When you visit the SentryWorld course in Stevens Point, WI., there’s always the temptation to get overwhelmed by its world-renowned Flower Hole. I’ve seen lots of beautiful golf holes, but No. 16 at SentryWorld remains my choice as the most beautiful.
The course opened in 1982 and was recently renovated by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in collaboration with Bruce Charlton and Jay Blasi. I’d planned to make the unveiling of the renovated layout, but it was rained out. An aerial view shows just how extensive the flowering of SentryWorld’s No. 16 is.
Still, I can report that the Flower Hole hasn’t lost a thing in the changes. Never the most difficult hole in golf with tee placements ranging from 97 to 176 yards, it now is adorned with over 50,000 flowers. The hole had about 42,000 before the renovation.
Long respected for his architectural work, Robert Trent Jones Jr. has created a mini-controversy with his assessment of new No. 5 hole, a par-5. He calls that hole “one of the most beautiful holes at SentryWorld and, for that matter, in all of golf.’’
CHOCTAW, MS. – Determining the best golf options in your first visit to an area isn’t easy. We faced that situation in our first-ever visit to the state of Mississippi, and I don’t think we could have made any better selections. The state has less than 200 courses, but the ones we found were all top of the line. Dancing Rabbit’s clubhouse has everything, including eight rooms for lodging.
The seven-day stay started with a few days at Old Waverly, generally considered the state’s best private club, then continued with rounds at two of the premier public facilities – Dancing Rabbit and Tunica National.
Old Waverly, which hosted a premier event on the LPGA Legends Tour while we were there, was in pristine condition. It was one of the best private facilities I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot because I’ve had the good fortune to visit plenty of good ones over the years.
We were every bit as much taken by Dancing Rabbit and Tunica National, however.
Dancing Rabbit, a 36-hole club at Pearl River Resort near the town of Philadelphia in the central part of the state, may be the most decorated club in Mississippi. Its Azaleas and Oaks courses were both designed by well-respected architect Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate, a former U.S. Open champion. Fazio also includes Chicago favorites The Glen Club and Conway Farms in his design portfolio. That reflects the quality of the courses at Dancing Rabbit.
While I’m not one to take the various course rating systems as gospel it is interesting to note that one of the longest standing ones, published by Golf Magazine, rated the Azaleas course ahead of Chicago favorites Cantigny, The General at Eagle Ridge and Kemper Lakes in one of Its Top 100 You Can Play lists.
The Azaleas was Dancing Rabbit’s first course, built in 1997. It’s also been listed in ratings by Golf Digest, Golf & Travel, Golfweek and Mississippi Magazine. It’s a tighter and tougher course than The Oaks, which opened in 1999, but I’m not convinced that it’s any better. Both are par-72s that measure over 7,000 yards from the tips, have five sets of tees per hole and offer rounds that wind through the woods with plenty of rolling hills and streams. You get a cheerful-looking welcome when you arrive at Dancing Rabbit.
Dancing Rabbit is a great selection for a golf getaway because it has plenty of lodging options. On the property is the Dancing Rabbit Inn, and there’s also eight rooms available in the clubhouse. That’s in addition to the Pearl River Resort and the Golden Moon and Silver Star casinos, which offer alternate forms of entertainment. All told, the area has over 1,000 hotel rooms and 11 restaurants.
If you’re worried about the heat and humidity that Mississippi is known for, it wasn’t oppressive at either of the courses because there’s plenty of shade around the tree-lined cart paths.
Tunica National, on the outskirts of Memphis near Robinsonville, MS., is entirely different. This course, designed by former PGA Tour star Mark McCumber, features generous fairways and is all about fun. Though user-friendly, there are plenty of challenges created by strategically placed water hazards and bunkers.
Like the Dancing Rabbit courses, Tunica National features five sets of tees per hole but – at 7,402 yards – it plays longer from the back tees than either The Azaleas or The Oaks. Tunica also features an outstanding, spacious practice area.
Tunica National, managed by Chicago-based KemperSports, is also in a casino-rich area. There are nine of them nearby, and over 40 hotels are also in close proximity. The Tunica clubhouse is also unusual in that it includes four indoor clay tennis courts. This rabbit isn’t dancing, but it makes for a striking tee marker.
As for Old Waverly, it’s rich in tradition as the site of the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open and it’s also been dubbed as The Country Club of Mississippi. Pate was also involved in its design, working with architect Bob Cupp prior to the course’s opening in 1988.
While not a public venue in the style of Dancing Rabbit or Tunica National, Old Waverly does offer lodging in the form of cottages, villas and condos for members and guests in the small town of West Point in the northeast part of the state. Beautiful homes are in evidence around the course and the layout has also been recognized by both Golfweek and Golf Digest.
In addition to its attractive golf setting, the club has also been a popular site for corporate meetings, weddings and other special events.
All three facilities are different and have their own special features. There was one common threat, however. Mississippi has promoted itself as “the hospitality state,’’ and that was clearly evident at all three locations.
When Harbor Shores hosted the Senior PGA Championship in 2012 it had no tournament history. That won’t be the case when the tourney returns to the Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Benton Harbor, Mich., in 2014. The May 22-25 event will mark the tournament’s 75th anniversary.
