Michigan Golf Journal February 2024 by migolfjournal

MI GOLF JOURNAL

Editor’s Letter As we inch closer to springtime in the Great Lakes State, golf dreams are in

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the air even thicker. New adventures are being planned as we wait for the trees and grass to come out of hibernation, so check out our two golf travel stories on Treetops in northern Michigan, and Ross Bridge in Alabama. And speaking of hibernation, we have a guest column about how superintendents prepared for their courses’ long winters nap. And just like new things appear each spring, we said goodbye in January to a golf giant, Carl Rose, Jr. of Carl’s Golfland – which marches on without

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their leader, just as he would have wanted. Also look for: An update on college golf highlights as the spring NCAA season begins Evan Scholars announced West Michigan Golf Show kicking off the show season Why research seems to be lacking for women in golf A letter just for our readers from the PGA Of America president … and so much more Thank you for joining us – and best wishes to all who are busy cleaning their clubs for springtime. Tom Lang Editor and Publisher

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2024 EVANS SCHOLARS criteria and show a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character. Currently, a record 1,130 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities nationwide – including 59 at Michigan and 87 at Michigan State – as Evans Scholars. More than 12,040 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

Evans Scholars from Michigan Announced Full-ride college scholarships have been awarded to 20 high school students from Michigan via the lucrative Evans Scholarship, earned by caddies who worked at clubs in the Great Lakes State. The scholarship is for four years of tuition and housing and is typically valued at more than $125,000. The students will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars, with most expected to attend the University of Michigan or Michigan State University. Decisions on awarded schools will be finalized by March 15. The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies. To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, each student must meet the Program’s four selection

Mustafa Hamadah of Bloomfield Hills is a senior at Bloomfield Hills High School and caddies at Bloomfield Hills Country Club. His parents immigrated from Syria and he hopes to one day be a doctor, after studying biology and pre-medicine. “Becoming a doctor has been my lifelong dream, inspired by the desire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others,” he says. “My father's tireless efforts to provide for our family have fueled my determination to succeed in this pursuit.

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM “The Evans Scholarship represents more than just financial assistance for me; it embodies the hope and promise of a brighter future. It aligns perfectly with my aspirations to pursue a career in medicine, not only for my own fulfillment but also to honor the sacrifices and unwavering

“I credit caddying for my ability to quickly and effectively make connections. Starting my first job at 14 has given me interpersonal, organizational and time management skills that I will take with me well into adulthood,” she says.

support of my father. With this scholarship, I am one step closer to achieving my dream of becoming a doctor and making a difference in the lives of others.”

Nathan Lee of Livonia

Mia Hamdan of Novi is a senior at Novi High School. Mia caddies and Meadowbrook Country Club, and she plans to study Communicative Sciences and Disorders with hopes to become a Speech-Language Pathologist. “My story starts in Nanjing, China. It was the winter of 2005, just months before my first birthday,” she says. “Little did I know, soon I’d be traveling 7,000 miles across the world to America with my new forever family.

is a senior at Detroit Country Day School and caddies at Bloomfield Hills Country Club. Raised by two teachers, he says he has long been influenced by his parents’ high value of education. In college he plans to study business. “I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset, whether it was the lemonade stands I ran during my neighborhood’s garage sale weekend, or learning all I could to start a firewood selling venture, or the role in helping my friend's lawn care service expand into tree removal,” he says. “I am currently co-president of the Entrepreneurship Club at school. Ultimately, I would like to start my own company one day.”

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TREETOPS RESORT IN GAYLORD Jones Masterpiece

Nationally Recognized Treetops a Northern Michigan Beauty By Tom Lang Northen Michigan is not as near for people from the southern sections of the Great Lakes State, but it’s certainly near and dear to the hearts of golfers everywhere. Treetops Resort is one of those magnets that draws people to the Gaylord area, for skiing and snow sports in the winter and for water sports and golf, golf, golf in the warmer seasons. In recent months, Treetops has earned more national accolades for the golf, golf, golf. GolfWeek recently unveiled its annual Top 200 Resort Golf Courses to Play in the U.S. Treetops was ranked on it – twice. The Smith Signature course was named for yet another time

in a long run on the list, and the Jones Masterpiece for its first time. The latter is Treetops’ first course built on the property, which opened in 1987 under the guise and guidance of designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Jones, Sr. has been widely credited with naming Treetops, for when he stood with thenowner Harry Melling on the piece of ground on what is now the 6th tee overlooking the Pigeon River Valley and said, “you should call this place Treetops because that’s all we can see, the tops of trees” (or something close to that quote). A third recent award comes from a non-golf entity, the American Association of Retired People (AARP). That organization named the par 3 course Threetops as one of the Top 9 Par 3 Golf Courses in the United States. The named properties include Bandon Preserve at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort; The Cradle Short Course at

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Pinehurst and the Sandbox at Sand Valley Golf Resort (Wisconsin). AARP did not assign a ranking for the nine courses. “We are very proud to be included in this always anticipated annual publication,” said Treetops general manager Barry Owens, “GolfWeek often sets the standard in our industry with their annual lists like Top 200 Resort Courses to Play in the United States. To be included in this list is a testament to the dedication of our staff to provide the very best conditions for our guests, from the tees to the greens, our greens staff mows and Masterpiece 14th Hole

