Purpoodock Club CHIP NOTES

Purpoodock Club
CHIP NOTES
Quarterly Newsletter
Issue 1 - May 2014
In this Issue
Letter from the GM..........P.2
Golf Cour se News.............P.3
Golf Shop News................P.4
Food and Bever age News...P.6
Master s Par ty Photos
& Club Contacts...............P.8
Join us for Purpoodock’s
Annual Spring Fling Event!
Saturday, June 14, 2014
7:00-11:00pm
Help us kick off the 2014 season!
$15.00 per person
Bring your friends!!
Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, drink specials,
and music by the Crab Shack Band!
Welcome New Members!
Mike Pulsifer, Single
Liam McCoy, Single
Charles Miller, Associate Single
Robert Trail, House
Please RSVP to the office
by calling 207-799-2273
Returning Members
Bryce Hewitt, Social Golf Junior
John Holt, Single
Steve Dolan, Singlet ame
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207-799-2273 | 300 Spurwink Avenue, Cape Elizabeth, Maine 04107 | www.purpoodock.com
From the General Manager
I know we have restructured our Management Team resulting in changes in the make up of our staff. I truly
understand the relationship between long tenure staff and club membership. I assure you these decisions were not
easy and were given a tremendous amount of thought and consideration. While I understand these decisions may
not be popular with some of our members, it is my responsibility to make the tough decisions that I feel are in the
long term best interest of the Purpoodock Club. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little
extra. It means going to the next level, beyond exceeding expectations to anticipating every need of our membership beyond what they would even expect. Before we can transcend to the next level, we must have the necessary
staff in place capable of achieving that goal or mission. As your General Manager and leader of our employees, I
must provide the tools, training and atmosphere in which they can succeed. I must measure our employees by the
talents they are born with and the skills we teach them. It would not be fair to our employee or our membership to
ask someone to perform a task they are not capable of. Albert Einstein once said “Everybody is a genius. But if
you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree you will live your life believing it is stupid”. I must make an
honest evaluation of each employee and put them in a position to succeed. You cannot turn a frog into a prince or fit
a square peg in to a round hole.
Through my over thirty year’s experience, I have compiled a list of what I consider to be the many keys for success.
Here are just a few.
Emphasize teamwork: teamwork is so much more than just working together. Everyone has the ability to be a
team player, every moment of every day. It is defined by the extent to which all actions, decisions and behavior
contribute to the organization as a whole. Team work is a state of mind, an attitude and a conscious decision. The
bottom line is we are stronger collectively than we are as individuals.
Communication: It involves everything we do, requires give-and-take and allows for feedback and questions by all
parties. I will create an atmosphere in which open and honest discussion is welcome.
Encourage and reward innovation: I think innovation is the coolest word in the English language. Innovation is
the restless drive to improve and the consistent desire to then push harder. To be innovative means you must be
willing to fail and accept failure as one step closer to success and greatness.
Reduce and simplify internal bureaucracy: Because “It has always been done that way” is a poor excuse in the
attempt to define who you are as a club.
Always be honest: This applies to our members and employees equally.
Devotion to urgency: You will never have a second chance to take care of a member. Live for the moment and think
hours ahead. Always be pro-active and think now, now, now!
Be a person of integrity: Random House dictionary defines integrity as, “adherence to moral and ethical principles;
soundness of moral character; honesty…a sound, unimpaired, or a perfect condition.” Practice it, demand it live it.
Be positive at all times: Positive attitudes rub off on people as do negative attitudes and my attitude affects every
one with whom I work. Unfortunately, we can all think of someone who can brighten up a room just by leaving it.
Involve everyone in everything; Having a clear understanding of the goals and culture of the club is essential. I
believe in the adage, “Tell me and I will forget, show me and I might remember, involve me and I will understand”.
Train, train, train, and re-train: Training is not a one-time shot. If you examine successful clubs, you will find that
training is an ongoing process for which all members of the organization are responsible. There is only one thing
worse than a trained employee who quits, and that is an untrained employee who stays.
Managing a successful club comes down to things. The membership is happy and utilizing the club. The employee is
happy and working to their fullest potential.
