danny.tucci@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 397 Rob Anderson Facilities Engineer rob.anderson@cattailcreekcc.com ext. 247 C L U B

P H O N E

N U M B E R S

Main Clubhouse 410.489.4653 Golf Shop 410.489.5224 Tennis & Fitness Pro Shop 410.989.3683 Green Department 410.489.9178

CCWGA Chair - Sondra Rappaport | sondrarappaport@verizon.net CCWTA President - Chari Mellner | chariandlee@aol.com

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING EMPLOYEES WHO REACHED A MILESTONE AT CATTAIL THIS YEAR:

15 YEARS LUIS CRUZ MARTIN FELIPE APOLONIO GONZALEZ JUAN MARTINEZ

STAY CONNECTED

FACEBOOK cattailcreekcc cattailcreekcountryclub cattailcreektennis

20 YEARS KIM KORDON 10 YEARS RICKY SERRANO

5 YEARS KEVIN BRYANT MIRNA CASTRO NANCY HANSFORD CHIRS HARRIMAN LESLIE HOCKEY JENNIFER TUROWSKI

INSTAGRAM cattailcreekcc

FEBRUARY 2017

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MDH (

Cat F E B R U A R Y

2 0 1 7

Danny Tucci, Food & Beverage Manager, continues his DIY Cocktail recipes on page 7.

D E PA R T M E N T S : On Thursday, January 26, we had a new experience on the Golf Course - a brush fire. The a crew working on cartpath edges out on Hole #14. A spark from the metal bladed edger jumped into the bluestem to the right of the gold tee. Angelino noticed a small fire getting started, and as he tried to stamp it out the fire ran up the hill and started working its way to #15 green.Thankfully, Chris’s guys came to the rescue and put it out.

5. GENERAL MANAGER NOTES Cattail’s Newest Employee

6. CLUBHOUSE Upcoming Events

F E AT U R E S :

DIY Valentine’s Day Cocktail

5. CATTAIL’S NEWEST EMPLOYEE

8. MEMBERSHIP Membership & Marketing in 2017

10. MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING NEWS

Welcome New Members

12. A GUIDE TO KIDS CAMPS AT CATTAIL

A Guide to Kid’s Camps at Cattail

12. GOLF & GREEN The Green Report Bunker to Bunker Golf Shop News A New Golf Rule?

18. TENNIS 3 Pro Tips For More WIns How to Break Bad Habits On the Cover: A select few of the many wonderful photos from the Club’s Holiday Cocktail Party.

We love seeing our Members having fun!

FEBRUARY

2017

CATTAIL’S NEWEST EMPLOYEE | MEMBERSHIP NEWS | A GUIDE TO KIDS CAMPS AT CATTAIL

GENERAL MANAGER N O T E S

I want to thank everyone who was able to attend one of our Focus Group sessions with Rick

U P C O M I N G R O O M

C L O S U R E S

M O N D AY, J A N U A R Y 3 1 T H U R S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 9

Lunch & Dinner - Clubhouse (Winter Shutdown)

Snellinger from Chambers. I understand that your time is valuable and important to you and your families, so I appreciate you spending some of it here to help us learn and understand how we can serve you better. Surveys can be a useful tool, but there is no substitute for one-on-one interaction with an engaged Member.

S AT U R D AY,

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Dinner - Cattail & Grille Rooms (Private Member Event)

As a Neighborhood Club, our goal is to provide you all of the amenities, products and services that you as a Member desire or value. Hearing this directly from you helps us to properly allocate our

T H U R S D AY,

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resources to what is important to you, the Member. This process began last fall at one of our House

Dinner - Grille Room

Committee meetings that helped us to determine that there was a tremendous need to replace the

(B Team Annual Meeting)

carpet in the Clubhouse and the furniture at the Pool. Both are highly visible, high-traffic areas and in need of an update. We are gathering samples and pricing for both with assistance from the House Committee to help select the right products that Members can see and enjoy for many years to come as they brighten up their respective spaces.

Another change that the staff and I are very excited about is the addition of the new Kids camps that will be offered the last week of June through August 11. This will give our Members and their families a real opportunity to utilize all of our facilities and spend their day with us at Cattail. Please see the spread on pages 10 & 11 with all of the details and how to sign up.

We have been working hard this winter to create and design new, fun and exciting programs and events and look forward to seeing you at the Club.

