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MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
In This Issue •
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/ APRIL
2014
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NUMBER
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Photo courtesy of Terry Moore
VOLUME 32
Slice of Life: Volunteers carry signs at the 102nd Michigan Amateur Championship match in Muskegon. 4
The Haig – First in the Michigan Hall of Fame By Jack Berry
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The Berry Patch: the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and Ferris State University By Jack Berry
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Top Ten Michigan Golf Stories for 2013
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The Year That Was a Good One By Jack Berry
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Collegiate Spotlight: Selflessness, Tenacity, and Dedication: A Collegiate Senior Golfer Unlike Any Other
By Terry Moore
By Chris Lewis 22
Cadillac Golf: Eldorado Golf Course By Peter and Linda Allen
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McGuire’s: A Resort for All Seasons By Mike Duff
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Pacific Northwest Redux – Circling Raven By Tom Lang
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2013 Presidents Cup Needed More than a “Transfusion” By Bill Shelton
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Slice of Life: Volunteerism in Golf By Terry Moore
About the cover: Walter Hagen claimed U.S. Open titles in 1914 and 1919, the latter in a playoff over Mike Brady at Brae Burn C.C. in West Newton, Mass. Photo courtesy of USGA Museum.
MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE • MARCH /APRIL 2014
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The Haig – First in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame By Jack Berry ut Arnold Palmer’s dashing game and enormous crowd following with Ian Poulter’s bulging, scary black match play eyes, Graham De Laet’s Jackson Pollock color drenched wardrobe and Miguel Angel Jiminez’s majestic, confident chest-out stride and you might come up with Walter Hagen.
Walter Hagen
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Hagen, Sir Walter, the Haig, was all of those and much more. There’s been no one like him in the world of golf and his was the first name mentioned when the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame was born in 1982.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Golf Foundation
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Hagen’s playing credentials are solid gold – two U.S. Opens, four British Opens (his finishes were 12-1 from 1922-24), five PGA Championships and five Western Opens when they were considered major championships. The Western began in 1899, second only to the U.S. Open among major American championships. Hagen also collected the Belgian, French and Canadian Opens. He was so smooth, so debonair, one of the great mano a mano, match players of all time.
A pensive Hagan is ready for the game at hand. 4
MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
The Masters didn’t start until 1934 when Hagen was 42 and didn’t have a “a major” label. But the entrants were the best of the time and, showing the caliber of the men in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, four members played in that Masters. Horton Smith won it, Al Watrous tied for 11th, Hagen tied for 13th and Leo Diegel tied for 16th.
And when the Ryder Cup began in 1927, Hagen was named captain and he captained every team through 1941. No one matches that record. It wasn’t the statistics though that Hagen is remembered for. It was the Haig. Sir Walter. The way he did it. Palmer is known for popularizing the game in the television age, going for broke. Never saw a shot he wouldn’t try. And make. The general of Arnie’s Army, and no one has
signed more autographs, been more down-to-earth, gracious with the fans, than Palmer. A little aside – Palmer’s autograph is readable, as was Hagen’s and my No. 1 sports hero, Gordie Howe’s. Today’s athletes scribble. Autographs didn’t make my trio. It was what they did for their compatriots. Professional golfers at the time weren’t regarded them as equals, were unworthy to enter the clubhouse, to change shoes there, to eat lunch there. So the Haig rented a limousine, parked outside the clubhouse and changed his shoes in comfort. When he played golf he dressed in the finest shirts, ties, knickers, stockings
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Hagen was born in Rochester, N.Y., caddied and learned the game at Oak Hill Country Club. He later moved to Detroit and became Oakland Hills professional when the club opened in 1916. He played in the Great Lakes Open at Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix from 192934 (as did Bobby Jones, Tommy Armour, Horton Smith, Gene
Sarazen and Leo Diegel). He played in the 1930 Western Open at Indianwood, won by Gene Sarazen, won the Michigan PGA Championship twice and the Michigan Open once.
Walter Hagen, winner 1924 PGA, Donald Ross Course, French Lick Resort MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE • MARCH /APRIL 2014
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God measures men by what they are Not by what wealth possess This vibrant message chimes afar The voice of Inverness That was typical of Hagen and his voice resounds today: “Don’t hurry, don’t worry, you’re only here for a short visit, so be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” ournament purses were miniscule but the trophies were the door to the flower shop. The way to make money was through exhibitions and clinics and in his autobiography, Hagen said “My game was my business and as a business it demanded constant playing in the championship bracket, for a current title was my selling commodity.”
© Corbis
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The sartorial splendor of The Haig
In the 1920s the two big names were Hagen and Bobby Jones. In 1925 Hagen promoted “The Match of the Century.” Jones was 23 and selling real estate in Florida at the time. His wife was pregnant and
and shoes, as good as or better than the members. First class.
When the 1920 U.S. Open was played at Inverness Club in Toledo the members welcomed the pros, the first to do so and when the Open returned to Inverness in 1931 Hagen had the players chip in to buy a grandfather clock to show their appreciation. The clock stands in the clubhouse with a plate that reads: 6
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Hagen broke down the barrier and Sarazen said “It was Walter who made professional golf what it is.”
