Sponsored by:
May 27, 2011
Vol. 11, No. 21
Buck’s Run Golf Club
Photo courtesy of Michigan Golf Foundation
• http://bucksrun.com/golf/proto/bucksrun/ • Tour the Course Video with Jerry Matthews http://youtube.com/watch?v=qxuMfR0vN3o
Arcadia Bluffs • • •
Website: http://arcadiabluffs.com Golf & Lodging Rates: http://tiny.cc/9vx3f Tour the Course: http://tiny.cc/13yy1
Arthur Hills, Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, Class of 2011
LochenHeath Golf Course • •
Website: Video:
http://lochenheath.com http://tiny.cc/k4txr
Sandy Ridge Golf Course • •
Website: Video:
http://golfsandyridge.com http://tiny.cc/y18s8
In This Issue: __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/
Treetops Resort - Celebrating R.T. Jones Masterpiece 25th Anniversary • •
Website: Video:
http://treetops.com http://glsp.com/treetops/
Half Off Golf •
Jeff Lesson’s Website: http://lessonongolf.com
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Run for the Roses II: By Bill Shelton Finding a Game for the Rest of Us Michigan Golfer Television: Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Alternative Ways to Play Golf: By Chris Miles of Miles of Golf Play Golf America to be Held at Fox Hills Michigan Golfer Magazine Online - Spring Issue Tee It Forward: PGA and USGA Thoughts Up North Resorts Upbeat on Michigan Economy: By Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press More Game Changing Ideas: By Scott Seifferlein Michigan Has First Regional NCAA Title - Lion Kim Had a Career Best Round Minzey's Musings Michigan Golfer Television Channel - 2011 Shows Michigan Golf Calendar Michigan Golfer Archives http://michigangolfer.com/mgn/archives.html Michigan Golf History http://michigangolfer.com/mgn/history.html Michigan Golf Association Links http://michigangolfer.com/mgn/associations.html Michigan Golf Hall of Fame http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/ghf/
Michigan Golfer Magazine 2010 -11 Winter Issue http://michigangolfer.com/win10-11/ Past Issues http://michigangolfer.com/#pastissues Michigan Golfer Television Michigan Golfer Channel http://michigangolfer.tv Michigan Golfer You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?pi=0&ps=100&sf=added&sa=0&sq=golfer&dm=2 Michigan Golfer News Subscribe http://lyris.dundee.net/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=michigangolfnews Editor: Art McCafferty Associate Editor - Jennie McCafferty =================================== RUN FOR THE ROSES II: By Bill Shelton =================================== For the second time in May, Louisville Kentucky is in the national spotlight as professional golfers compete in the 72nd Senior PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club. Earlier this month Louisville’s Churchill Downs was the site of the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby. Interestingly, there are numerous similarities between the two events in addition to sharing the same geographical location. Just as the Kentucky Derby is one of the oldest and clearly the most prestigious horse racing event in America, the Senior PGA Championship is the most historic and prestigious senior golf event in the nation. Both events occur in the best of venues. The twin steeples of Churchill Downs towering over the emotional renditions of “My Old Kentucky Home” bring an aura unmatched in the world of racing. Annually the Senior PGA Championship selects nationally respected sites to host the tournament. Valhalla Golf Club, designed by Jack Nicklaus and constructed in the early 1980’s, has hosted several national championships and the 2008 Ryder Cup. Louisville businessman, Dwight Gahm, in financing the course had a single goal--”build a world class course capable of hosting national championships.” Clearly he has already attained that goal. Valhalla is rated as the #1 course in Kentucky and usually rated in the top 100 courses by national golf magazines. A third similarity is that both events typically draw the top echelon of their sport. Capturing the prize, whether roses or a trophy, signifies the victor is the best of the best. The 19-horse field in the 2011 Run for the Roses was considered by some racing pundits as a weak, somewhat non-distinguished, field. With the “fading” of Arnie, Jack, Tom, Hale and other elders, the 2011 Senior PGA will not have the panache of the past. Tom Lehman will no doubt enter as the favorite based on his performance this season but Freddie Couples will probably be the major attraction to fans and the media. As in the Derby, there will be sentimental golf favorites including Kentucky native son, Kenny Perry, and the courageous effort by Ken Green following his tragic accident. Just as Animal Kingdom finished in first from the middle of the pack, so likely will the winner of the senior event with one caveat--if Valhalla is set up long and difficult, only a select few of the players will have a chance. The Senior Championship can hope to be similar to the Derby in other ways also. This year’s Derby
