Issuu

JANUARY 2021

SPRING COMES EARLIER at

French Lick Resort

Coach Jeff Blashill Golf Q&A

WDIV-TV News Staff Who Golf

National Golf Course of the Year is in MICH

ICE GOLF on Lake Huron Florida Golf on a Budget

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan Golf Journal

New Hope in a New Year

You’ve likely heard it from a thousand people already – we’re so glad 2020 is over. While flipping the calendar seems to always bring new hope and new opportunities to light more than normal, perhaps never before in most people’s lives has the feeling been truer than nowadays. The new year brings hope of no canceled professional golf tournaments in 2021 in Michigan so golf fans everywhere can return to lining to ropes in Detroit, Grand Blanc, Grand Rapids

and Midland to see their favorite stars knock the cover off the ball, or sink that delicate chip shot or putt. It brings hope of life returning to some normalcy and people regaining their health and others returning to work… and for the golf industry the hope that the momentum our sport gained in 2020 will not diminish one bit in 2021.

places we love to gather with one another. Keep your head up in life and keep it down during the swing! Tom Lang Publisher/Editor

My hope remains in the game of golf and all the positive attributes this sport brings to people, and to the

What’s Inside: National Course of the Year is in Michigan

Meet TV Newscasters who love the game

Cover story: French Lick Resort

College Corner: two guest columns

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill talks golf

Florida Golf on a Budget

Ice Golf

Ice Golf on Lake Huron For golfers who simply cannot wait!

By Tom Lang For people who have the golf itch this winter, here’s a way to get outdoors with a very unique head start on spring. Ice Golf. For 35 years, the U.P. Ice Golf Scramble has been a staple in St. Ignace, on the iced-over Lake Huron. Started by the local Mackinac Grille restaurant, and more recently

carried forward by the St. Ignace Visitor’s Bureau, visitors far and wide can participate Feb. 26-27 and have a terrific time chasing that little white ball – er, yellow, orange or any other color ball – ‘across the frozen tundra’ of the great Lake Huron. “Ice golf in St. Ignace takes place at the end of the winter – and if you’re a golfer, which I am, it gives

you that comforting feeling that I think all recreational activities do; the end of one season and the start of the next,” said Andy Brown, a 54-year-old resident of St. Ignace. “The transition from ice and snow to blue water and sunny skies. Traditional golf is not far away.” “It’s what makes living in northern Michigan so special.”

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Michigan Ice Golf Golf Journal

Learn More: Here are the main details according to the events website at: https:// stignace.com/event/u-pice-golf-scramble-glow-ballchallenge/

Events Director Quincy Ranville said proceeds of Ice Golf help fund things like the summertime fireworks and live music programs in St. Ignace. “It’s a really unique event that people are drawn to,” she said. “The location each year depends on the quality of ice, but we almost always have at least one set of 9 holes near Bridge View Park, on Lake Huron. If the ice is really bad, we’ll play that same 9 twice, but usually the second 9 is near downtown right in the middle of the bay.”

Ranville said traditionally the ice is always thick enough; it would be deemed ‘bad ice’ if during the freezing process the ice became chunky instead of leaving a smoother, flat surface. “Last year the ice froze really late so we didn’t have enough time to make a second nine, so we played the same 9 twice,” Ranville added. “It can be hit and miss, and we’ve moved locations over the years. That’s how it goes. You can’t trust Mother Nature for perfect ice.”

Participants are provided with a FREE shuttle during the weekend in St. Ignace. From Friday, February 26 at 5:00 pm to Saturday, February 27 at 4:00 pm, the shuttle will bring you to St. Ignace Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce member businesses including lodging, restaurants, bars and shops. The shuttle will also take you to the ice course and back. The $40 entry fee includes: • $10 free Kewadin Casino slot play • Lunch on Saturday • Transportation to and from course and host restaurant • Commemorative Gift • Appetizers during awards ceremony • Awards & Giveaways

T-shirts available for preorder. MGJ

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Rose’s Ice Tee Tournament in East Grand Rapids Another Ice Golf option is coming up a week prior, Saturday Feb. 20; that’s if Covid restrictions do not get in the way. Rose’s on Reeds Lake has offered Ice Golf the past 27 years – and each year raises about $5,000 for Humane Society of West Michigan and Brew City Dog Biscuits. Rose’s general manager Bill Koski indicated the layout is a 9-hole par 3 course with

yardages between 99 and 165 yards. Entry fees is also $40 per person and they typically handle 100 guests. Koski said most golfers would have all they need with some colored balls, a few short irons and a putter. Rose’s roots have been located on the shores of Reeds Lake dating back to the original burger bar in 1901.

More information at: https://www. thegilmorecollection. com/roses/offer/index. html?id=429 MGJ

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Michigan Golf Journal National Course of the Year

Stoatin Brae Golf Course Named National Golf Course of the Year By Tom Lang

Stoatin Brae Golf Course at Gull Lake View Golf and Resort in Augusta, Mich., has been named the 2021 National Golf Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). The Michigan Golf Course Association named Stoatin Brae the 2020 Michigan Golf Course of the Year

in October; and as a regional winner it was then considered for the NGCOA honor known officially as the Jemsek National Golf Course of the Year. The award recognizes a course that epitomizes exceptional course quality and management excellence, makes important contributions to

its communities and the game and is a model of operations to its peers. Stoatin Brae beat out three other regional finalists, including Pinehurst Resort and Country Club. “After we won the Michigan award, we knew we might be up for national, but you never really expect to

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

win,” said Bill Johnson, vice president and treasurer at Gull Lake View. “All the different qualities of the course are some of the factors that won it. We didn’t move much dirt, we just laid the course on top of the land that was there. The different grasses all work together, and the bunkering and the layout gives you a lot of variations in hole lengths and challenges to give you a little bit of everything. And the course has probably five of the best pars 3s you’ll ever play.” Stoatin Brae is one of six Gull Lake View courses. It

was developed in 2016 by the Scott family and senior associates of Renaissance Design of Traverse City. Johnson added how winning the national award was very surreal considering 2020 was when the Scott family lost family patriarch and third generation owner Jon Scott in April to an untimely death. “It’s been a long year for all the family members, and the staff,” Johnson said. “With Covid challenges all over golf and losing John all in the same year. We go back over 50 years of golf history for the Scott family

and they’re all very grateful for this award, and filling John’s vision.” Playing Stoatin Brae: The course itself is loaded with challenges but is balanced by a sense of serenity. Whether having a good day or bad day at striking the ball, every golfer should be able to walk off the course and say that was a great way to spend their time. Right off the bat, Hole 1 is the first of several with the green complex lower than the end of the fairway, causing a blind tee shot in some cases. Hole 7 is a long Continues on next page >>

