Beauty, grit & grace July Newsletter 2019
Let the Journey Begin Betty Chee PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Brook Henderson made June memorable by becoming the winningest Canadian golfer. As I watched with great delight the Raptor’s parade (yes, that was definitely memorable too), I imagined Brook and her sister Brittany sitting atop one of the double decker buses allowing a moment of well-deserved accolades to shower over them. In reality, the Henderson sisters did it with very little fanfare compared to the men on the buses. But the two events made us all awfully proud. Brook’s achievements are particularly poignant to the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto. That we can, for a moment, be proud to know that she wasn’t just the winningest golfer but that the winningest golfer is a woman. I like that: a celebration of women’s golf within the self-effacing nature of being Canadian. Back to Ladies’…in June we had our own excitement generated by two sets of member consultation sessions. In the first set of consultations, the Course Planning Committee presented the options for the replacement hole project. The next set of consultation sessions involved discussions with the Land Sale Net Proceeds Strategy Committee. At the first set of consultations, we all got to see the result of many months of hard work by the Course Planning Committee working with the course architect. There were plenty of good ideas and good critical thinking that went into the presentation of the options. If you weren’t there, just ask any member of the committee and you’ll get a replay of the picture they painted for us, including a glimpse of what our future practice facilities could be. The immediate task, and the start to our journey, is getting the replacement hole construction project underway. Short of any surprises with the rezoning application of the 9th-hole site, Ladies’ should be prepared to move ahead with the construction work once the land sale closes. Our lease-back window of the 9th-hole is an immediate one-year term following the closing, likely to start in the winter of 2020. The 2 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE
time to bring in the bulldozers to reshape and deepen the ponds will be in the same months when the earth is frozen. The heavy machinery can work efficiently without having to fight the unwieldy nature of mud. This will be followed by the replacement work of the irrigation systems and the course changes in the optimum growing season of spring. To that end, at the recommendation of the Course Planning Committee, the positive response from members who attended the consultation sessions, the comments of those members who had written to the planning@ladiesgolfclub.com, and, the endorsement of the Finance Committee, the board has approved the design of Option 2 to proceed to the detail design stage. In parallel with the work of the Course Planning Committee the Land Sale Net Proceed Strategy Committee had their hands full, over as many months, with researching, modelling, balancing, and debating what would be the best framework for the deployment of the future funds. They proposed dividing the landsale proceeds into three buckets: One would be near-term project spending. This includes such things as the replacement hole course changes, and other projects that have not yet begun, such as the clubhouse and the potential practice facilities. A second would be a longer-term capital funding provision for the upkeep of our assets and future capital needs. A third would be a legacy fund. This would be a pot of capital that would not be touched but would generate ongoing income. This investment income could have various limited applications such as offsetting operating losses until we can rebuild our membership numbers. There is still time (until July 31) to provide your comments to the net proceeds committee by writing to planning@ladiesgolfclub.com.
The committee will review the comments in the next few months and make their final recommendation to the board in the fall. Both committees referenced the Strategic Plan 20192023 in their presentations. It is the plan that is guiding our activities, and our journey, over these five years. It aims to celebrate our centenary in 2024 by having secured our legacy and invested in the future of our club. The strategic plan documented what members deemed to be important at the strategic planning consultation sessions last summer: the course, the clubhouse, and the learning and practice facilities. It defines our goals and strategies: to attract new members, to enhance the membership experience, to maintain ongoing financial sustainability, to provide effective stewardship of our physical assets, and, to enhance our governance structure. The subjects of these recent consultations supported the various goals set forth in the strategic plan.
If you wish to revisit the Strategic Plan 2019-2023, you can find it on our website using the pull-down menu on the far right. Go to the club business tab and click on strategic/current initiatives. The plan, which includes a target timeline, and the presentation slide deck are available for view. If you have any questions or comments please write to planning@ladiesgolfclub. com. The Mid-season Forum has been planned for Wednesday, August 14 at 7:00 pm. Please plan to join us. In the meanwhile, enjoy the seasonal weather and play many rounds of golf. Hope to see you on the course, or when you’re rewarding yourself in the clubhouse with a cold pint.
