For your convenience you may now view and print the monthly Somerby calendar, please click below.

June 2013

July 2013

GOLF & SOCIAL -  nine-hole shotgun starting at 3:00 PM followed by a buffet and refreshments at 5:30 PM at the Lehman Lounge in the Grille.  This promises to be a great day of golf and camaraderie for you and your Somerby sponsor. Call the golf shop to save your spot at 507.775.3710.

New this year, golf members will have the ability to make tee times on-line and with your smart phone. Log in to the members only section of the website and click on “book a tee time” and away you go. If you have special requests there is a new spot for you to type in names, special guest requests or anything pertinent to the tee time and this will show up right in the tee sheet.

Members will only be able to make 1 tee time with in four hours of each other. Fivesomes will have to call the Head Golf Professional or the Director of Golf for clearance. Singles will need to call for available tee times. Members will still only be able to make tee times 14 days in advance. Check the member handbook or call the golf shop with questions.

Tee times can still be made the old fashion way via the telephone. We are trying to keep up with technology and offer members another way to sign up for golf. This service is offered through our current POS system and is a program in “beta” form which means we are one of a few clubs using this test module and will receive the latest revisions as they occur.

5/7/13

Spring appears to have finally arrived. With that being said I hope to have you all on the course and in the pool before too much longer. With a little over 20 days left in the “Gift of Membership” program I wanted to pay a special thank you to the Ambassador Group and all the members who have so generously sponsored their friends, family, and business associates. Currently, there are over 70 members who have received the “gift” and I trust a few more will be added before the program concludes on May 31^st.

As fast paced and hectic as our lives tend to be it is easy to overlook many of the benefits and services available to the Somerby Membership. So, I thought I would take some time to briefly review a few of the highlights:

• All Somerby Members receive a 10% discount on any catered event.
• All Somerby Members receive a 20% discount on the Golf Shop merchandise.
• Golf Passbooks–ten guest passes for the price of eight.
• On line tee times.
• The introduction of Clubster; a “Facebook” experience for the private use of the Somerby Membership.
• The second season of the new Couples League.
• Look for the monthly Guest Day specials this summer that include dinner and door prizes.
• For those ladies just starting to develop their game try the new Wine, Nine, and Dine.
• Somerby Golf Members have playing privileges at 50 other OB Sports Golf Clubs around the United States.
• Don’t forget the PGA Professionals available to hone your game and professionally fit your clubs this season.
• There is Kids Klub available every Friday night supervised by Certified Day Care Specialist for parents that wish to have a date night at the club.
• In the summer there is three weeks of Kids Kamp supervised by the same Certified Day Care Professionals.
• This summer will begin the second season of the Somerby Swim Team (The Sea Dragons) and the Somerby Swim School in conjunction with Med-City Aquatics.
• The new and
  improved Somerby Culinary Team will roll out their new menu this May. Some of the things you can expect to see are house cured meats, rotisserie chicken, fresh ground hamburger, house prepared sausage, smoked meats and fish, and the list goes on.
• Check the Grille for daily specials and pricing on drinks and food.
• When weather permits the Friday Night Music will move from the Chophouse to the outdoor patio by the Grille Room.
• Enjoy Wine-not-Thursdays with complimentary wine tasting and appetizers on the first Thursday of each month featuring the club’s two certified Sommelier’s.
• As a Crush Club Member enjoy an entire year filled with classic wine tastings and elegant wine dinners. Crush Club Members also enjoyed preferred pricing on wines poured at the various events.
• Members are welcome to attend the annual Wine & Spirits sale in the fall. As a member you receive cost benefits below retail and have an opportunity to taste some fine wines and spirits.
• Existing Members also receive special incentives for sponsoring a new member or catered event. See Tim Shea or Trina Thompson respectively for details.
• In addition to the benefits listed above Members and their Guests have access to first class clubhouse and a top ten state rated golf course.

The club ownership has continued to invest their resources into the facilities and personnel that create the value of Membership here at the Somerby Golf Club. Their return on that investment is the Members of the Somerby Golf Club. Thank you for the continued support and patronage of your club. I look forward to a great summer season.

Regards,

Kurtis L. Pitcher CCM CCE
General Manager/COO
Somerby Golf Club

Ruth will have a Scotch Tasting with Jason Sagness, representative from Vinecopia.  Appetizers will be served during this time.  Please be sure to RSVP to rwendler@somerby.com to reserve your spot!

When:  Friday, May 17th @ 6:30 PM

Where:  Chophouse

Cost:  $15 per person

We hope you can make this fun event!

Thursday, May 9th, we are going to do Adopt-A-Highway spring clean up at 5 pm. Meet at the Clubhouse parking lot and from there we will travel to our section of Adopt-A-Highway on Hwy 134 in the city limits of Byron. Somerby Golf Club will provide gloves, vests, garbage bags to help with the cleanup. Somerby Golf Club will  provide food and a beverage afterwards in the Grille! Click here to let us know if you will be attending.

Make every daughter feel like Cinderella on Sunday, April 28th to be escorted with their King of their world, their dad!

Father/Daughter Dance on Sunday, April 28th from 5:30-8:30pm
Tracy will have a DJ playing, a craft and
Dad vs. Daughter Hula Hoop Contests planned.

 Menu for Children

Chicken Tenderloins With Rosemary Peach Sauce

Mashed Potatoes

Caramelized Carrots

 Menu for Adults

Chateau Sirloin Steak with Demi Glaze

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans Almondine

Dessert Buffet

Cost: $25.00 Adults, $12.50 Kids.

