Michigan Golf Journal January 2024 by migolfjournal

MI GOLF JOURNAL

Editor’s Letter Most people look forward to each New Year to make changes and

What's Inside: PG. 12

improvements in their lives – and for us golfers, changes to our swing, our scoring goals, checking off boxes of the new courses we will play and the people we will take along. The MI Golf Journal is here to help in all those ways. We will continue to provide new equipment information, golfer improvement tips, and fun places to play the game we love. In January we share places to play, but also celebrate the 2023 amateur Players of the Year

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in Michigan. Also look for: 2024 headlines which golfers could see, a guest column by Bill Hobson The Perfect Foursome in the Upper Peninsula, award-winning golf at incredible prices All the updates and benefits of playing BOYNE Golf Up in the Air, a Superintendent’s view from the sky Golf travel in Branson, Missouri Thank you for joining us – and best wishes to all for a wonderful new year. Thank you for joining us. Tom Lang Editor and Publisher

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A BIT OF LEVITY IN GOLF

Top 10 Golf Headlines to Watch for in 2024

Forest Dunes Short Course

By Bill Hobson Editor’s Note: We invited Michigan Golf Live’s Bill Hobson to share his insight and wit by coming up with his Top 10 Golf Headlines to Watch for in 2024. In some cases he is serious, in others he writes tongue in cheek. Either way we hope you enjoy his observations and opinions, which are his own…

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SHORT COURSES, LONG TERM VISION – When the concept of short, walkable, fun courses first popped up in discussion there was a bit of skepticism from the “18 holes or it doesn’t matter” crowd. Now, a few years later, each region of the state finds itself celebrating

mine for someone in the upper echelon of golf policy discussions to watch one of my tee shot video clips and instantly reach for pearls to clutch, stunned at how far I hit the ball. That blue blazered USGA officer would then turn to his colleagues and proclaim that “this – THIS –

the opening of these little gems. They’re a blast to play, great for short game development, a perfect way to allow the “distance challenged” to compete, while providing additional revenue for the venues offering the experience. Watch for more short course development in tighter spaces as the popularity continues to grow.

is why we must dial back the distance a golf ball can travel!” Alas, that dream will forever remain an act of fiction as there isn’t an amateur golfer on the planet guilty of ruining the game due to the distance he or she hits the ball.

MUTUAL ASSURED DESTRUCTION – THE CALAMITY OF MEN’S PRO GOLF – What do you get when greed, personal animus and lack of leadership collide? You end up with the mess that is men’s professional golf. At a time when the game’s popularity is at an all-time high among amateurs, the lure of bloody money from the Saudis is running headfirst into the PGA Tour Commissioner’s deceptive tactics. The result (as of Dec. 20) is two parties that appear to deserve each other, while alienating the vast majority of fans both parties rely on to sell their (sponsored) products. With big names betraying their own words and taking the LIV Golf plunge and the PGA Tour scrambling in vain to locate enough money to match the Saudis (an impossible journey), the professional game has morphed into the very thing that we see in other sports – a sordid money grab. Here’s hoping our great event in Detroit, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, is able to thrive in the face of all the controversy. USGA RESCINDS ROLLBACK RULING UNDER PRESSURE FROM EVERY GOLFER EVERYWHERE – It has long been a dream of

At a time when the game’s popularity is soaring, there is zero reason for the USGA/R&A to insert itself into the distance debate and there is zero reason for any golf ball manufacturer to be forced to retool their factories in order to comply. Don’t start hoarding your favorite ball just yet. I still believe the court of public opinion will carry the day and a USGA “tournament ball” will end up being the route taken once the dust settles. Continues on next page>>

A BIT OF LEVITY IN GOLF

GOLF DECLARED “FAR TOO EASY” BY YOUR ENTIRE THURSDAY LEAGUE – Connected directly to the aforementioned USGA silliness, amateur golfers around the world have a “light bulb moment,” realizing that because they’ve been hitting the ball sooo far, the game has become incredibly easy. Scores have been consistently plummeting, handicaps are mostly all in the single digits, and many have begun playing from the tips just to make things moderately interesting. Said one prominent Thursday league runner up, “I’ve begun breaking 110 consistently and am trending to be under 100 by 2034. Something needs to be done about the golf ball before I lose interest in this game entirely.” RESEARCH PROVES THE DRIVER YOU BOUGHT LAST YEAR STILL WORKS – This just in from the Michigan Golf Live Common Sense Institute (MGL CSI) – You spent $600 on a driver last year. It was specifically fitted to your swing, body type, and strengths. Your tee game was never better. That driver is still good. Take the dough you’re tempted to spend on this year’s model and invest in lessons from a PGA Professional so the other clubs in your bag can help your game. That driver is perfectly fine. PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER HIRED AS NEW PISTONS GM – In a surprising announcement from Detroit Piston owner Tom Gores, PGA

Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan has been named the new GM for the Pistons. Said Gores, “we were looking for someone who has presided over a once great franchise only to see it melt completely down. No one fits that bill more perfectly than Jay and we can’t wait to see how long it takes him to lead us to complete extinction.” YOUR GOLF BUDDIES STOP MYSTERIOUSLY “FINDING” EVERY WAYWARD SHOT 40 YARDS DEEP IN THE WOODS – Just kidding. We all know this will never happen. MICHIGAN LPGA TOUR STOPS UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED BEST TOURNAMENTS OF THE YEAR – Without a doubt, the combination of the Meijer LPGA Classic and Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational is the strongest pairing of tournaments this state has ever seen. Both events draw not only the strongest non-major fields of the entire year, but the community support from Grand Rapids and the Great Lakes Bay Region is the envy of tournaments everywhere. Tremendously accessible players, fantastic fan experiences, and the ultimate entertainment value for the

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM family, we’re blessed to have this pair of events as a summer highlight once again. (Both will be in June this year, as will the Rocket Mortgage.) GOLFERS THROUGHOUT THE NATION COMMIT TO PLAY MORE, WATCH LESS – In the “silver lining” search as golf fans become more irritated with the avarice (greed) on display in the men’s pro game, we arrive at a source of optimism – more of you will be playing the game instead of sitting around watching the game. Sure, we’ll all fire up the big screen for the majors and be there in person for the Rocket...but the rest of our passion for the game will be displayed in the form of getting out to play more.

