Golfers with Unique Challenges golf in the Warren Orlick Memorial in Madison Heights

There is not much more satisfying than watching people play the game of golf. When it comes to people with special challenges giving all they have and being satisfied, it puts the game in an awesome perspective. Golfers were playing scramble golf with foursomes that included two regular and two unique challenge golfers. Oakland County Parks is fulfilling its mission to provide activities to everyone regardless of sport. The video story below shows adaptive golf.

For all stories on the game of golf from course reviews, prep and junior action and so forth. Visit www.michigangolfscene.co


You tube link
http://youtu.be/wdENkTlx2-U

GIRLS GOLF: Young golfers from area shine at Next Tee Invitational

GIRLS GOLF: Young golfers from area shine at Next Tee Invitational WITH VIDEO

By KEITH DUNLAP
@kd2578

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — If there is going to be a prominent theme this year for girls golf within Oakland County, it is that are going to be several talented, but young golfers on display.

Of course, that’ll beg the question each day as to what attribute they most display, talented or young.

On Monday in the Next Tee Invitational at Forest Lake Country Club, it was the former.

The scores from young golfers were as scorching as the humidity, and leading the way was Stoney Creek freshman Lauren Ingle, who showed she might have the ability to follow in the footsteps of Devon Compton and Gabby Yurik and be the next great golfer for the Cougars.

Ingle won medalist honors by shooting a blistering score of 71, three shots ahead of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood junior Cordelia Chan, who shot a 74.

“A little bit,” Ingle said when asked if she was surprised. “I wanted to medal, but I played really good today. My putting was really good. I just made a few changes and the stroke is a lot better.”

Other young players who performed well were Birmingham Seaholm sophomores Allegra Cunningham (81) and Jordan Michalak (82), Lake Orion freshman Moyea Russell (82), Troy sophomores Jennifer Cui (84) and Naomi Kim (85) and Troy freshman Sahiba Singh (88).

There was also a lot of success by county teams, since the top-6 finishers in the 24-team field were Oakland County schools.

Seaholm and Stoney Creek tied with identical scores of 336, but Seaholm ended up winning on a fifth-golfer tiebreaker.

In addition to the scores from Cunningham and Michalak, Seaholm got an 85 from senior Megan Lam and an 88 junior Jamie Greene.

One of the top teams this year in Division 2, Seaholm has arguably unmatched depth with 36 players in the program and still won the tournament despite missing arguably its top player, junior Rachel Wilson, who is recovering from a shoulder injury but is expected back soon.

“This is our fourth tournament,” Seaholm head coach Leon Braisted said. “We’ve been in a groove since Wednesday.”

Stoney Creek was right there thanks to Ingle and senior Chloe Guschewski, who shot an 80. Junior Bailey Compton added an 89 for the Cougars.

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood was third with a 348, Troy took fourth at 350, defending Division 1 runner-up Farmington Hills Mercy was fifth with a 351, while Birmingham Detroit Country Day finished sixth after shooting a 353. Lake Orion was ninth at 360.

The happiest golfer to leave the course was East Kentwood’s Mackenzie Keenoy, who recorded a hole-in-one on the 103-yard 10th hole.



Next Tee Invitational

(at Forest Lake Country Club, par 71)

TEAMS — Birmingham Seaholm 336; Stoney Creek 336; Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 348; Troy 350; Farmington Hills Mercy 351; Birmingham Detroit Country Day 353; East Kentwood 356; Plymouth 357; Lake Orion 360; Grosse Pointe South 363.

INDIVIDUALS — Lauren Ingle (Stoney Creek) 71; Cordelia Chan (Cranbrook) 74; Sarah White (East Kentwood) 77; Greer Clausen (Cranbrook) 78; Mackenzie Keenoy (East Kentwood) 78; Lily Pendy (Grosse Pointe South); Chloe Guschewski (Stoney Creek) 80; Sydney Murphy (Plymouth) 81; Ellie Miller (Country Day) 81; Elayna Bowser (Dearborn) 81

Randy Wise AJGA at Warwick won by non-Michiganders

Jillian Hollis and Nicholas were victorious at the Randy Wise AJGA Event

Hollis pulled away on the final day

The Randy Wise AJGA event at Warwick Hills saw some surprises and it started with day and the low scores for players of both genders. Instead of folding under pressure, plenty of players shot 75 or lower on a very tough golf course at Warwick Hills. Nicholas Ross of Ontario, shot a two-under par 70 and scores of other golfers did the same. The video story is at this link and so are plenty of other AJGA and junior/high school golf stories. http://www.michigangolfscene.co/mhsaa-jr.-golf.html

Round 3 Results

GRAND BLANC, Mich. -- Final results from the Randy Wise Junior Open conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. Boys Par: 36-36--72. Yardage: 7119. Rating: 74. Slope: 133 Girls Par: 36-36--72. Yardage: 6026. Rating: 75.4. Slope: 138

Canada’s Ross wins Randy Wise Junior Open title for second consecutive win Hollis pulls away with five-stroke victory at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club Ross in the fairway coming down the stretch GRAND BLANC, Mich. — Coming off a win at the AJGA / CJGA Junior Championship in his native country, Nicholas Ross of Dundas, Ontario, earned his second AJGA title in as many weeks, firing a final-round 2-under-par 70 to win the Randy Wise Junior Open with a tournament total of 2-over-par 218. In the Girls Division, Jillian Hollis of Rocky River, Ohio, extended her second-round lead to five strokes, winning the girls title at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club with a 1-under-par 215.