While the Senior PGA is rich in tournament history, Harbor Shores is not. In a sense the course’s history in that regard began when the first ball was struck at the 2012 Senior PGA.
Harbor Shores only opened on July 1, 2010. The Champions for Change — a skins game-style exhibition that featured golf legends Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Johnny Miller — created a memorable grand opening as well as an appropriate lead-in to the first big tournament, but the 2012 Senior PGA was noteworthy for the history it produced more than for the arrival of big-name players.
The victory by England’s Roger Chapman, who had won only one tournament in 16 full seasons on the European PGA Tour and none as a senior player, was a Cinderella story. He was the Senior PGA’s first wire-to-wire winner since Hale Irwin in 2004, and his breathrough win has been one of the most shocking developments in golf this decade.
Even with Kenny Perry shooting a tournament record 62 in the final round, Chapman dominated a field filled with the Champions Tour’s best players. He led by nine shots with 10 holes left before winning by two over John Cook. Chapman, who won the U.S. Senior Open later in 2012, posted a 13-under-par 271 and called his Harbor Shores victory “the greatest thing I’ve ever done.’’
That win may have been the best feel-good story in golf in 2012, but it wasn’t nearly the feel-good story that Harbor Shores has become as a focal point in the revival of Benton Harbor – a community that had undergone very difficult economic times. The building of Harbor Shores was a big part of that revival.
At one point one-fifth of the city’s 11,000 residents were unemployed and the 530 acres on which Harbor Shores was built was an abused, forgotten piece of property – basically a garbage dump. Some of it had been a slag pit for a company that made automobile brakes, Another spot was occupied by a company that used radium and mercury to manufacture components for fighter jets. It took a complicated financial deal that involved acquiring federal and state grant money to get the construction started.
Construction wasn’t easy, either. Some 117 tons of trash and 20,000 tons of contaminated soil had to be removed. At one time or another Nicklaus had to deal with empty buildings, roads, power lines, a railroad track, two rivers, a lake and a public park. He had to change the routing of the holes nearly two dozen times.
But that was then, and this is now.
Harbor Shores was barely open when the PGA of America, supported by an enthusiastic local sponsor in KitchenAid – a premium brand of Whirlpool Corporation, named Harbor Shores the venue for two Senior PGA Championships.
A quick look at the place tells you why. The 6,861-yard par-71 course has three holes on Lake Michigan and 10 other holes offer views of the Paw Paw River or Ox Creek. Plus, it had a visionary architect in Nicklaus, whose design included a three-tiered monster green at the No. 10 hole. At 10,500 square feet, it’s the biggest putting surface Nicklaus has ever designed – and that’s saying something, since the Golden Bear’s portfolio includes about 275 courses world-wide.
“We set out, really, to change a community,’’ Nicklaus said. “This wasn’t just about a golf course. This was a non-profit project. That’s the important part of it.’’
Harbor Shores has become one of the most beautiful spots in Southwestern Michigan in part because it has some other special touches. Each hole was named after a plant indigenous to the area. Each hole also features a metal sculpture with at least one piece of hand-blown glass holding a plaque describing one of Nicklaus’ 18 major championship victories.
The First Tee of Benton Harbor learning center is also part of the complex and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor also use the facility for their daily activities, adding significantly to the feel-good atmosphere so prevalent at Harbor Shores.
Not only has Harbor Shores established itself as one of the most attractive beach resorts on Lake Michigan, its creation has also stimulated home-building and community development. The renaissance envisioned by city and county leaders when construction started just five years ago is materializing.
PETOSKEY, MI. – Boyne Resorts may be best known for skiing nationwide, but golf has never been just an afterthought. That was clearly evident this season when Boyne undertook two major projects simultaneously on its Michigan courses.
Crooked Tree’s No. 16 offers a spectacular view of Little Traverse Bay from the tee. (All photos courtesy of Boyne Golf).The bunkers on The Moor layout at Boyne Highlands Resort underwent an extensive renovation while nearby Crooked Tree Golf Club was given an even more noteworthy updating. The Crooked Tree project represents, arguably, the most significant work done in this golf –rich state in 2014. That’s saying something, since Michigan has over 800 public courses.
Crooked Tree’s original designer was Harry Bowers, his creation opening in 1991. Bowers has worked with Robert Trent Jones Sr., Raymond Floyd and Curtis Strange on various projects in addition to his own designs, which include Odyssey in Tinley Park, IL (done with Strange). It opened a year after Crooked Tree. A good tee shot at No.16 will give you this approach to the green.
Plenty of players liked the challenges Crooked Tree presented, to say nothing of the scenic views it offered of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, but Bernie Friedrich, Boyne senior vice president of golf and retail operations, is quick to admit that all was not ideal with the original design.
There were issues with the three finishing holes. The well-respected architect Arthur Hills, who has another course named in his honor at Boyne Highlands, was brought in to correct the problems.
“We had three finishing holes that, frankly, weren’t very pleasing,’’ said Friedrich, in his 38th season with Boyne. “People would leave with a bad taste in their mouths.’’
For many players, those holes were too tough but Friedrich insists that Hills’ re-design effort wasn’t about making the holes easier.
“Easier? No,’’ he said. “It made them more playable. There’s a difference.’’
