Sugarmill Woods 12-11 newsletter.cdr
Transcription
Sugarmill Woods 12-11 newsletter.cdr
Club News December 2011 S U G A R M I L L W O O D S C O U N T R Y C L U B 2011 Member Guest Flight 1 Winners James Finn & Jim Hamilton Flight 3 Winners Jeff Connley & Rob Dixon Christmas Dinner Friday, December 16 5:30pm Cocktails 6:00pm Dinner $17.95 ++ See page 5 for further details Overall Champions Felix Tarorick and Al Werden Flight 4 Winners Gus Calleri & Tony Taverna Flight 2 Winners Felix Tarorick & Al Werden Flight 5 Winners Mike Theodore & Nelson Wright New Years Eve Extravaganza 2011 7:00 pm Cocktails 8:00 pm Dinner $69.95 ++ per person Sugarmill Woods Country Club 3.00 . DECEMBER SPECIALS Dec. 8th Hummer Dec. 15th Woo Woo Dec. 22nd Whiskey Sour Dec. 29th Apple Martini Open Invitation to all Ladies! 2 Message From Stan Cooke for her suggestion that the Club feature a “Person of Interest” within the monthly newsletter. Nancy offered this recommendation and stood behind her idea by “owning it” when I immediately asked her if she would be willing to research and write the column each month. Nancy graciously accepted the responsibility of the position and I'm sure each of you already knows what the pay is! But the good news for Nancy is that we're going to double her pay next year! Please take a moment to thank Nancy for her willingness to help make the Club newsletter more interesting and exciting. Vice President/Director of Golf I'm absolutely overwhelmed and extremely appreciative of the support the Sugarmill Woods membership has demonstrated over the past several months. Club event after event is enthusiastically supported through strong attendance by so many of you. Quite frankly, without your support, I would be spending long nights watching the ceiling fan hanging above my bed. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, for supporting the Club by signing up and attending the various events that are scheduled. My Staff and I are amazed by your support! Some thoughtful and considerate lady members diligently and humbly decorate the SMW Clubhouse for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. Unfortunately, I didn't have the names available at “press time”. However, a photo of the “SMW elves” will be featured next month so that you can see who they were. Many thanks from all of us to all of you! The Men's Member-Guest Tournament Committee once again went “overboard” with hosting an incredible championship last month. They secured proceeds throughout the community to the extent that they generously donated $500 of their proceeds to the North Suncoast Junior Golf Association (NSJGA) and $500 to Hospice of Citrus County. The NSJGA is so thankful for this contribution because many area children desire to play tournament golf, however, their parents just don't have the $60 annual registration fee or $15 tournament entry fees (that includes golf and lunch). Therefore, the NSJGA sponsors these children by using the donations that come in throughout the year from so many generous donors. I will personally attest to the fact that golf helps keep children out of drugs, alcohol and many other things the world has to offer. Come to think of it, I'm “living proof” that if it weren't for golf, God only knows what “turns” my life would have taken and where I would be right now. So, thank you for so generously giving to children and related events that enable them to participate. As many of you have likely heard by now, Chantel Smith will be serving in the capacity as the Membership Director of the Club's as of January 1, 2012. Chantel's schedule will be Monday's through Friday's 7:30am – 3:30pm and every other Saturday. Many of you expressed concerned about Chantel's availability to provide golf instruction. I'm pleased to advise you that Chantel will continue to provide golf instruction in the evening hours, so please contact her directly for appointments at 382-3838 X10. We have a busy month in December. Be certain to check out Herb and Robin's articles for upcoming events. Also, keep a close eye on the monthly calendar because we have lots of private parties and Club related parties or events this month. Merry Christmas to each and every one of you and may your New Year be everything that you are hoping and wishing it to be. I want to take a moment to personally thank Nancy Kiner What’s New in Sugarmill Woods... Prime Rib Night...............................................................11 Zumba..............................................................................11 Ladies Golf Association .........................................12 & 13 The Practice Tee ..............................................................14 Message From The Restaurant ........................................16 New Year’s Extravaganza.................................Cover & 16 Halloween Party Pictures ................................................17 Sugarmill Woods Rally for the Cure ...............................17 Calendar .................................................................18 & 19 Oak Village......................................................................16 Drop Shots.......................................................................17 Straight Talk ....................................................................20 Tuesday Bridge................................................................15 Straight Talk ....................................................................15 Men’s Member Guest Winners ..................................Cover Christmas Dinner................................................Cover & 5 Cocktail Cuties ..................................................................2 Message From Stan Cooke................................................3 Message From Chantel Smith ...........................................4 Holiday Upgrade Special...................................................4 Message From Tim Gatz ...................................................5 Message From Herb Hurley ..............................................6 Handicap Committee.........................................................7 Hit and Giggles Couples’ Event ........................................7 Men’s Golf Association................................................8-10 Card Players.....................................................................11 Sunday at the Club...........................................................11 3 Message From Chantel Smith SMW and SW? What are the clubs strongest points? What are the clubs weakest points? I have so many ideas in marketing these wonderful clubs and I know you do too – so please share them. Membership Director in Training First let me tell