In This Issue V O L U M E 30
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http://michigangolfer.com MICHIGAN GOLFER Publisher/Editor Art McCafferty artmccaf@glsp.com Editor Emeritus Terry Moore Associate Publisher/Producer Jennie McCafferty Writers Jeff Bairley Susan Bairley L’anse Bannon Mike Beckman Jack Berry Tom Doak Mike Duff Topher Goggin Thad Gutowski Kelly Hill Janina Parrott Jacobs Greg Johnson Vartan Kupelian Tom Lang Chris Lewis Jim Neff Bill Shelton Brad Shelton Norm Sinclair
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Michael Patrick Shiels Herschel Nathanial Bernice Phillips Ron Whitten
U.S. Senior Open at Indianwood Golf Club – a Preview
By Jack Berry 8
Photo/Video Kevin Frisch Brian Oar Dave Richards Carter Sherline Brian Walters
Fuzzy Zoeller’s Covered Bridge Golf Club
By Brad Shelton 12
Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Induction, 2012
By Jack Berry
Director of Accounting Cheryl Clark
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Who is (are) the “Steve Jobs” of Modern Golf?
By Bill and Brad Shelton
Michigan Golfer is produced by
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Great Lakes Sports Publications, Inc.
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GLSP Advertising & Business Office 4007 Carpenter Road, #366 Ypsilanti, MI 48197 734.507.0241 734.434.4765 FAX info@glsp.com glsp.com
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Indiana Golf . . . Deja Vu
By Mike Duff
OBX Means “In Bounds” for Golfers
By Bill Shelton
Kalamazoo Golfer Marches to Historic Michigan Open Win
By Greg Johnson 28 30
A New Appreciation for Art
By Brad Shelton
Collegiate Spotlight: Oakland University
By Chris Lewis Michigan Golfer is published online four times a year by Great Lakes Sports Publications, Inc., 4007 Carpenter Rd, #366, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. All contents of this publication are copyrighted, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. All unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and illustrations will not be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope, bearing sufficient postage; publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. The views and opinions of the writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect endorsement of views and/or philosophy of Michigan Golfer. Back Issues: May be ordered by sending $5.00 with your name, address and issue requested to Michigan Golfer, 4007 Carpenter Road, #366, Ypsilanti, MI 48197.
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Collegiate Spotlight: Saginaw Valley State University
By Chris Lewis 36
Slice of Life: Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores
By Terry Moore
Cover: Indianwood Golf Club Clubhouse. Photo courtesy of Indianwood •
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U.S. at India –
. Senior Open Y anwood Golf Club – a Preview
By Jack Berry
ou won’t need a scorecard to identify the players at the United States Senior Open at Indianwood G&CC. They’re old friends, players you enjoyed watching for years at the Buick Open, just a little farther up the road from Lake Orion. Buick champions Kenny Perry, Fred Couples and Hale Irwin are joined by John Cook, who played 20 Buicks, and Tom Lehman who nearly won the 1996 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, won a British Open, captained a Ryder Cup team and now is one of the top guns on the Champions Tour winning the Tradition, a senior major, two years in a row. It’s fitting that Stan Aldridge, who brought Indianwood back to its old glory and then some, finally has gotten a men’s United States Golf Association national championship. Aldridge was virtually promised one after he hosted his second Women’s Open in six years, rescuing the USGA which had scheduled the 1994 championship at Shoal Creek but then withdrew it because of the club’s restrictive (since changed) membership policy. And Indianwood again put on another very successful tournament, won by Patty Sheehan. But no major men’s championship. And Aldridge also pitched the PGA of America and the PGA Tour. Unfortunately for Aldridge, there’s Photo left: the beauty of Indianwood, photo courtesy of Indianwood. 5
a club over on Maple Road in Bloomfield Township, Oakland Hills, which is the Big Daddy for big golf in Michigan. Oakland Hills even got two USGA Senior Opens, won by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Aldridge didn’t give up though and this year Indianwood hosts its first men’s major since Gene Sarazen, the Little Squire, won the 1930 Western Open which at the time was considered golf ’s third major, behind the older British and U.S. Opens. Neither the Masters nor the PGA Championship was in existence then. Indianwood opened just nine years after Oakland Hills and was a favorite playground in the 1930s for the Motor City “locals” — Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour and Al Watrous. But Sarazen won the Western by seven shots over Al Espinosa and by 10 over five-time champion Hagen with Armour 20 back. No one wins by those margins in the Senior Open. In fact, Palmer and Nicklaus had to go to playoffs to win at Oakland Hills. The USGA started the Senior Open in 1980 and it has grown to be one of the most popular of the USGA’s 13 national championships. From an entry of 631 for the inaugural at Winged Foot, won by Roberto DeVicenzo, the entries have ballooned to well over 2,600. It helped when the USGA followed the PGA Tour’s lead of making the minimum age 50, instead of the 55 it uses for the Senior Amateur.
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Coincidentally, of course, Palmer was 51 when the change was made. The late Dick Taylor, then editor of Golf World, tagged the rich senior league “Golf ’s greatest mulligan” and it has been more than that. It has helped the formerly fat and slow-moving out of rocking chairs and into physically fitness programs which definitely are needed – the five major championships are packed into 10 weeks. They started with the Senior PGA at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, won by Englishman Roger Chapman, then the Tradition won by Lehman two weeks before the Open, the Senior Players will be at Pittsburgh, and will wind up with the Senior British Open at Turnberry. At least they’ll get a week off between the close at Indianwood and first round in Scotland. If form follows, there will be a birdie fest on Indianwood’s 6,891 yards. They ate up Inverness in Toledo last summer with a record 128 sub-par rounds and 26 finished under par, also a record.
the weather remains dry and some wind sweeps over the virtually treeless, hilly course, Indianwood’s sloping greens (remember Olympic?) will put up a stiff defense. The USGA’s Hall pointed out “if we get a firm golf course, they’d better not make a mistake and be above the hole, even if they’re just 10 feet away. And, like all USGA championships, there is a premium on hitting fairways. “It’s a special place,” said Alma’s Randy Lewis, winner of last year’s USGA Mid-Amateur Championship at the ripe old age of 54. “I’ve played it a lot and I know everybody is going to love it.” Olin Browne, led wire-to-wire last year at Inverness and won by three over Mark O’Meara. Browne played Indianwood for the first time on the May 29 Media Day and gave it high praise. “It’s a beautiful venue. It’s got a beautiful mix of holes that go one way or the other way, that are long and short.”
