MGN ON THE ROAD

Boyne Country-Boyne Mountain
At Boyne, a good winter pays a lot of the bills for the great golf in summer. This weekend we ran into Steve Kircher and Art Tebo at the King of the Mountain ski and snowboard championships sponsored by Jeep. It was pretty special stuff as there are only three regional meets and then the finals in Aspen.

Gaylord -The Natural
Larry Bowden also depends on the white stuff for some long green in thewinter time. Beaver Creek Resort trades off golf drivers for snowmobile drivers and there were a ton of them there this past weekend. However, as warm as that cash infusion is, Larry can hardly wait for the warmth of summer.

MICHIGAN GOLFER TV SHOW-GARLAND, 52 YEARS AND COUNTING

Garland will be celebrating its 52nd anniversary this summer. The Michigan Golfer Internet Television was on hand to capture the 50th anniversary. We are offering this encore show to remind everyone about what an amazing person Herman Otto was. Viewers will see the ever-young Hildegard Otto, now in her 90's, take a pretty good cut from the tee box as she started off the day's activities. We also interview owner Ron Otto, GM Barry Owens, former golf pro Lee Woodruff and a host of others who have contributed to the fabulous history of one of Michigan's most storied resorts. Our guest host for the day is Jim McIntyre, a friend of the Otto family and a VP with Knorr Marketing in Traverse City.

Everyone talks about the beauty of Garland with its terrific landscaping, beautiful trees and its abundant water. Many do not realize that when Herman Otto began Garland, it was a wheat field and there was not a tree on the place.

THEY'RE BACK-MICHAYWE PINES AND THE LAKE

Together again! The Pines Golf Course and The Lake Golf course, both located in Michaywé just south of Gaylord, Michigan have re-united.

The Pines course is owned and managed by the Pines Club Corporation, a subsidiary of the Michaywé Owners Association. The Lake course remains privately owned but will be managed by The Pines Club Corporation for the 2003 golf season. Don White, Director of Golf and PGA professional for the Pines course will manage both courses.

Turning 30 years old this year, The Pines course has been the nucleus of the Michaywé community. In 1987 a group of local investors and property owners, M-8 Investments, opened The Lake course adding a second golf course to the Michaywé amenities. The two courses operated together for approximately six years. Until recently The Lake course has been managed by another property in the Gaylord area.

Early operational plans for the 2003 season are in progress. The 2003 Season pass will include both courses. Season pass options will include: a mid-week pass, six day limited or seven day unlimited pass. Otsego County residents will enjoy special savings on both courses. Tee times may be made by calling 989-939-8911 locally or toll free, 888-746-3742.

GOLF ROUNDS PLAYED CONTINUE SLIDE THROUGH NOVEMBER

According to the monthly National Golf Rounds Played Report produced by Golf Datatech in cooperation with the National Golf Course Owners Association, year-to-date rounds played through November are down 2.7% versus the same 11-month period in 2001. In November, rounds were down 18.3% versus the same month in 2001.

The only region with a year-to-date increase in 2002 is the Pacific region, up 1.7%. In November, only the Mountain (1.1%) and Pacific (4.3%) regions showed increases The largest YTD drops came in the West North Central (-7.3%), followed by East North Central (-5.6%), East South Central (-4.5%) and Middle Atlantic (-4.1%).

DON'T PASS UP THIS PASSBOOK

The MGCOA has developed a program by where golf courses in Michigan can pledge their support by donating a golf package or golf rounds to be used in the Golden Passbook. The Golden Passbook is golf coupon book designed for golfers to experience some of Michigan's top golf course facilities at a fraction of the cost. The proceeds from the Golden Passbook will go directly to fund their government affairs strategic plan.

The strategic plan would call for such things as the creation of a Government Affairs committee representing golf course owners as well as a Government Affairs staff position with the MGCOA. MGCOA will be able to subscribe to the Government Affairs newsletter, bulletin, etc. in order to stay current on any issue that might affect the golf course owners business.

