FEBRUARY 2020
Northern Destination:
BOYNE RESORTS Rickie, Phil and Bubba Coming to Detroit
Remembering Pete Dye
Oceana Golf Club is Saved
From Fairways to the MSU Hardwood
PHOTO: BOYNE’S BAY HARBOR, QUARRY
Michigan Golf Journal
Not Much Longer Until the Season Starts
Although the weather has had its highs and lows so far in 2020, the reality is we are already about halfway through the winter months, so golf season is coming quickly, even if it seems far off.
News at the end of 2019 indicated that course closings were slowing down as rounds were climbing nationwide – and right here in Michigan we’ll share a story of the small-town Oceana Golf Club that is NOT closing, despite looking like another statistic as late as December. Instead, a former native of Shelby who has made it big in the business investment world saved the day and will be investing more money into the 18-hole course built in the 1960s by area townspeople (see pages 20-22). While it’s still the middle of college basketball season as well, check out our story on MSU basketball point guard Jack Hoiberg, who gave up a college golf
scholarship to compete under the tutelage of Tom Izzo as a walk-on. And speaking of MSU, women’s golfer Ally Geer-Park received an invitation for the second straight year into the Augusta National Women’s Amateur – go Ally! You’ll also enjoy in this February edition the father-son golf trip story from the Hobson’s; all the advantages of a great trip to Boyne Resorts; the 35th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus’ The Bear at Grand Traverse; and a sneak peek at what’s to come for May’s PGA Tour Rocket Mortgage Classic – including Phil. All in all, 2020 is off to a great decade of golf ahead. Thank you for sharing it with us. Hit ‘em straight. Tom Lang Publisher/Editor
What’s Inside: 04
Tribute to Pete Dye
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Small-town Golf Course is Saved
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Cover Story: Buddy Trip to Boyne
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Rocket Mortgage Classic: Phil is Coming
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From Green Grass to the MSU Hardwood
26
30th Anniversary of The Bear
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A Father-Son trip to Myrtle Beach
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Golf Tips: Putting
Michigan to GolfPete Journal Tribute Dye
Fabled Course Designer, Pete Dye, Passes at the age of 94 By Fred Altvater
“The ardent golfer would play Mount Everest if somebody would put a flagstick on top…golf is not a fair game so why build a fair golf course.” This quote from Pete Dye can be found inscribed at the base of the bronze statue that sits near the clubhouse of the Dye Course at French Lick Resort. The French Lick course doesn’t sit atop Mt. Everest, but it does traverse the second highest peak in Indiana. Upon first seeing the site, Pete said a satisfactory course could not be built atop Mount Airie. After more urging from French Lick, Dye sketched out a
Club, Harbour Town Links at Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, and TPC Sawgrass – home of the Players Championship.
routing on a napkin and the new course opened to rave reviews in August, 2009. Dye created several masterpieces in his lifetime. Just to name a few, the Ocean Course on Kiawah, Whistling Straits, The Golf
Dye never got tied up in fancy drawings or topographical maps. He preferred to observe the landscape and visualize what a golf hole should look like, given the available terrain. He got his boots and hands dirty laying out each of his ‘Dye-abolical’ creations. Dye was an accomplished golfer and competed in the U.S. Amateur, plus he qualified for the 1957 U.S. Open at the Inverness Club. While in the Army and stationed at nearby Ft. Bragg, Dye would often
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make the 30-mile trip to Pinehurst and came to know Donald Ross. In fact, Chris Lutzke, who designed Eagle Eye in Lansing with Dye-like vision and who worked for Dye for over 30 years said: “Pete’s relationship with Mr. Ross was one of the things of which, he was most proud.” The Director of Golf at French Lick, Dave Harner, was privileged to know both Pete and Alice Dye well. The resort holds the Alice Dye Invitational annually. “The most amazing thing was how Pete lived his life,” Harner said. “Alongside his bride, Alice, they changed the face of golf course architecture, and never really set out to. Even though they were two of golf’s rock stars, they remained humble, lived a simple life, and gave back so much to so many.” Even Jack Nicklaus learned much from Dye, when the Golden Bear first teamed up with Dye to build Harbour Town Links — then later to design Wabeek Country Club in Bloomfield Hills. “It was Pete who inspired me to start designing courses more than 50 years ago, and so in many ways I owe my second career to him,” Nicklaus said. “I think Pete Dye was the most creative, imaginative and unconventional golf course designer I have ever been around.” Pete Dye will be remembered as one of the most innovative golf course designers of his time. He will be missed, but his legacy will live on forever in the world of golf. MGJ
Maximize Your Play Time
The best golf destinations cover a lot of ground beyond the 18th green. French Lick Resort is the golf getaway with more to love. We have 45 holes of golf, including championship courses by legendary designers Pete Dye and Donald Ross. Add in hundreds of ways to win at the casino, casual and fine dining plus other amenities, and the numbers are on your side for an epic golf trip. French Lick Resort brings it all together with golf, food, fun and gaming at one unforgettable destination. For groups of 8 or more, give our golf group sales manager Alex Whiteman a call at 812-936-9300 (ext. 7227) to get the ball rolling.
