I’ve blogged about everything under the sun; from Dad’s handy-gas to Betsey’s newborn pictures. I’ve promoted things I love; including interior decor, baby products, and my favorite clothing lines. I’ve poured my heart out about fearing cancer and the heartbreak felt from losing my mother and watching my sister, Missy, battle the same disease. I’ve joked about Sky Mall Magazine and how I used to pee in my pants when I’d laugh too hard. I’ve touched on pretty much everything except Greenbrier Golf and Country Club. For some reason it’s just easier to write about a particular subject, event, or feeling… but Greenbrier is more than that; Greenbrier is my family’s creation and livelihood.
Gran-Gran
Greenbrier was founded and developed by my grandfather William Morris Hart Sr. (otherwise known as Gran- Gran) and Watts & Call, Inc. 41 years ago. From its inception in 1971 Greenbrier has remained true to my grandfather’s vision of an upscale, uncrowded, family-oriented country club. Today, Greenbrier is owned and operated by my dad and uncle, Morrie and Larry Hart. Greenbrier is entering the busy season and I’m more excited than ever to be affiliated… and that is probably because I now have my own family to utilize the Club as my grandfather had intended.
My little family before Greenbrier's Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch
Growing up I was asked countless times, ‘does your family own Greenbrier?’ This nervous feeling would come over me… I had to answer ‘yes’ but I didn’t want to sound too proud… but I was proud… should I respond ‘yes’ and act modest and a little embarrassed or be affirmative and elaborate and possibly run the risk of someone thinking I was pretentious? I quickly learned I had to assess my audience before responding. In high school, friends would join me at the pool or play a round of golf and I would experience this odd mixture of pride and anxiety. I hoped they’d be impressed, I hoped they enjoyed themselves; and strangely, I hoped they would join the Club when we got older. I’m not sure if Missy, Miles, Kristin, and Jennifer ever had these feelings but I’m guessing they can identify.
My mother was proud to be associated as well. She told me how hard my dad, Larry, and Gran Gran worked; I later learned from observation. She pointed out how Dut (Dut is what we call my grandmother) would help out in the pro-shop. I recall visiting my dad in the pro-shop and hearing golf spikes click down the steps and hearing cheerful voices say, ‘well, hello Dottie!’ I was always confused because I thought her name was Dut… and I always got this feeling that she was very well liked! Dut would respond graciously as though she was flattered they said hello and she’d reply to them by name. I wondered how she knew all these names. Larry was always professional, reserved, and very congenial. I can see Larry firmly shaking hands, saying something witty about someone’s golf game, and laughing; giving me the impression the members were his good friends. When the golfers trotted down the steps or entered the pro-shop doors and saw my dad they had this look like they just found out they had homeroom class with the class clown. Their demeanor would quickly adjust- it was almost like they were already laughing because they knew my dad was about to make them laugh. It was a showdown to see who would whip out the humor first. Dad would say something so funny- a one liner, a saying, a joke… I wondered how he did it, how did he know what to say, where did he come up with these words? His company would belly laugh (and so would Dad) and it was like they had the perfect exchange.
The first time I ever heard the expression, ‘the family that works together, stays together’ was from my mother. I was too young at the time to understand the ‘stays together’ part. I remember her trying to explain. She pointed out how the Harts would work together all day and be able to attend a family dinner afterwards. Mom pointed out they had the ability to leave work at work and sit down and enjoy dinner (and one another) in a manner that most families couldn’t. I think we all love(d) family dinners which celebrated any and every occasion. Most importantly, these dinners involved the best company ever. At the adult table you would find Dut, Gran Gran, Linda, Briggs, Jeannie, Larry, Mom, and Dad. At the ‘kids’ table sat Kristin, Jennifer, Miles, Missy, and me. Those outside steak dinners are easily one of my all time favorite childhood memories.
Dut with her grandchildren & great grandchildren after dinner in 2007
My other favorite childhood memories involve Greenbrier as well. I happily recall ordering Shirley Temples in Greenbrier’s dining room and getting extra cherries, Greenbrier’s swim team, looking up to the lifeguards, sharing a plate of fries at the pool with my cousin Kristin, Fourth of July parties, playing Categories, White Horse, and Gator at the pool… (I could go on and on… and on). And somehow years passed and my sister transitioned from making friendship bracelets and forts at the pool to working at the Club.
Swim Team picture 1987
Missy joined the Greenbrier work force fixing divots, cleaning clubs, and working in the pro-shop; Kristin followed in her footsteps. While I was at the pool perfecting my gainer, Missy and Kristin managed to become really good golfers. They would play in the Father/ Daughter golf tournament, but I thought fairways were best for practicing back hand-springs. Missy also dabbled in pool management, life-guarding, snack bar operations, and finally worked as Membership Director. I tried my hand at cleaning carts and clubs, scheduling tee times, and merchandising in the pro-shop. I life-guarded, managed the pool, and flipped burgers in the snack bar. Jennifer helped with Kids Club, and Miles became a lifeguard. Missy dated a golfer, Benji Marrs, and he worked as the Assistant Golf Pro for a couple summers before they married. Linda was one of Greenbrier’s first lifeguards, the pool manager, and later worked in accounting. I can’t leave out Briggs; he was also a Greenbrier employee before marrying my aunt, Linda. My mom concentrated on beautification; she planted flowers, decorated the club for Christmas, and added her touch where she could. Not only has my entire family worked for Greenbrier, but our friends have as well. Wow, that’s one large group of people wild about a family business!