“Guys are going to have scoring clubs into the greens,” the USGA’s Jeff Browne also pointed out that golf Hall said at Indianwood’s media day. “is the only sport where you can see But “Indianwood never has been Hall of Famers who are current, about distance. It’s about shotmaking.” whose skills haven’t diminished much at all. This is a tremendous Indianwood owner Aldridge was opportunity to see some of the best upset when Helen Alfredsson players in the history of the game.” torched the Old Course in the 1994 Women’s Open with a record In the tradition of the Haig and 8-under-par 63. But the fiery redthe Little Squire. headed Swede collapsed, spiced by some equally fiery language. And if - MG -
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MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
Golf Course Review
Fuzzy Zoeller’s Covered Bridge Golf Club
Photo courtesy of fuzzygolf.com
By Brad Shelton
Fuzzy Zoeller’s statue awaits you. world, has incorporated his endearing relationship with golf fans everywhere to design an enjoyable and challenging golf course sure to endear him even more to the golfers who visit his home course. Located just outside Louisville, KY in rural Sellersberg, Indiana, Covered Bridge Golf Club is Fuzzy’s 18-hole, 6,453yard (men’s tees), par 72 layout commonly known to locals as ‘The Bridge’.
Brad Shelton SELLERSBERG, INDIANA – Frank Urban Zoeller, or Fuzzy as he is affectionately known around the 8
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On our way to cover the 2012 Big Ten men’s and women’s golf
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tournament in French Lick, Indiana my father and I stopped at Covered Bridge to play. Having read a few good comments about the course we thought we would see if the positive online posts about Fuzzy’s design were true; plus, we just wanted to play a little golf. The day exceeded our expectations. From the time we passed the statue of Fuzzy outside the front door an entered the clubhouse to pay greens fees through the end of the round when we got two sweet
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iced teas from the snack bar for the short drive to French Lick, the entire experience was great.
speed and rolled true. I am sure as the heat of summer arrives the fairways and greens will be immaculate.
Despite some popular trends, a good golf course does not have to be ridiculously long or extremely difficult to be good. In my opinion, a good golf course offers fair playing conditions and the opportunity for players of different levels to challenge themselves from tee to green, and that is exactly what Fuzzy has accomplished at Covered Bridge.
After the first three holes, it was apparent that Fuzzy had built a very playable course. Sure, there are four sets of tees ranging from Fuzzy’s yardage at 7,068 to the up tees at 4,957 that allow a distance for all players, but more importantly, Fuzzy has taken the natural landscape of gently rolling plains to design a track that gives some room for error off the tee and that allows the player to recover from an errant tee or approach shot. The bunkers are strategically placed to both define the holes and to catch offline shots, but none were so tough as to frustrate the player.
As for the conditions, the fairways and tees are Zoysia, and the greens are bent grass. Even in late April, the Zoysia had already greened up nicely offering level lies from the fairway and the greens, although not too fast, had some
Once on the green, you will notice that the slope and undulations are subtle yet challenging - it may take a round or two to truly understand how each green breaks, but I never felt any putt was unfair. From the clubhouse you will be able to see the signature 9th and 18th holes. These two par-5 finishing holes share a green, and are defined by a large lake and greenside bunker that protect the green from a short fairway approach. I got home in two on both; Dad did not. Covered Bridge’s sister course, Champions Pointe, is another Fuzzy Zoeller/Clyde Johnson-designed course just up the road in Henryville, Indiana. After our round, the players in the clubhouse highly recommended we play that course next time we are in the area. Although the web description sounds similar to Covered Bridge, the locals say it a different challenge, more links style, equally as fair as Covered Bridge and in as good condition. I wish we could have stayed longer and hope I get a chance to go back. According to the web site, Covered Bridge and Champions Pointe offer ‘Stay and Play’ packages at great rates for accommodations and golf. If you are in the area and just have time for one round, don’t worry about such a good course charging ‘through the roof ’ rates. I played for less than $60. Dad had to admit he was a senior, but got a $20 discount. At least Dad’s golf game has one thing in common with Fuzzy. - MG -
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Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Induction, 2012
Photo courtesy of Michigan Golf Foundation
By Jack Berry
Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Inductees ( l to r): Rick Smith, Jack Van Ess, Jack Seltzer, and Larry Mancour he Michigan Golf Hall of Fame welcomed Rick Smith, Larry Mancour, Jack Seltzer and Jack Van Ess on a perfect Pure Michigan golf day at Michigan State’s Forest Akers Golf Course, raising Hall membership to 98.
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It was the 23rd induction ceremony that began with three of the game’s legends, Walter Hagen, 12
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Chuck Kocsis and Al Watrous, forming the first class. This class too has national reknown with Smith, great professionalism with club pros Mancour and Seltzer and veteran amateur Jack Van Ess of Grand Rapids who has no interest in shooting his age. Smith is a gifted player but teaching and designing courses have
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been his greatest talents. Hired by the late Harry Melling at Sylvan Resort in Gaylord, Smith’s magic personality, energy and ideas fully blossomed and turned Sylvan into nationally-famous Treetops Resort. While an assistant in Lakeland, Fla., Smith worked with Florida Southern students Lee Janzen and Rocco Mediate who became winners
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There’s still work to do in Michigan and Smith said NBC and Golf Channel want to bring back the Par 3 Shootout which was very popular when televised by ESPN. Smith also hit on a note shared by the whole golf industry and especially professionals like Flint natives Mancour and Seltzer who have spent their career teaching, organizing and running tournaments. The demon is slow play and the resistance of the public to move to forward tees where they have an opportunity to score better and finish happy.
Photo courtesy of golfchannel.com/media/big-break-ii-show-hosts/
Mancour and Seltzer benefited
Rick Smith
from Flint’s junior program which was the the state leader. They started at the bottom rung of the ladder, working for money to play. “It was 60 cents for juniors and I played 54 holes every day,” Seltzer said. Seltzer and Mancour led champion high school and Mott Community College golf teams and then turned professional and began the climb to head pro. Mancour also played on the PGA Tour, designed courses and kept the Buick Open name alive with a Little Buick Open for eight years until General Motors resumed sponsorship of the state’s flagship professional tournament. Photo courtesy of the Mancour Family
on the PGA Tour with Janzen taking two U.S. Opens. In later years he worked with Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson. Mickelson won three majors in that time. Now Mickelson and Smith are partners in design and are in China, the world’s golfbuilding hot spot. Smith said they have orders for 10 courses, four are under construction and he’s been a China commuter.
The two Flint natives were consistent winners on the state scene and Seltzer won
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Larry Mancour all of the Michigan majors. He won his singles match against a top Scottish player while playing for the United States in the PGA Cup against Great Britain and Ireland at Muirfield, Scotland. Seltzer birdied the first hole and said his wife, Pam, was the only one applauding while several hundred Scots were silent as Seltzer led all the way. Mancour and Seltzer are passing on their knowledge to young players now, Mancour with a combined team from Alanson and Pellston high schools and Seltzer at the highly regarded Kendall
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Academy in Ypsilanti.