W E D N E S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 2 2

Dinner - Grille Room (CCWTA Winter Meeting) T H U R S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 2 3

Dinner - Cattail Room (Private Member Event) F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 2 4

Dinner - Cattail & Grille Rooms (Private Member Event) F R I D AY, M A R C H 1 0

Dinner - Clubhouse Greg Colombo, CCM General Manager

(Winter Wine Night) S A T U R D AY, M A R C H 1 1

CATTAIL WELCOMES A NEW SENIOR FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

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Mike McKee is a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Specialist and Personal Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Mike attended University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned his B.S. Degree in Kinesiology. Before pursuing a career in fitness, Mike worked in physical therapy for 5 years, rehabilitating post-surgical and athletic injuries. He believes that true health and fitness is a combination COME L of strength, balance, flexibility, and cardiovascular T E endurance, and is dedicated to helping every person achieve their own unique goals in fun, efficient ways.

Mike has 20 years of experience playing golf, and T proudly maintains his 0 handicap. He spends his E TA I L C R free time singing and playing guitar at local venues, as well as competing on the Professional Bowlers’ Tour.

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K

MIKE

Lunch - Cattail Room (Private Member Event) W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 5

Lunch - Cattail Room (Private Member Event) S A T U R D AY, M A R C H 1 9

Lunch - Cattail & Grille Rooms (Private Member Event) W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 2 2

Dinner - Grille Room (CCWGA Spring Fling)

FEBRUARY 2017

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THURSDAY, APRIL 6 | THE KENNEDY CENTER

DINNER & BUS TRIP DINNER 4:00 P.M. | DEPART 5:30 P.M. | SHOWTIME 7:30 P.M. Bring your friends and enjoy a dinner buffet before hopping on a bus down to the Kennedy Center to see the award winning show, Chicago. Water and gourmet snacks to be provided.

Tickets are first come, first served – so reserve your spot now!

Cancellation deadline is Wednesday, March 1, 2017 $160 includes buffet dinner, a bus to and from the show, orchestra seats and snacks/water on the bus.

FEBRUARY

&

MARCH

UPCOMING EVENTS ADULT TRIVIA NIGHT Saturday, February 11 COUPLES VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER Tuesday, February 14

blood orange valentine

FAMILY VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER Wednesday, February 15 LADIES NIGHTS: MAKEUP WORKSHOP Friday, February 17 ADULT TRIVIA NIGHT Saturday, February 18 CCWTA WINTER MEETING USGA RULES CLINIC Wednesday, February 22 CHEESESTEAK NIGHT Friday, February 24 ADULT TRIVIA NIGHT Saturday, February 25 KIDS COOKING CLASS Saturday, March 4 WINTER WINE NIGHT Friday, March 10 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING & KIDS INTEREST MEETING Thursday, March 16 ST. PATRICK’S DAY SPECIALS Friday, March 17 CCWGA SPRING FLING Wednesday, March 22 FAMILY NIGHT Thursday, March 23 MEN’S ‘WINTER THAW’ GOLF HAPPY HOUR Friday, March 24 ADULT TRIVIA NIGHT Saturday, March 25 BOURBON STREET NIGHT Wednesday, March 29

DANNY TUCCI [FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER]

Blood oranges might sound unappetizing, but they earned that name because of the vivid red color of their flesh. The fruit is similar in taste and texture to a regular orange, but unlike traditional oranges, blood oranges aren’t available year round. That’s because they rely on certain kinds of weather to develop their red color. Blood oranges are in season from December through May, so I think it is the ideal time to use them in cocktails. This cocktail is perfect for Valentine’s Day. It combines the right amount of sweet and spice... and Champagne of course!

INGREDIENTS:

Juice of 1/2 a medium blood orange Juice of 1/2 a lime 1 ounce vodka 8 mint leaves 2 ounces chilled ginger beer Chilled champagne, for topping

In a glass, combine the blood orange juice, lime juice and vodka.

Add the ginger beer and top with the champagne. Garnish with blood orange slices and fresh mint. Drink!

Cattail Creek Country Club

3600 CATTAIL CREEK DRIVE GLENWOOD, MARYLAND 21738 410.489.4653

join now and receive our...

2017

MEMBERSHIP PROMOTION

AS A NEW GOLF OR SOCIAL MEMBER, YOU MAY CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GIFTS: • $150 CREDIT TO YOUR ACCOUNT • TWO GOLF GUEST PASSES (GOLF MEMBERS ONLY) • FOUR ANNIVERSARY PARTY TICKETS • ANNUAL FOOD MINIMUM

Contact Gabby Forte, Membership Director, for more information.