The Haig and the King
MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
Hagen, 32, talked him into a match sure to draw big crowds and big money. It was 36 holes one weekend, 36 the next. After the four rounds the score was Hagen, 12 up with 11 to play. Besides the exhibitions that he played across the country, Hagen endorsed Wilson clubs and they were sold as Haig Ultra or Walter
Hagen. Near the end of World War II, Wilson bought a factory in Grand Rapids figuring there would be a demand for sports equipment, including golf. And so was born the Walter Hagen line of clubs. They made balls too and at his lakeside retirement home in Traverse City, the Haig could smack Walter Hagen signature balls into the water. Unlike me, Hagen
was not an aquaphobe. But then, the balls were free for him. Nothing too good for the Haig. Hagen died on Oct. 6, 1969 and rests in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield. Arnold Palmer was a pall bearer. Fitting. - MG -
MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE • MARCH /APRIL 2014
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The Berry Patch
The Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and Ferris State University By Jack Berry
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The Hall of Fame and its collection of memorabilia, portraits and plaques of the 101 members, clubs, bags and trophies, was homeless and Ferris was planning a 7,500 square foot expansion of the PGM’s headquarters at Katke Golf Course. Aaron Waltz, the PGA Golf Management director, nailed it when he said “Our goals with being the home of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame are to make it a living, breathing part of the Ferris campus, to continue to uphold the
rich history and values of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and to serve as a permanent place for students, faculty, staff and visitors to appreciate the achievements of the leaders of the golf industry in Michigan,” Waltz said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for both organizations,” Michigan Golf Foundation president Fritz Balmer said. “What better place to exhibit the Hall of Fame plaques and memorabilia in an interactive manner than at Ferris State University. Putting the PGM students in touch with golf history and the people who made that history is a perfect fit. We are extremely fortunate.” Ferris, which prides itself on career-oriented education, got into
golf in 1974 with the opening of the Katke course which was intended for the establishment of the PGM program. Young Jack Berry men and women learn every level of the game, the business side, merchandising, marketing, accounting, course maintenance, running tournaments and outings and teaching how to play. Photo by Art McCafferty
he marriage of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and Ferris State University’s Professional Golf Management program’s Center for Performance and Learning is a natural.
Giving credit where it is due, Marvin Katke, former Vice President of Manufacturing at Ford Motor Co., was chief donor for the golf course.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
The 4-1/2 year PGM program includes internships each year, half the year is spent on campus in class and half is working for a PGA professional at clubs and courses all over the country. Upon graduation, students receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and membership in the PGA of America.
Walter Hagen, one of a kind 8
The PGM was the brainchild of Ferris president Robert Ewigleben and PGA professional Don Perne. They were teammates on the Michigan State University golf
MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
Groundbreaking for the state-ofthe-art learning center is projected for this summer and upon completion, the Hall of Fame’s collection will move from storage to Ferris State, an hour north of Grand Rapids off the US-131 freeway. he Hall of Fame was born at a luncheon between Stan Aldridge and Ken Janke. Aldridge was the new owner of Indianwood Golf & Country Club in Lake Orion. It had fallen into disrepair and Aldridge was in the process of performing a miracle renovation of the half century old clubhouse and grounds. He asked Janke, head of the National Association of Investment Clubs and a dedicated golfer, golf col-
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lector and organizer of charitable proam tournaments, what he should do to publicize the “new” Indianwood. Janke suggested starting a Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and have local golf writers select players who lived and played in Michigan. Aldridge bought the idea and in 1982 the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame was born. Walter Hagen, one of the greatest players in the history of the game, the first professional at Oakland Hills Country Club and a Michigan resident, was the first choice. Al Watrous, longtime professional at Oakland Hills and a top player in the 1920s and 1930s, was next and Chuck Kocsis, judged by many as the state’s best lifetime player, completed the first class. Over time Tommy Armour, Leo Diegel and Horton Smith joined Hagen in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Accenting the quality of Michigan Hall members, that quartet also is in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Golf Foundation
Initially the yearly induction of members was celebrated at Indianwood with a day of golf and dinner. Inductees were asked to donate something from their career, a club, bag, trophy or other memorabilia.
Ken Janke, one of the founders of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame
Photo courtesy of Michigan Golf Foundation
team and later got the idea of a program that has produced more than 1,700 graduates, many now head professionals at some of the most prestigious clubs and resorts in the country.
Don Perne, co-founder of Ferris’s Professional Golf Management School Corporation, offered space in one of its office towers in Troy, McMasters came up with furniture and muscles to get everything moved in and set up. When the economy picked up several years ago the generous “free” space was needed for a paying customer and the Michigan Golf Foundation publicized it needed a home.
Red Run Golf Club member Bob McMasters, past president of the Western Golf Association and the Golf Association of Michigan and the greatest volunteer I’ve known in more than the 50-plus years I’ve been involved in golf, took charge of the collection.
“It is wonderful news that the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame has found a permanent home at Ferris State University,” McMasters said. “Ferris has the resources and contacts to ensure a sustainable and successful future of the Hall of Fame.”
McMasters was the founding president of the Michigan Golf Foundation and when the Osprey
A Bit About Ferris: The school was founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School. It
MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE • MARCH /APRIL 2014
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Eventually the school became public and currently has 14,560 students. Ferris was a very interesting man – born in a log cabin on a farm in Tioga County, NY, he eventually worked his way west, stopping for a year in Ann Arbor where he wrote in his autobiography that “At that time the entrance requirement (for the University of Michigan) was indeed superficial. After being asked a few questions as to my educational qualifications, I was admitted without having to submit a written test.” He listened to a lecture on evolution that was too hot a topic for a university building and “churches other than Unitarian condemned the new doctrine.”
His goal was to start a public school and he chose Big Rapids because there wasn’t a big school in that part of the state and he eventually drew students from upstate, north of Big Rapids. Ferris is the only university in the state started by one man and women were in its first graduating class. Ferris was a gifted speaker, was elected governor in 1912 and United States Senator in 1922. He served until his death in 1928.
