Hook & Slice April 2024

Hook & Slice

The Legend and Lore

of the

Mulligan Tour Vol. 1 No. 1

April 2024

Southeast Michigan’s Premier Recreational Golf League

In this Issue: The Front Nine

Tour celebrates 25th birthday

Making the Turn

Alzheimer’s Awareness Open

The Back Nine

Irish Open debuts in May

The 19th Hole

The First tournament

www.themulligantour.com

Page 2

Hook & Slice

Published monthly during the golf season Editor-in-chief Erika Fitzpatrick

Staff Writers Sandy Savashot Anita Newpudda Willie Makaput Eryn O’McFitzCallaghan Wendy Wildwood

www.littlediablosalsa.com

Proud sponsor of the Little Diablo Salsa

Western Swing

Publisher ELF Publishing Inc Mulligan Tour Historian Lenovo laptop Follow the Tour on Facebook and Instagram

Proud sponsor of the

www.tbaygroup.com Proud sponsor of the

Dudlee’s Plymouth Open

Harbor Pointe Open www.getsmithinsurance.com

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The Front Nine Mulligan Tour Celebrates Silver Anniversary in 2024 Anita Newpudda, Staff Writer

Twenty-five years ago.

1999. It was the end of the 20th century.

The Y2K computer software scare was among the hot issues.

The Dow Jones eclipsed the 10,000 mark for the first time. Team USA won the World Cup in women’s soccer and SpongeBob Squarepants debuted on Nickelodeon. The average cost for a gallon of gas was $1.22.

In professional golf, Tiger Woods was starting to establish his dominance that would eventually enter him into the GOAT debate. He won 8 times in ’99, including the PGA Championship, his 2nd major title. He also won 2 of the 3

Original Mulligan Tour logo

newly created WGC events.

The other major story was Payne Stewart winning the US Open in June – his 3rd major victory - but dying in a tragic airplane accident while (Continued on page 4)

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(Continued from page 3)

headed to the TOUR Championship in October.

And in recreational sport, weekend golfers in metro Detroit were introduced to a new kind of golf league, a touring league for the recreational double-digit handicap golfer - the Mulligan Tour.

“Playing professional golf was a dream. But not even a dream – more of a fantasy, really” says Erik Meland, founder of the Mulligan Tour.

“I was never going to be good enough to play for a living, so I made it my hobby. But after 10-12 years of just playing a lot of 9-hole rounds once or twice a week, including some local house leagues, I wanted more.

I wanted the pro tour ‘feel’ of traveling around to different tournaments each week and competing against a field of other golfers and lining up a putt on the 18th green with the title on the line.”

In the winter of 1998-99, Meland planned out a series of 18-hole golf tournaments

The Original 6 (+4) The 1999 schedule 5/29 Pine View Classic Pine View GC 6/5 The Tin Cup Hickory Creek GC 6/19 Western Swing Huron Meadows MP GC 6/26 Crazy Brit Hilltop GC 7/24 Strokes on a Rope Lake Erie MP GC 8/7 Quad-Tour Challenge Fox Creek GC 8/14 Caddyshack Classic Kensington MP GC 8/21 Harbour Pointe Open Woodlands of Van Buren GC 9/25 The PLAYERS Championship Inkster Valley GC 10/9 The Skins Game Lakes of Taylor GC

scheduled for the ‘99 season.

He invited neighbors and friends, enthusiastic golfers all, to join in the trial. And on May 29th, a warm and sunny Saturday in Michigan, the Mulligan Tour launched its (Continued on page 5)

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inaugural season at Pine View GC in Ypsilanti.

That first season schedule of 10 tournaments included a number of stroke-play, netscoring tournaments but Meland wanted to introduce some variety into the formats.

A British stableford scoring tournament and a string & scissors format were in the original line up as well as a “team with the pros” tournament that challenged the players to draft PGA Tour pros to include with their scores.

And a golf tour is not complete without “major” championships. The Harbour Pointe Open was meant to be the “US Open” of the Mulligan Tour.

And the TOUR Championship was the first event that required the players to qualify by means of a tournament win or a top-10 standing on the money list.

As the years passed and the membership grew, new tournaments and events were

Happy Birthday!!! added.

Regional divisions were created, each with its own championship.

And team events were created hoping for some end-of-theseason comradery.

Now 25 years later and the Mulligan Tour has grown to more than 40 events each season and a history that is documented and preserved like no other recreational golf league.

So Happy Mulligan Tour! more to come!!

Birthday, And many

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Making the Turn The Fight Goes On

Litzlers to continue Awareness for Alzheimers Sandy Savashot, Staff Writer

The Retha Jackson Memorial Open has a new name and a new sponsor in 2024. Twenty year Tour pro, Tom W. Litzler and his son, Tom R, will now sponsor the renamed Alzheimer’s Awareness Open on the Tour’s Central Division schedule.

Tour pro Mike Lum, sponsor of the RJMO for the last 6 years, has retired from the Tour and has moved out of Michigan. He had named the event in honor of his grandmother, Retha, who had succumbed to Alzheimer’s Disease.

