Indianwood Prepares for US Senior Open and Hopes for More

It was my pleasure to speak with Keith Aldridge, the Tournament Chairman for the US Senior Open in Lake Orion, Michigan and find out how tournament preperations and player committments for the tournament are coming. The video story is in the news and sports section of the Oakland Press.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/    

See the Video Sections in Sports and News

Golf Contests and Offers the Week of March 26th, 2012

     Michigan golf weather has went a little skitzo over the last few days and I am not complaining but wonder what took so long that we have had a great run but more spring like weather scheduled over the week leading to Easter.

This weekend will see the final days of Carl's Golfland and demo days. It has been great meeting many of the sales reps of the various companies and their passion for their craft. The final Demo Days is scheduled for this weekend. I am in particular looking forward to speaking with the Taylor Made Rep as I have several of their clubs in my bag. I did purchase the new RocketBallz Driver. For more details, Carl's website and Taylor Made is tagged below.

http://www.taylormadegolf.com/products/irons/rocketballz-irons

http://www.carlsgolfland.com/

To have an opportunity to win a free RocketballZ 5 Iron, here is the link.
http://www.taylormadegolf.com/products/irons/Rocketballz-irons/RocketBallz_Factor?form=true


     I met plenty of super people at the Michigan Golf Show recently and one enthusiastic person I met was Erik Meland of the Mulligan Golf Tour. There are plenty of leagues that feature Tours for student athletes but not many for adults. This has changed over the last decade. Scratch golfers have found plenty of action but now handicap tours are sprouting up and Eric Meland has given us the skinny on his Tour.

Meland's Tour has an annual membership fee of $120 or less depending on when you join and how much you play. The fields are small with limited players capped at as few as 30 with some larger fields of 100 plus players. The tournaments do not pay a lot of money depending on the numbers but according to Meland the 2011 Money Titleist played in 24 events, placing in the money 9 times, including 2 wins for his efforts..

The Mulligan Tour tries to incorporate what Meland likes about the PGA Tour. He names the tournaments and has perpetual ones with the winners names engraved each year. The first 12 tournaments played back in 1999 are still played today. There will be new title sponsors for the 2012 season and they boost the prize fund above the players entry fees. The newsletter Meland publishes for the Mulligan Tour is smart and player focused so the bogey golfer can feel like a champ.

  

For golfers who want competition but know they are not PGA Tour material, the Mulligan Tour is a recreational golf league. Some rules are altered from the golf rule book with the players in mind and to speed up play. To find out more including the complete schedule, rules and possible participation, contact them at http://www.mulligantour.com/

The Orchards is a Great Golf Course

The Orchards Golf Course in Washington Township is one heck of a golf course. This course is so highly thought of that it is hosting the 2011 and 2012 Michigan Open's and this course will challenge Michigan's best golfers and will also let you know where you stand as a golfer with your game.

Here is a quote.

“The Detroit metropolitan area is blessed with some of the greatest golf courses in the nation, yet they are limited to play by their members and guests. My goal in designing The Orchards was to create an outstanding public golf course
which would provide golfers with an enjoyable, yet
challenging round that is a true test of golf.”
-

Bobby Jones Jr.

The Orchards is a true test of golf.

   The Orchards is certainly the test of golf that Robert Trent Jones spoke about and is largely a course that is wonderful for all players and offers four different tee placements for you to play.

There is a lot of sand on this course. Be ready!

This is a resort type of golf course where The Orchards spares no expense to make sure you have a great time. The employees from the snack bar and counter are positive, friendly and want to make sure your time at the Orchards is a memorable one.

The Orchards is the best marked course I have ever played for yardage. There are sticks at the 100-150 and 200 yard intervals. There are sprinkler heads that are marked and the cart paths are also marked and this includes at the 125 and 175 ranges let alone the markings described above. The starter also went over the pin placements and we played the first placement and there are seven overall. Oh, yes, the scorecards also give yardage to sand bunkers, key locations and tell you how far you need to carry.

Now for the course.

The first hole is a 423 yard effort from the Championship tees (7046) total and I played both the Championship and Tournament Tees depending on the holes. I played all of the par threes from the lesser distance as I wanted to air out my irons but played almost all of the par fours and fives from the Championship distance.

