Swing and Save:
Good news for
bargain hunters
By Jason Scott,
Senior Writer
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (May 15, 2003) - Golf coupons are a
dime a dozen in this slumping economy, especially in Michigan, which boasts
the nation's most public courses (more than 800).
Bargain hunters can head on-line to Web sites of individual courses, the local
newspaper or purchase any number of local course guides with coupons
to find some cheap golf.
But often, these coupons are for courses that couldn't
attract players if the golf was free (if you catch my drift).
 The
Golf Association of Michigan has come up with a solution to save you
some money on some great courses - a "Swing and Save" program. This
idea has been in the works for several years as the nonprofit organization
tried to find ways to increase its membership and bring in a few bucks.
Even the state's best courses are fighting harder to attract
your business, so the program became a natural fit.
For $25, golfers can become an associate member of GAM, and
save at more than 120 courses across the state. An associate membership
doesn't allow for GAM's handicapping services, but it does provide some
great deals.
For example, players can get 2-for-1 green fees at good
tracks like Michaywe Pines in Gaylord, Pheasant Run in Canton and The
Pohlcat near Mt. Pleasant.
"We have been trying to expand member benefits (since I took office in 2001),"
said GAM executive director David Graham. "One of our objectives
is to redefine what it is to be a member. The 'Swing and Save' program
is a tremendous value. It's a win-win proposition. The golfer gets
great value and the golf facility gets more players at their course,
hopefully at off-peak times."
The major savings will come if you love to play golf in northern
Michigan,
which is traditionally ultra-expensive during the peak summer season.
Players can get 25 percent off at the Grand Traverse Resort near Traverse
City and
the spectacular Blake Lake Golf Club in Onaway and a whopping 30 percent at
the
Otsego Club in Gaylord. Michigan's biggest and best resorts --
Treetops,
Garland, Shanty Creek and Lakewood Shores - also have savings programs. The
card should pay for itself after two rounds.
For more information, visit gam.org or call (248)
478-9242.
Hall of Fame
The 2003 class of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame has quite a mix of personalities
and talents with its two male and three female inductees. The five-some
will be inducted at a ceremony on May 18 at Indianwood Golf and
Country Club in Lake Orion.
The headliner is Jack Berry, a former Detroit news golf
writer and past president of the Golf Writers Association of America. Greg
Reynolds won the 2002 U.S. Senior Amateur to highlight his amateur career
after playing in five U.S. Amateurs.
Current LPGA player Cindy Figg-Courier, former LPGA player
Joyce Kazmierski and Sara Wold, a lifelong official, are quite a trio of
contributors to the women's game. Figg-Currier, a Mt. Pleasant native who
won state titles in 1977-78, has been a member of the LPGA since 1984 and
has won $1,738,702 to rank 60th on the career list. Her lone win is the
State Farm Rail Classic in 1997 in a playoff.
Kazmierski, the president of the LPGA Tour Division in 1984,
joined the LPGA
in 1967 and when she retired in 1986 was among the top 50 all-time money
winners.
Shepherd's Hollow honored
Golf Digest recently selected Shepherd's Hollow
No. 54 on its list of "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" in the May
2003 issue. The 27-hole Arthur Hills design is truly a golf gem in the metro
Detroit area. The Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus (a.k.a. the
Jesuits) owns the 420 acres of land that seemed destined for golf greatness.
For more, visit TGM's review at
http://www.michigangolf.com/departments/coursereviews/shepherds-hollow-club.
htm.
 Red
Hawk gets even better
Entering its fifth season, Red Hawk Golf Club, in East Tawas, continues to
add improvements to stay ahead of its competitors. Red Hawk, which
was named as the course with "The Best Service in the Midwest" by
one golf publication, has added a new ladies tee to No. 2 and a
fairway approach shot to the tough par-3 14th hole. The Art Hills
design has also extended cart paths, added new irrigation heads
and enlarged tees. General Manager Kevin Whitmore believes these
changes have helped Red Hawk thrive in this tough economy.
Leigh Thurston Greenscape Designs
has been busy with three projects, including a complete renovation of
Redford's Glenhurst Golf Course, a municipal course that gets lots of local
play.
The company is modifying three holes and building three new
greens to improve the layout and lengthen the course, which tended to be a
shooting range with balls flying every which way. Some tees are being
renovated, while new ones are also being built.
Chelsea's Pierce Lake Golf Club and Sterling Height's Plum
Hollow also used the company to improve their products. To improve
irrigation during drought periods at Pierce Lake, a great county-owned
facility, a small pond on the property was enlarged and deepened. The extra
dirt was used to build mounding, new tees and a large bunker in front of No.
6 green. Cart paths are also being installed one section at a time. For
more, visit michigangolf.com/pierce1.htm.
Special thanks to the online newsletter, supplied by Art McCafferty of
the Michigan Golfer Magazine.
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