Boys Division Name Grad Hometown Score 1 Nicholas Ross 2013 Dundas, Ontario 75-73-70--218 2 Donnie Trosper 2015 Canton, Mich. 73-74-72--219 3 Andrew Walker 2016 Battle Creek, Mich. 74-73-73--220 T4 David Kim 2014 Buena Park, Calif. 75-76-72--223 4 David DeMarois 2014 Brighton, Mich. 76-73-74--223 T6 Francesco Ruffino 2013 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 80-73-73--226 6 Kyle Rodes 2013 Plymouth, Mich. 73-75-78--226 T8 Travis Ola 2015 Houston, Texas 75-78-74--227 8 Reed Hrynewich 2013 Muskegon, Mich. 77-72-78--227 10 A.J. Varekois 2014 Rockford, Mich. 76-77-75--228 T11 Dylan Deogun 2015 Orchard Lake, Mich. 79-76-74--229 11 Nick Carlson 2015 Hamilton, Mich. 76-79-74--229 11 Conor Rodrigues 2013 Kingston, Ontario 74-74-81--229 11 Andrew Sarokin 2014 Novi, Mich. 77-80-72--229 11 Connor Jones 2014 Shelby Township, Mich. 82-76-71--229 T16 Charles Corner 2014 Cayuga, Ontario 75-76-79--230 16 Brandon Mihalo 2014 Windsor, Ontario 79-76-75--230 16 John Beadle 2014 North Attleboro, Mass. 77-78-75--230 T19 Seiya Liu 2015 Beverly Hills, CA 76-80-75--231 19 Alex Waelchli 2013 Clarkston, Mich. 79-78-74--231 19 Garret Buckley 2014 Novi, Mich. 76-79-76--231 T22 James Kneen 2014 White Lake, Mich. 77-74-81--232 22 Eric Attard 2014 Livonia, Mich. 79-78-75--232 22 David Smith 2013 Highland, Mich. 77-76-79--232 22 Tommy Schofield 2013 Mundelein, Ill. 78-76-78--232 22 John YounSung Kim 2014 (South Korea) Toronto, Ontario 81-77-74--232 T27 Devan Schulert 2014 Kingsville, Ontario 80-78-75--233 27 Adam Firavich 2013 Hartland, Mich. 77-79-77--233 27 Baker Stevenson 2015 Hartland, Mich. 80-77-76--233 T30 Charlie Green 2013 Ann Arbor, Mich. 77-80-77--234 30 John Boncoddo 2014 Brantford, Ontario 80-76-78--234 T32 Alexander Scott 2015 Traverse City, Mich. 81-75-79--235 32 Max Rispler 2014 Alto, Mich. 76-81-78--235 32 Joe Torres 2014 Almont, Mich. 77-79-79--235 32 David Szymanski 2015 Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. 81-78-76--235 32 Kevin Ko 2014 Vaughan, Ontario 77-78-80--235 32 Matthew McAdoo 2014 Twinsburg, Ohio 77-77-81--235 32 Rishi Patel 2014 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 75-78-82--235 T39 Spencer Lendzion 2013 Rochester Hills, Mich. 78-79-79--236 39 Benjamin Zyber 2014 Swartz Creek, Mich. 80-79-77--236 39 Sam Sicard 2015 Woodbury, Minn. 79-75-82--236 T42 Dustin Pumford 2014 St Charles, Mich. 76-81-80--237 42 Kitwana Ashford 2015 Farmington Hills, Mich. 80-79-78--237 T44 Dan Lensing 2014 Independence, Minn. 83-80-75--238 44 JC Campbell 2015 Dallas, Texas 84-76-78--238 44 Brandon Barrows 2015 Lake Orion, Mich. 78-79-81--238 T47 Austin Rivet 2014 Howell, Mich. 73-85-81--239 47 Luke Schumann 2014 Dayton, Ohio 81-76-82--239 T49 Justin Pahl 2014 White Lake, Mich. 83-83-74--240 49 Eric Macrow 2013 Kingston, Ontario 80-81-79--240 49 Matthew Shubley 2014 Whitby, Ontario 81-80-79--240 49 Michael Busse 2016 Rochester Hills, Mich. 80-80-80--240 T53 Grant Dinkel 2014 Boulder, Colo. 82-79-80--241 53 Spencer Schab 2016 Grand Rapids, Mich. 83-81-77--241 53 Spencer Koch 2015 Medina, Ohio 80-81-80--241 53 Alexander Moorman 2015 Centerville, Iowa 76-86-79--241 53 Joseph Becker 2013 Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. 76-82-83--241 T58 Jeremy Ball 2014 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 84-82-76--242 58 Garrett Johnson 2014 Hilton Head Island, S.C. 80-86-76--242 58 Charlie Bolton 2014 Grosse Pointe, Mich. 80-82-80--242 61 Jimmy Ryan 2014 Livonia, Mich. 81-79-83--243 T62 Joel Sneed 2015 Leland, Mich. 86-84-74--244 62 Brett Harvey 2013 Unionville, Ontario 81-87-76--244 64 Joshua Gibson 2015 Grandville, Mich. 87-82-76--245 65 Anthony Jackson II 2014 Detroit, Mich. 82-83-82--247 66 Lucas Nesbitt 2014 Clarkston, Mich. 90-80-78--248 67 Joe Biscaro 2014 Dearborn, Mich. 79-85-85--249 68 Scott Sparks 2016 Shelby Township, Mich. 85-85-81--251 69 Davis Field 2014 St. Francisville, La. 83-86-83--252 70 Alex Kleckner 2014 Commerce Twp, Mich. 84-90-79--253 71 Jason Brandt 2015 Mason, Mich. 84-86-91--261 - Matthew Zerbel 2014 St Joseph, Mich. 82-JWD Girls Division Name Grad Hometown Score 1 Jillian Hollis 2015 Rocky River, Ohio 72-73-70--215 2 Fai Khamborn 2017 (Thailand) Cincinnati, Ohio 72-75-73--220 3 Mika Liu 2017 Beverly Hills, Calif. 77-72-72--221 4 Riley Rennell 2017 Columbia, Tenn. 77-73-74--224 5 Emma Albrecht 2015 Ormond Beach, Fla. 75-79-73--227 6 Monica Chen 2014 Fremont, Calif. 71-85-72--228 7 Amanda Kim 2015 Ofallon, Mo. 81-75-74--230 8 Megan Kim 2014 Redondo Beach, Calif. 78-76-77--231 9 Sarah Shipley 2016 Hastings, Mich. 75-79-78--232 10 Julia Montgomery 2013 Shelby Township, Mich. 79-80-74--233 11 Katie Kim 2015 Riverwoods, Ill. 77-79-78--234 12 Jacqueline Setas 2014 East Lansing, Mich. 83-75-77--235 13 Julia Dean 2017 Brighton, Mich. 78-78-83--239 14 Elsa Maria Diaz 2014 San Antonio, Texas 82-79-79--240 15 Ashley Kim 2017 Redondo Beach, Calif. 87-79-76--242 16 Greer Clausen 2014 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 82-82-81--245 17 Christine Schmitt 2014 Pittsford, N.Y. 85-83-80--248 18 Zaafina Naqvi 2015 Sault Ste Marie, Ontario 87-83-79--249 19 Jennifer Yang 2014 Troy, Mich. 79-87-87--253 20 Samantha Moss 2014 Fenton, Mich. 83-84-95--262 21 Noelle Polakowski 2014 Atlantic Mine, Mich. 100-93-104--297

