As the 2009 golf season winds down this fall, it’s time to look ahead to 2010.
Finding the best bang for your golfing buck will continue to be a theme next year as Michigan digs itself out of this economic black hole.
A membership with the Golf Association of Michigan and its swing and save program is a great way to save on greens fees. So is the site, http://www.lastminutegolfer.com/. But I’ve discovered another one. The 2010 Entertainment Guide for greater metro Detroit is out already and just waiting for golfers to take advantage of its deals and savings.
The book, available at http://www.entertainment.com/, claims more than $17,800 in savings inside, including many opportunities that golfers will love. The golf section contains coupons to more than 30 courses, the best of the bunch being Beacon Hill in Commerce Township, the Huntmore in Brighton Township, Cherry Creek in Shelby Township and Rattle Run near St. Clair. With the coupon, you can buy a green fee to get a second one free.
Several driving ranges and miniature golf courses offer a similar deal – buy something, get the second bucket or putt-putt round at no cost. But the savings go far beyond the course. Let’s say your foursome wants to head out to dinner after the round. There are hundreds of restaurants to choose from, notably pubs, bars and pizza joints perfect for a foursome’s night out.
You can even buy discounted equipment. Pro Golf Discount has a web coupon that takes 17 percent off your entire order. Dunham’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods each have several options, the best being $20 off $100 purchased from Dick’s or $10 off $50 purchased from Dunham’s.
Creative golfers who love to travel can use coupons for rental cars, hotels and even flights. Some even buy the entertainment book, at a cost of $25-$45 thru the web site or through fundraisers, for the destination they’re headed to and take advantage of the coupon savings there. Get more, pay less. I like that.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Michigan voted as America's 11th-best golf destination
A top 10 would have been nice.
But considering the competition, it's not too shabby that Michigan was just voted the 11th-best golf destination in America by readers of Golf World. My personal vote would probably put it somewhere in the top eight in heated competition with places like northern California (Pebble Beach), Pinehurst, N.C.; Florida, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Kohler, Wisconsin; the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama and Bandon, Oregon.
Considering that most of those other places have a year-round golf season, it's a miracle that Michigan is even in the mix at all. It speaks volumes to the quality and depth of Michigan's product. With more than 800 public courses, Michigan is the public golf capital of the world.
I read in Golf Digest a few years back that only California had more four star courses than Michigan. Both had more than 100. Think about that. You could spend 5 or more summers trying to play the best the state had to offer and still not see them all.
Forest Dunes Golf Club in Roscommon also made headlines during the reader survey, taking top honors for the most popular public course category. That's amazing considering how far out of the way the course is. Yet the effort to find the Tom Weiskopf course is rewarded with a stunning clubhouse and one of the most pure golf experiences in Michigan. The waste bunkers bring the best of the North Carolina sandhills to meld with the pristine woods of northern Michigan for some great golf. The management by Troon Golf ensures that every guest is well cared for.
With any readership poll, there are some quirks in the rankings. Arcadia Bluffs ranked 16th in the public course category (fair enough), but the unheard of Cedar Chase course in Cedar Springs made the list at No. 23, followed by Eagle Eye in Bath (27th), Bucks Run in Mount Pleasant (30th), Pilgrims Run in Pierson (31st) and Shepherd's Hollow (tie for 4oth). Maybe some ballot-box stuffing was done for Cedar Chase, but the others are all worthy candidates.
In the resort category, the Resorts of Tullymore checked in at No. 27, high praise for a resort still in the development stages, beating out rivals like Treetop Resort in Gaylord (32nd), the Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey (38th) and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme (45th).
Again, like I wrote a few weeks ago, rankings are subjective and worth noting but hardly worth living by. Any Michigan course or resort that made these lists are worthy of a visit. Choosing which one you like best is part of personal preference and part of the fun of it all.
But considering the competition, it's not too shabby that Michigan was just voted the 11th-best golf destination in America by readers of Golf World. My personal vote would probably put it somewhere in the top eight in heated competition with places like northern California (Pebble Beach), Pinehurst, N.C.; Florida, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Kohler, Wisconsin; the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama and Bandon, Oregon.
Considering that most of those other places have a year-round golf season, it's a miracle that Michigan is even in the mix at all. It speaks volumes to the quality and depth of Michigan's product. With more than 800 public courses, Michigan is the public golf capital of the world.
