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Michigan Golf News February 23, 2007 - Vol. 7, No. 8 _/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/__/ __/ __/ __/
AMERICA'S VALUE GOLF DESTINATION THINK SPRING: THE OSPREY COLLECTION OF FINE COURSES
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LONDON GOLF SHOW - FEBRUARY 9-11
MICHIGAN GOLF SHOW-MARCH 10-12 Edited by Art McCafferty-Producer/Publisher, GLSP _/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/__/ __/ __/ __/
__/MADDALENA, LINDHOLM, FOSSUM, WILSON AND WOEHRLE NEW HALL INDUCTEES
*** John Lindholm and Steve Maddalena have compiled brilliant playing records on the local, state and national levels; Bruce Fossum coached at Michigan State University for 25 years and is a member of the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame; PGA professional Mark Wilson is a top international and national Rules of Golf official; and Ted Woehrle not only has prepared courses for major championships but mentored more than 50 assistants who became golf course superintendents around the country. Maddalena, 47, a Horton resident and University of Michigan graduate, won the Michigan Amateur in 1980, 1990 and 1995 and is one of only nine players to win it three times since the state¹s oldest championship began in 1906. Maddalena played in 27 Amateurs, made the cut 19 times and posted a 43-16 match play record. Two of his opponents in the finals went on to play on the PGA Tour, John Morse and Tom Gillis. Maddalena chose to remain an amateur and has won all of the state¹s top tournaments. Lindholm, 61, of Grand Blanc, has played in 22 Michigan Amateurs, won it in 1997 and took the Michigan Medal Play and Horton Smith tournaments in 2003 at the age of 58. He has continued his winning ways as a senior, twice winning the Michigan Senior Amateur. He has made the Golf Association of Michigan Senior Honor roll the last five years. Bruce Fossum joins his wife, Mary, former long-time MSU women¹s golf coach, in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Mary was elected in 2002. During Fossum¹s MSU tenure the Spartans played in 11 NCAA championships, won the Big Ten in 1969 and 10 Spartans were named All-Americans. His teams had a 72 percent winning percentage. He was chairman of the NCAA Golf Committee in 1972 and elected president of the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) in 1976. Fossum started summer golf camps for young players 11-18 in 1971 and MSU was the first college to start such a program. Mark Wilson celebrated his 25th year as head professional at Watermark Country Club in Grand Rapids last year. He has made a reputation as a Rules of Golf official in Michigan second only to the late Mr. Rules, Warren Orlick, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991. Wilson is chairman of the PGA of America Rules Committee. He has been a Rules official at every PGA Championship since 1990, a referee at the last five Ryder Cups, officiated at 11 Masters Tournaments, three British Opens, two United States Opens and one PGA Tour Players Championship. He will be Chief Referee at the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Country Club in Kentucky. Troy resident Ted Woehrle has seen the role of golf course superintendent go from turf farmer to the highly specialized field it is today. He began learning the craft in Illinois from his father, Herman, and graduated from Purdue University in 1954. Woehrle was superintendent at Beverly Country Club, a Donald Ross-designed course on Chicago¹s South Side when the club hosted two Western Opens and two Women¹s Westerns. He was hired during the construction phase of Point O¹Woods Country Club in Benton Harbor and that began a long association with Robert Trent Jones who designed the course and did some tweaking of Oakland Hills during Woehrle¹s 24 years at the club. More than 50 of Woehrle¹s former assistants have become head superintendents and he has been deeply involved in the growth of the profession. He served as president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in 1971. Fossum, Lindholm, Maddalena, Wilson and Woehrle will be inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame at Eagle Eye Golf Club in Bath, Michigan on May 20. Their election brings the membership in the Hall to 80. The complete membership is listed at http://www.michigan-foundation.com.
For more information, contact Loretta Larkin at
Michigan Golf Hall of Fame videos
*** http://michigangolfer.tv/2007shows/tribute/ The Heather at Boyne Highlands, with Bernie Friedricks, Jack Berry, Everett Kircher and Robert Trent Jones
We further celebrate Jack Berry's2007 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, by a repeat show on The Heather Golf Course. Berry had the opportunity to interview both the late and great Robert Trent Jones and owner Everett Kircher about this trend setting course. Join this delightful romp through golf history
** http://michigangolfshow.com/lansing.php
*** We had the opportunity to interview Ben a couple of years ago and we suggest you check out the video. There is a moment in the video where the pain of racism that Ben Davis went through during his time, is vividly expressed. http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/davis/index.html
*** Fountain's presentation was well received by the students, who admired the actions he was taking during, as he pointed out, a very difficult economic time in the golf business. Fountain reaffirmed the point of holding your customers dear. However, this has always been the case at The Majestic. This is the facility that puts its staff/team on the front of the score card. In addition, their team members get business cards, a uniform and a a name tag. When they open up for business every day, it becomes "Showtime" until the last cart is in for the day. At The Majestic they believe in the "Wow" factor for their customers and will regularly treat a customer to lottery tickets, or give them a sleeve of balls, just to do it. They give back to the community by having "Birdie Drops" and allow golfers to play a round for a donated turkey for the Second Harvest charity during the Thanksgiving season..And finally, the last thing they do, is cut prices. They feel that cutting their prices translated to cheapening their product. Their solution to price cutting, is to increase the value given back to their customers. You can check out the Majestic Golf Course and some of the team members at http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/majestic/
*** Doug King
*** In addition to our other awards, we'll alsob
*** I would imagine that most golfers, who played The Bear in those early years, can recall just how tough it was. The "Nicklaus" mounds were all covered with tall grasses, the bunkers had ladders inserted in them to allow players to get in and out and the rough was aptly named. As a member of the media who had experienced many grand opening, this was probably the most expensive. While the golf was complimentary, I emptied my bag of golf balls. My partner, Mike Duff, was scheduled to play the course the following week and he asked me for some advice. I told him the best advice I could give him was to go out and buy three dozen golf balls. He did as I said and he ran out before the end of the round. The Bear was a bear.. The Bear's reputation for being an extremely tough golf course, brought thousands to the resort to play the course. However, for many golfers, once was enough. Not only was The Bear tough, but it also took a long time to play. The combination of a tough course, the time it took to play it and the cost, soon contributed to a slowdown in the rounds played. To offset this decline in rounds, the course was softened. For an interesting reflection on how The Bear used to be, check out Jack Seltzer's remembrances at http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/michiganopen/ However, Paul Nine, could not have been happier for all the discussion. The Bear and its reputation, started the second wave of golfers going north to play. The fiirst wave was at Boyne Highlands, where Robert Trent Jones, with some help from Everett Kircher, built The Heather. The Grand Traverse Resort and The Bear were on the map. And obviously, with the course being named in the Top 50, it still has its stuff. I wonder what Nicklaus thinks about The Bear being the only course he designed that made the list. I would imagine it is bittersweet. I have had the opportunity to talk with him on a number of occasions about The Bear and he was still more that a little unhappy that he had to make so many changes to the course. http://grandtraverseresort.com
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