4 min read
Discover the secret to a perfect day at Greystone with former Club President Steve Vanderburg. Join us as we delve into his post-corporate era and uncover the moments that make the Greystone community truly special. As a recently retired long-time resident and Member of Greystone, Mr. Vanderburg has seen his children fly the coop, but the memories of poolside fun, holiday celebrations, heartwarming dinners at the Clubhouse, and even his own daughter’s wedding day still linger. Now that he has retired, we spoke with Mr. Vanderburg to find out what constitutes a perfect day at Greystone.
“So where would I start with my day? That answer becomes much easier once you retire,” says Mr. Vanderburg with a laugh. “I would probably get up in the morning and go work out at the Club. You know, we’ve got a really nice facility—I love it!” On his perfect day, Mr. Vanderburg doesn’t do anything too strenuous but gets in enough movement to get his blood pumping.
It’s a no-brainer for Mr. Vanderburg to fill up on Chef Wanda's highly acclaimed weekend breakfast post-workout. “After you get through working out, you just need to have some waffles, fresh bacon, and coffee from Wanda.”
One coffee is simply not enough to sustain Mr. Vanderburg during his perfect day, so after breakfast, he naturally heads to the Founder’s Cafe. “You always have to go and grab a pastry from Pastry Chef Kat. The Cafe offers some of the best pastries and cappuccinos and is open every single day!”
Fully caffeinated, fortified, and refreshed from his workout, Mr. Vanderburg’s perfect day transitions from the Clubhouse to the pool. With a magazine in hand, he settles in, takes a deep breath, and watches the morning sun climb high in the sky.
“If it gets too hot, I may take a dip in the pool. You won’t see me swimming laps, though,” Mr. Vanderburg says with a chuckle. On his perfect day, no laps are needed—he already got a few reps in at the gym in the morning, so a little relaxing poolside is just what the doctor ordered.
After a while, Mr. Vanderburg heads up to the Founders Clubhouse to see what’s going on and grab lunch with his wife. On his way, Mr. Vanderburg is sure to drop off his shoes with John for the superclean shoeshine special. “You know, John can take your shoes and, just like that, make them look new again.” With sparkling shoes, nothing can stand in the way of Mr. Vanderburg and his perfect day.
Since a perfect day doesn’t revolve around time restrictions, Mr. Vanderburg also gets a fresh clip before meeting his wife for lunch. “Jessica has been cutting my hair for 15 years or so. Her services were so well received that she now has a small salon in the Clubhouse offering Members the best haircuts on Wednesdays and Thursdays.”
With clean shoes and a fresh cut, Mr. Vanderburg joins his wife for lunch on the patio. Gone are the days of cramming in lunch in between meetings and packed corporate schedules. The two are able to sit in each other’s company and just enjoy themselves. 
After refueling and spending quality time with the Mrs., Mr. Vanderburg sets out to find someone to play a round of golf with. While he doesn’t play every day, Mr. Vanderburg greatly enjoys spending time on the green, alone or with company. “If I can, I like to play earlier or later in the day. This way, I still get my pool time and am not on the green during the hottest part of the day.”
Teeing off in the late afternoon, Mr. Vanderburg commences his round and finishes well under par—it’s a perfect day, after all! After his eagle-riddled game, Mr. Vanderburg is faced with a very difficult decision: where to have dinner.
“I think that’s where this gets interesting, this perfect day of mine. I’m either going to stay at the Clubhouse of the course I am playing—because Greystone has two courses and two Clubhouses—or head over to the other Clubhouse. So, I mean, I could stay at the one I am already at and eat dinner with the friends I just played golf with, or I could go to whichever Clubhouse has an event that night, like Wine Down Wednesday—something my wife and I rarely miss.”
No matter where the Vanderburgs choose to eat, they surely eat something delightful - and usually it’s in the company of good friends. The menus change frequently, and the catch of the day is a Vanderburg favorite.
“All the fish served at Greystone comes fresh to the Club from fisherman Greg Abrams down in Panama City.” Executive Chef Alan Martin shops around local farmers markets to find the best ingredients to pair with that day’s fish. Ending the day with a decadent meal of fresh fish is the obvious way to end Mr. Vanderburg’s perfect day.
The beautiful thing about Mr. Vanderburg’s perfect day at Greystone is that it is not fictitious. While he may not follow this exact itinerary on the daily, this perfect day is not an anomaly. Since retiring, Mr. Vanderburg relishes any opportunity to utilize the Club to its fullest. Truly, everything you need to have a perfect day lies within the gates of Greystone. Just take it from Mr. Vanderburg: “I’m telling you, it’s all right here!”
