First came the chocolate golf ball in the mail, a mysterious gift signaling something was brewing on the Michigan golf scene.
The next day, the mystery was solved when another package arrived ... a Manitou Passage Golf Club hat revealed the new logo and name for the former King's Challenge Golf Club in Cedar.
The changes officially signal a new era for the club, which was purchased last year by a group of investors, led by Bob Kuras, the president of The Homestead, a fabulous resort in Glen Arbor.
I was the first golf writer to visit the site for a tour of the potential changes (read more here) to the course last June, while construction of the new clubhouse was in full swing. The plans were ambitious but necessary to revive the neglected property. The course opened last July but continues to undergo changes, and more TLC, to enhance the Arnold Palmer-designed course.
"While working on the new tee boxes for No. 8, we discovered a view of Lake Michigan's Manitou Passage," Kuras says. "Immediately, we realized that name was the tie to Leelanau County."
The new Web site, manitoupassage.com, is still under construction, but a message on the front page hints at a grand opening this summer and a $5,000 sweepstakes to celebrate the event.
Those who attend the Grand Rapids Golf Show this weekend can stop by The Homestead booth for the club to find out more about tee times and rates this summer.
Showing posts with label King's Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King's Challenge. Show all posts
Friday, February 12, 2010
Monday, July 20, 2009
King's Challenge a work in progress
I'm not surprised the King's Challenge is just now opening in Cedar, the newest amenity of the fabulous Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor.
When I visited the resort in May, the course, purchased by a group led by Homestead president Bob Kuras, was just starting to awaken from a long winter of neglect, both from the wicked weather and the previous owners. New superintendent Brad Stowe was working overtime to hack down all those dandelions and try to breathe life back into the greens with the ultimate goal to be on track to apply for Cooperative Sanctuary status from Audubon International..
I've still never played King's Challenge, but a drive around the Arnold Palmer layout with new director of golf Logan Price got my juices going to give it a go. It has all the wonders of northern Michigan in place: the elevated tees, the scenery, the tree-lined corridors void of houses. It looks tight and challenging in some spots, so I can't wait to see how my nerves will hold up with a driver in hand.
The clubhouse was in even worse shape during my visit, torn up and being completely renovated, but the pictures circulated by the resort shows that the effort has paid off. The building, which will pursue LEED certification for its new environmental-friendly features, now offers a nice outdoor patio overlooking the pond surrounding the 18th hole. The flow has improved with a little library just inside the door. The pro shop, on the right, and the bar, on the left, are big enough to be roomy, yet small enough to be intimate.
Bigger plans are in the works for the course. Palmer's architects are committed to helping King's Challenge retool any tees that might need to be repositioned or brought back to life.
A grand opening, with a brand new name, could happen as soon as next June. In the meantime, if you're interested in a tee time, visit kingschallenge.com or call 231-334-5900. I recommend you play it now, then come back next summer to marvel at its ongoing transformation. Only then will players realize how committed Kuras is to great golf at his resort.
When I visited the resort in May, the course, purchased by a group led by Homestead president Bob Kuras, was just starting to awaken from a long winter of neglect, both from the wicked weather and the previous owners. New superintendent Brad Stowe was working overtime to hack down all those dandelions and try to breathe life back into the greens with the ultimate goal to be on track to apply for Cooperative Sanctuary status from Audubon International..
I've still never played King's Challenge, but a drive around the Arnold Palmer layout with new director of golf Logan Price got my juices going to give it a go. It has all the wonders of northern Michigan in place: the elevated tees, the scenery, the tree-lined corridors void of houses. It looks tight and challenging in some spots, so I can't wait to see how my nerves will hold up with a driver in hand.
The clubhouse was in even worse shape during my visit, torn up and being completely renovated, but the pictures circulated by the resort shows that the effort has paid off. The building, which will pursue LEED certification for its new environmental-friendly features, now offers a nice outdoor patio overlooking the pond surrounding the 18th hole. The flow has improved with a little library just inside the door. The pro shop, on the right, and the bar, on the left, are big enough to be roomy, yet small enough to be intimate.
Bigger plans are in the works for the course. Palmer's architects are committed to helping King's Challenge retool any tees that might need to be repositioned or brought back to life.
A grand opening, with a brand new name, could happen as soon as next June. In the meantime, if you're interested in a tee time, visit kingschallenge.com or call 231-334-5900. I recommend you play it now, then come back next summer to marvel at its ongoing transformation. Only then will players realize how committed Kuras is to great golf at his resort.
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