Forest Hills On Course Newsletter March 2024

Club News & Reminders

Dining Hours of Operation: Modifications

The Club will be closed for a la carte dinner service on Saturday, March 30th, due to the clubwide Easter Fair event. Regular a la carte lunch and dinner service will not be available on Sunday, March 31st, due to the Easter Brunch.

Tuesday Lunch Service Reminder

The Club will reopen for a la carte lunch service on Tuesdays beginning Tuesday, April 2nd , and will remain open for lunch on Tuesdays through the month of October. As a reminder, the Club is always closed for dinner service on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Dutch’s Hut Hours of Operation Update

Dutch’s Hut will reopen for the season on Friday, March 15th, and will remain open Tuesday Sunday until November 11th, 2024.

Congratulations to the Popelar Family!

Congratulations to Caitlin and Kyle Popelar, who welcomed their son, Hank William, on February 2nd. Hank is the younger brother of Louis (4) and Janie (2). Both mom and baby are doing great. We can’t wait to see your family around the Club!

Congratulations to the Howard Family!

Congratulations to Kelsey and Jordan Howard, who welcomed their first child, a son, Bailor Lane, on February 2nd. Both mom and baby are doing great. We can’t wait to see your family around the Club!

Have Exciting News to Share?

We encourage our members to share with us the interesting and exciting things happening in your lives. Please send your details to Ava Reynolds at avar@foresthillscc.net. We will do our very best to include your information in our upcoming newsletter. The deadline is always the 20th of the month.

Newsletter Prize

Hidden within the pages of this issue and future issues, we have included a member’s number chosen at random. If you come across this number and it happens to be yours, contact Ava at avar@foresthillscc.net to redeem a $100 Gift Certificate good toward your next food and beverage purchase.

In Loving Memory

It is with deep regret that we inform the membership of the passing of one of our members, Rosalia “Rose” Kaintz, who passed away on February 16th, 2024. The Kaintzs have been members of the Club for over 12 years.

“Rose was a very talented gardener, chef, and decorator. Her family and friends were always amazed at her ability to throw a party. Many were fortunate to attend these events, whether for friends, families, charities, her parish, or her children’s schools. When she wasn’t occupied with one of these events or working at the hospital, you could find her at one of her children’s many sporting events, vehemently rooting them on! Rose would become a motherly figure for many of her children’s friends, caring for and supporting them as one of her own. It was a blessing to know her and to experience her passion, her caring, and, most of all, her love.” She will be greatly missed.

Hank Popelar

Bailor Howard

As spring approaches, the team and I are looking ahead to all the activities planned over the next month, especially the Easter Fair and Easter Brunch. We kick off the first weekend in March with the second STL City Watch Party and our Family Bingo Brunch

Don’t forget to join us for our last Wednesday Trivia Night on March 20th before the golf season kicks off. We will resume this activity in October. Please save the date for the Annual Meeting on Sunday, March 24th at 5:00 pm, and join us for our Family Country Style Buffet after the meeting. During the meeting, we will recap the past fiscal year, provide updates on things to look forward to this coming year, and announce the newly elected Board of Directors.

On Friday, February 23rd, we sent out an email with instructions on how to vote for the Board Slate for the 2024 2028 term. This email was followed by another from “Simply Voting”, our online voting platform. Voting closes on Sunday, March 10th at 5:00 pm. If you did not receive the emails, please reach out to me or Ava Reynolds at avar@foresthillscc.net.

The nominees for the Board of Directors are David Linenbroker, Craig Parres, and Adam Wilburn. David Linenbroker currently serves as the Secretary on the Club’s Board of Directors, is a member of the Board’s Executive Committee, and serves on the Governance Committee. Craig Parres currently serves on the House Committee, and Adam Wilburn currently serves on the Membership Committee, the House Committee, and Men’s Golf Association. To read the full candidate biographies, please visit our website at www.foresthillscc.net and view them under the “My Club” tab.