Betty
JULY 2019 | 3
Ladies’ is Heating Up Paul Bussiere GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE
July is looking to be a busy month if the first week is an example of what’s to come. It started off with an extremely successful Canada Day event with 90 members in their red and white. The course was in great shape and mother nature gave us a glorious sunny day. The DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada followed right after. It’s always great to see the up and coming pro’s and the seasoned veterans battling it out on our course. The field this year is over 70 players which is significantly higher than last year. That is a testament to how well the event was run and the quality of the course. The PGA of Canada and their sponsor look at potential venues each year in the offseason. After the great experience they had last year at Ladies’, they reached out to us again to host this year. We’re very fortunate to be able to host two years in a row which doesn’t happen very often. July 3 also provided us with an opportunity to celebrate our newest honorary member Lorie Kane. With a reception packed full of members, PGA players, golf officials from the PGA of Canada and Golf Canada, we were able to hear Lorie tell stories of how Ladies’ was where her professional career began. Lorie is very excited to be a part of the Ladies’ family and we hope to see her at the club often in the coming years.
are doing their absolute best to ensure that every member is having a great experience. I’m extremely proud of the team we have in place this year in every department. It’s been a great start to the year, and I hope to see it continue all summer. Let’s hope for more of the hot sunny weather in July and August. Please bring your guests out for golf and show them how wonderful your club is. Chef Umesh and Romualdo have created a wonderful dining experience, John and Amanda have done wonders with the golf course, Paddy and Dylan have had the shop buzzing and led some incredible events. As amazing as those six people are, its’ also the hardworking teams that they have working with them that bring it all together. Not to be forgotten is my fabulous team in the admin office. They end up behind the scenes more than up front, but they are an extremely important piece in ensuring this club operates efficiently and profitably. Thank you to the staff for creating a wonderful experience so far this year. Thank you also to the members for coming out and enjoying it. Thank you to all of the members who volunteer their time on committees, they have been working extremely hard this year. It’s been a great year so far with a lot more exciting things to come. Enjoy your summer!
Paul With lots of events and nice weather, that means the staff are working a lot of hours. If you feel they’ve been doing a great job, please let them know. A little thank you or word of encouragement goes a long way. They 4 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE
A Blast from the Past Margaret Auld ARCHIVES COMMITTEE CHAIR
Can you guess where this photograph was taken?
Check out the answer on page 7.
Investing for a Great Ladies’ Experience Alicia Milner FINANCE COMMITTEE, CHAIR
When the Finance Committee reports on revenues and expenses, we typically focus on the current season’s operations. Money flows in from annual dues and fees, food and beverage revenues, green fees, cart rentals, and golf shop and golf academy revenues; money flows out to pay for staff salaries and benefits, department supplies, food and clothing inventory, administrative and other items.
The club runs on a day-to-day basis within our approved operating budget. Staff reports and finance reviews, monitors, and makes recommendations to the board, as needed. We undertake a balancing act that is premised on the goal of living within our means each and every season, regardless of the weather and any other surprises that may come at us! JULY 2019 | 5
Yet, below the surface of annual operations, are the assets that allow Ladies’ to deliver a great experience – on the course, in the clubhouse, at the golf shop, and in our interactions with staff. The only way to ensure a long-term, sustainably outstanding experience at Ladies’ is to continue to invest in these assets. We do this under the auspices of our approved annual capital plan. The 2019 capital plan allows for spending of $307,487 with the categories and amounts shown in the table below. Two-thirds of spending will be for course and grounds, including the cost of leases for the new electric golf carts and for the various pieces of maintenance equipment. Priorities for capital spending are identified the previous year during the annual budget development process. This takes place in the fall and involves input from senior department staff and the general manager. Items identified in the 10-year capital plan are considered as known repair, renovation or replacement requirements. Top priority is given to health, safety, and state of good repair. “Nice-to-have” and new or enhanced items are a lesser priority. To date in 2019, we have spent about 37% of our approved capital budget with spending focused on course drainage, repairing the bridge on #8, rebuilding
Category
the clubhouse sport entrance, pruning and tree removal, fairway re-sodding, ice and water dispenser for the halfway house, security cameras, equipment lease payments, and front office hardware and software upgrades. By club practice, the money for capital spending comes from new member entrance fees, the capital replenishment fee (CRF), and any unspent capital revenues from prior years. What’s changed in 2019 is that the land sale offers the potential to inject a significant amount of capital into the club with approximately $21 million in net proceeds. Given this opportunity for new capital, finance recommended that the CRF amount be reduced from $200 plus HST in 2018 to $50 plus HST in 2019. This deliberate step was endorsed by the board, and also served as an important offset, so that even though annual dues increased by 3% in 2019, members only paid $5 more in 2019 after taking into account the reduction in CRF.