Andrew Walker and Donnie Trosper lead after round two of the Randy Wise Tournament at Warwick Hills

Walker grabs share of lead with Trosper at Randy Wise Junior Open
Hollis leads Girls Division by two at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club

GRAND BLANC, Mich. — Andrew Walker of Battle Creek, Mich., who recently made history as the fifth-youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur, shot a 1-over-par 73 to grab a share of the lead with first-round leader Donnie Trosper of Canton, Mich., with two-day totals of 3-over-par 147. A new leader emerged in the Girls Division as Jillian Hollis of Rocky River, Ohio, carded a 1-over-par 73 for a two-stroke lead heading into the final round at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Randy Wise Junior Open is a 54-hole stroke play competition played on the par-72 course at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. The event features 75 boys and 21 girls, ages 12-18, from 17 states and Canada. The Boys Division is playing the course at 7,119 yards, while the Girls Division is playing the course at 6,026 yards.

Walker, who was one stroke off pace going into the round, carded two consecutive birdies on a bogey-free front nine, making the turn at 2-under-par 34.

“Overall I played pretty well today, but I made a few unforced errors,” Walker said. “Tomorrow I just want to try and limit the mistakes, cut down the errors and play golf.”

After going 2-over through nine holes, Trosper caught fire to his putter with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 12, 13 and 14. He finished the day with a 2-over-par 74.

In the Girls Division, Hollis used up-and-downs to turn in a 1-over-par 73. The highlight of her round was on the par-5 No. 15 where she stuck if from 164 yards to an inch for her second of three birdies on the day.

“My goal has been to just play this course and play every shot at a time,” Hollis said. “I’m not going to worry about what the other girls are doing. I just want to play my best.”

Thailand’s Fai Khamborn of Cincinnati, Ohio, carded a 75 for second at 3-over-par 147. In third is Mika Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., who shot even-par 72 for a 36-hole total of 5-over-par 149.

Final-round tee times will run from 8 to 10 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. For more information about the Randy Wise Junior Open, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 231-5709.

GRAND BLANC, Mich. -- Second Round results from the Randy Wise Junior Open conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.
Boys Par: 36-36--72. Yardage: 7119. Rating: 74. Slope: 133
Girls Par: 36-36--72. Yardage: 6026. Rating: 75.4. Slope: 138

Boys Division

Donnie Trosper, Canton, Mich. (2015)      73-74--147     +3
Andrew Walker, Battle Creek, Mich. (2016)      74-73--147     +3
Conor Rodrigues, Kingston, Ontario (2013)      74-74--148     +4
Kyle Rodes, Plymouth, Mich. (2013)      73-75--148     +4
Nicholas Ross, Dundas, Ontario (2013)      75-73--148     +4
Reed Hrynewich, Muskegon, Mich. (2013)      77-72--149     +5
David DeMarois, Brighton, Mich. (2014)      76-73--149     +5
Charles Corner, Cayuga, Ontario (2014)      75-76--151     +7
David Kim, Buena Park, Calif. (2014)      75-76--151     +7
James Kneen, White Lake, Mich. (2014)      77-74--151     +7
Rishi Patel, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (2014)      75-78--153     +9
Spencer Dobbs, Brooklin, Ontario (2014)      76-77--153     +9
A.J. Varekois, Rockford, Mich. (2014)      76-77--153     +9
David Smith, Highland, Mich. (2013)      77-76--153     +9
Francesco Ruffino, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (2013)      80-73--153     +9
Travis Ola, Houston, Texas (2015)      75-78--153     +9
Sam Sicard, Woodbury, Minn. (2015)      79-75--154     +10
Matthew McAdoo, Twinsburg, Ohio (2014)      77-77--154     +10
Tommy Schofield, Mundelein, Ill. (2013)      78-76--154     +10
John Beadle, North Attleboro, Mass. (2014)      77-78--155     +11
Kevin Ko, Vaughan, Ontario (2014)      77-78--155     +11
Nick Carlson, Hamilton, Mich. (2015)      76-79--155     +11
Garret Buckley, Novi, Mich. (2014)      76-79--155     +11
Dylan Deogun, Orchard Lake, Mich. (2015)      79-76--155     +11
Brandon Mihalo, Windsor, Ontario (2014)      79-76--155     +11
Alexander Scott, Traverse City, Mich. (2015)      81-75--156     +12
John Boncoddo, Brantford, Ontario (2014)      80-76--156     +12
Adam Firavich, Hartland, Mich. (2013)      77-79--156     +12
Seiya Liu, Beverly Hills, Calif. (2015)      76-80--156     +12
Joe Torres, Almont, Mich. (2014)      77-79--156     +12
Spencer Lendzion, Rochester Hills, Mich. (2013)      78-79--157     +13
Eric Attard, Livonia, Mich. (2014)      79-78--157     +13
Baker Stevenson, Hartland, Mich. (2015)      80-77--157     +13
Luke Schumann, Dayton, Ohio (2014)      81-76--157     +13
Dustin Pumford, St Charles, Mich. (2014)      76-81--157     +13
Brandon Barrows, Lake Orion, Mich. (2015)      78-79--157     +13
Charlie Green, Ann Arbor, Mich. (2013)      77-80--157     +13
Andrew Sarokin, Novi, Mich. (2014)      77-80--157     +13
Alex Waelchli, Clarkston, Mich. (2013)      79-78--157     +13
Max Rispler, Alto, Mich. (2014)      76-81--157     +13
Connor Jones, Shelby Township, Mich. (2014)      82-76--158     +14
Joseph Becker, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. (2013)      76-82--158     +14
Austin Rivet, Howell, Mich. (2014)      73-85--158     +14
John YounSung Kim, Toronto, Ontario (2014)      81-77--158     +14
Devan Schulert, Kingsville, Ontario (2014)      80-78--158     +14
David Szymanski, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. (2015)      81-78--159     +15
Benjamin Zyber, Swartz Creek, Mich. (2014)      80-79--159     +15
Kitwana Ashford, Farmington Hills, Mich. (2015)      80-79--159     +15
Michael Busse, Rochester Hills, Mich. (2016)      80-80--160     +16
Jimmy Ryan, Livonia, Mich. (2014)      81-79--160     +16
JC Campbell, Dallas, Texas (2015)      84-76--160     +16
Matthew Shubley, Whitby, Ontario (2014)      81-80--161     +17
Eric Macrow, Kingston, Ontario (2013)      80-81--161     +17
Grant Dinkel, Boulder, Colo. (2014)      82-79--161     +17
Spencer Koch, Medina, Ohio (2015)      80-81--161     +17
Jack Weller, Swartz Creek, Mich. (2014)      81-81--162     +18
Charlie Bolton, Grosse Pointe, Mich. (2014)      80-82--162     +18
Alexander Moorman, Centerville, Iowa (2015)      76-86--162     +18
Dan Lensing, Independence, Minn. (2014)      83-80--163     +19
Tyler Lewis, Grand Blanc, Mich. (2013)      84-79--163     +19
Joe Biscaro, Dearborn, Mich. (2014)      79-85--164     +20
Spencer Schab, Grand Rapids, Mich. (2016)      83-81--164     +20
Anthony Jackson II, Detroit, Mich. (2014)      82-83--165     +21
Garrett Johnson, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (2014)      80-86--166     +22
Justin Pahl, White Lake, Mich. (2014)      83-83--166     +22
Jeremy Ball, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (2014)      84-82--166     +22
Brett Harvey, Unionville, Ontario (2013)      81-87--168     +24
Davis Field, St. Francisville, La. (2014)      83-86--169     +25
Joshua Gibson, Grandville, Mich. (2015)      87-82--169     +25
Jason Brandt, Mason, Mich. (2015)      84-86--170     +26
Scott Sparks, Shelby Township, Mich. (2016)      85-85--170     +26
Joel Sneed, Leland, Mich. (2015)      86-84--170     +26
Lucas Nesbitt, Clarkston, Mich. (2014)      90-80--170     +26
Alex Kleckner, Commerce Twp, Mich. (2014)      84-90--174     +30
Matthew Zerbel (2014),  St Joseph, Mich.  82-JWD

