MI Golf Journal Aug. 2019

Michigan Golf Journal

What’s Inside: 08

Joey Garber on PGA Tour

20

Jack Nicklaus, Kid Rock and Dierks Bentley

11

Things Overheard at Rocket Mortgage

28

Michigan News and Notes

14

College Golf Season Starts in the U.P.

32

Freeway and Fairways, 2 course reviews

16

High School Golfers’ Honorable Actions

35

Golf Tips from Kendall Academy

Michigan Man on Tour Ryan Brehm in Michigan Open Credit: Greg Johnson

Michigan’s Ryan Brehm to Regain PGA Tour Card

Second win on Korn Ferry Tour launches return to PGA Tour

By Tom Lang

Ryan Brehm has punched his full-time ticket back to the PGA Tour.

The Mt. Pleasant native, MSU grad and former coach, and now Traverse City resident was a rookie on the PGA Tour in 201617. His second chance comes soon, when the fall season begins in October.

Brehm locked in this second tour of the Tour by winning the LECOM Health Challenge in a playoff, the

first week of July on the Korn Ferry Tour, his second career win. It was the final week of a consecutive 12-tournament run for Brehm, who knew he could potentially secure a top-25 season-long finish to get his card back.

“I’d like to think I’m better suited now than I was my rookie year,” Brehm told MGJ recently, also giving a lot of the credit to his wife, Chelsey.

“I’ve realized that you just

Ryan Brehm wins LECOM Health Challenge Credit: Korn Ferry Tour

Continues on next page >>

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan Man on Tour

need to keep gradually improving and you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. In my first go-round (on PGA Tour) I gave myself plenty of opportunities, but I didn’t really capitalize on them on the weekend – and had I had some better weekend performances I would have definitely kept my card.

“So, I want to build on that, play better on the weekend. Really, you just need to get as much out of your game, when you’re

playing well, as you can.

And then on the weeks you don’t play well you’ve got to keep a positive attitude and move on to the next one.

“I’ve learned that the traditional, kick and plod along, for me it’s just not going to get me where I need to be,” Brehm continued. “I need to be more aggressive off the tee and take on more tee shots with the driver because that’s going to be the strength of my game.

That’s what I need to rely on. And some weeks that’s going to backfire and I’ll probably hit a few balls in the wrong spot, but on the good weeks it’s going to give me more opportunities to get the ball in the hole quicker.”

Brehm added that he is adapting. “It’s obviously an ebb and flow, a work in progress, but you have to play to win and you have to play to take chances, because if you’re not, somebody else is.”

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

The statistics this season prove that driving remains a strong suit for Brehm, a 3-time Michigan Open winner, dating all the way back to his junior days growing up at the PohlCat golf course in Mt. Pleasant. Through early July, Brehm was 5th on the Korn Ferry Tour in driving distance at 318.5 yards.

But he is doing well with iron recovery shots too, because he was ranked 136th in driving accuracy, but was 7th in reaching greens in regulation. He

was 9th in birdie average, at 4.2, and 20th in scoring average.

A huge turning point this year was the April event at San Antonio, where Brehm was getting ready to tee off in the Monday qualifier when he got a phone call he was in the event. He finished 9th to earn enough points to avoid Monday qualifiers the rest of the season.

“Then it was, okay, we got that done, let’s put

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the peddle down and see if we can get into the top 25 before the end of the year,” Brehm said. “Now we need to focus on getting as high as we can before the end of the year because that’s how we are seeded going into the fall (PGA Tour) season. So, there is always work to be done.”

After San Antonio he got a T6 in Nashville, and another T6 in early June, before a T3 in Utah the week before his win.

Continues on next page >>

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan Man on Tour

Ryan Brehm in the Michigan Open Credit: Greg Johnson

2017, I think he really tried too hard in some ways and that wore him out as the weekend came around. He is plenty capable to play with the best players in the world and he believes that more now than ever.”

Since the growth of the former Nationwide Tour, former Web.com Tour and now Korn Ferry Tour into the tour that’s arguably much closer in talent to the PGA Tour than other ‘developmental’ leagues in other major sports – both Brehm and fellow Michigander Joey Garber agree that it’s a razor-thin line between the two.

Brehm’s former boss at MSU, current head coach Casey Lubahn, said he sees positive changes that should bode well for the 33-year-old, including a cool and collected Brehm who did not panic when he blew a 2-shot lead on the 18th hole at LECOM to force the playoff with Tim Wilkinson – which also earned Brehm a Twitter

shout out from Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player.

“Ryan has really found a new level of peace and personal contentment these days,” Lubahn said.

“He understands that he needs to be who he is on and off the golf course to succeed out there, and I have all the confidence in the world he will be on tour for a long time. In

“Look what’s going on with the shuffling back and forth (between the two Tours), and the players who just graduate and are ready to get the job done,” Brehm said. “But, there’s only room for so many on the PGA Tour level. It’s cutthroat to get there, and when you’re there it’s even more cutthroat. There’s just so many capable players.”

And Brehm is certainly proving he is one of them.

Michigan Golf Journal Joey Garber on PGA Tour

Boyne’s Joey Garber Improving Daily on the PGA Tour

Yet he needs late-summer spurt to keep card

By Tom Lang

When Petoskey native Joey Garber was playing in the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit in late June, he admitted he only otherwise returns to Michigan at Christmas time.

