Michigan Golf Show: Attention Bargain Shoppers

By Kiel Christianson, Senior Writer

NOVI, MI - Golfers are eternal optimists: 90 percent of us will never break 90, yet each season we truly believe that this year we will improve. God love us! And you know who loves us even more? Companies who sell golf equipment, golf accessories, and golf vacations. In the annual love fest that is the Michigan Golf Show, we optimists braved 50-mph winds to pack the Novi Expo Center, where we ogled all that is sparkly and new in Michigan Golf. By all accounts, 2002 is shaping up to be a fine recovery year after a disappointing 2001.

The key to luring people back to major golf destinations is packaging. And we're not talking bows and ribbons. We're talking package deals that are hard for even the most frugal among us to resist.

John Jessup, Marketing Director at High Pointe Golf Club outside of Traverse City, is not only more upbeat than most as he reflected on 2001, but is also extremely optimistic about 2002 (of course he is - he's a golfer!). "We were basically flat last year," reports Jessup, "but everyone is saying if you were flat, you did well. Many courses lost money last year."

In a new partnership for this coming season, High Pointe has teamed up with A-Ga-Ming Golf Club in Kewadin and The Chief Golf Course in Bellaire for a Traverse City Triple Play package, including a round at each of these top-flight courses and lodging at A-Ga-Ming, overlooking Torch Lake. Call 800-678-0122 for more information.

Another great destination, Double JJ Resort, is hosting the 2nd annual Golf Skins Weekend from April 5-7. Packages here include everything from lodging and golf to entertainment and breakfast. Call 800-368-2535 for more information.

A new entry into the competitive Northern Michigan golf and travel market is Eagle Beach Waterfront Golf Resort in Alanson. Bob Shorter, President of Holiday Accommodations and co-owner of the course, is betting that his luxury limo coach will lure groups up north. "We offer full limousine service in our coach," explains Shorter. "We pick groups as large as 12 up anywhere in the Detroit Metro area, and drive them up to courses north of Gaylord. This way guys on an outing can spend more time together, having a few drinks in the coach, playing cards on our card tables, and not worry about getting everyone to each course safely." More information can be found at www.eaglebeach.org.

A few innovative products also stuck out at the show. One of the most eye-catching clubs was the Musty Putter, which is a striking line of hand crafted, wood-headed putters. Each one of these flat-sticks is a work of art, and is designed not only to look pretty, but to perform on the course, too. "Bill Murray sunk a 40-footer this year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with one of our putters the day he was in Tiger's group," says Musty Putter President and Creator David Musty. "We got a ton of orders right after that aired on TV." According to Musty, these wooden putters are all hand-made to exacting specifications, and the center of gravity is raised to be equal to that of the golf ball. "Wood is softer than metal," explains Musty, "and the higher weight distribution reduces skid. So you get a soft, true feel." These putters are reasonably priced as well, at $130 (www.mustyputters.com).

There's never a shortage of clever ideas and nifty gadgets at golf shows, and this year's was no exception. Two of the cleverest were the Drizzle Stik and the StickUp.

The Drizzle Stik has been produced for about a year by the Brighton, MI company Harbro. It is a small, collapsible umbrella with a golf-grip handle that slides into your golf bag.

When it starts to rain, you pull it out, pop it up, and stick it into your bag to shield your precious clubs. Harbro Executive VP Michael Hartwell says the Drizzle Stik is faster and more convenient than those unmanageable rain hoods that come with golf bags (you know, the ones whose snaps never seem to line up with those on the bag). And the golf-grip handle keeps it from being blown out of the bag even in high winds. ($29.99 at most golf stores or go to www.drizzlestik.com)

Finally, the doo-hickey that drew the most questions and comments from show-goers (and not just because of the beautiful booth babes) was the StickUp, a two-club carrier with flip-out legs designed to accompany you from the cart to the green.

The idea, describes StickUp inventor Ed Miller, "is to help golfers keep their clubs together and dry around the green." The StickUp can be carried either inside or outside your bag, and is ideal for cartpath-only courses, where you often have to leave the cart behind and take a couple of clubs with you.

"Billy Casper Golf Management estimates that 70-percent of courses will be cartpath-only within the next ten years," claims Miller. "This is a paradigm shift, and the StickUp will be there to help golfers adjust." Miller reports that 3-4 club versions are also in the works, too. ($27.95, www.stickupgolf.com).

Look for feature reviews of the Drizzle Stik and StickUp on TravelGolf.com soon. We love golf gadgets even more than most!

All in all, the 2002 Michigan Golf Show served to rekindle the slow burning optimism in the hearts of all the golfers - and exhibitors - in attendance. And if I can get a hold of more cool clubs and whiz-bang toys, I know I will play better golf!

March 10, 2002