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gabby@cattailcreekcc.com | 410.489.4653 ext. 233

WHAT’S GOING ON IN MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING FOR 2017?!

A NOTE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR SPRING JOINING INCENTIVE As always, we are asking our Members to spread the word about our new membership joining incentive. If you know a friend, co-worker, neighbor or colleague that would be a good fit at Cattail, be sure to pass this along! We are offering new Golf and Social Members a great choice of gifts upon joining. They may choose one from the following options:

• $150 credit to their Member account

• 2 golf guest passes (for Golf Members only)

• 4 Anniversary Party tickets

• Annual food minimum

Be on the lookout for referral cards to be sent to your home address to take the legwork out of spreading the word about Cattail. More information to come in the next few weeks!

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER HAPPY HOUR

NEW WEBSITE DESIGN COMING SOON The Marketing Department is in the beginning stages of a website re-design. This will make our website more user-friendly and attractive not only to you, our Members, but also to prospective Members and your guests on the public side. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the summer, so look out for updates over the next few months!

DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE CATTAIL APP Last but not least, we want to remind our Members to download the fantastic Cattail App! Here you can make Restaurant reservations, tee times, book a personal training session and view/pay your online statement. We ask that all Members allow location services to be on when prompted, and to upload a picture to your Member profile. Not sure where you can upload your picture? Visit the “Menu” button on the top left-hand side of the App, and select your name at the bottom of the flyout menu. Here you can upload a picture from your phone or take a picture right then and there. By doing these two things – allowing location services to be on and uploading a picture – you ensure that the staff at Cattail Creek knows your name!

Have any questions about the new and exciting things going on at Cattail this season? My office is always open to visitors (I’m here Tuesday – Saturday), and I’m just an email or phone call away. Cheers to another successful season at the Club!

We will be hosting a happy hour on Saturday, April 29 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. for Prospective Members. We’ve added a new twist, as this will be held on the Club’s beautiful Short Game Area!

Members are encouraged to bring friends interested in joining to enjoy complimentary appetizers and drinks while getting in some practice on your short game. Make sure to bring the kiddos, as the Golf Staff will

W E L C O M E

have the Golfzilla ready on the putting green to keep them entertained!

NEW MEMBERS

2017 SPORTS BOOK – DIGITAL VERSION Our Communications Director, Gianna Rico, is working tirelessly to

THE COFFMAN FAMILY

finish up the 2017 Sports Book. This year the Sports Book will be sent out electronically to all Members. You can expect this in your inbox mid-February to check out everything that is going on at Cattail in 2017.

Andrew, Magdalena, Arianna, and Dominic

THE JENKINS FAMILY Michael, Jennifer, Madison, and Peyton

THE MORRIS FAMILY Robert, Stacie, Abigail, and Bobby

THE BAKER FAMILY Bill, Kristin, Graham, and Kendall

FEBRUARY 2017

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KIDS CAMPS @ CATTAIL! NEW TO CATTAIL! - KE CAMPS KECamps and Cattail Creek Country Club have collaborated to offer unique camp sessions to all Cattail Kids for this upcoming summer. This is a unique balance of a traditional day camp experience in the convenient and familiar setting of the Club. Wacky Wednesdays and Giving Thursdays are just two of the exciting things kids can look forward to on each weekly schedule!

- Boys & Girls, Ages 4 to 10 - Monday – Friday - 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

- Before-care offered from 8:30 a.m.

- After-care offered until 4:30 p.m.

COST - $255 per Member child - $285 per non-Member child - One-time $40 registration fee; includes two camp t-shirts.

DATES Session Session Session Session Session Session

1: June 26 – June 30 2: July 10 – July 14 3: July 17 – July 21 4: July 24 – July 28 5: July 31 – August 4 6: August 7 - August 11

all sports camp Is your kiddo interested in both golf and tennis? Then this is the camp for them! This week of camp combines the basic fundamental instruction for both golf and tennis. The day begins with morning golf instruction, followed by a lunch break, an afternoon of tennis instruction and then end the day splashing at the Pool! Monday is tennis-only.

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Boys & Girls, Ages 7 to 13 - Monday - Friday - 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

COST - $389 per Golf Member child, per session - $459 per Dinning & Social Member child, per session DATES June 19 - June 23

JUNIOR TENNIS DAY CAMP

These five-day camps will cover fundamental topics including basic technique, tennis etiquette, court positioning, score keeping, singles and doubles play. To end a full day of play, all Juniors will spend the last hour of camp cooling off at the Pool.

