LESLIE LUDLOW GENERAL
MANAGER/COO LESLIE@SAHALEE.COM
BRYAN NICHOLSON DIRECTOR OF GOLF
TYLER DION CHAMPIONSHIP
DAVID LAROCQUE - LONG RANGE PLANNING
JULIANNA KIRSCHENMAN - SOCIAL
ROB JESKE - MEN'S DIVISION
MARCIA MCAFEE - WOMEN'S DIVISION
VINCENT CUCINELLI DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES VINNY@SAHALEE.COM
LAURIE COLEMAN ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR LAURIE@SAHALEE.COM
SCOTT HEYDON - PRESIDENT
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 14
May 19
May 25
May 28
SOCIAL GOLF PUTTING CHAMPIONSHIP
May 29
For the last four months, the Board and leadership team have been working on a set of bylaws and policy changes to strengthen Sahalee’s membership. This inclusive process culminated in all four bylaw proposals being overwhelmingly approved by members. Each proposal received roughly 3 “For” votes for every 1 “Against” votes (75% to 25%). The Board and club leaders are excited about the membership’s enthusiastic support of these changes. Following the Special Meeting, the Board met to discuss and approve policy changes consistent with what was communicated in the bylaw change proposal Below is a recap of the policy changes approved by the Board:
The board approved all three new membership types previously presented: Dining, Social (updated), and National. These new and improved membership types will help Sahalee subsidize dues while not ‘giving up’ too much access to the golf course. Additionally, with the addition of monthly Capital Dues, these new membership types will deliver over $500k in new capital over the next 10 years – helping to fund capital improvements. Initiation fees from these new memberships will further add to Sahalee’s Capital Fund.
As discussed in the member information session, the Board is concerned with the projected number of Senior conversions over the next 5 years – especially in our environment where Sahalee owns Proprietary Memberships (each conversion is an obligation to sell an additional Proprietary Membership just to stay level). Thus, consistent with previous communications, the Board instituted a cap on Senior Memberships to 40. Today there are 37 Senior Members with the potential for 3 Proprietary Members to upgrade in 2023, the Board felt the cap of 40 was fair.
At the request of leadership, the Board supported a policy change for Associate members looking to leave Sahalee to allow the leadership to hear feedback and hopefully recover the resignation. Associate Members looking to resign will remain as members for two months following the end of the month in which their resignation is received.
Finally, the Board approved a comprehensive set of Member Referral Incentives that reward members who successfully refer and sponsor new members. The incentives are significant, and the Board believes such a program is a vital component of building a stronger membership. Members are the best source of new members Stay tuned for detailed information
It’s worth noting, Sahalee’s new Membership Director Deann Anderson has been very busy recently (you may have seen her giving amazing tours). Each month, the Board receives a detailed review of commitments, as well as those prospective members who are in process from Deann. Based on her current May pipeline, we anticipate welcoming more than a dozen new golfing members beginning June 1st. New prospective members are excited with the vibe they’re experiencing and are impressed with the investments the club is making in improving members’ experiences. Deann is also capturing and providing detailed themes of concerns that may be expressed so that we can act on issues that are addressable. We believe we have a lot of momentum as we turn to prime golf season.
As important as the changes are, it’s also important to clarify what’s not changing. Thanks to member feedback, we decided to act cautiously with several items. These are the policies that are NOT changing:
The Board did not put forward a bylaw change that would have removed the one opportunity to remove one’s name from the “To Leave” list Members on the “To Leave” list can still remove their name one time – per the bylaws
The Board is not changing the Saturday Morning Block access in any way. Nor are we changing the men’s or women’s blocks. The Board never contemplated changing from the current approach.
The Board has decided to hold off on implementing the advanced tee sheet access differentiation by membership type. We want to get this right – creating differentiation in terms of value while being true to the commitments the club has made previously to current Junior Executive and Senior members.
Given all of these changes and the potential for conversions, the Board and Leadership are planning to hold three smaller sessions with Junior Executive, Senior, and Social members. This will allow the Board the opportunity to explain all these changes, provide information on upgrades and membership category changes and answer general questions and concerns. Look for these sessions to be scheduled in the coming weeks.
The Board received critical updates from Club Leadership:
Leslie Ludlow, our GM and Siemon Slagter our Controller shared our Q1 financial results.They were fantastic. Through a combination of expense management and enthusiastic member response to Sahalee’s improved dining experience, the club exceeded our Q1 operating profit target by $100k.