Alicia
Approved 2019 Budget
Main Items
1. Leases including golf cart leases
$124, 287
Multi-year commitments for golf carts, cutting equipment, club truck
2. Course and grounds
$79, 200
Tree removal and pruning, draining, paving, sod, sand, bridge repair, Course Master Plan
3. Clubhouse
$46,000
Roof tile repair, exterior/interior painting,
4. Administration
$35,000
Computer hardware, club security system expansion
5. Golf Shop and Halfway House
$23,000
Backshop accessories, Halfway House water and ice dispenser
Total 2019 capital spending
#307,487
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A Blast from the Past Continued... Margaret Auld ARCHIVES COMMITTEE CHAIR
The photograph was taken in 1932 before the river along the 17th hole was re-routed.
18th Green Bridge
Present location of the road
Here are some more photographs that will give you a good idea of how the 17th hole looked before 1932.
JULY 2019 | 7
On the Course Carol Turner ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT
Summer is in full swing! The course is looking great, with us catching up after a very wet and cold spring. The greens that suffered ice damage over the winter are well on the mend. Of course, all spring the DCM PGA event has been on our mind, but daily maintenance is always our top priority. The main goal leading up to the event was the same as any year leading up to summer, keeping on top of the basics. June’s weather allowed for that, so it was all about mowing, mowing and some more mowing. The Sunday leading up to the DCM PGA and our annual Canada Day event saw some changes to our daily routine. We began cutting fairways and tees in late afternoon. This helped us stay out of the way of golf the following day and provided a “dry cut” giving us a nicer end product on the turf. We also “burned in” lines on fairways and tees, this is the practice of cutting up and down the same lines to create more distinct and brighter lines. The lines are also enhanced by cutting every day instead of every other day. We also split our rough cutting between morning and night, so the effects of a “dry cut” on the rough could also be seen. Greens were mowed in the mornings as usual, with the height of cut the same as we would have in the summer months any year. It is often assumed that the height of cut is reduced for a big tournament, but this is often not the case. Maintaining our normal height of cut helps maintain the health of the greens surface well into the summer. Even a slight drop in height of cut can cause problems on greens in the hot temperatures. However, to get the greens at their peak, fast and true, we decided to “double roll” which is simply rolling the greens once as we normally do and then rolling them in another direction. This is very time-consuming practice but the results, and the health of the greens, are well worth the extra effort. The PGA of Canada decided how to set up the course for play each day of the tournament. Pin locations were chosen in advance by the PGA of Canada and then they were changed in the morning by Grayden, 8 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE
our famous hole changer. The Ladies’ tee blocks were removed, and the PGA officials set up one set of blocks ahead of golf each morning. The rest of our mornings ran as usual for the maintenance staff with garbage being picked up, water coolers being filled, bunkers raked, and gardens tended to. The week brought back memories for me of volunteering at The Phoenix Open earlier this year with split shift, similar jobs and the “tournament feel”. Being at the course into the night gives a different perspective to what we do. There is something truly magical about watching the sun go down on an empty golf course. 5:30AM start times come very early after a night shift, but our efforts paid dividends. The DCM PGA tournament was a great experience for new and experienced staff alike and I know we are all very proud to show off Ladies’ to the outside world. Hopefully, after seeing these fine golfers compete at your own course, you are inspired to have a season of golf to remember. Enjoy!