Girls Division
Jillian Hollis, Rocky River, Ohio (2015)      72-73--145     +1
Fai Khamborn, Cincinnati, Ohio (2017)      72-75--147     +3
Mika Liu, Beverly Hills, Calif. (2017)      77-72--149     +5
Riley Rennell, Columbia, Tenn. (2017)      77-73--150     +6
Sarah Shipley, Hastings, Mich. (2016)      75-79--154     +10
Emma Albrecht, Ormond Beach, Fla. (2015)      75-79--154     +10
Megan Kim, Redondo Beach, Calif. (2014)      78-76--154     +10
Julia Dean, Brighton, Mich. (2017)      78-78--156     +12
Monica Chen, Fremont, Calif. (2014)      71-85--156     +12
Katie Kim, Riverwoods, Ill. (2015)      77-79--156     +12
Amanda Kim, Ofallon, Mo. (2015)      81-75--156     +12
Jacqueline Setas, East Lansing, Mich. (2014)      83-75--158     +14
Julia Montgomery, Shelby Township, Mich. (2013)      79-80--159     +15
Elsa Maria Diaz, San Antonio, Texas (2014)      82-79--161     +17
Greer Clausen, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (2014)      82-82--164     +20
Jennifer Yang, Troy, Mich. (2014)      79-87--166     +22
Ashley Kim, Redondo Beach, Calif. (2017)      87-79--166     +22
Samantha Moss, Fenton, Mich. (2014)      83-84--167     +23
Christine Schmitt, Pittsford, N.Y. (2014)      85-83--168     +24

Cairns rallies, wins his third Michigan PGA Professional Championship

Cairns rallies, wins his third Michigan PGA Professional Championship
Video story http://youtu.be/nm1GLoQkT1I

