Club Times: May June 2024

Spring Forward with Ready Golf

A letter from your Golf Chair easier to take small steps from the onset of the round to keep up pace than it is to play catch up after being notified by an AAC Ranger. Tournaments Atlanta Athletic Club has a rich history and legacy of championship golf, and this year we are continuing the tradition through our elevated club tournaments. All of the club events are strategically designed to offer tournament experiences that target all of the unique needs of all of our members. Eric Still, our PGA Tournament Director, has leveraged the Club’s Golf Genius platform to automate registration for the 2024 member events. Check out our Member-Guest Invitationals and Member-Member events that are scheduled throughout the year. Whether your goal is camaraderie or competition, AAC tournaments offer fun and competitive events for golfers of every level. New Team Members We are excited to welcome two new Associate Professionals for the 2024 season, Connor Prins and James Konarzewski! Connor Prins joins us from Monterey Peninsula Country Club (MPCC). Before his tenure at MPCC, Connor grew up in Denver and went on to play college golf at Monterey Peninsula College. He is a die-hard Denver Broncos fan and we will need to work hard to convert him into a Falcons fan. James Konarzewski is the team's most recent addition and came from Congressional Country Club. Before his golf career began, James grew up in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, which is sandwiched between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. When asked about moving to Atlanta, he responded, “I heard it gets much hotter here.” Both Connor and James are working through the AAC professional development program, which is preparing them to one day run their own golf operations. The future is bright for Connor and James, and we are excited they have joined the AAC Team! Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to shout out to our PGA golf instructors for helping our members improve their skills and enjoyment of the game and also to Kristin Everard for optimizing our Golf Pro Shop merchandise with first-class equipment and apparel. As we embark on another memorable golf season, I encourage everyone to fully enjoy every round in 2024. Whether you’re on Highlands, Riverside, or a quick sprint through the Par 3 course make sure to take a moment of gratitude to appreciate the opportunity we have available at the AAC.

I am very excited for the opportunity to work with Bud Taylor and our Golf Operations team during the Club’s 2024/2025 fiscal year. The question was asked …”What do you get when you combine two very different golf courses, unparalleled club history and world class athletic facilities?” One of my enjoyable pleasures is hosting guests at the AAC and sharing the experience of

our championship courses. Whether it’s navigating “Calamity Lane,” the last four holes on the back nine of Highlands, and avoiding the scorecard disasters or enjoying the scenic vistas of the Chattahoochee River as you negotiate the chills and thrills of the Riverside Course. Both courses stimulate your senses with beauty, wildlife, precarious club selection decisions with water features and bunkers awaiting. I encourage everyone to appreciate and enjoy the great assets that we have available to us. As we look forward to the calendar in 2024: Ladies & Gentlemen’s Par 3 Leagues are Back! In 2022, the Gentlemen’s Par 3 League had its inaugural season and was an overnight success. Last season, Caitlin Cannon founded the Ladies Par 3 League, which saw similar instant success. Coming into 2024, we are expecting even more members to participate between the two leagues! The Ladies will play on Tuesday evenings beginning in June, while the Gentlemen will host their draft on May 1st and begin play two weeks later. Additional information and sign-ups will be Promoting golf stewardship on the course by repairing ball marks, raking bunkers, filling divots, and picking up tees will continue to be a priority of the Golf Operations team. In addition, pace of play is a commitment that enhances the golf experience for all members and guests. Our goal is 4 hours under normal course conditions. The following are small steps that all players and groups can take to shave precious minutes off each hole. • Play Ready Golf: A simple, popular, and effective way to play fast. • Make club selections and read putts while your playing partners are playing without disturbing their routines. • Cart partners can drop off their playing companion and drive to their ball position when safe and clear from the proximity of other members in the group. • One Club In, One Club Out: For players that use golf carts, put the club you just used back in the bag at the same time as you select the club for your next shot. This can save up to ten seconds per shot. • Play Fescue Areas as a Red Penalty Area: Fescue areas are a Red Penalty Areas in the AAC local rules; encourage your group to adopt this rule and save time and strokes. • Keep up with the group in front of you not immediately in front of the group behind you. Taking these small steps can shave fifteen minutes off your next round of golf. Speaking from personal experience, it is much published for both events in the near future. Golf Stewardship & Pace of Play

Fairways & Greens, Milford McGuirt AAC Golf Chairman