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EDITOR'S LETTER

A Fully Packed Summer Awaits

where every planned event previous to the fire will go on this Still baffled by Mother Nature with some summer thanks to snowfall in the later days of April, it seems some shifting of as if golf full time for the season has finally things and stylish arrived… although maybe a slightly longer temporary wait in the U.P. buildings and a High school golf is in full swing for the boys mobile kitchen, this spring, but one special player is missing, among other Oxford’s Justin Shilling. His coach and provisions. We teammates memorialize his wonderful spirit also bring you a follow up on the four for us on the following pages. We hope you firefighters who saved some of the history enjoy getting to know the powerful inside as the February fire raged. attributes of this young man. The May magazine is your best source in the There is also more information on where state for information with 12-plus pages on things are going with Oakland Hills Country all EIGHT professional golf Tour Club. Activities abound at the historic club, tournaments coming to Michigan this year – three on the men’s side and five from the LPGA and Epson Tours. Less than 10 years ago Michigan had NO such pro events, proof beyond measure that we are back as a leading golf state in the country. It was the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, which first brought back professional golf after the prior draught. The MI Golf Journal continues to evolve and test some changes here in Year Five of publication. We hope you like the adjustments, including the biggest visual brand transformation with a new logo that more visually captures our state pride for the game of golf. Please make sure you view the excellent selection of stories in the entire May magazine; and thank you for coming along for the drive.

Tom Lang Editor and Publisher

BOYS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF

In Memory: Oxford Golfer Justin Shilling By Keith Dunlap When it comes to describing teammate Justin Shilling, members of the Oxford boys golf team don’t hesitate to come up with the right words. Positive. Upbeat. Not one to complain. All that certainly applies to what Shilling was as a golfer, a teammate and person. And it’s clear that as the boys high school golf season gets underway this spring, their team will be missing — yet will be honoring along the way — its biggest supporter. “Justin’s best qualities were being positive, easy-going, and enjoying playing golf,” said senior George Pill. “He always had a smile on his face when coach (Chris) Papas had

always had a great attitude,” Hepp said. “I could tell other players would gravitate toward him because he had such a great

everyone chip with their 8 or 7-iron, which most players struggled doing.”

presence to him.”

Oxford senior Benjamin Hepp echoed those sentiments.

the golf course, they did the same in the school.

“I remember Justin coming out and playing at Oxford Hills, and every time I would see him, he

“He was someone you looked forward to seeing in the hallway,” Hepp said.

As much as players gravitated to Shilling on

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM “Sometimes he was doing a video or rehearsing for a Chinese speech, but he always had a big smile and he always tried to include everyone around him.” Even though Shilling is no longer with physically with the team after his life was tragically cut short on Dec. 1 following the Nov. 30 tragedy at Oxford High School, the Wildcats are making sure his presence is still felt all spring. Oxford head coach Tony Frias said the team has been wearing patches to honor all four students whose lives were lost in the tragedy, including Shilling. Players have bags, towels and head covers that will honor Shilling, who also was a captain of the bowling team who was about to enter his senior season. Frias said those items were donated to the team by Kyle Sharpe, who owns Sharpe Golf Customs, and Andy Renshaw, a 1996 graduate of Rochester Adams High School who owns the Winston Collection. But that won’t be the only ways the team will honor Shilling’s memory. “I will also be creating an award to one of our players that demonstrates the qualities of Justin, which will be the Justin Shilling award,” Frias said. “This will represent the player that has the best leadership qualities, positive attitude and determination.” Pill said he also plans to honor Shilling in a personal way. “This year, every golf ball I play will have ‘JS’ on it, so every birdie I get Justin will get it with me,” Pill said.

The surrounding golf community has already done, and still have more planned, tributes to Shilling’s memory as well. Troy Athens coach Dan Cooper said on April 22 at Oxford’s first league tournament within the Oakland Activities Association — which also included 11 other teams — a moment of silence was held before the tournament started and the day was dedicated to Shilling. “He was a really great kid and he was special,” Cooper said about Shilling. “He had a wonderful attitude; he was very positive and he was a positive influence on his teammates and his friends. As a coach of an opposing school, he made a very positive impression on me and I enjoyed being around him.” It’s fitting that Shilling’s impact has been felt on the links this spring, because it was already felt soon after his passing. Shilling’s organs were donated to Gift of Life, Continues on pg. 6 >>

BOYS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF and hospital staff lined the halls for a walk of honor to clap for Justin as his body was being wheeled to an operating suite. Outside the hospital, hundreds of people from the Oxford community gathered to show support during the honor walk, waving to family and hospital staff from underneath an overpass to pay tribute to someone who might save lives because of the organ donation. That selflessness and regard for others, to put in golf terms, was par for the course for Shilling every day of his life, according to those that new him best. “He cared about everyone on the team,” Pill said. “He was just overwhelmingly positive. It was always fun to play with him on the golf course. I won’t forget that at ‘Oxford Gives Back,’ (an

annual community service project event) when most of us were hesitant to start working. But Justin instantly started working and giving back to his community.”

OAKLAND HILLS MARCHES ONWARD

Returning to ‘Normalcy’ At Oakland Hills Firefighters honored by Up North Resorts for their work By Janina Parrott Jacobs Almost three months have passed since fire tore through the century-old Oakland Hills clubhouse, destroying nearly everything in its wake and reducing the legendary building to rubble. Yellow hazard tape and fencing surround what’s left of the Monticello-style wooden structure as countless insurance and restoration companies carefully sift through the debris. It’s expected to remain like that all summer. “With high amounts of activity going on, you can still see a return to normalcy,” said past club president Lee Juett, who had just finished playing the North Course, which opened along with the South in late April. “The Board and staff members are doing the best

they can with the cards they’ve been dealt. The club is preparing for hundreds of events this year and the courses are wide open for member play. The Men’s and Ladies’ Invitationals and charity outings traditionally hosted here are still scheduled.” While there is no start date for rebuilding the clubhouse, construction of luxury tents similar to tournament hospitality suites are rising up around the property. A portable deluxe kitchen will provide all food services. Employees are breathing easier, secure with their positions, but also learning new skills. Now that members are back, along with caddies, parking is at a premium as lots are filled mostly with service vehicles. For security purposes, identification is required to get onto club property.