Ah, such is the life and career of grinding it out as a rookie on the PGA Tour – a career that might lead back to the Web.com/Korn Ferry Tour if Garber doesn’t climb the points ladder as the current season closes in August.

Either way, Garber appears happy with where the game has taken him – geographically and personally.

“I’m blessed to be doing what I’m doing; I’m trying to stay focused and grounded,” Garber said, adding that he still has more work to do to reach his Tour expectations. “But I’m getting better, and I feel like I’m getting better every day, and that’s important in this game. No matter what happens this year, as long as I keep getting better the rest of my career, I think my game’s good enough to last out here.”

Garber finished in the top 20 last season on the Web.com Tour, including winning the Rex Hospital Open – all resulting in his first PGA Tour card for the current 2018-19 season.

Canadian Open, T29 in Detroit at 12-under par, and T7 at the 3M in Minnesota the following week – where late in Sunday’s round he was only one shot off the lead. As of mid-July, Garber stands outside the top 125 to retain his PGA Tour card.

His best 2019 finishes include: a T10 at the Puerto Rico Open in February, T27 at the

“We’re just so proud to see him representing Boyne Golf (where he grew up Continues on page 10 >>

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Joey Garber on PGA Tour “I’ve got to say there’s a lot of Joey love up north,” Griffin added.

And that’s not lost on Garber.

“It kind of defines a little bit of who I am,” Garber said about his northern Michigan upbringing. “I’m fortunate to grow up in a place that has great golf courses, including Boyne golf. I’m very fortunate to be from Petoskey and to have Boyne on my side.”

All in all, Garber said in Detroit how grateful he was to be playing golf in front of ‘hometown’ friends, fans and family – and to be properly recognized.

in the Boyne Golf Academy), but even more importantly, just golf in Michigan,” said Ken Griffin, Director of Golf Sales and Marketing at Boyne, Garber’s sponsor. “I think overall, this is great for the game of golf in our state, that we’ve got a couple guys here (on Tour, including Jackson’s Brian Stuard).

“It’s great for the young kids in Michigan to now have Michigan guys to look up to, that they can look to achieve this, and hopefully this is just another big boom for youth.”

Garber is a northern Michigan poster boy.

He grew up playing all sports, including a soccer obsession. But Garber also hit the ski slopes regularly at Boyne and was in the midst of Junior Olympic training before choosing to concentrate on golf.

“It’s so nice to see familiar faces and to hear people yelling my name,” he said. “Most of the time, wherever we are, people are yelling ‘Rickie’ (Fowler) or ‘Tommy’ (Fleetwood) at me instead of Joey, so it’s nice to be called by my name,” Garber quipped in reference to the long hair that flows out from underneath his cap.

Going one step further on being an oftenmisidentified rookie on Tour, due to looking similar to Fowler and Fleetwood, even Hall of Famer Nick Faldo got involved. During the live telecast on CBS during the 3M Championship, Faldo said about Garber when he was putting on the 18th green: “It’s been rumored that he and Tommy Fleetwood were ambassadors to Herbal Essence Anti-residue Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner… just checking on them, keeping up on global news.”

Gee, thanks, Sir Nick.

More importantly, thank you, Joey, for being a great ambassador for the Great Lakes State.

Rocket Wrap Up

Things Overheard at the Inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic Gary Woodland,

fresh off his U.S. Open victory: “The crowds, the golf course, everything was great this week. The energy. Nice having a new tournament and getting the support that they have.”

Bubba Watson,

two-time Masters champion who donated $20,000 to First Tee in Detroit:

Rickie Fowler:

“The fans have been amazing, especially to me, but I’ve heard a lot of stories from other players out here that they’ve been super appreciative of everyone being up here to support the event and to be here in Detroit. So, I think all in all, a success, very successful week, and looking forward to making year two even better.”

“Detroit. It’s amazing.

Gosh, nothing but all the sports and different things that’s happened in this area. Then when you talk about the Ford Museum, where my kids loved, and seeing some of the old history and different things…the first F-150 (on display at the museum) that was pretty cool to see…so, it’s the history and the things that have come out of this city has been amazing, what I’ve learned. So, to be here to play golf is fun. It’s pretty neat.”

MichiganWrap Golf Journal Rocket Up

Charles Howell III,

who was in the top 5 after two rounds: “The crowd’s been fantastic. I remember the Buick Open in Flint many years ago.

The crowd support there was fantastic, (so) it’s no surprise. The fans know their golf and it’s neat to see. They come out for the guys like Bubba Watson and Rickie (Fowler), who I played with. A lot of support. It’s a really strong turnout and I hope it continues.”

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Michigan Season Golf Journal College Starts in U.P.

First Division 1 NCAA Men’s Golf Tournament Coming to U.P.

New Sage Run course will host Island Resort Intercollegiate September 1-2

Sage Run Hole 13

The newest golf course in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the highly-touted Sage Run at Island Resort & Casino, will kick off the collegiate fall season by hosting its first signature tournament.