Must be 21 years or older to enter the casino. Gambling Problem? Call 1.800.9.WITH.IT!
MichiganGolf Golf Journal Boyne
BOYNE Golf: Ten Magnificent Courses in Your Own Backyard By Tom Lang
In choosing a summer golf trip with my buddies we seek specific criteria. First, it has to be a summer golf destination with multiple golf courses, a place where we can play 36 holes on some days and experience a variety of different golf courses. We also want fun options for dining and lodging options that include condominiums. You see, we like to relax together in the evenings and replay all our great shots – and the more
frequent almost great shots. Recent articles in GOLFMagazine and FORBES. com confirmed my belief that BOYNE Golf would be a destination that checks off all the boxes for a great golf buddy trip vacation. BOYNE’s location in the northwest portion of lower Michigan surrounding Petoskey, where long summer days easily allow for groups to play 36 holes, or sometimes 54 if you dare.
BOYNE Golf is home to 10 golf courses via its three resort destinations all located within 30 minutes of each other. It is the largest golf resort group in America north of the famous Pinehurst, N.C. For diehard golf junkies like us, Boyne Highlands is the place to set up base camp. We selected the Ross Cottages, which are the perfect gathering place each night after golf. It
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helped that we noticed Golf. com readers selected the Highlands as the country’s “No. 1 Golf Resort for Value.” We opened our four-day golf boondoggle with Boyne’s first-ever layout, The Heather, the 2019 National Golf Course Owners Course of the Year. The opportunity to play one of Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s early designs was a treat. The evening found us hanging out on the patio of Slopeside for pizza and drinks with a few of the tireless golf nuts playing the executive par 3 course that is under the lights and ventures up and down a ski hill. In other words, it was a perfect golf evening. Day 2 was a golfing bonanza that started on the Donald Ross Memorial, which plays homage to one of the greatest golf course designers in history. The Ross Memorial is a wonderful rendition of 18 great Donald Ross holes from around the world, with special attention to holes and places golfers do not have the opportunity to experience. Seminole, Oakland Hills, Oak Hill, Pinehurst, Inverness, Bob O’Link, and Aronomick holes
are among the amazing collection. After a quick lunch in the Seminole Pub, we took on an afternoon on the Arthur Hills course. A big, bold design, it kept building in an almost suspenseful way with one fun golf hole leading to yet another. To add even more fun, we moved up a set of tee-boxes and played a combo set with the Orange and Green tees to fit our group. Boyne does an excellent job of setting tee-markers and playing it forward. Believe me, 6,100 yards was plenty for our collection of recreational amateurs. Even the single digit handicap guys like myself found plenty of challenge and fun. Our round on
the course peaked on the 13th hole, which features a downhill 150-foot drop. The view from the tee complex on the par 5 has to be the best golf view in the region. Golfers look out above beautiful hardwoods of northern Michigan for over 40 miles. Have your camera phone ready for this hole. On that great day most of us were satisfied with 36 holes of golf, but a few of the group who obviously can’t get enough, decided to push some fun bets and take on the Moor course, which is another fun parkland style course with multiple riskreward shots. The 9-hole two-man scramble proved to be a perfect ending to an amazing day, which concluded around 9:45 p.m. Continues on next page >>
MichiganGolf Golf Journal Boyne
Boyne Highlands, Hills Course
We slept in a bit on Day 3 in anticipation of playing BOYNE Golf’s flagship property, the Inn at Bay Harbor’s Bay Harbor Golf Club. It features 27-holes (Links, Quarry, Preserve) designed by Art Hill and
Boyne Highlands, Ross Course
rated by Editor’s Choice by Golf Digest as Best Midwest Golf Resort. It is nestled dramatically along a five-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline. We played the marque lineup of Links/Quarry, which was
spectacular as holes ran both inland and along the bluffs overlooking the big lake. The two contrasting nines offered an unmatched variety of holes. One minute we found ourselves playing along the cliffs bordering Lake Michigan, and the next minute we were hitting shots down through a scenic rock-quarry that finished with a peninsula par 3 reaching into the lake and a scenic closing hole wrapped along the shore. Our fourth and final day included a stop at Boyne’s southern-most resort,
February 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com
Boyne Mountain, which was convenient as we were all heading south toward our homes. The Mountain offers two fun courses, the Alpine and Monument, which each offer tremendous views of nearby Deer Lake. We finished our trip on the Alpine followed by the perfect lunch setting on the patio of the Beach House, which hugs the beach at the picturesque lake. Whether it is a group of buddies, couples, or just a trip with a significant other, Boyne is the place to go. It offers a variety of courses,
Bay Harbor, Links Course
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lodging and package options including unlimited golf, and the best golfing value in the country with what is aptly called the Great Escape Package.
gaming, microbreweries, wineries, hiking, biking, tennis, zip-lining, shopping and more capped by the spectacular northern Michigan sunsets.
