By Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef, Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa. St. Davids Golf Club, on the “Main Line” west of Philadelphia in Wayne, Pa., opened for golf in 1897. As is the case for any club over a century old, St. Davids has gone through many changes over the years. Most notably, its golf course…
Tastes of the Great Outdoors
From public golf clubs to posh resorts, properties are making the most of their al fresco space, to boost both a la carte and banquet business. By Joanna DeChellis, Contributing Editor Spring, summer and fall are at their best in the moments when you can sit outside with family or friends, sharing a meal…
Vote of Confidence
By Joe Barks, Editor Established in 1863 by six officials of the U.S. Treasury Department during the height of the Civil War, the stated objectives behind the formation of The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington, D.C. included “mutual improvement and social purposes.” With the club on the verge of its 150th anniversary, those…
Digital Discussions
Darcy Bodiker, Catering Manager at Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, Fla., posed this question to the group: Most of our members are retired and over the age of 60. I’m trying to come up with some great events/entertainment for next season and wanted to know: What were your most favorable events recently? “We ran…
Star of the Show
Savvy club managers quickly learn there’s plenty of expertise within their memberships that they can draw on to help them make good decisions when running their clubs. Normally, this means availing yourself of counsel that attorneys or executives in insurance, construction and other businesses can provide on personnel or facilities issues. But when your club…
Pieces of Work
To set an exciting new tone for your property, make sure your furniture is up to the task. While everything from fixtures and finishes to window treatments and flooring will give a clubhouse its own singular style, furniture is what sets the tone of the space. Providing a double dose of comfort and style, furniture…
From Farm to Table
Increasingly, chefs are incorporating local ingredients to meet member and guest demand for farm-to-table fare. By Joanna DeChellis, Managing Editor Farm to table is a romantic philosophy. Chefs like Alice Waters (Chez Panisse), Thomas Keller (The French Laundry), Peter Hoffman (Savoy) and Dan Barber (Blue Hill) were all pioneers in the locavore movement. But the…
WEB EXCLUSIVES
Q&A with Bill Whatley, Golf Course Superintendent, The Refuge, Flowood, Miss., on the property’s conversion of maintenance equipment and golf cars to propane power(“Green Machines,” clubandresortbusiness.com). Cover Feature OVERVIEW BRIEFING of how the F&B management team has harnessed technology to train kitchen and wait staff at The Club at Mediterra, plus ADDITIONAL PHOTOS…
Behind the Big Digs
Reflecting their elevated professional status, superintendents are now getting in on the ground floor to provide brains, and leadership, for golf course construction and renovation projects. SUMMING IT UP Superintendents now routinely take the lead in course renovation projects—but their higher profiles bring a need for expanded expertise. No two construction projects are alike; each…
Plenty of Cookin’ in Cajun Country
C&RB’s sold-out 2012 Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans featured everything from skinned gators to instant ice-sculpture designs. Clubs with members who root against the University of Florida and whose chefs attended C&RB’s sold-out 2012 Chef to Chef Conference may see a new dish, Cajun Microwave Alligator, at pre- or post-game events this year.…
Putting the “Ah” in Spa
Clubs and resorts are stepping up their efforts to create spa facilities with plenty of panache. SUMMING IT UP Design elements should complement spa services. Natural elements like water, wood and rocks can help to add a sense of tranquility. When possible, position spas front and center, for members and guests to see right away.…
Ensuring a Lasting Heritage
How North Carolina’s Heritage Club has found cost-effective paths to profitable growth. Wake Forest University is named for where it was founded, in Wake Forest, N.C., 15 miles north of Raleigh. The university moved a couple of hours west in 1956 to its present location in Winston-Salem, creating confusion about what’s in the town of…
Idea Exchange
Long-Term Investments With 10,500 members (only 4,800 of whom are adults), Toronto’s Granite Club recently implemented two youth sport clinics to help engage and develop younger members’ athletic skills. The Long-Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD) was developed as a framework for optimal training and competition for each stage of a child’s development after age 10.…
WEB EXCLUSIVES
Industry Roundup Photos from C&RB’s Design & Renovation Insights Workshop at Congressional CC (see “Capital Assets,” pg. 10). Cover Feature PHOTOS from Commerce Club, Detroit Athletic Club, The Houston Club, The Hartford Club, The University Club Atop Symphony Towers and The Wisconsin Club, as well as exclusive Q&As with the managers of these business clubs…
Worth a Listen
My immediate takeaway was just how much “assistance” this impressive group of assistants promises to provide to the future well-being of our industry. Last month, I had the privilege of spending two picture-perfect early-fall days at the 280-acre research facility and training center operated by Bayer Environmental Science in Clayton, N.C., outside of Raleigh. I…