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In one major change, the Pro Shop has been moved to the First Tee building, which was untouched by the fire. Golf Professional Steve Brady recalls what went on that day, when four Southfield firefighters took temporary respite there, disappointed that conditions were too intense to battle fire in the men’s locker room. “They put up a valiant fight to save our beautiful clubhouse, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be,” he said. Southfield Firefighters and Fire Academy Instructors Lt. Zachary McKee and Paramedic Nate Herr remembered how well they were treated by club staff as they warmed up, shaking off ice and cold. “When we were told we were going in to get some valuables I had no idea it was for some of golf’s most valuable trophies,” said Firefighter Mike Petrey, adding, “as a golfer myself, it was surreal walking in and seeing all the trophies and memorabilia and realizing that’s what we were here for.” Van loads of rare artifacts were saved from the foyer, trophy cases and basement areas. Some have been identified as the club’s Ryder Cup and PGA trophy, events hosted there in 2004 and 2008 respectively. However, it will be months before restoration experts can determine to what extent these items were damaged by fire, smoke, or water….or

perhaps, not at all. Brady is truly grateful for two very important items retrieved from the Pro Shop: a treasured photo of him and his wife and a framed, signed letter from Arnie. The firefighters also had time to grab other items shelves and the walls. “I hope this gives people a better understanding of what we do in the Fire Service,” explained Petrey. “Our priorities are to save lives and protect property, which can include people’s homes, medication, family pictures …..or even trophies and memorabilia.” Continues on pg. 11 >>

OAKLAND HILLS MARCHES ONWARD

McKee added, “I’ve spoken with several people

Major resorts in Michigan took note of SFD’s

who did not understand how we were unable to stop this fire. After explaining the details involved in such a large operation and the scale of this fire inside the building, I think many have a better idea now. While not always feasible or

actions. Since all four firefighters play golf, Boyne, Treetops and Shanty Creek joined together in providing several rounds of golf at their properties.

possible, we try to recover irreplaceable items if we can. A TV can be replaced but wedding

“Golf is grateful for the heroic efforts of the Southfield firefighters in battling the fire that eventually destroyed the historic Oakland Hills

photos or pictures of loved ones who have passed Country Club,” said Bernie Friedrich, Boyne’s on….. cannot. Saving these can shed some light Vice-President of Golf and Resort Sales. on what is otherwise a tragedy.” “Beyond these efforts, golfers in Michigan owe After fighting the blaze for 12 hours straight, the them a debt of gratitude for their efforts to save firefighters all mentioned that their work wasn’t much of the rich golf history and artifacts that done. McKee added: “We were all pretty worn were housed at the club. Their appreciation for out, but after a hot shower, we responded to the history of golf in Michigan and what these several medical calls and another fire alarm. By items meant to it is laudable!” shift’s end at 7am, we were ready for a nap!” Treetops PGA Golf Professional and Director of Since then, word has spread throughout the Recreation Kevin McKinley added: “It is no golfing world of the firefighters’ secret that Oakland Hills plays a major role in accomplishments in retrieving so much of what the history of golf. For the firefighters everyone thought was lost, forever. However, a responding on that day to recognize the history new understanding of what first responders do that was at stake, and respond as they did in has been revealing. saving as much as they could, is truly astounding and should be appreciated by anyone who loves the game of golf.”

Photo: Southfield firefighters speaking to the media

MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE

Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give Leads Off the Women’s Pro Summer Season By Tom Lang Simply put, the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give is one of the best LPGA Tour events all year long – and Michiganders can be proud to call it their own. The world’s best players attend most years. They include 2017 and 2019 Meijer champion Brooke Henderson, former champ Lexi Thompson (2015), and defending champ and recent World No. 1, Nelly Korda. It’s not uncommon for the majority of the world’s top 10 to play each year, as well as multiple major winners and the hot new talent coming on Tour each season. Part of that is the fact the tournament played at Blythefield Country Club each year consistently has one of the highest purses on the entire LPGA Tour. This year it is set at $2.5 million, a significantly higher purse than 17 other events on the LPGA schedule. With a number like that it’s easy to see why the best players ascend on Michigan. Another draw for fans is that the Meijer team knows how to throw a great event – in fact in 2018 the LPGA Tour awarded the Grand Rapids tournament as ‘Best Fan Experience’ for the entire season, and the tournament has also won numerous other awards over the years that focus on the fan experience, food and family fun.

Brooke M. Henderson

“The Meijer (tournament) is amazing,” twotime winner Brooke Henderson once told me. “The energy that comes from the crowds, and all the different events that are happening around the golf just makes everything a little bit more exciting. And I know the fans really appreciate it too. For me, I love playing with big crowds, especially when I am playing well, and I can key off their energy.”

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Food, Fun and Food: After the tournament was fully canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19, followed by a scaled back event in 2021 with limited hospitality options, the Meijer LPGA Classic is back in full swing for 2022 on the large scale we’ve come to love, starting with new ticket and food options that will offer any fan that wants it, the ‘Hospitality Tent’ experience. “While we’re excited to bring the tournament back at the large scale that our community remembers from previous years, we’ve refreshed it with new elements that will further set our LPGA experience apart,” said Cathy Cooper, Executive Director of the Meijer LPGA Classic. “With the introduction of our new premium diverse restaurant food and beverage hospitality experience, J. Brewer’s, and the expansion of our Grand Taste viewing areas and concessions, this year’s event will offer more than ever before, all in support of the same great cause – feeding our neighbors in need.”

