A Golfing Michigander

Forest Dunes

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:54:06 GMT

After reading the latest version of Great Lakes Golf (March/April), panic set in. Why? The headline story was Forest Dunes 2.0; Northern Michigan's Landmark Course Finds New Purpose. So? Well, they "discovered the public model wasn't the best fit" and they intend to make the course/club private. Apparently, not many people were "beat[ing] a path to its door". Oops, guess that would include me. Even though it has been high on my must-play list since opening in 2002, I just never made it there. I've balked a bit at the $125 greens fee, but it is possible to play in off hours for less. Well, now if they are going private, I better hurry up there before it's completely inaccessible.

An additional panic boost came because I've already missed an opportunity to play on another course that is now private. True North. They were public (semi-private, really) for a while. I dilly-dallied going there for the longest time and now I can't, in all likelihood, ever. It makes me ill to look at these photographs and not be able to play the course: [twoguyswhogolf] [fore.tv] [Michigan Golf] [wwjtv]

Not good planning on my part, so don't miss out on your chance either. The Forest Dunes course looks beautiful. It is especially compelling now that we're going through one of the snowiest winters on record. May can't get here any sooner.

Selfridge Air National Guard Base

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:52:08 GMT

Alright, this is bordering on ridiculous. Another golf course is on the chopping block. This time it's the course at Selfridge. This, according to the Selfridge MWR (Morale, Welfare, & Recreation) anyway. They write, "The Golf Course is subject to the BRAC closure, and will be closing 2 September 08." Bummer. At least I had the priviledge of playing the course once. This was when I played with the Greater Macomb Area Golf Association (an amateur golf organization no longer in the GAM Allied Associations list). Back in 1996. Yikes.

What a shame though. The MWR has this to say about the course: "The Selfridge Golf Course was originally established in the late 1940s and is situated at the southeast end of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base flight line. A 2.6 million dollar project in October 1997 resulted in an improved par 72, PGA-sanctioned course complete with large undulating greens, well-drained sand traps, and challenging new hole layouts. The Driving Range features 2 tiers with ample tee space, 5 artificial mats, and 3 large practice target greens along with a practice sand trap. Adjacent to the clubhouse is an 8000 square foot putting green surface with many levels, mounds, and rolls to challenge all players, beginner to pro!"

Maybe someone will buy the place.

Sugar Loaf Resort

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:43:28 GMT

Not that I'm morbid about these things, but it looks like Sugar Loaf Resort near Traverse City is up for sale (closed?) While doing some casual browsing today, I came across the Leelanau News Blog at leelanau.com which has been discussing this very topic. It would appear that the resort is not even open to the public right now and hasn't been for a couple years or more. No golf (and not just because it is winter) and no skiing.

Another (golf course) victim of this situation appears to be the Arnold Palmer King's Challenge golf course. That may be old news, however, as the web site for that course is still operational. That's a bit of relief as that course is unique and beautiful.

Post your comments here if you know more about this situation.

Top 10 Michigan Courses?

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:06:52 GMT

The Winter issue of Michigan Golfer (pdf) has a bunch of top 10 lists on a range of different golf things. One of them is a list from Golfweek of the top 10 courses in Michigan. Now, presumably, these are intentionally just public courses, otherwise, you know, Oakland Hills South would be on the list and it isn't.

I do like these kind of lists and although they are always subjective, I have to pick on a couple of their choices. Here is the list (no particular order?):

Arcadia Bluffs

Greywalls
Forest Dunes

Tullymore

Wilderness Valley - Valley Course
Bay Harbor - Links Course
Bay Harbor - Quarry Course
Gailes
Treetops Signature
Black Lake

[1] Surely they meant the Black Forest course and not the older Valley Course. Right?
[2] Links and Quarry are both 9 holers. Shouldn't they be lumped together as one entry in the list of 10. As it stands, this is actually a top 9 list.
[3] The Signature course at Treetops? I would think that the Jones Masterpiece (or maybe even the Fazio) is the better of the two.
[4] What about some of these as a candidate for the missing 10th course? Shepherd's Hollow, The Hills at Boyne Highlands, The Bear at GTRV, Elk Ridge, The Majestic at Lake Walden, Legend or Cedar River at Shanty Creek, ... I could go on...