Michigan State University’s Turf Team was given a Special Award for its work in keeping courses green, researching soils, nutrients, causes, pesticides, fungicides, effects and cures for the living plants the game is played on. Virtually every course in the state has benefited from the Turf Team which also has been
called to help in 26 countries. The Hall of Fame is located in the Troy Officecenter on East Big Beaver Rd. in Troy. It contains clubs, bags, pictures and portraits and plaques of all the members. It is open by appointment. Contact Loretta Larkin at 248 719-0650 or Larkin@Michigan-GolfFoundation.com. - MG -
Photo courtesy of the Van Ess Family
Photo courtesy of Photo courtesy of the Seltzer Family
Van Ess was the most senior member of the four man Hall of Fame induction and fellow Egypt Valley member John O’Donovan, who introduced Van Ess, said when a member asked him if he was going to shoot his age, Van Ess responded “I hope not.” He’s 85 and has shot well under his age hundreds of times. He has won numerous state and national senior championships
despite never playing on Sunday, keeping a promise to his father when he was young.
Jack Van Ess
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Michigan Golfer TV: 25th Anniversary - Gaylord Golf Mecca http://michigangolfer.tv/2012shows/gaylord_golf_mecca/
Ubiquitous Michigan Golf
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Photo courtesy of Ping.com
Karsten Solheim and President Ronald Reagan, 1988
Who is (are) the “Steve Jobs” of Modern Golf? By Bill and Brad Shelton ho is (are) the The late Steve Jobs was described by biographer Walter Isaacson as the “ultimate icon of inventiveness and imagination . . . whose passion and perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized 6 industries: personal computing, animated movies, phones, tablet computing, music, and digital publishing. His biographer concluded that
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his (Steven Jobs) unorthodox leadership style and “reality distortion field” resulted in iconic inventions that became embedded in the culture and answers to Jeopardy questions decades later. Jobs’ quirky and impulsive behavior resulted in multiple career highs and lows but his canny ability to bring about self-fulfilling prophecies
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Is there an individual in the golf equipment arena who might be referred to as the “Steve Jobs” of modern golf? Has the game of golf been impacted by the technological innovations of any one individual to the level of Jobs’ cataclysmic change? Admittedly, the comparison with Jobs is a difficult challenge and clearly arbitrary. Some would suggest that the technology in golf equipment has evolved from several individuals over the last half century. Limiting the impact on modern golf to the equipment sector, Bill and Brad suggest who are the best candidates.
Bill - In my opinion, the individual making the biggest equipment impact on golf in the modern era is Karsten Solheim. Though very different in life style, education, and management style, Solheim did share some strikingly similar experiences and behaviors with Jobs. Both started their companies in home garages; both had somewhat unique approaches to product development; and both were relentless in the pursuit of perfection. And, while other professionals in his field respected Jobs (often grudgingly), colleagues admiringly viewed Solheim as a great pioneer in the golf industry. Ely Callaway, founder of Callaway Golf, said of Solheim “He paved the way for all of us.” Ken
Lindsay, former president of the PGA of America, concluded “Perhaps no individual has had as profound impact on the golf industry as Karsten Solheim.” It all began when he (Solheim) was invited to play a round of golf with some GE coworkers. He had a very difficult time putting so he decided to invent a more user-friendly putter. He moved the shaft from the heel of the putter to the center of the putter head, and Karsten Solheim develops Ping Anser Putter in 1967. redistributed the putter head over the green as a curious, mumweight to the toe and heel. The bling group of pros gathered. He result was a putter that made a disattached a marking device to a playtinctive ping sound and the Ping er’s putter and showed him why his putter was invented. putts wobbled.” Photo courtesy of Ping.com
in consumer technology usage has changed forever the way the average person communicates, reads, searches for information, listens to music, and writes. The Apple computer, IPod, IPad, and IPhone are ingrained without peers in American culture. He has no equal in consumer electronic technology!
Professionals were reluctant to try the strange looking concoction until Julius Boros at age 46 won the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open using an “Anser” putter in 1967. Barry McDermott relates an incident in the early 1960s that sounded very “Steve Jobs” like. Solheim showed up at a tour event and proceeded immediately to the practice green. “His eyebrows fluttering in the breeze, Solheim spread graph paper
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Solheim resigned his engineering job at GE and launched his own manufacturing company using his perimeter weighted putter concept to develop a full line of Ping clubs. The Ping Eye irons was the best selling set of all times. He later focused on developing a much more reliable and consistent investment cast club as opposed to the existing forged club. Using a tumble finish,
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Photo courtesy of bigscreenanimation.com
cussion to the equipment sector and my selection for the “Steven Jobs of golf ” is Ely Callaway.
Steve Jobs Solheim’s chromeless creations were not particularly attractive but quickly accepted for their performance. (Jobs cared almost as much about appearance as performance.) He later was the first to manufacture the L wedge and tried, unsuccessfully, to market a multi-colored golf ball. Solheim had more than a few run-ins with the USGA over the use of bent shafts (to reduce torque) and the groove configuration on his irons. Ping putters and irons continue to be successful among amateurs and professional. Bubba Watson, the 2012 Masters champion, and Louis Oosthuizen, the runner-up in a play-off both carry Ping clubs. Solheim died at age 84 in 2000 but his impact on golf at all levels continues today. Sandy Jones, PGA of Europe Chairman, summed up Solheim’s impact, “It’s unlikely there will be another era in the golf industry like Karsten Solheim’s last 40 years . . . (He) made the game of golf fun for millions.”
