McCall Matters
We are officially off and running! The renovations came in on time and on budget. I want to thank, Joe Candelore and his crew along with Bob Casler and his staff for not only helping to get this open but for getting the clubhouse emptied for the construction to begin in January.
Bob Casler and Chef Bill Bodek have put together a brand new Grille menu. Visiting the Grille at McCall is a great way to end your round of golf! During the shutdown, Bob, Chef Bill and Lisa Mills, our Sales and Marketing Director, put together some fascinating menus for all occasions. If you or you know of someone that is interested in holding an event, please recommend us here at McCall.
I would like to remind all members that we have the fitness room that you may use here at McCall. All you need to do is pick up an application form from Debbie Valinsky, fill it out and return it to her and a medical clearance will be faxed over to your doctor to complete. Once clearance is received, Debbie will issue you a security key for entrance into the fitness center.
Don’t forget to sign up early so you are not shut out for our annual Spring Scramble. Besides a great day of golf we will feature a tremendous breakfast buffet followed by lunch. If you are not the winning team, you will still be rewarded with some great food that day!
I received a great response to my request for members to take part in the McCall observation walk around. Within forty-eight hours we filled in all the dates through December.
Questions come my way concerning the “Sponsor a Member Program”. Sponsor an Associate member here at McCall and you will receive $250. You MUST be the initial sponsor and not the second.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any ideas or suggestions. If you are here at the Club, stop by and say hello. There are a lot of members that I have yet to meet and it is always a pleasure to put a face with a name.
Let’s hope for a great spring season. Hit them long and straight and lower your score this year, but if you don’t maybe it is time for a lesson with Jim McCormick, McCall’s PGA Golf Professional.
Chet Gratkowski, General Manager
Course Update
It’s coming, slow but sure it’s coming, SPRING!! It has been a long winter but if it ends now I don’t think anyone will mind. If the golf course staff is lucky by the time you read this, we will have aerated the greens, tees and collars and they should be healing nicely. It is the same process we used the last several years. We punch small holes in the surface then we get help from an outside contractor with the Dry Jet process. This process uses water pressure to inject sand-like material into the greens. This helps close up the holes we made and leaves the greens firm and quick. We have had good success the last several years. The Dry Jet process will take place on Monday, March 30th. The course will be closed until 3 PM that day.
On Monday, April 6, the course will be open at 2 PM and that time will remain in effect for the golf season. The course is coming to life and the crew is doing all we can to get the course ready for you. There is a lot to do so we thank you in advance for your patience.
There will be marshalls on the course this year at various times. They will try to keep some sanity out on the course by checking bag tags and guest and cart fees. Can you believe members try to sneak guests out without paying or pay only one cart fee then two guys ride? Can you believe that? The marshalls will also monitor etiquette and pace of play issues. Please don’t give them a rough time. For that matter, you the member should never be abusive to an employee. That is in your rules and regulations you received with your bag tag. You could lose your playing privileges. All the employees are here to make McCall an enjoyable and comfortable experience.
During frost delays, which are a necessary evil to protect the course, don’t be abusive to the guys in the Pro Shop. It is not their fault. Relax and know that usually you will be out by 9:00 AM. As always fix your ball marks and divots, rake the bunkers and have a good time.
Joe Candelore, Director of Golf
Pro Shop
Pro Shop Hours
Monday – 2 PM to 7:30 PM
Tuesday thru Friday – 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM
Saturday & Sunday – 6:30 AM to 6 PM
The 2009 golf season has finally started. We have lots of new products to help you and your game. To get you started with a hot new look on the course, we have Ashworth, Monterey and Page & Tuttle clothing lines. We have Nike and FootJoy for your feet. This year in the equipment line we have Ping, Callaway, Tour Edge and Titleist. For golf balls we have Titleist, Top Flite, Callaway and Bridgestone. Stop by and check out these and other great items for the golf season.
Tuesday Night Golf League
Tuesday, April 7 will be the last day to sign up for the Tuesday Night League. If you are interested in playing (but have not played before), please contact the Pro Shop. To date we have 68 players signed up. The price is $30 for the season and the league begins on April 21.
Spring Scramble
The Opening Day Scramble will be held on Saturday, April 25 and is open to all members and their guests. The format will be 5 person teams and the field will be limited to 25 teams. A full buffet breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM and the Scramble will start at 9:30 AM. Lunch and prizes will follow the Scramble. You can sign up by calling the Pro Shop at 610-734-7903. Payment for this event must be made by Tuesday, April 21, 2009. Payment can be made by cash, check or Visa/MasterCard. Carts will be available to those in need and must be reserved in advance.
