Sponsored by:

Bay Mills Resort and Casino/Wild Bluff-Brimley
Web: http://www.4baymills.com
Video: http://michigangolfer.tv/2003shows/show11/index.html

Shanty Creek Resort & Club
Web: http://shantycreek.com
Video: Schuss Mountain Ski Shop
http://michigangolfer.tv/miskier/season_4/schuss/schussqt.html

Michigan Golf Show, Novi Expo, March 11-13
Web: http://michigangolfshow.com
Video: http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show1/index.html

Michigan Golfer Magazine-Back Issues 1996-2004-
Web: http://michigangolfer.com/archive.html

Edited by Art McCafferty-Producer/Publisher, GLSP
http://glsp.com

Past issues are available at http://webgolfer.com/news.html

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__/ MARCH
__/ THE BEN DAVIS INTERVIEW ON MICHIGAN GOLFER TV-FEEDBACK
__/ QUOTE OF THE WEEK-BEN DAVIS
__/ MGN ON THE ROAD
Ann Arbor-The Lochenheath Connection
Lansing-Lansing Golf Show
Midland Golf Show
__/ MICHIGAN GOLFER TELEVISION SHOW-West Michigan Golf Show
__/ WOOSNAM NAMED 2006 RYDER CUP CAPTAIN, FALDO 2008 MATCHES
__/ WANT TO BE A PHOTO ASSISTANT?
__/ SHARP EYED JACK
__/ MURDER HE WROTE
__/ GATES CERTIFIED
__/ NOMINATION SUGGESTION FOR MICHIGAN GOLF HALL OF FAME
__/ GOLF DATATECH SAYS ROUNDS PLAYED FINISH SLIGHTLY DOWN
__/ GEORGE SLATER HAS NEW LONG DRIVE WORLD RECORD OF 720 YARDS
__/ HITTING THE LINKS-AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS
-JACK NICKLAUS
__/ CALENDAR OF GOLF EVENTS
__/ TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES
__/ MICHIGAN GOLF NEWS ASSOCIATION SUBSCRIBERS
__/ ASSOCIATION LINKS

***
MARCH
"Beware the ides of March."
William Shakespeare, "Julius Caesar"

"March comes in with an adder's head, and goes out with a peacock's tail."
Richard Lawson Gales, "Old-World Essays"

"Ah, March! we know thou art Kind-hearted, spite of ugly looks and threats, And, out of sight, art nursing April's violets!"
Helen Hunt Jackson, "Verses--March"

"Slayer of the winter, art thou here again? O welcome, thou that bring'st the summer night. The bitter wind makes not the victory vain. Nor will we mock thee for thy faint blue sky."
William Morris, "March"

"With rushing winds and gloomy skies The dark and stubborn Winter dies: Far-off, unseen, Spring faintly cries, Bidding her earliest child arise; March!"
Bayard Taylor, "March"

"Like an army defeated The snow hath retreated, And now doth fare ill On the top of the bare hill; The Ploughboy is whooping--anon--anon! There's joy in the mountains: There's life in the fountains; Small clouds are sailing, Blue sky prevailing; The rain is over and gone."
William Wordsworth, "Written in March"

Taken from: World of Quotes Site
http://www.worldofquotes.com/topic/March/1/

***
THE BEN DAVIS INTERVIEW ON MICHIGAN GOLFER TV-FEEDBACK
Hello Art,
Nice job on historical black golfers. I grew up playing golf at Palmer Park in Detroit and witnessed some of the best black golfers around that no one ever knew. There were some great matches and gambling games going on way back when.

My dad taught my 3 brothers and I how to play but sent us to Free Press Jr. Golf School where Chris Williams was the Head Pro. He was the consummate gentleman and instilled the importance of etiquette first. Ben Davis taught the school at Rackham; I played there often and he was never too busy to give a young girl some good swing tips. These are the true golf heroes.

Back in the 60's there wasn't much for little girls to compete in. When I grew older I could not play in the State Am because it was restricted to private club players only. It wasn't until Jack Berry intervened that I received an invitation to play. He was also instrumental in changing the entry requirements. Meanwhile, the United Golfers Association (UGA) welcomed me with open arms to play in their events.