“It really is a Masterpiece. As part of a stay and play package at Treetops Resort, our group got to play the Jones Masterpiece course a couple of times. What a treat ! The course was in great condition and was very challenging, but fair. There are plenty of imaginative holes and greens that will test your skill. The pro shop staff was very friendly and we found a couple of apparel deals during our visit. We’re looking to return in the future.” GolfPass user u00000760482 manicures daily ensuring an enjoyable round of golf.” I played the Jones Masterpiece early last fall for the first time in 12 years. I was reminded of Continues on next page>>

TREETOPS RESORT IN GAYLORD

Signature Hole 15

many great holes, including 6, 10 and 11. And while there are so many good holes to choose from like those three, my favorite string of three consecutive back-to-back (to back) are 13, 14 and 15.

Hole 13 is a medium-length par 3 hitting to a twotiered green over a very small gorge with water in the bottom. On 14, check the yardage off the tee because the end of the shorter fairway – not far past the 150-yard barber pole – has a severe drop off into natural rough that could snag a golf ball for life. But keep your drive near the 150-yard marker on the flat fairway and you will have a

They may not stick out in a lot of golfers’ memories, but the variety and sightline views are wonderful.

clean shot over a ravine to an elevated green that is skinny but deep. The land disappears behind the green as well, so some precision is needed.

“This was the second year in a row that I joined some buddies to play Treetops. They had been going for years and they claimed I’d be in for something I’ve never seen before and that I would love it. They were right.” GolfPass user EricTee

No. 15 is yet again another highly-elevated tee, on a short par 4 down into a valley before going back up a little to the perched green – a green which is heavily guarded by bunkers yet is still playable. “Treetops was the first resort that introduced me to the beauty of northern Michigan,” said Great Lakes native Jason Scott Deegan, a former sportswriter at the Ann Arbor News who is now

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Treetops Tradition

on the west coast as the managing editor of GolfPass. “My family never went on vacation when I was growing up, so I had never really experienced summertime ‘up north’, despite growing up in Port Huron. “One of the first media events I attended as a golf writer was a cocktail party and par-3 contest on the famous sixth hole of Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s Masterpiece at Treetops in the early 2000s. I was awestruck by the beauty of the hole and also terrified about what club to hit. I had never seen such elevation change before. Somehow, I hit the green and walked away with a small prize. Deegan, who reviews courses worldwide, continued: “Fast forward a couple decades, I now live in California, but I tell anybody who will

“I had the chance to play all five Treetops courses on two Group Golfer Vouchers. After playing them all, Signature is my second favorite behind Premier.” GolfPass user reedyt listen that there is no better place to be in summer than northern Michigan. Playing the Treetops courses a handful of times before I moved out of state left such a strong lasting impression. I haven’t been back to Treetops for what feels like too long, although I do hope to return someday. “Michiganders are so lucky to have such a beautiful vacation destination and world-class golf resorts like Treetops in their own backyard. I’ll be home soon.” Continues on next page>>

TREETOPS RESORT IN GAYLORD

The Smith Signature course has always been one of my favorites and was the property used

every year wins numerous travel

for filming the extremely popular ’14 Clubs’ television advertising campaign of Pure Michigan, the state entity which

campaign awards. The variety of golf shot values, open fairways and elevation changes

“(Threetops) is a must play with your friends. Most of the holes are downhill and some of them are wildly downhill you won’t believe it. Typically par 3 courses don’t have good conditions, this is not the case here. The conditions match any of the other courses on property. Get some bets going with your friends and this will for sure be the talk of the trip. GolfPass user WMUgolfer11

are some of the best golfers can find. Last year was its 30th anniversary. Rick Smith was inspired by his deep admiration of Scottish and Irish tradition, and the Signature course became the first of three Smith-designed courses at Treetops. Northen Michigan golf lovers should try as many of the five layouts as possible. For more general information about golf and hospitality options at Treetops Resort, visit: https://www.treetops.com/summer/golfing/ Masterpiece 6th Hole

POPULARITY OF SHORT COURSES Boyne Highlands Doon Brae

There’s Growing Popularity in Par 3 Short Courses Mostly pros, not many cons to fast growing golf segment Guest column by Ray Hearn, President Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs, Inc. We all know golf has seen an increase in the number of people entering the game – and this was happening even before the surge to another level that followed the Covid-19 pandemic. We also recognize the three-headed dragon that has hampered the industry to some degree – time, expense and difficulty – is still keeping some people away from the game. For those looking for something with some wow factor to infuse into their golf facilities, the par 3 short courses work and fit seamlessly. For those especially concerned with the threeheaded monster, the par 3 course helps solve that puzzle, too.

