Issuu

OCTOBER 2020

Q&A with MIKE TIRICO

THE RISE OF AMERICAN DUNES: Revisiting Kingsley Club Youth on Course Booming Covid-19 Golfer Survey 4 Pgs. of New Equipment

JACK NICKLAUS’ LATEST VENTURE

New Courses and Closings CBD & Golf: A Good Mix?

Michigan Golf Journal Kingsley Club Revisited

Kingsley Club: Our Bandon Dunes By Tom Lang

When I play and rate or write about golf courses, it’s fairly standard for me to pick my three favorite consecutive holes and focus the story on what that particular trio provides as a microcosm of the overall design and experience.

created a masterful layout on beautiful rolling hills. The perfect routing and a focus on shaping green complexes makes for one of the top courses in the Midwest. If the course could be picked up out of the remote countryside near Kingsley, Michigan, and be transplanted along In the case of Kingsley Club, the Oregon-Pacific Ocean that 3-hole writing format coastline, many believe it is not feasible. I love all 18 would fit right in with the holes – and was reminded of multiple courses of Bandon it in a late August visit. Dunes. Michigan born-and-raised Like so many course designs course designer Mike DeVries which at first look appear

difficult or overpowering, if golfers keep their ball in the fairway, Kingsley Club is very playable. This fairly typical recreational golfer was able to shoot my lowest score of the summer and play with only one ball all day. Several greens are elevated tabletops with nasty run offs, yet the design is balanced with a number of greens that are bowl shaped as to push shots that are well offline back onto the green. The first and fourth greens show off this bowl feature the most

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

and others have mounding on one or two sides to help wayward shots feed on. Very few greens will send balls into bunkers, Instead, off-the-mark shots will drift to severe greenside run offs. Shots that go into bunkers are generally earned by offline, short or long shot mistakes. The greens tend to have lots of undulation and some have multiple tiers, but the same “bowl” concept applies to portions of some large greens so if the pins are placed there

on your day, it’s a huge advantage for good scoring. Like most championship layouts, pin placements can significantly determine scoring from one round to another. As a grouping, the par 5s and the par 3s are stunning and challenging. No. 1 has a bunker complex to clear on the very first tee shot, and for golf balls that make it safely over, a long ridge behind allows the ball to roll significantly forward. The same can be said for

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the 17th hole, going in the opposite direction on the other side of the property. If your tee shot can clear the first ridge, golfers will easily gain an additional 80-100 yards rolling downhill and have a legitimate shot at reaching the perched green in two. Overall, Kingsley Club remains one of the Great Lakes State’s greatest examples of northern Michigan golf that draws golfers from all areas of the country. MGJ

Editor’s Letter

A Wide Breadth of Topics

One of the nicest and most frequent compliments I hear from readers of this magazine is that we offer a wide variety of golf topics to choose from – and this month of October might be one of the best examples of variety to date, so I hope it meets your expectations.

Topics, people and places range from Jack Nicklaus returning to Michigan to make a final review of the masterpiece he’s created at American Dunes … to Olympics and NBC TV host Mike Tirico sharing his thoughts on multiple golf topics … to a new 9 holes under construction at Saskatoon

as the Blythefield Country Club – both near Grand Rapids – is undergoing a solid reconstruction of its 18 across town … to a guest column about CBD and golf, tournament results and 3 new equipment stories … to Youth on Course’s massive growth and revisiting Kingsley Club. Okay, you get the idea – tons of stuff to look at, because that’s not even the complete list. Please dig in and enjoy. Sincerely, Tom Lang Publisher/Editor

What’s Inside: 07

Youth on Course’s Massive Growth

Four pages of New Equipment

TV Sportscaster Mike Tirico

CBD and Golf, A Good Pairing?

Survey Results About COVID and Fall Golf

Saskatoon Adding a New 9 Holes

Jack Nicklaus and American Dunes

Amateur Tournaments Wrap Up

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Youth on Course

Junior Golfers Praise GAM Foundation’s Growing Youth on Course Efforts By Greg Johnson

Junior golfer after junior golfer playing in Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) tournaments this summer reported they were also members of Youth on Course. “It’s really for everybody,” said 13-year-old Lauren

Timpf of Macomb. “You don’t have to play in tournaments. My dad is a very good golfer and my sister Kate comes with us to play. She is 10 and not into tournaments, but she likes to play with us. It makes golf for our family cheaper. Youth on Course works for

everyone. You play golf for $5 and you are having fun. It’s a win-win.” Youth on Course is a national non-profit grow-the-game program implemented and subsidized in Michigan by the GAM Foundation. It Continues on next page >>

