An Update Report on the 2007 U.S. Open Championship

Oakmont
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N AT I O N A L H I S TO R I C L A N D M A R K 1 9 0 3
Oakmont
MARCH/APRIL 2007
| W W W. O A K M O N T C C . O R G
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An Update Report on the
2007 U.S. Open Championship
BY MICKEY POHL, OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP CHAIRMAN
To our members:
By the time you receive this
Newsletter, we will be about 50
days away from U.S. Open Week.
The pace is quickening!
First, let me say that any report
on how we are doing and what is
going on would be seriously flawed
if it did not begin with an expression
of thanks to those many members
who are unselfishly giving so much
time to the committee tasks and
details of preparing for the U.S.
Open Championship. The member
volunteers and Oakmont Club Staff
— grounds, Clubhouse and management — are busy, enthusiastic and
performing brilliantly!
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTENTS
Golf merchandise building rises at Oakmont East.
Page
U.S. Open Update ........ 1, 2, 3
First Person .......................... 3
Bunker To Bunker ................ 4
From The Red Tees .............. 5
Oakmont Swim Team ........... 5
Paddle Tennis ....................... 5
From The Grounds Up ...... 6-7
Kitchen Korner ...................... 8
Oakmont Website .................. 9
Open Junior Committee ........ 9
In Memoriam ........................ 9
Smoking Ban ....................... 10
Reminder-Swats ................... 10
Use of White Tees ............... 10
From the Archives ............... 11
Photo Op ............................ 12
View of the new “U.S. Open City” as seen from number 9 porch. Quite impressive!
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
U.S. Open Update Report
Beyond that, each week brings
new challenges, opportunities
and surprises. Here are just a
few of the examples of what has
been happening, much of which
may not be easily visible to the
membership at large. Also
included in this list is a mention
of some items where, based on
phone calls or comments I have
received from fellow members,
there seem to be some recurring
questions.
1. Golf Digest Magazine had
writer E.M. (“Ed”) Swift
on-site for three days in early
March gathering material for
a major story about our Club.
Many of you have seen
Mr. Swift’s terrific stories in
Sports Illustrated over the
years. Ed is a member of the
Country Club in Brookline,
Massachusetts. He met with a
host of members, spent a lot
of time with our archivist,
John Fitzgerald, and even
interviewed our revered caddy,
J. P. Pernice.
2. We are coming down the
home stretch with regard to
hospitality sales. As you will
recall, our Club gets a percentage of the revenue from these
sales and this is one of the
major revenue streams we get
as the host club. The sales
have been going well, but we
are making a major push to
get a sell-out. There are a few
tents available and about 40
tables available. Jim Douglass
has taken on the responsibility
of helping Hospitality
Marketing Chairman Mark
Hofmann and his committee
as we make this big push.
Suggestions from the members
as to sales prospects are
strongly encouraged.
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
3. As I compare the records from the
1994 Open (and my own memories of
being at the Opens in 1962, 1973 and
1983) it is clear that the biggest driver
of changes in the planning (aside from
sheer size) are … sadly…the necessary
changes brought about by security
concerns since September 11, 2001.
The days of strolling through a gate at
an airport or a major national sporting
event are gone! The need for magnetometers, traffic route protection, security
checks and purse inspections (among
other details) have changed the nature
of our planning for this event.
I hope that all of our members will be
understanding and patient if there are
any inconveniences that arise in June.
Our Club has little or no say on many
of these necessary details. The U.S.G.A.
has an impressive security team in place.
But, in the end, the PA State Police, the
Department of Homeland Security, the
local police and other authorities are the
experts and have the final say on the
public safety aspects of this huge event.
The availability of bomb-sniffing dogs
did not used to be a part of the planning
for a U.S. Open. Now it is.
4. Generally, the operational details are
falling into place on time and on budget.
Recently, meetings were held with
Dan Onorato, the County Executive
and, in Harrisburg, with the Governor’s
Office. Part of being sure that Oakmont
stays positioned to host future major
golf events depends on our state and
region remaining economically viable
and competitive with other clubs and
states who are aggressively working to
be awarded future golf championships.
5. This event is essentially sold out
(excluding scalpers and Internet sales—
but watch out for counterfeit tickets!)
We really hope that our members have
heeded the messages in prior communications and have ensured that they have
already purchased whatever tickets they
will need for the Championship.