MICHIGAN GOLF LIVE CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH THE DEBUT OF NEW VIDEO AND SIM STUDIO – We can’t wait to debut our new studio and invite you into the MGL 25th Anniversary celebration throughout the season, including a special “25 for 25” series of contests with prizes that are a step above what we’ve done in the past. We’re blessed to have you as part of the MGL family and grateful for the partnerships and support over all these years. Your passion for the game is what makes Michigan the golf capital of America and this year is going to be an epic time of participation and celebration with you all. Happy New Year and thank you for being part of 25 years of Michigan Golf Live!

GAM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

August Meekhof:

point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org.

By Greg Johnson

Meekhof, 22 and a member at

GAM Men’s Player of the Year 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. “It felt great in the moment when I came from behind and won the GAM this summer,” said the Michigan State University golfer from Eastmanville near Grand Rapids. “I didn’t have the greatest start. It was great to get both the GAM Championship and Michigan Am. “The Am is something I wanted to win for a long time so doing that was such a great feeling, and then to win the GAM again was also pretty special. You are playing against the best guys in the state in both of those tournaments. It’s not easy to win when there are so many good players.” His historic wins in the state’s top two amateur tournaments put him at the top of the GAM Points List for the season. Player of the Year

Wuskowhan Players Club, scored 685 points, and Jimmy Dales, a University of Wyoming golfer from Northville and a Meadowbrook Country Club member was second with 550 points.

University of Michigan golfer Will Anderson of Portage and Moors Golf Club, the runner-up to Meekhof in the Michigan Amateur, had 460 points to finish third. In his youth, Meekhof also won GAM Boys’ Player of the Year. Meekhof said he will make a significant golf decision following the conclusion of his senior year of golf for MSU this spring. “I’m planning to turn professional (in 2024), just not sure when yet,” he said. “There’s a lot to consider and think about. I might stay amateur for part of the summer, or I might turn pro when the (MSU) season is over. I just haven’t made the decision yet.” The USGA offering an exemption to the 2024 U.S. Amateur to the winner of the Michigan Amateur in 2024 is something Meekhof said will be considered when he makes his decision on when to turn professional.

GAM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Kimberly Dinh:

Michigan tournaments pushes

By Greg Johnson

me, keeps me working on my game.”

GAM Women’s Player of the Year In September Kimberly Dinh of Midland was the first Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) member to win the U.S. Women’s MidAmateur Championship, and recently her golf club, Midland Country Club, hosted a special celebration of that accomplishment. “I’m still searching for perspective,” she said that night surrounded by friends and family at her club. “I mean, I exceeded all expectations and that happens so rarely in golf.” The national championship put her far and

Dinh, age 31 and an associate research scientist at DOW Chemical, rallied from a 3-down deficit by winning six of the final seven holes to claim the 36th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship on the North Course at Stonewall in Elverson,

Pa. She beat Kelsey Chugg of Salt Lake City, Utah, the 2017 champion, 2-up in the title match. That win, another win in the GAM Mid-Amateur Championship and a semifinal appearance in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship helped her build 1,090 Player of the Year points. Chelsea Collura of Wyandotte, a member at West Shore Golf & Country Club, was a local qualifier medalist for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and winner of the GAM Women’s Tournament of Champions. She finished second with 635 points.

away on top of the 2023 GAM Points List and Dinh has been named the GAM Women’s Player of the Year for the third consecutive year. Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org.

Dinh played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin, then played club golf as she made her

“Winning the U.S. Mid-Am made it an incredible season, but winning Player of the

“I knew golf would always be a part of my life. One

Year again is a nice cherry on top,” she said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunities to compete. The competition I face in our

way through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said she didn’t expect this level of success in the sport.

of the reasons I still compete is because during college I got a lot better and really learned to appreciate that when I put a lot of effort into it, I can improve so much.”

FEATURED PHOTO: AMERICAN DUNES HOLE 7

BOYNE GOLF Boyne Mountain Monument Hole 16

BOYNE Golf is an International Attraction, Right in Our Backyard By Tom Lang It is a safe bet that every golfer living in Michigan has heard of Boyne Resorts. But what does every golfer really know about BOYNE Golf… even if they have already played there? Do they really know very much about the Up North location that helps put the Great Lakes State’s golf industry on the international map? Let’s start out 2024 by looking at a long list of potential “I didn’t know that’s…”

Why do golfers return so often? In a word: “variety.” Within three closely located resort ‘hubs’ –

Boyne Mountain, The Highlands at Harbor Springs and the Inn at Bay Harbor – BOYNE Golf encompasses 10 golf courses, with an 11th coming this year called Doon Brae, a new 9-hole short course set on the side of the ski mountain at The Highlands. “While all are in proximity, no other golf experience in the U.S. provides a variety of mountain courses, lakeshore courses, parkland courses, courses set in wetlands, and pine forest courses, all on the same vacation,” said Boyne’s director of golf marketing, Ken Griffin. “Even other nationally recognized multi-course resorts offer similar settings with less course variety.”

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At all 10 Boyne courses, including the two most awarded courses – The Heather, the 2019

The Moor, The Alpine, and Crooked Tree Golf Club have all benefitted from wider

National Golf Course of the Year; and the Links/Quary course at the Inn of Bay Harbor – golfers will always find very good conditions to

fairways that have been extended toward the tee boxes. The fairway cuts also now encompass more of the area around the

play. It’s a point of pride for Boyne and they live up to it. Very late in the fall season I played The Alpine at Boyne Mountain and found it to be in great shape. The only time I have not had that experience was understandably forgiven – when select holes on the Donal Ross Course were under renovation and some temporary adjustments needed to be considered.

greens, allowing for additional shot options onto the greens. Tree removal and extensive trimming of trees at The Monument (at Boyne Mountain), as well as the Links/Quarry and Quarry/Preserve courses at Bay Harbor Golf Club, have returned the original sight lines off the tee boxes while improving the sunlight available to the tee boxes and greens to improve their health. 5 new high-efficiency irrigation pumps to improve course maintenance and

BOYNE Golf stays ahead of the competition with ongoing improvements: Griffin said that Boyne Resorts has made more reinvestment into their properties the last two years than any other course or group of courses in the Midwest.

playability. Two are at Boyne Mountain, two at The Highlands and one at Bay Harbor.