Michigan Golf Journal National Course of the Year

par 3 that is uphill but with bunkers and a ridge still hiding (from the back tees) most of the huge green. The flag is visible, but it plays much farther away than it looks to the naked eye, so trust the published yardage and then hit up one club at least. Holes 10 and 11 are possibly the most attractive

back-to-back holes in that region of Michigan. No. 10 is a shorter par 4 that with a big drive and a helping wind, golfers can flirt with the small, elevated green.

Holes 16-18 are wonderful closing holes (par 5, par 3, par 5) that will test but delight most golfers with their challenges and looks.

No. 11 is a medium-length par 3 with a perched green that plays farther away than it looks (but note, all references to playing distance is predicated on that day’s wind direction, a main feature of Stoatin Brae). On a clear day downtown Battle Creek can be seen in the distance across the valley.

Stoatin Brae is set to host the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference finals for men’s and women’s golf. This is the second Michigan golf course in the last three years to win National Golf Course of the Year. Boyne Highlands’ The Heather took the honor in 2019. MGJ

MichiganLick Golf Resort Journal French

French Lick Resort:

Golf Season Arrives Earlier in Southern Indiana By Tom Lang

French Lick Resort’s onetwo punch of the Pete Dye Course and Donald Ross Course – nestled upon and into the rolling hills of southern Indiana – have been rated the No. 1 and No. 2 best public golf courses in the state of Indiana every year since 2011. Add to that more than two dozen national rankings and awards – including No. 2 Casino course in the

country by LINKS Magazine – makes French Lick Casino and Resort a great option for planning a head start on the spring golf season with its almost-in-Kentucky location. While Midwest Americana history practically oozes out of the remote, small town region – like it being a former training ground and golf haven for Detroit boxing legend Joe Louis – French Lick Resort never

seems to settle upon successes of the past, as witnessed by making continual improvements. Most people are incredibly happy with exploring the historic grandeur of the resort’s two largest hotels – West Baden Springs Hotel and French Lick Springs Hotel. Both are massive buildings from the early 1900s that are on the National Historic Registry. Yet the modern 71-room

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Valley Tower Hotel with large, well-appointed rooms, was recently built for resort expansion and optional amenities. The Valley Links Golf Course, the original on site dating back to 1907, was updated and renovated recently to be more familyfriendly and it became more popular during the Covid summer of 2020 with the nation’s increased interest in the sport of

golf. A very progressive, new golf training center was also recently added near the course to expand the resort’s large practice facility. “We put a lot of effort into the Valley Links Course to make it a better course,” Director of Golf Dave Harner said of the easierto-play, 9-hole regulation par 36 course. “And it really showed up because of the boom in golf that we’re

seeing with the pandemic. The beginning player, or the player that hasn’t played golf in years; it’s a perfect venue for them.” Yet what draws the golfing crowd the most are the two main attractions: the modern-day Pete Dye creation with incredible views of the surrounding countryside where it’s delicately balanced atop the second tallest point in Indiana, and the historic

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MichiganLick Golf Resort Journal French

Donald Ross Course offering its contrasting classic feel and style.

Pete Dye Course, Hole 10

“What we can sell here is the experience of probably the most prolific, classic course architect Donald Ross, and the most prolific modern course architect in Pete Dye,” Harner added. “The Ross Course is a pretty traditional Donald Ross design with the elevated greens and the pretty sharp fall offs to the sides. It’s pretty open with deepfaced bunkers spready around. “Then you have the Pete Dye Course, where we moved 3 million cubic yards of dirt to create something that will stand the test for a long time. The Donald Ross does also, but in a different way.” Pete Dye Course:

the Hoosier National Forest area is essentially the foothills leading to the mountainous Kentucky region.

What stands out the most about the Dye Course is the illusion that many holes are suspended in air as they appear to “hang” onto the side of a long mountainous ridge. That would not be most people’s first thoughts of an Indiana landscape, but it reflects the reality

Dye moved huge amounts of earth to create relatively level fairways on top of and on the sides of the rolling hills. The end result is many extreme drop-offs, hill climbs and cavernous valleys lining the fairways. These features play into the need for very thoughtful

club selection, but when the ball is kept in the fairway it’s a very playable layout. “Someone called it ‘golf on a bent grass tightrope’ and I thought that pretty accurately described the feeling you get playing there,” Harner said. “Pete made it futuristic because he felt that the golf ball went too far and wanted to penalize shots off line. I think he did a great job.”

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MichiganLick Golf Resort Journal French

The good thing is – when would ‘typical Ross’ ever be considered a bad thing?

Donald Ross Course

The tee boxes at holes 8 and 11 are especially great lookout points for the surrounding forest and the two small towns in the valley below (French Lick and West Baden), but there are so many wonderful views from virtually every green and tee that no one location can be singled out as best. The overall wow factor is what will bring in the masses for many years to come.

some, but we have people come back 5, 6, 7 times a year to play.”

“This is a great golf product,” Harner said. “When we first started, I thought price might be prohibitive, and it is for

Donald Ross Course:

Once the first 18-hole greens fees are paid at the Pete Dye, replays are no cost. However, Harner added: “We got into a heavy demand situation in 2020 (with Covid issues) to where if you didn’t book your second (same day) round you didn’t get it, we were so busy.”

Stately, elegant, classic and natural – a typical Donald Ross design.