We are happy to report that creek construction and shaping are now complete. Our creek contractor has demobilized, and our golf course contractor has begun work on their portion of the project. The greens complex, with the exception of the green itself, is being rebuilt. The new bunkers are already starting to take shape. We anticipate construction to take approximately five to six weeks, followed by a rooting period for the sod. Depending on weather conditions, the new fairway and approach may not be ready for use until June. We will continue to provide updates as construction progresses. I look forward to seeing you around the Club soon!

- Emma Gore, General Manager/COO

February Employee of the Month

Please join us in recognizing our February Employee of the Month, Mike Bellville!Mike serves as the Golf Outside Services Manager, and has been at Forest Hills for over eight years.

Mike plays a key role in the golf operations team. He sets the example as a dependable and service -driven employee, always looking toward improving the department and helping those around him. His ability to form quality working relationships with members and staff makes him an incredible asset to Forest Hills Country Club. We appreciate everything Mike has done and look forward to him being with us for years to come.

Recognition from our members means the world to us. Please continue to share instances of exceptional employee dedication with Emma Gore at EmmaG@foresthillscc.net or Abby Le, Director of Human Resources at AbbyL@foresthillscc.net.

Craig Parres Adam Wilburn

David Linenbroker

Mike Bellville

Outside Golf Services Manager

Notes from the Board Chair by

Charles Nance chnance@sbcglobal.net

Fellow Club Members,

Our work to prevent bed and bank erosion in the creeks has been completed. The contractor, DJM, moved offsite at the end of the first week of February. If you’ve been out to Hole #17 recently, you will have seen that the creek work between the stilling basin and the outlet pipes near Hole #18 is now finished. That section of the creek was the last portion which, during our evaluation three years ago, was indicated to present erosion and stability concerns.

Our preliminary project estimates for the work on the creeks was based on making improvements only on the creeks on the front nine. This included Shotwell Creek between Hole #5 green and Hole #14 tee box area, along with the creek between Hole #1 green and its intersection with Shotwell Creek near Hole #5 tee box area. With the savings that we realized based on the final design approach used for the project, we were able to also complete work on the back nine creeks that needed work. This included the creek between Hole #15 tee box area up to Hole #17 last spring. This winter, the remaining section was completed in the area near Hole #17 green.

During the project, three bridges were removed and replaced with maintenance free structures. The cart path bridge on Hole #15 was in the worst structural condition of any of our bridges prior to replacement. The Hole #17 cart path bridge was also removed and replaced with a pipe bridge and the damaged spillway from the lake was removed. The walking bridge on Hole #17 has been replaced with a stone path crossing. These improvements will reduce future repair and maintenance costs.

In addition to the creek bank reinforcement and streambed improvements, we were also able to make significant improvements to the vegetation along the creeks, planting native grasses along the banks along with some willow trees. The native grasses are taking root and will begin to show more growth this year. We expect those areas to have significant additional growth this summer and be fully vegetated by the end of the growing season next year.

Other significant improvements were made along the creek bank areas by removing invasive honeysuckle. While work was being completed this winter near Hole #17, we found that we also had project funds available to repair and reinforce the walls of the stilling basin near Hole #17. A new fence will be installed around the basin once other work on Hole #17 is complete.

The ability to complete the necessary creek work on the Championship Course is a significant benefit to our Club and the membership. We’ve been monitoring performance of the creek bed improvements for nearly a year now along Shotwell Creek. The project is functioning as planned with no visible further erosion nor bank issues being observed. We’ll continue to monitor this in the future. We’re also continuing to employ DJM to help maintain the creek areas by removing non-native species and assuring that the native grasses that have been planted are maturing properly.

In addition to the creek work, the savings realized from that project, have also allowed us to complete the bunker improvements on the Championship Course with the remainder of the bunkers being completed last fall. Improvements to Hole #17 are underway and should be complete by the end of March or early April. However, the new turf will need to root in after project completion, meaning, the new fairway will not be playable until early June. We added this work, which was included in the Golf Course Master Plan, to take advantage of savings from the creek project and minimize disruption to play on the course.