No. 16 is a par-4 that measures 389 yards from the back tees and 310 from the front. Hills’ version has some enthusiastic supporters, one telling me “We now have one of the best holes in North America.’’
It is indeed memorable. Little Traverse Bay doesn’t come into play, but it’s highly visible from the elevated tee. A good drive can leave you with another nice look, a downhill shot to a green blocked in part by a pond front right. The fairway was extended and the green moved behind the pond. That represented a big change for the hole.
Much more work was needed at No. 17, a par-5 that now plays 510 yards from the tips and 379 from the front markers.
“It was a really bad golf hole,’’ said Friedrich. An assessment can’t get any more blunt than that.
“A 10-handicapper would hit a driver, then lay up with a 9-iron and then hit a 150-shot over a ravine to the green,’’ said Friedrich, describing the old No. 17. “Women’s couldn’t play it. They’d skip it.’’
So, Hills backed up the tees, moved 165 yards of dirt, lowered the green and flattened it out. Friedrich now calls it “a very pleasant par-5.’’ No. 17 at Crooked Tree has gone from a “bad golf hole” to a “pleasant par-5” in part because of this new tee placement.
The finishing hole is now a 431-yard par-4 and can be played as short as 272 yards. The green’s the thing here. No. 18 shares the same green with No. 9. Previously it lacked a variety of pin positions for a finishing hole. Now it has three tiers, so there’s plenty of them. The fairway was also moved and some bunkers narrowed, the end result being a more playable hole before you head to the clubhouse.
Friedrich reports the new holes have been “extremely well received,’’ but it wasn’t a quick fix and it didn’t come cheap. Hills began his work last fall and the course re-opened on June 11 after an array of challenges.
The new holes were seeded twice because “horrible’’ spring weather resulted in 11 inches of rain falling in a three-week span. That led to the decision to lay sod instead.
“Otherwise we would have ended up trying to grow grass all years,’’ said Friedrich. “It turned out very expensive – in excess of $600,000 for just those three holes.’’
The project, though, produced the desired result. “The course is fun to play, and you leave the golf course with a much better feeling now,’’ said Friedrich.
His job, of course, encompasses much more than Crooked Tree. Within Michigan he’s also responsible for the Arthur Hills, Donald Ross Memorial, The Heather, Hidden River and The Moor at Boyne Highlands as well as The Alpine and The Monument at Boyne Mountain Resort and The Links, The Quarry and The Preserve at Bay Harbor.
He also oversees Boyne courses in Montana and Maine, and most are also impacted by busy ski seasons. Sometimes those seasons overlap. Two years ago, for instance, northern Michigan had 80-degree temperatures in March.
“We were trying to stretch out the ski season, and we were making snow on one side of a hill and on the other side (where golf holes were in place) we were watering,’’ said Friedrich. But that is highly unusual.
“If golf and skiing are going on in this climate at the same time it’s probably not very good for either one of them,’’ said Friedrich. “Having them together depends on the year, but it’s not a goal. We start golf in May (in Michigan) when a lot of holes still have snow on them and we’ll see snow until June.’’
GAYLORD, MI. – The northern Michigan community of Gaylord has 17 golf courses, all of them quite good. It’s one of the best places you can go if you’re looking for a golf-getaway destination. I should know. I’ve probably visited the area 10 times over the last two decades. This spot on Threetops’ No. 7 tee was where Lee Trevino hit the most lucrative shot in golf in 2001 — a hole-in-one at the green far below.
This year, though, there’s something new going on. In mid-July the Treetops Resort introduced the National Par-3 Team Championship. It’ll run through Sept. 27, but you can expect to head more about it because this first version has been deemed a success and it’s not even over yet.
Jim McGuigan, head golf professional at Treetops North Resort, reported that 81 two-man teams had entered in the first six weeks of the event. Most were all male, but there are no restrictions.
“Looking forward, we wanted everybody playing the same set of tees,’’ said McGuigan, “but we could go to a second set that might bring in more women.’’
Age group categories might stimulate more entries, too, but that’s a topic for discussion for 2015. For now, the concept works as an introductory event. Each player pays $10 (in addition to his greens fee) to enter. Competitive format is a two-man best ball on the famed Threetops layout. Scores must be verified by at least one person in the group, and multiple entries are also encouraged. Bright flowers greet all the players when they arrive at the first tee at Threetops.
“The word national is used because of the players we’re attracting,’’ said McGuigan. Players from seven states and Canada have already entered.
Playing the event on Threetops also adds to the event’s credibility. Its owner and designer, Rick Smith, opened the course in 1992 and it has been declared “the No. 1 Par 3 course in America’’ with some justification. It gained notoriety long ago as the site of the ESPN Par 3 Shootout, a nationally televised event with its participants including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Ray Floyd, Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Chris DiMarco and Paul Azinger.
In 2001 the event created big news when Trevino made a hole-in-one at No. 7 which won him $1,090,000 – the most lucrative shot in golf. The event ran only from 1999-2006 but the course’s popularity never wavered. It features spectacular holes with dramatic elevation changes.
Yardage from the back tees for regular play is 1,435 yards with the best hole being the steep downhill third, longest on the course at 219 yards.