  
 ROCHESTER – By Greg JohnsonBrian Cairns at age 49 has learned to finish golf tournaments in the proper fashion, as in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole of the Katke course at Oakland University to take his first lead of the tournament.
   “With the age and the experience there’s a certain peace,” he said after winning the 93rd Michigan PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA Wednesday.
  “This is good, just a good feeling. I birdied four of the last five holes, and that’s the way to finish.”
   The closing 3-under-par 69 for 7-under-par 209 earned him the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy for the third time in his career (1996, 2000 and 2013), the $6,000 first-place check and sends him off to the PGA Professional National Championship once again. The top nine finishers who were otherwise not exempt earned spots in the national championship for club and teaching professionals next may in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
    Cairns, a professional from Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center in Plymouth, rushed from six shots back, but his rally was late and for a while overshadowed by the rally defending champion Scott Hebert fashioned. Hebert, who has won six of the last eight Michigan PGA Professional Championships, shot a 66 with nine birdies in the first 14 holes and had just 23 putts for his round. He posted his 6-under-210 total and watched the final groups finish.
   “I didn’t push it any more than I normally do, I just made more putts,” said Hebert, who is exempt for the national championship as the 2008 winner. “I had just 23. I don’t think I’ve ever had just 23. Where I goofed up was on the last three holes. They are all possible birdies and not to make one in there, well, it’s just not good enough to win.”
   Matt Pesta of Beacon Hill Golf Club Chesterfield, co-leader starting the final round with Jack Seltzer, was at 8-under-par through 12 holes of play, but carded a pair of double-bogey 6 scores at Nos. 13 and 17 to shoot 73 for 211 and third place.
   Brent Goulding, the head pro at Prestwick Village in Highland, was 9-under-par with six holes to play but made five bogeys on the way in for a 73 and 212. Gary Lewandowski of St. Ives Golf Club in Stanwood also finished at 212 with a closing 72.
  Cairns, Pesta, Goulding and Lewandowski will be joined at the national championship by Frank McAuliffe of the Kendall Golf Academy at Miles of Golf in Ypsilanti, who shot 67 for 213, Ron Beurmann of the Country Club of Jackson, who shot 71 for 214, David Tokarsky of Saginaw Country Club, who shot 71 for 214, Christopher Johnson of Thousand Oaks Golf Club in Grand Rapids, who shot 71 for 216 and Tom Harding of the Kendall Golf Academy, who shot 74 for 216.
  Cairns said he didn’t know the scoring situation until standing on No. 18 tee.
  “We had been passing scoreboards and saw the lead at 9-under at one point,” he said. “Once I heard that I had a chance, I was jacked up. It was time to finish with a birdie.”
  He said the final putt had one-cup of break and his older brother and caddie Kevin agreed.
  “It was a perfect one cup,” Cairns said. “And it’s perfect to win this. This is the pinnacle of the (Michigan PGA) section. This is what I really want to win every year. To me this is bigger than the (Michigan) Open, bigger than everything else.”

From Golf World: Jason Duffner's big PGA Championship win

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05r0Vy-xajI&feature=em-subs_digest

The Plymouth boys have 2 of three top spots at Randy Wise Open at Warwick Hills- California's Chen leads the girls

Three Michigan boys tied at top of Randy Wise Junior Open leaderboard
Chen leads Girls Division by one at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club

GRAND BLANC, Mich. — With 1-over-par 73s, Donnie Trosper of Canton, Mich., Austin Rivet of Howell, Mich., and Kyle Rodes of Plymouth, Mich., grabbed the first-round lead at the Randy Wise Junior Open. Monica Chen of Fremont, Calif., carded a 1-under-par 71 to lead the girls’ field by one at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Randy Wise Junior Open is a 54-hole stroke play competition played on the par-72 course at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. The event features 75 boys and 21 girls, ages 12-18, from 17 states and Canada. The Boys Division is playing the course at 7,119 yards, while the Girls Division is playing the course at 6,026 yards.

The first round saw a tight race in the Boys Division with three players coming out on top. Kyle Rodes of Plymouth, Mich., caught momentum as he made the turn, closing his front nine with a birdie on the par-4 No.9. He added three more birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 16 to finish with a back-nine 2-under-par 34.

“Tomorrow I just want to post another respectable round,” Rodes said. “I perform better under pressure so I’d love to be in a situation with that kind of competition.”

Austin Rivet of Howell, Mich., used a steady round of 13 pars to position himself in a share of the lead, crediting the course setup for aiding his game.

“This course is setup for a fade so I worked that a lot today,” Rivet said. “I was expecting to be close to the competition with my 73. I’m going to use it as motivation to play better tomorrow.”

Donnie Trosper of Canton, Mich., turned in the third low round of 73. His day was highlighted by back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11 and 12.

Rounding out the Boys Division is Andrew Walker of Battle Creek, Mich., and Conor Rodrigues of Kingston, Ontario, one shot off the lead at 2-over-par 74.

With the lowest round of the day coming in the Girls Division, Monica Chen of Fremont, Calif., totaled five birdies due to strong iron play and short game to post a 1-under-par 71.

“Some of my driver shots cost me some bogeys,” Chen said. “The most important thing was hitting it straight and I was able to do that for the most part.”

Thailand’s Fai Khamborn of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jillian Hollis of Rocky River, Ohio, share second at even-par 72.

Ageless Seltzer tied for lead with Pesta in Michigan PGA Professional Championship

Jack Seltzer still has game at age 62

Day two is lead by the ageless Jack Seltzer
  ROCHESTER – Jack Seltzer played in his first Michigan PGA Professional Championship the same year Matt Pesta was born, and 36 years later they are tied for the lead heading into Wednesday’s final round of the $42,000 state championship for club and teaching golf professionals at Oakland University.
   “I shouldn’t be here, but I am,” said Seltzer, who is 62, a past champion (1988) and a Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member who teaches at the Kendall Golf Academy at Miles of Golf in Ypsilanti.
   “As long as I’m here and only have 18 holes to go, I’m going to keep on playing.”
    Seltzer and Pesta, a White Lake resident and an assistant professional at Beacon Hill Golf Club in Commerce Township, each shot rounds of 3-under-par 69 for 6-under-par 138 totals.
   Pesta shot his 69 on the Katke course, and Seltzer played the Sharf course as the field of 140 golfers was split in half for the first two days. The 36-hole cut fell at 155 with 76 golfers moving on to the final round on the Katke course.

Matt Pesta is tied with Seltzer after 36 holes

   Pesta came to the tournament with two goals, including making the top nine because those golfers earn spots in the PGA Professional National Championship next June. He said winning is also on his mind.
     “The primary goal is to make the top nine, but if I can exceed that, well obviously, I want to,” he said. “I’m playing good. I stumbled some on the last hole  (three-putt bogey from 25-feet) and I will think about that, but I’m excited about playing.”
    Pesta and Seltzer must face down 14 other golfers who are within six shots.
   They have just a one-shot lead on Brent Goulding, the head professional at Prestwick Village Golf Club in Highland, who shot a 68 to check in at 139.
  Brian Cairns of Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center in Plymouth, the reigning Michigan PGA Player of the Year, and Gary Lewandowski of St. Ives Golf Club in Stanwood, each shot 68s to check in at 140, just two off the lead.
    Tom Harding of Kendall Golf Academy, who shot 73, and first-round leader Steven Vecellio of Scalawags Golf Club in Chesterfield, who shot 74, were tied at 142.  Ian Ziska of Katke Golf Club at Ferris State University, who shot 69, Ron Beurmann of Country Club of Jackson, who shot 70, and David Tokarsky of Saginaw Country Club, who shot 71, were at 143. Six more golfers were at even par, including defending champion Scott Hebert, who shot 70.
   The shot of the day was made by Mark Zelasny of Dearborn Country Club. He had a hole-in-one on the 194-yard par 3 No. 3 hole of the Sharf course. Zelasny, who shot 77 and missed the 36-hole cut, has 10 career aces.
      The public is welcome to the final round and parking and admission are free. Play starts at 8:30 a.m. The leaders tee off at 10:1

What three holes will decide the AJGA Randy Wise Open at Warwick? PGA Pro Doug Brody explains

What three holes will decide the AJGA Randy Wise Open at Warwick? PGA Pro Doug Brody explains.