Your commitment to the infrastructure of our Club in supporting the most recent assessment for these projects is appreciated. I strongly believe that the funds provided have been spent properly and wisely so that our Club will remain strong long into the future. Your patience and cooperation during the construction activities is appreciated. Our management team has done an outstanding job of working with; the design team, the regulatory agency, and the contractors to achieve these improvements for the membership. Please thank them when you see them.

I look forward to seeing you at the Club.

Charles Nance, Board Chair

The inaugural year of Bocce at Forest Hills Country Club led to many memories. Spring 2023 brought the Club its first ever Bocce Champions: Team La Bocce Vita. The environment was competitive and celebratory! Then came the fall season, where the women reigned supreme with our first ever all-women team, DeBOCCEry, leading the Wednesday Night League. It was Team Billionaire Ballers from the Thursday Night League winning the fall Overall Champions title and hoisting the trophy high.

In total, we sold out both leagues, in both sessions (Spring and Fall), and saw over 400 Members participating. Well, I am excited to let you know that Bocce is back for another year! This spring, the leagues will continue to play on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 8:30 pm, and will run from Wednesday, April 3rd through Thursday, May 9th. Playoffs will be on Wednesday, May 15th. Teams lucky enough to make it to the Championships will play on Sunday, May 19th .

You may sign-up as whole team or as a couple (or you may also join as a single) and be matched to a team. Each team will have a Team Captain that will be in charge of their team and ensuring all league communication is distributed. Bocce is fun for everyone, and we urge all Members, 21+, to sign up early so we can have a well-organized league format. Every league sold out in 2023, so don’t wait to sign up. Complete league information, sign-up forms, rules and FAQ’s are located on the website in the Bocce Ball tab which can be found under the ‘Dining and Social’ tab.

A Bocce email will be sent out the first weekend in March that will include all information about the leagues, as well as the sign-up and registration information. The entry fee is $76 per Member, and the fee covers staffing/bartender, supplies, officials every night of league play, and passed hors d’oeuvres all season long, at every match!

See you on the courts!

- Ryan Schaben, Assistant General Manager

La Bocce Vita Spring 2023 Champions

Billionaire Ballers Fall 2023 Champions

Jan Smith

Forest Hills’ 60th Season is set to begin! The Opening Meeting for the 18 Hole Women’s League is on Wednesday, March 27th at 6:00 pm. We will have cocktails and appetizers with the 9 Hole ladies beginning at 5:30 pm, and then we will break into separate meetings at 6:00 pm. We will provide updates on outstanding items from last year, plan for this season’s events, welcome new members, and provide information on the Wednesday Evening League. Please join us.

Our first play date is Tuesday, April 2nd , and our season runs until October 15th. We have an exciting season planned starting with our Spring Mixer event on Tuesday, April 16th (8:30 am Shotgun). Be sure to mark your calendar for this fun event and sign up on ForeTees. Registration will fill up fast!

The 18 Hole Women's documents, including the 2024 manual and event planning form are posted on the Forest Hills member website. (Golf Tab > Leagues > 18 Hole Women’s)

The Golf Pro staff has added some “Get Ready Clinics” to shake off the winter rust and get ready for the 2024 season! These will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning in March. You can register on ForeTees or contact the Pro Shop with any questions. Cost per clinic is $25.

Please contact Brenda Pohl if you would like more information on the 18 Hole Women’s League. Contact her by email at casey1mercedes@att.net or by cell at (314) 566-7597.

We welcome back Matt Hood, our Golf Shop Pro who will be helping us during the season. His email is matthewh@foresthillscc.net.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

Blast From the Past: Easter Egg Hunt, 1994

Dust off your clubs; the 2024 season of the 9 Hole Women’s League is quickly approaching! A few dates to keep in mind:

• MARCH 27th Happy Hour & Opening Meeting: Have a cocktail and mingle at 5:30 pm. At 6:00 pm, Kathy Dorch, the chairperson for 2024, will lead a quick meeting and answer questions. Any golfer on the 2023 roster is automatically enrolled for the 2024 season. Any female golf member that has not signed up yet may do so at the meeting. The 2024 Handbook will be available at the meeting.

+

• APRIL 4th First Day of Regular Play. Sign up on the tee sheet for our designated time slots.

