OAKMONT monthly THE
President's Message
Summer has arrived! I know that I for one am looking forward to the longer and warmer days. The golf course has come out of its winter hibernation and looks great. I spent some time in Scotland last month and was fortunate to play some of the great courses in that country. We played Muirfield, Carnoustie, Troon, and Turnberry, just to name a few When I returned home, I was very excited to get back to playing our fast and smooth greens They did not disappoint!
With the Men’s Club Championship and P&B right in front of us, we have some great golfing to anticipate Speaking of great golfing, congratulations to Tina Chong, the Women’s Club Champion, and Sharon Veeh, the Net Women’s Club Champion! Well played both of you!
You have probably noticed some rather large steel pieces coming into the Club in the past couple of weeks. The Phase II of the Southend project is moving right along, and we are starting to see some major progress. Over the next week or so, you will see the new patio concrete being poured The steel shade structures will then start to be erected It is always exciting to see the progress
The 4th of July is also coming up fast! Reservations are being taken at a rapid pace, so please do not hesitate to submit your reservation This year ’ s celebration is going to be great! If you have not been to this event in the past, ask a friend who has attended I am positive they will urge you to be there
See you around the Club,
Kris Hons, President
Oakmont Observations
Another month has come and gone, and our activity levels continue to be at an all-time high! The project for the Members’ Grill and the Banquet space is coming along! You will see new concrete patios going up and as you walk through you will start seeing the bar and other finishes being put in place The anticipation is to use the space for the much-anticipated 4th of July! We are closing in on the first thousand sign-ups for the event this year! Please sign up early so that the team can make sure we have all the accommodations set in place!
One of my favorite things to do as the GM of Oakmont is to sit in on our Scholarship Committee Meetings This year was no exception as the Committee has met over the past month to discuss the candidates for scholarships. To be eligible the individuals need to either be children of staff members or staff members themselves and enrolled in college or vocational schools. It is so wonderful to watch these young men and women have not just the encouragement by this committee to improve their lives, but also the resources that this Membership’s generosity provides for them Our Scholarship Recipients this year are:
Austin and Justin Dong-Sons of Locker Room Attendant John Dong
Devon Fernandez-Employee, Lifeguard at the Pool
Trevor Hall-Employee, Lifeguard at the Pool
Jonathan Hernandez-Employee, Golf Course Maintenance Staff
Joshua Jeong-Employee, Lifeguard at the Pool
Melina Luna-Daughter of Wait Staff Employee Manny Luna
Kaylin Schroeder-Employee, Lifeguard at the Pool
Each of their stories is unique and amazing and listening to the Members of the Committee empower these young men and women is such an encouragement to their futures! Thank you for your generosity and their time and efforts! The Members of the Scholarship Committee are:
Oakmont Observations...
Jim Burk, Chairperson
Kris Hons
Terry Manning
Derek Patao
Chris Westhoff
Sunder Ramani
Kathy Gallagher
Dan Jeffries
Marcie Sabatella
Sue Fuelling, Committee Advocate
As a bit of housekeeping, when you make a reservation in F&B or the Pool, you should receive an email confirmation. If you don’t receive a confirmation via email, please contact the front desk and make sure your name is on the reservation and confirm that we have your correct email address Our Mother’s Day was a wonderful success with over 600 people attending We even got to experience Bocce #1 in some heavy humidity, some would call it mist, others even rain! It was quite the adventure - thank you all for your patience through the evening! It is so much fun to watch this Club come together during unexpected situations and make the best out of it.
Craig S Cliver, PGA, General Manage
June/July Upcoming Events
June
AnaPadilla
The Oakmont Housekeeping Department is proud to affirm Ana Padilla as the Employee of the Month Ana is thorough, versatile, friendly, organized, and punctual
Even when others are assigned to clean a specific area, if Ana sees the need, she will immediately step in and do the cleaning herself She doesn’t need a lot of instruction and performs her daily tasks with an attitude of cheerfulness Maybe that’s because she LOVES her job! Please congratulate Ana when you see her in the Clubhouse we are grateful that she serves the Members, guests, and employees at Oakmont!
Food & Beverage News
Sean
Van Straatum,
Assistant General Manager/Food and Beverage Director
Summer has arrived and we could not be more excited to have everyone here at the Club! So much fun is in store for you all such as Bocce, Summer League, Holiday BBQ, Pool Opening, 4th of July Fireworks, and much more We have revamped the menu for the Splash Café and will be featuring many new and unique offerings We will be rolling out the full Splash Menu after Memorial Day when we open 6 days a week Please review reservations policy for lounges at the Pool, however the Splash Café is always open seating
Our staff has truly been amazing through this renovation and has continuously stayed flexible with the everchanging circumstances. We have hosted record numbers for events like Mother’s Day with over 660 attendees and only half a Clubhouse. I tip my hat to all the hard-working men and women of Oakmont…keep up the great work!
Due to the high level of activity in the Summer and with our Centennial celebrations taking place in the Fall, many of our wine dinners were moved to the beginning of the year Last month, we were joined by Paul Lopez, Assistant Winemaker of Denner Vineyards in Paso Robles, for a fabulous evening on the patio with truly exceptional wines Our next wine dinner will be with Cass Winery at the end of July
cially open, and we are accepting reservations d, kids’ activities, adult section with games, and he whole family for the most anticipated event
Upcoming Events!