Photo by Bill Bitzinger
was private and started with five students, taught by Woodbridge N. Ferris and his wife, Helen.
hat’s to do in Big Rapids? The Muskegon River runs through Big Rapids and while tubing isn’t a varsity sport, it’s big recreationally. The White Pine Mark Wilson, elected to the Michigan Trail, the state’s longest, stretches 92 Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. miles from Comstock Park in Grand Rapids to Cadillac and is a favorite at the high point of Mecosta of cyclists, joggers and runners. And County and there’s a downhill feel. don’t forget Katke Golf Course, it’s
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Ubiquitous Michigan Golf
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24/7/365
Initially the course was planned to be open, links-like with few trees but over time many trees were added. As it often happens, some are removed to improve playability. Ian Ziska, PGA professional and Katke manager, said over the last two years a half million dollars has been spent reconstructing all the bunkers, improving turf and building 15 new forward tees in keeping with the PGA’s Tee It Forward program, a welcome move for seniors, women and juniors. All that’s needed now is for the endless winter’s snow to melt in time for the induction of the 2014 Hall of Fame class on June 8.
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MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
- MG -
Top Ten Michigan Golf Stories for 2013
Photo by Greg Johnson
By Terry Moore
Tom Werkmeister o what are the ten biggest Michigan golf stories of 2013? Funny you should ask. This is what I’ve come up with, but not in any particular order. And remember, “to err is human; to forgive, divine.”
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• Fourteen-year-old qualifies for U.S. Amateur. Battle Creek’s 12
Andrew Walker became the fifthyoungest golfer to ever play in the Amateur after qualifying at Forest Akers West with 71-69. Walker didn’t make match play at famed The Country Club in Brookline, MA, but he endeared himself to the local golf gallery and the national media. He was also the GAM’s
Junior Player of the Year. • Tom Werkmeister wins the Michigan Open. Kentwood’s Werkmeister became the first amateur since Bob Ackerman in 1975 to win the Michigan Open. It was an outstanding year for Werkmeister, winning the GAM Mid-Am for a
MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
record fifth time while continuing his dominance of West Michigan amateur golf by winning all four “majors” on the Grand Rapids golf calendar.
Michigan-based SuperStroke company became industry leader in the wildly popular oversized putter grips, most notably used by Jason Dufner in winning the ’13 PGA Championship.
• Brian Stuard finishes second on the PGA Tour. Jackson’s Stuard earned the biggest check in Michigan golf history by taking home $648,000 at the PGA Tour’s OHL Classic Mayakoba in Mexico in November.
• Brian Cairns wins his third Michigan PGA title. A closing 3under-par 69 for 7-under-par 209 earned Cairns the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy for the third time in his career (1996, 2000 and 2013) and a $6,000 first-place check. In November, Cairns came up short in his bid to claim a card on the PGA’s Champions Tour.
• Tom Doak receives Golf Architect of the Year honors. After being inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in May, Traverse City’s Doak capped the year by being named the top architect by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. His new courses at Dismal River in Nebraska and Streamsong in Florida have drawn wide acclaim. Hey, did I hear rumors of a new Doak course at Forest Dunes?
Tom Doak, Streamsong designer
LPGA returns to Michigan
Photo by Mark J. Terrill / AP
• You can never be too rich or too fat, when it comes to golf grips. The
• Duo garners national senior recognition. In the January issue of Golf Digest out this month, Michigan’s Mary Jane Anderson Hiestand and Bill Zylstra are listed
Photo by Art McCafferty
• Sherrie Steinhauer claims Wendy’s Charity Classic in Jackson. In a LPGA Leg-ends event, Steinhauer takes home $16,000 after shooting a 4-under-par 68 and winning in a playoff against Christa Johnson. During her stint on the LPGA Tour, Steinhauer won eight tournaments, including the 1992 du Maurier Classic and the 2006 Women's British Open.
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Photo courtesy of LPGA
• The LPGA announces a return to Michigan in 2014. Fourteen years after the final Oldsmobile Classic in East Lansing, the LPGA in November announced in plans for the inaugural Meijer LPGA Classic to be held August 7-10 at Blythefield CC outside Grand Rapids.
• Michigan Golf Hall of Fame finds a new home. After vacating donated office space last fall in Troy, the MGHOF was back in storage until Ferris State University agreed in November to be the new permanent home and relocate it to Katke Golf Course sometime in 2014 or early 2015.
as top ten honorable mentions in its senior amateur women and men U.S. rankings. Zylstra topped Golfweek’s senior amateur rankings in 2013 while Hiestand also competed in the prestigious Senior Women’s Invitation Match in Dallas, rubbing elbows with honorary starter George W. Bush.
Sherri Steinhauer won the Wendy’s Charity Challenge in a playoff.
MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE • MARCH /APRIL 2014
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The Year That Was a Good One
Photo by Andy Lyons
By Jack Berry
Phil Michelson and family hold the Claret Jug ther than the weather that nearly blew the seasonopening Tournament of Champions right off the island of Maui — they didn’t start until Sunday –- 2013 was a very good year on the bigtime scene in golf.
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The four men’s majors won by Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson and Jason Dufner were a collective best and Inbee Park won three of the women’s majors. Scott and Rose were two of the “best without a major” players and they erased that nagging assessment. Scott was the first Australian to win the Masters, doing what his mentor, Greg Norman failed to do. The Shark got some buttons off the jacket but he never got the entire green jacket. Rose’s U.S. Open victory at 14
almost criminally rugged Merion eased the memory of his year old British Open collapse and the long years when he couldn’t make a cut. Life has been good for the popular Englishman who beat Mickelson in a key singles match at Medinah in the 2012 Ryder Cup and now has a major. Mickelson, so snakebit in our Open and seemingly convinced he could play a British Open links course, took care of that. He tuned up with a Scottish Open victory at Castle Stuart and then, with four birdies in the last six holes plus a stayin’ alive par putt on the 16th, he won on perhaps the finest course on the Open rota, Muirfield, where over the years Nicklaus, Player, Watson, Trevino, Faldo and Els won. Now that Mickelson has proved he can win on a links, will he finally
prove he can win the U.S. Open? He’s been crushed six times starting in 1999 when Payne Stewart’s 18th hole lengthy par putt beat him by a stroke. Fifteen years without the title he most wants. He will be 44 on June 16, the day after Father’s Day, the day after the final round of the Open on the course where the disappointments began, Pinehurst No. 2. There are hundreds more ‘didn’t wins’ in golf than wins but winning one you’d lost before has a way of sweetening the lost one and it was that way with Jason Dufner in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill. Two years ago he out-bogeyed Keegan Bradley in the stretch and lost the PGA at Atlanta. This time Dufner knocked down pins, won by two and his buddy Bradley was nine shots back.
MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
With Scott and Rose trashing the “best without a major” label, it now goes to Jason Day and Henrik Stenson. I first saw Day when he played the first two rounds of the 2011 Masters with Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler. That was the big show debut of three of the best young players to come along together in more years than I can remember. McIlroy’s fourth round disaster (80) is behind him thanks to two majors but neither Day nor Fowler has scored. Fowler gets too many double bogeys but Day is solid, consistently contends in majors and is very capable of winning a major.
The best new face is Jordan Spieth, the young Dallasite who ditched the University of Texas after a year (unlike Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw). Spieth’s rookie year featured a playoff victory after he holed out what the PGA Tour features as the best of the season. Not expecting to go to Scotland, he hopped on the charter from his John Deere Classic victory to the British Open without a full bag of clothes. He finished 44th at Muirfield with an emergency package of clothes and wound up the season on the Presidents Cup team and 10th on the money list with $3,879,820. You could say he ran like a deer. John Deere.
Eighty-two players won $1 million or more on the PGA Tour topped by Tiger Woods’ $8,553,439 thanks to five victories although he didn’t win what he wants the most, a major, and at 38, which he reaches on December 30, time’s a wastin’. How many million dollar winners on the LPGA side? Eight. Two Yanks, Stacy Lewis, $1,938,868, and 18-year-old Lexi Thompson, who won twice, $1,206,109. Rory McIlroy stumbled with a switch to new clubs, balls, clothing and agent and walked off a course in despair but by the end of the season his game and attitude turned. So did Sergio Garcia’s. A victory does that and they each got one. Michael Whan earns the Feel Good Commissioner award. The LPGA boss scheduled 32 tourna-
Photo courtesy of USGA
Stenson had a blistering summer. The 37-year-old Swede was beaten back by Mickelson in the Scottish and British Opens, was second to Tiger at Akron, third behind PGA
champion Dufner, won in Boston and then nailed an $11.5 million payday at East Lake in Atlanta, winning the Tour Championship and Fedex Cup. He can smell a major.
Matt Fitzpatrick, U.S. Amateur Champion MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE • MARCH /APRIL 2014
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Photo courtesy of the PGA
ments for 2014, jumping from 28. And thanks to sponsor Meijer, the LPGA will play at Blythefield Country Club in suburban Grand Rapids, Aug. 7-10. It will be the first bigtime pro tournament there since Arnold Palmer won the Western Open in 1961. Sam Snead was runnerup. Go to it Blythefield! Additionally, there will be a chance for the Asian women who have dominated the LPGA but aren’t eligible to play in the Solheim Cup between Europe and the United States, to play for a world title. The inaugural International Crown with four player teams from eight countries will tee off at Caves Valley, Md. July 24-27. The countries are Australia, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand and the United States. Players will be based on the Rolex ranking. The young Asian women who dominate both the Americans and Europeans finally will get a shot in team play. Ironically Suzann Pettersen and 17-year-old Charley Hull who led Europe’s rout of America in the Solheim Cup aren’t eligible. 16
President’s Cup Winning Team Pettersen is Norwegian and Hull is from England and their countries didn’t make the cut. On the men’s side, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem didn’t win any Commish of the Year votes in Europe. For a decade or better while the U.S. stayed in the U.S. the European Tour teed it up in the Middle East and Asia, playing in Dubai, Qatar, the UAE, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, Australia, Morocco and recently Turkey. So where is the PGA Tour going? Dipping, with a big spoon, into Asia, especially Korea, Japan and China. The Tour didn’t fare as well with the rulesmakers, however. The United States Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient of St. Andrews stood firm with the ban on putters that touch the body that takes effect in 2016. So Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Tim Clark and other devotees have just two more years to use the long sticks they tuck into their belly, chest or chin. The American pros won the team tournament they own – the Presidents
Cup for the eighth time – and young Americans won the Walker Cup, donated by George Walker Bush’s grandfather. And the 43rd president was there to witness it. No Americans made it to the final of the U.S. Amateur, however. Two collegians made it, no surprise, but the winner was England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, a Northwestern University freshman. The Wildcats’ new version of Luke Donald beat Oliver Goss of Australia, a 6-foot-2 University of Tennessee sophomore. The 5-foot-8 Fitzpatrick is an inch shorter than Donald who won the NCAA championship while he was at Northwestern. Fitzpatrick also had a 3-1 record for the European Walker Cup team. From the Maui winds the weather continued right through the year with fog, rain, drought and even snow in the desert. Unlike the dome sports, pro football and baseball, golf is an outdoor game and the pros bravely carried on in their waterproof suits and waterproof shoes and caddies carrying clubs, towels and holding umbrellas. - MG -
MARCH /APRIL 2014 • MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE
Collegiate Spotlight
Selflessness, Tenacity, and Dedication: A Collegiate Senior Golfer Unlike Any Other
Photo courtesy of Alma College Sports Information
By Chris Lewis
Marty Predmesky (left), Camp Fuji, 2005 hen you first meet Marty Predmesky, he appears to be like most other collegiate senior golfers. He is focused on improving his swing and minimizing his mistakes on the putting green. He enjoys the camaraderie he has with each of his teammates, as they travel throughout Michigan and across the Midwest, competing in
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golf tournaments. And he is anxiously awaiting his upcoming graduation ceremony. But, as you begin to learn about Marty’s background, you soon realize that he is actually anything but a typical college senior. Currently 30-years-old, he has
been married to the love of his life, Aki, for six years. In fact, last fall, the couple celebrated the birth of their first child, a boy named Martin. When he is not golfing, attending classes, or studying for exams, Marty can usually be found at home, relishing his responsibilities as a husband and a father, or working full-time at Mobile
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Medical Response, a medical transportation company, so that he can support his family. Even his journey towards collegiate golf was atypical. Accidently discovered by the owner of Mount Pleasant Golf Center as he was hitting balls, his golf skills immediately attracted the attention of Alma College’s former men’s golf coach, Ryan Duckworth, after Marty approached him. “I had a few friends and family members encourage me to ask if I was eligible to play collegiate golf,” Predmesky says. “I figured I wouldn’t be able to play because of my age, but, when I spoke with Coach Duckworth, he said the NCAA had just made an adjustment to the rules for eligibility.” At the time, Marty was 28-yearsold, six years older than the team’s oldest senior. “He really just parachuted onto the scene,” states Charles Goffnett, Alma’s current men’s golf coach. “I am sure Coach Duckworth was surprised when he watched Marty hit balls for the first time.” “I had always wanted to play collegiate golf, but I thought my chances were long gone, so I was pretty excited to have a ‘second chance,’ especially at my age,” Predmesky says.