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drew a record crowd of almost 165,000 fans. Hopefully the golfing event will attract record crowds and television audience. For the first time in several years the weather was excellent for the race and the track was fast. Golf is at its best when the weather is dry and the greens are fast. The Kentucky Derby is the biggest social event in America of the prettiest people in their fanciest duds and wide brim hats. The running of the race is almost a second thought. Golf needs a reason to celebrate. There has not been much reason to party. The goal of the 2011 Senior PGA Championship should simply be-- “and a good time was had by all.” Louisville, can you do it again? If needed, feel free to utilize that third great Kentucky contribution to America--bourbon--liberally to the equation! http://algarvegolfllp.com/wp/2011/05/golfs-adapting-to-modern-times/ ==================================== FINDING A GAME FOR THE REST OF US ==================================== Art: There is a story in today's WSJ titled "Finding a Game for the Rest of Us" with a sub, "The Movement to Find Ways to Ease the Hardships of the Game - for Amateurs - Continues to Grow." "Last fall, as an experiment, Barney Adams (the founder of clubmaker Adams Golf) invited a longhitting Nationwide Tour pro of his acquaintance to play a super-long version of a course in the California desert. The tees Adams designated extended the course to 8,100 yards. In some cases they were actually in the fairway of the previous hole. The idea was to see how the pro would fare hitting approach shots into greens using the same clubs that average male amateurs often have to hit when they play 6,700-yard courses, as they frequently do. The pro, smashing 300-yard drives, typically leaves himself seven- or eight-iron approaches on the long par-four holes he plays on Tour. But on Adams’s course, he found himself hitting fairway woods and hybrids into the greens...... "A recently completed study commissioned by the PGA of America determined there are 90 million former golfers in the U.S. Of those, the study estimates, about 60 million have at least a moderate interest in taking up the game again - if it can be made more palatable." MORE: http://algarvegolfllp.com/wp/2011/05/golfs-adapting-to-modern-times/ Thanks and a Tip of the Tam to "Cyber Geezer" Thad Gutowskii for this nugget of information. =============================================================== MICHIGAN GOLFER TELEVISION -- MICHIGAN GOLF HALL OF FAME =============================================================== We are delighted to offer you the latest videos of our Michigan Golf Hall of Fame members. Frankly, we did one show outside with our previous MG editor, Terry Moore, and had not planned on more than that. We did not feel the light or audio was conducive for video inside the banquet area of Indianwood, but after shooting a couple of minutes of video on Jim Briegel, we thought it was of sufficient quality to continue. While Briegel was short-changed in the process-- and our apologies-- we did get most of what followed. Enjoy. Class of 2011 Art Hills Terry Moore P. 4
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Don Perne' Jim Briegel http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/ghf/ ========================================================== ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO PLAY GOLF: By Chris Miles of Miles of Golf ========================================================== There is much being written these days about alternative ways to play golf or something akin to golf. These alternatives come up because of issues like the difficulty of the game, time constraints, and fussy rules. Some of the ideas that have come out of these issues are bigger 6" cups, 12 hole golf courses, golf balls that do not slice, and more forgiving rules like hit it once in the bunker and if it refuses to leave, throw it out. Most of these things are just being discussed except for the Polara golf ball that does not slice. (We are trying to get it in the golf shop.) For relaxed rules you can go to Flogton ("not golf" spelled backward) http://www.flogton.com/ My suggestion to enjoying the game more is to be sure to pick the right course length. The idea is that golf is the most fun when you have the chance to hit on the greens of par 3s in one, par 4s in two, and par 5s in three. If you may remember, our