Bay Club at Mattapoisett Head Golf Professional, Greg Yeomans captured the Cape Cod Chapter of the New England PGA’s Wessner Player of the Year Award for 2009.  Yeomans earned points for his performance in Cape Cod Chapter events played throughout the year. In the end, he bested second place finisher Rusty Gunnerson of Rochester Golf Club by 24 points.

Yeomans played in 10 of the 15 events scheduled and had four first place finishes, including one of the Chapter’s two major events, the Match Play Championship.  Greg finished third in the second major event, the Chapter Stroke Play Championship and also recorded two second place finishes.

With 8 of the 10 events played being Pro Am and Pro Junior events, Greg was able to invite some Bay Club members to test their game for a fun day of team competition against clubs from around the Cape Cod Chapter. The Pro Ams were an opportunity for Greg to compete against his fellow professionals for individual low pro honors.

For the complete 2009 standings, of the Cape Cod Chapter of the New England PGA’s Wessner Player of the Year please click here.

Congratulations Greg on a great year on the links!

The Bay Club Mattapoisett has seen the popularity of paddle (or platform tennis) grow rapidly over the past couple of years.  The two lighted courts, located at the Sports & Activities Center, are frequently in use, both with drop in activities and by members who have organized matches.  There are plenty of rackets available so no worries if you don’t have you own. The Paddle Hut is open for you to take a break from the col and warm up between matches.

Men’s Paddle Drop-In meets Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday’s, Women’s Drop in meets Tuesdays, Wednesday’s and Thursdays.

If you are unsure if the game is right for you, or are interested in improving your skills, we welcome you to join us for one of the Bay Club’s complimentary Paddle Clinics.  Please contact the club for specific details.

Oklahoma State sophomore, and the Bay Club’s most celebrated member, Peter Uihlein, won the Gifford Collegiate at CordeValle for his second title this fall.  This accomplishment has earned Uihlein the No. 1 position in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings and Player of the Week by Golfweek Magazine.  Uihlein posted 14-under 202 to beat Stanford junior Sihwan Kim by five shots.

Peter has been at the top of his game since the summer.  He is a two-time American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year and posted a 4-0 record in leading Team USA to a victory at the Walker Cup in August.

This fall Uihlein has won the Ping/Golfweek Invitational at Gold Mountain in Bremerton, Wash, and just prior to arriving at CordeValle, he tied for third at the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational in Windermere, Fla.

“Confidence is a funny thing,” Uilhein said. “I’ve just been going off of it since (the Walker Cup). Hopefully I’ll continue to play well so I can help the team play well.”  The Bay Club congratulates this gracious player and is closely following his success!

Back by popular demand, the Golf House restaurant at the Bay Club will resume its weekly prix fixe specials on the Pub Menu over the late fall and winter months.

Our Pub Menu will be featured on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.  As always, Chef Mercer selects the best of the season and his menus are continuously updated; however some options on the prix fixe menu may include Sausage and Ratatouille Pot Pie, Chicken and Dumplings, Pot Roast of Beef, Baked Stuffed Sole, Lamb Tagine and various seasonal stews.  Perfect comforting foods to be enjoyed in the cozy restaurant alongside friends and family. These weekly specials will be served with a salad and dessert and are priced in the $16 – 19 range.

There are 12 major swing “faults” or characteristics that can show up in your golf swing.  A common swing fault is “sway”, which occurs during the backswing, when the player’s hips slide past the outside of their back foot. This will result in a number of inconsistencies, as well as a loss of power. This exercise, by Bay Club Mattapoisett Fitness Director, Dave Maloney, will help correct this swing fault and is also beneficial to skiers and tennis players.

Lie on your side with just your forearm and outside of your bottom foot touching the ground.

Hold this position for 2 sets of 10-30 seconds.

For a more advanced version, get in the same position and lift your top leg for 2 sets of 15 repetitions.

This exercise will strengthen your abductors and your core.

The Bay Club Mattapoisett is pleased to announce that the Tennis Committee, along with Director of Tennis Chris Shannon are putting together a tennis trip to the Palm Springs area for March 2010. The trip will include tennis play and instruction at The Springs Club (Chris’ winter club) as well as attending the BNP Paribas Open. This tournament, featuring the world’s top male and female tennis players, takes place in Indian Wells between March 8 and 21. The Bay Club trip is scheduled for mid March.

Bay Club Mattapoisett Fitness Director Dave Maloney explains that getting stronger, specific to golf, may be the key to gaining the edge for the junior level golfer.

“We are noticing a dramatic change in the caliber of junior golfers, especially with the potential of college scholarships as a reward. Junior golfers are getting fitter and stronger, as a result they are hitting it as long as the PGA and LPGA players. This is a combination of personal coaching on swing mechanics and gaining strength,” Maloney explains.

Junior golfers like Peter Uihlein, Ty Tryon, Michelle Wie and the Songsters are a perfect examples of what junior golfers are capable of, given the right training. The difference between junior golfers and adults is typically strength – not flexibility. “I’ve worked with hundreds of junior golfers and within a very short period of time, with the proper strength training, their drives increased as much as 50 yards, ” Dave reports.

It is Maloney’s opinion that the age to begin a strength training workout for juniors is best begun at around twelve years old. It is strongly recommended that a professional oversee the program at the earlier stages to set the routine and establish goals. The purpose of the exercises are to compliment the golf swing from a dynamic and a stability standpoint.

If you would like to get your junior golfer on a golf specific fitness program please call Bay Club Fitness Director Dave Maloney at 508-207-9251.

In keeping with the Golf Course Operations Committee Charter with regards to the course, “to develop and maintain a Continuous Improvement Plan“, a number of off-season golf course projects are currently underway.  Included on the 2009/2010 projects list: the continued reduction of our formal turfgrass footprint, drainage improvements and collar reduction, and the re-design of hole #10.