The Island Resort Intercollegiate at Sage Run, a two-day, 54-hole strokeplay invitational, will tee off this fall with 10 college teams – including schools from the Big Ten and SEC – competing Sept. 1 – 2 on Sage Run’s 7,309-yard Paul Albanese design. The NCAA men’s Collegiate Invitational

is hosted by South Dakota State University.

South Dakota State Director of Golf Casey Van Damme, an Upper Peninsula native, was instrumental in organizing the tournament and bringing it to Sage Run. His squad will host and square off against Michigan State, Purdue, Kentucky, the University of Detroit Mercy, University of North Florida (which finished 22nd in the NCAA Finals), East Carolina, Northern Michigan and 21st-ranked Liberty University in the first-ever Island Resort Collegiate at

Sage Run. Liberty’s Ervin Chang, a nationally topranked player last season, headlines a talented field while Northern Michigan’s squad from nearby Marquette will rely on depth and local knowledge.

“The depth and quality of the field playing in this event is a testament to commitment from Island Resort to host it on this great course,” Van Damme said. “Sage Run is a different kind of venue than these players normally see weekin and week-out, so I think

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

what you’re going to see is the start of a great tradition and a tournament teams will want to return to year after year, especially when they see how strongly this community will embrace golf and support this event.”

MSU will be one of two downstate Michigan teams, along with Detroit Mercy, to make the adventure up to the Upper Peninsula.

“Anytime you get to compete in your home state, you always want to take advantage of that unique opportunity,” said Casey Lubahn, the head coach at MSU. “The UP is close to my heart and our Associate Head Coach Dan Ellis grew up there, so it was important for both of us to support such a great event. We are going to compete with the

Sage Run Hole 12

entire team and make it a special week for the guys.

Sage Run is fantastic and will be a wonderful test for teams from all over the U.S. All in all, a memorable way to kick off our season.”

Sage Run plays around, over and through a scenic ridge that was shaped by glacial activity. Golfers experience winding holes through the trees and some open areas with tremendous variety of landscape and shot values. Natural long grasses edge the bunkers, and some of the short par 4s have blind shots to the greens.

Albanese said Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, rated among the world’s top courses, served as inspiration for the course bunkering.

“We’re excited to be bringing in top intercollegiate talent

15

from around the country to showcase and take on Sage Run,” said Tony Mancilla, the Island Resort General Manager. “It will be interesting to see how the golf course holds up to top-flight talent and how the players react to the challenges the course presents.”

The tournament is free of charge to fans who would like to watch great golf in a very unique setting unlike most collegiate courses these teams generally tackle.

For more information on the inaugural Island Resort Collegiate at Sage Run, visit www.islandresortgolf.com

Michigan Golf Journal High School Golf

A Lesson in Integrity for All Youth Golfers

Parents and Coaches: Pay Attention to This

By Tom Lang Gray Raymond

happening for decades, and more times than we want to believe.

It’s enough that we need to pause and acknowledge the grace and honesty of a player who did the right thing.

And it cost him a likely trip to the state finals.

Gray Raymond did what all golfers should do, on any competitive level – count all his strokes.

Public acknowledgement of stroke shaving in high school tournaments has become more widespread the past two golf seasons. Not to say that cheating has become prevalent, but the fact is more people are now openly willing to admit publicly it’s been

Without anyone noticing, Raymond, a now-junior at Maple City Glen Lake, nonchalantly went to tap in a 5-inch putt on the 18th green during the Division 4 Regional in late May at Treetops’ Tradition course. He whiffed and barely nudged the ball.

But he knew the rule – and the right thing to do – was to count it as a stroke.

No one would have known if he didn’t mark it on the scorecard. He could have lied – others before him have done so in similar situations.

But he counted the bad stroke on himself, and

recorded an 85, which keep him out of a playoff for the last remaining spot to go to the state finals.

“I wouldn’t have done it any other way,” Raymond told the MHSAA for a ‘Second Half’ story by Geoff Kimmerly.

“That’s not the way I was taught, and definitely not the way I was raised.

“I’d rather lose than be a cheater.

“At the time, I was just upset that I lost, pretty much.

I didn’t think anyone really would care how it happened. I didn’t think anything of it until I got to school on Monday and my teachers were congratulating me and stuff like that.

“I wouldn’t have been able to call myself a golfer, honestly, if I’d walked out to that first tee box at states,” he continued. “People are saying not many high school

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

kids would do that, to immediately just call (a stroke) on yourself.

But it never crossed my mind not to.”

Raymond is the son of a former PGA Tennessee member, and his high school coach is Lee Houtteman, winner of last year’s Michigan PGA Championship (see related story on page 24) and a Michigan qualifier into the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. As proud as Houtteman Jacqueline DeBoer in 2009 with the late is by Raymond’s Coach Rod VanDyke, GR South Christian actions, he never expected anything different. Houtteman in our conference, guys are said Raymond, his teammates playing by the rules, playing and other players around the the same game and nobody’s Northwest Conference are shaving strokes.” all taught to play the game You Go Girl: correctly and by the rules, so the result was nothing out of This story reminds me of the ordinary. another great show of respect for the game 10 years ago, “The only way the sport when then senior Jacqueline works is if a guy on hole 14 is DeBoer at Grand Rapids playing by the same rules as South Christian discovered an a kid on the other side of the extra club in her bag at the golf course on Hole 3 – and 4th hole of a 9-hole match. It you have to have confidence was a demo club she tested that everybody is playing that the day before but had not way,” Houtteman said. “It’s used during the round. No great to know that, at least

17

one else would have known, but once DeBoer caught the error, she flagged down a competitor’s coach and called a four-stroke penalty on herself (one stroke per hole).