Highlands Donald Ross Hole 18

Here are some examples: 5 holes on the Donald Ross Memorial have seen extensive investment to better replicate Donald Ross’s original designs. This is in part because, since the replica holes were originally built a few decades ago, more exacting equipment, aerial photos, blueprints and construction measuring scales have become available.

Continues on next page>>

BOYNE GOLF

Donald Ross Memorial Hole 15

For a sweeter ride in all aspects, Boyne also added 8 miles of new cart paths. They additionally upgraded all power carts with E-Z-Go Pace Technology to improve golfers’ on-course experience, including flyovers before each hole, yardage reading distances to hazards and pins, scoring, ordering food, and dialing up your favorite playlist via Bluetooth!

and Dallas – and hundreds of connecting flights nationwide. For private pilots or those lucky enough to charter, the airport at Boyne Mountain recently underwent a $4-million upgrade, allowing up to 16-passenger jets and with all-weather glid slope capabilities.

Boyne is an easy-access location:

Great lodging options of all price levels:

In less than a 5-hour drive from any corner of

My golf show broadcast partner Jack Ebling out

the Great Lakes State, and only half that time for hundreds of thousands, golfers can be at Boyne’s front door. But that’s just the start. If you have friends or family wanting to join you from outside Michigan, Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City offers direct flights from 18 U.S. cities – like Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta

of Lansing (The Drive with Jack) has often mentioned that he hears from some people that Boyne might be too expensive, and he assures them that they would be surprised if they researched the options. So many various choices and special days and tee times make for almost any budget to have a great time at BOYNE Golf.

Timberstone Greens 9 and 18

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Crooked Tree Hole 16

Off the course offerings for nongolfers and golfers alike: While BOYNE Golf Vacations are golf-centric, they are not golfexclusive. People of all ages and interests can enjoy all that Northern Michigan offers. A few examples are:

Other factors: Boyne Resorts offer over 3,400 beds in a wide array of lodging options, from standard hotel rooms, condominiums on and off the courses, or townhouses and cabins on the courses – to a Marriot Autograph Collection hotel on Little Traverse Bay overlooking Lake Michigan. Over the past two years, the Main Lodge at Boyne Mountain, The Highlands and Chalet Edelweiss have undergone extensive renovations to provide higher quality lodging than had been available previously at The Highlands or Boyne Mountain and is better for couples and women’s golf vacation experiences.

Exploring the northern Michigan lakeside towns of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne City, and Walloon Lake for dining or shopping. Bike riding, horseback riding, hiking, zip lines, swimming indoors and out – and the ultimate for kids at Avalanche Bay indoor waterpark at Boyne Mountain. Visiting one of the 13 wineries and distilleries located between and around the Boyne courses. Experiencing SkyBridge Michigan, the world's longest, tallest timber suspension bridge located at the top of Boyne Mountain, near the first tees for The Alpine and Monument courses. Unique food options are also located at SkyBridge. Continues on next page>>

BOYNE GOLF

In Summary: It took the span of many years combined, but I have been lucky enough to play every BOYNE Golf course at least once. Of course, some designs stood out over others for my game, but not once was I disappointed with a golfing experience at Boyne. Personal highlights include: The 13th tee on The Arthur Hills course at Highlands, looking out over the downhill par 5 and many miles across the most expansive non-water view in northern Michigan. Top-3 best fall-golf view in Michigan. The highly-elevated first tee at the Monument and the Alpine on Boyne Mountain. You just know it will be the start of a fun round. The Links course as it meanders along the natural coastline high above the surface of

the Little Traverse Bay with views of Lake Michigan to the west. Navigating through the rock-lined tall valley walls of The Quarry. Climbing the hill to the elevated 9th green and trying to navigate over the huge water hazard approach to the 18 green on The Heather, the course that launched the Northen Michigan resort golf industry in the 1960s. The Heather will also host the 2024 Michigan Amateur championship, for the fourth time since 2006. If we covered something you already knew about BOYNE Golf — great. And if you learned something new, all the better way to start 2024. To score a great golf package – or to find out more information – visit (Link to come) or call to have a Guest Experience Agent assist you in planning your trip!

Bay Harbor Links Hole 3

GAM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

By Greg Johnson

tournaments. I’m honored to be a player of the year.” Slobodnik-Stoll, a member of Country Club of Lansing, was a local USGA qualifying medalist to set up her run to the round of 16 in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. Those performances in the national championship were the key to earning 550 points for the season.

Stacy SlobodnikStoll:

GAM Senior Women’s Player of the Year

Julie Massa of Pentwater, last year’s GAM Senior Women’s Player of the Year

Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Haslett, one of the state’s most accomplished golfers and a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, finds a way to fit her competitive golf into a busy life.

for the unprecedented seventh time and a member of Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Ludington, finished second with 395 points. Shelly Weiss of Southfield and the Michigan Women’s Golf Association was third with 285 points.

“As time goes on I’m still trying to be competitive in whatever age division I can,” said the 52-year-old Michigan State University

Slobodnik-Stoll said reaching the round of 16 in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur was the highlight of her summer competition.

women’s golf coach who is also the winningest Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) golfer in history with 18 individual titles. “I still love competing so much.” The 2023 GAM Women’s Senior Champion, who also reached the round of 16 in the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, has been named the GAM Senior Women’s Player of the Year. “I’m thankful the GAM provides opportunities for every age group across the board,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “We are lucky to have a state organization that runs so many great

“It is so interesting that whatever level I play at I’m always learning and I’m learning more about the senior amateur circuit of tournaments,” she said. “I still don’t have the time to dedicate to my game because of other priorities... Competing in any USGA tournament is an honor.” Finding time to practice and compete is a challenge for Slobodnik-Stoll, who is busy coaching her successful golf team at MSU and trying to follow the tournament schedule of daughter Olivia, who is a junior standout golfer for Grand Valley State University and GAM tournament regular in the summer.

