letter from
the president
generally speaking
most memorable round of golf
whiskey cart
junior golf
indoor studio
the frostbite
tournament
artifact : marking special occasions get in touch
As we wrap up the winter season, there are plenty of things to look forward to at Congressional this Spring. The start of the New Year has been busy at the Club. Dining, Club events, and all sports facilities have been extremely active. The racquet sports are having a great start this year due in part to the NEW pickleball courts, which have proven to be an excellent addition to the Club.
Club events are in high demand as we see registrations fill quickly. The Club’s goal is to accommodate as many Members as possible, so as we move forward, please use the Club’s website to sign up for events as soon as they are available to secure your spots.
The Club’s committees have been formed and their respective Chairs have been named. Our Members’ interest in joining committees further shows how strong our Club is. I want to thank all Members who applied for committee positions this year. Unfortunately, we cannot honor all requests, but if you wish to be a part of a committee next year, please reach out to the respective committee Chair.
The Admissions Committee has been working hard to evaluate all new Membership candidates. The process includes calling references, social media background checks, and asking current Members to weigh in on prospective Members. With the significant interest in membership at Congressional, the process is taking longer than in the past. We strive to accept the best new membership candidates that uphold the integrity of the Club and make Congressional a better place.
On the team front, Margarita Gilo has been selected as the new Assistant General Manager. Margarita will be joining the Congressional family in April. She brings over twenty years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 15+ years in platinumlevel clubs. Please introduce yourself to Margarita and welcome her to Congressional when you see her.
John Scott Rattan received the PGA Professional Development Award for the Middle Atlantic Section. This is a well-deserved honor for John Scott. Golf Digest has also selected Blake Thomas as one of the Top 40 under 40, Best Young Teachers in America. We are fortunate to have such great talent as John Scott and Blake—well done!
The Golf Shop was awarded the Association of Golf Merchandisers’ 10 Best in the World at the PGA Show in Orlando this past January, for the sixth consecutive year! Congratulations to Jason, Tracey, Lillie, and the entire golf team for their continued success.
Pete Wendt and his team are working hard to maintain and beautify the Club’s grounds, and we thank them for their tremendous efforts in upholding Congressional’s extraordinary appearance. Work is underway on the Blue and Gold courses, with tree trimming, drainage, and sod work as the primary focus. (One of the greatest transformations in our Club’s history has paid off, and I’m thrilled to say that our famed Blue Course has been renamed The Best Course in Maryland!) Additional beautification has been completed around the Tennis Facility and other parts of the Club. As we get closer to April and May, you will see more exterior work on the Club’s grounds as we prepare for Summer. Thank you again to Pete and his team for all their hard work!
The Board is working on the LongRange Plan (LRP). With a 100-yearold building and the contents within it. We must continue to focus on the capital improvements of the Club. Over the past twenty years, the Club’s net physical assets have more than tripled in value from $21 million to $72 million. Despite the increase, our capital sourcing plan has not changed. Looking at the ten years ahead, the current capital plan will only fund the maintenance of our existing physical facilities, leaving little left for future improvements. We are looking at several projects that we would like to complete over the next few years. Our primary focus is on the Grounds Maintenance facility. The Board is preparing all the necessary information and plans to be presented to the Membership. Stay tuned—we are planning several Town Hall meetings, along with a membership meeting and vote to follow.
As a reminder, Congressional will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year! A Centennial committee is being formed and will be chaired by Past President, Mark Giarraputo. As we prepare for this momentous event, please share any information to help us celebrate—photos, Club memorabilia, stories, etc. A 100th anniversary book is also in the process of being written. If you would like to provide stories and/or photos, please contact Maxine Harvey—your help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you all for your continued support. I look forward to seeing you and your families at the Club.
We have the greatest Membership in the world! Your generous spirit shines daily through your engagement at the Club and your caring for the staff. Similarly, we select for this spirit and train staff on these values daily.
Each year the Club recognizes twenty-four team members that deliver exceptional Member hospitality, through twelve superlative awards (think high school yearbook). Each superlative is named for an iconic Congressional Member ranging from DuPont to Taft.
The awards represent well-known and admirable characteristics of their namesakes. For example, the Lombardi Award is presented to the ‘best coach/ teacher/mentor’ and the Hearst Award is given to the ‘best communicator.’
This has been a fun way to honor the Club’s legacy and our Membership. It is also an opportunity to share stories. In the case of Ken Venturi, it is the story of the 1964 US Open and the look on his face when he won! The Venturi Award is presented for the ‘biggest smile.’
While we look forward to announcing the superlative winners annually, team members recognize each other throughout the year. This is done through ‘impressions’ on the staff’s intranet. It is a public expression of gratitude and recognition for embodying such Membership hospitality traits as work ethic, innovation, and kindness—just to name a few.