Brad - Arguably, this is one of the toughest debates I have faced as a golf writer. There are so many innovators in golf when you consider everything from course designers to teachers to equipment developers. Fortunately we have limited this dis18
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Although Callaway was not the first to introduce the metal wood to golf, he was the first to design a larger, easier to hit metal wood that allowed the average player to hit a longer and straighter drive from the tee – arguably one of the toughest shots up to that point in golf ’s history. Since his introduction of the Big Bertha in 1991, oversized metal woods and irons have become the choice for the vast majority of golfers, professional and amateur alike, and the model for equipment manufacturers in the golf industry. Today, you will find Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, and Stuart Appleby to name a few playing his equipment. When Callaway first developed and hit the Big Bertha, at age 72, he predicted from his experience as a successful textile and wine entrepreneur that the new driver would revolutionize the golf industry. “I knew that if a 72-year old man could hit this driver off the ground, that anybody could hit it off the tee. We took the fear out of it (the driver).” Revolutionize the industry? Take the fear out of it? Sounds a lot like Jobs approach to technology. It is hard to argue that Apple has not set the standard for many aspects of technology and revolutionized our high expectations for what we expect listening to music or calling a friend. Graphical User Interface (GUI), the easy to use Mac, the IPod, IPhone, and IPad – all took the fear out of using the most up-to-date and powerful technology to communicate and participate with the world just as Callaway did for hitting the
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daunting tee shot and tight lie with a fairway wood. Pardon the cliché, but Ely Callaway was the first club designer in years to think outside the box when it came to club design. While many had introduced new clubs to golf, Callaway introduced a new idea – the game could be more accessible to the average person and, within the rules of golf, could be a more enjoyable experience for all players if the clubs were just easier to hit, which meant a larger clubhead. Much like Solheim and the perimeter weighting for irons, Callaway has affected all metal wood designs since 1991. Look in any bag on tour or at your local club and you will see oversized metal woods in every bag. Look at any new technology and you will see the same influence that Jobs has had on technology. ummary - We left out Scotty Cameron, Barney Adams, Roger Cleveland, Bob Vokey, and others from our debate, but all were thoughtfully considered as innovators in the golf industry. Each of these individuals have made their mark on today’s game developing industry changing designs from the hybrid iron/wood to the improved perimeter weighted club and milled faces. We also omitted the pioneers in new shaft and material introductions that have become so much a part of golf.
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If you have a golf innovator you would like us to consider, please let us know at the Michigan Golfer. We are stubborn in our opinions, but certainly open to your ideas. - MG -
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Indiana Golf….Déjà Vu By Mike Duff arm hospitality and great golf await you in the Fort Wayne Indiana. Bob Moriarity, Bob Walker, my brother Bob and I spent three days in the Fort Wayne area playing golf and enjoying the friendly Indiana hospitality. We like to call ourselves the “traveling golf Wilburys” and we can attest to a great experience. This was our second trip to Northern Indiana in as many years and it proved to be enjoyable as our previous trip. We try to pick a spring golf destination that is within two to three hours of Detroit which may offer better weather conditions. However, that doesn’t always work out.
return to Cherry Hill and play it again. By the way, it does have a four-and-a-half star rating by Golf Digest.
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Todd Chin, Pro Shop Manager and Ryan Delagrange, General Manager at Cherry Hill were friendly and welcoming. We had intended on returning the next day to complete our round but time constraints prohibited us.
Photo courtesy of Cherry Hill GC
Note: Cherry Hill Golf Club. 6615 Wheelock Rd., (260) 485-8727, www.cherryhillgc.com, Par 72, Course length-6,800 yards, Slope: 132, Rating 72.9
Our golf adventure started with an afternoon tee time at Cherry Hill Golf Club just outside of Fort Wayne. Unfortunately, we were unable to play the back nine due to heavy rain and high winds but we were able to play the front nine which was rather tight. Homes lined both sides of the fairways which made you concentrate on ball control. The course was designed by Max Robertson, Pete Dye’s lead shaper for 34 years which is a testimony to the difficult greens, water locations and sand traps. The signature hole was number 6 and is the only true island hole in Indiana.
ur next day took us to Autumn Ridge Golf Club a few miles from Cherry Hill C.C. Roger Delagrange the owner of Cherry Hill, Autumn Ridge and Bob Cat Golf Club in Port Charlotte Florida, happened to be there and extended his welcome. The weather conditions had improved and we were eager to get started. From the time we entered the pro shop and club house we knew that the friendly customer service that we had heard about was true. We were greeted by Kyle Pearson, Head Pro and General Manager. Kyle is a graduate of the University of Indianapolis majoring in golf management. I asked Kyle,
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Cherry Hill, No. 14 It is a beautiful hole and very challenging. Our pace of play quickened with each hole due to the weather conditions. The greens had been recently aerated and top dressed, so in all fairness to the course, we didn’t get a chance to really make a fair assessment. However, the overall condition of the course was great. Cherry Hill offers four sets of tees ranging from 6800 from the tips to 5200 yards from the reds. Senior players had the option to play the whites at 5980 yards. Our goal is to
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Photo courtesy of Cherry Hill GC
what sets Autumn Ridge apart from other courses in the area? “The challenging terrain and the spectacular lake holes…. in addition, we have a full service driving range with target greens and a short game practice area. Autumn Ridge is an event golf center offering a full service pro shop and banquet facilities.” According to Kyle Autumn Ridge is very popular in the Fort Wayne area and has a large private membership. Autumn Ridge also has a four-and-a-half star rating from Golf Digest
Photo courtesy of Autumn Ridge GC
Cherry Hill, No. 15
and offers four sets of tees ranging from 7103 to 5273 yards with the option for seniors at 6009. Ernie Schrock designed the course which opened in 1993. He made the course to accommodate the skilled golfer as well as the beginner. “The thing I liked about the course was the wide fairways and the forgiving fairway rough,” commented Bob Moriarity. Water comes in to play on 11 of the holes yet you don’t feel overly intimidated, but poor shots can get you in trouble. Bob Duff, pointed out that the “homes along the course never come in to play so you don’t feel closed in.” The course was in excellent shape even though the greens had been recently aerated and top dressed. Following our round of golf we headed for the 19th hole, where we enjoyed talking with the staff while having a bite to eat and a couple of beers. Bob Walker, our customer serv-
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Photo courtesy of Autumn Ridge GC
with elevated tees, groomed traps and gracious landing areas for putting you in position for a good second shot. Shot accuracy is a must on most holes. The tender care that the course receives from its grounds crew lends itself to good shot-making. We really enjoyed the natural layout with its rolling terrain and beautiful woods. It truly is a course to experience. Note: Glendarin Golf Club. 3333 Glendarin Way, Angola IN., (260) 624-3550, www.glendarinhills.com, Par 72, Course length7055 yards.
Autumn Ridge Clubhouse Playing from the tips gives you an all together different look and unique challenge. Yardages range from 5,000 to 7,000 yards. Jeff Huffman is the head pro and can help make your visit to Glendarin one you will always remember. Jeff is new to Glendarin but not new to golf. He is widely known in this part of Indiana having been the head pro at Cobblestone Golf Club for a number of years.
ice expert of our group, was impressed with the courteous manner and friendly atmosphere exhibited by the wait staff. Heather, a recent graduate of Mankato State University in Wisconsin, was our server. She exemplified the hospitality we saw throughout our visit to Autumn Ridge. Note: Autumn Ridge Golf Club. 11420 Auburn Road, Fort Wayne, (260)637-8727, www.autumnridgegc.com, Par 72, Course length7103 yards, Slope: 136, Rating 74.9. ay three took us to Glendarin Hills Golf Club near Angola Indiana. We made this our last stop on our way home. Glendarin is considered to be one of the best courses in Indiana. It is located off of I-69 approximately three miles off county road 200N. Glendarin Golf Club is a resort-style golf course situated on 485 acres of sloping terrain. The front nine reminds me of an up-north Michigan course with plenty of trees and a track that would suit any Michigan golfer. The back side is more open. There are five sets of tees. The green tees offer senior players a challenging track at 5878 yards.