The fairway of the first hole is wide and you can see the flag for your iron shot. A signature of this course is the subtle changes of the fairways and your tee and approach shots will catch the slopes quite a bit and you will find yourself playing from the first cut of rough much more than you expect after a good drive. The bunkers on this Robert Trent Jones course are both strategic and diabolical. He tends to cluster the sand traps and how I missed them for the first seven holes is a miracle. My second shot was hit a bit thin and ended up in front of the green and I chipped over the trap. I putted my par putt from 15 feet and hit my putt firmly and I had a good start to my day.

The greens on this course roll true but you do have watch your speed. Many courses in the area have greens that putt slower than the Orchards and I advise you to go to the putting green beforehand as the speed is something you need to negotiate. I am not saying that you are putting on the hood of your car but if you hit firm putts, you have little to worry about. I putted well most of the day and saved several pars but did not hit for any birdies as I was usually 60 feet away when putting and saved par from 4-6' feet.

The third hole is a 577 yard par 5 with a 170 yard carry over the wet lands. This hole is really beautiful. Drive it straight and you will split the fairway. Go left 5-10 yards left of center in the fairway and you will most likely end up in the first cut. I loved my drive but it did roll here. My second shot was sweet but about 130 yards short of the green. This hole has 15 sand traps and I never came close to any of them. The green rolls true and is huge. You can get on in regulation but you could be putting from quite a ways away and that is what I did here. I putted well but saved a 6-8' foot par putt. The well-marked cart path helped me on the third shot and I played a good hole of golf.

The sixth hole is the number one handicapped hole on the course and I can attest that it earned its rating. My drive on this 538 yard par five was good but not great and I clipped a tree and had a playable lie. This is the only time in my round that the neighborhood came close enough to the course to collect a ball from an errant shot. While I was on the course, the neighborhood turnaround can be in play. My second shot is where the fun began. I hit a worm burner about 50 yards and now I decided to go for the green or at least between the green and a wetlands area. My third shot found me hitting a solid but did not a crushed shot and it went into a wetlands area and after a drop I am now playing for par. I did not think the wetlands was more than a ditch from the fairway but it is a good 30-40 yards wide. My next shot went into the sand and then I hit into another sand trap on the opposite side of the green. A chip and a one-putt and I had an eight.

The seventh hole is a hole with a tremendous amount of trouble looking to give you a big number. It is only a 409 yard par four. Repeat after me... do not hit driver here. I hit a 3 wood and this may have been too much but I hit one anyway. I was within ten yards of hitting the wetlands just on the fairway. I drove it left side and actually hit it where I aimed. It was the perfect drive for this hole but next time I will try to take the left side out of play and go left center. If you bomb your drive, you will go into the wetlands. Go too far right and this includes the fairway and you will be unable to get home in two as trees will block you from a short iron approach shot. I skied my seven iron (I had some wind in my face) and I usually play up at least a club and left it short of the green. (RRRrrr!). I then hit a poor chip to the back of the green and two-putt for a six. Remember, the Orchards is as American as apple pie but a bad shot can contribute to you making a big number at any moment.

I am letting the round get away from me and it is mostly my rust and an elite course giving me right jabs to build my score.

The par four ninth is a 441 yard par four and the varying tees give golfers a much different looks depending on where you play your round. I played from the Championship Tees and hooked my drive into a cluster of trees. It was a poor drive all the way around from a lack of shoulder turn to overthinking before striking my shot. My recovery three wood was excellent. Unfortunately I hit it into a very severely sloped sand trap and I skied my birdie out into the opposite rough. I then chipped on and two-putt for a six. A hole that should be a good par can jump out and bite you and this happened three times on this nine.

The back nine starts out with an uphill par four. This 412 hole has wetlands and two ponds that must be carried and really should not come into play. They do not for me as I hit one of my better drives of the day. My approach shot of just under 150 yards was struck well but knocked down by the wind short of the green. I chipped to 4-6' and made yet another putt. I thought this was a good par and the greens have been very good to my putter.

The 11th is a 607 yard par-five. Yes, you heard that right. There are seven sand bunkers here. I crushed my drive here but the wind probably cost me 30-40 yards and I landed about 30 yards past a fairway bunker from the tips. I did mess up my second shot and it rolled about 80-100 yards and I hit a solid third shot from the fairway about 70-80 yards short of the green. I chunked my chip and a hole that is splendid I messed up as I double-bogeyed the hole with a seven. Remember, great drives at this course are helpful but do not make you home-free in any golf sense here.

