THE VALLEY VOICE
BROOK VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB
YOUR CLUB
SEPTEMBER&OCTOBERHOURSOFOPERATION
MAINCLUBHOUSE
SEPTEMBER&OCTOBERHOURS(SubjecttoChanges)
CLOSED
Kitchen-11:30am-3:00pm
Lounge-11:30am-6:00pm
11:30am-9:00pm
11:30am-9:00pm 11:30am-9:00pm
11:30am-7:00pm 10:30am-2:00pm
WeekdayI7:00am-6:30pm
WeekendI7:00am-6:30pm
WeekdayI8:00am-6:30pm
WeekendI7:30am-6:30pm
WeekdayI7:00am-6:30pm
WeekendI7:00am-6:30pm
WeekdayI7:00am-6:30pm WeekendI7:00am-6:30pm
WeekdayI8:00am-6:30pm
WeekendI7:30am-6:30pm
WeekdayI7:00am-6:30pm
WeekendI7:00am-6:30pm
BVCCCONTACTLIST
252-751-1960Ext8032or8033
252-751-1960Ext8033
252-751-1960Ext8012
252-751-1960Ext8013
252-751-1960Ext8036
252-751-1960Ext8021
Buckley Brockmann | bbrockmann@brookvalleycc com Golf
Superintendent & General Manager
Anna Holleman | fbmanager@brookvalleycc.com F&B Manager
Cortne Grunden | membership@brookvalleycc com Director of Member Services & Human Resources
Dalton Rich | drich@brookvalleycc com Director of Golf
Sean Branagan | sbranagan@brookvalleycc com Head Golf Professional
Kenric Hunt | kenric.hunt@brookvalleycc.com Executive Chef
Christopher Mabe | cmabe@brookvalleycc com Facilities Director
Kelsey Casalaspro | kcasalaspro@brookvalleycc com Events Coordinator
Jay Norris | communications@brookvalleycc com Communications Coordinator
MEMBERSHIP
As we welcome the arrival of fall, the cooler temperatures are perfect for enjoying all that our beautiful grounds and facilities have to offer here at Brook Valley Country Club
This season brings a full calendar of events for you and your families to enjoy from fall festivals to our Member/Guest tournament to an Oyster Roast We can't wait to see you around the club, making memories and enjoying the best of what fall has to offer
Thank you for being a valued part of our community here at Brook Valley Country Club! Go Pirates!
Kindly,
Cortne Grunden Director of Member Services
NewMembers:
Sean & Andrea Evenski
Allen & Sylvia Hahn
Bob Schindhelm
DID YOU KNOW?
McConnell Golf offers a Network Upgrade for our membership For just $27 or $55, depending on your membership type, you can enjoy golf, pool, dining, and social activities at all McConnell Golf locations If you have any questions about the McConnell Golf Network Upgrade, contact Director of Member Services, Cortne Grunden, at 252-751-1960 x 8013
2025 MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: We offer a variety of different memberships to meet all your needs! Please share with your fellow neighbors, colleagues, family and friends the membership opportunities being offered at Brook Valley Country Club All memberships are Family Memberships
Never miss out on a club event, the latest McConnell Golf news or the chance to share your member experience. Stay connected to Brook Valley Country Club and McConnell Golf on social media and join the conversation today.
@brookvalleycc_ @brookvalleycc @brookvalleycc
Enjoying those last pool days of summer
Ryan Andrew Carpenter
@firegrlnc
DINING & EVENTS
BIRTHDAY NIGHT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Celebrate your birthday here at the Club! Enjoy a complimentary entrée and McConnell Brownie topped with ice cream and chocolate drizzle.
LIVE MUSIC FRIDAY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Live Music Fridays are back, and it's the perfect way to kick off your weekend Enjoy great food, a good vibe, and making new memories with special friends
END OF MONTH DINNER FEATURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Savor the end of the month with Chef Kenric’s uniquely curated dinner feature! Look for more information in Weekly Happenings
KIDS ZONE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Drop your kiddos off for a fun evening while you enjoy your dinner reservation in the Lake View Dining Room Register online for kids zone through the BVCC website and also reserve your table!
CANDLELIT DATE NIGHT
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Enjoy a warm and inviting evening at Brook Valley The soft glow of candlelight and elegant table settings create the perfect backdrop for a relaxing night out. Savor Chef’s thoughtfully prepared menu while enjoying quiet conversation and a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere
DINING & EVENTS
BIRTHDAY NIGHT
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
We invite you to enjoy a complimentary meal and McConnell Brownie during your birthday month We look forward to celebrating your special day!
