CHIPSH TS CHIPSH TS
Upcoming Events
Wine Tasting ............................
Clubhouse Conversations
Clubhouse Conversations .......
Trivia Night
Comedy Night ..........................
Wine Tasting
Happy Hour &
Name that Tun
Halloween Hay
Happy Hour &
Cigar & Whiske
Trivia Night
Happy Hour &
BYOB Night
Bingo Night
Friendsgiving H
Thanksgiving T
Wine Tasting
Santa Brunch
Member Holida
Christmas Brun
Ugly Sweater H
NYE Dinner
Weds., 9/10/25
, 9/11/25
Upcoming Events
Fall Forward: Exciting Season On and Off the Course PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Hard to believe the summer is winding d and we b b i f ll i h hi playoff b of the E been mo are in g seeding to see all media ch incredib The club the com great f listening have the us to enj opens. amazing projects We are p in Nove will sha projects discuss t around program committ hope to s
Advance
July 16 , Groundbreaking Celebration th
available October 1!
John Beisty President
Boots & Beers Walking Tours
Boots & Beers Walking Tours, next tour
Stay Tuned: Fall at St. Davids GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT
As we wind down the summer, I would like to thank all of the members who have been coming out to the Club for dining and events over the past two months. While we anticipated (and budgeted for) a slowdown in dining and activity, we were pleased to see members continue to utilize the Club more than expected. As a Management Team, we have been focused on finding ways—both big and small—to bring people to St. Davids. Special thanks go out to our F&B and Culinary teams for their efforts with wine tastings, Sunday Fundays, Lobster Nights, and more, all of which made this summer a success.
The Golf Professional Staff has been hard at work managing reciprocal golf opportunities and communicating with our fellow clubs. Don’t forget that our practice facilities remain open and available it’s a great time to work on your game!
No staff acknowledgment would be complete without recognizing Collin Harley and his crew for their work on the course renovation. Between Collin’s countless hours on site and his detailed updates, the membership can feel extremely confident in the quality of the work being done. His regular meetings with Tyler Rae and the team from Mottin Construction have ensured oversight of all aspects of the project and placed us in a very strong position as we near the end of the critical construction phase.
We are fortunate to have such a dedicated group of talented managers guiding us through this important time in the Club’s history.
Going forward, we will also be using our text message platform to keep members informed of upcoming events. If you’re not already receiving updates, simply text SDGC to 38316 to register.
You can reply STOP at any time to be removed from the list.
As I said, we have a busy and exciting fall ahead.
Many members have also noted our increased i l di i il d around dated on ks to Ali ade this nned, so e for the events, Michael . I look his fall!
Dean Kandle General Manager
FINANCE REPORT/MEMBERSHIP
On Course and Ahead of Budget
It’s been an exciting and bustling summer at the golf club, with significant activity both on and off the course! The course restoration project is moving forward steadily, and we encourage all members to stay informed by reading Collin’s detailed progress updates or joining his engaging “Boots and Beers” walking tours, which offer a firsthand look at the improvements being made. These efforts are transforming our course, and we’re thrilled to see the progress. Additionally, the approved clubhouse interior refresh, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026, is in the planning stages, with design and contractor coordination underway. Capital assessments to fund the clubhouse project were implemented in July, and we will soon provide formal communication regarding the golf course assessment details to keep members fully informed.
Shifting focus to our daily operations, this year’s budget was carefully crafted with specific assumptions to account for the unprecedented full-course closure, the longest in the Club’s history. The management team collaborated extensively to anticipate the impacts of this closure, particularly on key revenue streams. One critical assumption was a significant reduction in food and beverage activity starting in July due to limited course access. However, we’re delighted to report that July’s lunch and dinner volumes far exceeded our projections, driven by strong member participation in club-sponsored events such as Sunday Fundays, Lobster Night, and the ever-popular Boots and Beers gatherings. These
events have kept the Club vibrant and contributed to topline sales that are stronger than anticipated. At the same time, our dedicated management team has been vigilant in controlling expenses to align with the expected lower sales volumes during the closure. As of July 31st, our year-todate financial performance is approximately $70,000 ahead of budget, a testament to member engagement and prudent financial oversight.
If you have further questions regarding our financial operations, please contact any member of the Finance Committee. All financial statements are available to members upon request.