To top it off Boyne is centered amid one of America’s most beautiful vacation areas. The scenic Lake Michigan beach towns of Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, and Petoskey are minutes away, and a side trip to Mackinac Island is easily managed. Guests can enjoy award-winning spas, waterfront dining, sandy beaches, watersports,
For more information on BOYNE Golf, and to plan your summer golf adventure, visit BOYNEGolf.com or call 877.741.6855 MGJ
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Michigan&Golf Journal Green White Hardwood
From Green Grass to the Green & White Hardwood By Tom Lang
MSU sophomore point guard Jack Hoiberg faced a fork in the road as a high school senior fresh off two consecutive golf team state championships at Hinsdale (IL.) Central – to either accept a golf scholarship offer from the University of South Dakota, or a walk-on basketball agreement with Michigan State. “Growing up I always dreamed of playing in the NCAA tournament, and really I wasn’t ready to give up basketball,” Hoiberg
recently told MGJ after an MSU practice. “Golf is a sport you can play your whole life, but basketball; when you’re done, you’re done, except for maybe rec leagues. I wasn’t ready to give it up competitively.” Then, after choosing to walk on at MSU to play for Hallof-Fame coach Tom Izzo, Hoiberg could have fled after his freshman season to join his father, Fred, now the new basketball head coach at Big Ten rival Nebraska after more than three years as head
coach of the Chicago Bulls. “It’s definitely cool to say I play under Tom Izzo because growing up I didn’t know him personally but obviously I knew of him,” said Hoiberg, who plays golf and shoots baskets left-handed but does everything right-handed. “Everyone knows how great of a coach he is.” Hoiberg told The State News in the fall he felt like MSU was also family, so the urge to join his father at Nebraska, faded.
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“He has respect from all of the guys,” Izzo told The State News in October. “You look at Jack and say, ‘This kid has really gotten better each year.’ Had a chance to go with his dad and wanted to stay here. I’m hoping it’s because of me, I’m thinking it could be his girlfriend… either way, I’m excited to have him back because he is somebody that everybody on this team likes.” Hoiberg defined his role on the hardwood as helping lead the scout team, among other duties. “I try to push Cassius (Winston) and everyone the best I can every day and I try to push the team to be the best we can be,” Hoiberg added. “I try to stay ready for any situation where they’ll need me. Cassius was out for the Western Michigan game, so I played about 15 minutes (where Hoiberg had 4 points, 6 assists). I have to stay ready…and try to get better myself.” While Hoiberg’s main sports focus each fall and winter is big-time college basketball, he has never abandoned golf. He said in high school he was a scratch golfer and shot
a low tournament round of 69. This last summer he scored 1-under par at Forest Akers East. “I’ve still got a little bit (of game) but I’m not as good as I used to be,” Hoiberg said, due to lack of practice time. I’m told “when I was
born my dad jokingly said, ‘the only sport I’m going to make him play is golf,’ because I think it might be my dad’s favorite sport. When he was an NBA player, he’d play golf a lot in the summer and fell in love with it – and I fell in love with it too as a kid.” Continues on next page >>
Michigan&Golf Journal Green White Hardwood
Hoiberg said he began swinging a golf club at about age 3. He played a lot, but not in very many Junior golf tournaments, where college golf coaches most often recruit. His youth was spent playing more AAU basketball than golf. But this last summer he played more golf than the prior two summers combined and called the idea of practicing with the MSU Golf team a bucket list goal. “The biggest way that golf has helped me out in basketball is the mental
aspect,” Hoiberg added. “Since golf can be 90 percent mental, if you have the confidence to be a great golfer, I think that helps out a lot.” MSU’s only basketball game versus Nebraska comes later this month, Feb. 20. Hoiberg has never faced his dad as a coach for the opposing team. Ironically, his great grandfather was also the Nebraska coach in the late 1950 and 60s. “It’s going to be weird. I can’t tell you that I know how it’s going to feel
because I really don’t; I’ve never been in that situation before,” Jack said. “It’ll definitely be fun. We’re both competitive guys. We’re both going to try to win obviously. We might go out to eat together the night before, but I don’t think we’ll be sharing any game plans, or anything like that.” One other golf idea intrigues Hoiberg, before his college playing days are over. “I’m going to have to challenge Coach Izzo (to a round) sometime.” MGJ
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Michigan Golf Journal A Father-Son Golf Trip
A Father/Son Golf Escape To Myrtle Beach By: Bo Hobson
When my Dad informed me that we would be doing a golf story in Myrtle Beach in late December, I was ecstatic. Visions of high temperatures, great golf, incredible food, and warm Southern hospitality danced in my head. Christmas was going to come a few days early, and I was excited to open the presents the Myrtle Beach Golf Trail has to offer.
Every single one of my expectations were exceeded beyond what I thought possible, except for one: high temperatures. But the packing of ski caps (winner of the trip Most Valuable Clothing Article award) and extra layers made the unseasonably colder weather a complete nonfactor as far as dampening our enjoyment. We
checked in to our spacious accommodations at Sea Trail Villas, which feature multibedroom units overlooking the property’s three golf courses. With multiple onsite restaurants, including a sports bar, and a convenient location, Sea Trail’s condo accommodations are the perfect base for a golf trip and start us off on the right foot.