Carol
JULY 2019 | 9
Rain, Rain, Go Away! Kathy Constantinou 9H CAPTAIN
Although it has been a slow start to the season due to many weather cancellations, the 9H section ladies have managed to play in a number of events. This year we have a good representation in the 18H 4-ball match play events as well as our own Beth Matheson. We added a twist to the 9H Beth Matheson this year as it is a modified round robin format instead of a consolation round. Winners from each round robin section will play each other for the trophy. The Flo Jowsey is a three-week event, which unfortunately due to rain, round 3 was postponed until July 17, when hopefully it will be dry. The format of our weekly games was also changed to reflect more “fun” activities which are not based on overall scores. Our first Interclub event at the Toronto Golf Club was really enjoyed by our ladies. Unfortunately, our second Interclub event at the Hunt Club was rained out.
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New this season is our Spirit of the Game League. The 9H section has been assigned to one of 3 teams: Ada’s Aces, Great Expectations, and Mighty Oak Drivers (names were based on past hole names). Each person choses one game a week to earn points. Up to 3 points for each new person played with, and then 1 point max for each of the following: raking a bunker for someone; moving a cart up for someone; fixing 3 or more ball marks on the putting green; and helping to find someone’s golf ball. Each person may earn a maximum of 7 points, each week. The winning team will win access to a free clinic with one of our golf professionals.
Kathy
Member Guest Day 2019 Suzanne Firth LADIES’ MEMBER
On a picture perfect Sunday, some 52 members and their guests played a mash-up of holes, including 1, 2, 7A, 8A, 9A, 15, 16, 17 and 18. The team of Karen Jurjevich (M) and her sister Rosanne Cooper (G) were crowned 2019 “Member Guest Champions”. In this two-step process, The Golf Shop first took the best team scores for each of the four flights of players. Next, they picked one member of each team to participate in a “Closest to the Hole” shoot-out on the 18th. When the bunker sand had settled, Rosanne Cooper was the winner. Second overall in the “Member Guest Champions” competition were Mary Pat Frey (M) and Arline McLean
(G). The prize for the Best Dressed Team went to husband and wife gnomes Tricia Thomas (M) and Elaine Petroff (G). Sisters Gail Brooker (M) and MaryAnn Boyko (G) took home the prize for Best Decorated Cart. Claudia Egger (M) and Sara Taheri (G) won the scavenger hunt. Very special thanks to Jessica Min and Brenda Touzot for their masterful organization of the day, to Paddy and his dedicated team of car washers and Golf Shop professionals, to Chef Umesh and Romualdo Mendoza for a spectacular barbecue lunch, and to Sabrina and her wonderful wait staff.
JULY 2019 | 11
Summer Opportunities Eiko Aki GOLF COMMITTEE, CHAIR
Call for Volunteers The CP Women’s Open will be held at Magna Golf Club August 19-25 and Ladies’ has “adopted” the first hole! We are looking for members to volunteer at the event. It will be an opportunity to take part in a premier golf event, represent Ladies’ and hopefully see some LPGA players from all over the world! Please contact The Golf Shop to volunteer. Just for Fun Mondays On Monday July 15, we will hold a local qualifier for the RBC PGA Scramble. Each team that wins a local qualifier will earn a spot into the regional finals, along with a PGA of Canada Professional from that local qualifying site. The regional finals will be conducted from early-August to September at some of the best courses across the country. Depending on the number of teams that qualify locally within each region, one or more teams may be eligible to qualify for the RBC PGA Scramble National Final, held at Cabot Links October 6-8.
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This event promises great excitement at all levels. If you need assistance in forming a team, or would like additional information, please inquire at The Golf Shop. More information can also be found on the event website. https://rbcpgascramble.com A second fun event will be held on Monday, July 29. Please keep an eye on just golf and section e-blasts for further information. Our first orange scramble, held June 24, was a great success! Change in Hole-in-One Policy We have instituted a change in the policy for achieving a hole-in-one. Effective immediately, the member or guest card holder celebrating the achievement will be given a bar tab of a maximum of $200, to be consumed in the clubhouse on the day of the hole-inone with friends.