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Greg Davies:

By Greg Johnson

just very humbling,” he said. “I want to

GAM Senior Men’s Player of the Year

thank the GAM and Ken Hartmann and the volunteers for all the work they do for the golfers. The age division tournaments, all the handicap events for men, women, juniors and seniors, the GAM has to be one of the top if not the top state association in the country.” Player of the Year

Greg Davies of West Bloomfield believes in preparation. “If I have a goal, it is to be as prepared as I can possibly be going into whatever tournament I’m playing,” said the 56-year-old wealth management advisor and Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member. “If I’m fully prepared and the game is there – some weeks it is, and some weeks it isn’t – then I feel I have a shot for a high finish.” High finishes, including winning this year’s GAM Senior Championship and making his 11th appearance in the “Sweet 16” of the Michigan Amateur Championship, propelled Davies to the top of the 2023 Senior Men’s Points List, and he has been named the GAM Senior Men’s Player of the Year. “To get my name on that list with the guys I’ve looked up to my whole life, Randy Lewis, Greg Reynolds and Pete Green, who have won everything and kept winning as seniors, it’s

point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org. Davies, an Orchard Lake Country Club member, also highlighted his year with a runner-up finish in the GAM Senior Match Play Championship to Mike Ignasiak of Saline and qualified for the U.S. Senior Open. The 2006 GAM Men’s Player of the Year finished the season with 595 points. David LeVan of Ann Arbor and Barton Hills Country Club was second with 355 points, and Steve Maddalena of Jackson and the Country Club of Jackson was third with 317.5. Davies started in the game as a caddie at Edgewood Country Club and played collegiate golf at the University of Oklahoma with four future PGA Tour winners. “I enjoy practicing and enjoy the process of trying to get better golf wise and physically, too,” he said. “I play with the young kids at the club, play the back tees, and I feel like that helps keep me competitive.”

THE PERFECT FOURSOME

The Perfect Foursome

Island Resort Sage Run Hole 5

By Tom Lang Golf in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula doesn’t get nearly the attention it should in most golf circles, thus one reason I try to talk about it on these pages often.

beautifully diverse from each other. A golfer could never get bored playing these marvelous layouts again and again. Which is where the ‘Perfect Foursome’ comes in. You can play a lot for a little cash, especially compared to other destination options.

Additionally, one of the best values in all of golf is what’s called the Perfect Foursome – a combination of four award-winning courses in

The home base is the Island Resort Casino and Hotel, just west of Escanaba. The resort’s multiple hotel towers total 454 rooms, the most

the Escanaba/ Iron Mountain/ Marquette regions of the western half of the U.P. that banded together for many years to give golfers one very special experience. They are: Sweetgrass. Sage Run. Greywalls. TimberStone. Each course in their own right are delightfully fun but can be very challenging. They are

in the Upper Peninsula and the Wisconsin region north of Milwaukee. The newest tower was not designed over the top to keep pricing reasonable, but it’s all very nice and modern and fresh. New golf suites with two queens and one king bed, plus more than enough open space in between to host a foursome of men or women, so that all remain comfortable and rested as they chase a little white ball each day.

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Sweetgrass Golf Club at Island Resort remains relatively fresh off its award in 2022 as the National Golf Course of the Year from the National Golf Course Owners Association. The course also is an annual host to the EPSON Tour and the female winning golfer gets an exemption into the LPGA tour major, the Evion Championship. Most of the pros sing the praises of the event here each year, and that could be in part the fact the Island Resort rolls out the red carpet for the players, more than most Tour stops – and they can for you too.

Sweetgrass: Going into its 16th year of play, Sweetgrass remains a good mix of wide fairways and challenging green complexes. Many different tee boxes are utilized to handle the variety of individual golfer driving distances. The entire

experience is elevated by the historical story of each hole tied into the design, and is a reminder to golfers you are playing on Native American land where you get to learn parts of their classic history, which the Hannahville Indian Community are very proud of. Hole 12 is still my favorite par 3 at Sweetgrass, regardless of the fact it’s my only career holein-one location. My attraction is the green being unique with its front and back tiers, and a small valley running through the middle of the green in-between tiers. It’s a very deep green front to back about 50 yards or more, allowing for all types of pin placement variety.

Sage Run: This newer course in the rotation is another exceptional experience, where in the past few Continues on next page>> Sweetgrass

THE PERFECT FOURSOME

years with the grass growing in more each summer, makes it much more plush from

TimberStone at Pine Mountain:

previous visits a couple years ago.

This location has very beautiful aesthetics all

All in all, Sage Run is a wonderful

around – even the cart ride from one hole to the next is attractive and fun because you never know what’s coming around the next bend...

parkland/prairie style course combo that is simply fun for many levels of skill, but definitely on the harder side compared to the average golf course. So, ask yourself, do you want average, especially at a destination resort. Many prairie land holes combined with many up and down elevation holes add variety and long views of the surrounding countryside. Your score might not turn out the way you want, but you’d never call a day at Sage Run boring and it’s a course you’ll be glad to say you played that is nothing like your local muni back home.

and this observation came on a cold, wet day in the fall. Imagine when golfers get the chance to play on a sunny U.P. summer day, especially on the many holes that play downhill with beautiful elevation views. Lag putting is recommended. The day we played the greens were very fast, expanding opportunities for the ball to slide right by the hole and catch a ridge and keep going. Most greens have a ridge running through them at some point, so use caution there. Otherwise, just enjoy the views, make some great shots now and then and store away some vivid photographic memories. Before you leave, if you are a sports history lover make sure you grab some food at the local pub onsite that also houses the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. Some great hockey history, plus the hometown duo of Tom Izzo and State Mariucci have

Timberstone Greens 9 and 18

hallowed places in the Hall.

