culinary rockstars

by Michael Lamping, Executive Chef

A lot of times, I get all of the credit, especially if something is outstanding. I am humble enough to share that it is not always me doing the dirty work. Here at DAC we have something special, something I have never encountered in my career, so many long-term employees -- and a lot of them! When I learned that a third of my staff has been employed at DAC for over 20 years, my jaw dropped!

That is an insane statistic, and one to be proud of. I want to bring special attention to a special group on the culinary team - the prep cooks. We have eight employees who work diligently every day to make sure we keep operations at a high standard. They crack eggs, peel potatoes, slice deli meats, scrub oysters, peel shrimp and on and on and on. It’s a great feeling to know our prep cooks have it all under control. Who knows what we would do without them. The three that I need to bring special attention to are these three DAC culinary rockstars - Ronald (Luis) Bobadilla, Yolanda Lopez and Eva Benitez. These three are all equally special and I cannot stress enough that without them we would be struggling every day. So please if you see them in the hallways, setting up or running a buffet, please say hello!

Cancellation Policy for Club Events

At Dallas Athletic Club, we have a 24-hour cancellation policy in effect for all special event reservations. Any reservation that is canceled after the 24-hour cancellation period is to be charged for their reservation. Dependent on the extent of the event activities and/or entertainment provided, the hours in which a reservation may be canceled may be subject to increase up to 48 hours. Please keep this in mind when making and/or canceling your reservation.

Tuesday Date Night

Every Tuesday Evening

Enjoy complimentary ClubKids when you make your reservation in advance with the Front Desk!

Wednesday Family Nights

Every Wednesday Evening in The Elm Kids 12 & Under Eat Free!

July 12th

EAT LIKE A KID NIGHT- $18

Chicken Tenders, Waffle Fries, Mac & Cheese, Corny Dogs, Cheeseburger Sliders, French Toast PB&J, Toasted Cheese

Sandwiches, Grapes & Strawberries, a Variety of Adult Friendly Salads with Grilled Chicken, Seared Beef Tips, Grilled Shrimp, Sundae Bar

July 19th

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

$30 PER CHILD, $12 PER ADULT

Honey Brine Roasted Turkey

Breast, Dressing, Green Bean

Casserole, Whipped Potatoes & Gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole, Spinach & Berry Salad, Waldorf Salad, Chicken Tenders, Buttered Noodles, Fresh Fruit, Holiday Pies, Sundae Bar

July 26th

BUILD YOUR OWN PIZZA NIGHT - $18

Pick your favorite toppings or select from a pre-made selection of Pepperoni, Margherita, or BBQ Chicken, Breadsticks, Chopped Italian Salad, Kids Pizzas, Baked Penne, Sundae Bar

August 2nd

MINI NIGHT - $18

Sliders, Popcorn Chicken, Bagel

Bites Mini Pizzas, Corn Pups (Mini Corn Dogs), Shoestring Fries, Popcorn Shrimp, Sundae Bar

August 9th

FRIED CHICKEN NIGHT - $18

House Fried Chicken, Roasted Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Peas, Creamed Spinach, Mashed

Potatoes and Gravy, Buttermilk

Biscuits, Marinated Tomato & Cucumber Salad, Sundae Bar

August 16th

SUPERFOODS NIGHT - $18

Berry Salad, Açai Smoothies, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Stuffed

Avocado, Poke Station, Baked

Chicken Kabobs, Fresh Fruit, Carrots & Celery Sticks, Baked Chicken Tenders, Broccoli, Sundae Bar

August 23rd

GREEK NIGHT - $18

Beef Gyros, Chicken Pita Tzatziki, Baba Ghanoush, Spanakopita Lasagna, Marinated Artichokes with Olives & Feta, Baklava, Fresh Fruit, Chicken Tenders, French Fries, Sundae Bar

August 30th

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER- $18

Pancakes, Waffles, Omelet Station, Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Quiche, Sundae Bar

Steak Night

Every Saturday Evening, 5:00 - 9:00 pm

Prime Filet 6 oz., $42

Prime Strip Steak 10 oz., $42 or Prime Ribeye 14 oz., $46

Served with a Wedge Salad or Cup of Soup du Jour

All prime steaks are served with a Steakhouse Baked Potato and Fresh Seasonal Vegetable.

For dessert, enjoy a slice of warm pie a la mode or your choice of an ice cream sundae.

OR The Month’s Featured Steak

Dining reservations in The Elm or 19th Hole can be made online, on the app, or with the Front Desk at 972-279-3671.

It's All About the Roots

by Travis Moore, Course Superintendent

The "dog days of summer" have officially arrived. This expression is said to have originated during early Roman times and refers to the hottest part of the summer (traditionally considered to be from July 3rd to August 11th). From a golf course superintendent's perspective - it refers to the most stressful time of year for southern bentgrass greens. From a golfer's point of view - this is the time of year when putting speeds are slower, ball marks are more evident, and staff is constantly hand-watering greens during play. But why does this happen?