The 14th hole is the first par three on the back nine. It is 194 from the

Championship tees and 155 from the Tournament tees. I hit it there. I hit a nice drive here but it ended up in a collection bunker to the right side of the green. You cannot see it from the tee box and this sloped grass bunker gives you a good angle to chip from. My chip was about 20 feet passed the hole and my par putt went wide as I ended up with a bogey. After playing the first four holes on this back nine, you will really look forward to this hole. I thought Robert Trent Jones really did a great job on this hole and overall with the course. You really have to earn your pars and birdies on this layout.

Really, the only hole I really did not like on this course happens on 17. Perhaps it was my bad mood from a couple of goofballs that stole my golf ball on 16 that were playing the 17th hole but this hole can really punch you in the nose. A dead oak is very prevalent on this hole about 260-290 yards from the furthest tee boxes and you should aim for it as coming up short but online will give you a great look for an approach shot. I messed up my drive here and ended up in one of four sand bunkers about 230 yards from the tee. Anything less than a rifle shot was being pushed by the wind to the right hard and short. I hit the ball just inside the lip of the sand trap and had both a terrible stance, but no chance to advance the ball out of the bunker. I hit and the ball came right at me. I hit it again just trying to get it out and it went down a second fairway that you cannot see from the tee and is about 20' feet below the fairway to the left and 30' below an area of heather. You have no chance to see the pin from there, and this includes the green or anywhere else to guide you and with golfers starting to pace behind me, I hit a shot and chipped it into yet another sand trap. Then I said this hole is over so I hit a nice seven iron out of the sand and hit it solid but out of bounds about ten feet outside the stakes. (I still cannot see the pin from the second bunker). I then just take a drop and chip and two-putt. I felt like Kevin Na and made probably the biggest number of my life on a hole that has way too much sand. Remember RT Jones, the Sahara needs sand too!

You would think that I could never hit another good shot in this round but heck no, I played 18 beautifully. It is a super par-four that is 413 yards playing downhill. I hit a nice drive about 280 yards and was just on the fairway. I then hit a five-iron hybrid into the wind and put it solidly on the green with a downward stance and was really happy with myself. A pond guards this hole to the right and plenty of heather and sand to the left so this shot is the reason I keep playing this game. I hit a solid putt from about 50 feet a couple of feet from the hole and made par from there.

Here is the skinny!

Customer Service-10 - Great people work here!

Course Markings- 10- The best course I have ever seen. Other courses need to do emulate what they do. Only GPS courses in Florida have anything comparable.

Conditions -9 - Plenty of ropes to keep the carts from tearing up the fairways.

Playability 8- Way too much sand and many bunkers are very deep giving you some very tough lies.

Course Design-8.5- Sometimes a well-struck ball just does not need to go in the rough so much.

Pace of Play 9- The starter said 4 1/2 hours but it was just over five. The guys in front of me kept playing worse as the day went on and they split up. The group in front of me stole my ball on 16 while playing 17. I did not realize it at first until my ball did not turn up.

The bottom line is this course is a 9.5 out of 10. You must practice your sand shots before coming here and they have super practice facilities so if you have time, loosen up by using them. Grading a golf course is subjective. I could have given the Orchards a ten but I think my score is fair.

You must put The Orchards on your to do list this summer.

Here is a link to the site.

http://orchards.com/page/5058-43319.htm

Here are the directions

.



Practice your sand shots before coming out.














This should give you an idea of the challenge of the sloping course and the sand that awaits errant shots.

Marc White says Don't Fall Out of Your Spine Angle

     There are so many things to keep your mind on in the golf swing and there is no way you can do all of them at once or you will drive yourself crazy. One item you could drill on is keeping your tilt. I have the tendency to sway from my original stance to put weight on the inside of my right foot to build torque and leverage to hit the ball farther. What I do is start swaying. In order to correct that, I stay in my spine angle until I strike the ball and now hit more consistent golf shots. Marc White said that staying in the spine angle is key to hitting it time after time and is one of the fundemental keys to a good golf swing. Here is how to contact Marc.

