Friday, December 23, 2016

Dick Hyland, Director of Golf, Inducted Into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame

The Selection Committee of the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame recently named Dick Hyland, Director of Golf at our Scottsdale Country Club, The Country Club at DC Ranch, to its list of new inductees for 2016.  The Induction Ceremony was held on Tuesday, November 22 at Paradise Valley Country Club.  


Hyland embraces a wide range of talent and services that has brought him to this pinnacle in his career, including:
  • Demonstration of outstanding qualities of leadership
  • Demonstration of strong moral character
  • A substantial record of service
  • Recognized and regarded as a model PGA Professional


As Hyland mentioned in his speech, “I would not be successful without the support of the membership and staff at The Country Club at DC Ranch, and I can tell you they have been terrific with all of our initiatives. I know with receiving this award tonight there is a responsibility that goes with it, and I am fully prepared to accept the challenge. I am very fortunate to contribute to the golf landscape in Arizona in a small way over the last 30 years and I do not plan to stop any time soon.”


It is a tremendous honor to be a part of Who’s Who” in the world of golf. Included among the 90 other Arizona Golf Hall of Fame members are Karsten Solheim, Tom Weiskopf, Bob Goldwater, Heather Farr, Billy Mayfair and Dr. Ed Updegraff.


Hyland’s passion is running golf operations that keep members happy, and teaching young pros how to serve their clientele. The following quote from Dick says it all - "I've never really had a job - I've had a career. A job has hours and limitations, and a career does not. My greatest thrill is to see the young professionals who have worked with me over the years go on to successful careers." At last count, he has placed over 50 PGA professionals to head Golf Professional, Director of Golf or Instruction positions in the industry.


Hyland brings over 30 years of experience and numerous awards to Scottsdale private golf courses and is recognized as one of the top performers. Throughout his career, Hyland has participated in the design and start-up of 12 Scottsdale private golf courses, implemented global planning for club operations, and has been recognized for his expertise of managing golf professionals, agronomy teams and retail personnel.


The Country Club at DC Ranch has been a center point of the Scottsdale community for 20 years and features one of the most well-maintained private golf courses in the Valley. The championship golf course, designed by the famed PGA pro Tom Lehman and John Fought, offers a traditional golf experience wrapped in panoramic views of the Sonoran desert.

Scottsdale Country Club Staff Members Celebrate Their “Sweet 16”



When you begin a job at the start of the new millennium, it’s easy to keep track of how long you’ve been working. Three staff members of the Scottsdale Country Club at DC Ranch are celebrating their “Sweet 16” anniversary at the Club this year: Cheri Farias, Director of Communications and Clubhouse Operations, Alfredo Garcia, Lead Server and Sommelier, and Melanie Halpert, Director of Membership. They took time out recently to talk about the special qualities that motivated them to stay with us among all the private golf clubs in Scottsdale for so many years.


“The most rewarding part of my job is watching new members meet lifelong friends at The Club,” commented Melanie Halpert. “So many of our members are new to the area and do not know anyone. The Club is known throughout the Valley not only as a premier lifestyle country club, but as a warm and inviting family-oriented place.”


Cheri Farias agreed: “We are a true family-friendly club. We stand behind our ‘Fun, Family and Friendliness’ mission statement. The membership has grown from 250 when I started to more than 500 now, and many more families have children under the age of 18. When we offer an adult event, we do our best to also offer a kid’s event at the same time.”


Lasting Memories


Alfredo: Years ago, a member told me golf was the easiest sport to play. She was a great golfer, and explained that since the ball doesn’t move, it is easy to hit. Coming from Mexico, where golf is not a popular sport, I decided to try learning to play. One of the golf pros gave me some basic tips, but after the explanation of the correct stance (shoulders, head, hips, feet, butt out, etc.) I realized it wasn’t so easy! Now I appreciate the game even more.


Cheri: One of my favorite memories was when we surprised Paul Skelton, our COO at the time, with the Leadership Scholarship for ongoing education. We were preparing for our Grand Re-Opening of the clubhouse after renovation and he had just been inducted in the Golf Hall of Fame. Continuous education for the employees at CCDC was one of his passions, so we started a scholarship in his name and surprised him with it on his birthday. It was an exciting time at The Club for everyone.


Beloved Traditions
Cheri: The Santa dinner is one of the magical events I look forward to each year. We have the “real” Santa here to greet the children and sit with each one of them to take their photo and get their wish list. It is an “organized chaos” kind of a night because the children get very excited with all of the activity!


Alfredo: The Opening Party! When the Members arrive and see their friends, and the staff, the excitement is very high. There’s a lot of anticipation for the season ahead.


Melanie: I think one of the reasons our Scottsdale Country Club members love being at The Club is seeing so many of the staff members who have been here for 10, 15, 20 years! They love that it feels like family.


Insider Facts About The Club


Did you know that . . .


  • When The Club first started, employees wore cowboy and cowgirl uniforms
  • There is more grass on the golf course at The Country Club at DC Ranch than any other golf course in north Scottsdale
  • The Club has a “secret special cookie” only served on Saturdays to the members. It’s delicious!
  • The Four Tops once performed at The Club
  • Martha Stewart once planned and hosted a wedding at The Club

Thursday, December 15, 2016

What You Need To Know About Chef Lenard Rubin of Scottsdale Country Club




Lenard Rubin - of Scottsdale Country Club - has an impressive resumé which shows him to be a globe-trotting, award-winning chef. His “recipes, commentary and/or food styling” have been featured in a dozen books. Today, Scottsdale, Arizona, is his home and the center of his culinary world.

