Courses - Golf Association of Michigan

$2.95 MARCH / APRIL 2009 WWW.GAM.ORG
Swing & Save at
215 Courses
Michigan
PLUS: 2 for 1 Discounts at 31 Courses
00_COVER FINAL.indd 1
Golf Course
of the Future
Eco-Friendly Links
Aren’t a Dream
Season Preview
More GAM Championships
and Events for Players
of All Abilities
2/23/09 12:27:17 PM
TM
A North American Masterpiece
is season public players can savor the unique experience of True
North, an unforgettable sampling of the rustic beauty of northern
Michigan that is attracting loyal members from as far away as Texas
e public can experience True North during the
membership build out period anytime during the golf season based
on availablity.
Underscoring True North’s private club experience is the elegant
stone and wood clubhouse offering fine yet casual dining for lunch
and dinner in the contemporary Compass restaurant. Large windows
as well as the deck and patio serve up panoramic views of the course.
Tucked in the green rolling hills an protected woodlands on the
northern edge of Harbor Springs, the True North Golf Club is one of
the Midwest’s most exciting and talked about golf destinations.
is award-winning course, designed by Jim Engh, one of America’s
top architects, offers a stunning setting of perfectly manicured fairways
flowing gracefully up and down hillsides, through natural sanctuaries
of solid stands of hardwood trees.
Lunches
and
Casual
Fine Dining
Memberships that require only monthly dues for up to three years are available.
Home site opportunities available on and off the golf course.
*Please call for reservations
“Best in State - Golf Digest 2007”
“Experience Jim Enghʼs True Northern Masterpiece”
Call for pricing or to book your next golf reservation!
2500 True North Drive • Harbor Springs, MI 49740 • ph 231-526-3300 • truenorthgolf.com
vol. 11 no. four
Contents
official publication of the
golf association of michigan
editor & publisher Tonia J. Branch
[email protected]
associate publisher Edward J. Peabody
[email protected]
managing editor Steve Wilke
[email protected]
GAM members get 2 for 1 guest fees at Black Bear GC — just one of 215 Swing & Save
discounts offered by GAM member clubs across the state. See page 16 for details.
art director Leah Clark
[email protected]
copy editor Anne Berry Daugherty
production director Trudie Cloyd
16
swing & save
‘stay-cations’
GAM members play even
more golf for less! With 215 moneysaving opportunities — including offers
from more than a dozen private and
semiprivate facilities and 2 for 1 offers
at 31 courses — you don’t have to travel
far to get a deal.
20
the golf
course of
the future
Imagine the future, when updated golf
course turfgrass management programs
create eye-popping budget reductions
in equipment, maintenance, and fuel.
Where the course is highly connected to
nature — and more fun to play. It’s not
really that far away.
22
golf’s gamechanging club
It was 30 years ago when
Gary Adams unveiled his first “metalwood.” Today, the revolutionary concept
is entrenched in the game. The product
spawned incredible advancements in
technology, leading to titanium, oversized drivers and, most recently, geometric forms that have literally reshaped
how the masses play the game.
2
Departments
7
10
12
24
26
28
Forecaddie Make sure you take
advantage of all your member benefits:
Renewing your GAM membership is
easier than ever with online registration.
Plus: Bill Zylstra tears it up in Florida,
GAM Web store opens for business, the
“secret formula” to picking a net-team
partner, and more.
Tee Party Evans Scholars take their
“final exams” at Barton Hills CC.
Season Preview The GAM adds
championships for the young — and
young at heart. Plus: GAM Golf Days
may be the best bargain in golf.
Lesson Is your body getting in the
way of swing changes, robbing you of an
extra 10-30 yards? Maybe you just need
to boost your flexibility.
Rules & Etiquette When you just
might want to consider the dreaded
stroke and distance option. Plus: Show a
little consideration on the course.
Links to the Past Greater Grace
Temple purchased the Rogell Golf Club
from the city of Detroit in 2007, giving
this original GAM member club and early
Donald Ross design a new lease on life.
senior production artist Eric Weir
production artist
Robert Gorczyca
senior advertising designer
John Tenney
advertising designer
Megan DeKok
contributing writers
Ron Gaines, Jeff Goble, David Graham
Vartan Kupelian, Tom Mead, Jeanne Myers
contributing artists
Brett Beier, Carrie Hall, Bill Latreille
Amanda Myers, Kyle Raetz, Brad Ziegler
address editorial comments to
tonia branch — golf association of michigan
24116 Research Drive
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Phone: 248-478-9242
Fax: 248-478-5536
for advertising, please call
Jason Hosko
[email protected]
Phone: 248-691-1800 ext. 126
western u.s.
Linda Babian
[email protected]
ad coordinator
Sheryl Vallus
[email protected]
248-691-1800 ext. 128
hour media, l.l.c.
ceo Stefan Wanczyk
president John Balardo
117 West Third St., Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: 248-691-1800 Fax: 248-691-4531
photograph courtesy of the course
Features
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
02_TOC.indd 1
2/19/09 10:17:09 AM
Golf Association of Michigan
24116 Research Drive | Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Phone: 248-478-9242 Fax: 248-478-5536 | www.gam.org
Officers
president John F. O’Donovan
vice president William F. Wright
vice president J. Lee Juett
vice president Rondal Gaines
treasurer Lloyd A. Schwartz
secretary John Schulte
assistant secretary Richard Topp
General Counsel
Harrison C. Stackpole,
Ogne, Alberts & Stuart, P.C.
Presidents Emeritus
Dr. Walter Albers
Fritz Balmer
Donald J. Barrett
Paul F. Beaupre
Thomas W. Chisholm
Victor S. Cuiss
David C. Devendorf
Jere B. Gillette
Neil J. MacPhee
Robert L. McMasters
Thomas M. Murphy
Jeanne Myers
Dr. Richard A. Papp
William A. Prew
David F. Rentschler
Lewis A. Rockwell
John D. Standish
James H. Stevens
Wallace G. Wheeler
Staff
executive director
David Graham
assistant executive director
Tonia Branch
manager of member
services & communications
Susan Smiley
member services assistant
Mary Jo Green
director of course
rating & member services
Doug Hendershot
director of finance
Jan Qualtiere
event coordinator/
executive assistant
Rosie Rockov
senior director of
rules & competitions
Ken Hartmann
assistant director of
rules & competitions — rules
Jeanne Myers
assistant director of
rules & competitions — juniors
Chris Mills
web consultant
Smith Patterson
Board of Governors
Gary H. Adelman
John W. Allen
Barry J. Andrews
Christopher Angott
John T. Barbour
David Baughman
Larry P. Beidelman
Thomas Bollinger
Steve Braun
Inez Bridges
Robert Buckley
David G. Cameron
James Champion
Gary Davey
Pat DeMaire
Frederic Devendorf
Charles H. Edwards
James Evanoff
Bill Felt
A.J. Galsterer Jr.
Bill Hartwig
Thomas J. Hicks
Doug Hinton
Cathy Kalahar
Mick Kildea
James A. Koepke
James R. Kohl
Roger Kuhl
Pam Kurtz
Linda T. Lester
Mark McAlpine
Brian E. Mills
Terry Moore
Timothy Moore
Jean Murray
Robert Nowikowski
Dr. Roger G. Ostrander
Cynthia Pinkard
James E. Russell
Donald R. Schepers
Harrison Stackpole
Stephen Varga
Marvin N. Weinstein
Sara Wold
Betty Woods
Michigan Links is the official publication of the Golf Association of Michigan, a not-for-profit organization serving all golfers in Michigan. The text, opinions and views expressed within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions or the official policies of
the Golf Association of Michigan, editor and publisher. No part of this magazine is intended as an endorsement of any equipment,
publication, videotape, Web site, golf course, or other entity. No part of this magazine may be reproduced for any reason without prior
written approval from the GAM. The Association does not sell, rent or otherwise release its mailing list of GAM Individual and Club
Members. We welcome all editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of any unsolicited material. They
will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Michigan Links ISSN 1531-1732 (U.S.P.S. No. 018-935) is published four times annually (March/April, May/June, August/September
and November/December) by the Golf Association of Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Farmington Hills, MI 48331 and additional
mailing offices. Single copies are available through the GAM for $2.95.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Michigan Links, 24116 Research Drive, Farmington Hills, MI 48335, 248-478-9242. All GAM
members should receive Michigan Links.