The decision to create another high-profile event was the brainchild of Florida-based Andrew Wood, who heads his Legendary Marketing firm. He worked with Treetops North general manager Barry Owens and director of golf Kevin McKinley in developing the concept and McGuigan and assistant professional Spencer Bloom are handling the administrative duties. You must play from these tee markers in the National Par 3 Team Championship and that makes the challenge more difficult.
Threetops is available to all players when the Par 3 National Championship is in progress, but those who enter the big event must play from a set of tees slightly behind the tips used for normal play.
McGuigan said the tournament tee placements are “near’’ those used for the ESPN Par 3 Shootout in its heyday.
Players have until Sept. 11 to play qualifying rounds. The top 28 teams, plus ties, will qualify for the final shootout on Sept. 27 and there’ll be no entry fee for the qualifiers. The grand prize is a golf trip to Scotland, including airfare. Finalists will also have an opportunity on each of the nine holes to earn $10,000 for a hole-in-one, and other prizes will also be awarded.
The low score after six weeks was a 3-under-par 24 posted by two teams. One of the members of the leading teams was Justin Kowatcz, a member of Treetops’ Club 81 (the resort has 81 holes available). The others, though, are visitors to the area.
“We’ve never done this before but even par (27) will probably get you into the finals,’’ McGuigan said.
As an incentive to potential qualifiers Treetops is offering a package starting at $118 per person based on double occupancy through Sept. 11 that covers one night’s lodging, one round on Threetops with the qualifier entry fee and one breakfast buffet.
While the National Par 3 Championship was the biggest development under discussion at the 27th annual Gaylord Golf Mecca gathering of media members, FootGolf has also been added at the Rick Smith Tradition course.
As was the case at many Midwestern golf destinations, difficult winter weather slowed the start to Gaylord’s spring activities but Paul Beachnau, executive director of Gaylord Michigan USA, reported play in full swing during the summer months and the courses played during the Mecca – Michaywe, Threetops, Rick Smith Signature and The Tribute at Otsego Club & Resort – were all in excellent condition.
Bet you never thought of Iowa as a golf destination, did you? Well, maybe you should.
At least visits to two courses – Spirit Hollow in Burlington and Amana Colonies Golf Club in Middle Amana — during John Deere Classic week suggested that Iowa has plenty to offer golf-wise.
The Amana Colonies layout is the older of the two courses. It was opened in 1989, but the area near Cedar Rapids and the University of Iowa in Iowa City already had a reputation in golf before that. The Amana VIP tournament, which ran from 1967-90, was created by George Foerstner, founder of Amana Refrigeration, and Julius Boros, a long-time PGA Tour player who won the 1952 and 1963 U.S. Opens and the 1968 PGA Championship. The Amana Colonies course was challenging, but a most welcoming, place.
Their long-popular event was a forerunner to the celebrity events put on today. Bob Goalby, the former Masters champion, called it “the Masters of the Pro-Ams’’ and all the top players of that era – from Lee Trevino to Fuzzy Zoeller to Tom Watson – played in it at one time or another. So did celebs like ex-President Gerald Ford, Mike Ditka, Flip Wilson and Joe DiMaggio.
That event wasn’t held at Amana Colonies Golf Club. It opened one year before the last Amana VIP tourney was held at the University of Iowa’s Finkbine course.
Amana Colonies hasn’t had an event that big, but the 6,824-yard par-72 layout designed by William Spear on a 600-acre plot has long been considered one of Iowa’s best public facilities. Some may find the number of blind shots on the hilly layout excessive but the course has some beautiful views and successfully walks the fine line of being both fun and challenging.
Unlike Spirit Hollow, Amana Colonies is a more finished project. It also includes lodging at Colony Oaks condominiums, where stay-and-play packages for one to eight guests are available adjacent to the course. The Colonies – there’s seven of them that date back to 1855 – also are a National Historic Landmark. They attract visitors, golfers and non-golfers alike, all year long.
Spirit Hollow, though, is where exciting new things are happening now. The Amana Colonies clubhouse makes for a nice finishing hole on a course with plenty of elevation changes.
The course, designed by Libertville architect Rick Jacobson, opened in 2000. It’s been a busy place that will soon get busier.
Spirit Hollow hosted the Iowa Amateur in 2000 and 2012 and was the site of the last men’s National Junior College Athletic Assn. Division I championship. It’ll host the GolfWeek Challenge, which draws 15 of the top college teams, in September. Those are big events in a town of 30,000 residents that isn’t close to a bigger city. (The Quad Cities are a 75-minute drive away and Western Illinois University is the closest big college).
Burlington businessman Randy Winegard has done wonderful things with Spirit Hollow and more will become self-evident soon. Eight lodge rooms are under construction, so – possibly as soon as August – Spirit Hollow will be able to offer exclusive stay-and-play packages on the premises.
“It’ll make you feel like you’re staying at your own lodge,’’ said head professional Erin Strieck, who knows her way around the Illinois-Iowa golf scene. She held a similar job at Eagle Ridge in Galena, Ill., for 15 years and then spent two more at Fyre Lake, a Nicklaus Design Group project now operating in Sherrard, Ill.
