Greetings Members of Friendly Hills Country Club! I hope this edition of our Digital Unicorn Newsletter finds you well and happy July! It has certainly been a busy 2nd Quarter of 2024.
We hosted our Men’s Unicorn Member/Guest, our Ladies Fairway Festival, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Brunches, which were all very successful events and set the tone for a great Summer and Fall!
We also completed two major projects at the club as we opened the new Driving Range as well as the new downstairs Grill. Both projects added much needed upgrades in those areas of the club and generated a ton of excitement for upcoming projects.
Next up on our schedule is our much-needed tee re-grading and levelling project beginning in July, then we start the upstairs restrooms and lobby in late August or early September, followed by renovations of our Ladies Locker Room in January of 2025! Exciting times, indeed!
< Continued
Our club operations remain solid with our Director of Golf Jay Prestella, our Food & Beverage Director Brandon Morgan, Executive Chef Peter Phan, Director of Raquet Sports Jennifer Shorr and our Director of Golf Course Maintenance Nephi Diaz working diligently with their respective team members to provide you with the best experience at the club day in and day out. Our club event participation is at an alltime high and overall usage is very strong. Many of you have taken the time to let us know of your experiences and even more of you have taken the time to fill out comment cards, giving us important data sets to work from!
As a reminder, our Director of Sales & Marketing, Taylor Stewart, is here to help you with your banquet and party needs including putting together luxurious dinner parties in our new Private Dining Room, the Waterfall Room located in the new Grill. Taylor is an expert in event planning and is sure to make your next function something very special.
Patricia Wong has stepped in to help manage our Membership Department and has done an excellent job on top of her duties as our Director of Member Relations. If you have enjoyed any of our Social Events, Patricia leads the charge creating member experiences that you will remember for a lifetime!
If you have friends or family looking to become a member at Friendly Hills Country Club, or if you have questions about your membership, Patricia is available to you at your need.
We are truly lucky to have such a great cast of characters here, each of whom are excited to serve you and your family. Come by the Administration Office anytime, where you will find us working hard to manage your memories!
See you around the club!
THE JULY EDITION
HHello Members! The first half of the year has flown by in the blink of an eye! While we’ve already had a busy summer so far, to recap our activities, here are some highlights:
Mentalist Show
Annual Spring Wine Tasting
Cinco De Mayo
Mother’s Day Brunch
Sip & Shop
Father’s Day BBQ
Golf & Tennis Family Twilight 4th of July Spectacular Campout & Movie on the Green
Our signature event, the Fourth of July Spectacular, was truly exceptional Over 800 members and guests joined us for a fun-filled day of carnival games, caricature artists, face painting, funnel cakes, and much more! Each event we host is crafted to create lasting memories, and I am dedicated to ensuring every experience is special for you and your family
Don’t forget to check the Club calendar at www.friendlyhillscc.com for all upcoming events. I look forward to seeing you there!
Lastly, while our Equity and Junior memberships are currently full, we have a few spots available for Social memberships. Despite being at capacity, our commitment to providing exceptional service to our members remains unwavering.
For further information on membership or to inquire about our waitlist, please feel free to reach out to me.
Director of Member Relations
A R C H I V E S JULY 2024
Thanks for celebrating with us!
N E P H I D I A Z Director of Agronomy
WWe are currently underway with our tee renovation project Thank you for your patience as we work through this project to complete it
in a timely manner As April, May, and June have come to an end, we have completed a series of projects:
The installation of our new artificial range tee mat
New kikuyu sod grass tee
Storm drain repair on the west side of the driving range tee
Perimeter fence repair along Villaverde Drive
In the beginning of June, we had our DryJect service inject approximately 25 tons of sand at a 4" depth with a 3"x 3" spacing The greens were ready to play the following day and it took about two weeks for the sand channel openings to disappear
GREENS AERFICATION CLOSURE:
OCTOBER 7TH - 14TH
During these summer months, we will protect our greens with plant protectants and more frequent watering to help our cool-season turf through the summer heat. Expect slower green speeds as we prioritize the health of the turf. Our maintenance team will also be out spot aerifying sections of fairways and roughs to relieve compaction from cart traffic.
Please stay cool, hydrated, and enjoy the course!
G O L F C O R N E R
BY JAY PRESTELLA, PGA Head Golf Professional
UNICORN MEMBER-GUEST
TThis year's Annual Member Guest Tournament was truly unforgettable.
A full field of competitors eagerly vied for the chance to have their names displayed on one of the coveted unicorn flags
When the dust settled, the father-son duo of Javier and Ryan Castro emerged victorious, earning the title of our 2024 Unicorn Champions.