GAP Matches
This year’s GAP Match chairman is Bill Flick. The captain of our first team is Rick Bunn. The captain of our second team is Roland Thomas. The 2009 home schedule is as follows:
McCall 1 McCall 2
April 19th North Hills Aronimink
April 26th Commonwealth Spring Ford
May 3rd Medford Lakes Huntington Valley
Reminder: The first tee will be closed from 8:45 AM until 11 AM on the dates listed above for the GAP Matches. If you are planning to play that day, you must tee off before 8:45 AM or after 11 AM.
Club Championship (Rubenstein)
McCall Golf & Country Club will be conducting its annual club championship. The qualifying begins on May 16th through May 24th. Qualifying is 36 holes of medal play under the Rules of Golf. Players may play four rounds taking their best two scores. Their qualifying scores seed the top 15 in each flight. The previous year’s club champion in each flight is seeded #1. The “A” flight is played at scratch and all other flights are played with handicaps. In 2008, the club had three flights. We encourage all members regardless of their handicap to participate in this championship. It is fun and competitive. Anyone with specific questions, please call the Pro Shop at 610-734-7903 or contact Bill Flick, Tournament Chairman, at 610-420-0090.
Wednesday Night Ladies Beginner’s League
Ladies! Are you just starting to play golf? Are you afraid to play a full round? Is your husband/boyfriend/significant other embarrassed to be seen with you on the course? If so, this league is for you! Come join other women who are either taking lessons or just starting to play the game. Remember, the only way to improve your game (or boost your confidence) is practice. The best practice is play. This year’s league will start Wednesday, May 13th and will run until July 8th. Price will be $10/week for members and $20/week for guests. This price includes a ½ hour group lesson prior to teeing off and Jim will be supervising/monitoring/refereeing the play on the course to ensure that everyone has a great time. See Jim for more details or to sign up call 610-734-7924.
Golf Lessons
Golf lessons are available by appointment. Contact PGA Golf Professional, Jim McCormick, at 610-734-7924 to schedule a lesson. Now is a good time to get your game in shape for the upcoming season! Listed below are group lessons now forming.
Beginners: Welcome to Golf
The course will cover the basics of the Full Swing, Chipping and Putting.
Class Starts: Tuesday, April 21st at 6 PM
Runs for 5 Consecutive Weeks at 90 minutes/session
4 to 6 Students in Class - Cost: $150
Clubs will be provided if needed.
Short Game
If you want to lower your golf scores, this is the course that will help you do it the quickest. This class promises to be the best thing you could ever do for your golf game. This class will cover Chipping, Pitching, Putting and Sand Play.
Class will be held on Friday, April 17th or Friday May 1st
5:00 to 7:30 PM 4 to 6 Students in Class - Cost: $60
Junior Classes
Start Date Time Duration of Class Cost
Age 8 thru 10 Sun. May 10th 11:00 AM 4 consecutive weeks $60
Age 11 thru 15 Sun. May 10th 12:00 PM 4 consecutive weeks $60
Jim McCormick, PGA Golf Professional
Golf Committee Report
Well, “IT” is finally here! (“IT” being the golf season.) So get your 2009 bag tag and get out on the course. It goes without saying that when you do go out that you will take care of your course by watching for frost delays, repairing divots, fixing ball marks, raking traps and keeping carts away from tees and greens.
The first events coming up on our busy 2009 schedule: GAP Team Matches (April 19 & 26, May 3), Tuesday Night Golf League (starting April 21), Opening Day Scramble (April 25), Ladies Beginner’s Class/League (starting May 13), the first Nine-&-Dine (May 15) and Qualifying (May 16 thru 24).
Please be sure to make yourself aware of the course and first tee closures that come with some of our events: GAP Team Matches – 1st tee is closed from 8:45 thru 11:00 AM; Opening Day Scramble – Course is closed until 2:30 PM; Nine-&-Dine – 1st tee is closed at 3:30 PM and the course is closed at 5:00 PM. It is the member’s responsibility to check on any course restrictions. We use all of our communications (McCall Matters, the website, the monthly golf calendar, the Golf Event Schedule, green-red-yellow flag) to give out as much information on this as possible, but it still doesn’t hurt to also call the Pro Shop for the latest status.