Take care, Janina

*Note: Janina Jacobs, co host of Michigan Golf Weekly, is currently working on promoting the Bank of Ann Arbor FUTURES Tour event in June. They are planning a special women's media day in late May or early June. Stay tuned to MGN for future details.

---

ESPN ran a special segment on black athletes during February, which featured John Shippen, who was the first black professional. Shippen played in the 2nd U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. He was tied for the lead after one round and then crashed at burned at the 13th hole with an ll for a final 5th place finish.

***
QUOTE OF THE WEEK-BEN DAVIS
"I could say a few words, but when I start talking about that and things of that nature, I start crying. So rather than cry, I would just say that I had some tough times along the way."

Ben Davis- On being a black man trying to make a living in the game of golf in America.

http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/davis/index.html

***
MGN ON THE ROAD
Ann Arbor-The Lochenheath Connection
Big things are in store for the Lochenheath Golf Club in Traverse City. First of all it has doubled in size. Pinnacle Development Group, headed up by President John Lang of Scottsdale, bought an additional 300 plus acres to create a 644 acre site that will feature 375 residential units, a huge clubhouse, the well respected Steve Smyers course and a mission to become one of the Midwest's most upscale private golf communities.

John Lang and his public relations specialist, Tony Kingsbaker, were in town for a whirlwind tour to drum up some buzz for the project. Next month, ads will be breaking in many golf and travel related publication to alert buyers to this opportunity.

Steve Smyers is scheduled to make a visit to Lochenheath in mid June, to highlight some of the changes that they have made to the course. Doug Grove, now the Director of Golf at Garland, opened the course a few years ago. Grove who has opened a number of courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, including The Bear, was an admirer of Smyers work. He felt his bunkers were imaginative and that his design incorporated knowledge of shot making. Smyers was a member of the University of Florida's NCAA championship team that included Andy Bean and Gary Koch.

Midland-The Midland Golf Show
The Midland Golf Show kicks off this weekend. This has been popular one-day show for the past couple of years and highlights many of the splendid golf courses in mid Michigan.

Lansing-Lansing Golf Show
The latest Golf Show in Lansing was well received by all who attended. Show host, Laurie McCann, said the good citizens of greater Lansing were lined up to get in.

Roger Boyt, of Hawk Meadows, indicates that they have picked up another course to market, Willow Brook in Byron. They have done very well with Hawk Meadows the past five years. Dave Hill, of The Chief and Hawk's Eye, is excited about the Tom Izzo tie in for their property. Izzo, will host the first "Coach Izzo's Celebrity-Pro Charity Challenge", June 2nd on The Chief Golf Course. Greg Badenhoop, the new owner of Beaver Creek Resort was at his first golf show. They have the lodging at the resort, but The Natural is still owned by Larry Bowden, who in turn, bought the Marsh Ridge holdings. Mike Husby was drawing a lot of attention to his booth with his new 18-hole video of The Loon. Sponsors of the show included Shanty Creek, Boyne and Crystal Mountain.

***
THE MICHIGAN GOLFER TELEVISION SHOW
Grand Rapids-West Michigan Golf Show
The WMGS got things rolling this year at their 17th annual show. Join our reporters Terry Moore and Jennie McCafferty as they interview show manager Carol Alt, headliner Jim Flick and sponsor Ray Hearn from the new Matacawa Legends project.

***
WOOSNAM NAMED 2006 RYDER CUP CAPTAIN, FALDO 2008 MATCHES
Ian Woosnam of Wales and England's Nick Faldo were picked Wednesday as Europe's next Ryder Cup captains. Woosnam will lead Europe in the Sept. 22-24, 2006, matches at the K Club in Dublin, Ireland. Tom Lehman will captain the American team.

Faldo would captain in 2008 at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. Paul Azinger is a top candidate to lead the Americans that year. web: http://www.TheGolfGazette.com

***
THINK GOLF
If you are having a tough time conjuring golf thoughts while shoveling foot high snow drifts out of your driveway, click on to some of these golf destinations.

Angels Crossing
http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show9/index.html

Sundance Golf Course-with Jerry Matthews
http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show24/index.html

Reviews
Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest Michigan Golf Trail
http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show18/index.html

The Golf Courses of Jackson
http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show15/index.html

The Majestic of Lake Walden
http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show21/index.html

Upper Peninsula
http://michigangolfer.tv/2004shows/show12/index.html

***
WANT TO BE A PHOTO ASSISTANT?
Dale R. Perne',Vice President/COO of IPI Michigan will be putting an item on Ebay later this March for a Photo Assistant at the Buick Open. The "winner" gets to meet every PGA Tour Professional playing in the two pro-ams.