Bill Henderson Chair, Finance Committee
St Davids Golf Club would like to welcome our We look forward to y on the course and Welcome,
Celli
Berwyn, PA
Robert & Megan
Intermediate
MEMBERSHIP/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Stephen & Amy
Condi
Wayne, PA
House Waiting for Certificate
William Coggins
Malvern, PA
Intermediate
Chris & Katharine Lehan
Christopher & Dana Hibbard
Wayne, PA
House Waiting for Certificate
Dave & Kristen
Knouft
Wayne, PA
House Waiting for Certificate
Wayne, PA
Terry Krieger House Membership
House Waiting for Certificate
Ashleigh
Torchiana
House Waiting for Certificate
Head Golf Professional Tyler Santacroce and his wife Christina joyfully welcomed their first child, Riley Elaine, on Saturday, August 30 at 12:55 PM. Riley made her debut weighing 9 lbs and measuring 21.5 inches. ons!
ON THE TEE WITH TYLER
1,500 Rounds and Counting: A Season of Golf on the Road
This summer has certainly been a bit different than years past when it comes to golf at St. Davids, but it’s been great to follow along with the progress being made by Collin and his team while taking our golf games on the road!
Thank you to those who have taken advantage of the reciprocal program that has been established for this season. Since our closure, we have been able to arrange golf for over 250 groups to play in the area for nearly 1,000 individual rounds of golf! When you combined this with our trips to Canoe Brook in July, our Women’s Golf trip to Williamsport Country Club, various member trips, interclub offerings and the Moselem membership – over 1,500 rounds of golf have been played by SDGC members within our reciprocal program since we’ve closed.
Friendly reminder regarding our reciprocal program, tee times shared via email that will be expiring within 24 hours (8 days from the day of play) do not count toward the weekly two-round maximum policy. All members are limited to two bookings per week. Members who then book a tee time within 24 hours of that time closing can do so without exceeding the maximum. This means members can play more than twice per week assuming any additional round are booked within 24 hours of those times expiring. To book these times, please reply to the daily email or email SDGCrecip@stdavidsgc.com.
cal tee sheet as Merion Golf Club has offered its West n, please check-in use. The is Road, e on the uctional forward he Year, 2th for a will pair mixology We also Women’s ing on place on while ery own at St. Quirk at
Golf Shop Hours
Monday & Tuesday
Wednesday - Sunday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Be on the lookout for an addition to our recipro-
ON THE TEE WITH TYLER CONT.
Don’t forget, the Golf Shop is available to you throughout the course closure! Be sure to keep us in mind as you replenish your supply on golf balls, gloves and other essentials before visiting other clubs in the area. With the calendar turning to fall, now is the time to start thinking about your holiday orders for your family, friends, and office. Stop by the shop to discuss opportunities to get a start on your next corporate or bulk gift order!
Tyler Santacroce
Head Golf Professional
Congratulations to Jay Junior (middle) for scoring an ace on the road on hole eight at Stonewall North!
Golf ONTHERoad
Taking our season of golf on the road! From fairways to friendships, check out the smiles at nearby clubs.
AdamArena, EmilyBooz, andSteven BoozatPineValleyGolfClubinPine Hill, NewJersey
LeighMurrayandBethDowneyat WilmingtonCountryClubinWilmington, Delaware
RandyCusick, John Cooper, CraigHadden, and Joe Muir at Stonewall North
ON THE TEE WITH TYLER CONT.
MembertriptoCanoeBrook CountryClubinSummit, NewJersey
Vince andBarbArenawithKathy and MarkFox atStonewallNorthCourse
LeighMurray,BethDowny,Laurie Martin,andLydiaKennedyat ChesterValleyGolfClub
BobDufour, DaveandDeniseOrdonioatMoselemSpringsGolfClubinFleetwood, PA
TheresaandSteven Booz,LeighMurray, andBobDufourat MoselemSpringsGolf Club
COLLIN’S CORNER
Greens Taking Root, Vision Taking Shape
It is hard to believe that our last ChipShots article in i f i h b hi about pr expect d about tw greens th The last but mor Mottin, I to blow efficienc days per meticulo and mak is extrem recaptur uncomm calls it p with, in shapes, b multiple great gol At the s Mother theme, washout dry weat going. I’ three on
Seeding was done July 21, August 11, and September 1. Now that we have completed seeding, Mottin will finish shaping the remaining fairway
Tyler Rae making edits to the 18th green
Before: holes 3 and 4 pre-construction
After: recent view of holes 3 and 4
COLLIN’S CORNER CONT.
bunkers, so that the necessary irrigation can be installed. The goal is to seed fairways the week of September 8 , once the bunker and irrigation work is completed. th
The first couple months of the project is a lot of work in a short amount of time, knowing we need to hit a seeding window. As we move into September and October, we can take a deep breath, knowing that the remainder of work will all be sodded. After completing the fairway bunkers and seeding fairways, we will transition into sodding approaches, building tee complexes and adding liner and sand to all of the bunkers. By mid-October, the property should really look like a golf course again.