The first step is a new area that will replace what past fans knew as the Grand Taste, which distributed samples of food and local brewery drinks. Now a new pavilion called the J. Brewer’s Hospitality Pavilion is in the mix. J. Brewer’s is named in honor of the financier who purchased the land where Blythefield Country Club now stands. Plans call for a oneof-a-kind hospitality experience on the LPGA Tour, located off the 4th fairway where the Grand Taste food pavilions were previously positioned. J. Brewer’s will be a more than 20,0000-square-foot pavilion that offers superior all-you-can-eat food, along with beverage pairings, curated and prepared by Meijer vendors and select local and minorityowned restaurants. Daily tickets for access to the J. Brewer’s pavilion cost $75 apiece. Those tickets are day Continues on pg. 15 >> J. Brewer's Hospitality Pavilion

MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE J. Brewer’s tickets will offer attendees access to: A terrace for live, front-row views of the on-course action Television viewing of both the U.S. Open and Meijer LPGA Classic A vibrant, fun atmosphere with prime seating areas All-you-can-eat access to carefully crafted food items, featuring Meijer and local vendors The Grand Taste commitment to local flavors will still be available in 2022, but in a very different format allowing the general public a chance to taste food and beverages from local restaurants, breweries and Meijer vendors. The option will be at four concession areas located at the 18th tee, 18th green, 10th tee and 16th fairway. “To better support our local restaurant partners amidst ongoing staffing shortages, we decided to transition their offerings into our concession tents,” Cooper said. “This is especially exciting because it means everyone gets to experience the fun of Grand Taste’s local offerings at an affordable price without needing a special ticket.”

So Yeon Ryu, 2018 Champ

Simply Give Supports Food Insecurity in the Community: Speaking of food, feeding people has been the main focus of the tournament since Day One. Proceeds from the tournament each year since launching in 2014 have gone to the retailer’s hunger relief program called Simply Give. The program restocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest by providing them with gift cards to use for fresh meats, fruits and vegetables. The 2021 tournament raised $1.1 million for local food pantries through Simply Give. In total, the seven tournaments to date have generated more than $7.4 million for the Meijer Simply Give program. Last year the tournament introduced an additional $25,000 donation to a hunger relief Continues on next page >>

MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE Tickets on sale now at www.meijerlpgaclassic.c om/tickets.

Family Fun: The tournament is now able to bring back many fan-favorite activities from years past, including

organization of the winner’s choice. That initiative returns this year as well, after champion Nelly Korda selected Kids' Food Basket in Grand Rapids. "I just felt like I wanted it to stay in Grand Rapids," said Korda, following her 2021 Father's Day win. "I also love kids. I have always wanted to do something for underprivileged kids, and that's the first thing that popped into my head. Feels like a good decision and it means so much to give back." The unique above and beyond donation did not go unnoticed by Bridget Clark Whitney, Founding CEO of Kids' Food Basket. "We are so inspired by and grateful for this incredible gift from Nelly Korda," she said last year. "Through this gift Nelly continues to showcase how to be a role model for kids in local communities and demonstrates that we can all use our talents to work toward a greater good."

the Discovery Land and Family Care Area. A new feature to be introduced is the Family Village, with outdoor games, seating and live music on Saturday night. Discovery Land returns to its prime location off the 18th fairway, offering young golf fans and their families with an air-conditioned kids’ destination featuring character visits, crafts, activities and snacks. There will also be an airconditioned tent for diaper changing and feeding mothers. The new Family Village will offer healthy food and beverage options, outdoor games, live tournament coverage on digital boards, and seating areas where fans can view tee shots coming off the 18th tee. In addition, spectators are invited to stick around after play on Saturday for a free concert in the Family Village by local band Great Scott. It is free and will start near the conclusion of golf on Saturday evening. As in previous years, kids, ages 17 and under, will receive free general admission with a ticketed adult. For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, visit meijerLPGAclassic.com.

THE MICHIGAN PRO CALENDAR

Sr. PGA Championship: May 25-29 (PGA Championship), Mark Calcavecchia (The Open), Michael Campbell (U.S. Open), Darren Clarke (The Open), Fred Couples

John Daly

By Tom Lang Michigan’s professional golf tournament season will kick off Memorial Day Weekend in Benton Harbor, with the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The event brings arguably the most accomplished senior golfers to Harbor Shores, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, every other year with its rotating schedule between the home of KitchenAid/ Whirlpool and additional sites in the odd years. In addition to Championship golf with all the iconic golf names like Ernie Els, Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer and Jim Furyk, this familyfriendly fan event provides a variety of experiences such as celebrity cooking demonstrations, a YMCA Kids Zone, and more. One of the most popular fan experiences showcases a craft beer, wine, & spirits in a covered pavilion, called the Makers Trail that features local breweries’ best products. A total of 27 major champions are in the field: Rich Beem (PGA Championship), Mark Brooks

(The Masters), John Daly (PGA Championship, The Open), David Duval (The Open), Ernie Els (U.S. Open, The Open), Jim Furyk (U.S.

Open), Retief Goosen (U.S. Open), Todd Hamilton (The Open), Padraig Harrington (PGA Championship, The Open), Lee Janzen (U.S. Open), Steve Jones (U.S. Open), Bernhard Langer (The Masters), Tom Lehman (The Open), Sandy Lyle (The Masters, The Open), Shaun Micheel (PGA Championship), Larry Mize (The Masters), Jose Maria Olazabal (The Masters), Corey Pavin (U.S. Open), Vijay Singh (The Masters, PGA Championship), Jeff Sluman (PGA Championship), David Toms (PGA Championship), Mike Weir (The Masters), and Y.E. Yang (PGA Championship). There are also 11 past KitchenAid Senior PGA Champions competing and as of April 15, two Michiganders made the field: PGA Tour Champions member Tom Gillis of Lake Orion, and club pro Jeff Roth, of Harbor Springs and Boyne Resorts. Less than a year ago Roth qualified into the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic and was the oldest player in that field. For more on the Championship and the Makers Trail, or to purchase tickets, visit: www.srpgachampionship.com/tickets.

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Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational: July 13-16 First Tee and Inclusion are Part of the Dow LPGA Experience

First Tee Eastern Michigan, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational LPGA Tournament and Currie Golf Course are taking registrations for the 1st Annual Great Lakes Bay Junior Championship. This 18-hole competitive event will be played at Currie Golf Courses West Course in Midland on June 15th and is open to juniors that reside or attend school in Bay, Isabella, Midland or Saginaw counties.