Deann Anderson, Membership Director, reviewed recommended prospective members and the future membership pipeline. The Board was impressed with Ms. Anderson’s efforts to promote all the wonderful aspects of the Sahalee experience resulting in increased membership activity levels. The Board approved 3 new Prospective, 2 Junior Executive, and 5 new Social members in April
The Board approved several Golf and Greens Committee recommendations:
Rescheduled “Husky Day” to June 2nd plus a new outside golf event in mid-September.
New electronic walking cart storage pricing recommendation from the Finance Committee of $795 annually (includes club storage) and lottery process for limited availability.
Saturday 3pm “Family Hours” on one nine, where those newer to the game or wanting to practice can play without concern for pace of play. This change will make Sahalee even more family oriented by providing an opportunity for those who may be a bit intimidated an opportunity to learn the game at a more relaxed pace.
A hospitality day on October 3rd to impress prospective KPMG sponsors This is part of Sahalee’s contract with the PGA for hosting the KPMG Championship The more Sahalee can support sponsorship levels, the higher potential revenue the club will see from the Championship.
Newly designed tee markers. Our current Sahalee tee markers have reached the end of their 7-year life. Charlie and his staff spend over 150 hours each year just to maintain them. The Greens committee evaluated a variety of options including replacing what we have today.Both the Greens Committee and Board were enthusiastic about the new design. They are currently in production, and we anticipate their arrival before the end of June (supply chain permitting).
Approved an updated Dress Code from both the Golf (on course and practice facilities) and House Committees (social and dining areas). Look for that communication shortly.
Looking forward, the Board remains focused on monitoring financials, improving member experiences, and attracting and welcoming new members to our Sahalee family. This month, the Board approved ten new memberships Welcome new Sahalee Members!
Proprietary (3):Christopher Driscoll & Young Eun, D.r James Bartscher & Marisa Dahlman, and Avinash & Divya Ravi
Jr. Executive (2): Alex & Morgan Bell, and Evan Phillips and Eva Linh
Social (5):Florence & Shawn O’Quinn, Fernando & Letisha Pohina, Rupalli Thacker, Richard & Margaret Martinez, and Sean & Monica O’Brien
Sincerely,
Scott Heydon Club PresidentThe Sahalee family warmly welcomes our new Golf Members!
ALEX AND MORGAN BELL
Junior Executive Membership
CHRIS DRISCOLL AND YOUNG EUN
DR. JAMES BARTSCHER AND MARISA DAHLMAN
AVINASH AND DIVYA RAVI
EVAN PHILLIPS AND EVA LINH
The Sahalee family warmly welcomes our new Social Members!
While Mother Nature is doing her best to stave off Spring, as those of you who have been frequenting the Club have experienced, our team is going full steam ahead on kicking off the Season across Sahalee!
First and foremost, I am proud to share that we had an incredibly successful first quarter, being led by food & beverage revenues exceeding expectations by 15% over an already aggressive budget As mentioned, Mother Nature is slow to get going this spring which has impacted golf revenues, but with those revenue shortfalls Bryan, Caleb, Charlie & Pat did an incredible job of responsibly managing both labor and operating expenses to follow these revenue trends Between the fiscal management of these expenses, along with significantly better F&B management practices put in place in 2023, we are nearly $100k better than budget YTD This financial success puts us in a great position to invest back into the club and elevate your experiences at Sahalee
On the Greens & Grounds front, aerification went incredibly well and the fruits of those labors are already being enjoyed by many. Between the speed at which the course is healing and the bunkers opening last month to rave reviews, I have had multiple members approach me to share that the course is in the best condition in recent memory. You may have also noticed not only the seasonal color being installed, but also a complete revamp of the Porte Cochere landscaping as you enter the Clubhouse. Charlie’s team, in conjunction with Vinny, our Director of Facilities, are also finalizing the installation of water fill stations at the restrooms on each 9. We look forward to this great amenity on the course as the temperatures heat up (eventually)!! Needless to say, there should be no shortage of accolades to share with Charlie & his team for the incredible condition our grounds are in! Please recognize them as you see them hard at work across the Club.
In Golf Operations, Bryan’s team has been hard at work with several initiatives to push the envelope on raising the bar on your (and your guest’s) golf experiences at Sahalee. The completion of the Golf Pavilion and new Range Furniture is physically setting the tone for what to expect as the Sahalee experience. Our outside service team is taking pride in the opportunity to connect with members and have been working on customer service training. There is also a new VIP program in development that I know the team is excited to launch in the coming months.