BOTTLES & BIRDIES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 | 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Enjoy 6 holes of golf with your closest friends, and make a few new ones along the way! Each hole will have a wine sample along with an appetizer to munch on Guests 21+ are welcome Check weekly happenings for more information!
CHEF’S END OF MONTH DINNER FEATURE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Enjoy a special feature from Chef Kenric! We would love to see you in the dining room
FALL FESTIVAL
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24 | TBD
Join the Brook Valley team for a family fun evening at our Fall Festival! Enjoy fall games, hayrides, a 40 ft inflatable obstacle course, face painting and a Halloween costume contest.
OYSTER ROAST
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30 | TBD
Come out to Brook Valley for a night of oysters! Look for more information in the weekly happenings!
GOLF UPDATES
Dear Members,
As we turn the corner into the fall, we’re well into the “back nine” of our golf season and some of the most exciting events of the year are still ahead of us! The fall months always bring a special energy to the club: cooler mornings, crisp afternoons, and fairways lined with the colors of the season It’s a great time to enjoy golf with friends and family, whether you’re competing in one of our signature events or simply soaking in a casual round Along with a full calendar of tournaments and socials, the golf shop will be stocked with new fall apparel arriving soon, including pullovers, hoodies, and other cozy layers perfect for autumn golf And as always, fall also means the return of football Saturdays Go Pirates!
September Highlights
Monday, September 1st – Open in observance of Labor Day
Tuesday, September 2nd – All golf operations closed
Wednesday, September 3rd – Ladies Nine & Wine
Sunday, September 21st – Parent-Child Scramble
September 25–27 – Ellis Maples Invitational (All golf facilities reserved for Member-Guest festivities)
October Highlights
Thursday, October 2nd – MGA Purple & Gold Draft Party
Saturday–Sunday, October 4–5 – MGA Purple & Gold
Friday, October 17th – Ladies Member-Guest
Saturday, October 18th – Bottles & Birdies
Sunday, October 19th – Parent-Child Scramble
Wednesday, October 22nd – Ladies Nine & Wine
Thursday, October 23rd – NNCCMGA Senior Interclub
Saturday, October 25th – Ladies Closing Day
Sunday, October 26th – MGA Shootout
We look forward to seeing you on the course this fall as we finish the season strong with great competition, camaraderie, and fun.
Dalton Rich, PGA Director of Golf
TURF TALK
As I was looking through my last couple of newsletters, there seemed to be a theme. Without a doubt, I talk about the weather often. This stands to reason, I suppose, since the weather is one thing we cannot control, but certainly has an effect on the course conditions.
Shall we start with the elephant in the room? The rough is brutal In my last newsletter I talked about how all the rain was setting us up for success and giving us a great base to work with Well, it certainly did that We had the perfect storm of conditions (all puns intended) to produce beautiful, healthy, and thick Bermuda grass. The rough may be as healthy and lush as I have ever seen it. For the last 4 years we have been managing for healthy turf, and now in many areas, we have it. I remember a time when we did not have any grass in places we have plenty of healthy turf today.
The downside to that healthy beautiful turf, really becomes evident in the autumn of the year As days grow shorter and nighttime temperatures become cooler, the Bermuda grass plants begin to prepare themselves for the winter ahead The shoots and stolons get thicker and become heartier After the first couple of hard frosts, this thicker, heartier plant is what is left for the winter The grass plant survives inside this thick coating of organic insulation through the winter. Then it breaks through it in the spring to produce new shoots and tillers (leaves). With all the growth we saw this summer, there are more stolons and shoots than likely ever before. The thicker they get, the harder it is to swing a golf club through them.
The moral of the story is, yes, the rough is thick It is thick because it should be this time of year, if it is healthy It will be harder to find a golf ball, and it will be harder to swing through the rough when you do find your ball If I cut it lower and scalp it, we risk losing turf through the winter The great news is we should see definition between the rough, step cut and fairways well into the winter Another benefit, we should also have a great spring coming out of dormancy due to the health of the turf now.
It is also worth noting, all of the rain we had degraded much of the pre-emergent herbicide we applied earlier in the year. This is why we have seen such a resurgence of weeds in the last month We are spraying them as quickly as possible and still trying to use labor as efficiently as possible to keep everything cut, and traps raked It has been an interesting growing season to say the least
There is good news for the future about the rough. The golf course management leadership at McConnell Golf is great about hiring good people, supporting them, and getting out of their way. While we are held accountable to certain standards, we superintendents rarely get specific directives about green speeds, height of cut for different areas, or how we need to manage a property. It is difficult to compare one property to another due to a variety of climates, budgets, course design, soil types, etc This year will be a first Because of all the healthy turf and thick rough throughout many of our properties, we have been given a specific directive for 2026 from the top All courses managing Bermuda rough must lower heights of cut in the spring, and there will also be a cap on height for the fall This will be consistent throughout McConnell Golf Next year at BV we will be starting the season with lower rough heights than we have seen in previous years This will allow us to raise heights in the fall without being in the situation we are today.