Copyright © 2009, Golf Association of Michigan. Products and services mentioned in this publication may be trademarks of their
respective companies.
04_GAM_Board_Masthead.indd 1
2/19/09 10:57:33 AM
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We are also pleased to announce that in addition to
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Visit our courses online at www.golfosprey.com to
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2/18/08 2:48:42 PM
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the gam in 2009:
going strong after 90 years
By David Graham
news & notes | events | gam benefits
Forecaddie
The coming year is going to test everyone in all
Michigan industries, including golf. Let’s not kid
ourselves; we face some structural issues of epic
proportions. In light of these challenges, the GAM
is committed to continuing to serve amateur golf in
Michigan consistent with our mission to “promote,
preserve & serve golf.”
On May 5, 2009, we will celebrate our 90th
anniversary. I believe that makes the GAM the
longest-standing association serving golf in Michigan.
While we are proud of this heritage, we recognize
that we are a service organization. We must evolve to
remain relevant to our members, public clubs, private
clubs, and clubs without real estate.
Rest assured, while there may be some bumps in
the road ahead, we are committed to serving all of
our members and member clubs — while holding
the line on our prices. Our membership fee per golfer
and member facility remains the same in 2009 as it
has been for the past three years.
We will maintain our current level of service, and
have added even more benefits:
Swing & Save has grown to 215 facilities
including 2 for 1 offers at 31 courses … more than
ever before!
A new USGA/GAM Alliance Membership that
includes a Member Bag Tag
Additional GAM Championships, including
the 1st GAM Boys’ Stroke Play and the 1st GAM
Senior Match Play
Expanding the number of GAM Golf Days to up
to 14 sites!
GAM Member logo golf apparel available
through our Web site, www.gam.org
First Tee of Michigan Mentor Days
An updated Club Operations Survey to analyze
and compile financial and operational data,
providing participating clubs with vital information
for survival in today’s economy.
As a fellow golfer, I know how satisfying — and
therapeutic — it can be to play a round, even when
I don’t have my “A” game. I urge you to join me
and play golf as often as your schedule and budget
permits. Fortunately, as a GAM member, you can
stretch your dollar further than ever before.
As we approach our 100th year of serving
golfers, the GAM is committed to growing this great
game and helping make it available to everyone.
Early Muskegon CC turfgrass
equipment; T. Worden Hunter of CC of
Detroit won the first GAM Championship
in 1919 (below left); Rackham GC caddies
(below); and Lansing CC members.
David Graham is executive director of the GAM.
06_Forecaddie_intro.indd 1
2/19/09 10:51:23 AM
Forecaddie news | milestones
Mission Possible top secret formula to
win best ball tournament by ron gaines, gam handicap chair
It’s a new year and you’ve made the decision: Come hell or high water,
you’re going to win the “Best Ball” (net team) tournament at your club. No
more wandering the fairways aimlessly, searching for fulfillment and inner
satisfaction. This year it’s a trophy and a pocket full of cash.
The Ghost of Tournaments Past
Like most of us, you have a close friend
you like playing golf with. Year after year,
you and Billy Bipsic (Ball In Pocket, Sitting
In Cart) tee it up, praying for a small miracle. You dream of being the Fantastic Duo,
the perfect Ham & Egg. Then something
drastic happens: Golf gets in the way.
After 11 holes of saying, “I’m sorry” to
each other, having a Bloody Mary at the
halfway house doesn’t seem like such a
bad idea. It’s noon somewhere, right? And
helping to read each other’s putts? Forget
about it! The only thing you want to read
is the lunch menu. It’s finally over, the
nightmare round, perhaps the worst round
in your 10 years of playing together. You
both couldn’t put two good holes together.
If this happens year after year, here’s a
hint: It’s usually not about the golf, it’s the partner.
Enter the “Anti-Handicap”
Let me share a top secret that will increase
your odds of taking home the trophy.
When you pick your partner this year,
don’t just know his handicap, know his
“Anti-Handicap.”
His what? What the %*# is an anti-handicap?
The anti-handicap formula is similar
to that of the handicap formula, but it’s
computed using the highest scores in the
scoring record, not the lowest.
As any “Trekkie” will tell you, matter
and anti-matter explode when combined.
In a Best-Ball tournament, handicap and
anti-handicap will blow away the myths
about your not being able to win the big
one. Once you realize it’s not always individual play that gets in the way of success,
it’s time to find the best partner to help
you to fame and glory.
The Secret Formula
Remember, handicaps are thought of as
one-dimensional. An 8 is an 8 on paper,
8
but on a course, players with very different scoring abilities can be in the group
we call an 8 handicap. The number that
tells the truth about the consistency of your
partner is his anti-handicap. In other
words, what would his handicap be if it
were based on the 10 highest differentials
of his last 20 scores, not the lowest?
Here’s the secret formula:
1. Add the 10 highest differentials
2. Multiply that number by .096
3. The result is your anti-handicap
Consistency — or inconsistency — is the
key. When a handicap is computed by
the GAM, it’s based on the lowest 10 scores
(differentials). The question is, how
close to his handicap are the 10 scores that
are not used in the calculation?
The difference between your handicap
and anti-handicap measures consistency. If
the number is 5 or less, you are “Steady
Eddie,” a very consistent player. If it’s 12
or more, you are “Wild Willie.”
WHY it Works
If your handicap and anti-handicap are
relatively low, say 5 through 7, look for
a higher handicap partner — usually one
in the 16 to 18 range, because he gets lots
of strokes. But make sure he is more erratic
than you (a higher anti-handicap).
Why? His round will usually mirror
his collection of scores. He’ll blow up on
holes as often as he does on rounds. The
good news is that on the holes he doesn’t
blow up, he’ll carry you.
According to USGA statistics, consistent
low handicap players make great partners
for erratic high handicap players.
So if you’re going to try to win a bestball tournament, Steady Eddie and Wild
Willie can make a very good team —
sometimes one that’s downright perfect.
LOOKING AHEAD
March
29
Michigan Golf Season Opens
Start posting scores to keep your
GAM/USGA Handicap Index current
April
6-12
The Masters
Augusta National GC
Don’t forget to register and pick
your choices for the
GAM/Michigan Golf Live Ultimate
Fantasy Golf League
14
First Handicap Revision
May
5
GAM Annual Meeting
Egypt Valley CC, Ada
gam handicap
certification
The USGA has mandated that each
course/club that administers the
GAM/USGA Handicap System
must have at least one certified
member by December 2011. The
GAM will hold several Handicap
Certification Seminars in 2009 to
meet this requirement. Seminars
include materials and lunch, and
there’s optional golf as well. Plus,
PGA members receive 4.0 CE
hours for attending.
Scheduled seminars include:
June 3 at Boyne Resort.
Other seminars will be held in
convenient geographic locations
across the state, including metro
Detroit, mid-Michigan, Grand
Rapids, and the Thumb. For details
and information on how to register,
visit www.gam.org and look under
the “Handicap” tab.
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
08_Forecaddie.indd 1
2/19/09 10:52:54 AM
It’s Time to Renew!
be sure to get all your gam membership benefits
It’s almost spring! Time to renew your
GAM membership for the 2009 season
and get all your GAM Gold Card benefits
— including 215 Swing & Save offers and
your official GAM/USGA Handicap Index
and scoring record.
Getting in the GAM has never been
easier. Get started at www.gam.org under
the “Membership” tab, and click on “Join
Now.” You’ll need your membership
user name and password. If you don’t
know them, call the GAM’s Membership Department customer service line at
(248) 478-9242 ext. 23 and we’ll walk
you through the entire process.
Former private club members:
If you’ve left your club, you can still maintain your official GAM/USGA Handicap
Index, scoring record, and get all of your
member benefits!
Go to www.gam.org and click “Join
Now” under the “Membership” header.
Click the “Transfer Membership” box and
enter your membership user name and
password. Enter the largest city in your
area and select a new home “handicap
club” from among the GAM Member
Club names that appear. Then, pay the
low cost of only $35 through our secure
online site.
05", )# 7%,#/ -%
Renewing public club members:
There are now 220 GAM member clubs
offering online registration and renewal.
Go to www.gam.org and log in to your
profile page, then click “Renew Membership for 2009.”