The winner will also get to do the following:
Be on the tee with all 216 participants in the pro-ams
Be on the tees, "inside the ropes", with Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh. Et. Al.
Greet the PGA Tour Professional on the tee and provide introductions
Get the group together for their group photo with their PGA professional There are two pro-amps on Wed. July 27, 2005 - 7:00 am and 12:00 pm (approx)
See every professional "inside the ropes" and on the tee
Watch every tee shot from "inside the ropes" on the 1st and 10th tees
Have professional sign team photos for playing partners plaques.

The winner will receive:
Two pin flags to be autographed by every professional
Buick Open cap & shirt
IPI staff shirt
4 clubhouses passes to Thurs - Sun of event
Valet clubhouse parking
Tour of the course on Tuesday, July 26, 2005
1st night lodging, food and auto transportation - Tuesday July 26th with the IPI staff
Photos on the tee working and with professionals
Pro-am plaques

The bidding will start at $2,000.00. The winner may be male OR female
over the age of 21 years old and must pass a background check by the
Buick Open and IPI and agree to all rules and regulations set forth by
the Buick Open, The PGA Tour and IPI.

For further information contact:
Dale R. Perne'
dalegayle@att.net
http://www.i-p-i.com

***
SHAWN KUNGEL TO HEAD MICHELOB ULTRA GOLF TOUR MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN OHIO
Shawn Kungel, President of Golf Partners, which is located in Sterling Heights, will be administering the Michelob Ultra this year.

The Amateur Tour of America / MUGT provides a series of 8 events in the Metro Detroit area together with 2 Regional Majors for the Great Lakes Section. Season concludes with a Michigan Tour Championship to determine eligibility for the National Championship in early October. Tour Championship consists of 18-hole stroke play on Saturday to determine top four in each flight who qualify for National. Top four advance to 36-hole match play event on Sunday to determine State Champion.

SCHEDULE

4/30/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Flight Qualifier Marion Oaks Golf Club
5/1/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #1 Marion Oaks Golf Club
5/14/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #2 Tanglewood Golf Club
5/29/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #3 Sycamore Hills Golf Club
6/11/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour - Regional Major French Lick Springs Resort & Spa
6/18/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #5 Pine Trace Golf Club
7/3/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #6 The Links at Pinewood
7/16/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #7 Copperhills Golf & Country Club
7/30/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour - Regional Major Red Hawk Run Golf Course
8/7/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #9 Lake Forest Colf Club
8/20/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tournament #10 Heather Hills Golf Club
8/27/2005 Michelob ULTRA Golf Tour-Detroit Tour Championship Salem Hills Golf Course

Info: 810-499-2220
http://www.ultragolftour.com/

***
SHARP EYED JACK
This correction is in from legendary golf scribe, Jack Berry, who now suns himself in Arizona during Michigan's wintry months.

Arthur: As the song goes: "On the banks of the RED Cedar, there's a school that's known to all..." Jack (MSU '56)

Go Spartans

***
MURDER HE WROTE
If you like a little murder with your golf, then pick up "Open Season", by Jim Moriarty. The latest offering from Ann Arbor's Sports Media Group, has people taking their final putts against the background of Augusta, Pinehurst and Hilton Head.

Moriaty has been writing and photographing the golf game for 30 years, so perhaps this his payback for editors who have killed past stories and assignments. http://greatgolfbooks.com

***
GATES CERTIFIED
The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America announced the second group of Members to achieve Certified Professional status by completing an advanced golf business curriculum. Seventeen Members from across the country have joined the prestigious group of Professionals who obtained certification in December 2004. Included is Jonathan E. Gates of Detroit Golf Club, who received certification in Golf Operations. Please call April Conyers at 212-798-9835 for further information

***
NOMINATION FOR MICHIGAN GOLF HALL OF FAME
Art,
When I was reading your newsletter a couple of weeks ago about the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and nominations a thought occurred to me that Harry Melling might be a good person to nominate into the Hall. He did a lot for Northern Michigan Golf Designs and made a huge investment in bringing the Par 3 shootout to Treetops, Tom Fazio design course and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Course and as well as Rick Smith.