Looking forward, there is NO shortage of opportunity to participate in golf programming The team has put together an incredible calendar of events between competitive tournaments, Pro-Am outings, social events, formalizing informal games, instruction clinics, demo days and even an exhibition in June Make sure to check the golf calendar of events to save the date for the must attend events for you and your families!
As mentioned, food & beverage is off to an incredible start this year! We have brought back so many great events as well as introduced fantastic new offerings that have been extremely popular. In the month of May, in addition to our now expanded hours of a la carte operations extending until at least 7:00 Wednesday- Sunday, we have 3 unique events in the first week of the month alone. As we look later in the month, we still have Mother’s Day Brunch, Wine Tasting, Pasta Night, and our Memorial Day BBQ to enjoy. While we are saying goodbye to Justin Keener and thank him for ten years of service, we are actively looking for a replacement that will continue the momentum that we have created in 2023 and take our F&B program to new heights into the future.
The expansions this season are not limited to services, amenities, and facilities, as we are also thrilled that the membership overwhelmingly passed the ability to create new membership categories. The interest level in joining Sahalee has been incredible just in the past week alone! We are excited to be able to truly create an internal pathway to Proprietary Membership that has never been done before at Sahalee. While there is still a lot of work to be done, the first steps have been made to put us in a positive position to not only create future Proprietary Members from within our own membership by expanding the Social membership inclusions, but also support our expanding F&B programming with the newly minted Dining Membership and further Sahalee’s brand recognition with the new National Membership.
In addition to the “word of mouth” interest the Club has relied upon for years, Deann, our Membership Director, has also created a comprehensive strategic sales plan as a part of her outreach program As a part of this plan, we have developed an exciting new referral program unlike anything ever done at the Club Our best source of new members will always be our current membership, so we wanted to truly incentivize you to bring more of your own circles into the Sahalee family The more of the incredible members like YOU that we have, the greater our Club will be! So, stay tuned for the details of the new referral program and reach out to Deann with anyone you think might be interested in any of our membership opportunities
Finally, as mentioned in past articles, we have instituted a new team member recognition program. In April, we were able to honor the Team Members of the Quarter for Q1. As a part of the program, the Leadership Team nominates and then votes on standouts for each department of Golf Course Maintenance, Golf Operations and Food & Beverage. This month we honored Grant Heilman from Golf for his constant team-first and member service mentality. Raul Hernandez was recognized in GCM for being the “King of Consistency” and constant cando attitude. Jacob Metcalf took home the prize in F&B for not only winning the first Sandwich Smackdown, but also his performance in the back of the house with teaching, mentoring and training all of the new team members who come aboard. Congratulations to each of these fantastic team members who strive to deliver excellence for all of Sahalee. If you encounter exceptional effort from anyone on our team, please let that Department Head know so that they can take that into account for the upcoming quarter’s nominations!
In closing, I truly could not be more excited about the direction in which the Club is heading. We are enjoying a financially strong start to the year, some of the best course conditions seen in a long time, absolutely incredible golf services & event offerings, ever improving & expanding food and beverage programming, expeditious movement on capital projects, development of a positive staff culture through team member recognition initiatives and, of course, fantastic new membership opportunities
What an EXCITING time to be a part of a Club with such a storied history!
It is our team’s intention to do everything within our power to ensure that during the 2023 season and beyond, we move the needle closer to our collective goal of being the premier Club in the Pacific Northwest and a place that each of you is proud to call your Country Club Home
Cheers,
Leslie L. Ludlow General Manager/COO
As the adage goes, April showers bring us May flowers, and maybe (just maybe) this time Mother Nature seems to be living up to her end of the bargain. After one of the coldest starts to April in the history of the Puget Sound region (2nd coldest through the 24th), a few sunny and 80degree days to close out the month makes all those cold and rainy golf days a distant memory The golf course is turning into peak condition thanks to the hard work of our agronomy team We are all eagerly looking forward to an exciting May of golf activity with several events ongoing at the Club.
Our Sahalee Women’s Division kicked off their 2023 season officially in late April, and it was great to see several of our ladies return home after the offseason. I can share that there is a fabulous enthusiasm throughout our SWD this year thanks to the hard work of Captain Marcia McAfee. Participation in the Captain’s Cup has never been higher, and the complimentary clinics my team has been providing were sold out in just a couple of hours Our Sahalee Women’s Team is off to a strong start once again, leading the way in both the gross and net Divisions We are eagerly planning a fun Member-Guest in July with Juli Reed, and there are a couple of other exciting events in between.