Transferring your home course:
Members can transfer from one GAM
member club to another at www.gam.org.
Click “Join Now” under the “Membership”
header. Click the “Transfer Membership”
box and enter your member login. Select a
new home “handicap club.” Your scoring
record will automatically transfer to the
new club within three business days.
Even More Benefits for 2009
Remember, GAM membership is so much more than establishing and maintaining your
official GAM/USGA Handicap Index. GAM Gold Card members get:
“Swing & Save” offers at 215 facilities around the state
(see page 16), including 2 for 1 offers at 31 locations
A subscription to Golf Digest or six months of Golf World
Discounts on equipment, including the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500
A subscription to Michigan Links magazine and the
GAM Annual Course Directory
A new USGA/GAM Alliance Membership that includes a
)''0
Member Bag Tag
Eligibility to enter GAM tournaments including net events
for all skill levels
Access to the GAM/Michigan Golf Live Fantasy Golf League
A chance to enter the Buick Open VIP package drawing, and other GAM contests!
Check out the entire list of member benefits at www.gam.org under
the “membership” bar
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LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DISPLAY YOUR GAM PRIDE? Or maybe you’re looking to
get a discount on a Bushnell Pinseeker or subscribe to your favorite magazines. It’s all in
the new GAM Web Store. We’ve added a whole series of logoed GAM clothing — from
hats and shirts to fleece and other cold-weather gear. Check it out at www.gam.org.
2EES*ONES
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MARCH | APRIL 2009
08_Forecaddie.indd 2
9
2/19/09 10:53:09 AM
Forecaddie news | milestones
Write On!
Golf-related works by two Michigan
authors recently hit the bookshelves.
Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects
by Michigan Talk Network radio host
Michael Patrick Shiels explores
the achievements of top golf course
architects. In collaboration with the
American Society of Golf Course
Architects (ASGCA), the book reveals
inside knowledge from Tom Fazio,
Pete Dye, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent
Jones Jr., Rees Jones, and more. To order Secrets ($40,
hardcover; Skyhorse Publishing) contact the ASGCA
at (262) 786-5960.
In Golf: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, Bill Lindhout exposes the dirty tricks that
golf course architects can play on the average golfer, based on his experience as a
25-year veteran GAM course rater. The recipient of the GAM’s Distinguished Service Award for 2005, Lindhout framed his book as a “response” to Tom Doak’s
Anatomy of a Golf Course. He offers insight into what goes into the building of great
golf courses — and what can sometimes go horribly wrong with others. To order
Golf: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly ($14.99, paperback, Tate Publishing & Enterprises)
visit www.barnesandnoble.com or www.tatepublishing.com.
final exams
Barton Hills CC in Ann Arbor hosted potential
Evans Scholars for their “final exams” in
January. GAM and Western Golf Association
officials interviewed the caddies as the final
step in their process to obtain scholarships
from the Evans Scholars Foundation.
1
2
3
MILESTONES
Bill Zylstra of Plymouth was the GAM’s Senior Men’s Player of the Year for
2007 and 2008. But he’s also getting national kudos: He was Golfweek’s senior
amateur national champion in 2008, accumulating more points than any other
player. Zylstra is off to a hot start in 2009. In January, he won the Adams Golf
Senior Amateur, was runner-up at the Kingsway Senior Invitational, and placed
T-8 and T-10 at the Riverwood Senior Invitational and Gateway Invitational
events, respectively.
4
longest day
OF GOLF
Nearly 30 GAM member courses have signed on to participate in the “MS Longest
Day of Golf.” The event benefits the Michigan Chapter of the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society. Golfers organize a foursome and can play all day long. There is a
minimum fundraising requirement of $150 per golfer for each day of golf. Last year
more than 700 golfers raised more than $175,000. For more information call (248)
351-2190 ext. 204 or visit http://mig.nationalmssociety.org.
10
6
1 Terry Olson and Anthony Michetti
2 Bill Moses 3 Doug White and Michael Jones
4 Anne Fowley and Eric Ploe 5 Jay Hults and
Nicholas Bright 6 Jesse Giles and Fred Rivers
photographs by carrie hall
5
The USGA announced that Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Mich., will host
the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. The dates of the championship are
July 19-24, 2010. Egypt Valley has been the site of many USGA qualifiers as well
as championships conducted by the GAM. In addition, a Champions Tour event
was played there from 1994-2004. “We are excited to have the first USGA championship in the Grand Rapids and western Michigan area,” said John O’Donovan,
GAM president and general chairman for the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur. “We
believe the golf course has proven that it is worthy of the challenge and that the
community will support this championship.”
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
08_Forecaddie.indd 3
2/19/09 10:53:38 AM
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Historical Golf • Charming Accommodations • Legendary Irish Hospitality
Replays on Old Head Golf Links FREE for GAM Members.
spring meadows cc to test 98th michigan
amateur contestants by brendan savage
The Michigan Amateur Championship
is Jimmy Chestnut’s favorite tournament
of the season, but this year it will be even
more special than usual. Not only is the
former Michigan State star from Grand
Blanc the defending champion, but the
tournament will be held not far from
his home at the very course where his
magical 2008 season began taking shape.
The 98th Michigan Am will be played
June 23-27 at Spring Meadows Country
Club in Linden, where Chestnut won last
year’s Genesee All-Star Golf Classic — the
Flint-area’s top amateur event — before he
captured the Michigan Amateur a couple
of weeks later at The Moors in Portage.
Chestnut, who beat MSU’s Steve Cuzzort of Grosse Ile 4 and 2 in last year’s
championship match, added the GAM
Championship to his resume later in the
summer en route to being named the
2008 Golf Association of Michigan’s
Player of the Year.
“The All-Star was the first tournament I
played in a couple of years because I was
trying to get my amateur status back,”
says Chestnut, 27. “It was nice to play it at
Spring Meadows because I’ve played it so
many times. It was an easier way to jump
back into competition.
“I’m not sure how many people have
repeated as Michigan Amateur champion,” Chestnut adds. “I think most of
them ended up turning pro. It would be
kind of cool, as far as history goes, to try
and repeat.”
Those who know the course best say
Michigan Amateur contestants will have
to do a little bit of everything to succeed
at Spring Meadows.
They’ll have to shape their shots with
doglegs going right on one hole and left
on others, there are double doglegs on
two of the par 5s, the elevated greens
mean players will have to keep the ball
below the hole to have a good chance at
making birdies, and the putting surfaces
will be fast and firm.
12
“The course will stand up pretty well
to the good players,” says Grand Blanc’s
Greg Reynolds, the 2002 U.S. Senior
Amateur champ who won 10 club championships when he was a Spring Meadows member. “There are probably a third
of the holes that you don’t hit driver on
just because you want to keep it in play.
The risk probably isn’t worth the reward.
“Usually, you use everything in your
bag,” Reynolds adds. “There are some
lengthy par 4s and some short ones, also.
Some par 5s you can reach (in two), but
usually there’s a little bit of a gamble associated with them if you don’t make it.”
Although this year marks the Michigan
Amateur’s first visit to Spring Meadows
CC, the club has hosted many other major
events over the course of its 50-year history. It was home to the Michigan Open
from 1966 -1968, the GAM Championship and the GAM Women’s Championship have been held there, and LPGA star
Morgan Pressel set the women’s course
record (68) during the AJGA’s Buick
Junior Open.
“If you get out of line, it can jump up
and grab you,” says past GAM President
Fritz Balmer, a Spring Meadows member
who has lived alongside the 18th hole for
30 years. “It stands the test of time pretty
well. We’ve had a number of big tournaments here and nobody ever tears it up.”
Jeff Zielinski, Spring Meadows’ head
professional and director of daily operations, hopes to get many of his members
involved in the event.
He’s encouraging members to bring
friends to watch the state’s premier amateur
event, and plans are in the works to erect a
hospitality tent with live entertainment.
“The club is pumped up,” Zielinski
says. “This past year, the course was in
the best shape I’ve seen it in my 15 years
here. I think it will be even better this
year. We paid our dues to host this event
and we’re going to put a show on.”
Brendan Savage writes for The Flint Journal.