• APRIL 11th — Our first prize day is Spring Training. We will have a training handout crafted by Forest Hills’ pro Nick Jones. The golfers with high net and high putts will receive a 30-minute lesson from Nick. There will also be a payout for low putts and low net.

• APRIL 25th Sign up for our Spring Get Acquainted Scramble. The theme is Luck O’ The Irish. Wearing green is highly encouraged, so save the St. Patrick’s Day leftover items. Pam Thelen and Kathy Wenstrup are chairing the event and have lucky charms in store to keep the Irish eyes smiling.

These events are just the beginning.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our Opening Meeting and on the course on Thursday mornings!

Morning Book Club by Bettina Esser

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 13th ● 10:30 am

Welcome to Spring and new book selections for the Morning Book Club Group. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 10:30 am and follow our discussion with lunch.

Our selection for March 13th is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, and for April 10th , Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. On May 8th , we will discuss The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe and on June 12th , Go As a River by Shelley Read.

If you have any questions, please contact Bettina Esser.

Evening Book Club by Carolyn Cash

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 20th ● 6:00 pm

Please join us for the Evening Book Club on March 20th at 6:00 pm. We will review and discuss The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters.

On April 17th, we will be discussing Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renee Rosen.

Please make reservations on ForeTees or by calling the Club at (636) 227-5030.

bettinaesser@gmail.com

carolyn.cash1127@gmail.com

Treasurer’s Letter— Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2024 by

Laurie L. Hopkins

For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, Club financial results remained strong. Operating revenues were roughly $250,000 ahead of budget at $4.4 million, dues revenues were in line with budget at $4.3 million, and operating expenses (excluding capital) are roughly $176,000 lower than budget at $8.2 million.

Management forecasts 4th quarter expenses to exceed budget due to “catch up” expenditures various department heads will be making during the “off” season, but still expects us to end the year very positively. Any excess remaining at year end will be rolled into the capital budget for the next fiscal year (as required by the Board Policy Manual).

The key factors driving our current financial position include:

• Unusually Good Weather Year – This allowed golf course play to be impacted minimally by inclement weather or wet conditions and the pool complex (including Bocce courts) to remain open all scheduled days. This resulted in near record high golf rounds driving higher cart, guest fees, and food/beverage revenue. It also resulted in high volume and revenue for food/beverage with increased use of the Cabana, Eagles View, and Clubhouse.

• Significant Understaffing – In addition to turnover of certain key positions (Chef, Food/Beverage manager, Events planner, Banquets manager), we faced ongoing shortages at all levels throughout the year. Despite management’s efforts to ramp up recruiting efforts and re-evaluate market conditions for wages, we were continually asking management and team members to service higher volume levels of activity and meet “member experience” expectations with fewer than needed staff.

Management will continue during 4th quarter to diligently address the staffing issues to ensure it is not a recurring issue in the new fiscal year beginning April 1. The focus, as always, is on enhancing the “member experience.”

The “Creek Project” and annual capital funds projects continue to be in line with budget.

Thank you for your continued support of our Club.

- Laurie L. Hopkins, Treasurer

Senior Men’s Golf Association

by John de Greck

The Senior Men's 2024 season is right around the bend. We will have our Pre-Season Warm-Up on March 13th, our Opening Luncheon on March 20th and Regular Play on Thursday, March 28th .

The Senior Men's Golf Association is open to all Forest Hills golf members over the age of 55. We play every Wednesday through early October with a variety of championships and weekly "games." Weekly sign-up is on ForeTees.

Circle the date and join us for our luncheon on March 20th

jdegreck@verizon.net

Irrigation Lake

The Club is making progress draining the lake. After 23 years, we need to inspect our intake line that supplies water into our pumphouse. We are inspecting this to see how much sediment has been deposited around the pipe opening that feeds the water on the golf course. We have noticed debris getting in the irrigation lines and clogging up sprinkler heads. It is important to not suck up sediment and push it through the irrigation lines. When you are on the golf course, you will notice the lake level getting very low. We need to pump the water low enough to fully expose the pipe opening. We are doing this to determine if we need to clean out silt around the intake opening, that has accumulated over the past 23 years.