you how extremely excited I am to have been considered and hired as Membership Director for SMW and SW. As you know I have been involved with golf all my life, but I thought it would be important to tell you a bit about my history as a Membership Director so you may feel confident in my abilities. While living in Naples I began working for Royal Palm Country Club. I worked as an Assistant Golf Professional there for three years until the Membership Director position became available. I quickly applied for that position and was hired where I stayed for another three years (until I moved to Citrus County). During those three years I helped to bring in 37 new Full Golfing Memberships, 17 new Social Memberships and 19 new Social Sport Memberships. In all the positions in the Golf Business, I believe the Membership Director suits me the best. I enjoy working with members on a one to one basis, and many of you already know how much I love to talk about golf, the golf swing, the golf business, really just anything about golf! Bringing in New Full Golfing Memberships is obviously one of the major focus points for any Membership Director, as it is with me. As prospective members come and visit SMW and SW I will be asking our existing members to act as hosts and enjoy a round of golf with them. I will make sure that handicaps and personalities mesh so both parties have a great time. One of my strongest beliefs in selling memberships is that prospective members should feel as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible and the best way to do that is to help them meet new friends. I am sure you will agree that there is no better referral than a member's referral. If you would like to be considered as a host and play with Prospective Members please email me at [email protected]. Other immediate focuses I have are: 1. Distributing advertising to our surrounding communities and to every golfer that participates in all outside events. As I train for this position I will be asking for your help. I really want to hear your ideas. How do you feel about 2. Member involvement. This pertains to the prospective member rounds, but also involving our great Associations. Strong Men and Ladies' Golf Associations are one of the best selling points of a club. Holiday Upgrade Special: 3. Activities: I am really excited to work with Herb and Robin, creating even more fun, exciting club events on site and off site. Let's create a “buzz” through the community about all the wonderful, fun well put together events that are held here. Want 45 holes of golf? Pristine Conditions? Variety of Play? 4. Golf Events: Member for a day events, open houses, Mini member guest days. And much much more! I am excited to become a part of this great team and together, I think we will make a great things happen! Upgrade your membership to Dual Full Golf for During the month only $500! Gate House Realty “...where every home is considered a castle.” Philip Tanzer, Broker/Owner Angela Tanzer, Realtor® of December! See Chantel Smith, Membership Director, for further details. Office: (352) 382-4500 Cell: (352) 697-1783 Website: www.ghrealty.com Email: [email protected] 8120 S. Suncoast Boulevard, Homosassa, Florida 34446 4 Message From Tim Gatz Director of Golf Maintenance The winter over seed that was done in October is now about eight weeks old. The rye grass is starting to get mature and all playing surfaces have a good stand of winter over seed. A late November fertilizer application should give the rye grass good color and consistent growth for the next several weeks. Just a quick reminder to always repair ball marks on greens and fill divots whenever playing any of our courses. Please remember to keep carts in appropriate places, especially around tees and greens. During this time of year the growth rate of the bermuda grass tends to slow down and does not recover as fast as it does during the warmer months. Carts that keep driving over the same areas can lead to thin and compacted turf, which eventually leads to poor playing conditions. Over the next couple of months there might be a few mornings that require delays because of frost. Please be patient as the maintenance staff will allow play out as soon as possible. If carts travel on any areas that have frost there may be a chance of damage to the over seed. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season. If anyone has any questions please call the maintenance office at 382-4010. Christmas Dinner Pot Roast Chicken Marsala Pineapple Glazed Ham Rosemary & Parmesan Roasted Red Potatoes Wild Rice Pilaf String Beans with Almonds Salad Bar Assorted Desserts $17.95 ++ 5:30pm Cocktails • 6:00pm Dinner 5 Message From Herb Hurley The following people were on the committee this year. John Doyle – Chairman, Gary Osborne – Treasurer, Gary Kiner, Dave Hornbeck, Walter Moulton, and Chuck Dunphy. Because of the efforts of the committee they were able to make charitable donations to Hospice of Citrus County and the North Suncoast Junior Golf Association. If you are interested in helping out on next year's tournament please stop by and see myself or any of the committee members. The club is starting to get into full swing and we have some fun excited events planned. Below events are coming up soon so do not forget to mark your calendars. PGA Head Professional December is upon us and that means that another Men's Member Guest as come and gone. This year we had 30 teams compete in a three day round robin match-play golf tournament with title sponsor Village Cadillac-Toyota. At the end of the match play portion of the golf tournament, the 5 flight winners squared off in a 3-hole shoot out to determine the overall champion. The flight winners were as follows: Flight #1 – James Finn & Jim Hamilton, Flight #2 – Felix Tarorick & Al Werden, Flight #3 – Jeff Connley & Rob Dixon, Flight #4 – Gus Calleri & Tony Taverna, and Flight #5 – Mike Theodore & Nelson Wright. On the first shoot out hole Mr. Tarorick and Mr. Werden made a net birdie to move on to the next hole. The other 4 teams tied with a net 5. Those 4 teams competed in a chip off with the two teams farthest away being eliminated. After the chip off it was determined that Mr. Finn, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Connley, and Mr. Dixon were farthest away and thus eliminated from the shoot out. On the second hole Mr. Theodore & Mr. Wright tied with Mr. Calleri & Mr. Taverna with the high score on that hole so they had a chip off and Mr. Calleri chipped it to about 9” to move on to the final playoff hole against Mr. Tarorick and Mr. Werden. On the Par 3 third hole both teams were on the green in two with Mr. Taverna receiving a shot. As Mr. Taverna