Larry, Dut, Dad, and Linda
But family and business change. In the last six years Greenbrier lost my mother and Gran-Gran. Death is devastating… but life is for the living. Greenbrier will continue to move forward just as it should. Celebrating the Club’s 40th anniversary with the members last year was an event that meant so much more than any guest could have imagined. In these tougher times, how does a small family business express enough gratitude? Aside from the Anniversary party, Greenbrier invested $800,000 to renovate the pool to improve the membership’s experience. Uncommon throughout the industry, but consistent with Greenbrier’s 40 year history, this improvement was completed without an assessment to the membership.
The pool renovation gave me a whole new sense of pride. I am so eager to invite all my friends to join me at the pool and can’t help but hope they will consider joining Greenbrier. The thought of Wakefield and Betsey spending their days at the pool with my friend’s children delights me. Well actually, spending my days as a mom at the pool, with my friends, delights me! And as always, I absolutely can’t wait to meet and become friends with new people. It is so exciting (and kind of mind boggling) that my age group is now at the point in their lives they can and want to look into joining a club- or in Greenbrier’s case, the adult version of the best playground ever 
.
My own little family moved back to my old stomping ground, Greenbrier Subdivision, last May. Bert joined Men’s League this year and I might be the only wife thrilled that my husband ‘has’ to go play golf on Tuesday nights. Last week I nervously attended a meeting about joining Greenbrier’s Ladies’ Golf League. My line of thinking was this: on Thursdays I’ll have to tell Bert, ‘honey, make sure you come right home after work – I have Ladies’ League’ (which translates in my mind to- I get to leave the kids and husband at home, go have drinks, socialize, and attempt to play golf with some really fun women). Greenbrier Ladies’ League= brilliant.
Deciding I wanted to play golf with the girls on Thursday night was easy. But having the courage to find out if they were okay playing with me was a little harder. I don’t always make contact with the ball when I swing, I never know which iron I should use when my ball is the fairway, and my putting is so bad you would think I was trying to keep the ball AWAY from the hole. At the meeting the seasoned members quickly assured me that being a ‘golfer’ was not a requirement. Missy interjected that I had a wonderful swing and kill the ball… when I actually hit it. I participated in my first Ladies Golf League event last night and had an absolute blast. I have to tell you about it.
I hopped in the cart with my sister and learned we were playing a scramble and who was on our team. I looked down the row of carts and all the women listening to the Assistant Pro and GLGA president describe the rules of the scramble. I saw three women in stylish golf apparel drinking Michelob Ultra and felt comforted; this wasn’t going to be a stuffy outing. One lady walked around and handed each golfer a neon rope bracelet signifying one mulligan. Once you used your mulligan you removed your bracelet. I immediately knew I wouldn’t be wearing my bracelet for long. Another rule of the game was that each lady got a ‘free toss’… I thought, this just keeps getting better- I’m going to get to pick up my ball at some point and just throw it closer to the hole? This is my kind of golf. There was mention of prizes and surprises and I was ready to get started.
I wasn’t devastated that I was the least talented golfer on our team- I was just happy the other women were really good because I wanted to win. I lost my hot pink ball on number 5. It landed in someone’s backyard near a birdhouse but we couldn’t find it. I could never manage to see where my ball went but the others would help me locate it by pointing out, ‘it’s by the shrub, it’s under the tree, it’s in the sand, it’s in that man’s yard next to his little dog, etc. At one point I updated my facebook status and let my friends know the other ladies were playing well and I had discovered a golf glove makes it easier to open a beer. I joked that my contribution to the team was to boost their self esteem and make them feel better about their golf game. I learned a new expression after I whiffed twice in a row. One of the ladies laughed and muttered- ‘FISH!’- fish? I asked. She explained it’s an acronym: I.S.H. stands for ‘it’s still here’… and I imagine you can guess the F part. Yes, very funny. I’ll have to remember ‘fish’ for the next fifty times I swing and miss. Finally, on number 7 the team used my drive! And later, I had two great shots after one of the ladies tried to console me by suggesting I couldn’t expect to be as good as my sister. Missy and the ladies snickered as it appeared the comment ignited my competitive spirit and resulted in the impressive drive and fairway shot. Little do they know, those shots were pure luck.
So after 9 holes, a mulligan, a toss, and contributing three good shots, I had officially had a great time. We got back to the Club and Missy reminded me that we stay for dinner and winner announcements. The place settings at the table were adorable and tied in the GLGA theme this year, friendship. Two of the ladies had their children’s classes fill out a card stating what a friend was. Here was my favorite:
Everyone went around and introduced themselves, ordered drinks, and loaded their plates with food. A prize was given to the team that lost the most balls in the water, the Runners Up (which was my team), and the winner. I came home with a pretty purple perennial and a gift certificate to a flower shop. And as if I wasn’t already upset about not winning the scramble, Bert reminded me the Runner- Up was the first loser… Bert is always Mr. Funny Pants.
I can’t wait for next Thursday night. I want to win. And the pool opens in a month!! It’s so funny that I’m as excited about the pool opening now as I was when I was 7. I hope Betsey and Wakefield will enjoy growing up in the same environment I have loved…and God willing, their children as well. I wonder if Betsey & Wakefield will be pool rats like I was. Bert and I have our fingers crossed they will both be golfers…and if Betsey is open to picking up the game of golf, let’s hope she’ll be better than me and never have to exclaim, ‘FISH!’