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Not only were the courses breathtakingly fun; they were breathtaking from a visual standpoint. This was my first ever trip to Myrtle Beach, and while I had always heard about the great quantity of courses in the area, I had no idea the kind of quality that could be found here, too. Our opening round was at The Pearl Golf Links. The golf was fun and fair, and the course was filled with scenic, amazing views, the likes of which I didn’t know existed in the Myrtle Beach area. After the round, we interviewed General Manager Odell Williamson and quickly learned the source of the lasting beauty of the Myrtle Beach golf experience - it’s in the
people and the stories that they have. After the primary interview, Odell shared his powerful and moving life story with us. If you’re in the mood for inspiration, click here to listen to the life story of Mr. Williamson. I can truly say that my experience at The Pearl was one of the most unique I have ever had, and that’s a very good thing. Day 2 brought us to Glen Dornoch Waterway Links. True to its name, the final 3 holes on each side finish right along the Intracoastal Waterway, providing what I think were the best views of the trip. Several of the holes had the feel of playing golf in the middle of a marshland nature preserve, which was an experience I have never had until this trip.
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The 8th hole, which finishes on the water’s edge, provided yet another unique sighting: a casino boat the size of a cruise ship floating by, directly behind the green, en route to international waters where the gaming would take place. It took me a while to wrap my ahead around that concept, but it also fed into an emerging pattern that was present throughout our Myrtle Beach Golf Trail journey: uniqueness. That pattern continued and brought us to Rivers Edge Golf Club the following day. Designed by Arnold Palmer, I will long remember the diabolical 9th hole, “Arnie’s Revenge.” After dumping close to a couple sleeves Continues on next page >>
Michigan Golf Journal A Father-Son Golf Trip
(mostly by my Dad) into the several hazards on the hole, we both wondered what made Mr. Palmer so angry that he created a seemingly impossible hole like the 9th. The entire course had some teeth but was also the most rewarding of the tracks we visited during our trip. I’d gladly tee it up at Rivers Edge again. It’s gorgeous, in fantastic shape, and a most inviting challenge. Later that evening, our unique trip to Myrtle Beach was rounded out when we ate at “Brisket” - a locally
owned smokehouse and BBQ joint. True to the theme of the trip, owner Laney Vallancey gave us a unique and incredible tour of the kitchen and meat smoker. She also shared a very powerful story about how the restaurant represents her late husband’s dream, driving her to do whatever it takes to keep the taste of Texas BBQ alive and thriving in Myrtle Beach. I expected to come to Myrtle Beach and experience great golf,
incredible food, and warm Southern hospitality. I did not expect to experience all that and so much more, meeting people and hearing stories that will affect my life even outside of this trip. We set out to enjoy a memory-making Father/ Son golf trip and the Myrtle Beach Golf Trail delivered even more than I thought possible. EXTRAS: Click Here to see our video report Click Here to listen to the special edition Podcast MGJ
Celebrity Golf
Michigan’s John Smoltz Wins Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Pro-Am Celebrity Division By Tom Lang Lansing native John Smoltz, the Waverly High grad and Cy Young Award winner who played virtually his entire MLB Hall of Fame career with the Atlanta Braves after an “overnight stay” in the Detroit Tigers’ minor league system – won the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Celebrity pro-am division for the second straight year. Combined with the LPGA Tour season opener in Orlando, Fla. (Jan. 16-19) the tournament was made up of 26 LPGA Tour winners from the 2018 and ‘19 seasons, with 49 celebrities in the four-day, 72-hole field. Smoltz finished with +150 points in Modified Stableford scoring. The celebrity portion finished on Sunday evening, but the LPGA did not and went into a Monday morning playoff. After swapping five pars at the par-3 18th hole as
firepower with a lot of younger guys. And last year helped a lot, taught me a lot about my game…Not getting any younger, so I’ve got to maximize the opportunities. This was a lot of fun.” Smoltz was apparently nursing a sore hip. Diamond Resorts
daylight waned Sunday night, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka returned to the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando to determine a winner. Inbee Park was eliminated on the third playoff hole, but on the seventh try between Lopez and Hataoka, Lopez drained a 25-foot-plus birdie to win the title. “I love competition, but I’d be lying if I told you there were times I didn’t get nervous,” Smoltz said after the win. “There’s a lot of
“This was a big week for me. Besides the defending part, I wanted to see how my body was going to hold up walking five days,” he said. “I brought my trainer in. But this is a big hurdle mentally because, when you get tired or you get stiff, you’ve still got to make a good golf swing, and I was able to make enough of them... This is a win for the old guys because I’m in my 50s and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hit it with these guys. It will be fun to know that I’ve won it twice in a row and I’ve got a chance for three, lo and behold.” MGJ
Michigan Golf Journal Oceana is Saved
Oceana Golf Club is Saved
The community-built course north of Muskegon will remain open in 2020 and beyond By Fred Inglis
Oceana 18th green
Editor’s note: this story will be the first in a short series this year chronicling the saving of a small-town golf course and the efforts that go into such a noble endeavor by its people. Inglis is the current golf coach at Shelby High and is a former TV journalist on the West Coast, who grew up in Oceana County.