Spring Meadows
Country Club
2008 champion
Jimmy Chestnut
At a Glance
98th michigan amateur
PRESENTED BY OSPREY RECREATIONAL
PROPERTIES
Spring Meadows
Country Club
June 23-27, 2009
Entry Deadline:
April 22
Handicap Index
Limit: 5.4
Format: Two days of
stroke play for 156
players. Top 64 move
on to match play.
Go to www.gam.org
for a list of qualifying
sites and entry forms.
course photograph by bill latreille, chestnut photograph by brett beier
Season Preview 2009
‘Every Club in the Bag’
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
10/11_Tournament Preview.indd 1
2/19/09 10:18:57 AM
Wabeek
Country Club
Bloomfield Hills
Since 1972
Rich in Tradition...Now Affordable to Join
• Golf & Social Memberships
• Low Monthly Dues & Minimums
• Zero Assessments
• Full Country Club Amenities
A prestigious 18-Hole championship golf course
designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye.
Now Offering an
Exciting Lifetime Golf
Membership Promotion
• Corporate Golf Outings
• Weddings
• Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs
Golf Outing &
Banquet Dates
Now Available
For more information or to arrange a personal tour,
please call (877) 855-0766,
or visit our website at www.wabeekcc.org
www.wabeekcc.org • 4000 Club Gate Drive, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 • 877.855.0766
At a Glance
93rd michigan women’s
amateur PRESENTED BY BUICK OPEN
Season Preview
Great Oaks Country Club
July 14 - 18, 2009
Entry Deadline: 6/24/09
Handicap Index Limit: 15.4
Format: Two days of stroke
play. The low 32 players
move on to match play.
A Test — and a Treat
great oaks to host top players at 93rd women’s
state amateur by paula pasche
When playing at Great Oaks Country Club
in Rochester Hills, it’s a good idea to have
your geographic bearings. It seems all of
the greens run toward downtown Rochester. At least, that’s how Mary Jo Busse,
an assistant professional at the club, sees
it. “The greens don’t show the breaks but
they are there,” she says. “They roll toward
downtown, it’s true.” (Hint: The course is
just west and a bit north of downtown.)
That information could come in handy
when the state’s best female amateurs
compete at the 93rd Michigan Women’s
State Amateur July 14-18 at Great Oaks CC.
The field has become increasingly competitive since the GAM took over administration of the championship in 2005. This
year, at least, the path to the top will have
one less obstacle: The winner of the past
two Women’s Amateur championships —
Laura Bavaird of Grosse Ile — turned pro,
and won’t be on hand to defend her title.
The course, built in 1971, ranges from
6,513 yards from the tips to 4,942 for the
forward tees. According to Ken Hartmann,
the GAM’s senior director of rules and
competitions, the set-up for the Women’s
Am will be just shy of 6,000 yards —
which should entice more of the state’s
14
best female amateurs to enter the field.
As with most tournaments, competitors will be at an advantage if they know
the course — which plays longer than the
yardage indicates. “It plays long because
you don’t get any roll,” Busse says.
Great Oaks should be familiar to Women’s District Golf Association members
who have played events here before. One
key fact: The doglegs all go left — one reason Terry Delcamp of Grand Blanc enjoys
the course. It suits her eye and her game.
“It sets up to someone who draws
the ball. People who slice don’t like it so
much,” Delcamp says. She’s played Great
Oaks several times — including the 2001
Women’s District Stroke Play Tournament.
Tee box placement will be crucial,
especially on several dogleg holes. Either
the women will be forced to lay up or
they’ll have a chance to bust it out. Water,
which comes into play on many holes,
could also become a big factor.
“The water is in play … you can’t avoid
it,” says Delcamp, a 46-year-old amateur
who won the 2008 GAM Tournament of
Club Champions in 2008 at Indianwood
Golf & Country Club.
Delcamp says in match play, carrying
Go to www.gam.org for more
information and entry forms.
over water can become a daunting task.
“Usually if you’re standing with a wedge in
your hand, you don’t think anything about
it if you have to hit over a big pond with
rocks surrounding it,” she says. “But anything can happen in match play, especially
when the pressure is on.”
Speaking of rocks, there are plenty of
those too. When Great Oaks upgraded its
course three years ago, they brought in
tons of rocks and boulders to surround the
ponds and streams. According to Busse,
it can be to a golfer’s advantage to hit the
rocks and have the ball bounce back out
onto the fairway or green. Of course, it can
go the other way, too. And the four par 3s
offer their own particular set of challenges.
It seems there’s much to like about playing the rolling hills of Great Oaks, a private,
member-owned club that was once home
to a Black Angus cattle farm. It’s pleasant to
the eye, and even though houses are built
along stretches of the course, the residences
don’t come into play and make you feel
you’re playing in someone’s back yard.
The course was designed by Mark
McCumber and features classic architecture: a blend between the natural environment and the game, and an ability to maintain the interest of golfers at any skill level.
“The thing I like is that it’s always really
in good shape. It always looks pristine,”
says Delcamp.
Paula Pasche is an Oakland Press sportswriter.
photograph by amanda myers
Great Oaks
Country Club
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
10/11_Tournament Preview.indd 2
2/19/09 10:20:47 AM
new championships
Based on member feedback,
the GAM is adding events — for
the young and young at heart.
The 1st GAM Boys’ Stroke Play
Championship offers the 14-andunder set a 36-hole tournament
experience. The 1st GAM Senior
Match Play competitors face 18
holes of stroke play, followed by
three days of match play for 32
senior and 16 super senior qualifiers. Visit www.gam.org for details.
gam golf days
For only $55 — less than a normal
guest fee — GAM members can
play some of Michigan’s finest
clubs. The 18-hole stroke-play
events with a full GAM/USGA
Handicap Index include a cart,
range balls, and prizes for gross
and net winners. Visit www.gam.
org for details, and join the fun!
Monday, May 18
The Moors GC, Portage
2009 GAM Championship Schedule
Tournament/Sponsor
Venue
Date
Deadline
38th Fuller Cup Matches
Oakland Hills CC
May 4
Invite Only
1st GAM Senior Match Play
Port Huron GC
June 1-4
May 13
Western G&CC
June 9-10
May 20
Spring Meadows CC June 23-27
April 22
Hawk Hollow GC June 28-30
June 3
69th GAM Father & Son/
Parent & Child Championship
Prestwick Village GC July 6
June 30
31st Michigan Girls Junior
State Amateur CC of Jackson
July 6-8
June 17
Great Oaks CC
July 14-18
June 24
Lochmoor Club
July 20
July 10
July 28-31
June 17
Presented by: Buick Open
11th GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur
Presented by: Nationwide Insurance
98th Michigan Amateur
Presented by: Osprey Recreational
8th Michigan Women’s
Senior Amateur
Presented by: Hometown Newspapers
Presented by: Osprey Recreational
93rd Michigan Women’s Amateur
Presented by: Buick Open
64th GAM Caddie Championship
31st Michigan Junior State Amateur Pine Lake CC
Presented by: Osprey Recreational
69th GAM Father & Son/
Parent & Child Championship
Grosse Ile G&CC Aug. 3
June 30
7th GAM Junior Two-Person Team
Atlas Valley CC
Aug. 3
July 22
Women’s Atlas Trophy Matches
Lyon Oaks GC
Aug. 9-10
Invite Only
88th GAM Championship
Travis Pointe CC
Aug. 10-11
June 24
18th GAM Women’s Championship Battle Creek CC
Aug. 17-18 July 29
Oakhurst G&CC
Aug. 24-25
Aug. 5
Lakelands G&CC
Aug. 25-26
Aug. 12
Detroit News/GAM
Hole-in-One Contest
Whispering Willows
Aug. 31
Register online
Monday, Aug. 3
Lochmoor Club, Grosse Pointe Woods
13th GAM Women’s Senior
Little Traverse Bay GC
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Aug. 12
Monday, Aug. 10
The Heathers Club, Bloomfield Hills
27th GAM Mid-Amateur
Boyne Highlands Resort Sept. 3-4
Aug. 12
Presented by: Lesson on Golf
Edgewood CC
Sept. 8
June 22
Western G&CC
Sept. 11
Sept. 2
Oak Pointe CC
Sept. 13-14
July 22
Blythefield CC
Sept. 21-22 Sept. 2
Meadowbrook CC
Sept. 26-27
Invite Only
Oct. 5
Sept. 23
Tuesday, May 26
Edgewood CC, Commerce Twp.