Friday, June 3rd – Wine Sale
Saturday, June 11th – BBQ & Movie Under the Stars
Sunday, June 19th – Father’s Day BBQ
Monday, July 4th – Independence Day Celebration
SEAN'S WINES OF THE MONTH:
Sparkling Wine Garden Spritz, Chandon, Napa, Brut NV $20 00 (Great for Summertime Spritz, no Aperol needed, worth a try)
Chardonnay, Neilson, Santa Barbara County 2020 $12 00 2
Sauvignon Blanc, Loudenne “Le Chateau”, Bordeaux, France $24 00 (light, crisp white wine, perfect for before dinner) 3
Pinot Noir, Roco “Gravel Road” Willamette Valley, Oregon NV $20 00 4
Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgess, Napa Valley 2016 $43 00 (kept this on another month, really a stellar bottle, try it out)
DUKE'S BROWN LIQUID LOVE:
1
“Pure Kentucky XO” Small Batch Bourbon. Family recipe sour mash from Willet Distillery 10-year wheated single barrel - $42
2.
George Dickel 8-year Single Barrel Bourbon. Rated top 5 Whiskey in the world by Whiskey advocate in 2022 - $31
Jack Daniel's Sinatra Edition. Original Recipe from the old recipe celebrating Sinatra’s love of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey - $150 3.
Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey. Unique bourbon mash bill, with accents of 3 different apples in the mash as well Yields a soft subtly sweet take on an American classic whiskey - $32 4.
Glendalough Mizunara Cask 7 yr Small batch pot still Irish whiskey, aged in bourbon barrels and then finished in Japanese Mizunara Cask Every bottle sold plants a Mizunara oak which are only felled and ready for maturity after 200 years - $86
WINE or SPIRIT ORDERS:
Please reach out to intern@oakmontcc com for special Somm Cases of wine that are specially curated for you! For any Spirit / Liquor requests or inquires you can reach out to Duke McCaffrey, Beverage Manager at mccaffreyd@oakmontcc com
Please allow 72 hours for orders to be received and put together, thank you! All orders can be picked up in the “Wine Pick-Up” room next to my office
Sean Van Straatum, Assistant General Manager/ Food & Beverage Director Certified Sommelier
Membership Corner
Lisa Dupuy, Membership Manager
W E L C O M E
NewMembers
Michael Burnstine - Regular Member
Spouse: Diana Lorden
Occupation: Physician, Eyesthetica
Proposer: Martin Heur
The Burnstine family has lived in La Canada Flintridge for the past 17 years Michael is an oculoplastic surgeon in a private practice and at USC, where he also enjoys teaching residents and fellows Diana is a musician, composer, and beginning computer music producer, but her primary focus has been raising their two sons, Adam (19) and Zachary (16) Adam attends Lehigh University’s School of Engineering and Zach is at La Canada High School along with his good friend Nolan Kuszyk, whom he golfs with regularly Zachary is the truly passionate golfer of the family, but dad Michael enjoys playing as well, especially with his son
Tom Carrasco - Regular Member
Occupation: Semi-Retired, IT Consultant, Fox Studios
Proposer: Brendan Turner
Tom Carrasco was born and raised in Los Angeles, spending his career working in IT at the major entertainment studios – Warner Bros, Disney, Fox – for the past 30 years Starting as a desktop technician, he worked his way up to Global IT Operations Vice President for Fox Studios He’s travelled extensively both professionally and personally and very much enjoyed a recent Oakmont golf junket to Ireland with Proposer and longtime colleague Brendan Turner Tom is a major LA sports fan – ask him anything about the Dodgers or the Rams and he’s bound to know it
Membership Corner...
Todd Morris - Regular Member
Spouse: Kelly Morris
Occupation: Managing Director, True West Capital Partners
Proposer: Michael Menerey
Todd Morris is originally from Columbus, Ohio and is a Buckeye fan His wife Kelly hails from San Diego and is a “recovering” Charger fan They met at Miami University, lived in Chicago for a few years after marrying, then moved to Santa Monica so Todd could pursue an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management Todd is currently a Managing Director for True West Capital Partners After a career in marketing, Kelly transitioned into real estate in 2020 Together they live in La Canada with their daughters Mia (8) and Blair (6) who attend La Canada Elementary
Todd is a serious golfer and enjoys playing with his many friends at Oakmont. Kelly plays with the “Birdie Babes” on Friday mornings and has found she’s loving the game.
David Alexander - Social Member
Spouse: Lauren Alexander
Occupation: Medical Device Sales, Boston Scientfic
Proposer: Julie Taylor
David and Lauren Alexander live in La Canada with their children Connor (11), Lucas (11), Charlotte (9) and Harrison (1) It’s an active household with the kids involved in baseball, softball, tennis, golf, soccer, swimming, play dates, video games, dancing, and vacations The family loves the Oakmont pool and the different children’s activities here as well as the date nights, wine dinners and cuisine in general David works for Boston Scientific helping local electrophysiologists install cardiac devices and Lauren is the “SheOO” of the house (i e , COO of the business of running a family!)
Stephanie Duchene - Social Member
Spouse: Michael Duvall
Occupation: Attorney, Wilkie, Fahr & Gallagher
Proposer: Julie Taylor
Stephanie Duchene is a practicing attorney specializing in insurance regulatory law with Wilkie, Fahr & Gallagher Husband Michael is a litigation partner with Dentons US, the world’s largest law firm Sons Connor and Lucas are 5th graders at La Canada Elementary. Aspiring baseball players, they’re also experienced in a number of other sports and skills. In fact, the whole family is fitness conscious – Stephanie is an avid exerciser and has been featured in fitness videos. Buddy and Cinny, their two dogs, round out the household Stephanie, Michael, and the boys have been enjoying the swim team and golf lessons at Oakmont as well as the family-friendly social events with their friends
Membership Corner...