As mentioned before in previous communications, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the amazing team we have here at the Green Department. As the professionals, there is a high level of expectation for Tyler Rae, Mottin and ISI. Our team, never having gone through a project like this, continues to exceed my expectations with their dedication and commitment to the success of this project.
Meet the Team: Rolando Torres
Rolando, native to Honduras, started on our team as a weekend warrior, helping out with entry level tasks. Since then, he has shown a strong understanding of our operation and has advanced his skillset, making him a valuable
asset to our team. Due to his hard work and charismatic personality, he is now working with our team everyday as a seasonal employee. Rolando is eager to learn and we hope to have him on board for many years to come!
We hope the Membership is getting excited to open the golf course in 2026, after seeing all of the work so far. This truly transformational project is going to bring you an exceptional golf course and we cannot wait to welcome you back to it.
Collin Harley Golf Course Superintendent
August 11, Green Department seeding the 17th green
Meet the Team! Rolando Torres
UPCOMING EVENTS
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Jamilah Ashanti
From the dining room to behind the bar, Jamilah Ashanti, better known as Jam, has been bringing her bright spirit to St. Davids for more than two years.
Jam, 23, graduated from West Chester University in 2024 with a degree in Communications and Media. This fall, she’s embarking on an exciting new chapter, having accepted a position at Vanguard as a Client Services Excellence Representative. She’ll officially begin at the end of September, but luckily for us, she hopes to continue working at the Club as well.
During her time at St. Davids, Jam has built lasting friendships and become an integral part of our team. She truly lives up to her nickname as a “Jam” of all traits. Alongside her new role at Vanguard, she’s currently pursuing her personal training certification with the goal of completing it before starting her new job.
When she’s not working or studying, Jam loves to keep active with golf, pickleball, hiking, and working out. She’s also a big fan of music, self-care, and has a knack for rocking the most fun, colorful nails you’ll ever see. A true bookworm, she enjoys reading Spanish fiction currently diving into The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. “I love the way Spanish authors write, they’re poetic with their words,” Jam shares.
We’re so proud of Jam’s accomplishments and thrilled to continue cheering her on, both at St. Davids and in her next adventure! This Staff Spotlight was chosen by Food & Beverage Director Angela Hummel.
DINING/PADDLE
A Season of Gathering
We hope you’ve enjoyed your summer, whether you were in town or enjoying vacation! If we haven’t seen you, we miss you and hope you’re ready for a full fall season of activity at St. Davids.
Over the past few months, we have hosted our Lobster Nights, Wine Tastings, and Sunday Fundays! Thank you to all that have attended these events. We will be hosting more events in the fall; wine tastings & dinners, beer tastings, & much more!
Summer is almost on its way out, so our Chef Victoria is preparing the new fall menu, beginning October 1 . We are excited to see what chef comes up with! A little secret: our southern fried chicken will be brought back, and a new fall harvest salad will be on the menu. st
Please note that our current hours of operation will continue through the remainder of the year:
Monday & Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: 5:00 – 9:00 PM
Thursday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Angela Hummel Director of Food & Beverage
Prepare for
Paddle
The St. Davids paddle program is gearing up for the season. Platform Tennis (“Paddle”) is a fun and social winter sport open to all members at our club. Paddle is a great way to enjoy being outdoors when the days are short and the temperatures are cold. It’s an even better way to build St Davids friendships.
Our goal is to increase participation and offer opportunities among all levels and types of players. Whether you would like to play for fun or are looking for a more competitive game, St. Davids welcomes you to enjoy this great activity. Please check out the information below and if you have questions contact Andy Schmucker at baschmucker@comcast.net.
Ladies Paddle Program
We offer lessons, clinics, practices, interclub team matches, recreational play, and social events. Our two talented pros, Pete Donnelly & Nick Simeone, run all our practices and provide both clinics and private lessons.
Rust Removal Clinics ($35 per session)
Our clinics begin September 29 (9/28, 10/3, 10/6, 10/10) from 9:00 - 10:30 AM & 10:30 AM12:00 PM. These clinics are meant for players currently rostered on a team, including subs, and those interested in playing on the Ladies team. th
Ladies' Practices for rostered team players and substitutes begin the week of October 20. Each
PADDLE CONT.