All three of these courses have bent grass fairways and greens. Carts are required and carts are equipped with GPS systems. One call will do it all. Dan Flint at (260) 433-1480 can handle all your golf and lodging needs. Partner courses in the area are Bridgewater East, Bridgewater West, Cobblestone and Noble Hawk. - MG -
Glendarin has 18 unique holes
Photo courtesy of Autumn Ridge GC
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Photo courtesy of thepointegolfclub.com
OBX Means “In Bounds” for Golfers
By Bill Shelton he Outer Banks of North Carolina (dubbed OBX) has long been recognized as a prime family vacation destinaBill Shelton tion. The 130mile stretch of barrier islands offers natural beach settings on the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico Sounds. Unlike many other eastern coastal resorts, the island is not cluttered with high-rise condos and resorts but rather features the more traditional seaside weathered-wood houses atop stilts. Known for its distinctively decorated lighthouses,
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sandy beaches, site of the Lost Colony, wild horses, oat grass sand dunes, the Wright Brothers’ first flight, as well as varieties of fresh seafood, the Outer Banks attract nearly 7 million visitors each year. But golfing may not have been considered a major attraction. The Outer Banks has been selfproclaimed as the “Ultimate Coastal Golf Destination.” Admittedly, considering the golfing venues along America’s eastern shore such as Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Kiawah Island, Georgia and Florida golfing resorts, that title seems a bit ambitious. There are, however, some genuine reasons to add OBX to one’s golfing itinerary. Eleven courses are
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available for public play including 7 newer courses that are excellent tests of golf. Three of the courses are listed among North Carolina’s “Top 100 Places to Play”: Kilmarlic Golf Club, The Currituck Club, and Nags Head Golf Links. Booking golf packages on the Outer Banks is very convenient and affordable. Outer Banks Golf Travel (www.OBXGolfTravel.com or (800)916-6244) provides one-stop package quotes and bookings for the island courses and lodgings. Prices for both golf play and lodgings are very affordable especially during the “shoulder” seasons (and those nongolfers no longer are cluttering the roads). The temperatures in the fall
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The Pointe Golf Club
Being located on the northern end of coastal golf, the Outer Banks are easily accessible by car from the Northeast and Midwest. Air travel to the area is typically routed through Norfolk International (VA), located within 90 miles of the courses. A final consideration of why OBX should be viewed as a viable option of an upcoming golf trip is that it does not have the “golf factory” aura of many venues. It is a more “personalized” experience with fewer courses but more individual
Photo courtesy of The Carolina Club
and spring average in the mid-70s and the Bermuda fairways and bentgrass greens are typically in immaculate condition.
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Photo courtesy of The Currituck Club
Currituck Club, Hole No. 15 attention. While there are fewer courses than many coastal destinations, there is no shortage of quality golfing experiences available. The Kilmarlic Golf Club meanders 6500 yards through maritime forest and intruding wetlands. Designed by Tom Steele, Kilmarlic has twice hosted the North Carolina Open and has earned a Golf Digest four-star “Best Places You Can Play” rating. Though not a long course, it can best be described as a “risk/reward” test with can result in a birdie or double bogey. Limited on-site cottage lodging is available. Sister venues, Carolina Club and The Pointe, are Russell Breeden and Bob Moore designs that are meticulously manicured and player friendly. Ever present sea breezes add to challenge of mastering either course. The Pointe is the home to a favorite local watering hole and grille, 24
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Keefer’s. These three courses along with The Pines at Elizabeth City and the Golf Digest 4 ½ star “Best Places to Play” The Sound Golf Links are on the mainland. The Currituck Club, a Rees Jones creation, winds through island dunes, wetlands, and along soundside shore line. The ocean breezes seem to affect virtually every shot and club selection. The imposing clubhouse sits high atop (a relative expression) a ridge overlooking the Corolla community and offering a enjoyable place to enjoy some refreshment and ocean views after a challenging round. A sister club, Nags Head Golf Links, is a truly Scottish links-style course and, due to the coastal winds, and Golf Digest has branded it as “the longest 6,126 yards you’ll ever play.” Sitting adjacent to the sound, it has stunning vistas but appeal to the eye but
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seem to beckon golf balls to their watery grave. Hitting the ball straight is a key asset on this Bob Moore design. All of the bad shots can be easily forgotten as the golfer relaxes on the sound-side deck of the clubhouse. The Outer Banks of North Carolina is an alternative—and a good one—to golfers who enjoy a variety of golf venues. The fall and spring seasons are less crowded and the weather is perfect for being outdoors. The rates are affordable and the hospitality genuine. While summer golf in Michigan is unbeatable, think about heading to OBX next fall or spring and enjoy an island experience. - MG Photo right: Nags Head, Hole No. 18
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Photo courtesy of Nags Head
Kalamazoo Golfer Marches to Historic Michigan Open Win By Greg Johnson
“I kept telling him to ‘birdie in, birdie in,’” Cuzzort said after Kelpin tied the 64-year-old all-time scoring record in racing away from the field Thursday at The Orchards Golf Club. “I wasn’t going to catch him, so he might as well birdie them all and get the record. I was rooting for him.” Kelpin, 22, stormed the field with a course-record tying 63 in the second round to set the table for his run at history. A recent University of Iowa graduate playing in his first professional tournament, Kelpin closed with a 4under-par 68 for a remarkable 23under-par 265 total. It earned him an $8,000 first-place check as well as the coveted James D. Standish Jr. Trophy.
Photo by Art McCafferty
WASHINGTON, Mich. – It became clear to Jeff Cuzzort that he wasn’t going to catch the birdie-making machine otherGreg Johnson wise known as Berritt Kelpin in the 95th Michigan Open Championship presented by DTE Energy, so he decided to cheer him on.
Barrett Kelpin won his first professional check, $8,000. Cuzzort, a Nationwide Tour player from Grosse Ile, shot 72 for 15under 273 and then cheered Michigan golf history. Kelpin’s scoring performance matched the mark set in 1948 by Michigan Golf Hall of Fame legend Chick Harbert, who won the Michigan Open four times, won seven times on the PGA Tour, won the 1954 PGA National
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Championship and was a Ryder Cup captain. “Probably a lot of it hasn’t sunk in,” Kelpin said after shocking the field. “It was my first pro event and I played so well and managed to tie that record. It’s kind of surreal right now, but it was a great week. I mean I played well the whole week.” Andy Ruthkoski, the 2007 Michigan Open champion from Muskegon, mini-tour golfer Willie Mack III of Flint and low amateur Brian Hayward, a Grand Rapids CPA, tied for third at 14-under-par 274. Clark Klaasen, a mini-tour player from Grand Rapids, was next
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after shooting a 65, the low round of the day, for 275. Cuzzort, who won $4,800 for second, had three bogeys to start his round, and said he let the nervous Kelpin off the hook. “I could see he was nervous,” he said. “He had a double-bogey (No. 5 in the hazard), but I just never got anything going. Bogey the first three holes – that’s not what I wanted to do. It’s kind of opposite of what I needed to do to put pressure on.”