She finished with a 38, including the 4-stroke penalty.

The situation caused the host coach to recognize her honorable actions after the match, and in front of all the competitors, the coach teared up while sharing the story with her peers.

DeBoer (now Mulder) went on to win the 2009 Division 3 state championship that season, as did her team, before earning a scholarship to Ferris State where she graduated with a nursing degree and is now working on her Doctorate.

Raymond and DeBoer prove that true champions are also people of honor.

MichiganReview Golf Journal Course

Fox Hills Offers All Sides of Golf From a Short Course, to 45 Holes of Regulation Length, to Top Instruction

By Tom Lang

Many types of businesses, inside and outside the golf industry, try to be all things to all people.

When it comes to golf, Fox Hills in Plymouth offers just about anything for any golfer – as much as any single property could.

There’s the original Fox Classic, with 27 holes of pure fun under great conditions that’s very playable, even from the tips (roughly 6,000 yards

for 18 holes). Then the Golden Fox offers yet another option for outings and championship play. The Strategic Fox is an 18-hole short course of all par 3s – plus FootGolf.

And next door is the Learning Center, with heated bays, a driving range and short-game practice area, staffed with multiple award-winning instructors to serve men and women, boys and girls. (www. foxhillslearningcenter.com).

Classic Fox: With its first 18 holes dating back to Wilfrid Reid’s 1927 design, this now 27hole layout has a surprising number of holes molded to the land’s natural shaping.

The layout goes up and down the hilly terrain and is cut through hardwoods on a very walkable layout featuring short distances from green to next tee, without feeling cramped. Most greens are small and require accurate

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

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shot-making, but they are not overly guarded by bunkers, nor do they have too much undulation.

My favorite stretch of holes came on No. 7-9 of the Hills Course. Hole 7 is a downhill dogleg that turns right, with a valley that takes the golfer up again to the elevated green. Hole 8 is a short par four, dogleg left with another significant valley before going up to the perched green, followed by No. 9, a longer par 4 downhill dogleg right to the finishing green.

Golden Fox: Designed by Arthur Hills, this 18-hole championship layout is mapped on what used to be a neighboring farm. There are plenty of trees to visually frame the course from a safe distance (except for the lone tree blocking the front of hole 9 green), but the very generous fairways are guarded by large fields of brown grasses that add to a very picturesque setting.

My favorite grouping of holes is on the back nine. No. 13 is a modest par four that turns left slightly, with a deep valley to the left that seems like a magnet attracting balls trying to reach the perched green. No. 14 is a par 3 over a pond to a wide but thin frontto-back green, and No. 15 is a short par 4 with a blind approach-shot to the green – which is hiding behind a large mound covering the run up to the putting surface.

Strategic Fox: This short course is properly named. The all-par-3 layout does require strategy. It is equal parts a good test for a solid golfer’s short game skills – and yet designed so that beginner golfers can have fun and learn the game in a lessdemanding environment.

One example is the green complexes. Most have challenges like sand bunkers, but those only come into play on bad shots. Most greens also have well-mown collars that are large and forgiving, so golfers who do miss the green can still pull out the putter and get their ball up to the hole.

No. 15 is a fun green, elevated from the fairway and shaped like a 3-leaf clover, which provides some interesting pin location options.

From the tips, no hole is over 195 yards long, and both of those are downhill. Early learners can play forward on all 18 holes, where tees range from 50-141 yards (half are less than 100 yards). This course is also utilized for FootGolf.

More information at: www. foxhills.com.

Michigan Golf Journal PGA Tour Champions

Jack Nicklaus, Dierks Bentley Concert and Kid Rock to Highlight Ally Challenge Events A great concert performer.

A great golf legend.

A great rocker.

All three men will highlight some extra-curricular activities at the second annual Ally Challenge presented by McLaren PGA

Tour Champions tournament in Grand Blanc, September 13-15.

Bentley, the multi-platinum singer and songwriter, will perform a concert for all fans with a valid golf ticket, on Saturday the 14th, following the second round of the 54-hole professional

tournament at the famed Warwick Hills.

Nicklaus and Kid Rock will join Bentley and a soon-tobe-named fourth that same Saturday morning and tee off on the 10th hole as the last group of the round in a powerhouse celebrity foursome – a 9-hole team

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

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scramble exhibition match. The event-withinthe-tournament will raise additional monies for charity.

all-night sing-along party” (according to the Fresno Bee) on Bentley’s current 2019 Burning Man Tour.

“As a Buckeye from Ohio State, we kid often about our friends in Michigan,” Nicklaus said in a release. “But in reality, people know I have tremendous respect and affection for the state of Michigan. Southeastern Michigan has a wonderful history in the game of golf, and I have been fortunate to be a part of some of that heritage.

Nicklaus has continually utilized his platform in golf to benefit others. In part that has earned Nicklaus the designation as the only sportsperson – and fourth individual in history – to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Lincoln Medal.