Contact Information
Golf Studio: (248) 393-3085 ext. 700
Cell Phone: (248) 891-3321

E-mail: mlwpga@yahoo.com

Prep Golfers Use Marc White Fitness Training to Get Ready for 2012 Season

Many prep and adult golfers for that matter are getting ready for the 2012 season but have no idea they cannot play to their potential without proper fitness. Marc White a 23-year PGA professional at Oakhurst Country Club and Titleist Performance Instructor (TPI) helps golfers with their athletic performance levels from strength, balance and agility and in the following video story, prep golfers tell how it is helping them maximize their potential. Video story is below and on the online Oakland Press.

http://youtu.be/zVjanQ5Apkk

AJGA has Golf Tournament Scholarships for Prep Golfers

     The AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) plays host to some of the top amateurs in the country and players come from around the world to play in tournaments around the USA. It can be expensive to play in their events with entry fees around $250 and up. Add in expenses from travel to lodging and incidentals and golfers have hard choices to make in deciding where to compete against top level competition.

Chris Richards-AJGA

   Enter the Achieving Competitive Excellence Scholarship (ACE) Grant where golfers who qualify can offset tournament expenses from travel including airfare, entry and greens fees and plenty more. While watching elite golfers at Warwick Hills at the Randy Wise Open in Grand Blanc last summer it was 
pretty impressive to watch golfers from around Michigan and as far away as Japan compete in the tournament and some could not have competed without the scholarship. Chris Richards, AJGA Communications Director spoke about the scholarship in this blog interview.  
JA: Why did the AJGA institute the ACE (Achieving Competitive Excellence) Grant program?
CR: In an effort to combat the costs of playing a national junior golf schedule for players without the financial resources, the American Junior Golf Association created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant in 2003. The goal of the ACE Grant is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. “The ACE Grant is one of the most important initiatives the AJGA has ever undertaken,” said AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin. “It is critically important that the AJGA helps give young golfers who may have the talent, but not the resources, the opportunity to compete on a national stage to gain exposure for a college golf scholarship.”

JA: Who funds the grants?

Jaye Marie Green- AJGA Tournament Winner and Recipient of the Ace Grant

CR: The ACE Grant was piloted and funded through private donations during the 2003 season, helping 12 junior golfers play AJGA events in which they otherwise may not have had the opportunity to compete. Through the benevolence of Rolex, Ralph Lauren, and private donors, the program has continued to grow. In 2004, Rolex signed on to be the inaugural Founding Partner to the ACE Grant, and in 2009, Ralph Lauren became the second founding corporate partner. In all, more than 600 contributions have been made to the ACE Grant.

JA: Do you look at the tax returns of the golfers parents' applying?

CR: To be considered for the ACE Grant, all candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Candidates must be a U.S. citizen.
• Candidates must be between the ages of 12-18 and a current AJGA member.
• Candidates must clearly establish their need for financial assistance.
• Candidates must provide supporting documents in order to verify their financial standing.

  CR: All candidates who satisfy the above requirements are eligible to apply for the ACE Grant. The final selection of recipients is decided by the ACE Grant Committee. Each candidate can apply for the ACE Grant at any time during the open application period of February 1, 2012, through September 1, 2012. However, no applications will be considered after this period. Grants will be awarded to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

JA: Typically, what expenses does the ACE Grant pay for?

CR: The ACE Grant covers expenses incurred while attending AJGA events as well as select USGA junior events. In addition, there are reimbursement limits the AJGA feels are appropriate for each event. Expenses covered by the AJGA ACE Grant include:

• Costs incurred when traveling to and from an AJGA event. This may include gas, airfare/baggage fees (member only), airport transportation, rental cars and cabs.
• Food and beverage costs (member only) incurred while attending an AJGA event.
• Housing costs incurred while attending an AJGA event. The AJGA strongly encourages all families to utilize private housing when available, which will allow each recipient to maximize their grant by reducing expenses.
• AJGA membership fee (up to $165), tournament and TaylorMade-adidas Golf Qualifier entry fees, but without exceeding the maximum ACE Grant value.
• Gratuity up to 10 percent of the total on approved food and beverage expenses.

JA: How is this program making a difference?

CR: Since its inception, the ACE Grant program has awarded 663 grants to 409 junior golfers, distributing more than $1.1 million. With the help of the ACE Grant program, these talented junior golfers have taken advantage of 2,561 playing opportunities. Ultimately, the ACE Grant program will continue to expand until it is able to support all young golfers in need.

