Woodbridge Golf & Country Club - July 2023

Published by Woodbridge Golf & Country Club 950 E Woodbridge Rd, Woodbridge, CA 95258 Digital version available at www.woodbridgegcc.net

Officers

President Cody Diede | VP Mark Berry | Treasurer Nolan Person | Secretary Danny Miladinovich | Past President Nick Salvetti

Directors

Stan Demski, Dan Grauman, Greg Kozlowski, Chris Phelps, Laura Reeves, Josh Sturman

Club Contacts

Russ Bond, Interim General Manager 263-0113 | rbond@woodbridgegcc.com

Questions about this publication should be directed to Kristine Roberson, 263-0115 or kroberson@woodbridgegcc.com

JULY2023

THE TAP IN Short, quick news

Watch for a Member Survey this month

In order to improve service and member satisfaction in each department, we will be sending out a member survey this month. Be on the lookout for it.

No Course Walking

Membership & Marketing Director Kristine Roberson 263-0115 | kroberson@woodbridgegcc.com

Office Manager Evelyn Chinchiolo 263-0116 | elchinchiolo@woodbridgegcc.com

Administration Office 334-5454 x 100

Events Manager Jessica Johnstone 263-0121 | jjohnstone@woodbridgegcc.com

Food & Beverage Supervisor Kelley Mori 263-0133 | kmori@woodbridgegcc.com

Cafe 263-0133 | Private Events 263-0121

Head Golf Professional John Hughes, PGA 368-2685 | jhughes@woodbridgegcc.com

Class A Golf Course Super. Kurtis Wolford 368-9040 | kwolford@woodbridgegcc.com

Player Development Professional Ryan Williams 369-2371 | rawilliams@woodbridgegcc.com

Golf Shop/Tee Times 369-2371

Fitness Center Manager Holly Cummings 370-6330 | sports@woodbridgegcc.com

Tennis Professional Mauricio Achondo, USPTA 327-5659 | machondo@woodbridgegcc.com

Tennis Professional Haley Marais, USPTA 275-5158 | hmarais@woodbridgegcc.com

Sports Complex & Reservations 370-6330

We’ve noticed a few of our members enjoying walks on the golf course while the Club is open and golf is playing. Leisurely and fitness walking on the golf course is not allowed while the golf courses are open. You may not be able to see golfers — and they likely can’t see you. But that doesn’t mean a ball won’t find you, potentially causing injury.

Walking on the course when you are not golfing and others are can be dangerous.

July 30 is deadline for last names starting with M-R

If your last name starts with M-R, your food and beverage quarterly minimum ends this month. As a reminder, our events, Cafe food and beverage, beverage cart and wine bottle purchases all count toward your food and beverage minimum.

Upcoming Member Events

Mon, Jul 3: The Club is OPEN

Tues, Jul 4: Fourth of July Holiday - the Club is OPEN

Red, White & Blue Couples Tournament

Wednesdays in July: Men’s Twilight League

Jul 11-14: Jr Golf & Tennis Camps

Jul 13: Thursday Night on the Range

Jul 15: Men’s Triple Play

Jul 16: Tennis Round Robin - Beer, Balls & BBQ

Jul 20: Couples Twilight

Jul 22: Summer Wine Fest

Jul 25-28: Jr Golf & Tennis Camps

Jul 29: Summer Camp Out

Jul 29: Men’s Golf Championship Finale

Death by Committee (Meetings):

Jul 6: House & Social Committee

Jul 6: Membership Committee

Jul 11: Centennial Committee

Jul 12: Sports Committee

Ju1 18: Finance Committee

Jul 25: Board of Directors

BY JUSTIN LAKE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

TROON UPDATE

Hello Woodbridge Members,

My name is Justin Lake. I am your Troon Corporate Operations Director and have had the privilege to be at Woodbridge for the last several weeks while Interim General Manager, Russ Bond has been away. I’ve had the opportunity to meet several of you while I have been at the Club and look forward to meeting many of you over time. I currently am based in the Troon Corporate office in Irvine, CA and I will also make regular visits to Woodbridge moving forward. We are nearing the selection of a permanent General Manager with the Search Committee, continue to stay tuned.