The Golden Passbook is valued at over $5,000.00, and can be purchased on a limited basis from the MGCOA for only $399.00. Please contact Kate Moore at the MGCOA office at 517-482-4312.

KIEL AND ERVIN NEW TEAM AT YARROW GOLF AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Tom Kiel and Jon Ervin have been named General Manager and Director of Golf respectively at the new Yarrow Golf and Conference Center. Kiel has been with the resort for some time, and Ervin served for eight years with the Gull Lake View GC. Ervin, will also continue his role as Director of Golf for St. John's & Conference Center in Plymouth. Both gentlemen are employed by Hotel Investment Services.

As reported earlier in MGN, Toby Hilton has also signed up as Director of Marketing and Sales. Hilton previously served the golf market at McCamly Plaza Hotel in Battle Creek.

DETROIT GOLF CLUB ELECTS FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT

Walter C. Elliott Jr. has been elected the first African American President of Detroit Golf Club. Elliott, 51, has been a member at the club since 1991 and has served on Detroit Golf Club's Board of Directors.

"Growing up just one mile from Detroit Golf Club I knew about this great place but never had any idea I would become a member. Growing up in the city I played urban sports. The only time got to use a golf club was when I found one that someone discarded and I used it to hit rocks," said Elliott, who began playing golf in 1989. "I'm proud to be elected President because it allows me to give back to a place that has given me so many great memories."

Portions taken from aPress release from Golf Marketing Services

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hi Art,
I enjoy receiving your emails about what is going in the golf world in Michigan and I thought you might like to know about an event in our community that you can include on the schedule of events in your emails.

The Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (Purdue University) in West Lafayette will be hosting the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships. The teams will be competing May 20 - 23 on the Kampen Course at the complex. Teams are expected to come from all over the nation to compete. Spectators are welcome to the event but the course will be closed for public play of course.

If you would like more details on this, please let me know. I do hope you are able to include this in your calendar of events as I am sure some of your readers might enjoy attending the championship.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,
Rachel Sayre West Lafayette CVB

MCCAMLY PLAZA HIRES CAMERON WALLACE FOR THEIR GOLF MARKETING

Cameron Wallace is the brand new Director of Golf Marketing for the McCamly Plaza. She has previously worked at Garland and a number of other northern properties. She follows in the rich tradition of Bill Knopp, now at The Park Place Hotel in Traverse City and Toby Hilton, now at Yarrow Golf and Conference Center in Augusta.

The addition of Yarrow Golf and Conference Center to the Battle Creek golf mix should bring huge rewards.

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NOW PLAYING ON MICHIGAN SKIER TV
"Jeep: The King of the Mountain Series"

Join Katie Campbell from Eclipse Television, Steve Kircher and Art Tebo from Boyne Mountain and the lovely ladies from Hawaiian Tropic as they bring you some of this week's action.

CANADIAN RATES????????

In the past there were some courses offering Canadians golfing at Canadian currency - par rates.  Any deals this year?. Gerry Foley gerry.foley@sympatico.ca

Gerry, I imagine some folks are offering some deals. I know Thunderbay Resort does a lot of business and I am sure others will get with you on this.

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

Craig Brass had his first draft of his new novel read by Jeff Daniels, of Purple Rose fame. "Jeff is a friend, but also a person that will tell you what he thinks about a subject. Jeff, gave me some excellent direction and most importantly he indicated that he thought it was very good." Brass, authored one of the great golf books last year, "How to Quit Golf".

Skip Dewalt and Brett Marshall are heading down to the PGA Merchandize show to staff a booth down there. They are encouraged by the great reception their "Golf Nuts" book has gotten. It spent a number of weeks on Amazon.com top 100 list.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"There are more golf clubs in the world than Gideon Bibles, more golf balls than missionaries, and, if every golfer in the world, male and female, were laid end to end, I, for one, would leave them there." Michael Parkingson- President of the Anti-Golf Society

Taken from "Outrageous Golf Quotes", by John McGran, Andrews McNeel Publishing, Kansas City, Missouri, 2001

GOLF CALENDAR

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