Youth on Course allows youngsters ages 6-18 to play golf for $5 or less at participating courses around the state. The most recent numbers available reveal there are over 6,800 members this year through the Golf Association of Michigan’s Youth on Course support program, which is up from the 4,261 members in 2019 in Michigan. Over 24,000 rounds have been played this year at 108 participating Michigan golf courses, up from 9,900 last year and the $185,000 in subsidies paid to those participating golf courses this year is well over $100,000 more than all of last year. Chris Whitten, executive director of the GAM, said Youth on Course has grown tremendously in Michigan. “The GAM Foundation is so proud to bring Youth on Course to Michigan with the amount of participation we have seen,” he said. “When many activities were considered unsafe

and were thrilled to be able to help more kids play more often through Youth on Course,” he said.

for kids this summer, golf filled a big void for a lot of families. We saw growth over 100 percent.” For the second consecutive year Whitten took part in the 100 Hole Hike fundraiser for Youth on Course on Sept. 29. Last year via pledges he raised more than $4,000. He had just returned from a weeklong golf trip to England but made it through the 100 holes well before sundown. He walked 44,738 steps for 20.2 miles with three socks changes and one change of golf shoes. He admitted his feet were sore but called it a great day. “Those of us who are regular golfers know it’s the game of a lifetime that teaches fantastic life lessons

Youth on Course, based in Southern California but now implemented nationwide, recently reported 104,189 members across the country. Those members had played 289,088 rounds so far this year at 1,432 partner courses. Over $2,034,074 had been reimbursed to the courses for their Youth on Course rounds. Youth on Course said many of the golf association partners like the GAM Foundation have seen an increase of 50 to 200 percent mainly because golf has been seen as a safe outdoor activity. “I think it also encourages a lot more people to just get out and play golf,” Timpf said. “I see more youth coming to play all the time, not just the other kids who play in tournaments like me. For $5 you get to play golf. I get to practice and play a lot and it helps make that possible.” MGJ

Michigan GolfMike Journal Q&A with Tirico

Golf Q&A:

Mike Tirico With Tom Lang

Mike Tirico’s smooth and soothing voice has been traveling the airwaves and into our homes for nearly 30 years. His relaxed demeanor and sports knowledge make people feel like he’s having a casual front porch conversation with us. After being raised in Queens, NY, Tirico eventually settled in metro Detroit and has fit right in with the politeness and accommodating personalities Midwesterners are known for across the country. He joined NBC Sports in July 2016, after 25 years with ESPN/ABC, where he was named Sportscaster of the Year in 2010. He is now NBC’s primetime

Olympics host, and he serves as studio host for Football Night in America, among other duties in auto racing, golf, horse racing and the NHL. The member at Barton Hills in Ann Arbor sat down in late August with Michigan Golf Journal to talk golf:

How did you get started in the game of golf, and/or when did you fall in love with the game?

There were not a lot of golf courses in New Your City where I grew up. But my uncle was in the advertising industry,

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

countries to see it amongst the other sports that are contested. I think it’s a perfect fit and I think the Olympics golf competition in Tokyo will be great because they love their golf. That Asianrich market; I think you’ll see a lot of the big players show up. I think it will be an excellent event.”

and because of work he was introduced to the game, and he introduced me to the game. But I really didn’t start playing a lot until I went to college at Syracuse. There was a golf course nearby and me and my friends would go out and try to learn how to play. It’s mostly been a great evolution of the more you play the closer you get to being good. And you keep thinking that if I play more, you’ll get better. But the reality is, you don’t,” he added with a chuckle.

With its already world-wide appeal, do you believe golf needed to be added as an Olympic sport?

“One thousand percent. Why not? If tennis is in the Olympics why shouldn’t golf be? The Olympic Games, when you really think about it, have continued to add sports over the years because it helps introduce those sports to the world, on the Olympic stage. To me, golf in the Olympics allows another 50-75

Golf at all levels has tried to be an influencer and leader in the sports world by showing how both athletes and us duffers can still compete but do it safely in a new Covid-19 world. Do you think golf has been successful at that task?

“Covid has not been good for any part of our lives, right. But I think it has Continues on next page >>

Michigan GolfMike Journal Q&A with Tirico

given people a chance to appreciate golf a bit more. For some it was the only option, the only thing that you could go out and do. And I think any golf course you go to you’ll hear that rounds are up, play is up, and people are enjoying the game even more. And I know I have walked more rounds of golf this year that I ever have during the summer, and I absolutely love it. I think golf has used this opportunity to reconnect with some fans and maybe gain some new participants, both of which are very important.”

Do you feel golf has done a pretty reasonable job at diversity and inclusion?

“It’s so hard to compare to other walks of life because there’s so many different variables. But I will say that I think the First Tee …has done a very good job, with programs like Midnight Golf developing off of it. “This window of added attention to this subject probably is a good time for the

sport to re-double efforts to make sure that there is appeal to the players who have less access to the game. I think we all thought that when Tiger was successful that it was going to bring a lot of minorities to the game. “I think the biggest benefit is Tiger’s brought more athletes to the game. He’s made golf cool, but I don’t think we’ve seen the number of minorities come to the game that some thought might, and maybe this national conversation and the increased attention will get a lot of the organizations, and clubs, and individuals in the sport to re-double their efforts to

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

make sure more people get the chance and the opportunity to experience the game. It is expensive, and we know that, so access to it is not an automatic.”