Christmas came early in Shelby, Michigan. On December 18, the members of Oceana Golf Club (OGC) voted overwhelmingly 117-1 to sell the non-profit public course to local native Jason Wenk.
or die,” Jason Wenk said. “So, I thought this was a unique way to come in and fix the organizational and financial structure. There’s no reason this can’t be the finest golf course within 100 miles from here.
“I love this course and wouldn’t want to come home and see it overgrown
“The people around the club are so passionate about the history of the course,
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and I’m happy to share the excitement of this new chapter.” Wenk is a 1998 Shelby High School graduate who agreed to pay $391,500 for 90 percent ownership. Those funds will be used to pay off the entire OGC debt. Wenk will continue to work with Shelby State Bank, then invest $200,000 in the spring of 2020, and an additional $200,000 in the spring of 2021. The successful pioneer in the wealth management and technology industry played OGC as a member of the Shelby High School golf team and heard from his father, Carl, the course was financially underwater. The current 186 members will continue to enjoy all their current benefits and maintain 10 percent ownership in the holding company. The par 73 course opened in 1962 and became Oceana County’s first golf course. Designed and developed by Shelby and Hart golf enthusiasts, it features rolling hills with numerous trees, water hazards, and fast greens.
“For us kids back then our golf course was our sanctuary,” Wenk said. “It kept us out of trouble, and it was a special place. I tell people I owe my life’s work to the fact that I played a game when I was young and what I learned from that game. It gave me the tools to be successful in other things. “I hope the kids in Shelby schools today will look at this
and realize that just because you come from a small town doesn’t mean you can’t do big things. And just because you go away doesn’t mean you can’t come back and do something meaningful in your hometown.” Many of the OGC members first met Wenk on November 14, when he gave a presentation and answered questions about the sale. Some members came to that Continues on next page >>
Michigan Golf Journal Oceana is Saved
initial meeting believing this deal sounded too good to be true, but most of them left impressed by Wenk’s proposal. “I found him quite sincere,” said OGC member Dennis Morgan. “There are people out there who want to give back with no strings attached. Folks may not be used to that idea and suspicion ensues. I think it’s a no brainer.” The 39-year-old Wenk lives in Venice, California and has made a fortune as developer of several successful financial
investment corporations. He is now busy as founder and CEO of the recently launched Altruist Corporation in the Los Angeles area, with no intention of operating the day to day duties of his hometown golf course. “I think it’s incredibly important that it continues to be run by local people,” Wenk said. “I believe you hire the best people and let them do their job. They just need more resources.” One of those folks is OGC Head Grounds Superintendent Corey
Parmalee, a former high school golf teammate to Wenk. “He’s genuine, compassionate. Even this fall, Jason kept in contact with me and wanted to make sure that my family’s needs were met,” Parmalee said. “He’s given us hope instead of that ‘here we go again’ kind of thinking. We’re going to be able to take care of this place much easier and quicker, too.” Check back in with us the next few months to read more about the progress of a renewed OGC. MGJ
MichiganMortgage Golf JournalClassic Rocket
Rickie, Phil and Bubba Are Coming to Detroit
Rocket Mortgage Classic Announced $1.2 million in 2019 Charity Dollars – And More Fan Options in 2020 By Tom Lang com, providing admission to the tournament grounds, public grandstands, concessions and fun interactive areas.
DETROIT – The PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic recently landed early commitments from Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson for the May 25-31 tournament at Detroit Golf Club. “We are off to a great start as we prepare for our 2020 tournament (and) to have Rickie and Bubba return to Detroit for a second straight year, and be joined by a legend like Phil as part of our early player commitments, has us all excited for our second year,” said Jason Langwell, the Executive Director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. “Our inaugural event was successful by many measures, and the word is starting to spread among the players that this is a
The tournament recently announced its charitable donations total for year one, to the tune of $1.2 million, but equally interesting and encouraging are early plans for 2020.
tournament they must have on their schedules.” General admission tickets went on sale January 22 and can be purchased exclusively online at RocketMortgageClassic.
Langwell said at the announcement at DGC in mid-January that he felt the Detroit event’s location, and being scheduled right before Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament in Ohio, could draw more big name golfers. He then added that suggestions for upgrades for a first-time event looking at year two have come from all sorts of people and groups –
February 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com
in the air, not just within Area 313, but beyond. Our Tito’s deck behind No. 9 is going to be bigger and is going to wrap all the way around and actually blend into our grandstand structure. So, it’s about the fan experience.”