— 2 —
Members and others are NOT likely to
be able to secure tickets at the last
minute. We MAY be able to give some
limited assistance to members who now
need to purchase an additional ticket or
two. If you have a ticket problem at this
point, please notify Tom Wallace without
delay. There are NO guarantees, but we
will try to find additional tickets for
members. These will probably not be
Member Tickets, but might be general
admission or Trophy Club tickets. We
are informed that some off-site sellers
of “hospitality areas” did not let their
customers know that they were not
U.S.G.A. affiliated and are scrambling
for tickets. A good solution for
businesses and individuals is to purchase
a table or share a table. The Club and
the U.S.G.A. will assist in matching
people who wish to share tables.
6. I have received a few calls recently from
members and friends who wish to work
as volunteers. The volunteer roster was
oversubscribed and closed last Fall. The
U.S.G.A. office will take names for a
waiting list. Having had so many volunteers so quickly is a great indicator of the
level of enthusiasm for golf in this area.
7. Tom Simmermon, with assistance from
Joe Loughran, is heading what we call
our Member Services Committee. They,
along with Tom Wallace, his staff, and
the U.S.G.A. will be handling the many
details relating to taking care of our
members during the Open Championship. As previously explained, there will
be limited space in the Clubhouse for
members during the tournament.
Members with a Members ticket and
Member identification only— no guests
—will be allowed in the member areas of
the Clubhouse. The need for space for
players and their families, for U.S.G.A.
hospitality and operations, and the sale
(by the Club) of certain areas within
the Clubhouse as hospitality packages
(e.g. The Fownes Room) and, once
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
Update Report
FROM PAGE 2
again, security and safety concerns, limit
our flexibility here. We will have a
“Clubhouse Annex” on the course (near
hole #15) where members and guests
(subject to some limits) can go to enjoy
an air-conditioned, tasteful area with big
screen TV and a cash bar. As with many
other practices, the “old days” where
there were “Clubhouse Tickets” that
were transferable are gone!
We now know that more than 1,000 sets
of media credentials from outlets around
the world have been requested. The 2007
Open will be televised in more than 150
countries. The number of volunteers,
media and vendor-related staff on site each
day this year will probably exceed the total
number of spectators we had daily in 1962.
This will be a great time for Oakmont and
its membership to be seen throughout the
world of golf.
If you are a prayerful person, pray for
good weather in June!
Thanks again for all of your assistance.
Seminole Pro/Member
Tourney has an
Oakmont “Flavor!”
On Monday, March 5th, Seminole Golf
Club in Juno Beach, Florida, held their
Annual Seminole Pro/Member
Tournament. And, the winning teams
included some names familiar to all of us.
The Gross Division Winners were:
Professional: Corey Pavin
Amateur Member: Mark Lomis
Score: 64
The Net Division Winners were:
Professional: Bob Ford
Amateur Member: John Birmingham, Sr.
Score: 64
Congratulations to Bob and John, Sr.
for upholding the “winning tradition” of
Oakmont golfers!
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
FIRST PERSON
BY BILL GRIFFIN, CLUB PRESIDENT
Well now! Just a couple of
months away from hosting our
8th U.S. Open Championship
and there’s much excitement and
anticipation around our Club.
Preparations for the Open
Championship continue to be
going well (see Mickey Pohl
Article). Volunteer efforts are
well organized; a final push for
hospitality sales is producing
favorable results; and we’re
working hard to create a positive
membership experience with
every aspect of the Open. I
would like to formally recognize
the tremendous amount of
preparation and hard work our
staff has put towards planning
for the Open. As an example,
the Oakmont Culinary and
Service Team will be serving
almost 50,000 meals during the
week of the Open. We typically
serve 50,000 meals annually!
If you have been at the club
in the past several weeks, you
have noticed a significant amount
of activity and work being done
in “building a city” around our
golf course. During the month
of April, construction began
on the hospitality tents in the
Fownes and Oakmont Villages,
the main merchandise tent on
the East Course, the Trophy
Club and The Champion
Pavilion. Dozens of support
compounds and trailers will be
established including health,
ecology, evacuation, NBC-TV,
XM-Radio, The Golf Channel,
MSG Promotions, admissions
and many more. Just be prepared for a lot of activity on the
course.
— 3 —
With regard to our course, we are
coming out of a brutal February and an
ice-storm March in pretty good shape.
(See From The Grounds Up Article)
There are a few spots on a couple of
greens that are still being nursed, but
we’re not expecting any problems. We
appreciate your patience as we go through
this process. John Zimmers and his staff
are doing an outstanding job in preparing
the course for opening day, as well as
getting ready for the Open Championship.
