REHOBOTH BEACH COUNTRY CLUB
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SHARON
President
JOHN
Vice
ED
Secretary, Golf Chair
JOHN
Treasurer, Finance Chair
GERRY
Executive At Large, Racquets Chair
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ANDREW
DANIEL
Long Range Planning Chair
DANIEL
Membership Chair
JAMES A. HORTY, III House Chair
JOE KIRCHNER Buildings Chair
KAREN
MIKE
Greens Chair
WILLIAM
Assistant
Beverages
Champions and Final Racquets Events
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
As I am writing this letter at the end of August and our Board year, we are preparing for the Annual Membership Meeting. Many thoughts come to mind about all that has transpired this last year at RBCC. Interest in becoming a Member at RBCC continues to grow with a long wait list for golf memberships. And for good reason! At the Club’s recent New Member Cocktail Reception by the pool, I had the pleasure of meeting many new Members who were all thrilled to have joined RBCC.They talked about the beautiful amenities from our Summer Youth Camps, dining, sports/wellness programs, special events and, of course, the fabulous view of Rehoboth Bay. They all, also, expressed how warm, welcoming, and professional the staff is and how friendly, kind and engaging Members have been to them. It was a wonderful night, leaving me with a feeling of excitement and confidence about our future stewardship at RBCC.
In completing this year as your President, I am filled with gratitude to the many people who have contributed so much to the continued growth and success of the Club. Your Board has worked tirelessly, collaboratively and diligently in many initiatives that are creating positive change in the Club and I am extremely grateful for their support and tireless commitment of time and talent. Our most successful initiative this year, as you may be aware, was the passage of Capital Dues. I want to give a special shout-out and thank you to Ad Hoc Committee volunteers Nancy Freebery and Jim Zambito who put in hundreds of hours of work, along with Board Members John McCooey, John Caruso, Dan Coar and Andrew Metz, as well as our GM/COO, “C”, and Membership and Communications Director, Bethany Ackerman, to see it to a successful completion. We deeply appreciate all your help and, also, for the backing of the membership!
We have two Board Members who will be going off the BOG after six years of service – Joe Kirchner and Gerry Desmond. Joe served in many capacities in Board leadership but probably none as important as using his technical expertise in overseeing the renovation of the Clubhouse during COVID and in following years.
We couldn’t have done it without him! Gerry has chaired several Committees before becoming President for the two previous years, and I appreciate the great support, guidance, and good humor he has shared with me since I took over Both their stewardship and leadership have been instrumental in helping to steer the Board in a positive direction. Thank you, Joe and Gerry!
The Board is also incredibly grateful to the over 100 Members who served on Committees, giving their time, talents, and expertise to bring out RBCC’s best. These Committees are the heartbeat of the Club and help us to operate at the very highest level. I would encourage you to read the “2023-2024 Annual Committee Reports” sent out on August 24 which recognizes many of these Members and the accomplishments made. One thing you will see is that there has been expediential growth in our racquet’s program, with Regular Members surpassing Social Members in usage. The Board voted on the expansion of the tennis courts and creation of the pickle ball courts in 2021. It was big undertaking and was overseen by “project manager” and prior Board Member Tom Enzler, who used his professional skills and knowledge, as well as countless hours, to see it to successful completion. A special recognition and thank you to Tom for his work to bring the racquet’s program to a new level, as well as for using these same abilities during the Clubhouse renovation.
I know we are all grateful to the amazing Talon Tribe who continue to work so hard to bring us our “must-have” membership experience. Remember that we only see about 40% of our staff and those 60% behind the scenes are just as important to us! I continue to hear from Members how much they love getting to know the staff and how they feel so genuinely cared about by them, much like family. This is a credit to our management—C, Spaska, and all the managers—in their recruitment, training, ongoing supervision, and backing of these wonderful people who look after us when we are at RBCC.
Sharon Covington Board President
In recognition of our Talon Tribe and reflecting RBCC core values of Stewardship, Caring, Community and Vision, the Board instituted this year the 1925 Eagle Foundation. This Foundation, which operates independent of the Board, was formed to provide Members a way to give tax-exempt charitable donations that support our Tribe in times of need, for their educational/training pursuits, recognition at Holiday time, as well as Art for the Clubhouse and support of other charities in our community. We had a great kick-off party this month to present the Foundation’s mission and are now seeking additional Trustees to join our initial Board in growing the future of the Foundation. A special thank you to Spaska for assisting in getting the Foundation off the ground. Please click here if you’re interested in serving as a Trustee.
Lastly, I want to put another plug in to join my husband, Barry, and me on Saturday, September 14 for a fabulous evening of entertainment with The Pianist with the Hair, Julian Gargiulo, one of the funniest and most talent people we’ve seen. After his appearance at RBCC, he is off to Australia to perform at the Sydney Opera House so you don’t want to miss this opportunity to see him in person!