the PGA Tour players, course set up experts, fan feedback, the sponsors, charities, community members and others. “We’re going to have a lot more interactives in the fan zone area, so that will be bigger and better,” Langwell said to MGJ. “We’re going to have more public grandstands, more viewing decks that will be bigger and better. We have a lot of crowds out there, so we’re thinking viewing decks can kind of get people up
Fanatics of golf, and first timers, flocked to the Rocket Mortgage Classic by the multiple tens of thousands last June as excitement rose all across the region for the first-ever PGA Tour stop inside the city limits of Detroit. Langwell also touched on the basic plans for the first day of the tournament’s new spot on the calendar – Memorial Day. He added that it should be the best value for sports entertainment in Detroit. One adult ticket for $15 also covers course entrance for up to four accompanying children on Monday and Tuesday of tournament week, May 25-31. Monday will feature a clinic and a BBQ cookout, followed by Tuesday’s traditional
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pro practice rounds at the celebrity event at Area 313. “So, you can bring five people in for $15 for two days,” he said. “That’s a great value and something that isn’t available to anyone in the entire entertainment ecosystem in the city.” Quicken Loans CEO Jay Farner said that leader Dan Gilbert always talks about going bigger and getting better. That’s a philosophy that is driving the tournament as well. “The culture that we have at our organization for 35 years under Dan (Gilbert’s) leadership is that it’s all growth,” Farner said. “It’s all ‘how do you go bigger?’ How do you do things better? How do you have a bigger impact? So that’s the foundation that drives us every day, and we incorporate that into everything that we’re doing, from fan experience, to player experience, to improvements on the golf course, to impact on the community.” MGJ
Michigan The BearGolf Journal
35th Anniversary of The Bear By Tom Lang
The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa comes out of hibernation each spring to test the best and entertain golfers of all skill levels – and 2020 marks The Bear’s 35th awakening since Jack Nicklaus created his spectacular signature design in 1985. Nationally ranked in the top 100 courses and consistently
rated as one of Michigan’s toughest, The Bear has for decades drawn golfers who are looking for a chance to tame the challenge in Northern Michigan. “The Bear has the reputation of being difficult, but it also has the reputation of being fair,” said Tom McGee, director of golf operations. “Golfers tell us
they like the challenge. And they tell us each of the holes is so unique and memorable that no two holes are the same. “It’s one of those golf courses where you have to think a lot, you need to look at the surroundings, and I think people appreciate that more and they concentrate more when playing it, as
February 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com
opposed to most other golf courses.” An Unusual Course: That’s exactly what Nicklaus intended when he was commissioned to create his biggest golf-skills challenge of that era. The Bear plays to 7,078 yards from the championship tees. It has four lakes, 10 holes with water hazards, and only one hole with no bunkers. “That was kind of an unusual golf course (at the time),” Nicklaus said in a recent visit to Michigan. “The owner at that time wanted the longest course in Michigan, over 7,000 yards, par 72, and the highest course rating. I did all three of those … and, of course, the golf course was really difficult.” The Bear is a linksstyle course with mature trees surrounding the outer edges of the property. The course features undulating, multitiered greens, moguls, mounds, and deep pot bunkers that guard the greens and thick grassy
rough. The rough has been cut back away from the fairways over the years to somewhat soften Nicklaus’ original design. Tee boxes have been added to provide more variety and shorter yardages. Lakes, ponds, hardwood forests, streams, and orchards provide a home to a variety of wildlife – and add more golf hazards to navigate. The course is a certified member of the Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program. The fairways give The Bear its unique look. Elevated from the rough on many
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holes, the fairways appear to be ‘floating’ above the surrounding property. The design also punishes shots that roll off the fairway and get hung up in the second cut of grass, creating a more severe side-hill position. Nicklaus later incorporated that design element into his signature course near Palm Springs, Calif. A Must-Play: “Growing up in southern Michigan, this is one of the top five courses you always hear about that need to be on your list to play,” said golfer John Barkalow of Schoolcraft, Mich., after Continues on next page >>
The Bear playing The Bear for the first time in late 2019. “It was challenging yet playable. I’m certainly not a fantastic golfer, but I was able to shoot my average score.” His playing partner that day, Brian Kowalski of Bowling Green, Ohio, added: “My first impressions were intimidating, but I wanted to try it because it’s listed as one of the top golf courses
in Michigan. I definitely want to come back here and also try The Wolverine and Spruce Run. Always great golf in Northern Michigan.” While The Bear sees most of its play by the average golfer, throughout the years it has hosted our premier state championship — the Michigan Open — more times than any other golf course. And not long after The Bear opened, it hosted
the PGA Champions Tour Ameritech Senior Open in 1990, won by global fan favorite Chi Chi Rodriguez. “The Bear was the hardest course, as Jack built it, when it opened in 1985, and it’s withstood the test of time,” McGee said. “It’s still very attractive, people still love to play it, and those who come to the Resort, if they’re going to play one golf course, they choose The Bear.” MGJ
Reprinted courtesy of Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. This article first appeared in the 2020 edition of its Barefoot magazine.
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TrackMan Range
TrackMan Range Now at Carl’s Golfland – Plymouth By Tom Lang
The same high-tech training technology that virtually every Tour professional uses in practice and on the range at PGA and LPGA tour stops is now available to amateur golfers – but at no cost – at Carl’s Golfland. Carl’s in Bloomfield Hills became the first location in North America to offer TrackMan Range a couple years ago. Now, after a couple months of reconstruction and shaping in the fall, the Plymouth location has been fitted with TrackMan, to go along with a newly designed range. TrackMan is a system that provides golfers with instant feedback on eight performance numbers, allowing them to review and compare their shots in real time with a free iPhone app. It takes less than 5 minutes to download and start using. Carl’s made the financial investment in the technology but does not charge golfers to use it. Most people recognize TrackMan as the little orange box sitting behind pros when they practice or test clubs. It is the global technology often utilized for detailed club fittings for both pros and amateurs. TrackMan Range uses radar to precisely record eight performance numbers, including ball speed, launch angle, direction, height, carry through the air, total yards on run out and exact distance from hitting the pin – all to within one-yard accuracy.
