Bret Hartman of the Rick Smith Academy at OU said holding the proper finish will help immensely

I saw Bret Hartman of the Rick Smith Academy recently and we both realized we have something in common. We both have bad backs and neither are from golf. They happened in car accidents and the similarity when talking about golf ends there. Bret took a look at me playing golf and within one lesson, has me on the road to working on my swing. The biggest takeaway from our recent lesson was the takeaway and the finish. Bret modeled the golf swing and really worked on my finish and rolling my hands after making impact with the golf ball. We worked on more than that but his video will show you his teaching approach to working with students. His two minute video on the golf swing is well worth watching and could help you take strokes off your score. 

How to Contact Bret Hartman << Link

Bret Hartman has a powerful lesson on the golf swing finish <<< Video

Do you agree with the Freeps list of the top 10 Golf Courses?

It always takes guts to make a list about anything and post it in a blog or newspaper. The Detroit Free Press' Carlos Monarrez takes a stab at it and I commend him for getting most of the list right. His top ten was unveiled in early July and the link found below is a super attempt to get it right and like anything that is subjective, it is open to second guessing and I would like to add my two sense to the list. The list is the public course list and does NOT consider the private country clubs. 

Of the courses on the list, which are your favorites?

No. 1: The Orchards Golf Club, Washington

No. 2: Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club, Clarkston

No. 3: Greystone Golf Club and Banquet Center, Washington

No. 4: Lyon Oaks Golf Club, Wixom

No. 5: Lakes of Taylor Golf Club, Taylor

No. 6: Coyote Preserve Golf Club, Tyrone Twp.

No. 7: Pine Trace Golf Club, Rochester Hills

No. 8: Moose Ridge Golf Course, South Lyon

No. 9: Kensington Metropark Golf Course, Brighton

No. 10: Coyote Golf Club, New Hudson

Did you find your favorite course on the list? If not, why. Carlos does a super job of giving an explanation of his list but I have at least three courses that could easily make the list.

Hunter's Ridge- Howell- Not sure if Livingston County was included in the list but this course is as spectacular to play as it is hard to find. Old style fescues. immaculate greens and bunkers and blind sloping par threes with your heart beating hoping that you not only hit the green and the right tier at that. Eighteen is a very tough test of golf. Don't hit the ball in the heather as the course will go all Scotland on you. 

Copper Hills- This hidden gem located out in Oxford, is a design by the late Curtis Wright. Wright knew what he wanted in a golf course and built an 18 hole dandy without a golf background. The course is a combination of elevation shots built into the rolling hills and marsh and the various tee boxes play much different depending on how much you want to test yourself.
Oxford Hills is a must play << website

Stony Creek Metropark- Utica
Kensington Metro Park is a tremendous golf course. Plenty of 370-420 yard par fours with enough subtle trouble to add strokes to your game quickly.  Stony Creek is also a superb test of golf. Lots of variey of holes, plenty of holes require you to select the right club as accuracy counts as much as length. Plenty of wildlife and scenic holes, this course will let you know how much you can bite off as the greens are tricky. This course books up very fast so come out early or play a long round.
Stony Creek is a good test of golf <<

If you want to read the article, here it is.  The Detroit Free Press articles Top 10 for 2018

Lexi Thompson has great memories about her junior career and has a few tips

     Lexi Thompson is in Sylvania, Ohio this week golfing in the Marathon Classic which used to be the old Jamie Farr tournament years ago. Like most LPGA golfers, most circle this tournament as one they like to play. This year though, due to a scheduling quirk, many are sitting out this tournament but not Lexi. She is gearing up her game as the ladies play across the pond in the LPGA British Open. 

If you want to get Lexi's attention, talk to her about her outstanding junior career. She was a prodigy playing in the junior ranks and her play in particular in the AJGA brings out a point of her life of which she has fond memories. I spoke to her for a few minutes and she elaborates on both her career and has advice to those who want to follow in her footsteps. 

Video>>  Lexi Thompson has fond memories of her junior career including the AJGA

Lexi Thompson talks about her week off, junior golf and how she is ready to win tournaments.

Lexi Thompson is one of the most recognizable names on the LPGA Tour. When on Tour, she is always a threat to hold the hardware and cash big checks each week. At the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, she explains why this tournament is one of her favorites each year and why the grind of golfing each week is building toward the Solheim Cup and much more. 

Christina Lance of the LPGA talks to Lexi at the Marathon Classic   <<<Video

The LPGA's LK Kim talks about defending her Marathon Classic Title in Toledo and the state of her game

The LPGA's LK Kim is the defending champion at the Marathon Classic located in Sylvania, Ohio which is about a six iron from the Michigan - Buckeye state border. 

Kim not only is the defending champion but won the Ladies British Open just three weeks later in 2017. Since then, she's hungry and has top finishes but has not taken home the top prize in nearly a year. Here is her press conference. 

