Golf Association of Michigan holds busy annual meeting

The Golf Association of Michigan's annual meeting on May 7 at Franklin Hills Country Club was a busy one with the usual order of business. Two guest speakers, Rick Smith and Ford Motor Co. President and CEO Alan Mulally, were the biggest hit, however.

Mulally made comparisons between the automotive industry and the golf industry. That is, they have both gone through some tough times in recent years but have managed to persevere and emerge with a better product. Smith, a top golf instructor and managing partner at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, agreed.

“Michigan stayed steady over the past couple of years when other golf states were down,” Smith said in a statement released by GAM. “We had a record year last year at Treetops and I believe the industry is on the upswing.”

As for the GAM business, outgoing president Ron Gaines (TPC of Michigan) passed the torch to incoming GAM President John Schulte of Birmingham Country Club.

In the past year, the GAM has added a GAM iPhone application, created the GAM Scramble tournament and expanded in the Upper Peninsula.

Several GAM members were honored:

* Fritz McMullen of Forest Lake Country Club won the GAM Superintendent of Merit Award. McMullen has been the green superintendent at Forest Lake since 1973.
* Jerry Engle of Watermark Country Club won the GAM Club Representative of the Year Award. Engle is a longtime golfer and member at Watermark Country Club.
* Mark Wilson of Watermark won the GAM Distinguished Service Award. Wilson, the chairman of the PGA Rules of Golf Committee, has been the PGA Professional at Watermark for 30 years. He is a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2011 GAM Players of the Year were also honored:

* Men’s - Randy Lewis (Alma)
* Women’s – Amy Meier (Rochester Hills)
*Senior Women’s – Joan Garety (Ada)
* Senior Men’s – Bill Zylstra (Dearborn Heights)
* Girl’s Junior – Emmie Pietila (Brighton)
* Boy’s Junior – Henry Do (Ypsilanti)