I have asked this question to several PGA Pro's at their courses from Katke Cousins in Rochester for the State Finals, AJGA events and at MSU for their turn at the state finals. In my mind, pros either really break down their course hole by hole or give the three finishing holes. There is no right answer. For Doug Brody, he has good reasons for all three and explains in this video with footage from the three holes. (3 Minute Video

http://www.michigangolfscene.co/mhsaa-jr.-golf.html

Meier wins second Michigan Women's Amateur

Christina Meier and Hailey Hrynewich accept their crystal

Meier Wins 97th Michigan Women’s Amateur

Meier responds to Speech! Speech!

Michigan Women's Amateur Video Highlights, interviews and junior/MHSAA coverage (Click Here) 
http://michigangolfscene.co/mhsaa-jr.-golf.html

EAST LANSING – Christina Meier (Rochester Hills) defeated Hailey Hrynewich (Muskegon) 3 &2 to win the 97^th Michigan Women’s Amateur at Walnut Hills Country Club Friday afternoon.

As it was in just about every match, Meier started her match against Hrynewich down and trailed her opponent until the turn.
“My putts finally started rolling on 9,” said Meier. “That was the difference in this match. The 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th holes are tough and that is right when I started putting well. If you can get through those holes with par you feel confident.”

Meier had a close semi-final match against Aya Johnson (Muskegon) but won that match on the 18^th hole. Hrynewich took 20 holes to defeat Jennifer Elsholz (Grand Rapids) in her semi-final round. This marked the first time she had advanced to match play in this tournament.

Hrynewich with her father who caddied for her all week

“It was a lot of fun and I have a lot of confidence now heading to Ohio University to play college golf because I went up against college players here and did well,” said Hrynewich. “My putts were just not dropping in the last round and that made it tough.”

Meier, who plays for Michigan State University, was the 2011 champion in this tournament and is a bit of an old veteran when it comes to the Women’s Amateur.

“I was talking to Liz (Nagel) during our match yesterday and we were saying how we used to know everyone at this tournament and we didn’t know hardly anyone this year,” said Meier. “We used to be the up and coming players but now we are kind of the veterans.”

Nagle and Meier are teammates at MSU.

In addition to her putting, Meier credited her caddie, Brock Edwards (Okemos), who is an incoming freshman at MSU.

“I picked him up as my caddie for match play and he really helped to keep me calm,” said Meier. “He knew the course, he knew my opponents and he was essential.”

For Edwards it was just a matter of a little Spartan pride.

“I figured if I could help out a fellow MSU golfer I should do it,” said Edwards.

The 97^th Michigan Women’s Amateur was sponsored by Palace Sports and Entertainment

Rick Smith Golf Academies Brett Hartman talks about the takeaway

      There are so many keys to the golf swing. Brett Hartman said that while the golf ball doesn't care how you take it back, having the proper start to your swing will give you a much greater chance of striking the golf ball properly. He has drill that at most will cost a couple of dollars (alignment sticks) and shows a couple of swing thoughts that will have you hitting it better in no time.

http://www.michigangolfscene.co/golf-instruction.html

Michigan Women's Amateur is down to the final four-

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97TH MICHIGAN WOMEN'S AMATEUR DOWN TO FINAL FOUR
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EAST LANSING – The field at the 97th Michigan Women’s Amateur at Walnut Hills Country Club has been whittled down to the final four after the second and third rounds of match play Thursday.
Aya Johnson (Muskegon) will meet Christine Meier (Rochester Hills) in tomorrow’s first semi-final at 8 a.m. while Jennifer Elsholz (Grand Rapids) will meet Hailey Hrynewich (Muskegon) in the second match at 8:15.

Meier had a long day of golf on Thursday as both of her matches went extra holes. Her morning match versus Michigan State University teammate Liz Nagle went 19 holes and her afternoon match against future Spartan Jacqueline Setas (East Lansing) went 20 holes.

“I’ve gone extra holes before in this tournament but never twice in one day,” said Meier. “I am going home and going to bed now!”

Meier said both matches were very tough and that all three golfers were playing very, very well.

“The first match with Liz was mentally draining because we were both playing well and knew it was going to take birdies to win,” said Meier. “Then to go against Jackie who was playing well, it was tough. I had two tough matches today.”

Hrynewich’s match versus Sarah Thompson (Canton) also went to 19 holes. Hrynewich said she never got flustered and just patiently waited for Thompson to make a mistake.

“She was 1 up for a few holes on the back nine,” said Hrynewich. “I knew I needed to beat her on 18 and I did it with a good par. Then on 19, I got on the green and she didn’t.”

It is also the first time in match play for Elsholz who admits she was more than a little nervous in the first round of the day.

“When I was going into my second match my dad pointed out that I was in the top eight, which is pretty cool, and told me just to go out and have fun,” said Elsholz. “So that’s what I did. But I think I almost gave my mom a heart attack in the first match.”

Johnson credits her stellar short game for propelling her to victory in both of her matches today.

“My putter was on fire,” said Johnson. “And I chipped in twice today so I feel like the short game overall is finally there.”

The 97th Michigan Women’s Amateur is sponsored by Palace Sports & Entertainment. Admission is free and spectators are welcome.

Defending champion Hebert happy Michigan PGA is back at Oakland University

 

 

By Gregg Johnson

  ROCHESTER – Defending champion Scott Hebert likes where the 93^rd Michigan PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA is being played, and where it falls on the calendar.

