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Oakwoodian Newsletter September 2026

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The Oakwoodian

SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWSLETTER

9800 Grandview Road. Kansas City, MO 64137

(816) 761-5501

oakwoodcountryclub.org


From the General Manager As we head into September, there is a lot to look forward to at Oakwood. August brought plenty of energy to the Club, highlighted by another tremendous Knickerbocker. With 60 teams competing, it was a great few days of golf, friendly competition, great food, and even better company. Congratulations to our 2026 champions, Curtis and Kyle Yonke, and thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the event such a success.

CURRENT MEMBERSHIP Full Golf – 274 Weekday – 65 Executive – 24 National – 68 Clubhouse Associate – 30

Total – 461

September continues that momentum with a full calendar of opportunities to enjoy the Club. From Oakchella and our Labor Day Golf Tournament to the Scratch Kitchen Dinner and our Speaker Series featuring Mayor Lucas, there is something for everyone. We also have several great golf events on the schedule, including the Little Knick, Ladies Guest Day, and the rescheduled Couples Twilight. Most importantly, September is a chance to spend time together and take advantage of all that makes Oakwood special. Whether you’re joining us for dinner, bringing friends to an event, competing on the course, or simply enjoying a beautiful fall evening at the Club, I hope to see you around Oakwood often. Thank you for being such an important part of our Club community. Here’s to a great September and an even better fall at Oakwood!


From the Head Golf Pro SEPTEMBER What a great summer it has been at Oakwood Country Club! From major championships and member events to our annual Knickerbocker Tournament and season-long competitions, it has been an exciting few months on the golf course. We want to thank all of our members for making this summer such a memorable one. The participation, competition and camaraderie throughout the season have been fantastic, and we are looking forward to carrying that momentum into the fall.

2026 KNICKERBOCKER RECAP The 2026 Knickerbocker was another tremendous event at Oakwood. With 60 teams competing, the tournament brought some of the best competition and energy of the summer to the club. Congratulations to our 2026 Knickerbocker Champions, Curtis and Kyle Yonke! The three-day event featured competitive matches, great food, plenty of side games and, most importantly, a great group of members and guests enjoying Oakwood together. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who participated and helped make this year Kickerbocker such a success. We are already looking forward to next years event! HUNTER HAYES, PGA HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL OAKWOOD COUNTRY CLUB


From the Head Golf Pro LOOKING AHEAD: SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER While summer may be winding down, some of the best golf of the year is still ahead. September and October are some of our favorite months at Oakwood, with cooler temperatures, great course conditions and a full schedule of events.

SEPTEMBER The Little Knick – September 17 & 18 Ladies Guest Day – September 22 & 23 September Couples Twilight – September 25 OCTOBER Men's Fall Guest Day – October 1 Oakwood's Toughest Day – October 4 Ladies Stroke Play Championship – October 6 & 7 October Couples Twilight – October 9 The Block Cup – October 16 & 17

HELP US TAKE CARE OF THE GOLF COURSE As we head into the fall, we ask everyone to help us keep Oakwood in the best condition possible.


From the Head Golf Pro SEASON-LONG COMPETITIONS MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS The match-play brackets are reaching the quarterfinals, and we’re looking forward to an exciting finish. If you need help scheduling your match, please reach out to a member of the Golf Professional Staff. We’d be happy to help coordinate.

Year-Long Closest to the Pin – The Intimidator The $1,000-per-hole year-long closest-to-the-pin competition on the Intimidator is extremely tight, with several hole-in-ones and a number of very close shots throughout the season. Here are the current standings: Hole 1 - Crater Lake Mike Norris - 2 inches Hole 2 - Golden Bell Anthony Knipp & Kyle Steinbrecher - Hole-in-One Hole 3 - Wimbledon George Brett - 2 inches Hole 4 - The Faz Myron Haith - Hole-in-One Hole 5 - Dye Hard Dan Stepp & Lynn Poskin -1 foot, 5 inches Hole 6 - The Ritz Loren Berenbom - Hole-in-One Hole 7 - Spyglass Dylan Crandall - 6 inches Hole 8 - Lion King Ken Block - 6 inches Hole 9 - Devil’s Pit Bryan Yourdon - Hole-in-One Also, a reminder to please keep updating the Birdie Board in the hallway. There have been a lot of birdies made this year, so let’s keep them coming!


From the Golf Shop Corporate Orders for the Holidays

Now is the perfect time to start planning your custom corporate orders. Whether you are shopping for your team, clients, or family, we are here to help cross gifts off your list early and make it easy. From high-end custom apparel to premium gear and branded accessories, we offer a variety of options at multiple price points. Along with that we have potential volume discounts to help fit your budget!

Popular Gifting Options APPAREL Polos, pullovers, vests, tees, dress shirts, and leisurewear

HEADWEAR Custom logo hats and visors

GEAR & ACCESSORIES Premium golf balls, drinkware, and specialized gift items

SHOP THE BRANDS YOU LOVE

Peter Millar | Greyson | Smith & Quinn | Vuori | TravisMathew Holderness & Bourne | B.Draddy | Stanley Contact the golf shop to begin planning your custom order!