We think a par 3 development can serve in multiple ways, one being the tricycle to the bicycle or even training wheels to try out and grow the game. Get on, learn to ride, and then move forward. A par 3 course also takes less time to play and is less expensive than playing an 18-hole course. Families and friends ranging from elementary school age to retirement are all welcomed. There is also the crown jewel of a possible hole-inone awaiting golfers of any skill level at each of the numerous holes. Par 3s add excitement. It’s that simple… and they are really fun. That’s a dynamite combination in business and entertainment. Par 3s on a full-sized course also prove to be a great differentiator – to players, owners and course

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM raters. Many top amateurs and professional golfers talk about and measure a course’s uniqueness, attractiveness and playability of what’s typically four-to-five par 3s in any 18hole round. Often times a par 3 is a courses’ signature hole. This fascination with shorter holes can multiply even more on a short course full of all par 3s. In addition to helping golfers in many ways, a par 3 course helps our expanding client list. A par 3 course is less costly to construct, uses less land, less irrigation, less fertilizer, and there is less to maintain overall. With both the golfer and the client in mind, we feel the key to success with a par 3 course is to make them special in design, friendly to the golfer, attractive and alluring. Along with that they have to be interesting enough that the better golfers want to use them to hone their short games which allows a facility to get all the golfers A to Z engaged in the experience. We’ve found that when a par 3 is added to an

Saint John’s Little Cardinal

established facility with 18, 36 or more holes, there is a higher chance of it being successful. They are adding something else for their current customers and potentially drawing in a new audience. The proof of course, is in the pudding. We strongly believe two of our most recent projects will soon prove very productive in 2024, and both are in Michigan – the 9-hole course for BOYNE Golf at The Highlands at Harbor Springs, and at the Inn at Saint John’s for the Pulte Family Foundation in Plymouth (a unique seven-hole par 3 course and a Himalayas-style putting course in addition to a new championship 18-hole course). We are having fun doing this, and while not trying to reproduce a replica of any great green from the golden age of course design, we are adding the fun, strong flavor of some par 3 gems on select classic designs. At Saint John’s and at The Highlands, golfers will find perhaps a classic Redan or Postage Stamp green adding to the fun. Come to think of it, I can’t find any ‘cons’ to par 3 short courses.

CARL ROSE, JR. 1958- 2024

Carl’s Golfland Loses Its Leader, Carl Rose, Jr. The vibrant Rose passed on January 11 at age 65 By Tom Lang Carl Rose, Jr. and the Carl’s Golfland he eventually led to prominence locally and nationally were both born in 1958. And while the golf retail giant rolls on, Carl, Jr. has passed away, leaving us all on January 11. That first year, with baby Carl on the way, his parents, Carl, Sr. and Donna, made the leap from running a grocery store in Pontiac to owning and operating the only driving range in the region. It wasn’t long until Carl, Jr. began picking range balls in elementary school and eventually, about three decades ago, took over the day-to-day operations for his parents and built Carl’s Golfland into what we know today. At a recent Celebration of Life for Rose, Jr. at the wonderful Saint John’s Resort – which is adjacent to the second Carl’s Golfland that opened in Plymouth in 2000 – COO Casey Baker started the celebration festivities by saying, through raw emotion felt for the loss of his leader: “I have had a lot of conversations with many people the past week since Carl died, and

the ongoing theme was, ‘God sure broke the mold when he made that man’.”‘Passion’ was also an ongoing term used abundantly from those sharing their stories of Carl, Jr. that day – passion for his family,passion for the business, passion for helping others. There are numerous examples over the years of how Carl would help complete strangers who were in a tough spot. His passion for the business manifested itself in vendors having to take the short end of some tough deals, or staff leadership taking some wrath – but the same passion drove the positive care he showed for employees that was often over the top favorable for young people. I wrote the feature content for the Carl’s Golfland annual magazine from 2010 through 2019. My involvement with Carl was not as deep as many people, so my personal stories are limited. But one stands out. When club fitter Ryan Johnson was in the final round of the 2015 Michigan Amateur Championship played at Plum Hollow in Southfield, Carl was there following along. I was covering the tournament for the Detroit Free

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Press, and when Johnson won, Carl beamed, and behaved with as much pride as if Johnson was his son. It was support like that which many staff have expressed made it special to work for, and with, Carl, Jr. He had genuine passion for his staff and treated them like family.

cars. The phrase work hard, play hard defined Carl to a ‘tee’, including the sport of golf now and then. Carl leaves behind his loving wife Tiffany, and children Ella (19) Jake (17).

Amateur golfers were at the forefront for Carl, Jr. He developed the First Club for Kids program that gives every junior golfer their first club for free. Carl also supported the GAM’s amateur programs in many ways for many years.

our Golfland family is built into our culture,” Baker said. “Carl had a vision to build a strong, experienced team who at any time could continue running the company without interruption.”

While golf has gone through its ebbs and flows over the last 65 years, the one constant at Carl’s Golfland has always been customers’ access to a full-size driving range, so trying any club before purchasing it became the staple. And the upgraded range in Bloomfield Hills in 2017 became the first in the nation equipped

In true fashion, while more than 500 people gathered to say their goodbyes on Jan. 21, across the parking lot at Saint John’s, golfers were preparing for their upcoming season at the store he built, just like Carl said it should be – business as usual.

with TrackMan Range. About six years before that, Carl, Jr. added the Launch Pad state of the art club fitting center. The store has consistently been in the national rankings for top 100 retail golf operators for decades. Almost 250 people are employed by Carl’s Golfland. “The connection between Carl and the game reaches so much deeper than a business relationship,” said Bill Hobson of Michigan Golf Live. “Like his dad, Carl, Jr. poured himself into making sure golfers of every level had a home when they came to the Golfland. In an era of big box, impersonal transactions, Carl thrived by providing an unrivaled personal touch.” Carl, Jr. was heavily into power sports like snowmobiling, boating and racing

“Carl’s beaming personality and ability to make every customer and vendor feel like a part of

WOMEN IN GOLF of both men’s and women’s golf. In her numerous roles to expand women’s golf, in recent years she has been exploring best practices for getting more women into the game.