Scott Hebert wants to win back to back

  “It’s that time of year where you need a break from work, and I really like the golf courses,” he said.

  Hebert, the head PGA golf professional at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, heads the field of 140 member club and teaching professionals playing Monday through Wednesday on Oakland University’s golf courses.

   The $42,000 championship will be decided over 54-holes of competition on the celebrated R&S Sharf and Katke-Cousins golf courses for the second consecutive year. The field will split and play a round on each of the two courses Monday and Tuesday with Wednesday’s closing round on the Katke-Cousins course.

   Hebert, a six-time champion, shot a closing 3-under-par 69 to come from behind and win last year’s championship by four shots over Ian Ziska, the head professional at Katke Golf Course at Ferris State University. Hebert also won the 2008 Michigan Pro-Pro Championship at Oakland University with Mick DeKorver of Watermark Country Club in Grand Rapids, and thinks the golf courses fit his game.

  “On both of them, but especially Katke, there are some tough tee shots and normally I fare well on that kind of course,” he said. “The place fits in my wheelhouse, and if the putts fall I should be right there. I’ve had a little time to prepare for this one, and if I do my thing, I like my chances.”

   Hebert is one of nine former champions in the field. He has won six of the last seven PGA titles, interrupted in that stretch only by 2010 champion Ron Beurmann, the head professional at Country Club of Jackson. Beurmann is likely to contend again. Already this summer he has won the Michigan Senior PGA Professional Championship and the Club Car Michigan Senior Open.

   Other former champions in the field are Joe Pollack (2004) of the Greg Norman Collection and Grand Rapids, Brian Cairns (1996, 2000) of Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center in Plymouth, Tom Harding (1997) of the Kendall Golf Academy in Ypsilanti, Barry Redmond (1990, ’92) of the Boyne Golf Academy in Harbor Springs, Jack Seltzer (1988) of Kendall Golf Academy, John Traub (1984) of Detroit and Randy Erskine (1978) of Great Oaks Country Club in Rochester. Cairns is the reigning Michigan PGA Player of the Year.

    An added element to the championship is the race for the nine qualifying spots for the 2014 PGA Professional National Championship. Hebert and Traub, as past winners of the national championship are exempt, but the low nine finishers besides them earn a spot.

  “That national championship is such a wonderful event to be part of, and you can feel it and see the nerves come out in the last round of this one,” Hebert said. “You want to win the Michigan PGA, but there’s pressure to get that chance to go to the national championship, too. It’s really the major championship for PGA professionals like us.”

Course Review: Dunham Hills trees and hills keep golfers honest and thinking around the course

    

There are plenty of golf courses within a four to five mile radius of the M-59 and M-23 intersection. With Tyrone Hills, The Arnold Palmer Preserve, Hartland Glen and Huntmore to name just a few, golfers have plenty of choices on where to spend their money. Dunham Hills has always been considered a tough test for golfers with its rolling Hills and mature trees that jump out and bite you and that includes when you know it’s coming.

     As for me, playing the course which is about three miles north of M-59 on Dunham Road is a good track to play. The course plays from (5,253 to 6,771) yards and has a wide variety of holes that will make you play every one of the 14 clubs you have in your bag. With a slope rating between 188 (forward) to 130 (championship), there are other courses with higher slope ratings but this course demands that you play it from the right set of tees or your score will skyrocket.

I would like to thank Mike Springer and his friendly staff for allowing me to come out and test my skills.      

The green on one

     Right off the bat, the very first hole allows you to unwind before you enter the second hole which starts a three hole gauntlet. 

Watch out for the trees right side

I played the course both days from 6,291 yards as I am revamping my swing and advise the longer hitters to play from the back as I will again soon.  The first plays at 328 yards and looks inviting . It looks like you can just blast away with some caution. With a line of trees on both sides and a couple of nasty oaks on the right about 50 yards apart, you can see from the tee box that hitting behind them will be a scary proposition. One thing from the tee box that you cannot see is the falloff on the right side of the fairway. Meaning, if you hit it there the false front will either kick your ball right or will run right side into the rough behind one of the trees. The fairway does run downhill in front of the green and long bombers will hit it over the ridge and a short pitch is all you have left. For golfers that do not hit it over the ridge, a short iron awaits you. If you get behind one of the trees, either a pitch back to the fairway or a medium iron shot where you advance the ball forward to some degree are your only options. This is a definite birdie hole. It is doubtful  the first will win a skin as too many players will mark a three down on their scorecards in a league or tournament.

Its tough to know where to hit it from the tee box on two

   The second hole is one where you will wonder if there is any fairway at all until you start surveying the hole looking for a strategy to score. It plays as a 505 yard par five from the middle tees (blue) and with trees seemingly everywhere from the tee box, this hole is tighter than going through the eye of a needle. I can see many players playing a fairway wood. As for me, I hit driver and suffered the fate as sand bunkers are in the driving areas. They are really not needed. The trees are tough enough on the first shot and the hole seems so play as a dog leg left but that is an illusion. When you go to hit your second shot, the green comes into focus. Longer hitters can get on in two but you need two good wacks hitting the ball. If you are scrambling from the rough on the second or even your third shot, your birdie opportunity will come from chipping off the green. Overhanging and mature trees including oaks overlook the fairway.

A ball on the first cut could be impeded and you might have to manufacture a shot. That is what I did on this hole. Pulling my tee shot into the rough, I had a shot but a bad lie and hit my second fat. My third was 148 yards from the pin. With a overhanging tree impeding my shot, I hit a four hybrid playing off of my back foot and hit a ¾ laser under the tree line. The ball took two big hops and rolled about 6’ from the pin. Yes, I did make my birdie. See, watching golf on tv can help your game.

The third severely slopes from right to left.

     One hole I found really interesting is the 306 yard par four 7^th. With trees everywhere and a huge sand trap guarding the left side of the fairway, you are provoked into hitting a high fade (if you have one) or a hook between the trap and the small opening right side. Yes, it does open up at the back of the trap, but a bottle neck short of it and you will find sand bunkers and a nasty grove of trees. Yes,  this is a tough driving hole. If you do negotiate the bottleneck from the tee, this is a birdie opportunity.

