Arroyo Trabuco Adds Luxury Lifestyle Brand iliac Golf To Its Pro Shop Lineup
Arroyo Trabuco is excited to announce the addition of iliac Golf to its pro shop line up! Iliac is a luxury lifestyle brand that has existed only online and the exclusive clubs (Pine Valley, Royal Portrush, etc.) since its founding in 2005 but has established a loyal and sizable following. Book a Tee Time and stop by the pro shop to check out the iliac collection.
Founder Bert LaMar says he is now bringing the brand public at a select number of Southern California courses, including Arroyo Trabuco, to better serve his existing customers and grow the exposure to the product.
“I feel like I owe it to my customers,” said LaMar, who’s based in Carlsbad. “We have a big customer base on the web site (www.iliacgolf.com), but they don’t have a place to go and try it on, unless you can get into a Pine Valley.
“So I think it’s really important to put it in a few places, but I’m putting it in places where I can still be really hands-on. I want people to discover the quality and the brand.”
The Iliac line started with a specialty in premium leather head covers and uniquely styled shirts – you’ve likely seen one on the back of PGA Tour pro Jimmy Walker – and is now a full-scale lifestyle brand (shoes, pants, belts, etc.).
Arroyo Trabuco Head Golf Professional Michael Block said the brand is a natural fit for Arroyo.
“It was a no-brainer for us to work with Bert and iliac because their style fits so well with our culture at the club,” Block said. “To be able to offer the iliac brand in our golf shop is just one more way that we can set ourselves apart, not only from other golf clubs, but even local clothing stores.
“It’s a unique and exciting opportunity to offer that label at Arroyo Trabuco.”
In this Q & A, LaMar shares the story of the founding and growth of the iliac brand, educates you about its merchandise and apparel and discusses the launch at Arroyo.
Q. You had previous successful ventures in skateboarding and snowboarding. Why the move to golf?
A. I’m a golfer and tried to turn pro for a few years, but didn’t make much money at it. I fell in love with the vintage classic style of the sport and wanted to do something that honored golf’s rich tradition. Everything iliac is rich in tradition.
I started by making luxury leather head covers and shirts and basically pioneered the head cover category.
Q. Zach Johnson and others have donned the brand on the PGA Tour. What do you think the appeal is to Tour pros?
A. I think us being fashion-forward inspires a lot of these guys and the flavor of it. It’s different. I don’t make khaki pants and striped shirts.
There’s also a higher level of support, design and service that you don’t get from the biggest companies.
Q. Jimmy Walker is one of the current Tour pros to wear your apparel. How did that relationship come about?
A. He was ranked around No. 100 in the world at the time and nobody really knew about him and he dressed like everyone else. Our clothing was a big step for him. He started with blacks and solids and was getting a lot of compliments.
His game started to ascend at the same time, and I really think there’s a connection between looking good and playing well.
Q. What’s the best benefit you and the brand get from your clothing and apparel being on Tour?
A. From shirts to pants to belts to shoes, I’m always kind of inventing things out of Tour necessity. I’ve sometimes solved a problem they didn’t even know they had. That’s designing from the highest level. The Tour is where a lot of my ideas come from.
Q. How does that process and the appeal of wearing Tour-quality apparel trickle down to the amateur player?
A. This is Tour-level high fashion but also the technical performance of the product carries over to the amateur. We’re for people who are serious about their game and serious about their apparel. There’s also a learning curve with the product because it’s different than anything else out there.”
But once people become an iliacker, they’re usually and iliacker for life.
Q. You didn’t make the brand public until just the year. What do you hope the biggest benefit will be?
A. Our brand was under the radar for a long time. We didn’t even have the name iliac on our gear until two years ago. We just had a red crest.
We were promoted mostly by word of mouth. But to me, it’s like a good restaurant. If it’s good, people will tell people.
We’re vintage, but we’re also very fashion-forward.
But we want to bring golf’s classic style to today’s golfer.
Check out iliac products at your next visit to Arroyo Trabuco:
The Course is in Great Shape. Looking Good!
2017 at Arroyo Trabuco has been a great year and – since the current course condition is excellent – it’s set to finish on a high.
It all started last winter and then continued on with this year’s record breaking rainfall.