Each Cup (team) will have its own designated practice time. Practices are on Fridays, beginning October 24 . th
Cup 6: Practice TBD
Cup 8: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Cup 9: 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Subs: Practice TBD
Teams & Matches
This year interclub competitive play runs from October 29 through February. The program is governed by MAPTA (Mid-Atlantic Area Platform Tennis Association). The ladies' program consists of ten cups – each Cup consists of varying clubs within our region. Registration is required through MAPTA along with a fee. St David's ladies currently have three Cups: th
Cup 6: Wednesday Morning Matches –
Captains: Kristen Davidse (kristendavidse@gmail.com) and Carol Higgins (golfhiggins@comcast.net)
Cup 8: Monday Morning Matches – Captain Sarah Regan (sarahreg5@gmail.com)
Cup 9: Wednesday Morning Matches –Captain Julie Hartman (jsoslow@yahoo.com)
Our club rep is Carolyn Masciantionio ccarson1994@yahoo.com.
Subbing
if you would like to play competitively, but do not want to commit to the season’s full schedule, consider being a sub. We are always in need of extra players, and this is a good way to
get involved.
Tuesday Night Ladies Open Paddle
Every Tuesday night from 6:00 - 8:00 PM, ladies of all skill levels and ability come out for no pressure, low key round robin play. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and get out for some fresh air on Tuesday nights throughout the winter under the lights.
Men’s Paddle Program
Monday Open Paddle
Men's Open Paddle is every Monday evening beginning at 6:30pm. Our first Open Paddle is September 8 . The format is round robin playall are welcome. th
Teams
&
Matches
We will have more than 30 members registered for our three MAPTA teams. Our teams play in Divisions 4, 9 and 14 - so if you are interested in playing, we have a team for you regardless of skill level. The MAPTA season begins October 22 and October 23 and runs through the end of February. Registration is now open. Please contact Club Rep Anthony Perretta for more information (aperretta@allstate.com). nd rd
Season Opening Tournament
We have scheduled the evening of Monday, October 13 for our annual "Hi-Lo" Tournament. If you have interest, please contact us and we will match you with a partner. th
LOOKING AHEAD
Both Ladies and Men wrap up the paddle season
PADDLE CONT./CLUB HISTORY
in February and March with a number of competitive interclub events including the Ladies’ Battle of The Paddles and our Men’s and Mixed Championships.
Paddle Socials
Socials are planned for October, December, and February. These are co-ed/partnered events open to any member of St Davids. The club provides food and drinks with a per couple fee. Sign-ups along with more information will be available via the calendar on the club website.
Recreational Play
There is no better way to enjoy paddle tennis than getting a foursome together to play. Reserving court time is easy and can be done through the St Davids website/mobile app.
Private Lessons
Available to you! Please contact:
Pete Donnelly (pdonnelly@hvccpa.org) (267) 342-0197
Nick Simeone (nsimeone@hvccpa.org) (610) 505-3358
Andy Schmucker
Paddle Chair
A Course of many Architects
In the mid 1920s, renowned golf course architect
Donald Ross laid out a new golf course for St. Davids Golf Club. But, on September 27, one month before the opening of the golf course, the Suburban and Wayne Times ran an article about SDGC’s new golf course. In the article it stated “The original design for the course was drawn by Donald Ross, but Frank Mahan chairman of the green committee, and Fred Canizares, of the R.H. Johnson Company, builders of the course, have modified the plans to a considerable extent”. Mahan was an eight-time champion of the Club and green chairman. Canizares was a member of the Club and president of the R.H. Johnson Company, which had built Merion’s East Course.
The most major modification to Ross’ design was changing the 13th hole from a par 4 to a par 3 and the 14th hole from a par 3 to a par 4. On the 16th hole Mahan and Canizares moved the tee back changing the hole from a par 4 to a par 5. Ross designed the 18th hole as a par four but Mahan and Canizares changed it to a 200 yard par 3. Before long it was back to being a par 4.
By 1930, the 13th and 14th holes had been returned to Ross’ original design. It is unknown why or who made the change. A new green for the 13th hole had to be built. From 1928 aerial photos you can see where a green for a par 4 13th
CLUB HISTORY CONT.
hole had been built and then scraped away.SDGC’s green superintendent Robert Valentine may have used Ross’s design to rebuild the green.
During the “Great Depression” golf courses were going out of business and PGA golf professionals were becoming unemployed. Due
to that the PGA of America hired golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast to visit golf courses and see what changes could be made to reduce the cost of maintenance. This was done at no cost to the facilities he called on. At the invitation of the Club’s PGA member, Tommy Robinson, Tillinghast visited SDGC on August 16, 1936. In Tillinghast’s report to the PGA he stated that the 9th hole would be improved if it was cha-
enzie had worked for Donald Ross building the Country Club of York in 1926 so he probably oversaw the construction of the new green and may have even designed the green. Or, Canizares’ company, the R.H. Johnson Company may have designed and built the green.