We are learning the Club’s strengths and weaknesses with each new day, meeting with staff and talking with many of you members. We do want to give you an opportunity to share specific feedback via an anonymous member survey that will be sent to each of you in the coming weeks. I encourage you to complete that so we can learn even more on how we can improve Woodbridge moving forward.

From the Troon team, we are excited and honored to partner with Woodbridge, the Board and all of you members. Our Corporate Department experts have began visiting the Club and meeting with each Club department head and staff. They are conducting assessments and will use the information to author 30-6090 day action plans to elevate standards and improve the Club in all departments and member experience categories. We are excited for our future together.

BY KRISTINE ROBERSON MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

MID-YEAR REVIEW

How is membership going?

With 2023 halfway behind us (wow!) and the remaining half in front of us, I thought it would be good to take a look at how membership sales is trending for the year thus far.

As of June 30, I’ve recorded 168 membership adds, upgrades, downgrades and resignations.

That’s a lot of transactions — and doesn’t include all of the billing I do as well. This number is about static with the last couple of years (thank you for your patience in my returning all of your phone calls while I work hard on all of these member movements!).

The Sports Membership wins in the most transactions. Between the closed Sports category and the open Sports category, we have had a total of 54 transactions, most of this being members moving from the closed Sports category to the new Sports category to save in monthly dues. All of this movement has actually moved the needle very little in Sports growth. We started 2023 with 221 total Sports members and now have 223.

The Full Golf Membership wins in the most growth so far. We started the year with 202 Full Golf members and are now at 214, for a net positive of 12 members in this category. Not bad! That’s an average of two new Full Golf members per month!

Our Young Professional Membership is also growing — but only during the Legacy Program.

The Young Pros have grown in numbers by 4 (8 new members, and 4 resigned or downgraded). One hundred percent of our new Young Pros this year have come in under our annual Legacy Program. If you remember, the Legacy Program waives the Initiation Fee for relatives of current members and is only offered two months out of the year.

Single Golf is... static.

Our Single Golf category has lost as many members as it has gained, for a net zero. Interestingly, this was our biggest growing membership the last couple of years. Perhaps more spouses are golfing now, as seen in the growth of the Full Golf membership.

Weekday, Twilight and Dining have all lost memberships.

Both Weekday and Dining categories have a net loss of 3 members each, and Twilight has shown the most losses this year at a net 6.

As for the 2023 Sales Plan...

We are falling below sales plan numbers. Plan for mid-year is 833, and our actuals are at 820. Plan for dues totals for June is $372,358 and actuals is at $368,446.

So the news is mixed... some good and some bad. Please do your part as a Woodbridge member and make sure you promote your Club to your friends, family, colleagues and community for the remainder of the year so we can finish strong.

New Members

JUNE’S Elizabeth Gaynor Sponsor: S Walker Category: Dining

Michael Lira

Sponsor: C Farrell Category: Proprietary Anthony Guebara Sponsor: D Vasquez Category: Proprietary

Travis DiDonato Sponsor: A Petersen Category: Twilight

Ryan Haggerty Sponsor: N Meyers Category: Proprietary

Joe Brum

Sponsor: S Hayes Category: Sports

Jeremy Mustin Sponsor: J Mustin

Sports

Paul Davis Sponsor: D Spinella

Sports Thomas Bors

N Meyers

Sports

ACADEMY

BY RYAN WILLIAMS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

Every once in a while, golfers fall into grooves when they cannot miss. The ball flies exactly in the manner they envisioned and the strike feels pure. If the player is lucky, getting into that “zone” can last an entire round; perhaps it lasts only a few holes; or, perhaps it is just one shot that perfectly fits the image in the player’s mind. These are beautiful moments and unfortunately, they occur at all too seldom a frequency for most golfers.

If I may, I would argue the “zone” is closer to our natural state as human beings. Want proof? Ask a friend to toss you a golf ball or a tee next time you’re playing. In ten years of asking players to toss me a ball, never once has the ball flown way over my head, bounced at my feet, or been thrown so hard that I feared for my life. Just about every time, the ball finds my hand gently without having to make any great adjustment to make the catch. Think about what happens for the person making the toss when they are given the task: their brain interprets what is being asked of them, their eyes see how far my hand (the target) is away, then their hand and arm simply react, instinctively feeling how much effort it would take to toss the weight of a golf ball appropriately.

