Country Club

Rancho Murieta Country Club golf and social members can expect different monthly dues soon – with some members paying more and some paying less. About 120 members Thursday night heard the club board explain the need to eliminate the promotional dues structures in effect for many members since 2013 and 2014. Read more » Read more » about Country Club aims for equitable dues

Rancho Murieta Country Club is planning to greatly expand its popular patio area, adding almost 17,000 square feet as a venue for weddings, corporate parties and a wide range of member events. Construction could begin as soon as next week and be complete, it’s hoped, in about a month. Read more » Read more » about Country Club plans massive patio expansion

Items collected at a Country Club swing dance party, and letters written by Cosumnes River Elementary kindergartners, are gathered and ready to be sent to the troops. From left are Don Thames, the club's golf pro; Jenny Williams, president of the CRES PTA; Carole Thames, the drive organizer (and Don's wife), and Ron Svien, the club's general manager.  Click "Read more" to see Carole's note about how all this happened. Read more » Read more » about Packages from home for troops (and pooches)

The Country Club is launching the Pro + Ladies Invitational, the first event to pair club pros and ladies club champions. A 36-hole tournament is planned for April, drawing players from California and Nevada. Read more » Read more » about Club reaches out to women golfers in region

Last Saturday night, with a pouring rain outside and a crackling fire inside, 15 people gathered at the Country Club’s 19th Hole. The gathering was casual and low-key, and judging by the easy chatter you wouldn’t have guessed most of the people were meeting for the first time. The gathering’s name: It’s Just Dinner. The Country Club’s idea is to offer a monthly dinner for singles. Read more » Read more » about 'It's Just Dinner' and a chance to meet people

The Estrada Donnalley family is helping 8-year-old Alexander pursue his golf ambitions. From left are Isabella, 10, and dad Carlos Estrada and mom Allison Donnalley, along with Alexander. There's chips and salsa in it for you. (Click for larger image)

Alexander Estrada, who’s 8, can drive the golf ball 150 yards. His favorite pros go by single names: Rory. Tiger. Bubba. And being a child of this century, Alexander has a YouTube channel where he offers homemade golf instructional videos. Alexander’s initials are A-C-E, and some friends call him ACE, so he opens the videos with a confident and media-wise, “Hey, everyone – ACE here, back with another YouTube video....” Read more » Read more » about ACE will be playing for higher stakes

Sixty members of the Country Club’s Wine Club took part in a Bordeaux tasting Tuesday night at the club. With a half-dozen wines in front of each participant, Bordeaux expert Jean-Luc Hitta led the tasting with background on the Bordeaux region of France and the wines being sampled. The Wine Club has more than a hundred members. (Click for larger images) Read more » about Sipping, and learning about, Bordeaux wines

→ Photo gallery (32 shots of Santa and the brunchers)

Some came running, others needed a little coaxing and a few were content to peek around the corner as Santa and Mrs. Claus presided over their annual holiday brunch Sunday at the Country Club. Multiple generations of families vied for a picture with the merry couple and scores of children used the opportunity to tell Santa exactly what they want. (“A car!” said a surprised Santa in response to one moppet.) Omelets, salmon, roast beef and other delectables made it a feast, but frosted Santa cookies captivated the little ones. Another memory in the books. (Click photo for larger image) Read more » about Happy to spend time with Santa and Mrs. C.

→ Photo gallery: Pickleball social and play (5 photos)

John Vigil, the Country Club's tennis pro, huddles with 16 players who came out midday Saturday for a pickleball social to inaugurate the club's courts. Portable nets have been used to convert a tennis court into two pickleball courts, and Vigil paired up players for some pickleball play. The courts are open for pickleball to club members and their guests except for 7 to 11 a.m. on weekend days or if there's a tournament in progress. Some players chafed a bit at these restrictions and asked Vigil if the pickleball stripes could be painted a color with more contrast. (The stripes are hard to see – blue on a blue court.) Vigil promised to work with club management to see about the change. He also pointed out an advantage to club pickleballers – the court lights that will let them play after dark. Fans of the game have been pushing the Rancho Murieta Association to add pickleball courts beyond the ones at Riverview Park and the courts RMA added last year at Stonehouse Park. (Click for larger image) Read more » about Country Club opens pickleball courts