Eiko
Monday Fun Event - The Orange Scramble Tricia Thomas CLUB EVENTS COORDINATOR
Our inaugural fun Monday event for June was an orange scramble. Nine captains from the Golf Committee and the board led their orange clad teams around 11 holes, with golf challenges for putts and drives on several holes. You might even find some orange golf ball souvenirs around the course. Sadly, our 10th captain was sidelined due to a bike accident: Deb Pankhurst will be missed for the next six weeks. The winning teams: Deb Doyle, Peta Lomberg, Leslie Denier, Rosalie Finkelstein, Wanda Ho
Wendy Girvan, Mary DiVito, Lauren Marshall, Elizabeth Marriott Individual winners: Gail MacNaughton, Theresa Tsiang, Mary DiVito, Sue Benson, Noi Moreau and Marie Storto Our next Monday event will be July 29. The details and sign-up sheet will be in the golf shop soon.
Tricia
JULY 2019 | 13
Be a Part of Our History Tricia Thomas CLUB EVENTS COORDINATOR
Nora Stott Our 57 golfers headed out to the course, braving the gale force winds, early June 15. The wind was definitely a factor and each player needed to remain planted on the ground as her ball took to the air, travelling right, left, long or short, piloted by the gusty weather. Denise Tobin and Joan King beat the field and Mother Nature, winning the Nora Stott trophy and plaque, respectively. 2nd and 3rd yellow low net winners were Stephanie Mayo and Jill Mason. Susan Wickware was the yellow low gross winner. The 2nd red low net winner was Wendy Inouye, while Mary Ann Lee, Sue Benson and Carol Heller–Mepham tied for 3rd low net. Joan King also won red low net. Congratulations to our winners and to all the competitors! You are now part of our heritage! Thanks to our convenors, Dee McKenzie, Donna LePan, and Marg Deeks, and our golf, clubhouse and back shop staff, for an excellent event.
Marjorie McKenzie Four Ball (Net best ball ) Sunday July 21 This trophy event began in 1991 and is open to ALL full, associate and intermediate members with established handicaps. Teams with a combined handicap factor 14 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE
greater than 50 may play from the red tees. Teams with a combined handicap factor of 50 or less will play the yellow tees. Trophy winners will be the low net of the field from the yellow tees and red tees. You and your partner can make this fun; ham and egg it!
Play in the Marjorie McKenzie Four-Ball July 21 No doubt you will know about the competition from various eblasts but who was Marjorie McKenzie? Marjorie joined Ladies’ in 1945. She was an accomplished, competitive golfer who represented our club in many tournaments and took on positions to further women’s golf in organizations like the CLGU. Marjorie was on the board of Ladies’ in 1950 and was president in 1952. She was Club Champion in 1946, 1949, and 1950. (The championship was not held in ’47 or ’48.). Her name appears as Mrs. Campbell McKenzie on the champions’ board in the clubhouse. In 1991, Marjorie wanted to sponsor a new tournament. She decided it would be a team event, which would be played alternately on a weekday and the weekend. She chose the beautiful Lladro figurine herself so it would be a unique trophy. On the day of the tournament, Marjorie would make her way to the verandah and greet all the members who played in her event and it was a tradition that she would present the trophy. Marjorie passed away in 1995.
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Canada D
On Monday, July 1, Ladies’ hosted its annual Canada Day Scramble. 90 members came clad in red and white, ready to play complete with a fantastic summer BBQ. To commemorate the day, a group shot was taken on the hill by the 18th green. Ca
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Day 2019
y all the holes they could in 3.5 hours. The weather cooperated beautifully, and after a great round of golf, the day was an you spot yourself in the photo below?