Compliments have been copious
regarding the newly renovated portions of
the Clubhouse, specifically the wonderful
placement of our archived history. Our
Long-Range Planning Committee, Tom
Wallace and his staff, and John Fitzgerald
have done an exceptional job in managing
the restoration efforts and displaying the
Club’s history throughout the Clubhouse.
The Board recently approved the budget
for the 2007-08 fiscal year. We remain on
target with our original long-range plan of
being debt-free through the 2010-11 fiscal
year. Our operations this year continue
to be strong with cash generated from
operations for the eleven month period
through February at $1.1 million or nearly
$500,000 favorable to budget. A strong
financial year!
We hope you join us for the Town Hall
meeting on Opening Day, Saturday, April
21st. The purpose of the meeting is to
provide our members with more details on
the golf course, Clubhouse, U.S. Open
Championship and the 2007-2008 budget.
It will be an exciting and historical year
at Oakmont. We hope everyone enjoys it.
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
New Trends in the Golf Shop
for Spring, 2007
New 2007 Drivers
BY BOB FORD, CLUB PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the
Oakmont famiy, Adam Kushner,
Assistant Professional
Taylor Made Burner Driver - Taylor
Made has created their lightest and
longest driver ever. It combines a super
lightweight shaft with a large forgiving
head to guarantee long straight drives.
$299.00
Callaway FT-I Driver - Callaway has
incorporated “square-head” technology
to help deliver more “square” hits.
$475.00
Cleveland Hibore XL - Cleveland’s new
shaft and head technology helps all players
find more “carry” with their drives,
translating into more distance. $299.00
New 2007 Footwear
Adam is no stranger to the Oakmont
Professional Staff, just in a new position
this year. Many of you will remember
Adam, as he was an intern with us for two
of the last three years, working with Jon
Migely on our outside operations staff.
Adam now joins us full time as an Assistant
Professional. He is a 2006 graduate of the
Professional Golf Management program at
Methodist College in Fayetteville, NC.
Adam, a native of the Erie, PA area
spent a few seasons with former Oakmont
Assistant Professional Michael O’Connor
at the Kahkwa Club in Erie. Most recently,
Adam worked at the Pinehurst Resort in
Pinehurst, NC. Adam and his wife Eryn
have a daughter, Alyssa, and are expecting
their second child, a boy, in late April!!
2007 Club Tournaments
The 2007 Club Tournaments
began on Saturday, April 14th.
Round one matches must be
completed by Sunday, May 3th.
Upcoming Events in May
May 18th
Member Only SWAT Party
1:30 PM. shotgun
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
Adidas Powerband Shoe - Looking for
great stability and power from the ground
up? Adidas’s new footwear technology
offers players secure footing while
reaching back for those few extra yards.
Men’s and Women’s.
$159.00
Footjoy “Reelfit” Shoe - Discover the
“dialed in technology.” No more tightening laces during your round. These shoes
conform to your feet by using the new
high-density steel laces to create the
perfect fit.
$215.00
New 2007 Technical Apparel
Adidas Clima Cool - Riding their wave
of success from 2006, Adidas has
expanded their selection of Clima Cool
apparel for men and women. While being
easy to care for, this fabric wicks away
perspiration and keeps you dry and cool,
all summer long. For Men and Women.
$58.00-$68.00
PRX Apparel - New for 2007 and arriving
in May, this apparel line is designed
specifically for those who have hit the gym
over the last six months. Athletic fit with
performance fabrics has created a new
dimension in golf wear.
For Men and Women. $75.00-$88.00
— 4 —
Limited Edition:
U.S. Open Stand Bag
from Taylor Made
Just 12 bags available, due to
arrive in May, these bags were
specially commissioned to
commemorate our 8th U.S.
Open Championship. Taylor
Made staff players on the PGA
Tour such as Sergio Garcia and
Retief Goosen will be carrying
this bag the week of the Open.
$198.00
Club Fitting
The Golf House will serve as
our club fitting and teaching
headquarters. Club fitting and
teaching will be handled by any
of our golf professionals. This
year we will be featuring many
new products from Taylor Made,
Ping, Callaway, Adams Golf,
Cleveland, and Nickent. All other
brands of equipment can be
arranged to demo by a member
of the professional staff. Properly
fit golf clubs can make all the
difference, so stop by the Golf
Shop and make an appointment
to improve every aspect of your
game!