suggestion on this is to take the length of your average drive and multiply this by 28. This will give you the yardage of an ideal course for you. For the logic behind this formula, go to: http://www.milesofgolf.com/blog/golf-randoms/how-long-a-course-should-you-play/ ============================================ PLAY GOLF AMERICA TO BE HELD AT FOX HILLS ============================================ Play Golf America Day is returning to Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center this year on Wednesday, June 1st from 3:00pm – 8:00pm. Play Golf America Day, hosted by the Michigan PGA and Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center, is a FREE day for all ages, skill levels and abilities. This marks the second year in a row that Fox Hills has hosted this event. Michigan PGA Professionals will be on hand to provide FREE 10 Minute Lessons for those who are working on their game or would like a few pointers. Top golf companies including Mizuno, PING, TaylorMade, Cobra, Adams, Nike, Callaway and Cleveland will be on hand with all of the latest 2011 technology and demo’s for everyone to hit. Representatives from each participating manufacturer will also be on hand to provide club fitting and product insight. The Michigan PGA Professionals and the staff at Fox Hills will also be conducting golf clinics for Women and Juniors. The hour long Women’s Clinic’s will run from 3:00pm – 4:00pm and from 5:00pm – 6:00pm. The Junior Golf Clinic will run from 4:00pm – 5:00pm. Following the clinics participants will have the opportunity to play on the Strategic Fox Course and receive on course instruction. You can register for these clinics ahead of time by calling (734) 453-7272. Master Golf Teaching Professional Kevin Compare will present a special one hour Golf Trick Shot Exhibition as part of this "Play Golf America Day" from 7:00pm – 8:00pm on the range. His "InComparable" Trick Shot Exhibitions appeal to people of all ages while demonstrating the challenges and enjoyment the game of golf provides. At the same time, his demonstrations offer the fundamentals of the golf swing while building in plenty of humor and jaw dropping 'how'd he do that' offerings from the crowd. P. 6
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For further information please visit http://www.michigan.pga.com or http://www.foxhills.com or contact Justin Phillips, Director of Tournament Operations at 517.641.7421 or by email at jphillips@michiganpga.com . A Michigan PGA, Justin Phillips release. =================================================== MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE ONLINE - SPRING ISSUE http://michigangolfer.com =================================================== Table of Contents Treetops & Shanty Creek Celebrates their 25th Anniversary - Jack Berry
Jack Berry, PGA Lifetime Achievement in Journalism Award winner tells the tale of these two Michigan golf course icons The New GM's in the Game - Norm Sinclair
Sinclair, too long absent from our pages, returns with his thoughts on the ever evolving life of a golf course General Manager. In his article, he targets LochenHeath's Mike Husby and Treetops Resort's Barry Owens. Michigan Amateur Holds its 100th on Boyne Highlands' Heather GC - Jack Berry
Certainly, an historical highlight of this year, will be the 100th Anniversary of the Michigan Amateur. The GAM conducts tens of tournaments in Michigan and the Michigan Amateur is their showcase. Jack Berry has covered dozens of these tournaments over the years and he shares his thoughts here. The 2011 Tour of the Year - LPGA - Bill Shelton Out of My Mind About Golf - Rob Ford Top 10 Things Golf Does Not Need in 2011 - Brad Shelton Collegiate Golf - Concordia College and Davenport University - Chris Lewis
Chris Lewis continues his informative series on Michigan's collegiate golf. Michigan Golf Hall of Fame - The Class of 2011
This year's class includes Public links veteran Jim Briegel, golf course architect Arthur Hills, journalist Terry Moore and Don Perne, co-founder of the PGA of America’s Professional Golf Management at Ferris State University. Slice of Life - Terry Moore - "Loving the Masters: Let Me Count the Ways"
A walk down memory and Magnolia lanes for Terry Moore, who is in the 2011 Class for the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Your online golf magazine for the past 15 years. http://michigangolfer.com =============================================================================== MICHIGAN HAS FIRST REGIONAL NCAA TITLE - LION KIM HAD A CAREER BEST ROUND =============================================================================== Lion Kim’s senior season at Michigan already included an appearance at The Masters.