JULY 2019 | 17
Oak Trees at Ladies’ Margaret Auld ARCHIVES COMMITTEE CHAIR
We have several stories about oak trees at Ladies’. There used to be an oak on the 4th hole and two on the 5th but Mother Nature had her way with two of them. On July 19, 1981, a tornado passed through Ladies’ taking down a lot of trees with one of them being the oak tree on the 5th hole. We don’t have a photograph of it, but this picture should give you an idea of its location. The oak tree was here.
On August 10, 2004, Mother Nature used her most feared of weapons - lightning. The oak tree on the 4th hole received a direct hit. Burn marks could be seen on the tree and it lost a great deal of bark. Sadly, it was eventually removed. However, it did mean that the green got more light and we could improve the bunker on the left side of the green.
Oak tree
Fourth green
It was a magnificent tree!
The removal
Over the years, the club has consulted arborists about the health of our trees. Our oak trees were top of the list. The remaining oak tree on the 5th hole is showing many dead branches at the top. The arborist has told us that there is a large cavity in the crotch of the tree. To help prolong the life of the tree the arborist will be coming in very soon to prune off the dead branches and then fertilize the roots to make the tree as healthy as possible. However, our beautiful tree is nearing its “best before date” so enjoy it while we continue to have it! 18 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE
York Women’s Golf Pauline Fortier CONVENOR
Year after year, Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto has generously and gracefully played host to the York Women’s Golf Training Program. The club’s contribution to this unique golf program for women is to be commended. On behalf of the executive, I would like to extend our sincerest thank you to the club for hosting this year’s Level 2 program (handicaps 17-27). Held on June 1 and 2, the program was, once again, a great success. Participants hailing from private golf courses throughout the GTA were once again wowed by the course, the professionals, Chef and his team, the clubhouse staff, the guys and gals in the back shop and the members. In the capable hands of captain Padraig, the professional team - Dylan, Adrienne and Daniel received exceptional reviews. Kudos to all! As a point of interest, two days after the weekend, one of the attendees won the York Women’s Golf Bronze Championship at St. George’s. She credited her win to
the learning from the program. The professionalism and friendliness shown by all ensured a smooth and well-received weekend. As we wandered the course and clubhouse, members were always courteous and gracious to our visitors – thank you for making Ladies’ such a welcoming place and thank you from our participants for being such a wonderful host. The ladies from Islington, King Valley, Maple Downs, Oakdale, St. George’s, Thornhill, Toronto Golf, Weston and of course Ladies’, will be back in September for the match play finals.
Pauline
P.S. Next year, we will be running the Level 2 program (17-27). Stay tuned for details or if you have any questions, please let me know.
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Connecting Over the Love of Golf Jacquelin Jackson MARKETING MANAGER
As the weather begins to heat up, we see many new faces around the club. Friendships are forming and being renewed over the love of golf. If you haven’t already, please help me in welcoming our 20 new trial members. Let’s show these women what Ladies’ is all about – a comfortable, inspiring, and supportive community where you can be yourself and experience ‘feel good golf’!
On Saturday June 22, we hosted our first new member fun event of the season. We had a great turn out that included trial members, some of our first/second year members, intermediates and buddies. The weather was perfect for our 9 holes of golf and patio cocktails. Thank you to all of the ladies that came out and participated. I look forward to seeing more of you at our July event!
2019 Trial Members Alana Goulden
Kelly Pennell
Alison Wheeler
Maureen Sheran
Anne Socka
Mavis Knight
Carol Wright
Miya Haque
Cindy Stern
Nancy Viner
Davorka Cvitkovic
Noi Moreau
Deb Cross
Pamela Hamilton
Deborah Grieve
Philippa Barber
Doris Dumais
Sharon Schwartz
Joanna Kervin
Sue Bartholomew
I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest full member, Beverley Morden, and we are happy to welcome back Mary Jane Stitt and Sharon Groom. In addition to the membership and staff actively welcoming our new members, Patty Parker, Rosemary Thomson and the buddies have been working hard to integrate them into the club. They reach out to set up golf games, introduce them to other members, and ensure they are participating in club events to name a few responsibilities. The buddy program is such an important part of the trial experience. I cannot thank you ladies enough for your time and dedication to the buddy program!