Carpiu "C" Chereches GM/COO
GENERAL MANAGER’S UPDATE
their 2024 experience as a RBCC employee was, so we sent an Employee Survey. We had 102 employees take the Employee Survey which told us what worked well and what still needs to be done to be the employer of choice for the most talented staff around.
(but apparently over 1,229 YEARS), our Club is still paving the road for its future generations of Members in this 99th year and the changes will continue next year during the Centennial.
C's Poem of the Month
"By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer’s best of weather And autumn’s best of cheer" - Helen Hunt Jackson,September
After another incredibly animated season, with camps for the young ones spread throughout the summer to very well-attended Member events across all amenities, Labor Day is finally here to signal the change in gears. For everyone else, September might be the month of the Equinox and the perfect balance, but for us, it’s the month of the biggest transitions… everywhere.
School starts and it takes away some of the hard-working seasonal staff, from the local schools to the international J-1 students; Florida clubs and El Salvador are calling one by one all the H2B professionals back to their winter homes; the year-round staff is preparing for the wedding season, the aerification on our golf course and hoping to see you take part in our many fall events. Before they left, we wanted to find out how
Also, in September we’ll do the same thing for the Members by sending out the survey that gives us the feedback after your experience in every amenity of the Club. That input will be crucial, as the Board and the Management Team still have many initiatives to work on, as the Strategic Plan keeps evolving and involving the entire Club community. The Capital Dues initiative that just passed was probably the most important achievement to date, with the biggest impact on the Club’s future. This was a success only because of your understanding of the Club’s needs and the commitment you made as stewards of RBCC.
Ranking and prioritizing the next initiatives that need to be tackled will be a hard task, but that’s where you come in to help the Board and Talon Tribe by joining the new committees, participating in the upcoming focus groups and town hall type meetings, the Coffee with C sessions, and by reaching out to the Club Leadership. We’ve accomplished a lot by opening these channels of communication, listening to you, and by answering your very good and sometimes tough questions. Not all conversations were easy, but they were all sincere and hopefully we proved, and continue to prove that everyone’s intention is to make sure that we offer a desirable membership experience and balance that with the everincreasing cost associated with it. That balance is as elusive and rare as the Equinox, but it exists. If we work together towards the same goal and we trust and support each other along the quest, I’m hopeful that we can make it.
Sustainable change is hard and most times slow, and often it is being received with mixed feelings. Just like Rome wasn’t built overnight
Before wrapping up, I just want to mention the changes in some of the hours of operations with transitioning into September, as well as some work being done on the golf course after next week’s aerification. Starting on Monday, September 2, the Clubhouse will be closed for dinner service on Mondays. However, it will remain open on Mondays for a la carte lunch. Alan and his team will work on repairing the 18-hole fairway after the damage suffered during the heavy rainfall of over 11 inches in two days. Pat will communicate how that will affect the play and when.
I want to sincerely thank everyone for another memorable summer and unparalleled support! Now let’s all enjoy a fall with less highway traffic and great weather at the Club we all love to say we’re a part of.
See you soon and see you often.
TALON TRIBE UPDATE
This picture is the absolute definition of the Talon Tribe’s core value of Tribework: we collaborate with one another and strive to operate in unity. We know that our sum is greater than our parts and we are all valuable to the Talon Tribe’s success. We take initiative and put in extra effort to ensure that we are successful together.
To make this picture happen the entire Tribe contributed. Each department had a hand in the success. Gathering staff sizes, ordering shirts, coordinating a time of day that we could gather, spelling out the words TRIBE on the 19th hole (a task much hard than it looks, ask
Alan, Tony and Kevin!), booking the ice cream truck for an after-picture treat, and flying a drone overhead to capture the moment(s) because, yes, we had to take the same picture three times to get all of the staff in it. Phew!
But look at how wonderful it turned out. Each time I look at this picture I think about how blessed I am to be a part of this group of individuals who work each day to make the Club special in your hearts.
Bethany Ackerman Membership & Communications Director
MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS
As we wind down from the heat of the summer season, a few topics come to mind: Membership Survey, Membership Categories and usage, Member Communications, and the Family Registry and Member’s Handbook. So, I will quickly cover each of these topics and what you can expect.
Annual Membership Survey
The Club will send the Membership Survey in early September. We encourage ALL MEMBERS to participate in the survey! This survey acts as a guiding light for the Talon Tribe as well as the Board in making both strategic and operational decisions for the future of the Club. Once the survey is completed, an analysis of the answers will be shared with the membership.
Membership Categories
Some membership changes happen automatically due to the age of a Member or the amount of years of membership such as a Legacy 21-34 Member aging out becoming a full Regular Member. However, there are other ways that membership changes can take place, one of which is a downgrade request.