By Tom Lang As outlined in other stories, the Dow GLBI will feature an exemption for the winner of THE JOHN SHIPPEN tournament in conjunction with the Meijer LPGA Classic and the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic—drawing much attention for the state of Michigan as an epicenter of inclusion in golf for people of color. For fan activities, the LPGA tournament at Midland Country Club will be open both Monday and Tuesday free of charge for people wanting to watch practice or the Pro-Am. The tournament, a team format of best ball and alternate shot, will begin Wednesday and end Saturday. The break from a traditional Sunday finish is so players have more travel time to the next event – the Evian Championship in France, one of five majors on the season. The winning team earns an exemption into that major as well. The Jutanugarn sisters are the defending champions at Midland. Tickets go on sale the middle of May.

The tournament will feature boys’ and girls’ champions in three age divisions: age 13-15, 1618 and special category of age 19-22. Winners of each division will receive a trophy and recognition at the LPGA Tournament. “With the help of our partners at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational and Currie Golf Course, this will become a premier junior tournament in the region,” said Joe Simpson, Program Director for First Tee Eastern Michigan. “We’re really excited about adding the 19-22 year-old division and hope to attract some of the great college golfers in the area.” To register for the event, go to https://firstteeeasternmichigan.org/greatlakes-bay-jr-golf-championship/ or call Joe Simpson, First Tee Eastern Michigan’s Program Director at (810) 249-7071. There is also a junior clinic planned for Monday July 11 to be held at Currie Golf Course, which also doubles for a driving range/warm up location for the professional golfers all week.

THE MICHIGAN PRO CALENDAR scramble on holes 14-16 – known as AREA 313. Previous participants have included PGA TOUR pros Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Harold Varner III and Bubba Watson as well as celebrities Justin Abdelkader, Maurice Allen, Jerome Bettis, Larry Fitzgerald, Jimmy Howard, Tom Izzo, Dylan Larkin, Troy Mullins, Blair O’Neal, Barry Sanders and Lexi Thompson.

Rocket Mortgage Classic: July 26-31 The Rocket Mortgage Classic has put the City of Detroit on the map for the golfing world to see since landing at Detroit Golf Club in 2019. Of course, Michigan overall and metro Detroit in many ways is well known for golf nationally, but the Rocket Mortgage became the first PGA Tour event ever played inside the city limits and thus holds that special distinction. The Rocket Mortgage Classic announced new for 2022, the addition of Detroit Community Days presented by DTE Energy on Tuesday and Wednesday of tournament week – offering the chance for all Detroiters to enjoy complimentary access to participate in events during tournament week. The inaugural AREA 313 Celebrity Scramble was awarded as the “Best Special Event” during the PGA TOUR’s 2018-19 season. The event pairs top PGA TOUR professionals with celebrity amateurs in a fun and entertaining three-hole

The Youth Golf Clinic presented by The Children’s Foundation brings hundreds of children from across Detroit to the Detroit Golf Club for a fun-filled day on the driving range

learning from professional golfers. PGA TOUR pros who have participated in the event in previous years include Joseph Bramlett, Cameron Champ, Doc Redman, Brandt Snedeker and Gary Woodland. Information on tickets for tournament rounds (Thursday, July 28 - Sunday, July 31) will be available at a later date.

The John Shippen Cross-Promotes Rocket Mortgage Classic with LPGA Tour’s Meijer LPGA Classic and the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational: THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational presented by Rocket Mortgage is a second-year event designed to provide opportunities for Black men and women amateur and professional golfers. THE JOHN Contines on pg. 24 >>

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SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit will also

“We are pleased to support Blythefield

return for its second year to address the lack of representation in business and leadership roles in golf and across professional sports for people of color.

Country Club as they host the women’s division of THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational in Grand Rapids this year,” said Cathy Cooper, Executive Director of the Meijer LPGA Classic. “We’re honored to be

At last year’s inaugural event the male winner was exempted into the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the female team was exempted into the LPGA Dow team event. This year there’s an additional exemption into the Meijer LPGA. Since both of those LPGA tournaments are being held weeks prior the Rocket Mortgage Classic, THE JOHN SHIPPEN for women will be played June 1-2 at Blythefield Country Club just outside Grand Rapids, and the tournament for men will be played at Detroit Golf Club July 23-24. The events are named after John Shippen, Jr., who was both the first American-born golf professional and the country’s first Black golf professional. The woman who wins in June will be exempted into the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give as well as into the Dow LPGA, where she will be able to pick her teammate because it’s a team event.

part of this inclusive statewide effort that extends to communities across Michigan and proud to offer an exemption into the Meijer LPGA Classic this June.”

Charities Can Earn Money From the Rocket Mortgage Classic The Birdies for Charity program is free, with no administrative fees, and 100 percent of the proceeds generated are directed toward participating nonprofits. New and returning nonprofit organizations in good standing can register by visiting RocketMortgageClassic.com, clicking “Charity” and then choosing “Birdies for Charity.” Applications will be accepted through July 22. Birdies for Charity program is designed to help raise funds and awareness for local nonprofits and increase the amount of positive change in metro Detroit. All nonprofit organizations registered with the Birdies for Charity program can benefit from two types of charitable contributions – per-birdie donations, and flat-rate donations. The lower the pros go on their scorecards – by making birdies – the higher the Birdies for Charity donation scoreboard goes, and the greater the community impact for local nonprofits.

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Ann Arbor’s Road to the LPGA: June 16-18 The Ann Arbor Sports Commission took a big step in returning women's golf to Ann Arbor. Travis Pointe Country Club will host, coming four years since it had the LPGA’s Volvik Championship. The contract is for two years. "The LPGA loved the Travis Pointe Country Club set up, and to bring an Epson Tour event back to this club and the Ann Arbor area is good news for women's golf," said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer of LPGA Qualifying Tours. "The Volvik Championship received tremendous support from the club members, local sponsors, the volunteers, and

the entire community. Mike Malach, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Sports Commission, said, "This is the first time the Sports Commission has taken on an event of this magnitude, and we are excited to make it a great event." The purse will be $200,000 for the field of 144 women golfers. The 6,708 yards, par 72 Travis Pointe course was designed by Bill Newcomb and built-in 1977 and was well-received by the LPGA Tour players in the former event hosted there.