“Warwick Hills has been an outstanding venue since I first played there as an amateur more than 60 years ago… and I can promise you that we will have a lot of fun competing in the Celebrity Foursome while at the same time raising money for charity.”

Net proceeds will benefit Genesee County Habitat for Humanity and United Way of Genesee County. Many PGA Tour Champions players, including Chris DiMarco in a recent visit to Michigan, have said that the Grand Blanc crowds were without question some of the largest their entire Tour experienced in 2018.

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Bentley continues to be a dominant voice for the country music genre with over 8.6 billion overall digital streams. He has amassed countless nominations from the ACMs, CMAs, Billboard Music Awards and more while also earning 14 Grammy nominations. “Fans get an

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“Thanks to the unwavering support of Ally Financial, Saturday is shaping up to be an epic day at Warwick Hills,” said tournament director Chris Coffman. “Dierks Bentley is sure to thrill fans at the Community Concert and the addition of the Celebrity Foursome to Saturday’s schedule will be an instant fan favorite.”

“Looking forward to returning to Warwick Hills to tee it up with Jack ‘The GOAT’ Nicklaus and my country music brother Dierks Bentley,” Kid Rock said in a release. “You just can’t beat summertime Michigan golf!”

Michigan Golf Journal Golf Business

Golf Leagues are Big Business in Michigan

By Kate Moore

six-month golf season, having these customers committed to the game, week after week, is a key component to most golf course business models.

As times have progressed, managing a golf league no longer utilizes the spreadsheet and a cigar box in which to hold the cash. With the technologies available for online league management, golf courses can handle any size, any type of leagues without even having to put pen to paper.

It’s 6:00pm on any Wednesday evening from May to September. My back deck faces the third fairway of the Blue Course at Eldorado Golf Course in Mason.

Golfers. Golfers. They’re everywhere.

To borrow a well-known motto: “Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night stays these golfers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

These are the committed ones. The league golfers.

Leagues are big business in Michigan and in the Midwest. With roughly a

There are over 700 daily fee golf courses in Michigan, and rarely is there a course that doesn’t offer league golf.

Whether men, women, couples or kids, league golf is a mainstay of our seasonal industry.

According to Jeff Hoag, owner of Scott Lake Golf and Practice Center in Comstock Park, leagues represent about one-third of all greens fees and cart revenue as his course. They form an important part of the business income foundation. League golfers are committed golfers and nationally, where leagues are present, they can represent up to 83% of all rounds and 85% of all dollars spent.

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Because league golfers pay in advance, they play.

Courses lose few rounds to afternoon rain, heat or mosquitos. League golfers want to play. It’s about the golf but it’s also about the camaraderie; there is not a more social sport.

You walk or ride together, stand at the tee together. Order from the beverage cart together and gather at the end of the round to talk about that round and plan for the next. And what makes league golf so appealing for the golf course owners and operators is that most leagues play Monday through Thursday after 3:00, leaving the remainder of time, including high demand weekends, open for business.

When the fight to save daylight savings time reared its ugly head again this year, we turned to our statistics on golf leagues to indicate the importance of “keeping the lights on”. The Michigan state legislators were amazed at the economic impact shortening the golf day by even one hour would have on the golf industry. With an average of 13 leagues with 36 golfers each, that’s over a quarter million golfers every week, most of whom would lose out on their opportunity to play if the day were shortened. Fortunately, golf won this round.

When a new golf economic impact study was released in late April by the We Are Golf foundation, it laid to rest any lingering

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concerns about the economic resiliency of the golf industry.

As leaders from virtually every sector of the business visited Congress and federal agencies for National Golf Day this spring, the report by TEConomy, announced a 22% growth in annual economic output related to golf from 2011-16 to $84.1 Billion.

Bottom line: leagues are a leading factor in the economic boon, especially here in Michigan. They are huge contributors to keeping golf available to all.

Kate Moore is the former Executive Director of the Michigan Golf Course Association.

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan PGA Championship

Ben Cook Hopes to Raise the PGA Trophy This Time

By Terry Moore

In an unlikely set of events last August, a young golf professional won a major Michigan tournament – but didn’t lift the trophy in celebration.

Huh? Surprisingly to most fans, that’s what happened to

Caledonia’s Ben Cook, an assistant pro at Cascade Hills CC at the time, who won the 2018 PGA Championship at Flint Golf Club.

Cook fired rounds of 66, 71, 69 for a 10-under par total of 206, one shot better than Lee Houtteman and Scott Hebert. But Cook

wasn’t eligible to win the title due to a Michigan PGA rule that stipulates 60 days of employment in the Michigan Section prior to the championship. The rule was enacted to prevent pros outside the state “cherry picking” the Michigan PGA tournament.

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

As a result, Lee Houtteman won in a playoff over Hebert and claimed the trophy and represented the Michigan Section at the PGA Tour Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit in June. As consolation, Cook did take home the first-place check of $6,700 and earned a coveted spot in this past May’s 2019 PGA Professional National Championship (PNC) at Belfair in Bluffton, S.C. After the tournament in Flint, Cook took it all in stride without complaint.

“I beat everybody, won a nice check and I get to go to the PNC,” Cook said at the time. “Those were my goals this week. I understand the situation. This is great for me and my confidence.”