was addressing his par putt he accidentally moved his ball resulting in a penalty. I did not see the ball move but Mr. Taverna did the right thing and called the penalty on himself. He proceeded to miss the putt and tapped in for a 5 net 4. Then Mr. Werden had a slick downhill par putt to win the tournament. He confidently stepped up and knocked it right in the back of the cup to secure the victory. Congratulations to Mr. Felix Tarorick and Mr. Al Werden on becoming the 2011 Men's Member Guest Champions. Sugarmill Woods Country Club and I would like to thank the committee for all their hard work raising the money needed to put on such a great event. They were able to secure Village Cadillac-Toyota as our title sponsor. If you are in the market for a new car please go visit our new friends at Village Cadillac-Toyota and tell them you are from Sugarmill Woods. • December 12th – Pro Member @ Southern Woods • December 24 – Pro Shop Closes at Noon • December 25th – Golf Course closed all day • January 6th – Ladies Night Out • January 10 , 13 , & 14 – Men's Ryder Cup • January 23rd – Golf a Round th th th th • January 24th, 27th, & 28th – Ladies' Ryder Cup Congratulations to Bob Capuano who had a Hole in One on Oak #6 using his 7-Wood on October 25th and Dan Nygaard who shot less than his age with an 87 on November 15th on Cypress Pine. Daily BBQ 9 Hole Ladies Tournament Champions Janice Doyle and Candy Wendell NSJGA Check Presentation 6 Hit & Giggles Couples Event No Rules! No Pressure! Just 9 Holes of Fun! Afternoon Tee Off on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month with Dinner following in Score’s Lounge $5.00/couple (Doesn’t have to be a spouse) Contact Judy Kilgore at 382-2773 by Wednesday Play a “true alternate shot format”. You’ll choose the best drive on your first hole and alternate every shot thru 9 green. Prizes will be awarded on a percentage of money collected. You will be given a quota of points which have to be made based on your combined handicaps, and those will the highest number of points above their quota points will be the winners. Your points will be adjusted each week depending on your prior week’s performance either up or down. This is not a commitment for every week, play when you can - just let Judy Kilgore know by Wednesday if you intend to play. 7 Men’s Golf Association By Bob Strausser DATE: October 27, 2011 GAME: MGA Championship, Round 1 of 3 LEADER BOARD 1st Round Net Scores FLIGHT 1: 1st at 71 Hank Robinson 2nd at 72 Jim Bodenstein rd 3 at 143 Tony Schmid FLIGHT 2: st 1 at 70 Fred DiBattista nd 2 at 71 Rich Johnson rd 3 at 72 Gary Osborne FLIGHT 3: 1st at 69 Bob Chadderton 2nd at 72 Reese Kilgore 3rd at 73 Paul Domino FLIGHT 4: 1st at 70 Bob Elgart nd 2 at 73 Stan Fleming, John Rada, Chuck Luchesi Golfers of the Week LOW GROSS: Art Anderson, Doug Martin, 82 Closest to the Pin Cypress #3 Jeff Connley, 6' 5” Pine #4 Art Gennero, 5' 10” Cypress #6 Erv Koch, No Distance Pine #7 Stan Fleming, 17' 10” Men’s Golf Results DATE: October 13, 2011 GAME: Best 1 of 2 FLIGHT 1: st 1 at -9 Art Anderson, Art Gennero 2nd at -5 (tie) Dick Tuxbury, Dennis Borras Tony Schmid, John Holden FLIGHT 2: 1st at -9 Gary Osborne, Tony Valente nd 2 at -7 Erv Koch, Bob Chadderton FLIGHT 3: st 1 at -12 Bob Carriveau, Ernie Pettine nd 2 at -9 (tie) Bill Engelbrecht, Chuck Luchesi Charlie McCreery Closest to the Pin Cypress #3 Frank Siemietkowski, 12' 5” Pine #4 Frank Siemietkowski, (No Distance) Cypress #6 Tony Schmid, 15' 1” Pine #7 Pete Quinn, 14' DATE: October 20, 2011 GAME: Best 2 of 4 FLIGHT 1: 1st at -22 Bill Schuessler, Stuyvie Wainwright, Chuck Reeb, Jim Bodenstein nd 2 at -21 (tie) Mike Howard, Ed Compson, Erv Koch, Stan Fleming Frank Siemietkowski, Don Utz, John Bradley, Blind Draw FLIGHT 2: 1st at -27 Lou Klingensmith, Bill Engelbrecht, Bob Carriveau, Paul Domino 2nd at -21 Ernie Pettine, Frank Vanzin, Gus Calleri, Dick Henry rd 3 at -19 Arvin Miller, Ed Skinner, Harley Lawrence, Ken Hall Golfers of the Week LOW GROSS: Carl Pedersen, Stuyvie Wainwright, 77 LOW NET: Stuyvie Wainwright, 60 LOW SENIOR NET: Bill Engelbrecht, 64 Closest to the Pin Cypress #3 Stuyvie Wainwright, 9” 9” Oak #3 Bob Strausser, 2' 5” Cypress #6 Stuyvie Wainwright, No Distance Oak #6 Ted Maugans, 7' 9” DATE: November 3, 2011 GAME: Best 1 on 5’s, 2 on 4’s, 3 on 3’s 1st at -23 Dick Tuxbury, Paul VanTassell, John Rada, Harley Lawrence 2nd at -20 (Tie) John Holden, Art Gennero, Bill Engelbrecht, Lou Klingensmith Joe Silvestri, John Bradley, John Lawrey, Tom Jones 4th at -18 (Tie) Frank Siemietkowski, Al Turska, Tony Valente, Bob Carriveau Tony Schmid, Bob Maeder, Howard Wallace, Ron Broadbent Golfers of the Week LOW GROSS: Dick Tuxbury, 78 LOW NET: Joe Silvestri, 65 LOW SENIOR NET: Howard Wallace, 66 Closest to the Pin Pine #4 Art Anderson, 6' 6” Oak #3 Joe Silvestri, 11' 3” continue to next page 8 Men’s Golf Association FLIGHT 1: 1st at 141 (tie) Wally Wyatt, Hank Robinson 3rd at 143 John Bradley 4th at 144 (tie) Rich Lehman & Felix Tarorick (low net) 3rd Day Consolation, 68 Frank Siemietowsk FLIGHT 2: st 1 at 141 (tie) Fred Dibattista, Bob Maeder rd 3 at 142 Erv Koch th 4 at 146 (tie) Soc Hiotakis (Low Net), Bill Murray, Tony Valente 3rd Day Consolation, 72 Frank Nolan FLIGHT 3: 1st at 138 Mike Theodore 2nd at 141 Bob Chadderton rd 3 at 144 Jim Turner th 4 at 146 Reese Kilgore (Low Net) 5th at 147 Barry Tursk 3rd Day Consolation, 72 Lou Klingensmith FLIGHT 4: st 1 at 132 John Lawrey 2nd at 134 Bob Elgart 3rd at 135 Chuck Luchesi (Low Net) th 4 at 146 (tie) Bill Engelbrecht, Bill Lent 3rd Day Consolation, 67 Jim Melia, Bob Mason Golfers of the Week LOW GROSS: Doug Martin, 80 LOW NET: Frank Siemietowski, 68 LOW NET SENIORS: John Lawrey, 65 Closest to the Pin Cypress #3 Wally Wyatt, No Distance Pine #4 Zane Megos, 5' 9” Cypress #6 Dennis Borras, 12' 9” Pine #7 Frank Nolan, 17' 1” Men’s Golf Results cont’d DATE: November 10, 2011 GAME: MGA Championship, Round 2 of 3 LEADER BOARD 2nd Round Net Scores FLIGHT 1: 1st at 140 Doug Martin nd 2 at 141 Hank Robinson rd 3 at 143 John Bradley FLIGHT 2: 1st at 135 Gary Osborne nd 2 at 146 Soc Hiotakis 3rd at 147 Erv Koch FLIGHT 3: 1st at 141 Bob Chadderton nd 2 at 145 Mike Theodore rd 3 at 146 Reese Kilgore FLIGHT 4: 1st at 134 Bob Elgart 2nd at 135 Chuck Luchesi 3rd at 141 Bill Lent Golfers of the Week LOW GROSS: Doug Martin, 73 LOW NET: Gary Osborne, 63 LOW NET SENIORS: Chuck Luchesi, 62 Closest to the Pin Cypress #3 Carl Pedersen, 19' 10” Oak #3 Hank Robinson, 11' 5” Cypress #6 Erv Koch, 4' 9” Oak #6 Art Anderson, 7’ DATE: November 17, 2011 GAME: MGA Championship Final Results Best 2 Of 3 Rounds OVERALL LOW NET: Gary Osborne - 135 OVERALL LOW GROSS: Doug Martin - 153 S ’ E I EDD Best Sod in 6 Counties