Why Are Virtually No Studies Done on Women Golfers? What would real research tell us about ball distance and other factors?

A Q&A with Janina Parrott Jacobs Janina Jacobs writes for the MI Golf Journal but also for Sports Illustrated, Michigan Links and HOUR magazine. As a former competitive amateur golfer, she qualified for 18 USGA national championships and was a two-time runner up in the Michigan Women’s State Amateur. Jacobs played both high school and college golf on the boys’/men’s teams (Wayne State) in the earliest days of Title IX, so she understands the dynamic

MGJ Question: With the pending rollback of the golf ball, distance discussions are at the forefront of many golf conversations. How will this affect women golfers? Jacobs: “First of all, making these changes across the board is

another example of little, if any, consideration being given to women. I’ve never heard complaints about women hitting the ball ‘too far’ and adjusting course length to mitigate it. This is an issue which applies mainly to men’s professional Tours. Yet, it now affects everyone.” MGJ: According to rollback guidelines, won’t that yardage loss be minimal?

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Jacobs: “True. But what the golf industry doesn’t seem to grasp is that any loss of yardage for

difficult to find out exactly how and on whom the studies were conducted. Most use

women is crucial. There is a disconnect in knowledge about how far – and how – the average woman hits the ball. Many men never play golf

diagnostic devices to measure distance, swing and ball speed and such, but that really has little bearing on actual conditions out on the

with women and have no clue that even an 80yard shot from the fairway over water to an elevated green protected by bunkers is daunting. With the driver, a forced carry over 100-yards is also scary for the average woman.”

course, with wind, wetness, fairway length, elevation, and other variables as crucial factors. It’s like basing your course play on how you hit the ball off of artificial turf or mats at the range. Even the PGA Tour measures driving distance out on the course, using two holes with opposite wind direction and optimally in a flat landing area.”

MGJ: What do you mean by ‘how’ a woman hits the ball? Jacobs: “The trajectories of most women’s shots are much lower than men’s, so any elevation can be difficult to negotiate. A 90-yard shot to a flat green with no forced carry is far different than one to an elevated and protected green, changing

MGJ: Can you provide examples? Jacobs: “ARCCOS Golf released a study presenting data obtained from 20 million drives and stating the average driving distance for

from a 7-iron to a hybrid or fairway wood, simply to manage the distance. With the lower trajectory, the green will not likely hold the

women is 177 yards, but also ‘revealing’ that female golfers in their 20s average 244 yards. This seems extremely high. However, there is

shot.”

no mention of how many women were tested, whether they are professional or amateur, their ability, how they were recruited for testing, or how the tests were conducted.

MGJ: We believe most men wouldn’t give a second thought to these types of shots, but they are tough for women? Jacobs: “Absolutely, considering current statistics show over 70% of women carry handicaps from 21-40. Certainly, there are higher handicap women who can belt the ball, but most do not.” MGJ: Given that, how far does the average woman hit her drive? Jacobs: “Good question. Despite a scant few studies done on this, numbers range from 135 – 177 yards with 148-yards considered about average. Also, it is

Janina Jacobs

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WOMEN IN GOLF

“The USGA also puts out distance studies but those are conducted on Tour players. The only information I could find on amateur distances were surveys conducted in 2022 and prior, based on ‘self-reported’ distances golfers hit their driver, 7-iron and wedge. Golfers were also asked how course yardages they regularly play compare to desired yardages. The conclusion was that the average course length played by men matched their favored course yardage; however, for women, the course yardages played exceeded their desired length by 600 yards.” MGJ: What is your takeaway from all of this? Jacobs: “Simply that 1) I’ve found no existing studies with enough accurate data to reflect true yardages average women amateurs hit the ball; 2) most courses are too long, without a Forward Tee option short enough to give women a fighting chance to at least try and reach greens in regulation. Every course would need to offer an additional Forward Tee of 4300-4800 yards……or less.”

MGJ: Where do golf course architects stand on this? Do they recommend crafting another set of tees for women and shorter hitting golfers? Jacobs: “They do. Surprisingly, some resistance comes from course owners and those who cannot believe many women hit the ball so short; and from Greens Committees that don’t want to add an extra tee, sometimes thinking it distracts from design aesthetics.” MGJ: What are next steps, considering women are the largest emerging market in golf? Jacobs: “More accurate studies. I’m in the process of creating a team of experts to determine methods for this. A principal partner is Kari Haug, one of few women golf course architects and founder of PlayablePathways TM, an approach to golf course design to improve playability of the golf course for women and seniors. Others are being added to the team, so anyone can contact me for more details.”