“It never got cool this winter so our turf never really went dormant,” the club’s director of golf, Geoff Cram said. “And then you had fresh water on top of it, so it’s incredibly green.”
Golf courses across Southern California experienced relief from years of drought this year because of the heavy rains. Many courses experienced better conditions than they had seen in years. But, going through those years of drought had a benefit too. Golf courses have had to adapt and be more efficient with less water. With new water saving strategies, these great course conditions last even longer. As witnessed this year.
This December conditions at Arroyo Trabuco are top notch! Finish the year on a high and check out the greenery:
Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club Announces New Executive Chef Tom Capretz
Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club welcomes chef Tom Capretz as its new Executive Chef. Mr. Capretz joined the Mission Viejo golf club’s restaurant in July after a long run at Montage Laguna Beach.
Capretz, an Orange County native, has already begun adding his culinary touches to the contemporary California cuisine served on the O’Neill’s Bar & Grill menu. He’s currently working on seasonal specialties for the upcoming fall season.
Capretz has a diverse cooking background, but his specialty is Italian cuisine, which he learned by enrolling in the Apicius Culinary School in Florence, Italy, where he refined his skills and technique. His original cooking influence comes from the Cajun, and Creole cuisine served by his grandmother on trips to New Orleans in his youth. Capretz would watch her masterfully create gumbo, jambalaya, catfish etouffee, po boy sandwiches and other signature Louisiana cuisine. That experience inspired a desire in him, he says, to enjoy cuisine from all cultures.
Professionally, Capretz got his start at Culinary School at Orange Coast College before landing his first job at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel. At this five-star resort hotel, Capretz was able to gain a vast variety of kitchen knowledge, which he then applied in a move to Las Vegas to work at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill in Caesars Palace. The value of teamwork and dedication was embedded in Chef Capretz in helping the Mesa Grill earn a Michelin Star.
Capretz’s training in Italy followed his time in Las Vegas and led to his return to Southern California as the Sous Chef at Andrea, a critically acclaimed restaurant in the Resort at Pelican Hill. After his brief time at Andrea, Capretz moved on to Studio at Montage Laguna Beach. Studio is the signature restaurant that combines French and California influences. Capretz would later become garde manger chef at Montage, overseeing menu development, recipes, and training among other duties.
Capretz now oversees the culinary operation at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, which includes O’Neill’s Bar & Grill, Golf Tournaments, Banquets, and Weddings.
About O’Neill’s Bar & Grill:
O’Neill’s Bar & Grill at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club prides itself on being a hidden gem for avid golfers and foodies alike in Orange County. Its signature BBQ entices both with the smell of meats prepared from a smoker on the patio overlooking the 18th hole and Saddleback Hills. The tranquil design and architecture of O’Neill’s enhances the rustic feel inside and serene outdoor patio overlooking the lake.
Unlike most golf courses, O’Neill’s offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a Sunday brunch. O’Neill’s boasts a welcoming atmosphere, top-notch service, spectacular views and a beverage menu highlighted by craft beers, signature cocktails and an award-winning list of hand-selected wines.
Regulars and guests alike are encouraged to visit Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club to experience and enjoy how Chef Capretz evolves the dining experience at O’Neill’s to continue to make it one of the best in Orange County.
O’Neill’s features a full-service bar, including its own draft lager, and flat-screen HD televisions. The patio and fireside areas are the perfect dining experience — quietly tranquil and effortlessly comfortable.
O’Neill’s offers a variety of events, including a weekly Champagne Brunch on Sundays (live entertainment from 10:00am-2:00 pm), Live Jazz on Thursday and Friday, with Live Blues on Saturday (5:00pm-9:00 pm). The restaurant creatively integrates the leisure of a golf course with the refinement and indulgent pleasure of fine dining.
South County Golf Academy Announces New Time Slots
Could your game use a fall tune-up? Here’s a new opportunity for you to come train with us!
The South County Golf Academy has new times available for its Adult Golf Fundamentals class! There are now slots at 1-2 p.m. from Oct. 20-Nov. 10.
These classes cover the fundamental elements to a flawless, and injury-free swing, as well as create awareness of the proper muscles being used in your golf swing. By using and activating the proper muscles, we can prevent injury and speed up the learning process.
Follow the link to register:
