The Covey | August 2014
Alvamar Country Club's Monthly Newsletter
August Events:
August 2nd & 3rd- Club Championship
August 21st- Family Game Night at the pool| 5-8 pm
August 28th- Ladies Day at the pool | Doors open at 11 AM, Lunch at noon
And just an early reminder for the beginning of the month of September...
September 1st- Labor Day pool closing party
Welcome New Members!
Josh & Stephanie Lambert
Crystal Swearingen
Karl & Nancy Killam
Sarah & Oscar Borjas
Nathan & Amanda Keller
Brad Perico
Greg Sharp & Kristy Kopp
Enjoy Alvamar!
Club Update
Bryan Minnis
Director of Operations
Well as you have seen or heard, we had quite the storm come through Alvamar. I am pleased to report that the over $100,000 dollars worth of damage to trees and buildings on property has been addressed and work to repair and clean up the damage will be completed soon. I want to thank our staff, members, patrons, and neighbors for their support and patience during this period. It should also be noted that Alvamar Inc., in their wisdom made sure to have an insurance policy in place to protect us from such events. All damage and clean up was completely covered by our policy and has been instrumental in positioning us to remedy the situation in a timely manner.
We are also pleased to announce that Alvamar has had a good year in all areas of our operation. Membership continues to grow and we have had several reports from our members which suggest that we are continually providing services and products that they appreciate and feel are of great value. We know that we don’t always hit on all cylinders (while that is our goal) but as a club we are performing very well by most accounts. Don Dunn has been an instrumental part of helping us build a culture of great service through his training efforts and service programs, which I’m happy to report have been embraced by all our staff. All employees carry a card with them at all times that speak to the goals of our organization. The card reads as follows:
P – pride in your appearance and character, in your work and teammates; remembering as staff this is “your” club.
L – listening to members, guests, managers, and teammates to address needs and concerns, so that we never settle but continually improve.
A – attentive service in a welcoming and friendly attitude, as we are constantly aware of anticipating customer needs.
Y – you are the front line person to make the first great impression, and the last opportunity to say “Thank You” to our customer.
We feel these objectives for Alvamar “the place to PLAY” are key in making sure that we provide 5 star services to our members and guests on a daily basis. Please let us know if we are accomplishing our goal or missing the mark. We want to know!
A letter from Greg Moore..
Well we made it through a July storm for the ages. The 75 mph winds took out many of our long standing trees and halted play for a day or so. While this was devastating at the time, looking back, it could be a blessing in disguise. One thing is for sure, it will help considerably with my dendrophobia out on the golf course. I want to compliment Kent Morgison and his staff on their quick response in remediating many of the fallen trees.
I would like to take a moment to remind our membership of the many opportunities that we have to get involved with the Alvamar Family. We have several committees, from the Golf Committee to the Social Committee, that are always looking for energetic minds. Please don’t hesitate to speak up if you are interested and would like to get involved. Most committees meet once a month. Please contact Bryan Minnis or myself if you would like to be considered for one of many fun and active committees.
With August here that can only mean one thing, back to school and one more month to enjoy the pool. So make sure you get out there and enjoy Alvamar “The Place to Play”.
Cheers!
Greg Moore
August Golf Updates:
-Eric Magnuson-
Well everyone, July was a little rough on the courses. Both the Championship Course and the Member’s Course sustained considerable amount of tree damage due to a Micro-burst on July 8th. Kent and his crew have done an amazing job in the cleanup efforts. If you have a chance to tell them “Thank You”, please do so.
August brings us hot weather, the start of Football Season, and Schools welcoming back students. This also leads into some schedules getting busier and some slowing down. All in all, time to come out to the course to play golf seems to reduce, at least for a full 18. But for 9-holes, there is still plenty of time. Early evening golf, a quick morning round, have 90 minutes before your next scheduled event, these are prime times to make an appearance on the first tee. Worried about your handicap because of not playing a full 18?, the GHIN system combines the 9-hole scores.
During the month you will continue to see new clothing for the fall. KU logoed gear will be displayed in the Championship Golf Shop, and the Quail will be flying between both shops. As we all have seen Dick’s Sporting Goods as opened here in Lawrence. We will continue our tradition of matching any price that is offered. However, some pricing we might be able to match, but these instances will be very uncommon. If it does happen, we will explain why we are unable to match those prices.
Upcoming Events:
Aug 2nd-3rd - Men’s and Ladies Club Championship, 9:00 Tee Time Start
Aug 5th – 6th – ACCWG Championship 8:30 shotgun
Aug 16th – 17th – “The Mel Anderson” Men’s Member/Member 9:00 Shotgun both days.