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On Saturday, he added another significant accomplishment. Kim’s career-best round of a 6-under-par 65 at Wolf Run Golf Course in Zionville, Ind., helped the Wolverines win the program’s first NCAA regional title and made him co-medalist at the three-day event. And he did it on a gimpy ankle. "I almost had to pull out because it was hurting so bad," Kim told http://MGoBlue.com. "I just knew I had to fight it out. As the leader and captain of this team, I just did not want to let my team down. I knew our team was a good team. We were just waiting for all five guys to really play well the same weekend. I just had a feel this would be a special week." More: http://tiny.cc/1ofo2 ================================================================================= UP NORTH RESORTS UPBEAT ON MICHIGAN ECONOMY By Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press ================================================================================= LEWISTON -- As the long-awaited blooms of spring give Michiganders the annual itch for Up North, a more upbeat and prosperous resort industry awaits. Venerable Garland, with its big log lodge and four golf courses, exemplifies the changes. Battered by the same economic storms that hit Detroit's auto industry in 2008-09, Garland changed hands two years ago. The new owner is breathing fresh life into the place, with $7 million in upgrades to preserve its rustic charm while adding new twists, from wine tastings to holiday light shows. More: http://tiny.cc/5s8d7 ============================================ MORE GAME CHANGING IDEAS: By Scott Seifferlein ============================================ Hi Art, here is a copy of the Golf Journal Article followed by a copy of my version for new golfers. "Last fall, as an experiment, Barney Adams (the founder of clubmaker Adams Golf) invited a longhitting Nationwide Tour pro of his acquaintance to play a super-long version of a course in the California desert. The tees Adams designated extended the course to 8,100 yards. In some cases they were actually in the fairway of the previous hole. The idea was to see how the pro would fare hitting approach shots into greens using the same clubs that average male amateurs often have to hit when they play 6,700-yard courses, as they frequently do. The pro, smashing 300-yard drives, typically leaves himself seven- or eight-iron approaches on the long parfour holes he plays on Tour. But on Adams's course, he found himself hitting fairway woods and hybrids into the greens. After a half dozen holes, Adams said, the pro complained: "This is insane. These greens aren't designed to receive three-woods. If I had to play a course like this every week, I'd quit the game." To which Adams replied, "Welcome to the world of amateur golf." Quitting the game is, of course, something millions of amateurs do every year. Core golf participation in
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the U.S. has been declining for a decade. The reasons are many, but topping the list in every commissioned study are: the cost, the time it takes to play and the game's inherent difficulty. Newcomers, in particular, are put off by golf's intricate rules and stodgy image. After years of hand-wringing about the problem and the launching of various high-concept initiatives that barely moved the participation needle, the golf industry this year suddenly seems a lot more open to radical solutions. On May 30, for example, Golf Channel will broadcast live a pro tournament using a new two-flags-pergreen, nine-hole format called PowerPlay. Before you scoff, consider that the event will be held at the site of last year's Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor in Wales, and that the competitors include the reigning U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open champions, Graeme McDowell and Paula Creamer, as well as Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Gary Player and Ian Woosnam. In PowerPlay, scoring birdie or better to the harder of the two pin locations (intentions must be declared on the tee before hitting) earns extra points. On the final hole, bogey or worse takes points away. The format is designed for quick play and, based on the experience at Scott Greens Golf Club in eastern Pennsylvania, one of the few U.S. courses already to sponsor PowerPlay events, it appeals mightily to kids and cigar-smoking men who like to gamble. Back to Adams. He isn't the first to recognize how much more fun the game would be for everyday golfers if they teed it up at distances more suited to their game. Most male amateurs, despite what they may believe, seldom hit drives longer than 230 yards and are usually much shorter. For them, by Adams's reckoning, what he calls "Tour length" tees should be set at about 6,100 yards. At that distance, they would be hitting the same kind of approach shots that the pros do on courses set up at 7,400 yards or so. (For typical female golfers, he calculates, a satisfying length would be 4,600 yards.) Another study, which I wrote about three years ago, came to similar conclusions. But this time, in an unprecedented partnership, the PGA of America and the U.S. Golf Association are joining forces behind Adams's work. Next week they will kick off a television publicity campaign leading up to July 5, when participating courses across the country will, for two weeks, strongly encourage, although not force, golfers to move up a set of tees or two. Then there's Flogton, or "not golf" spelled backward, which I wrote about in February. This game would establish several sets of rules, still under development, for use by beginners and highhandicappers to make the game less frustrating. The idea hasn't gotten much traction yet, but founder Scott McNealy, former CEO of Sun Microsystems, reports that he is meeting with television executives, golf-course operators and equipment makers to build "critical mass." You might think that the USGA, as official keeper of the rules of golf, would be appalled at these newfangled notions. Not so. "Our job is to protect the traditional game as people know it," Mike Davis, the USGA's new executive director, told me. "But if people like Flogton come up with different kinds of games that relate to golf, we are fine with that." The scramble format commonly used in outings is not USGA-legal, he pointed out. Neither are gimmes or mulligans. But all are part of the fabric of golf as it is actually played.