The Donald Ross Course balances the resort’s modern Dye design with its historical ties to the area. Initially, the region was inhabited by people looking for the speculative ‘healing and relaxation” in the many mineral springs – the very reason two such massive, historical hotels inhabit two sideby-side small towns that combined, comparatively would have a hard time filling a Michigan Class C high school with students. Speaking of which, most know Springs Valley High School in French Lick as the birthplace of NBA Hall-ofFamer Larry Bird’s youth career. In 2007 the resort spent almost $5 million to restore the course back to Ross’ original layout in 1917. It soon after was the site of Walter Hagen’s 1924 PGA Championship. Ross’ design gently flows across the dramatic, natural rolling terrain. I suspect Ross just needed to figure out good routing because

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Links Valley

the only earth moving needed would have been to shape tee and green complexes. Also like ‘typical’ Ross, par is protected by uneven lies in the fairways and undulating greens. There is enough severity – with spines, swales, dips and plateaus on many greens – that Indiana native Fuzzy Zoeller was said to be a regular visitor in his younger playing days to practice putting in preparation of going to Augusta National. The Extras: If three golf courses on site are not enough for your group, Sultan’s Run, in nearby Jasper is a French Lick partner.

“It’s a really pretty, 18hole golf course with some challenging holes,” Harner said. “And the 18th hole there is probably as picturesque as any golf hole you’re going to find. A waterfall surrounds the green. A good golf course with good people over there.” As historical settings go, the resort’s two main hotels are classic and very unique. The circular West Baden Springs Hotel, with its huge indoor skylight dome reaching 100 feet into the air and measuring 200 feet across the radius between interior-view hotel room balconies, is so elaborate that at the time it reached 8th wonder of the world status in 1902 by

media. French Lick Springs Hotel was voted in 2015 by readers of USA Today as the top historic hotel in the country. Grab one of the dozens of rocking chairs on the massive front porch and unwind. Although developed several generations ago, today’s resort offers modern features of indoor and outdoor pools, spa amenities, several restaurants, a casino with the new Sports Book lounge; plus a concert and convention center, outdoor gardens, carriage rides and a first-class stable for horseback riding. There are many other family activities in the area with an indoor water park, plus trails and the French Lick Scenic Railway. More information can be found at: www.frenchlick.com. MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal Golf Q&A

Golf Q&A: Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill With Tom Lang

While waiting for the 2021 season to begin, Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill took time to dive into the recreational golf side of his life, which he enjoys with hockey players, coaches and most importantly, his 14-year-old-son.

Photo credit: Dave Reginek, Detroit Red Wings

Do you recall how you fell in love with golf?

“At a really young age I remember getting a set of golf clubs at Christmas (age 7-8) from my parents. My dad played golf and I just grew to really, really love golf. I moved from playing with my dad to getting a job at the Sault St. Marie Country Club, working in the bag room for a number of years, then moving into the Pro Shop. Golf was always a big part of my life growing up; I played in a few tournaments. At work on some of the rainy days I would pretend to design holes. Golf has always been a big part of my life.”

In addition to the swinging motion, do you see similarities between golf and hockey?

“I was a goalie, so I don’t come by the swinging of it as naturally. But the players I’ve played golf with can all really, really hit the ball a long way. It probably has a lot to do with how

you turn your body and their hip strength. “But the other side of it to me relates to any sport and most parts of life, and that’s the mental challenge. I don’t know if there’s a better mental challenge in sports than golf. Even in team situations, you’re alone out there a lot of times and you have to

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

grind through situations. You have to handle the successes when you’re playing well and handle the frustration that certainly happens to all of us.”

When training camp takes place in Traverse City each summer, there’s intense competition for players getting their shot at the NHL. How much of that competitive spirit transfers over to the golf course on their downtime?

“We do have some downtime at training camp,

and one of the reasons we go to Traverse City is to be able to do things away from the ice too. The players tend to play golf in their downtime. The competitive nature that transfers from one sport to the next is important. “For a lot of us that don’t get to compete on a daily basis, golf becomes that competition, so when you get older and you’re out of organized sports, golf can fill that void… and even competing for fun you can be playing for some type of side bet, or for pride. I’ve

certainly seen that at times, whether it’s in training camp or different matches with my friends or between players. But I think it’s all important.”

On avg. how often are you able to play golf?

“Well, this summer was a lot different (with Covid). I was able to play more this summer than normal, with our length of time off (from hockey season). My 14-year-old son has really, really gotten into golf, so we’ve played Continues on page 19 >>

Photo credit: Dave Reginek, Detroit Red Wings

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January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

a little more. I try to get out once a week in the summer. I enjoy going to putt, I enjoy going to hit balls. Doing those things with my son are great. My handicap has fluctuated mainly between a 12-and14. It’s not as good as I would like it to be, given my mental midget mind in some of those pressure situations.”

You were born in Detroit, raised in the U.P. and you coached in Grand Rapids. Is there a region of Michigan that is your favorite for golf?

“I’ve been all over the state, and I don’t know if one region is necessarily better than the others. I would say we are really lucky here to have so many great golf courses in the state of Michigan. It’s really amazing, and sometimes you forget how spoiled we are. As you move across the state there are so many to choose from… I just feel real blessed for all the great golf courses we get to play and that I’ve had the opportunity to play.”

Blashill Press Conference Photo credit: Dan Mannes, Detroit Red Wings

When the team travels on the road to warm climates, do you take your clubs, and does the topic of Michigan golf come up with people in other states?

“I’ve only played golf one time on the road, when we had a chance to play Pebble Beach. There was a quirk in the schedule where we had multiple days off in California. But, I also have a hard time mixing work and

pleasure so I try to keep my pleasure, which is golf, in the summertime, to stay focused during the hockey season. But coaches Dan Bylsma and Adam Nightingale and I … we’ve been almost an ad for Michigan. We tell anyone who will listen to come enjoy the great summer weather in Michigan, or about the wonderful sunsets. I’d say we work part time doing PR for the state of Michigan.” MGJ

Michigan Journal TV NewsGolf Profiles

WDIV TV On-air News Personalities Are Big into Golf By Tom Lang

Golfers of course come from all walks of life and various careers, but an unusually high percentage of WDIV-TV (Chan. 4 in Detroit) on-air news personalities truly love our game. Some of the on-air staff have a deep-rooted history in the game – like Steve Garagiola being a caddy in the 1974 U.S.