Course Closure in Frankfort

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:43:43 GMT

I just learned that there is another Michigan golf course that is closed for business. Frankfort Golf Club. Located on the Lake Michigan side of Crystal Lake, it was a 9 hole course that opened in 1928. Judging by the photo of the old clubhouse, it would appear that business has been slow and the lure of an offer from a developer was too irresistible. That's pure speculation on my part though.

The list of course closures in the state is piling up. Hate to see 'em go.

Courses closing

Another Michigan golf course - closed!

Course closure mania

Course closures - <again>

Greywalls Revisited

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:48:21 GMT

A while back I wrote about the new golf course designed by Mike DeVries in Marquette. It received a lot of acclaim then and seems to be continuing with that even now. While browsing through some old Firefox bookmarks, I happened across the golf course design web site GolfClubAtlas.com. If you enjoy golf course architecture even a little bit you must have seen this web site by now. Always on the lookout for favorable comments on Michigan golf courses, I was pleased to see a feature article on Greywalls on their web site. The best part are all the excellent photographs of the course. Really makes me want to play there now. Have to manage the private club status and 10-some hour drive to get there though.

Other Michigan courses reviewed on that web site include (I might be repeating myself here):

Pretty respectable showing for the state I think.

Square Club Folly

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 17:44:03 GMT

Apparently, a number of manufacturers are coming out with a new style of golf club head. Square. I have one word for 'em: hideous. And I do not care if the geometry is more suitable for hitting the ball further or not. Just like their fellow overbloated predecessors, I can't stand to look at them while addressing the ball. Maybe it is just a matter of adaptation -- I'd get used to it after a while until it becomes the new norm. There is only one problem -- they cost too much.

The prices of clubs skyrocketed in the 90s or so. I remember when a driver was in the $100 range or so, then all of a sudden the next increment took 'em to $300, $400, $500. Was it the new materials? Titanium. Graphite. Inflation?

Maybe a quick comparison would help. What else can you buy in the $400 range? How about a bandsaw? Jet sells a modest 14" model for that price.

Now, what is it about a golf club that even remotely compares to the materials, labor costs, shipping constraints, etc. of producing a piece of machinery like this? Maybe it is because they don't sell that many, so they are more expensive? Unlikely. How many people do you know that would buy a bandsaw vs. a driver? It has to be that they price those clubs like that because they can. All those people who have such tremendous amounts of disposable income, the piles of it are practically pushing them out of their homes, are just so desperate that they just gotta have that latest golf club, they'll pay anything. Why can't people take a stand and just say, no, that's too much. I'd rather do without than pay that. It would work with cable service, internet service, cell phone service, home construction and supplies (esp. kitchen cabinetry), etc. But don't get me started on that stuff.

Square Drivers: Advancement or passing fancy?

Is it Hip to be Square?

Celebrity Golfers

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 18:04:40 GMT

The very first time I ever swung a golf club, it was during gym glass in junior high school when the instructor must have wanted us to try some other sport besides basketball, baseball, and tag football. A good idea in principle, I suppose, but lacking in the implementation. There were no golf courses within 20 miles of the school, only a handful of beater clubs available, and no golf balls. Not even those plastic practice balls. What's the next best thing though? Why, pine cones, of course.

So, we spent one hour or less of one day hitting pine cones all of 20 feet or so. During this time, the football players in the class would have nothing to do with this sissy sport and enjoyed themselves snickering at those less close-minded folks who were willing to try something, even if only once. It wasn't until college some years later before I picked up a club again (it was a permanent addiction from that point on).