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Help us share the beauty of our club, the grit of the game and the grace of our members with your friends and family. If you know someone who would like to experience Ladies’, please contact me at 905-8893531 ext. 308 or jjackson@ladiesgolfclub.com. You could be eligible for rewards up to $100 in clubhouse/ golf shop credits, or even $750 off your annual dues for next year!
Jacquelin
2019 Member Referral Program
Introduce your family and friends to Ladies’ and receive great rewards! Member & Guest Card Holder Rewards Program Receive the following when you refer a: • Full or associate member - $750 off of your next annual dues. • Gold GCH or unlimited trial member - $100 clubhouse or golf shop gift card. • Silver GCH or 8 week trial member- $50 clubhouse or golf shop gift card. • Intermediate member or Golf Academy participant (4+ week program) - $25 clubhouse or golf shop gift card. *Please note golf shop gift cards are for clothing and accessories only.
Contact Jacquelin Jackson 905-889-3531 Ext.308 jjackson@ladiesgolfclub.com
7859 Yonge Street, Thornhill ON L3T 2C4 ladiesgolfclub.com JULY 2019 | 21
A Social Summer Jo-Anne Applebaum ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, CHAIR
There are so many great things about the summer season but the most exciting for me being the extra hours of daylight. The summer solstice on Friday, June 21 was similar to ringing in the New Year, but we can celebrate on the golf course, at the lake or by simply looking up in the sky on a warm summer evening and watching the stars. I encourage you all to make the effort to have lunch or dinner on the patio at the club as often as possible, taking advantage of the opportunity while the summer weather is here. If you missed the events over the last month here is a little synopsis: Thirty-three guests participated on May 30 to listen to Charlie Novogrodsky give his pitch on the Jewish influence of baseball. It was a very interesting evening filled with fun facts and information on the game. Chef prepared a delicious barbeque and some of the staff donned baseball attire. Charlie donated his fee to the charity “Armistad: Patronato Dental Van Project” which helps under privileged children with their dental needs. On June 11, John Doyle, from The Globe & Mail, enlightened approximately 40 guests on his career at the Globe and about how a television critic can help so many people choose what to watch on TV. To my surprise some of our members even confessed that John’s recommendations in his column act as their own personalized “TV Guide.” The theme dinner was a delicious Irish stew and the patio was hopping. John enjoyed it as much as the guests did and we hope to see him back at Ladies’ next year. Cathy Tile, the acclaimed book reviewer, was at the club on June 4 and even though her fee increased this year, the 19 attendees enjoyed her review. As a result of the excellent feedback, she will be returning on Tuesday, September 3. Pencil her in your calendar the book is “Washington Black”. More details coming out soon.
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Upcoming Events for July: Please remember to rsvp to Sabrina for all events at achm@ladiesgolfclub.com or you may call 905 8893531 EXT 221
Upcoming July Events Thursday, July 4 Every Thursday the clubhouse is offering a Pub Night menu for dinner, and $5 pints Saturday, July 13 Prime Rib Night Tuesday, July 16 Transit Talk with Joanna Kervin starting at 7pm “Everything you wanted to know about Transit in Toronto and More”. Trial member Joanna Kervin is a professional engineer and has over 30 years of experience with the TTC & Crosslinks. You won’t want to miss this transit tell-all. If you plan to have dinner at the club you may bring your own bottle of wine for dinner as it is free corkage night. Saturday, July 20 Annual Lobster Fest Saturday, July 27 Prime Rib Night Sunday, July 28 Family Fun Day Brunch & activities from 11am to 3pm. See menu on the website. I wish everyone a great summer and look forward to seeing you at the club.