In 2010, Jaye Marie Green of Boca Raton, Fla., won the Polo Golf Junior Classic and became the first ACE Grant recipient to win an Invitational, which is the AJGA’s highest-level of competition.

Of the 190 ACE Grant recipients who have graduated from high school, more than 100 have received a college scholarship.

==================

The Open Enrollment Period is now through September First. The link is below and check it out. Remember, these golfers are among the best in the country and you must be accepted as a member.

http://www.ajga.org/ACEGrant/  <<< For more information, click on the link.  The application is on the site.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

Give it your best shot. Local golfers have received scholarships and you would be surprised at the golfers who have qualified and some qualify at the under 15 age bracket.

The R and S Sharf is a Royal Experience

At Oakland University, Katke Cousins is a known commodity but the truth in my book is there are two outstanding golf courses and The R & S Sharf is every bit the outstanding challenge its better known

Counterpart is known for. The R & S Sharf was designed by famed golf course designer Rick Smith who gained notoriety in the 1990’s for his work with PGA Touring pros. The R & S Sharf is a must play for anyone that wants to play golf on a premiere design with the satisfaction of knowing that achieving par or birdie is a job well done. The course plays from just under 7200 yards (7178) from the tournament tees to 5227 yards for the forward or competition tees. I have played the course twice this year and after taking two weeks off to fulfill a summer teaching commitment, the Grizzly tees staked at 6,554 yards was enough for me on a beautiful July day.

The second hole is a 383 yard par four and plays over a valley and any tee shot hit under around 180 yards is playable but not advisable as the fescues are not fun and will lead you to a blind shot to the slight dog leg hole. Trees will greet you to the right and a well placed tee shot is much more important than bombing the ball and taking the chance of a shot off the fairway or the first cut. The greens play very fast on most of the holes on the Sharf and my advice is to use the practice facilities that are top notch and this is particularly true of the short game green where chipping and putting is the best I have seen in metro Detroit. This green played true and while I missed a bunch of putts today, I hit my five footer here and parred this hole.

The third hole from the tee box

The third hole is a par three that ranges from 202 to 110 yards and I played it from 194 yards of this well marked course. I played a 3 hybrid and hit it slightly fat and ended up in the bunker to the left of the pin and my tee shot would have been safely on if I had hit it just a few feet further. Like everything else at this track, the sand is fair to hit out of and I blasted short of the pin and let it trickle to the pin but the ball just kept rolling and ended up on the dog hair about 8 feet past the pin. My par putt just slid by and I achieved a bogey on this very challenging hole with undulated greens and one solid golf shot will eliminate the wild times that wait those who go short or right.

The deer are everywhere and are pretty tame

The fifth hole is truly a fun hole to play. A par four that slopes downward to a blind landing area and has a huge bunker guarding the green that is severely undulated are the highlights to this hole. Woods await anyone that shanks one to the right but the hole slopes to a short 140 or less area where you can pitch over the very large sand bunker to a green that could fit a small battleship including the second cut of green.

My drive was a dandy but my second shot was a little fat and went over the bunker but about 90 feet short of the pin. My shot was blind here and I had to guess at how far I was to the flag and I misjudges but you have know way of knowing unless you make the long walk over and around the tall bunker. My third shot was a putt that was amazing as I putted through a couple of breaks and up a slope to the back of the green. The ball looked to settle after all that just a few feet from paradise but settled about six feet past the hole with a slight down hill effort for par. I struck it well but just slide it by and I had to settle for a bogey when I had two well struck putts. If you want to play a better class of a golf course, you have to pay the price and mine was bogey here.

View of the 5th green from the tee box (above) and view of the 5th green (below).

The sixth hole is a very scenic par five where the elevated tee makes you feel that you can just bomb the ball and worry about the consequences later. I teed off from 540 yards on this par five and hit a solid tee shot that kicked up its heels and rolled just over 300 yards down this down sloping hole right down the middle where the fairway ends for about 30 yards before picking up again. There is trouble on the right side if you shank it here but my advice is to ’bust a move here’. A sidebar is that you can aim for the bunker 300+ yards in front of the tee box to the right center of the fairway. Missing it left is fine as the slight dog leg left really opens up there. A series of bunkers guards the green left front. Two smoked shots could reach the green in two but the green is undulated and putting it in the wrong place will do you no favors. Most of us mortals will have a short iron into the green or we can pitch and run it. Today the pin was tucked in the front of the green and once again I just slid it by the hole and how my putt stayed out is an unsolved mystery.

