March 1, 2023
Dear Geneva National Members,
As we welcome March, our minds turn to spring golf and the safe return of Member snowbirds who escaped this year’s wacky Wisconsin winter. Indeed, despite intermittent snow and ice storm warnings this season, we experienced one of the warmest Januarys on record, which reduced Ice Castles operations to just three days. While we had hoped and planned for more, the attraction’s opening weekend was extremely busy. I’m proud of how our team prioritized genuine hospitality and top-of-the-line service amidst the hurried crowds. Our dedication to training and continuous improvement was evident and will serve our Membership well this year!
Clearly, we are committed to investing in our staff’s development, and that includes our robust internship program for those seeking careers in the club and resort industry. At the bottom of this email, please find a yearbook featuring our 2023 interns as well as the primary roster of Club leadership that has provided friendly hospitality to the Member’s Club over the years.
Golf & Course Updates
Looking ahead, we are winding up for a spectacular and entertaining 2023 season. Private clubs everywhere are more active than ever, and we are no exception. We welcomed a record number of new Members last year, including many Generational Members, a popular offering countrywide as the program allows families to enjoy Club life together as full members. Be assured that we will be watching our numbers carefully to ensure Members continue to have tee time access. To this end, we have increased the fees for Generational Members to create enhanced balance between Generational usage and our full Members. In addition, to provide optimal service daily across all three courses, we are asking Members this year to book tee times no sooner than 24 hours in advance when playing resort courses (unless approved by Golf management). I want to reiterate that GN is committed to generous Member accessibility to the golf courses, and we look forward to increased afternoon play with our season-long Member guest fee of just $30 (for cart) for tee times after 3:30pm.
Extending the game to the next generation is a continued priority here at GN. To support this goal, former intern Cody Schrock will return this spring upon graduating from University of Colorado’s Professional Golf Management program to lead Geneva National’s Junior Golf instruction, including golf clinics and camps. (See website for camp dates.) Supporting Cody will be another new Assistant Golf Professional, Golf Enterprise Management major Kendra Swanson, who graduates this May after four years on the UW-Stout Golf Team. With the support of Director of Golf Steve Loomis and Member Head Golf Professional Charlie Brown, GN will host the junior golf road to Augusta National via our local Drive, Chip & Putt qualifier May 21. (Registration is now open.) The professional golf staff also will create an in-house tournament series June – August to introduce junior golfers from GN and the local area to competitive golf. Moreover, GN’s Trevino Course will welcome the Wisconsin Junior PGA for an August 23 state tournament, and for the second consecutive year, The Dance Floor will be the site of the WPGA Putting Championship. Look for a casual, yet competitive Members Golf Putting League to be launched this year on the Dance Floor along with an outdoor concert series at The Paloma Cantina.
Adults interested in stepping up their game with customized clubs or private lessons will be glad to hear that we have added Ryan Southworth to the team as Master Clubfitter and Teaching Professional. Ryan was a member of my team at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, and formerly owned a clubfitting studio in Bradenton, FL. Please join us in welcoming Ryan to the Club forthcoming April 28, and feel free to email southycustomgolf@yahoo.com if you are in the market for a clubfitting or a golf lesson.
Our quest to enhance the Member experience naturally covers the courses as well. In our effort to continually elevate the standard of course conditions, we have purchased and received several new pieces of agronomy equipment and added four Turfgrass Management interns to the team as well as former intern Will Rowe, who starts full-time this month as a new Assistant Superintendent. Members can anticipate increased open communication with Director of Grounds Kevin Knudtson and the superintendents as they wish to meet more of the Member’s Club and collect your firsthand feedback regarding primary areas for course improvement.
Key Grounds projects for 2023 include adding six new tee boxes for the forward tees on Trevino and expanding Palmer 8 with a new forward and primary tee. Plans are to progressively square off tees and eventually enlarge most every par 3 tee box on the property. We are organizing strategies to increase verti-cutting and topdressing to expanded levels as we desire firm and fast playing conditions whenever Mother Nature allows.
Furthermore, we are committed to ongoing investment in improved cart paths in highly trafficked areas. Strategic additions of buffering trees will continue in 2023 and beyond, which includes adding one new tree for every tree that has been removed on the courses during the last three years. On-course restrooms also will receive a makeover this spring, and our team has organized to ensure the highest levels of cleanliness at these buildings to accommodate increased usage. Moreover, we continue to explore the potential of renovating several greens on the Arnold Palmer signature course. We hope to have an update soon regarding scheduling this significant undertaking for October 2023.
Property & Restaurant Renovations
Progress doesn’t take a detour at Geneva National, and that includes our beloved Clubhouse. Currently, the member-side ladies’ locker room is being fully remodeled with new Kohler fixtures, including spa-like showers and an infrared sauna. (In the meantime, thanks for pardoning our dust!) In further support of a wellness lifestyle, we continue to expand our fitness class schedule with instructor Lori Scotney, who will provide interim leadership as longtime Director Kelsey Waddell takes maternity leave. Also of note, a new lifestyle and athletic wear pop-up shop featuring lululemon, Johnnie O, Greyson Clothiers, and other first-rate brands will open around Memorial Day and operate in the Simulator Studio room through early October. (Members continue to receive 25% off apparel when paying on a Member account.)
Behind the scenes, we are investing in strategic improvements to Member dining as we overhaul the Member Taproom’s kitchen to improve the ergonomics of the cooking line and enhance speed of service during peak periods. We are making operational F&B upgrades as well, including the launch of the Hunt Club’s new seasonal menu as well as an exclusive Sunday-Thursday Members-only menu to provide you added value for everyday dining. Hunt Club General Manager Christopher Brogan and Chef de Cuisine Anthony Dreifke are leading this new offering, while Chef Adam Stratton and Chef Alex Sadlier lead the teams at Geneva National. In January 2023, our long-time Executive Chef Ryne Harwick departed from the company after nearly 10 years of service. We are grateful for his incredible contributions; his legacy of training and commitment to excellence will carry on at GN.
The approaching warmer temps will allow us to open the highly anticipated Paloma Cantina at The Dance Floor. This new hot spot will fire up fast-casual dining and some of the best views in Lake Geneva! The signature emblem of the Cantina will be the Paloma dove logo to honor the memory of company founders Garth and Pamela Chambers. Not a day goes by that our leadership doesn’t think of them, share stories, and continue to reflect how thankful we are to this remarkable couple for the Club and resort we are today. I know so many of you feel the same.
Events Calendar
If you have not opened the 2023 Member Events calendar, prepare yourself! We have close to 100 golf and social events scheduled, including several yet to be announced. As you know, boredom is not an option at the Member’s Club!
Among the headlines is the June 5 Beauty vs. The Beast celebrity charity match between golf media influencer Paige Spiranac and golf legend John Daly, with opportunities to win cart-caddie positions for each competitor. We are preparing for some 2,000 spectators for this match benefitting the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) and John Daly’s Heart of a Lion Foundation and seek 75 volunteers to assist with the event. (Please note, the charity match is in addition to the August 6 & 7 primary SOWF fundraiser.) We will send out a separate email with volunteer specifics.
There is no doubt that Geneva National is the place to be – and we are confident that this season will be among the most memorable in our three decades of operation. We are grateful to our Membership for the continued support; certainly, we could not be in the position we are today as a Club and Resort without your patronage. As always, please be welcomed to contact me directly for questions, comments, and feedback regarding our Member’s Club. I look forward to seeing you at this year’s events!
In appreciation,
Glen Murray, Chief Operating Officer
Destination Geneva National
gmurray@palomaresorts.com | 262.245.7087
