News
OP Golf Club Announces Promotion, New Hire
Ocean Pines this week announced the promotion of Justin Hartshorne to golf superintendent, and the hiring of Kurt Joseph as assistant golf superintendent.Hartshorne and his wife, Justine, are both originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The couple have two young children: a 2-year-old son, Aiden, and an 8-month-old daughter, Paisley. They also have a "big Burmese mountain dog,” Hartshorne said.
Hartshorne graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in turf grass science. His Maryland certifications include a pesticide applicator’s license and a fertilizer applicator’s license, and he recently completed Links “level two” irrigation software training.
"I've also been doing golf maintenance for 18 years now, so I have a lot of experience there as well," he said.
Hartshorne and his wife moved to the area about four years ago, and he initially worked at the Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club in Dagsboro, Delaware. Last September, he was hired as the assistant superintendent at the Ocean Pines Golf Club.
As the new superintendent, Hartshorne will help oversee the entire golf operation. His duties include managing the staff and budget, supervising chemical and fertilizer applications, and maintaining the irrigation system.
Clubhouse Bar and Grille Becomes Popular Spot for Locals, Sunday Football
Ocean Pines residents have discovered that the new Golf Clubhouse is a great place to watch Sunday NFL games and take advantage of weekly food and drink specials.The Clubhouse Bar and Grille, opened in June, each week features the NFL Sunday Ticket on eight flat-screen TVs and one jumbo projection screen.
Ralph DeAngelus, cofounder of the Matt Ortt Companies that runs the Clubhouse Bar and Grille, said the new venue has already become a popular hangout for locals.
“In particular, last Sunday was super successful,” he said. “People love the way the building is set up, and they love the food and drink specials, and the great customer service people have come to expect.”
Golf Members' Council Continues Fundraising for Scholarship Awards
The Ocean Pines Golf Members’ Council (OPGMC) continues its fundraising efforts for its annual scholarships, despite having to cancel its signature event, the Ocean Pines/Taylor Bank Scramble scheduled for July, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, last year, raised $11,000 for scholarships for local high school students.
Instead, OPGMC Scholarship Committee Chairman Bob Long said much of the money received this year has come from small donations from Ocean Pines golf groups.
Long credited Scotty Wheatley, chairman of the annual golf tournament, with helping to raise a record amount last year. The organization awarded scholarships of $4,000 in 2017, $5,000 in 2018 and $7,000 in 2019.
“In early March, Scotty was full of optimism about our 2021 fund and was hoping we would again have a big increase. A week later, we all were under some form of quarantine and that optimism faded,” Long said.
This year, Long said the OPGMC decided to award $6,000 in scholarships to five graduating students, representing about half of the scholarship fund balance. “The remaining money would remain in the fund to insure we had something to award in 2021,” he said.
After canceling the golf tournament, Long said the Scholarship Committee began looking for new ways to raise money.
“Our members have been very supportive and generous. Things are not looking as bleak as they did a couple of months ago,” Long said. To date this year, he said the Members’ Council has raised $6,600.
Pines Officials Highlight Teamwork During Golf Clubhouse Grand Opening
(June 17, 2020) “Teamwork” was the word of the day, as Ocean Pines officials held a grand opening ceremony for the new Golf Clubhouse on Wednesday morning. The Ocean Pines Board approved the project in April 2019 at a guaranteed maximum cost of $1.6 million.
Salisbury architectural firm Davis, Bowen and Friedel, Inc. developed plans for the roughly 7,200 single-story building, which includes a large meeting room and space for a new restaurant, along with an outdoor deck, pro shop and club-fitting area.
Absolute Demolition of Ocean City took down the former two-story clubhouse last May, and the Whayland Company, based in Laurel, Delaware, began construction in October.
The project officially wrapped last month, at a final cost of about $1.49 million, General Manager John Viola reported during a recent Board meeting.
Ocean Pines to Hold Official Opening for New Golf Clubhouse
(June 15, 2020) The Ocean Pines Association will hold a brief ceremony to officially mark the opening of the newly completed Golf Clubhouse on Wednesday, June 17 at 9 a.m.The event will recognize several individuals whose efforts were instrumental in the completion of the project. Ocean Pines President Doug Parks and General Manager John Viola will also make public comments.
Members of the press and public are invited to attend the ceremony, which will be held on the Clubhouse patio overlooking the course’s 18th green.