During the spring and fall bentgrass is actively growing and is able to develop a healthy root system. This allows us to be more aggressive with our maintenance practices and focus on providing faster and firmer greens. In the heat of the summer, the grass uses more energy than it is able to produce and the root system begins to decline as a result. Consequently, the greens must be watered more frequently, and are more susceptible to external stresses such as rolling, mowing, traffic, and disease. The basic goal is to have enough roots heading into summer to account for this decline, and then keep the turf healthy enough so that recovery is possible in the fall.

There are many ways we work to achieve this, but perhaps none is more important

Gold Course Renovation Update

As mentioned in previous newsletters, this renovation is based on the Gold Course Master Plan provided by Golf Course Designer, Chet Williams. The overall scope of work is extensive and includes a combination of infrastructure upgrades and design improvements. We broke ground in early April, and have made considerable progress over the last two and a half months. During that time, every effort has been made to keep the course at least partially open for play.

than managing soil moisture through precise hand watering. Applying too much water can be just as bad, often even worse, than not enough. Deciding when and how much to apply is more complicated than most golfers realize. It takes an experienced crew to take into consideration factors such as weather, time of day, the visual appearance of the turf, and current soil moisture. They must also be able to work efficiently through the course while minimizing interference with golfers. Fortunately, at DAC, we have a six-man "greens crew" with an average tenure of 25 years. Led by 32-year team member, Jose "Juarez" Espitia, these men work seven days a week and take great pride in keeping "their" 46 greens in the best shape possible.

We look forward to September and putting the "dog days of summer" behind us. Our greens and those who play, and work, on them will be ready for cooler temperatures and the improved putting conditions that lie ahead.

What's in the bag?

Each newsletter we will be highlighting one of the Professional staffs' “What’s in the Bag.” This month we will be looking at Golf Professional, Ryan Bowey's bag. Ryan has been a TaylorMade staff member for five years and plays the Stealth2 Driver and the P770 irons. Ask Ryan about any of your equipment questions and remember to always get fit for your gear at DAC.

In Ryan's bag you will find...

• Stealth2 Plus Driver - 8 degreeBlack Diamana Stiff

• Stealth2 Plus 3 Wood - 15 degreeBlue Tensei Stiff

• Stealth2 Plus Hybrid - 19.5 degreeBlue Tensei Stiff

• P770 Irons - 4 through 9 iron - Project X 6.0

• MG3 Wedges - 46, 52, 56

• Hi-Toe 58 degree

• Spider EX Putter

GOLF RULE: scoring

by Stuart Hendley, Director of Instruction

However, as we head into July and August the entire course will need to be closed. We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting this exciting project completed. Please look for our weekly updates and visit our course renovation page on the website for detailed project information, updates, videos, photos, and more.

Tournament season is in full swing now on all of the professional golf tours, big amateur events, tournaments here at our Club, etc. Part of playing tournament golf is signing the card correctly after you've finished your round. When adding up your score in a stroke play round of golf, you are simply checking to make sure the hole-byhole scores are correct. There is no penalty for adding your scores up incorrectly. If you sign your card and you have a score on a hole that is higher than what you made, you simply have to take that score. For example, if you make a four, but you sign for a five, you take the five. If you sign for a lower score on a hole than what you made, it is a disqualification if you've signed your card and turned it in. Always make sure your holes are correct. Roberto De Vincenzo from Argentina signed an incorrect scorecard that cost him getting into a playoff at the 1968 Masters. Thankfully, he had a very successful professional golf career playing around the world with lots of wins, including seven PGA Tour wins.

GOLF LESSON: wedge spin

by Shelly Davis, Assistant Golf Professional

Ever wonder how PGA Tour players spin the ball with their wedges, and want to figure out how they do it? Executing the one-hop-stop, or spinning the ball back 15 feet certainly looks cool, but there are several reasons why they can do it, and amateurs mostly can't. In this article, I'll explain some key requirements so you can figure out how to put spin on a golf ball with your wedges.

WHAT ARE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS?

For the majority of amateur golfers, you do not need to spin the ball like a pro to play effective golf. On longer wedge approach shots (70-120 yards) you simply want the ball to stop within a reasonable distance of its landing point. You don't need to suck it back 15 feet; it's just not necessary.

As you get closer to the hole, your goal is also to control your spin so the ball is not excessively running out. If you have less green between you and the hole this becomes even more important.

FRICTION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART!

The most important factor required for extra wedge spin is friction. This has to do with the type of equipment you are playing, turf conditions, the quality of your strike, the ball you are playing, and if there is any debris on your clubface.

In order to really spin the ball with your wedges, you need to have optimal conditions. Some of these factors are within your control and others are not.

Your Wedges

I teach a lot of golfers who have wedges that are more than five years old. The faces are completely worn out and this greatly reduces your ability to spin the golf ball around the greens. This is an area that is under your control. It really does depend on the kind of wedge you are playing and the quality of the materials used. They will all wear down differently. I think it makes sense to swap them out once you are approaching the four to five year mark, and playing a decent amount of golf.

The Golf Ball

The quality of the golf ball you are playing will also have a large impact on your spin rate. If you are playing a low-quality

"distance ball", it probably will affect your ability to put spin on the ball with your wedges. Playing a premium golf ball will absolutely help you get the job done.