The annual Qualifying will be held in mid-May (May 16 thru 24). Qualifying is held for two important and independent reasons and it is open to all golfers of all levels of play. The first purpose for playing in Qualifying is to enter the Club Match Play Championship (also known by its historic name as the Rubenstein Tournament). The second and totally separate reason is to establish the list of players who will be invited to play on our 2010 GAP Match teams. Two 18-hole rounds are required, but players can play one or two more rounds if they want to (then their best two scores count). The Club Championship Match Play event, which runs thru June, is a flighted, match play event and is played at full handicap in all flights below the Championship Flight. As for the GAP teams, we currently have two teams, but we are very close to having enough players qualify to go back to having three teams next year. These matches, held over three Sundays in early spring, are a lot of fun. Ask anyone who has participated in them. Please contact me, Jim McCormick, Bill Flick, Rick Bunn, Roland Thomas or John O’Rourke if you have any questions about Qualifying, the Club Championship and/or the 2010 Golf Teams or if there is any way that we can encourage you to come out and participate in them.
The Golf Committee meeting schedule for the remainder of 2009 is April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 23, October 28 and December 2. The June meeting will be a ride-around-tour of the course lead by our Director of Golf, Joe Candelore, and our Green Chairman, Howard Loflin. All meetings are on Wednesdays, starting at 5:00 PM and a call-in speaker phone arrangement is available.
Another reminder, the GAP/USGA/GHIN handicap system opens up April 1 for the posting of rounds played in this area. As of 2009, all bag tag holders are also members of this handicap system. A GAP handicap is required to play on the Golf Teams, in the Tuesday Night & Thursday Night Golf Leagues and in our various Club championships. It really is not difficult to have a handicap. Anyone in the Pro Shop will be glad to show you how to use the system. If you are a new member of the handicap system, I would encourage you to immediately post any scores that you have from the 2008 season, in order to get your handicap up and running quicker.
If you have any questions about attending a Golf Committee meeting, have an idea for an item for McCall Matters or have a suggestion, question, concern or issue that you want discussed, please contact me at 610-259-8359 or ncrow1seat45@yahoo.com.
Bob Murray, 2009 Golf Chairman
Women’s Golf League
The Women's Golf League will be starting its 72nd season on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 8:30 AM. This will be followed by the annual Spring Luncheon at 1:00 PM in the Fireplace Room at McCall Golf & Country Club. We are always looking for women to join the 18-hole group or the 9-hole group. If you would like more information about joining the Women's Golf League or if you would like to attend the luncheon, please call Mary Lawler at 610-357-8456.
Mary Lawler, President
Tennis
TENNIS - THE SPORT OF A LIFETIME, COMES TO MCCALL THIS SPRING!!
There's a court reserved for you this spring! Enjoy the sport that's growing faster than a golf ball!
Are you ready to get some exercise and have some fun? Try refresher tennis after work. In an hour and a half, you'll burn calories, meet new friends, and get back into the game!
Tennis lessons begin Monday, May 4 for novices, 5:30-7:00 PM courtside. Bring your racquet and wear sneakers. If you need a racquet, we'll loan you one! Cost: $132 for 6 weeks or drop in at $25 week.
Want to play a weekly tennis match? Learn some drills? You can in our Wednesday night Corporate League! The league starts Wednesday, June 17 for six weeks, 6-8 PM. Cost: $132 for 6 weeks or drop in at $25 week.
Want your kids to learn tennis? They can? Quickstart Tennis gives a jump-start for kids aged 4-10 with foam balls, junior racquets, and smaller nets. One-hour session includes basics plus games! Mondays starting May 4, 4:30-5:30 PM. Cost: $132 for six weeks or drop in at $25 week.
For more information or to sign up for any of the above lessons, contact Bambi Dudley at 610-688-4974 or email her at www.corporatetennis@comcast.net.
Bambi Dudley
Conference Center
Spring is here along with daylight savings time. The golf season is upon us!!! It is the beginning of an all new season with an awesome new look in the Clubhouse and Grille Room. If you haven’t been out to see the new look you are going to be pleased. The Easter Bunny Breakfast will be on Saturday, April 11th from 10:00 AM till 1:00 PM. Fliers are posted all around the Club so please sign up early. Our entertainment for the event will be Bubbles the Clown and her sidekick Stitches, and how can we forget the Easter Bunny. Please call Kathy Cullen at 610-734-7901 or email her for more information at kathy.cullen@mccallgolf.com.