Nick Aune-The Grand Hotel

Editor's Note: Nick, we will pass your suggestion on to Co-Chairs Bob McMasters and Sara Wold and their Administrative Assistant, Loretta Larkin. For more information you can check out http://michigan-golf-foundation.com

***
GOLF DATATECH SAYS ROUNDS PLAYED FINISH SLIGHTLY DOWN
Despite a 1.5% increase in rounds played in December, the final tally from Golf Datatech showed a 0.1% decline for 2004. For the year, the following states/regions showed increases in rounds played: VA/DE/DC/MD/WV (+6.4%), WA/OR/AK (+3.5%), South Carolina (+3.4%), CT/RI/ME/MA/NH/VT (+3.2%), NY/NJ (+2.7%), KY/TN (+2.4%), Illinois (+2.2%), North Carolina (+2.0%), AZ/NV (+1.6%), and Pennsylvania (+1.0%).

Declines were recorded in the following states/regions: OK/AR/LA (-6.4%), Texas (-4.2%), Hawaii (-2.6%), California (-1.9%), Michigan (-1.9%), Wisconsin (-1.6%), NM/CO/UT/ID/MT/WY (-1.5%), NE/IA/MO/KS/ND/SD (-1.3%), Minnesota (-1.0%), Georgia (-0.9%), OH/IN (-0.8%), Florida (-0.7%), and AL/MS (-0.2%).

***
GEORGE SLATER HAS NEW LONG DRIVE WORLD RECORD OF 720 YARDS
Paul 'St George' Slater, using a SMT Golf's O2 driver, claimed a new world record for the longest golf drive at London City Airport in an event hosted by the London Golf Show. Braving difficult weather, which included torrential rain and gusty winds, Slater, 34, from Warrington, fired a drive 720 yards down the runway beating the previous best of 696 yards - set recently by Australian & PGA Tour pro Stuart Appleby.

Slater said: "I knew it was right as soon as I hit it. You know when you've hit a good shot; you get the surge going right up through your body. That's what we do it for really."

For more information about SMT Golf http://www.SMTGolf.com

***
HITTING THE LINKS-AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS-Jack Nicklaus
This week we are taking a look at the American Association of Golf Course Architects site and in particular Jack Nicklaus
http://www.asgca.org/members3223.aspx

This month, Jack Nicklaus was awarded the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America's Old Tom Morris Award. Afterward, Adam Barr of The Golf Channel interviewed Nicklaus. Following are excerpts of that interview.

Q.: You said in your autobiography you are a confessed sports nut. When did the creative side of you begin to come out? When did you start cataloguing golf experiences and thinking, I want to do this, I want to shape land, I want to make golf courses out of raw land.

JACK NICKLAUS: Never did. I have a hard time taking a pencil and making a circle. My artistic skills are not great. I learned to sketch a little bit now and people can understand what I'm drawing. At least my design guys can. They can interpret what I'm doing. But I never had any interest in golf course design whatsoever. And about 1966 or '67, Pete Dye was doing the golf club in Columbus and Pete and I played a lot of amateur golf together and been good friends for years. And he said, "Jack," he says, "come on out to the Golf Club, I would like to show you what I'm doing out there for Fred Jones." So I went out to the Golf Club.

Didn't have a clue what I was looking at. First hole was fairly simple, I hit off a hill and into a valley played up to the green. I understood that one. We went to the second hole and all of a sudden we were going over the crest of this hill and he had some sort of bunker on the top of the hill and I think it was probably a rendition from Prestwick or something, I don't know where it was from. But I said, "What in the world is that, Pete?" He says, "Oh, this is a Scottish, we use this, I'm going to play over here and do this." I said OK. I had no clue what I was looking at.

We went to the third hole and he had this green and it looked like it was something out of Disneyland here. There was a big round green with four round bunkers and I said, "What's that?" He says, "Well, what do you think?" I said, "I think it looks horrible." He says, "I do too. What would you do?" And I gave him my idea and Pete said he used it. And it was fun. He started asking me some questions and I had no idea that he would ever use any. Nor did I have an idea that I was contributing.