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Drive, Chip and Putt and PGA Jr. League as these are two great ways to help grow our sport for generations to come. It’s also an Olympics year which puts even more eyes on our great sport. While our championships and junior programs draw the eyes of the sporting world, it’s what’s going on with our more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals including the over 800 in the

John Lindert, PGA of America President

From the President: Dear Michigan Golf Journal Readers, Happy New Year! We’re looking forward to another wonderful golf season, as 2024 will undoubtedly be an exciting year for our organization. We’ve already kicked it off in style with a robust PGA Show where thousands of golf industry professionals gathered together in Orlando, Florida to discuss the business of golf and prepare for the upcoming season. The PGA Show marks the start of a year that will include an incredible championship season for the PGA of America with two of our three Majors being held close to home here in Michigan –the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship returning to our backyard in Benton Harbor. The Masters are also right around the corner and with The Masters comes the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship. If you have kids, I’d encourage you to get them involved in both

Michigan PGA Section that truly have me fired up for the year ahead. 30,000 is a big number for us as an association as we currently have more members and associates than any other time in our history. We are promoting this with our new “We Love this Game” marketing campaign which will live across broadcast, social and digital media. We hope that you will enjoy the new campaign that will show how PGA of America Golf Professionals are at the forefront of our sport and delivering for golfers of all ages and ability levels on a daily basis. If you are interested in picking up the game or in getting better you should be sure to go see your local PGA of America Golf Professional. I know how much the sport of golf means to our great state and am proud to represent it at the national level as the President of the PGA of America. Here’s to a great 2024! Sincerely, John Lindert, PGA President, PGA of America Country Club of Lansing

FEATURED PHOTO: HOLE 7 AT SPRUCE RUN, GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT

GOLF SHOW SEASON

By Terry Moore

West Michigan Golf Show Kicks off the Indoor Show Season Winter is a tough time for many Michigan golfers. While surrounded by snow and subzero wind chill temperatures, thoughts of green fairways and smooth putting surfaces are often a distant memory.

and tee times at Michigan’s most popular courses and resorts. “Our patron surveys indicate 56% are avid golfers, playing 30 or more rounds yearly,” said Alt. “Many of them make their tee-times during the Golf Show.”

Spring can’t seem to arrive too soon. Besides

Besides more than a hundred exhibitors—ranging from courses and resorts, including those in sun-

an occasional visit to a golf simulator, one proven cabin-fever remedy is the West Michigan Golf Show set to tee off on Feb. 9-11 at the DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. “The West Michigan Golf Show prides itself as being the unofficial start of the golf season,” said Carolyn Alt, Senior Show Manager. “There’ll be great deals, great places to play golf and great prizes to win all weekend.” Now in its 36th edition, the Golf Show also allows patrons to start making reservations

belt locale, to sales of equipment, clothing and accessories, there are a host of favorite attractions. There will be a $100 Hole-Out Challenge, sponsored by Crystal Mountain Resort, where patrons may purchase three shots and have a chance to win a C-note right on the spot by holing a pitch shot. Proceeds will help support several charities. Another favorite is the $10,000 Long Putt Contest where good (or lucky) putters compete each day for

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM a new putter and a chance at $500. On Sunday, three finalists will compete for fabulous prizes and one putt for 10 grand. Parents with aspiring junior golfers should stop at the Family Fun Golf Zone with special attractions aimed at fostering a lifelong love for the game. The First Tee of West Michigan and its representatives will staff this popular area. The Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) has exhibited at every show for the past 36 years. The state’s largest golf association with 90,000 members, the GAM will allow new members to sign up at the Show and provide information on its many member benefits. Savvy attendees know parking is a breeze: There’s convenient parking beneath DeVos

Place, across the street, or $3.00 parking in DASH lot 9 on Seward Ave. with free shuttle service to the show every 10 minutes. Just remember: Friday, Feb. 9, 2 pm-8 pm; Saturday, Feb.10, 9 am-6 pm; Sunday, Feb.11, 10 am-3 pm. Tickets are $12; and juniors 14 & under are FREE. Your ticket gets you free re-entry all weekend. Purchase your ticket at the box office or online with no added fees at www.WestMichiganGolfShow.com Designated charities are First Tee of West Michigan, Make a Wish Foundation, Folds of Honor and Patriot’s Day. The Golf Show is produced by ShowSpan Inc. and more information may be found at www.WestMichiganGolfShow.com

COLLEGE CORNER

Eastern Michigan Adds High-Class Indoor Facility By Tom Lang Eastern Michigan opened the GameAbove Golf Performance Center at Eagle Crest Golf Course in mid-January, marking the culmination of a visionary project that could redefine collegiate golf training for EMU. The two-story facility, which sits high above the course’s 18th green and the property’s view of Ford Lake, was made possible through an $8 million gift from GameAbove, a dedicated group of Eastern Michigan alumni. The facility spans 13,000 square feet, including locker rooms, meeting spaces, the latest in simulators and an indoor putting and chipping area alone covering 5,383 square feet. There are also two TrackMan 4 Simulators, totaling 1,974 square feet. EMU broke ground for the facility on Sept. 30, 2022.

