October Bulletin 2024

THE BULLETIN

A Newsletter for the Members of Wilmington Country Club - October 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

President's Message

General Manager's Message

Milestones

Food and Beverage

Club Calendar

Golf

Grounds

Racquets

Fitness

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE | David E. Wilks

Several of you have asked very good questions about our new initiative to establish a separate line item on our member invoices for capital dues. You will recall that this is not any sort of new assessment; we have included an amount to cover routine capital expenses in our regular dues calculations all along. We simply kept operating dues and capital raising together in a single figure and budgeted accordingly. With the growth of the Club’s asset base, our traditional goal of generating a million dollars or so out of our operations is simply inadequate to maintain the Club at the level of quality that we expect. Rather than continuing our dependence on operational success to fund our capital needs, we think it is more responsible to bill capital dues separately and to dedicate those funds solely to routine capital spending. Since we are disconnecting operating dues from capital dues going forward, our operating dues will almost certainly be less than the dues we currently pay. We must, however, increase the capital we raise, so the total combined dues starting in January will be higher than we pay this year. As I have mentioned previously, this is not something we want to do; this is not something we can do if we feel like it; this is something that we need to do. And if we don’t do it now, it will only get harder to do in the future. The members I have spoken to about this have understood the new arrangement and the reasons for it. If you still have doubts, questions, criticisms, concerns or anything else to say, please do feel free to send me a note or give me a call. You can also, of course, contact any Board member who will be happy to discuss this with you. One thing we cannot do is predict the amounts we will be paying next year in either category of dues. The annual budgeting process is underway and will be finalized at the November Board meeting. The new dues figures will be announced at the Meeting of Shareholders on November 21, which, as always, I encourage you to attend. It is important, I believe, for every member to know why our dues fluctuate as they do and what the drivers are behind our budgeting. None of us needs to be reminded that the price of everything has increased considerably of late. The increases hit us in every area of both operations and capital spending. But the biggest increases are in the cost of staffing our Club. One statistic in particular stands out to me as an illustration of what is happening. In 2019, the low end of our pay scale was $10 per hour. Today, that same position commands a wage of $17 per hour. Our managers are very skilled at running our Club efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible. But some things are not negotiable. Our Club would not be Wilmington Country Club without the service and amenities that it offers and we will not compromise on quality.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS David E. Wilks President Adam G. Landis Vice President David D. Wilkinson Treasurer Thomas A. Beck Secretary Class of 2024 David E. Wilks Rachel W. Heinle Douglas D. Herrmann Jennifer J. Hopkins Adam G. Landis Jonathan N. Saunders Pamela S. Tikellis David D. Wilkinson James R. Selsor, Jr. Class of 2025 Thomas A. Beck Zachary L. Chipman Robert W. Friz Lisa A. Schmidt Meghan A. Adams Stephen J. Crifasi, Jr. Andrew J. Podolsky Becky Allen George “Tripp” Way, III Honorary Directors Gary W. Ferguson Melissa Riegel Advisory Directors Joseph F. Hacker, III Allen M. Terrell, Jr. John F. Porter, III

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE | Continued

As we have covered before, we fund the Club with dues and usage fees. We have chosen not to open the Club to lots of events (which close at least one of our golf courses to member play) and outside affairs like weddings (which create their own set of challenges for the membership). I for one have no interest in changing that philosophy and it seems that almost all of you agree. That means that we the members need to foot the bill for everything we have. If we want to pay less in dues and usage fees, we need to make tough choices on what we eliminate from our membership experience. I can tell you that I have never heard a single member identify anything that we should part with in order to lower our dues. This Club is spectacular. We have what very few other clubs have. The scope and quality of our amenities, our staff, our dining options, our golf courses, our racquets facilities, our junior programs just don’t exist at other clubs. None of it comes for free. But we will not eliminate or compromise on any of it. Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for and love of our Club. And thanks for supporting our staff and leadership team. I close with a contest for you. The first three members who correctly answer the following question win a beverage in the Pub at my expense. (Those of you who are disqualified know who you are, but I’ll probably buy you a drink anyway.) The question: Name the member of our staff whose grandfather scored the first touchdown in Miami Dolphins history. Email your answers and anything else that is on your mind to dwilks.wcc@gmail.com.

GENERAL MANAGER'S MESSAGE | Phil Iannelli

Autumnal Greetings!

Every year activity starts to slow during this month, but I’ve never understood why. Fall is a great time to use your club . . . perhaps the best. The heat and humidity of summer are a distant memory. The golf course playing conditions are usually “fast and firm”. Tennis and Pickleball get to enjoy the final days to play outdoors, and Paddle is getting started. When you check the various sections of this Bulletin, you will see that there is a full complement of Men’s and Ladies and family activities in store. So don’t put those clubs, racquets, or paddles away yet - the season is far from over! I also have a variety of topics to share with you this month. Each applies to someone – read on to see if it is you: There are several great golf events in October. The women’s Solheim Cup, the Men’s Clover Hill Cup, Mixed Glow-Ball as well as the wrap-up events for the 18-hole and 9- hole ladies leagues are all scheduled in the first three weeks of the month. Consider joining in the fun! One of the reasons we have enjoyed a great golf season is because we now wait for the season to slow down before undertaking the aerification process. Work is scheduled to begin with the North Course on Monday the 21st and will take most of the week to complete. Work to the South will begin the following week. These schedules are subject to the weather, so watch for updates and plan accordingly. On Thursday, October 10th we will be featuring live music in Pub37. We have booked Dan Graper, a well-known local singer/guitarist from 6-9 pm. We hope you will come and enjoy as he plays all your favorite covers. Speaking of live music, don’t forget that Jim Sullivan is at the Living Room piano every Friday and Saturday evening to make the Dining Room experience special. Nick Blackburn, our beverage manager, has scheduled a wine tasting in Pub37 on Wednesday, October 2nd from 6:30 until 8:30. This is a complimentary event. Try it; Like it; Buy it! Outdoor dining on the patio will close on Sunday, October 27th. Although the weather has reduced the opportunity to dine outside, when it has cooperated, your support of the area has been wonderful. Enjoy it until then!