This season, we are all excited
about a revolutionary fitting
system from Taylor Made called
SelectFit. Originally developed
by Taylor Made’s R&D Dept.
for rapidly attaching driver and
iron heads to demo shafts, the
new Taylor Made SelectFit system
offers golfers a custom-fitting
experience with a broader array
of golf club options to ensure
the best fit for your swing. With
the new fitting cart stocked with
dozens of Taylor Made club
heads of differing characteristics
and dozens of shafts of differing
make, flex, kickpoint and length,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
Bunker to Bunker
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
the number of complete club
possibilities is more than 186
driver combinations and more
than 258 iron possibilities —
200 more than the industry
standard!
Contact the Golf Shop today
to schedule a one-of-a-kind
fitting experience.
2007 Guests
Rules and Restrictions
With the upcoming 2007
U.S. Open Championship,
please be advised of the following guest restrictions.
Friday, May 25th will be the
last day for three guests. From
Saturday, May 26th through
Friday, June 1st, ONE guest
per member is permitted. From
Saturday, June 2nd through
Saturday, June 9th, play will be
limited to Members ONLY.
Also, Sunday, May 13th will
be the last day golf carts are
permitted on the golf course.
REPORTING BY SHIRLEY PREBOR
WELCOME NEW
SA MEMBERS:
Joined in 2006
Julia Alexander
Amy Dias
Liu Frances
Donna Howard
Joined in 2007
Dr. Elissa Gittes
Nancy Kacin
Johanna Lear
Colleen Meyers
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
Oakmont
Paddle Tennis
Swim Team News News
BY PAUL MAZESKI
BY ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE
Sign up now for the Oakmont Country
Club Swim Team Ice Cream Social.
On Sunday, April 29, 2007, between
1 PM and 3 PM at Fox Chapel Golf Club.
Come say hello and meet your new
coaches, Barb Medvec and Don Weisz.
Swimmers of all ages and abilities are
welcome and encouraged to participate.
Oakmont Country Club will be joining
the Fox Chapel Golf Club Swim Team
this season. All swimmers will be able to
order their team suits on this day. Knabes
Sporting Goods will be there to size all
those participating.
EVERYONE SWIMS IN THE MEETS!
A Golfer’s Prayer
Lord,
Thank you for the green grass, white sand,
warm sun and blue skies. For mowers and
rakes …..and umbrellas too!
Thank you for amber and gold fallen leaves,
and your merciful servant who invented
the “leaf rule.”
Thank you for steel, graphite, titanium
and lacquered persimmon. Thank you for
dimpled surlyn and balata.
Thank you for the tee times, Swats, Nassaus,
presses, scrambles, medal and match play.
Thank you for the handicaps that make us
all equal…..without making us identical!
Thank you for wooden tees, shiny ball
markers, golf gloves, grips that are tacky…
and golf jokes that aren’t.
Thank you for cotton shirts, wool sweaters,
and wind breakers …no matter what they
are made of.
And, most of all, Lord, thank you for the
golf people of this world…the pros, the
caddies, the bag boys, the ground crews,
the locker room attendants, the managers,
the cooks, the waiters and the waitresses,
the twosomes, the threesomes, the foursomes, the scorers, ….the partners and the
opponents!
Because, Lord, it is your people who make
golf the honorable game that is so worth
playing…and makes life so worth living!
……Anonymous
— 5 —
The Men’s Paddle Tennis Team, referred
to as Oakmont 1 in the West Penn Paddle
Tennis League, took another big step
forward this year. The team enjoyed its
most successful year yet.
After many years without a team,
Oakmont joined the West Penn Paddle
Tennis League in the late 1990s. The team
began in the lowest division, which, at that
time, was Division 5. (Now, there are six
divisions.) Our team then advanced into
Division 3, where we have played for the
last several years.
Two years ago, we were the champions
of Division 3. That year, the Oakmont
team lost a challenge match by one set and
remained in Division 3.
This year’s team finished in third place in
Division 3 and was eligible for a challenge
match to move into Division 2. In the
challenge match, we defeated the Edgewood
team and moved into Division 2. The
challenge match was played over three
weeks due to golf trips to Florida by some
of the participants. Mike McMullen and
Roland Osland won the crucial last set in
a tiebreaker to secure the victory against
the Edgewood team.
The team has benefited substantially
this year, with the addition of Tennis Pro,
Tom Mercer. Tom joined us after the
third match and, not surprisingly, quickly
turned into a very dominant player. Tom
will be coaching the Women’s team in
2008 and will be available next season to
give paddle tennis lessons. If there is
enough interest to start another team at
Oakmont, we suspect that Tom could be
convinced to provide some guidance.