Open ‘Massacre at Winged Foot.’ Others are rookies who have just recently taken up the game – but most of them fall somewhere in between.

Jason Colthorp – Reporter / Anchor

Rhonda Walker – Morning Newsdesk

Favorite place to play (or bucket list): St. Ives Golf Club. I’m a sucker for any northern Michigan course, but this is my favorite.

Favorite place to play (or bucket list): I love playing in Pure Michigan summers; my husband and I have played so many courses in our great state but my favorite I always want to go back to is Bay Harbor for the incredible views and meticulously maintained courses.

How you got started in the game: When I was young, my dad managed a few golf courses, so I had no choice but to play— and to wash golf carts. Favorite club and why: Gotta be the putter, right? When I hit it well, I’m usually playing well and doing a lot of fist-pumping. Best golf memory: The first time I beat my dad. Not only did he never let us win, but he’d pull off miracles on the last hole to beat us. Finally, when I was 16, I shot a 37 to his 40. He demanded we play the back— and I shot another 37 and he another 40.

Six on-air anchors/reporters at WDIV-TV share their golf stories with us, and they are not even all the golfers in the studio.

How you got started in the game: My dad was an avid golfer and I was a daddy’s girl that wanted him to myself without my brother and sister, so I expressed interest in golf and he taught me while growing up in Lansing, on the Forest Akers Golf Course at MSU. Favorite club and why: I love my Odyssey putter. When all else fails in my game, I can always save myself with great putts. I have always been a good confident putter. Best golf memory: I met my husband at Detroit Golf Club in a blind introduction, our first date was a round of golf there and we’ve been making great memories over rounds of golf DGC ever since.

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Kim DeGiulio – Morning Host Favorite place to play (or bucket list): Plum Hollow Country Club because that’s where I learned how to play so that’s all I know. I would love to get a chance to play at the Detroit Golf Club since I grew up lifeguarding there and I spent hours just looking at that course. How you got started in the game: My husband has tried for years to get me into it but it never worked. I would always get frustrated and end up just driving the golf cart for fun. Then...The pandemic hit. We joined mostly for my husband, but I was excited to use the pool. When our entire summer was canceled, I decided to join the woman’s beginners league at the club and I’m so happy I did! The weekly lessons really helped me. Now, I love golfing! Favorite club and why: My driver! I love driving. Best golf memory: I got my very first par this last summer when I was golfing with my husband. I was so excited but I think he was even more excited for me! I think he was happy that I finally understood and appreciated the game of golf. I know this will be something we can do together for the rest of our lives!

Steve Garagiola – Reporter / Anchor Favorite place to play (or bucket list): Pebble Beach is my fantasy golf location. But I can’t imagine a time in my life when I will be willing to pay $800 for a round of golf. (Greens fee plus add-ons). So, I’ll say Winged Foot is my favorite because I played there a lot. My parents were members. How you got started: My mom said everyone should learn how to play golf because it’s very social and deals are made on the golf course. I haven’t made any deals yet, but have had a lot of fun. I got my first lesson when I was about twelve. Played Junior golf, and golf became a really nice family outing. Favorite club: I think every golfer has that goto favorite when confidence in all the others fades. Mine is the six iron. Best golf memory: That’s easy. I caddied in the 1974 U.S. Open, “The Massacre at Winged Foot.” Carried for Gary Player in a practice round, Jim Colbert in the tournament. We finished 5th, paired on various days with Nicklaus, Palmer, Hubie Green. We were in the hunt on Sunday until the 13th hole... What a thrill. We were in the pairing with Nicklaus when he hit that putt on the first hole from about 15 feet above the hole that rolled 40 feet past the hole right off the front of the green. I still remember the look he gave that ball as it lay back in the fairway. Continues on next page >>

TV News Profiles Paul Gross – Weather

Jamie Edmonds – Sports

Bucket list course to play: St. Andrews.

Favorite place to play: Spyglass Hill at Pebble Beach. I only played there once, but I need to get back there. The views are to die for. The bag piper who closes out the course at Spanish Bay at sunset is so amazing.

How you got started in the game: After working at Local 4 for a few years, I started getting invitations to play charity golf events. So, I took a few lessons and now am passionate about the game! Favorite club and why: 60° lob wedge…the most versatile club in the bag. I’ve executed flop shots, sand shots tight to the pin, shots from greenside rough, and full swing 70-75 yard approach shots. Best golf memory: After three successful greenside bunker shots up onto the green, my caddie wasn’t even paying attention when I found myself in a fourth bunker. Of course, I bladed it right at him…he tried to get out of the way, but the ball flew into his pocket! I almost killed him. Also really miss having the Ford Senior Players in Dearborn. Did interviews with Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Gary McCord, Bob Murphy; and Scott Verplank (on the 18th green right after winning the Buick Open).

How you got started: My Dad wanted me to start in Junior golf at the Pittsburgh Field Club as a kid, but I refused! Man, I regret that now. I started as an adult at my first TV job because friends were golfing, and I caught the bug. Now I’m absolutely obsessed. Favorite club: Driver! It’s my most reliable club. Best golf memory: Before heading to Carmel and Pebble Beach for our honeymoon, my husband and I were able to play The Riviera Country Club outside of Los Angeles. It was so pristine and perfect. I will never forget the clubhouse, the greens, our host Sus Endo and the homes on the course! It’s fun to watch the Genesis Open every year and pull out our scorecards to compare. Turns out, there’s a wide disparity between me and DJ. MGJ

College Corner

College Corner: Coaching During Covid MSU’s 2020 Perspective

In challenging weather conditions at the Country Club of Lansing, our last round of qualifying was the lowest we have recorded in a decade.

Guest column by

Casey Lubahn MSU Men’s Golf Coach Despite the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic has brought on, we have much to be grateful for in 2020. It may sound strange, but the last few months may have been some of the most enjoyable of my career as a coach. Since our first practice on September 10th, we have had to work differently than ever before. Often in collegiate golf, we are far too focused on being ready for the next event that we rarely have time to focus on the substantive changes that can produce career-changing gains. The constant need to post a score at the next event often leads to smaller, incremental growth as

opposed to making big gains in player development. The absence of outside competition this fall allowed us to focus on these bigger structural changes. To spend eight weeks tackling mechanical deficits (that all of us golfers have) greatly improved us individually, and as a team. As coaches, we noticed this development most during our last round of internal competition in late October.