A few months later Pete came back to me or maybe a year later, I don't even remember, he said Jack we had a lot of fun that day, he says how about working with me on some golf courses. "Would you consult with me?" And I said, "Pete, I think that would be heck of a lot of fun, I would enjoy doing that. That would be fun."

So actually I was with IMG at the time and Mark McCormack got a call from Charles Frasier at Sea Pines and Hilton Head, and said that [they wanted] to do a golf course, do you have somebody up there that would like to do a golf course. And he said, "Jack's getting involved in golf courses, would you want to have Jack get involved?" He said, "Oh, sure." So actually I got Pete Dye the job at Harbour Town. I said I hadn't done anything. I said I'm working with a guy and his name is Pete Dye. Well, Pete was just starting too. So anyway, so we got Pete involved in the job and of course obviously Pete took the lead, I just, I was obviously consulting with him and I made 23 trips during that construction of that golf course … probably more than I have any place else except for maybe Muirfield or the Bear's Club at home.

Q.: It worked out well. People fell in love with your golf courses.

JACK NICKLAUS: I got started and I had fun and enjoyed it. And Pete and I did about a dozen courses together and I really enjoyed that. And then I started Muirfield and I wanted more of my own expression at Muirfield Village.

So Desmond Muirhead was around at the time and I wanted somebody who could help me with land planning. So he had been pretty good at putting land and golf courses together. And so I asked Desmond if he would work with me on the golf course and the land development. I learned a lot from him, how to bring the outside to the inside and inside to the outside. And we did about a half a dozen courses and then I wanted to have my own expression totally and I thought I learned enough.

And I was fortunate that I had two fellows that were both very accomplished to start with -- Jay Morrish and Bob Cupp. Both of those guys came with me and they worked Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside, basically. And we started working golf courses and Glen Abbey was my first solo design. And I don't ever consider anything a solo design. I feel like no matter what we do on a design, it's a team effort. A team effort consists of myself, it consists of my design associate, design coordinator, the lot owners, the construction company.

And the first thing I like to have is the superintendent on from the start of construction because there's so many decisions, grass decisions, slope decisions, tree decisions, the super can help me with that. And it's been invaluable to have those guys on to start with. So that's the team. And I give everybody a little bit of individual room to be able to do their own thing. That way we don't end up with something that I put on paper and it's like this. We end up with a little bit of individuality from my coordinator and my associate, my bulldozer operator, I give him a little freedom of how he wants to do something. And the super with the grasses and stuff. Now you put all that together and we end up with a golf course that's a team effort and one that's been fun to do, but the next golf course we do we'll have a different team so it won't be the same.

Q.: But you'll be on it.

JACK NICKLAUS: I'll be on it. I'll try to be on that team, yeah. And I've got a half a dozen guys that have been with me over 20 years. And they are perfectly quite capable to go out on their own and a lot of guys have gone on their own -- Jay and Bob obviously.

But one of the things I'm very proud of is that I have 14 guys that I've worked with that are now members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.

Part II next week. For those that would like to see Jack in action as he opens a new course, we ask you to check out the video, we did on The Bull http://michigangolfer.tv/2003shows/thebull/index.html

***
MICHIGAN GOLF CALENDAR 2005
http://michigangolfer.com/calendar.html

***

MICHIGAN GOLF NEWS ASSOCIATION SUBSCRIBERS

Golf Association of Michigan
http://www.gam.org
Michigan Golf Course Owners Association
http://mgcoa.org
Michigan PGA
http://michigan.pga.com
Michigan Women's Golf Association, MWGA
http://www.mwgolf.org
Michigan State Amateur Golf Association
Dick Loring-skillplay@aol.com
mailto:skillplay@aol.com
Upper Peninsula Golf Association
http://upga.org

***
TOURNAMENTS
http://michigangolfer.com/tournaments.html

***
ASSOCIATION LINKS

American Association of Golf Course Architects
http://asgca.org
Golf Association of Michigan
http://www.gam.org
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
http://www.gcsaa.org
Michigan Section PGA
http://www.Michigan.PGA.com
Michigan Golf Course Owners Association
http://mgcoa.org
Michigan High School Athletic Association
http://www.mhsaa.com/
Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association
http://migca.com
National Golf Course Owners Association
http://ngcoa.org
National Golf Foundation
http://ngf.org

Comments to artmccaf@glsp.com
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