What made me think of this was the article that Golf Digest published this month entitled the "Top 100 in Music". It's a list of musicians who play golf ranked by their USGA Handicap Index. I can imagine that a number of people on this list probably used to sneer at the sport in much the same way that the football player types I knew did. Can you picture these guys on a golf course and lovin' it? Eddie Van Halen, Alice Cooper, Snoop Dogg, Meat Loaf, Tommy Lee, and Kid Rock.

A few years after my initial foray into the sport, I ran into one of those guys ... on the golf course. Thought that was funny ironic.

Putting course

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:08:21 GMT

There are some nice putting greens at some of the courses in Michigan and there are some nice par 3 courses too, but how many putting courses can you claim to have played? If you are like me, none. Oh, Pirate's Cove doesn't count.

So, here is your chance to give one a try. I'll have to finagle a trip somehow and head up to Bucks Run in Mount Pleasant to try theirs. Looks very cool. Probably a very busy place on a warm summer evening.

Easiest Holes II

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:12:48 GMT

Continuing with the series, here is another hole for the list.

#14, Portage Lake Golf Club, Michigan Technological University, 115-112-97 yars, par 3, handicap 18.

It might normally be enough to decide that any par 3 this short should be on a list of easy holes. However, just looking at this shortie from the tee won't lead you to think that. So, as long as you can keep your wits about you, a par or less should be well within reach.

Some of the things that can confound your par efforts here include-

a small green
drop off in the front (there is a 'valley' between tee and green)
woods left (hooker hazard)
narrow, shallow bunker left
did I mention the really small green?

Given those things though, I've found that my scores over the years on this hole have been pretty decent in spite of my beginner status for most of 'em. Lotsa pars, in other words.

USGA Tournaments in MI

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:56:13 GMT

Looking over the recaps of the USGA championship season in the members publication Inside the USGA, I see that another year passes without a tournament in Michigan. It got me to wondering when the next one will be held here. I kind of squandered the opportunity to see the APL when it came to The Orchards in 2002. I don't want that to happen next time.

The USGA Championships page on their website lists future competitions. It only shows the next two years, but that's enough for me to realize that it's going to be a while before an amateur event comes to the State. Sure, we've got some PGA events on horizon, but I'd like to see something a little less popular. When I attended a practice round of the Ryder Cup in 2004, there was, like, a trillion people there. Hard to see much of anything. The Ryder Cup was bad too because there were only a few groups actually playing. But, it was still very cool being there - something I need to do more often. It's worth going even if it is just for the opportunity to walk on these courses that you would otherwise be arrested for being on. Unless you're lucky enough to know a member or have some rare opportunity arise.

Out of touch

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:30:17 GMT

Wow. The last blog entry here was in April - not long before I went on a sabbatical from golf. My last round was in May .. well, ok, I did play 13 holes in October. Having loved and played this sport since 1980, this is the longest stretch of time in which I have quit playing like this. Even the typical forced winter break is only a few months. Four or so. With 30 degree temps coming after today, there'll be even more time off. I needed the mental break - it's not hard for this sport to lose it's appeal sometimes.

Hilltop

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 01:00:28 GMT

Managed to make it out for some golf for the first time in 2006. It's been a long wait since early November when I was last able to play. Nice to be out there in spite of the fact that the courses are a little muddy and just plain blah after the long winter. Fall is a much nicer time to play in the off season.

Went to Hilltop Golf Course both last week and this for some 9-hole practice. The course is not busy at all which makes it conducive for hitting 2-3 balls on each hole. The course has really greened up in just 7 days. Gets me looking at my lawn too - have to mow the darn thing before you know it.

I hear that the former owners of the course (American Golf Corporation) have parted ways and it is now run by Plymouth Twp. again. The guy in the pro shop said that AGC has not taken very good care of the course in the last couple of years and they are intending on returning the course to its former glory. That will be nice because this is kind of a sleeper golf course. The greens here are almost unfairly fast and devilishly contoured. What you think might be a 6" break turns out to be more like 6 feet. Everyone complains about the greens, but they all come hurrying back to try them again.