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Greywalls:

23 Greywalls Hole 6

Greywalls has received national acclaim, and for good reason. Perched high above Lake Superior near the shores of Marquette – a great, historic mining town for those who love such history – Greywalls will test any game to its maximum. But good day or bad day on the scorecard, it’s hard for any golfer to walk away unimpressed. It’s that special of a piece of ground filled with forest, open areas and rock outcroppings everywhere – including the tall rock walls that surround the 5th green, 6th tee and elsewhere. Really nice Lake Superior views from the first tee, the 7th fairway and the 9th green/10th tee. Right off the bat, Hole No. 1 could be the toughest. There is a deep valley to cross from the tee, then trouble along the way to the par 5 green, which is difficult to hold approach shots on, despite its large size. Even a bogey is an okay way to begin the round. The antithesis of the opening hole is 18, possibly the easiest chance at a birdie. It’s a downhill par 5 that even medium hitters can catch the speed slot down the middle of the fairway to more easily earn their longest drive of the day and placement inside of 200 yards for

a possible second shot reaching the huge green. What better way to end the round with par or better. In the not-too-distant future a new clubhouse in the trees behind the green will greet golfers as they finish the round. Before or after your round, sneak over to the original Marquette Golf Club course that’s almost 100 years old – a William Langford and Theodore Moreau design created in 1926. A second nine were added by David Gill in 1969. The front nine has a classic flow, is very walkable, with a Belvedere-like feeling brought to you by a similar design era. Do not delay setting up your buddy’s trip. Many weekends in 2024 are already filled, but more mid-week options remain available. More details at: https://islandresortgolf.com/packages-stayand-play/

GAM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR one of them to complete my junior

By Greg Johnson

career. I’m really happy about that. The next goal will be to keep going and work to be the men’s player of the year.”

Lorenzo Pinili:

Pinili topped the points list with 1,130 points, just ahead of Will Preston of Grand Rapids (1,115 points), who won the Michigan State Junior Amateur Championship and is headed to Penn State University’s golf program next fall.

GAM Junior Boys’ Player of the Year The year 2023 was huge for Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills. He won the stroke play title at the Michigan Junior State Amateur, reached the quarterfinals in the Michigan Amateur, won the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Division 2 individual state championship with a record score, was named the state’s Mr. Golf and embarked on his collegiate career at Michigan State University.

Drew Miller of East Lansing, a Country Club of Lansing course record holder and last year’s GAM Junior Boys’ Player of the Year who is joining Pinili at MSU next fall, was third with 642.5 points. Julian Menser of South Lyon (607.5 points) and Peter Roehl of Rochester Hills (592) rounded out the top five. Menser is also headed to MSU, and

“The goal is always to improve and finishing the year at the top of the points list tells me I

Roehl has signed to play college golf at Oakland University.

accomplished the goal by getting better and being more consistent,” Pinili said. Pinili, 19, has been named the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Junior Boys’ Player of the Year. “It’s a nice way to wrap up my junior golf career,” he said. “Having success in GAM and other tournaments I was able to hit all the milestones with boys’ golfer of the year being

Pinili felt winning medalist honors in the U.S. Amateur sectional qualifier at MSU’s Forest Akers Golf Course was his top performance of the summer. “It showed me I had resilience,” he said. “I was 1under after round one and knew I had to rally back and dig deep to make the U.S. Amateur. I shot 7under in the second round and it proved to me I have the ability to get the job done.”

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Alena Li:

won the GAM Junior

By Greg Johnson

Stroke Play title. That win helped her total 1,100 points for the season to top all junior girls. Lauren Timpf of Macomb, the Michigan Girls’

GAM Junior Girls’ Player of the Year Alena Li sets goals that usually involve playing as well as possible each time out. “I want to win when I go to a tournament but I can still be happy when I don’t win if I played the best I could that day,” said the 15-year-old junior at Okemos High School. Li, the winner of the overall girls’ title in the GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship and a consistent top finisher through the season, has been named the 2023 Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Junior Girls’ Player of the Year. “I’m excited, it is an honor to be Player of the Year,” she said. “There are so many good players all around the state and they all play in the GAM tournaments. The tournaments are a lot of fun and challenging.” Li, a Youth on Course Michigan member of the GAM, opted to play with the older girls instead of in the 15-and-under age division when she

Junior State Amateur champion was second with 1,017. Elise Fennell of Caledonia (800 points), Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor (682.5) and GAM Junior Kickoff winner Jessica Jolly

of Rockford (617.5) rounded out the top five. Li said her top performances of the summer were in the Junior Stroke Play and in reaching the semifinals in match play at the Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur. “When I play my best I’m pretty accurate with my irons, and I hit a lot of good shots in those tournaments,” she said. “I worked hard on my short game all summer, and that’s where I improved the most, too.” Li is the daughter of Kun Li and Li Gao. She has worked with PGA teaching professional Jason Guss since she was about 10-years-old and hopes to one day play collegiate golf. “Jason Guss has helped me a lot with my swing over the years,” she said. “I have been recruited a little by college coaches, but right now I’m still concentrating on my academics.”

FLYING HIGH

Ready for Takeoff

Republished from Golf Course Management magazine at the GCSAA Scott Rettmann is flying high these days. Really. Sure, he is thrilled that things have been looking up in his job as greens superintendent at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Mich. The golf course never looked better than it did mid-summer, he says. So much more, though, has him soaring. It’s his plane. When you have your own pilot’s license, the sky’s the limit. A 15-year GCSAA Class A superintendent, Rettmann secured his pilot license Jan. 14. “I wanted to be a pilot for as long as I can remember,” Rettmann says. “Now I’m in the front seat.” His first lesson: Aug. 4, 2021. It happened at his home away from home of sorts now, Ann Arbor

photo by Brandon Folsom

(Mich.) Airport. “I flew with a woman who gave me an intro. I sat in the airplane on the taxiway. We talked to the tower. I remember saying, ‘This is a lot; this is cool,’” says Rettmann, a Michigan State University graduate whose first view from above on the flight was over his rival school’s football home stadium at the University of Michigan. “She let me take controls for a while. We were in the air for about 30, maybe 40 minutes. It was both intimidating and exciting. “I was like a kid at Christmas.” It cost Rettmann roughly $15,000 for everything to acquire his license. It was no simple decision to move forward with the plan. His high school friend’s father owned his own plane and passed away in a crash. “I was 20. I wondered if it was safe. I put serious thought into it, like why did it

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM happen? Accidents can happen. Pilots make errors. I figured I’m not getting any younger. I said go for it,” Rettmann says. His wife, Ashley, has faith in her husband’s decision. In fact, one of her main concerns wasn’t only about safety. “At first, my reservations were about the time commitment,” says Ashley, a University of Michigan coordinator in research studies. “I was more worried about it all early on.” Her mood now is more upbeat, especially when recalling the first time she and their children Ellie and Grayson looked upward when Scott was on his maiden voyage solo flight on Feb. 21, 2022.