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Boys & Girls, Ages 5 to 12 Beginner - Intermediate Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

COST - $295 per child, advance registration - $325 per child, week-of registration - $350 per Dining Member and non-Member Child DATES - Session - Session - Session - Session - Session - Session

1: June 26 - June 30 2: July 3 - July 7 3: July 17 - July 21 4: July 24 - July 28 5: July 31 - August 4 6: August 7 - August 11

JUNIOR golf DAY CAMP This four-day camp is based on an intensive learning program foundation that takes in the fun and exciting atmosphere of the game! Each four-day program will focus on all aspects of golf, including etiquette, dress code, Course management and safety, in addition to short game, long game and mental aspects.

- Boys & Girls, Ages 7 to 13 (grouped by age and skill level) - Tuesday - Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

COST - $295 per Golf Member child, per session - $350 per Dinning & Social Member child, per session* *Social Members may register as per normal, and will be accepted if space allows one week prior to the camp.

DATES - Session 1: June 27 - June 30 - Session 2: July 11 - July 14 - Session 3: July 25 - July 28 - Session 4: August 15 - August 18

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THE GREEN REPORT CHRIS HARRIMAN [GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT]

February is here already, and we have seen some relatively mild winter weather. Hopefully some of you have taken advantage of the Course remaining open for a bit of winter play. The mild weather has allowed us to complete a number of smaller outdoor projects, but February is normally our month to be inside working on our winter refurbishment list.

Sometimes we need to be forced inside in the winter as there are many things to be tended to. All the benches, tee markers, cups, flagsticks, bunker rakes, water coolers, hazard stakes, machinery and maintenance facility itself have to be cleaned, washed, stripped, sanded, scraped, pressure washed, painted, waxed, polished, clear coated and put back together. This year, we have employed the use of a sandblaster to get a few items prepped for paint and better cleaned. In addition to the Golf Course equipment; we have the Driving Range furniture to tend to. We will also be looking to build some new flower planter boxes for around the pool to complement the new furniture there.

Some outside tasks for the month of February include repairing the railroad tie wall behind #12 green and also replacing all of the cart and walk bridge matting. Our paver work will be limited to behind the Tennis Courts as we finally put in a respectable walkway. With the ground thawed, we continue work on as much irrigation work as possible. We have 36 quick coupler hose connections to change throughout the fairways on the back nine. There are a few more irrigation head additions that will take place, as well as a few new quick couplers to be installed around select tees.

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COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: AERIAL VIEWS OF HOLE ONE, HOLE TWO, HOLE SIX, AND HOLE SEVEN WHERE THE NEW GREEN TEES WILL BE.

February remains our month to finish off our inside projects so that in March, as weather permits, we can be back outside and rearing to go. This year we have one focus for Golf Course improvements: building four new “green” tees on holes #1, #2, #6 and #7. Currently #9 is the only hole that provides a tee in front of the red tee that helps juniors or high handicappers avoid the hazard. There has often been a dilemma concerning who hits from #9 black and how the score fits into competition. The four additional green tees on the front nine will be rated and detailed on the scorecard. The red/green combination tees will provide a playing option similar to the Cattail and Creek tees. The new tees will be closer in proximity to the fairway and give anyone who wants to use them a more encouraging route to the green.

The Golf Industry remains unique in that it services a wide age and ability spectrum. One key to being a successful golf facility is being able to capitalize on these different levels and provide a fun yet challenging environment for all. We hope that the new tees provide a small sense of ownership to younger golfers, as well as higher handicappers. It is in all of our best interests to put this group on a path where they are encouraged to play the game and make sure they are utilizing all the benefits of being a Member These images show the new at Cattail.

modifications we will be doing to #8 and

wedark cangreen getarea the represents milder weather #11.IfThe the

to continue, our goal is to have these projects completed by the end of March and open for play by the first endcut, ofand April, not sooner. Don’t forget to keep up with the Green Department Blog to stay abreast of happenings around extended the iflight green the Course think Spring! shows the and new approach area.

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BUNKER to BUNKER Happy New Year everyone! First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your tremendous support and participation this past year.

As your Golf Professional Staff, our entire purpose is to deliver a golf experience worthy of the admiration from the Members and Guests we serve. In an effort to deliver exactly that, we are staying quite busy this offseason. Besides vigorously planning for the upcoming season, we are working on our own games in the Learning Center, teaching lessons, conducting club fittings, offering complimentary Flightscope Fridays, and preparing for the annual team trip to Orlando, FL for the PGA Merchandise Show.