Sincerely,
Ken Young, CCM CCE CEC
Page 2
Golf Course News
I am excited for the opportunity as the new Golf Course Superintendent at Purpoodock. This is a very unique golf
course with a lot of character. It is the goal of the Grounds Department to put in a lot of hard work to elevate the
level of conditioning and aesthetics on the property to make it the best golf experience in Maine and beyond. I
certainly have plans for what the course needs in order to achieve that next level and have already started
implementing some of them.
Some of the plans on the golf course include: enacting a strong agronomic program and cultural practices that will
help reduce and manage the thatch build-up in all playing surfaces. The thatch acts like a sponge that holds water
creating a less than ideal environment for the turf as well as poor and inconsistent playing conditions. It also leads to
greater disease and pest damage as both tend to find a suitable home in the thatch layer. We will be aggressively
aerifying the golf course as soon as it is feasible in order to begin managing thatch as well as incorporating more sand
into the greens for better turf health and playability. Tying in with the agronomic plans is a tree management plan to
reduce shade and improve air movement where there are extremes of both causing major problems with some greens.
I will be initiating better water management practices through the use of moisture meters and hoses to give the
greens a precise amount of water in the areas that need it which will also improve playing conditions and plant health.
There will be proper fertilizer and plant protection management put in place to provide a healthier golf course with
better definition and aesthetics. There is also a considerable amount of drainage work that we will be undertaking to
also improve conditions. There is certainly a lot of hard work in front of us in the coming years, but I am confident
the end result will be a very special golf course with elite level conditioning that will withstand the greater
environmental stresses we have seen in both summers and winters of late.
A little background about myself, I was born and raised here in southern Maine and began my golf course
management career down the road at Prouts Neck Country Club. While there, I earned a BA in Psychology and a
minor in Criminology as well as being a Scholar-Athlete on the golf team at the University of Southern Maine for
three years. Wanting to further my golf management education and career I headed south to North Carolina. While
working on the grounds crew at Carolina Country Club in Raleigh, I attained my degree in Turfgrass Management
from North Carolina State University. I moved on to Brier Creek Country Club and quickly made my way to the
Senior Assistant Position. I jumped at an opportunity to get back to New England after managing bentgrass greens in
the South for 10 years which landed me at Shelter Harbor Golf Club in Charlestown, Rhode Island. I was the Senior
Assistant Superintendent there for a little over five and half years until I accepted the position here at Purpoodock.
My wife and I have two young children, our daughter, Francheska and our son, Julian. I feel very fortunate to call
Maine “home” once again and look forward to raising our children here.
Best,
Rob Knott
Golf Course Superintendent
Page 3
Golf Shop News
Welcome to the 2014 golf season! As I write this article, it is my 64th day on the job. It has been a busy 64
days for sure despite some less than ideal weather. Assembling a first class staff both in the golf shop and
for outside operations was one of my first priorities. I am confident that the team we have assembled will
take the level of service you have come to expect to a whole new level.
After familiarizing and learning all the guidelines and policies, my focus turned to the golf shop and
stocking it with inventory. We had to establish accounts with all the major manufacturers for hard good and
soft goods. After accounts were open, I then met with the sales representatives and ordered product. For
equipment, we will stock what are often referred to as the “Big Four”…Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade and
Ping. We will have accounts established with some other manufacturers and will be happy to place special
orders.
The purchasing of apparel side of the business is much more challenging. Style, price points, colors,
sizes are often difficult to capture. Our goal will be to offer a wide selection of apparel at various price points
including golf apparel and “lifestyle” apparel. For men, we will carry FootJoy, Nike, Adidas and a little Greg
Norman. For women, we are confident that Nike, Greg Norman and Adidas apparel lines will meet your
shopping expectations.
Remember, this is your golf shop! We are here for you. First class service at great pricing is our goal. If
there is something you would like and do not see it in the golf shop, please ask and we will make every effort
to get it for you.
Junior Golf clinics have started and spots for our summer camps are filling fast, so please do not delay in
registering. Please be on the lookout for some Get Golf Ready clinics…introductory clinics at deeply dis
counted prices. If you have been thinking about learning to play or are still new to the game and may need a
little refresher course, then these clinics are designed for you.
I look forward to seeing you at the club!
Yours in Golf,
Tony Decker,
PGA Head Professional
The 2014 Tournament Handbook
is now online!
Please see the website for
Tournament Schedules and Information
SCOTCHIES ARE BACK!!!
Plans for Friday afternoon? I would sneak out
of work early and play in the Friday Scotchies.