CHAMPIONS
FLIGHT WINNERS
OVERALL NET
R. CASTRO/J. CASTRO
OVERALL GROSS
J. WANG/Q. QI
R. WU/F. ZHANG
P. ZHANG/D. SANDE
B. HONG/P. CHONG
D. CABRAL/D. CABRAL JR
M. CHU/S. KAWAMURA
M. FIGUEROA/C. AGUILERA
R. AVILA/L. DIAZ
The father-son duo of Javier and Ryan Castro.
A L O O K
GOLF CORNER
A H E A D :
WEDNESDAY DERBY’S
Member Derby’s started up this summer and have become extremely popular. Derby’s are a great way to meet fellow members. Only a few are left to play in. Sign-ups are at 4:00pm. Tee off is at 5:00pm. Come join the Fun!
I G H L I G H T :
This year's Senior Club Championship featured a strong field of competitors Members were divided into two divisions, each playing 36 holes to determine the Senior Overall Gross Champion and the Overall Net Champion
After intense competition, two new champions emerged as the Senior Club Champions Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's event.
Overall Gross Senior Club Champion:
David Allen
74-73 = 147
Overall Net Champion: Lloyd Sun
68-70 = 138
St. Andrews Flight:
Gross: Johnny Cardenas
Net: David Liu
Muirfield Flight:
Gross: Johnny Tiao
Net: Allen Kuo
This year's annual Fourth of July Flag Tournament was a thrilling competition to see who would plant their flag ahead of the rest. Here are the final standings for the rest of the field.
First Green:
John Gilboy
Tim Borowski
Peter Cho
Johnny Cardenas
First Fairway:
Aaron Yen
David Thuson
Edward Tien
Mario Figueroa
Sara Figueroa
Mark Skapik
Al Najera
Frank Tien
Derek Johnson
24 Wednesday Night Derby
J U L Y
J U L Y 31 FHMGA Smoker
7 Wednesday Night Derby
A U G
21 Wednesday Night Derby
A U G
Congratulations to Stephanie Ford, Jesse Davila, and Reyna De La Riva on their holein-one! Stephanie Ford also won the Senior Women’s Club Championship title. Congratulations on both achievements.
P G A J u n i o r L e a g u e
ur 2024 PGA Jr League was a huge success thanks to all our Unicorn athletes who courageously competed against some very tough competition
We traveled to our neighbors at Hacienda Golf Club, Glendora Country Club and Yorba Linda Country Club Our athletes played in a scramble format in teams of 2-3 playing together to shoot the lowest score possible
Over the last 4 months our players all learned new rules to play a new format and create strategies on how to execute the best chance to make the best score
Congratulations to Leah Bautista and Lauren Pennington for making the PGA Jr League AllStar Team! They will join players from the other teams to join forces and compete in the 2024 PGA Jr League SCPGA Qualifier at Alhambra Golf Course on July 25th
Let’s wish them all the BEST!!!
Hill Wang qualified for the US Junior Amateur, held at Oakland Hills Country Club
Jackson Harlan committed to play Division 1 waterpolo at UCSB.
Jade Lopez won a SCPGA JDT junior tour event at Roosevelt Golf Course shooting a score of -1 over 9 holes.
Fun was had during the ladies golfari - even Tarzan & Jane got to join Congratulations to all the
Overall Gross Champions: Monica Lee & Jenny Choi
Overall Net Champions:
Kristina Petrossian & Kari Magill
Leopards Flight:
Gross: Stephanie Ford & Liz Kim
Net: Cindy Liu & Grace Seok
Cheetah Flight:
Gross: Rose Yu & Erica Lu
Net: Gina Malkasian & Shelly Rohrbacker
F O O D &
B E V E R A G E
WWe are thrilled to kick off the Summer with a series of exciting events
We celebrated a successful Fourth of July, hosted our first twilight event, saw great participation in our junior sports camp, and enjoyed a fantastic Father’s Day BBQ. Additionally, we hosted two swim meets and have much more in store.
BRANDON MORGAN Executive Chef
Looking ahead, we are excited to host our Kids Cooking Class, more twilight events, a campout, and other exciting activities. Our team is constantly brainstorming new event ideas to enhance your experience.
The Hines Grill is now fully open, and we all love the space, especially when it’s a bit warm outside Our Waterfall Room (Private Dining Room) is also available for booking I would be delighted to craft a special menu for your next private dinner
This month, we are updating our Terrace Menu The kitchen team and I have been working on some new items, and we are excited to share them with you Keep an eye out for the menu release this month! Additionally, we will continue to create Chef’s Dinner Specials for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights Reservations are highly recommended
A T H O M E
R E C I P E
RECIPE SPOTLIGHT:
I N G R E D I E N T S :
8 oz carrot, peeled large dice
8 oz yellow onion, peeled large dice
4 oz garlic croutons
2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbs chili powder
1 1/2 tbs dried thyme
5 oz store bought roasted red bell pepper, diced
2 oz minced garlic
2 each whole egg
3 lbs ground wagyu beef
T H E T A N G Y G L A Z E :
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup worcestershire
1 tsp tabasco
2 tsp ground cumin
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate
PETER PHAN
Executive Chef
Sharing this recipe is a joy it’s a must-try for anyone wanting to recreate this flavorful delight at home.
