Michigan Golfer ON-LINE: MICHIGAN GOLF NEWS - June 16, 2006 VOL. 6, NO. 24

Michigan Golf News
June 16, 2006 Vol. 6, No. 24

_/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/__/ __/ __/ __/

BAY MILLS RESORT AND CASINO/WILD BLUFF GOLF COURSE
Video: 2005 Bay Mills Open Players Tournament Preview
-with Rob Lussenhof
http: //www.michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/baymillsopenpreview/

OTSEGO CLUB & RESORT-GAYLORD
Golf Packages http://otsegoclub.com/allpackages.php

SHANTY CREEK RESORT & CLUB
Golf Packages http://www.shantycreek.com/golf/package.html

DESIGN YOUR OWN IRELAND GOLFING GETAWAY
Click on - http://www.sullivangolf.ie/quoteform.html
Sullivan Golf & Travel The Ireland Golf Travel Specialist

IN GAYLORD, GOLF THE NATURAL: A JERRY MATTHEWS COURSE
Video: http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/natural/
Golf Packages http://golfthenatural.com

Edited by Art McCafferty-Producer/Publisher, GLSP

__/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/

__/ MICHIGAN AND THE U.S. OPEN
__/ MICHIGAN GOLFER-TV
Chuck Kocsis-The Best There Ever Was
Bucks Run Golf Course
__/ SCOTT HEBERT NAMED GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT & SPA'S HEAD PROFESSIONAL
__/ GOT DOAK?
__/ NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION: GOLF ROUNDS UP FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2006
__/ HILTON GARDEN INN CHAIN PARTNERS WITH 330 GOLF COURSE IN U.S. AND
CANADA TO OFFER FREE ROUNDS
__/ DELTA BEGINS NONSTOP TRAVERSE CITY ATLANTA SERVICE
__/ WINGED FOOT GOES LONG
__/ CHOK RADIO SHOW THIS FRIDAY WILL FOCUS ON CHUCK KOCSIS, BOYNE'S MONUMENT COURSE AND THE U.S. OPEN
__/ WHO IS THE BOSS
__/ MICHIGAN GOLFER TELEVISION COURSE PREVIEWS
__/ ACKERMAN EARNS SPOT IN U.S. SENIOR OPEN
__/ HICKORY OPEN TO BE PLAYED AT BELVEDERE ON JUNE 30 AND 31
__/ SUMMER EDITION: MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE ONLINE-PREVIEW
__/ 2006 MICHIGAN GOLF CALENDAR
__/ ASSOCIATION LINKS
__/ MICHIGAN GOLFER ONLINE RESOURCES

***
MICHIGAN AND THE U.S. OPEN

Michigan Based Player Michael Harris, University of Michigan player, that lives in Royal Oak. Had career year in 2005, winning the Bay Mills Open, Michigan Open and Tournament of Champions.

List of Past U.S. Opens Played and the winners at Oakland Hills CC
1924 Cyril Walker
1937 Ralph Guldahl
1951 Ben Hogan
1961 Gene Littler
1985 Andy North
1996 Steve Jones

List of Past Champions with a Michigan tie
1906 Alex Smith Onwentsia Club
1910 Alex Smith Philadelphia Cricket C.
1914 Walter Hagen Midlothian C.C.
1919 Walter Hagen Brae Burn C.C.
1960 Arnold Palmer Cherry Hills C.C.
1962 Jack Nicklaus Oakmont C.C.
1965 Gary Player Bellerive C.C.
1967 Jack Nicklaus Baltusrol G.C.
1972 Jack Nicklaus Pebble Beach G.L.
1980 Jack Nicklaus Baltusrol G.C.
1986 Raymond Floyd Shinnecock Hills G.C.

Alex Smith designed Wawashkamo on Mackinac Island Walter Hagen retired to Northern Michigan. He was also involved in the design of Dearborn Hills GC (recently revamped by Warner Bowen ) and Lakeview Hills in Lexington. Arnold Palmer designed The Legend at Shanty Creek, Northville Hills, The Ravines, The Preserve and King's Challenge. Jack Nicklaus designed The Tournament Players Club of Michigan and The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa Gary Player designed The Wolverine at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa Raymond Floyd designed Captain's Table in Grand Blanc

***
MICHIGAN GOLFER-TV
Chuck Kocsis-The Best There Ever Was
http://michigangolfer.tv/2006shows/kocsis/

In March of 2003, our Michigan Golfer Television host, Bill Shelton and reporter Jack Berry sat down with Chuck Kocsis to discuss some of his golfing memories. In iight of the passing of Mr. Kocsis, argueably one of the greatest amateur players of all time, we bring this interview to you. Mr. Kocsis talks about his early career, the types of clubs he used, modern age golf and his thoughts about Sarazen, Shead, Nelson, Palmer, Hagen and Tiger. We open the interview with Jack Berry on the 17th tee of The Monument Golf Course at Boyne Mountain. The 17th was chosen by Chuck Kocsis as his favorite hole on The Monument and has a plaque there describing his achievements.