The Men’s Division had a glorious Saturday to play their Stableford event, and a total of 96 gentlemen came out to join us. Scoring two best net balls of the group, the team of Kevin White, Dax Woolston, Jason Gudmundson, and Andy Alcorn blitzed the field by 5 total points with a 93-point total. Congratulations, gentlemen and well played! The Men’s Division will be hosting our inaugural Men’s Senior Invitational May 17
19, followed by the PGA Championship on Saturday, May 20. Our Senior Invitational has enjoyed a tremendous response with 42 teams registered.
Coming up later this month are three other notable events, which include an exclusive Peter Millar Trunk Show on Saturday, May 13, our Putting Championship on Thursday afternoon, May 25 and the inaugural Couples Club Championship on Sunday, May 28. Come join us on the Runyan Room patio on Saturday, May 13 for an exclusive look into the #1 apparel brand in golf – Peter Millar! If you spend over $200, save an additional 10% by attending the trunk show! Later in the month, The Putting Championship features both Individual and Team competitions! Teams can be mixed, or man/man, lady/lady The putting course will comprise three total greens for 27 holes and will take about 2 hours to complete The entry includes an open bar, and a dinner buffet following the event We are also excited to launch the “Goose and Gander” couples’ event on Sunday, May 28. Teams should be mixed, but do not have to be spousal to participate. Upon registration, you will request a starting time, and you may play any time throughout Sunday. Later that evening at 6:00 pm, we will have a cocktail reception and dinner to recognize our winning couple!
Pivoting a bit, last month I highlighted some of the new aspects to our operation this season, and I am thrilled to share a couple other upcoming changes to look forward to at the Club:
New Combo Course Option - Over the offseason, my team in conjunction with the Men’s and Women’s Division, and with support of the Golf Committee, created a new combo course to provide variety and interest to members seeking a golf experience that is different than our regular tees. The goal was to target a distance that was the direct mid-point in length between our regular tees, and I think we successfully accomplished this! I am including this month a preview of the new combo card, and I encourage you to try this out for a different golf experience when at the Club
Family Golf
NEW for Saturday Afternoons – Last month the Sahalee Golf Committee unanimously supported an initiative to provide a window of time for our novice level golfers or members with junior golfer’s access to play the course during a designated time that is stress-free From 3:00 – 5:30 PM, tee times will be available on one side (designated in color inside Foretees) with 15-minute intervals The purpose of this designation is to declare that one of our sides will be used for Family Golf. During this time, there are no pace of play requirements, and groups playing should not expect to “play through” other groups. The purpose of this block is to allow our juniors and newer golfers a window to access the course without feeling pressured to keep up with the group in front of them, and instead focus on learning the game. We hope that our Sahalee families and newer golfers will take advantage of this program!
VIP Guest Program - As part of our mission to be the “Best of the Northwest” we are furthering our goal to delineate the Sahalee brand. I am very excited to offer a “white glove” type of guest experience for your family and invited guests to the Club. Soon, you will receive some additional communication on how to access this service, which is no cost to our membership. Simply notify the golf professional team through the Sahalee App or Website, and we will provide options for you to provide your guests with customized guest locker tags, food and beverage, bag tags, golf shop merchandise, and caddie services. Give your guests the very best and most memorable experience while playing at the Club!
Electric Walking Cart Storage – As outlined in our Sahalee Weekly Update, we have recently added some limited storage for the electric walking carts that members are using on the course Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a permanent solution to answer broader capacity, but we are excited to begin offering a limited storage program. Our goal is to continue seeking a permanent option for our membership through a strategic Clubhouse Master Plan. In the interim, if you are interested in storing your electric walking cart, there is a fee of ($795) which includes your bag storage at the Club. To get started with this program, simply call the golf shop and we will register you for the lottery drawing on May 14.
Caddies Services - Over the past few weeks, my team has conducted a few caddie training exercises with juniors from The First Tee of Seattle, and the surrounding Plateau area. We are excited to build on our program from last year, and we will be using many caddies with our guest groups, and with some of our events this upcoming summer. Many of our juniors that are part of our program are eligible for the Evans Scholar program, and the opportunity for their success to obtain a scholarship is dependent upon utilization. I hope you will consider playing golf with a caddie at the Club, it truly is the best way to enjoy the game. Caddie reservations may be made through Foretees or by notifying our Caddie Manager, Devin Brigham, at devin@sahalee.com
Also this month, you will see a copy of the communication that went out regarding The Sahalee Player’s Championship. I hope you will take a moment to read and review the fabulous news on our partnership with Fortinet and the PGA Tour exemption that accompanies the winner of our tournament.