And he took advantage of his spot at the PNC, finishing fourth in the tournament which earned him $26,000 and an exemption into this year’s PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. Although he failed to make the cut in May, Cook had the distinction of being one of only 20 club pros in the country to play in the major. So, one could say although he didn’t hoist the trophy at Flint GC in 2018,

25

he did end up winning over $33,000 for his stellar play last August.

Cook says his strengths as a player are his driving and overall ball striking.

Cook’s climb to golf prominence has been under the radar but steady.

He played competitively at Grand Rapids South Christian High School and earned a scholarship to Ferris State University.

Under then coach Mike Mignano, Cook’s game blossomed. Twice he was the Conference’s Player of the Year and was a two-time Division II PING All-America. As a senior two years ago, he led the Bulldogs to the quarterfinals of the National Division II championship. He also holds the program record of low competitive round of 64.

“I hit my driver pretty far and I’m a good long iron player.”

After graduating, Cook took a job at as an assistant at a club in Cleveland, OH which allowed him to play in the Northern Ohio PGA Section’s championship.

Entering the final round a few shots behind the leader, Cook came from behind to win the title. As he did at Flint GC, he shot 69.

“Maybe I like to chase,” said Cook.

At Flint, he dominated the par-5s.

“I got to most of them in two and had a lot of two-putt birdies. But I also putted very well that week,” Cook added.

Currently, Cook is a teaching professional at Yankee Springs Golf Course in Wayland.

Dating back to 1922 and with notable past champions such as Walter Hagen, Jimmy Demaret, Chick Harbert, Horton Smith, the Michigan PGA Championship returns to Flint GC on August 19-21.

This year Ben Cook aims to have his name permanently etched on that storied trophy.

A member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and the Golf Writers Association of America, Terry Moore lives in Grand Rapids.

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Michigan Golf Journal Michigan News and Notes

$10,000 Grant to Expand Youth on Course

Yurika Tanida

The Golf Association of Michigan Foundation has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. The funds will be used for a pilot program during the 2019 golf season to expand the Foundation’s Youth on Course efforts in Southeast Michigan.

“We’re grateful for the support of our growthe-game efforts,” says GAM Foundation Executive Director Chris Whitten. “We believe that the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds’ focus on youth sports — especially efforts to encourage more sports sampling — perfectly aligns with our mission to provide youth more access to golf.”

GAM Foundation President John Schulte added: “We believe that it’s important to engage children in regular sport and physical activity — habits that can last a lifetime. Golf is a sport that truly can be played for one’s entire life, but one of the biggest drawbacks is cost.”

That’s where Youth on Course comes in. The premise is simple: offering young golfers an opportunity to play a round of golf for $5 or less encourages them to sample a sport that has inherent life lessons.

Youth on Course originated in northern California. Since the GAM Foundation piloted the Michigan program in 2016, it has grown exponentially. There are currently some 5,000 young participants across the state who are able to play golf for $5 at more than 100 courses.

Michigan Women’s Golf Association 34th State Championship MSU golfer Yurika Tanida was the overall winner of the 34th annual MWGA State Championship, played in mid-July at Hawk Hollow Golf Course in Bath. Tanida shot a 138 gross (72, 66).

Her MSU coach, Stacy SlobodnikStoll, was low Gross scoring 75-69 in the first flight, and Darci Stocker of Flint was low Net. The runners up were Julie Massa of Holt in Gross and Donna Tepper of Grosse Pointe Park in Net. All results from the State Championship can be found at www.mw.golforg, including hole-by-hole scores, skins and a list of the MWGA State Champions.

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

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Sarah Shipley a Double Winner

Hastings native wins GAM Women’s Championship and the Women’s Western Amateur

By Tom Lang

Sarah Shipley didn’t let a two-stroke penalty for hitting from a wrong tee box on the sixth hole in the GAM Women’s Championship ruin her tournament.

The Hastings resident and University of Kentucky golfer shot a 1-under 70 despite the penalty and won the 28th GAM Women’s Championship presented by Global Golf Post at Saginaw Country Club.

“It was early enough in the round that I didn’t get that worked up about it,” she said after the four-shot win over 2017 champion Kerri Parks of Flushing and Marshall University and Yurika Tanida of MSU, who tied for second.

“It was frustrating, but I had birdied a couple of holes and knew I had a cushion. Plus, I knew there were more birdies out there.”

Shipley’s closing 70 gave her a two-day total of 4-under 138. Parks, who rallied with a 6-under 65, and Tanida, who

shot a second consecutive 71, tied at even-par 142.

Defending champion Allyson Geer-Park of Brighton and MSU finished fourth and Katie Chipman of Flushing and Grand Valley State University was fifth.

Shipley said she was in conversation with playing partners Slobodnik-Stoll and Deardorff when she stepped to what she thought was the No. 6 tee and hit a shot. Deardorff then stepped on the tee and noticed it was not the correct tee.

WOMEN’s WESTERN WIN: Shipley took her expanded confidence factor into the Women’s Western Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne CC, outside Chicago. The Women’s Western Open is one of the country’s most prestigious and has been played continuously since 1901.

Sarah Shipley

Shipley defeated Antonia Matte of Santiago, Chile, 5-and-3 to win the coveted championship.