Human beings tend to perform tasks best when there is as little

interference as possible. Imagine playing golf as freely as young children play tag or as instinctively as a father and son playing catch. My guess is that it has been a long time, if ever, since golf has felt that way to you.

You may be wondering, what about fundamentals? In a game as complicated in golf, surely it is very important the club and body are moving properly to produce a solid strike. I would 100% agree with that and would be lying if I didn’t say a large portion of my time coaching is spent cleaning up technical aspects of someone’s swing or short game motions. That said, once a player develops the ability to get around the course even somewhat efficiently, many are far too focused on the motion itself while playing a round of golf and not focused enough on their ability to achieve the desired ball flight. In other words, they are too heavily valuing fundamentals (what the club and body are doing) at the expense of skills (what the ball is doing).

The last statement begs the question: Do you believe the swing creates the shot? Or do you believe the shot creates the swing?

The first option implies if you do the “correct” things within the

Why you’re probably overvaluing the wrong one

“Do you believe the swing creates the shot? Or do you believe the shot creates the swing?”

swing, the shot will work out. This is the strategy most employed by range rats, the type of player always looking for the next swing key to ensure good golf. After poor shots, their mind goes straight to grip or some technical detail or they cannot wait to ask their instructor for help. What they’re really looking for is validation; the most confident players do not desperately search for something to believe in. It’s a bit like the needy romantic partner always needing reassurance. It may provide validation in the moment but in the end is temporary.

The players with the most self-belief allow the shot to produce the swing. They understand intimately their fundamentals and manage them efficiently but do not stress over them. Once they’ve performed their drills or made sure their fundamentals are in a place from which they can predictably be changed as needed, the best players concern themselves with their skills.

Tiger Woods, for example, in the three times I’ve seen him in person, has never once played a shot on the driving range without a target and a shot shape

in mind. He epitomizes the difference between “making a swing” and “playing a shot.” What stood out was just how specific he was with the intention off each shot in practice. It was as if he was fully priming his mind to be working in the way it would need to during his actual rounds. Those three occasions on which I got to observe his range sessions were in 2010, 2012, and 2019. In each of the three years, he had a different swing coach and a markedly different swing each time. Despite his different technical focuses, when preparing to play his best, Tiger, like other great players, was far more concerned with his ability to achieve ball flights than for his swing to look a certain way.

Do you fall into the trap of hoping a swing you’ve “grooved” will work for 18 holes? Does the game feel like a test that’s impossible to remember every answer? If so, give these driving range skills challenges below a shot!

Scatter Drill:

• Aim a target in the center of the range and the intentionally send the ball to different targets

• You are not allowed to change your aim with your feet but you can change ball position

• The goal is be able to send the ball in a straight line in any direction

9-Ball Drill:

• Have shots come down on a target with 9 different shot shapes

• Low: hook, fade, straight

• Mid: hook, fade, straight

• Hight: hook, fade, straight

“Blissful Ignorance” Drill: My Personal Favorite

• Waiting until the swing has already begun, have a friend tell you what shot to hit immediately after the swing starts

• Beginning: push, pull, high, low, straight

• Intermediate: hook, fade, straight’

• Advanced: low hook, high straight, medium cut (for example)

Be like Phil Mickeslon and Seve Ballesteros and set out to improve your skills! I’ll see you all on the course soon!

REST & RECOVERY OF THE GREENS

BY KURTIS WOLFORD GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

Where has the year gone?

We are rolling into July and it looks like Mother Nature will be ramping up the heat early this month with our first 100-degree day of the year. We have been lucky so far this season. Now that we hit the summer solstice, the days will start getting shorter. Let’s hope we do not have a repeat of last year’s August and September heat waves!

The course performed well for the two invitationals. We pushed the greens hard last week. By Saturday they were starting to show signs of being pushed. Greens speeds ramped up from the first day from 11ish to averaging 12.3. We will be giving the greens some love this month and also giving them a break to recover with needle tineing followed by a gypsum application and sand topdress. Greens speeds will be dropping back down to 10-11ish as we get into the summer heat of July and August.