Kelpin, an All-Big Ten golfer who won the national Northern Amateur last summer and had five second-place finishes in college play, had a shot at 24-under on the final hole, but an 18-foot putt came up just inches short. “I putted great from start to finish this week,” he said. “Any putt that was on the green I thought I could make,” he said. “Once I shot that 63 and saw all those putts go in, my confidence
was through the roof for me the entire week.” Kelpin plays to play mini-tour golf and prepare for PGA Tour Qualifying in the fall. He also will get another shot at The Orchards, which will host the Michigan Open again next year. Kevin Helm, the executive director of the PGA, and Ron Dalby, owner of The Orchards, announced the Open will return in 2013. Note: Doug Joy and Phyllis Barone bring us some of the action at the Open, with interviews with Randy Erskine and winner Barrett Kelpin. http://youtube.com/watch?v=lceB26 XLPb0 - MG -
Photo by Art McCafferty
Kelpin said the help of his uncle, Greg Gagie, who caddied for him, was a critical factor, and he said he talked on the phone with his teacher, Charley Vandenberg of Thousand Oaks in Grand Rapids, each day of the week.,
“I feel like talking with (Charley) and having my uncle there to calm me down when the going got tough was big,” he said after making 29 birdies and an eagle during the four rounds. “I knew I could win, but I don’t think I really expected this in my first professional event.”
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Photo cby Kevin Frisch
Robert Trent Jones’ The Heather, Boyne Highlands
A New Appreciation for Art took Art Appreciation in college because I needed the general education credits to satisfy my undergraduate Brad Shelton requirements. For some reason, which probably applies to many college students at that age, I passed the class and never really developed an appreciation or understanding of art – it was just a necessary evil and hopefully an easy “A” at the time.
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By Brad Shelton appreciation is beginning to make sense to me. However, instead of developing an appreciation for art through da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, my comprehension comes from applying the principles of art appreciation to golf course design and architecture. Art appreciation in its simplest definition “is being able to look at a work of art and then being able to form an opinion of the work.” A true work of art challenges your intellect every time you experi-
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ence it. There is much more to the Mona Lisa than a simple and plain looking woman sitting for a family portrait. Mozart’s music is much more than a classical simplicity piece composed after the complexity of the Baroque style. The more you experience it the more you see, hear, and understand new things. As opposed to a painting or symphony, my favorite part of golf course art is that I actually get be part of the art – I can become a participant in the idea and vision of the artist. I am sure nobody would every let me add a brush stroke to a
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famous painting, but I can experience a different set of tees, see new pin placements, take a divot from the fairway, or punch out from behind a different tree…
number of great golf courses in my lifetime – and a few not so great. Regardless of the course, every time I play now I have an honest appreciation of the golf course artists and the natural canvass they have transformed.
The more I play the more I see the artist’s intention.
It is probably not the art appreciation my professors intended, but I hope they know they did achieve their objective of creating a life long student of art appreciation. - MG -
I have been fortunate to play a
Robert Trent Jones (r) with Harry Melling
Photo courtesy of Treetops
If anything is disappointing about golf course architecture/art these days it is the liberties superintendents and course committees take with the original design due to economic or maintenance reasons. Some have added or deleted a brush stroke to the Mona Lisa without consulting the artist on the best way to maintain the initial intent of the artist. As I understand the need to meet budget and reduce the headaches of raking another bunker or mowing a larger green, I am afraid too many are altering the landscape that takes away from the original artists intent and this the golfer’s enjoyment of a true work of art.
Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios
The famous golf course artists such as Ross, Dye, McKenzie, and Trent Jones all understood golf courses as art. Today’s masterminds such as Fazio, Nicklaus, Player, Palmer, Hills, and Mathews have continued to advance artistic principles in the design of courses.
Photo courtesy of Treetops
Golf course design and architecture is as much a work art as any painting, opera, ballet, symphony, song, or stage performance. Instead of a blank canvass for the painter or staff paper for the composer, the golf course architect and designer uses the natural landscape to transform a plot of raw land into a work of art.
Arnold Palner
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Collegiate Spotlight
Oakland University Golden Grizzlies Anticipate a Memorable 2012-2013 Season
Phto courtesy of Scott MacDonald, Athletic Communications, Oakland University
By Chris Lewis
Oakland University Men’s Golf Team, 2011 - 2012 n July 28, 2011, one of Michigan’s most successful amateur golfers, Russ Cunningham,
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was named the third men’s and women’s head golf coach in Oakland University’s 14-year history as a Division I college.
men’s golf coach at Michigan State University, as well as Buies Creek, North Carolina’s Campbell University.
The 2010 Golf Association of Michigan Amateur of the Decade, Cunningham is a former assistant
Aside from his successful amateur career, which includes a victory at the 2010 Michigan Publinx Match Play
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round of 291 was our lowest round of the year – and that should not be the case,” Cunningham said.
Today, Cunningham’s focus on athletics – and academics – has not wavered, as he is determined to help the Golden Grizzlies not only become contenders on the golf course, but also develop a proper balance between school and golf. In doing so, they will be more prepared to succeed in whichever career or endeavor they pursue in the future.
The Grizzlies would not record another top-five finish until October, at the CSU Invitational, contested at Cleveland, Ohio’s Canterbury Golf Club. Former team member Phil Gieseker, as well as freshman Alex Turner, led all Oakland scorers with a pair of 71s. Gieseker and Turner finished the tournament in third-place on an individual basis, while Oakland claimed a fourth-place showing.
“I expect the entire team to always be improving, whether they are on the golf course, or in the classroom,” Cunningham said. “To build upon last season’s results, that constant desire to improve will be necessary.”