Saturday, June 13
Plum Hollow CC, Southfield
Monday, June 15
Oak Pointe CC, Brighton
(Championship Course)
Monday, June 22
Walnut Hills CC, East Lansing
Wednesday, July 8
University of Michigan GC, Ann Arbor
Monday, July 27
Polo Fields G&CC, Ann Arbor
Monday, Aug. 17
Great Oaks CC, Rochester
Monday, Aug. 24
Grosse Ile G&CC, Grosse Ile
Presented by: Osprey Recreational
Presented by: Nationwide Insurance
Presented by: Nationwide Insurance
3rd GAM Senior Four-Ball
Presented by: Sullivan Golf & Travel
1st GAM Boys’ Stroke Play
Presented by: Osprey Recreational
19th GAM Net Team
Presented by: Michigan Golf Live
GAM Member Relations Day
Benefit for Evans Scholars and MTF
8th Michigan Net Amateur
Tuesday, Sept. 8
CC of Jackson, Jackson
Presented by: Pepsi
Monday, Sept. 14
Blythefield CC, Belmont
Presented by: Robert W. Baird
Monday, Sept. 21
CC of Lansing, Lansing
23rd GAM Senior Championship
Men’s Atlas Trophy Matches
GAM Chrysler Club Championship Oakland University
Golf & Learning Center
Presented by: Chrysler
MARCH | APRIL 2009
10/11_Tournament Preview.indd 3
15
2/19/09 10:21:03 AM
Feature swing & save
Play More Golf for Less at
215 Courses
swing & save makes michigan
golf the ultimate ‘stay-cation’
For the past few years, the GAM
has been touting that its members
can “Play More Golf for Less.” As the
economy continues to struggle, that
slogan has taken on new meaning.
For 2009, the GAM continues to fine-tune
its popular Swing & Save program, working
with its member clubs — including more
than a dozen private and semiprivate facilities. Go to www.gam.org and click on the “Swing & Save” tab to
view all 215 money-saving opportunities, including 2 for 1 offers
at 31 courses. Now you can play anywhere — from new courses
to old favorites or get discounts on lessons, range balls, and
pro shop merchandise.
Keep your GAM Gold Card handy as you plan your golf
season. Whether you’re taking a “stay-cation” near home or
planning a weeklong trip around one central location, you’ll
never have to travel far to get a Swing & Save deal!
Michigan Links goes around the state to highlight some of the
great discounts that are just a “one-tank trip” from four major
population centers: Grand Rapids, Lansing, metro Detroit, and
Traverse City.
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Pilgrim’s Run GC
16
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
14_StayCation.indd 1
2/19/09 10:29:57 AM
Hawk Hollow GC
grand rapids
Pilgrim’s Run GC (opposite page) in
The area surrounding the state’s largest
city near the “sunset side” is packed with
great golf. Here are some of the best Swing
& Save offers.
Pierson offers $10 off 18-hole regular rates.
Valid April, May, October, and November.
The Ravines in Saugatuck and St. Ives
Resort /Tullymore (St. Ives, Tullymore) in
Stanwood also offer $10 discounts.
Head over to Chase Hammond GC in Muskegon and pay $25 for 18 holes, with cart.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $10 for each course.)
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $11.50.)
Thornapple Pointe in Grand Rapids offers
four golfers for the price of three before
3 p.m. Valid M-Th June 1-Sept. 15. Cart
required but not included.
Take your foursome to Diamond Springs
GC in Hamilton and save. The course offers
a GAM rate for a foursome of $80 M-F
before 7:30 a.m. Foursomes are $140 Sat
after 2 p.m. and Sun before 11 a.m. Includes
cart. Not valid on holidays.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $13 each.)
Sure, it was formerly an apple and pear
orchard, but don’t worry about losing any
balls in the woods when you visit Lake
Michigan Hills GC in Benton Harbor: GAM
members receive a sleeve of Bridgestone
e5+ or e6+, or Nike Vapor golf balls, with
each regular paid guest fee.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: approximately $6.)
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $13.75 each … if you share.)
lansing/central
The heart of the state has an abundance of
great courses with Swing & Save discounts.
A foursome plays for $100 at Bay County
GC in Essexville, including golf, cart, and
lunch. The offer is valid F-Sun, 11 a.m.-3
p.m. Or play nine holes with lunch for $17
each. Valid M-Th 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $12 each, plus a free lunch.)
College Fields in Okemos offers $35 for 18
holes with cart, M-F, weekends after 1 p.m.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $15.)
Play at Hawk Hollow GC in Bath and take
$10 off peak-season rates. There’s also a
foursome special: $200 includes 18 holes,
cart, and range balls.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: at least $10.)
At The Medalist GC in Marshall you’ll get
25 percent off 18-hole rates M-Th anytime;
Sat-Sun after 1 p.m.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $12.25 weekdays, more on
the weekend.)
The Pines at Lake Isabella, west of Mount
Pleasant, offers 18 holes with cart for $29
M-F; $35 Sun. The discount is not valid for
outings of more than eight players.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $12.)
Save $10 at the Pohlcat Championship GC
in Mount Pleasant. The offer is valid M-F.
You can also get 15 percent off regularpriced apparel in the pro shop.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: at least $10.)
MARCH | APRIL 2009
14_StayCation.indd 2
17
2/19/09 10:33:07 AM
Feature swing & save
metro detroit
Here are just a few Swing & Save offers less
than two hours away — or as near as around
the corner — from the Motor City.
Packed with leagues during the week, Glenhurst GC in Redford offers $25 for 18 holes
with cart after 1 p.m. Sat-Sun. GAM members get resident rates on weekdays.
Eagle Crest GC in Ypsilanti lets you save $10
on standard fees weekdays anytime; weekends after 1:30 p.m. Cart rental required.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $10.)
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $17.)
You can also get $10 off regular weekday
rates at Huntmore GC in Brighton, Devil’s
Ridge GC in Oxford, and the Woodlands
of Van Buren.
Whether you’re planning a day trip or looking
for a “base camp” for a weeklong vacation,
you’re never very far from great golf.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $10 each course.)
Visit Greystone GC in Romeo and play for
only $35 M-F except holidays; $45 weekends/holidays after noon.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $23.)
2 for 1 Offers Across the State
Arrowhead GC in Caro (Cart rental
required. Must call ahead for tee time.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $16 EACH.
Elmbrook GC in Traverse City (M-F after 1
p.m.; based on regular rates. Carts required
but not included.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $16.50 EACH.
Black Bear GC in Vanderbilt (M-Th
anytime; F-Sun after 1 p.m.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $22.50 EACH.
Cedar Chase GC in Cedar Springs (M-F
anytime; weekends after noon. Offer not
available on holidays or with any other
offers, specials, or discounts. Does not
include cart.)
(Potential Swing & Save discount: at least $3 plus dinner.)
Witness the revival of a Donald Ross classic. New Rogell GC in Detroit offers 18
holes with cart for $15 per person, based
on two people playing. The offer is valid on
Friday only. Must call for tee times.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $14.)
Greystone CC
“Nine and dine” for $29 at Lakes of Taylor GC in Taylor. You get nine holes of golf
with cart and dinner (steak, chicken, or fish
and chips). Beverage, tax, and gratuity not
included. Get the same package at Taylor
Meadows GC for just $25. The offer is valid
at both courses M-F 1-4 p.m.
Glen Oaks GC in Farmington Hills (Cart
not included. Valid M-F until noon;
weekends and holidays after 1 p.m.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $14.50 EACH.
traverse city
Many clubs offer $10 off: A-Ga-Ming Golf
Resort (Torch, Sundance) in Kewadin; Black
Forest & Wilderness Valley Golf Resort
in Gaylord; The Chief at Hawk’s Eye/The
Chief Golf Resort in Bellaire; The Loon in
no matter where you travel,
Indian River Golf Club in Indian River
(Complimentary nine or 18-hole round
of golf with one fully paid round. Cart
required. Valid after noon any day. Not
valid on holidays.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $20.50 EACH.
Katke GC at FSU in Big Rapids (Cart rental
required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $10.50 EACH.
Grand Haven GC in Grand Haven (M-F
anytime. Cart rental required.)
King Par Golf in Flushing — Par-3 course.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $25 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $10.
Heather Highlands GC in Holly
(Weekdays. Cart required. Not valid on
weekends or holidays.)