LK Kim won the Marathon Classic in 2017 and is rearing to go.    <<< Video

The Donald Ross Memorial Golf Course at Boyne Highland Resort is a special play for seasoned golfers

Ken Griffin of the Boyne Resorts is a busy man. With three responsibilities spread out over ten Michigan courses, we played a round of golf on one of the most unique golfing experience in Michigan. Sparing no expense, Boyne took on the Donald Ross Memorial project and carved out 18 of the master golf architects best work and put them on an 18 hole layout at the Boyne Highlands resort. The operative word is what would work with the terrain. You like Oakland Hills... check. Same goes for Pinehurst #2 and a bunch of dandies. Boyne people flew all over the US and into England and surprisingly, the mostly private clubs let them borrow the plans and Boyne put the design of his holes to a tee on the course. 

Ken Griffin talks about the Donald Ross Memorial Project  Video

The first of three featured holes is located below. It is the 17th hole at Oakland Hills.

Oakland Hills #17 Replica at Donald Ross Memorial  Video

Hole 3

Par 3 • 196 yards • A replica of Hole #17 | Oakland Hills Country Club; Birmingham, Michigan | Oakland Hills Country Club is one of the country's best known courses and in on the rotation schedule of the USGA and PGA majors, including the 2004 Ryder Cup & 2008 PGA Championship. This par 3 is one of Oakland Hills' most difficult holes and one of the country's great short holes. The green is 30 feet above the tee, forcing the golfer to carry the tee shot over a crest to a semi-blind pin position. It is protected on all sides by heavy bunkering with only a narrow opening at the front. Pronounced slopes and green undulations make putting an adventure.

Hole 4

Par 4 • 434 yards • A replica of Hole #14 | Pinehurst Country Club, Pinehurst #2; Pinehurst, North Carolina | The hole is pure Rossian. The tee sits atop a high knoll. A bunker is located deceptively about 50 yards in front of the green, partially obscuring it. The green complex is perhaps the most dramatic of the entire Pinehurst course with a series of rolls and contours to be carefully reckoned with. While long, difficult and deceiving, it's not tricked up or artificial. A great natural hole where par is well deserved.    Replica 14th Hole at Pinehurst #2   Video

Hole 18

Par 4 • 438 yards • A replica of Hole #16 | Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course; Birmingham, Michigan | The dogleg 16th hole is the most spectacular and most feared hole on the course. In the 1972 PGA Championship, Gary Player hit a nine iron from the rough over the willow trees to within four feet of the pin. This historic shot, which Player said was "one of the best shots of my career," led to victory two holes later.

16th at Oakland Hills Recreated at Donald Ross Memorial at Boyne Highlands  Video

Anika Dy talks about UM Golf and her play at the AJGA

Anika Dy of Traverse City has already accomplished quite a bit in her high school career as she has captured a Miss Golf title in Michigan. She talks to us and talks about now and her future. 





Anika Dy talks about UM Golf and her play at the AJGA at Boyne Highlands

AJGA at Boyne Highlands Moor Course finds two new champions.

     Collegiate aspiring golfers from across the country looked to battle the 90 plus degree heat, the wind and holiday distractions at the Coca-Cola AJGA Championship at Boyne and there really was one difference. 

The key to handling the event was staying hydrated and staying focused. For Isabella Portokalis, she had a quiet confidence things would go her way and her 71-71-70 was enough to carry her to victory over Michigan's Miss Golf Anika Dy and defending Coca Cola Champion Macy Fox. Portokalis easily had the most consistently low scores during the three day tournament and her first win on the grueling AJGA circuit.

Isabella Portakalis has a bright future- Video Interview

What began as an overcast day at the Boyne Resort turned into a mid-afternoon scorcher and the boys in the leader group saw their scores rise like the the temperatures on a very hot week for golfers. Henry Frizzell saw the day as an opportunity as this Texan sees days much hotter than the northern players. Frizzell played his four shot lead on the final hole text book as the S shaped 18th that most players play in two with water everywhere as a three shot hole and gained his first AJGA victory. Frizzell was tied for the low round of the day and considering his playing partners blew up, Frizzell's concentration was noticable to observers. His interview is here. 

Henry Frizell shows the boys how to play golf when the heat is on


Finals Results -  Click to the left to see final results for all golfers in the tournament.

AJGA Boyne Coca-Cola Tournament at Boyne Highlands-Interviews-

2017 Defending Champion Nick Dentina of Indiana and Macy Fox of Texas are back defending their Boyne Coca Cola AJGA titles and these two future college commits tell what its like playing top notch college prep golf.  Their short interviews tell them how winning this tournament helped put them on the recruiting map and for Macy, she wants to play golf on a much bigger stage. 


Dentina tells how the 2017 win gave him momentum toward a scholarship                                                 






Macy Fox talks about the AJGA and her future

MSU golf coach Casey Lubahn talks about his current team and what he looks for in a future Spartan golfer

     The AJGA Coca-Cola tournament at Boyne is in full swing at the Boyne Resort and the very best golfers in the midwest and those with Rolex points are competing. MSU coach Casey Lubahn talks to Roy J. Akers about Spartan golf. 

Click below for video interview
MSU Coach Casey Lubahn dishes in 3 minutes about Spartan golf