Member-Guest Update
In the Men's Member-Guest, scheduled for October 10-12, we have room for two more teams.  There are currently 40 teams, and we'd like to be at 42 two man teams so there would be six teams in seven flights.  Come out and join in all the fun and camaraderie. 

Club Championship Update
The championship will occur September 28th and 29th.  There are now 5 brave souls competing in the Men's Championship Flight, as opposed to the one sign-up we had a week ago.  I look forward to watching the ladies and men competing for their respective flight championships. 

Junior Golf
On selected Fridays through the season, I will conduct a one hour junior clinic for kids of ages 7 to 13.  The fee is $45 per junior for three clinics on Fridays.

Foot Joy Apparel
We have some new great looking and great wearing Foot Joy shirts and pullovers; come and get 'em.

See y'all 'round the OC!
Don Yrene, PGA
Head Golf Professional

Oktoberfest @ Osprey Cove

On Thursday October 3rd from 4pm-8pm we will celebrate this annual tradition.  Join us for live entertainment, themed food, and some quality German style beers.  A raffle prize will be awarded at the end of the evening to the most dedicated of drinkers. Each drink purchased will enter your name into a drawing for a case of German's finest brews.  Beer braised sausages, sauerkraut, potatoes, and pretzel bread are just a few of the items on hand.  Please reserve your spot in the Grille for this special event.

 

 

OKTOBERFEST

Thursday October 3rd 4pm-8pm

River Club

 

 

Summer Happy Hour Schedule

Summer Happy Hour Schedule:

Friday:

5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at both the Grille and the Tiki Hut

Saturday:

5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Tiki Hut

Live Music at the Tiki Hut on Saturday evenings, beginning Saturday, July 20

Grand Opening Luau for The River Club

We want to thank all of our members who helped us celebrate the Grand Opening of the River Club with the Luau we had on Saturday. The kind comments and emails we have received are overwhelming; thank you very much! We also want to thank you for your patience and support during the renovation.

Everyone had a great time at the Luau. Don't believe us? Check out the photos below!

Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Grand Opening!

Head Golf Professional, Don Yrene & Green Golf Partners CEO, Tom Rodems

A group of our fabulous members enjoying the new canopy

Miranda, Tracy, Taylor, & Chelsea did a great job decorating!

Over 500 people attended the Luau!

Enjoying the Key Lime Cheesecake dessert!

All of the kids that attended were cute!

The Hafer's 

Mr. Dellinger is having a great time!

The fire pit is neat!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Rain, rain go away!  This may be wishful thinking, but we are getting much more rain than I am used to, compared to the drought stricken Southwest part of the United States.  I must say, I do like the temperatures better than the near 120 degrees they are getting in my former home of Scottsdale, Arizona.

The weather is not so hot for our junior golfers we have coming out to learn and improve their games.  I will be teaching another junior golf camp July 16 – 19, where the kids will be learning about all parts of the game of golf, culminating with playing our beautiful course on Friday the 19^th.  

On July fourth, we had a Flag Tournament, which is an individual competition and the members made their own groups, as well as tee times.  

We will have a British Open Player Pick on Saturday the 20^th where the member adds their net score to a player of their choosing from the British Open field.

Be aware, we are going to continue changing the profile of the soil of our greens with another deep tine aerification and heavy topdressing throughout the summer.

We are going to begin a program to NOT provide cups, lids, and straws at the clubhouse water station.  When a member purchases a Tervis Tumbler with the Osprey Cove logo, they will get .25 cents off when purchasing a soft drink/ iced tea until the end of this year.  Cups, lids, and straws will no longer be available starting September 1^st from the main water station.

New score cards are on order with the new course ratings, and new hole by hole handicap allocations.

The staff is very excited about the River Club re-opening on Saturday the 6^th where a lot of time, effort, and money has been put forward in the renovation.  Lots of fun and exciting happenings around The Club!

Enjoy the summer weather and remember, at least its not 118 degrees!

-Don Yrene, Head Golf Professional

My Time in France

The most frequently asked question when I returned to the club "Why did you come back here to Georgia/Florida?"

The question wasn't something I never thought about and even a year later sometimes consider.  I was offered other opportunities in other countries and even here at home that were very tempting for a career path and financially.  I spent two years at Osprey before I went to France and I felt during that time that the experience we were providing had changed quite significantly from when I first arrived.  It changed for the better, but we never reached our ultimate goal.  Back then, Adam and I spent many long nights talking and planning to bring the glory back to Osprey that it had in its early years and the reputation that we knew it could garner for the future.   Near the end of my time in France a unique chain of events occurred that allowed the opportunity for me to take control of all Food and Beverage operations at Osprey.  After long talks with Adam and extensive question and answer sessions with Paul, I decided it was time to achieve the success we knew could be possible here at Osprey. 