Currently, the Club offers two categories of membership to prospective members, Social and Regular. However, since we are on a regular membership waiting list, a prospective member has to apply for a social membership and be accepted before moving to the waiting list. While RBCC offers these two membership categories to prospective members, there is an additional membership category a current RBCC Member can downgrade their account to if desired. This down gradable category is called "Clubhouse." A Regular Member has the option to downgrade their account to Social or Clubhouse status and a Social Member can downgrade their account to Clubhouse. A Member may choose to downgrade their account due to playing less golf rounds in which a Social membership (receiving six rounds per year, per Member) would make more sense than paying Regular membership monthly dues. Another instance would be someone that may only be using the Clubhouse dining options and not the additional amenities such as racquets, fitness and pool may consider the Clubhouse membership.
In order to downgrade an account, a Member change of status form must be submitted to the Membership office. This form can be obtained by emailing Mary Veenema, Member Services Specialist. Membership changes are processed each month at the end of the month. For any questions regarding your membership, changing your membership status or downgrading your membership account, call (302) 227-3811 ext. 237 or email Mary.
Member Communications
The easiest and quickest form of communication between Members and the Club is through email. While the Club has an outstanding email open rate of 75%, the membership and communications department would love to send more targeted emails to you regarding what you
want to receive! In order to do so, the Club asks that you subscribe to the groups that interest you via the Club website. To do so follow these steps:
Visit wwww.rehobothbeachcc.com and log in to your Member account.
Under the Member Central tab visit “My Email Subscriptions.”
Indicate your email associated with your Club account, keep the email format at Rich Text/HTML and then select which groups you’d like to join.
Click submit!
By doing these simple four steps the Club will be able to send you content that you are specifically looking for all while still receiving the Monday email, Eagle Tracks, Eagle Point or any pertinent communications.
Family Registry and Member’s Handbook
In October, the Club will be sending the Family Registry and Handbook forms for the 2025 season and 2025 Member’s Handbook. Be on the lookout for more information on this annual process. We do ask that you make sure we have the most updated contact information for your membership.
Membership Report
WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS
Please join us all in welcoming and celebrating the newest members of RBCC.
Jonathan & Jennifer Murray
&
MEMBERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
The following individuals are being considered for membership in Rehoboth Beach Country Club. Any communication concerning these nominations should be directed to the Chairperson of the Membership Committee or the Membership Director. Information shared will be considered confidential and will be protected.
Posting for a Social Membership: Susan Woolworth of Lewes, DE Sponsor: Chris Powell
Christopher and Kelly Blackwell of Wilmington, DE and Lewes, DE Sponsor: Pina Hampson
Richard and Susan Sokolov of Canfield, OH and Rehoboth Beach, DE Sponsor: Chris Weilminster
Jennifer and Kenny Qiu of Lutherville, MD and Bethany Beach, DE of Sponsor: Membership Committee
Kathleen
Stephen Griggs
Spaska Ivanov Assistant GM/ Director of Operations
ASSISTANT GM CLUB UPDATES
uniting our resources and passions to make meaningful impact, and leaving legacy of generosity and care for the future of the Talon Tribe and the community. APPLY HERE!
What a busy time of year here at RBCC! On Friday, August 16, I moved around from the Art and Theatre Camp’s theatre show to the Pool Party and Tie Dye Water War and checked in on the 1925 Eagle Foundation Cocktail Reception. With families trying to soak up the end of summer, school starting and all that is happening at the Club, I wanted to remind you of a few things.
First, I would like to thank everyone who has participated in the Club events this year including the introductory cocktail reception for the 1925 Eagle Foundation. Your presence made the evening truly special, and I am thrilled with the enthusiasm and support you showed for this exciting new initiative at Rehoboth Beach Country Club.
The Foundation Board is looking for up to three (3) more Club Members to serve as Foundation Trustees, one of which must be a former BOG Member. We are looking for Regular or Social Members in good standing, with experience in charitable fundraising and nonprofit board participation, and who are passionate about supporting our Talon Tribe, helping the community and the Foundation’s mission. If you are interested, please fill out an application and submit a letter of interest by September 6. Being part of the 1925 Eagle Foundation is important because it allows us to come together as a community,
Second, I mentioned in my August newsletter the importance in joining an RBCC Committee and I want to stress this again this month. The application to apply for a RBCC Committee was sent on August 10 to the membership. Committee applications will continue to be accepted until September 6. If you would like to fill out a physical copy, please see Tressa Dutton at the Concierge's desk or email her at office@rehobothbeachcc.com. You may mail in or drop off a physical form at 221 West Side Drive Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. APPLY HERE!
Lastly, EA Photography, one of the largest executive and family portrait studios in the country, in partnership with RBCC, is hosting a Member Recognition Program. This program is to help the Club gather all headshots of the Club’s Members to associate with your internal membership profile. Scheduling an appointment to be photographed as an individual or family is complimentary to the membership. Members may purchase photographs following their photoshoot if desired. Photographs will only be used for internal Member recognition for the Talon Tribe and won’t be used for the Centennial book and/or Member’s Handbook. You may also submit an updated headshot to Mary Veenema, Member Services Specialist at memberservices@rehobothbeachcc.com. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with EA Photography CLICK HERE For questions, contact EA Photography at MyClub@eaclubs.com or call 800-653-5766.
