Celebrating 25 years
Granite Golf Club
PAGE 3
THE GENERAL MANAGER
PAGE 5
CONTROLLER’S CORNER
PAGE 7
GOLF UPDATE: SLAM DUNK!
PAGE 11
MEMBERSHIP
PAGE 12
WHAT F&B IS UP TO
PAGE 14
NEW OFFERINGS
PAGE 15
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: SHAUNA
PAGE 17
CHEF’S DINING EXPERIENCE
PAGE 19
TURF TIMES
PAGE 25
25TH ANNIVERSARY
PAGE 28
EMPLOYEE WELLNESS
PAGE 30
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: SAM
A MES FRO GEN MAN
A y g g G g , Club are filled with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming season. This year marks a special milestone in our history – our 25th anniversary!
We are incredibly grateful for the support and camaraderie of our members throughout the years. Each of you has a unique story and reason for joining our community, and we value the memories and milestones we've shared together.
This anniversary season, we invite you to reflect on what makes Granite Golf Club so special to you. Over the course of the season, we will be collecting and sharing 25+ years of memories, photos, memorabilia, and testimonials. We encourage you to participate and share your experiences to create a mosaic of our collective history.
Opening day is right around the corner and our dedicated team has been working tirelessly during the winter to ensure that the course, facilities, and programming are in top condition for your enjoyment.
a special milestone in our history
Superintendent Yanik Mayer and his team have prepared the course to deliver exceptional playing conditions, while Head Pro Steve Halse and his team have curated exciting events, offerings and programs for the season, not to mention some fresh new lines of merchandise in the golf shop.
Clubhouse Manager Jasmine Angelini and Chef Greig have crafted a delicious menu featuring new and ever-changing food and beverage offerings to cater to all tastes and occasions.
Our HR and Communications Manager, Aly Longstreet, leads the hiring, onboarding, training, and retention of our staff, ensuring that you receive the highest level of service and care.
We look forward to welcoming you back to the Club in April to celebrate our wonderful people, our beautiful property, and 25 years of cherished memories.
CONTROLLER’S CORNER
Brandon Kellington
Welcome back! Whether this is your first season at Granite Golf Club or your 25th season I want to help make sure the administration of your Membership is a convenient and suitable to your lifestyle as possible. Some of us like to manage our bill payment procedures manually while others prefer the time saving stress-free nature of an automated approach. Whichever way you operate, Granite Golf Club has an option for you.
Our acceptable payment methods have evolved over the years so please review and select the option best suited for your needs and never worry about forgetting to make your monthly payment again. Avoiding those interest charges or even worse temporary privilege restrictions.
new and improved payment options for our Members
Acceptable Payment Methods
Automation that can save you time, stress and energy.
1. Direct bank withdrawal – Simply provide us with your banking information and your monthly statement will be processed on the 29th day of each month following the statement date, ensuring that the due date is met.
2. Credit Card on account* – Simple provide us with a current credit card and monthly payments will be processed on the 29th day of each month following the statement date, ensuring that the due date is met. *3% admin fee charged when paying either annual dues or entrance fees by credit card
Manual Bill Payments
1. Online bill payments – Simply search and add “Granite Golf Club” as a payee within your personal online banking, using your member number (i.e. 1234A) as your account number when prompted, and you can now make monthly payments at your convenience.
2. Cash or cheques can still be mailed or dropped off to the accounting department found within the Administration Building located on your left as you drive in, adjacent to the tenth green.
If you have any questions or would like to switch to either of the above mentioned automated payment options please contact me directly at bkellington@granitegolfclub.ca or accounts@granitegolfclub.ca
2000 NBA All-Star contest.
Every year we review the golf operations procedures, the merchandise we stock in the shop, and the processes of how we execute events. It is easy to fall into the “slam dunk” mindset. If something is working well and deemed a slam dunk do we simply continue or do we need to find a better way? This is where the members at GGC come into the game and provide us with assists Your feedback from the year-end member survey gives us valuable insight into areas that need improvement. Your comments were heard and here are a few changes we have made for the 2025 season.
CHANGES
Guest Tee Gifts
This season when you bring a guest for a game of golf they will presented with a gift. We do need your help though. To successfully implement this new initiative, you must enter your guest names at the time of booking. If you do not enter a guest name booking, a golf shop staff member will contact you 48 hours before your time. We don't want to miss anyone.
Starter Podium
This season our Starters will have a live tee sheet. We ask that you still check in with the golf shop for walk-on tee times and the starters will see updates on their computer. The goal is twofold, tee sheet accuracy and backshop reaction time. The Starters will also have live TagMarhall updates to address slow play issues.
