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Michigan Golf News May 12, 2006 Vol. 6, No. 19 _/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/__/ __/ __/ __/
BAY MILLS RESORT AND CASINO/WILD BLUFF GOLF COURSE
OTSEGO CLUB & RESORT-GAYLORD
SHANTY CREEK RESORT & CLUB
DESIGN YOUR OWN IRELAND GOLFING GETAWAY
IN GAYLORD, GOLF THE NATURAL: A JERRY MATTHEWS COURSE Edited by Art McCafferty-Producer/Publisher, GLSP __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/
__/ MGN ON THE ROAD
MG ON THE ROAD
Brimley-Wild Bluff GC Wild Bluff, escaped the winter with hardly any winter mold. In fact, Rob Lussenhop indicated to CHOK's Tom Gibson that "give the course another week and you could play the Bay Mills Open on it."
--- Other members of the Drummond Island team include Chuck Hessel, Director of Golf and Marilyn Anderson McGuire, who works on the real estate side. For those who enjoy the sport of snomobiling, you might ask Marilyn McGuire about her 120 MPH ride across the Ice Bridge. "The Rock" awaits all of those golfers who journey to this part of the state. MORE: Check out our article on Island Golf in the latest MG http://michigangolfer.com/spring06/index.html
--- There are two ponds that come into play on three holes. The fairways are narrow and were built on rolling terrain. The greens are undulating, some elevated and it is a relatively short test of one's game. The forward tees are 5,034 and the back, 6003. Shawn Bezilla is the club professional, having moved to the club after a number of successful years at Little Traverse Bay GC, also located in Harbor Springs.
http://www.harborpointassociation.com/
--- The online article linked below is by Kelly Hill and Art McCafferty. The article included the following comments on Hillsdale Golf and Country Club http://michigangolfer.com/win05-06/win0106_12-17a.pdf Hillsdale Golf and Country Club was formed in 1907 by Hillsdale citizens who contracted the Spaulding Company of Chicago, Illinois to design a nine-hole golf course. Scotland native Thomas Bendelow laid out a very challenging design with emphasis on the short game. The 5,775-yard course has humbled many a fine golfer over the years. The clubhouse opened in 1910 and has been an institution in the area ever since. Located on the west side of Baw Beese Lake in Hillsdale County, the Hillsdale Golf and Country Club is a one-of-a-kind establishment. A challenging nine-hole course with beautiful views of the 420-acre lake provides for a relaxing round of golf. It is accompanied by a beautiful dining room overlooking the lake, a grill room for that after-round drink, and a banquet room that can be rented for meetings. An expansive deck overlooking the lake is often used for the club's varied social calendar filled with fun events. Bendelow designed the challenging 5,775-yard course with emphasis on the short game. The course is known for excellent greens and course conditions geared with the player in mind. With a PGA professional always available, oneís golfing experience will be more than pleasant with opportunities for lessons, club fitting, and merchandise. Tee times are readily available, and leagues and tournaments are scheduled throughout the summer. After a round, whether you choose the Baw Beese Dining Room for an elegant dinner, the Grill Room for the casual social after golf, or the outside deck terrace overlooking magnificent Baw Beese Lake, the facilities may exceed your expectations. Serving trend-setting selections as well as traditional specialties, the club can accommodate a luncheon for 10, a casual barbecue for 50, or a gourmet banquet for 100. The recently remodeled clubhouse, overlooking the lake, is central to the social events of the club, which include theme parties, live entertainment, bridge groups, a euchre club, wine-tasting club and private parties. Additional amenities include a lakefront swim area, great sledding , boat-slip rental, and reciprocity with other Golf Association of Michigan clubs.
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--- Sault Ste. Marie GC will turn 105 years old this summer. Over the past century there have been many stories that have evolved concerning the course. Among the more interesting historical notes is that former club pro John Rueter designed the original "Bulls eye" putter while working at the Sault Country Club. He sold the patent rights to Acushnet, and the "Bulls eye" went on to become the best-selling putter of all-time under the Titleist brand name. The Sault course has also had its list of prominent players. One that stands out is former club member Vonnie Colby, who won the Upper Peninsula women's championship in 1949 and 1951 and went on to play on the LPGA Tour. Once a private club founded by a group of Union Carbide employees, the Sault golf course has been a 9-hole layout for most of its existence. But in the mid 1980s, the course was expanded to 18 holes, all of the ponds were added and three of the old holes were also redesigned. A fund-raising project was spearheaded by club member Roger Paris and well-known Michigan architect Jerry Matthews designed the new layout. More: http://michigangolfer.com/win05-06/win0106_12-17a.pdf
*** http://michigangolfer.tv/2006shows/lower/ Gary Wiren and Jack Berry: The Hickory Open at The Kingsley Club Gary Wiren, neatly attired in his knickers, is interviewed by Jack Berry during the last year's Hickory Open at The Kingsley Club. Wiren has one of the largest collections of hickory clubs in American. Wiren chats about hickory club golf, the Kingsley Club and golfing with Donald Trump in this Jack Berry interview.