You’ve had the good fortune to travel around the country, and the world. What is it you like about Michigan golf courses compared to other areas of the country?

“We’ve got a great mix of tradition in golf courses, and newer, more modern designs. Whether they are modern resorts or a local muni that people have played for generations, those are neat to me. The other great part is the collection of golf courses. You can go to so many different places Up North and play multiple golf courses in the same place; that’s not something you see in many other regions.

National is it’s very hard to get there as a player, as a media member, as a fan, as a guest or as a member – but when you do, you are treated so well. I always tell people that go to The Masters, ‘hey, I’ll give you $5 and you’ll come away with a lunch and a snack and a drink’ at a sporting event, and that doesn’t happen anywhere else. And that’s the best of the best, the best fan experience. Augusta stands for the highest of quality and delivers all the time.

“I pinch myself that I’ve been lucky to be there way too many times.”

“But the best part of Michigan golf, by a wide margin, is the timing of the summer evenings. It’s just great that on June 21st you can legitimately play until quarter to 10 p.m. and you’re not squinting to see the ball. The summer nights of golf in Michigan are amongst the absolute best, especially if you’re Up North and you’ve got one of those great summertime sunsets to go with a good twilight round of golf. It caps a perfect summer day.”

Describe what being at The Masters means for you:

“One thing I’ll say about Augusta

MichiganFall GolfSurvey Journal COVID

Golfer Survey on COVID-19 Good News for Fall Golf Stu Healey, owner of Handicomp, has conducted several golfer surveys during the year of Covid, to erase speculation about golf and get feedback directly from golfers. Nearly 7,000 golfers answered his fall golf survey that was conducted in late August. The most recent survey focused on whether or not golfers would keep the golfing momentum going this season and extend their playing time into the fall.

Handicomp is a 52-yearold Michigan based software company started by Healey’s father that develops web and mobile applications with an emphasis on golf activities such as league management, tournament management and golf handicapping.

Note: People were asked – in both April and in August – if they believe the benefits of golf outweigh the risk of spreading Covid-19, assuming CDC guidelines are followed. Not surprisingly, because golf has proven to be very safe, the number of positive responses increased 25 percent since the spring.

Here are some newer questions and responses: Did you play more, less, or the same amount of Golf in the summer (2020) than in 2019?

Are you planning to play more golf this fall (2020) than last fall?

28.8%

More golf

28.5%

Less golf

34%

42.6%

About the same

61.1% YES NO

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

With other sports and activities cancelling, what will you do to fill time this fall? 65.5%

Play more recreational golf/in a Fall golf league

14.4%

Something other than golf

Do you believe the benefits of golf outweigh the risk of spreading Covid, assuming CDC and government guidelines are followed? 71% YES 16.4% Risks and benefits are about equal 7.6%

(Same question asked in April): 45.8% 19.6% 27%

YES Nearly equal benefits and risk NO

Do you believe people should wear a mask while playing golf? 94.7%

Have you or a family member tested positive for Covid-19? 89%

7.3%

Only a family member has

1.2%

Only I have

MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal American Dunes

American Dunes Set to Open May 1 Jack and Barbara Nicklaus dedicated it Sept. 29 By Tom Lang

The one and only Golden Bear has recently completed what will be a one-of-akind golfing experience in Michigan – American Dunes. Now… you might find a few courses around the country that have a rich mix of contrasting green grasses and naturally rolling, exposed sand dunes. But playing American Dunes will be as much or more about the overall experience than it is just hitting a little white ball.

American Dunes – the former Grand Haven Golf Club that became the founding location of the Folds of Honor developed by Lt. Col. Dan Rooney – truly is an incredible place to chase after your Titleist or Callaway. But Rooney and his followers, as passionate as they are about golf, are quadruple passionate about honoring veterans and military men and women by providing education scholarships for children of fallen and disabled soldiers – 28,000

scholarships so far since 2007. “What’s on my soul is that when people come here to golf, they’re going to play the most heroic round of golf they’ve ever played – and that means you’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for someone else when you come to American Dunes,” Rooney said in late September at what was the first playing of the course by media and some investors and sponsors, with both

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus prominently in attendance. “But we also wanted a place that was fun. We want people to come here and celebrate everything that makes this country great and have an awesome golf experience.

entrenched between the 9th and 10th fairways. Yet it wasn’t the only first. Nicklaus told Rooney it was the first time in his 80 years that he has raised an American flag anywhere, which was very emotional for Rooney to realize.

“It’s an experience that will have a whole lot of layers to it,” Rooney continued. “We’ll be reminding people why they are here. The only way you’ll get into the clubhouse is to go by the memorial (wall yet to be erected). But at 13:00 hours every day, 1:00 translated military time, we will play taps and have a bell that tolls 13 times that will be heard all across the golf course. That signifies the 13 folds that bring the American flag to its triangle shape (presented to families when a solider dies), the ultimate symbol of freedom in this country. And we will pause for 2-and-a-half minutes every day at this golf course... and remember the fact that freedom isn’t free.”