Aug 23rd – Bonnie Hendrickson – Both Courses 1:00 Shotgun
Aug 29th – Couples Golf – 9-holes 5:30 Shotgun
Sept 1st – Labor Day Scramble 9:00 Shotgun
Sept 5th – Penny Jones – Both Courses 8:00 and 1:00 Shotguns
Halfway To The Green: St Patrick's Day Parade: Charity Golf Tournament
Here is a link for the registration forms for the upcoming tournament "Halfway To The Green"- St. Patrick's Day Parade Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, September 13th, 2014. You can fill out the golf registration and sponsor registration forms here.
-Paul Hooser-
August is a busy month. Families are squeezing in vacations before school starts. And for some golf begins to wind down. But for others there is lots of golf left. Some have expressed an interest in some start up golf instruction for juniors and high school girls will be starting their season in August.
For the juniors we have added some one-day, two hour sessions to give the youngsters a touch of golf’s fundamentals and shot skills. The sessions will be on Saturday afternoons in august except for Labor Day weekend and will run from 3-5:00. The cost per golfer will be $30. We will need a minimum of two golfers to hold the session. Please sign up by the Thursday before so that we know we are a go.
High School girls going out or playing on the local teams can get a tune up for their season also. Three half our private coaching sessions are available for $100. Contact Paul Hooser to set up a time to get started. phooser@alvamar.com or 785-842-1907.
Paul Hooser
Head Golf Professional, Alvamar Championship Course
August: Tee To Green
Tee to Green
August 2014
By Kent Morgison
WOW! What else can be said as we wrap up a busy July and look into August. For the last few years, July has been a month in which we host a couple of our most competitive outside events of the season. The KGA has hosted their second chance Kansas Amateur qualifier on the Championship course for several years, where some of the better amateurs in the state take their last shot at getting into the tournament. A couple of weeks later, the Web.com tour hosted their Monday qualifier to get into the tournament that is held at Lionsgate in Overland Park. These two tournaments are very prestigious and we are honored that we can host such great events each year. Typically, it is a very busy time for us in the maintenance department to get the courses in tournament condition, as mowing frequencies intensify for the events. Well, needless to say, this year took on a whole different twist.
The championship course was in very good shape when we left the facility on Monday, July 7th, ready to host the Amateur qualifier the very next morning. Later that night, Mother Nature decided to throw us a curveball that I have not seen in my tenure here, as strong storms moved through the area, carrying devastating winds that leveled trees on both courses, and in its wake left a monstrous cleanup task. They played the tournament the next morning, it was either play it or cancel it, which the KGA didn’t want to do. Our staff did its best to get everything down the middle prepared, tees, fairways and greens were cleared to the best of our ability. With some special rules in place, the tournament was held with some minor issues as expected. Afterwards, our attention turned to the massive cleanup that we faced going forward. With the Web.com tournament a mere 13 days away, I was more than skeptical that the courses would be in any type of condition to hose such an event.
Well, without boring you with a bunch of details, I am proud to say that as of today, July 24th, both courses are back in playable condition with some minor debris left in isolated areas. The Web.com qualifier went well, and as we continue to cleanup, we are hopeful that the courses are beginning to look as you would expect them. Obviously, we had to have major help from professional companies to complete such a task in short order. However, I hope you join me in extending a huge THANK YOU to our maintenance staff here at Alvamar. They worked extremely hard on what seemed like a neverending task, never questioned or complained, and it showed the pride they take in giving all people that frequent our great facility the best possible playing conditions day in and day out. Thanks again!!
With all of the cleanup nearing completion, we now have a mountain of wood chips at our disposal. We will use a great deal of these on our courses, but we have enough for several years, and there are more to come as we look to shred our ever-growing brush pile behind 17 green. Therefore, if any of you would like some wood chips for home use, we will be selling truckloads for $20 going forward. Call ahead to setup a loading time at 843-6303, and we will do our best to accommodate.
ACCWGA Updates
A Note from ACCWGA:
Mark in on your calendars!
The Alvamar Country Club Women's Golf Association Club and Handicap Championships will be held on Tuesday, August 5th and Wednesday, August 6th. We encourage all WGA members to participate. It is always a fun event. Sign up now.
This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Quail Classic. Help make 2014 a memorable year. Come out and play! The date is Tues., Sept. 16 and Wed., Sept. 17. Sign-up sheets are available in the locker room. The event is just around the corner. Sign up now.
We have some fun games scheduled in August for our Tuesday play. Tee time is 8:30. See you on the course.
Carol Tomlinson
Vice President
Hit & Giggles...
