THE GREEN

Dear Shaughnessy members,

Happy New Year! As we welcome 2024, I hope each of you enjoyed a festive and joyful holiday season with your loved ones.

In 2023, access to the tee and courts continued to improve, trending towards pre-pandemic levels, and our Food and Beverage (F&B) usage on a per-member basis has returned to, and even exceeded, pre-pandemic levels. These are all good indicators that as we finalize plans for the 2024 season, we are successfully rebounding and adapting to a new normal. This positions us well to further enhance our offerings and member experience, ensuring that the upcoming season meets and surpasses the expectations and needs of our members.

A highlight of 2023 of course, was the successful hosting of the CPKC Women’s Open. The event not only showcased our world-class facilities but also brought together our community in a celebration of women’s championship golf at the highest level. The spirit of volunteerism and participation from our members was truly memorable and appreciated. We recently added a few more treasures to our CPKC Women’s Open memories vault – please click here to view.

At the time of this writing, we are currently in the midst of the annual dining and upper clubhouse closure. Please note that regular dining services will reopen on Thursday, January 18th – Kerry, Chef James, Piril and the rest of the team are excited for a new year and providing new and improved experiences for all of you.

As in recent years, the Finance Committee and Board of Directors will determine any increases in dues and fees during their January meeting. Members will be informed of these changes in early February, and the adjustments will be included in the February statement.

Wishing 2024 is a year of great success, good health, and happiness for all of you.

Respectfully submitted,

Brian Mossop
General Manager and Chief Operating Officer

Dear Shaughnessy members,

 Temporary Greens During Winter Months

Winter has arrived, and it’s a good time to discuss why our use of temporary greens has increased.

Due to low temperatures and limited sunlight, grass doesn’t recover well from wear and tear during the winter. A key challenge for our putting surfaces is the concentration of foot traffic on our small greens, especially those with narrow entry and exit areas that further concentrate this traffic.

This has become more of a problem with the increased winter play we have witnessed. On average, 69 rounds were played per day between December and February from 2011-2013. Fast forward 10 years to 2021-2023, and the average number of daily rounds has more than doubled to 147 during these same months.

The greens are especially vulnerable because they have the shortest cut; with a leaf blade only a tenth of an inch to capture sunlight and drive photosynthesis, grass on the greens is the slowest to recover. Complicating this further, Shaughnessy’s greens average only 4500 square feet, with our smallest greens being only 3400 square feet. For comparison, PGA Tour greens average 6000 square feet.

To counteract this issue, we shift our cultural practices from performance to protection. Height of cut (HOC) is raised; frequency of mowing and rolling is altered; top-dressing applications are tailored specifically for the winter months; and our fertilizers change based on the weather.

But the most important tool in our bag is using temporary greens.

We constantly monitor the weather, weighing temperatures, sunlight hours, moisture, and the number of rounds played. Temporary greens give us the ability to completely control the level of traffic that directly impacts these greens.

The shortest day of the year is just behind us, with only 8 hours and 11 minutes of possible sun exposure. Our northern latitude means that even on sunny days, the sun is low on the horizon, often leaving our greens shaded. The days will begin to get longer now, but winter lasts until the latter half of March. Sustained temperatures and – most importantly – increased hours of sunlight have a long way to go before they are at levels that can facilitate proper recovery.

Temporary greens protect our most significant and fragile asset. Keep in mind, one of our most important goals each year is to be prepared for the start of the playing season.

Respectfully submitted,

Andrew Hart
Course Superintendent

Happy New Year, fellow Shaughnessy members,

I am very excited about the upcoming season and being able to serve as the Men’s Golf Captain, along with Josh Zhang as my Vice Captain. Shaughnessy is an amazing course with an exceptional membership, and I look forward to ensuring that we have an outstanding season.

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to the outgoing Captain, Chris Read. Your leadership and volunteered time were greatly appreciated by the membership, and we look forward to seeing you on the course in 2024.