GOLF SHOP
It would be easy to continue with our tried and true methods of stocking the golf shop but this year we took a closer look at what has worked well and what hasn't For example, we replaced slower-moving apparel lines with new fresh looks. Malbon, Golftini, and Adidas Originals are just a few new lines featured in the shop. Canadian golf companies like Levelwear and Full Wedge Golf will be prominently featured. We also placed a new focus on junior golfers. Our new Junior section will include apparel, shoes, and clubs. Our golf shop administrator Joanne Plunkett is ready to help you with all your golf apparel needs. She can provide a personalized shopping experience.
If you are interested in the latest golf clubs we will have a full fleet of demo clubs and have booked several vendor fit days. Thank you for supporting the golf shop!
The Men’s, Ladies’, and Mixed committees have been hard at work creating a wonderful roster of events for the 2025 season. Steve Dayman and Andrew Waldie will continue to work closely with the sections to ensure events are executed smoothly. Please visit the Club website for details Event registration opens on April 7.
Opening day is just around the corner and the golf shop staff are looking forward to seeing you all soon.
MEMBERSHIP
Bryan Rourke
With the season just around the corner, this one will be extra special with it being our 25th anniversary with lots of special events and fun planned. A lot can change in 25 years and but something that has stayed the same is Granite Golf is a place where people want to be.
This winter 100% of our eligible Intermediates who turned 35 converted to full senior memberships. It is always sad to see members leave us but fortunately we did not have to say goodbye to too many as our low attrition continued this off season.
The Intermediate section continues to be strong and continues to convert Intermediate’s to Full Senior Memberships. A great change we have seen over the last few years is the growth in our female membership 26% of our members are now women, up from 14% in 2015, is the highest percentage we have had with most clubs sitting around the 17%. The success and fun of the Ladies Tuesday and Thursday groups have increased participation, and word has spread to their friends.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
Jasmine Angelini
The off season often raises the question, "What do you do during this time?" It's a great question, as it highlights the dedication and effort that goes into preparing for each new season. Our team works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a seamless experience for our members, and the off-season is a crucial part of this process.
During this time, we focus on developing exciting new initiatives, attending industry conferences to network and learn from other club managers, participating in beverage tastings to discover potential additions to our menu, exploring ways to further elevate our service, and respond to the member survey.
Speaking of which, we've heard your feedback and are excited to announce the following improvements:
Adding a much-requested Guinness tap to our current beer tower. Offering quick, on-the-go snacks and health-conscious beverages at the Member services desk.
Replaced the low toilets in the ladies' washroom and locker room with higher ones.
Expanded our non-alcoholic beverage offerings.
Switching over from bottled water to Flow water, which is packaged in eco-friendly, 100% recyclable, mostly plant-based, renewable materials. Updated the outdoor Grab & Go station with a new water and ice dispenser.
In addition to these improvements, one of our biggest focuses is on how to incorporate Granite Golf Club's 25th anniversary into this milestone year. We want to ensure that everyone feels the celebratory spirit throughout the season. Keep an eye out for 25th anniversary nods.
Lastly, based on your feedback, we will be providing complimentary hot beverages to all members and their guests during the season. We continue to encourage the use of reusable travel cups to enjoy your beverages.
NEW TO THE TEAM
I am delighted to announce that Shauna Schwab has joined our team as your new Bar & Dining Operations Manager.
Shauna brings a wealth of experience and a true passion for the food and beverage industry. Her enthusiasm for wine, honed through exploration of Canadian wine regions and formal education at Algonquin College's Sommelier program, is complemented by her WSET certifications in wine, spirits, and sake. Shauna's background also includes valuable experience working with renowned Canadian craft breweries and distilleries.
Beyond her professional expertise, Shauna's love for discovery and new experiences shines through in her personal interests, which range from skiing and travel to indie concerts and vintage collectibles.
Please join me in welcoming Shauna to the Granite Golf Club. We're excited to have her on board! Please read below for more details on Shauna on page 15.
NEW OFFERINGS
As always, we have a new array of beverages on the menu this season. Here are some of our new items:
GRANITE LITE
Anniversary edition!
GRANITE REFRESHER
We ’ re excited to expand our Granite exclusive beverage line!
GRANITE
refresher
OTHER GREAT ADDITIONS TO OUR LINE UP
INTRODUCING
Shauna has a strong passion for all things food and beverage related, from tryingnewwinestoenjoyingandcookingavarietyofdifferentcuisines!
