Country Club prepares for a whole new season

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The board of trustees of the Glen Ridge Country Club will be deciding a replacement tonight for Michael DeRosa who will be finishing his term as club president.

In a recent telephone interview, looking back on 2017, he noted that the highlight was when the club was named NJPGA club of the year. But there were many bright spots, too.

“Our usage of the club has exceeded our expectations,” he said. “And Tommy Monteverdi, our golf professional, has raised the culture here tremendously. The master plan has been a success. It has come to an end and we opened up the club house during my tenure.”
According to DeRosa, general manager and chief operating officer Harris Kobel is surrounded by probably the best staff in NJ.
“We’re in good hands,” he said, “so our club members can enjoy the club.”

DeRosa will now joined the board nominating committee which is comprised of past presidents.
“It was an honor to be president,” he said. “I learned so much from my fellow trustees and it was exciting to see the growth, the transformation, of the club before my eyes. There was no downside to being president. From the trustees, I learned to think outside the box.”
The names of three new board members and one president will be placed into nominated tonight, he said. He said there was no woman on the board yet.

“It’s definitely a future consideration,” he said.
DeRosa will be giving a short speech tonight. In it, he will thank Frank Bruno who nominated him to become a member of the board.
“One of the trustees left the board before his term was up and he nominated me,” DeRosa recalled. “I am grateful for the trust he had in me.”
And he said he could never forget his wife, Danielle, for the support she has always given to him.
Family is central to the GRCC. DeRosa said there were 546 club members or families.

“One thing we did was create a new legacy category,” DeRosa said. “It’s for son and daughter or granddaughter, grandson of a current member. It was adopted two years ago. They can become a member without the initiation fee and there is a reduced rate for dues until their 36th birthday.”

DeRosa said he is proud to be a member of the GRCC.
“It’s been great for my family,” he said. “This country club is where acquaintances become friends and friends become family.”
He said it was also the best bargain around for country clubs.

Over at the pro shop, Monteverdi talked earlier this week about the club. It was a tough winter and a few of the big trees were lost. But finally, spring broke into the open.

“Last week, it looked like a real golf course again,” he said. “It’s in good shape for having next to no weather.”
It was pretty busy at the club during the winter because of “the Bunker,” which are the new portals to the fairway allowing golfers to tee off from inside the pro shop building. This was the first winter for “the Bunker” which also allows members to play a simulated round on about 60 world-famous courses.

“This was the first full year with “the Bunker’ open,” Monteverdi said. “Members could practice, there were lessons and on Thursday night, a league on the simulator. It was booked almost every hour of every day.”

Members played on a league using the simulator. There were eight teams of about six players each. Food and drink were available.
“They played simulated golf on the world’s most famous golf course,” Monteverdi said. “It coincided with the PGA tour on TV. It’s fun to swing a golf club in the winter. They’re taking their golf more seriously in the off-season. Even guys who weren’t playing showed up at ‘the Bunker’ to cheer on their team.”

Youngsters also have the opportunity to learn and play golf at the club. In its junior program, the GRCC has 165 children, ages 6 to 15.
“We have a traveling kids team,” Monteverdi said. “And parent-child events. We have a golf, swimming and tennis summer camp. Some of the girls here play golf on the boys’ team at the high school.”

The youngest players are 6-year-olds. They are taught golfing safety, balance and how to get the ball into the air.
“Those are the three major lessons,” he said. “Getting the ball into the air is the hook. The idea is just to start them playing with a club.”
Having children learn to play golf is mandatory, Monteverdi said, because eventually they are going to play.

“The game is hard, but the family uses the club together,” he said. “And it’s rewarding when you get the ball to do what you want it to do.”
This past weekend, the club had opening day for its membership. On May 15, there will be a member-guest play date.
“Registration sold out in two minutes,” Monteverdi said. “Members can’t always get here, but they want to be here.”