From the Performance Center WHERE ARE YOU HITTING THE GROUND? Want to hit your irons more solidly? Start by paying attention to something other than the golf ball: the ground One of the biggest differences between consistent and inconsistent ball striking is where the club reaches the bottom of the swing. With an iron, we want ball first, then ground, meaning the lowest point of the swing actually happens after the ball.

TRY THIS SIMPLE DRILL Draw a line on the ground perpendicular to your target line. Set up with the line in the middle of your stance and make small swings without a ball. Your goal: Hit the ground on the target side of the line. Once you can do that consistently, place a ball directly on the line and make the same swing. Don’t worry about making a “perfect” swing. Simply pay attention to where the club interacts with the ground. If you can control the bottom of your swing, better contact usually follows! Remember: The ball isn’t the bottom Next time you practice, don’t just watch where the ball goes - look down. The ground might tell you more about your swing than you think! Coach Mo


From the Course SEPTEMBER AGRONOMY As we wrap up August and reflect on a full month of stressful weather, September typically brings some much-needed relief. It appears that we will begin the month with continued hot temperatures, but we are hopeful that conditions will begin to cool as we move through the first few weeks of September. Fall aerification is one of the most important times of the year for our golf course. It provides a much-needed reset following the stress and challenges that turf has experienced throughout the summer. Performing aerification in August presents both challenges and benefits. The timing can be stressful for the turf, especially after the demands of a busy summer and events such as the Member Guest. After pushing the golf course to its limits, we then put the turf through the additional stress of aerification.

Fortunately, the weather cooperated with us for the most part, and we have seen excellent recovery across the majority of the golf course. Holes #10 and #3, along with #1 on the Par 3 Course, have experienced some slower recovery after being pushed particularly hard during Member Guest. We are confident that with a little additional attention and care, these areas will continue to recover nicely. There are also a few areas on #10 and #1 of the Par 3 Course that we have seeded to encourage additional recovery and density. Overall, the aerification process was successful and will undoubtedly help set the golf course up for success throughout the winter and into the spring of 2027.


From the Course LOOKING AHEAD TO SEPTEMBER September can sometimes appear to be a slower time of year, but for the turf team, our workload only continues to increase. As nighttime temperatures consistently begin staying in the 60s, we will begin our overseeding efforts.

All primary rough will be overseeded, with additional attention given to areas that have struggled over the past several years. In some locations, we will adjust our seeding approach and make multiple passes in different directions to improve seed establishment and create more consistent turf coverage. Once the seed is in the ground, it is extremely important to limit traffic in newly seeded areas. Members may notice occasional cart restrictions on certain holes, particularly in areas such as #4 and #5. Protecting newly seeded turf is crucial, as traffic can damage young seedlings and reduce the success of the establishment process. We will closely monitor these areas and manage traffic restrictions as necessary. Our goal is to give the seed every opportunity to establish successfully and restore full, healthy turf coverage in areas that experienced excessive stress throughout the summer. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we transition from summer stress into fall recovery. The work completed over the next several weeks will play an important role in preparing the golf course for a successful fall, winter, and spring season. JACOB FOSTER GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT OAKWOOD COUNTRY CLUB


Thursday Knickerbocker


Friday Knickerbocker


Shoot out


Lobster Dinner


After Dark


STAFF DIRECTORY STEVEN SHRAWDER, General Manager Email: steven@oakwoodcountryclub.org Phone: (816) 761-5501 x 138 Direct Line: (816) 768-8656

KATELYN LAWSON, Assistant GM & Catering Email: katelyn@oakwoodcountryclub.org Phone: (816) 761-5501 x 104 Direct Line: (816) 595-4066

DENISE WIPPERMAN, Administrative & AR Email: denise@oakwoodcountryclub.org Phone: (816) 761-5501 x 100 Direct Line: (816) 595-4063

TRAVIS NAPIER, Executive Chef Email: travis@oakwoodcountryclub.org Phone: (816) 761-5501 x 111 Phone: (816) 595-4069

JESS EYSTAD, Director of Membership & Marketing Email: jess@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 595-4073

KEMP DOWDY, Food & Beverage Director Email: kemp@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 595-4065

MAKAYLA MUDD, Events Assistant Email: makayla@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 761-5501


STAFF DIRECTORY KARI AMENSEN, Member Activities & Events Director Email: eventsdirector@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 761-5501

HUNTER HAYES, PGA Head Golf Professional Email: hunter@oakwoodcountryclub.org Phone: (816) 761-5501 x 132 Direct Line: (816) 595-4072

MAUREEN FARRELL, PGA Director of Instruction Email: Coachmogolf@gmail.com Direct Line: (402) 209-0501

CASSIE SARGENT, PGA Lead Assistant Golf Professional and Merchandiser Email: cassie@oakwoodcountryclub.org

JEFF LONG, PGA Assistant Golf Pro & Tournament Director Email: jeff@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 761-3670

JACOB FOSTER, Golf Course Superintendent Email: jacob@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 761- 1477

ANTHONY FULITANO, Director of Player Services Email: anthony@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 768-8658

AUBREY TORKELSON, Administrative/HR Coordinator Email: hr@oakwoodcountryclub.org Direct Line: (816) 761-5501


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Oakwoodian Newsletter September 2026 by OakwoodCountryClubMO - Issuu