We will spraying rough again this week. We have noticed in surrounding areas where we lost trees the predominate turf was

Poa annua because of the shade. Now that the trees are gone the Poa annua is struggling. We plan to seed these areas with Rye/ Blue grass. We have also seen this year it the return of Southern Blight Fungus. It is hitting Poa annua in the rough and fairways hard this year, primarily because of the wet spring we have had. Where Southern Blight has killed an area of Poa, Bermuda grass pops up and starts filling in the bad area. We have been spray fertilizing heavily to constantly feed the Bermuda that sprouts up in these areas. We continue to have labor issues. Today we are at 19 full-time employees including myself and 2 part-time employees. We are budgeted for 21 full-time and 2 part-time. We are still down 2 full-time employees. I will be putting an add out starting today. In the meantime, we are making due

Mowing frequencies

• Greens 7 days per week with Triplex

• Rolling 1x 2x Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday

• Collars & tees 2x per week

• Fairways 2x per week

• Rough 2x per week

We continue to make daily adjustments on the irrigation system. The crew will continue to be changing our heads on the Lake. We have been injecting wetting agents and nitrogen into the irrigation water at night to help the turf and to reduce hand watering.

The installation of the new heads is paying dividends in being able to apply a uniform application of water. Fairway conditions continue to improve. Once fine-tuned we are spending much less time hand watering dry spots in fairways.

Course safety

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE CART PATHS AS A RECREATIONAL WALKING TRAIL WHEN THE COURSE IS OPEN.

It is too dangerous for walkers and for those who are not familiar with the course. If you see walkers, please kindly ask them not to walk the cart paths because of the danger.

BY JOHN HUGHES, PGA HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL

MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP & Course Care

Men’s Club Championship Update

Matches are rolling along in both Gross & Net Flights. If progress happens as planned, all competition will conclude with Final Matches played on Sat, Jul 29. All members are invited to come out and cheer on finalists on that day. There will be a BBQ available following play for all players & spectators.

Upcoming Golf Events

Jul 4: Couples’ Red, White & Blue Tournament

Jul 12: Senior Home & Home

Jul 14: Men’s Triple Play Tournament

Jul 20: Couples’ Twilight

Jul 29: Men’s Club Championship Finals & BBQ

Fitting Days at Woodbridge

Sat, Sep 9: TaylorMade Fri, Sep 15: XXIO

We’re in This Together

When you play, be sure to leave the course as good or better than you found it. If everyone at Woodbridge are good stewards, ball marks on the greens will be repaired and divots will be filled with sand. Each ball that lands on a green makes some kind of bruise, which should be repaired by the player taking the shot. Likewise, properly struck shots from the turf will result in a divot, which needs to be filled with sand. The healing process for

ball marks and divots is greatly accelerated with these practices. So, care for the course when you are out there, playing conditions will improve.

Golf Rules

Last Month’s QuestionWhile taking unplayable ball relief, when a ball is dropped in the relief area, must a player accept the outcome if the ball comes to rest in its original location or in a bad lie? What’s the ruling?

Answer –

When taking unplayable ball relief, a player must accept the outcome even if it is unfavorable, such as when a dropped ball comes to rest in its original location or in a bad lie in another location in the relief area. Once the dropped ball comes to rest in the relief area, the player has a new situation.

If the player decides that they cannot (or do not wish to) play the ball as it now lies, the player may again take unplayable ball relief, for an additional penalty, using any available relief option under Rule 19.

This Month’s Question –May a player may probe in a bunker without penalty to determine if tree roots, rocks or obstructions might interfere with their stroke?

Gross Flight Bracket

Net Flight Bracket

Men’s Championship

BY KRISTINE ROBERSON MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

KEEP YOUR COOL

Signs of Heat Stroke & how to prevent it

Summer is finally showing signs of life! With temperatures kissing the 100-degree mark, it’s time to revisit heat safety while you’re out on the tennis courts, at the swimming pool and on the golf course.

Heat stroke is a serious condition that occurs when the body overheats, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to high temperatures or physical exertion in hot weather. It is important to be aware of the signs of heat stroke and take preventive measures to avoid it. Here are some signs of heat stroke and tips on how to prevent it:

Signs of heat stroke:

• High body temperature: A core body temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is a key indicator of heat stroke.

• Altered mental state or behavior: This can range from confusion and agitation to disorientation and seizures.

• Hot, red, and dry skin: Heat stroke may cause the skin to become hot and dry, with a lack of sweating.