“The kids pointed to the sky and said, ‘Is that dad up there?’ It’s been fun so far,” she says. “Him being up above the clouds is the coolest thing.” He vividly remembers it, seated in a Cessna 1722, tail number N572RJ. “It was beautiful. Cold day. Couple clouds. I wore a golf pullover,” Rettmann says. “I did three loops in the pattern, essentially an oval shape around the airport. So exhilarating. I was confident because I had done it a hundred times. Before I went out, I was like, ‘holy cow, this is going to happen.’ On the downwind leg I thought this is incredible. It felt like such an accomplishment.” Continues on next page>>

FLYING HIGH

Rettmann’s achievements are applauded by his instructor.

they were working on. It all looked great to me,” Hu says.

“He’s great. He makes it fun too. He always has a smile, very positive, always prepared,” says Grace Hu, Rettmann’s certified flight

Dan Meersman has known that for quite some time. Chief Planning Officer/Director of Grounds and Facilities and a 23-year GCSAA

instructor who is now a pilot for Delta Connections. “It’s not always smooth during training. There are some curveballs, like how to handle the aircraft when its stalling. Some have a fear to put it in that position. He stayed positive and handled it very well.” Hu even caught a glimpse from up high over Walnut Creek CC, a 27-hole facility located about 45 miles west of Detroit. “We flew over it. Really nice golf course. He showed me things

member at Philadelphia Cricket Club, he hired Rettmann, a fellow MSU Spartans graduate, as his first intern there. “It was a good starting point. Quickly, he was like an assistant,” says Meersman, who has no doubt that Rettmann has what it takes to be a pilot. “He’s a really smart guy, careful, cautious guy, not one to be flying by the seat of his pants. He’s awesome. He’s the kind of guy you would be happy for your daughter to marry. He has

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consistent, positive energy every day. Nothing ever seemed to get him down. That’s an

flying assistant Luke Martell and mechanic Victor Anderson to a Michigan GCSA/Wee One

attractive quality.

Foundation event in northern Michigan. Rettmann also is a member of the Ann Arbor Flyers, one of the oldest aviation clubs in the

“Would I fly with him? Absolutely.” Currently, Rettmann’s status is considered single-engine land Visual Flight Rules (VFR) pilot and is allowed to fly up to 17,999 feet SML until he earns an instrument rating to exceed that limit. He earned a high-performance endorsement to fly airplanes with over 200 hp and he is currently in ground school to earn his instrument rating. He can only fly under VFR, which means not flying through clouds and maintaining proper spacing above, below, and side-to-side from them. He can fly night or day as long as conditions are in VFR. For now, he can only fly a single-engine prop plane, but there is no restriction on where he can travel. Already he has capitalized on his license by

country, having been in continuous operation since its inception in October 1940. When he flies the four-seater, Rettmann carries his I.D., pilot’s license, iPad plus a paper map in case his iPad fails, ForeFlight App (Ashley also has an app to monitor him when he flies) and an aviator Bose Aviation Noise-Canceling headset. One thing not by his side is water. “I don’t drink in case I have to go to the bathroom,” says Rettmann, who is airborne two or three times monthly. Meanwhile, Rettmann understands what keeps him grounded when he’s not up in the air. “I love to fly,” he says, “but I also have a real job with a wife and kids.”

Hole 18

GAM FOUNDATION YOUTH ON COURSE

To The Moon: Future of Youth on Course Michigan Shines Brightly

Supplied by the Golf Association of Michigan GAM Foundation Director Laura Bavaird believes word of mouth is a primary driver of Youth on Course Michigan and she expects the program to continue growing.

The GAM reached some milestones in 2023. Among them:

“I think we might be going to the moon with it,” she said. “I expect within two or three years we could be up to 15,000 members. We had

9,010 - The record-setting 2023 YOC

2,100 new members in the last year and I think that pace will continue. More kids get involved and they tell their friends. It just works.” Youth on Course Michigan, a national growthe-game business model/initiative embraced and customized to work in Michigan by the GAM Foundation, helps youth golfers ages 6-18 who are YOC Michigan members pay as little as $5 per round. In turn, participating courses receive per round subsidies from the donordriven GAM Foundation.

1,100+ - The number of donors that have given to the GAM Foundation this year. membership total. 40,000+ - The number of YOC members that have joined since YOC Michigan started. 120,000+ - The number of rounds played and buckets of balls hit since YOC Michigan started. $737,000+ - The total number of subsidies paid to participating clubs since YOC Michigan started. Bavaird said her primary challenge is keeping pace with the number of participating courses. “We want to make sure we are spread across the

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM state and Michigan is a pretty big state,” she said. “We want to tackle more in the Upper

what it says it will do. It helps everyone in the golf business actually grow the game. We think

Peninsula and get more on the west side of the state. We really want to help every kid, regardless of their family’s financial situation. There is equal opportunity, access and affordability, and that is the part that is so great about Youth on Course.”

it’s fabulous and we will continue to support it.”

Youth on Course Michigan had 87 participating Michigan golf courses in 2023. Among them Indian Hills Golf Course, a nine-hole course in the heart of Okemos that promises inexpensive golf for players of all ages and has become what Bavaird feels is a shining example of Youth on Course Michigan. Indian Hills owner JC Petersen said for years he didn’t see the need for many of the services provided by the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM). “Let’s face it, we have been here 45 years, we are what we are at the bottom of the food chain, a 2,500-yard nine-hole course and nobody who plays here is really interested in handicaps or tournaments or anything besides having a place to play,” Petersen said. “Then came Youth on Course, a program that really does

Indian Hills had almost 900 rounds played and will net $4,400 in subsidies in 2023. Petersen not only offers Youth on Course to youth but also gives back to YOC Michigan as a donor, $2,400 since 2020. Bavaird said Indian Hills is a gold standard among those that offer YOC Michigan rounds. “Indian Hills makes their availability as open as possible for youth, and then at the end of the year they are also giving back to the GAM foundation to help continue the program for the future,” she said. “They understand the importance of giving back that really makes it all possible.” The GAM Foundation was developed in 2016 and supports other efforts in addition to maintain a focus on Youth on Course. Others that receive funding include Golf in Schools, which provides a curriculum with SNAG golf equipment that introduces the game of golf to elementary and middle school students. Then there is PGA H.O.P.E, the GAM Foundation Education Scholarship at Ferris State University and GAM Junior Tournament Player grants. A full list of groups and initiatives that the GAM Foundation supports can be found at GAM.org/Foundation.