Our Oakmont 1 team benefited from
having a large roster, thus aiding us in
situations affected by vacations and injuries.
Team members are:
Mike Angerman
Mike McMullen
Amby Bauer
Ron Morris
Ned Foster
Dave Nicholson
Ed Gregg
Roland Oslund
Paul Mazeski
Frank Phillips
Tom Mercer
Randy Russell
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
From the Grounds Up
BY CHRIS DONOHUE & JOHN ZIMMERS
A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N!
Around the Oakmont Country Club Grounds
Department, the feeling is one of anticipation and
excitement, as the Club is about 7 weeks away from
hosting its 8th U.S. Open Championship. The
beginning of the winter was relatively mild, with a
below average amount of snowfall.
However, February and March brought
everything that winter weather has to offer: snow,
sleet, freezing rain, wind and fluctuating temperatures. These extreme weather conditions have taken
a toll on our golf course. The usual weather patterns
have caused areas of turf to go into severe dormancy
resulting in a slower spring green-up. However, now
that spring is here, we are patiently awaiting warmer
temperatures to help get the turf growing.
Spring Aerification:
Aerification is scheduled for the end of March or
early April depending upon the weather and when
the putting greens come out of their state of severe
dormancy. We plan to carry out our spring aerification procedures as follows:
• 1/4” quad time pulling cores on the putting
greens (small holes).
• Sand injection procedure.
• 5/8” hollow tines pulling cores on fairways, tees
and approaches as performed in the past.
• The drill and fill process will NOT be taking
place this spring. It is scheduled to resume in
the spring of 2008.
Graduated Rough:
Anticipated layout of driving range.
field offices from damage by range balls. Due to U.S.G.A. requirements, we will be preserving a section of the driving range tee and
short game area. (See photo) The side of the tee nearest the practice
green will be occupied by an NBC-TV tower with a view of the 18th
hole. Also, the back range tee will be closed due to the U.S.G.A.
campus infrastructure.
U.S.G.A. Setup Timeline:
You may notice a few office trailers around the grounds and at
the East Course. This is only the beginning! Over the next several
months, the U.S.G.A. will be on site and “firing on all cylinders”
constructing corporate villages throughout the property which will
resemble a small city. The construction taking place over the next
several months will include: U.S.G.A. field offices, service roads,
bus loops, members tents, corporate tents/villages, volunteer tents,
grandstands, TV towers, a media center, merchandise pavilions and
concession tents. Of course, weather conditions will have much to
do with the timeline of the construction of these facilities.
As spring growth occurs, the length of the rough
will continue growing to meet U.S.G.A. championship specifications. The graduated rough, as you may
hear it called, will be grown or graduated
from the 1.5” intermediate cut around the
fairways to a 4” cut, 8 feet wide, with the
Bunker Banks:
remaining rough maintained at approximately 6”. Achieving the graduated rough
concept will take time, as continued
mowing is necessary to maintain the desired
height and upright condition of the rough.
COURSE REMINDERS
Driving Range and Short Game:
Recently, telephone poles were installed
on the driving range floor. These poles will
support the large, black netting that will
ultimately protect the 17th hole, corporate
structures, Fownes Village and the U.S.G.A.
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
Proper way to treat bunkers on our course.
— 6 —
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
From the Grounds Up
FROM PAGE 6
Ball Marks & Divots:
To preserve our historic restoration, please do NOT walk
on the bunker faces. The photos show the proper way to
enter and exit from the FRONT of all bunkers. Please rake
the bunkers “smooth” as this has a direct impact upon
playability. Also, please maintain proper golf etiquette by
cleaning the sand from your shoes before walking on the
greens.
Fescue Grass Area:
Cart traffic MUST be avoided in these areas. Fine fescue
grass does not tolerate cart traffic and the fescue plant will
be crushed down, hindering the aesthetic appearance we are
trying to achieve. You MUST avoid driving in fescue grass
areas.
Repairing ball marks keeps our greens as famous as they have become!
Please repair your ball marks as well as any others you may
find. Repairing ball marks will ensure a smoother putting
surface for everyone. Please replace divots on the course.
A divot repaired will likely heal, resulting in better playing
conditions on the course.
Cart Traffic:
In order to prevent wear damage to the courtesy walks,
please scatter cart traffic upon departing the teeing area.
Please avoid driving golf carts on the courtesy walks and
approaches. Remember, a good rule to follow is: Be at least
30 feet away from a green or tee complex.