Shortly afterwards, Nicklaus explained how he personally didn’t serve in the military, after getting married at age 20 and the couple having their first of five children at ages 21.

Shortly after 9:00 a.m. the Nicklaus’ turned the crank during the singing of the National Anthem, that for the first time raised a huge American flag on the massive pole that is

Continues on next page >>

Michigan Golf Journal American Dunes

Double Down on Bucket-List Golf

“But I always loved what they did,” Nicklaus said of those who did, and today do, serve. “I loved what they represent and loved what they did to protect our freedom. Like they say, ‘freedom isn’t free’ … and that’s exactly right. “I love the game of golf, but I love my country even more,” Nicklaus has been quoted saying many times. “So, to be part of that, when Dan came down to ask me, I knew there was no way I was going to say no. I was very honored to be part of it…and when we got here we were blown away by what a great piece of property it was.” The exceptional property has always been there near the shoreline of Lake Michigan, but over the generations became covered by trees that smothered the fairways. Nicklaus told Rooney that with a name like American Dunes, everyone needs to see the dunes. The end result, after removing over 1,000 trees, is a spectacular golfing experience that highlights some of our

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Jack Nicklaus and Dan Rooney speak to media

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Great Lakes State’s best geography and topography. Rooney said his favorite moment on the golf course – and it’s hard to disagree – is going up the hill of the 11th fairway as you crest the blind tee shot to the dogleg right. “Whether you’re walking up into Wrigley Field, going up the stairs, in that moment where you see the friendly confines, and there’s just this rush as a sports guy,” he said in likening it to other exciting moments in sports. “When people go over the hill on No.11 … it takes your breath away. It’s a spiritual, emotional moment when

you look out and you can see 6 different holes from that point all traversing through the dunes. I’m with Jack in that I think the course plays in such an awesome cadence, from long to short (holes) to big greens to small greens. It’s so memorable.” The front nine has trees along each hole but they are pushed way back from the former design and are utilized to rim the property. The par 3, 4th hole is possibly the most difficult. It’s not a long downhill shot but the green is fairly small and is crowned, so a golfer’s aim has to be most true here.

The back nine opens up like a massive curtain across God’s stage of rolling sand dunes. The layout has six ponds, only one of which is on the back nine at the left front of the green of my favorite hole – No. 15. The tee box at the downhill par three is the highest point on the property and sadly signifies that you’re only three holes away from finishing an experience you don’t want to end. MGJ Editor’s note: check back in future months for more stories on playing American Dunes.

Hole 15 at American Dunes, with 16 tee and 17 green in distant background

Michigan Golf Journal New Equipment

Fall into New Equipment By Jeremiah Richie Maple Hill Golf, Grandville – a Golf Digest 100 Best Club Fitter

Michigan golf courses were open for play, closed for play, opened for play but without carts, and then (mostly) back to normal. We’ve putted into PVC, pool noodles, and upside-down cups. The PGA Championship was in August, the U.S. Open in September, and the 2020 Masters will be held two weeks before Thanksgiving. It has been an odd, disorienting, and irregular year. So perhaps we can take a little solace in the normalcy that fall brings to the golf equipment industry with the release of new product – which can be found at Maple Hill Golf. Callaway has released its new B21 line and we’ve caught glimpses of the new Titleist TSi series driver. But perhaps the most anticipated fall equipment release has come from Mizuno’s new iron line, the JPX921. It’s easy to get frustrated with the way manufacturer’s churn out new equipment, but Mizuno’s iron strategy should keep

their die-hard fans from getting too upset. Mizuno runs a two-year life cycle on their iron lines, staggering the release of new models each year between the JPX and MP series. While the JPX919 was one of their best-selling irons ever (following the quality JPX900 and JPX850 models), it was simply time to refresh the JPX. But this is not just a money grab from Mizuno. The twoyear cycle allows them time to develop a quality new offering that is more than just a shiny new paint job; it’s something worthy of putting in your bag right now. Mizuno has stuck with their winning formula in the JPX921 series with three distinct model offerings; the JPX921 Tour, JPX921 Forged, and JPX921 Hot Metal. Mizuno bills the JPX921 Tour as “The Chosen One.” Consistently Mizuno’s most chosen model on the Tour among noncontracted professionals (meaning no one paid them to play the clubs), the JPX900