Lastly, for our Sahalee families, The Sahalee Ravens junior golf program is up and running with Assistant Golf Professional Kyle McPherson at the helm! Please click HERE to access our summer programming!
As you can see from last month, and again this month, my team is working very hard at providing the top golf experience for our membership, and we appreciate all your support! If we can do anything to enhance your summer of fun at Sahalee, please don’t hesitate to let me know what we can do.
Fairways and Greens,
Bryan Nicholson, PGA Director of Golf
On behalf of the Sahalee Player’s Championship Committee, we are excited to share some news and announcements regarding our Championship with you Later this summer (September 9 & 10) we have the privilege of hosting an elite field of universities with the top men’s collegiate golfers from across the country Our “reboot” to the Player’s Championship, which we are hosting for the first time since 2019, is in conjunction through a partnership with the University of Washington. Together, Sahalee and the UW Men’s Golf program are working together to deliver an experience that showcases our warm Sahalee Northwest hospitality, while prominently displaying our major championship golf course to the players.
The rich history (25 years) of the Sahalee Player’s Championship has included some of the top ranked players within the world of golf. Currently, there are 13 SPC alumni in the Top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings. Some recent notable past contestants that have walked the fairways and competed at the High Heavenly Ground include:
· Scottie Scheffler – (2) Texas
· Xander Schauffele – (5) San Diego State
· Kurt Kitayama – (20) UNLV
Sahith Theegala – (24) Pepperdine
· Tom Hoge – (28) TCU
· Ryan Fox – (36) New Zealand
Aaron Wise (49) Oregon
Other Players outside the OWGR Top 50 of notable status include: Adam Svennson (57), Min Woo Lee (58), Nick Taylor (65), and Sahalee’s very own Cam Davis (67).
The 2023 Sahalee Player’s Championship:
The field is now official for our Championship, which includes the following Universities with their current NCAA Golfstat ranking:
· Arizona (18)
· Arizona State (4)
· Duke (32)
· Illinois (3)
· Texas (14)
Texas Tech (5)
· Oklahoma State (21)
· Pepperdine (6)
· Stanford (9)
· University of Southern California (USC) (63)
· Wake Forest (27)
Washington (37)
Incredibly, from these invited Universities, over 20% of the field today would be comprised of players inside the Top 100 in the Official World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). As we progress and get closer to the Championship, we will update you with additional news about notable players that will be in our tournament field later this September!
Breaking News: PGA Tour Exemption Awarded to the Individual Champion of the 2023 Sahalee Players Championship
The Sahalee Player’s Championship Committee is excited to announce our first major Sponsor – Fortinet Fortinet is a global technology security company that is heavily connected to the golf space They sponsor multiple professional golf tours, as well as supporting individual players such as PGA Tour player Max Homa. Fortinet also supports the Amateur Women’s game via Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals with some of the top female college players.
Fortinet’s largest investment in golf is their title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event in Napa hosted in midSeptember – the Fortinet Championship. As part of their sponsorship with our Championship, Fortinet will be assigning one of their Exemptions into the field of this prestigious PGA Tour event to our Individual Champion in 2023! This is an incredible development for the SPC and for Sahalee as it elevates our event in addition to having a world class field. We are also excited to host Fortinet, their customers, and their partners for a Security Technology Summit which will be hosted at the Club in mid- July.
To learn more about Fortinet, please click on the enclosed link: www.fortinet.com
Collectively, our committee is committed to perpetuating our reputation of hosting world-class events at all levels of competition at the Club
Rescheduled Husky Golf & SPC Day: Friday, June 2
We are excited to announce the rescheduled date for the Sahalee Husky Golf Day to Friday, June 2 We will have players from both the Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams plus Coaches participating
The Husky Golf Day and SPC Preview event is a combination social and golf event The intent is to provide Sahalee members an opportunity to meet (and play) with members of the UW Men’s & Women’s Golf team, as well as learn more about the Sahalee Player’s Championship.
Details on the event are enclosed below, and we are excited to broaden the connection between Sahalee and the Husky golf programs. Should your schedule not allow you to participate in the golf, please plan to join us afterwards for the social mixer, meet and greet and Q&A on the SPC.
To register for the Husky Golf Day, please click here: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4065158
The operations for this incredible SPC Championship would not be possible without your support! To help operate the best Championship for our invited Universities, we are will be seeking some additional financial support. If you have a business contact, or if you would personally like to contribute to this great event, please contact our Sahalee Player’s Championship Chairman, Kevin White, or Committee member Chris Grusz
Calling All Volunteers!