Marlette GC in Marlette (Valid anytime.)
Eagle Glen GC in Farwell (M-F anytime;
weekends after 1 p.m. Cart required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $12 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $15.50 EACH.
Marsh Ridge Resort in Gaylord (M-Th
Cart rental required.)
Eldorado GC in Mason (M-F anytime.)
Hidden Valley GC in Shelbyville (Cart
rental required. Valid M-F anytime;
weekends, holidays after 2 p.m.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $23.50 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $14.50 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $13 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $8.25 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $10.50 EACH.
18
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
14_StayCation.indd 3
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Gaylord; Manistee National Golf Resort
(Cutter’s Ridge and Canthooke Valley), and
Sugarloaf/The Old Course in Cedar.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $10 each course.)
Check out Dunmaglas GC in Charlevoix
and take 20 percent off regular rates M-Th.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $15.80.)
Garland Resort in Lewiston offers a
chance to play the Monarch, Swampfire,
or Reflections course for only $45 M-Th.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: $30.)
Grand Traverse Resort & Spa (The Bear,
The Wolverine, Spruce Run) in Acme gives
GAM members 25 percent off public rack
guest fees for golf. Want to stay? Take 25
percent off rack room rates, too.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: at least $35 on golf.)
Otsego Club & Resort in Gaylord offers 30
percent off regular fees on the Tribute, plus
a 30 percent discount in the Headwaters
Golf Shop; valid for merchandise only.
(Potential Swing & Save discount: at least $23.70.)
private and
semiprivate clubs
Several private and semiprivate clubs are
opening their doors to GAM members.
GAM members can receive Swing & Save
discounts at more than a dozen clubs.
Offers include The Highlands in Grand
Rapids ($39 for 18 holes with cart, $25
for seniors — at least a $15 savings), Lake
Doster GC in Plainwell ($26 for 18 holes
True North GC
with cart — a $12 savings), and Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville ($49 for
18 holes with cart — a $15 savings). Visit the legendary Belvedere GC in Charlevoix
(10 percent off), True North GC in Harbor Springs ($10 off), and Indian River GC (2
for 1, savings of $20.50 each). Wawashkamo GC on Mackinaw Island offers 2 for 1
savings of $17.50 to $25 each, depending on if you play nine or 18 holes. Or check
out Flint GC for $50 with cart on weekends after 2 p.m. (it’s usually $100). You can
also visit Metamora Golf & Country Club for only $49 (a $21 savings) on Wednesday anytime, or weekends after 1 p.m. Cadillac Country Club offers 18 holes of golf
with cart for just $30 before Memorial Day or after Labor Day — a $21 savings. Bay
City Country Club offers $5 off their regular 18-hole guest fees. Harbour Point GC
offers 10 percent off their regular fees M-Th anytime, weekends after 1:30 p.m. (save
$.6.50). Ubly Heights Golf & Country Club offers $5 off anytime for nine or 18 holes.
Verona Hills GC let’s you visit on M-W-F anytime, weekends and holidays after noon,
and take 15 percent off (save $5.25).
you’re close to a gam member club offering 2 for 1 swing & save discounts*
Meridian Sun GC in Haslett (50 percent off
regular guest fees. Cart rental required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $9 EACH.
Michaywe Pines GC in Gaylord (M-Th
Cart rental required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $22.50 EACH.
Ridgeview GC in Kalamazoo (Cart rental
required. Valid weekdays before 1 p.m.;
weekends anytime.)
Twin Birch GC in Kalkaska (Not valid
holidays or weekends. Cart required but
not included.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $10 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $13.50 EACH.
Riverwood Resort in Mount Pleasant
(Open play only, M-Th anytime; weekends
after 1 p.m.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $12.50 EACH.
Mountain Lake GC in Gaylord (M-F
Cart required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $24 EACH.
Mullenhurst GC in Delton (M-F excluding
holidays. Cart required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $7.50 EACH.
Warren Valley GC (East, West) in
Dearborn Heights (M-F before 1 p.m. and
after noon weekends and holidays. Carts
are mandatory and not included.)
The Sawmill GC in Saginaw (M-Th anytime;
F-Sun after 2 p.m. Cart rental required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $17 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $14 EACH.
White Lake Oaks GC in White Lake
(Cart not included. Valid M-F until noon;
weekends and holidays after 1 p.m.)
Scenic G&CC in Pigeon (After noon. Valid
M-F only. Cart required. 10 percent off
apparel.)
The Natural in Gaylord (Sun-Th after 3
p.m. Cart rental required.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $11 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $16 EACH.
Pleasant Hills GC in Mount Pleasant (50
percent off regular guest fees.)
Springfield Oaks GC in Davisburg (2 for 1
18-hole guest fees; cart not included. Valid
M-F until noon; weekends and holidays
after 1 p.m.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $10.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $14.50 EACH.
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $16.50 EACH.
Wawashkamo GC on Mackinac Island
(2 for 1, 18-hole and nine-hole guest fees.
Valid M-F after noon. Weekends after 1 p.m.)
SWING & SAVE DISCOUNT: $17.50 TO
$25 EACH.
* both golfers must be gam members and show
their cards to get the discount.
MARCH | APRIL 2009
14_StayCation.indd 4
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2/19/09 10:34:22 AM
The Golf Course
of the Future
eco-friendly links aren’t
hard to imagine
by tom mead | illustration by kyle raetz
18_Future Course.indd 1
2/19/09 10:35:33 AM
I
magine a time in the not-sodistant future: You are the golf
course superintendent at a private
club in the Midwest. As usual, you
arrive at the course well before the
sun is up.
After you organize the day’s activities, the
grounds crew (one-third its current size)
disperses for their duties on quiet electric
utility vehicles that receive supplemental
power from photovoltaic cells on their roofs.
Much of the maintenance equipment is also
electric-powered, using electricity generated
from a bank of photovoltaic panels on the
maintenance building roof, as well as from
a 150 kW wind turbine located on a ridge
between the sixth and seventh holes.
Larger, high-horsepower equipment is
run by conventional diesel engines modified
to burn recycled cooking oil collected from
the clubhouse and other nearby restaurants.
Equipment and labor to refine the oil is a
significant part of your operations.
You march to the first tee and begin your
daily inspection. You’ve learned that walking each hole provides a better perspective
of what needs to be done — rather than
driving a cart at 10 mph or staying in your
office to review last night’s irrigation program and check e-mails.
No sprinklers are operating as you start
to walk. For the past four days, irrigation
has been limited to the fifth and sixth
greens, and the back of the 12th green.
Overall, the grass is beginning to go
dormant — drier areas of the course are
turning shades of purple and brown. The
forecast is for dry weather, so you consider
irrigating the entire course that evening.
You may choose to wait a day for the fairways and tees, but the greens definitely
will need a drink to avoid deep dormancy.
Your course is on the 43rd parallel and
it’s early July; the days are heating up, the
nights are warm.
Five years ago the club implemented a
comprehensive master plan to emphasize
sustainable design and practices. Like any
change, it generated controversy.
Poa annua/bent fairways were converted
to a blend of fine-leafed fescues. While that
hasn’t been perfect, the membership has
been pleasantly surprised by how much fun
the course has become with fast, firm fairways. The improved playability has proved
immensely more appealing compared to
the day-in and day-out green color and soft
surface of the original turf mixture.
Your fairway management program has
changed dramatically, improving the bottom line. Irrigation and fertilizer requirements were reduced by 50 percent; the
pesticide budget by 85 percent. Mowing
frequency was reduced by 50 percent —
creating eye-popping budget reductions for
capital equipment, maintenance, and fuel.
Maintained rough areas were converted
from a bluegrass/rye mixture to a fescue
blend; inputs for the roughs have been proportionally reduced. Members are happy
with the playability of the maintained rough
area, and have been quick to tell you so.
The Poa annua component of the old Poa/
bent greens was slowly eliminated by an
intricate maintenance program. The transition was difficult, but the minimal Poa population no longer influences your management decisions. You now manage a sward
of fine grasses. The putting surfaces are not a
uniform dark green year-round, but they’re
healthy and play firm, fast, and true.
New management programs
created eye-popping budget
reductions in capital equipment,
maintenance, and fuel. The
course is highly connected to
nature — and more fun to play.