Lodging isn’t all that’s coming in what will end up as about a $1 million renovation. There’ll also be a new bar and grill in the clubhouse and a stand-alone pavilion will be constructed near the driving range to host outings and other big events. Oh, deer! It’s always interesting to get some unexpected visitors in the middle of a round. This was our onlooker at Amana.
Spirit Hollow already has other entertainment options available. Winegard owns the Catfish Bend Inn, which is four miles away. It has a casino, water park and two restaurants and is a good place for adult get-aways, business gatherings and family vacations. And now the golf alternative – already quite good – is getting a boost.
“We’re lucky to have an owner who wants to take Spirit Hollow to the next level in achieving excellence,’’ said Strieck. “Our ultimate goal is Top 100 (in the various course ratings) and No. 1 in Iowa. With the addition of the lodging rooms, and as the place matures, that’s definitely without our reach.’’
More about the course facilities. Spirit Hollow may be the best buy in the Midwest now — $35 for seniors with cart included seven days a week. The clubhouse has an indoor hitting facility that allows for winter practice, and having music playing on a big practice range offers a nice, somewhat unusual twist.
Jacobson, who got his start in golf architecture working for Jack Nicklaus, formed his own company in 1991. He’s done a lot of work in China lately, but his creations in the Chicago area include two real good ones – Strawberry Creek in Kenosha and Bowes Creek in Elgin. Spirit Hollow ranks at least on par with those. He’s also done renovation work at such quality places as Kemper Lakes, North Shore, Bob O’Link, Oak Park, Cantigny and Sunset Ridge. That should speak volumes about what you can expect if you visit Spirit Hollow.
The staff there is also notable. In addition to Strieck, the superintendent is Jim Wyffels. He was superintendent at The General at Eagle Ridge before moving on to Fyre Lake and then Spirit Hollow.
There are lots of good holes at Spirit Hollow. You don’t forget No. 6, a 445-yard par-4 where some extremely realistic-looking “wolves’’ serve as decoys to keep geese off the green and away from the pond that fronts the putting surface.
None of the holes, however, are more memorable than No. 9 – a short dogleg right par-4. A stream runs in front of the long, elevated green and a waterfall – though not really in play – provides an added attraction. Play the hole from the right tee – 266 yards from the front one, or longer tests from 321, 365 or 410 yards — and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a challenge as much fun as this one.
GREEN LAKE, Wis. — Shame on me. This golf writer of nearly 50 years didn’t know nearly enough about the work of William Langford until playing in last week’s Langford Shield outing at The Links of Lawsonia.
The course got its name from the legendary newspaperman Victor Lawson. He was the publisher of the Chicago Daily News prior to his death in 1925, and The Links of Lawsonia was built on a three-hour drive from Chicago near the small college town of Ripon. There’s reportedly a boxcar under the No. 7 green at The Links of Lawsonia. The elevation it created makes for a most interesting par-3.
Langford was a Chicago golf architect and very prominent in his profession. He and partner Theodore Moreau were the course designers. The Links of Lawsonia course didn’t open until 1930, and it has had a partner course, Woodlands, since 1985. It was designed by Rocky Roquemore, who participated in the design of Cog Hill’s Dubsdread course in Lemont.
The Langford Shield outing was created by newly-named management company Oliphant Golf to celebrate the opening of the new Langford Pub and underscore the work that Langford did as a course architect. He worked on over 200 courses nation-wide.
Big-Three golf website partner Rory Spears and I were only middle-of-the-pack in the inaugural playing of the Langford Shield, a two-man team event that is expected by be held annually, but the experience was first-rate. Lawsonia had been long-recommended, but last weekend was my first visit there.
Gary D’Amato, long-time friend and well-respected golf writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, calls it “one of the top five courses in Wisconsin.’’ That’s saying a lot, given all the positive developments going on in Wisconsin in recent years.
Lawsonia isn’t one of those new developments, but it has had a most interesting history. It was eventually purchased by the American Baptist Assembly and was closed in the 1940s so the property could be used to house German war prisoners. Langford Shield partner Rory Spears (left) and I got a look at the original course design when Langford’s Pub opened.
From the golf side, though, this course is a real treat. I learned that most of the holes were built as replicas of holes in Scotland and the par-3 seventh apparently has a boxcar buried underneath it to create its extraordinary elevation. There may also be a boxcar under the practice range.
At any rate, Langford’s reputation alone merits a visit to Lawsonia. He was long based in Chicago and his works there include Barrington Hills, Bryn Mawr, Butterfield, Glen Oak, Park Ridge, Ruth Lake, Westmoreland and Skokie. At the outing, though, I learned that he had a special fondness for public golf and many believe The Links at Lawsonia is his best work in an extraordinary career.
Oliphant Golf, formed in 1996 and based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has done over 150 construction and renovation projects, but hasn’t been all that active in the Midwest. Ten of its projects, none in Wisconsin or Illinois, were honored in Golf Digest’s rating categories.
BURLINGTON, Iowa –I guess I’ll always be looking for golf’s so-called `hidden gems’ – great courses that are off the beaten path.
Too often, though, I find that these courses are more hidden than they are gems. That’s not true when it comes to Spirit Hollow, though. This is a true hidden gem in an Iowa town of about 30,000 that is just a few miles over the Illinois border. I’d heard good things about it for years and finally paid a visit during July’s John Deere Classic week.