We have a jam packed schedule in Orlando. Ricky will be attending the PGA Teaching Summit, Lexie will be attending the PGA Merchandiser of the Year Conference and the AGM Orlando Retail Conference, and we have full days of appointments, making sure to check out all of the latest and greatest from all of the various vendors in attendance. We also use this as a tremendous opportunity for teambuilding, and we will definitely squeeze in some golf while we are there.

I encourage you to sign up for Bob and Tyler’s Rules of Golf clinic on Wednesday, February 22, and we hope you plan on attending the CCWGA Spring Fling or the Men’s “Winter Thaw” Kickoff events in March. We have an exciting year planned with some new events. To get the tournament season under way, we will have a “Masters CAT TALES 2017

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at Cattail” Par 3 Contest on the Wednesday of Masters week. Demo and Fitting Days, a complimentary women’s golf clinic, and a can’t miss “Friday Night Lights” event on the Driving Range and SGA in May are just a few of the highlights this spring.

Ricky, Tyler, K.J., David and Lexie are all returning this year.

In addition, I am excited to welcome Jonathan Mansberger back this coming May, as he has decided to return to complete his final internship. I am fortunate to have a great team, and it is an honor to serve as your PGA Head Professional. Thank you, think spring, and I look forward to seeing you at the Club and on the Course soon!

Everything for golf,

S AV E

THE DATE RULES OF GOLF SEMINAR

WITH JERRY DUFFY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.

FREE TO ATTEND

GOLF SHOP NEWS!

LEXIE DILORETO [GOLF SHOP MERCHANDISER]

PGA Merchandise Show Forecasting Although I joined the team at Cattail Creek only a few short months ago, there has been no shortage of tasks for me to fill my days before the golf season picks up again. Planning for the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida has been a large part of my responsibility lately. Bob, Ricky, Tyler, K.J. and I have a busy week filled with conferences, educational seminars, and vendor appointments. We plan to squeeze in a little time for golf as well.

This will be my first experience attending the PGA Merchandise Show, and I am so excited to see it firsthand.

Through my own research and conversations with Members and the Professional Staff, I have been told the Orange County Convention Center is massive and can be a bit overwhelming for a first time atendee. Since Bob, Tyler and K.J. will be attending as well, we are able to “divide and conquer” in order to make the show as productive as

possible. Cattail Creek is privileged to have a wide variety of quality vendors including Peter Millar, Ralph Lauren and Under Armour inside the shop. Nevertheless, our eyes will be open for new products and brands that can benefit the Members in the best way possible.

Although the majority of our spring 2017 Buy has already been placed, we will take the opportunity to review our pre-books, adjusting if necessary. Our main focus, however, is for the fall 2017 buy. It seems this past Fall we had a great success. My goal is to continue to improve that trend in the upcoming seasons. I can’t wait to utilize my education and experiences in fashion merchandising and to put a personal touch on the shop!

I plan to take plenty of photos, so stay tuned for next month as I will be writing about my first PGA Merchandise Show Experience upon our return.

Lexie updated us with some pictures OF THE GOLF GANg AT the show! Read her full PGA recap in the March issue of Cat Tales.

FEBRUARY 2017

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A NEW GOLF RULE? TYLER CHAPLIN [FIRST ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL]

The Cattail Creek Professional Staff and Golf Committee have agreed to adopt the new local rule involving the ball accidentally moving on the putting green. After the infamous ruling in the 2016 U.S. Open we are calling this the Dustin Johnson Rule. The USGA is always trying to modernize the rules, making them easier to understand and to be applied by golfers. They suggest that rather than waiting for the next set of revisions to the Rules of Golf, Golf Courses adopt the local rule.

Below are four examples of when the rule applies with no penalty and two examples of when the rule does not apply, resulting in a penalty stroke.

SIX WEEK SEASON!

? ? ?

Don’t forget a team name!

8:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25 WEEKLY PRIZE: $30 RESTAURANT CREDIT GRAND PRIZE: $200 CASH FEBRUARY 2016

* COME EACH WEEK TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THE CUMULATIVE GRAND PRIZE.

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WIN MORE DOUBLES MATCHES WITH 3 EASY STEPS ALEX JUSTINIANI [DIRECTOR OF TENNIS]

1. COMMUNICATE!

Are you communicating enough with your partner? For most doubles teams, the answer is no.

Communicating with your partner after each point will keep you both energized and focused on the task at hand.Try simple things by telling your partner where you are planning to hit your return or what you plan to do at the net when serving. You will be amazed how much closer and competitive you will become as a unit. In the pros, you see this each and every point when they meet and also give each other a high five or some kind of contact.