The Few, the Proud Like many collegiate golfers, Marty’s passion for the game was
instilled as a child. He grew up watching his father, a PGA professional, play golf, mimicking his swing and learning various fundamentals such as posture, grip pressure, and stance. But on September 11, 2001, his life changed forever. After witnessing the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, he decided to join thousands of other Americans and enlist in the Marines, believing the safety and future of his country was far more important than his desire to play collegiate golf. For the next four years, he was stationed at Japan’s Camp Fiji, located near Gotemba, as well as Okinawa. After he was deployed, he moved to Georgia and pursued his passion for golf once again, while working at the Atlanta Athletic Club. A couple years later, he traveled back to Japan with Aki, whom he was dating at the time and had met while he was stationed at Camp Fiji. Soon after, the couple decided to move to Michigan, where he accepted a job offer at Mobile Medical Response, serving Isabella, Gratiot, and Clare counties as an emergency medical technician. As he became reacquainted with life in the United States, he fully embraced the life lessons he had acquired in the Marines. “The Marines increased my selfconfidence and improved my work ethic – in all aspects of my life,” says Predmesky. “I have learned to not let others’ expectations become
my limitations.” So, even when other people believed he was too old to play collegiate golf, or too busy with work to attend classes on a full-time basis and earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrative Physiology and Health Science, he overlooked the skepticism, believing that no task was too challenging – and no goal was impossible to achieve. Although he was a walk-on for the men’s team, Marty has enjoyed a successful collegiate golfing career since the fall semester of 2011. Two years ago, he was honored as the Most Valuable Player of the MIAA, as well as a member of the Great Lakes All-Region Third Team and the All-America Third Team, a rare achievement. Of equal importance, he has even been ranked amongst the top ten golfers in the NCAA’s Division III. And, as a sign of consistency, he was also named a First Team All-MIAA member for three consecutive years. “Marty is a quiet competitor who holds himself to a high standard,” says Goffnett. “He really has no weaknesses and is one of the most consistent college golfers I have ever seen in the MIAA.” Despite Coach Goffnett’s view regarding the present state of Marty’s golf game, he is still not content, realizing that he can further improve upon his short game and ball striking skills. “I focused on improving my putting the past few months, so that I
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Photo courtesy of Alma College Sports Information
Marty Predmesky could develop a style I’m comfortable with. For most of the year, I have had less than 30 putts per round, a general goal I have when I tee it up,” says Predmesky. He continues, “This year I will try to improve my ball striking by hitting a variety of shaped shots to a target so that I can remain consistent throughout the spring season.” This relentless work ethic has also had a dramatic impact on Marty’s teammates. “It’s always a coach’s dream to have your best player also be your hardest worker,” Goffnett states. “Marty leads by example and is so giving of his time to help his teammates improve their games.” For example, after practices, Marty often met with senior Chris Williamson, the team’s number two 20
golfer, to offer him advice, as he observed his ball striking, putting, and chipping. With assistance from Marty, Williamson lowered his seasonal stroke average last fall by six shots, as he minimized his errors off the tee and on the putting green. “Along with being honored as an All-American, my greatest achievement at Alma was working with Chris and watching him win his first collegiate event last fall, with the greatest clutch finish I have ever witnessed.”
Enduring Challenges, Preparing for the Future In late April, Marty will walk across the podium and receive his diploma during Alma College’s 128th annual Commencement ceremony, which, aside from his marriage and the birth of his son, he
considers to be his greatest achievement. After all, back in high school, he had the second lowest GPA of his graduating class. But, by improving his work ethic and dedicating himself to his studies, as well as a career he is truly passionate about, he has improved his results in the classroom considerably the last three years, all while balancing five separate roles: golfer, husband, father, wage earner, and student. “It hasn’t been easy playing golf, supporting a family, and going to school full-time,” says Predmesky. “I honestly don’t believe I could have succeeded at Alma without the lessons and experiences I gained in the Marines.” Photo right: Marty Predmesky (front row, left) and the Alma College men’s golf team, Fall, 2013.
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Each of the challenges that Marty has successfully overcome have been invaluable for him, his career, and his future though. “I believe the education I have received at Alma will benefit me for the rest of my life. No one can ever take away the education that you acquire in college,” Predmesky states.