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Island Resort Championship, Ten Years and Counting The 2022 tournament in June at Sweetgrass will By Tom Lang

be the 11th for the longest running women’s pro tour event in Michigan

The Island Resort Championship – June 24-26 – has become such a staple on the EPSON Tour – formerly the Symetra Tour – that several years ago the winners started becoming automatically exempt into the Evian Championship, the LPGA Tour’s major in France.

around the world, with Americans winning the first four times beginning in 2011.

That creates some tall expectations for a host tournament, but the U.P. resort – which earned 2022 National Golf Course of the Year – has lived up to the reputation on several levels. If not for Covid-19 cancelling the 2020 championship, this

entire point of the EPSON feeder tour.

year would be the 12th consecutive women’s pro event, played near Escanaba.

Liz Nagel is a native of DeWitt, Michigan. She previously played in the Island Resort Championship but has had her LPGA Tour card for several years now – which is the

“The players love it (at Sweetgrass) because it’s such a hidden gem of a golf course, and if you haven’t been there, it’s the most unexpected place,” she said recently. “Most out-of-state golfers write off Michigan and especially the U.P., but once players get up

In 2019, Michigan native Daniela Iacobelli won the tournament at 11-under par. The defending

there, they fall in love with the crisp air and the plush grass.

champion (2021) is Morgane Metraux, a Switzerland citizen who played collegiately at Florida State.

“I’ve had over a dozen people tell me it’s their favorite course we play all year and it’s been a

It’s truly a melting pot for champions from

great staple on the Epson Tour schedule – with an even better sponsor.”

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM The Escanaba region has welcomed the golfers and the tournament with open arms to be cliché, but not only does the golf course shine, it is one of the top charity-dollar-raising tournaments on the feeder tour. The tournament is double- and triple-circled on the resident’s summer calendars. And it’s all for a good cause. “Without the support of this tournament we wouldn’t be able to provide the type of direct financial assistance for them to take part in things like swimming lessons, childcare, summer day camps, youth sports and just family memberships in general,” Northern Lights YMCA Associate Executive Director, Caron Salo, said about being the charitable benefactor. “It helps us tackle some of our communities most pressing needs, like chronic disease. With the proceeds we can conduct chronic disease prevention and management for things like diabetes and a class like “Matter of Balance” that we offer at no charge to the community, as well as many community events. It’s tremendous to have this partnership with the Epson event and Sweetgrass.” More information can be found here.

FireKeepers Casino Championship: July 29-31 Battle Creek Country Club on the edge of beautiful Goguac Lake has been the host since day one of the 9th annual FireKeepers Casino and Hotel Championship. It’s the second event of three on the Epson Tour that offers a special Potawatomi Cup – in partnership with the Island Resort Championship and the Four Winds Invitational in South Bend. FireKeepers will take place the week before the French Lick Charity Championship, which features the largest purse in Epson Tour history of $335,000 which should make for a strong field in the Cereal City looking for a warm up. Admission tickets are by donation. Any proceeds generated by the tournament will go to the South Michigan Food Bank. VOLUNTEERS are always needed and can apply here: http://events.trustevent.com/index.cfm? eid=3979

Check out the Breaking News section on our website for the most recent golf news in between monthly issues.

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Ally Challenge: August 26-28 The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren will culminate the professional tours’ calendar in Michigan this summer.

always a central point on the course for raucous fun, plus an annual community

As the last pro Tour event of the golf season, organizers are still pulling together the final details of plans for fans. But that said, based on past offerings, golf fans will have a great time while following wonderful golf action from the senior circuit.

The tournament has a great track record of

Host site Warwick Hills Country Club knows how to host a great event, with it’s 40-plus years of experience doing so with the former Buick Open. The famous 17th hole par 3 is

concert on the driving range.

creating super special events with legends like Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino. And the tournament draws the best players from the PGA Champions, like 2020 winner Jim Furyk, Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer, John Daly, Vijay Singh, Kenny Perry and Ernie Els for example. More information at: www.theallychallenge.com

MICHIGAN PGA AWARDS

Michigan Section PGA 2022 Awards Announced

Jeff O’Malley, PGA, a 38-year PGA Life Member who retired as the General Manager of Pilgrim’s Run Golf Club in December 2021, has captured the 2022 Michigan Section PGA Golf Professional of the Year award. This prestigious honor is awarded to the professional that has demonstrated outstanding qualities of leadership and strong moral character. O’Malley was chosen by his peers for the award based on his overall performance as a Golf Professional. O’Malley’s proudest accomplishment is that his Pilgrim’s Run Golf Club staff was awarded the #1 Friendliest Golf Course by Golf Advisor in 2018. Kevin McKinley, PGA, Assistant General Manager of Treetops Resorts was selected the

Golf Executive of the Year award. The honor bestows special recognition on a PGA Golf Professional who has performed outstanding services for a multiple facility/course management/ownership operation, allied association, or golf industry executive management position. At Treetops he oversees all aspects of the operation including 81 holes at two distinct facilities. Brian Cairns, PGA, a 2016 Michigan PGA Hall of Fame Inductee, and Teaching Professional at Fox Hills Learning Center and Edgewood Country Club, has been named the Teacher & Coach of the Year. Cairns’ honor is for his overall impact on teaching and coaching along with his innovative and special teaching

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programs he implemented. Students who have

been named the Merchandiser of the Year for

utilized Cairn’s coaching include James Piot, the 2021 US Amateur Champion, Ben Cook, the 103rd PGA Championship low PGA Club Professional, and numerous golfers who have earned collegiate scholarships.

Public Golf Facilities, and Gary Lewandowski, PGA, Director of Golf at Tullymore Golf Club, has been named the Merchandiser of the Year for Resort Golf Facilities by the Michigan Section PGA.