I read in Golf Digest a few years back that only California had more four star courses than Michigan. Both had more than 100. Think about that. You could spend 5 or more summers trying to play the best the state had to offer and still not see them all.
Forest Dunes Golf Club in Roscommon also made headlines during the reader survey, taking top honors for the most popular public course category. That's amazing considering how far out of the way the course is. Yet the effort to find the Tom Weiskopf course is rewarded with a stunning clubhouse and one of the most pure golf experiences in Michigan. The waste bunkers bring the best of the North Carolina sandhills to meld with the pristine woods of northern Michigan for some great golf. The management by Troon Golf ensures that every guest is well cared for.
With any readership poll, there are some quirks in the rankings. Arcadia Bluffs ranked 16th in the public course category (fair enough), but the unheard of Cedar Chase course in Cedar Springs made the list at No. 23, followed by Eagle Eye in Bath (27th), Bucks Run in Mount Pleasant (30th), Pilgrims Run in Pierson (31st) and Shepherd's Hollow (tie for 4oth). Maybe some ballot-box stuffing was done for Cedar Chase, but the others are all worthy candidates.
In the resort category, the Resorts of Tullymore checked in at No. 27, high praise for a resort still in the development stages, beating out rivals like Treetop Resort in Gaylord (32nd), the Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey (38th) and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme (45th).
Again, like I wrote a few weeks ago, rankings are subjective and worth noting but hardly worth living by. Any Michigan course or resort that made these lists are worthy of a visit. Choosing which one you like best is part of personal preference and part of the fun of it all.
Monday, October 12, 2009
GAM provides access to private clubs
The Golf Association of Michigan continues to create new benefits so good for members, it's hard to fathom why every golfer in the state hasn't joined in the fun.
The GAM now offers members a chance to play unused tee times at private clubs throughout the state. At any time of the day or night, GAM members can look at the GAM home page to see what clubs have thrown tee times into the pool for outside play. You can book up to a week in advance.
Now you don't have to scheme about jumping the fence to bag that trophy course you've always dreamed of playing.
When I checked the site this morning, I found tee times at Wabeek Country Club; the Wyndgate; Boulder Lakes Golf Club, Davison Country Club and Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club and Western Golf & Country Club. Since I've never played at any of these courses, if the weather was a bit nicer, I'd be jumping at these opportunities.
The price quoted once you click on a tee time includes golf, cart and driving range (if available). For example, a tee time at Wabeek, a Pete Dye design, would have cost $50 per player.
The GAM touts the program as a great opportunity for GAM members to play different courses and experience the benefits of private club membership. The reality is few players are looking for country club memberships these days. I look at it as an opportunity to knock off the bucket list of courses you and your friends have wanted to play but haven't had access to before.
Last year, the GAM introduced a similar program that opened private clubs to public players. The "GAM Golf Days" are competitions held every Monday all season long at private clubs around the state. For a minimal cost of $55, tournament competitors tee it up at places like the Country Club of Lansing and other prestigous clubs for a shot at prizes in net and gross divisions, depending on your handicap.
Questions about the new tee time program should be directed to the GAM membership department at (248) 478-9242 ext. 19 (Don't call the club direct). For info on Golf Days, contact coordinator Chris Mills at (248) 478-9242 ext. 30 or cmills@gam.org.
Even if the weather continues to fizzle out this fall, consider these programs in your planning for playing next summer. The deals to experience some top-notch private clubs are priceless. Consider yourself a member for a day.
The GAM now offers members a chance to play unused tee times at private clubs throughout the state. At any time of the day or night, GAM members can look at the GAM home page to see what clubs have thrown tee times into the pool for outside play. You can book up to a week in advance.
Now you don't have to scheme about jumping the fence to bag that trophy course you've always dreamed of playing.
When I checked the site this morning, I found tee times at Wabeek Country Club; the Wyndgate; Boulder Lakes Golf Club, Davison Country Club and Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club and Western Golf & Country Club. Since I've never played at any of these courses, if the weather was a bit nicer, I'd be jumping at these opportunities.
The price quoted once you click on a tee time includes golf, cart and driving range (if available). For example, a tee time at Wabeek, a Pete Dye design, would have cost $50 per player.
The GAM touts the program as a great opportunity for GAM members to play different courses and experience the benefits of private club membership. The reality is few players are looking for country club memberships these days. I look at it as an opportunity to knock off the bucket list of courses you and your friends have wanted to play but haven't had access to before.