OAKLAND HILLS MOVING FORWARD

Oakland Hills Breaks Ground on New Clubhouse By Tom Lang Oakland Hills Country Club broke ground on a muti-year construction project, six days before Christmas, according to a news release provided by the historic club. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on the site of its original clubhouse that was destroyed by an accidental fire on February 17, 2022. "Today is a momentous day for Oakland Hills members and staff who stand together, much like we did nearly two years ago watching flames rise from our clubhouse, but with a renewed excitement for the future. The Next 100 Project is the result of significant planning by the entire Oakland Hills family that will define the Championship golf experience for generations to come at our Club and beyond," said Oakland Hills President K. Dino Kostopoulos in the release. “The Next 100” is the Club’s forthcoming construction project encompassing a new

clubhouse, new Greens and Grounds complex, repurposing of an existing building, and modifications to its golf practice range and parking facilities. When completed, the iconic views of the South Course from the pillared veranda as well as the vista from the course back to the clubhouse will be restored. "It is seldom that a great golf course and a great clubhouse work so dramatically together to enhance each other's image,” stated longtime member Richard Howting, while speaking about renowned Detroit architect Howard C. Crane during the groundbreaking ceremony. The clubhouse will restore numerous leading elements of Crane’s original design and be combined with modern building techniques to expand amenities and functions of the structure. A significant improvement will be the relocation of the ballroom to the second floor with outdoor balconies enabling the creation of connected lounge, dining and bar experiences on the main floor.

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“Every room will have expansive views and energy unachievable in the clubhouse we lost,” detailed Oakland Hills Member Doyle Mosher during the ceremony. Additional notable changes include a larger women’s locker room; expanded outdoor dining areas; wide history halls containing the Club’s memorabilia and championship trophies; and a fitness facility in an adjacent building. In the lower level, significant improvements will benefit clubhouse and golf course operations including cart and golf bag storage, culinary facilities, caddie room and administrative offices. The project was presented and approved by membership in December with an estimated cost of $96.5M. Construction will be funded by insurance proceeds, member assessment and member dues. Construction activities are already underway with a grand opening of the clubhouse anticipated in 2026. Foundation work will be conducted through much of 2024 with no interruption to the North and South Course hosting the 76th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

The new clubhouse will sit where the original stood for more than 99 years. That is the piece of land touching the parking lot, between the lone tree on the left and extending toward the flagpole. Features of the South Course from left to right: 18th green, practice green, 10th tee, 9th green, 1st tee.

“The USGA is pleased to see Oakland Hills and its membership take this significant step in its rebuilding process,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “This coming year marks the start of the next chapter in our long and meaningful relationship with the club, which includes eight upcoming championships, and we could not be more excited to stage the U.S. Junior Amateur there next summer.” With eight USGA championships on the schedule in the next 29 years, Oakland Hills Country Club is a major host in the region’s sports landscape; together with the NFL Draft and the NCAA Men’s Final Four which will be coming to Detroit in 2024 and 2027 respectively. The South Course, site of six U.S. Opens from 1924 through 1996, reopened in the summer of 2021 after a masterful restoration to the Donald Ross design by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner.

BRANSON GOLF

Buffalo Ridge Hole 14

Branson is an Ozarks Golfing Paradise By Tom Lang In my early adult years, Branson Missouri built up a national reputation for featuring some of the best Country Music shows and performerowned theatres that put on world-class entertainment. While some of that still exists yet on a smaller scale, the Branson area has been transformed to be a centerpiece of the Ozarks for golf and natural wonders – the likes of underground caves to explore, and Table Rock Lake offering water sports and tours. While there is something for everyone, including a Titanic Museum, an amusement park and outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, we’ll focus here on the golf. Oh boy, the golf.

Bass Pro Shops founder and owner Johnny Morris has made a huge commitment to the region. He supports any activity that gets people to enjoy the great outdoors in whatever manner they love. And while that is wonderful for hikers and bikers, for nature explorers and for those who hunt and fish, and boat and swim – Morris did not neglect golfers. In fact, one could say he makes them a focus. Morris’ properties at Big Cedar Lodge include three of GolfWeek’s 2023 four best courses in the state: Ozarks National (No. 51 nationally, designed by Core/Crenshaw), Buffalo Ridge (No. 77 nationally, Tom Fazio/Johnny Morris) and Payne’s Valley (No. 93 nationally, Tiger Woods). All are Audubon International certified for their best environmental and sustainability practices.

WWW.MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM Additionally, Big Cedar landed two nationallyranked short courses on GolfWeek’s first-ever list for the category: No. 8 – Top of the Rock, the 9-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, is the first-ever par-3 course to be included in a professional championship (PGA TOUR Champions Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf.) No. 19 – Mountain Top, the 13-hole, walking only course designed by Gary Player, showcasing stunning Ozark views amid diverse, dramatic holes that wind around 300-million-year-old limestone formations. My personal 18-hole favorite is Buffalo Ridge. I played it years before Morris bought it and added it to the Big Cedar stable, but that transaction only made it better now. It’s one of those courses that is as much fun to play as it is to take photos of and send them to your friends to make them jealous. They might scream back through the phone; “where are you, and why didn’t you invite me ?!”