With the help of all of the golfing participants in the event for those 6 years, over $11,000 was raised for the Alzheimer’s Association, a

2024

Alzheimer’s Awareness Open June 1 Farmington Hills GC 2:30p mod shotgun start

Individual, stroke-play, net-score

foundation committed to research and finding a cure to the debilitating disease.

Lum had sponsored the event at Farmington Hills GC since the Real McCoy Classic ended its run in 2016.

The Litzlers will keep the tournament at Farmington Hills, where a (Continued on page 7)

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Tour event has been held continuously since 2006, and they will continue to support the Alzheimer’s Association with a charitable contribution.

The cause is dear to the Litzler father and son team, winner’s of the Green Towels in 2005.

Litzler’s father, Thomas C. Litzler, also

suffered from the affliction.

“My father suffered from Alzheimer’s and died in 2018”, said Tom W. “It’s a cruel disease… the victim struggles knowing they are losing memory”.

Tom W. and Tom R. Litzler

at the 2005 Memorial Tournament

www.alz.org

Mike Lum (center) with parents Deb and Charlie Lum

2023 Retha Jackson Memorial Open

From left, Kim Cognato, Chuck Withey, Mike Lum and Terry Leib

2022 Retha Jackson Memorial Open

“I want this (tournament) to be more about the awareness of the disease”, continued Litzler.

And the awareness will continue on Tour - thanks to the Litzlers.

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The Back Nine Tour Gambles on Irish Open Search for Pot of Gold at the end of Twin Lakes Eryn O’McFitzCallaghan, Staff Writer

For 14 years, Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club in Oakland Township, hosted the Casino Classic on the Tour’s East Division schedule. But that event’s departure after the 2023 season has opened the door for a new tournament.

The Irish Open will debut at Twin Lakes in May with a presenting sponsor and a bevy of goodies for the participants.

Tour pro Erika Fitzpatrick brings her heritage and a wee bit of good fortune to the tournament, allowing the Mulligan Tour to continue it’s relationship with Twin Lakes into a 15th year and beyond.

Fitzpatrick is currently ranked #1 on Tour with a couple of major victories in

2024

Irish Open May 19

Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club 10:00a tee times

Estates to Links nines

Individual, stroke-play, net-score

the last 2 seasons and is the the last 2 seasons and is looking forward to hosting a tournament.

“This should be a fun tournament and I like this spot on the schedule”, stated Fitzpatrick. “It’s the middle of spring and the Michigan weather should really start to be nice. I hope”!

Well, an Irish Open certainly should have good luck!

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The 19th Hole

In the Beginning

Plan goes from paper to parcel in 1999 Anita Newpudder, Staff Writer

There’s a first time for everything. And so it was in May, 1999, that 12 of the original 16 members of the newly formed Royal & Ancient Golf Club of Harbour Pointe played in the first Pine View Classic in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The Mulligan Tour was born.

Without any history, the members had to submit previous playing scores to the “R&A” from which handicaps were estimated.

Handicap strokes in the field ranged from 11 to 53.

Dearborn resident Ron Stuart shot a gross 95 that yielded a 4-under par net 68.. The only player in the field to avoid

(Continued on page 10)

The original Pine View Classic trophy awarded in 1999

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penalty strokes on the tightly wooded Pine View layout, he finished 2-strokes better than his good friend John Gmitter.

Stuart took home a $16 check from the $40 purse and was awarded a trophy to keep until next year’s tournament.

Playing in 3 foursomes, the participants recorded their gross and net scores on their own scorecards.

They also documented the number of fairways hit and greens in regulation as well as putts, penalty strokes and sand shots / saves.

The Tour then tabulated running

The first tournament

1999 Pine View Classic May 29, 1999

Pine View Golf Club, Ypsilanti, MI

Net Score

68 (-4) 2 70 (-2) 3 73 (+1) 4 76 (+4) 76 (+4) 6 77 (+5) 7 79 (+7) 79 (+7) 9 81 (+9) 81 (+9) 11 87 (+15) 12 94 (+22) 1

Ron Stuart $16 John Gmitter $12 Kerry Homberger $8 Todd Stuart $2 Jim Cwikla $2 Susan Meland Bob White Chris Drake Erik Meland Gary Prevost Mary Petree Ron Folks

Gross 47-48 - 95 46-50 - 96

43-48 - 91 45-44 - 89 48-48 - 96 60-70 - 130 44-46 - 90 52 - 49 > 101

40 - 54 > 94 50 - 55 > 105 63 - 55 > 118 54 - 54 > 108

Pine View Classic champions Year 2023

Champion Corey McCue

Score 68 (-4)

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

Chuck Withey Corey McCue Kevin Gregoire Chuck Withey John Raymond Corey McCue

70 (-2) 70 (-2) 67 (-5) 68 (-4) 65 (-7) 71 (-1)

2016

James Vickey

73 (+1)

2015 2014 2013 2012

Gerry Sawchuck Rich Blanton Ed Campbell Mike Harmon

74 (+2) 74 (+2) 75 (+3) 69 (-3)

2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Don Morris Phil Abele Bob Bruning Thom Bales Rick Persichetti Bob Baar

73 (+1) 74 (+2) 75 (+3) 75 (+3) 77 (+5) 74 (+2)

2005 2004 2003

Erik Meland Erik Meland Jim Shank

72 (E) 71 (-1) 76 (+4)

2002

Chris Drake

75 (+3)

2001 2000

Steve Gregg Sue Cwikla

70 (-2) 69 (-3)

1999

Ron Stuart

68 (-4)

stats during the season.