Mary Bonne - Social Member
Spouse: Bruce Bonne
Occupation: Retired
Proposer: Glady Kabateck
Mary Bonne (pronounced “Bonnie”) was born and raised in Mexico City She met her first husband there who brought her to Glendale, California
After his passing, she married Bruce Bonne with whom she’s been for 36 years Bruce is a retired lawyer and Mary is a retired food stylist who worked primarily for Universal Studios Recently downsizing from a large house to a 3-bedroom condominium near Oakmont, they have been and will continue using Oakmont for socializing with their many friends here, for weekly dining, and for entertaining their extended family
Edward Hahn - Regular Member
Spouse: Katie Hahn
Occupation: Physician, Verdugo Hills Anesthesia Medical Group
Proposer: Joseph Lee
Edward Hahn is originally from Orange County, California and his wife, Katie, is from Houston, Texas After spending a few years living in the Arts District in downtown LA, they moved to La Crescenta four years ago Edward has been a physician anesthesiologist with USC Verdugo Hills Hospital for over 16 years Katie works in finance at Ares Management Corporation With their children grown out of the toddler phase (daughter Dani is 7 and son Marcus is 5), they thought it was a good time to join such a family-friendly Club Ed, a passionate golfer, hopes to introduce the children to the game
Andrew Fredricks - Social Member
Spouse: Laura MacPherson Fredricks
Occupation: Retired, LA County Firefighter
Proposer: Greg Korn
Andrew Fredricks is a retired Los Angeles County firefighter with 31 years of service He and his wife Laura, a substitute teacher, have resided in Glendale’s Verdugo Woodlands for 15 years Laura is sister to Proposer Greg Korn’s wife, Melissa. Laura and Melissa’s parents were Members of Oakmont back in the day. Laura was on the swim team and was an Oakmont lifeguard. So, the family has a long history with the Club and look forward to carrying on the tradition with their sons Stephen, age 14, and Matthew, age 12
Membership Corner...
Gustavo Ruelas - Social Member
Spouse: Melissa Ruelas
Occupation: Managing Partner, The Agency Real Estate
Proposer: Whitney Saunders
Gus Ruelas has been in the real estate industry for the past 23 years, consistently ranking as one of Pasadena’s top producing agents Prior to joining The Agency, he served as Executive VP for Pacific Union International, responsible for 22 offices and $12 billion in annual sales
Melissa is a classically trained chef and has cooked for Hollywood’s elite, CEOs, and dignitaries. She is currently Executive Chef for the US Air Force. The family is active in the great outdoors, as well as with philanthropic causes. Sons Mateo (7) and Camden (5) attend (or soon will attend) Mayfield School in Pasadena Gus is a golfer, and the rest of the family has been taking lessons so perhaps they’ll transition to Regular Membership one day
Richard Feuille - Social Member
Spouse: Jane Feuille
Occupation: Pediatrician, Glendale Pediatrics
Proposer: Angela Collins
Richard Feuille (pronounced “Fuel”) was born in El Paso, Texas, where his large extended family has lived for generations He went to Tulane University and Tulane Medical School Upon graduating, he moved west to begin a pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles There he met his wife, Jane, a nursing student at the time. They moved to Glendale in 1981 and, with a fellow CHLA alum, started Glendale Pediatrics. They’ve served the children of Glendale for over 40 years. Jane and Richard raised 3 daughters and have welcomed 4 grandchildren Jane’s parents (the Larsons) were Members of Oakmont and the family hopes to create many more good memories here
W E L C O M E
Preview Members
ClayChristensen, PreviewRegularMember
Spouse:
lHeidiHamilton
Occupation: DirectorofAnalytics,LenderPriceSoftware
Proposer: MikeHamilton
KihoKim, PreviewRegularMember
Spouse: KyungjooKim
Occupation: Dentist
Proposer: JayKim
HerwinChua, PreviewRegularMember
Spouse: DinahChua
Occupation: VP,GlobalPartnerships,Yahoo!Inc
Proposer: AaronMcGuinness
Emily Hilton, Preview Social Member
Spouse: Gary Hilton
Occupation: Stay at Home Mom / Writer
Proposer: Thomas Slavin
Frederick Rotenberg, Preview Social Member
Spouse: Lori Rotenberg
Occupation: Retired Judge / Assigned Judge
Proposer: Chris Westhoff
EdwardSongaila PreviewSocialMemberAwaitingJunior
Spouse: SidneyHoward
Occupation: Sales,ClearScaleCloudComputing Services
Proposer: DerekPatao
Thomas Megale, Preview Social Member
Spouse: Sarah Lyding Megale
Occupation: IT Director, Center Theatre Group
Proposer: Paul Locker
Course Update
Kurt Desiderio, Golf Course Superintendent
The weather patterns this time of year can be extremely hard on the turf One day we can have temperatures in the 70’s, and the next day temperatures are in the 90 ’ s Just as it is hard for our bodies to adjust to the changes, so is it also for the turfgrass Damage from elevated temperatures shows up a few days later as the turf turns yellow and thins out. Bermudagrass will recover, but the poa annua that we have in the green surrounds will not until the next fall of the year. In most areas of our course, we have enough bermudagrass populations that the majority of the areas will recover slowly during the summer months. A golf course is always changing. Be aware of that and please adjust your games accordingly.
