As we approach the 4th of July celebration at the Club, We also have reason to celebrate Our Club, its loyal members and the many improvements that have been made since my last ‘Corner’.
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Newsletter-FGCC-July-2023
On your mark, get ready! The ‘in season’ is fast approaching and this edition features some things to expect as we get ready for a record-breaking summer at the Club. Pool news, Golf Calendar, Social events planned, and information on the youth golf camp and league are a few of the items inside the newsletter covers. Also, we’re keeping you updated on the progress of the Foundation’s 1892 Legacy Campaign to raise $750,000.
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Newsletter-FGCC-May-2023
If you haven’t noticed, the Club’s Foundation has initiated its first major project of the golf course restoration – Cleaning/Restoring the Creek and stump grinding. Wanting to know more about the new Foundation? This edition features information and Q&As to help. Also included is the summary of the annual strategic retreat conducted by the board of directors to help set the objectives for the year. Must read.
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Newsletter-FGCC-March-23
2023 has the early signs of being another significant year for the club as we continue the momentum created over the past few years. The Club Board is in the early stages of the planning process, related to our social events calendar, golf, the pool, new menu items from the kitchen, and the work of our new Kahgahgee Historical Golf Foundation. Details in this issue as well as remarks from incoming President Jim Weaton of what lies ahead.
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Newsletter-FGCC-January-2023
This newsletter is dedicated to sharing the information presented at our Annual Meeting for those unable to attend. A continued staple at our annual meetings is reporting to members. This year’s meeting included a report on the audited financial statements, a report from the president and others with significant information to share. The outcome of the meeting was to offer members insight into the performance, direction, and stability of the club.
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Newsletter-FGCC-Dec-2022
Take a look back on the August 27th landmark event that celebrated the 130th Anniversary of The Fairfield Golf & Country Club, the oldest continuously operating club west of the Mississippi.
Our historic Club was first organized in May 1892 as the Kahgahgee Golf Club. The first golf course derived its name from the nearby Crow Creek, also known by its Native American name of Kahgahgee. The original log cabin ‘clubhouse’, purchased in 1900, prominently hangs in the 19th hole today. In 1914 our members incorporated under the name Fairfield Golf Club. Today, your Fairfield Golf and Country Club offers golf, swimming, dining and a variety of recreational and social opportunities to its members and their families.
Click here to watch the 130th Anniversary Celebration video, courtesy of Werner Elmker
You have to love this time of year. The kids are back in school, the leaves have turned, and there is a sport for every TV. Unless you are French Canadian I guess, they are still waiting for the pond to freeze over.
With football in high gear and the MLB playoffs ramping up there are a lot of sports related events coming up in the next week – so in an effort to reduce spam I have condensed them into this one email. See you there and go Cubbies!
Also with the start of October that also marks the start of Winter Hours – which means the clubhouse will now be closed on Sundays. With the dropping temps and the earlier sunsets I am trying to make every excuse to get out on the course now while I still can!
Winter is coming.
The Hawkeyes have wiped their mouth of cupcake frosting and now it’s time to dig in to the main course. This gamewatch lunch will be potluck so bring some food to share. Might I suggest some badger stew? Cyclones are playing the Jayhawks at the same time, but I honestly can’t think of a single reason that game would be televised.
We had fun last week, and I am always looking for excuses to get out of the house right before the kids have to go to bed. Beer specials, game day chili, and all the fantasy football bad beat stories from the weekend.
Does a sudden death one game playoff featuring the Chicago Cubs really need any more hype? Why am I still typing here? Maybe because Chef Bob is offering some food specials on those famous Chicago favorites – you guessed it – hot dogs and pizza. I’m still trying to teach him how to ditch the thin crust and pour the sauce over the top. Also $2 beer specials which by my math is at least $6 cheaper per beer than they will be at the ballpark.
Eamus Catuli!
Tai Ward
President, Board of Directors
Fairfield Golf & Country Club
Welcome Lisa Wildrick!
The Fairfield Golf & Country Club is extremely pleased to formally introduce Lisa Wildrick as our new Executive Chef & General Manager! Lisa comes to us from the Big Sky Resort in Montana where she was the Executive Chef for two of their restaurants. She also was key in getting the inaugural Big Sky “Vine & Dine” event organized with Master Sommeliers Fred Dame & Jay Fletcher and Executive Chef for Google, Scott Giambastiani. Lisa’s career has been spent at resorts and clubs surrounded by great food and fine wines – her father is even a sommelier! Legend has it as a child she learned to master a corkscrew before she figured out how to pour milk out of a carton.
Lisa has been working hard in her first few weeks coming up with a new menu for the summer months ahead and we should be getting a taste of that very soon. We are very excited to have her join our Club and excited to see what she has in store for us!
Membership Drive 2015
Current promotion – $100 food credit to new members and a bonus $100 food credit to their sponsors. Nothing can advertise to new members like the excitement of our current members – so tell a friend and you can both enjoy some free food! This $100 incentive will run until the end of June. And don’t forget that the member who sponsors the most new recruits before September 30th will receive $1000 in free food from the club.
Memorial Day Weekend Couples Golf Tournament 5/24
Take a break from the grill, the beach, and the kids, grab that significant other, and hit the course on Sunday May 24th! Which couple will be crowned the best golfing team in Fairfield? Which couple will hack around but have the most fun? And which couple will entertain us all by taking things too seriously and fighting over a dumb missed putt? All these questions and more answered this Memorial Day!
Ladies Night Every Tuesday
Who says golfing is for men only? Every Tuesday at 5:30 the ladies take over the course to play some best shot and enjoy dinner & drinks afterwards. All skill levels are welcomed, as long as you can have a good time.