Carl’s Range, Plymouth, shown under construction
Carl’s also made a large investment to change the range in Plymouth, as far as sight lines, targets, sloping and other new features to improve the practice experience. It’s located next door to the Inn at St. Johns’ 27 holes of public golf. Matt Frelich, VP of Sales for TrackMan, said PGA Tour pro Dustin Johnson originally resisted using TrackMan several years ago, when he was outside the top 150 players in proximity to the pin. Once Johnson was convinced to try using TrackMan he became No. 1 in the world in that category. “Carl continues to invest in having the best driving range here in Michigan,” Frelich said, adding that as golfers begin to get better accuracy of their club distances, “they’re going to focus on hitting it closer to the pin. We’ve developed games (on the app) that will reward that, too. Anyone that is a serious Carl’s regular – their handicap will come down.” MGJ
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Michigan News and Notes
MSU Senior Ally Geer-Park Qualifies for Her 2nd Augusta National Women’s Amateur Brighton native and MSU golfer Allison Geer-Park received and accepted an invitation from the ANWA Championship committee to play in her second Augusta National Women’s Amateur, April 1-4. She qualified based on ‘the top 30 players from the U.S. who are not otherwise qualified, based on the 2019 Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.’ Geer-Park played the inaugural event last year in the first two rounds off site, and the third-day practice round at Augusta National, but did not make the final field cut of 30 golfers playing for the inaugural ANWA title. It was won by Jennifer Kupcho, now a young star on the LPGA Tour. “I’m so excited to be returning to the ANWA this year,” she said. “I’m looking forward to taking the information and experiences from last year and making the most out of this final opportunity to play there as a senior.”
The field is limited to 72 of the leading women amateurs in the world, so just making that list is a great feat. Michigan is one of only a dozen states represented in the ANWA. A 12-day run of the ANWA, the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, and the 84th playing of The Masters Tournament caps off the festivities.
Look for a full-length feature story on Geer-Park heading to Augusta next month in the March edition of Michigan Golf Journal.
GolfWeek Award: Ron Gaines Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) President Emeritus Ron Gaines was named this year’s Yancey Ford Award recipient by Golfweek — USA Today Sports. Gaines was GAM president in 2011 and won the organization’s Distinguished
Service Award in 2016. The Yancey Award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to amateur golf, and especially senior amateur golf. Gaines is a longtime rules official for the USGA, Michigan PGA and GAM.
Michigan News and Notes
New Head Pro at Detroit Golf Club, Josh Upson The Detroit Golf Club is adding another chapter to its 120-year history, with a new Head Golf Professional, and modern-day improvements to its Albert Kahn-designed clubhouse. Josh Upson becomes Detroit Golf Club’s new Head Golf Professional, most recently serving as Head Golf Professional at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.
“We were impressed by Josh’s experience garnered at clubs across the country and his expertise,” said Mark Douglas, president, Detroit Golf Club in a statement. Upson will oversee day-to-day operations of the Club’s golf program and lead the charge at the club’s newly renovated pro shop, which is one portion of a $4.5 million overall clubhouse renovation.
10 Michigan Sites Will Be Local Qualifiers for Drive, Chip and Putt The USGA, Masters Tournament and PGA of America announced that registration for 2020-2021 Drive, Chip and Putt qualifying is now officially open on DriveChipandPutt.com. Drive, Chip and Putt is a fun and free youth golf development initiative for junior golfers of all skill and ability levels, aimed at sparking a lifelong interest in the game. The initiative welcomes boys and girls, ages 7-15, to participate in local qualifying events, May – August. Entrants will play in girls’ and boys’ divisions in four age categories. Oakland Hill Country Club will host one of the final regional qualifiers in the fall for a second consecutive year. The winners at Oakland Hills will move directly to the DCP National Finals at Augusta National in April, 2021. Local first-round qualifying events in Michigan are: May 16: June 23: June 26: June 30: July 10: July 14: July 18: July 21: July 24: July 28:
Golf Club at Harbor Shores Boulder Creek Golf Club Whispering Willows Golf Course Pheasant Run Golf Course Ironwood Links Golf Course Bay Meadows Family Golf Course Lyon Oaks Golf Course Oak Pointe Country Club The Meadows at Grand Valley Binder Park Golf Course
Michigan Golf Journal Golf Course Maintenance
The Cost of Trees on a Golf Course By Rob Steger, CGCS Saginaw CC
Golf course superintendents like me are very often asked one question: “why do you want to cut down all of the trees?” The fact is, I don’t. There is nothing glamorous about tree removals and there will always be people who didn’t like the decision to either remove or leave a tree standing. As a golf
course superintendent, I prefer to steer clear of political decisions; my goal is to make objective decisions based on science. Trees are beautiful, but trees are growing in the same soil as the turf on a golf course. Turf and trees growing together creates a competition for sun, moisture, and nutrients; a competition that is almost
always won by the tree, leaving a sparse stand of turf underneath. I once had a very smart professor who posed the question, “do you want to grow trees, or do you want to grow great turf?” The point of the question is you can’t have both, so you need to choose. One factor that is rarely considered when planting a tree is the amount of
February 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com
money the tree will cost the golf course over its lifetime. Tree-lined fairways can be appealing to the eye, but what are the costs to the budget and the playing conditions? Will the additional water needed to keep the turf healthy lead to soft fairways and increased water budgets? Has the tree been planted in an area that will require trimming and/or
removal when it reaches its mature size? Will tree roots infiltrate drain lines, requiring costly repairs? Can the golf course afford the labor required to keep the course playable when the leaves begin to drop? Will the tree impact the intended design of a golf hole? These are some of the questions that every golf course superintendent
thinks about when considering the planting or removal a tree on the golf course. We don’t hate trees, but we do value the playability of the course and turf quality more. There is a place for trees on a golf course, but the type and location of each tree planted and/or removed needs to be carefully considered from both a monetary and playability standpoint. MGJ
Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA) Announces New Officers
Rob Steger, CGCS, the Class A Golf Course Superintendent at Saginaw Country Club has been elected as the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA) Chapter President for 2020. Other officers elected to the MiGCSA board include Vice President Doug Ware from the City of Livonia and Secretary/Treasurer Ryan Moore of Forest Lake Country Club.