At this time, I would like to acknowledge our greens staff The crew has done an awesome job maintaining our golf course to an elevated level each and every day It takes a team effort to accomplish what we do Our assistant superintendent Jordan does an outstanding job organizing our staff and making sure that our priorities are met daily Ricardo is our crew foreman, and he is responsible for helping Jordan with the staff We have a couple of great mechanics: Keith and Felipe run a very efficient shop and without their arduous work and dedication it would be impossible to condition this golf course at a level acceptable to our Members Without dependable and properly adjusted equipment, the golf course would be unplayable
Our irrigation staff of Guillermo and Tomas are responsible for maintaining a multimillion dollar in-ground irrigation system with miles of pipe, valves, sprinklers, and wire Our control system was state-of-the-art in 2007 and takes some experience to troubleshoot issues These guys are fantastic and have been dedicated to making Oakmont the best it can be Believe me, to maintain healthy turf takes daily adjustments to the irrigation system to maximize the use of our most valuable daily resource. We use recycled water here at the Club. This water costs less than potable, but even so still runs us close to $500K per year. Without proper maintenance, this number would be much higher, and the course would not be in as good condition.
Every member of our greenkeeping staff is highly trained and then given the responsibility of operating expensive equipment (some pieces costing over $100k each) in a safe and efficient manner These guys are the backbone of why you have high quality golf conditions to enjoy throughout the year They work extremely hard, in all types of weather conditions, to achieve this quality product They are a proud group and show up every day to make the course better Mario, Chico, Juan, Salvador, Guillermo Sr , Guillermo Jr , Jonathan, Ramiro, Henry, Dionicio, Rafael, Carlo, Nicolas, John, Fermin, Felix, and Porfirio, all continue to amaze me How you all can accomplish so much in a day with as much play as we must work around is truly something extraordinary Hats off to all of you! It has been a pleasure to work with you
Please do your part as Members of this fine Club to help our staff By repairing ball marks on greens, filling divots in fairways, and placing your trash into the proper receptacles, we can all help to leave the course better than we found it We hope to see you soon around the Club
Oakmont Rule of the Month
Robert Farkas, Rules of Golf Committee
The Rulings
The 2022 Oakmont Oak Tree Classic was a classic, with a classic championship finish I wanted to let you in on the championship from my perspective as a rules official We will examine: ball at rest moved by player, using equipment in an unusual way, boundary objects, foursomes, marking your ball, the stymie rule, provisional ball, penalty area relief, protection of young trees, and prohibited actions in a bunker. Shall we begin?
Player accidentally moves his ball on the putting green: In trying to address the ball, a player accidentally touched his ball with the putter-head and moved his ball two inches closer to the hole Do we have a penalty?
The quick answer is no. In the 2019 Rules Modernization Act, there is no penalty if the player accidentally moves his ball on the putting green. The player must replace his ball on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated). Rule 13.1d(1).
Please note that if the player fails to replace his ball on its original spot, he would have played from a wrong place and would incur the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play)
Player steps on the face of his sand wedge in order to estimate the trajectory of his upcoming wedge shot: The general rule is that a player may not use equipment (including a club) in an abnormal way in making a stroke. Abnormal way means a way that is fundamentally different than its intended use and is not normally recognized as part of playing the game. Rule 4.3a, second bullet point.
For this ruling I chose the option to “phone a friend ” Fortunately, I have a number of friends who are SCGA, USGA, and PGA rules officials, and I reached Ryan Slater Ryan assured me that standing on the face of a wedge to estimate trajectory is a time-honored use of equipment, and Ryan had seen Justin Rose do that very thing The ruling: the wedge was not used in an abnormal way in making a stroke
Player’s ball is right next to the boundary fence on #1: Easy peasy We had no issues with a sprinkler head or concrete cart path interfering with a left-handed stroke, which might be reasonable under the circumstances. The rule is that a boundary object is not an obstruction hence, no free relief (Definitions). All the player may do is avail himself of one of the three relief provisions under the unplayable ball rule (stroke-and distance; back-on-the-line relief; or lateral-relief)
Oakmont Rule of the Month...
Player “whiffs” at the ball Who is next to play?: The first three holes of the derby (horse race) were conducted at alternate shot by partners (more formally known as “foursomes” under the Rules of Golf)
A “whiff” is a stroke, so that the next shot must be played by the partner Similarly, if a player hits a shot which may be lost or out of bounds, the provisional ball must be played by the partner (penalty strokes do not figure into the calculation of who is to play the next stroke)
Player rotates his ball on putting green while the putter-head is on the ground in the vicinity of his ball: I’ll admit that I did not see this incident, but I was advised by a fellow-competitor that another player had lifted and rotated his ball to change its orientation on the ground, all the while having not marked with a coin or other ball-marker, but the player in question did leave his putter-head on the ground in the vicinity of the ball
Marking a ball is done to show the spot where a ball is at rest by either a) placing a ball-marker right behind or right next to the ball, or b) holding a club on the ground right behind or right next to the ball (Definitions)
The ruling was to take no rules action under the assumption that the player had effectively marked his ball by holding his club on the ground right next to the ball.