Currently, there are 5 courses in Michigan (Detroit area only) owned by American Golf Corporation. They have done some good things for these courses, including Hilltop when they first took it over. I was surprised to see how poorly they handled it recently. Not making enough money for them perhaps. Anyway, here are those five:

Chandler Park Golf Course
Palmer Park Golf Course
Rackham Golf Course (a Donald Ross)
Rouge Park Golf Course
The Woodlands

Metal Medal Resorts

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 01:55:53 GMT

Golf Magazine is out with another list. This time it is their Gold and Silver Medal resorts. They base them on the golf (first of course), service, amenities, and overall luxury of the experience.

Here is the Michigan contingent:

Gold Medal
<conspicuously empty>

Silver Medal
. Boyne Highlands
Harbor Springs

. The Inn at Bay Harbor
Bay Harbor

. Shanty Creek Resort & Club
Bellaire

. Treetops Resort
Gaylord

Not bad for a Mid-Western State. As you can imagine, most of the resorts are found in the warm weather States. You know, Hawaii, California, Florida. Getting four on the list is not bad for a State that is under a pile of snow for several months.

Noticeably absent from the list is another fine resort - Garland. I'll have to send Golf an eMail and find out what it was about that excellent resort that they did not like. This should be interesting. Not enough ad dollars? Too far into the boonies perhaps.

Let me add a few of my own using no particular evaluation properties other than impulse (and personal experience with). These would not make their list but we all can't be spoiled rich snobs who can only go to a Gold Medal resort now can we? :)

. Boyne Mountain
. Garland
. Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
. Crystal Mountain
. Double JJ Ranch & Golf Resort
. Beaver Creek Resort
. Drummond Island Resort
. Manistee National
. Sugar Loaf

There are plenty more, but I'll stop there.

GolfClubAtlas

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:34:29 GMT

If you are into golf course architecture, and who wouldn't a little bit if you love the sport, there is a good website I like to read every now and then - GolfClubAtlas.com. It has good articles and forums whose members are well versed on the topic. And, of course, I always seek out the Michigan golf courses featured there. Unfortunately, the two they have are both private and very exclusive: Lost Dunes (a Tom Doak) and Crystal Downs (Perry Maxwell/Alister MacKenzie course).

Oh, wait a minit, there is a public course in Michigan on their list: High Pointe (another Tom Doak). This one I have played. It contains a contrasting pair of nines - the front is a "links" style very much out in the open, while the back nine is in the style of Northern Michigan all the way. Nice and hilly and wooded. Just a wonderful place to play. And the best part? They allow walking. The other public golf course he did in Michigan allows walking too - Black Forest. Makes me wonder if it is one of his requirements when buildling a course.

Birch Falls

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 01:45:14 GMT

There is a new golf course being built in Northern Michigan that has caught my attention since it is in an area that I used to know. For a while there they had a web site which detailed the course and the community being built around it. I drove by there recently, but it is hard to tell how much progress they made last summer, so I made a return visit to their web site, and lo and behold, it is no longer up.

Reading the Google-cached version, the home page used to read:

Birch Falls Community & Golf Club is a northern Michigan paradise for all seasons, located just east of Gaylord on M-32/M-33. With stunning landscapes all year, you can enjoy golfside living and the outdoors to its fullest potential. The area is known for its pristine hardwoods, rolling hills and many lakes.... a great fit for all types of outdoor enthusiasts.

Making your home on our golf course will provide the golfing lifestyle, but also with the privacy you crave. Homesites, golf cottages or condominiums are situated near and around the 19-hole championship course.
Reservations now being accepted.

Makes me wonder if development has stopped.

Great Lakes Golf mentioned it in a recent online article as part of a list of courses that "debut in 2005". Here were the details:

Course: Birch Falls GC
City: Atlanta
Architect: John Robinson
Planned opening: fall

Add a comment if you know more about this.