Photo courtesy of Alma College Sports Information
After graduating, Marty will continue to work at Mobile Medical Response, while also applying for other jobs within the healthcare industry, particularly at medical technology companies. He is also interested in returning to the military and serving as an officer. Whatever he decides to do, he will always be focused on other people, first and foremost, striving to posi-
tively influence their lives, while also serving his community. However, before he pursues his career interests, he will compete as an Alma College Scot for one final spring season. Even though he hasn’t had time to practice as often he’d like in recent months, he is still confident about the upcoming season, as well as his future golf career. “I haven’t had the opportunity to play much since my son’s birth, but I’m still optimistic about playing as a father this year. And I’m looking forward to playing as many amateur events as I can,” says Predmesky. He continues, “I see myself playing competitively for as long as I can. I probably won’t be running to the PGA TOUR’s Q-School on my
budget, but I always joke that, if I won the lottery, I would buy an RV rather than a mansion, so that I could travel and play.” “No matter what happens this spring, Marty will be remembered as the best male golfer in Alma’s history,” says Goffnett. “I have learned so much from him and his work ethic, as well as his dedication to improvement, and selflessness. I just hope he plays competitively at some level after his graduation, because I believe he will continue to succeed.”
For further information about Alma College’s Men’s Golf program, please visit http:// goalmascots.com/sports/mgolf/. - MG -
Cadillac Golf: Eldorado Golf Course
Photo courtesy of Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau
By Peter and Linda Allen
Eldorado Golf Club’s storied 9th and 18th greens by the clubhouse he Michigan Golfer found a unique course in Cadillac, appropriately named Eldorado Golf Course after the two vintage Cadillac Eldorado cars parked in the clubhouse entrance. Inside you will find the beautiful Cadillac Grill – good food, good choices of beer and a great view of the golf course. Downstairs is the well stocked pro shop managed by Director of Sales, Denise Dow.
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The first tee introduces the player to five tee boxes and an immediate great vista. The course itself is marked by wide bent grass fairways, large greens and many wetlands. It was in great shape and the bent grass greens were fast (even in the rain). The fairways are well framed with trees but the ball can still be found and is usually playable. 22
As a senior golfer I soon learned to value Jack Nicklaus’ motto, “MOVE UP”. The five tee boxes provide a place from where anyone can play. There are many water and wetland carries, so “moving up” made our rounds more enjoyable and reduced our lost ball count. The course motto is “firm fairways and fast greens” and we found that to be accurate and enjoyable. We always enjoy large greens. They have considerably sized undulations but the greens are readable.
water carry to the green. This is challenging for anyone who can’t fly the ball that distance.
There are many special aspects to the course. One tee is elevated and backed up by a stone wall. Holes nine and eighteen share a huge green but it is so large you don’t need to worry a shot from the wrong fairway interfering with play. The eighteenth hole has a 160 yard
Add Eldorado to next year’s must-go-to list and get ready for a great golf adventure. The scenery is great, the course is as challenging as you want it to be and the amenities are all there. ENJOY!
The owner and designer is Bob Meyer who opened the course in 1996. It is evident that a great deal of study went into its development. A young local man, Greg Winkelmann, is the Director of Golf and truly seems to be enjoying his work. The course is easily accessible as it is situated at the southwest corner of US 131 and M 115.
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McGuire’s: A Resort for All Seasons By Mike Duff or those of you who have never played the courses at McGuires Resort in Cadillac or spent a night in the resort’s superb Mike Duff accommodations, then you’re missing out on a special experience. First of all, it is self contained: you need go nowhere else in the area to get good golf, good food and exceptional service.
which offers excellent golf, lodging and restaurants that appeal to all appetites? Then consider McGuires. And, if you are looking for a great 19th hole then check out Curly’s for a little libation and a good burger or special sandwich.
Cadillac is noted as a venue of seasonal sport activities. A promotional flyer states that there’s no “off season” in Cadillac. Snowmobiling, skiing and golf would be at the top of the list. For many years Caberfae ski area has been the mid-state ski destination in Michigan.
However, McGuires still maintains the integrity that it has had for nearly 65 years under the McGuire family ownership.
What else could compete with this fantastic winter Mecca? GOLF. The third piece to this destination area is golf. From April through October golf is the sport. There is certainly a market for getting the best of all three. The golfing here is fantastic. Start with the Eldorado golf course off of 131, one of the state’s golf gems– a spectacular track! But don’t forget the Rose, another outstanding course. Are you looking for a destination
The Norway course plays between 2,792-2,358 yards. This is a much shorter course but offers an option, perhaps for concluding your golf trip
The history of McGuires dates back to the late 1940’s with founders Curly and Velma McGuire. Since then the resort has been passed down to their son Jim and next to his son Michael who recently sold the business to a golf management company. Photo courtesy of Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau
Photo courtesy of Mike Duff
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words, it doesn’t beat you up. But don’t forget to bring your A game.
So the golf enthusiast should pay attention. This is a Bruce Matthews design– no lightweight in course architects by any means. Matthews took advantage of the natural terrain and one of the highest elevations in the area to design a course that is playable and visually impressive. Spruce trees complement the natural surroundings. The resort offers 27 holes. The 18 hole championship Spruce course sits on rolling hillsides overlooking Lake Cadillac. It is a course that is challenging yet forgiving for the average golfer. In other
McGuire’s Spruce Golf Course before you head home. Golf packages are reasonable and worth looking into. If you want a great golf experience and a resort that can meet all your comfort needs, this is it? Contact McGuires at http://McGuiresResort.com, info@mcguiresresort.com or call 800-622-7302. - MG -
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Photo courtesy of Circling Raven
Pac
Circling Raven Hole Number 8
cific Northwest Redeux – Circling Raven By Tom Lang
Photo courtesy of Circling Raven
Circling Raven Hole Number 8 n a Pacific Northwest review we ran in MG late last year, we provided photos of the gorgeous golf courses reviewed in the state of Washington, but errored by not including photos from neighboring Idaho. So for those readers who missed out on part of the awesome natural beauty our country’s top left corner provides, here are two examples from Idaho’s Circling Raven course, holes No. 1 and No. 8.
on average receives only about one inch of rainfall during the entire summer and into the early fall.