We have set aside some tee times starting at 4:00
on Friday afternoon for Scotchies! Scotchies are
two-person teams consisting of one male and one
female player. Both players drive, then hit the
partner’s ball for the second shot, select one and
then continue alternating shots until the ball is
holed.
Registration is easy…
call, email or stop by the golf shop.
207-799-0821 / proshop@purpoodock.com
Page 4
The Purpoodock Summer Golf Camp is designed with one mission, to make golf
fun! Kids will learn basic golf skills by teaching indirect/direct motor movement
skills, motor processes and competitive drills. The camps will promise a fun and
motivating atmosphere for students to learn and play amongst peers and friends
and to enjoy the golf course amenities.
In an effort to enhance the learning environment, the student to instructor ratio
is 6:1 (6 kids per 1 instructor). Students will be required to bring their own
lunches, snacks and beverages each day. A camp T-shirt will be provided to all
kids.
$200 for members
$225 for non-members
(based upon availability)
The camp will run from 9:00am-3:30pm
Session #1:
Monday, June 23rd
Tuesday, June 24th
Wednesday, June 25th
Session #2:
Tuesday, August 5th
Wednesday, August 6th
Thursday, August 7th
*We encourage you to register early as there will be a maximum of 18 kids per
session.
Range Reminder
Range Members:
For those members that purchase a range membership,
balls will be staged on the practice tee at all times.
We will have the balls located on the tee in plastic crates
accompanied by small baskets for your convenience.
There has been no change in the fee structure for the
range members.
Non-Range Members:
For those members that do not purchase a range membership and wish to utilize the range will be required to
purchase range balls in the golf shop. The balls will be
bagged and will be located behind the counter. Range
balls will be $3.00 per bag. After your practice session,
we kindly ask that you leave the bags in the designated
tote which will be located on the practice tee.
We are proud to announce that we’ve joined the
700+ teams that participated in PGA JLG last
season and will be participating in 2014!
PGA Junior League Golf (PGA JLG) is designed to bring a “Little League”
atmosphere to the game of golf. With teams of boys and girls, age 13 and
under, PGA JLG provides a structured league environment for young
golfers to compete and have fun! This is a great way to get, and keep, kids
involved in the game!
PGA JLG Participants Receive
• Numberedteamjersey,golfballs,bagtagand“Flag”stickers
• 5-6regularseasoncompetitions
• Practicesand/orclinics(#determinedbyteamcaptain)
• Accesstocustomizedwebsitehomepagefeaturingrosters,schedules
andstandings
• OpportunityforadvancementtopostseasonplayviaLeagueAll-Starteams
Program Structure
• Funandrecreational2-playerscrambleformatforplayersofeveryskilllevel
• Allparticipantsgettoplayineverycompetitiontheyattend
• Idealteammake-upis4novices,4average&4aboveaverageplayers
Player Proficiency
• Advancedskillsnotrequired,musthaveaccesstoasetofgolfclubs
• Ifyourchildcandrive,chiporputt...wehavearoleforthemonourJLGteam!
Timeline
• April-July:RegularSeason
• August:PostseasonQualifiers&SectionChampionships
• September:RegionalChampionship
• October:PGAJLGNationalChampionship
How to Register
RegistrationforPGAJuniorLeagueGolfisavailablethroughyourteamcaptain.
Contact:
Tony Decker, PGA
Head Professional
Purpoodock Club
207-799-0821
tonydecker@purpoodock.com
www.pgajrleaguegolf.com
Page 5
Food and Beverage News
It is great to be at Purpoodock this spring in time for
an exciting new season! I am enthusiastic about my
new position as your Executive Chef and am enjoying
the positive energy among the membership and staff
here at the club.
wedding reception, a holiday gathering, or even
(especially?!) with the simple pleasure of eating a fine
burger, or a delicately seared ahi tuna, after the 18th
hole.
Each season I will prepare a new menu highlighting
the season with local Maine products while maintaining club favorites. Fresh is best, and our menus will
include produce fresh from our local farms and fresh
from the sea. I encourage you to bring your family,
friends, neighbors and co-workers to share a special,
customized dining experience.
As your new Executive Chef, I am excited to bring my
culinary experience into the Club. Prior to joining the
Purpoodock team, I have spent the last five years as
Executive Chef at the Falmouth Country Club. I was
also previously the Head Chef at the Inn by the Sea.