In addition, each impression casts a vote for the superlative winners. The individuals selected for each honor are announced at the all-team member meeting in January and then celebrated in the Club’s Culture Book (pages featured to the left).
Thank you for reading,
JEFFREY KREAFLE
The best friendships are those that not only stand the test of time but branch out and grow. We asked Ed Machir, native Washingtonian and a past Treasurer of the Club, about his favorite round of golf at Congressional. His round shows the enduring bonds that Members create out on the golf course.
My favorite round is any round I played with the late Bob Hawkins, known as Hawk. He was my Presidents’ Cup partner. We never won, but I guarantee we had more fun than anybody out there.
In the last Presidents’ Cup that we played together, in June of 2021, we’re on the 18th hole of the Blue Course. Hawk was infamous in our group for putting from way off the green. He’s got to be 75 to 100 feet up the fairway. I’m on the green, and our opponent says to me, “Your partner’s got the wrong club.” I said, “No, he doesn’t.” He tells me Hawk has his putter, and I say, “Exactly. Watch this.”
He put the ball two feet from the hole and made his par.
Another favorite memory is playing in a Ryder Cup-style match. We’re on the 18th hole, our opponents have to win the hole to halve the match. They’re in the pond in two, and Hawk and I are giving our opponent, Dr. Jimmy Barter, a hard time. Dr. B., shoes and all, climbed into the muck
and mire, and hit his ball out of the water. He did not make par out of the pond. Another memory of Hawk and me as partners.
When I moved back to D.C. after living in Texas for 20 years, there was really only one club I wanted to join, the best club in the city, Congressional. I didn’t really know that many people at Congressional, but it took no time for me to meet a lot of great people and make many, many friends.
I went to Georgetown Prep with Casey Aiken. We were good friends in high school. We saw each other some after high school, but life took us in different directions. When I got into Congressional, Casey reached out to me and introduced me to Bob Hawkins. Actually, he introduced me to all the guys with whom I play golf. I wouldn’t have my favorite rounds if it wasn’t for him. That’s been the best thing about Congressional: the PEOPLE!
The Founders’ Pub, the social hive of our Club. The visual beauty of the wood toned dining room and sunlit panoramic views. The sound of conversation, laughter, and songs we know by heart. The inviting aromas of freshpopped corn and barrel-aged whiskey. Wait, you hadn’t heard? You hadn’t smelled? You haven’t nipped?
Congressional’s newest amenity has been wheeling up beautiful toffee and bakingspiced toned aromas TABLE-SIDE, nightly! Featuring its own detailed menu and a selection of over 30 of Congressional’s finest brown spirits. The Whiskey Cart, is designed to take your whiskey-drinking experience to the proper Congressional altitude.
Bourbon and Single-Malt Scotch headline, reading further you’ll find a few extras on The Whiskey Cart. It houses two styles of ice, and tinctures of Fiji water to season your whiskey to the exact drop of your specifications and without a moment to waste. Your exact whiskey is served for you all as close to your table as our trusty steed can navigate. Let curiosities flow too, as our Sommeliers and Founders’ Pub Team are prepared to provide information about each of the selections on The Whiskey Cart. Served nightly in the Founders’ Pub, let the Whiskey Cart toast your next occasion to the proper Congressional attitude.
With the spotlight being on the recently opened Golf Performance Center, we have been working hard behind the scenes to transform the Indoor Golf Studio into a complimentary, dedicated space for our junior golfers ages 17 and under (Non-certified Juniors must be always accompanied by an adult). While most individual junior lessons will take place at the Golf Performance Center, Junior classes and camps will utilize the Junior Indoor Studio.
The Junior Golf Indoor Studio officially reopened its doors last month, on Monday, February 6. Junior golfers now have a new opportunity to use state-of-the-art technology to assist in their development in a safe and engaging space.
Cosmetically, we painted and added new astroturf floors. The whole space has been waterproofed, to ensure that the studio can be used all year round, especially in the rainier and colder months. We added a new group net and mats on the back wall, as well as in the first two bays. We now have 3 Flightscope Mevo’s plus launch monitors, which include golf courses and games.
It will operate when temperatures are at 54 degrees or below and during inclement weather. Space will be available on a walk-in, first come, first-serve basis. Currently, it is open Monday through Friday from 3:30 – 6 PM and Saturday through Sunday and holidays from 10 AM – 4 PM. We will continue to monitor usage and adjust these parameters as needed.
We look forward to the larger role the studio will play in helping Juniors realize their full potential.
For any questions, please contact Director of Junior Golf, Stacy Miller-Arndt at jrgolf@ccclub.org or Director of Instruction, John Scott Rattan at jsrattan@ccclub.org.