GameAbove dedicated the facility to EMU men's golf coach Bruce Cunningham, who is in his 31st year at Eastern Michigan, and was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 2007, 2008, and 2019. He is one of only four men's golf coaches in league history to earn that title three-or-more times in a career. "The EMU women's golf team is so appreciative and thankful for this facility," added head women's golf coach Stephanie Jennings. "As an alum and former student-athlete, it brings me to tears because I'm thrilled about the progress of our program over the last 20-plus years and the heights to which we can now reach. The new golf facility will be a complete game changer in how we recruit, how we train, and how we strive to achieve our goals of winning the MAC Championship and being a nationally ranked team."

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Hunter Thompson

College Season Resumes in February We take a look back at some highlights for Michigan college programs from the fall as we move into the 2024 spring season: University of Michigan Men's Golf : Michigan won two team titles – the Island Resort Intercollegiate and the Virtues Intercollegiate, while capturing three medalist honors in five fall events. Hunter Thomson finished the fall season with a 69.53 scoring average -- a U-M record pace. He fired 13 of his 15 rounds at-or-below par with a team-best nine sub-par tallies. Ben Hoagland had a career-best fall, averaging 71.00 per round -- nearly four shots better than any other season. With seven sub-par rounds, Hoagland fired a career-low 64 (-8) in the second round of the Island Resort Intercollegiate, which tied the second-lowest round in U-M history.

University of Michigan Women's Golf : Michigan posted 19 rounds of par-or-better, including 13 sub-par tallies and six sub70s. As a team, the Wolverines combined for a 293.42 team average. Michigan had at least one lady Wolverine finish among the top 10 in all five fall events. Monet Chun finished the fall season holding a career-best scoring average 72.44, including a U-M fall best 67 (-5) two times – at the Glass City Invitational (final) and the Ruth's Chris Invitational (first). Returning for a fifth year, Hailey Borja finished the fall averaging a career-best-pace 72.42 per round, while finishing in the top 20 in three of four events. During holiday break, Chun was the runner-up at the Women’s Orlando International Amateur. Grand Valley State University Men: Won three tournaments in the fall, taking the Folds of Honor Challenge (Sep. 10, Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Mich.), the Indianapolis Invitational (Sep. 25-26 at the Broadmoor Country Club in Indianapolis), and the Doc Spragg Invitational (Oct. 16-17 at the Findlay Country Club in Findlay, Ohio) Drew Coble won the Folds of Honor Challenge and is ranked No. 12 nationally in D2. Nick Krueger won the Doc Spragg Invitational Team ranked #4 by Spikemark following the fall season Continues on next page>>

COLLEGE CORNER Michigan State University:

Grand Valley State Women: Team won two tournaments in the fall, earning the titles at the Gilda’s Club Laker Fall Invite (Sep. 23, Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Mich) and the Lady Bulldog Invitational (Sep. 24-25, at the Katke Golf Club in Big Rapids, Mich.). Olivia Stoll won the Gilda’s Club Laker Fall Invite The women were ranked 21st by Spikemark following the fall season, and Stoll is ranked 15th individually. Central Michigan University: The Central Michigan men closed the fall portion of their season strong, recording a number of program bests at The Buddy, hosted by Murray State, in Murray, Ky. Sophomores Philippe Yturralde and Jeffrey Andrus both shot 67 in the final round, setting the program 18hole record. Yturralde finished the tournament with a 5-under par 208, good for third place in the 67-player field – all ranking as the best for a CMU player since the resurrection of the men’s program in 2022-23 after a 37-year hiatus. Senior Ashley Goh hit the high notes for the CMU women’s program during the fall season, finishing tied for second in the Southern Misshosted The Judson in Hattiesburg, Miss., and tied for eighth in the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational in Ypsilanti.

While not a college fall season highlight, MSU senior August Meekhof became just the 13th golfer in 102 years to win back-to-back GAM Championships and just the 10th Michigan golfer to win the GAM title and the Michigan Amateur Championship in the same summer. His historic wins in the state’s top two amateur tournaments earned Meekhof the Player of the Year in Michigan amateur golf, it was announced in December. He plans to turn professional in 2024, but is waiting to decide when based on some amateur qualifiers for state and USGA events.

Olivia Stoll

GOLF TIPS

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. aim

Golf Tip: Better Putting

2. speed 3. read 4. 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: most players focus most of their attention on reading line and should 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.

Golf Tips provided by Dave Kendall Academy in Ypsilanti Putting is a matter of coordinating aim and set up, stroke, distance

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

control, and green reading.

simply allowing the putter to swing.

Most players assume

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.

that if you can develop a mechanically perfect stroke, they will be a good putter. It

Understanding the skills of putting and making

GAM NEWS Rater of the Year for 2023. The award is presented annually to the course rater who demonstrates outstanding proficiency with the Course Rating System™ and is committed to helping grow and develop the GAM Course Rating Program. Erickson has been a captain/team leader since his second year working with the GAM. He oversees an area in the central part of the state, manages relationships with GAM member courses in that area and coordinates and leads the ratings at those courses. He said he was humbled by the award.