The unique Idaho “panhandle” region is found east of the Cascades and nestled into the foothills just west of the massive Rocky Mountain range. According to locals, after a good springtime soaking, the area
The Circling Raven course has been a consistent top-15 ranked casino-owned course on GolfWeek’s national list, and is steadily voted in the top 3 courses overall in Idaho. It’s common to
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Golfers can additionally experience unique Pacific NW food choices, deep fresh-water lakes, rolling plains covered by waving wheat fields set against mountainous backdrops – all enjoyed in temperatures similar to northern Michigan summers.
see moose or elk tracking the property, which is a gorgeous mix of rolling plains, wetlands and some tree-lined holes on the predominantly open-range design. No two holes are alike and the overall design features a good variety of elevation changes, long and short par fours and varying par 3s. If you close your eyes it would be easy to imagine an old west cattle drive or caravan of horse-drawn covered wagons strolling across the golden plains. But open wide when you strike the first tee shot and enjoy the views the rest of the way.
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- MG -
2013 Presidents Cup Needed More than a “Transfusion”
Photo courtesy of the PGA
By Bill Shelton
Jordan Speith lets loose a drive at the Presidents Cup leven of the 24 participants in the 2013 Presidents Cup entered as “new blood” in the tenth edition of the interBill Shelton national competition. The International Team Captain, Nick Price, also was making his rookie coaching debut (much to the chagrin of 2011 Captain Greg Norman who wanted
Photo courtesy of Bill Shelton
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to serve for the third consecutive time). For US Team Captain Freddie Couples, he lead the American team for the third time. Ages of the Presidents Cup rookies ranged from the youngest, Jordan Speith at 20, to the oldest, Jason Dufner at 36. Interestingly, the average age of both teams’ rookies was 29. Three of the four US rookies— Keegan Bradley, Brant Snedeker, and Dufner—had competed in Ryder Cups, similar with a few exceptions to the Presidents Cup. Only Speith was a true US rookie to this event, although he had played in amateur
team competition in the Walker Cup. Of the seven rookies on the International Team—Brendon DeJonge, Graham Delaet, Branden Grace, Marc Leishman, Richard Sterne, Louis Oosthuizen and Hideki Matsuyama—several had competed in the two-man World Cup but none had experience in this format. Clearly there was a significant gap between the experiences of the International rookies and the American first-timers. In an interview before the matches began, International Team Captain Price openly acknowledged
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Photo courtesy of the PGA
lock on international competition. So, what could be the explanation for the dominance of the US team in the Presidents Cup? Perhaps consideration should be given to the fact that this is a very young competition with only ten meetings. More balance may come with maturity. The most frequently cited explanation is that the format—four days and 34 points—makes it more difficult for the international squads to be competitive. While it is confusing why the format would favor one team over the other, the common solution suggested is to adopt the three-day format of the Ryder Cup. The Sunday From left: Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley, Charl Schwartzel, and Louie Oosthuizen single matches would clearly very competitive.” Midway through the urgency of improved results by be more of an impact on the out his players. In the previous 9 compe- the first day’s Four-ball matches, the coming. Davis Love noted that the titions, the US Team has dominated US Team led in all six matches, a far current format often has the wincry from Captain Price’s admonition with a record of 7-1-1, often with ning team decided by Saturday to his players to get off to a fast start. the Internationals experiencing a evening. Captain Price and competiFollowing one of many rain delays, sound trouncing. A huge responsitor Adam Scott again called for forbility was riding on Price’s shoulders the International team did rally to mat changes following the 2013 close the gap to 3 ½ to 2 ½ US lead. and his “veterans” Ernie Els, Angel competition. Ernie Els has advocatCaberra, and Adam Scott to provide The International team fared even bet- ed a shortened format for several ter in the Day 2’s Foursome matches stability to the team. Charl years. with a 3-3 tie before the US team ralSchwartzel, playing in his second lied to a 4-1 victory in the Saturday Presidents Cup however suggested Another explanation for the comFour-ball matches and 3 ½ to 1 ½ in petitive imbalance is that the lanthe seven International rookies may Foursomes. The finest hour for the be an advantage. “You know, the guage and cultural differences make Internationals came in the Sunday guys they don’t have really bad feelit difficult to create cohesion within Singles matches, winning 7 ½ to 4 ½ , the International squad. There is not ings. They haven’t been on the losto end the 10th Presidents Cup with a a shared sense of pride that is eviing side. For them it’s all fresh and US victory 18 ½ to 15 ½. Closer than dent in the European Ryder and new. You know, maybe a little bit more hungry.” in the previous Cups but the outcome Solheim teams. This “identity crisis” was pretty much decided before the rationale seems to gain credence by Though not predicting a win by Sunday singles. the scores of the singles matches the International was imperative for where individual performance Is there a solution to the continu- replaces team participation. the future of this competition, Price did say “I wouldn’t say it’s a must-win. ing imbalance between the two squads? Clearly recent outcomes of But this one needs to be competitive. Even though the Presidents Cup I think more important than anything the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup is hemorrhaging, attendance and telindicate that the US does not have a evision audiences continue to be at else, this Presidents Cup needs to be 28
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acceptable levels. If that changes, the PC will be in real jeopardy in its current format. Would adopting the Ryder Cup format solve the problem? Probably not. Would making the Presidents Cup squads coed offer an intriguing option? Initially it could cause a renewed interest because of the intrigue (and currently the international women professionals are ahead of the US pros) of the format. Would creating more international divisions (Asian, South African, etc) increase the level of competition? Would not allowing
US players who had participated in the most recent Ryder Cup play in the following Presidents Cup create more balance? But, perhaps the best option is probably to discontinue the Presidents Cup since the Olympics will now include golf. While the games occur only ever four years, it will be a very acceptable substitute for the biennial Presidents Cup and a much better arena for representing national pride. Although the Olympic competition will be limited
to 60 players for the men and 60 players for the women, and the selection process using world rankings needs tweaking, national pride (especially for nations other than the US) could well be demonstrated at the highest level witnessed in modern golf. A “transfusion” at the 2013 Cup brought temporary relief but major surgery is needed if the patient is to survive. - MG -
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Slice of Life Volunteerism in Golf By Terry Moore
Photo courtesy of Terry Moore
proper pace of play—which is set at 15 minutes per hole. With atomic clocks located at the 5th, 9th, 14th and 18th greens, players are asked to monitor their pace and at minimum keep up with the group in front of them. I remind players that a hole is considered completed when the flagstick is returned to the hole. So, if a flagstick is replaced in 15 minutes and 45 seconds, then the group is at risk of incurring a penalty although there are contingencies.