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

Tour and JPX919 Tour were both played to win major championships. Thank you, Brooks Koepka. The stunning new JPX921 Tour maintains its predecessor’s surprising fusion of precision with stability from off-center strikes. It’s now even thicker behind impact for an enhanced, softer feel, with tour refined short irons for smoother turf interaction, and features Mizuno’s Grain Flow Forging from 1025E Pure Select carbon steel in Hiroshima, Japan. If Mizuno was going to make only one iron model, the JPX921 Forged would be it. Previous models contained boron to allow for a thinner face and faster ball speeds, but the 921 now integrates the power of Chromoly (used in the Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro models) into a full-body Forged iron for the very first time. The result is the fastest ball speeds Mizuno has ever produced from a fully Forged iron, a treat for both the senses and the scorecard. Despite the sleeker look and slightly more compact head compared to the 900 model, the 921 Forged offers a wider back milled slot and

additional perimeter weighting for increased stability in the smaller clubhead. If you are a player who prefers the look of a blade iron but know you need some extra forgiveness, the 921 Forged is the solution. Finally, there is the 921 Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro. These irons fall into the game improvement category with the Pro version offering a more compact profile and reduced offset. This is Mizuno’s third generation of designing and manufacturing irons using Chromoly, leading to a re-engineered Cortech face so that it’s now 0.2mm thinner across the center point. It doesn’t sound like much but combine it with a new variable thickness sole design and extreme perimeter weighting and you get a beautiful pairing of Mizuno’s fastest ever ball speeds with straight ball flight and controllable landing angles. Combine these options with the plethora of no upcharge shafts and grips available from Mizuno, and the JPX921 series has something to offer every golfer. MGJ Check out more golf equipment information at www. maplehillgolf.com.

Michigan Golf Journal New Equipment

Walker Trolleys:

Modern Design with Historical Inspiration There is little doubt that many golfers – some by choice and some by force in 2020 – ultimately have welcomed and embraced walking the golf course. It’s a trait of the game that provides the health benefits of both social distancing and exercising, while keeping muscles loose during a round. Walker Trolleys, a golf lifestyle brand and maker of premium push carts – exceeded first and second quarter sales projections for its Cape model amid strong nation-wide demand for walkingengineered golf gear. It sold 90% of the first production run of the Cape through pre-order and immediately launched a second run to replenish inventory and fulfill orders. April revenue was up 300% over March, and May was another 300% above April’s top line.

“The response to the Cape has been incredible,” said Founder and CEO Brad Payne. “Walking golf and push carts are experiencing a renaissance as golfers realize the health, wellness and fitness benefits. As we round into the fall and cooler weather, we expect demand to further increase.” The Cape was crafted to be distinctly different than other push carts, drawing inspiration from Detroit-made roadsters and ultra-cool bicycles from the ‘20s and ‘30s. Its anodized aluminum frame, waxed canvas storage and handcrafted leather handle combine to create a clean, classic design. The Cape is engineered to easily collapse and fit in the trunk or cargo area of almost any vehicle.

“People have rediscovered the joy of walking golf during the pandemic, and we expect this trend to not only continue, but grow,” Payne added. “We are one of only a few pushcart companies that has inventory to continue meeting demand.” The Cape retails for $399 and is available to order at Walker Trolleys’ online store and will generally ship in 1-2 days. For more information on Walker Trolleys, visit walkertrolleys.com MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal New Equipment

Big Bertha REVA Driver for Women By Ed Travis

Callaway Golf is urging women to “unlock their inner distance” with the recently announced Big Bertha REVA driver. Fast Facts: • Super game-improvement driver for women • A.I. designed titanium Flash Face SS21 • Jailbreak internal rods tying sole to triaxial carbon crown • High resistance to twisting (MOI) • Draw Bias • 10.5° or 12.5° lofts • RCH 40 shaft stock • Lamkin Women’s ST Soft Grip stock • $499.99 What You Need to Know: Callaway Golf says: “if you want to hit the ball farther, you have to hit it straighter,” which of course is as true for women as for men. The new Big Bertha REVA driver especially designed for women addresses the problem of hitting it straighter combined with proved features to produce distance as well. The center of gravity is closer to the face to help create lower spin and the draw bias

head has a high MOI, both of which help to hit straighter tee shots because of less side spin. The product announcement summed up their approach to the Big Bertha REVA saying, “With Big Bertha REVA, we’ve used significant research and testing with women to create optimized lofts, swing weights, shaft lengths, and a forgiving head shape to help you hit it a lot farther. This driver promotes high launch and low spin to take the slice or big miss out of your game.

And a straighter ball flight means more distance, so we’ve developed a total ball speed package with our A.I. Designed Flash Face SS21, Super Strength Titanium, and our innovative Jailbreak Technology.” In addition to the driver, the Big Bertha REVA family includes fairway woods ($299.99), hybrids ($249.99) and irons (7-piece graphite $999.99), all focused on providing additional distance for women players. MGJ

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Michigan Golf Journal A Look at CBD

What is CBD and How Does it Help? Guest Column by Rod Glupker

I have always loved the game of golf. That love, however, was greatly challenged – and halted – just over 10 years ago, when I found out I have degenerative disc disease.