Designed by Libertville architect Rick Jacobson, Spirit Hollow opened in 2000. It’s been a busy place that will soon get busier. Eventually, I suspect, it might even get knocked off the `hidden gem’ list. Head professional Erin Strieck worked at Eagle Ridge and Fyre Lake before enjoying the views at Spirit Hollow.
Already Spirit Hollow hosted the Iowa Amateur in 2000 and 2012 and was the site of the last men’s National Junior College Athletic Assn. Division I championship. It’ll host the GolfWeek Challenge, which draws 15 of the top college teams, in September. Those are big events in a town that isn’t close to a bigger city. (The Quad Cities, when the PGA Tour’s JDC is played annually, are a 75-minute drive away and Western Illinois University is the closest big college).
Burlington businessman Randy Winegard has done wonderful things with Spirit Hollow and more will become self-evident soon. Eight lodge rooms are under construction, so – possibly as soon as August – Spirit Hollow will be able to offer exclusive stay-and-play packages on the premises.
“It’ll make you feel like you’re staying at your own lodge,’’ said head professional Erin Strieck, who knows her way around the Illinois-Iowa golf scene. She held a similar job at Eagle Ridge in Galena, Ill., for 15 years and then spent two more at Fyre Lake, a Nicklaus Design Group project now operating in Sherrard, Ill. The Spirit Hollow clubhouse is in the midst of a major renovation.
Lodging isn’t all that’s coming in what will end up as about a $1 million renovation. There’ll also be a new bar and grill in the clubhouse and a stand-alone pavilion will be constructed near the driving range to host outings and other big events.
Spirit Hollow already has other entertainment options available to its visitors. The Catfish Bend Inn, four miles away, has a casino, water park and two restaurants and is a good place for adult get-aways, business gatherings and family vacations. And now the golf alternative – already quite good – is getting a boost. Does this fake wolf scare you? It apparently keeps the geese away from Spirit Hollow’s No. 6 hole.
“We’re lucky to have an owner who wants to take Spirit Hollow to the next level in achieving excellence,’’ said Strieck. “Our ultimate goal is Top 100 (in the various course ratings) and No. 1 in Iowa. With the addition of the lodging rooms, and as the place matures, that’s definitely within our reach.’’
I don’t doubt that for a minute, but more about the course facilities. Spirit Hollow may be the best buy in the Midwest now — $35 for seniors with cart included seven days a week. The clubhouse has an indoor hitting facility that allows for winter practice, and having music playing on a big practice range offers a nice, somewhat unusual twist. Finding your way to the No. 9 green isn’t easy. This great par-4 is my favorite hole at Spirit Hollow.
Jacobson, who got his start in golf architecture working for Jack Nicklaus, formed his own company in 1991. He’s done a lot of work in China lately, but his creations in the Chicago area include two real good ones – Strawberry Creek in Kenosha and Bowes Creek in Elgin. Spirit Hollow ranks at least on par with those. He’s also done renovation work at such quality places as Kemper Lakes, North Shore, Bob O’Link, Oak Park, Cantigny and Sunset Ridge. That should speak volumes about what you can expect if you visit Spirit Hollow.
The staff there is also notable. In addition to Strieck, the general manager is Jim Wyffels. He was superintendent at The General at Eagle Ridge before moving on to Fyre Lake and then Spirit Hollow.
There are lots of good holes at Spirit Hollow. You don’t forget No. 6, a 445-yard par-4 where some extremely realistic-looking “wolves’’ serve as decoys to keep geese off the green and away from the pond that fronts the putting surface.
None of the holes, however, are more memorable than No. 9 – a short dogleg right par-4. A stream runs in front of the long, elevated green and a waterfall – though not really in play – provides an added attraction. Play the hole from the right tee – 266 yards from the front one, or longer tests from 321, 365 or 410 yards — and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a challenge as much fun as this one.
KOHLER, Wis. – What’s been going on in golf in Wisconsin is astonishing.
Another PGA Championship and a Ryder Cup coming to Whistling Straits. A U.S. Open on its way to Erin Hills. A Robert Trent Jones renovation of the famous Flower Hole at Sentry World. A new Mike Keiser resort, Sand Valley, with four courses to be built near Wisconsin Rapids.
That’s a ton of major development for a state with a short golf season, but the boom has been in the works for awhile.
Like, say, about 25 years.
With all due respect to the Lake Geneva resorts, Grand Geneva and Geneva National, the dramatic surge in golf development in the Badger state the last few years has roots to Herb Kohler’s decision to bring in architect Pete Dye. He designed the Blackwolf Run course at The American Club. Elevated tee shots aren’t unusual at Blackwolf Run, and they can create some scenic challenges.
Blackwolf Run has changed a lot since the likes of Ernie Els and Greg Norman competed in the World Championships of Golf there from 1995-97. A year later the U.S. Women’s Open came to Blackwolf and produced an epic victory by Korean Se Ri Pak. That really set the stage for the influx of great Asian players on the LPGA Tour.
Then Kohler made the unusual decision to add another 18 holes at Blackwolf. Dye’s original 18 was named Best New Public Course for 1988 by Golf Digest. In expanding Kohler allowed the River and Meadow Valley nines to be put on different courses to create a 36-hole complex.