1.
In a food processor bowl combine croutons, black pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until fine and place into a large mixing bowl.
3.
Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and roasted red pepper in a food processor bowl. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped but not pureed.
2. Combine the vegetable mix, ground meat, and bread crumb mixture.
4. Cook at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature reads 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pack this mixture tightly into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and cooking spray.
5. Spread the tangy glaze on the meatloaf and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until the temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
7.
6. Let cool and rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Add more tangy glaze if desired.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Many of you may have already met Donnel Torrance (Chef DJ) around the Club He has recently been promoted to Junior Sous Chef Chef Laura and I are thrilled to have him join our kitchen management team Chef DJ has been with for over a year and has proven to be a tremendous asset His wealth of knowledge and positive attitude have greatly benefited our team, and his hard work has not gone unnoticed
Here's a little background about Chef DJ: His mother, who ran a catering business, introduced him to the culinary world at a young age Initially, cooking was just a hobby for him, as he played football throughout his life
However, after his football career ended, he explored various career paths before enrolling at The Art Institute of Culinary Arts, where he truly found his passion for cooking
Chef DJ has worked in various kitchens, from the Hanger 24 food truck to the University of Redlands, where he became a lead cook, and South Hills Country Club We are fortunate to have him as part of our culinary team over the past year
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a fantastic summer together!
Executive Chef
Chef Donnel Torrance
S A L E S &
M A R K E T I N G
TAYLOR STEWART Director of Sales & Marketing
D D
ear Members of Friendly Hills Country Club
Summer is off to a busy start and our events are in full swing Since the grand opening of our exclusive Waterfall Room at the end of May, we've already hosted six fantastic parties
As a reminder, the Waterfall Room is available exclusively for our members. It comes with a $300 room rental fee, plus tax and service charge on food and beverage items for gatherings of 22 people or less Reservations are required, and we offer some incredible options for events in this space Our packages are ready for viewing when you are!
For all other events, we require the use of our upper-level ballroom and lounge A food and beverage minimum applies, varying based on the date, time, and specific requirements of your event From golf tournaments and corporate meetings to weddings and baby showers, please reach out for more details on pricing and how we can help you!
See below for some of the community partners we have hosted Monday tournaments for within the past 3-months:
Adventist Health White Memorial, Humilde Baseball Academy, SOLA Lion’s Club, St. Catherine’s Academy, Whittier College, Boys & Girls Club of Whittier, Gardena Police Foundation, SMACNA, and LA County Professional Peace Officers Association We love being a part of this wonderful community and thank everyone for hosting with us!
Holiday Parties
We are now accepting bookings for the upcoming holiday season. If you’re planning a company Christmas party or a family gettogether in December, please contact us as soon as possible. Traditionally, our calendar fills up by September.
T E N N I S & P I C K L E B A L L
New Updates at the Courts
e have completed two projects to update and enhance the fit and finish at the courts. First is a new awning between courts one and two. Second, we have a new shade awning over the water station near courts three and four. A new umbrella has been added to the
far end of the deck and new pickleball nets have been installed for Summer play Coming later this Summer or early Fall will be new landscaping and new benches around the courts
Women’s Tennis Association - WRAP UP
The FHWTA had an amazing year We saw our numbers grow and the competitive and social opportunities reach our highest levels in years Strong leadership, organization and friendship led to an inclusive welcoming spirit that was the talk of the town, so to speak The tennis was fun and competitive at all levels and the parties were fantastic!
Sports Camp Junior Team
For the first time ever, our club fielded two junior tennis UTR teams in the tough San Gabriel Valley League In the Fall, we grew and came together and by Spring, we took home two league titles Thanks to great parent/coach leadership from members Mike Mon and Christine Kim, we hope to continue this exciting experience for our kid’s again this Fall
M O R E C O M I N G !
We're thrilled to announce the formation of our very own Friendly Hills Country Club Pickleball Team! As one of the fastest-growing sports in America, pickleball offers a perfect blend of fun, fitness, and social interaction. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, we invite you to be part of this exciting new chapter in our Club's sporting history.
Summer sports camps are in full swing and going really well Camps will continue until the first week in August Tennis specific camps for kids ages 4 to 18 start up July 16th with limited space availability
USTA Mixed Team
Putting a USTA 9 0 Mixed Doubles team together for the first time in many years was a great experience for me personally as it reflects the tremendous growth at the racquet center The team started slowly but got stronger and ended up winning our league In September, the team goes to sectional play in Ventura, California If we come through, we will heard to nationals in Orlando, Florida
I’m proud to announce that I have become officially certified as a Professional Pickleball Coach with the United States Professional Tennis Association! Watch for new clinic and live ball play classes this fall.