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New members elected to the board include Jared Milner from Meadowbrook Country Club and Adam Garr with Syngenta Professional Products. Also reelected to a second term was Scott Pulaski from Walloon Lake Country Club and Jesse Shaver from Gull Lake Country Club. Course maintenance crews should be praised for the tireless work behind the scenes and in the wee hours of the morning getting the golf courses we love into tip-top shape.
GOLF TIPS
Golf Tip: Better Putting Golf Tips provided by Dave Kendall Academy in Ypsilanti Putting is a matter of coordinating aim and set up, stroke, distance control, and green reading. Most players assume that if you can develop a mechanically perfect stroke, they will be a good putter. It certainly helps, but mechanics is responsible for about 25 percent of a player’s success in putting. If a player is consistently precise at aim and set-up and makes distance control a priority in practice, his/ her improvement in putting is almost a certainty. The order of priority 1. 2. 3. 4.
aim speed read stroke
Aim: do not assume good aim. Test yourself or get help. If you are not a good aimer, use a line on your
ball and aim the line from down the line. Speed: once you are aimed, speed is all you are thinking about during the execution of your stroke. It should be the majority of your practice. Read: many players focus most of their attention on reading line and should instead focus at least as much on reading speed. Line is dependent upon speed. More makeable putts are missed because of bad speed than a bad line. Stroke: most inconsistent strokes come from attempting to swing the putter on a line that your bone structure is not set up on or in a position that will allow it to happen easily. Good strokes are a result of a good set up. If you have good set up,
stroke is a matter of rocking your shoulders and simply allowing the putter to swing. Understanding the skills of putting and making them a priority can make a huge difference in your score. More strokes (nearly 40 %) are taken on the greens than any other area of the game. It should receive your attention in nearly the same proportion. MGJ
PGA Merchandise Show
An Insider’s Perspective on the PGA Show By Jim Kitchen, Co-Owner of Golf Tech of Novi
balls, grips, club fitting best practices, instructional aids, apparel, golf accessories… and so much more.
I attended my first PGA Merchandise Show in the early 1990s with my father Dennis and since then have returned for another 10. This is the expo that showcases all the new incoming golf clubs and balls and every other golf related product under the sun! All the leading industry manufacturers are at this week-long event in Orlando, Fla. – from TaylorMade to Wilson, TrueTemper to Fujikura… And with the advent of so many new technologies and materials entering the game, all the key manufacturing experts
are on hand to answer questions I can pass along to golfers. The PGA Show is not open to the general public. You have to be a golf industry insider. It’s where PGA Professionals and Golf Industry Professionals meet to discover the latest trends. The PGA Show kicks off with the world’s largest Outdoor Demo Day at the Orange County National CC and then for the next three days the expo goes indoors. Throughout the week, exhibitors showcase their newest clubs, golf
I am able to talk with engineers, designers, sales directors, fellow golf retail owners, pro shop mangers… all in an effort to make the right decisions for merchandise for my shop in Novi and for my booth at the annual Michigan Golf Show in March. By attending the PGA Show, I am much more prepared for the new season and can answer the many questions all my customers have. It is a very exciting event, where Scotty Cameron is always at the Titleist booth, Greg Norman is on hand at his apparel booth, The Golf Channel is on-site televising live every day. Many of the Volvik Long Distance Touring Pros are there, nutritionists, and exercise experts and so much more. Golf Tech of Novi: 41300 10 Mile Rd., Suite A, Novi, MI. More info at: www. golftechnovi.com MGJ
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A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d ; C o p y r i g h t 2 0 2 0 Web:www. mi c hi g a ng olour na l . c om E ma i l :mi c hi g a ng olour na l @g ma i l . c om T wier :@MI g olour na l