After a decade of physical therapy, every pain medication the doctors could throw at me (including opioids), plus steroid injections directly into my spine... still nothing was working. Then my wife handed me a bottle that she says she has been using for two years for anxiety. She said she was able to stop taking all her anxiety medication since using this product. I had no idea what it was, but trusting my wife, I took it. That evening was the first time in a very long time I felt relief. I asked

her what it was, and she said it is CBD. I asked her what CBD was. She said it is derived from cannabis... and I about lost it. I yelled “You gave me marijuana?” She said no – it is from hemp. Two different plants. Since all I knew about hemp or marijuana was whatever I heard from my parents and others growing up, I knew I had to learn everything I could about this CBD she had given me. I spent several months investigating it, taking several online classes including medical classes. I was intrigued by what I was learning. I

October 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com

started going to seminars all over the country. Now I teach at seminars and last year we opened our retail location in Fremont, Michigan and built our website shipping CBD to all 50 States. I research the heck out of each product and demand that producers show me third party lab tests for quality. Aiding others has been one of the best things I have ever done. I see dozens of people every day that tell me how much I have helped them with pain, inflammation, anxiety and stress relief, sleep, disease and more. After learning all that I have, an additional bonus was to discover that CBD

helps with seizures. In fact, one of the earliest studies for seizure relief began some 45 years ago related to CBD-like effects and a prescription medicine. You see, I have been having seizures most of my life. The meds that the doctors had me on had slowed them down, but those meds also made me very foggy all the time. The side effects were terrible. So, I spent 5 months weaning off 100% of my pharmaceutical medications and over the counter drugs. I am happy to say I have not had one single seizure since switching to CBD. I have been off all of my pharmaceutical and over the counter meds for

over two years now and feel great. I have not even had an aspirin in over two years! This year, in the heat of Covid-19, I was able to return to the great game of golf – playing pain free and having fun. A lot of professional athletes are turning to CBD for everyday use, helping them with pain, inflammation, stress, anxiety, focus, sleep and more. Many PGA Tour golfers are using CBD and bragging how it has improved their game. Maybe it will do the same for you. MGJ

For more information: CBD Store of Michigan, (616) 291-9558, www.cbdstoremi.com Here are a few of the dozens of articles about CBD and Golfers. https://golftoday.co.uk/which-golfers-use-cbd/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/08/sports/golf/golf-cbd-billy-horschel.html https://www.golfdigest.com/story/is-cbd-golfs-magic-potion

MichiganConstruction Golf Journal Under

BLYTHEFIELD RENOVATIONS CUTTING CLOSE TO JUNE LPGA TOUR EVENT By Tom Lang

Hole 7 green expansion

If the weather doesn’t cooperate over the next 8 months, there could be some nail-biting going on at Blythefield Country Club come next year’s Meijer LPGA Classic, June 7-13. The Grand Rapids area club began its master plan

renovations the first week of August on the back nine, then shut down the entire course Sept. 8. The host of six Meijer LPGA Classics is undergoing a major facelift by rebuilding all 18 tee boxes to make them laser-

leveled, plus most green complexes are undergoing bunker renovations and infrastructure improvements. The members are spending $3.7 million; that includes the addition of a shortgame practice area and

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Key features of the renovation include:

tripling the size of the putting green (that’s already fully grown in) just steps outside the clubhouse door. Just as Oakland Hills says they are not renovating the South Course for touring pros, but for the members, Blythefield head superintendent Collin Romanick echoed a similar sentiment. “It’s easy to assume since we host a professional tournament that that dictates a lot of stuff that we are doing here, and it really dictates very little,” he said during a tour of the course in mid-September. “When we created this master plan it was for the members.” Romanick added the plan was shared with the LPGA Tour to see if they had comments and all they asked for was a specific yardage on one hole. Canceling the LPGA event due to Covid-19 helped. The June pro tournament was first postponed to October before officially succumbing in 2020; if held as planned it would have pushed this project back at least one year.

• Many green surfaces are being restored and expanded to the larger sizes and contours the course had when first opened in 1928. • Greenside bunkers are not all being returned to the exact original locations but will be fitting for that era. Bunkers will be filled with crushed quartz. • Occasional new bunkers along fairways are at members’ lengths off the tees, not the pros. • Removing 350 trees. • Adding some forward tees and expanding fairways. • Using new and repurposed sod in many cases instead of seeding • New irrigation around greens ($600,000). MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal A New Nine

After a Quarter Century Break, Two Michigan Designers Reconnect to Build New Course Saskatoon Golf Club adds 9 new holes to its current 36 By Tom Lang

Saskatoon Golf Club near Grand Rapids may simply have saved its best for last. The public course near Caledonia first developed nine holes in the early 1960s and added more golf as time passed and the location became a popular spot. With four 9s in play since 1992, the latest edition has been a long time coming. Original owner Bill Howard approved the new expansion, but he died in the spring while construction was underway. The new 9, which will be called the Silver Course, also brought long-time Michigan designer Jerry Matthews out of retirement to reunite with one of his protégés, Paul Albanese. The notso-young-anymore former pupil is more well-known for designing Sweetgrass and Sage Run in the U.P. plus his first course under Matthews’ guidance – Hunters Ridge near Howell.