Lauren Strong, PGA, First Assistant Golf Professional/Teaching Professional at Forest

Doug Bell, PGA, General Manager at American Dunes Golf Club has earned the

Dunes Golf Club, is the Assistant Golf Professional of the Year. Strong’s strengths as a player, teacher, merchandiser, tournament administrator and overall golf professional all contributed to her success at her facility and the game of golf.

Patriot Award. Bell was honored for personifying patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrating unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States of America.

Doug Kreis, PGA, Head Golf Professional at Battle Creek Country Club, is the prestigious recipient of the Bill Strausbaugh Award. Kreis was honored for his outstanding integrity, character, and leadership through a commitment to mentoring and making significant impacts on the careers of PGA Professionals.

Kelly Kuhlman, PGA, Director of Instruction at Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club and a Teaching Professional at Red Run Golf Club is the Player Development Award Winner. This award recognizes a PGA Golf Professional, who has displayed extraordinary and exemplary contribution and achievement in the area of player development.

John Lindert, PGA, Vice President of the PGA of America and Director of Golf at Country Club of Lansing, has been selected by the Michigan Section PGA as the recipient of the Professional Development Award – which is earned annually

Rolla Frisinger, PGA, PGA Professional and Owner at Foundation Golf Center, is the Youth Player Development Award Winner – which bestows special recognition on a PGA Golf Professional, who has displayed

by a PGA Member for their outstanding contributions to professional education, leadership, networking ability and

extraordinary and exemplary contribution and achievement in the area of youth player development.

contributions made by the candidate to grow and strengthen the image of a PGA Professional.

Doug Dingwall of Holly, MI, has been named for the Distinguished Service Award, which

Kyle Horton, PGA, Head Golf Professional at Kalamazoo Country Club, has been named the Merchandiser of the Year for Private Golf Facilities, Ian Ziska, PGA, Head Golf

honors outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm for the game of golf. He is a

Professional at American Dunes Golf Club, has

member of Warwick Hills CC.

MICHIGAN PGA 100 YEARS

Michigan PGA Celebrates 100 Years The first 25 years, 1922-46 By Greg Johnson The first golf professionals in the United States in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s were in most cases immigrants from Scotland and England who brought with them their trained abilities to make the clubs needed for play, teach others proper swings, and design the hundreds of golf courses constructed though the first three decades of the game in this country. A small group of golf professionals – including Alexander “Alec” Ross of Scotland, the younger brother of famous course designer Donald Ross – met 100 years ago in 1922 at Detroit Golf Club to form the Michigan Section of the PGA of America. Section records from the early years were either not chronicled or simply not saved, but in addition to Ross, participants in that first meeting may have included W.H. Lewis, the golf professional at the then Detroit Masonic Country Club in Mt. Clemens; Jack Elphick, golf professional at Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club; Al Watrous, one of Michigan’s winningest players ever who was then at Redford Country Club and later served Oakland Hills Country Club for 37 years; and Wilfrid Reid, who had just arrived in Michigan and was soon to design Indianwood Golf & Country Club’s Old Course.

Ross, Lewis, Elphick, Watrous and Reid were clearly active in the Michigan PGA as each served terms as section president during the first 25 years. Alec Ross was famous in golf at that point as a world-class player with multiple significant wins including a record six North and South Open wins and the 1907 U.S. Open Championship. He was hired in 1918 at Detroit Golf Club to serve as its first full-time professional, where he worked for more than 30 years. In 1922 The American Annual Golf Guide was published in New York by editor John G. Anderson who had surveyed golf courses across the country. The results for that year in Michigan lists 68 courses with just less than half of them listing golf professionals. This is the first of a four-part series produced in celebration of the centennial year of the Michigan Section PGA. Much more content can be read here.

COLLEGE CORNER Ashley Lau

who was recently named Big Ten coach of the year. "The team was ready, and they embraced the entire week. We were also able to tap into our experiences from earlier this year which helped. I am so proud of this team for winning our very first Big Ten Championship for Michigan!"

Michigan Women’s Golf Wins First Ever Big Ten Title Oakland University women win Horizon League

U-M made its move in the 2nd round on firstround leader MSU, as Chun carded a career

The nation’s 18th-ranked University of Michigan women's golf team made school history as it used a final round 291 Sunday

low 66 (-5) to vault herself into the individual lead, while senior Ashley Lau added a 70 (-1) and junior Hailey Borja fired a 71 (E) to give the

(April 24) to hold on and tally an 857 (+4) championship total and win the program's first ever Big Ten Championship title, played at the

Wolverines a 281 (-3) tally and the 36-hole lead as a team.

Fox Chapel Golf Club outside Pittsburgh, PA.

In addition to the team title, Chun used her closing 69 (-2) to win the Big Ten individual title by four shots, posting a 205 (-8) championship total. Becoming just the second Wolverines to claim the conference medalist

"This was a total team effort, from Friday on through Sunday, and we knew that's what it would take," said U-M head coach Jan Dowling,

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM (Elodie Van Dievoet; 2017), Chun's win was also

I'll be going to Switzerland, I can't wait! I'm

the first of her career. She also lowered the U-M Big Ten championship 54-hole record by five shots (6-under 210).

very much looking forward to making new friends and playing some great golf alongside some of the best golfers in the world. We rarely play match play in collegiate tournaments so it is going to be a fun and

"There aren't enough words to really capture all my thoughts," said Chun. "However, for my first collegiate win to come at the Big Ten Championships, and the fact that was able to help this program win the first ever team title is just so special. I feel so lucky." In other news, Ashley Lau was selected Big Ten Golfer of the Year and is one of 12 women's amateur golfers selected for the International Team which will compete against the U.S. team at the 2022 Palmer Cup (July 1-3) in Cologny, Switzerland. In a Ryder Cup-style tournament co-founded by legend Arnold Palmer and The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), the event features 12-member men's and women's squads battling each other for the Palmer Cup. "Being part of such a prestigious event is such an incredible honor," said Lau. "To think that I'll be

exciting experience." As a senior, Lau is having a record-breaking campaign. She has won 3 individual events and led the Wolverines overall in six of nine events heading into the postseason. Lau also won the Mary Fossum Award for the lowest scoring average in the conference and is on pace to set the school’s scoring record. Oakland University Women's Golf secured the 2022 Horizon League Women's Golf Championship on April 26, with the individual championship going to Amalia Shahzan after completing the 73 par, 6051 yard course in 212 (72-70-70) as the only woman to finish under par (7-under). Nateda Her (Holt, MI) finished the three-day championship in 7th overall after scoring 229 (77-72-80) to finish 10-over while her teammate, Ashley Chinn, finished in a tie for 20th at 235 (+16). Veronica Haque (Rochester Hills, MI) and Emily Fleming finished in 27th and 31st, respectively, with scores of 242 and 244. This is the second league title for Oakland while in the Horizon League. Head coach Alyssa Gaudio goes out on top after previously announcing this was her last season at Oakland. – Edited by Tom Lang