D O S cont’d continue to next page BY THE PIECE OR PALLET • Quality Fresh Sod W • Florida Friendly Turf Wee Deliver Instal • Pine Straw l • RR Ties • Palm Trees • Bulk/Bag Mulch & Topsoil oysia 352-597-9678 Z • a i h a B o 16420 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville • t Seville • Palmet Your Hometown Sod Company With Professional Service Since 1991 Land Clearing • Grading • Fill Dirt • Shell & Gravel 9 SMW MGA Championship Tournament Doug Martin Gary Osborne Hank Robinson Wally Wyatt st Overall Low Gross Champion Overall Low Net Champion 1 Flight Winners (tie) Fred DiBattista Bob Maeder nd 2 Flight Winners (tie) Mike Theodore 3rd Flight Winner John Lawrey 4 th Flight Winner MGA Championship Dinner Dance Picture (Centered) Picture (Centered) MGA Past Presidents 10 Every Thursday Night Is Tired of Eating Alone? Join Singles Night PRIME RIB NIGHT All Singles are invited to join us for cocktails and dinner in the Grill Room on the 2nd Thursday of each month. We meet for cocktails at 5:00 pm and order dinner at 6:00 pm. For information or reservations, call Agnes at 3822020. $14.95++ For Reservations, call Robin 382-3838 Come visit us on Sundays this month try our Single Dinner Parties Sunday Breakfast Brunch ATTENTION CARD PLAYERS Served from 9:30 am-1:30 pm Between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:30 pm, while lunch is being served in the Lounge, there will be no playing of cards allowed in the Lounge. Please use the Grill Room, if available, or see a server for a table. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. 2 for 1 House Wines, Draft Beers & Well Mixed Drinks Beginning 3:00 pm Daily Come join us for an hour of fun Sugarmill Woods Country Club! Your Trusted Advisor 25+ Years Experience Call Joyce at 382-1805 for more information ED SERRA Classes are Mondays 4:15 pm Certified Public Accountant Tuesday Bridge • Individual Taxes • Business Taxes Our next Tuesday Bridge will be held on December 13th (Second Tuesday of the month) starting at 8:45 am. Unless otherwise noted, we plan on gathering the second Tuesday of each month. Our Bridge Director is Dave Pooley. For December, anyone who wants to play and has not already signed up, please call Dave Pooley at 382-2545. (NY & FL) Certified Public Accountant • IRS Problem Resolution • E-File - Fast & Efficient Member FICPA (352) 794-3879 www.edserra.com 6118 W. Corporate Oaks Dr., Crystal River, FL 11 Ladies’ Golf Association Now we are looking forward to our Christmas Luncheon on Wednesday, December 7. Donna Rayne and her committee are busy planning the festivities. Please make sure you sign up as soon as the sheet goes up. That will help Chef Buddy with the luncheon and Donna to prepare for her total ladies. We also will be having our tantalizing Cookie Sale on December 10th from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm in the fire place room or until the cookies are all gone. They usually do not last long. For those of you who have not heard about the LGA Cookie Sale…. We ask for volunteer cookie bakers, they each bake 4 dozen cookies, and then the plates are made up with one cookie from each baker. We want to thank the following bakers for this event: Donna Rayne, Claudia Yaple, Susie Hornbeck, Lynne Craig, Betty Cobb, Fran Thornton, Kathy Betsko, Sue Phillips, June McSeveney, Chris Chmielewski, Fran Alviggi, Marti Jarrell, Pauline Boatz, Lee Ferrari, Nancy Eble, Sandra Hougham, Maggie Morton, June Klingensmith, Joyce Engelbrecht, Ellen Jones, and Ginni Swenson, Joyce Griel, Lorraine Dayton, Janice Doyle, Mary Ellen McCoy, Shirley Dalton, Mary Tarorick, Phyllis Pellegrom. Wow, that is a variety of cookies and bakers. They are $5.00 for 2 dozen cookies. You need to get there early before they are all gone. The proceeds go to help defray some of the expenses for the LGA's member/guest tournament. I noticed yesterday that we have a few names on our “Star of the Year” board. Star of the Week is a cumulative listing of all members who shot low gross or low net for League Day each week, throughout the league season. At seasons end, we have a “Star of the Year” tournament (during league play) for those members and the Low Gross and Low Net players of that tournament, get a cash prize on Closing Day. You only need to accomplish being low gross or low net once during the league play. Once you are on the list, you are automatically eligible to play in the “Star of the Year” tournament. The board is updated weekly as the league progresses, showing those who have become eligible for the “Star of the Year”. Members are not to update the master list posted on the board, they are only to update the weekly sheet provided for them in the ladies locker room. Okay, so now you know how to get on the list! It will be great to see all the LGA names on the list. June McSeveney is doing a great job keeping track of all the Stars, Birdies, Ringers, and Star of the Year. As of this date (11-10-11) the following ladies have What great weather we had for Sugar & Spice Tournament, the themed “Fall Harvest,” on Monday, November 7th. The club was decorated for the fall theme and it looked wonderful. Charlene Murray and her committee did an outstanding job. They had colorful mums as center pieces and they gave them away as table gifts. We had 14 beautiful baskets to raffle which Lorraine Dayton put together and the money tree was the hit of the day. The lunch was scrumcious as always and the dessert bar was to die for. The food, Chef Buddy and his staff went all out for the delicious luncheon. We had ladies from the following clubs: Dunes, Hernando Oaks. Meadow Oaks, Beacon Woods, Spring Hill, Ocala Golf Club, Timber Pines, Black Diamond Ranch, The Heather, Glen Lakes, Rainbow Springs, Seven Rivers, Timber Pines, Brookridge, Southern Woods, and Twisted Oaks, and Sugarmill Woods. We had over 100 ladies playing golf. We had a putting contest, closest to the line, and Hit by the Pro. David hit the drive and someone told me it was over 300 yards. That gave the ladies a really good chance of getting to the green in 1 to 2 shots. We also had Closest to the Pin on the following holes: Cypress 6 – Mary Ellen McCoy won with 12' 1”, on Oak 3 – Sandy Ebinger won with 6'6 1/8”, and on Oak 6, Rose Porteus won with 17 ½'. Closest to the Line was Ruth Stover, on Oak 9. The game we played was Low Gross/Low Net; we played on Oak/Cypress and here are the results: In Flight 1: Martie Jarrell, Cricket Lee, Barbara Postlewaite, and Sally Esposito came in 1st with low net; Mary Ellen McCoy, Nancy Morton, Ruth Stover, and Joanne Williams came in 2nd low net; Lorraine Dayton, Judy Procious, Ellen Sommer, and Pat McKee came in 3rd low net. Phyllis Pellegrom, Barbara Lynch, Marion Ladd, and Marsha Jean came in 4th low net. Charlene Murray, Sherry Butler, Blenda Langone, and Judy Dalhaus came in 1st with low Gross. In Flight 2: Elaine Harwood, Pamela Davis, Rose Marie Smith and Tracie Stesiak came in 1st with low net, Donna Rayne, Joy Brown, Pat Smith, and Jan Himmelsparch came in 2nd low net; Annie Broadbent, Marilyn Barnes, Bev Strong, and Edie Helfers came in 3rd low net. Gail Wilson, Carol Allivato, Fran Alviggi, and Eleanor Barringer came in 4th low net. Margot Check, Sandy Ebinger, Sue Phillips, and Pat Ross came in 1st low gross. In Flight 3; Peg Murphy, Rose Marie Porteus, Dona Traeger, and Roberta Corso came in 1st low net; there was a tie for 2nd place of low net – Nonie Postler, Kathy Ley, Toni Tampio, and Eleanor Begraft; Ginger Bong, M.A. Cheiderelwics, Pat Lawrence, and Pat Quick. 