Aerial photos from the course’s early years show
nged to a par 3. At that time the 9th holewas a short dogleg left par 4. Hanging in the golf shop is Tillinghast’s letter to the PGA of America reporting on his visit to SDGC, so he could be paid.
The changes to 9th hole were promptly made, but it is unknown who designed or rebuilt the present green for the 9th hole. Tillinghast had met with Green Superintendent George McKenzie, Green chairman Charles Cave, Fred Canizares and C.J. Ranney of the Club’s construction committee that day. It appears from Tillinghast’s report that he had been asked by Club to give an opinion on the 9th hole. McK-
that fairway bunkers on holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 12, 16 and 17 have been removed. At some point, fairway bunkers in the range of tee shots were added to holes 5, 7 and 8 by SDGC’s green department. Also the front of the 14th green was raised a few feet to remove some of a severe slope. Then Victor Mauck, during his 25-year reign as SDGC president, removed and altered bunkers, redesigned tees,
and planted many trees, mostly evergreens. He brought in Merion Golf Club’s green superintendent Richie Valentine, to consult on a considerable elevating of the 11th tee. Mauck moved the 15th tee to the left and leveled the 6th tee, which had been a two level tee with the left third about four feet higher than the right side. He took out a cross-bunker on the 10th hole that was about 25 yards short of the green. He moved member’s tee on the 3rd hole to the right near the back tee, making it a dogleg right hole from all the tees. Mauck put a shallow pond in the right side of the 8 fairway about 100 yards from the green. It th
CLUB HISTORY CONT.
was not pleasing in looks. By popular acclaim, the pond lasted less than one year. All of these changes made by Victor Mauck were done without any discussion at a Board meeting.
In the early 1980s, at the request of Mauck, Merion Golf Club’s golf professional, Bill Kittleman, who had studied architecture at Yale University, did some work at the Club. He built a bunker to the left of the 18th green where it was always wet and changed the tilt of the ground at the end of the fairway, so the rain water would run to the right and then down the hill. Then Mauck asked Kittleman to make the 16th hole more of a challenging par 5. A fairway bunker, that had been in the driving area on the left side had been removed by a green chairman. Kittleman’s plan was to restore the lost bunker and build a back tee that was more to the right than the front tee, which would have the golfer aiming more toward that bunker. There was also going be a second bunker beyond the first one on the left. Before work could be completed members were registering complaints. That was the end of Kittleman’s employment at SDGC. The one thing that Kittleman laid out and remains is the forward tee on the 16th tee.
Over the years members made comments concerning Mauck’s golf course architecture ideas. So, in 1994, Mauck brought in Brian Silva, a golf course architect with a history of restoring Donald Ross golf courses. There were many meetings and planning. In 1995 Silva made the restorations to SDGC that he deemed necessary for modern golf on a Donald Ross golf course. Silva enlarged the 4th green and rebuilt the 6th and 14th greens He installed many fairway bunkers, fairway bunkers, narrowed fairwa forward tees on many of the holes forward tees are still in use as of June
rse of several years Prichard added bunkers, enlarged some greens and removed many trees; mostly the evergreens that Victor Mauck had planted. Some of Prichard’s fairway bunkers were rater penal. He rebuilt the 5th, 7th and 14th greens, making them somewhat less sloping. Many members disliked the new 14th green, so Prichard was retained to rebuild the 14th green that he had built. Prichard widened the fairways that Silva had made narrower and reinstalled the cross-bunker on the 10th hole that Mauck had removed.
In 2003 the Club hired Ron Prich restorer of Donald Ross golf courses. O
One day during the time of Prichard’s work at SDGC, two former SDGC club champions, Andy Sweeney and Mike Dingus, were in the clubhouse after a round of golf. While studying a placemat on the table with a layout of the golf course, they devised a plan for a badly needed full shot practice field. By changing the 17thhole from a par four to a par three, and then by using most of the 17th fairway for a dogleg right par four down to the 18th green, the former 18th fairway could be used for lengthy practice shots. When presented with idea, Prichard said the he was not into undoing Donald Ross golf courses. But, at the insistence of SDGC president Jay Howson, Prichard reluctantly made the changes.
Now in the year 2025, 100 years after Donald Ross first set foot on SDGC’s Radnor Street Road property, Tyler Rae is applying his golf course s golf course.
Peter Trenham Club Historian
CLUB CONTACTS
Dean Kandle, General Manager (610) 688-2010 x 206
Dean@stdavidsgc.com
Bethany
x 203 Bjones@stdavidsgc.com