The honors program at Johnson and Wales prepared
me for my culinary quest and helped to refine my Thank you for being so kind and welcoming to me
skills and passion as a chef.
during my first few weeks at Purpoodock. I am a
I am excited to bring this same passion to Purpoodo- native of Cape Elizabeth, and it feels good to be back
ck. I will do my best to consistently make your dining in my hometown community.
experience a great one---- whether it’s at a lobster I look forward to seeing you at the club!
bake, a seven course wine dinner, your daughter’s
Alex Tumidajski
Executive Chef
Page 6
Food and Beverage News
“The taste of the roast is often determined
by the handshake of the host” –Ben Franklin
When I think of hospitality this quote by Ben Franklin comes to mind. Purpoodock has gone through a
world of transition recently and I would like to thank
each and every one of the members for their continued patience, support, suggestions, concerns and ideas.
The team we’re assembling comes to you with the understanding that service is not just bringing someone
something when they ask for it. It’s the way members
are treated from the moment they walk through the
door until they leave. It is my goal to provide the membership with the service and hospitality they deserve.
By the time you read this article, the golf course will be
open and I will have had a chance to meet quite a few of
our members and their families and I’m truly looking
forward to meeting more of you as the season progress es. As we move forward into this golf season I hope
you have begun to enjoy the new level of service provided in Greenside as well as the formal Dining Room.
Through continual training of the waitstaff including
a wine education seminar, we look forward as a team
to giving you the best experience at Purpoodock Club.
I believe in pro-active service, a sense of urgency and
teamwork. Teamwork is essential to providing exceptional service and creates an efficient, safe and fun environment for both the membership and staff to enjoy.
I believe in positive thinking and that positive attitudes
are contagious. Perception is reality and with a positive work environment, it’s my hope that the perception from the membership is that of an energetic, well
thought out service plan and Club you are proud of.
In hopes to make a positive change in the club
we will be bringing you more fun events like the
first annual Masters Party held in April which included the 9 hole “Mini-Masters”, Georgia inspired appetizers, cocktail specials and the Disney movie provided for the younger golfers.
In closing I would like to take a moment to thank the
membership and the staff for being so welcoming and
showing me what a strong sense of community that
thrives at Purpoodock Club. We are in a time of transition, please know that the management and staff here
at Purpoodock Club cares deeply about your experiences here and looks forward to an amazing season!
We are a community, we are happy to be here and we
hope you are too!
Thank you and I’ll see you at the Club,
Zach Romanoff
Food & Beverage Manager
Important Reminders
Food Minimum Schedules
$60 per month
$75 per month (corporate members)
A-K
1st-30th/31st
5/1 - 5/31st
6/1 - 6/30th
7/1- 7/31st
8/1 - 8/31st
L-Z
16th-15th
4/16 - 5/15
5/16 - 6/15
6/16 - 7/15
7/16 - 8/15
Member Photos
This feature helps ensure that
our service staff are capturing
the right name and member
number for your account.
Please stop in to see Heather
in the business office
between 8am and 4pm,
Monday through Friday, to have your photo taken. For those
of you who have already come in to have this done, we
appreciate your cooperation!
Page 7
MASTERS PARTY!
We would like to say “Thank You” to everyone who attended this successful event. Fun was had by all!
Purpoodock Club Contacts
Business Office
Pro Shop
Grounds Dept.
207-799-2273
207-799-0821
207-799-4024
Ken Young, General Manager
gmken@purpoodock.com
Tony Decker, PGA Golf Professional
tonydecker@purpoodock.com
Rob Knott, Golf Course Superintendent
rknott@purpoodock.com
Board of Governors
President
John Thibodeau
Vice President / Treasurer
Rich Dana
Secretary
Dick Coughlin
Membership Chair
Tom Rothfuss
Golf Chair
Peter Greenwood
Zachary Romanoff, Food & Beverage Manager
zachary@purpoodock.com
Green Chair
Shawn Damon
Alex Tumidajski, Executive Chef
alex@purpoodock.com
Finance Chair
Rich Dana
Celeste Wade, Office Manager
celeste@purpoodock.com
Heather Dusty-Poulin, Event Coordinator/Office Admin.
heather@purpoodock.com
Page 8
Human Resources Chair
Chip LeBlanc
House Chair
Doug Kaplan