The very next hole is the reprieve golfers can take refuge with. The 150 yard par three is only 154 yards from the tips and 93 yards for the beginning golfer and is truly a pretty hole. The tee box has been finished in brick and a plaque is at the base of the tee box immortalizing those that have aced this baby. From the tee box you can see the south end of the Oakland University campus and the sight is worth looking at and I started to think of the memories of me attending grizzly country back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. My tee shot of 150 yards was shot with an eight iron and I hit a draw that missed the trees right side and came back several yards passed the pin on the first cut. My putt was lagged about a foot by the pin and went off line only as it lost speed and left me with a two -footer that I rammed in for a one putt par. Looking back at the tee box was just as impressive as looking at the green from the tee box.

The R & S Sharf is not a course that you want to walk and besides, you can only play using a cart. The course has plenty of hills and the distances wind around the woods and many holes are spread out with distances of ¼ mile or perhaps more. Add it up and you get the picture.

The back nine is laid out links style and in my mind is a little easier than the front nine due to a couple of short par fours that are sprinkled in with a couple of tests of golf distance wise. The tenth holes is a short 475 yard par four and after a difficult front nine with multiple holes playing above average in length with plenty of long iron shots. This hole has fescues in front of the tee box and shouldn’t bother you unless you walk up there weak kneed. The large bunker guarding the green is a natural target and even though you think you can hit it from the tee box due to the course layout, the truth is you will have a medium iron into the green for the long hitters and is reachable in three for the shorter ones with a short pitch to set up your birdie try. Truthfully, beyond the bunker is a large landing area and unless you are experienced at playing the Sharf, your shot you meant for the green will land well short of it.



A real treat awaits golfers who want a refreshment at the cabana located in the cluster of holes 10-13. You can purchase a snack or beverage and can get out of the hot sun if the course is backed up. From the ceiling fans to the shade, I would really like to play here when everything is open.

A hole with real character is the short and very golfer friendly par four 12^th. It plays only 308 from the tournament tees and I played it at 280 yards. Everything about this hole tells you to bomb away and after hitting my tee shot I think it is a good play if you are confident of going over the nasty stuff that awaits those who hit it there. A huge bunker guards the green in the front and if the pin is tucked in behind it you really have to go left side. The pin was left side so I went for it. A few notes about going for it from 280 to 308 yards and it is that the fairway slopes toward the hole. If that is not enough for you to wail away, There is a good size bailout area behind the green. The green does slope from left to right and from the right side from front to back giving you the rare opportunity to chip back to the green if you had your spinach. You really need to par this hole at worst to keep with tournament or better players but hitting it in the sand on your drive will leave you with a almost certain two putt as the green will play tricks with any birdie attempt. I drive it a few yards short of the bunker in front of the green and chipped about 15 feet past the hole and two-putt from there and had a par.

The second of what I would call three birdie opportunities on this side has to reside with the par three 14^th. It is well guarded and the trouble is not really noticeable until you get to the green. It is true that the natural grass is very noticeable from the tee box and the trees can clip you right but the green is not very deep and club selection is very important. Sand will catch short shots and what makes this hole tough is the very undulated green. You could put your shot 15 from the pin and still three- putt if you are not careful. Those putting in the wrong spot of the green better say their prayers. I hit my drive to a safe part of the green and while I putted downhill, this part of the green rolled very slow. My ball stopped six feet short of the green even though I was sure I struck it with the same tempo as I had all round. I then putted a second ball and it did roughly the same thing so I tried to save my par but three putted for the third time this round which I rarely do. So maybe that birdie opportunity I spoke of was really an mirage stuck in my imagination.

While that hole might have been, that is not true of the 15^th hole which plays downhill, has a wide fairway and plays only 370 yards and a well struck tee shot should run for awhile so tee it up a little lower here. The fairway slopes severely to the right but those reaching it will still have a pitch shot or short iron to the green. Bunkers guard it both sides and while the green is undulated, a well placed shot should give you a chance to mark a three down for a job well done.