Construction has already begun on hole #10, a beautiful hole that runs along the Bay Club Pond and recently mentioned as one of GolfCourseHome’s Great Water Holes.   First, the fairway and rough will be moved 25-30 yards to the left from what currently exists and then a total of three bunkers will be eliminated allowing golfers to challenge the left side.

These changes will modify the strategies players employ when approaching the tee box.  First, an option will still exist for players to play safer out to the right, but a ball played too far right could find fescue that will border the rough along the entire right side.  Your approach will be slightly more difficult as the water could come into to play if you are short or left.  Also, with the green running away from you, stopping the ball close to a front or left pin will add a putting challenge.  The hole will effectively play shorter but will require some strategy; do you “go for it” or lay back and have a longer shot into the green, your call.

There are several areas that have been identified for fescue conversion.  Those browned out areas around tee boxes, edges of the rough, and on the tops of bunkers will not only add further definition to our holes, but also significantly reduce our bluegrass acreage.

Drainage work will be completed on holes #3, #6 and #17.  Holes #3 and #17, long par 4’s, were designed to be firm in the approach area, allowing a player to run their ball onto the green. Once completed, the drainage work will provide a firmer landing area and ultimately allow the holes to play as they were intended.

In the past few months the Bay Club has been gradually reducing our collar widths and subsequently enlarging the greens.  This process will reduce green turf wear, offer more challenging pin placements and make your chip shot just off the green slightly more delicate.

As always the Bay Club is committed to the continuous improvement of the golf course.  These modifications will continue to challenge your game and either increase your frustration or add to the thrill of your round!

How to Roast, Smoke or Deep Fry a Turkey

Chef Mercer will give tips on how to prepare a holiday turkey in a variety of ways in his class Inventive Holiday Cooking.  Members will learn how to create a juicy roast turkey in a conventional stove, as well as how to create a savory bird using a gas grill and natural woods to give it a flavorful smoked taste.  Lastly, he will plunge a bird into hot peanut oil to demonstrate how to safely make a fried turkey.  The class will include information on all the different types of turkeys available and suggestions for side dishes.

Thanksgiving Table Arrangement Class

Florist Chad Peters will teach members a few new tricks on flower arranging, table settings, and holiday decorations.  A bountiful supply of flowers, herbs, and foliage containers will be available for the members to create their own arrangement in a favorite vase, pumpkin or container.

Children’s Thanksgiving Cookie Class

This fun hands-on cookie making workshop is designed for children aged 5 to 12 years old.   The children will be given fresh cookies in entertaining holiday shapes all cooled and ready to decorate for the upcoming holiday.

Visiting Lecturer, Professor of Astronomy Timothy Barker

The Joy of Partnership in Science

Professor Timothy Barker from Wheaton College will share his experiences and enlighten you to the field of astronomy.  “The joy that we share in working together as scientists is central to what it means to be human” says Barker.  Professor Barker will speak about his encounters with scientists such as Carl Sagan (world-famous author of popular science books and for co-author and producer of the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage), John Mather (recent Nobel Prize winner in Physics), and Steve Hawley (astronaut who deployed the Hubble Space Telescope).

And if the skies cooperate, Professor Barker will break out his telescope for us to view his world up close and personal.

Head Golf Professional Greg Yeomans

Head Bay Club Golf Professional Greg Yeomans currently sits in 1st place in the year long Cape Cod PGA Wessner Player of the Year race.  He is leading the way, ahead of Rochester Golf Club’s Head Professional Rusty Gunnarson, by 23 points with only three events remaining.  Points are earned for performances in all chapter events, including Pro-Ams.  All of the major events have been completed, just a few Pro-Am events remain.  Check the website to track his performance.  We wish Greg the best of luck down the stretch.

The Bay Club at Mattapoisett welcomed California vintner Roger Roessler for a special evening featuring the cuisine of Chef Jim Mercer with stellar Pinot Noirs & Chardonnays’ from Roessler Cellars.

Recently Roessler Cellars appeared on the cover of industry Bible, The Wine Spectator. The magazine sang the praises of the vineyard and their commitment to producing delicious Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs. To quote Roessler “we are primarily interested in Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, but have also added a few small lots of Chardonnay which we feel are in keeping with our Burgundian roots.” Roger is quite serious about the pairing of wine with food as he feels the correct match enhances both, and ultimately produces a higher level dining experience.

Credit for the evening must be given to Bay Club Golf House Restaurant Manager Sue Papi.  Sue has devoted her career to the restaurant business and her passion is fine wine. Members commonly respond to the question “what would you like to drink” by saying, “whatever Sue suggests”.  Sue has been offering his wines at the Bay Club for the past for years; his Pinot Noirs are her favorite. Last May an industry rep brought Roger to the Bay Club and Sue invited him to host a wine dinner, which he graciously accepted.

Roessler and Chef Mercer share a commitment to the localvore food philosophy, meaning utilizing foods found in your immediate area, or foods that are sourced not too far from your region. This penchant was apparent throughout the meal, particularly in the second course, a “risotto” of squash, potato and black truffle with foie gras and intense roast chicken reduction that was accompanied by both Griffin’s Lair Pinot Noir 2006 and La Brisa Pinot Noir 2007.

Roger personally introduced his vineyard to the members and explained his thought process behind the parings of each of the courses with his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay selections. The evening began with canapés and sparkling wine and proceeded through four amazing courses with two glasses of wine served with each.

While wild rains beat down upon the Golf House there was much merriment and joy inside as a packed crowd savored each course and debated over which pour was to be a new favorite. Thank you Sue, Chef Mercer and Roger for a lovely evening!