The move paid off. More championship golf came to Kohler when Whistling Straits became a reality and more came to other areas of Wisconsin once Kohler showed it could be done.
Now – before the excitement of the 2015 PGA Championship, the 2017 U.S. Open, the opening of Keiser’s next project and the opening of a reported fifth course in the Kohler area — is a good time to spend some quality time where it all began. Blackwolf Run remains one of the nation’s premier golf destinations. A trip to Kohler shouldn’t center on rounds at Whistling Straits. Blackwolf Run remains a great place to play, even if big tournaments won’t be there for awhile.
The 2012 U.S. Women’s Open was its latest venture on golf’s big stage, and the original 18 was put back together for that event. Visitors won’t get to play the original layout, but the two separate 18s are just fine. So is the historic hotel and the adjacent Carriage House Annex with its spa, and the Horse & Plow restaurant remains a hot spot.
While quality remains, this season is unique. A lot of planning will be done, as Jason Mengel has set up headquarters to direct the 2015 PGA Championship and Michael Belot has returned to his home town as both general manager of Destination Kohler and vice chairman (behind David Kohler) of the PGA Championship.
Belot had spent time away, as director of the 2006 and 2009 PGA Championships and the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah and considered more roles with the PGA of America before heading home. His family moved to Kohler in 1978, when he was one year old, and he lived there until going off to college in 1996. Other family members have continued to live in the Kohler area.
“I had some great opportunities with the PGA after the Ryder Cup,’’ said Belot, “but I thought this would be a perfect fit. I have two young sons and would be re-locating every few years (had he remained with the PGA). This works out well for me personally and professionally.’’
He’s got a much bigger job now, with responsibility for all lodging, the Sports Core, nine restaurants and – among many other things – the proposed new course.
Though its location — on 247 acres of Kohler-owned land near the own of Wilson, 10 miles south of Whistling Straits — has been disclosed and Dye has been on the property, further details on the project are hush-hush at the moment. Plans were submitted to the Wilson planning commissioner on May 12, and Belot says “We’re just working through the process.’’
A visit to the site suggests some holes will be on Lake Michigan, as is the case with Whistling Straits. At least a few holes of the proposed fifth course in the Kohler area will have views like this one of Lake Michigan.
The talking for now focuses on next year’s PGA. Mengel arrived last July after working as tournament director of the 2013 Senior PGA Championship at Bellerive in St. Louis.
“That’s a very good club and a good market,’’ he said. “We set all-time new corporate records there, and the 100th PGA will be there in 2018.’’
For now, though, Mengel’s concern is 2015, when Whistling Straits will host its third PGA in 11 years. He started selling corporate hospitality last September.
“Everything went absolutely fantastic,’’ he said. “We’ve seen wonderful support. Three chalet villages were on our initial plan, and we’ve already sold out two and have just one spot left in the third. We’re already talking expansion plans, and we’re only a year into it.’’
Ticket sales for 2015 will start on Aug. 11, the day after this year’s PGA concludes at Valhalla, in Louisville, but potential buyers have to register before then to hold their place in line for those tickets.
“The time to act is now,’’ Mengel said. Plans for the 2020 Ryder Cup underscore that. Buy a hospitality chalet now and you get the right of first refusal at the Ryder Cup five years later. Buy four Wanamaker Club tickets now, and you can bypass the ticket lottery for the Ryder Cup down the road.
Seventy-five percent of the volunteer positions have already been filled for the 2015 PGA, a testament to the good experiences many felt while working at the previous big events in the area.
Tournament director Jason Mengel is happy with the way preparations for the 2015 PGA Championship are progressing.Mengel says this PGA won’t be quite like the others.
“The biggest difference is the commitment that Kohler Company and Pete Dye made to build our infrastructure out on the golf course. That will be the most visible difference,’’ Mengel said. “A lot of work will be done outside the ropes so we can build our infrastructure.’’
“This will be a huge difference,’’ chimed in Belot. “We’ve committed to changing the golf course. Some areas will be graded to accommodate corporate hospitality. Some of the views (from the hospitality venues) will overlook Lake Michigan. They’ll be spectacular.’’
Tweaking aside, Wisconsin still has plenty of enthusiasm for golf’s biggest events.
“It’s a great thing. It shows the love for golf in this state,’’ said Mengel, who grew up in Michigan. “We’ve seen the passion at the 2004 and 2010 PGAs. What an amazing market this is for golf.’’
Belot admits the Wisconsin golf is “truly remarkable.’’
“When you have tremendous courses like we have at Kohler people will be interested in playing them,’’ he said. “They’ll take advantage of the golf season that they do have, despite having such a short window to play.’’
The 2015 PGA is just the next step.
“Everything we’re doing is for 2015, but we’re keeping in mind the Ryder Cup,’’ said Belot. “It’ll be here before we know it.’’
AUGUSTA, MI. – When you put Augusta and golf together you think of April, azaleas and the Masters tournament, right?
Well, that’d be understandable. Not all the great Augusta golf is played in Georgia, though. Check out Augusta, Michigan. Golf is pretty good there, too. Vice president Tim Moskalic shows his eye-catching course at Yarrow Golf & Conference Resort.