New Silver Course seeded in September

“It’s been great working with him again; we’re having a blast,” Albanese said of Matthews. “It’s been a great collaboration, not anyone taking over, a real melding

of different styles and forms, and I think the product will speak for itself. “This site, I’m not kidding, is phenomenal,” Albanese added. “When we started

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Jerry kind of downplayed it, talking about a small nine, and it didn’t sound like a big deal. And we both quickly found out it was a bigger project than he predicted, and the site was fantastic.” The new Silver Course sits near the Gold Course (est. 1992) on the north side of the road that splits the property. They will be bundled as one 18, and the current Blue and White Courses will be bundled as a second 18. The original Red Course will be used mostly for a stand-alone 9 that’s popular with the older crowd and beginners but can be added to any mix. A huge newer open-air pavilion can seat 200 people for outings and weddings.

A key feature of the new 9 is a ravine that splits the property, where Hole 6 plays over it – a par 3 with a rock wall fronting the green. Hundreds of tall pines provide another visual wow factor. “At one point it’s about 30 feet deep, with a creek running through it,” head pro Jeff Thiessen said of the ravine. Most property owners and golfers would think that 36 holes at one location is plenty. “It made sense for us to develop it,” Thiessen said. “We need more inventory.” Thiessen said they have 1,400 league players at

Saskatoon, and it is not unusual to have 400-500 golfers per day on weekends. “It will be great for the patrons – a new menu item if you will,” Albanese said. “I’m not sure even Saskatoon realized what a wonderful piece of property they had, and the quality of a golf course that could come from it. It’s kind of like someone thinking they were buying a Chevy and it ended up being a Cadillac. “There’s a little bit of a budget constraint, but because of the site you don’t need a lot of money to make this great. It’s really fantastic, and we’re going to do some cool stuff with the bunkers, making them different than any of the other bunkers on their existing 36 holes. This nine will have an entirely different flavor than the 36 holes they have had in play.” Grass seed was planted this fall and was well underway growing in during midSeptember on about 85 percent of the new 9. The course will play to about 3,400 yards. MGJ More info at: https://www. saskatoongolf.com/

Gold Course Hole 2 in play

Michigan Golf Journal Michigan News and Notes

Girls High School Finals to have Reduced Field and Rounds High school golf in Michigan will see adjustments in this Covid-19 year for determining team and individual state champions. The number of Regionals and Finals events will remain intact for this season. However, the size of the state tournament fields in four Divisions will be reduced to limit the number of teams mixing per event. The Finals also will be played as one single 18-hole round, with all four

Divisions at MSU (Oct. 16-17) instead of the traditional two 18-hole rounds on back-toback days at various locations. At regionals, the top two teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the Finals in each Division – one fewer team and fewer individual than the traditional format of 3 and 3, but necessary to keep the Finals fields at 72 golfers.

Rocket Mortgage Classic Set to Tee Off on July 4 weekend in 2021 The 3rd annual Rocket Mortgage Classic will be held June 28 - July 4, 2021, as it returns to the historic Detroit Golf Club, with U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau as Detroit’s defending champ. The 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic was one of the PGA TOUR’s “Return to Golf” events that was played without fans due to the ongoing pandemic.

Nate Lashley won the emotional 2019 tournament debut in Detroit.

The event will focus on raising funds to support the “Changing the Course” initiative which was launched in 2020 due to the need for greater and more equitable digital connectivity in America’s least connected major city. More information: https://www. pgatour.com/tournaments/ rocket-mortgage-classic.html

Fall Golf Events at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa Par 3 Shootout The Bear will be turned into 18 spectacular par 3 holes and is open to male, female and mixed teams. Playing on Oct. 11 in a twoperson scramble, flighted after the round. Entry $120 per team. 12th Annual Tuff Enuff Golf Tournament Also on The Bear, but played at its absolute hardest in a 2-person best ball format on

October 18. For one day only, they’ll turn The Bear into 7,000+ yards of long-range tee boxes, aggressive greens and challenging hole locations. Women and men will be playing from different sets of tees. Entry: $120 per team. Purse: Payout ~ 30% of the field. $3,000 based on 50 teams. Registration and more info: https://www. grandtraverseresort.com/golfevents MGJ

Michigan Golf Journal Amateur Championships

Cheboygan’s PJ Maybank III and Traverse City’s Anci Dy Win GAM Junior Invitational Stories by Greg Johnson

PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan and Anci Dy of Traverse City played their best golf of the day on the back nine of the second round at Forest Akers West Golf Course and won the boy’s and girl’s overall titles in the 8th GAM Junior Invitational. Maybank, 15 and the Michigan Junior State Amateur Champion as well as GAM Junior Kickoff Champion earlier this summer, shot 2-under on the back nine in shooting a closing 1-under 71 for a 3-under 141 tournament total to win by two shots. Dy, 17, won her first tournament of the summer in what was the last GAM junior tournament of the summer by also shooting 2-under on the back nine in a final 71 for a 4-over 148 total and a 2-shot victory.

he said. “I was way more consistent this summer, the most consistent I’ve ever been for an entire season and it definitely helped. This was definitely a good way to end the summer for sure.” Dy, a standout player at Traverse City West High School, said it has been a while since she felt good about her golf game.