Avoid driving golf carts on courtesy walks, please!
Two “NO-NOs” concerning Fescue Grass Areas.
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
In summary:
As we “ramp up” preparation for the 2007 U.S. Open
Championship, we have had a very productive winter and
are looking forward to a very busy spring. We would like to
mention that we have had an incredible volunteer response
and have received remarkable support from our many vendors.
With all of the U.S. Open setup, there will be many
distractions to our daily operations. However, with the staff
that we have in place, and the return of our interns, we are
confident we can provide and achieve the standards that we
are all accustomed to here at Oakmont Country Club.
— 7 —
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
KitchenKorner
✂
Links
Family Night Menus
BY TOM PEPKA, CEC EXECUTIVE CHEF
Those who were with us for our Easter
buffet know that we featured carved ham
and lamb, Chilean sea bass, a festive salad
buffet along with a grand dessert buffet.
It would be great to see a large turnout
for our first wine dinner in late April as
well as our celebrated Mother’s Day
brunch and dinner buffets.
Oakmont’s culinary team has spent
much of our winter months working on
the 2007 U.S. Open Championship. The
amount of details, people, equipment and
schedules are staggering. (See First Person
article.) We believe we will be well prepared and well represented as one of the
leading clubs in the country. It will be
exciting to be a part of it.
And, we plan to make sure that every
one of our members enjoys the “eating
part” of the 2007 U.S. Open!
See you at the Club.
Special Notice about
Oakmont DVD
CLIP THIS OUT AND SAVE IT!
April 25th
Landmark Salad
Beef Madeira
Brook Trout a la Meuniere
Hot Buttered Egg Noodles
Vegetable du jour
Dessert du jour
May 2nd
Bibb Salad w/tomatoes
Chicken Pot Pie
Baked Stuffed Filet of Sole
Redskin Potatoes
Vegetable du jour
Dessert du jour
May 9th
Greek Salad
Sliced Lamb Top Round
Swordfish saute a la Greque
Boulangere Potatoes
Vegetable du jour
Dessert du jour
May 16th
Chopped Salad
Grilled Ham Steak
Pineapple Salsa
Pan Seared Halibut
Fine Herb Butter
Buttered Egg Noodles
Vegetable du jour
Dessert du jour
May 23rd
BLT Salad
Chicken Piccata
Baked Fluke in Lemon Butter
Wild Rice Pilaf
Vegetable du jour
Dessert du jour
May 30th
Tossed Salad
Sliced Pork Loin, Sauce Madeira
Baked Filet of Salmon
Lemon Dill Hollandaise
Yukon Gold Whipped Potatoes
Vegetable du jour
Dessert du jour
NOTE: NO Family Nights in June due to U.S. Open
✂
We hope everyone had a great
winter season and we’re glad to
be in the spring season right now.
Summer will follow and with that…the
2007 U.S. Open!
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
~ $16.50 ~
BY KATIE KEENAN
To our members:
On the “Oakmont, The History…
The Tradition” DVD that you received
in the mail several weeks ago, there are
THREE (3) sections for viewing. They
include:
Catie Amodeo . . . .
just another satisfied
participant of
Oakmont’s fabulous
Sunday Brunch!
• Club Tournament/History
• Course Renovation
• Hole-By-Hole
You too can have
this much fun.
Why don’t you join
us next Sunday?
On the “title menu” of the DVD
you are able to select any one of these
three sections to view. Don’t just stop
at viewing just one!
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
— 8 —
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
Work on Oakmont
website shows progress
BY DAVE EGAN, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
The finest championship golf
venue in the country can now
make the argument that it also
has a website of similar caliber.
Thanks to a six-month effort by
Manager-In-Training, Katie
Keenan, our Club launched
a completely redesigned website
in January, 2007. And, despite
the fact that Katie had no formal
web design experience before
starting this project, the results
are terrific!
“My objective was to create
the best club website in the
country,” Katie declared. “I
studied many examples and
thought that the Winged Foot
Golf Club site was beautiful,
so that became my standard,”
she said.
Using the theme: “Championship Golf-Fellowship-Tradition”
as her conceptual anchor, Katie
went to work to create a site
which really captures the look,
feel and imagery that one
experiences walking through
our renovated Clubhouse.
~ IN MEMORIAM ~
It is with sincere regret that
we announce the passing of:
Mrs. Dorothy
“Keith” Mahaffey.