2. BRING YOUR MARGINS IN!

Ever have a shot that makes you say, “I almost made it!” If this sounds like you, it’s time to reevaluate where exactly you are aiming. It’s been my experience that most players aim for the lines that is a terrible and costly mistake! Give yourself at least three feet to miss. A simple way to do this is to aim for the singles sideline instead of the doubles.You will be very happy with the instant improvement of your consistency, and you will also have winners to go along with them.

3. PUT THE BALL AWAY!

There is a right way to put the ball away and a wrong one. Hitting the ball as hard as you can is not always the best-case scenario. Sometimes hitting a softer but smarter target can do the trick.

If you find yourself at the net and you are looking to put the ball away, go at the net player’s feet on the opposite side. They have less time to react than the baseline player. If you are looking to angle the ball, consult tip #2.

BREAKING HABITS CHRIS COZZILLIO [HEAD TENNIS PROFESSIONAL]

Every time someone comes in for a lesson, the first thing I ask is, “What are we working on today?” Usually people will pick one or two things

VOLLEYS

that have been giving them trouble at block, clinics, or matches. Below

Remember how we just talked about swinging faster on the serve?

are some of the issues that have been common among my recent lessons.

Well, not here. Stop swinging. So often pros see big, swooping swings on the volleys. Keep it short and sweet. The power comes from your

POACHING Many lessons feel that they have opportunities to be more aggressive and poach more often, but for one reason or another,

legs moving forward into the ball. Just keep the racquet steady and solid and punch, your momentum will do the rest.

Good luck and see you on the Courts!

don’t. Most of the time, it is due to the fear of “stealing” our partner’s shot (and missing). However, technically, it is due to not making the commitment to poach early enough, so there is no possible way to catch up and intercept the ball before it gets to the baseline player.

As soon as the “poacher” notices the opponent about to hit the ball, they should go! Yes, maybe the opponent will hit a winner down the line. Don’t let that discourage you as a “poacher”! The other issue is poaching at the right angle. Poachers will frequently move horizontally to the ball, rather than diagonally towards the center strap of the net. Cutting off the ball at an angle can be the difference between executing a winning poach and not getting there in time to even make contact.

SERVING This one is broad—usually my lessons have two main components that they have trouble with on the serve. One is generating power, the other is the toss. These two things often go hand in hand. Most commonly, the toss is too low and too far to the right. Toss the ball high enough that you can extend your racquet as high as possible— like you’re reaching for something on a really high shelf! Also, SWING FASTER! Don’t be afraid to double fault when you are trying to improve. Swing faster—if you miss, you miss!

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 • 5:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. • WITH A JAZZ TRIO

Couples Valentine’s Day APPETIZERS

Seafood Gumbo $8

Caesar Salad $5 | $9 Hawaiian Poke Tuna $12 Char Grilled Sapidus Farms Oysters $13 Mongolian Elysian Lamb Meatballs $7 Baby Kale & Farro Salad $8

DESSERTS

Salted Caramel Apple Cobbler $6 Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding $6 Traditional Crème Brulee $6 CAT TALES 2017

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Strawberry Shortcake Trifle $6 Reese’s Pie $7

DINNER

Arugula Pesto Chicken $18

Italian Arugula Pesto, Chargrilled Chicken, Blistered Tomato, Maitake Mushroom, Farro & Natural Herb Pan Jus

Maryland Crab Cake Single

$22 | $34

With Mashed Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas and Baby Carrots

Australian Wagyu Bavette Steak $42

Grilled 10 oz. Wagyu Steak, Grilled Asparagus, Bacon Gouda Polenta & Black Truffle Reduction

Herb Crusted Sea Scallops $28

Herb Crusted Sea Scallops, Hickory Smoked Bacon, Old Bay Cream Sauce, Saffron Scallion Rice & Baby Vegetables

Crispy Maryland Sea Bass $32

Shellfish Broth, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, French Beans, Herb Gremolata & Fennel Slaw

Creekstone Farms Ribeye $38

Grilled 14 oz. Creekstone Farms Ribeye, Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus & Jack Daniel’s Sauce

Vegan Mongolian Stir Fry $15

Pad Thai Rice Noodles, Baby Kale, Carrot, Napa Cabbage, Zucchini Noodle & Kecap Manis

Lamb Moussaka $18

Elysian Farms Lamb, Eggplant, Tomato, Smoked Gouda Béchamel Sauce & Panko Crust