Hit and Giggle Golf:
After a slow spring start (due to weather) Hit and giggle is finally meeting every Thursday evening at 4:30-5pm . We are a non- competitive group of ladies who play a 9 hole scramble with a lot of laughs.Any golfers regardless of experience are more than welcome to come play. Afterward, the highlight is probably the wine and tacos or any food you order off the Alvabar menu. Great fun and a good way to meet other members of the club. Just show up at the pro shop at 4:30 or 5 and Jan Fox or Ruby Shade will be there to greet you. Golf cart will be used so we can all finish at the same time. If weather is bad (rain, lightening or stormy) the golf is cancelled. (Call the pro shop if uncertain)
Food & Beverage
Food & Beverage Update: August
With the heat beating down, don’t forget stop by the Alvamar pool for a quick dip and a refreshing frozen beverage. School is just around the corner and your remaining pool days are limited. Enjoy them while you can. Please be aware that August 13th the pool will switch to our “School Hours” and open at 4pm Monday thru Friday.
Before summer runs out try this margarita at your next backyard BBQ with a watermelon twist.
See you at the Club!
Jen Nuessen
Food & Beverage Director
Watermelon Margarita
· 1/2 cup sugar
· 1/2 cup water
· Zest from one orange
· 4-5 cups cubed and seeded watermelon (I used a small seedless and it was just about the perfect amount for the mixture and some cubes for garnish)
· 1 pint strawberries, cleaned and hulled
· 1 and 1/2 cups tequila
· 1/2 cup orange liqueur
· 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
For Garnish:
· Salt and sugar for rimming ( mix equal parts together)
· Lime slices, watermelon cubes and blueberries for garnish (skip the blueberries if you want for non Independence Day cocktails!)
Preparation
1. Bring water, sugar and orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan, boiling just long enough for the sugar to dissolve, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; strain out the zest and cool completely.
2. Combine watermelon and strawberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour over a strainer into a large bowl to remove solids.
3. Return fruit juice to blender and add tequila, orange simple syrup, orange liqueur and lime juice and blend thoroughly.
4. Put pitcher into refrigerator for at least 2 hours allowing flavors to meld and mixture to get cold.
5. Put salt and sugar mixture on a plate. Rub the rim of glasses with a quarter lime slice and dip them into the salt/sugar.
6. Fill glasses with ice and add the watermelon margarita mixture; top with garnish of watermelon cubes, berries or lime slices.
A goodbye from Kelsey Vorgert
Dear Alvamar Family,
The time has come for me to say goodbye for good and attempt to be a grown up or something like that. If you have not already heard, I am moving to Sydney, Australia to become a gypsy. Just kidding, I am actually going to find a rich Aussie man to marry. Joking aside, Alvamar has been my home for the past almost four years. I will miss this place and all of the memories it has given me more than any of you can imagine. You have all left a permanent imprint on my heart and I will never forget your support. Most of you have put up with my frequent mood swings and chances are, you have seen me cry on numerous occasions. And yet you still love me, or at least pretend to. If that's not a family, then I don't know what is. I will miss picking up all the popcorn that doesn't quite make it into your mouth and sprinting a flight of stairs to get you an extra ranch. However, the other side of the world is calling my name. Friday, August 15th you're all invited to say goodbye to me in the Alvabar for my final Bounty Night. I know you all need to see me cry one last time.
Love, Kelsey
Alvabar Lunch & Dinner Menu-NEW!
Ladies' August Bridge
Please call and make reservations with Carolyn Harden (785-766-1656) or Mary Gaumer (785-856-5444) Please make reservations by Wednesday, August 6th.
August Calendar
Club Staff
bminnis@alvamar.com
Paul Hooser | Director of Instruction
phooser@alvamar.com
Eric Magnuson | Director of Golf
emagnuson@alvamar.com
Tyler Henderson | Assistant Golf Professional
thenderson@alvamar.com
Ryan Davis | Assistant Golf Professional
rdavis@alvamar.com
Jen Neussen | Director of Food & Beverage
jnuessen@alvamar.com
Kursten Minnis | Event Sales and Marketing Director
kminnis@alvamar.com
Chef Matthew Michel-Cox | Executive Chef
mmichel-cox@alvamar.com
Kent Morgison | Superintendent
kmorgison@alvamar.com
Valerie Woodhead |Director Of Accounting
vwoodhead@alvamar.com
Ryan Spencer | Director of Golf Sales
rspencer@alvamar.com
Amanda Hodges | Business Office
ahodges@alvamar.com
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Website: www.alvamar.com
Location: 1809 Crossgate Drive, Lawrence, KS
Phone: 785-842-0004
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alvamar.countryclub
Twitter: @AlvamarCC