4th low net; Beverly Kaplowitz, Judy Clark, and Jean Berezuk. The Putting Contest winners are: A six way tie for First Place with “SIX HOLE IN ONES” – Joyce Engelbrecht, Marsha Jean, Marilyn Barnes, Rose Marie Smith, Noni Postler, and Mary Picche. #7- Ruth Smith with 4”; #8- Edie Helfers 7”; there was a tie for 9th & 10th, –Pat McKee and Donna Traeger with 12.” We never had 6 ladies tie for First Place before. Way to go ladies! We had a great time meeting new faces and making new friends. We want to thank Charlene Murray and her committee again for a great tournament. Suncoast Surgical, LLC Thoracic Vascular & Endovascular Surgery C. John Ablan, M.D. FACS, FACC, FCCP Endovascular Specialist Board Certified 8281 S. Suncoast Boulevard Homosassa, FL 34446 Phone: 352-596-1513 Fax: 352-596-5918 P.A.D. CORRECTED WITHOUT INCISIONS WALK PAIN FREE continue AGAINto next page 12 Ladies’ Golf Association cont’d Second Flight Fran Thornton/Nancy Miller. Runners up: Jeanne Goldich/Mary Beth Stassi. Congratulations ladies, great game!! Up coming events: We have invited Southern Woods LGA to join us on Wednesday, November 16th while their course is closed. The game will be a “Las Vegas” scramble. Another event that is always fun and on Wednesday, November 30th will be our Member/Member game. Have you signed up with your foursome yet?? Our new LGA lunch menu will go thru December so if you would like an item added to the January menu, please email me. We have to get approval from Chef Buddy and Robin on any changes. For those of you who have noticed, the ladies bathroom on Pine 7 has a new decore, thanks to Jean Averill. She has really made it exciting place to visit! If you see her or want to email her and let her know what an outstanding job she did, that would be great. For those of you who are new to the LGA and don't know, we have a group of lady golfers who play on Saturday mornings. You must have a handicap of no higher than 31. Here is an opportunity to play and meet ladies you may not have played golf with yet. There is a sign-up book in the locker room so sign up to play and to be a coordinator. When you are coordinator you get to pick the game you want to play which is always a team game. Please sign up no later than Wednesday at 12:00 pm, due to a request by the pro shop to have the pairings by Thursday 9:00 am. Write a yes or no when signing in to play. No initials please! Please read the sheet titled, “Attention Saturday Ladies Golfers,” for the rules. The LGA would like to congratulate Chantel on her promotion to Membership Director. She plans on keeping her clinics going. Golfing Humor: Did you hear that AARP has negotiated with the USGA to modify the Rules of Golf for seniors. Here is one: putts that stop close enough to the cup that they could be blown in, may be blown in! This does not apply to balls more than three inches from the hole. No one wants to make a travesty of the game!! Everyone have a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving.” made that step towards “Star of the Year: - June Klingensmith, Joyce Engelbrecht, Mary Ellen McCoy, Ann Siemietkowski, Lorraine Dayton, and June McSeveney. They are for Gross. The ladies for Gross-HCP-Net are; Chris Venable, Louise Schmidt, Pauline Boatz, Bev Kaplowitz, Donna Grotjahn, and Chris Chmielewski. Here are the results from previous games: Ladies’ Golf Results DATE: October 26, 2011 GAME: Individual Low Gross & Low Net Flight 1 1st Gross Karen Hall 101 1st Net Emily Walker 81 Flight 2 1st Gross Mary Tarorick 105 1st Net Ellen Forcier 77 2nd Net Flight 3 1st Gross Anne Siemietkowski 100 st 1 Net Donna Grotsjahn 69 Flight 4 1st Gross Barbara Turska 107 1st Net Claudia Yaple 77 2nd Net Lee Ferrari 83 DATE: November 2, 2011 GAME: Winners of Low Gross/Low Net Flight 1 Low Gross Lorraine Dayton Low Net Joyce Engelbrecht Flight 2 No Entrants Flight 3 Low Gross Chris Chmielewski Low Net Elaine Harwood Flight 4 Low Gross Anne Siemietkowski Low Net Judie Moore Low 2nd Net Maggie Morton Flight 5 Low Gross Tie Barbara Turska Low Gross Tie Barbara Perry Low Net Peg Murphy DANA’S RAILROAD SUPPLY SETS • KITS • PARTS • DECALS • DIGITRAX PAINTS • BOOKS • REPAIRS • LIONEL • SHIP & AIRPLANE MODELS G-GAGE ESTATE SALE FLEA MARKET & SWAP MEET December 10th 9:00 am to 2:00 pm th DATE: November 9 GAME: Match Play/ Final First Flight Linda Comstock/Susie Hornbeck. Runners up: Nancy Eble/Elizabeth McLeod Open House 9:00 am to 3:00 pm 4042 Deltona Blvd. P.O. Box 5557 Spring Hill, FL 34606 352-684-2484 Upcoming Flea Market & Swap Meet Dates: January 14 • February 11 • March 10 April - to be decided by vendors Email: [email protected] • Web Site: danasrailroadsupply.com 13 The Practice Tee By Chantel Smith Assistant Golf Professional Clinics / Lessons Even though I am moving into the Membership Director position, I will still be teaching clinics and private lessons. Please note that the Women's Clinics will now be held on Monday mornings and the Men's Clinics are still held on Wednesdays; moved to the afternoons. Each clinic is limited to 6 people. The clinics contain ½ hour of the Full Swing and ½ hour of the Short Game. The cost is $10.00 per person. To sign up for the clinics, please call Chantel at the Membership Desk (Ext 10). Women's Clinics Men's Clinics Every Monday Morning Every Wednesday Afternoon 9:00 am – 10:00 am 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm 10:15 am - 11:15 am 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm I am available in the afternoons for Private Lessons also. You can either call or stop by the Membership desk to schedule a lesson, And please, please, please remember that just because I have moved out of the Golf Shop does not mean I do not want to see your smiling faces and hear about your golf game. Stop by anytime! NOW…….Let's talk Putting! I realized that in all the newsletters I have been ignoring the most important part of the golf game – putting. It really doesn't matter how far you hit the ball if you can't get it in the hole! So let's talk about the specific things that all great putters do. 1. Practice. You cannot become a great putter without practicing. Putting is confidence and if you haven't seen that ball drop in the hole time and time again you cannot expect yourself to do it on the Golf Course. However, how we practice is very important. I can't tell you how many times I watch people practice “missing putts”. When you first start practicing putting you should always start from 2 to 3 feet away and spractice making putts. Let your eyes see the ball drop in the hole – after you have made 10 three foot putts then move back and make 10 five foot putts . After you have done that, then move on to longer putts. 