The “Stymie Rule”: Director of Golf Jonathan Goglia brought back the stymie rule in the play of the 2022 Oak Tree Classic derby Sort of seemed fitting in this, our centennial year at Oakmont
Before 1938, a player could not require that an interfering ball be marked unless the two balls were within six inches of each other In 1938, the stymie rule was slightly modified in that a ball within six inches of the hole could be marked. In 1952, with the advent of the first joint publication of The Rules of Golf by the United States Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient, the stymie rule was removed. An interfering ball must be marked at the request of the player
Original ball may be lost, player plays a “provisional,” provisional is played to the green and the player does not want to find his original ball: The rule is that if an original ball is found, the provisional ball must be abandoned (Rule 18 3c(3)) The player may choose to not search for his original ball, but if the original ball is found by someone else, the player must identify his original ball, and if it is his original ball, the provisional is abandoned.
This incident not only occurred on the second playoff hole (15th hole) in the Oak Tree horse race, but also famously occurred in the playoff between Frank Lickliter and Phil Mickelson in the 2001 San Diego Open at Torrey Pines Both hit their tee shots on the third extra hole into the canyon Both played provisional balls, and Mickelson’s provisional split the fairway Mickelson did not want his original ball found, and asked spectators to quit looking for his ball Unfortunately for Phil, the spectators did not comply and one found
Oakmont Rule of the Month...
his ball. Mickelson had identified his original ball, then abandon his perfect provisional, and went back to the tee and played again (but Phil went on to win the tournament anyway).
Options for ball in a red, lateral penalty area: For the player who hits his shot into the barranca short of the green on #15 (or into any red, lateral penalty area), there are three relief options under the penalty area rule:
Stroke-and-distance 1
2
Lateral relief (two club-lengths from the spot where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area, no nearer the hole), or
3.
Back-on-the-line relief (drop into a relief area based on a reference line going straight back from the hole through the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area.
(Note: back-on-the-line relief is not on some imaginary line of flight backwards from where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area towards the point where the player played his stroke)
Protection of young trees: Head golf course superintendent Kurt Desiderio has asked the Rules of Golf Committee to protect our newly planted young trees and bushes, including the colorful bougainvillea To that end, we adopted a version of Model Local Rule E-10, under which our young, colorful, newly planted bougainvillea and the like are no-play zones, and mandatory free relief from such a tree or bush must be taken under Rule 16.1f. The superintendent, Director of Golf, and Committee rejected the idea of marking every one of those protected bushes with a blue flag or the like Deciding which among many bushes is a protected bush (without individually marking the bushes) isn’t easy; one might draw an analogy to the Supreme Court ruling where Justice Potter Stewart, in trying to define obscenity, declared “I know it when I see it ” Jacobellis v Ohio
Prohibited actions in a bunker: Before making a stroke at a ball in a bunker, a player must not touch sand in the bunker with a club in making the backswing for a stroke. The penalty for breach of Rule 12.2 is the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play).
Postscript: In an exciting tournament and horse race, David Katz and John Odell prevailed in an extra hole playoff over runners-up Michael Allan and Dennis Barbaro
Without Rules, you have Chaos
Oakmont Centennial Book Committee
Part of a series of articles in anticipation of the upcoming Oakmont Centennial Book CHEF PIERANGELO
By: Cathy McMullen
RAMPONI, EXECUTIVE CHEF
If ever there was a chef who exemplified the love of his work, his family as well as all things beautiful in life - - including food and wine - - it is our beloved Chef Pierangelo Ramponi!!
Pierangelo was raised on a farm in Armeno, Italy, a town of about 2000 people. His mother raised Pierangelo, his brother and sister, while his father was off working as a chef all over Northern Italy. The farm had chickens, goats, rabbits, lambs and thus the farm fed the family. He loved his mother’s polenta with rabbit, his favorite dish as a child.
The family was close-knit but at the age 14, it was time to go to work He tells the story of his mother packing a small suitcase, including a bar of soap, some detergent for washing his few clothes, a needle and thread for mending clothes, and sending him off to work at his first job in the Hotel Cristallo in Sestriere, Italy near the French border. There he worked with his father and felt as though the world was all his, free to learn and experience life. He earned $85 per month, kept $5 and sent the rest home to the family. His next assignment was in Switzerland at Campione Italia, followed by several jobs as hotel chef, each lasting about a year. He kept his roots in Armeno, returning every 6-7 months to visit his family
In 1978 he boarded a Princess cruise ship and worked as a chef for two years A chef friend from Armeno encouraged him to come to the United States and together they went to work at Epcot Center in Orlando Chef also worked jobs for Disney in Philadelphia and North Carolina His heart was in his homeland Feeling no real connection to the United States at that time, he returned to Armeno and enjoyed the simpler life in Italy After being at home for a time, a friend of his, Antonio Guberti, who was opening Far Niente Ristorante in Glendale, contacted Pierangelo to encourage another try in the States, this time coming to Glendale as Head Chef at Gennaro’s Ristorante on North Brand Blvd in Glendale Mr Gennaro Rosato offered a good salary, a place to live, generous vacation and a trip home to Italy each year At this time Chef met his wife Margaret whom he describes as “the love of my life ” Needless to say, Glendale has been home ever since Pierangelo worked for Gennaro from 1984 to 1998 Gennaro’s has long since closed but Chef still visits Gennaro who has retired to Avila Beach. He considers him like a second father.