I don't enjoy all French foods, in fact I find most of it a bit uncomfortable and over the top.  That isn't what I took away from my time in France.  Two years in another country can force change.  I grew up eating meals in a hurry.  There was always something else going on and there seemed to be an urgency to move forward.  We also grew up eating what happened to be in the coupon books that week.  Spaghetti was a regular and pizza on Friday was always something to look forward to.  I am one of four children and my parents worked excessively hard to make sure we had all the opportunities we wanted or needed to succeed.   During my time abroad I realized a different approach to meals.  Two hour lunches weren't uncommon and four hour to six hour dinner marathons were more habitual, even during the week.  For three weeks I lived with a French family in Bordeaux.  It was during this time that I grew to have a true appreciation for their lifestyle.  Hard work has its place.  Daily debate and the distractions that face us each day are unavoidable.  The French realize this to be true and place a road block between daily challenge and gastronomy.  My greatest challenge in coming home is to help us all appreciate our meal times.  Food isn't only nourishment for health, but also an outlet to enjoy our closest friends and family each day. I believe this to be true and hope that with time the club will provide that experience for each of its members.  

-Bill Shaffer, Executive Chef

Playground Safety

The new playground at Osprey Cove is nearly complete! With the official opening set for July 6, we thought your children may enjoy this vintage Mickey Mouse video that teaches playground safety.

Sun Safety for Kids

A short video that teaches sun safety.

Fireworks - Last Chance!

Last chance to sign up for the fireworks cruise!

Space is limited! We will be chartering a ferry to watch the 4th of July Fireworks on the St. Marys River. The cost is $20 per person. To sign up, please contact Heidi at 673.9934 or hhowell@ospreycoveclub.com and she will put you on the list.

Reservations are required by June 15, 2013. Spots on the boat will be based on a first come, first serve basis. A deposit of $20 will be required when making your reservation and will be non-refundable.

Grand Opening Luau!

To celebrate the Grand Opening of the River Club after the vast renovations are complete (new pavers around the pool deck; new surfacing of the pool; the expansion of the Tiki Hut to feature a full kitchen; a new playground set; and a surprise or two), we will be having a Luau on Saturday, July 6. All Members are invited to attend at no cost! The luau will feature traditional fare such as guava barbecue roasted pork, jerk rubbed flank steak, grilled whitefish w/ corn salsa, crab salad, cilantro coconut rice, summer vegetables, and cucumber papaya salad. A live band will play island music and everyone will be greeted with a lei upon arrival! The Tiki Hut will be open for you to purchase your favorite island cocktails. Please RSVP by calling 912.673.9929 or email hhowell@ospreycoveclub.com

Why Aerate Greens?

We aerated the greens yesterday and I thought you may want to find out why we do it and why it is important. To learn, watch the video below!
-Ashley Byrd, Golf Course Superintendent

Desserts for Charity

The Osprey Cove Women's Club did a fundraiser and sold a recipe book titled "Sweet Charity," and all of the proceeds went to various charities in Camden County.

Each month, beginning in June, we will feature a recipe from the book and sell it as a dessert during dinner service on Friday and Saturday evenings. One dollar from each sale will be donated at the end of the year to the Osprey Cove Women's Club charitable efforts.

This month's featured dessert is a Peach Cream Roll, submitted by Club Member, Mrs. Mette. This is a nice spin on the old favorite "pumpkin roll."


Make dinner reservations for tonight by calling the Grille at 673.9929

"This is a wonderful gesture and I applaud you for it!  As a member of the Osprey Cove Women’s Club and having been a Co-Chair of its Community Service Committee for several years, I know firsthand of the worthy organizations in Camden County (and there are many) that the Women’s Club supports and know how much our support means to them. I am honored that you chose my recipe for Peach Cream Roll to feature for the month of June." ~Colleen Mette

Junior Golf Camp was in Full Swing!

This past week, Junior Golfers attended Golf Camp at Osprey Cove. Head Golf Professional, Don Yrene, and Assistant Golf Professional, Holt Lantz, spent four fun-filled days teaching the children the game of golf. The aspiring golfers learned how to putt and chip; they worked on their full swing and their short game; they combined all of the skills they learned to play 9 holes Friday.

Jr. Golfer, Joshua, told me that putting is his favorite because he gets to hit the ball in the hole. Look at the pictures below to see a sampling of all the fun the juniors and their instructors had at Camp this week!