Frostbite is Congressional's annual re-emergence
An opportunity to gather once again with engage in camaraderie and competition, benefits Congressional has to offer; outstanding beverages, spectacular service and a
—Scott Doyle
re-emergence from golfing hibernation. with friends to brave the weather, competition, while enjoying all the tremendous outstanding food, an abundance of world class golfing experience.
In 2013, the Golf Committee, with the help of the Congressional Team, resurrected this historical tournament after 20 years. The hope was to rekindle the flame of an old tradition...the Frostbite Tournament. Members from all generations gather to play golf in winter’s elements. This tournament heightens the anticipation for the spring golf season which is just around the corner.
Although some years the tournaments have been cancelled due to weather and snow-covered course conditions, the renewed popularity cannot be denied. Since then, the tournament has transformed immensely and has grown to be one of the most popular tournaments at the Club. In 2013, 80 participated and two years later it doubled, requiring the use of both courses. In 2018, participation reached an all-time high, so a second day was added to the tournament. This year, registration opened in February and reached capacity at 430 Members in less than a minute!
The Golf Team is dedicated to keeping the tradition alive and strives to add elements of fun and surprise for players on the course. They work together with the Culinary and Banquets Teams to enhance the experience through the many food and beverage offerings, playing a big role in the tournament's success. At several holes on the courses, you can get food and beverages made to order. Everything from ‘broken yolk sandwiches’ (where the breakfast sandwich made its debut) to over-the-top hot beverage stations with warm spiced cider and BBQ brisket that has been smoked for hours as well as Tito’s Transfusions. The possibilities are endless, and the team continues to elevate the experience each year. Good luck to all the participants and cheers to the start of the 2023 golf season at Congressional!
The days are short, the winds are chill, The turf has lost its verdant hue, And those who played the good old game Have slowly disappeared from view. No longer may we watch the flight
Of golf balls as they gaily soar, Or hear the chaff of merry wit, Or echo of some lusty “Fore!”
Ah, well! we cannot all expect To play the game from year to year; To hike, like some, to southern climes And play in a balmy atmosphere.
‘Tis better so; for we can rest
And reminisce, while fancy free, Recall the games of yesterday, Defeats, and proud-won victory.
And we can sit around the fire And dream of things we might have done; Of matches that we thought a cinch And cups that well might we have won; And then those scores of “seventy-eight,” Only missed by some short putt, It all will tend to stimulate
Our fond desire for future luck.
—Hastings WeblingWhichever entrance you use to access the Club, you are instantly taken back in time and surrounded by unique historic artifacts that adorn the walls. These are precious reminders of our storied past and give us insight into their connection and significance to Congressional. We look forward to sharing information on these ‘artifacts’. We hope you will learn something new and have a whole new sense of pride as you observe these features around the Club.
We all mark special occasions differently but uniquely. We signified the Blue Course Grand Opening in 1990 and the recent renovation of the Blue Course in 2021 with a bottle of wine. Each player on the NEW Blue received a bottle opening weekend in additon to unique golf merchandise to mark this momentous occasion. These wines now are apart of treasures in our Archives.
Stacy Miller-Arndt Director of Junior Golf jrgolf@ccclub.org
Noureddine Chirchi Director of Banquets nchirchi@ccclub.org
Sarah Dieringer Graphic Design & Communications Manager sdieringer@ccclub.org
Dusan Dimitrijevski Director of Restaurants dusan@ccclub.org
Alexandra Donohoe Director of Membership Events & Front Desk Operations alexandra@ccclub.org
Betsy Gregory Director of Team Member Engagement betsy@ccclub.org
Jason Epstein PGA Director of Athletics jepstein@ccclub.org
Maxine Harvey Director of Member Services maxine@ccclub.org
Jeffrey Kreafle General Manager jskreafle@ccclub.org
Rachel Krueger Director of Catering rachel@ccclub.org
James Lewis Digital Production Manager jlewis@ccclub.org
Jason Mills Head Golf Professional jmills@ccclub.org
Theresa
Nebiyat
Joel Silberstein Facilities Director jsilberstein@ccclub.org
Dan Valbak Director of Tennis tennispro@ccclub.org
Jeff Turok Wine Director jturok@ccclub.org
Tracey Stearns Director of Retail tracey@ccclub.org
Pete Wendt Director of Golf Courses & Grounds pwendt@ccclub.org
Chris Tessone Chief Business Officer ctessone@ccclub.org
Soppelsa Director of Fitness tsoppelsa@ccclub.org
John Scott Rattan Director of Instruction jsrattan@ccclub.org
Danny Palmiotto Director of Aquatics & Bowling dvpalmiotto@ccclub.org
Matthew Morrison Food & Beverage Director mmorrison@ccclub.org
Natnael Golf Executive Administrator nebiyat@ccclub.org
Michael Ndaradzi Accounting Services Manager mndaradzi@ccclub.org