Featured Course IV

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 03:29:06 GMT

Elk Ridge
Atlanta, MI

Let the following accolades speak for the course-

Four and a half star rating (of 5) in "Places to Play", Golf Digest, 2000-2001
"One of America's Top 75 Upscale Public Courses", Golf Digest, 1996, ranked 47th.
"Second Best New Public Course in America", Golf Digest, 1992
Member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System.

In summary, put this on your must play list.

1. 419 Yards / Par 4

For being such a long par 4, you either have to hit a massive fade, or select a shorter club off the tee. Chances are you will have a long second shot. There are a lot of holes like this one - through the trees. It is so quiet up there, you can hear your tee shot reverberate through the trees. Very cool audio effect.

2. 409 Yards / Par 4

It is unusual that a hole such as this gets rated #18 in handicap stroke assignment. At 400-some yards through the trees, it doesn't look that easy to me. The tee is elevated, so that helps.

By now you should have a pretty good idea how nicely conditioned this course is. That, and the location is just terrific. Keep going, it does get better.

3. 554 Yards / Par 5

Here is another tricky hole. Just like the first, there is a wicked dogleg off the tee that gets repeated on the 2nd shot too. The 2nd is even tougher as it is hard to tell how far to hit it. Especially if you layed back too far off the tee. Don't get distracted by the view to Valentine Lake as you hit your approach shot up the hill to the green. Plus, there are more trees to deal with. Hope you can hit the ball straight.

Be sure to check out the stream along the cart path on your way to the next hole. Between that and the view towards Valentine Lake, this is one of the nicest stretches of cart path scenery in the state.

4. 203 Yards / Par 3

It is all carry over this fountained water hazard. From the tee it looks like the green is right on the edge of the water. Very intimidating.

5. 425 Yards / Par 4

Just like the first 3 holes, this is yet another 400-ish yard hole cut right through a hardwood forest. Keep it straight. I sliced one into the trees and had all kinds of trouble. Don't do that.

6. 203 Yards / Par 3

Very similar to the previous par 3, both in yardage and required carry over a hazard. In this case, it is grassy wetland but there are trees narrowing the route to the green adding to the intimidation factor. The prior par 3 was more open.

7. 380 Yards / Par 4

While this is a fairly short par 4, you will have to stay back off the tee to avoid the wetlands which you will have to carry on your 2nd shot. More trees to contend with. Let's just say that all the holes on this course are surrounded by forest unless you hear otherwise. This hole is a little less conventional than the earlier par 4's. There is a nice specimen tree near the teeing area that is kinda cool. Check out the view of the surrounding area off the tee.

8. 547 Yards / Par 5

The attached photo is from the fairway of this hole. There is a steep rise to the green that isn't obvious from the 2d photo. This is a very cool par 5 with all the tall pines. I know, I wasn't going to mention all the trees.

9. 387 Yards / Par 4

There is more of a dogleg on this hole than the image on the left indicates. Otherwise, this hole has all the same characteristics as the prior par 4's. Very nice, all in all.

10. 184 Yards / Par 3

Ok, this is clearly their signature hole. Since the owners of this course are the owners of the Honey Baked Ham company, that pig-shaped bunker you see is no accident. Notice that it even has a little pig-tail. Gotta love that elevation drop though. Reminds me of the 6th hole at the Jones Masterpiece at Treetops.

11. 339 Yards / Par 4

Very short par 4, but not much different from the other par 4's except length. Usually these short holes have some strategy requirements, but not this one. Not that I could see in one visit.

12. 431 Yards / Par 4

There is more glacial carvings going on in the back 9 than there was on the front. This is the start of that. Let's just say that you don't want to miss short or left here.

13. 578 Yards / Par 5

They love the doglegs on their par 5's here. Right then left here but not too sharply. Note the tree in the middle of the fairway near the green. Keep that in mind when hitting your second, it is very much in play.