Reflections: The 2011 – 2012 Oakland University Grizzlies During the 2011 – 2012 season, the Golden Grizzlies had seven topten finishes in 11 appearances, including last September’s Fossum Invitational, held at East Lansing’s Forest Akers West. Led by redshirt sophomore Matt Domagalski’s trio of 74s, the team finished in third-place among 12 teams. Forest Akers West is well-known throughout the state for its challenging 7,013 yard-long, par-72 layout, which a majority of Oakland’s starters managed quite well. “But, as it turns out, our first
Phto courtesy of Scott MacDonald, Athletic Communications, Oakland University
Championship, Cunningham is primarily known for his tenure at MSU, as he helped the Spartans drastically improve their golfing program in the 1990s. In just two-and-a-half years, the team lowered its scoring average by 15 shots and raised its grade point average from 2.3 to 2.9.
Later that month, the team also earned a sixth-place finish at the UD Invitational, held at Kettering, Ohio’s NCR Country Club. Featuring 13 teams and 95 players, Michael Coriasso (’12) led all Oakland scorers with rounds of 75 and 73. The team did not compete again until February 18th, when four starters competed in the Folino Invitational. Held at Industry, California’s Industry Hills Golf Club, the longest course the
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Alex Turner Grizzlies encountered all season, at 7,211 yards, the team recorded another top-10 finish – its fourth of the 2011-2012 season. One month later, the team finished seventh at the Carter Plantation Intercollegiate, an event hosted in Springfield, Louisiana. Michael Coriasso again led all Oakland scorers, with rounds of 78, 73, and 76. The team would claim two more top-ten finishes the following month, at the Detroit Titans Invitational and the Summit League Championship. “Although we did not play as consistently during the spring sea-
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son, as we had in the fall, I believe our final tournament was the most memorable one of the year,” Cunningham said.
Upon firing an opening first round of 68, the lowest of the season, Cunningham backed up his performance with a 72 and 71, finishing the tournament at two-underpar. Cunningham, who is not related to his coach, currently has a career scoring average of 75.7. If he maintains that average throughout the remainder of his career, he will graduate from Oakland with one of the top-ten best career scoring averages in the history of the program. The same can be said of sophomore Trevor Rosekrans, who presently has an average of 76.5. Another consistent member of the squad, redshirt freshman Cameron Nelson finished the 2011-2012 season with a scoring average of 77.4, one of the best averages recorded by a freshman in years.
Coach Cunningham Looks Ahead to the Future Such performances have led Coach Cunningham to believe the Grizzlies currently have the skill sets that are necessary to become regular Division I contenders. “I believe this upcoming season will be one to remember,” Cunningham said. “Each member of 32
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Phto courtesy of Scott MacDonald, Athletic Communications, Oakland University
Contested at Primm, Nevada’s Primm Valley Desert Course, the 2012 Summit League Championship will likely be remembered primarily for one individual’s performance – Nick Cunningham’s fourth-place finish.
Trevor Rosenkrans the team has the ability to compete for individual titles. It is simply a matter of having all five players perform to their best of their abilities every single round.” He continued, “It was so exciting to coach once again. And to do so as a head coach makes the last ten years in which I have competed as an amateur even more rewarding. Now it’s time to use my competitive experience to help create lifelong memories for each of my team members.”
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With the team’s proper blend of youth and experience, raw, natural talent, and the resolve to succeed, there are plenty of reasons to believe Oakland University will regularly contend for tournaments throughout the 2012 – 2013 season. For further information about Oakland University’s wide selection of athletic programs, please visit http://www.ougrizzlies.com. - MG -
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Collegiate Spotlight
Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals Prepare for Upcoming Fall 2012 Season
Photo courtesy of Joe Vogl, Head Coach, Men’s Golf, Saginaw Valley State University
By Chris Lewis
Saginaw State University Men’s Golf Team, 2011 - 2012 he year was 1969. Orville Moody had just shocked the golfing world by winning the U.S. Open as a local and sectional qualifier, the last
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Chris Lewis
to do so in the 20th century. Raymond Floyd had recently earned his first of four major championship victories, defeating Gary Player by one stroke at the PGA Championship. And, Saginaw Valley State University’s very first men’s golf team competed as a member of the National Athletic Intercollegiate Association (NAIA),
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capturing four tournaments in the process. Two years later, Joe Vogl, a former high school football linebacker standout, transferred from Ferris State University to Saginaw State University, after enduring a careerending injury. Upon transferring, Vogl chose to pursue a collegiate
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Today, as head coach of the university’s men’s golf team, Vogl is focused on achieving one singular goal – to guide his current squad to multiple collegiate titles this upcoming season as well.
Photo courtesy of Joe Vogl, Head Coach, Men’s Golf, Saginaw Valley State University
“Our goals for this fall and next spring are simple – to win the GLIAC Championship in October and earn at least a fifth-place showing at next April’s regional competition,” Vogl said. “A fifth-place finish would assure us a spot at the Super Regionals, which, hopefully, will provide us with an opportunity to compete in next May’s NCAA Division II Finals.”
Dustin Vogl career in his second favorite sport – golf. The decision ultimately proved to be one of his best, as Vogl led the Cardinals to three NAIA championships and three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) titles in four years, while also earning individual All-GLIAC and All-District honors. 34
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Vogl’s goals may appear to be quite lofty at first glance. After all, the Cardinals only had one top-five finish last fall – at the Northwood University Invitational – and none this past spring. But, Vogl believes his team’s current sophomores, and incoming class of freshmen recruits, truly have the ability to transform his vision into reality this fall.
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A Look Back at the 2011 – 2012 Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals Last season, Coach Vogl was shocked by the season-long performances of two newcomers – red shirt freshman Micah Skidmore and freshman Wyatt Drost. Skidmore, a native of Saginaw, competed in 12 events last season, including the NCAA Super Regionals. He led the Cardinals in scoring in 10 of 11 team events and earned four individual top-five finishes. “Micah was our top scorer this past season, with a scoring average of 74.2 – one of the best seasonal averages ever recorded in the history of the university,” Vogl said. “He was not only named the team’s MVP, but also received All-GLIAC first team and All-Midwest Region team recognitions.” In addition, he was the first Cardinal to ever be selected as the GLIAC’s Freshman of the Year, an honor that is even more remarkable when one considers the university’s extensive list of talented alumni, which includes three-time Michigan Open and two-time Michigan PGA winner Steve Brady, who is currently Oakland Hills Country Club’s Director of Instruction. “Wyatt Drost also played consistently well last season, finishing with a scoring average of 76.1 – and three top-20 finishes in nine events,” Vogl said. “Wyatt, like Micah, will be a member of the Cardinals for another three years.”
