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| OHCC LIVING | MARCH 2022 | 39 Racquet Club How fortunate we are to have free and ready access to beautiful outdoor courts where we can exercise, socialize, and laugh every day! The courts that were a lifeline during the darkest days of the pandemic continue to draw us out of our homes to play a little, talk a little, and be thankful we all somehow landed here in OHCC. Club activities are inching back to normal, but the decision to postpone our March dinner dance to an early summer party on the Lanai June 4 (save the date!) is yet another reminder that the path ahead will surely not be straight. One of President Bob James' new initiatives is to offer small "court events" throughout the year where players of different ability levels play together in various contests. February's Pickleball Dinking Games drew 48 competitors – beginner to advanced – playing games entirely in the "kitchen" (at the net). Herb Livsey, in town from his winter home in the desert, couldn't believe his eyes when watching Clubhouse "slammers" play "real pickleball" at the Pavilion courts. Brett Anderson and Larry McBride captured trophies handcrafted by Woodchucks President Tom Murphy by edging John Crow and new resident Becky Byrom in a 13-11 dink-off. A tip of the paddle to event hosts Felicity Swerdlow and John Gildner for getting this series off to a successful start. "Disassociate your 19-year-old brain from today's reality, "began instructor Mike Hoggatt's welcome to the 37 enthusiastic residents who signed up for his five-session Introduction to Pickleball class. From those new to playing sports to those who've decided their knees might fare better on a smaller court, the Racquet Club continues its practice of offering free beginner classes to residents. Sessions fill up quickly, so shoot off an email to our Help Desk at ohrchelp@gmail. com and we'll add you to the interest list for the next session. Do the same if you are interested in paddle tennis or badminton instruction. If you are a tennis player – especially a newer resident -- who is trying to meet others who still play the game, we would like to help you find players of a similar skill level. Many of you used to play tennis, so if you still have it in you, drop a note to our Help Desk (see paragraph above) and we'll make plans for a "meet and greet" hit around at the tennis courts. Let's give our new Golf Club president Greg Cies a warm welcome. It looks like he and his committee will be overseeing an exciting year, as we are weeks away from our course reopening. With luck, the front nine will be playable in April, the back nine in June. Once the course opens, the men and women's tournaments will commence on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, as before. The golf casa might remain closed because of COVID precautions, but the tourney starters will check in players from a tent next to the first tee. And remember to put Mon., April 18 on your calendars. That's the date of our first Touring Amateurs event at Oaks North. Also remember to pay your $10 golf club fee if you haven't done so yet. Hope to see you on the course very soon. Golf Club We hope many of you have signed up by now for the 2022 membership to the OH Senior Fitness Club for only $5. Just leave your check at the front desk if you have not already done so. It is not too late. We exercise the body doing Yoga, in a chair and/or behind the chair, for one hour every Monday and Wednesday from 11:15 am until 12:15 pm in the Abravanel Hall with Instructor Cheryl Todd. Come a bit early and you can sign up in the Lobby and pay $5 per class attended which goes to the instructor. In addition, we have a class on Tuesday from 8 to 9 am called Chair-to-Mat Yoga using a chair and a mat on the floor. This class is taught by our own OHCC Resident Tatis Cervantes-Aiken for free in the Clubhouse. Please come early as the class fills up quickly and only 15 people can exercise at one time in the space provided in the Majorca Room. Senior Fitness Club Dinking contest- Felicity Swerdlow and John Gildner flank Dinking Contest finalists Becky Byrum, Larry McBride, Brett Anderson, and John Crow Beginner pickleball class- Beginners Lori Erickson. Kathy Kelsay, Tom Tristano, and Ken Trogdon join the growing ranks of OHCC pickleball players Paddles in the saddle- Early bird four-some Klaus Waiblinger, Bob Clarke, John Rundles, and Chi Lee relish their morning play