The Monument at Boyne Mountain was opened in 1984 and was designed by Bill Newcomb. The course pays tribute to some of America's top golfers with special bronze plaques embedded in boulders at each hole. Those holes selected thus far.

* Hole # 1 The Byron Nelson
* Hole # 2 The "Chick" Harbert
* Hole # 3 The Peggy Kirk Bell
* Hole # 5 The Walter Hagen
* Hole # 6 The Paul Runyan
* Hole # 7 The Jim Flick
* Hole # 9 The J.P. McCarthy
* Hole # 10 The Kathy Whitworth
* Hole # 10 The Glenn Johnson
* Hole # 11 The Gene Sarazen
* Hole # 14 The Bobby Jones
* Hole # 16 The Everett Kircher
* Hole # 17 The Chuck Kocsis
* Hole # 18 The Sam Snead

On June 20, the 95th Michigan Amateur will be played on the Heather at Boyne Highlands. Chuck Kocsis won the Michigan Amateur a total of six times, a record that may stand forever. We presented Chuck Kocsis accomplishments two weeks ago after his passing, but the list is so awesome, we thought we would run it again. The list was prepared by the GAM staff, Tonia Branch and Susan Smiley.

International Seniors champion 1970, ’73, ’83, ’88
U.S. National Open Seniors champion 1969, ’70, 79
U.S. Amateur Runner Up 1956
Low amateur at the 1952 Masters
Low amateur at the U.S. Open 1934, ’37
Member of Walker Cup Team 1938, ’49, ’57
NCAA Champion 1936
Big Ten champion in 1934 and ‘35
Michigan Open champion 1931 (beat Tommy Armour in a playoff), ’45, ‘46
Michigan Medal Play champion 1955, ’58, ’59, ’60, ’61, ‘62
Golf Association of Michigan champion 1932, ‘33
Michigan state amateur champion in 1930, ’33, ’34, ’37, ’48, ‘51
Michigan High School champion 1928, ‘29
Michigan state junior champion 1927, ‘28
Michigan’s Golfer of the 20th Century, Golf Association of Michigan, 2003
Inducted Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 1974
Inducted University of Michigan Golf Hall of Fame 1979
Inducted Michigan Golf Hall of Fame 1982

http://michigangolfer.tv/2006shows/kocsis/

Bucks Run
Jim Zeh, GM of Bucks Run, introduces Bucks Run to our audience and then invites architect, Jerry Matthews to describe his thoughts while building this stunning beauty. Once again, our deft video editor, Joe Yunkman, brings another masterpiece to the Internet and computer screens everywhere.

http://michigangolfer.tv/2006shows/bucksrun/

***
SCOTT HEBERT NAMED GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT'S HEAD PROFESSIONAL
Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, near Traverse City, Mich. has named five-time Michigan Open Champion Scott P. Hebert, to the position of Head Golf Professional. Hebert is a Class A PGA Professional and a member of the Titleist golf staff. In his new position, he will be responsible for assisting with the management of the daily golf operation, including group golf events, and ensuring the finest golf experience for guests and club members.

Most recently, Hebert was an Assistant Professional at Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville, since 2001. From 1998-2001 he played on the Nationwide Tour and the NGA Tour. In 1997-1998 he was employed at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa as an Assistant Professional.

Hebert won Michigan Open Championships in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Only Al Watrous has more Michigan Open wins at six. Hebert's other achievements include winning the Chicago Open, the Michigan State Assistant Championship, Michigan Pro-Assistant Championship, and the Northern Michigan PGA Chapter Championship, all in 1998. While playing on the NGA Tour in 1999, he won the San Antonio Championship and Tunica Championship. From 1993 to 1996, Hebert was lead instructor at the VIP Golf Academy in Sebring, Fla. He received a bachelor's degree in business management from Ferris State University in Big Rapids.

Hebert will play in this year's Michigan Open, June 26-29. Grand Traverse Resort & Spa has been the home of the Michigan Open Championship since 1981.