Shipley started out hot by scoring birdies on the 1st, 2nd and 8th holes and never lost a hole the entire match.

Both competitors outlasted golfers from 30 states and 12 countries to reach the final.

Shipley beat Maria Bohorquez of Bogota, Columbia in the semifinals, 2-and-1.

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan News and Notes Lilia Henkel

Elise Fennell of Caledonia, PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan Claim GAM Junior Stroke Play Titles PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan and Elise Fennell of Caledonia had some of their best days in golf and emerged as champions in the 11th GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship presented by Pepsi at Forest Akers East Course.

Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur: Lilia Henkle Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids made some early birdies in turning back Alissa Fish of Clarklake 6-and-5 in the title match for the 41st Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur Championship presented by Pepsi at Forest Akers West Golf Club.

Henkel, 16 and a Forest Hills Northern High School student, also won the GAM Junior Stroke Play 15-andunder title last summer.

Henkel topped Jasmine Ly of Madison Heights 3-and2 in the semifinals, and Fish topped Ariel Chang of Macomb Township in 19 holes to make it to the 2019 final.

Maybank, a 14-year-old homeschooled golfer, followed up a personal-best round of 6-under 65 from day one with a 67 in round two for a 10-under 132 total and five-shot win over Justin Sui (the Div. 1 high school state champion) of Lake Orion, who shot 137.

PJ Maybank and Elise Fennell

Fennell, who is 13 and will be an eighth-grader in the fall at Pinewood Middle School in Kentwood, shot a second consecutive even-par 71, which was her personal best score as well. Her 142 total topped two golfers who tied for second at 145; Sophie Stevens of Highland, who shot a final 73, and Bridget Boczar of Canton, who shot 76.

Michigan Golf Journal: Contest Winners Six people won a variety of week-long tickets or hospitality passes in our June contest for the Dow LPGA tournament in Midland. They were: »» Matt Bunting of Alpena »» Kristin Faber of Hudsonville »» Patricia Grime of Rochester »» Amy Jaster of Midland »» Francine Pegues of Grosse Pointe Park »» Al Whitlow of Muskegon Congratulations to all six winners and their guests.

Always keep your eyes open for other contest via the Michigan Golf Journal.

Michigan Golf Journal Freeways and Fairways

Freeways and Fairways: The Majestic, Hartland

This is part of an occasional series that looks at golf courses found along Michigan freeways – those you drive by frequently, or on that annual vacation, but never seem to have time to stop and explore. Maybe you should.

By Tom Lang

Quite simply, the Majestic is aptly named.

The course sits on an incredible piece of property in an unusual area – right along the U.S. 23 Highway in Hartland on the corridor between Brighton and Flint.

It provides an ‘Up North’ Michigan experience yet is less than a one hour from downtown Detroit.

The Majestic, which wraps around the spring-fed Lake Walden, is comprised of 27 holes. Holes 2-through-14 continuously wind throughout woods and up and down the rolling terrain, truly giving the layout a majestic feel. Many holes of the third 9 have the same appeal, especially the 3-hole stretch of Holes 23-25.

The course was designed by the acclaimed Jerry Matthews and is celebrating 25 years.

The Majestic Hole 6

The 1,400-acre property has wonderful views and abundant wildlife found among the attractive hardwoods and meadows surrounding Lake Walden, which golfers can enjoy from a few different vantage points. A hiking and biking trail runs throughout the area as well.

The Majestic was named the 2017 Michigan Golf Course of the Year by the Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA).

My assessment includes recognizing there is a nice selection of bunkers for challenge and strategy, but they are not overdone. No. 6 is on the list of favorite

August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com

holes as an uphill shorter par 4 in which the green complex is a huge bowl shape with relatively steep sides. No. 9 is a beautiful downhill par 4, as is No. 14 that eventually goes back uphill to a uniquely-shaped, elevated green. No. 13 is a fun, 90-degree right turn dogleg to a large green.

Standing on the top of the bowl behind the 6th green and looking back provides a wonderful, elevated view of the surrounding countryside. The same can

33

The Majestic Hole 9

be said for the tee boxes on 9, 24 and 25, the latter two holes being an excellent par 5 followed by an extreme downhill par 3.

The predominant freeway holes are No. 15, 16 and 26.

More info: www. majesticgolf.com

Freeways and Fairways: Tyrone Hills, Fenton

By Tom Lang

Church pew bunkers guard the left side of Hole 1

Like too many golf courses along Michigan’s freeways, Tyrone Hills is one of those I have passed by for nearly 30 years. No logical reason for it (because it looks well-kept and interesting with lots of trees on the far side of the property) other than I had some other place to be in a set amount of time.

Shame on me.

Tyrone Hills is a very nice, affordable golf course – also situated about halfway between Brighton and Flint along U.S. 23. It’s a Bruce Matthews design from the early 1960s, loaded with that era’s traditional push-up greens – the kind that aren’t too tough to putt, but if your approach shots are not accurate the ball can easily Continues on page 34 >>

Freeways and Fairways fall off the edges to various collection areas.

Although very close to the freeway, which runs parallel to the first and second holes, traffic noise is not noticeable at all on most holes.