I hope to see you around the Club!
Joe & Gina’s Italian Wedding
Farm TableSundowner Dinner
Jerry Schreck Food & Beverage Director
ALL THINGS FOOD & BEVERAGE
On Saturday, September 14, we will host a concert with pianist and composer Julian Gargiulo for a night of music and dining in the ballroom. The following Friday, the 20, the much-anticipated Opera Wine Dinner will be held with an Italian inspired menu with pairings. Previously these evenings that featured dinner and a show were great and these will be no exception.
The summer season flew by for us as an F&B team.There was so much happening at once with camps, cookouts, special events, Trivia Nights, Men’s Days, Ladies’ Day and tons of regular a la carte dining. We hope that you enjoyed everything you experienced when you could be at the Club.
The season is far from over as September is full of new events and we will continue the weekly favorites. Member Nights will continue Tuesdays with Chef Carolyn’s great dishes and the $25.19 three course menus. Trivia nights have been spectacular as Chef Carolyn has featured themed buffets from around the world. Many Members have said that the food was authentic and delicious. Trivia will run through Wednesdays in September with the last Trivia Night on Wednesday, September 25.
To start the month, please join us for the last cookout of the season with the Labor Day Cookout on Sunday the 1st. There will be music, kid’s activities, roast whole pigs, crab cakes and plenty entrée and fresh salad options. Bryan Clark joins us in the 1925 Dining Room on Friday, September 6 with Prime Rib Night following on Saturday, the 7th.
We will host Lobster Night on Saturday, September 21. We will need all lobster reservations in by Thursday (9/19) of that week. Also, that evening, we will have a Pate and Wine tasting for $20 per person in the Eagles Nest from 4pm to 6pm. So come early for some house made pate and a glass of wine then stay and have a lobster dinner.
Lastly, with Twilight Golf moving to Sunday, we will only be open for lunch on Mondays. Ala carte lunch will be available during regular hours of 11am-3pm. Come and join us for any or all these great events in September.
See you around the Club!
WINE, SPIRITS & BEVERAGES
Cosi's Wines of the Month
Diatom Chardonnay, Santa Barbara CA 2022 $12/40
Offers aromas of lemon, citrus blossom and wet sand with flavors of saline and white peach on the palate. A precise, balanced wine.
Fidelity Zinfandel, Alexander Valley, CA 2022
$ 14/50
Deep dark purple in color with abundant aromas of dark, wild berries and warm spicy notes of cola and clove. Full-bodied and rich, this is a classic Zinfandel offeing up deep, complex flavors of blueberry pie, wild blackberry preserves and lastly, vanilla on the palate. This lush wine finishes with a velvety mouth feel
Wine Club Programming
Cosi Dalalau F&B Manager
Cocktail of the Month: Autumn Moon
Gina Raimondo Food & Beverage Manager
FOOD & BEVERAGE UPDATES
Additionally, as we continue to manage high demand, we want to emphasize the importance of honoring your dining room reservations. The 1925 Lounge, Bayside Grill and both outdoor Patios are reserved spaces, and when Members move from the dining areas to the bar area after reserving a table, it can create challenges for other Members who are waiting for reservations. The Eagles Nest operates on a first come first serve basis, and we want to make sure that everyone has a fair opportunity to enjoy their time with us. By honoring your reservation, you can help us serve all Members more efficiently and fairly.
As the warm days of summer begin to wind down, we look back on what has been an incredibly successful season. The Talon Tribe has worked tirelessly to ensure that every moment spent here at the Club was as enjoyable and memorable as possible. We’re especially grateful for the hard work and dedication of the entire staff, who have gone above and beyond to make this summer one of the best ones yet. As we say goodbye to our seasonal team members, we extend our deepest thanks for their contributions, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
While the summer may be coming to an end, our work is far from over. Our year-round team remains committed to providing you with the highest level of service, and we are as busy as ever. With that in mind, we would like to remind all the Members of a few important policies to help us continue delivering a great experience for everyone.
Firstly, we kindly ask that all Members adhere to our dress code policy. Which can be found in the Member Handbook as well as the Rehoboth Beach Country Club Website. This ensures that our environment remains respectful and enjoyable for everyone. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining these standards.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we navigate the busy days ahead. We are excited to continue serving you as we transition into the next season.
COFFEE WITH C BOARD UPDATE
Want to understand the key highlights from the Board meetings?
Don’t miss the Monthly Board Update which is sent via email the following Tuesday after a Board Meeting. Missed the email? That’s okay, it is also posted on the Members’ website. You can view all Board Updates by visiting “Club News” & “Board of Directors Updates.”