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The PGA of America is similarly OK with alternative visions. "I'm delighted with any effort to get more people and families out on our courses having fun with golf," said Joe Steranka, the PGA's chief executive. Next week, in fact, a PGA-supported instructional program will be releasing a set of 18 "guiltless ways to make golf more fun while learning," for teachers to share with their students. They include Flogton-like practices such as teeing up the ball in the fairway and tossing the ball out of the bunker after one failed shot. And it wasn't hard this week to find individual golf courses doing untraditional things to help liven up the game. A course in Rotonda, Fla., on the Gulf Coast, has been using extra-big 6-inch holes since February (normal holes are 4¼ inches wide). Jack Nicklaus this week told a newspaper in Tennessee that his Muirfield Village course in Ohio and Bear's Club course in Florida have recently printed up 12hole scorecards to accommodate members who wish to play shorter rounds. A recently completed study commissioned by the PGA of America determined there are 90 million former golfers in the U.S. Of those, the study estimates, about 60 million have at least moderate interest in taking up the game again—if it can be made more palatable. That, Steranka said, is an enormous latent market." ******* Scott Seifferlein's New Golfer’s Guide To Matching Your Game To The Golf Course Here is the bad news: The game of golf is designed for expert players only. I will say it again. Expert Players Only. The courses are designed for expert players and the rules are designed for expert players. The tee boxes are placed at a distance from the green designed for expert players. Even the so-called “ladies” or “forward” tees are designed for very good golfers. No new or inexperienced golfers should be playing from these tee boxes. This poor design job by the golf industry prevents the game from growing. Most new golfers quit the game within 3 weeks of starting. They are exposed to expert rules, expert tee boxes, expert golf hole designs. It takes them 7 swings to get to the green, and then they are told to pick up their ball before they even get to finish because they are “holding up play.” The Game of Golf should be played with a score of bogey or better on every hole. The best way to train your game is from the green backwards. This is opposite of how most new golfers are exposed to the game. Here is the Good News: By learning from the green backwards, you will be provided with some early success. Seeing the ball go in the hole is very important. You will become a great scoring golfer by focusing on the part of the game that accounts for more than 60% of all swings. If you cannot reach the green in two strokes or less, you are starting from a tee box that is too far away. Move your starting point closer to the hole by following this system. Scott Seifferlein’s New Golfer Tee Box System: When starting the game of golf, you should start at the 50-yard marker. The 50-yard marker on every hole will represent the “tee box” until you are able to consistently get the ball onto the green in two swings or less and score 5 or better. In my golf camps I require that new golfers accomplish this three times in a row before they can “graduate” to the 75-yard marker. I then repeat this process until they graduate to the 100-yard marker. I continue this process with a 25-yard graduation each time they score 5 or better three times in a row. This strategy of matching your game to the golf course will be less M A Y 2 7, 2 0 1 1 - M I C H I G A N G O L F E R
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intimidating and keep you excited to “earn” your way back to the expert tee boxes. You will be surprised at how quickly you graduate when this tee box system is put in place. Scott Seifferlein’s RULES FOR NEW GOLFERS 1. You do not have to tee off from the designated tee-off area. Make it an option to tee off at the 50yard marker and graduate 25 yards each time your game improves to a score of 5 or better. 2. You must hit all full shots off a tee. And, yes, that means from the fairway. 3. Clubs to use are 7-wood (or 9-wood once you have graduated beyond 100 yards), 7-iron, 8-iron, 9iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge, and putter. All other clubs are for decorative purposes only. If you choose not to use the above three rules and choose to tee off from the “expert” tee boxes, apply rules 4, 5, and 6 as necessary. 4. You do not have to finish a hole. Yeah, that’s right! 5. If a hole looks too difficult, SKIP IT! 6. Your score is not in relation to par; your score is in relation to hitting good shots. For example, your goal on a specific hole may be to hit one good shot. ===================== MINZEY'S MUSINGS ===================== More Laws Of Golf A two-foot putt counts the same as a two-foot drive. Never wash your ball on the tee of a water hole. There is no such thing as a friendly wager. The only sure way to get a par is to leave a four-foot birdie putt two inches short of the hole. It's as easy to lower your handicap as it is to reduce your hat size. If your driver is hot, your putter will be ice cold; if you can hit your irons, you will top your woods; if you are keeping your right elbow tucked in, your head will come up. It takes 17 holes to really get warmed up. No golfer ever swung too slowly. No golfer ever played too fast. One birdie is a hot streak.