2. Practicing with a goal. Never approach a practice putting green without a goal. For example tell yourself I am going to make 20 five footers and then when I am finished I will practice lag putting by making sure I can get 20 putts down in two. Then once you have done this, walk away. The most detrimental part of practicing putting is practicing without a goal because your mind will start to wander, you will think about other things you have to accomplish that day, what's for dinner, or what is on TV tonight. If you do not have a goal you will most likely not be focused on making good putts. 3. Square up! All great putters have this in common. Their feet, hips and shoulders are all square to the line they want to go. A common mistake of amateur golfers is to take their stance and then change their shoulder alignment as they take their grip. Take the time to make sure you are completely square; this will enable you to keep the putter moving on a straight back straight through line. Does your putter go Out to In sometimes? I would bet that your shoulders are lined up just left of where your feet and hips are (remember, all it takes is the slightest additional movement to cause you to miss a putt). 4. Palm it! Get that grip in your palms. A putting grip that lies in the fingers can make a person very wristy. Check your grip and make sure it is mainly in the palms of your hands. (Note: This is very different from the Full Swing grip!) 5. Stay Still! Once you have taken the time to get yourself all squared and have a correct grip, now stay still. Many people miss putts simply because they look to see if they made it! A great drill for this is to practice short five foot putts with your eyes closed. Listen for the ball to drop in the hole instead of looking. As always if you have any questions about putting please do not hesitate to ask me! You will find me at the Membership Desk in the front office! Stop by anytime! Happy Golfing 14 Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Clinic • Arthritis Care • Arthroscopy • Hand Surgery • Hips • Shoulders • Carpal Tunnel • Knees • Joint Replacement • Sports Medicine • Minimally Invasive Surgery • Medicare & Most Insurances Accepted New Patients Welcome! Serving Citrus County Over 3 Decades. 2155 W. MUSTANG BLVD. BEVERLY HILLS, FL 34465 (352) 746-5707 Walter I. Choung, MD Orthopaedic Surgeon Jeremiah A. Hubbard, DO Orthopaedic Surgeon Kenneth M. Lemos, PA-C 520 S.E. 8th AVE. CRYSTAL RIVER, FL 34429 (352) 564-BONE (2663) 2236 Highway 44 W. INVERNESS, FL 34453 (352) 344-BONE (2663) Sanko’s sERVICES Gardens • Lawns • Sprinklers Design and/or maintenance for your garden beds and landscaping. Lawncare and Sprinkler Service. Call Christine 352-449-9191 Let me do the dirty work for you! 352.422.7856 Free Estimates One company is all you need for your monthly outdoor needs 15 Message From The SMW Restaurant By Robin Frick Dining Room Manager 'Twas The Night Before Christmas… (with apologies to Clement Clark Moore!) & 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the club Not a staff member was stirring, not even Chef Bud; The front door, the back door, all locked up with care, The kitchen deserted, the cupboards were bare; The staffers were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of “days off” danced in their heads, And Chef in his jacket, and I in my black, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap – When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature golf cart and no sign of rein-deer, The shadowy driver needed no second look I knew in a moment it must be Stan Cooke And he whistled, and shouted, and called us by name “Now Trisha, Now John, Now Kerri and Peggy, On Robert, On Brian, On Bobby and Becky, “Go back to the restaurant! Go back to the kitchen! A day off for you is just so much wishin' ” He was rangy and tall, not at all like an elf And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist if his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread As he sprung to his golf cart and drove into the night, I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight – “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night”. It was merely a dream that had given me fright! Get out the jingle bells - the Holiday season is upon us once more! So you won't want to miss the highlight of this month - the Club Christmas Party on Friday, December 16th. A lot of fun and great value at $17.95++, with Joe Dube providing the entertainment. Cocktails start at 5:30 with dinner at 6. It’s great to see so many of our winter residents returning. We have made just a few changes while you were away but we have kept your favorites. The Regular Weekly Specials feature “Dining Duos” every Wednesday – For $20, two people each have soup or salad and an entrée from the bistro menu and share a Chefs choice of appetizer. Obviously, we have to keep Thursday's special offering as Prime Rib for $14.95++. Friday features the Alaskan Cod Fish Fry at just $10.95++ (AUCE). The Breakfast Brunch Buffet for $10.95++ is being served from 9:30 to 1:30 on Sundays – now with full bar & brunch cocktail specials! Due to the many functions that we have to accommodate this month, there will not be a Game Night. However, this really popular monthly event featuring Buddy's tasty “basket menu” will be back on January 10th. The club will be closed on Christmas Day and for dinner on Christmas Eve to allow our staff the opportunity to enjoy Christmas with their own families. We will, however, be serving lunch until 2:30 on Christmas Eve. New Years Eve Extravaganza 2011 Shrimp Cocktail • Fresh Organic Artisan Blend of Greens with Feta, Bacon and Tomato with a Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing Surf and Turf: Filet Mignon with Cognac Mushroom Demi Sauce with a Broiled Lobster Tail Served with Roasted Tri-Colored Potatoes Saute of Fresh Baby Vegetables