September Notebook: It's Easy to Fall for these Special Deals

By Jason Scott Deegan, Senior Staff Writer

GAYLORD, MI -- Fall golf in Michigan means one word - "deals."

Normally fall golf means cold, wet rounds played with the few golf balls you haven't lost out of your bag over the summer.

But in Michigan, it also means that high priced courses that most can't afford during the high season are less crowded and - most important - less expensive with their fall rates and deals. Plus, players get the added bonus of enjoying the wonderful colors as the leaves change colors.

The fall season in Michigan has seemed to extend itself the last couple of years - from the end of October to early to mid-November - with the mild temperatures, so go out and enjoy yourself.

The deals are everywhere you look, but here are a few worth mentioning right away.

In the most recent issue of Golf Magazine, the Treetops Resort in Gaylord offered a great deal. Just call for a reservation at 888-TREETOPS and mention the promotion and you'll get hooked up with some great golf.

Normally, the resort features discount coupons at its website, while also dropping the price slightly from Sept. 16 to Oct. 6 and with another price cut from Oct. 7 through the rest of the season.

The Crystal Mountain resort in Thompsonville also has a great deal, thanks to a special occasion.

With the third faze complete, the Kinlochen Lodge and Clubhouse recently held its grand opening and to commemorate the event, the resort will feature a special - $70 a night per person on weekdays or $85 a night on weekends, including golf and unlimited use of the practice facilities at one of Michigan's premier resorts. Hurry because the promotion only runs until early September.

Owners Jim and Chris McInnis were on hand for the ceremonies for their one-of-a-kind 27,000-square foot building. The three-story lodge not only houses Brad Dean's Pro Shop and a Nordic Center, but a year-round 100-seat restaurant (The Thistle Pub and Grille), locker rooms; club storage and offices on the lower level; and 12 one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums on the upper two levels.

The facility, located just opposite of the Betsie Valley golf course and at the base of the Buck slope, represents the first step in Crystal's 10-year, $60 million master plan. This plan, titled 'Vision 2010', is a major development that will include the addition of a village, a new golf course, 10 to 12 new ski slopes and other lodging units.

Another fall promotion is only slightly related to golf.

Besides handicap services, the Golf Association of Michigan also is offering something new to its members - discount prices on cars. Through Sept. 30, GAM members can receive a certificate for a $500 rebate on the lease or purchase of a Chrysler vehicle.

To receive a printout via e-mail of the offer on cars like the Sebring Sedan, Sebring Coupe, Sebring Convertible, PT Cruiser, 300M, Concorde, Voyager and Town and Country, you must enter www.gam.org and click on the Chrysler button for the information form.

Welcoming the Public

Public golfers got great news this fall with the opening of the Forest Dunes Golf Club, located in Roscommon near Higgins Lake and I-75.

Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the layout was slated to be private, but it was put on hold for financial reasons. Now, the course is ready to go and will be semi-private, offering tee times to the public at $65 Monday-Thursday and $75 Friday-Sunday. Forest Dunes, which also has real estate for sale, has already built up a reputation as one of Michigan's next great designs. For more information, call 989-275-0700 or visit forestdunesgolf.com.

Golf Books

Whenever Michiganders needed more golf books for their library, they looked no further than the Ann-Arbor based Sleeping Bear Press. But the firm has now split into three separate units after a shareholder disagreement.

According to a story published in the Ann Arbor News, "Skip" Dewall Jr., a former executive with Sleeping Bear Press, will lead the newly created Clock Tower Press, which will continue to publish the golf books that had made Sleeping Bear Press a favorite in the golf community. Clock Towner now owns more than 100 golf-related titles with another 100 in the developmental stage.

John Wiley & Sons, the second faction, has acquired Sleeping Bear Press's golf architecture publishing program for an undisclosed price. The purchase involves approximately 50 titles in the area of turfgrass management and golf course design.

Meanwhile, Brian Lewis, the founding publisher of Sleeping Bear Press, will take the company's line of children's books to the Gale Group.

On-Line Tee Times

To keep up with modern times, the Boyne USA family of resorts, including its eight courses in northern Michigan, has created an online tee time database at www.boyne.com. Players can view open tee times for up to a month in advance and choose what works best for them.

Their options include the Monument and Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls; the Heather, Donald Ross Memorial, Arthur Hills and Moor courses at Boyne Highland in Harbor Springs; and the Bay Harbor and Crooked Tree Golf Clubs near Petoskey.

"This system makes sense for many individuals," Jeff Johns, Internet Manager for Boyne USA Resorts, said in a press release. For more information on tee time options, call 1-800-GO-BOYNE.

Creative Course Conditioning

The Links of Pinewood, of Walled Lake, recently started a new program to get players to repair their ball marks. To encourage repairs, the course handed out free ball mark tools to every player, but even that didn't seem to help.

So head pro Gene Bone II concocted a new strategy. He raised the club's green fees $1.00 - the same price as a divot repair - unless golfers can show the cashier that they already have one. Then, that player must also show the tool to the starter. It has started to make a difference.

September 1, 2002