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The Al Watrous Memorial is hosted by Saginaw Valley State University on a biennial basis and is contested at the 6,880-yard-long Bay City Country Club, which offers golfers a variety of challenges, ranging from narrow fairways and fast, undulating greens to pot bunkers and water hazards. “The team shot a season best 584 – eight-over-par for two rounds,” Vogl said. “Although eight-over-par was not low enough to win, it did build some positive momentum as the team prepared for the rest of the fall season.” The following week, the team secured a fifth-place showing at the Northwood University Invitational, held at Midland’s Currie Golf Course. Micah Skidmore, along with Wyatt Drost and junior Adam Hansen, led the Cardinals in scoring, with two-day totals of 148, 149, and 150, respectively. The entire team finished with a score of 606, the second-best total of the Fall 2011 season. The Cardinals did not claim another top-six finish until this past spring, at the NCAA Regional #2, which was contested at Cherry Blossom Golf and Country Club, located in Georgetown, Kentucky. Skidmore once again led all scorers, with a two-day, two-under-par total of 142, the second lowest score of the tournament. The Cardinals finished with a two-day total of 593, the team’s lowest score of the entire spring season.
“This year’s team will have such a strong mix of experience, youth, and talent that I cannot help but to be excited about the future of our program. This is truly an incredible time to be a Cardinal.”
“Our spring season scoring average was 306.1 overall, which was slightly higher than our year-long average of 305.1,” Vogl said. “We actually had a much lower average in the fall, at 302.2, but our seasonal record improved from the fall to the spring. Last fall, our record was 3237-1 and this season it was 46-47, a considerable improvement.”
For more information about Saginaw Valley State University’s wide selection of athletic programs, please visit http://athletics.svsu.edu.
Coach Vogl Prepares for a Consistent, Successful 2012-2013 Campaign
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In less than three months, the Cardinals will be participating in their first event of the 2012 – 2013 season, Northern Michigan University’s Wildcat Invitational. With talented sophomores like Skidmore and Drost, as well as three new recruits, Coach Vogl believes this year’s Wildcat Invitational will be the first of many strong showings for the Cardinals. “I am really optimistic about this upcoming season,” Vogl said. “I have three incoming freshmen this year from both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas – Peter Van Sprecken, Eric Hepker, and Tommy Prato – and I have one player who will be rejoining the squad after taking one year off.” Vogl continued, “On top of that, I also have two seniors, my sons, Dustin and Drew, and a couple of juniors, Adam Hansen and Kreg Sherman. Along with Micah and Wyatt, there are two other sophomores that have the potential to become future leaders of the team as well.
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Photo courtesy of Joe Vogl, Head Coach, Men’s Golf, Saginaw Valley State University
Led by Skidmore and Drost, the Cardinals recorded seven top-ten finishes last season, at tournaments ranging from the Al Watrous Memorial to the NCAA Regional #2.
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Slice of Life Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores By Terry Moore n spite of it being an awkward difficult venue for spectators to get around, the Senior PGA Championship held at Harbor Shores in Terry Moore Benton Harbor was a resounding success on many fronts. First, the weather was summer-like and virtually void of weather delays and rainfall. In fact, it may have been almost too good with hot and humid temperatures. One observer said a year
One must commend tournament organizers, starting with presenting sponsor KitchenAid of Whirlpool and KemperSports, for aggressively marketing tournament ticket sales throughout the past year. In my
tenure in the golf industry in the state, I’ve never seen an event promoted as widely as this event. In the Grand Rapids media market, television ads touting the Senior PGA ran on all of the major outlets for months. No one could say they hadn’t heard about Harbor Shores. And even losing defending champion Tom Watson, due to an injury, didn’t dampen the attendance. In the pre-tournament interviews, there were some player concerns about the penal nature of the
Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios
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ago on the same date, the weather was gray, cloudy and with temperatures only in the mid-forties. Ah, Pure Michigan. The favorable weather over the Memorial Day weekend certainly contributed to a strong turnout. Even on Wednesday and Thursday, the crowds were very respectable.
Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Tom Wargo tries to make a putt. 36
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you can have the officials go out there and... have five or six or four really good pin placements.” During the opening round, such criticism was compounded when the prevailing wind direction switched and made scoring particularly difficult. In the afternoon teetimes, only one Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios
Jack Nicklaus design, particularly in relation to the green complexes and putting surfaces. Specifically, the tenth green came in for some valid criticism for its over-the-top mounding and huge “bunny hill” drop-off. Mild-mannered Fred Couples even said it was “a little too much.” Bernhard Langer said, “I think it’s a phenomenal golf course from tee to green. One of the world’s best, I would say, but could be the most severe or worst green complexes I’ve ever seen in my life.” Fred Funk said, “the greens I think are a little too busy, but they are what they are... I don’t mind a lot of movement to the greens or even terraces, but give us some flat areas where
Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios
Roger Chapman with the trophy
player broke par. Pre-tournament favorite Michael Allen shot 77. But on Friday, the winds switched back and conditions were more forgiving. Allen’s score improved by 13 shots. From then on, the players were off to the races and birdies Ron Beurman was one of five Michigan-connected people playing. arrived in MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
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bunches. So in spite of all of the concerns about the difficulty of the design, the players ate it up. Eventual champion Roger Chapman put on a ball-striking clinic, hitting fairways and greens throughout the week. On Sunday, Kenny Perry fired a 62, establishing a new tournament record. In sum, the game’s best players didn’t have any problems with Harbor Shores. The course itself, thanks to Superintendent Brad Fry and his staff which also included a host of volunteering superintendents, was in superb conditions and looked spectacular on television. Considering
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Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios
Photo by Jennie McCafferty
Benton Harbor was madly in love with the PGA.
J.R. Roth was not a happy camper after his double bogey.
the course only opened two years ago over some difficult and unsightly terrain, this was a remarkable achievement. How this once forsaken land, a favorite dumping ground and a site of dilapidated, vacant buildings, was transformed into a world-class development is really the compelling story of Harbor Shores. With a total investment of a halfbillion dollars, this 530-acre residential, golf, recreational and waterfront community is a showcase for the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. More importantly it has galvanized the area and fostered new and strong civic alliances. In addition, the development has nurtured
the Boys & Girls Club and The First Tee of Benton Harbor. Whirlpool Corporation and the Whirlpool Foundation have been stalwart citizens in all of these endeavors. Kudos to the Michigan PGA for its collaborative efforts with the tournament. I noticed many Michigan pros in attendance and also volunteering at the practice range. Heck, one West Michigan pro even picked up a chipping lesson from guru Stan Utley. Tournament organizers smartly implemented a spectator trolley system which lessened the “hard walk”
posed by the vast layout (6.2 miles of cart paths.) But to get to some scenic holes—say 7-9 or the infamous 10th green—spectators still needed a long trek. And sadly there were only a few observations stands for spectators. More stands should be planned for 2014 when the event returns. All in all, a notable week for the PGA of America, Harbor Shores, southwest Michigan and golf itself. It will only get better in 2014. Count me in again. - MG -
Michigan Golfer TV: Senior PGA Championship, Harbor Shores, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-hEHJBo_oY 38
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