Don's daughter came to assist him with the camp!

Summer Golf Update from Don

Summer is now upon us.  The weather has been great during the latter part of May, but we do need warmer temperatures and humidity to help get the Tiff bermuda grass to grow strong and healthy.  This month of June, I led our young golfers into learning this great game in the Junior Golf Camp last week.  We will have another camp July 16^th through 19^th and there are a few spots available for kids to sign up.  Also this month we have the MGA Quarterly on the 8^th, Methodist Home Golf Classic on the 9^th, Coastal Ladies’ Association Summer League on the 12^th, and a US Open Player Pick on the 15^th. 

Be advised the course will be active this summer with green aerification and topdressing, and we will get those dates out to the membership as soon as possible.  Remember the accompanied 18 hole guest fee is $45 plus tax from June 1 to the end of September. 

Thank you and see ‘round the O.C.

-Don Yrene, Head Golf Professional

Buying Local

Over the past year the Food and Beverage Department has been working to find quality vendors who supply local produce and goods.  When I came back to Osprey last year, I knew if we were going to have success we needed to move away from companies like Sysco and U.S. Foods.  We spent a lot of time visiting vendors’ warehouses, talking with their buyers and really trying to understand their motives.  Below you will find a couple of pictures from a farm in Macclenny Florida, which is located just southwest of Jacksonville off of interstate 10 on the way to the Osceola National Forest.  Each week I talk at length with my produce supplier, Jere, to find the freshest and highest quality in season fruits and vegetables.  He sends me pictures from the farms, along with weather updates and growing trends.  Together we are able to decide what is tasting the best and traveling the shortest distance to your plate when you eat here in the Clubhouse at Osprey Cove.  

-Bill Shaffer, Executive Chef

Moore Help, Please

The folks of Moore, OK have experienced a catastrophe beyond most of our imagination. Let’s send them our support. We are currently accepting donations to aid in the relief efforts. You can donate in the Golf Shop or in the Admin Office. We will be accepting donations through next Friday.

All of the courses managed by Green Golf Partners are participating in this fundraising effort. In addition to the donations collected, GGP will be donating $1,000 to the American Red Cross.

We hope you have a safe Memorial Day weekend.  Remember our fallen military heroes who served to protect our freedom on this special day.

Pencil Tine

Recently, the course went through a process called Pencil Tine.

To learn more about this procedure watch this video from YouTube.

-AB

Holt Lantz Named Assistant Golf Professional

Holt Lantz, a native of Atlanta, GA has been named the Assistant Golf Professional at The Club. Lantz began working at The Club last year as the Golf Services Coordinator and was promoted this week.

Lantz said, “I’m very excited about my new position at The Club; this is a great opportunity to learn and grow under our new leadership in Green Golf Partners and Don Yrene. Since I started at Osprey in August 2012, we have made nothing but positive changes to the member experience and I am looking forward to only making it better.”

Lantz fell in love with the game of golf through junior golf camps and grew up playing at The Oaks Course in Covington, GA. However, he didn’t become an avid golfer until his teenage years. “To me, the golf course has always been a social atmosphere to learn new things and be competitive.”

Congratulations, Holt!

Don went to the Masters!

It has been a very wet start to the month of May, however we will get rolling again soon.  This month we have The Players pick a player event on the 11^th, there is a Couple’s tournament on the 19^th which starts at 12:30, we have nine and dine at 3 PM on the 22^nd, and Memorial Day Flag tournament on the 27^th.  Remember the entire club is closed on Mondays beginning Monday, May 6^th.  The greens did receive small tine aerification and top dressing last Monday, the 6th.  

I am really looking forward to attending my first PGA Tour Players tournament this week.  Ashley Byrd and I went to my first Masters tournament in Augusta and I am anticipating big fun again when experiencing The Players in Ponte Vedra.

I will be conducting junior golf clinics June 4-7, and July 16-19; contact the golf shop at 912-882-5575 for details.

See you around the O.C.!

Don Yrene, PGA

Head Golf Professional

The Club at Osprey Cove

912-673-9928

Kentucky Derby Party

Thank you to all of the members who joined us for the 1st Annual Kentucky Derby Party! A lot of fun was had by all! The experience began with a glass of champagne upon arrival, delicious food such as Raspberry Pastries, Louisville "Hot Brown" Sandwiches, Pecan Corn Cakes, Burgoo, and much more was prepared by Chef Bill Shaffer. The hats were exceptionally creative! We hope to see you there next year!

Oh the Places You'll Go...With Osprey Cove in Tow.