Wife of long-time
Oakmont member,
Jack Mahaffey
Mother of
Oakmont member,
Dr. Paul Friday
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
“Mr. John Fitzgerald was very helpful in
providing the historic photography which
tells the Oakmont story so well. That
consistency was really important to me,
too!” Katie said.
But, the improvement in the site extends
to functionality as well. The new member
statement feature has the “bugs” worked
out and offers members the opportunity
to review their account at their leisure.
The popular Fore Tees section has been
overhauled and, despite a few early
interface problems, is now ready to make
reserving your starting times much more
simple and convenient than ever. New
features like the golf course tour, the golf
quote of the week, archives of articles
from Oakmont’s past and fresh content in
every section makes the Oakmont site a
must-see destination.
Front desk receptionist, Tomdee Simpson,
who recently accompanied Katie to a conference on club websites, is also training
to handle updates and revisions, so that the
“team” will be well prepared to keep the
website current, accurate and interesting.
If you haven’t visited the NEW
Oakmont Country Club website, take a
look at it at: www.oakmontcc.org
Function Over Form
The last player I wanted on my golf
team was one who had to look good and
have the prettiest swing without getting
comparable results. Too often, this player
is satisfied with hitting stylish shots.
Give me the player who is more concerned
with putting the ball in the hole in the
fewest number of strokes.
Oakmont forms
Junior Committee
for 2007 U.S. Open
Championship
BY JIM MURPHY, JR., CHAIRMAN
We are pleased to announce Oakmont’s
formation of a Junior Committee for the
2007 U.S. Open Championship. The
purpose of this committee is to encourage
our otherwise ineligible juniors to participate in this year’s championship activity.
The Junior Committee will act as
greeters; welcoming spectators, hospitality
patrons and other attendees to Oakmont,
and offering them pairing sheets. The
Committee leadership will be contacting
those children and teens who submitted a
volunteer application to the U.S.G.A. and
were not able to be a part of the U.S.G.A.
committee structure due to age restrictions,
etc. If your child has not been contacted
directly by the Junior Committee, please
call Judy Folk in the Oakmont office or
contact me immediately.
The Junior Committee will operate only
during the championship rounds, unless it
grows to sufficient size to also provide its
services during the practice rounds. Each
member of the committee will work: 2 to
3 two & one-half hour shifts. At present we
believe that these shifts will be scheduled
between the hours of 9 AM and 2 PM.
All committee members must be 10 years
of age by June 11, 2007. It is anticipated
that younger volunteers will be paired with
an older teen to provide some oversight
and guidance in the execution of their
duties.
Uniforms will be provided to these
young men and women. Juniors will be
required to provide their own khaki shorts
or pants.
------------- Harvey Pennick
— 9 —
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
Swat
Reminders:
For those members who are interested
in the Regular Swat and the Senior Swat,
here are some reminder facts:
Regular Swat:
Contact: Bruce McGough
To play Saturdays at 11 AM
Call in by 10 AM
To play Sundays at 11 AM
Call in by 10 AM
To play Wednesdays at 1 PM
Call in by NOON
To play Sunday at 8:30 AM (Green Tees)
Call in by 5 PM Saturday
Dates to remember:
Sunday, April 29th after golf
Swat Meeting
Friday, May 18th
Members Only Swat Party (*)
1:30 PM Shotgun
Call in by 3 PM Thursday
*(NOTE: The use of golf carts for this event
are NOT allowed. If you must have a cart,
please do NOT sign up. Thank you.)
Call the Front Desk at 412-828-8000
to participate in the Swat.
Senior Swat:
Contact: Sam Amodeo
Open to golfing members age 55 and older.
No limitation with regard to handicap.
To play Wednesday mornings
beginning 9 AM,
call in by 1 PM Tuesday.
Most matches played at full handicap.
Annual dues: $50.00 per player.
Weekly wager: $9 per player
Dates to remember:
Wednesday and Thursday, October 10-11
Season Ending Event
Another Reminder:
You received a notice about the WHITE
TEES with last month’s Newsletter. This
is published to review that notice:
The Golf Committee has changed the
requirements for male golfers to use the
WHITE TEES. Male golfers must have a
BLUE TEE handicap of at least 10, must
be 60 years of age, and must have a total
of BLUE TEE handicap plus age of at
least 80. The reason for the new requirements is to correct a perceived advantage
that the WHITE TEES may provide for
some of the better golfers over 60 years of
age.