MANAGEMENT STAFF Christine Jordan Director of Clubhouse Operations

Tip Tribbitt, CEC Executive Chef

Mindy Blumetti Controller

Meghan Spero, PGA Membership Development & Communications Manager

Steve Buenaga Human Resources Manager

Jonathan Urbanski Director of Golf Courses & Grounds

Michael Shank, PGA Director of Golf

Liezel Huber Director of Racquets and Sports

Clark Verchick Chief Engineer

GENERAL MANAGER'S MESSAGE | Continued

The Golf course snack bars also close for the season at the end of the month. Their final day of operation will be Sunday, the 27th. The month’s schedule also includes two wonderful family-oriented events. On Sunday the 6th we hold our annual Fall Festival & Tractor Crawl. Followed by the very popular Kids Halloween Carnival Party scheduled for Friday October 18th. This “costume-optional” event will be held in racquets and will include great food as well as lots of age-appropriate activities. Rules Focus for the Month: Cell Phones; Hats in the Clubhouse; Repair Ball Marks. No elaboration necessary. Now is the time to book Holiday parties. Depending on the size of your group we still have several excellent dates available. Give us a call. Speaking of Holidays, although Thanksgiving falls late in November this year, it will be here before you know it. Plan on spending yours with us. Each year, attendance has grown so it is advisable to make your reservations early – particularly if you’ll be hosting a “gathering”. October is the last chance for apples. Typically by the end of the month the orchard is “picked out”. This year’s crop has been a particularly flavorful one. Sometime in October, senior members will receive their proxy to complete and return in preparation for the annual election of the Board. The Annual Election of the Stockholders will be held Thursday, November 21st at 5:30. October also marks the time when many members begin the annual migration to warmer climes for the winter. We hope you have had a great season. From our perspective, we thought it was a good one! For those leaving, please travel safely, stay healthy and we look forward to your return. For those who remain . . . I’ll see you at the Club!

MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS | Meghan Spero

Meghan Spero, PGA Membership Development & Communications Manager

EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES Maria Rios House - 1 Year

Ema Tovar Heredia House - 3 Years

Jon Auer Arborist - 4 Years

Meghan Spero Membership & Communications Manager - 8 Years

MEMBERSHIP MILESTONES We would like to acknowledge our Senior members on their milestones:

Adolfo Herrera Head Houseman - 18 Years

Mr. Matthew E. Rutherford, 15 years Mr. Robert I. Veghte, 15 years Mr. Jerome S. Heisler, Jr., 30 years Mr. Thomas A. Ciconte, Jr., 35 years Mr. Leonard S. Togman, 50 years

Juan Rebollo Senior Irrigation Technician - 30 Years

IN MEMORIAM The Board of Directors, members and staff of Wilmington Country Club extend their sincerest sympathy to the family of:

Joan Connolly, member for 60 years David E. McCormick, member for 55 years

AROUND THE CLUB | Christine Jordan

Autumn has arrived! The leaves are staring to change and fall and the cooler weather has begun!

The Fall Festival and Equipment Crawl returns on Sunday, October 6. This family favorite event has a pumpkin patch where you can pick your pumpkin to carve or decorate, face painting, hay rides, and lot of Fall treats! This fall, live music is coming to Pub37! On Thursday, October 10, and Thursday, November 7, we are featuring live music from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to brings some friends, relax, and enjoy your Club. We will also be featuring food and drink specials October 10 – Dan Graper November 7 – Dan Orlando Later in October we are hosting a wine dinner featuring Bordeaux and Champagne. This five course dinner will start with champagne and hors d’oeuvres before moving to the dining room for dinner. Also, don’t forget our Halloween Carnival on Friday, October 18 – we will have games, music, food and bouncy house – plus indoor laser tags for the teens!

Christine Jordan Director of Clubhouse Operations

CAFE 1901 Tues day – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. PUB 37 Tues day – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. GRILLE / TAVERN T uesday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

PLEASE REGISTER FOR ALL UPCOMING EVENTS HERE.

Open for takeout at 4:30 p.m. Dinner 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Open for takeout at 4:30 p.m. Dinner 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

DINING ROOM Friday & Saturday 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

THE HUT Closed

SEPTEMBER RECAP

CALENDAR | October

SUN MON TUE

WED THU FRI

SAT

Instagram: Follow our socials:

Montchanin Bridge 1:00 p.m.

Book Club 4:00 p.m.

Men’s Greenville Cup @ Bidermann Thursday Morning Bridge 9:30 a.m.

Parent’s Night Out

Solheim Cup North Course 10:00am

@wilmingtoncc1901 @wcc1901_golf @wcc1901_agro @wcc1901_racquets @wcc1901_wellness @wcc1901_clubgrub

Scramble Back South 9:00am

Paddle Opening Night 6:30pm

Complimentary Wine Tasting 6:30pm

Montchanin Bridge 1:00 p.m. Women’s 9-Holers Step Aside Scramble & Closing Luncheon 9:00am - 12:00pm

No Clubhouse Food Service

Women’s Closing Day North Front 9:00am - 12:00pm

Thursday Morning Bridge 9:30 a.m. Women’s Golf Social 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Clover Hill Cup North Course 12:30pm

Clover Hill Cup South Course 9:00am

Solheim Cup South Course 10:00am

Pickle 101

Fall Festival & Equipment Crawl Ballroom Patio 1:00-3:00pm

Pickleball Adults & Junior Club Championships

Squash Season Opener

No Clubhouse Food Service

Montchanin Bridge 1:00 p.m.

Mixed Glow Ball Tournament North & South Courses 6:30pm

Thursday Morning Bridge 9:30 a.m.