Shauna's passion for wine took shape while exploring Canadian wine regions such as Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in BC. She pursued formal education at Algonquin College’s Sommelier program, gaining expertise in viniculture, viticulture, wine tasting, and food pairings. She also earned WSET certifications in wine, spirits, and sake, expanding her knowledgebeyondwine.
Shauna has worked closely with Canadian craft breweries such as Beau’s Brewery in Vankleek Hill and Vimy BrewingCompanyinOttawa.
Additionally, she also contributed to Lot 40 Whiskey’s brand activation as well as marketing, bottling and labelling operations at Willow Springs Winery.
Her love for discovery extends beyond the glass. Whether skiing in the winter, exploring new destinations, or catching indie concerts, she’s always seeking new experiences. When it comes to travelling, she has a great appreciation for exploring Canadian destinations and landscapes, but will never say no to tropical vacation! At the same time, she has a deep appreciationfornostalgia,cherishingvintageVHStapesandvinylrecords.
We look forward to seeing what Shauna will accomplish within the Granite GolfClubteam!
We are so fortunate to have members continue to spread the word about how special a place Granite is. We are also happy to reward any member that brings in a member with a referral credit that can be used for any Golf Shop and Food and Beverage purchases. Members who refer to any Full or Intermediate members will receive $500 worth of credit and a referral for a Test Drive Membership will receive $250 after they complete their first season. We do have spots remaining for our Test Drive Membership so if you have that one friend who is considering membership, please don’t hesitate in reaching out.
Granite Golf is home to a wide range of golfers of different skill levels. Many of you may not know that we are the home club of some top ranked amateurs, Juniors and several professional golfers. We take great pride in having them at Granite and being able to follow their seasons. In 2024 a “Tour Professional” Category was created to help a Professional Golfer by providing them with practice and golf course privileges and Maxwell Sear was our first recipient. Although we don’t get to see Max often because of his playing schedule, we enjoyed following Max throughout North America in 2024 and seeing him get in the winner’s circle and play in the Canadian Open. It was great seeing the Granite Logo get some exposure on the grounds of Hamilton Golf+CC. Max is already off to a great start this season and recently played in the PGA Tours Puerto Rico Open.
ENHANCING THE DINING EXPERIENCE
Greig King
ENHANCED SERVICE
As we eagerly anticipate the reopening of Granite Golf Club for the spring season, we're excited to share some updates and enhancements that will elevate your dining experience.
We value your feedback and have carefully reviewed the results of the recent member survey regarding the kitchen. Based on your suggestions, we're implementing several changes,including:
EXPANDED OPENING TIMES
We will now be open for breakfast service from 6:30 AM, 7 days a week.
We will be continuing menu changes every 4 weeks, and also implementing the ever popular Fortnightly features from the line staff. This year we will also be starting a weekly composed salad feature to give some more variety to those looking for lighter fare.
SPECIAL EVENTS
We'll be hosting a series of themed dinners and culinary events throughout the season to add excitement and variety to your dining options.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY ITEMS
The garden will also be utilized to grow some of our own vegetables and herbs, that can be used in specials and features to help supplement the menu.
Seasonal clubs always have issues with hiring staff each season, as a testament to how good The Granite Golf Club is to work at, once again we have 90% of last year's staff returning for the season, with a few new faces added to the mix.
Our department has made use of the Canadian Managers Association of Canada (CMAC) during the offseason. I was one of the panelists on a chef forum put on by the Ontario Branch. Sous Chef Brendan and myself attended the National Food and Beverage Conference in Halifax at the beginning of March. These events are invaluable to be able to see what other clubs are doing, follow trends and also see what doesn’t work within the private club world.
As always we look forward to providing you with your food needs during your visits to your clubhouse. Some of the comments received in the survey can be contradictory in that some members ask for more bar snacks, some members ask for more high end offerings and some ask for something in between. To that end, we have to try and write a menu that has something for everyone. Rest assured we are writing a menu for you all, based on sales, historical data, seasonal ingredients, your feedback, and current trends.
Here’s to a great 25th anniversary year at the club!
TURF TIMES
Yanik Mayer
An endless pursuit of awesomeness is a catchphrase that was first coined to describe the efforts within the maintenance department many years ago by Phil Scully while he was Superintendent. This motto has continued to be a benchmark we strive towards with our newer maintenance management team.
I’ve been hard pressed to find another golf course in the GTA that takes advantage of the off-season as much as we do at Granite GC. There has been an immense amount of work completed between golf seasons and below are some highlights of the team in action!