Competition Dates: September 9-10, 2023
Official Practice Round: September 8, 2023
Volunteer Positions Needed: We have a wide range of positions that include: Check-in / Information Services, Marshalling, Leaderboard Management, Walking Scorers, Standard Bearers, Hospitability, On-course/Practice Area Support & Special Event Support Training will be provided as required
Time commitment: We are looking for volunteers who can do at least two (2) shifts, with each shift lasting between 5-6 hours. Volunteering for multiple days is encouraged.
Uniforms: This will be provided to all confirmed volunteers. During the registration process, we request that you provide your apparel size preference.
Registration Site: 2023 SPC Volunteer Registration
The college golf season is about to heat up as teams are currently competing in their respective Conference Championships, with the NCAA Regionals being hosted in mid-May, and the NCAA Championships being contested at Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Please tune into the Golf Channel for coverage!
We are excited to share more with you about the SPC at Sahalee, as we are committed to perpetuating our reputation of hosting world class events at all levels of competition
Fairways and Greens, Bryan Nicholson, PGA
Director of Golf & 2023 Sahalee Player’s Championship Committee
Companyfittingtechniciansgiveyoutheopportunity
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Hello everyone, in my latest instruction video is about Uneven Lies in Bunkers. When faced with an uneven lie in a bunker, the most important setup piece is to match your body setup angles to the uneven lie/slope you are standing on. This will allow you to make your swing on the proper plane either up a slope or down a slope. Watch the above video for more tips on uneven lies!
Additionally, this new video compliments a previous video where I talk about bunker setup and basic swing concepts This video will help you learn and/or improve your basic bunker setup and swing for improved success in getting the ball out of trouble and onto the green!
Colleen Terry had a hole in at 119 yards with a 9 wood on 8 North, May 2nd.
Click HERE to watch the latest instruction video!
BUNKER SHOT SETUP/SWING TIPS
Click HERE to watch the latest instruction video!
BUNKER SHOTS - UNEVEN LIES
Mark Samuelson made 162 yards on 8 North an with a7 iron, on April 28th
Mark Samuelson for his Hole-In-One on 8 North during todays Men’s Division Stableford. This is his 5th HIO and his 3rd on 8 North!
As we come out of another cool and wet La Nina winter, things on the course are shaping up for a great golf season at Sahalee. Aerification of all turf areas was completed on the golf course(s) in March and April with great results despite battling some extremely adverse weather (see picture).
The Master Plan bunker renovation, which was completed in early spring will deliver exciting strategic changes and improved conditions in 2023 as we look forward to providing an exceptional golf experience for our members and guests this season
Following our off-season full of construction and grow in, in April the newly renovated bunkers were opened for regular play. The redesigned traps have been well received and there are a few keys that we can all apply to keep them in the best condition for both the golfers behind us as well as for golfers in years to come.
One distinct characteristic of the redesigned bunkers is the sod faces and rolled turf edges present around these hazards These features are not only aesthetic but also functional in mitigating sand contamination and slowing surface water moving into bunkers. To care for these surfaces please observe the following guidelines:
Always enter and exit bunkers from the lowest point. Some bunkers have one primary ingress/egress location, while larger traps may have multiple for access throughout the bunker. Avoid stepping directly onto the rolled sod edge when entering and exiting a bunker. Instead, use the level turf outside the bunker for footing with one’s entire foot. This is most easily achieved in the shallow entry and exit areas.
Unless necessary for the play of a shot, use walking routes away from the sod faces around bunkers. Some of these slopes are steep and present slipping hazards, and excessive foot traffic can result in damage to the newly sodded bunker banks.
New rakes are in place around all bunkers and the turf care team has applied white paint marks to indicate the best rake placements outside of bunkers and in line with play of the hole The painted marks for rake placement not only indicate position and orientation, but also signal acceptable areas for easy bunker entry and exit.
With the natural grass range tee now open, I would like to extend a reminder of the best practice habits that will preserve this area as an excellent practice surface throughout the season. When taking divots on the practice tee, please note the below image of linear divot patterns that promote the fastest turfgrass recovery.
The natural grass range tee will be available each Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday through the season as well as for practice during SWD and SMD golf events. For those days when hitting off our artificial tee line, new fairway mats will be installed in May providing an improved practice experience throughout the week!