Aim to the right of the large trap

The only wide spot is just past the bottleneck

Three greenside bunkers guard it and add the fairway bunkers and it looks like Robert Trent Jones got loose and tricked up the hole. The 7^th has character and will be either a fun hole or will be diabolical depending on your point of view.

   The 9^th hole (340 yards) is one where it looks very tame from the tee box but has one nasty surprise waiting for those that play it for the first time. Longer hitters will play out of a tee box carved out of the woods. Those playing the blue tees will have about 235 yards before a large pond hidden from the tee box comes into play. Many golfers will decide whether they can carry the pond at 280 yards and most will layup to a short or medium iron. For me, I hit it left on purpose to the 8^th fairway and had a shot to the ninth. I was lucky as I hit it a long ways and would have been in the water. Still, hitting it one fairway over is not advisable as various trees and shrubs will come in contact with you if you are not careful. The green is dastardly. Sloping in multiple ways with it really going from right to left, it rolls very fast and putting it on the right side and putting downhill will find many hitting a three-putt. The ninth has birdies in it and is a skin hole. I think many golfers will goof up this hole score wise if not because of the water, the green will be the equalizer.

   While the front nine plays with many holes running north and south, the opposite happens on the back nine. Six of the holes go east and west and the morning sun will blind you early on. I really enjoyed the 10^th. The hole plays as a dog leg left hole down a hill and then back up from the valley.

Do you layup or go for it?

The ninth has a very tough green

Your tee shot on this hole should be played center to left on the fairway as going right and you could go into the cluster of trees and pond at the bottom of the hill and you will have an obstructed shot or lost ball. As it plays at 410 yards with a large green, many golfers will catch the slope and be roughly 150 yards from the flag going uphill. This hole is really fun. It is another scoring hole and simply keeping the ball in play is the best way to go. If you are going to score, this is your best chance until the 13^th.

Playing the 11th at sunrise is blinding

      
As 12 and 13 play as consecutive par fives, the 12^th can add strokes to your scorecard if you are not careful. Its twin, the 13^th does not have to be unlucky.

Not much room for error on the downhill 13th

Plenty of trees on both sides of the 13th

Running straight downhill, it plays shorter than the advertised 538 to 580 yards. The fairway is ample but go left or right and you will be pitching out to the fairway at worst or have an obstructed second shot that you will advance the best you can. For golfers that bomb the ball down the middle, you could reach the green in two at 538 yards as you will benefit from some roll due to the downhill slope. At 580 yards, only the longest of hitters will reach. There is nothing in front of the green outside of a twin pair of bunkers that will come into play for players going for it. For those that take three strokes or more to reach, the sand only comes into play if the pin is in the front and you go for the pin and hit it fat. This is a good scoring hole with birdies possible but par the realistic score as you finish up on the large green. Putts will tail off here so hit it firm.

   The 14^th is a well known hole and is feared by many golfers. With the blues playing at 426 yards and the championship tees playing at 447 yards, this is a great test of golf.

Trees to the right on 14

Narrow place to land the ball on 14

With trees running the entire hole to the right and a pond to the left, the fairway is simply folded in half as it looks like the water has cut the landing area off to point where few will dare to test it. Yes, you can drive it between the pond and woods. There is about a 20 yard landing area. The problem is if you drive the ball further than 230 yards the H20 comes into play and you are lying 3 over 200 yards out. The green is reachable from 200-220 yards out with a fairway wood but the green is huge and three putts are entirely possible. Drive it into the woods and you are three off of the tee. Many golfers simply pull out their fairway wood or hybrid and take their chances flying their second shot over the pond. The better golfers say the heck with it and drive it between everything I just described and will have a medium to long iron shot in. A bomber could out drive the entire mess to where the pond recedes but I am not that guy. Most say this par four is really a place where posting five is not an insult. I pared it both days and was told that I got lucky.

     My favorite par three at Dunham Hills is the 16^th. As a rule, I like playing a short iron off the tee once or twice a round as hitting driver all day can get monotonous. With a pond running along side you to the left and then nearly in front of you, it is a pretty picture. Playing at 116 to 158 yards, this is the hole that many golfers have been waiting for. A short iron or wedge into the green.

The only short par three at Dunham Hills

Many will go for the pin every time and some will take the pond out of play by clubbing up one. Do not go over the green. It does slope gradually from the back to the front and the green will funnel into the pond. On the right is a landscaped area that separates the 16^th from 15. Par is a good score but there are plenty of birdies so go on and get one of them.

   The finishing hole is an uphill slightly dog leg left. Playing between 363 and 378 yards, this par four is a good test of golf to end your round. The fairway is wide and you can blast away at the finish.

The view of the 18th fairway. It plays uphill

A large sloping green and an uphill approach

Hitting a hook left or a big pull is not advisable as you will have an obstructed shot to the green. As the green sits in a ring of trees, the shade will most likely block you from seeing the pin clearly as in is the flag in the front, center or back. I could not tell and aimed for the middle. As the hill slopes upward, you can get on in two but most will settle for a four before settling into the clubhouse for a beverage.

The Skinny-

The service- Friendly

The practice facilities- A driving range and putting green available

Course layout- I enjoyed the variety of holes and the demand of the course to pull out all of your clubs during the round. The course conditions are superb. The greens are very well taken care of. I love how the workers get two golf carts and drag a hose between them to get the dew off the fairways. Occasionally, the trees get on your nerves as it seems like they grow out of the ground after you hit the ball.

The pro shop has a wide variety of items to sell. I really like the clothing styles including the rain gear. If you did not bring golf balls, do not worry. They have a big selection.

Dunham Hills is a super test of golf. It has really changed over the years. The clubhouse is really a strong point of the business and has banquet facilities for over 300 for meetings or a wedding. This course is a place where golfers will really love testing their golf games. It seems to play much longer than the  6,291 to 6,771 yards posted as it has many par fours in excess of 400 yards and par fives 530 or better.