As mentioned, there are healthy stands of trees on the far side of the property, and the routing takes both nines through various parts off the woods. Beautiful tree canopies are found surrounding: 3 green, 4 Hole 15, par 4 tee, 5 tee, 7 green and 8 tee on the front, plus 14 tee, 15 tee and green, and 17 green on the back nine.

Hole 6 was my favorite on the front – a short par four that has a slight double dogleg twist to it, with a huge mature tree guarding the right-side approach, and trees immediately off the tee on the left. On the back, 15 is a great hole.

The tee shot requires a straight drive through a tunnel of trees, then it’s sharply downhill, dogleg to the right going back uphill to the green – a green that is protected on the left by a few huge trees.

Overall the terrain is gently rolling.

There are a couple formidable hills, but generally the dips and valleys are great for both variation to the eye, and for water drainage. I will not wait another 30 years to go back.

Kendall Academy Golf Tips

Give Your Equipment a Serious Review

By Dave Kendall

I think you would expect a golf instructor to suggest that the best way to better golf scores is to improve your technique and understanding. I believe this is true, but let’s go beyond that for a minute.

Becoming a better golfer is a matter of eliminating the obstacles to success.

Here at Miles of Golf we see a great number of students who have equipment that truly compliments their pursuit of good golf. Others, however, fall into two categories: 1) players who do not use many of their clubs because they are too hard to hit, thus do not work well, or 2) players who insist on trying to use clubs that do not work because they think they should be able to hit them, but consistently miss them, usually because the loft is too low.

I try to practice a couple of simple concepts. I will not pull a club out of my bag on the course that I do not believe to be reliable.

I do not have room in my bag for a club that I will not pull out of my bag on the course.

Using myself as an example, I do not carry a 3-wood, a 3- iron or a 4- iron, and my 5 iron may be leaving soon. Instead, I carry an 18-degree fairway wood and three hybrids, 19 degree, 23 degree, and 26 degree. My driver is also built for reliability, 10.5 degree with a shaft that allows me to work the ball both right and left.

Another priority in building your set is putting together a team of wedges with lofts and bounce angles that give you the ability to create various shot trajectories out of various lies.

Virtually all golfers who putt well have the ability

to start the ball on the line they aim, have an ability to control speed, and have an ability to read break, and uphill-downhill slope.

The putter you use should be of a design that is easy to aim and should be of an appropriate length and appropriate loft that allows for a proper roll easily and predictably.

Club fitting is far from simply fitting for length, lie, shaft flex and grip size.

Although fitting involves these things, it involves putting together a set of clubs that value reliability rather than a spectacular result, not very often. This approach will contribute to more consistent scoring.

Michigan Golf Technologies Journal Ed Mitchell

On a related topic, Ed Mitchell recently wrote a letter to the editor of Morning Read:

IndyCar tests, why not Tour?

Xander Schauffele is 100% correct when he challenged the R&A to test all drivers, not just a random selection of 30.

New Mobile Club Repair Cart Available Ed Mitchell Technologies in Jackson has introduced its Mobile Club Repair Cart, featuring a Custom Club Repair Box built on a Cushman Hauler Pro 1200 gas utility cart. It provides space to re-grip, adjust loft and lie angles on full swing clubs & putters, check swing weights, club lengths and shaft frequency and to reshaft any golf club – allowing for a complete set of clubs to be built from the unit.

Mitchell added that the design kept in mind entrepreneurs who want to travel from club to club providing repair service.

A power inverter is installed to run motors for shaft preparation, a shaft frequency meter and it has a USB port to charge digital devices.

The Custom Club Repair Box is fabricated from steel with diamond plate aluminum doors on three “The Mobile Club Repair sides. The unit is selfCart solves the space contained for all necessary problem that prevents many machines and tools with golf clubs from building a predetermined mounting club repair shop,” Mitchell positions for all equipment. said in a news release. “It is It is powered to run 110v perfect for use during golf electrical motors. A custom lessons and club fittings to water repellant cover is improve your golfer’s ball available to keep tools dry flight results. Park it on the and clean. practice range during the day and store it in the cart Visit edmitchelltech.com barn at night.” for more information.

The Rules of Golf state a player must use conforming clubs and balls. But how do they know if their equipment is conforming? They have no way of testing.

They actually depend on the equipment manufacturers to provide them with conforming equipment.

All manufacturers submit clubs to the USGA and R&A for approval when they introduce new models. After approval, clubs are mass produced. Can a single club be non-conforming and no one knows it?

Sure. Tolerances dictate that possibility when you are trying to marginalize the limits of conformity.

Every race car entered in the Indianapolis 500 must meet conforming specifications to qualify and then cannot be changed before the race. So why shouldn’t every golf club and ball be tested before each event to ensure they conform to the rules?

I know it would be a monumental task but to protect the field why not test everyone’s equipment? Should the manufacturers provide certified test results on all of their clubs and balls that are manufactured?

But on the other hand, just how much advantage would a player have if their driver was non-conforming? How much out of spec was Schauffele’s driver and to what degree of advantage would he have had? Probably not much. The player still must execute the shot.

And it’s fair to say a non-conforming club may actually hurt the player.

This is another one of the ambiguous Rules of Golf that puts the onus on the player when it is out of his/her control.

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