General Manager’s February Update

What is the value we put on “fresh eyes?” In the service world, it is one of the most critical traits and elements. It is one of the major topics that we discuss at most every meeting with the Oldfield team. It can be human nature to start to look past things and accept them for what they are. After all, even in our own homes, some things almost magically become invisible. Hence the power in the “fresh eyes” approach to our Club. It has been no surprise that our Oldfield team is currently in a rebuilding mode. While this causes some stress from time to time, it is not always a bad thing to bring in new blood, new ideas and fresh eyes. With that in mind, I am so pleased to welcome our new Director of Golf, Mark Reilly, to the Oldfield team. Special thanks to the Advisory Committee (Tim Rice, Marty Sinkhorn, Joe Trapani, Eric Pugh, Tim Cantwell, and John Kauzlarich) for their assistance, time and dedication throughout the hiring process. Mark was elected to PGA membership in 2008 and is currently a Certified Class A member of our organization. His certification focus was Golf Operations and based on what we learned about Mark during the hiring process, he certainly excels in that area. In fact, he checks all the boxes as a leader, merchandiser, tournament operations, player, teacher and so many more elements that are the responsibilities of the Director of Golf. His number one focus is the membership at our Club. Mark has the devotion to promotion that is necessary for all great golf professionals. His desire to bring more people to the game, help them enjoy it more and ultimately play more while enjoying our fabulous facility is the measure of success. Mark will be focused on all elements of our golf community, men, ladies, children and couples. Divide that again by competitive and recreational play and you have a full calendar ahead of you. Mark is originally from Long Island, New York and graduated from Campbell University with a Masters Degree of Business Management, MBA. He started his journey in the career of golf at Seminole Golf Club and worked his way up the ladder to become the Head Golf Professional at Colleton River. Along the way, he also made stops at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, MN; Atlantic Golf Club in Southampton, NY and Floridian Golf Club and Adios Golf Club in South Florida. Mark’s background and experience made him an excellent choice to lead the golf operations at Oldfield Club. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to this gentleman and his family, showcased later in this newsletter. In other news around the club, the winter-time projects and plans continue in various areas around the property. The River Club has been the main focus of energies over the past few months. Remember, the River Club has been closed for some time with a combination of COVID related cuts, as well as repairs and maintenance. While planning the work for the River Club we decided to do the work in phases as to not get overwhelmed with a complex project during these more uncertain times. Phase one has primarily included repairs to the outside of the building and general re-painting of the interior. The end goal for 2021 is to be able to utilize the River Club for member dining and to be able to host various member social events in this incredible space. We also have a full wedding season planned and we are keeping our fingers crossed that 2021 will see the end of the pandemic and allow families and friends to gather as before. After all, there is no better place to gather than the River Club lawn. Phase two will be introduced at a later time after the “mallards line up” and plans solidify. In closing, there are some critical issues before our community that will set the direction of Oldfield into the future. We need to hear from you. So please, get out and VOTE. Reach out to your neighbors to get the word out. Feel free to con- tact me or any member of the OCA Board if you have any questions about this critical vote. Voting today will produce a brighter future tomorrow. Please, get out and vote today.