Mark Erickson Named GAM Course Rater of the Year By Greg Johnson Mark Erickson of Owosso, who retired in 2016 from a career in public education, was looking to get something to eat in the short term and looking for a retirement activity besides playing golf in the long term. He found both at a Burger King in the Detroit area. “There was a guy with a (Golf Association of Michigan) jacket and I asked him if he worked for the GAM, and he said, ‘no, I’m a course rater. He sat at his table, I sat at mine and we chatted about it. It sounded interesting, he gave me contact information and it went from there.” Erickson, 66, has been named the GAM Course

“This is a huge honor,” he said. “There are so many incredible dedicated raters in the state and any number of them are worthy of this honor. Rating helps golf and golfers and grows the game. If a course has seven tee boxes to provide the appropriate tee for every golfer, I will rate every tee. Every tee is the right tee for somebody and to make that possible in some small way is fantastic.”

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The annual award, presented since 2011, is bestowed upon a superintendent who has demonstrated leadership, professionalism, good character and high standards of conduct through pursuits associated with golf course grounds maintenance and care. His nomination by Belvedere Golf Club Superintendent Jordan Caplan was supported by the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA) and GAM Green Committee.

GAM Superintendent Award of Merit: Dan Lucas, CGCS, High Pointe

“Dan is a slam dunk on all those things, leadership, professionalism, everything,” Adam Ikamas, the executive director of MiGCSA said. “On top of that he’s just a down-to-earth good guy, very welcoming and the list of superintendents he has influenced and worked with keeps growing.”

By Greg Johnson

Lucas, who is 62, said he has been fortunate to work with and for great people.

Dan Lucas, the superintendent for the highprofile comeback/renovation at High Pointe Golf Club near Traverse City, humbly acknowledges his reputation as a superintendent that works well on construction projects, and for becoming an

“I’ve been tremendously lucky to work for single owners at four golf courses where I was part of construction projects,” he said. “All gave me the freedom to grow grass the way I wanted and none of them looked over my shoulder.”

expert regarding fescue fairways. Still, he was surprised to be named the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Superintendent Award of Merit winner for 2024. “I guess it’s recognition for the 40 years I’ve been in this business, the four different construction projects I’ve been involved in here in Michigan and leading the wave at Kingsley Golf Club with the change to fescue grassing,” he said. “Or I could just go with the old line that I’ve been around so long they had to give me something.”

GOLF TRAVEL

Robert Trent Jones Trail in AL

Rebirth of the Ross Bridge course, one of the few in the U.S. to stretch beyond 8,000 yards By Tony Dear The Robert Trent Jones Trail which crisscrosses Alabama is a favorite travel destination of golfers from Michigan and the Midwest and connects almost two dozen courses inspired by one of America’s most prolific designers. The Trail’s finest course is perhaps Ross Bridge outside Birmingham. In a horrible and unfortunate accident in September of 2022, however, it was forced to close when 14 of its greens perished following a regrettable misstep in the maintenance shed. A toxic mix of herbicide/fertilizer was mistakenly applied to the bentgrass surfaces instead of a green sand mix used for top-dressing. And though various

measures, including injecting the turf/soil with charcoal to absorb the chemicals, were tried in an effort to limit the damage, the greens suffered an inevitable slow burn from which there was no return. Joshua Cook, the course’s new Director of Maintenance who arrived three months after the incident, says it had a lasting effect on the maintenance crew. “By the time I was taken on, the worst had blown over certainly, but it was still a sore talking point,” he says. “I honestly didn’t ask many questions about what happened because it didn’t really matter at that point. But it was easy to tell the team was pretty raw/sensitive about it.”

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Silver Linings Found

Part of a media group that visited Ross Bridge in Mid-November, I was able to enjoy again a

Silver linings are hard to identify in such situations, but the true optimist could have

beautiful course I’d first visited in 2006 after word had got through to editors in England that a new layout in America’s Deep-South had

pointed to Ross Bridge’s planned renovation, originally slated for 2025, being brought forward. Though not even 20 years of age, the original grass used for the course’s huge greens was set to be replaced with an ultradwarf bermuda, a class of sports turf that has seen considerable advancements in recent years. The unscheduled demise of the greens hastened the project which also included significant changes elsewhere on the course – tree removal, bunker removal/re-positioning, cart paths moved closer to fairways, tee boxes rebuilt, and drainage improved to 13 holes. The work began in earnest early in the Spring of 2023 and was completed in September, a couple of weeks before the course’s re-opening on October 13th.

broken the 8,000-yard barrier.