Pat Mastrian, PGA Director of Golf
GOLF DEPARTMENT UPDATE
men’s Ryder Cup event. The weekly events are still ongoing although slowing down as we hit the fall. We encourage everyone to continue playing and enjoying all events throughout the season.
As I sit and write this article we are seeing unseasonably cool weather. I cannot remember the last time I had a pullover on in August! Nonetheless, I am sure we will see some hot summer weather return, but it does create excitement for fall at RBCC.
As school begins in the coming weeks we want to highlight the junior golfers at the Club. We love seeing the junior golfers coming to the Club excited about the game of golf. Our job as PGA Golf Professionals is to grow the game. We do this by not only introducing the game to beginner adult golfers but also by creating excitement in the youth at the Club to play and enjoy the game. This doesn’t mean we want to see them out grinding on the driving range or playing 36 holes a day, but we want to see them at the Club having fun in all aspects, whether that is utilizing the new putting course behind hole #19, playing kick ball on the 19th lawn, or having fun in the camps and clinics. This is what will keep RBCC moving well into the future. We hope all the junior golfers have a fantastic school year and we can’t wait to see you all back next summer.
As we move into the month of September, our championship month is behind us, and we will soon be aerifying greens and getting the course ready for the fall season. The month of September brings many of our closing day events, our annual Champions Dinner, and our
The month of October sees us hosting our 4th Annual Member-Pro event. This event, although smaller in scale with the seasonality of the Club, packs a very fun itinerary that annually receives high regards among those participating. Members can invite a professional of their choice, either from RBCC or from another club, to compete in two days of tournament golf with fantastic food offerings. If you don’t know a professional just let us know and we can find one for you. If you have not played, we highly recommend this event!
We hope to see everyone throughout the fall season! As I stated earlier, fall is some of the best weather and times at the club. Come out to play the course, use the range, compete in the fall tournaments and leagues, or just simply to say hi to the staff. Have a fantastic month ahead!
OCTOBER 19-20
Volunteer Opportunities
The event has a total of 33 Hole Volunteer shifts to be filled. Each shift is 5 hours long. Two shifts are available on Saturday and one shift on Sunday morning. Primary duties will be to spot players golf balls on the course or helping to provide live scoring through use of a mobile device. Please register to volunteer through the RBCC tournament directory on the club website. The registration will be under the mixed events tab.
This year, a few schools have requested the potential for private housing. We are reaching out to the membership to help the teams that need private housing for cost purposes. This year, we have 3 teams that require private housing for the event. If you are willing, or able to house a team of 6 girls plus coaches please let a member of the golf staff know. We very much appreciate the support from the membership for this event and we look forward to seeing many of you out watching some great golf!
GREENS DEPARTMENT UPDATE
Just over a year ago I had one of the weirdest days in my life – the day I started at RBCC! That day was the first time I walked into my office and had no idea what to do! It was the middle of the season so it was not the time to try new things as it would potentially damage the turf. I had to learn what programs and processes were already in place so I would only make changes where needed and not just blow it all up for the sake of it. It took a few days to get to know everyone and settle in Having the Member Guest and the Men’s Club Championship over the following few weeks ensured that I quickly got up to speed and settled in. Now that I have come full circle with those events, I figured I’d reflect on the year it has been.
The Tribe has been amazing - as has the Membership of RBBC - in making me feel so welcome and making the transition so easy. I had no idea what to expect last July as I literally was jumping in the deep end. My goal was to just keep the conditions the same as they were until the weather reached the point where I could start to make some changes without risking turf loss. Tony was great at guiding me through what they had done in the past and reeled me in when I would get a bit overzealous! I quickly had a better understanding of the concerns brought up during the interview process and because I don’t have that much patience, I immediately started tackling some of the areas of improvement that I had identified. Working around the weather and what it would allow me to do, we slowly tightened up the mowing heights but more importantly we immediately upped the mowing frequencies – both of which had a marked effect on presentation and definition. We scalped down an intermediate cut around the tees to give them some semblance of definition, which improved the aesthetic immensely. The slightly lower heights of cut on the fairways helped take some of the grain out and we started brushing them in earnest in the fall, which really got them to stand up – improving the playing surface. We added grooming to this process in the spring and although we had to stop for the summer to not cause to much stress, we will continue again this fall. The fairways will continue to improve. We now roll the greens daily and the green speed has been consistently around 12ft every day. I still have a lot of plans for the greens surfaces but it will take time to train the turf, although we have seen great progress so far.
Not that it all went as planned, especially when Mother Nature plays her hand! My philosophy has always been to make the turf as hardy as possible so it can handle stress periods without having issues.