PATRIOT GOLF DAYS

Patriot Golf Days Returns to Memorial Day Weekend Registration is open for the annual golf fundraiser, benefitting military membersand their families through PGA HOPE and Folds of Honor Patriot Golf Days returns for year two, Memorial Day weekend (May 27-30), as a way to further honor our nation’s heroes. PGA REACH, the 501(c)3 charitable foundation of the PGA of America, and Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or disabled service members, will jointly host the nationwide annual fundraiser. The two organizations will help PGA Members and golf facilities put on fundraising efforts throughout the weekend. PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) introduces golf to Veterans to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing. The program includes a six-to-eightweek golf instruction curriculum taught by PGA Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency. To donate or register for Patriot Golf Days, visit patriotgolfdays.com. “This is such a worthy cause and partnership, and it is an extension of the incredibly important work PGA HOPE and the Folds of Honor do year-round to support our Veterans

and their families,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “As a PGA Professional, I’m grateful to my fellow PGA Members, the golf businesses participating in Patriot Golf Days and patriotic Americans who contribute to our mission,” said native Michigander Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, founder and CEO of Folds of Honor. “All money that is raised will directly benefit individuals and families in the community and the PGA Section where it was raised, and provide financial resources for Folds of Honor academic scholarships and PGA HOPE programs.” Patriot Golf Days began as a grassroots fundraising initiative in 2007, with golfers across the country encouraged to add an extra dollar to their green fees to fund Folds of Honor scholarships for families of fallen or disabled Veterans. Over the last 15 years, the effort has grown to encompass a variety of fundraising efforts led by PGA Professionals and golfers in all 50 states and 41 PGA Sections. Folds of Honor began at the site that is now American Dunes in Grand Haven.

GOLF TIPS

Once we have the proper set up, it’s time to align ourselves to the target. I always recommend standing behind the golf ball first and picking your target. Once you have your target you then address the golf ball. The club head will be pointing at your target and your feet parallel to your target (left of the target for right-handed players and right of target for left-handed players).

Golf Tips: The Perfect Set Up By KOSTA RAMIREZ, PGA, Treetops Resort Why is set up so important? If you set up incorrectly you are most likely going to make a poor motion in your golf swing. We first make sure we are holding the club properly. When we hold the golf club, we must make sure it is held in the fingers and the thumbs are on the opposite side of the center line of the grip. If held properly you should be able to see 2 to 3 knuckles of your top hand. Next, we focus on our weight distribution. This will change for different shots and lies, but your flat lie, mid iron shot I like the weight evenly distributed 50-50. After the weight is evenly distributed, I want you to think ATHLETE. Golf is an athletic sport, so we need to set up as an athlete. Our knees are slightly bent, which allow our upper body to bend forward from the waist. If this is done correctly you should feel the weight in the balls of your feet and the butt end of the club pointed to your lead hip.

The biggest mistake I see with amateur golfers are, lining up their feet to the target. This will most likely promote the golf ball to start offline and start to produce poor swing characteristics to compensate for misalignment. Always practice with alignment sticks when you’re on the range (as you see in the pictures below). With these checkpoints in your setup and alignment, your body can now move correctly and hopefully lead to more birdies on your next round.

GOLF COURSE EMPLOYMENT

Golf Can be More Than a Hobby By: Adam Ikamas, CGCS Executive Director Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association I was 17 years old in 1997, and I vividly remember picking up the yellow pages (this is how you found phone numbers in the pre-Google olden days) and calling Moravian Hills Country Club and asked to speak to the grounds department to inquire about a job. A few days later I was sitting in the Superintendent’s office chatting about why I wanted to work there, then a few days after that I was on a bunker rake. I was hooked! To be honest my motivation was just to be able to get access to the course to play free golf on Mondays. Little did I know where that phone call would lead me – or where any similar phone call could lead you.

I worked for three years at Moravian Hills, then jumped over to Gowanie for a season and enrolled at Michigan State to pursue a career in Turfgrass Management. What followed was an internship at Oakland Hills on the South Course, then on to an Assistant Superintendent position at The Cedar River Course at Shanty Creek, before a 7-year run at the 36 holes at Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa as Superintendent. In 2011, I left Crystal to take on the position of Executive Director for the newly formed Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association where I write this piece today. This wonderfully-rewarding journey started with one step, a phone call at the time. If you love golf, if you want to work outside on a golf course, if you want to be done with your workday in the early afternoon, if you want access to free golf; then maybe you should

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM take that first step and reach out to your local Golf Course Superintendent. If outdoor and early morning is not your thing there are still plenty of other options out there. Like many industries today, every area of golf is looking for staff. The pay is very competitive, and the environment is one of the best out there. You can be part of a team that produces joy for so many people, to work with Mother Nature and get instant gratification of a job well done. Not everyone will have a similar path if you choose to take your first step, but even the first step can be so rewarding. Maybe you find your career, or a new career, or maybe you have a great experience you can look back on fondly. Golf can also create great networking opportunities in whatever career you are in or going in to. Getting to know the members at the local club will inevitably open career doors that would not be accessible otherwise. Spring is ready to pop, so reach out to your local golf course today and get ready for the best summer you can have! You never know where that first step will take you.

