MEMBERABILIA: ROAD WARRIORS
Members take advantage of their privileges by hitting the road to visit new clubs.
250 AND COUNTING
On a recent road trip, we visited our 250th different club (past and present
club rosters). To help us remember, we’ve maintained a scrapbook containing
newsletters and photos from each club. Our 250th — Bear’s Best Atlanta
— was as memorable as our first. We look forward to each issue of
Private Clubs so we can plan trips to
clubs not yet visited and especially the newest additions. Needless to say,
our Associate Club privileges have enriched our lives. Thank you.
Richard and Marie Engelhardt
Members, La Cita Country Club
Titusville, Florida
SPREADING THE WORD
Thank you very much for the generous amount of space and for the gracious
coverage you provided for the “Learn to Golf Clinics” conducted by Texas
Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (“Hospital Rounds,” November/ December
2002). J.C. Montgomery Jr. and I have spent the better part of the morning
reflecting on the extraordinary friendships we have made over the years in
Dallas. And your piece clearly demonstrates not only the connectedness we
share in this highly wired world we live in, but more important, the
enduring value of those friendships in spreading the word about noble
initiatives.
You also were exceptionally kind to mention the small role that the U.S. Golf Association has played in helping this program get off the ground for physically disabled children in Texas. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the program, apart from enabling professionals to better communicate with children with disabilities and help them appreciate the game of golf, is the fact that the hospital’s program is now being taken far and wide across the state of Texas. Recent clinics in Longview as well as Dallas and planned clinics in Austin and Lubbock promise to introduce disabled children and their families to a game long believed to be the province of a privileged, able-bodied few. This is music to the ears of the USGA, an organization constantly seeking ways to expose those previously unable to enjoy the sport to its many benefits both athletic and social. Your article on the program helps that process immeasurably. Thank you so much.
It has been an emotional but very rewarding ride for me as both a supporter of the hospital and member of the USGA Executive Committee to witness firsthand the impact this program has had on the children and their families. A highlight of this whole experience for me was having lunch with one of the hospital’s patients, Philip Newberry, the young man who served as my inspiration for encouraging J.C. and others at the hospital to apply for the USGA grant. When I asked Philip, a quadruple amputee, what most discouraged him about learning golf, what was most difficult to accept given all he has to cope with, his simple response was “… that so many folks think that I have a disability in the first place. Golf isn’t so hard to learn, if folks will just give me a chance to show them what I can do!”
Thanks, through your interest and your article, for
helping make that feeling possible for others.
Winfield Padgett
Treasurer
U.S. Golf Association
LOST AND FOUND
Our son David sleeps with a very dear stuffed dolphin named “JJ.” During a
recent visit to The Homestead [in Hot Springs, Virginia], JJ got tangled up
in David’s bed sheets and was unfortunately scooped up by the cleaning
service. No fault of theirs, of course, since JJ is very much a white and
gray dolphin.
We called Karen Wallace, our wonderful village manager, as soon as we noticed that JJ was missing. Karen said that she would call laundry services as soon as possible and ask them to be on the lookout for a small dolphin. Much to our surprise (and David’s relief), JJ magically reappeared in our club home the very next day.
Among all her other duties, Karen managed to take the
time to track down a little boy’s nighttime companion. This level of service
truly makes us feel at home when we visit The Homestead.
Fred and Mary Wagner
Rockville, Maryland
Members, The Owners Club
The Homestead
Hot Springs, Virginia
SIGNATURE GOLD TRAVEL
Fellow member Ginny McKinney and I took advantage of ClubCorp’s summer
special for members with Signature Gold benefits. We stayed at the Holly at
Pinehurst [in the Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina] and played
three different courses during our four-day stay. The food and the service
were marvelous. We both feel that it was an excellent value package as it
included golf, accommodations, and breakfast and dinner each day. We also
used our “Celebrate America” special on this trip to dine at two of the
business clubs while in Raleigh, North Carolina. We highly recommend
visiting our resorts and clubs whenever you have the opportunity, and
certainly look forward to visiting more of them in our future travels.
Beverly Brockmeyer
Member, Shadowridge Country Club
San Diego
A GREAT ESCAPE
If you want to escape to a time when life was simpler, easier, more
civilized, bathed in unpretentious luxury, beauty, and gracious service,
treat yourself to The Homestead [in Hot Springs, Virginia]. My mom,
dad, and I indulged ourselves for my dad’s 85th birthday celebration. It was
undoubtedly the highlight of our driving trip from Montgomery, Texas, to New
York, our former hometown.
We really dressed up for dad’s special celebration in The Homestead’s magnificent dining room. The gourmet cuisine was topped off with the most delicious, surprise, chocolate birthday cake. With a joyful birthday song from the staff, we discovered a mutual birthday party at the table next to us.
Now that we’ve discovered The Homestead, we can’t
wait to return. My husband, Jim, couldn’t get away from work for this trip
but is eager to hit the hiking trails. It is comforting to know that we have
found a true home-away-from-home for every season and occasion.
Terry Wykowski
Member, April Sound Country Club
Houston
PARIS PLEASURES
My wife and I had the pleasure of touring France, and we used this as an
opportunity to use our Signature Gold benefits. Our reservation at the
Paris International Golf Club was a first-rate experience. The
accommodations, the spa, and the grounds made this a wonderful two days.
Playing this very difficult Jack Nicklaus signature golf course is truly a
visual treat. One evening, we traveled into Paris to have dinner at the
St. James Paris and we enjoyed this immensely — a proper finish to a
wonderful trip. Every time we use Private
Clubs in our travels, we are never disappointed.
Victor Vaseleniuck
Member, Renaissance Club
Detroit
KUDOS TO FIRESTONE
I would like to commend the staff at Firestone Country Club for the
fine job they did hosting myself and my associates when we were in the
Akron/Canton, Ohio, area for the National Football League’s Hall of Fame
weekend program.
Robert E. Spivak
Member, Pyramid Club
Philadelphia