The Maple Ridge Messenger 9-1-08
9/1/2008 12:00:00 AMSTAY SAFE AND PATIENT
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During this season of tropical storms and hurricanes and football, stay safe, be patient, and keep those in harm's way in your thoughts and prayers. I bring this up because Tropical Storm Fay caused the cancellation of the TSYS Scholarship Fundraiser Outing on August 26. The rain date is Monday, September 22 so the Club will be closed. Please let our professional staff know if we can make other playing arrangements for your group on that day.
As for the football part - congratulations to the Jackets, Dawgs, Tide, and Tigers for opening up with wins. I'm sure the flat screens will get plenty of use in the grille and the conversation will be lively.
Thanks to all of our members for your help and support!
Tom Kubik, General Manager
BIG TOURNAMENTS & GREAT RECIPROCALS!
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Almost 80 members have signed up for Club Championship Weekend. It starts this Friday evening with a 6-hole, 1-club tournament (always a blast), followed by a Catfish Fry for golfers and their spouses. Should be a great time over the weekend, with two breakfasts, two lunches, two rounds of individual stroke play as Mens, Ladies, Senior, Super Senior and Governor's Cup champions are crowned! New and established members, I encourage you to take advantage of this chance to participate in our biggest annual event!
Then it's just four weeks to the Ridgefest Invitational, our annual two-day, two-man scramble that caps the Maple Ridge "majors" schedule. That'll be October 4-5, open to members and non-members. Signup begins mid-month.
A busy month for corporate outings and cooler weather mean it's a great time to plan a weekday trip to our newest reciprocal partner: Saugahatchee Country Club in Opelika. It's just $26 to play there when you book a tee time through our pro shop (a must). Other courses and private clubs that are in on this terrific arrangement are Highland Country Club and Overlook Golf Links (both in LaGrange), Callaway Gardens (Pine Mountain, Tuesdays only), Fox Run Country Club (Macon) and Southern Hills Golf Club (Hawkinsville, GA).
Mike Gill, Director of Golf
GRILLE HAPPENINGS
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It's official - Dick has retired and I have taken over as the Food & Beverage Director. I want to thank Dick for his help during the transition and thank all of you for your warm welcome. Please give me your thoughts and ideas regarding what you like or dislike about the Grille and what new menu offerings you would like to see in the future.
The Dinner Club seemed to be excited about the idea of a Cajun theme for Sept 19:
Chicken Gumbo / Shrimp Etouffee / Red Beans and Rice / Greens / Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Candied Pecans / Corn Bread / Beignets
This is a first draft - let me know your thoughts.
Thanks for your support!!!
Shawn Robinson, Food & Beverage Director
"PLUS FOUR" WINDS UP ADDING 111
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Even though yesterday was supposed to be a relaxing Labor Day holiday, Chris Tarno spent part of it playing Maple Ridge as guest of Ed Haag and wound up becoming the 111th individual or family to sign up during our six-month "Plus Four" membership drive which ended last evening. Thanks, Chris!
Also joining the fold since our last newsletter: Full Members Brian Montgomery, Jason Swinford, Ryan Nash and Nick Cooke, along with Weekday Members Ken Duty, Greg Ellis and David Mears. The latter five joined as a group from Nash, Inc. and Clark Construction Co., contractors involved in barracks construction for the BRAC growth at Ft. Benning.
Just want to remind prospective members that joining as a group, as the "Nash Five" did, still brings a substantially discounted rate on your initiation fees. If you don't have a ready-made foursome of friends or co-workers, let me know and we'll try to pool you with others who may be ready to join if the price is right. In this manner, a $2,000 initiation fee can be reduced as low as $250.
Shifting gears to another bargain, we still have a few Tuesdays available for companies or organizations to book Maple Ridge for a private outing. The fact that only September 16, December 16, 23 and 30 remain open on the 2008 calendar speaks to the popularity of these events. You can get pleasant weather on these early-winter dates in the afternoons, and the price and service is certainly right. Call me, Tom or Mike for more information
Rick Jacobson, Dir. Sales & Mktg.