Last year, the GAM introduced a similar program that opened private clubs to public players. The "GAM Golf Days" are competitions held every Monday all season long at private clubs around the state. For a minimal cost of $55, tournament competitors tee it up at places like the Country Club of Lansing and other prestigous clubs for a shot at prizes in net and gross divisions, depending on your handicap.
Questions about the new tee time program should be directed to the GAM membership department at (248) 478-9242 ext. 19 (Don't call the club direct). For info on Golf Days, contact coordinator Chris Mills at (248) 478-9242 ext. 30 or cmills@gam.org.
Even if the weather continues to fizzle out this fall, consider these programs in your planning for playing next summer. The deals to experience some top-notch private clubs are priceless. Consider yourself a member for a day.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Free golf up north!
Free golf? Where?
Well, as we all know, nothing is free. But these promotions for great golf in northern Michigan are as close as it gets.
The Gaylord Golf Mecca's FREE Fall Golf Weekend is set for Oct. 16-18. Visitors who book an overnight stay at one of the participating hotels will be able to play a FREE round of golf on one of the participating Gaylord Golf Mecca courses. Golfers simply call one of the participating hotels to book your room and mention you would like to participate in the FREE Golf Weekend. The hotel will then make the tee-time and present a golf certificate to golfers upon check in. The certificate is then presented to the golf course in order to get the FREE round of golf.
If you've been reading this blog you know my love for Gaylord and its mix of 21 different courses. It's a convenient destination right of of I-75 and there's a price point for everyone, from standard hotels to the more golf-centric resorts like Treetops Resort and the Otsego Club and Marsh Ridge.
Also to note, the Hawk's Eye Resort in Bellaire will hand out free golf on The Chief for the remainder of the season starting Oct. 5. All it costs is the $20 cart fee Monday thru Thursday or $30 on the weekend. I've only played The Chief once and the shortish John Robinson design ate me for lunch. I thought I could drive up north, hop out of the car after five hours and tangle with a course that measures just 6,600 yards from the tips. How wrong I was. About 8 holes into my round, I moved up a tee box. The Chief isn't the real draw here, but for that price, it's a steal. The Hawk's Eye course is one of the top 10 courses up north.
As I write this post, the weather outside -- it's pouring rain on my roof -- reminds me why golf courses up north are dying for your business. They're trying to squeeze in a couple more rounds before they close for the season. But if the weather breaks, you could be the one smiling.
Well, as we all know, nothing is free. But these promotions for great golf in northern Michigan are as close as it gets.
The Gaylord Golf Mecca's FREE Fall Golf Weekend is set for Oct. 16-18. Visitors who book an overnight stay at one of the participating hotels will be able to play a FREE round of golf on one of the participating Gaylord Golf Mecca courses. Golfers simply call one of the participating hotels to book your room and mention you would like to participate in the FREE Golf Weekend. The hotel will then make the tee-time and present a golf certificate to golfers upon check in. The certificate is then presented to the golf course in order to get the FREE round of golf.
If you've been reading this blog you know my love for Gaylord and its mix of 21 different courses. It's a convenient destination right of of I-75 and there's a price point for everyone, from standard hotels to the more golf-centric resorts like Treetops Resort and the Otsego Club and Marsh Ridge.
Also to note, the Hawk's Eye Resort in Bellaire will hand out free golf on The Chief for the remainder of the season starting Oct. 5. All it costs is the $20 cart fee Monday thru Thursday or $30 on the weekend. I've only played The Chief once and the shortish John Robinson design ate me for lunch. I thought I could drive up north, hop out of the car after five hours and tangle with a course that measures just 6,600 yards from the tips. How wrong I was. About 8 holes into my round, I moved up a tee box. The Chief isn't the real draw here, but for that price, it's a steal. The Hawk's Eye course is one of the top 10 courses up north.
As I write this post, the weather outside -- it's pouring rain on my roof -- reminds me why golf courses up north are dying for your business. They're trying to squeeze in a couple more rounds before they close for the season. But if the weather breaks, you could be the one smiling.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Michigan produces top head pros, superintendents
It never ceases to amaze me.
Whenever I go to play golf, I meet someone from Michigan who works in the industry. It just proves how entrenched the game is in the fabric of life here.
Two weeks ago, I hopped off the airplane in Albuquerque, N.M., and headed immediately for the first tee at Isleta Eagle Golf Club, a solid resort course just 15 minutes from the airport. There I met head professional Mike Ciolek.