And the “first tee” mulligan, a staple of the Mulligan Tour was only introduced at next tournament - the Tin Cup - a week later.

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Breast Cancer Awareness Open

MT World Ranking Top-20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

March 2024 Erika Fitzpatrick Corey McCue Chris Stalo Mike Prieskorn Tyler Floyd Ron Hiestand Greg Kline Chuck Withey Ryan Kiekbusch Brian Lardin David Martin Don Ward Ned Loving Tim Markel Kevin Gregoire John Ferlito Willi Hesse Gregg Nothdurft Joe Brandenburg Jeff Graunke

benefitting

32.7 32.2 29.6 28.6 27.7 25.2 24.8 24.6 23.8 23.4 23.2 22.3 21.9 21.8 21.3 21.0 20.9 20.9 19.5 19.3

MT Career Earnings Top-10 Earnings Wins 1 Greg Kline 2 Jeff Klipa 3 David Martin 4 Mike Prieskorn 5 Chuck Withey 6 Rick Persichetti 7 Erik Meland 8 Rich Dunmore 9 Tom W Litzler 10 Helen Puffenberger

$2,732.16 $2,245.06 $2,126.78 $2,010.76 $1,900.17 $1,860.54 $1,784.82 $1,675.57 $1,473.14 $1,277.45

The Tin Cup tournament benefitting

gcfb.org

www.themulligantour.com

25 30 22 23 16 23 22 17 10 8

2024 Mulligan Tour Tournament Schedule DATE Apr 13 Apr 14 Apr 20 Apr 21 Apr 27 Apr 28 May 4 May 11 May 18 May 19 May 24 May 25 June 1 June 2 June 7 June 8-9 June 15 June 21 June 22 June 23 June 29 June 30 July 7 July 13-14 July 20 July 21 July 27 July 28 Aug 4 Aug 10 Aug 11 Aug 17 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 25 Aug 31 Sep 7 Sep 8 Sep 20-22 Sep 28 Oct 5 Oct 12 Oct 13 Nov 2

TOURNAMENT Pine View Classic Sweet Sixteen Animal House Classic Tin Cup Sparty Classic Chelsea Classic The Memorial Tournament Cherry Creek Classic Dudlee’s Plymouth Open Irish Open Par-54 Classic Strokes on a Rope Alzheimer’s Awareness Open East Side Charity Classic Fox Hunt Harbour Pointe Open MT Senior Open Red Oaks Shootout Quad-Tour Challenge The Holy Grail Fifty Cent Classic C Cool Classic Red, White & Blue Match Play Championship Carrington Classic Ugly Pants Open Big Dog Pro-Am Crazy Brit Caddyshack Classic Little Diablo Western Swing Go Blue Classic PLAYERS Championship WESTERN Championship EASTERN Championship Breast Cancer Awareness Open Canadian Open The TOUR Championship The President’s Cup The Commissioner’s Cup Tournament of Champions The Division Bell The Skins Game U of M Open Runny Nose Open

COURSE FEE Pine View GC $64 Blackheath GC $67 Salem Hills GC $62 Hickory Creek GC $63 Fieldstone GC $59 Pierce Lake GC $51 Links at Gateway GC $68 Cherry Creek GC $70 Fox Hills GC $ TBD Twin Lakes GC $72 Strategic Fox $ TBD Cattails GC $50 Farmington Hills GC $71 Sylvan Glen GC $64 Strategic Fox $ TBD Lakes of Taylor GC $54 Hudson Mills MP GC $ TBD Red Oaks GC $ TBD Fox Creek GC $43 Sandy Creek GC $52 Stony Creek Metropark $ TBD Huron Meadows Metropark GC $58 Taylor Meadows GC $67 Huron Meadows MP GC $ TBD Carrington GC $68 Brae Burn GC $44 Pontiac CC $61 Whispering Willows GC $44 Rackham GC $ TBD Huntmore GC $76 Lake Forest GC $68 Pheasant Run GC $74 Majestic at Lake Walden $82 TBD $ TBD Farmington Hills GC $70 Fellows Creek GC $ TBD TBD $ TBD TBD $ TBD TBD $ TBD Kensington MP GC $ TBD Farmington Hills GC $44 Links at Gateway $50 University of Michigan GC $ TBD Brae Burn GC $ TBD

DUE Apr 4 Apr 4 Apr 11 Apr 11 Apr 18 Apr 18 Apr 25 May 2 May 9 May 9 May 16 May 16 May 23 May 23 May 30 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 13 June 13 June 20 June 20 June 27 July 4 July 11 July 11 July 18 July 18 July 25 Aug 1 Aug 1 Aug 8 Aug 8 Aug 8 Aug 15 Aug 22 Aug 29

Sep 26 Oct 3