Cart Path Repairs

Our concrete contractor has been out to replace broken concrete cart path areas just short of the ladies forward tee on Championship #11 and on Championship #13.

Underbrush Clean-up

We have been going through the golf course looking at areas within trees that have wild undergrowth. Our skilled operator, Jim, has done a great job operating the brush cutter. These areas are curb appeal items we’ve finally been able to address. Moving forward, we are looking at planting a Wildflower blend or simply a Fine Fescue blend of seed.

Greens Aerification

This year, our aerification procedure will be the same as the past two Spring aerifications. We will have a contractor in to do the “deep drill and fill” process. We will be using the same diameter drill bit, ¾”. We also will be pulling a core with our walking aerifier, and we will be using a tine that will pull a ½” diameter core. All the holes will be filled with new sand.

As a reminder, we will be aerifying the Valley Course greens and the new practice greens on Monday, March 11th. The Championship greens and small practice putting green will be aerified on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26th and 27th. This year we will be keeping the Championship Course closed on both days of aerification. We will have the Valley Course open for play on these dates.

Driving Range Tee

Early this month, we will be removing the winter cover from the driving range tee top. Since this is the first season for our Tahoma grass, we are being cautious with our timing decision. Once the cover comes off, the tee top will remain closed for another month. We will need to get some growth started so divots have a chance to start healing in. This is the same procedure as the Zoysia grass we used to have; however, all research indicates the Tahoma is playable sooner than Zoysia in the spring.

Hole #16 Tee

We have pulled off the winter cover on Hole #16 tees. The decision was made to expose the tees to more sunlight. Taking off the covers will allow the tees to dry out quicker as well. These tees will not be playable until the weather warms up, the roots start growing, they firm up and we get a large amount of sand on top. They are still very soft to walk on. The sod is not rooted in yet and the turf will shift under foot if we open too early. It may take through April to fulfill those requirements.

Hole #17 Project

Our golf course contractor mobilized in late February. This month, they will start the final grading of disturbed areas as well as rebuilding all the greenside bunkers. We met with our Golf Course Architect, and he has painted out areas to be changed around the green. All the bunkers around the green will be rebuilt to “Better Billy Bunker” specifications. Much like Hole #16 tees, the timing for being able to play the new area will depend on meeting all the same turf growth requirements. This could take through June to meet the needs for the turf to handle the traffic.

Junior Sports Registration Begins April 1st

How to Register Your Child(ren) for Junior Programs:

Registration Available from April 1st - 30th, 2024

1) Use your username and password to log in to www.foresthillscc.net. Please note, using a desktop computer is the easiest way to do this. If you do not know your username or are having difficulty getting logged in, please contact Ava Reynolds at (636) 207-3536.

2) Junior Program Registration is the very first tab you will see on the left upon logging in. Make sure your screen is maximized, and then click on the tab.

3) Here you will see links to sign up for all three junior programs (swim and dive team, tennis and golf). You must complete a form for each category in which you would like to register your child. To register multiple children, you will need to fill out individual forms. Please note, sign up for Future Juniors will be on the ForeTees event page, not on the website.

4) Upon completion of the form, you will receive a confirmation email from the Club.

Sign up for the Junior Sports Expo for more information!

February was quite the busy month with lots of added activities and member events. Thank you again to everyone that joined us for our Mother-Son Baseball Bash, Valentine’s Dinner, and Family Valentine’s Brunch!

We are kickstarting our busy season with over twenty events in March, the biggest being EASTER! Speaking of Easter, now is the time to grab your spot for the Easter Fair on Saturday, March 30th, or the Easter Brunch on Sunday, March 31st! Better yet, grab your spot for both events! The kitchen has been hard at work revamping the food for the Easter Fair; there will be Coney Dogs, funnel cakes, and lots of little surprises in between. The team and I will be stuffing eggs all month long to prepare for the highly anticipated Egg Hunt! We are so excited to make this a memorable event for all of our members that make this a yearly tradition.