14. 440 Yards / Par 4

Yet another long par 4 through the woods. Gotta love that bunkering.

15. 179 Yards / Par 3

More of that glacier action on this hole. Lotsa carving especially short of the green. Good hole not to leave it short on otherwise you'll be huffing and puffing up that hill.

16. 381 Yards / Par 4

Easily the best par 4 on the course. If your handicap is above, say, 15, you should probably play the White tees. However, if you did that you will miss out on the best set of tees to play this hole from. The angle is too straight from the White and Red tees. Watch out for that water/wetlands on the left, it is very much in play. The approach is uphill to the green which you shouldn't miss long or left.

17. 413 Yards / Par 4

This hole is tough. There is more room (length) off the tee than it would appear. I was fooled and was left too far away from the green. Those wetlands are in a valley and you don't want to be short. The fairway drops down past the bunkers but there is room down there. Tough hole.

18. 600 Yards / Par 5

As if the hole being long isn't challenge enough, you need to have as short of a shot as possible for your approach. All four of us in our group put one in that wetland. Intimidated the h*ll out of us, I guess.

Previously Featured Course

Featured Course III

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 02:23:36 GMT

Treetops - Jones Masterpiece
Gaylord, MI

Masterpiece is a good name for this golf course. It is cut through the forest that grew over the glacier carved valleys in the Pigeon River area. Easily one of the best courses I've ever played. Watch it though, it is brutally tough. Choose your set of tees carefully.

I have a hole-by-hole description of the course from the pages of an old website I used to maintain. Here it is...

1. 524 Yards / Par 5

Excellent opening hole requires a carry over the valley where you see the water. From the fairway bunkers it is downhill to the green well protected by water on the right and mounds on the left. It is hard to see on the image, but it is 285 yards from the back tee to the far bunker. But don't be so foolish as to try playing from the back unless you are a scratch golfer.

Attached image is of this hole.

2. 201 Yards / Par 3

Hookers beware. The entrance drive runs right along side the entire left side of this hole. Pull hook anything and it is going to hit concrete (or a windshield). The yardage guide says 'trouble is short and to the right'. Yeah, no kidding, the big hole in the ground short of that piece of fairway is no place to be playing from.

3. 419 Yards / Par 4

I told you not to play the back (Black) tees on this course, but it might be worth trying on just this hole. That ravine you see is a giant pit filled with all kinds of foliage. If you fall into it, you might not come back out alive.

Make your plans for your tee shot very carefully. That second ravine is very much in play and you really don't want to be playing from out of there. The same is true when it comes to the second shot too. Miss the green by much and you are going to be in a serious recovery dilemma. The thick woods and dramatic dropoff might be too much for you.

4. 198 Yards / Par 3

Another valley to negotiate. Just hit it flush, it is a long friggin' way to that green very well protected by bunkers. Possibly one of the toughest par 3's you'll ever play. I know it was for me.

5. 539 Yards / Par 5

Outstanding par 5. After the last couple of holes, this one is a bit of a reprieve. That is, if you manage to stay out of the woods and that ravine. The fairway has a lot of contour character, but as long as you hit 3 decent shots, this hole isn't too bad.

6. 180 Yards / Par 3

Postcard hole. There are probably more pictures taken on this hole than any other in the state. The 120 foot drop to the green has to be experienced to believe. The view over the Pigeon River Valley is awesome in the fall when the colors are full.

Truly unforgettable.

Oh yeah, don't miss the green here. Trust me.

7. 406 Yards / Par 4

Straightforward par 4. Through the trees it rises slightly to the green. About as average of a golf hole as you will see on this course.

8. 452 Yards / Par 4

That last hole was a warmup to this one. There is a huge elevation drop from the tee down to the fairway. You can cut as much of the corner as you would like, but make sure you clear the forest. Ideally, you will get as close to this green as possible for your second shot. That narrow peninsula the green sits on is very slim. It is an extremely nerve racking shot from even up close. Avoid that friggin' cart path running down the right side. Last time I played here, I pushed it right and the ball bounced high and sent the ball into the water. They should excavate all the cart paths on this course and give you a caddy instead. Grumble, grumble...

9. 431 Yards / Par 4

Since you listened to me and stayed away from the back tees, you get the pleasure of playing from an island tee (unless you chose the Red tees). From the fairway, this hole is very much like #7 and I often confuse the two.

10. 605 Yards / Par 5

Bring a lunch with you for this hole. The tees are elevated, but that is offset by the brutal yardage and long uphill climb to the green. You get a minor reprieve from the forest on this hole.

11. 431 Yards / Par 4

When we first played here (their opening day), the fairway turf was sliding down the hill for the 100 some yards in front of this green. It is pretty steep. Hard to find a flat place to play from, isn't there?

12. 469 Yards / Par 4

Back out in the open again. At this point, you are given the opportunity to get some food, massive amounts of alcohol, or a phone call to your mommy to cry about the 70-some strokes you'd had up to this point.

13. 208 Yards / Par 3

Wicked par 3 with that water in the front. And it is carry all the way to the green. You're in big trouble if you miss it short, or right.

14. 446 Yards / Par 4

This is one of my favorite holes on the course. That ravine you see in the image is quite severe, but it shouldn't come into play unless you are a big hitter playing the white tees. It is possible to duff one into it though...

The image shows a handful of trees on the right, but, trust me, it is a forest. The ground slopes away from the fairway in there, so keep out.

There is a nice view from the green looking over the valley. Enjoy it before you leave.

15. 363 Yards / Par 4

Ifyou forgot to enjoy the view from the last green, you get another opportunity from the tee on this hole. The fairway drops drastically from the tee. When you hit, your ball will have some serious hang time. Since the hole is fairly open and rather short, it feels like you could drive this green. Go ahead and try. Now is a good time to get your frustrations out.

16. 152 Yards / Par 3

Nice par 3. Easiest one on the course. Those lines you see in the image indicate a sharp dropoff, so if you are going to miss in any particular direction, do so on the left, not the right. Nothing too special about this hole otherwise.

17. 443 Yards / Par 4

More dropoffs on the right (same ridge as #16). Nothing too special here either (in comparison to the rest of the course, anyway - these holes make most courses look like <expletive deleted>). Just stay left.

18. 579 Yards / Par 5

Good par 5 finishing hole, but it isn't as nice as #1 or #5 (in my opinion). This is basically a 3 shot hole. I can't imagine how anyone could get there in two given the sharp elevation rise to the green in the last 90 yards or so. The bunkers in front force a carry all the way up to the green (which is quite shallow in the back left).

Previously Featured Course

Stroke of Genius

Mon, 26 Dec 2005 19:10:09 GMT

Just a few days ago I happened to watch the movie Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius on DVD (library rental). Having a history of bad sports/golf movies to disappoint me, my expectations for this one were a bit low. What a pleasant surprise to find out that this was actually a very well done movie. It covered his life from youth through his competitive years of golfing nicely. I would recommend this movie to any golfing fan.

See how it rates compared to other golf movies I have seen:

* Caddyshack - the King of golf movies. Absolutely hilarious and true to golf afficianados everywhere. It is the standard by which any other golf comedy is done. Everything else on my list is a distant second.

* Tin Cup - well done movie with both comedy and serious golf. Cameos add to the class of the movie.

* Bobby Jones: Stoke of Genius - this could easily be in 2nd place, but I like the humor in Tin Cup.

* Happy Gilmore - had the potential to be an awful movie, but it was excellent. Bob Barker appearance was outstanding.

* The Legend of Bagger Vance - pretty good - nothing great though. Didn't dislike it. How's that for a non-commital review?

* Dead Solid Perfect - Randy Quaid plays a lowly pro. Unremarkable movie.