As much of the course as possible has
been converted into unmaintained rough,
comprised of native and naturalized species. While a few members seem to want
to meddle with the aesthetics of the natural
area, the habitat that has evolved is undeniably outstanding, with a total expenditure of
$2,000 over the five-year period to eliminate woody shrubs that were encroaching
on holes 15 and 17. Your course always had
a noticeable amount of wildlife, but now
it’s amazing — the place is alive with yearround and seasonal wildlife.
Ninety percent of all applied fertilizer is
from locally found organic sources. Composting has become an integral part of the
overall operation. One of your main tasks
is to collect enough organic waste from the
course and neighboring area to supply 70
percent of your fertility needs. You formulate both dry material and water-soluble
organic tea. The compost is augmented
with processed chicken manure from a
local poultry farm, as well as waste materials from other local businesses.
One modification to your master plan
included a comprehensive redesign of the
storm drainage system. Everything was reengineered to protect water quality through
the proper treatment of runoff by creating
drainage designs that mimic nature.
The goal shifted from trying to get all of
the runoff into the nearest drainage way to
one that retains as much water on-site as
possible. The drainage system now encompasses a portion of the neighborhoods
located upstream, improving their existing
drainage issues while increasing the collection of water for your irrigation supply.
You continue your walk past the wind
turbine. After five years, the 120-foot tower
and constant swish of the triple-pronged
blades are an everyday feature of the golf
experience, part of a new cultural dynamic
that evolved after gas flirted with the $5 a
gallon mark. The turbine, combined with
the photovoltaic panels, supplies 70 percent
of the facility’s total annual electrical needs.
The membership’s initial skepticism
about sustainable practices and standards
has steadily eroded. A new height of environmental awareness and interest in playing the game has been realized. The course
you oversee is now highly connected to
nature — and more interesting and fun to
play than ever before. The members feel
good knowing their business model assures
future generations will be able to enjoy the
game. As the superintendent and proactive
steward of the property, you are at peace,
knowing that your decisions are now based
on what best protects the environment and
preserves the region’s vital resources. You
understand that you are a part of nature.
Both you and the members are excited
about the results of the past five years and
have come to understand that sustainability
is a journey and not a destination. Everyone is looking forward to the future, with
goals that include a carbon-positive facility and a 100 percent organic golf course
maintenance program.
Tom Mead is a golf course consultant and former
superintendent at Crystal Downs Country Club. He has
helped develop courses with Tom Doak, Tom Fazio, and
Arthur Hills. You can reach him at (231) 932-9807.
MARCH | APRIL 2009
18_Future Course.indd 2
21
2/19/09 10:35:48 AM
Feature metalwood
30 Years Ago Today ...
taylormade’s ‘metalwood’ changed the game by vartan kupelian
The original TaylorMade metalwood didn’t
come with a “Made in Michigan” tag, but
there’s a enduring connection between
Michigan and one of golf’s most important
equipment innovations.
Gary Adams’ revolutionary product
celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
Adams unveiled his metal driver in 1979.
Today, it is entrenched as a product that
spawned advancements in technology —
leading to titanium, oversized drivers and,
most recently, geometric forms that literally
reshaped how the masses play the game.
A Watershed Moment
Frank Thomas, the former longtime United States Golf Association technical director, points to the TaylorMade metalwood
as a “breakthrough” in equipment annals.
“There is no question the TaylorMade
Pittsburgh Persimmon club really and
truly broke the barrier,” says Thomas, a
graduate of Western Michigan University.
Adams (not to be confused with Barney
Adams, who founded Adams Golf) died
in 2000 after a long bout with cancer, but
not before his role as a pioneer in the golf
equipment industry was cast in stone.
“He would be very proud of the fact
that he was responsible for such an
important change,” says Vale Adams,
Gary’s father. The retired golf professional
lives in McHenry, Ill.
The Michigan Connection
Adams’ energy and determination paved the
way for the future, and much of the story
comes back to early days with Michigan ties.
Ken Devine, former executive director of the Michigan Section PGA, was a
golf sales manager at PGA Victor when he
crossed paths with Adams, a salesman for
the Wittek Golf range supply company.
Devine recalls asking Adams: “What do
you want to do with yourself?”
Adams’ reply: “I don’t know, but I
think I can do some big things in golf.”
Devine hired Adams. “He did a nice job
and I promoted him to regional manager.”
22
One day, Adams walked into Devine’s
office and said, “Boss, I’ve finally got it.”
What Adams had was a metalwood. At
the time, it was a club used exclusively at
driving ranges because of its indestructible nature. Adams was convinced his club
was superior and would have mass appeal.
With Devine’s blessing, Adams developed the metal club.
Buick Open TV Exposure
Adams’ metalwood received its first television exposure at the Buick Open.
In 1981, Bobby Clampett was a rising
star on the PGA Tour. The current CBS
broadcaster was in the hunt at Warwick
Hills G&CC and found himself in a fourway playoff with Hale Irwin, Peter Jacobsen, and Gil Morgan.
While Irwin won the playoff with a
birdie at the par-3 17th hole, it was Clampett’s efforts that had television viewers
buzzing. In his book, The Impact Zone, Clampett tells the story:
“I was vying for the lead, which meant
the TV cameras had me well in their sights
during the final round,” he writes. “I hit
a long drive on a par 5, then pulled out
the TaylorMade for the TV broadcast crew
to see for the first time. Its silvery glean
understandably both caught their attention and caused some confusion for commentator Ben Wright, who was calling the
action for CBS Sports.”
Wright said the club looked like a fairway wood, but it wasn’t wood.
“Wait a minute, it’s made of metal,”
Wright continued. “Why, I guess we’ll
have to call it a ‘fairway metal.’ ”
Clampett credits the metalwood for helping him reach
Warwick Hills’ par-5s in
two shots, something that
wasn’t readily accomplished those days. From
the next week forward,
more metalwoods started
showing up in the bags of
PGA Tour players.
The ‘Pittsburgh Persimmon’
A three-person team worked on his metalwood — himself, a friend and partner,
Eddie Langert, and a receptionist.
Langert recalls how the buzz phrase
“Pittsburgh Persimmon” became TaylorMade’s marketing tool. The impetus came
not from Pittsburgh or anybody associated
with the Steel City. It came from California.
Langert was reviewing sales figures
when he came across an account that had
sold $10,000 worth of metalwoods — at
$48 each. Langert called Allen Cook, the
professional at San Clemente Municipal
Golf Course south of Los Angeles.
“He was a very creative guy, a great
salesman,” says Langert, who remains a
consultant and advisor for TaylorMade.
“He told me he had a great big blackboard
in front of the pro shop and was featuring
a product he was calling ‘Pittsburgh Persimmon.’ Over 75 percent of the people
who tried it bought it.”
Langert didn’t hesitate to ask Cook if
he and Adams could use the Pittsburgh
Persimmon concept. “I told him, ‘we
don’t have any money’ — at the time we
didn’t, we were just scraping to pay the
casting house,” he says. “Allen said, ‘Can’t
pay me, that’s OK.’ I called the lawyer and
registered the name.”
At about the same time, an article
appeared in The Detroit News, written by
respected golf writer Jack Berry, who lauded the properties of the driver.
“The Detroit area was key for TaylorMade ... Jack wrote a story in the Sunday
paper. On Monday, the phone wouldn’t
stop ringing,” Langert says. “We got
orders for 2,000 clubs. … the
whole nation started calling.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Vartan Kupelian is a former sports
columnist for The Detroit News.
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
22_Metalwoods.indd 1
2/19/09 10:36:25 AM
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PGA Lesson fitness/flexibility
Getting Flexible
{a}
{b}
play — and feel — better
by jeff goble
Have swing change
attempts failed to
produce results?
Would you like to gain
10-30 yards? Maybe
your body is keeping
you from reaching
your potential. A
Titleist Performance
Institute analyst can take 15 flexibility measurements
(above), look at your golf swing, and recommend an
18-session workout tailored to add power and result
in consistent ball-striking. Try these drills three times
a week to gain balance, mobility, and stability.
Lateral Bounding
{a}
To build leg strength and
explosive power, stand in a
5-iron posture on one foot
for three seconds (a) then
jump to the other foot (b) the
length of a 6-iron. Try to hold
your balance for at least three
seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Balance/Alignment
To align the skeleton for more
power, set up to swing a 5-iron
balancing on a half-foam roller
(or 2 x 4). Proper alignment is
a straight line from the balls
of the feet, front of the knee,
back of the elbow, and back of
the shoulder. Address to back
swing only.
