Oakwoodian Newsletter February 2026 by OakwoodCountryClubMO

From the General Manager

DEAR OAKWOOD MEMBERS,

As we turn the calendar to February and settle into 2026, I want to look ahead with excitement for what this year will hold at Oakwood.

Construction is underway on our new gated entrance, an important enhancement to both the arrival experience and overall security of the Club. In addition, work on the upstairs loft renovation are moving forward, creating an updated and inviting space that will further elevate the Oakwood experience.

The start of a new season is always an opportunity to reset, re-energize, and reconnect, and we are thrilled to begin 2026 alongside such an engaged and passionate membership.

On behalf of the entire Oakwood team, thank you for your continued support, spirit, and sense of community. We look forward to welcoming you back, celebrating new beginnings, and sharing another outstanding season together.

Warmly,

From the Head Golf Pro

LOOKING AHEAD AT 2026 GOLF SEASON

Oakwood Members,

I hope everyone is staying warm and making the best of the winter season. For those fortunate enough to be in warmer regions, I hope you're enjoying some excellent rounds of golf! I’d like to share some updates as we approach the 2026 golf season. Our dedicated Golf Professional team has been hard at work during the off-season, preparing for another fantastic year ahead.

In the upcoming weeks, you’ll start receiving information about the 2026 season, including the new Golf Guide, registration details for the Ladies’ and Men’s leagues, and other exciting offerings we have planned.

Alongside these updates, I want to remind everyone to visit the golf shop. As we gear up for 2026, we have a wide selection of products and special discounts to help you get ready for the season.

Additionally, we’ve launched our own Oakwood Golf Shop Instagram account @Oakwoodgolfshop. Follow us for updates on new product launches and the latest golf shop news!

Looking forward to an excellent year with all of you at Oakwood.

Happy New Year,

Hunter Hayes, PGA Head Golf Professional Oakwood Country Club

Meet the Staff

MEMBER ACTIVITIES & EVENTS DIRECTOR

Hello Oakwood members! My name is Kari Amensen, and I’m so excited to join Oakwood Country Club as your Member Activities and Events Director. I’ve lived in Kansas City for nearly 10 years and am proud to call it home. I studied Education at Iowa State University (Go Cyclones!) and began my career teaching in Kansas City, working closely with underprivileged communities. Through teaching, I discovered how much I love bringing people together and creating meaningful moments which naturally led me into the world of events. I’ve been producing events professionally for the past four years and spent the last three at Loch Lloyd Country Club, where I served as Director of Events overseeing member events, social programming, weddings, corporate gatherings, and charitable tournaments. I’m a big believer in teamwork, connection, and creating experiences that feel welcoming and well thought-out. Outside of work, I enjoy concerts, reading, and spending time with family and friends — especially when it involves gathering around good food and great company. I’m also recently engaged, which has made this season of life feel especially celebratory, and I can’t wait to raise a glass and celebrate many memorable moments with you all at Oakwood. Cheers!

From the Director of Instruction TrackMan Simulator Pro Tips

When the weather keeps us inside, your golf game doesn’t have to go into hibernation In fact, the off-season is one of the best times to make real improvement and our TrackMan simulators are the perfect tool to help you step onto the first tee this spring feeling prepared, confident, and sharp.

Here’s how to use your simulator time more efficiently:

Utilize my favorite TrackMan Tool, the Performance Studio. Why? Because it turns practice into a game with a purpose.

Here’s a great way to use it:

Select “Random”

Start with 40–110 yards

Move to 120–160 yards

Finish with Tee Shots, which adjusts for the yardages you typically play

It includes:

Skills tests at different distances

Accuracy challenges

Pressure-style scoring

Strokes Gained data based on your handicap

Instead of guessing if you’re improving, the Performance Studio function shows you. It exposes strengths, highlights weak spots, and builds competitive focus all without needing the course.

If you want your indoor practice to transfer outside, this is the place to spend time

Oakwood Agronomy Report From the Course

As we look ahead to early spring, the maintenance crew has been hard at work with snow removal, tree work, and a variety of shop projects to prepare for the upcoming season. While snowfall can occasionally slow golf operations, it plays an important role in turf health. Snow cover during extreme cold periods helps insulate the turf, protecting it from wind and bitter temperatures while providing valuable moisture. Fortunately, we typically do not experience snow cover long enough to cause damage, so these conditions are largely beneficial for the course.

We are approximately one month away from returning to full oncourse operations and beginning spring preparation. Several projects have been underway throughout the winter, with the largest being the construction of an additional pond on Hole 16, along with repairs to the existing pond. Progress on these projects has been slowed at times due to frozen ground and water, but we are hopeful that warmer temperatures will allow us to complete much of this work soon.

Additional improvements include the installation of steppingstones on the par-3 course to help reduce foot traffic on turf areas. We have also made upgrades on Hole 18 with the addition of a new bunker, as well as a new bunker on Hole 5 of the par-3 course, which was added following repairs to the green where slopes were beginning to deteriorate.

We appreciate everyone’s patience during the winter months and look forward to getting back to full activity as spring approaches.

Jacob Foster Golf Course Superintendent

“I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW IMPRESSED I WAS WITH THE COTTAGE AND THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE. MY GUESTS WERE EQUALLY IMPRESSED. THE FOOD WAS OUTSTANDING AND DELIVERED BEAUTIFULLY. EVERYTHING WAS DONE PROMPTLY. ALL OF OUR REQUESTS WERE MET WITH ENTHUSIASM AND KINDNESS.

THE COTTAGE IS OUTSTANDING! I LOOK FORWARD TO MY NEXT STAY AND EVENT!! I AM PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH A GREAT CLUB!”

-Mike Wood Oakwood Member

“WE BOOKED ONE OF THE COTTAGES FOR A FAMILY WEEKEND AND OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN JOINED US. WE PLAYED GOLF, TOOK THE GRANDKIDS TO THE KIDS POOL AND SPLASH PAD, PLAYED PICKLEBALL AND WENT FISHING.

ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WAS AFTER AN EVENING ON THE PUTTING COURSE, WE TOOK A GOLF CART RIDE ALONG THE PAR 3 COURSE PATHS AND COUNTED THE LIGHTNING BUGS WE SAW!

THE COTTAGES ARE PERFECT FOR A SHORT FAMILY GATHERING!”

-Mike and Mary Smith Oakwood National Members