“Cartoonishly Long” One enlisted me to find out what it was like to play so cartoonishly long a course, being sure to include details of all the lost balls and a fivehour round, at the end of which I staggered off the 18th green gasping for water. He wanted an untidy scorecard full of sevens and eights, and photographs of me hitting a driver on a Par 3 or a long-iron third shot to a Par 5. Most of that did indeed happen, but the fact the Director of Golf, Chip Purser, joined me made Continues on next page>>

FLYING HIGH The only possible way we were ever going to complete this round was in a cart. But even with the benefit of motorization, the distances we

the ordeal significantly more enjoyable than it might otherwise have been. Before we started, Purser told me that no one had been “stupid enough” to play all 18 back tees. He was smiling when he said it, though, which hinted at a sense of humor that would come in very useful at various points on the journey. There are times when a baptism of fire can prove useful, advantageous even, but I’m not convinced struggling through Ross Bridge’s opening hole was terribly helpful. The 620 yards of heavily-sloping ground with water to the left was playing into a slight headwind whose affect was amplified by a distinct chill in the air. Only summer residents of California’s Death Valley or North Africa’s Sahara Desert would have described it as cold, but conditions certainly weren’t conducive to reaching Par 5s in two. I did manage to complete the hole with the same ball I’d started it with, but that’s all I’ll say about a hole that probably took 20 minutes to play.

travelled seemed excessive. Remember that in 2006, a ‘Tigerproofed’ Augusta National measured 7,445 yards. The US Open was played at 7,264-yard Winged Foot, the Open Championship at 7,258-yard Hoylake, and the PGA Championship over Medinah No. 3 Course’s 7,561 yards making it the longest course in major championship history to that point. All child’s play, however, as Purser and I would be taking on 8,160 yards from tees occasionally referred to as the ‘Marketing Tees’. It was a long day and though my score wasn’t quite as bad as the editor had hoped for, it certainly wasn’t pretty for a one-time teaching pro still occasionally shooting in the low-70s on courses 1,500-1,750 yards shorter. To be honest though, the scoring stopped somewhere early on the back-nine. By then, Purser and I had both abandoned the idea of posting a half-decent number and began experimenting with certain shots or playing two balls. It had become more about making whatever was left of the round enjoyable and less about finishing with a score – one we knew

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM could potentially haunt us for years. Why play tees that are obviously too far back for you when you could have considerably more fun from further forward? Chip was a significantly better golfer than me and did hit an approach shot on the Par 5 16th – a 270-yard 3-wood that pitched between a front bunker and a front pin before rolling to within a few feet of the hole – that I still remember vividly to this day almost 18 years later. But it was an isolated moment of brilliance in a round with precious few highlights. Had we continued scoring, I doubt Chip would have broken 80, and I was likely ten shots worse. Purser is still the Director of Golf at Ross Bridge but, sadly, the timing wasn’t right in November for a repeat of the 2006 round. With an ailing back, I played from an altogether different set of tees and had a great time. Ross Bridge is probably my favorite course on the RTJ Trail, especially so after a very wellexecuted renovation and rebuild of the greens. The TifEagle surfaces are an attractive color, have great density, and roll very smoothly. Joshua Cook has a good deal of experience with this turf having completed a couple of nursey trials as superintend

ent at Oak Tree National in Oklahoma and then working with TifEagle at Pensacola Country Club in Florida between 2018 and 2022. He was definitely encouraged by how the new greens at Ross Bridge were performing toward the end of 2023, but says there’s still room for improvement. “I liked where they were at considering how young they are,” he says. “But they still need to mature.” Perhaps already tournament-worthy, Cook suspects the greens will reach their peak following summer 2024. After that, the focus will be on preventing the build-up of organic matter and thatch which can affect how well a green plays and have a negative impact on its lifespan. Mistaking bags of herbicide for fertilizer can have dire consequences and affect a green’s lifespan too, of course. Barring a repeat of what happened in 2022, however, and with Joshua Cook in charge, I suspect Ross Bridge will continue to be the Trail’s crown jewel for another 25 years.

COURSE CONDITIONS January weather

Winter Weather and Turf Conditions By Dr. Kevin W. Frank Michigan State University Every year golfers anxiously wait for winter to end so they can start teeing it up at their favorite local course. Although most don’t give a second thought to turf conditions during winter, golf course superintendents are constantly monitoring winter conditions to determine if there is any chance of winterkill. Golf course superintendents have several concerns during winter from whether the fungicides applied in December to suppress snow mold diseases will last through the winter, to what if ice forms on greens. December was mild, there was little to any snow cover, and some golf courses continued play through the holiday season. Snow mold fungicides applied in December were likely broken down by mild temperatures, rain, and snow melt but that doesn’t necessarily mean we will see severe snow mold outbreaks when spring arrives. It really depends on what the rest of the winter brings with respect to snow cover and temperatures. If the current end of

of wet, overcast, and mild temperat ures continues we might see increased turf damage from snow mold this spring.

It's now been 10 years since the great winterkill event of 2014. That winter introduced us to the term ‘polar vortex’ and ice formed on putting greens in many areas of the state that suffocated the turf resulting in extensive winterkill. Ever since, golf course superintendents have monitored winter conditions and used several management approaches to try and minimize the chances of this happening again. Management practices such as late season aeration, heavy sand topdressing, and using covers are being used to minimize winterkill. Although it’s likely that there is some form of ice on putting greens somewhere in the state, we are not experiencing the same level of ice formation or duration of ice cover we had back in the winter of 2014 where 3–4inch ice sheets lasted for over 60 days on putting greens. Hopefully winter will recede with a whimper, and we’ll have a smooth start to the 2024 golfing season.

USGA 2024 LOCAL QUALIFIERS

USGA 2024 Local Qualifiers in Michigan The Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) will manage the following USGA Local Qualifiers in Michigan this year, beginning on May 6 and running through Sept. 12: