Ocean Pines Golf Club Superintendent Justin Hartshorne recently supplied updates on conditions and maintenance efforts to several advisory committee members.

 

General Manager John Viola helped facilitate the meeting, to address their questions and concerns.

 

He engaged experts from the amenity, Hartshorne and General Manager of Golf John Malinowski, to present current plans for maintenance, and specifically the greens.

 

“I wanted to ensure that everyone knows exactly what we are doing to address course conditions and the overall golf course results,” Viola said.

 

On the maintenance side, Hartshorne said much of the recent focus has been on finding drainage lines, and addressing drainage and irrigation issues.

 

"This was stuff we knew we were going to have to work on and touch up," he said. "We were also ninja-tining, and just working on diluting the thatch layer while we had favorable weather this winter. That was also a big focus, on improving the playing surfaces."

 

Ninja tines are an aerification mechanism that helps pull unwanted material out of the ground.

There’s a lot going on at the Clubhouse Bar and Grille this month, including happy hour discounts, trivia night, a new dinner menu, and exclusive Super Bowl specials.

 

The Clubhouse Bar and Grille, based inside the new Ocean Pines Golf Club building on 100 Clubhouse Drive, is now open Thursday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. After March 11, the Yacht Club will reopen and the Clubhouse will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

From Feb. 4 through March 11, the Clubhouse will offer happy hour specials from 3-6 p.m. Specials include $3 rail drinks, $4 wines, $5 crushes and discounted draft and bottled beers.

 

Also starting on Feb. 4 and continuing each Thursday through March 11, the Clubhouse will host the popular trivia night event, from 6-8 p.m. Gather a team, enjoy food and drink specials, and compete to win prizes. Guests must make a reservation prior to taking part in trivia night by calling 410-641-7222.

The Ocean Pines Yacht Club will remain closed until March 12, while the Clubhouse Bar and Grille will offer dinner service starting in February, the Association announced this week.

 

Ocean Pines Director of Finance and Operational Logistics Steve Phillips said the move would save Ocean Pines about $25,000, mostly in labor costs. February is traditionally a month associated with losses at the restaurant.

 

Ralph DeAngelus, cofounder of the Matt Ortt Companies that runs Ocean Pines’ food and beverage operations, said the Clubhouse Bar and Grille will reopen next Thursday through Sunday, with winter hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Starting on Feb. 4, hours will be extended to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the restaurant open Thursday through Sunday and happy hour and dinner specials beginning. A new menu will be announced in February.

 

"The kitchen there doesn't have the availability to put together an entire [dinner] menu, but it can do the existing menu that's there and an additional five dinner-entree menu, each week,” DeAngelus said.

 

He said the Clubhouse will also house Thursday trivia nights, normally held at the Yacht Club, starting on Feb. 4.

Applications for 2021 college scholarships awarded by members of the Ocean Pines Golf Club are now available through guidance offices at Stephen Decatur High School and Worcester Preparatory School.

 

Additionally, students from other local high schools who feel they may qualify can request information and an application from Scholarship Chairman Bob Long at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Long said the Ocean Pines Golf Members’ Council has awarded more than $22,000 to 21 local seniors during the last four years. Students receiving these awards have shown an interest in the game of golf and are judged on the totality of their record. Participation in competitive golf is not a requirement.

 

This year, the golf members of Ocean Pines — including members of the golf club, the Ocean Pines Ladies’ Golf Association and the Ocean Pines Men’s Golf Association — raised more than $12,000 for the scholarship fund, and matched last year’s record amount despite having to forgo the annual Ocean Pines Taylor-Bank Scramble and other fundraising events because of the COVID-19 pandemic.