A huge thank you to Ashley Zibrik and her team for a great season last year. Based on the feedback, the majority of the members enjoyed the new playing formats for Men’s Night, and we look forward to adding some new events this season.

Thank you to Andrew Hart and his team for keeping the course in immaculate condition, especially given the increased play over this mild Vancouver winter. Also, thank you to Brian Mossop and his respective team who continue to maintain the highest of standards of any private club across the board.

With the mild winter months comes increased demand for tee times and access to the practice facilities. I would like to remind the membership of the following:

• Not using temporary greens: If a hole has a temporary green, please do not hit your shot to the actual green. It is not only the damage of the ball mark but also the act of walking to the ball that will hurt the greens for the upcoming season.

• Hitting into the group in front of you: With shorter days and less daylight, groups are pushing the pace in order to get in a full 18. While this is always the goal, membership safety must take priority. Please ensure the group ahead of you is fully clear before hitting your next shot.

We are working on getting the club event calendar out in early 2024 to ensure strong participation in all club events. As in previous seasons, the focus will be on ensuring that everyone playing enjoys themselves both during and after the events.

I look forward to continuing to see those of you that I know and, of course, to meeting any of the members that I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me for any golf-related matters.

I wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2024.

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Emerson Jr.
Men’s Club Captain

Dear Shaughnessy members,

I trust this message finds you well, having enjoyed a delightful holiday season.

As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming golf season in 2024, I am thrilled at the prospect of playing and socializing with each of you. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Ashley, her team and the women’s golf committee, the calendar for 2024 has been meticulously drafted. We will release it shortly, pending confirmation of Exchange game dates from Capilano GC and Victoria GC. The schedule has been thoughtfully designed to strike a balance between major and casual games, ensuring a steady and enjoyable pace throughout the season.

In upholding our cherished history and traditions, we are pleased to announce the return of the Turkey Shoot at the end of the season. This event promises to infuse the entire season with the same joy and camaraderie we’ve experienced in the past.

We extend a warm invitation to each and every one of you to join us at our events. The prizes are not reserved solely for the most skilled players; they are meant to celebrate the participation of all.

While 2024 marks a quieter year without CPKC and travel to Victoria, it certainly does not diminish the fun we anticipate. It allows us to focus on our games and events. I am fortunate to have the unwavering support of Vice Captain Kathy Forrest and our committee members: Jimei Chen, Teri Christopher, Cheryl E. Lee, Jane Macgregor, and Sandra Thompson. Gratitude is also extended to the outgoing Captain Leslie Cliff as well as Board Liaison Lynette Cooper and Rules Officer Chinami Hancock. I extend my sincere appreciation for Virginia Lam’s ongoing support to the Shaughnessy team and Catherine McCauley’s diligent oversight of our charitable partnerships sub-committee. Together, we form the committee for 2024 and are committed to bringing our plans to fruition.

A special acknowledgment also goes to Brian Mossop and the office staff, Ashley Zibrik and her team, as well as Piril Erbakan and Chef James. Your dedication ensures our events run professionally, smoothly, and successfully.

In the meantime, I extend my appreciation to all the ladies who have generously shared their brilliant ideas with us in the past months. Your insights are truly invaluable and play a significant role in realizing our goals for 2024. Please don’t hesitate to reach out – your input matters!

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2024, I anticipate the pleasure of seeing you both on and off the course in the near future.

Respectfully submitted,

Michelle Yuan
Women’s Golf Captain

Dear Shaughnessy members,

Happy New Year to all of you, and I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season! With the warm weather persisting into 2024, our golf season hasn’t come to an end. Back in 2022, we experienced only 278 rounds of golf in December due to the cold and snow-covered course. However, this past December felt more like autumn, resulting in an impressive 1430 rounds played.