Had we known we would get the incredible amount of rain we received, many of us would have started lower without such a directive. Regardless, this is good standard to have It will only improve Brook Valley, as well as other McConnell properties you might get the pleasure of visiting
For the homeowners of the club who love to manage their own turf, keep in mind it might be a good time for a fall fertilizer It is also a good time to raise the height of cut about ¼” on your mowers. The next thing to think about is getting a fall pre-emergent herbicide applied sometime between October 15 and the Thanksgiving holiday. A good pre-emergent is the best way to keep your yard weed free in the spring th
Until next time, I’ll see you on the course,
Buckley Brockmann Golf Course Superintendent / General Manager
MCCONNELL GOLF NEWS
YOUNG CAPTURES WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Cameron Young delivered a career-defining performance at the 2025 Wyndham Championship, claiming his long-awaited first PGA TOUR victory in dominant fashion The Wake Forest alum playing just 30 minutes from his collegiate stomping grounds fired rounds of 63-62-65-68 to finish at 22-under-p Sedgefield Country Club
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS FOR TH
Share your standout club moments f McConnell Golf, The Magazine! Wheth tournament win, or a sunset round matter most. Email photo(s) to y maddy@mcconnellgolf.com by Friday, September 5 Include: your name, home club, and a brief photo description We look forward to showcasing your moments in print!
SEDGEFIELD C.C. - SOLHEIM CUP CHAMPIONS
Sedgefield Country Club secured their first McConnell Golf Solheim Cup title, edging Country Club of Asheville by one point Taking place annually at Treyburn Country Club, this year’s McConnell Golf Solheim Cup featured teams from eleven properties Pictured from
, y y your club’s private website Locate the address section you would like to modify and add/replace the information as needed Once finished, click "Save My Profile" at the bottom of the screen
SEPTEMBER COOKIE OF THE MONTH: SPICY WHEAT COOKIE RECIPE
BY JASON DANIELS, EXECUTIVE CHEF
AT PROVIDENCE COUNTRY CLUB
“I started making this cookie for my daughter’s 6th birthday. We were having her party at Carter Mountain. The apple orchard is located in the hills of Virginia, and I wanted to have the perfect cookie for the day The crispy wheat shortbread with heavy-hitting seasonal spice plain and simple, was just the ticket Needless to say, nibbling cookies and drinking warm cider on a crisp fall day is a heartwarming endeavor I hope that they make you smile as I am while reminiscing about this time past.” - Jason Daniels
Ingredients:
6
¾ cup
¾ cup
1 teaspoon
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups
Directions:
1 ¾ cups wheat flour
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger Pinch of nutmeg
1 In a stand mixer, combine all wet ingredients excluding the eggs and mix on medium speed until ingredients have lightened in texture and are well creamed
2 Add eggs one at a time; remember to scrape the sides of the bowl down between and after additions
3.Turn the mixer off and add all sifted dry ingredients. Start the mixer at “stir” or the 1st speed setting and mix until completely combined and homogenous. Mixing up to, but no longer than, 2 minutes. Remove and wrap with plastic. Can be refrigerated at this point and used in the future. Dough holds well for up to 7 days.
4 Transfer the dough to a floured surface and with a rolling pin, roll to ¼” in thickness Cut into desired shapes and bake at 325 for approximately 7 minutes Allow to cool, drizzle with melted white chocolate, or dust with powdered sugar
OCTOBER COOKIE OF THE MONTH: PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE
BY MICHAEL MONAHAN, EXECUTIVE CHEF AT THE COUNTRY CLUB OF ASHEVILLE
“This cookie is a celebration of autumn’s arrival, blending the rich, spiced flavors of pumpkin with the indulgent sweetness of chocolate chips Pumpkin is synonymous with fall, evoking cozy memories of harvest time and seasonal festivities, while chocolate adds a touch of decadence that complements the pumpkin’s earthy sweetness As the leaves turn and the weather cools, this cookie is the perfect treat to enjoy after a satisfying lunch, bringing a taste of autumn right to your table.” - Michael Monahan
Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups ap flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground clove
3 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Directions:
1.In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil, and sugar (until smooth).
2.Add egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk until smooth
3 In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients
4.Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
5.Fold in chocolate chips.
6 Drop ¾-1 T of batter on to lightly greased sheet tray
7 Bake for 9-11 minutes (Make sure middle of
8.Transfer to cooling rack