Paddle Ladies Camp 9:00am

Private Golf Outing South Course & North Course Restricted

Squash WCC vs. Vicmead

Men’s Paddle Camp 10:30am

Adult Halloween Cardio 6:00pm

Kids Halloween Carnival Party 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Men’s Golden Paddle Mixer 6:30pm

Montchanin Bridge 1:00 p.m.

Thursday Morning Bridge 9:30 a.m.

No Clubhouse Food Service Last Day of Wilmington Cup Paddle Cup Practice Begins

Tennis Social Bring a Friend 9:00am Copa Don Pedro Squash League 5:30pm Paddle Men’s Interclub League Begins Bordeaux & Champagne Dinner 6:30pm

Squash U.S. Open Trip

Paddle Ladies Point Play Clinic 5:30pm

Follow our socials: Facebook: WilmingtonCountryClub

No Clubhouse Food Service

Women’s Paddle Sunday League Begins

Montchanin Bridge 1:00 p.m.

Thursday Morning Bridge 9:30 a.m.

Copa Don Pedro Squash League 5:30pm

Website: wilmingtoncc.com

Pickle Member/Member Mixed Doubles Tournament

WilmingtonCountryClub

wilmingtoncc.com

BOOK CLUB | October

October 1, 2024: After Annie by Anna Quindlen. Janet Robinson will lead the discussion for the October meeting.

When Annie Brown dies suddenly, her husband, her four young children and her closest friend are left to struggle without the woman who centered their lives. Bill Brown finds himself overwhelmed, and Annie’s best friend Annemarie is lost to old bad habits without Annie’s support. It is Annie’s daughter, Ali, forced to try to care for her younger brothers and even her father, who manages to maintain some semblance of their former lives for them all, and who confronts the complicated truths of adulthood. Over the course of the next year what saves them all is Annie, ever-present in their minds, loving but not sentimental, caring but nobody’s fool, a voice in their heads that is funny and sharp and remarkably clear. The lesson they learn is that no one beloved is ever truly gone. The enduring power Annie gave to those who loved her is the power to love, and to go on without her. Written in Quindlen’s emotionally resonant voice, and with her deep understanding of people, After Annie is a story that ends with hope. A moving novel about how adversity can change us in profound ways, and how a family pieces itself back together after monumental loss.

NOVEMBER SELECTION November 12, 2024

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. A moving story about family, youthful love, married love, and the lives parents led before their children were born.

Anna Quindlen is the author of many bestselling books, including the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Rise and Shine, Blessings, One True Thing, among others.

Sandy Hobbs will lead the discussion for the November meeting

Please join us on October 1, 2024, at 4:00 pm in the Women’s Lounge as we discuss After Annie.

MESSAGE FROM GOLF | Michael Shank, PGA

UPCOMING EVENTS October 4: Women’s Solheim Cup Pairings Party (5:00 p.m.)

October 5: Women’s Solheim Cup – Round 1 (10:00 a.m. Starting Times North Course) October 6: Women’s Solheim Cup – Round 2 (10:00 a.m. Starting Times South Course) October 8: Women’s 18-Holers Closing Day (9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start North Course) October 9: Women’s 9-Holers Closing Day (9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start Back Nine North Course) October 11: Men’s Clover Hill Cup – Round 1 (North Course) October 12: Men’s Clover Hill Cup – Round 2 (South Course) October 14: Private Golf Outing (North Course Opens 5:00 p.m.) October 18: Mixed Glow Ball Event (6:30 p.m. Shotgun Start North & South Course) October 25: Turkey Shoot Sign-ups Open (Saturday, November 18)

Michael Shank, PGA Director of Golf

HOURS OF OPERATION

COURSE AVAILABILITY (October 1 – October 25) Monday: 10:00 a.m. Tuesday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 8:00 a.m. (October 26 – October 31) Monday: 10:00 a.m. Tuesday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 8:30 a.m. PRACTICE RANGE (October 1 – October 25, October 28) Monday: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Holidays: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (October 26 – October 31) Tuesday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. BAG ROOM (October 1 – October 25) Monday: 9:30 a.m. – Dusk Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – Dusk Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 7:30 a.m. – Dusk (October 26 – October 31) Monday: 9:30 a.m. – Dusk Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – Dusk Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 8:00 a.m. – Dusk GOLF SHOP October 1 – October 25) Monday: Closed Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (October 26– October 31) Monday: Closed Tuesday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

October 28-31 : North Course Aerification November 11-14: South Course Aerification

MEN’S LABOR DAY MEMBER/MEMBER RECAP It was a wonderful late summer day for our annual Labor Day Member-Member. Eighty-eight players across eleven flights took to the South Course for this 27-hole two-man team event, hoping to represent their flight in the playoff. Matches kicked off at 9:00 a.m. with a shotgun start. Most of the first round matches were very close with a few exceptions. In the Patrick Cantlay Flight, the team of Kert Anzilotti & David Dietz started the day strong, taking seven and one-half points in the opening round. In the Sungjae Im Flight, Michael Cole & Vince Abessinio came out hot as well, taking seven of the nine available points. In the second round, Zach Chipman and Andy Wilke took six and one-half points in the Xander Schauffele Flight giving them a lead in their flight. Many of the the flights were close to the finish. In the end eleven teams won their flight and found themselves headed to the playoff. The playoff is a two-hole aggregate contest, played in foursomes (alternate shot). On the first playoff hole, Scott MacWilliams & James Rubano jumped to an early one-shot advantage with a score of four, net three, going into the final hole. With all teams still in the mix, the playoff came down to putts on hole 18. Ricky Giacco drained a terrific clutch putt for a three, net two, to score a two-hole total of eight. Michael Ashley also made a long putt for four, net three, and a two-hole total of eight. The teams of Herb Matter & Jeff Ciconte, Zach Chipman & Andy Wilke, Kevin Sweet & Mark Turner, Ryan Simonton & Tripp Schwartz, Scott MacWilliams & James Rubano, John Kairis & Stokes Nolte, Michael Cole & Vince Abessinio also all finished with a two-hole score of net eight. This sent eight of the eleven teams back to hole 10 for sudden death to determine the Overall Champion. On Hole 10, Ryan Simonton & Tripp Schwartz made the only four, net three, to become the 2024 Men's Labor Day Member/Member Champions.