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The statute of limitation on forgotten strokes is two holes. Bets lengthen putts and shorten drives. Confidence evaporates in the presence of fairway water. It takes considerable pressure to make a penalty stroke adhere to a scorecard. The rake is always in the other trap. The wind is in your face on 16 of the 18 holes. The ball always lands where the pin was yesterday. It always takes at least five holes to notice that a club is missing. The nearest sprinkler head will be blank. Out of bounds is always on the right, for right-handed golfers. ================================================================= MICHIGAN GOLFER TELEVISION CHANNEL -- 2011 SHOWS http://michigangolfer.tv/archives.html ================================================================= **************************** NOW PLAYING *************************** Terry Moore Interview with Jennie McCafferty Terry Moore - Michigan Golf Hall of Fame - Class of 2010 Art Hills - Michigan Golf Hall of Fame - Class of 2010 Don Perne' - Michigan Golf Hall of Fame - Class of 2010 Jim Briegel - Michigan Golf Hall of Fame - Class of 2010 Vartan Kupelian and his Golf Writer's Association of America Presidency Practice Makes Perfect - Photography by Jennie McCafferty The Sundance Course at A-Ga-Ming: Narrated by Jerry Matthews Antrim Dells Becomes an A-Ga-Ming Property: Mike Brown Interviewed It Started with Chick Harbert: The Torch Course at A-Ga-Ming Antrim Dells GC: Narrated by Jerry Matthews Bucks Run Golf Club with Jon Conklin Arcadia Bluffs - A Top Stay and Play Experience Jason Guss Golf Academy Boyne Golf Schools and Boyne Golf Academy at King Par Tullymore Has New Leadership with the Returning Terry Schieber The Michigan Cup - Top Jr. Golfers Battle it out Ryder Cup Style Kevin O'Brien Joins True North Team 25th Anniversary Preview of the Jones Masterpiece at Treetops with Kevin McKinley and Jack Berry 25th Anniversary Preview of The Legend at Shanty Creek Resort with Brian Kautz and Jack Berry 100th Anniversary Preview of the Michigan Amateur with David Graham and Jack Berry Boyne's Tournament Season and Golf Packages with Jeff Ecceleston and Jack Berry
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Brian O'Neill's Quick Golf Tips LochenHeath is Back and Basking with Mike Husby and Jack Berry LPGA Futures Tour - Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass with Dave Douglas and Jack Berry Railside Golf Club @ Byron Center - Club Membership on the Rise with Jim Bultema and Jack Berry PGA Michigan and Patriot Day with Kevin McKinley and Jack Berry The Treetops Cup: USA vs Canada - Ryder Cup Style with Kevin McKinley and Jack Berry The Madness at Marsh Ridge Resort Larry Bowden and Jack Berry The Cyber-Geezer a.k.a. Thad Gutowski with Peter Fitzsimons and Al Lynch http://michigangolfer.tv/archives.html *********************** COMING ATTRACTIONS *********************** 100th Anniversary of Michigan Amateur Fieldststone Golf Course: An Arthur Hills Design The Treetops Cup: USA vs Canada MGCOA Legislative Golf Day ========================================= TEE IT FORWARD: PGA AND USGA THOUGHTS ========================================= What is one of the biggest contributors to high scores, slow play, frustration for new golfers? Playing from the wrong set of tees. That's the message from the PGA of America and the USGA, who have teamed up to support an initiative called "Tee It Forward." The golf organizations want to convince recreational golfers that there's no shame in moving up to a more forward set of tees. Making golf easier and faster for beginners and recreational golfers is getting a lot of ink lately. Jack Nicklaus has been pitching the 12-hole round of golf. You have new formats being tried such as the 9hole PowerPlay Golf, which gets its televised coming out on May 30 at Celtic Manor in a "tournament" featuring major champions and top pros. For most of us, the answers can be pretty simple, if we simply follow good golf etiquette and play from a set of tees that matches our abilities. "We believe that by moving up to another set of tees, golfers will experience an exciting, new approach to the game that will produce more enjoyment and elevate their desire to come back and play even more golf," said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. The "Tee It Forward" initiative involves publicizing recommendations from the PGA/USGA on which set of tees to play. The recommendations are based on golfers' average driving distance. For most amateurs, the two bodies say, playing from tees that measure 6,700 yards is like PGA Tour golfers playing from 8,100 yards. The "Tee It Forward" recommendations aim to have amateurs hitting 6- and 7-irons into the greens, rather than woods and hybrids. Nicklaus consulted on the program, and he's quoted in the news release: "All of us deeply involved in the game constantly encourage golfers of all skill levels to play the proper tees, but too often golfers want to bite off as much of the golf course as they can. What ends up suffering is their scorecard and their overall enjoyment."