Stag Night Every Thursday
Seriously though, on Stag Night golfing is for men only. 🙂 Teams are drawn at 5:30 for a handicapped format that allows even golfers with my pitiful skill level to compete. Afterwards we hang out to recap over dinner & drinks and a Texas Hold’em tournament usually breaks out by 8 o’clock. Every time you golf in Stag Night your name is entered into a drawing to be held later this fall for all kinds of great prizes!
We Are A Few Weeks From The Pool Opening!
Summer is getting closer. Finally. The cover will be coming off the pool in the next couple weeks – I’m sure Sim will be recruiting for some helpers.
Welcome New 2015 Members
Jeff & Loren Town
Chad & Julie Huff
Brad Repp
Mike & Dawn McKay
Jason Davis
Mike & Michelle Greiner
Tom Scorzelli
Jeff Wallerich
Scott Willman & Vanessa Young
Adam & Vanessa Pohren
If you don’t know these new members, please go out of your way to welcome them to the club. If you do know them, please introduce them to the other members. Especially that Adam Pohren character, he’s very new to our clubhouse. The Membership Drive will be a huge focal point in 2015 with a stated goal of 50 new members. That’s an intimidating number that we will only achieve with the help of the entire membership working towards that goal. One of our greatest selling points will be an active and friendly clubhouse full of happy members, and that’s where all of you come in. Continue to come to all of our events this year, have a blast, and show our non-members why we have the best club around.
Best regards,
Tai Ward
President, Board of Directors
Fairfield Golf & Country Club
Dear Members,
It’s a cold and snowy February in Fairfield and we are staring at six more weeks of winter! I am thinking there is still time to renew that license for Ground Hog hunting season. With golfing in hibernation mode the early season club activity will be focused inside. Haven’t eaten in the dining room since the renovations? Perfect time for a date night. Adam has been working on some new menu items that should be added soon. We are knee deep in basketball season this time of year so there will be game watches and dinner specials throughout the week to watch the Hawkeyes and Cyclones in the 19th Hole.
I’m pleased to introduce your 2015 directors and their committee chairs. These are the guys and gals that are working hard to make this our best year ever and I urge everybody to contact them with suggestions, feedback, or if you would like to help out on their committee.
Tai Ward (President), Information Technology / Social Media – tech@fgacc.com
Cory Larson (Vice President), Facilities – facilities@fgacc.com
Jennifer Osby (Secretary), Membership – membership@fgacc.com
Bob Greco (Treasurer), Finance – finance@fgacc.com
Dan Sullivan, Membership – membership@fgacc.com
Donna Steinberg, Social – social@fgacc.com
Sim Buckley, Pool – pool@fgacc.com
Lucas Helling, Golf – golf@fgacc.com
Wendy Marmion, House – house@fgacc.com
The new board would like to recognize the outgoing directors for the countless hours of service they have put in over the past three years. Jim Horras, Nate Weaton, and Steve Juskewycz are all a huge reason why we as a club continue to head in a positive direction. There is no doubt that the club is in a much better position today due to some big changes these directors pushed for a few years ago. Now you guys can sit back, relax, and tip a couple in the 19th hole while enjoying the fruits of your labor.
Another director I’d like to recognize and thank is Dan Sullivan. He was president in 2014 and oversaw some of the largest renovation projects in the 123 year history of Fairfield Golf & Country Club. Over $100k was spent on the new back patio, the remodeled dining room, and the renovated great hall. All of this was fit into Dan’s vision of moving the energy of the club out of the 19th Hole and spreading it into other areas of our clubhouse. The clubhouse has never looked better. Thank you Dan. But we are going to continue to keep you busy with membership committee.
At this time I’d like to introduce the new board members and thank them for volunteering to serve the club and help us to continue to improve.
Donna Steinberg – her creativity and business prowess as a business owner, educator, theater director, and fashion consultant will lend themselves well as head of the social committee and stuffing a calendar full of great events. Longtime experience on other boards around Fairfield will serve her to help know how to whip our board into shape.
Wendy Marmion – after all the wonderful work putting together the Food & Wine show and leading the subsequent clubhouse renovations we somehow convinced her to continue on and lead the house committee. Anything to get a night away from babysitting Larry, I guess.
Sim Buckley – legend has it he trained with monks in the Himalayans for a decade to perfect his “hit the front of the rim, somehow still make the basket” shooting style. His enthusiasm for afternoon napping will serve him well poolside this summer.
Welcome some new 2015 members!
Mark & Heather Swan
Pamala Piltingsrud
Mike & Lisa Schleicher
Shawn McCarty
Shayla Rae
If you don’t know these new members, please go out of your way to welcome them to the club. If you do know them, please introduce them to the other members. The Membership Drive will be a huge focal point in 2015 with a stated goal of 50 new members. That’s an intimidating number that we will only achieve with the help of the entire membership working towards that goal. One of our greatest selling points will be an active and friendly clubhouse full of happy members, and that’s where all of you come in. Continue to come to all of our events this year, have a blast, and show our non-members why we have the best club around.
Best regards,
Tai Ward, President for the Board of Directors
Fairfield Golf & Country Club
In Minnesota there is a saying called “cabin fever” which is used when a long spell of bad weather has left everyone frustrated with the fact that they can’t get out and do all the things they love doing. The longer it lasts, the more the cabin environment can take a turn for the worse as well. This year I believe there is a little cabin fever at the FFGCC waiting for warm golf weather. While there has been very little outdoor activity, the good news is that the club has had many great events and gatherings in the cabin. I hope you had a chance to enjoy many of them.
Since the last newsletter the new BOD has been installed.
First I want to thank the three departing board members; Nikki Vivacqua(Hunt), Jan Fontana and Nate Perkins for all the time and hard work they (more…)