Dessert: Chocolate Lava Cake Alamode $69.95 ++ Open Bar • DJ and Champagne Toast at Midnight per person 7:00 pm Cocktails • 8:00 pm Dinner 16 Halloween Party Sugarmill Woods Rally For The Cure 2011 Gift Table 17 RESTAURANT: 382-3838 x11 PRO SHOP: 382-3838 x14 MEMBERSHIP: 382-3838 x10 OAK VILLAGE: 382-0353 Printing 1260 Lori Dr. Copying Spring Hill, FL 34606 Graphic Design (352) 683-8757 Digital Network Fax (352) 683-8786 PRINTING • COPYING • DIGITAL NETWORK January 2012 352-796-2711 www.sirspeedy.com/springhill [email protected] SUNDAY Sugarmill Woods Upcoming Events Humane Society of the Nature Coast MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 1 December 2011 Cocktail Cuties SUGARMILL WOODS Golf Course Closed Civic Club Meeting 4 6 5 8 13 Pro-Member at Southern Woods 9:00am Shotgun 19 Fashion Show Luncheon 14 Bridge Cocktail Cuties 20 LGA Lunch - GR 21 Golf Course Closed 16 10th—Hit & Giggle 13th—Pro Shop Revenge 18th & 19th—SMW Tennis club Championships 20th—Greater Tampa Junior Golf Assc. 24th—Hit & Giggle 27th—Schoolastic Classic March 2012 10 Cocktail Cuties 26 Rally for a Cure 9:00 Course Closed Shotgun Singles Night Fish Fry Night Prime Rib Night LGA Lunch - GR 28 27 16 Ladies Bridge - GR 9-12 MGA Lunch - GR 12-2 Club Christmas Party 23 24 Prime Rib Night 29 LGA Lunch - GR Prime Rib Night 17 30 31 3rd—Couples Member/Member 3rd & 4th—Tournament of Champions JCT 9th—Hit & Giggle 16th—Professional Shoot Out 17th—St. Patrick’s Day Play Day 19th—Score Golf Tournament 23rd—Hit & Giggle 24th & 25th—LGA Member/Guest ADVERTISING DEADLINE Dec. 15, 2011 Pro Shop Closes at Noon Carts Must be in by 2:00pm Prime Rib Night Bridge GR 9-12 MGA Lunch - GR 12-2 Cocktail Cuties Tennis Assoc. Christmas Banquet 15 Ladies Bridge - GR 9-12 MGA Lunch - GR 12-2 Breakfast Buffet Christmas Day 9 22 Course Closed Woods Card Tournament 9:00 Shotgun 25 February 2012 3 Pro Shop Wine & Cheese 5:00pm to 8:00pm Fish Fry Special Ladies Bridge - GR 9-12 MGA Lunch - GR 12-2 Prime Rib Night LGA Christmas Tournament & Luncheon Cocktail Cuties 12 18 7 2 SATURDAY Ladies Bridge - GR 9-12 MGA Lunch - GR 12-2 Labor Day Golf Tournament @ Southern Woods 9:00 am Shotgun 11 LGA Luncheon - GR Dining Duos Dinner Menu FRIDAY 6th—Ladies Night Out 7th—Hit & Giggle 7th & 8th—Junior Circuit Tennis Tournament 10th, 13th, & 14th— Men’s Ryder Cup 23rd—Golf A Round 21st—Hit & Giggle 24th, 27th, & 28th— Ladies Ryder Cup New Year’s Eve New Year’s Eve Extravaganza 17 Club News is published monthly by SignTime and mailed free via USPS bulk mail to members of the Sugarmill Woods Country Club and Southern Woods Golf Club. SignTime reserves the right to refuse any advertising which may be deemed objectionable or is not in keeping with our policies. Reproduction of any artwork or copy, in whole or in part, prepared by SignTime is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. SignTime will not be responsible or liable for misprints, typographical errors, unplaced ads, misinformation, etc. herein contained. PUBLISHER AND ADVERTISING SALES SignTime Advertising 352-683-5629 1260 Lori Dr. Spring Hill, FL 34606 (in the Sir Speedy Plaza) [email protected] Oak Village By Rick Scholl Manager and Director of Tennis I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and joyous New Year! Whether you are traveling up North to visit family or spending the Holidays here in Sugarmill make it a special time. 70 + Doubles. Because of this scheduled tournament there isn't a Playday in February, so get a partner and sign up. December Bocce Saturday, December 3rd is the next Bocce event at Oak Village. Play will start at 10:00 a.m. December usually gives us perfect weather and this year should be no exception. Our “Bocce Queen” Linda Muligano is organizing this group and she can be reached at 382-3515. You never know, Santa might show up this year on the 3rd! Rick's Tennis Tip of The Month “Preparing early enough”? One of the most common mistakes for beginning and intermediate players is not starting the backswing early enough on groundstrokes. Even if you have reliable groundstrokes, in the heat of the match, you may forget the basics of good stroking and wait for your opponents shot to land in your court before taking your racquet back. This late preparation forces you to rush your forward stroke and may cause your shot to fly out of bounds or straight into the net. Instead, start your backswing early enough so that your racquet handle points almost directly at the approaching ball before it bounces. This way, you won't have to rush your shot; with your racquet already back, you can take a smooth, controlled forward swing that will help set your groundstrokes straight. Tennis News There are no Tennis Playdays in December but there is the Tennis Association 29th Annual Banquet on Saturday, December 10th. You can pick up the information about it and Menu selections at Oak Village or you can call Francesca Paar at 382-2528. The next Junior Circuit Tennis (JCT) Tournament is Saturday, January 7th and Sunday the 8th at the Oak Village Tennis Center. Boy's and Girl's Middle School and High School Singles are played. Matches will be starting at 9:30 a.m. unless its too cold. Come on out and watch the kids play! Tennis Club Championships It's a couple of months away but its never too early to start talking about the Annual Tennis Club Championships. The Men's and Ladies Doubles is scheduled for Saturday, February 18th and Sunday, February 19th, 2012. Last years categories were Women's 60 + Doubles, Men's Open Doubles, Men's B Doubles, Men's 60+ Doubles, and Men's 20 Drop Shots association with side-dishes furnished by the 35 members who attended. A wood fire added to the camping-out theme and was used by Paul Danner who galloped in to demonstrate how to make Cowboy coffee. The water did boil, the coffee and egg were muddled in a cheesecloth sack, and submerged in the boiling water for 4 minutes. About six cowpokes had the gumption to sample the coffee and, as far as we know so far, they survived to tell the tale! Many thanks go to Tournament Director Dave Abbey who organized this hoedown and to the many members who volunteered to make the day special and who contributed the tasty grub. A big thanks also to Carla Chitwood for furnishing the horse and saddle which became a special photo-op attraction. At the annual meeting of the Sugarmill Woods Tennis Association held on November 10th, the following members were elected as Association officers for 2012: President – Paul Danner Vice-President – Carole Keatts Secretary – Judy Hill Treasurer – Joe Lareau As previously announced, our gala Tennis Association banquet will be held at the Sugarmill Woods Country Club on Saturday, December 10th. Contact