This year, our rounds played totaled 39,600 and that was with an 11-day member closure due to hosting the CPKC Women’s Open in August. To give you an idea of how busy our tee sheet is relative to the other 9 private clubs in the lower mainland, please see the information below: 

I am very happy to see our club near the bottom of the list as it means our member access to the tee is in a healthy place comparatively speaking, but also, our data from our member lotteries this past year shows that the days of large variances to one’s preferred tee time have improved significantly. With less traffic on the course, it also helps Andrew and his team provide the amazing course conditions like we saw this past season.

Our Professional staff and Back Shop staff are really looking forward to this year and can’t wait to have another normal season focusing on our members and their invited guests. Wishing you all a year of good health, happiness and great golf!

Respectfully submitted,

Ashley Zibrik
Director of Golf

Dear Shaughnessy members,

Happy New Year, which means one thing: new products! For the 2024 season, we’re introducing some new clothing brands to keep you stylish on the course. A few of the latest brands arriving this spring include Malbon Golf, Röhnisch, Holderness & Bourne, and Matte Grey. To clear some of our current inventory, we’re offering 50% off all 2023 apparel throughout January – a great opportunity to use your Golf Shop Credit.

Exciting times are ahead in the Club world, too. Callaway Golf has just announced their 2024 product line, the Paradym Ai Smoke, which is crafted using real player data and features a revolutionary new AI Smart Face for consistent sweet spots across the entire face. I had the chance to attend a Staffer fitting event in December and witnessed an increase in speed and forgiveness from all parts of the face. The Paradym AI Smoke is available for pre-order starting January 12. Stay tuned for future eNews releases for fitting day information from all major vendors as the new products start arriving.

Respectfully submitted,

Chris Ward
Retail Manager and Associate Professional

Dear Shaughnessy members,

Happy New Year!

2023 was a great year with a full slate of traditional Shaughnessy events with record breaking attendance for several events.  We were also proud of Shaughnessy’s performance as hosts to the CPKC Women’s Open back in August. So many volunteers and team members to thank in making it a memorable success. 

December, a favourite month for many, is the season of coming together and enjoying feasting, gift giving (185 children gifts during our Santa weekend, to be exact) and merrymaking.

As we step into 2024, we look forward to hosting over 100 planned golf, tennis, and member dining events, serving you with even more dedication.

Please don’t forget to sign up for our Italian Night, January 27th by clicking here and keep an eye out for our Valentine’s menu and sign up for February. 

We continue to accept reservations up to 30 days in advance to help you book our dining rooms.  While dining in, please check out our wine sale featuring our Bin End list.

Again, cheers to the new year, and to you, our valued members. We are committed to serving you with excellence.

Respectfully submitted,

Kerry Enzie
Director of Food and Beverage

Dear Shaughnessy members,

Current Tennis Guest Policy

Effective October 1st until March 1st, members may only bring guests to play tennis during non-prime time hours (weekdays before 6:00 PM, weekends after 1:00 PM)

Tennis Pro Shop

• CLEARANCE SALE: All shoes are 30% off in the Tennis Pro Shop for a limited time.
• Cases of Australian Open tennis balls are only $119.98.
• New Nike merchandise arriving daily!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Al Dickey Memorial Tennis Tournament

2024 Tennis Club Championships

Quick Reminders

• The new ladders are running from January 1st until March 31st. Please contact Director of Tennis Jerome Fournier if you would like to join the next session beginning April 1st.
• Members can book the Indoor courts for singles and doubles play. The available booking times are between 6:45 AM and 8:30 PM on weekdays and 6:45 AM and 6:00 PM on weekends. You can book a court by calling the Tennis Centre at 604.266.9165 or by calling/texting the booking phone at 236.878.4320.
• The ball machine can be booked for use on the day of.
• Tuesday Men’s Night Tennis – 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Sign up weekly.
• Ladies Dogwood League Fridays 11:00-1:00 pm competing against various clubs.

Respectfully submitted,

Jerome Fournier
Director of Tennis