Short Subjects
February 20, 2004
This week’s column is split into two parts. Neither one has much to do with each other.
Except that they’re both about golf, of course.
Start thinking about joining a golf club
New residents of the Cape Region who love to golf may not realize that the area’s private golf clubs tend to follow a spring-to-spring membership season. They may not also realize that private golf membership opportunities in the area are not limited to the fine courses in the immediate vicinity. Many local residents belong to Sussex Pines Country Club near Georgetown, or take the short drive north to Shawnee Country Club in Milford.
Both of these courses are fine layouts. Both are reasonably priced, which should be highly attractive to new retirees. Most important, neither one has a waiting list for new memberships.
Sussex Pines sits near the Georgetown Airport east of the county seat. Tom Love is the membership chairman, and he recently described the club’s new membership drive, which runs through June 30.
“During the drive we’re waiving the $4,000 initiation fee that new members would normally pay. In addition, for new members under 40 years of age, we’re waiving the $1,000 equity stock purchase until the member turns 41. For new members 41 or older, they’ll have twelve months to make the $1,000 equity payment. Of course, if they want to pay it up front, that’s fine with us,” Love said.
Sussex Pines’ annual dues for family memberships (full privileges for golf, the pool, the clubhouse, and other amenities) runs $1,800 per year. For single full memberships, the club charges $1,715. There is a $60 monthly food/beverage charge for family memberships, with singles paying $40 per month instead.
Love said that the club also has several other membership categories, including a junior shareholder membership for new members under 26, as well as social membership opportunities.
For more information about Sussex Pines, call the club office at 302-856-6283.
Shawnee Country Club’s membership year runs from April 1 through March 31, so if you’re interested in joining the pleasant company that plays there, now’s the time to look into it.
The Milford club has a $1,000 stock purchase requirement for new members, but the club has waived its initiation fees. Full family membership dues are currently set at $1,720 per year, with dues for single full membership privileges at $1,360. The club also has a special membership category that gives full privileges to one family member, with full access for the rest of the family to all other parts of the Shawnee experience except golf. This includes tennis, swimming, the clubhouse, and dining facilities.
The club also offers more limited membership categories.
For more information about Shawnee Country Club, call the club office at 302-422-9745.
In an upcoming column I’ll be discussing some of the changes planned for Kings Creek Country Club, which the club’s board of directors believes will help attract new members to this Cape Region jewel.
Big John wins one
This year’s Daytona 500 NASCAR race was pretty exciting, especially considering all the amazing crashes that took place in the first half of the annual classic.
John Daly’s victory at the Buick Invitational PGA TOUR event in San Diego on the same Sunday was equally exciting, especially considering all the chances Daly gave himself to crash and lose the lead during the last round.
Time after time Daly found the bunkers on the difficult South Course at Torrey Pines, recently lengthened and toughened in anticipation of hosting the U.S. Open in 2008.
Time after time Daly scrambled out of the bunkers and kept himself in contention.
His last bunker shot was his best–a 100-foot blast from the backside bunker on the 18th hole to 4 inches away for an easy birdie on the first playoff hole. After his two competitors missed their chances, Daly had his first win in a PGA Tour event in well over 8 years.
It was a lot of fun to watch someone win a tournament with a great short game.