This little town (population of only about 1,000) in southwest Michigan is the home of one of the premier families in the American golf industry as well as a unique resort/convention center complex that features one of that’s state’s premier courses. Put them together and you have the story of six courses just a few miles apart that create an ideal destination for group outings.
We’ll start with Yarrow Golf & Conference Resort. Its golf is good – an 18-holer designed by busy Michigan architect Ray Hearn in 2002. Hearn has either designed or worked on 25 courses in his home state (he lives in Holland, MI.) and has done quality work elsewhere. His renovations at two Chicago clubs – private Flossmoor Country Club and upscale public Mistwood – have drawn more attention lately but Yarrow is definitely one of Hearn’s best.
He gets your attention immediately with a highly-challenging 588-yard opening hole that has a bit of everything, most notably elevation changes and an undulating putting surface. Hearn wanted that to be No. 10 in his original plans, but ownership considerations eventually changed that.
Anyway, the rest of the course isn’t as intimidating and Hearn’s use of four other tee placements makes Yarrow suitable for players of all abilities. There’s lots of fun holes out there, but the layout is made for major competitions if played from the tips – 7,005 yards with a par of 72, rating of 72.4 and slope of 133.
Yarrow, though, is about more than golf. It has fine dining, 12 meeting rooms and 45 guest rooms spread over three separate buildings that make it a hub for company retreats and weddings. The staff is a friendly bunch, headed by resort vice president Tim Moskalic and general manager Toby Hilton.
In the same town of Augusta (or very close to it) is Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort. For four decades the Scott family has owned and operated this multi-course conglomerate. There’s some prominent families in the American golf industry, starting with the Jemsek clan in Chicago, and the Scotts are right up there. Gull Lake View has welcomed golfers for over 50 years.
Gull Lake View isn’t one place. Actually, it’s Gull Lake View Inc. and it embraces five courses owned by the Scotts. This family pioneered the golf destination business in Michigan, and that’s saying a lot since the state has over 800 public courses despite its relatively short playing season.
Golfers from outside southwest Michigan started playing Gull Lake View courses in 1963. That’s the year that Darl and Letha Scott opened the first nine holes of their first course. Darl had been a course superintendent for 21 years at Gull Lake Country Club before deciding to build a course of his own.
The proximity of Gull Lake View’s five courses — located between the bigger cities of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek — is a big plus. The conditioning on all of them is well above average. So is the variety of the layouts, and cost-wise it’s a friendly place as well. That formula has brought back many golfers for return visits over the years. If you want to play a lot of golf on a lot of different courses in a short period of time Gull Lake View is the place for you.
There are three bases of operation for the five courses. The Gull Lake View West and East courses are equipped with Fairway Villas and the Kendall Academy of instructors is also based there.
The Stonehedge South and North layouts are three miles down the road, and Bedford Valley is off the beaten path a bit – it’s officially in Battle Creek — but still within a short drive of the others. Each has its own bit of history.
Gull Lake View West was expanded to 18 holes in 1965. The adjoining East course, rated as high as the tenth best course in Michigan at one time, was completed in 1976 and the 64 Fairway Villa condos were opened a year later. All were designed and built by members of the Scott family.
The par-70 East is on the short side (6,059 yards) but is loaded with water hazards, hilly terrain and undulating greens. West is longer (6,330 yards) with a slightly higher rating (69.8) and slope (126).
Both the Stonehedge courses are still longer and more challenging. Stonehedge South, the third of the family’s courses, was designed by Charles Scott. This very scenic layout opened in 1988.
No. 4 came via purchase that same year. The family acquired Bedford Valley, a one-time private club with a course designed by Boston architect William Mitchell in 1965. This charming layout, much different from Augusta’s other courses, is the favorite for many visitors who have tested them all. It’s the longest (7,070 yards) with the highest rating (73.5) and slope (131). Bedford Valley is proud of its long history as a tournament site.
Mitchell may not be the most well-known course designer but his resume includes two interesting tidbits. He’s credited with coining the term “executive course’’ (though Bedford Valley certainly isn’t one of those) and he also designed Rolling Hills Country Club in Florida. The renowned movie “Caddie Shack’’ would eventually be filmed there.
Bedford Valley has been the home of the Michigan Senior Open every year since 1996 and also has hosted the Michigan Open and the NCAA Division II national championship. Locals call this “The Big Course’’ because it has huge greens, large bunkers and fairways lined with large oak trees. An 8,400-square foot clubhouse was opened in 2008.
Last of the Gull Lake View courses to open was Stonehedge North. Designed by Charles and Jon Scott, it opened in 1995 with a unique mixture of holes – six par-5s, six par-4s and six par-3s. Like the South, it has some dramatic elevation changes amidst a forest setting.
Along with the courses there’s Cranes Pond, a 250-acre private gated golf community adjacent to the Gull View West course that includes a 54-acre lake, and The Woods at Stonehedge, a 40-acre community located on the Stonehedge South course.
When you visit the SentryWorld course in Stevens Point, WI., there’s always the temptation to get overwhelmed by its world-renowned Flower Hole. I’ve seen lots of beautiful golf holes, but No. 16 at SentryWorld remains my choice as the most beautiful.