Graduation season is now upon us so whether you have a graduate, are a graduate, or a friend of a graduate remember to enjoy and celebrate this special time. While planning special events may seem stressful, contact Osprey Cove for a stress-free experience. Executive Chef, Bill Shaffer, will create a culinary delight to meet your grad's fancy; our team will set up the room and even clean it up after the party! All you need to do is smile and invite your guests!

For more information about scheduling your graduation party, please contact Heidi, The Sales & Marketing Director at 912.673.9934.

Boating Safety Tips

The sun is shining, there's a warm breeze blowing, the scent of magnolias fill the air, and the chirps of birds are music to your ears so it must be time to put on your bathing suit, pack the coolers, and get ready for a day out on the water in your boat.

Here are some important Safety Tips to remember this summer, courtesy of Green Boating:


1. Make sure all children wear life jackets whenever they’re on the boat or near the water. Kids are fast and they can be overboard in the blink of an eye. Don’t count on being able to keep kids safe by “keeping an eye on them” at all times.

2. Make sure there is a life jacket on board for every adult. Never take on more riders than you have personal flotation devices to accommodate. At the beginning of the season, make sure each adult has a life jacket that fits properly. Replace any that no longer fit or are in poor condition.

3. Don’t drink and drive a boat. For the same reasons you don’t get behind the wheel of a car after drinking alcohol, you should never operate a boat under the influence.

4. Check your safety equipment regularly. Fire extinguishers, safety lines, anchors and other safety equipment should all be checked to make sure they’re in proper working condition.

5. Take a boating safety course. Consider taking a safety course and having other adults and older children in the family taking a course. This is the best way to learn how to avoid collisions with other boats, handle sudden changes in weather, and deal with any unexpected emergencies that could occur on the water.  Boater's Safety Courses are required to obtain a Florida Boater's License and beginning in 2014 they will be required in Georgia, as well.

If you would like to attend a Boater's Safety Course through the United States Coast Guard, please contact Heidi, as we do have them at The Club a couple of times a year and we can give you the contact information for courses outside of the gates.

Hello, Zelda!

Osprey Cove Members; meet Zelda, our alligator. She lives in the pond on Hole 14.While Zelda appears to be a friendly reptile, we wanted to take a minute not only to introduce you, but also to remind you of some basics.

We live in Georgia; where we share the land with animals, reptiles, amphibians, and all other sorts of wildlife. This includes wild hogs, snakes, alligators, etc. We ask you to use your best judgment when looking for your golf balls, whether it is in bushes or near a pond and also remain alert while biking, walking, and fishing.

As a general rule, alligators nor snakes will bother you if you don't bother them. If you should encounter either, it is suggested you keep your distance and do not try to provoke them. Please do not attempt to touch them, catch them, or feed them.

Should an alligator become a problem and you feel threatened, please notify Kristy in the HOA office. Alligators are not removed from Osprey Cove unless they become a threat to the safety and well-being of the community.

Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog of The Club at Osprey Cove. It is our goal to use this as a tool to effectively communicate with you, our members. While we will continue to send weekly emails, detailed information and reviews of events will be available here.

The entire management team will contribute to this blog. You can expect to hear from Bill Shaffer, the Executive Chef, on the first Tuesday of every month with an update in regards to Food & Beverage; Don Yrene will provide you with the latest happenings as they relate to golf on the second Tuesday of every month; Golf course maintenance and landscaping tips will be posted by Ashley Byrd, and every once in awhile you can expect an update from General Manager, Adam Stuck. On a daily basis, the Sales & Marketing Director, Heidi Howell will provide you with a variety of content that ranges from Club happenings to humorous YouTube clips to current events. We hope that you will enjoy our new blog! Please feel free to comment on our posts.

A Golf Update from Don

It has been a very busy beginning to the new year.  We had a WGA Quarterly, a month long women's and men's match play, the Sweetheart scramble, Men's member-member, WGA Osprey Cup, and many other events at the club.  

In April, we have the masters at Osprey Cove on the 12th & 13th, MGA East vs. West on April 20th & 21st, and the Ladies' Member-Member on the 27th & 28th.  We have had all kinds of weather conditions thus far, and I am really looking forward to some warmer Coastal Georgia temperatures!

 The course is looking great and the new G-Angle sand in all the bunkers is performing quite nicely.

 If you are looking for game improvement, feel free to schedule an instruction session or sessions.  I am usually available in the afternoons. Please call the Golf Shop at 882.5575.

My family of five and I are adjusting to life in the Southeast instead of natives and long time residents of the Southwest.  I have to remind myself to order non-sweet tea when I want to drink regular iced-tea!