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Here are the "Tee It Forward" recommendations for which tees to use, based on average driving distance: Avg. drive Recommended Tees 300 yards 7,150-7,400 yards 275 yards 6,700-6,900 yards 250 yards 6,200-6,400 yards 225 yards 5,800-6,000 yards 200 yards 5,200-5,400 yards 175 yards 4,400-4,600 yards 150 yards 3,500-3,700 yards 125 yards 2,800-3,000 yards 100 yards 2,100-2,300 yards
This seems like a good way to judge which set of tees make the most sense for a golfer - assuming that golfer is honest about his or her driving distance. One problem is obvious, though: Most regulation golf courses don't have tees marked below 4,000 yards, maybe 3,500. So for golfers whose average drive is 150 yards or less, there aren't likely to be any tees marked a the recommended yardages on regulation courses. (But golfers can still guesstimate based on fairway yardage markers.) No question playing from appropriate tees is important - all golfers should strive to do just that. It helps keep the pace going, which is good for everyone on the golf course. And we've all seen those golfers with the $1,000 bags and $10 games who insist on playing the championship tees despite not being able to drive it past the forward tees. While the "Tee It Forward" initiative offers good advice for us all, it's aimed at beginning golfers and intermittent golfers, those people who aren't quite sure yet whether they love the game or loathe it, whether they will keep playing golf or give it up because it's too difficult, too frustrating or too slow. If "Tee It Forward" can help those people get more enjoyment out of the game - can keep them in the game - then its recommendations are ones well worth publicizing. The rest of us should pay attention, too. The specific method used to determine the right set of tees is less important than hammering home the point that the multiple tee boxes are there so golfers can choose the one most appropriate to our abilities. More: http://golf.about.com/b/2011/05/25/pga-usga-want-you-to-play-the-right-tees.htm?nl=1 ======================================== MICHIGAN GOLFER CALENDAR OF EVENTS ======================================== MAY 27-29 Senior PGA Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, KY http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 28-29 MPGA Michigan Medal Play Championship - Fellows Creek Golf Course http://www.mipublinx.com/ JUNE 2-5 The Memorial Tournament, Dublin, OH
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6-7 Nike Golf State Pro Am, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs 14-15 Club Car Michigan PGA Senior Open - Bedford Valley http://www.mipublinx.com/ 16-19 U.S. Open / Congressional Country Club / Bethesda, Md. http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 20-26 LPGA Futures Tour - Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass http://www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com 20 Pro-Pro Championship, The Legend at Shanty Creek, Bellaire 21-25 Michigan Amateur, Boyne Highlands, Boyne City http://gam.org/ 22 MGCOA Legislative Day on the Capitol Lawn http://mgcoa.com 27-29 Women's Open, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville http://michigan.pga.com 27/7-2 U.S. Amateur Public Links / Bandon Dunes Golf Resort / Bandon, Ore http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 JULY 13 The Loon Cup, Loon Golf Course, Gaylord 7-10 U.S. Women's Open / The Broadmoor (East Course) / Colorado Springs, Colo. http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 8-10 Treetops Cup Matches, Gaylord, MI http://treetops.com 11-14 Michigan Open, The Orchards, Washington http://michigan.pga.com 13-14 20th GAM