I found out Ciolek went to college in Michigan and had recently come home to play some golf, teeing it up at Shepherd's Hollow in Clarkston.
It was deja vu for two other trips I've taken in the past year. Last fall at The Broadmoor, the 5-star retreat in Colorado Springs, Colo., head professional Mark Kelbel proudly proclaimed he was Michigan born and raised and loved to get back home whenever he could.
At the luxurious Kiawah Island Golf Resort in S.C. last February, I enjoyed a round of golf with Mike Vegis, the resort's public relations director who went to Michigan State University and still loves his beloved Spartans.
Michigan might not produce PGA Tour-quality players like many other golf-crazy states -- the season is just too short -- but it produces some of the industry's best managers, golf professionals, superintendents and other key behind-the-scene positions. Give thanks to the turfgrass program at MSU and the golf management program at Ferris State University for pumping out these talented folks who are passionate about the game. Many of these people stay in Michigan to work out the 1,000 or so golf facilities here. Still, many more move to warmer climates.
Next time you're traveling to a course far away, don't just zoom in and out without talking to the golf staff. Chances are you'll meet a new friend who grew up or went to school in Michigan. You might have more fun talking about the Wolverines or Spartans or Pistons or Lions than playing the course.
Whenever I go to play golf, I meet someone from Michigan who works in the industry. It just proves how entrenched the game is in the fabric of life here.
Two weeks ago, I hopped off the airplane in Albuquerque, N.M., and headed immediately for the first tee at Isleta Eagle Golf Club, a solid resort course just 15 minutes from the airport. There I met head professional Mike Ciolek.
I found out Ciolek went to college in Michigan and had recently come home to play some golf, teeing it up at Shepherd's Hollow in Clarkston.
It was deja vu for two other trips I've taken in the past year. Last fall at The Broadmoor, the 5-star retreat in Colorado Springs, Colo., head professional Mark Kelbel proudly proclaimed he was Michigan born and raised and loved to get back home whenever he could.
At the luxurious Kiawah Island Golf Resort in S.C. last February, I enjoyed a round of golf with Mike Vegis, the resort's public relations director who went to Michigan State University and still loves his beloved Spartans.
Michigan might not produce PGA Tour-quality players like many other golf-crazy states -- the season is just too short -- but it produces some of the industry's best managers, golf professionals, superintendents and other key behind-the-scene positions. Give thanks to the turfgrass program at MSU and the golf management program at Ferris State University for pumping out these talented folks who are passionate about the game. Many of these people stay in Michigan to work out the 1,000 or so golf facilities here. Still, many more move to warmer climates.
Next time you're traveling to a course far away, don't just zoom in and out without talking to the golf staff. Chances are you'll meet a new friend who grew up or went to school in Michigan. You might have more fun talking about the Wolverines or Spartans or Pistons or Lions than playing the course.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Take advantage of Michigan's great fall golf rates
Fall means cheap golf.
The falling temperatures, shorter days and deteriorating course conditions (usually due to frost and aeration) force operators to discount their rates in the fall, a bonus for those of us who believe the season runs until the snow flies.
The best way to find out about all the fall specials going on around you is to go to a course’s or resort’s website and sign up for its e-mail club. You’ll get every promotion conveniently e-mailed to you, including the new fall rates. Sometimes, the course owner or operator will even e-mail out a special price for those loyal enough to sign up for the list. Here are some e-mail deals that have caught my eye in the past two weeks:
· Play Fox Run Country Club in Grayling this fall and get a free green fee voucher for next spring.
· Yarrow Golf Club in Augusta runs just $25 on weekdays and $35 on weekends beginning Oct. 1.
· Grand Haven Golf Club boasts $35 Tuesdays.
· Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville has fall escape and spa packages for $139 a night per person.
· College Fields in Okemos is $29 weekdays anytime and after 1 p.m. weekends and $35 on weekend mornings.
· Mystic Creek in Milford has cheap-skate Mondays for $21 and tee times ranging from $29-$35 on weekdays depending on the day and time.
· Stonebridge, an Art Hills course in Ann Arbor, runs $33 before 3 p.m. and $25 afterward on weekdays. Weekends are $42 descending to rates as low as $25 as the day goes on.
· Marsh Ridge Resort in Gaylord has a $189 fall retreat package that includes golf, an overnight stay and a gourmet meal and breakfast for two.
· Northville Hills, a fun Arnold Palmer layout, has all-you-can-play for $35 during this week.