Call 775.3700 to make your reservations

Or E-Mail:  Receptionist@Somerby.com

C’mon spring!!  As I write the last areas of snow are hanging on and we are eagerly waiting to get out on the course and get the golf season underway.  There are many thoughts that race through my head as we prepare for the upcoming season, but one is continually on my mind: When is the course going to be ready to open?

Course Opening Protocol

As with many other decisions made on the golf course, we try to make the decision as science based as possible.  Theoretically, this provides consistency in the decision making process and takes much of the human influence out of the equation.   With opening the course, we are looking for first the snow to be gone, and then for the soil to settle.  During winter, water freezes in the soil (frost), which expands the space between the soil particles.  Frost depths vary, but can be several feet deep in our area depending on the type of winter we have had.  When the frost melts, the soil is unstable and vulnerable to traffic until it settles sufficiently.  Traffic on soft soils can create ruts or indentations and impact smooth playing surfaces.  Warm air temperatures and warm rains are two great ways to speed up the firming of the soil.  An important factor in the discussion is continuous cart paths.  This allows carts to be used much sooner here than at many courses because they can remain on the path throughout the round.  Foot traffic is minor in comparison to a heavy golf cart.  We will be cartpath only until the frost is out, soils have firmed up significantly, and soil temperatures are such that turf has resumed growth (close to 50°).  Our protocol is definitely different than may be found at other golf courses, but the policy is undoubtedly a contributor the quality of our turf.

Trapping Recap

Hopefully everyone read the paragraph in the last newsletter outlining the reasons for on-course trapping.  The individual that does the trapping reported that our muskrat population was very high; he was able to reduce the population by close to a dozen.  It is evident that like many rodents their population will quickly rebound.  We anticipate the trapping of muskrats to be necessary on an annual basis.

Aerification Schedule

We will regularly remind everyone as the dates approach, but we have set weather dependent dates for our fall aerification.  We anticipate the process this year to be the same as last year, and the dates are as follows:

• Greens – August 13th & 14th
• Tees – September 3rd & 4th
• Fairways – Begin September 10th

As always if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Hope to see you out on the course soon.

Cheers, Eric Counselman

ecounselman@somerby.com

507-775-3743

In an effort to enhance the couple’s events and increase participation, we have devised a “Couple’s Series” for this summer.  Beginning on Friday, May 3^rd we will host couple’s events every Friday night.  The Couple’s Series will continue until our Couples Championship (Jack & Jill) on Saturday, September 14^th.

Non-Competitive Couple’s Nights (Make your own tee time after 4 PM, Guests Welcome)

Arrange a tee time after 4 PM for your group and check in at the golf shop prior to teeing off.  For participating, you will receive a 10% Off Coupon (good towards food only) in the grille that evening.  If you invite a guest couple to play with you, they will receive a 9-hole guest fee of $30 per person for the evening (includes golf cart). 

Competitive Couple’s Nights (Shotgun Start, Members Only)

Every month there is a competitive event scheduled.  Each participant is required to have an established handicap to participate.  The Competitive events will cost $25 per couple ($20 for early registration) and will cover prizes only.

Couple’s Championship — Jack & Jill Event (Saturday, September 14^th, Members Only)

Double points will be awarded based on the number of couple’s participating.  If there are 10 teams (Couple’s) the first place team will be awarded 20 points and so on down the field.

Points System

A point system has been created for end of year rewards:

• 2 points for playing on any non-competitive or competitive Friday night after 4 PM
• 5 points for playing and bringing a guest couple on a non-competitive Friday night after 4 PM

For competitive events, points will be awarded based on the number of teams playing in event.  For example, if there are 10 teams participating, the 1st place couple will be awarded 10 points plus 2 points for participation.

At the end of the season, at the awards banquet on Friday, October 11^th we will announce the winners of the “Couple’s Series” and formally recognize the winners.

We will reward the top 3 places (Gift Cards):

• 1^st Place - $200
• 2^nd Place - $150
• 3^rd Place - $100

2013 Couples Schedule

• May 3^rd        Non-Competitive
• May 10^th      Non-Competitive
• May 17^th       Non-Competitive
• May 24^th      Competitive #1 (Front 9) – Best Ball Twosome
• May 31^st       Non-Competitive
• June 7^th       Non-Competitive
• June 14^th     Competitive #2 (Back 9) – Choke Holes
• June 21^st      Non-Competitive
• June 28^th     Non-Competitive
• July 5^th         Non-Competitive
• July 12^th       Non-Competitive
• July 19^th       Non-Competitive
• July 27th       Competitive #3 (18 Holes) – Day & Night Golf
• Aug. 2^nd        Non-Competitive
• Aug. 9^th         Non-Competitive
• Aug. 16^th       Competitive #4 (Front 9) – Role Reversal
• Aug. 23^rd       Non-Competitive
• Aug. 30^th      Non-Competitive
• Sept. 6^th        Non-Competitive
• Sept. 14^th      Couples Championship – Jack & Jill

This spring we are launching a new golf initiative aimed at the casual women’s golfer who is new to the game or has not played much golf.  This program is designed to introduce or reintroduce female golfers back into the game to have fun.  The program is called Nine, Wine and Dine and is a non-competitive evening of golf for women who want to learn basic etiquette, fundamentals and rules of the game golf.  This will be a great way to meet new or existing members of the club and at the same time have fun playing this great game of golf.

Please feel free to join us each of the following Thursdays at 6:30 pm at:

• May 16^th
• May 30^th
• June 20^th
• July 18^th