At the Scottsdale Country Club, Rubin is ultimately responsible for a range of dining
experiences, from upscale meals to pool snacks. Thank goodness he’s handled everything from fine dining to casual, “even fried chicken and deli restaurants,” as part of the group he worked for in Russia, Rubin says. “And I’m well-versed in all styles of and cuisine.” He likes to create international and regional dishes and events for his members, who “truly appreciate the diversity of offerings, as most of them are also well-traveled.” Rubin enjoys giving back to his community, too; he was a Guest Chef for Phoenix Children’s Hospital Rainbow Camp for six years.

Here’s more on his career and activities:

Q: At the Ritz-Carlton, you found yourself “starstruck and with a knack for the cooking thing.”

LR: In the early ’80s the Ritz Café was the place to see and be seen, and I got to cook for
and often meet celebrities and politicians, like Robert Redford, Jackie Onassis, Ted Kennedy, Diana Ross, Peter Falk .... I started as a “runner” for the Café. That kitchen was so small, they needed someone to go up and down the stairs to the main kitchen to deliver food for each meal period. I got to help cook as well, in an open kitchen. In a short time I moved up to the main kitchen and worked my way around all the areas of the classically French brigade. I was hooked and haven’t looked back! Then Lenny’s Gumbo, because I’m told it’s better than what you get in New Orleans. I actually lived there, and while working at the InterContinental I did a function for the mayor with Paul Prudhomme, who showed me how he made his gumbo. It’s all about the roux!
Q: Your food helps recruit Scottsdale Country Club  members—so what’s your approach to staffing?

LR: I don’t look for the most talented or experienced cooks, although that is a great
quality. I look for eager cooks without egos who will fit into the culture I’ve created in our kitchen—to create great dining experiences for our members and their guests, and to learn from each other how to get better at what we do every day. To keep good : Give positive reinforcement at every opportunity, get to know everyone well and show empathy at all times. Also, hold them responsible but be fair and consistent.
Q: And how are the  Scottsdale Golf Club food and beverage amenities promoted?

LR: We use Twitter, Facebook, magazine advertising, email marketing, PR and our website. Being a private Scottsdale Golf Club, club we don’t really promote our banquet services. For the most part we exclusively do member or member referred events and weddings. During the slower months we’ll consider non-member requests on a case-by-case basis.

Q: Today, pleasing Scottsdale Golf Club families is a large part of your success. Great ideas?

LR: We do quite a few family events throughout the year at Scottsdale Golf Club, such as Disney Night, End of School Party, Dinner with Santa, Labor Day Luau, The Cowboy Cookout,

Father/Daughter Dance, Back to School Party, Memorial Day BBQ, Taco Tuesday, Easter Brunch, Mother’s Day Brunch, and many, many more!

Q: You recently won ACF’s “Western Region Chef of the Year.” So the DC Ranch cuisine is no slouch!

LR: I completely changed the Scottsdale Golf Club dining room menus shortly after I got here to reflect my style, but more importantly to reflect what members want to eat.
Q: Top two menu items?

LR: Mexican Corn Made Easy, because it’s delicious—and cut off the cob so it’s not.

Q: For as long as you’ve worked in Shamrock Foods territory, you’ve been a fan. Why?
LR: I’ve been a loyal Shamrock Foods customer for nearly 30 years. What initially won my business was the way that the sales representatives, management and ownership—as big as they are as a company—treat their customers. They celebrate my accomplishments and support me like a family member. Our business relationship is a partnership, not just a series of transactions.

Q: And your rep, Tom Moore?

LR: I’ve worked with Tom for many years, and he’s always there for me no matter what. If I need to source or sample a new product, he makes it happen. He helps me get products if I miss something or have an emergency, and goes out of his way on a daily basis to make sure I have what I need, when I need it. And before every season I ask Tom to go over pricing with me to see if there are any products we need to re-evaluate to get the best price-value relationship and still fall within my specs.
Q: You say you purchase “about 99%” of your products from Shamrock Foods.

LR: Yes, and they are all great products at great prices. I do buy bread from a local baker, because there is nothing like fresh!

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Sign-ups for the Gentlemen’s Interclub



We would like to announce the opening of sign-ups for the Private Golf Clubs in Scottsdale Gentlemen’s Interclub. Sign-ups are currently up on Foretees in the Golf Events. There will be a separate sign-up for each event. The first seven players to sign up will get into the tournament, and the eighth player of the team will be a professional. The cost per tournament is $80 per player, and an additional $20 cash.
There have been some changes that the Interclub Committee believe will make the events much more enjoyable for everyone. All of the Private Golf Clubs in Scottsdale in our division will play at the host club on the same day. Each club will still be playing against only one other club. The teams will be made up of one professional and seven members. The team will be split into four two-man teams. Each team will compete in a four-ball stableford competition.

Dec 1st:           @ Desert Forest Golf Club, 11:30am lunch, 12:30pm shotgun start
Dec 15th:         @Pinnacle Peak Country Club, 11:30am lunch, 12:30pm shotgun start
Jan 23rd:         @ Desert Mountain-Cochise, 11:30am lunch, 12:30pm shotgun start
Feb 20th:          @ Troon Country Club, 11:30am lunch, 12:30pm shotgun start
March 6th:      @ The Country Club at DC Ranch, 11:30am lunch, 12:30pm shotgun start
April 4th:         @Terravita Golf and Country Club, 12:00pm lunch, 1:00pm shotgun start