Maybank won the three junior GAM events he played in this year.

“I didn’t play my best, but I hung in there really well,” she said. “I haven’t walked off with the championship trophy in a long time, so it was really nice to be back in the winner’s circle.”

“I’ve had a great, great summer so I’m very pleased,”

Champions were also determined in 15-and-under

age group divisions. Will Preston of Grand Rapids, who shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday, closed with a 77 for 143. The GAM 14-and-under Match Play Champion from earlier this summer won by three shots. Laura Liu of Rochester Hills won her first GAM title shooting a final 71 for 148 and won by three shots. Doing so put an end to the streak of Macomb’s Lauren Timpf who had won five consecutive GAM tournaments in the 15-and-under age group division dating back to this tournament a year ago. Timpf tied for second with Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor.

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GAM Mid-Amateur: Mike Anderson Northville’s Mike Anderson – the golf coach at Detroit Catholic Central High – hit what he called highquality golf shots down the stretch in winning the 38th GAM Mid-Amateur Championship at Boyne Highlands Resort. “I’ve played golf for a long time, and you know we all play some good golf and some bad golf and it has been a long time since I’ve won,” he said after shooting a final round 71 on the Moor course for 140. “These guys are my peers and I enjoy playing with them and we compete against each other a lot, so to beat them once in a while is nice.” Bill O’Connor of Bloomfield Hills was second with 143, and Ryan Johnson of New Boston (the 2015 Michigan Amateur winner) was next at 144.

GAM Sr. Women’s Championship: Julie Massa Julie Massa of Holt checked the leaderboard at hole No. 17 and saw she had a twoshot lead. “And on 17 I hit my third shot – it’s a par 5 – in the bunker and got up and down to save par,” she said. “So, I knew going to 18 that I just had to play smart and so I did.” She smartly birdied No. 18 and won the 24th GAM Women’s Senior Championship at Hidden River Golf Club with a 2-day 148. It was the second Women’s Senior Championship win for Massa, who won her first in 2017, also at Hidden River. “I really enjoy this golf course,” she said. “It’s a challenge, but you get rewarded for good shots, and it’s just beautiful up here so I enjoy playing here and coming here.”

GAM Senior Championship: Gregg Bonamici Gregg Bonamici of Grosse Ile made a 25-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole and won the 34th GAM Senior Championship at Belvedere Golf Club. The 62-year-old Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club member turned back John Barbour of Grand Rapids in the sudden-death playoff. Bonamici had closed with a 1-under 71 in regulation play for 145, and Barbour shot a final 73 to force the playoff. Due to fading light conditions the twosome played the par 5 No. 9 hole twice in the playoff. They each made bogey 6 the first time they played it, and then Bonamici made his long putt and Barbour missed a 15-foot birdie attempt. Defending champion Steve Maddalena of Jackson missed the playoff by one stroke. MGJ

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Course Closings

Two Golf Courses in Metro Detroit Closed for Good By Tom Lang

According to reports in the Detroit News and the Livingston Daily News, respectively, Salem Hills Golf Course near Plymouth will close at the end of Hole 13 at Salem Hills this golf season in October – and the former Jackal Golf In a course review of Salem Course at Mt. Brighton never Hills in 2017, I wrote: Salem opened in the spring when Hills is fun. It’s not going to Covid restrictions were lifted beat you up but it’s not a and was officially closed breeze either. Most holes by ownership group Vail have very wide fairways Resorts. with generous landing zones before golfers reach trouble Both properties told the with trees or tall grasses – so newspapers that Covid-19 it’s a challenge for seasoned was not a factor at all in golfers but beginners or the decision and that both short hitters can also move situations were being forward and have fun. discussed internally the past few years. The Detroit News story indicated that Salem Hills Salem Hills has been for sale had good numbers on the but as of late-September tee sheets this summer, as hadn’t found a buyer, but if have the majority of courses one is found it could remain a statewide since golf has golf course. The Mt. Brighton become more popular as a closing is part of Vail Resort’s safe outdoor activity. shift to focus on winter sports and potentially extend the The News reported: course snow-making season. owner Frank Godwin sent

out a letter to customers, saying “with heavy hearts,” the course will close at the end of October. “It was always our hope that we would find a buyer that would continue operating Salem as a golf course,” Godwin wrote. “Since that did not happen, we feel this decision is best for our family.” Ironically, both courses were designed by a member of the famed Matthews family, the three-generational clan that has designed or redesigned about 25% of all golf courses in Michigan. Bruce Matthews laid-out the Salem Hills course, and his grandson Bruce Matthews III did Mt. Brighton. Jerry Matthews, the secondgeneration designer in the family, partially came out of retirement recently to partner with Paul Albanese in designing the new 9 holes at Saskatoon Golf Club (see story on page 30). MGJ

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