Off the course, we navigated the COVID-19 pandemic without incident. We made it through numerous rounds of surveillance testing spanning the entire semester without a positive test. This required a level of personal sacrifice and discipline every day by every student-athlete. I am very proud of their willingness to sacrifice for themselves and for each other to help slow the spread of the virus. We tackled some difficult conversations on social injustice and racial equality and saw growth and leadership flourish out of these discussions. We will continue to grow together as a result of these Continues on next page >>

Michigan Corner Golf Journal College

to understand, learn, and make a difference together.

Andrew Walker

uncomfortable, yet very necessary engagements. We are extremely proud of our team’s diversity and the ownership they have taken

Their work in the (virtual) classroom has been exemplary to this point and I believe our competitiveness will help us achieve another outstanding team GPA. And lastly, all 11 studentathletes came to practice with a will to work. They brought with them passion,

pride, and purpose; stronger than any semester that I can remember. In a situation where complaining was the easy way out, they found a way to be filled with joy and resolve when the alternatives were understandable. While we haven’t been able to show our skills on the course yet this year, we have shown that our program is molding young men to be leaders in life, and I believe these last few months have been some of our best. MGJ

Michigan Women’s Golf – the Covid Fall Season Guest column by

Jan Dowling

Women’s Golf Coach at Michigan In a way, golf has trained us for the pandemic. What can you control? How do you respond? These are important questions to get clear when

preparing your mindset for the rigors of tournament golf and the long slog of a global pandemic. Perspective is important too. And, we’ve had plenty of that throughout 2020. We still miss competing as a team like crazy! However, nothing about how we trained this fall changed from our normal tournament preparation. As a coach, that’s a reflection

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

of our passion for the process of improvement. We practiced hard, we still learned from a myriad of new experiences (nothing like a pandemic to teach you how to adapt!), and we still competed hard every day. I was very proud of our team for the effort and attitude they brought to each practice. We were desperate for in-person human connection, and golf was a great conduit. Coach Mandi Unruh and I decided our improvements needed to be team centered, since camaraderie and togetherness was of utmost importance at this time. Our fall focused on three specific areas

that we researched as easiest to improve scoring. Throughout September and October, we focused on wedge play (inside 125 yards), putting (inside 10 feet and speed control), as well as par 5 scoring. Scoring average on par 5s is a direct correlation of good course management, wedges, and solid putting, which brings these statistics together. Throughout the fall we measured (tested), designed deliberate practice sessions, and re-tested often to show improvement and trends. Another competitive highlight was the Wolverine Cup, which was a two-day Ryder Cup style intra-squad match. The format included

Anika Dy

a worst ball scramble, alternate shot, and singles matches over 36 holes. The championship came down to intense singles matches that proved to be an absolute blast! We even had live scoring and media personnel on course, to help create a tournament atmosphere…. and of course, uniforms! We obviously miss team golf, yet as our team looks forward to our spring season, we ask: what can we control, and how do we respond? Knowing we can never take college golf for granted, work together to improve and we know our team will be better on the other side of this pandemic because of this perspective and attitude choice. Our season is slated to commence on Feb 7th at the Heroes Women’s Challenge in Sarasota, Florida. Until then, we will continue to set up deliberate feedback focused practices and compete our hearts out. And, when we have the incredible opportunity to tee it up for the Maize and Blue again, we now have the additional perspective to enjoy every single step of the way. MGJ

Michigan GolfofJournal JR Players the Year

Junior Boys’ Player of the Year: PJ Maybank Cheboygan’s PJ Maybank III entered three Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) junior tournaments over the summer and won each of them, to bat 1.000, highlighted by winning the Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship at TPC Michigan. “The thing I remember best from the summer was the last day of the Junior Am,” he said. “In the morning semifinal match, it came down to (the 18th hole) tied, and I pulled it out. My mom and my sister had come down from Cheboygan that morning and I wasn’t sure I was going to get to the final. Then I did, and then went on to win that final match with my whole family there. It was definitely special.” Maybank, 15 and a sophomore who attends school on-line and spends the winter with family in Orlando, Fla., also won the GAM Junior Kickoff Championship and the GAM Junior Invitational. “My top performance of the summer was definitely the Junior Am,” Maybank said. “I played something like 120 holes in four days and I was consistent in all of those matches and in stroke play.” MGJ

Junior Girls’ Player of the Year: Ariel Chang

Ariel Chang of Macomb Township, and Utica Eisenhower High School whose next stop is the Univ. of Detroit Mercy, went over her scorecard for a third time because she wasn’t expecting a total of 62. “I knew I had a good round, but I was trying not to think about the score while I was playing and I figured it would be a few strokes higher than that, maybe a 65,” she said. “I surprised myself. It was my best round ever.” Chang, who posted a 9-under-par 62 at the Michigan Junior Girls State Amateur Championship at Forest Akers East to take medalist honors in stroke play, went on to march through match play that week and win the state championship. Her 62 was the lowest gross score of the year in a GAM tournament and she won another title in the GAM Junior Kickoff Championship. Chang, who is a GAM member through Youth on Course, totaled 1,248 Player of the Year points. Kate Brody of Grand Blanc was second with 983 points and Sophie Stevens of Highland followed with 867 points. MGJ

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15-and-under Boys’ Player of the Year: Will Preston As soon as he was able to practice his golf game during the pandemic Will Preston, a Grand Rapids Catholic Central golfer, hit the practice center at Cascade Hills Country Club in Grand Rapids. “It was valuable for me to be able to practice through the spring and all season more than I have before,” he said. “It helped me have a really good season.” Preston, who won the GAM 14-and-under Match Play Championship, won the GAM Junior Invitational 15-and-under division, and was a stroke play medalist for the 15-and-under bracket at the Michigan Junior Amateur, totaled 1,250 Player of the Year points. Preston’s best performance was shooting a 6-under 66 in the first round of the GAM Invitational at Forest Akers West, where he won the 15-and-under division by three shots. “My grandpa is a really good golfer, and he has been a big influence on me,” Preston said. “I feel honored to be the Player of the Year. Winning was fun. It makes me want to keep working like I did this year.” MGJ

15-and-under Boys’ Player of the Year: Lauren Timpf Lauren Timpf of Macomb won four consecutive GAM tournaments in 2020.