http://thekingsleyclub.com
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*** But what I'll most miss about the Hootie Johnson tenure is his annual State of the Masters press conference held on Wednesday of tournament week. With the exception of the champion's interview on Sunday afternoon, this is the one interview I looked toward with the most anticipation. Maybe it was how he presented himself: the senior Southern gentleman, speaking in a deliberate, sparse drawl but with absolute and unwavering conviction. But in the heat of the Burk controversy, I'll always remember these lines and statements of Johnson at the press conference: When being pointedly and persistently challenged by a Chicago Tribune golf writer as to taking more questions on Augusta National's membership matters in the middle of the Burk controversy, Johnson says, "I made my statement. We are here to have the Masters Tournament. I just told you if you have a question, I'll answer it but donıt lecture me." When asked by the esteemed Furman Bisher of Atlanta: "Did your career as a blocking back (at South Carolina) prepare you for a controversy such as this?" Johnson replied:"I don't think I have experienced anything quite like this assault." Asked if he felt due to the controversy if the tournament had been maligned: "Well, it's been maligned but I don't think it's been damaged. The Masters will continue to be one of the great sporting events of the world, next year and the year after and the year after." When asked about Tiger Woods statement that he believes there should be women members: "I won't tell Tiger how to play golf if he doesn't tell us how to run our private club." When asked whether or not the club's stance on membership matters might discredit Johnson's past history of supporting progressive causes: "I do have a reputation for fighting against discrimination. But our private club does not discriminate. Single gender is an important fabric on the American scene. There are thousands (of such organizations) all across America. Both genders. Health clubs. Sewing circles, Junior League, Shriners, and we should not and we are not discriminating." When asked about his tenure as Chairman in the midst of the membership controversy, Johnson said: "I do want to make one point, though. If I drop dead right now, our position will not change on this issue." Stressing this statement with firm strokes of his index finger on the desk, Johnson adds: "And I promise you what I'm saying is, if I drop dead this second, our position will not change." All of these exchanges contributed to a highly charged atmosphere and terrific theatre. It's my contention that Johnson's determined defense of the constitutionally protected rights of a private club (which Augusta National followed to the letter of the law) will be his most lasting and probably least appreciated legacy. In the midst of the highly politicized Burk furor and ferocious media pressure, Johnson held his ground on the matter of principle and sure legal footing. As such, I doubt if Billy Payne will veer far from the course Johnson set. I also doubt future State of the Masters press conferences will ever be as riveting and as entertaining.
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*** Since this MGN has already spoke of three century old courses, we thought we would introduce you to others.
Wequetonsing Golf Club (1896) One of the more colorful character's in Wequetonsing's storied history is former caddy master Ford A. Moulton. In 1972, Moulton was featured in the Harbor Light, the weekly newspaper of Harbor Springs. "When the majority of summer residents arrive in the Harbor Springs area and start to play golf, those playing at Wequetonsing Golf Course will undoubtedly say hello to a man who is starting his 25th year as caddymaster at the course, Ford A. Moulton." the Harbor Light story read, in 1972. Now 67, Ford, as everyone called him, remembers when he had 175 caddies under his direction. Those times have passed. "Now I am down to about 60 caddies. The reason is other jobs. Kids are looking for other jobs, not caddying. The boys are getting younger and smaller every year," he said. In his 25 years, Moulton served under three golf pros, starting with Cliff Booth, then Lee Kosten and then with Frank "Red" Wilson, who was the pro in 1972. John J. Wilson is now the head professional at Wequetonsing. A private course, Wequetonsing also is not particularly long, given todayís standards. Wequetonsing usually plays 5,201 yards from the front and 6,150 yards for the average club member.
--- Play is from the water and back to the water, sand and water are both natural hazards, as are forest and rock, and the design of the grounds is dictated by the land, not imposed on it. By 1900, the club had posted both a professional nine-hole record score of 38 (by W.V. Hoare) and an amateur record of 41. Though there have been some changes since the very early years, such as lengthening some holes, the essential character of the links has changed little. Many of the hazards are overgrown piles of the fieldstone cleared from the original fairways and the perpetual hazards of the forest and rock outcrops remain challenging.
Les Cheneaux is open to the public and plays 2,852 yards from the
middle tees. For more information, visit:
www.lescheneaux.org/recreation/golfing.html.
--- Convincing a friendly farmer on the west edge of Ypsilanti to allow them to sink three topless tomato cans in his freshly-cut hay field, the threesome invited friends to join them for the new game of golf. Enthusiasm for the game was infectious. On July 11, 1899, a group of 15 Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor residents met and officially formed Washtenaw Country Club. Signers of the Articles of Association included A.A. Van Cleve, S.E. Dodge, R.W. Hemphill, Jr., E.C. Cornwell, J.B. Colvan, H.S. Platt, Charles D. Church, Henry W. Douglas, William Gardam, David B. Dodge, D.L. Quirk, Jr., I. Newton Swift, W.L. Pack, Duane Spalsbury and David R. Morford. On July 18, 1899, the club was incorporated. While it has been acclaimed ìthe second-oldest golf club in Michigan,î Washtenaw actually is the third. Detroit Country Club was started as a nine-hole layout in about 1889, while Saginaw Country Club opened its course in early 1899, a few months ahead of Washtenaw. For more information, visit: http://www.washtenawcc.com/
*** Three years of renovations are complete, but only for the moment, because future renovations are planned as the Resort prepares to host the 2007 National Governors Association Summer Conference as it did 20 years ago.
Taken and Edited from a GTR&S release
*** Readership of the Michigan Golfer Ezine averaged 9,789 per issue in 2005.
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