Terry Moore on the job ust once I wish someone would come up to me at a cocktail party and ask, “Hey, what’s it like being a GAM (Golf Association of Michigan) tournament volunteer?” The query would make me smile and then prompt me to reply, “Gee, thanks for asking. Let’s grab another drink and sit down for a chat.” Comfortably seated, I would then share a few insights and experiences while being ever watchful for that tell-tale vacant stare. Here’s some of what I’d say.
10th tee are fully informed about the day ahead and gets them teed off on time. As someone who has competed in formal golf events since I was ten years old, I try to be extra friendly and relaxed with players so to lessen their inevitable first tee jitters. And yes, I’ve seen some shaky hands teeing up that maiden, everhopeful shot. But before that pivotal moment, players are asked to introduce themselves, look over the hole location and local rules sheets, and listen politely to a few reminders.
About being a starter: It’s actually my favorite role although on the surface it doesn’t appear too complicated. But it has its nuances. Essentially, a starter makes sure competitors at either the first or
To its credit, the GAM and other state organizations have done a commendable job in speeding up tournament play by installing a Pace of Play policy. Basically, it makes the player responsible for maintaining a
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At this point in our little discussion, I offer up a tried and true speed of play tip that’s been useful since I was a high school golf coach observing and scoring matches. (Those matches can be longer than a Russian novel!) Anyway, I suggest when they’re on the green to follow this mantra: “First one in (the hole) grabs the pin.” It saves valuable time from players looking for and picking up the pin, especially since the 15 minutes clock is ticking. Most competitors seem to like the time-saving gambit and see its value. However, one time after I told the group about the flagstick tip, a player chirped up, “Well, since we all have caddies, it shouldn’t be an issue.” Sheepishly, I hurried on to exchanging scorecards and asking them to display and identify their golf balls. And thinking to myself: please don’t identify me as a dolt.
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About being a spotter on a trouble hole: Although not as socially engaging or dignified as a starter, I’ve enjoyed the often solitary posting of a spotter. With a walkie-talkie radio and earpiece, binoculars, stopwatch (to time lost balls searches), and safely seated inside or standing next to one’s cart, I’ve quietly observed and studied the action, without firing a single shot. Think of a pacifist sniper or a birdwatcher. The most gratifying encounters occur when a spotter locates a wild and errant drive, saving a player from a stroke and distance penalty. The happy, relieved look on a player’s face when you find his or her ball after a frantic search is something to behold. I’ve seen the same beatific face on mothers looking at their newborns. One time I was spotting at the difficult 18th hole at Diamond Springs GC during a Junior State Amateur qualifier. I was perched
Photo courtesy of Terry Moore
One of a starter’s dreaded moments is when a player doesn’t show up for his designated tee-time. It can make for a hairy situation especially if the absent player never informed tournament officials beforehand. Obviously, stuff and emergencies happen and sometimes a no-show can’t be avoided. But for those players who simply “blow it off ” and rudely not inform officials and their playing partners of their absence, I say the medieval torture of being drawn and quartered (see Braveheart) does have its merits. Meanwhile, it helps to have a cool and seasoned tournament official— say the GAM’s Ken Hartmann—to teach a perplexed starter to merely reshuffle a few groups and to keep the proceedings on schedule.
Volunteers help out at the match. high on a mound in the gnarly rough with a terrific vantage point to watch wayward shots. Well, one junior player pulled his drive in front of me but I quickly found it and waited for him as he walked up the hole, his final one of the tournament. Nearing me and realizing that I had found his ball, he quickly said, “Thank you, sir.” From a terrible lie, he hit his next shot no more than 30 yards ahead and again in thick rough. It took me several minutes but I found that ball as well. “Thanks again, sir!” he exclaimed.
Echoing a limping Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, he whispered, “Thank you, kind sir.” If it were possible, I would have adopted the well-mannered lad on the spot. As it turned out, the player managed to get his fourth shot onto the green where he safely two-putted for a six, finishing with a final score that qualified by a single shot. Although the intrepid competitor and I never spoke afterwards at the scoreboard, I’m certain he was most thankful and eternally appreciative about having a volunteer spotter on that fateful final 18th hole.
Faced with another tough lie, he choked down on a wedge and blasted down at the ball. It came out hot And me? I just felt relieved he and low, dodging a water hazard but didn’t ask me to find his car or bike disappearing in deep thicket just in the parking lot. short of the green. Yep, another search immediately ensued. Fortunately for the young lad, the Editor Emeritus of Michigan Golfer, three-strikes law for habitual offendTerry Moore also volunteers as a ers was not invoked. Instead, after a Governor for the Golf Association of few anxious minutes I again found Michigan, founded in 1919 to serve his never-say-die “Titleist #1 with amateur golfers in the state. two black dots”—you see, I was on a first-name basis with it. - MG -
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