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

Junior Golf Scoreboard gives out the latest National girls golf rankings- How did Michigan do?

Here are the ladies and where they have committed to college.

Junior Golf Scoreboard gives the current top 50 players in the US- How did Michigan do?

Here they are. Updated. The girls will be posted later this week.

Our own Michael Dore' talks to NFL HOFer Mark Schlereth about Fox Sports and golf

Some people have the privilege of calling Michael Dore' Newman but in three minutes, he talks to one heck of a guy Mark Schlereth about his MLB player and son Daniel, Fox Sports, the Mothership and more.

Mark Schelereth talks at the LPGA Meijer Simply Care golf outing

Who are Michigan's Top Golf Teachers?

Golf Digest came out with their list for 2018 and did your golf pro make the list? Do you have arguments? Comment please. To see the state by state list, click the link following the list.


MICHIGAN
1.) Jason Guss, Jason Guss Golf Academy At Hawk Hollow, Bath
2.) Adam Schriber, Lochenheath G.C., Williamsburg
3.) Brandon Roby, Cascade Hills C.C., Grand Rapids
4.) Dave Kendall, Kendall Academy, Ypsilanti
5.) Paul Haase, Kendall Academy, Ypsilanti
6.) Gary Bissell, Meadows Golf Academy, Allendale
7.) Chris Mory, Jason Guss Golf Academy At Hawk Hollow, Bath
8.) Charley Vandenberg, Thousand Oaks Golf Academy, Grand Rapids
9.) Nick Pumford, Oakland U., Auburn Hills
10.) Lynn Janson, Hastings C.C.
11.) Brian O'Neill, Boyne Golf Academy, Harbor Springs
12.) Jack Seltzer, Seltzer Golf Academy, Grand Blanc
13.) Jordan Young, Fox Hills G. Cse., Plymouth
14.) Chris Whitten, University Of Michigan G. Cse., Ann Arbor
15.) Mike Fay, Boyne Golf Academy, Harbor Springs
16.) Jeff Goble, Fox Hills Learning Center, Plymouth
17.) Steve Brady Oakland Hills C.C., Bloomfield Hills
18.) Brad Dean, Interlochen G. Cse.

Find the complete list by state by clicking here

LPGA superstar Brooke Henderson talks about her the Meijer Simply Cares Classic in Grand Rapids

LPGA superstar Brooke Henderson talks about her the Meijer Simply Cares Classic in Grand Rapids and her earned confidence after so much success.

Here is her 5 minute press conference

Brooke Henderson Presser

Ariya Jutanugarn at the 2018 the Meijer Simply Cares Classic in Grand Rapids

Ariya Jutanugarn speaks about her US Open win, the Meijer Simply Cares Classic in Grand Rapids and her budding career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXOWnw2Zo30

Trey Wingo and our Michael Dore' talk golf, football and ESPN at the Meijer Simply Cares Celebrity Pro-Am

Love pro-am's. Celebrity Pro-am's are even better and at the LPGA Meijer Celebrity Pro am at Egypt Valley. Wingo is a natural ham and Newman plays the straight man for the affable ESPN legend. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1jKWgUBU1c

Jack Nicklaus talks about the state of the game golf including junior golf

     One of the great honors of my professional life is getting to speak with and ask Jack Nicklaus a question during a press conference at the Legends Senior PGA stop in Benton Harbor. He took questions from members of the national press and local and regional reporters such as myself. In a two minute answer, Jack talks about how golf rebounded from the great recession and what the PGA has done to get more participants than ever. Click below. 
https://youtu.be/RVsYCZKcGXM

Rocco Mediate talks about the Legends PGA Championship this week in Benton Harbor

     The Legends KitchenAid PGA Championship in Benton Harbor is a challenging course designed by the Golden Bear.

Rocco Mediate won the tournament back in 2016 and shares in a five minute press conference what it will take to win again this year.

https://youtu.be/Ci-WrtCFvMw

What can Drones do for golf Courses?

     Actually, they can do a lot. From giving quality golf instruction to showcasing a course, they do a fantastic job. They can show each hole, the course as a whole, and can show off the strategy golfers use to play it. We will be putting golf videos up this summer doing just that. 400' Cinematic and Hi Tech Real Estate are doing just that and we will be showcasing videos on this during the summer. For now, here is Mt. Holly in a basic showcase video doing just that. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-WkQzF_xhs

Beaumont Elementary 5th Grade Graduation

This photo gallery of Waterford's Beaumont Elementary is shot by Tim Thompson

http://media.theoaklandpress.com/2014/06/10/beaumont-elementary-schools-2014-5th-grade-graduation/#3

Riverside Elementary in Waterford Spring Carnival raises much needed PTO money in Pictures

The Riverside Elementary Community held their annual Spring Carnival Fundraiser and the PTO is now able to fund more student programs. Ms. Grambush, several staff members and parent volunteers all helped the students.

http://media.theoaklandpress.com/2014/05/19/spring-carnival-at-riverside-elementary-in-waterford/#1