{b}
Special Offer
for GAM Members:
Work on your hip flexibility
and rotation. With the lower
back flat on the floor, keep
both hands between the
knees, and bring them up
to about a 90-degree angle
from the floor (a). Work the
legs back and forth as fast as
you can for 30 seconds.
24
Shoulder Turns
Stretching can enhance
your shoulder rotation. Lay
on the ground and bring
one knee all the way across
the body. Hold in place
with the opposite arm (b).
Take three deep breaths,
then turn over to the other
side and repeat 10 times.
Jeff Goble is the
director of instruction
at Miles of Golf/
Kendall Academy
Contact him at
(734) 604-9919
Certified Titleist Performance Institute sessions
start at $150, but GAM members get $25
off. Miles of Golf/Kendall Academy in Ypsilanti
also has special Swing & Save offers:
A 20 percent discount on regular range ball
prices; a 10 percent discount on Players Club
Private Range membership, and a 10 percent
discount on club repair services. For more
information, call (734) 973-9004 or go to
www.milesofgolf.com.
photographs by brad ziegler
Windshield Wiper
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
24_PGA_Lesson.indd 1
2/19/09 10:37:24 AM
on
.com
HALF OFF GOLF AT GREAT PUBLIC
COURSES AVAILABLE NOW AT
lessonongolf.com
Listen to “Lesson on Golf” weekend mornings
7-8 am on 97.1 FM The Ticket
For the best in pro pointers, places to play and equipment.
For sponsorship opportunities contact Jeff Lesson at
[email protected]
Read the LESSON ON GOLF course of the week column Thursdays in THE DETROIT NEWS
Also hear LESSON ON GOLF on WWJ News Radio 950
Most golfers detest the “stroke and
distance” penalty, which is the only
option when you lose your ball or hit
it out of bounds. However, there are
many other times when the stroke
and distance option is the best choice
among several.
Stroke and distance is one of the
options you can choose when you
declare your ball unplayable (Rule
28a). You can also opt for stroke and
distance when you hit your ball into a
water hazard (Rule 26-1).
So don’t just dismiss the stroke and
distance option out of hand; here’s
what you can do with it.
The Badly Skulled Chip
Let’s say you are on the fringe and
skull your chip shot across the green
into a water hazard. It is going to cost
you a stroke penalty to get out of the
hazard in any case, so why not take
stroke and distance and drop the ball
back on the fringe? Odds are you’ll
make a better chip shot the second
time around.
Try, Try Again
Suppose you toe a shot from the edge
of the fairway. It hits a tree and bounces backward 50 yards into the woods.
It is going to take one shot to get out
of those woods, even if you’re going
to just have to chip out sideways. So
why not take the stroke and distance,
and drop back at the spot from which
you hit your last shot? After all, it’s 50
yards closer to the hole.
How’s Your Bunker Play?
On a very slick green, you putt a little
too hard, and the ball slides off into
a bunker. If you are a good bunker
player, go ahead and play out — you
might even hole it.
But it is going to take a stroke to
get out of that bunker, and if you’re
not a good bunker player, you might
consider making that one stroke a
penalty stroke. All you have to do is
declare your ball unplayable in the
bunker, take the penalty stroke and,
under stroke and distance, place the
ball back on the green as nearly as
possible to the spot from which you
putted. Yes, you really can do that!
Golf is a great walk in the park. If
you know the Rules of Golf, it can be even
greater, and your scores will be lower.
And what golfer wouldn’t like that?
Jeanne Myers is the GAM’s assistant director
of Rules and Competitions.
It’s going to
take one shot to
get out of the
woods, even if
you can chip out.
Consider taking
the stroke and
distance, and
drop at the spot
from which you
hit your last shot.
26
BEING A
GOOD SPORT
Golf is meant to be fun. But as in many
other situations in life, a few people just
seem to spoil it for everyone.
Etiquette is important — the Rules of
Golf places a section called “Behavior on
the Course” at the front of the book. It
states, in part: “The overriding principle
is that consideration should be shown to
others on the course at all times.”
Those Rules folks aren’t just being
polite. They back it up with teeth. Under
Rule 33-7, a committee may impose a penalty of disqualification if they consider a
player has been guilty of a serious breach
of etiquette.
Here are a few pet peeves about onand off-course behavior that may not get
you disqualified, but can certainly spoil a
good day.
Arrive on time! Nothing can start a
round on the wrong foot like having a
playing partner show up late. The rule of
thumb is to arrive at the tee 10 minutes
before your tee time. Heck, why not show
up early and practice!
You already know not to talk when
someone’s getting ready to swing, right?
And please don’t tear open the Velcro on
your glove during another player’s putt.
Also, watch where you walk or stand on
the putting green. You shouldn’t be directly behind the person lining up a putt, or on
an extension of their line of putt beyond
the hole. Make sure your shadow isn’t on
their line, either.
Unless you’re absolutely certain about a
fellow competitor’s sense of humor, watch
the sarcasm and tone. “Nice shot” can
take on an entirely different meaning when
used at the wrong time.
Please, please, please don’t spend too
much time looking for a lost ball. You really
don’t have to take the full five minutes
(unless you’re in the hunt in a tournament). And if you do hit a shot into “bad
country,” make sure you announce and
play a provisional ball.
After a round, consider taking off your
golf hat before you enter the clubhouse.
Here’s to a more enjoyable 2009 golf
season for all!
illustration by kyle raetz
make the dreaded ‘stroke & distance’
penalty work for you by jeanne myers
Rules & Etiquette
penalty options
Choosing Wisely
MICHIGAN LINKS | WWW.GAM.ORG
26_Rules.indd 1
2/19/09 10:38:06 AM
DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE
TO ADVERTISE IN
THE 2009 MICHIGAN LINKS
COURSE DIRECTORY
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27_ML0309.indd 1
2/25/09 1:48:17 PM
gam 90th anniversary
Links to the Past
1979: A signed photo by Detroit Mayor Coleman
Young (right) of the ceremony for Billy Rogell
(center). Also shown are City Council members
Maryann Mahaffey (left) and Erma Henderson.
In 1979, the city of Detroit named a golf course in honor of
former Detroit Tigers shortstop Billy Rogell, whose life after
baseball included a nearly 40-year stint on the Detroit City
Council. But the course had a storied life long before Rogell.
Rogell Golf Course was originally founded by Detroit’s Jewish
community in 1913. Then known as Phoenix, it was one of the
original 14 clubs that formed the forerunner of the GAM in 1919.
Jack Bendelow designed the original nine holes, but in 1920,
Donald Ross redesigned and expanded it to 18 holes. Renamed
Redford Golf Club, it had some of the area’s first grass greens.
After members heard an amusement park (Edgewater) would
be built nearby, they bought land in “English Settlement” — now
the village of Franklin — to form Franklin Hills Country Club.
Over the years, the course had its ups and downs. Chuck
Kocsis, legendary GAM Golfer of the Century, learned the game
as a caddie here. Meanwhile, the city of Redford took over the
course, then sold it to Detroit in 1945.
28
Fast forward to 2007, when chronic budget woes led Detroit to
sell Rogell to Greater Grace Temple — led by Bishop Charles Ellis
III — for around $2 million. The “New” Rogell is now the state’s
only African-American owned course — its revitalization is a part
of the temple’s continued investment in northwest Detroit.
Rogell GC came with some baggage, however: Rounds
struggled to reach the 20,000 mark in 2007 (it had boasted some
50,000 rounds in 1996) after years of poorly maintained greens
and fairways, chronic drainage problems, and unpruned trees.
In 2008, Rogell benefited from a new superintendent and a
hefty maintenance budget upgrade, says General Manager Lindsey
Mason III. Green speeds were up; league play was bouncing back.
This year, fixing the drainage and bunker reconstruction are
on the “to-do” list. Like its mythological namesake, the former
Phoenix is on its way to being reborn from the ashes.
GAM members can check out the New Rogell GC and get a
hefty Swing & Save discount. See page 16. — Steve Wilke
photograph courtesy of the new rogell gc
The ‘New’ Rogell Revival
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