Yet she said her best golf was in a tournament she didn’t win. Timpf, before enrolling as a freshman at Macomb Lutheran North High, reached the quarterfinals of the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship at Forest Akers West Golf Course, at then age 13. She was paired up against the top seed and eventual winner of the championship, Anna Kramer of Spring Lake. Timpf pushed Kramer to the 18th hole before falling 1-up. Timpf was the only golfer to force the University of Indianapolis standout to play 18 holes in the championship. Timpf, who won the 2019 season-closing GAM Invitational, started 2020 by winning her age group in the GAM Junior Kickoff and then won the Michigan Junior Girls State Amateur, the GAM 14-and-under Match Play and the GAM Junior Stroke Play for five consecutive wins in five tournaments entered. “It’s a huge honor to be Player of the Year,” Timpf said. “I feel like I worked really hard this past season and feel like it has really paid off.” MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan News and Notes

Prestwick Village to Host 100th Michigan PGA Professional Championship Prestwick Village Golf Club will host the 100th Michigan PGA Professional Championship in August.

Championship that brings together the top Michigan PGA Section professionals in the state.

The private club, surrounded by a familyfocused community, hosted the 100th playing of the Michigan Open Championship in 2017 as well as the three prior Opens. This is the first time it will host the Michigan PGA Professional

The 2021 field will play 54-holes over three days for an estimated purse of $55,000. The nine low scorers from the 100th championship qualify to participate in the 2022 PGA Professional Championship. That tournament, in April of 2022 determines a national

champion as well as sending that tournament’s low 20 finishers on to the 2022 PGA Championship in May of 2022 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. The Michigan PGA Professional Championship dates to 1922. MGJ

Blythefield Wins 2020 Design Excellence Recognition Award by ASGCA The ninth annual American Society of Golf Course Architects Design Excellence Recognition Program honorees have been named. Blythefield Country Club, host site of the Meijer LPGA Classic, was one of the golf facilities cited for their work with ASGCA members in addressing unique design challenges. Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Michigan/Chris

Wilczynski, ASGCA Blythefield was designed more than 90 years ago by William B. Langford and Theodore J. Moreau. A renovation has restored the course and Club to its original splendor. Improvements included: • New state-of-the-art two acre short-game practice facility • 12,000 SF putting green and putting course

• Repositioning and rebuilding of all bunkers with the Better Billy Bunker System • Fairway realignment and widening • All greens expanded to their original shapes and sizes Tree removal has also opened the site panoramas, restored a cleaner look and created the width for each hole that Langford and Moreau intended. MGJ

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Michigan Golf Alliance Earns Award from National Golf Course Owners Association By Greg Johnson

The 2020 pandemic efforts of the Michigan Golf Alliance have been recognized with the Champion Award by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). “Each year the NGCOA recognizes those that have helped preserve the tradition of the game while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the golf business, and it’s wonderful that they see the same thing we see – that the teamwork of the Alliance on behalf of the Michigan golf industry truly exemplified those things,” said Jada Paisley, executive director of the Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA) in announcing the honor today. The Michigan Golf Alliance, a cooperative body of five state golf associations

Michigan in so many important ways beyond its $4.2 billion in economic impact.”

formed in 2008, worked and lobbied on behalf of the Michigan golf industry in 2020 communicating with government officials through the pandemic to clarify industry needs, safety protocols and executive order compliance. “The Alliance stepped up and led the way when the pandemic response was changing dramatically dayby-day,” Paisley said. “It was a tremendous example of teamwork for all the golf courses and the golfers in our state, as well as a great industry that benefits

Alliance members include the Michigan Golf Course Association, the Golf Association of Michigan, the Michigan Section PGA, the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Greater Michigan Club Management Association. “It’s always a special time when we recognize those who have achieved excellence within our industry,” said Steve Graybill, President of the NGCOA Board of Directors in announcing several NGCOA awards earlier this week. “Each year, we choose from a pool of deserving nominees; this year was no exception, and we’re delighted with this year’s winners.” MGJ

Pro Golf in Michigan

4 Pro Tour Events in Michigan Lock in 2021 Dates By Tom Lang

The LPGA Tour made a lot of noise recently announcing its official 2021 schedule, with major growth in sponsorships and the return of some events that were scrubbed off their 2020 schedule due to pandemic spread concerns. With the return of both the Meijer LPGA Classic outside Grand Rapids, and the Dow Great Lakes Invitational in Midland, our state’s dominance in hosting professional golf tour events continues.

The PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic will culminate its final round being played on Independence Day, as the event runs June 28-July 4. Bryson DeChambeau is the defending champion after a tumultuous year which saw his protein shake stock grow to greater

heights when he added the U.S. Open title.

The Ally Challenge, our PGA Tour Champions event, is set to play its 4th annual tournament, August 27-29 to determine the 54-hole winner. Jim Furyk came off the regular tour to earn his first Champions Tour event at the 2020 version. Both men’s events last year played without fans in attendance. Award-winning country music group Little Big Town will headline the annual Community Concert on August 28 at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc.

The Meijer LPGA Classic returns to its traditional

June date (17-20) with a purse of $2.3 million. The popular event consistently draws some of the LPGA Tour’s largest crowds and has raised over $5.2 million to date for restocking food pantry shelves in communities statewide. Brooke Henderson has won the event twice, including the last in 2019.