The first time I played hole 16 was very exciting for me. I nearly aced this baby which plays from 142 to 201 yards and like many of the others, you have plenty of natural and swampy areas to shoot over. I did it the first time I played but played it much different this time. The collection area in front of the green gives you plenty of room for error and while the green is undulated, with the right speed, you can get your putts close. I did birdie it the first time but messed it up and put it short of the bunker you see to the left side of the picture. I did chip it up to about 25 feet as obviously accuracy was a problem but the distance was right on. A two-putt from there left me with a bogey and a far cry from the birdie I had my inaugural trip to this outstanding course.

16 from the tee box to the right and from just below the green where I hit my shot short and to the left.

You just know that an outstanding golf course will have a strong finishing hole and this course has a grand finally waiting. The hole plays on a series of stacked tee boxes and plays from 384 to 572 yards and I got my feet wet from 550. Short tee shots will turn you into Jean Van de Velde as you will be in the valley of shame. The landing area is very wide and you can take a big bite out of it. Drive it too far left and you will drive through the fairway into some grass moguls. I did drive it fairly long and though the fairway but short of the moguls. The rough is well… rough there and my second shot was hit with my three wood only about 180 yards as it settled into the grass pretty deep. If I had hit the fairway instead, I could have had a mid-iron or less instead of a 200 yard third shot. Casual fairway bunkers adorn this hole and my third shot was also somewhat buried and I put it to the right of the green. I landed on top of some stones and hit my fourth shot from them and it was a disaster. My club did not advance the ball forward but to the other side of me where it rolled down hill. I pitched to the green and two-putt from there for a seven to a hole that had plenty of promise after a good drive that was not well placed.

Here's the Skinny...

Customer Service- 10.0. This course models how to take care of customers. Perry, Jeremy, and the rest do a great job to let you know that they appreciate your business. It is a nice touch to have a 1/2 liter of water placed in your cart and that small gesture is big for golfers who need to wet their whistle on a hot day.

Course Markings- 9.5 - Excellent. Some suggestions on playing the course. Plenty of places from stakes, to cement markers to sprinkler head all help you to pull out the right club.

Conditions -10 - Course in outstanding shape and the greenskeeper should be commended.

Playability 9.5- This is a very tough scoring track particularly on the front nine. Local knowledge helps you to play the course as you become familiar with the layout. Greens are tough and very undulated in several places. The practice green will help you and check it out as it is outstanding to improve your game.

Course Design- 10- Rick Smith designed this outstanding course and he delivered with a course not too tricked out just to trick golfers. The nature in the woods from the deer that were all over to wild turkeys were a sight that anyone can love.

The bottom line. I give it a 10.0/10.0 This is really quite a track to play and you really should give them a call to book a tee time. It is upscale, a super golf course for serious golfers and a memorable time.

Phone Number

Oakland University Golf & Learning Center
Phone number: 248-364-6300

Interview with Todd Grondin of the Bogey Golf Tour - It Looks to Hit a Double Eagle with Golfers

     As golfers look for the challenge of having the freedom to play when they want and with competition including both scratch and handicap divisions, the Bogey Golf Tour is a place where you can do both. There are plenty of competitive Tours for junior golfers and even more for adult scratch golfers but a vacumn exists for golfers who would like to have most of their weekends free but play in tournaments about once per month. The Bogey Golf Tour is looking to capture golfers who would like to golf all over southeastern Michigan and has three more divisions that compete in Ontario. The Tour has majors and a charity with sponsors that help keep golfers coming back for more. Todd Grondin got started with the Bogey Golf Tour almost right from the beginning and I catch up with him.  

JA: Todd, how did you get the idea for the Bogey Golf Tour?

TG: Jeff Derochie started it in Windsor in 2003, I joined in 2004 and really enjoyed the concept of competitive golf for the average golfer.

My wife Michelle and I purchased the BGT off of Jeff in October 2005, and it has evolved over the years to what it is today. Michelle is a graphic designer, so I had the good fortune of her developing my ideas and vision for the BGT. I created it as a golfer for golfers, and together Michelle and I made the web site easy to understand and navigate. Essentially I wanted to create a PGA Tour for the average golfer, and I think we have done that, but it always seems to be a work in motion.

JA: I see you actually have four Tours going Windsor, Detroit, London and Kitchener/Waterloo. What is the reasoning behind that?