Following several years at Gennaro’s, Pierangelo wanted to open his own restaurant, and thus La Butelle came to life. La Butelle means “birch tree” in English, so when asked the significance of the chosen name, Chef says that he’d planted birch trees around the farm in Armeno and thought it a fitting reminder of his homeland
Oakmont Centennial Book Committee
PIERANGELO RAMPONI
He also called the name a “mistake”! No one could pronounce it! Margaret became the hostess, bookkeeper and the “soul” of the restaurant Chef said she did it all while also mothering two boys aged 9 and 10 at the time His restaurant became well known to local residents as well as movie people who lived in the area He served Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, and had a special visit from Francis Ford Coppola He says every customer was like a “King ” He wanted each to have the best dining experience possible While he learned a lot and loved the experience, he realized that instead of being a restaurateur, he was best suited to be a chef He missed spending more time with his growing boys who were playing AYSO soccer, as well as enjoying life with Margaret He spent time checking the restaurant even on Sundays when it was closed Longtime Oakmont Member Alan Amitin came into La Butelle one afternoon and after a short interview told him he was wanted at Oakmont Country Club, starting as a Sous Chef. Oakmont’s General Manager at the time, Steve Hockett, asked Pierangelo to do one night of dinners so he put together an Italian Christmas theme for the time of year. Shortly thereafter he became Executive Chef, a title he’s held at Oakmont for the last 16 years.
When asked about some of his favorite experiences at Oakmont, he fondly recalls several wine dinners as well as the “Chef and Somm” events where he could be even more creative with ingredients He describes large events such as Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Easter Brunch as a “moving chess board ” Notebooks are kept on each event so history provides ordering adjustments for such items as beef, turkeys, lamb legs etc Curious as to how many eggs were ordered for Easter brunch, Chef responded, “250 dozen”!!! Cookies are a favorite and are baked fresh daily And yes, the Christmas cookies are rolled out and cut and decorated with loving care While the farm in Armeno has been sold, Chef and Margaret own a small home there now, rent out part of it to a family and return about once a year to vacation and enjoy the homeland When asked about his favorite foods and wines of Northern Italy, he says the good young red wines as well as Barolo and Barbaresco are excellent, and people eat well in the small trattorias for very reasonable prices Chef comments that the Northerners in the Piedmont region eat more polentas and risottos while Southerners enjoy more pasta dishes, but all the traditional dishes can be found in all of Italy He and Margaret have occasionally enjoyed dining out in Los Angeles restaurants He is friends with many chefs and gathers inspiration from them
Also known for his red Vespa, he says he loves riding it through the streets of Glendale. He often will take a detour on his way home through the roads of Verdugo Park admiring the beautiful trees in the park. He gets “ waves ” and “hellos” from some of the regular park goers. He tells of one Vespa disaster during his ownership of La Butelle when he’d ordered a box of live lobsters from this friend Antonio at Far Niente Somehow the box quietly slipped off the back of the Vespa and the lobsters were never to be seen again He chuckles wondering what folks thought of seeing a live lobster crawling on the streets and sidewalks of Glendale!
Oakmont Centennial Book Committee
PIERANGELO RAMPONI
Asked what provides new inspiration, he confers with his chef friends and pays attention to trends in magazines and travel information He works to calculate costs for new items and says in food there is always some loss that must be accounted for in the work
His one regret he was invited to the White House by President George W Bush who was honoring Italian Americans He says he was so focused on work that he didn’t think until years later that the experience was once in a lifetime The pandemic also caused him to have more leisure time than was his custom Regardless he relishes every day He gets up early – between 5:00 and 5:30 – has his coffee and enjoys reading He describes his morning as a true sense of peace and a perfect beginning to each day He’s read a lot of history, noting the Crusades as fascinating as well as biographies of the Pope. He loves feeding his brain with such reading.
He describes himself as a truly fortunate person. He feels blessed to come to work and he loves his work at Oakmont! He says he is so fortunate to have two sons who value the family unit, and both have good jobs. As a teenager older son Christopher worked as a busser and lifeguard at Oakmont. Kevin, the younger son, has worked here as a busser and waiter Christopher is now 30 and Kevin is 28 Pierangelo describes such love and pride to have had work that allowed him and Margaret to see the boys grow up and become responsible adults Chef does the cooking on his days off He’ll fix a scotch or in the summer, a gin and tonic, as he prepares the evening meal The family enjoys dinner as a unit - - talking about the many topics that concern us all these days It is this time that gives him such pride and love of each day!
Chef Pierangelo Ramponi truly embraces all that is good in this life! His love of preparing good food, his sense of humor, pride in his family, and love of Oakmont are his greatest joys He absolutely adores the Members at Oakmont and everything about the family-friendly atmosphere of the Club
Thank you, Chef, for sharing your life story that allows us even more insight on what an incredibly special person you are!!
OWGA Report
Mary Kilmer and EK Lee, Reporters
Our General Meeting was held May 3rd following a 9-hole step aside scramble tournament. The following teams received award money:
1st place: Jung Chang, Patty Barbaro, Debby Frank, and Maggie Van De Voorde
2nd place: Sharon Veeh, Sera Moon, Tori McCullough, and Molly Song
3rd place: E K Lee, Leslie Anderson, Debbie Gilmour, and Lauren Stubblefield
Congratulations to all who participated The meeting honored OWGA Past Presidents for their service to OWGA Below is a photo of those ladies in attendance at the brunch.
Molly Song was presented with the Presidents’ Cup trophy after winning the ladder match play tournament. The final match against Sharon Hillman took 21 holes to determine the winner, a hardfought match by both players.