MESSAGE FROM GOLF | Continued

MEN’S ANNUAL MEMBER-MEMBER RECAP We enjoyed a terrific weekend of golf September 28 & 29 for our Annual Member-Member tournament, with overcast skies and cool temperatures. Our field of 88 players competed in Four-Ball stroke play competition on both the South and North courses. The weekend began on Friday evening with our Men's Putting Championship, where 34 players competed for the Men's Putting title. The final match came down to E.J. Dealy and Steve Casey. In the end, Mr. Casey had the hottest putter, holing multiple one-putts from 20 feet to secure the victory. This was Mr. Casey's third putting title, having previously won the putting championship in 2019 and 2022. In the Member-Member tournament, the teams of Scott Hall and Randy Mitchell, David DiDomenico and Mark Mumford, and TJ Devlin and Steve Dellose got off to hot starts on Saturday with great rounds of net 64 (-7) on the South Course. Giving chase were the teams of Todd Anderson and Michael Ashley, Rhett Mitchell and Tom Evans, Davis Mitchell and Ryan Cleary, and John Kairis and Stokes Nolte with rounds of six-under par (65). On Sunday, the field was able to take advantage of softer conditions on the North Course yielding low scores. It was a packed leaderboard and tight finish at the top. John Kairis and Stokes Nolte played wonderful golf, teaming for a better ball net 62, finishing with a two day total of 127 (-15) to claim the title. Just one shot back Davis Mitchell and Ryan Cleary finished runner-up with a two day total of 128 (-14). George Kimbiris and Dan Leung, the tournament's 2021 champions, finished in third place net at 129 (-13). In the Gross Division, both Blake Cleary (71) and Matt Cleary (67) played exceptional rounds along the way to claiming first gross, with better ball rounds of 72 and 64, for a 136 total (-6). Steve Walczak and Tom Humphrey finished second gross with a two day total of 140 (-2). Click Here to view the full tournament results.

Labor Day Member-Member Champions Ryan Simonton & Tripp Schwartz

Xander Schauffele Flight Zach Chipman & Andy Wilke Keegan Bradley Flight Kevin Sweet & Mark Turner Rory McIlroy Flight Chris Tigani & Ricky Giacco

Scottie Scheffler Flight Herb Matter & Jeff Ciconte Hideki Matsuyama Flight Hal Erskine & Jake Erskine Ludvig Aberg Flight Steve Casey & Michael Ashley Collin Morikawa Flight Ryan Simonton & Tripp Schwartz Sam Burns Flight John Kairis & Stokes Nolte Sungjae Im Flight Michael Cole & Vince Abessinio

Wyndham Clark Flight Scott MacWilliams & James Rubano

Patrick Cantlay Flight Kert Anzilotti & David Diet Click Here to view the full tournament results.

MEN’S SEPTEMBER MEMBER GUEST It was an absolute perfect day for our Men's September Member-Guest on September 12. The South Course hosted a field of 108 participants who were treated to wonderful scoring conditions with temperatures in the low 80's and a slight breeze all day.

The field posted a number of great scores. The team of Randy Taylor, Rick Johnson, Kyle Ireland and Ted Walden were victorious, coming in with a scorching hot round of 16-under par, 126. On their heels was the team of Mike Donnelly, David Fales, Matt Janes and Stephen Johnson finishing at 14-under par, 128. In third place, finishing at 13-under par, 129, and winning a match of cards tie-breaker, was the team of Damian Dell'Oso, Andrew Baker, Peter Bradshaw and Jake Yates. Our fourth- place team, shooting 13-under par, 129, was the team of Chris Baran, John Connors, Matt Baran and Pat Myers. The fifth-place team was T.J. Devlin, Don Atkins, Mike Griffe and Nicholas Francani with a score of 12-under par, 130. In sixth-place, with a score of 11-under par and winning on a match of cards tiebreaker, was the team of Dan Bathon, Philip Burtoft, Shane Gilroy and Tim Killea. In our Gross Division, the team of Dan Samia, Rich Solano, Rich Solano, III and Steve Passalacqua had an outstanding score of 7-under par, 135. Click Here to view the full tournament results.

Men's Annual Member-Member Champions: John Kairis and Stokes Nolte

Men's Putting Champion: Steve Casey and Runner-Up E.J. Dealy

MESSAGE FROM GOLF | Continued

MEN’S SENIOR STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP It was a wonderful weekend for our 2024 Senior & Super Senior Stroke Play Championship, September 21 & 22. Competitors enjoyed ideal weather conditions on the North and South Course for the 36-hole stroke play competition over the weekend. We had a wire-to-wire champion in the Senior Division. Steve Walczak fired rounds of 71 on the North Course and 73 on the South Course to claim his third Senior Stroke Play victory in a row, and his fourth overall. In the Super Senior Division, Brett Koelle emerged as our champion with rounds of 79 on the North Course and 84 on the South Course. This is

MEN’S SENIOR HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP Congratulations to champion Steve Casey and runner-up Andy Podolsky. Click Here to see the championship bracket.

Mr. Koelle's second Super Senior victory in a row. To view the full tournament results, please click Here.

MEN’S SUPER SENIOR HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP Congratulations to champion Greg Davies and runner-up Dan Bathon. Click Here to see the championship bracket.

Men's Senior Stroke Play Champion Steve Walczak

Men's Super Senior Stroke Play Champion Brett Koelle

MEN’S SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH PLAY Congratulations to champion Todd Anderson and runner-up Bob Aerenson. Click Here to see the championship bracket.