Social Chairperson Francesca Paar, 382-2528, to sign up. The officers and committees of the Tennis Association extend to all members best wishes for a very Merry Christmas, a Happy, Healthy New Year and an improved game! From The Tennis Association By Jack Stevenson, Membership Chairman Western music filled the air on November 5th as 28 players showed up at the Oak Village Corral for a “Wild West Tennis Playday”. Marshall Dave Abbey and his pardners put on a real hay-burner with cowboy music in the background and red bandanas for each of the players. The Gold-Digger and Gunslinger teams faced off in the shootout, using their racquets as six-shooters and shouting “yippie-ki-yay” after each winning point. Round-robin no-ad mixed doubles tennis was the game and after each round, a “Shoot-Out” contest was held, based upon serving and return-of-serve. Each player served twice, once from the deuce side and once from the ad side. If the serve was a fault the receiver won the point. If the serve was in and the return shot was not returned in play past the service line the server won the point. For shots returned in play past the service line the returner won the point. Each player could win a maximum of twelve ShootOut points. Dave must lie awake at night dreaming up these things! After combining the games won and Shoot-Out points for each team, the Gunslingers won 232 to 224. Receiving a “Golden Boot” trophy were Gunslingers: Charles Vickery, Gunter Fahl, Liz & Kevin Mautte, Carole & Hank Keatts, Heidi & Manfred Damgen, Barbara & John Mello, George Holland, Mary Ellen Wais, Ozzie Loeffler and Willy Pouderoyen. Individual Shoot-Out winners won a Bag of Golden Nuggets (Gold Bubble Gum) as a prize. Shoot-out winners were: Charles Vickery – 12, Gunther Fahl – 11, Kevin Mautte – 11, Ed Murphy – 11, Hank Keatts – 11, Manfred Damgen – 10, Kay Danner – 10, Jean Vanderklay – 9, Catherine Holden – 9. Western wear was the dress of the day at the chuck-wagon picnic, held tail-gate style in the Oak Village parking lot. Hot western-beef sandwiches were furnished by the tennis Ursula Schramek and Joe Schramek 21 Straight Talk Dr. Eric A. Sampson DC * Weak abductors combined with tight adductors. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings, as there exists no confirmatory findings. In the Unite States approximately 90% of adults have had at least 1 episode of disabling low back pain (LBP) in their lifetime. Some reports suggest a 6:1 female-to-male ratio for piriformis syndrome. Piriformis Syndrome Treatment In our office we can do a piriformis stretch, which takes pressure off the sciatic nerve, which relieves pain and also helps the piriformis to relax and recover. This muscle needs to relax and have increased blood flow to the area, encouraging it to heal more rapidly. To encourage fresh, oxygen-rich blood to the muscle is the most powerful means of getting the muscle to relax and function normally. In our office we do massage which is highly effective to accomplish this and also physical therapy, such as electrical muscle stimulation. Also the patient can lay on SOT blocks which is a tremendous aid in relaxing all the muscles in the hips, low back and pelvis area. A lot of times patients think they have sciatica, but the pain is really coming from the piriformis. This is because piriformis syndrome can “mimic” sciatic pain, which can be severe. So by treating the piriformis syndrome, we are able to get to the root cause of why they have sciatic pain. Also since usually inflammation in the area is involved we can recommend ice therapy, ten minutes on and ten minutes off, several times during the day. Once the patient is out of the acute pain, we can then begin stretching of the hip muscles/piriformis. Some of these can be done at home. We start with gentle stretching, such as the cross-legged stretch while pulling up on the knees. As far as reducing the inflammation, the patient can be put on proteolytic enzymes, such as bromelain, which is natural and extremely beneficial with no side effects. Also black cherry juice can act as a natural anti-inflammatory. Remember to ask your golf professionals for proper stretching techniques or ask me when you see me on a driving range near you! Piriformis Syndrome A very common reason a person can have pain in the hip, pain in the center of the buttocks, or pain down the back of the leg, is due to a condition called the Piriformis Syndrome. The piriformis is a muscle which runs from the sacrum (a triangular bone at the base of the spine), to the outer hip bone (greater trochanter). The piriformis runs horizontally, with the sciatic nerve running vertically directly beneath it. The muscles in and around the gluteal region help with three areas: 1. Rotation of the hip and leg; 2. Balance while one foot is off the ground; and 3. Stability for the pelvic region. This muscle is a prime candidate for repetitive motion injury (RMI). RMI occurs when a muscle is asked to perform beyond it's level of capability, not given enough time to recover, and asked to perform again. The typical response from a muscle in this situation is to tighten, which is a defensive response of the muscle. One of the symptoms of piriformis syndrome would be pain in and around the outer hip bone. The tightness of the muscle produces increased tension between the tendon and the bone which produces either direct discomfort and pain or an increased tension in the joint producing bursitis. The bursitis is caused by an elevation of stress and tension within that joint. Another symptom suggesting piriformis syndrome would be pain directly in the center of the buttocks. Another symptom of piriformis syndrome would be sciatic neuralgia, or pain from the buttocks down the back of the leg and sometimes into different portions of the lower leg. The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body. It runs through the belly of the piriformis muscle and if the piriformis muscle contracts from being overused, the sciatic nerve now becomes strangled, producing pain, tingling and numbness. Some of the causes of piriformis syndrome: * Hyperlordosis (increased lumbar curve) which jams the lumbar facets putting pressure on the nerves. * Fibrosis (due to trauma). * Prolonged sitting. * Vigorous physical activity, such as long-distance running. * Stiffness, or hypo-mobility, of the sacroiliac joints. * Over pronation of the foot, which causes the knee to turn inward, causing the piriformis to activate to prevent over-rotating of the knee. This causes the piriformis to become overused and tight, eventually leading to piriformis syndrome. 22 2440 N.W. US 19 Crystal River, FL 34428 Just North of Crystal River Mall on U.S. 19 352-795-7371 23 24