The course is tree-lined (but they are not intrusive unless you go way off line) – stunningly appointed with beautiful rock and water features. That said, the entire region can be described that way, but at Buffalo Ridge it really stands out on many holes. I feel the two best holes are 14-15. Hole 14 is a par 5 with a creek on the right and cutting in front of the green on the approach to a green on the right that is perched up against a hill. A very scenic covered bridge frames the hole’s left side at the green. The bridge takes golfers to the 15th fairway after an elevated tee shot over water. The entire right side of the 15th fairway is a waterfall cascading down the rocks, as golfers go at another perched green – this time on the left up against a rock faced wall. Although Buffalo Ridge is my favorite, every person in your foursome will each likely pick one beloved course from the other at Big Cedar. Continues on next page>> Ozarks National Hole 6

BRANSON GOLF Ozarks Clubhouse

Most fairways are massively wide, with lots of run. Because of the runout, most greens are easier to reach in regulation, but they are not easy to putt. Hole 4 is a shorter downhill par 5 followed by a beautiful par 3 with its peninsula green. Both require shots to the green over the same water source. And Payne’s Valley is the course with the famous 19th hole island green to settle final bets. My par felt as huge as the 100-foot-tall rock walls surrounding the green.

Perhaps the top-rated course in Missouri – Ozarks National will be your favorite. The course has several deep valleys and gorges to cross over or avoid. Many fairways feel like they are floating as there are some big drop offs along the edges. It has more than its fair share of blind shots but follow the advice given and you’ll be fine. While Big Cedar is known for water features – think 19th hole at Payne’s Valley and Table Rock Lake – only one small pond can be found on this layout, far left of the 16th green, which used to be the water source for the family mountain top farmhouse still standing there for golfer refreshments. Payne’s Valley is the course most people anticipated with the Tiger Woods name on it. It’s named after Missouri’s most famous golfer, the late Payne Stewart. The course lays out there in front of you without many tricks and could be considered a golfer’s dream and a superintendent’s nightmare (meaning SO much grass to cut).

Big Cedar Short Course

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Payne's Valley Golf Course

Branson Hills is another public course in the region that was originally built to also pay homage to Stewart. It is ranked the 3rd-best design in the state and is located in the city limits of Branson. The course has six sets of tees ranging from 7,324 yards to 5,323. It is the tightest of the courses we played in Branson, and it shares a lot of great history about Stewart hanging on the walls of the huge clubhouse. I liked the 9th hole with its 90 degree turn from the 150 marker to the green complex on the other side of a natural flowing creek. The back 9 also required more carry over water and some cavernous areas to clear. The 15th green has a fun saddle shape to it. The 18th hole is as tough of a closing uphill par 4 as you’ll experience anywhere. LedgeStone is another top-rated GolfWeek “Best Courses You Can Play” course in Branson’s collection, but I didn’t try it in October. While Big Cedar has great lodging and food options, The Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and Level 2 restaurant offer

terrific options for lodging and food, located between the historic downtown and modern waterfront area called Branson Landing Town Center. Either location you cannot go wrong. Branson is a one-of-a-kind family vacation destination nestled in the lakeside beauty of the Ozark Mountains — featuring wonderful value — with dozens of live performance theatres, three pristine lakes, an international awardwinning theme park, dozens of attractions and museums, a Historic Downtown district, a Town Center-style shopping complex, a full range of dining options, and a host of hotels, motels, resorts, RV parks, campgrounds, sports venues, and meeting and conference facilities. The small-town feel downtown with its hustling and bustling atmosphere adds to the unique feel visitors can choose to experience. With its middle America location, Branson is less than one day's drive for one-third of U.S. residents. For more information, visit ExploreBranson.com and BigCedar.com.

GAM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR “It was impossible to practice or play in tournaments with all the travel I was doing

John Morgan: GAM Super Senior Men's Player of the Year John Morgan of Novi was the Golf Association of Michigan Player of the Decade for the 1980s, but his busy schedule as global director of sales for automotive parts manufacturer Yazaki with primary responsibilities in working with General Motors made him a weekend-only golfer for 20 years.

and the responsibilities I had,” he said. “I had not competed for close to 20 years in GAM events. Then I retired, started practicing and got the bug again.” The bug resulted in stellar play for the 65year-old Morgan, a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, former Michigan Amateur champion, two-time GAM Champion and three-time GAM Mid-Amateur Champion. He played in two championships and won both – the Super Senior Division at the GAM Senior Match Play Championship to start the 2023 season and the GAM Super Senior Championship. “It means a lot just to have been able to play well enough to compete again,” Morgan said. “I was off so long from competition and I finally felt good about my game again.”

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Saisha Patil:

“I think winning the stroke play at the (Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur) was my best performance,” she said. “I hit my irons well and when I’m playing well it is my iron shots that help me the most. It is the strongest part of my game.”

15-and-under Junior Girls’ Winner

Esther Zhang of Ann Arbor, who won the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur 15and-under match play bracket, was second with 1,067.5 points.

Saisha Patil of Okemos surprised herself in the summer of 2023, which included winning three Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) tournaments. Patil, who turns 13 in under two months, is the youngest Player of the Year award winner in the seven years the 15-and-under age division has been included in the Player of the Year awards lineup. The Youth on Course Michigan member was the 15-and-under stroke play champion at the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur, won the GAM Junior Stroke Play 15-and-under title and was the winner of the GAM 14-and-under Match Plat Championship.

Cooper Reitsma of Ada had a sizzling summer of low scores. He shot a 62 at Forest Akers East Golf Course to win the 15-and-under division of the GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship. He shot a 64 on the Sundance course at A-Ga-Ming Resort in winning the 15-and-under Michigan Junior State Amateur stroke play title and went on to finish as runner-up in match play. And he felt great about a 67 he shot competing with men in the GAM Championship qualifier at Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville.

Cooper Reitsma: 15-and-under Junior Boys’ Points Leader “I’m really pleased with my year,” he said. “Last year I think I mentioned I was disappointed with finishing second all the time. I finally broke that barrier this year, got a couple of wins. I’m really proud of the way I played most of the time.” Reitsma, 15 with a birthday in January, has been named the GAM 15-and-under Junior Boys’ Player of the Year. Troy Nguyen of Macomb, winner of the 15-and-under match play at the Michigan Junior State Amateur, was second with 820 points, just ahead of Julian Sinishtaj of Macomb, who had 819 points and was the GAM the 14-and-under Match Play champion.

Photo: No. 5 back tee at Oceana Golf Club; JBowman Photography