MEN’S MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP Congratulations to Jeff Ciconte who won this year’s Men’s Match Play Championship. Scott Patrick was the runner-up. Mr. Ciconte has won the title in this event six times, more than any other player at the Club. Click Here to see the championship bracket.

MESSAGE FROM GOLF | Continued

WOMEN’S GREENVILLE CUP On September 25, Wilmington played in the Second Annual Women’s Greenville Cup at Bidermann. This event pairs seven women and the Professional from Wilmington, Bidermann, and Fieldstone in a team competition. Each team played Four-Ball stroke play, counting the best three scores as the total team score. After winning the inaugural event last year, our Wilmington CC team came out on top again with a score of 203, six shots clear of the home team who finished second. Congratulations to Ellen Cannon, Martha White, Lisa Mester, Andrea Scerba, Martha Tschantz, Danielle Lunger and Nicoll Keeney for securing the win!

WOMEN’S GOLF SOCIAL Join us for our final Women’s Golf Social of the season, Thursday, September 5th, at 4:30 p.m., for a fun, casual and social night on the golf course. The Women’s Golf Social will be a 9-hole, all Par 3 Scramble on the North Course with a drink included during the event. Grab your friends and sign up together as a foursome or sign up on your own and the Golf Shop will pair you. Open to all women members at the Club. Click Here to register for the Women’s Golf Social WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT NOTES The Women’s 18-Holers Closing Day Brunch and Meeting is Tuesday, October 8. Click Here for more information or to register. The Women’s 9-Holers Closing Event and Luncheon is Wednesday, October 9 Click Here for more information or to register. GLOW BALL GOLF TOURNAMENT Join us on Friday, October 18th, at 6:30 p.m., for our annual Glow Ball Golf Tournament. The event is a four person scramble and will be a 5- hole shotgun on both the North & South courses. Sign-ups are limited to the first 108 players. You may register as a foursome or as a twosome and we will pair you with another group. This is a casual and fun tournament. Entry fee includes hors d'ouevres and prizes. Click Here for more information or to register.

FALL JUNIOR GOLF CLASSES Fall Junior Golf Classes continue to take place each Tuesday, Wednesday,

and Thursday afternoon, until October 24. 4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. (Level 1 to 3 juniors) 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. (Level 4 & 5 juniors)

WOMEN’S 18-HOLERS SENIOR AND SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Fourteen women teed it up to compete in the final major of the 18-holer's season on September 17. It was a cool and windy day, but everyone fought to the finish. Congratulations to Nicoll Keeney, our Senior Champion who defended her title from 2023, and Ellen Cannon, our Super Senior Championship this year! In the senior division, Mary Harding Cist was 2nd Gross, Judy Ventura 1st Net, Martha Tschantz 2nd Net, and Martha Hays 3rd Net. In the Super Senior Division, Marcia Raniere claimed 2nd Gross, Rita Kozic 1st Net, Rita Speakman 2nd Net, and Mary Kunkemueller 3rd Net.

Juniors may participate for the entire week, or whatever days fit their schedule. Classes cover all areas of the game, with Juniors working on a progression towards obtaining progress pins and moving through Operation 36 levels. Sign up for Fall Junior Golf Class GOLF COURSE NOTES On Monday, October 14, the Club is hosting private golf tournaments and both courses will be restricted. The South Course will be closed all day, and the North Course will open following the events around 5 p.m. Members may utilize the Practice Range on these dates beginning at 12 p.m. Please call the Golf Shop with any questions at (302) 655-6022.

MESSAGE FROM GROUNDS | Jon Urbanski

At the time of this update, we are experiencing dismal conditions of overcast skies and intermittent showers. The light amount of precipitation was just enough to wet the surfaces of the golf courses with no restrictions due to the lack of rain over the last 30 days. The daily conditions for the last week of the month were also enough to make the outdoor clay courts unplayable. The first few days of this month will be a repeat of these overcast days with sun giving way for the first weekend of the new month. The lack of rain throughout the last half of August, and continuing for the most of September, was evident in our storage pond on 13 and 18 North, as well as the lower reservoir to the left of 12 North. In fact, we curtailed the use of transferring water from the lower pond to the main pond in early September, along with condensing our automated irrigation programs to areas to maintain plant health. We have and will continue to pump from our alternate storage location known as Adams Dam. This waterway is at the intersection of routes 92 and 100, near the Brandywine Creek State Park. The very high evapotranspiration rates during the 30 day period mentioned in the first paragraph required a tremendous amount of water to sustain all of our surfaces and plant material. We expect to make up the level of the main pond throughout the month of October, and then begin to flow water to the lower reservoir for the majority of the winter. We have begun to receive reporting from various meteorological sources that this winter will be mild and a lack of snow cover, which will allow us to continue to flow water from Adams Dam for the majority of the winter season. This year’s fireworks display was held on a beautiful evening. You may recall on this same night, there was an incredible amount of flying beetles in the air. Usually, Japanese beetles are the most prevalent species during the summer months. However, this particular evening and for several weeks afterwards, masked chafers were the dominant scarab beetle species. These beetles are highly attracted to lights, and you may have observed the adults around windows or porch lights. It is during this time when masked chafer beetles mate, deposit eggs in the top 2 inches of soil, often in small clusters or areas. Egg hatch occurs, and what we have observed, the grubs are in the second or third instar of their life cycle. As colder temperatures begin to dominate, the grubs move deeper in the soil to overwinter. As soil temperatures increase each spring, the grubs return to the root zone, pupate, and emerge as adults to begin a new cycle. Even though we made pre-emergent applications for the larval stages in May and June for the entire family of scarab beetles, we are unfortunately seeing breakthrough in areas within and outside of our application coverage areas. The visible damage is turf turned over from scavenging animals such as skunks and foxes foraging for a meal. The breakthrough in areas that we did apply the pre-emergent can be attributed to a few factors: (1) as the damage is in areas of deeper maintained roughs, excessive thatch will not allow the material to reach the soil with either irrigation or natural precipitation, and (2) a majority of the areas experiencing damage are outside of our irrigation coverage by the automated system and we are reliant on rainfall to wash-in the material before it becomes ineffective to due degradation from sunlight. The populations of masked chafer this year resemble a periodic brood similar to the 17-year cicada.

Jon Urbanski Director of Golf Courses & Grounds

MESSAGE FROM GROUNDS | Continued

What are we doing to mitigate the damage now and in the future? As part of our annual seeding program, we are slicing or coring the damaged areas and planting turf type tall fescue. With the moist conditions of the last week of September, we are seeing seedlings filling in the voids. We are applying materials to zero-in on the white grubs specifically to limit further animal damage. Lastly, in areas that have sustained more damage than a small, isolated area, we are sodding new turf. Both the seeding and sodding process will allow for a better stand of turfgrass for the future, where the majority of damaged areas were annual bluegrass that would go dormant from a lack of irrigation coverage and eventually die. The new turf stands are turf-type tall fescue, a more resilient species to drought, heat and humidity. Lastly, in 2025, we will expand our current application zones to include all maintained rough areas to limit the amount of grub activity next fall. We continue to play the game of having too little water flow to the hydro courts (sub-surface irrigated clay courts) in tennis during the summer months, then re-adjusting maintenance strategies to having the adequate amount of water for playability now the pool is closed for the season. It appears the water leaking at the pool facility has an effect to the flow for not only the hydro courts, but also the water fountains in the outdoor racquets facility. During the summer months, our staff had to fluctuate water flow between two courts versus all four courts (normal operation), where we saw little to no flow at the water fountains. The dry conditions we experienced for the majority of August led to not than desirable playing conditions. Then for a small amount of time with normal flow at the beginning of September, the courts became too wet. It has always been a case of “art vs. science” with the hydro courts, learning the systems associated with sub-irrigated courts, and we are gaining a much finer perspective with the ability to control the water, rather than not having enough water.

October signals the start of our fall maintenance program. We are scheduled to aerify the golf courses and grass tennis courts on the following dates:

North Course – October 21st through 24th

South Course & Grass Tennis Courts – November 4th through 7th

Currently we are scheduled to host a dual course outing on October 14th. If this goes off without any precipitation, North Course aerification will go as scheduled. In the event this organization needs to delay their event and move one week, and we will perform aerification October 28th through the 31st. During these times, each course will be closed. Therefore, the South Course is available for play on October 21st (rain date, October 28th). DIVOTS With the hope that more frequent precipitation will occur, please replace your divot with the patch of turf from your golf shot. After replacing your turf divot, if there is any void due to breakage of the divot, please use the mix to fill the empty area. Last month we communicated regarding assistant superintendent, Gavin Kopczynskie, had been selected from a pool of candidates from across the country to attend the EXCEL Leadership Program this month at Desert Mountain in Phoenix. Well, congratulations are in order again for Gavin as he was selected from a similar pool of candidates and will attend the Green Start Academy in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Since 2006, the goal of the Green Start Academy has been to help assistant superintendents build a strong foundation for their careers. Each year’s program features educational and mentoring sessions from some of the most respected superintendents and leaders across the industry. Congrats Gavin!! With a few Mondays left on the schedule before aerification, we will take advantage of the weather patterns and conduct some maintenance to the playing surfaces as topdressing or verti-cutting of the greens, tees and fairways. We look forward to seeing you and your families at the various events on the club calendar and hope you and your families have a safe and healthy month!

MESSAGE FROM RACQUETS | Liezel Huber

Dearest Members,

The weather is changing, the pool has closed for the season and the kids are back into their routines at school. Some sadness that summer flew by and at the same time, the racquets department is thriving in the fall. All racquets' sports are in full swing! Come and join the fun. We had so much fun this Summer and it won't be the same only seeing the kids weekly, versus every day. We are so lucky to have most of our campers enrolled in our junior racquets program. Watch out for our young ones... Our Wednesday Munchkin class is full! The Paddle players are welcoming new head coach, Ethan Leon. Ethan has made sure that the paddle courts are in tip-top shape and the players are super prepared for this season, as they kept playing during the off-season. I love the atmosphere at racquets during paddle season! The grill is going, while members are socializing in the paddle hut. Don't miss Paddle Opening night on Wednesday, October 2nd. More fun times ahead this Paddle season and good luck to all WCC players! Paddle is not the only sport that is popular. WCC's fastest growing sport is Pickleball. We are celebrating our one-year anniversary of the four indoor Pickleball courts. It's been a popular addition, so make sure you get your block bookings requests back to us sooner than later. Please stop by the racquet shop if you would like to inquire about block bookings or have not received the request form. The deadline is October 6th and the season starts October 28th. Tennis, squash and Pickleball all participate in block bookings, so why not give all three a try! If you haven't tried Pickleball and would like to, I encourage you to sign up for Pickleball 101. We teach you everything you need to know and trust me; you are going to love it! The weather is still perfect to play indoors or outdoors. Join a social, cardio or bring your friends to come and play. Next Pickleball Social is on Wednesday, October 2nd. The Paddle Hut will be open! Ed Chilton and Nigel Thain, our awesome squash pros, want to remind you of the US Open singles trip. The best players are in action and the tickets are a steal. Make sure you reserve your spot; I don't want to miss it! Another event not to miss is WCC's Squash Opening Night on Wednesday, October 9th. "Battle of the Clubs" is October 16th at Vicmead. The very popular Don Pedro League starts on October 23rd. It's squash season, yeah! Parents' Night Out is back! Sign up on Foretees to secure your spot. See you on Friday, October 4th at 6pm! The racquet pros favorite night of the year is around the corner… Join us for Halloween on Friday, October 18th! We have surprises in store for you!

Liezel Huber Director of Racquets and Sports

Clinic and Class Schedules

ADULT RACQUETS Click Here

PICKLEBALL Click Here

SQUASH Click Here

JUNIORS Click Here

Congratulations to all the Junior Sports Award winners! You have worked so hard and we love celebrating your milestones: big and small. The coaches are cheering you on as you continue to work hard on and off the court.

Lastly, WCC Cup players are half way through a grueling 7-week season. WCC pros are so proud of your hard work, comradery and of course representing WCC with such determination. I feel it's fitting that we celebrate you. Look out for details on the season-ending party! Get ready for Winter USTA League. Just let us know if you are interested and we will connect you with a team captain.

Wishing you continued good health, happiness and lots of racquet sports...today and always! Enjoy the beautiful weather!

RACQUETS | Continued

TENNIS EVENTS Parent’s Night Out: Join us Friday, October 4th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Children ages 5-12 are welcome to have a blast playing tennis, basketball, pickleball, and arts & crafts.

The price for this evening includes all activities and dinner: $30 / per child, $55 / two children, $60 three or more children

10/17 - Adult Halloween Tennis Cardio 10/18 - Junior and Tennis Halloween Party - Sign up here! 10/23 - Tennis Social – bring a friend at 9am

Tennis Clay Court Tips Slow, wet conditions will challenge your patience and your wits. If you have heard announcers or players speak of heavy conditions, they are referring to how heavy the weight of the ball feels when you strike it, how difficult it is to generate ball speed and spin, and how low and slow the ball bounces. It becomes all but impossible to hit a pure winner. And trying to overpower shots in heavy conditions can hurt your arm, wrist, and shoulder. So, what should you do? Expect and embrace longer points. Work on placement and depth of shot. Employ the drop shot and lob regularly. Don’t waste energy on hard serves. Get the first in, preferably to your opponent’s weaker side. Move in on your return and see if you can take control of the point early with a well-placed shot that gets your opponent out of position. Make the other player run more than you. One last tip. These conditions tend to level the playing field by reducing the effectiveness of the stronger player’s weapons. Whether you expected to dominate or didn’t think you had a chance, be mentally prepared for a close match.

Congratulations to all juniors that received an award this year! Most improved players of the year Sportsmanship Charlie Wyant and Molly Marshall Abby Hynes and Sebastian DeSantis

Summer Camp Awards Life of the party

Summer Camp Sportsmanship

Charlie DeSantis

Mallory DiSabatino

Best Moves on the Court

Pickleball Social Club Winner

10&Under

Davis Crifasi

Ernie DiSabatino

Jackson Larrabee

Color Balls Orange baller of the year – Grace Sith Green baller of the year – Sayan Ray Yellow baller of the year - Ellen Krifides

High School Awards: Susi Shipley, Emily Shipley, Meghan Mumford, Lily leyung Valentina Ramos, Ellen Krifides, Sophie Crain, Bridget Heinle Samuel DeSantis, Tyler Gordon, Demetri Moutatsos ,Jack Allen

Squash Junior Awards Most Improved Emerging Tournament Player Molly Marshall and Jackson Larrabee Most Improved Middle School Tournament Player Gemma Spear and Matthew Majewski Most Improved High School Tournament Player

JUNIOR TENNIS View Fall Junior Racquets Scheduling Here

Mission Statement: “To provide a fun and welcoming environment, encouraging players of all ages and skill-levels to achieve their best both on and off the court.”

Claire Majewski and Luke Mumford Most Improved Summer Camp Player Anya Jain and Sayan Ray

2024 - 2025 Session Dates: Session 1: September 9 - December 16 (No Classes 11/23 - 11/24)

Session 2: January 2 - February 16 Session 3: February 17 - April 6 Session 4: April 7 - May 25 (No Classes 4/19 - 4/20)

Class Size Policy: To ensure each player receives the best quality of instruction we will be limiting class sizes. Classes will also need at least three players for the program to go forward. Indoor Court Availability: Class times are subject to change due to indoor court availability.

RACQUETS | Continued

PADDLE Paddle season is around the corner. Why not give these tips a try this season!

SQUASH EVENTS Oct. 9: Squash Opening Night Social and Round Robin Oct. 12: Grand Prix Junior Squash Tournament Oct. 16: WCC vs.Vicmead at Vicmead Oct. 23: Copa Don Pedro Fall Session (7 weeks) Oct. 24: US Open Squash Singles at Specter Center

Tips for Transitioning from Tennis to Platform Tennis Have fun and enjoy the process. Keep your backswings compact on your strokes.

Congratulations to Jim and Francesca DiGuglielmo on winning the Bocce Club Championships! After a three-way tie in the final with John and Loraine Seiberlich and Bob and Bernadette Murphy, Jim and Francesca won by head to head match up (7-4) against John and Loraine. Great games all around. PICKLEBALL Tip of the Month - view visual here Show up for the serve. This is the one stroke you can control, from the toss, to timing, to speed. When serving, keep these tips in mind. Toss the ball in the same spot every time for consistency and accuracy. Keep your contact point below the waist. Establish a routine and relax. Depth over power is preferred (both is best)! The deeper your serve, the longer it takes for the returner to get to the kitchen line. Return for a reward. Your goal is to make it hard for your opponent to drive or drop of the third shot. Take a short backswing and long follow-through for consistent, deep returns. Make adjustment steps to get your body in position. Elbow should be slightly bent and contact out in front. Get your body set before you hit, then move forward after contact. The fall league has begun and we are still looking to add extra players to join WCC’s line up. Matches are played on Mondays at 6:00pm. Please let us know if you are interested in participating, by sending an email to Vgiannaccini@wilmingtoncc.com Being part of a doubles team or any successful partnership in life; takes two hard working individuals. In private lessons, you can work to improve those weaknesses and identify your strengths to benefit your team. Our coaches will work on strategies for your team that will be your “go-to” in crunch times… squeezing out those tough matches builds your confidence! Here is the new fall programming schedule for the fall season. Please sign up on Foretees. Events: Oct 12 & 13: Pickleball 101 and Club Championships (Sign up by Oct 5!) Oct 17: Pickleball Halloween Social Oct 27: Pickleball Member/Member Mixed Doubles Tournament Categories for Championship: Men’s A doubles, Men’s B doubles, Women’s A doubles, Women’s B doubles, Mixed Doubles Juniors (Boys & Girls): 10 & Under, 14 & Under, 18 & Under

Force yourself to hit as many backhand volleys as possible at first. Get comfortable playing on both the deuce and ad sides of the court. Accept that it isn’t and never will be tennis, only a more fun version.