Jonathan Goglia, Molly Song, Ed Kim
OWGA Past Presidents: Carolyn Stoeckly, Rose Falkenhagen, Sharon Veeh, Marilyn Shaw, Gloria Phillips, Joyce Malone, Sharon Hillman, Betty Kinsel, and Ginger Dennis
OWGA Report...
The final round of our 2022 OWGA Club Championship was completed on May 24th.
Congratulations to our first-time Champion, Christina Chong who shot 237 in 54-hole stroke play, and to our Overall Net Champion, Sharon Veeh who shot 127 in 36-hole Net stroke play
Additional “in the money ” winners include:
Championship Flight: 2nd – Angela Collins (239), 3rd – Linda Pearson (251)
Net Flight 1: 1st – E K Lee (144), 2nd – Jung Chang (147), 3rd – Joyce Malone (150)
Net Flight 2: 1st – Heather Dinger (146), 2nd – Debby Frank (150), 3rd – Lynn Kim (155)
Net Flight 3: 1st – Molly Song (148), 2nd – M E Knowles (159), 3rd – Tori McCullough (159)
We had beautiful weather all three days and thanks to Kurt and his team, a pristine golf course to play. Co-chairs Sera Moon and Leslie Anderson provided tee prizes and snacks on the first day. Thanks to Jonathan, Ed, and Alyssa for tournament management and scoring support.
We wrapped up the final round with champagne on the 18th hole and a delicious taco bar prepared by the Oakmont food and beverage team.
Christina Chong OWGA Club Champion
Sharon Veeh OWGA Net Champion
Team Play: Our Birdiettes team traveled to Victoria Country Club on May 5th and finished its final match at Glendora on May 10th Both clubs were very hospitable hosts and although the Birdiettes did not win, the matches were a great learning opportunity for our team and put us in position to compete strongly next year The team party concluded the season on May 16th. Thanks, Linda and Joyce, for being our fearless leaders
Monthly Results
Our Tuesday game-of-the-day results for the past 6 months were announced, with Sharon Veeh having the most points followed by Molly Song and Arlene Mitchell. Strong playing on Tuesdays can add up to winnings in golf shop credit.
The following players won the April awards. Each will receive $20 Golf Shop Credit
Low Gross:
Sharon Veeh - Red Tees/95
Sera Moon - Marcia Young Tees/95
Cathy Fuller - Green Tees/95
Low Net:
Candy Sorgani – Green Tees/69
IMPORTANTUPCOMING
Spring Fling - Member/Guest Tournament June 14th
Summer Sizzle Tournament June 28th
Open to all OWGA members
Lady Oaks Member/Guest tournament October 11th and 12th
Centennial Women’s Tournament September 20th
To sign up for Tuesday pairings or any OWGA event please send an e-mail to OWGA@Oakmontcc.com
Notes from thePro
Jonathan Goglia, Director of Golf
Practicing at the Short Game Area - Proper Etiquette
Please remember the below tips to help keep our short game area in pristine condition:
Avoid taking large divots in the fairway areas, especially near the putting greens (see the below 1. pictures).
If a divot is taken, please kick in the divot and fill with sand a
2 Clean up after your practice session, leave the short game area better than when you found it
3 Fix your ball marks on the putting greens after hitting approach shots into the practice greens
Notes from the Pro ...
Congratulations to the following young golfers who qualified for CIF!
Division 2 Southern Section – Loyola High School
Dominic Payne
Division 3 Southern Section Champions – La Canada High School
Ian Ricci
Nolan Kuszyk
Cameron Hart
Hole in One
We had one hole-in-one in the month of May. Congratulations to Bob Tschudy, who made a hole-in-one on #5, from 150 yards, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022!
Advice from Logan
Logan Scott, Director of Instruction, PGA
Oakmont Member David Lipsky is having a solid 1st season on the PGA Tour, recently recording his highest finishes with a T4th at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, and a T6th at the Mexico Open David currently stands 75th in the Fed Ex Cup race, with three top 10 finishes and seven top 25 finishes on the season
David is an alumnus of La Canada High School and played his college golf at Northwestern before turning professional and racking up 2 wins on the Asian Tour, 2 wins on the European Tour, and 1 win last season on the Korn Ferry Tour. Make sure to wish David good luck when you see him as he continues his 1st season on the PGA Tour!
Oakmont PGA Junior League team is off to a hot start this season, starting with a tie vs Valencia, a win against The Oaks Club, and a big win at home against La Canada Country Club Team Oakmont currently sits atop the standings of the Pasadena League
E’s Merchandise News
Eriko Hirano, Golf Shop Manager
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Kris Hons for being the best shoppers in April You will receive an additional 10 % off on all apparel and demo day pricing on all hard goods in the month of June
Check out the section we ’ ve created for Lil’ golfers Golf shoes, headwear, polos, and outerwear pieces are available
Holderness and Bourne, Straight Down, Greyson Clothier, Melin Headwear & Yeti drinkware are scheduled to arrive this month just in time for Father’s Day gift ideas
Upcoming Demo Day:
Callaway – June 5th 10am to 2pm
TaylorMade – June 15th 10am to 3pm
XXIO – June 26th 10am to 2pm
Here are the projects we have been working on in May:
Remodeled Director of Golf and 1st Assistant’s office
Put up the awning in the Splash Café
Installed cabinets in the Splash Café kitchen
Fixed admin A/C refrigerant and leak
Assisted with A/V for events
Set up for Bocce Tournament court
Conducted maintenance in the laundry area
Cleaned windows in the Men’s Card Room
Changed Roku for the Grill TV
Fixed showerhead in the pool area
On the Job with Jose
Jose Palma, Facilities Foreman
Performed maintenance to the Bistro water fountain
Unloaded the new dining room chairs
Removed tables and gave away old banquet chairs
Fixed compressor in the Golf Shop
Fixed the water dispenser in the Fitness Center
Installed new TV screen on Fitness Center bike
Installed new phone line in the Golf Shop
Pool News
Chuck Wolcott, Pool Manager
JUNE POOL NEWS
The end of school marks the beginning of another promise of a fun-filled summer at the pool Whether it is lounging by the pool, taking a cooling dip in the water, enjoying a relaxing lunch at the Splash Café, or participating in one of the many planned activities…the Oakmont Pool is THE place to be!