In 2022, the Sahalee Greens Committee explored the topic of designated maintenance days and times for improved golf course conditioning and turf care operational success. After evaluating policies of peer clubs and considering potential impacts to course availability, the Greens Committee made a motion to adopt a Maintenance Monday policy which was unanimously approved by Sahalee’s Board of Directors.
So, what exactly is a Maintenance Monday?
Simply put, a Maintenance Monday is a Monday when course set-up tasks including changing pin locations, moving tees, and raking bunkers are not performed Instead of performing course set-up, the turf care team will focus our efforts on agronomic activities, cultural practices, course detailing, and project work on all non-holiday Mondays throughout the season
In this policy, there is no change to the 11am Monday start time or course availability. However, it is important to recognize that on these days when course set-up is not performed, expectations on the course need to be adjusted accordingly. The goal and benefit of the Maintenance Monday policy is that it gives the agronomy team more flexibility to focus on critical maintenance practices when there are fewer golfers on the course(s). These days dedicated to course maintenance over course set-up will assist our turf care team in producing the best possible conditions for our members and guests to enjoy.
See you on the course, Charlie
Schauwecker
Meet sacrifice with hope This is the motto of Folds of Honor, a charity started in 2007 by Lt. Col Dan Rooney to provide life-changing scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or disabled military veterans and America’s first responders. More than 44,000 educational scholarships have been awarded since 2007 with more than 40% benefitting minority recipients. Folds of Honor has earned the Goldstar Platinum Seal of Transparency and 4 out of 4 stars on Charity Navigator, so you know that what you donate is helping the people you are donating to.
Sahalee has teamed up with Tito’s Handmade Vodka to support a very worthy charity
Folds of Honor. During the entire month of May, Sahalee will donate $1 for every Tito’s cocktail ordered. Tito’s will also donate $500 to Folds of Honor on behalf of Sahalee. Members will be able to give to this charity as well by requesting a donation amount to be charged directly to their account.
Please give generously and support our first responders, veterans and their families.
May 25 - 10:30-11:30am
Trouble shots & Uneven lies
Must be a current SWD member to participate
Please look for an email from Marcia with the sign-up link!
Sahalee
July12-14,2023
SWD Opening Day Mixer was an exciting way to get our season underway! Spring was in the air, no rain, and there was some great golf to go along with it. After competing for 9 holes on South in an ABCD Shamble, we crowned the 1st and 2nd place winners.
Congratulations to Ellen Wang, Ericka Nash, Fatima Siddiqui, and Karen Dion for winning the Opening Day title, scoring 15 under par. In 2nd place, we had Pari Jongwachirachai, Amy Andersen, Anita Nishikawa, and new member Julia Lee, at 12 under par. Well done ladies!
It was very obvious at lunch afterwards that we’ve missed our socializing time and ladies were reuniting with long-time friends and welcoming our newer members, in the dining room for nearly 3 hours To top it off, the food and service was spectacular!
Our annual Captain’s Cup tournament has opened with a record number of 56 participants! We have 7 flights of 8 ladies who will be scheduling their match play dates throughout our season.
The Pro Shop has been terrific to work with and by offering SWD members 4 complimentary clinics, we’re improving our skills to have more confidence on the course. We might even lower our handicaps! We’ve completed 2 sessions on Hybrids & Fairways, Putting and Chipping, and upcoming are Bunkers with the final one focusing on Trouble Shots and Uneven Lies.
Our next big event is the “Swing Day Mixer” where teams of ABCD players play 6 holes of Best Ball, 6 holes of Alternate Shots and 6 holes of Scramble. Registration just opened and we already have 30 participants so we’re well underway for another record breaker!
A big compliment to Laura Kraft and Colin Campbell who have surprised us with creative ideas for games, more fun and meeting people in the mixers, which we plan to have monthly, at members’ requests Having our dining room open for lunch and socializing on Tuesdays and Fridays adds to a good time after golf!
Add June 9th to your calendar for “Spooky Spring Field Day” and start shopping for your team’s theme outfits! Many ladies play with their usual foursome, but if you don’t have one, let the Pro Shop know and they’ll pair you up.
Check out the Women’s Golf Division on Sahalee’s website. It’s being updated with new information, tournament schedules and explanations, rules, etc. Here’s to an energizing start to golf!
Marcia McAfee, SWD Captain
Winning team was Ericka Nash, Fatima Siddiqui, Ellen Wang, and Karen Dion. Shoutout to Julia Lee for her first ever birdie!