Plants need five things for life: light, air (movement), heat, food and water. Generally, any plant can survive even if one or two of these are not in abundance, however, having the right amount of each factor readily available is very important at times of stress. A plant that has adapted to its environment can handle times of stress much better as it has learned how to make the most of the available factors and not need the limiting ones as much. However, the other plants in the same area that are happy under normal conditions cannot take the stress. Since the Olympics has just finished it makes a great analogy: A champion triathlete would probably not be able to beat a champion cyclist, but they are able to compete at a very high level in multiple disciplines, and not just excelling at one. A perfect example is 15 green which last year started to have turf issues in early August. I noticed that it was shade related and noted the trees that were affecting it, so we removed them over the winter. While it still has some shade, it has much more light during the warmest part of the summer so the turf that survived last year took over and now the green overall is much better. As we dried things down more this year, we have added more stress to the greens and in turn, the less desirable strains of grass have stressed out. Most of those areas have fully recovered and now are much stronger, while in a few areas, where there was extra stress, they are recovering a little slower. We have been seeding them and a lot of it is coming in, so after aeration, these areas will be much stronger in the future. While we were able to fix some of the low areas around the course over the winter, there are still a lot of them so when we had 7.5” of rain, followed by another 4.5” a week later with high temperatures, the sitting water boiled (scalded) the turf. The only immediate solution is to remove the water (which we did as best as we could) but once there is any sitting it will do the damage. The long-term solution is to raise the areas so the water cannot sit and can flow to a drain. The plan is to try and address more of these this winter so there will be less instances of scald next year.
We completed several projects in-house, saving the Club money and time. The biggest undertaking was the rebuilding of 19 after the new bulkhead was installed. By doing it in-house we were able to tie some other projects in with it (such as removing the fairway bunker on 1 to use as fill on 19), killing two birds with the one stone and saving even more resources. The others varied in size but included: Squaring up the tees (and using old material to build
Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG Superintendent
a new set of tees on 11) - Removing the bulkhead on 6 - Removing all the hazardous trees in the surrounding tree lines – Bringing all the landscaping in-house to use more native plants to encourage wildlife (and replanted the trees along the range tee) – Finding a suitable turf and resodding the problem areas on fairways – Removing the aforementioned bunker on 1 and one on 17. We also added software to track labor, pesticide & fertilizer inventories and usage, and the USGAs GS3 ball. These items help understand better where we are using our resources and are a big help at budget time to understand the needs for the upcoming year.
And finally, especially as it is coming up - Aeration! The fall aeration is scheduled right after Labor Day. Over the last year I have been testing the physical characteristics of the greens rootzone to see how they are performing and to see how comparable they are to each other. The goal is for consistency – if one drains less than another or say has more organic matter, it means it will play softer than ones that are good, and therefore need different management practices to try and keep them consistent. The more consistent we can make the soil (and the turf as mentioned above) the easier it will be to maintain consistent healthy turf all season, not just on one hole but across the entire property.
Right now, the plan for aeration is similar to last fall and spring. We plan to use the same size tines as we did for those. These are slightly bigger cores than what was done prior to me - the larger hole makes it easier to add more sand into the profile. This will be followed by Dryject, topdress and then brush it all in. If all goes to plan, they should be fully back up to speed within a couple of weeks and provide excellent surfaces for the remainder of the season. Heres to my next full year at RBCC!
Club Champions
Ladies’Member Guest
Terri Gaskill
Racquets Director
RACQUET’S DEPARTMENT UPDATE
The Ladies’ Interclub season also came to a successful end with both the A and B Ladies’ teams boasting a winning season. Most importantly, we had a weekly opportunity to showcase our premier facility and highlight the end of play with fantastic food provided by the wonderful food and beverage team. We often hear from the visiting clubs just how much they enjoy coming to RBCC and how welcoming we are as hosts (the incredible cookies likely drive compliments��).
As we wind down another successful racquet’s season, I reflect on a jam-packed and fun-filled season with old friends and many new ones. It is incredible just how much we have grown over the past 9 years and particularly over the past couple since the beautiful renovation of the Racquet’s Facility. The increase in play and participation in clinics, lessons and events is both humbling and overwhelming. I want to thank each of you for your continued and growing support and look forward to continuing to exceed your expectations in both tennis and pickleball.
In August we crowned both our Men’s and Women’s Tennis Club Champions. In Ladies’ Tennis Kate and Emma Agnew faced fierce competition in taking home the Champions trophy. They overcame multiple tough matches to ultimately conquer Carolyn Ridgway and Haas Wallace in the finals. For the Men, it was equally challenging as Ray Kayal and Dave Shelton were victorious over Scott Provinse and Ben Hordell. Congratulations to both the participants and winners for a great day of competitive tennis!
We also saw the end of our Ladies’ Pickleball Points race competition where Ann Huffman ended the 6-week season with the highest number of points, followed closely behind by Diane Riggins! Congratulations to both for both playing well and consistently being a part of the pickleball social play experience.
We were also fortunate to have enjoyed several Liveball Happy Hours this season with the most recent being on August 14. Beautiful weather, strong turnout, competitive play, followed by great snacks and drinks, made this an event one to celebrate and enjoy. Please join us for the final Liveball Happy Hour on September 11.