SUMMER AQUATICS PROGRAMS!
Swimming Lessons: Swim lessons for all ages and abilities are offered by our Red Cross Certified Instructors We also offer Advance Stroke classes for the competitive swimmer Email Kelsey at Pool@oakmontcc.com or call the pool office @ 818-542-4289 during business hours to schedule your swimmer’s lessons.
Aqua Aerobics: Wednesday and Sunday from 10:00am to 10:40am
Swim Team: Come be part of the Oakmonsters swim team! Children and grandchildren, ages 4 -17, are invited to come out and be part of the team Workouts begin at 4:30pm, Tuesday - Friday with swim meets held on Saturdays The swim team will kick off the season with an intrasquad meet on June 3rd The traditional Crest League Relay Meet will officially kick the season off June 11th at Altadena Town and Country Club.
Register at http://www.oakmontcc.com/group/pages/register-here
The proposed schedule is below, but there may be minor adjustments to the dates based on the individual club
June 3 OCC 2022 Kick-Off Intrasquad Meet
June 11 Relay Meet @ ATCC
June 18 Tri Meet @ Oakmont vs La Canada & Valley Hunt
June 25 Oakmont @ Valley Hunt
July 9 Tri Meet @ Oakmont vs Gerrish & La Canada
July 16 Oakmont @ Altadena
July 23 Crest League Finals @ Rose Bowl Aquatic Center
August 20 Swim Team Banquet 6:00pm
For questions regarding the swim team, please email Coach Jan at Coachsakonju@gmail com or leave a message on the pool phone The Pool Office number is 818-542-4289
JUNE POOL HOURS
Please continue to use the reservation system to ensure a spot at the pool! If you are unable to reserve a spot, walk-ins are welcome and have access to the swimming pool, locker room, and Splash Café, but with limits to lounge chair availability
Monday: Closed – Available for private parties only
Tuesday - Thursday: RSVP 11:00am – 1:50pm or 2:00pm – 4:30pm
Open seating during swim team practice from 4:30pm to 7:00pm
Friday, Saturday & Sunday: RSVP 11:00 – 3:20 or RSVP 3:30 – 8:00pm
Beginning May 30th, the Splash Café hours will mirror the pool hours Last call will be 30 minutes before pool closure
Please remember the following when coming to the pool:
CHECK-IN each time you come to the pool (even if no guest towels are needed)
Please review the pool rules for everyone’s safety (OCC website, Rules & Regs, Section IV)
No “VOCAL” CELL PHONE USE on the Pool Deck
When eating on a lounge, please place a towel between the food and lounge pad
When you leave the pool, please CLEAN UP and DROP Towels in towel bin
June June
Oakmont Country Club
3100 Country Club Drive
Glendale, California 91208
Telephone: (818) 542-4260
www oakmontcc com
General Manager
Craig S Cliver, PGA
Assistant General Manager/
Food and Beverage Director
Sean Van Straatum
Executive Administrative Assistant
Pam White
Golf Course Superintendent
Kurt Desiderio
First Assistant Superintendent
Jordan Foy
Membership Manager
Lisa Dupuy
Human Resources Manager
Nathaly Fuentes
Executive Chef
Pierangelo Ramponi
Director of Catering
Diana Stern
Dining Room Manager/Maitre D'
Fredy Diaz
Food & Beverage Manager
Catherine Gallegos
Beverage Manager
Duke McCaffrey
Front Desk
Beverly Miller
Cynthia Mendoza
Logan Scott, PGA
Assistant Golf Professional
Alyssa Hawkins, LPGA
Locker Room Manager
Luis Herrera
Controller
Elizabeth Drumlake
Senior Accountant/Office Manager
Maria Cortes
Accounts Payable
Monica Villar
Staff Accountant
Veronica Grosso
Director of Maintenance
Jose Palma
Pool Manager
Chuck Wolcott
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Bandini
Jack Hudes
Beer
Mike Schwalbach
Board Development & Nominating Committee
Sunder Ramani
Keith Morris
Co-Chairs
Communications/Marketing/ Technology
Jay Kim
Finance
Mark Forbes
Golf
Mark Anderson
Green
Keith Morris
Handicap
Robert Farkas
House
Dan Farwell
Centennial Committee
Sunder Ramani
Inspector
Don DZurilla
Insurance
Steve Wilder
Legal/HR
Chris Gonzalez
Valerie Nelson
Membership
John Odell
OWGA
Mary Ellen Knowles
Rules
Robert Farkas
Scholarship Committee
Jim Burk
Seniors
Ron Bossi
Tournament Hospitality
Sue Beatty
Pool Committee
Jim Kinsel
Wine
Greg Korn
Oak Tree Classic
Jay Chase
Pirates & Bandits
John Odell
Long Range Planning
Jim Burk