Players cannot switch from one set of
tees to another set of tees during a Club
event or tournament such as the Worsham,
Secretary’s Cup, etc. but, can use different
tees, depending on eligibility, for different
tournaments during the year. A player’s
eligibility may change during the year due
to a birthday and/or changes in handicap,
and some golfers may decide to switch tees
due to changes in their health, difficulty
of the course or other personal reasons.
When playing from the WHITE TEES,
players should refer to the Handicap Charts
located at the Golf Shop and Starter’s
Table to determine their WHITE TEE
handicap based on their Handicap Index
and then add one additional stroke.
Subtraction of one additional stroke is a
local Club rule and is believed to provide
a more equitable adjustment for the
advantage provided by the WHITE TEES.
Beginning January 2, 2007,
the following areas have been
designated areas where smoking
is permitted at our Club.
Front Circle
Ash receptacle provided
Garden Patio
Ash receptacle provided
Golf Shop Porch
between the front entrance
and Caddy Master’s desk/
Bag room
Ash receptacle provided
Outside Pool Facility Entrance
Ash receptacle provided
Outside Golf House
Ash receptacle provided
Outside Skeet Hut
Ash receptacle provided
Outside Tennis Hut
Ash receptacle provided
Pros Cottage Back Porch
Ash receptacle provided
Gatehouse Back Porch
Ash receptacle provided
The entire indoor facilities
at the Club will be, as dictated
by the Allegheny County
Ordinance, smoke-free. It is
important that every member,
and their guests observe these
restrictions. Repeated violations
could result in the Club losing
its health permits and liquor
license.
The Golf Committee
Oakmont
Links
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Al Dudreck
EDITOR
is published nine times a year for
members and employees.
George Hill
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
Judy Folk
1233 Hulton Road, Oakmont, PA 15139
412-828-8000 • www.oakmontcc.org
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
Smoking Ban
— 10 —
ASSISTANT EDITOR
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR
Larry Werner
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
BY JOHN
Fitz’s Facts
FITZGERALD, ARCHIVE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
“Arch´-ives” = documents preserved for their
historical value. But, before you can preserve them, you’ve got
to find them! That’s why it is so gratifying to me and to Club President Bill
Griffin to have such members as the following who have furnished us
documents that could have been lost forever.
Thank you so very much to:
Barry Hackett – donated an original 1931 U.S. Open program This “find”
almost completes our collection of original tournament programs dating
from 1921 to the present. The ONLY original program we are missing is the
one from the 1953 U.S. Open.
Will someone step forward and help us complete our collection? There is
one out there someplace!
Sketch shows #15 tee, #15 green and the most
unusual layout of hole #15 we have ever seen! Today’s
green is well to the right of the right greenside bunker.
Chick Wagner – Came up with a
“factoid” that dispels the rumor that Mr.
Henry C. Fownes didn’t care for trees!
As seen in the circa 1919-1920’s photo
below, Mr. Fownes DID plant some trees.
At every tee box, he planted a small conifer.
(Fir tree to the unknowing!)
Curt Coulter – Located and furnished to
our Club an article and sketch from an April,
1930 issue of Golf Illustrated of the original
layout of hole #15. The original green was
“way left” of where it is today!
Did you know that in the U.S. Open
Championship at Oakmont in 1935 there
were actually counterfeit tickets discovered
at the event? Who said that golf wasn’t a
popular sport in those days!
Holes #5, 6 & 7 as seen in aerials from 1983 (left) and 2007.
1919-1920: A close look gives credence to the fact that H.C. Fownes planted a small fir tree at each tee box.
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
— 11 —
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
Various views of the NEW LOOK of our Clubhouse.
If you haven’t been there lately to see it, make sure to visit us soon!
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
— 12 —
MARCH/APRIL 2007
Oakmont
Links
MAY
C A L E N D A R
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
O F
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Family
Night
6
Mother’s Day
Brunch
and Dinner
14
15
Member
Monday
20
Memorial Day
Picnic
27
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
16
22
28
5
10
11
12
17
8:00 AM Shotgun
Member
and 3 Guests
1:30 PM Shotgun
Members Only
Swat Party
Family
Friday
18
19
Family Friday
WGA Golf
23
Family
Night
29
4
WGA Golf
Family
Night
21
3
9
Family
Night
SATURDAY
WGA Event
Family Friday
WGA Golf
8
Member
Monday
13
2
Family
Night
7
FRIDAY
WGA Golf
1
Member
Monday
E V E N T S
Family Friday
24
25
26
WGA
Member/
Member
30
— 12 —
31
MARCH/APRIL 2007