The last two weekends our Sunday Breakfast in the Grille and Sun Porch has been awesome with the new menu. McCall is the place to be on Sunday because everyone seems to socialize and have a great time. The Grille Room hours for the spring and summer are 7:00 AM till 4:00 PM. I anticipate extending hours in the Grille this season if need be. Members have already been excited to come over after golf and hang out. Wow! McCall is becoming a real Country Club. It is so nice to see our membership grow and evolve while other clubs are striving to get members. I truly believe McCall is the jewel of Delaware County. Omar and Tom are excited to show off their new mixology skills. Please stop by the Grille Room and play stump the bartender.
Here are some dates to mark on your calendar for the upcoming season. First don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Scramble on April 25th. Ladies Opening Day golf luncheon will be April 29th. Our Tuesday Night Golf league will start on April 7th and after golf the Grille will be open for some great food and drinks prepared by Tom Naughton. Our first Nine and Dine will be held on May 15th. Chef Bill has an awesome menu planned for all the member events, so I hope to see everyone this spring. McCall should be jumping.
In our catering department, I am pleased that we were able to start off with a bang. I estimate our revenue for March to be better than last year even though we had a late start. I am confident that our new banquet facility will help us build our outside affairs. My goal at McCall is to compete with other venues for weddings and upscale social events. People I have met with to see the room are very excited to book at McCall. Just a reminder, if you are planning an event, dates are booking fast so call Lisa Mills at 610-449-8326 or email her at meetatmccall@mccallgolf.com.
I hope everyone has a great golf season!!!
Robert Casler, Clubhouse Manager
Outside Events & Marketing Update
It is good to be in touch with everyone this month. If you haven’t already come over to peek at the clubhouse, by all means do. It is beautiful!
With the renovations done our first event was on Thursday, March 12th. March has brought us several new business clients PJA School and Jefferson Hospital. Revisiting us this month are the Delco Postal Union, the Havertown Swim Team, the Carmelites, and Llanerch Fire Company. Our weekends in March have been occupied by christenings and both bridal and baby showers.
Moving into April we have our first wedding of the season on Friday, April 17th. We also have a new business client Sayers Methodist Church on the 4th. Other clients such as Commonwealth Connection and ADVIS will also be here during April.
May and June are beginning to fill in with graduation parties so if you are thinking of having a party please call me ASAP.
In 2008 we had four weddings during the year. In 2009 we already have 11 weddings scheduled on the books and several others pending. This type of event is great business for McCall and is something we want to pursue in the future.
On the marketing side of things we joined www.theknot.com before the holidays. In addition to joining “The Knot” we have also joined www.justweddings.com. Both sites are supplying leads of future brides to McCall.
New trifold brochures are in the process of being developed and printed. They will be ready shortly. Assisting us with supplying wonderful photos for these brochures is one of our own, Charlie Peatross, from Drexel Hill Photography. Our menus and other marketing materials have been updated for 2009 to reflect our new look.
We will also be sending an email blast to the staff and faculty at St. Joseph’s University in the coming weeks to formally announce that our newly decorated banquet/meeting rooms are ready for business.
People are booking communion and graduation parties for April, May and June. So don’t be left out in the cold, book your spring date NOW! Contact me at 610-449-8326 or meetatmccall@mccallgolf.com.
Lisa Mills, Marketing Director
Culinary Corner
Truly there is a lot of excitement here at McCall. With Easter approaching soon I would like to share a recipe that was a popular item served while growing up. My Aunt Lovey always prepared her famous Lovey’s Frittatas every Easter Sunday Morning. She loved preparing a mini buffet for us so she used mini muffins. This recipe will prepare about 35-40 portions.
8 Eggs 8 strips of Chopped Bacon
1/2 cup Milk 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Black Pepper 2 oz thinly Diced Ham
1/4 tsp Salt 2 tsp fresh Italian Parsley Leaves
Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick spray. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in ham, bacon, and parsley. With a soup ladle fill muffin pan almost to the top and bake for 8-10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check that the egg is cooked. Let it relax for about 30-45 seconds and slide them out with a rubber spatula on a platter and serve.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I like to thank some of our Tuesday Night League Players who stopped over to visit us and had the pleasure of being introduced. I would like to invite the league after a round of play to a buffet that I will prepare for you. Our new Pork Panini station will be available at McCall for your first Tuesday night. The station will feature a Spinach and White Cannellini Bean Soup, carved Pork Loin, sautéed Broccoli Rabe, roasted Italian Peppers, sautéed Onions, braised Red Cabbage, shaved Sharp Provolone Cheese, Panini Bread, natural Pork Gravy, and an Italian Tortellini Salad. The buffet will include a cold brew for $10. I look forward to meeting you.
Chef Bill
April, 2009