#14 BRIDGE NEW TREES
Twenty-five trees were planted at two locations, between holes 1/5, and 10/11, to add separation and aid in safety. The cultivars chosen were Celebration, Autumn Blaze, and Autumn Fantasy Maples, White Pine, and Norway Spruce. These trees were spaded, as opposed to planted in baskets. The spading process allows for a larger tree to be planted.
PARKING AT THE SGA
Navigating the SGA with power carts while remaining on the cart paths has always been difficult. With the influx of SGA use, maintaining viable turf near cart paths has been a struggle due to two-way traffic. This off season we added two new parking lots resulting in ten available stalls for power carts to use.
The walking bridge on hole 14 received some tender love and care with a complete overhaul of the entry and exit points, and relevelling of the bridge.
UPGRADED TEACHING TEE
Cory’s teaching tee has seen an upgrade this off season. A permanent hitting area has been installed under the canopy at the back of the driving range allowing lessons to take place during inclement weather.
#16 FENCE LINE
The fence line on hole 16 has received a bit of an overhaul as well. Roughly 20 new posts have been installed to replace rotten and broken ones, and 30 fence boards have been replaced. The onslaught of winter and frozen ground prevented us from completing the fence line on hole 13, but we will be addressing that section of fence this spring.
DRAINAGE
Each off season the worst draining areas on the golf course are addressed and corrected. This off season was no different. XGD, a company that we have used many times in the past, were back at Granite GC to complete projects on holes 3, 5 & 7.
Happy Anniversary!
Throughout 2025, the Club will celebrate the last incredible 25 years as well as our bright future with a series of special events and initiatives. We look forward to sharing more with you as we move through the golf season.
In anticipation of this exciting milestone for Granite Golf Club, we welcome and encourage all our Members to share their Granite Golf Club stories, photographs, and memorabilia from the past.
Please email feedback@granitegolfclubca with anything you'd like to share for this momentous occasion.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
When sharing photographs and documents, kindly provide highresolution files.
2 5 T H C E L E B R A T I O N
On July 19, we will host an all-day celebration that you won't want to miss.
Morning and afternoon shotguns
Breakfast buffet
Vendor trunk show, demos, clinics
Sandwich stations
Ice cream truck
Putting contests
Cocktail party
Fireworks
And more surprises throughout the day!
EMPLOYE WELLNES
Aly Longstreet
Over the last severa y Golf Club has quickly become an “employer of choice”. More than 50% of our employees have found us through referrals, whether returning employees, or people who have worked here and moved onto careers and other opportunities, it seems that our Club has made an impact in the industry.
This year, our focus is to grow and elevate the employee experience to the next level, and that includes our new Granite Wellness initiative.
The next generation of workers aren’t solely focused on monetary rewards, and although being paid a fair and competitive wage is still top of mind, employees are looking at what else they can gain from their time at work. The HR Team is excited to announce our new wellness initiatives
Granite
wellness
GoodLife Fitness Partnership offering employees a discount on membership fees
Step Challenges, Water Challenges encouraging employees to move their bodies and stay hydrated through friendly competitions
Pop-Up Boot Camps free outdoor fitness classes at the Club
Book Nook
“take a book, leave a book” free library to promote mental health and reading
Digital Detox promoting time away from screens for mental health through friendly competitions
Lastly, we are offering our staff a way to recognize their fellow employees through our new kudos initiative. Submissions can be anonymous and provide positive feedback to staff members throughout the season.
Staff are encouraged to use this feature to “shout out” their coworkers and further develop a feeling of teamwork, collaboration, and inclusivity at the Club.
Each month, the kudos are posted on our internal system, and shared with the teams through their managers.
We are excited to move into the 2025 golf season with even more reasons to work at Granite Golf Club, and the hope is that this will ultimately motivate our staff to show pride in their work and jobs, providing an even more amazing Member experience.
Profile
MEET S WILLET
Human Resources Coordinato
We are excited to introduce a new addition to our administrative team, Sam Willetts, who is kicking off her career at Granite Golf Club as our Human Resources Coordinator. With a strong passion for supporting and enhancing the experiences of everyone she encounters, Sam is a perfect fit for this important role. Her background in both human resources and hospitality, coupled with her natural ability to foster positive relationships, makes her a valuable asset to our club.
Sam’s educational background is a testament to her commitment to excellence. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources from George Brown College, along with a Diploma in Culinary Management from Durham College. This unique blend of business and hospitality knowledge speaks to her dedication to providing exceptional care in every aspect of her work.
- FIFTH
JULY 2025 19 TH GRANITE GOLF CLUB