Interested in Paddle and not sure where to start? NEW Ladies Beginners Clinic: Mondays - 9:00 - 10:30am

In-house League every Thursday from 6:30pm - 8:30pm Thursday until October 10th! This is a great way to get a head start on the looming season! There will be a crowned champion, finalist and third place when this is all over! If you would like to join, please feel free to email or text about your partnerships for that week. You will also be added to the league's email list for updates of rankings and news about the league. Check out the point system which decides your rankings throughout this short season. Point System 10 points awarded for any team's participation every week (just showing up) 10 points awarded for any win a team has 5 additional points will be awarded for beating a higher ranked team PADDLE EVENTS: Oct 2: Paddle Opening Night Social - Grill open Oct 17: Men’s Golden Paddle Oct 19: Ladies Camp 9:00 to 10:30am & Men’s Camp 10:30 - 12:00pm Oct 27: Women’s Paddle Sunday League Begins

Women's League Info Women’s practices begin October 21st Cup 3 Practice: Wednesday, 12:00pm - 1:30pm Cup 4a Practice: Monday, 1:00 - 2:30pm Cup 4b Practice: Tuesday, 9:00 - 10:30am Cup 7 Practice: Thursday, 10:30am – 12:00pm Cup 10 Practice: Thursday, 9:00 - 10:30am

Men’s League Info Men’s Interclub League begin October 23rd and 24th Division 3 & 5 are on Thursdays and Division 8 & 10 are on Wednesdays Group, private, semi-private or paddle events, please connect with Ethan at Eleon@wilmingtoncc.com. Thank you and see you soon on the paddle court!

FITNESS

PERSONAL TRAINING Our personal trainers are educated in providing a fitness routine geared toward your goals. Whether you are an athlete looking for off season training, someone looking to lose weight or gain muscle, or someone looking for help to get active again, stop by the fitness center to talk about personal training packages. For more information call ext. 2113.

OCTOBER YOGA Join Beth Sheehy every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30pm-1:30pm for Hot Vinyasa in the Yoga Room. Hot Vinyasa is a type of yoga that involves a series of constantly changing postures that are linked together by breath and movement. It's practiced in a heated room, and can be an all-over workout that focuses on the core and upper body. Sign up on Mindbodyonline.com or email mkasker@wilmingtoncc.com. Any class with 0 participants registers three hours prior to class will be canceled. WALKING CLUB The Walking Club meets every Monday for an 11:00am walk around the golf course. Meet in the Fitness Center at 10:55am every if you’d like to join! We leave promptly at 11am! GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES Check out Mindbody Online for our current Group Exercise schedule. We offer a variety of hiit and strength classes including: Golf Fitness, Senior Fit, 30/30, and Tri Fit! For more information please contact the fitness center (ext 2113) or register for class at Mindbodyonline.com. *All classes with less than three people reserved three hours prior to

Michelle Kasker - Specializes in Strength and Conditioning, Mobility, Rehab/Prehab, and Nutrition Counseling for all ages and Fitness Levels.

Mary Harrison- Specializes in training an individual’s whole body to create a space capable of aging gracefully. Her training objectives are strength, balance, flexibility and joint health all while having fun!

Beth Sheehy- Beth is a personal trainer and yoga instructor. She specializes in strength and flexibility with active older adults.

Allison Gayle- Allison is a stretching and flexibility coach, and offers PNF assisted stretching (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) to increase and restore flexibility. In addition, she is a NASM certified personal trainer, specializing in strength and conditioning, balance, posture, and performance. Tina Malatesta- Tina has 20+ years of experience as a personal trainer and loves working with a variety of athletes and ages. Her philosophy is health and fitness is a lifestyle change and she loves helping clients make healthy changes. Jose Borne-Dumont- Jose is new to WCC but has been a trainer for several years. In addition to being a trainer, he is a certified Stretch and Flexibility Coach and in school for Massage Therapy.

class start will be canceled. NUTRITION COACHING

MASSAGE THERAPY Natalia Morales and Jocelyn Staker are both available for sports and therapeutic massages at Wilmington Country Club. Call ext. 2113 or email Mkasker@wilmingtoncc.com for more information. Michelle has over ten years experience working as a Nutrition Coach. She is a certified Nutrition Coach through both NASM and Precision Nutrition. For more information, or to get started with Michelle, please call Ext 2113.

GROUP EXERCISE | October

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

6:00 AM

6:30 AM

7:00 AM

Golf Fitness Group Ex Michelle

30/30 Group Ex Michelle

Golf Fitness Group Ex Michelle

30/30 Group Ex Michelle

Golf Fitness Group Ex Michelle

7:30 AM

8:00 AM

8:30 AM

9:00 AM

Senior Fit Group Ex Mary

TriFit Group Ex Mary

9:30 AM

10:00 AM

Senior Fit Group Ex Mary

10:30 AM

11:00 AM

Walking Club

11:30 AM

Hot Vinyasa Yoga Room Beth

12:30 PM

1:30 PM

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21

Made with FlippingBook Online document maker