The week of July 14-17 will be the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational at Midland Country Club. The inaugural event took place in 2019, so 2021 will be the second time for the unique two-team format of best ball and alternate shot. Its purse is also $2.3 million, making both Michigan events some of the highest LPGA Tour purses all year, a fact that draws the best players for our golf fans to follow. MGJ

Affordable Florida Golf

Low-Cost Florida Golf Options Motor Heads will also enjoy nearby Sebring Int’l Raceway

By Dave Daubert Known as the ‘Value Golf Capital of America,’ Sebring, Florida’s collection of golf courses offer the best service, and an extraordinary golf experience at a great value. Located in the center of the state along Highway 27 (the same road that starts in the U.P.), these hidden gems are just 60 miles south of the theme parks in Orlando.

The Citrus Golf Trail courses are well maintained and provide an excellent assortment of styles that will challenge the best players while the different distance tees allow for high handicappers to enjoy their round as well. With a selection of seven courses at five locations, the Citrus Golf Trail has all the golf needed to enjoy a year-

round stay and play at very reasonable prices: Sebring International Golf Resort (formerly Spring Lake Resort) is an expansive resort offering guests the opportunity to enjoy the new 12-hole short course along with a reworked 27 holes of championship golf. The new ownership is making substantial improvements Continues on next page >>

Michigan GolfFlorida Journal Golf Affordable

throughout. Stay & plays in lovely on-site condos and suites are available, with the Sebring International Raceway, home of the 12 Hours of Sebring, a few miles away. Call 863-6555555 or visit SIResort.com. Sebring Municipal Golf Course is a prime example of an old Florida track that opened in 1928. With small push-up greens, four sets of tees, and 6204 yards in length, the flat muni is a great walk. In 2009, Ron Garl, Mr. Florida Golf, came in and spruced up the golf course to make

it an up-to-date challenge for golfers who like a great value and a wellmaintained place to play. Sebring Municipal is near Inn on the Lakes just off Highway 27. Call-863-3145919 or VisitSebring.com/ Sebring-Municipal-GolfCourse. Sun-N-Lake Golf Club is a semi-private community club home to two outstanding golf courses, Deer Run & Turtle Run. Deer Run is the longest and most challenging of the duo. Ron Garl was asked to give the closing

18th hole a dramatic new look and changed it to a fabulous risk-reward par 3 about 10 years ago. Turtle Run was carved out of a Scrub Jay Preservation area by Charles Ankrom in 1999 which plays tighter and shorter to smallish greens. Visit SunLakeGolfClub.com or call 863-385-5483. Pinecrest Golf Club is a 1926 Donald Ross design that took full advantage of the topography near Avon Park, Florida, just north of Sebring. The traditional layout of the 6,719-yard course winds its way

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

through forests and orange groves in a natural setting. There are 5 sets of tees to ensure all who play enjoy their round with great mounded TifEagle greens with false fronts. In the 1950’s the club hosted the first televised PGA event, The World Championship of Golf, won by Dr. Carey Middlecoff. Give them a call at 863-453-7555 or visit GolfPinecrest.com. River Greens Golf Club is also located in Avon Park. There is no river but there is a fair share of water to

avoid. The golf club has been owned by the Davis family since 1969 who take great pride in the condition of the course, and the warm hospitality of the staff. The 6400-yard course has a drivable par four, a par five with two greens (1 for duffers and 1 for single handicappers) on the front, and three par fives on the backside. A fun place to play. Visit RGreens.com or call 863453-5210. Inn on the Lakes is a lovely privately owned stay and

play venue rated the No. 1 Hotel in Sebring. Its 155 rooms and suites, lakeside pool and famous Chicanes restaurant serving three meals daily provide visitors and Citrus Golf Trail groups with the utmost comfort and convenience. Packages starting as low as $99. For reservations or further information call 800-531-5253 or visit InnontheLakes.com. More area information at: VisitSebring.com/CitrusGolf-Trail. MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal New Equipment

Radspeed Woods from Cobra By Ed Travis

Cobra Golf’s Radspeed family of woods use newly designed radial placement of internal weighting for low spin and high forgiveness in three drivers, four fairway woods and two hybrids.

Fast Facts Radspeed drivers: 460cc clubhead; Carbon fiber crown; T-bar chassis CNC milled wrap around face Adjustable hosel Cobra Connect by Arccos Color choices: black/Turbo yellow, Peacoat blue/red Stock shafts: Fujikura Motore X F3, Project X HZRDUS RDX Blue, Fujikura Motore X F1 Suggested retail for each $449. Full specifications on Cobra website Available January 29, 2021

came from Cobra designers deciding to relook at the various elements in a clubhead such as internal weights and calculating something called the radius of gyration. For those of us lacking engineering degrees, the radius of gyration is the distance from the clubhead’s center of gravity to the location of each weight mass. Cobra R&D saw this measurement was the key coming up with an effective blend of high ball speed, low spin, forgiveness, and launch angle calculating both the proper amount of weight and where it should be placed.

What You Need to Know: The concept for the Radspeed line of woods

Basically, the solution was to push the front and rear weights as far apart as possible

January 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com

thereby increasing the distance between them. Cobra calls this “Radial Weighting” which makes the name Radspeed a natural. Three Radspeed driver variations are available. Each has an internal T-bar frame lighter by 7 grams than in last year’s SpeedZone driver and a 30% thinner carbon fiber crown that extends over the skirt replacing sections of the sole with a saving of another 6 grams. The CNC milled “Infinity Face” wraps around the front of the crown and leading edge of the sole as well as up the hosel, a construction Cobra says enlarges the area that will produce maximum ball speed. The standard Radspeed puts 28 grams of weight near the front (16 grams fixed, 12 grams adjustable) and 10 grams in the rear (8 grams fixed, 2 grams adjustable). This is a better-player driver since it produces low

spin with a somewhat lower launch and allows the most workability. The Radspeed XB (“Xtreme Back) is weighted to have the most forgiveness with 20 grams (14 grams fixed, 6 grams adjustable) in the rear and 8 grams (fixed) in front. Cobra tells me this is a very stable driver and the most forgiving they have ever made. Radspeed fairway woods ($279 each) and Radspeed hybrids ($229 each) have similar constructions using the radial weighting concept. We were impressed that Cobra for the first time was able to make use of a CNC milled face for the standard Radspeed fairway wood and the hybrids continue to use the hollow split rails on the sole, a valuable performance feature used for years in previous Cobra hybrids. MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal Golf Architecture

Michiganders Spoiled by Great Golf Architecture By Vaughn Halyard

Short Course

Michigan golfers are spoiled.