Finally, the Season ending party will be held at the Clubhouse again this year. Please mark your calendar for Thursday, September 19 and join us to celebrate the end of an amazing tennis and pickleball season. We couldn’t enjoy the successes without you and we certainly can’t celebrate without you!
Doubles Championships
Racquet’s Champions
Colleen Beck Fitness Specialist
FITNESS UPDATES
me or the Concierge’s desk located in the lobby of the Clubhouse.
Fall is on its way, and I couldn’t be happier! Less humidity and bugs are certainly some of the things I look forward to this time of year. It’s also that time when the summer festivities calm down and we all prepare for the colder months ahead. With less distractions and more set routines, I think fall is one of the best times to begin a new exercise program! At the Club we offer a variety of classes and personal training year-round at our state-of-the-art Fitness Center. If you don’t know where to start or need more direction on what would be most suitable for your fitness level, contact me! Also don’t forget to take advantage of your complimentary 30-minute training session with me!
If you’re a regular RBCC gym-goer or looking to get started this month, look out for an email regarding the new app-based entrance system to enter the Fitness Center. Effective on Wednesday, August 21, this new system is designed to enhance security and improve your overall experience. Paxton 10, the new access system, uses an app and Bluetooth connection to unlock the Fitness Center door An email to download the app and input a unique code will be sent to all Members who have a registered email address with the Club. When you receive an email from “support@paxton10portal.com,” follow the prompts to download the app and gain access to the Fitness Center. If you need more assistance stop by the Fitness Center to see
Join our special guest yoga instructor Nicki Doane! Nicki Doane is a world-renowned yoga teacher who has been teaching for over 30 years. She lives on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii where she owns and directs the Maya Yoga Studio. She also actually plays a little golf! Join Nicki for a special yoga class for golfers at Rehoboth Beach Country Club. She will be teaching Yoga for Golfers on September 5 at 10:30am. This yoga class is designed to help golfers keep doing what they love for as long as possible. Golfers need flexibility in their spines to get that full range of motion with their swing. This class will teach you how to do that by lengthening your hamstrings and opening your shoulders, which are two things every golfer needs. There will also be some twisting postures to increase spinal flexibility and conscious breath work to stay focused and tension free. This class is accessible to everybody and anybody; all levels welcome.
T h e r a p i s t M a s s a g e
Vesna Josic Janicijevic Vesna brings 22 years of knowledge, understanding and passion to customize each session to the needs, goals and feedback of her clients.
Fitness Classes
BARRECLASS
Instructor: Lesslee Dolan
This is a hybrid workout class combining ballet-inspired moves with elements of Pilates, dance, yoga and strength training. You will start with warm up and when you move to the barre you will concentrate on the legs. The class will use resistance bands and light hand weights to make the classes tougher and help build lean muscle, and mats for targeted core work.
YOGACLASS
Instructor: Stephanie Sullivan
Hatha Yoga is the fundamental system of yoga that focuses on the pairing of poses or “asanas” with breathing techniques or “pranayama.” Hatha Yoga focuses on flowing the breath in static postures to be with them longer. Yogis can find accommodating practice, full of static postures, mindful breathwork and manageable pace - Making this practice feasible or attainable to all levels of yogis.
RESTORATIVE YOGA
Instructor: Emma Plowman
This class is gentle and suitable for all levels. This practice will be meditative, as we hold poses for a few minutes each and use props to provide the body and mind with the support it needs to settle into deep relaxation.
POWERSCULPT
Instructor: Colleen Beck
A dynamic strength workout using bodyweight and free weights to target the upper body, lower body and core.
BOOTYCAMP
Instructor: Colleen Beck
Shape & transform your legs and booty with a combination of bodyweight, bands and weighted exercises.
CIRCUITTRAINING
Instructor: Lesslee Dolan
Circuit training is a combination of 4-5 exercises performed with short rest periods between them for either a set number of repetitions or a prescribed amount of time. One circuit is when all of the chosen exercises have been completed. Each participant will go through a quick warm-up, then head into exercises that will target all the major muscle groups. The class with be 45 minutes in length. Music will be provided!
ABBLAST
Instructor: Colleen Beck
Shape & transform your legs and booty with a combination of bodyweight, bands and weighted exercises.
CHAIRAEROBICS
Instructor: Cindy Beaver
Chair aerobics is a vibrant fitness class designed for all ages and abilities. Participants gather around sturdy chairs, utilizing them as workout props. Seated or standing, the routines involve dynamic movements to boost cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles, and enhance flexibility. The chair provides support, making it ideal for those with limited mobility or joint issues. From seated leg lifts to arm circles, the exercises engage various muscle groups, promoting a full-body workout.
BALANCE&CORE
Instructor: Colleen Beck
Challenge your balance and work those abs using the well-rounded and fun Bosu Ball.