TG: The tour started in 2003 with just one location Windsor and one handicap division, and since Michelle and I took it over in 2005 we have grown and expanded the tour to the current 4 locations with three handicap divisions to accommodate all levels of competition. We have goals of expanding it right across North America. This year we have 32 stroke play events and 5 charity events included in the 4 Chapters. One membership and you can pay and play in any of our current chapters events.

JA: How does your prize money work and how much can people play for?

TG: Our tournament fees are $20 to $25 per golfer more than what the course charges us, and out of that we have to cover our costs, and we pay out $9 of that fee back to the golfers. Cash or Gift Certificate pay outs for the top 5 in each handicap division, plus long drive and closest to the pin prizes for each division at each tournament. Payouts depend on how many participants per division per tournament. Last year we averaged 82 players per tournament in the Windsor/Detroit Chapter. You aren’t going to be able to retire on the winnings, but you can expect to get your day paid for and bragging rights. Your picture gets posted permanently on our web site tournament stats page, and local news papers have been posting our stats as well.

JA: How do you keep the sandbaggers out?

TG: We play by the Rules of Golf as approved by the RCGA and USGA associations and use the Tee-On handicap system. BGT Members put in a minimum 5 most recent rounds into the handicap system to establish a handicap and keep putting their non BGT rounds in throughout the season, the more rounds the more accurate the handicap. We enter their BGT tournament rounds to keep an eye on everyone and if their tournament scores are on average lower than their non-tournament rounds the system automatically lowers the player’s handicap. All members can see every other member’s rounds and current handicap, so we also police each other.

JA: You have a majors component to your Tour. How does the points work and what is the ultimate prize for playing money wise and playing wise?

TG: We do run four major tournaments throughout the year in each of our chapters just like the PGA and the sponsor’s kick in extra prize money for the event. We also run a Race for the Cup contest throughout the season where members earn points just like the PGA and if you have the most points at the end of the season you win a beautiful trophy which is yours to keep. This year Miles of Golf is sponsoring the Race for the BGT Cup and also offering our members 20% off of club fittings and lessons at the Kendal Golf Academy. All of our tournament stats, BGT Cup winners and event history since 2003 is on our web site, with photo’s and stats of all current members.

JA: You also have a charity component for the Tour. How does it work and who does it benefit?

TG: Our players and sponsors have helped raise over $74,000 for local Charities. The heart of our tour, above and beyond the actual game of golf, is our desire to raise money for Charities.
Since 2003, we were able to donate to various local charities: W.E. CARE FOR KIDS, WINDSOR CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY, CHILDREN DIABETEBETES, HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION, BIG BROTHERS, GOODFELLOWS, WINDSOR CANCER CENTRE, AUTISM SOCIETY, CRIME STOPPERS and ARNIES ARMY BATTLES PROSTATE CANCER.
For 2012 we are committed to helping the “WINDSOR / ST. CLAIR ROTARY”, “CYSTIC FIBROSIS”, “Children’s Wish” and “Make-A-Wish” Ontario and Michigan chapters with events. See our schedules for more details.

JA: How can you check out the Bogey Golf Tour and see if it is a good fit for you?

TG: Just go to www.bogeygolftour.com to see our calendar of events on the left and scroll down to see the map of all of our 2012 events. You obviously don’t have to play in all of our events. Annual memberships are only $60 and you are eligible to pay and play in any of our regional Chapters (Windsor, Detroit, London, Kitchener/Waterloo). Play in 4 tournaments in a regional division and qualify for that Chapters Invitational. Play an additional 2 tournaments in any other Chapter and qualify for that Chapters invitational as well. Three dollars from each participant from each event goes to the Invitational prize pot. We paid out over $10,000 in prize money in 2011 and expect that amount to double in 2012.

Click on your local chapter and scroll down to see detailed information about each event. Everything is clickable with more detailed information so check it out.

If you love golf, friendly competition, and want to feel like a pro, then just click on our “Membership Sign-up” golf ball and SIGN UP TODAY!! Once you are a member you can register for events and as long as you get your tournament fee paid a week in advance you are guaranteed a tee time at the event.

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If you are looking for added competition, check out the site and look at the testimonials and call or contact Todd or Michelle Grondin.

Todd Grondin

Bogey Golf Tour Owner/Windsor-Detroit Tour Director

www.bogeygolftour.com