Michigan golfer’s chronic ‘homerism’.

Ask if they played XYZ course in ABC state, and there is a likelihood the answer will be: “No… but I have heard it is very nice.” They are inundated with an abundance of excellent golf, so they find it hard to justify leaving their state.

The short course adds another compelling option to the Forest Dunes menu. The resort started with the original Forest Dunes, a parkland course set in the sand barren and dunes, designed by Tom Weiskopf. In 2016, it added a fascinating reversible course, the Loop, conceived and designed by Tom Doak. From a timing perspective, you are playing the

The completion of the Riley Johns and Keith Rhebb-designed short course at Forest Dunes is sure to compound the

equivalent of two courses, but it is unequivocally a single 36-hole course and should be played as such over two days. The Rhebb and Riley tenhole short course plays up into a treed dune, meanders back down a hill through a gully, then crosses an adjacent dune, on the perpendicular. The fescue is firmly planted on the packed sand and the course invites the requisite creativity and wagering.

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Our host, golf industry PR veteran and fierce golf stick Kevin Frisch, regularly demonstrated his genius with a putter from as far as 160 yards. His precise thump off the tee with the flat stick will undoubtedly require a loft adjustment. This is illustrative of the enjoyment built into the design. The same group included some using the land and features to hone their short game on tight lies and some keeping serious score. Others were playing a call-a-club challenge on each hole where each shot was celebrated by laughter. The features and bunkers

were fully formed as a championship approach, yet the routing invited equal parts shotmaking and whimsy. That is not an easy task to accomplish and R&R delivered a course for true ‘R&R’. I found myself wanting for more: “That’s it? Ten holes is not enough.” More on golf in Michigan. During one of several enjoyable conversations with Michigan golf writers John Retzer and Tom Lang, I learned that Michigan has between 650 and 850 public golf courses. (That figure includes a number of nine-hole courses often left out of the tally).

Sand is omnipresent at Forest Dunes. Guests are able to choose their favorite playing surface. Interestingly, this is part of a trip planning protocol for some. The closer to the resort, the more prominent is the sand. Next to the road, under the hightension power lines, the quicksand-like country roads down which I was routed by my Waze were all sand. The houses and cottages at the resort were all set on sand. So, I assumed that the original course would be on sand. For the first-time visitor expecting sandy links-style golf, the first tee of the namesake Forest Dunes Continues on next page >>

Forest Dunes Hole 3

Michigan Golf Journal Golf Architecture

The Loop

course will surprise. It is a fairly lush parkland. It is very well routed, enjoyable. It is an interesting juxtaposition, sand barren and dune immediately adjacent the verdant mow lines and rough. Pure sandcapped by soil and green grass laid in the dunes might be a bit of a ponder but understandable given the period the course was built. Fairways are moist but greens are hard packed directly on sand and roll true. More importantly, it has many fans and guests who love it and keep coming back. “My dad loves this course,” makes this a destination where there is something for everyone. Michigan is ‘golf is for the people’. The explosion

in golf was driven not only by the elite, but also by the blue collar and line workers of the auto industry’s United Auto Workers (UAW). During the Detroit, (Flint, Cadillac, Grand Rapids) auto heyday, when the shift ended, there was no work to take home and the pay was excellent. A coupling of disposable income with a brutal winter climate, the UAW community took full advantage of summer warmth and 10pm sunsets. Golf became both an afterwork passion and a place to park money for those not connected to investment advisors of the wealthy country club set. Retzer says: “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Michigan is either

first or second in number of registered boats, depending on the source. Boats and cabins near lakes and golf courses.” Destination golf became an intra-state industry. Jump to the present, the competition for the Michigan golf dollar is heated. The industry welcomes customers from in and out of state. Golf figures prominently in the state of Michigan’s extensive economic development and tourism ad campaign, simply titled ‘Pure Michigan’. Historically, Forest Dunes was envisioned as a private club/real estate destination. The bubble bursting pivot forced upon all industries drove their switch from private, to a public destination resort. That pivot

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also informed a decision to become a multi-course facility. Frisch says: “The Forest Dunes course was a perennial favorite, but the resort also needed to entice people to stay overnight. The Loop has transformed the resort’s business into multiday destination.” With the addition of the short course, it becomes a very sticky overnight. The evolution of destination golf demanded a second course at Forest Dunes. Michigan resident Tom Doak completed The Loop in 2016. It is a festival of thumpy fescue on sand. The routing clandestinely delivers two courses on the same land. This ingenuity becomes increasingly evident the deeper into the round in the opposite direction. It was likely a shock to the system for the Forest Dunes regulars, but a links lover will find The Loop an outstanding destination to prep for a trip to Scotland or Ireland. The conditions are stellar and the resort decision to allow carts has proven a marketing advantage. The Loop is a single 36-hole course. It is an enlightening experience.

The Loop

A round should not be considered complete if only played one way. It is a piece of golf art akin to Beethoven’s ninth or Prince’s Lovesexy album, where songs don’t have individual indexes. Our group was treated to a surprise visit from Loop architect, Tom Doak. After sending an email to alert him of our arrival and inquire what he was up to, he responded, “with interstate travel limited, not much, why?” He hopped in his car for the 1.5-hour trip and graciously joined us for 18 holes of the Loop and riveting nineteenth hole conversation. With the addition of the Rhebb and Riley short course – starting and finishing by the bar, which

has outdoor seating, delivering a gallery effect on the finishing holes – as a destination, Forest Dunes is an interesting combination of something for everybody. My dad would have done laps on the Weiskopf: green, excellently conditioned but moist and pretty with fantastic putting surfaces. I could lap the Loop all day and we would all meet at the short course for a settling of bets followed by a putt off on the putting course. Everybody wins and that is hard to do when some favor opposite conditions. MGJ This article first appeared in the October 2020 issue of Golf Course Architecture (www. golfcoursearchitecture.net) where readers can subscribe to the magazine digitally.

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