Erika Rubbico Camp Coordinator
YOUTH SUMMER ACTIVITIES
I can’t believe I am writing this, but that finished up our 2024 RBCC Summer Camp Season! It was a fun filled summer with many activities and games! There was golf, tennis, skimboarding, sailing, water slides, relay races, science, art, soccer, and many more! I think the favorites though were the pool, Gaga Ball, and of course...ice cream!
I wish all of the campers a great school year ahead and hope that they had as much fun as I did this summer at RBCC!
August Camps have come and gone. During Technology Camp week we learned how to film and edit a video as well as how drones work. The campers even got to fly drones, before they ended up in the trees �� While making their videos, the campers were able to interview members of the staff and learn about what they do and what they like about working at RBCC. They then put all those interviews together and created short video collages. We ended the week with two video gaming trucks!
In Music and Performing Camp, the campers practiced a short play called The Shoemaker and the Elves. At the end of the week they were able to perform the play for their families Three of these days, they were also introduced to ballroom dancing! �� ��
The last full week of camps of the season was RBCC Ninja Warrior Week! �� Campers participated in obstacle courses, learned martial arts by Sensei Gabby, played laser tag, and worked on fitness games with the Fitness Specialist, Colleen Beck. They definitely got their workouts in this week!
Lastly, the Youth Summer Camps wrapped up with a three-day Camp Extreme where they participated in skimboarding lessons with Alley Oop Skim and headed to Jungle Jims for the final day.
Youth SummerActivties
Nathan Barry Outside Services Manager
POOL UPDATE
we are very lucky to have such a diligent and passionate team that we know as the Talon Tribe. Without all the hard work put in by each Talon Tribe member, none of this amazing season would’ve been possible. With a lot of Tribe members heading back home to their families, to their University or College, or heading to a different state to work another busy season, I wish them all the best of luck in their next chapter, and I appreciate all you did for RBCC this season!
It’s getting close to that time of the year again, when all the leaves begin to shift in color and the nights are slowly getting cooler and cooler Summer flew by like a blink of an eye this year, just like that the kids are already headed back to school, and families are leaving and heading home for the fall and winter season. As we are inching closer to the fall season and we look back at the great summer we had, we also look at what we can improve on for next season. We accomplished a lot this season, with a new sound system on the pool deck, a new filtered water dispenser, a different kitchen concept putting out meals for the pool deck, and new tablets for the servers cocktailing the pool deck. With all that we accomplished this season, we are always looking for new concepts to help improve and build on the overall membership experience when at the pool.
After Labor Day, Lifeguards will be available for open Member swim on weekends (FridaySunday) throughout September. F&B service will be available at the pool deck on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) through September. Throughout the weekdays it will be Adult Swim (swim at your own risk) only. We are planning for our final day of the pool season to be September 27.
Coming down to the final month of the pool season, I look back at all the hard work the lifeguards & pool servers put in this season,
It was a very busy summer, and a lot of items were left behind at the pool this season. We have plenty of towels, toys, goggles, bathing suits, clothes, and much more, if you left anything at the pool this season, please don’t hesitate to ask the Lifeguards or me to see if we have any of your items in our lost and found collection. Thank you all for a great season! I am looking forward to seeing you inside the Clubhouse this fall & winter. As the summer fades away, let’s embrace the warm memories it leaves behind.
Until next summer!
Submitted PhotosMember
Cristina Brandaleone
Cristina Brandaleone
Julie Metz
Julie Metz
Julie Metz
Hannah Simeone
HOURS OF OPERATION
ADMINISTRATIVE
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8:30am to 4:30pm
FOOD & BEVERAGE
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY
Lunch: 11:30am to 3pm Closed for Dinner
TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
Lunch: 11:30am to 3pm
Bar Bites Menu: 3pm to 5:30pm Dinner: 5:30pm to 8pm
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Lunch: 11:30am to 3pm
Bar Bites Menu: 3pm to 5:30pm Dinner: 5:30pm to 9pm
SUNDAY
Lunch: 11:30am to 3pm
Bar Bites Menu: 3pm to 5:30pm Dinner: 5:30pm - 8pm
MONDAY - SUNDAY
Halfway House: 8am - 6pm
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
The Upper Deck: 11am - 7pm
FITNESS CENTER
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 5am to 11pm
GOLF SHOP
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY
Golf Shop: Opens at 7am to 6pm
Golf Course: Check ForeTees
Driving Range: 7am to dusk
TUESDAY
Golf Shop: Opens at 7am to 6pm
Golf Course: Check ForeTees
Driving Range: 11:30am to dusk
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Golf Shop: Opens at 6:30am to 6pm Golf Course: Check ForeTees Driving Range: 6:30am to 4pm
RACQUET FACILITY
HOURS OF OPERATION
Open at 8am every day weather pending.
POOL COMPLEX
HOURS OF OPERATION
Check the Club website for updated hours of operation
CLUB PHONE NUMBERS
Clubhouse: (302) 227-3811
Golf Shop: (302) 227-3616