* Follow the Sun - Ben Hogan movie starring Glenn Ford. Rather corny and not very well done.

* Caddyshack II - horrible, horrible, horrible. All traces of the existence of this terrible movie should be eradicated from this universe.

Here are some I have not seen:

* The Greatest Game Ever Played - movie about Francis Ouimet. Hopefully it will be good. The story behind it sure is.

* A Gentlemen's Game - has some potential.

Any I missed?

Baypointe Country Club

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 02:42:46 GMT

As I reported in an earlier posting, one of the many courses closing here in SE MI includes the private course Bay Pointe in West Bloomfield. Rumor has it that before the course actually closes for good it will be open to the public. This is good news - I am always looking for an opportunity to play these (to whatever degree) exclusive places.

I actually have played this course once. A longtime golfing buddy sent them a letter some time ago asking for permission to play and they obliged. Ok, so it was off season (April), it was still the first private course that we were able to play.

It remains to be seen if they will open to the public or not, but don't miss out on the chance if it is true.

Photo Album: Indianwood (Old Course)

Fri, 05 May 2006 20:17:09 GMT

Indianwood (Old Course)

Indianwood #10

Indianwood #9

Indianwood (clubhouse)

Indianwood (entrance)

Photo Album: Golf Shoebox

Sun, 23 Oct 2005 22:51:22 GMT

Golf Shoebox

Keweenaw Mountain Lodge #1

Photo Album: Golf - Ryder Cup 2004

Mon, 06 Dec 2004 15:25:15 GMT

Golf - Ryder Cup 2004

The Sign

Miguel Angel JIMÉNEZ

Colin Montgomery

Oakland Hills clubhouse

More signage

The Course

Ryder Cup 11

Ryder Cup 5

Ryder Cup 8

More Photos...

Photo Album: Golf - Boyne - Hills

Sat, 04 Dec 2004 15:47:21 GMT

Golf - Boyne - Hills

Boyne Hills #13b 08042003

Boyne Hills #18b 08042003

Boyne Hills #4-Dave-1 06062004

Photo Album: Golf - Bay Harbor

Sat, 04 Dec 2004 15:37:37 GMT

Golf - Bay Harbor

Bay Harbor Links #1 08042003

Bay Harbor Links #6gr 08042003

Bay Harbor Links #7 jim 3rd bunker 08042003

Bay Harbor Links #8 dh bunker-2 08042003

Bay Harbor Quarry #4 gr from 5 fw 08042003

Bay Harbor Quarry #5 gr side 08042003

Bay Harbor Quarry #6gr from 7 tee 08042003

Bay Harbor Quarry #8 gr-1 08042003

Bay Harbor Quarry #9 dh2nd-1 08042003

Photo Album: Golf - Birmingham CC

Sat, 04 Dec 2004 15:27:23 GMT

Golf - Birmingham CC

Birmingham CC #1 dh+jmh 09092004

Birmingham CC #2 09092004

Photo Album: Golf - Arcadia Bluffs

Sat, 04 Dec 2004 15:21:59 GMT

Golf - Arcadia Bluffs

Arcadia Bluffs #10a 09292002

Arcadia Bluffs #14 from #18 tee 09292002

Arcadia Bluffs #16b 09292002

Arcadia Bluffs #9a 09292002

Arcadia Bluffs jim+dave at sign 09292002

Photo Album: Golf - TPC of Michigan

Fri, 03 Dec 2004 15:28:06 GMT

Golf - TPC of Michigan

First Hole

Untitled Photo

Eighteen

Custom List: Featured Holes

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:05:43 GMT

Featured Holes

Custom List: Featured Courses

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:05:29 GMT

Featured Courses

Course IV
Elk Ridge
Course III
Treetops - Jones Masterpiece
Course II
Keweenaw Mtn. Lodge
Course I
Grand Traverse Resort

Custom List: Personal list

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:04:55 GMT

Personal list

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Directory of web page links for Michigan golf courses