We officially kicked off our 14-month run to host the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship! On April 12th, 60 enthusiastic committee and divisional leaders gathered at a PGA-hosted party in the clubhouse. PGA of America CEO Kerry Haigh spoke glowingly about the club and the course, calling Sahalee “such a unique and worthy venue for major championship golf.” He had just walked the course and raved about the bunkers and tree work completed since 2016. The real highlight of the evening was being able to share what the Executive Committee chose as its’ first course of action: we proudly named Jim Pike our Honorary Tournament Chair Jim was greeted with a rousing ovation that left most with goosebumps or tears He shared his sincere gratitude for the club, the membership, and the countless relationships he has been blessed with as a result I am personally ecstatic that the club will be able to honor Jim’s 35 years at Sahalee this way.
Below please find some key updates for the tournament:
Dates have been officially set for June 19-23, 2024. Mark your calendars!
Member Tickets will be available in July. While final details are being determined, we expect that the member package will cost about $175. It will include parking and access to a VIP pavilion on a prime location within the championship course.
Corporate Packages will be available in July. The PGA has hired a full-time salesperson for the event, and we are already engaging some potential sponsors today.
Volunteer Signups. We need 1,100 volunteers to pull off the event, so tell your friends! The cost to volunteer will be about $150, which will include parking, lunches, and a uniform Volunteer registration will happen in two phases
Members Only registration begins on June 22nd – the first day of the 2023 championship.
General Public registration begins in early September.
Clubhouse Access. The clubhouse will be used differently for this event than in years past. Corporate sponsors and VIP packages will utilize gain access to the Acton Bar, Runyan Room, Pike Room and patio. The PGA was enamored with our renovation and views these areas as prime spots for VIP-level access.
Thank you, Tyler Dion,
Committee
Bryan Nicholson Norman Cheuk
Charlie Schauwecker Leslie Ludlow
Chris Falco Scott Heydon
Dawn Naye Whitney Pigott
In just 13 months, the best Women’s Professional Golfers in the world will descend upon Sahalee for the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. As part of our continuing series on profiling the strongest field in Women’s Golf, this month we shift to the 2022 KPMG Champion, In Gee Chun. Originally from South Korea, In Gee secured her third major championship at Congressional Country Club on the famed blue course and took home $1.4 million for her one stroke victory over Lexi Thompson and Minjee Lee. In Gee’s other major Championship victories include the US Open (2015) and Evian Masters (2016).
Just two weeks’ ago, Chun made some electricity when she aced the 164 yard 17th hole and earned $1 million for nine charities associated with the Chevron Championship. The donations also include $10,000 per birdie, and Chun, 28, followed her hole-in-one with three straight birdies, adding a tip to her million-dollar contribution. The run moved her to four under for the Chevron during the third round.
Currently the 12th ranked golfer in the world, In Gee won the LPGA Velocity Global Impact Award in March for her work with her charity, the In Gee Chun Lancaster Country Club Educational Foundation. Chun created the charity and made a donation of $100,000 in 2015 following her maiden major title, the 2015 U.S. Women's Open, at Lancaster Country Club.
In honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14th, the Sahalee Golf Shop is pleased to provide complimentary gift wrapping and an additional 10% off member pricing for:
Women's Apparel Shoes
Headwear Accessories
Promotion Runs May 1st - May 14th
Golf equipment, bags and golf balls are excluded. Discounts apply to regularly-priced, in-stock merchandise only.
Two worthy competitors entered the arena armed with nothing but their culinary skills, a hot griddle and a recipe for a killer sandwich!
Jerard and Nico faced off, one on one, in Round 2 of our Sahalee Smackdown with only one culinary warrior coming out on top as champion. Our members had the enviable job of voting for their favorite grilled sandwich with The Pork Belly Cubano created by Nico, featuring his house made pickles, edging out Jerard’s Proscuitto and Goat Cheese Panini by an incredibly close tally of 32 to 29! While Nico has garnered bragging rights as champion, both competitors proved their mettle and will have their creation take it’s place on the menu in the near future.
Thank you to everyone that voted and we are looking forward to Round 3 of the Sahalee Smackdown in May!
We are excited to welcome you to Sahalee and invite you to host any kind of event here! Our facility can accommodate small meetings, corporate parties, and even large banquets in our elegantly renovated ballroom.
You and your guests can enjoy a delicious meal from our new catering menu, along with special cocktails that we have created with much care. Enjoy the elegant background of our renovated interiors while hosting your events.
We’re sure you’ll make wonderful memories here at Sahalee Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like more information. We look forward to having you with us soon!
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