We know how much you loved our flower wall for the Valentine’s events. We will have a similar white flower wall with pastel flowers at our Easter Brunch! It will make a great backdrop for those family photos. As always, keep us in mind for all your showers, birthdays, and celebrations! We love hosting your events!

- Kristen Chamberlain, Director of Events

March Wine Update

by Victoria Zimmerman

Beginning this month, we will be adding a Coravin wine to our list as well as including a Coravin Glass of the Month. We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to explore more of our wine selection, and hopefully introduce your palate to new and exciting areas of wine!

Our first Coravin Glass of the month will be the 2019 Titus Cabernet from Napa Valley for $18/glass. This wine shows off aromas of blackberry, cherry, blueberry, licorice, and coffee. With a moderate acidity and clean finish, you can enjoy this wine on its own or paired with one of our delicious Weekly Features.

Our bottles of the month include two other Napa Valley favorites, 2017 Hewitt Cabernet, $139/bottle, and 2022 Groth Estate Chardonnay, $49/bottle. Please do not hesitate to ask your server for pairing recommendations! Our newest member of the "by the glass" list is the 2018 Sheridan Block One for $25/glass. Notes of dark currant, tobacco, cedar, and chocolate will tickle your senses as you delight in this perfectly balanced wine. We will have this available while supplies last, so don't miss out on this limited release!

- Victoria Zimmerman, Director of Food & Beverage

Forest Hills Country Club

36 Forest Club Drive

Chesterfield, MO 63005

If the electronic copy of On Course fails to meet your family’s needs and you would like to optin to receiving a physical mailing, please notify Ava Reynolds at avar@foresthillscc.net. Copies are also available in the Clubhouse lobby.

Club Contacts

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David A. Linenbroker Secretary

Zachary G. Smith Director

Lawrence A. Thayer Governance Chair

Mark F. Forst Membership Chair & Racquets Chair

Laurie Lambert-Hopkins Treasurer / Finance Chair

Charles H. Nance Board Chair Long Range Planning Chair

Edward A. Dorch Golf Chair

Michael A. Flavin Director

Stephen A. Sigman Grounds Chair

Michael C. Buescher House Chair

John D. Mazzola Entertainment Chair

Robert M. Whiting Swim Chair

Emma Gore, CCM General Manager/COO 636.207.3515 ● emmag@foresthillscc.net

Michael Dority

Executive Chef

636.207.3518 ● michaeld@foresthillscc.net

Scott Reynolds, GCS Grounds Superintendent 636.227.5044 ● scotts@foresthillscc.net

Julie Kennedy

Controller

636.207.3513 ● juliek@foresthillscc.net

Abby Le

Director of Human Resources

636.230.2507 ● abbyl@foresthillscc.net

Ryan Schaben

Assistant General Manager

636.207.3512 ● ryans@foresthillscc.net

Jimmy Bals, PGA Director of Golf

636.227.1528 ● jimmyb@foresthillscc.net

JT Tierney, PGA

Head Golf Professional 636.227.1528 ● jtt@foresthillscc.net

Ali Kaplan

Director of Membership and Marketing 636.207.3545 ● alik@foresthillscc.net

Victoria Zimmerman

Director of Food & Beverage 636.207.3532 ● victoriaz@foresthillscc.net

Clubhouse (636) 227-5030

Office Fax (636) 227-2540

Golf Shop (636) 227-1528 www.foresthillscc.net

Ava Reynolds

Marketing & Communications Coordinator 636.207.3536 ● avar@foresthillscc.net

Kelsey Dotson

Special Events Coordinator

636.207.3535 ● kelseyd@foresthillscc.net

Adam Goad

Assistant Food and Beverage Manager

636.207.3519 ● adamg@foresthillscc.net

Monica Knudtson

Office Manager 636.207.3514 ● monicak@foresthillscc.net

Kristen Chamberlain

Director of Events

636.207.3528 ● kristenc@foresthillscc.net

Michelle Hill Events & Banquets Manager michelleh@foresthillscc.net

Kyle O’Leary

Director of Racquet Sports 314.369.1153 ● kyleo@foresthillscc.net

Emma Knopf Concierge

636.227.5030 ● concierge@foresthillscc.net