Women's Championship, Gull Lake CC http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 14-1 British Open Royal St. George's Golf Club 18-23 U.S. Girls' Junior / Olympia Fields Country Club (South Course) / Olympia Fields, Ill. / http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 25-26 Michigan Women's Amateur, Prestwick Village GC, Highland, MI http://gam.org 25-26 Senior PGA Championship, Charlevoix Golf & CC, Charlevoix http://michigan.pga.com 28-31 U.S. Senior Open / Inverness Club / Toledo, Ohio / http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 29-30 Tournament of Champions, Pro Am - Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls http://michigan.pga.com 29-31 Butch Harmon Showcase, The Loon Golf Course, Gaylord http://www.loongolfresort.com/ AUGUST 1-3 Boyne Tournament of Champions, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs http://michigan.pga.com 2-5 Junior PGA Championship. Sycamore Hills Golf Club, Fort Wayne, IN http://www.pga.com/pga-america/feature/sycamore-hills-gc-selected-host-2010-junior-pga-championship 8 Pro Assistant Championship, Treetops, Gaylord 11 MGCOA Summer Golf Outing http://mgcoa.org 11 Swinging for a Wish, Gaylord, MI
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MICHIGAN GOLFER
N E W S - M A Y 2 7, 2 0 1 1
http://treetops.com 8-14 U.S. Women's Amateur / Rhode Island Country Club / Barrington, R.I. http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 8-14 PGA Championship, Atlanta Athletic Club, Atlanta, GA 15-16 GAM Championship, Barton Hills CC, MI http://gam.org 17-18 13th GAM Women's Mid Am, Oak Pointe CC, Brighton, MI http://gam.org 22-2 U.S. Amateur / Erin Hills / Erin, Wis. http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 29-31 Michigan PGA Championship, Eagle Eye GC, Bath http://michigan.pga.com 29-30 15th Annual GAM Women's Senior Tournament, Belvedere GC, Charlevoix, MI http://gam.org SEPTEMBER 1-2 GAM Mid-Amateur, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, MI http://gam.org 2-4 Patriot Golf Day Shootout, Gaylord, MI http://treetops.com 10-11 Walker Cup / Royal Aberdeen Golf Club / Aberdeen, Scotland http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 10-15 USGA Senior Amateur / Kinloch Golf Club / Manakin-Sabot, Va http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201 12-14 Match Play Championship, Forest Akers, East Lansing http://michigan.pga.com 19-20 25th GAM Senior Championship, Spring Lake CC, Spring Lake, MI http://gam.org 22-25 The Tour Championship, East Lake CC, Atlanta, GA 22-25 41st Golf Collectors Society Annual Meeting & Trade Show-Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest Resort http://www.golfcollectors.com/events.html 25-27 Pepsi Fall Charity Invitational, Gaylord, MI http://treetops.com 25 MGCOA Golf League Championship at Hawk Hollow Golf Course, Bath http://MGCOA.org 29/10/1 2nd annual Natalie Gulbis Showcase, The Loon GC, Gaylord OCTOBER 8-9 Toughman/Princess Scramble Gaylord, MI http://treetops.com 31 PGA Fall Meeting NOVEMBER 17-20 President's Cup, Royal Melbourne, Victoria, AUS 29/1 MGCOA Golf Business Conference and Vendor Show at the Somerset Inn in Troy http://MGCOA.org 2012 JANUARY 13-15 Southwest Michigan Golf Show at the Kalamazoo Expo Center, Kalamazoo
M A Y 2 7, 2 0 1 1 - M I C H I G A N G O L F E R
NEWS
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MARCH 2-4 Michigan Golf Show, Novi SEPTEMBER 25-30 Ryder Cup, Medinah CC, Chicago, ILJANUARY 13-15 outhwest Michigan Golf Show at the Kalamazoo Expo Center, Kalamazoo MARCH 2-4 Michigan Golf Show, Novi SEPTEMBER 25-30 Ryder Cup, Medinah CC, Chicago, IL
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MICHIGAN GOLFER
N E W S - M A Y 2 7, 2 0 1 1