Jo-anne
Congratulations Chef Umesh Paul Bussiere GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE
A lot goes on behind the scenes at Ladies’. Staff are constantly aiming to make the member experience better at Ladies’, and in turn, are working on making themselves better. This is why professional development is extremely valued at Ladies’ and why we advocate for it. For 9 weeks over the winter & early spring, Chef Umesh participated in a Dale Carnegie course called effective communications & human relations, as part of his professional development. Evidently, there is a lot more to being a great chef than creating delicious food, superior management and leadership skills are required as well. This course was designed to help its students master the skills they need to excel in today’s competitive workplace. It allows them to handle people more professionally and keep pace with fastchanging workplace conditions. By learning how to communicate more effectively, commit to continuous improvement, strengthen relationships, think positively, and create a safe and caring environment this course helps its students go beyond their comfort zone and attain ambitious new goals. Dale Carnegie courses have provided proven results for improving business performance and the careers of professionals worldwide for over a century.
It was these qualities and more that ultimately resulted in Chef winning the highest award for achievement at the end of his Dale Carnegie course. Dagres said his final project was one of the best she’s ever seen (and she’s been coaching for 25 years). We couldn’t be prouder of Chef and his accomplishments. As for his next steps - he has been asked to come back as a Dale Carnegie grad coach next winter so he can further share his knowledge and successes with others. Chef Umesh is an inspiration to all of us at Ladies’ and we can’t wait to see what he will achieve next.
Paul
I spoke to Chef’s Dale Carnegie coach, Grace Dagres about her experience working with him throughout the training, and it was extremely evident that he was recognized as a star student from the start. She went on to say that Chef Umesh had a very positive attitude and he went above and beyond to encourage others and help them achieve their goals. Simultaneously he was also working towards his own goals, and constantly looking for more ways to be challenged. He showed great leadership qualities and as the weeks progressed, he took on even more of a leadership role. JULY 2019 | 23
Vision54 Jaime Steedman HEAD TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
On Friday, June 14 the Ladies’ Golf Academy was proud to host Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriot, the founders of the innovative coaching philosophy Vision54. Over two intensive 3 hour sessions, Nilsson and Marriott had the 26 participants (25 members, and 1 guest card holder) learning and improving their games with strategies from their most recent book “Be a Player”. Participants left the session raving
24 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE
about the experience and the quality of the content delivered. Nilsson and Marriott were impressed with their experience at Ladies’ and we have already been discussing their return to the club. Thank you to all who participated - it’s a day that I, personally will not soon forget!
Jaime
Guest Card Holder Corner Join us for these special events! August 17-18 GCH Championship September 8 Mixed Social Golf Event October 6 Ada Mackenzie Fall Classic
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Thank You! Jaime Steedman HEAD TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
The Ladies’ Golf Academy (LGA) has been firing on all cylinders this season, with the number of participants rising sharply from previous years, and we wanted to thank all members, and guest card holders for your continued support of the LGA. The biggest challenge this year has been weather related, as we have coordinated rain dates and made necessary lastminute scheduling adjustments. We continue to strive to make our clinic locations as transparent as possible
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and we appreciate the patience in getting these rescheduled rain dates updated in the appropriate locations. Thank you to all members who have participated in programs this season so far, and to both members and GCH’s for the referring family and friends to the LGA.
Jaime
July 2019
Sun
7
14
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
Canada Day Scramble
PGA Women’s Championship of Canada
PGA Women’s Championship of Canada
PGA Women’s Championship of Canada
Lorie Kane Reception & BBQ
Pub Night
18H Draw
Mahjong
8
9
10
11
Duplicate Bridge
18H Draw
9H Draw/ AM
Pub Night
18H Draw
Shotgun
Mahjong
Prime Rib Night
15
16
17
18
Duplicate Bridge
18H Draw
9H Draw
Quad Club @ Summit
Transit Talk with Joanna Kervin
12
19
13
20 18H Draw Annual Lobster Fest
Pub Night Mahjong
21
22
23
24
25
Marjorie McKenzie 4-Ball
Duplicate Bridge
18H Draw
9H Draw
’Pub Night
28
29
30
Family Fun Day
Duplicate Bridge
18H Draw
Mahjong
26
27 18H Draw Prime Rib Night
31 9H Draw
9H Interclub @ Thornhill
JULY 2019 | 27
7859 Yonge Street, Thornhill ON L3T 2C4 ladiesgolfclub.com