· The Loon in Gaylord has all-you-can-play specials for $25 during the week and $36 during weekends through September.
The falling temperatures, shorter days and deteriorating course conditions (usually due to frost and aeration) force operators to discount their rates in the fall, a bonus for those of us who believe the season runs until the snow flies.
The best way to find out about all the fall specials going on around you is to go to a course’s or resort’s website and sign up for its e-mail club. You’ll get every promotion conveniently e-mailed to you, including the new fall rates. Sometimes, the course owner or operator will even e-mail out a special price for those loyal enough to sign up for the list. Here are some e-mail deals that have caught my eye in the past two weeks:
· Play Fox Run Country Club in Grayling this fall and get a free green fee voucher for next spring.
· Yarrow Golf Club in Augusta runs just $25 on weekdays and $35 on weekends beginning Oct. 1.
· Grand Haven Golf Club boasts $35 Tuesdays.
· Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville has fall escape and spa packages for $139 a night per person.
· College Fields in Okemos is $29 weekdays anytime and after 1 p.m. weekends and $35 on weekend mornings.
· Mystic Creek in Milford has cheap-skate Mondays for $21 and tee times ranging from $29-$35 on weekdays depending on the day and time.
· Stonebridge, an Art Hills course in Ann Arbor, runs $33 before 3 p.m. and $25 afterward on weekdays. Weekends are $42 descending to rates as low as $25 as the day goes on.
· Marsh Ridge Resort in Gaylord has a $189 fall retreat package that includes golf, an overnight stay and a gourmet meal and breakfast for two.
· Northville Hills, a fun Arnold Palmer layout, has all-you-can-play for $35 during this week.
· The Loon in Gaylord has all-you-can-play specials for $25 during the week and $36 during weekends through September.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Grand Traverse Resort honored by Golf Digest
I've always looked at rankings of courses and resorts with a curious eye.
I enjoy them. Who doesn't? The courses and resorts love them for their marketing materials. The customers love them. Golfers like to brag to friends that 'I played one of the top 50 courses in Michigan' or something along those lines.
But I don't take stock in the actual ranking. I use them more as a general guide. The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme recently was honored by Golf Digest as having the 48th best golf resort in the country. It's the first time the resort has been so honored, and in my opinion, long overdue.
But I don't take stock in the resort's actual ranking (No. 48). I look at the honor as more of a validation that the resort is "among" the top resorts in the country. Whether it's No. 48 or 38 or 68 doesn't really matter.
The fact is the resort belongs among the best because of its amenities and the experience it delivers for golfers. The three courses are superb and all nearby. Shooting a number at The Bear remains a status symbol for any player, like saying you dated a supermodel.
Everything else at the resort is top notch. The accomodations are nice. The restaurants are great. The surrounding attractions -- with the new Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel down the road and the vibrant downtown and beaches of Traverse City in the other direction -- can only be rivaled among Michigan's golf resorts by The Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey.
Even the little things, like the policy that allows dogs at Grand Traverse and the new water toys at the indoor pool, add up to help boost the resort's image in the eyes of the people doing the rankings. The honor just makes me want to get back to the resort sooner rather than later.
I enjoy them. Who doesn't? The courses and resorts love them for their marketing materials. The customers love them. Golfers like to brag to friends that 'I played one of the top 50 courses in Michigan' or something along those lines.
But I don't take stock in the actual ranking. I use them more as a general guide. The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme recently was honored by Golf Digest as having the 48th best golf resort in the country. It's the first time the resort has been so honored, and in my opinion, long overdue.
But I don't take stock in the resort's actual ranking (No. 48). I look at the honor as more of a validation that the resort is "among" the top resorts in the country. Whether it's No. 48 or 38 or 68 doesn't really matter.
The fact is the resort belongs among the best because of its amenities and the experience it delivers for golfers. The three courses are superb and all nearby. Shooting a number at The Bear remains a status symbol for any player, like saying you dated a supermodel.
Everything else at the resort is top notch. The accomodations are nice. The restaurants are great. The surrounding attractions -- with the new Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel down the road and the vibrant downtown and beaches of Traverse City in the other direction -- can only be rivaled among Michigan's golf resorts by The Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey.
Even the little things, like the policy that allows dogs at Grand Traverse and the new water toys at the indoor pool, add up to help boost the resort's image in the eyes of the people doing the rankings. The honor just makes me want to get back to the resort sooner rather than later.
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