• Rapid pulse and breathing: The heart rate and breathing may become fast and shallow.

• Headache and dizziness: Heat stroke can cause throbbing headaches and feelings of lightheadedness or faintness.

• Nausea and vomiting: Heat stroke may lead to gastrointestinal distress, including nausea and vomiting.

• Muscle cramps and weakness: Heat stroke can cause muscle cramps, weakness, and fatigue.

Preventive measures to avoid heat stroke:

• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to stay hydrated.

Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages as they can contribute to dehydration.

• Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and lightcolored clothing that allows your body to breathe and helps in sweat evaporation.

• Seek shade and cool environments: When outdoors, try to stay in shaded areas or cool places. If possible, use air conditioning or fans to create a cool indoor environment.

• Limit outdoor activities: Minimize strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day, typically between 10am and 4pm.

• Take breaks and rest: If you must be active in hot conditions, take regular breaks in shaded areas and rest to allow your body to recover and cool down.

• Use sunscreen: Apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) to protect your skin from sunburn, which can impair your body's ability to cool itself.

• Check on vulnerable individuals: Keep an eye on children, elderly individuals, and those with chronic illnesses, as they are more susceptible to heat-related problems.

• Acclimate to the heat: If you are not accustomed to hot weather, gradually increase your exposure to heat over time to allow your body to adapt.

If you suspect someone is experiencing heat stroke, it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention. While waiting for medical help, move the person to a cooler place, remove excessive clothing, and try to cool them down by applying cool water or ice packs to their body. Do not hesitate to call emergency services for assistance.

HENDRIXSON WEISZ

Hendrixson is a fun-loving, passionate and enthusiastic 3 year old that loves watching (and critiquing) players on the Woodbridge Tennis courts! He loves playing with his sister and cousins, hamburgers, playing baseball and pretending he’s driving a race car or rocket ship. He dislikes loud noises and things that scare him. When he grows up he wants to be an astronaut.

JR TENNIS PLAYER OF THE MONTH

BY ARLEEN MATAGA FORE-TEE NINERS CAPTAIN

49er UpdateFlag Day Salute!

Hi 49ers! June had a great Flag Day Tournament — thanks go to Melissa Krebill and Kathy Cockayne. And believe it or not, but we had a Star player...Jennie Fuller had her flag in her hand at lunch because she had more stokes to go before she could plant her flag. The play was to plant your flag when you used the number on the flag which represented the strokes you have by adding par plus your handicap pops together. For me, I didn't even get to finish the 8th hole before planting my flag. I sure need that lesson Teresa is having on Wed, Jul 5. Sign up on bulletin board.

Also in June, I went to North Ridge for their great Invitational. Keep looking for the Opens and Invitationals we are invited to and sign up. I can give you a ride if I am going.

Also, last but not least, we had a fun Guest Day. Remember, Guest Days have no green fees, so showoff our course and invite someone every last Thursday of the month!

Please call the Golf Shop for your tee time — 209-3692371. Also call the Golf Shop if you need to cancel. (You can even call to get an earlier or later tee time than the small block of times we have. Aim to check in 30 minutes before tee time...20 minutes is at the very latest)

July Play

• 6: Vineyard; 8:30am Tee times, Stroke

• 13: Vineyard; 8:30am Tee times, Best Ball twosome or threesome. General meeting at lunch.

• 20: River; 8:30am Tee times, Stroke

• 27: Lake; Guest Day; 8am check in and snack, 8:30am shotgun, Merlot Tees, Low Putts.

The weather is beautiful. Come out to golf. See you on the course.

Arleen

BY KATHIE HOLTZAPPLE & BETH HANDEL 18-HOLE LADIES CO-CAPTAINS

World Tour Winners! 2023 WOMENS INVITATIONAL

Winners

Accuracy

Closest

Closest

ABOVE: Getting ready for the Invitational — all the decorations!

RIGHT: Cocktail Party fun!

ABOVE: Ready to go!

ABOVE: Part of the Crew

ABOVE: On the course

LEFT: Lunch & Tee Prizes

RIGHT: Raffle offerings

ABOVE: Jackie is in the money!

ABOVE: Prizes awarded by Tournament Chair Kathie & her right hand “Julie McCoy”