Editor’s Note: Crystal Mountain is seeking workers in several departments including Golf, Outdoor Recreation, Food and Beverage and the Crystal Spa are looking to hire full-time, parttime, on-call, seasonal and year-round employees. Some are good for high school aged people, and others needing career experience. In addition to good wages, Crystal Mountain offers a long list of employee benefits: free golf, free activity passes, access to the Peak Indoor Pool and Fitness Center, as well as discounts on meals, retail, lodging and Crystal Spa services. Healthcare benefits, 401(k) plans, tuition assistance and paid time off are also included for full-time, year-round employees. There will be one final Job fair on Friday, May 13 from 3:00-7:00 pm. Applicants are encouraged to apply online prior to the job fair and will have the opportunity to interview with hiring managers during the event. All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win a $50 Crystal Mountain gift card.

LOUISIANA’S AUDUBON TRAIL

Southern Comfort, Nature Abounds in Louisiana

The Louisiana Audubon Trail mixed with the urban attractions of New Orleans By Tom Lang If you’re a Michigan golfer looking forward on the calendar at options to play golf in the South, and you favor purely natural settings like those which are certified by Audubon, one option could be the Louisiana Audubon Golf Trail. I had the chance to explore four such courses on the ‘trail’ plus one urban parkland course in ‘NOLA’ in a recent trip with several media buddies. One location was steeped in opportunities to also go fishing on a huge, wellstocked lake along the remote border of eastern Texas. Other locations were set up for the gaming and entertainment nightlife – plus the TPC of Louisiana course that hosts the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic is close enough to the city of New Orleans to enjoy all the urban trappings that so many travelers enjoy adding to their

the Bayou Oaks South Course at City Park. Near the Gulf of Mexico coastline, City Park was devastated and completely submerged below Hurricane Katrina. Now since repaired and renovated with the help of Reese Jones, Bayou Oaks is part of the smaller version of the overall property that had multiple courses. It’s a typical flat land course you’ll find near many similar large regions of water, but was fun and playable enough that golfing two foursomes ahead was former NFL New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, if that’s any barometer for you. The TPC of Louisiana was a former swampland filled in to create the playground

itineraries for some spicy variety.

for the pros, yet it remains open to the public so they can experience the same tournament conditions. In 2016, Michigander Brain Stuard won the Zurich Classic there, that sent him to the 2017 Masters.

The playing order can vary, but we started with the urban course first, not far from the airport –

“I think it has a nice mix of holes,” Stuard told me recently. “It’s got some birdies holes

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obviously and then it’s got a good set of four par 3s, Holes 9 and 17 specifically. Really good holes, and depending on which way the wind’s blowing, can be tough. I’ve just always thought of it as a fun course to play.” When I told Stuard my favorite stretch of 3 consecutive holes were numbers

TPC 18th Hole

7-9, he agreed. “Yes, No. 7 is a cool par 5,” he said about the double dog-leg creation of Pete Dye’s. “If you hit a good drive, you can get it up around the green (on second shot). Number 8 has a fun little green (on the drivable par four) where you have to hit a

good wedge in to have a good putt at…And obviously 9 is a tough par 3 that has no real bailout. (With water left) if you bail out to the right, it’s a tough up and down. I agree, that’s a fun little stretch.” When staying in NOLA, travelers have all the traditional options. There’s the French Quarter, seafood, seafood and seafood, the Sazerac House Museum which touts the invention of the cocktail in the early years of what natives called ‘Coffee Houses’ – and the incredible National WWII Museum. It’s a must see and a great option if the weather one day is not conducive to golfing, or even if it is. The historic museum truly takes a half day or more to explore it all. You can absorb the history among incredible and artistic displays, which shares the war history from a unique perspective.

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LOUISIANA’S AUDUBON TRAIL This year Koasati Pines was voted No. 1 course in the state by

Koasati Pines 10th Hole

The museum also owns The Higgins Hotel across the street, an incredible lodging treat dripping in classic New Orleans history. Its profits go into promoting education at the museum. Heading west on the trail, golf options include the Koasati Pins at Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder; the Tamahka Trails Golf Course at Paragon Casino in Marksvile, and Cypress Bend Golf Course on the shores of Toledo Bend Lake. The latter massive collection of fresh water is from a dammed up river, stretching 65 miles long and splitting Louisiana with Texas.

Tamahka Trails 12th Hole

GolfPass.com. It regularly hosts the Notah Begay III Invitational for many of the best junior golfers in the country, and this year will receive some golf TV coverage. In general, the lowland is relatively flat like the large rice patties nearby, and sports wide fairways, all of which are secluded from each nearby hole. It has large greens and offers a 19th hole par 3 to settle any ties. It’s also the longest course in Louisiana, measuring 7,617 yards from the tips.

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Nearby is a great water flow (the Ouiska Chitto River) with white sandy beaches that attract

down renovation. The large rolling hills along the freshwater lake shore are truly Up North

canoeists and tubing for those who want to be outdoors, but golf is not their No. 1 activity. This Allen Parish location is also filled with tons of guided hunting and fishing, historic sites, and Native American celebrations.

Michigan-esque – a totally made-up word simply to inspire a picture in your mind. All new grasses are coming, with a handful of holes being re-routed to make even better use of the water views and golf strategies. Give it a couple years to be re-worked and grown in, but if your buddies love to fish and play golf in a deadly-quiet remote location, this could become one of your best trips-you-neverexpected-nor-thought-about-before.

Tamahka Trails Golf Course is a fun resort course with some elevation changes not found at the prior three courses. I liked the mix of long and short holes, the par 3s and the one drivable par 4 (which by the way, layup). My favorite stretch of holes were No. 1517. The first is a par three with a beautifully framed backdrop of trees, followed by a shorter par 4 hard dogleg to the right. The drive can easily be swallowed up by one of many small bunkers at the fairway’s bend, then comes a second shot to an elevated green on the opposite side of a creek. The 17th is the drivable par four but with a green set slightly to the left of center, making it tougher to reach. The entire property, with casino structures, will get an ongoing $30 million upgrade. As of publication of this May edition, Cypress Bend is starting a major strip-

The Real, The Original, The Reimagined

Cypress Bend