Turf Conditions

The more debris that gets between the golf club and the ball will greatly affect the spin rate. Having a clean lie on the fairway is obviously your best chance to put the most spin on the ball. However, even then moisture and debris can still get on the face of the wedge before impact.

Generally speaking, the less grass and moisture you have to deal with, the more spin you are able to generate. Once you get into the first and second cut of rough, your spin rates are going to greatly decrease because there is more grass between the clubface and the ball.

CLEAN YOUR WEDGES!

This might be the most important takeaway from this article. If you want the best chance to spin the ball, you need a clean clubface.

Quality Of Strike

If you really want to know how to put spin on a golf ball with your wedges, then you have to master the strike. All of the factors I have discussed play a big role, but how you are striking the golf ball is important.

Simply put, you need to be striking the golf ball first, and then the turf. This is where most golfers fail because they are striking the ground first, and debris and moisture will get trapped between the face and the club. Also, if you really want to spin the ball a lot, you need speed. Clean Strike + Clubhead Speed = More Spin.

All of these factors will allow you to generate more friction between the golf ball and your clubface. Some of them are within your control, and others are not. The good news is you don't need to do all of them to play effective golf. If you take care of the easier ones ,and get better at improving your strike, you can have success.

Remember, you don't need to spin it like the pros. You simply want the ball to stop within a reasonable distance of its landing point, and I believe all of you reading this are capable of that. Now you know what it takes, so the shot should be a little easier!

GOLF WORKOUT: scapular stability

by Jeff Hoke, Fitness Director & Lance Patterson, Director of Golf

What is the scapula? The scapula is an area that is comprised of the muscles in the upper back region. Those muscles are the rhomboids, levator scapula, trapezius muscles and multiple scapular stabilizers to be more specific. The correct positioning of these muscles is necessary to transfer and generate force in the golf swing.

Training the scapula properly allows you to:

- Adequately rotate your thoracic spine

- Generate increased clubhead speed

- Control the clubface through impact who made a Hole-in-One!

The following exercises will help you increase the mobility and stability of your scapula.

WALL SLIDES – This exercise activates the upper back muscles and scapula stabilizers. It is especially good for mobility.

Keep the head, upper back, lower back and forearms in contact with the wall throughout the movement. Try to feel the shoulder blades rotate in a circular pattern. Perform this for 30 seconds, rest and repeat.

T'S ON THE BALL OR BENCH – This exercise activates the small stabilizers of the scapula. Their role is to aid the scapula in proper movement.

Position your chest on a ball or bench. Point your thumbs up and extend your arms by your side. Raise the arms, concentrating on squeezing the shoulder blades on each rep.

Perform this exercise for 10 repetitions, rest and repeat. Golf workout article continued on page 11.

A Message from Natalia Prinz

Welcome to summer tennis at DAC. The heat is here, but tennis at DAC does not stop. Make sure you are well prepared for the high temperatures by hydrating at least 24 hours before your play time. For all our players that sweat a lot, we have some tips below to help you keep cool during play. Try to avoid playing during the hottest part of the day as the court temperature is at least 20 degrees higher than the actual air temperature. Also, don't forget to grab one of the ice cold scented towels from the coolers in front of the Pro Shop.

SUMMER TENNIS TIPS:

• Rosin bags and tacky towels help keep your hands dry

• Wristbands help keep sweat away from your racquet grip

• Towel off every time you get a chance

• Bring extra socks, visors, and hats to change during the match

• If you play more than once a day, change your shoes for better support

• Put ice or a cold towel on the back of your neck and inside of your wrists during the changeovers

• Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

We hope to see you on the courts soon!

Natalia Prinz

Tennis Director nprinz@dacstaff.org

Summer Q&A

Question: Do extreme temperatures affect my strings?

Answer: Yes, extreme temperatures can negatively affect both the racquet frame and the string job. In general, extreme heat is probably the worst of the two and could damage your strings as well as potentially damaging the racquet frame itself. Extreme heat (like the trunk of your car in the summer) can cause significant tension loss in your strings and can even cause the strings to become brittle, resulting in reduced durability and playability. Extreme cold isn't as bad, but to prevent potential damage, it's best to keep your racquets in a temperaturecontrolled environment whenever possible.

Junior Corner

Coach Jason, Coach Aggie and Coach Jamel have private group sessions for children of all ages available during the summer. If you would like to give your junior tennis player more play time, please reach out to Coach Jason directly at jmason@dacstaff.org.

Doubles & Bubbles

, 2023

Event information available online and on the app.

Registration | Online and on the App

Congratulations, USTA 3.0 Teams!

WTA Martini Bingo

August 30, 2023

Event information available online and on the app.

Registration | Online and on the App

The Women's team had to win six matches in a row to advance to the national level. They beat SETX, Laredo, Corpus Christi and NOHO to move to the semifinals against Houston, and finally, beat Austin in the finals.

The Men's team won three consecutive matches in Houston with a 12-0 record, beating San Antonio, Austin, and SETX.