Submitted by J. Michael DeAgostino - public relations manager

Editor's Note: The Michigan Golfer Television Show was there at the 2002 Michigan Open, when Scott Hebert hit "The Shot" that helped him win his 4th Michigan Open. Join our host Bill Shelton and reporter Greg Johnson as they bring you the results and excitement of those final holes on The Bear. http://michigangolfer.tv/2002shows/show20/index.html

***
GOT DOAK?
Monday's edition of the Wall Street Journal had a half page story on Michigan golf architect, Tom Doak. The story entitled, "Cult Classic: Tom Doak's book of course reviews is coveted by golfers-in part because he pulls no punches," will continue to add to the status that Doak has throughout the world. Doak's first book, "The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, " , started off as notes on the golf courses he visited during his college days at Cornell. He got a $5,000g grant and spent a year looking at courses in Scotland, Ireland and Australia. The number os courses in the book grew, until he finally printed off some copies for friends and other interested parties. I first saw and read from the book in the late 80's when Dave Richards, Paul Beachnau and I invited a group of golf magazine editors from all over the United States to spend a week in Michigan. Richards had a dog eared copy of the book and shared it with Bob Thomas of Fore Magazine, Richard Sink of the Caro lina Golfer, Mike Collins from the Ohio Golfer, Tim Pade from the Colorado and others. Pretty soon Richards was reading exerts out loud and the editors and writers were howling. The book was to say the least, extremely candid. I think everybody had their hand on that book that night. Even thought the book was tough on a lot of courses, many writers were in agreement.

Anyway, if you had a copy of the first edition of the book, you could ask for a thousand dollars for a first edition and probably get it. John Sabino of Valuable Book Group in Princeton N.J. is a collector asking for $950. A copy of the Sleeping Bear Press edition that came out in 1996 for $45, will now fetch $250. We mentioned this article to Skip Dewall, now of the Ann Arbor Media Group and formerly of Sleeping Bear Press. He indicated that he had sold an original copy for $500 and a Sleeping Bear Press copy for $500.

***
WINGED FOOT GOES LONG
LONGEST HOLES IN U.S OPEN HISTORY
• 642 yards 5th at Southern Hills, 2001
• 640 yards 12th at Winged Foot, 2006
• 630 yards 16th at Olympic Club, 1955
• 630 yards 17th at Baltusrol, 1980
• 623 yards 17th at Baltusrol, 1967
LONGEST PAR 4s IN U.S. OPEN HISTORY
• 514 yards 9th at Winged Foot, 2006
• 499 yards 12th at Bethpage, 2002
• 496 yards 9th at Olympia Fields, 2003
• 492 yards 10th at Bethpage, 2002
• 492 yards 16th at Pinehurst No. 2, 2005

ENDURING QUOTE After the first round of the 1974 Open where no player broke par and only Gary Player managed an ever-par 70, Frank "Sandy" Tatum, chair of the USGA championship committee, was asked in a press briefing if he and the USGA were out to embarrass the best golfers in the world. "No. we're trying to identify them," he replied.

Taken from a USGA Release

***
CHOK RADIO SHOW THIS FRIDAY WILL FOCUS ON CHUCK KOCSIS, BOYNE'S MONUMENT COURSE AND THE U.S. OPEN
The CHOK Golf Radio show with Tom Gibson, will feature golfing great Chuck Kocsis, his life and his plaque at The Monument Golf Course at Boyne Mountain. The Michigan segment of the show, will also get into the U.S. Open and some of the thrills the event has given our state. Don't forget to dial into 1070, CHOK radio, from 11:05 to noon every Friday.

http://chok.com

***
WHO IS THE BOSS

In my hand I hold a ball
White and dimpled, rather small
Oh, how bland it does appear
This harmless looking little sphere

By it’s size I could not guess
The awesome power it does possess
But since I fell beneath its spell
I’ve wandered through the fires of hell

My life has not been quite the same
Since I chose to play this game
It rules my mind for hours on end
A fortune it has made me spend

It has made me curse and cry
I hate myself and want to die
It promises a thing called par
If I can hit it straight and far

To master such a tiny ball
Should not be hard at all
But, my desires the ball refuses
And does exactly as it chooses

It hooks and slices, dribbles and dies
Or disappears before my eyes
Often it will have a whim
To hit a tree or take a swim

With acres of grass on which to land
It finds a small patch of sand
Then has me offering up my soul
If only it would find the hole

It’s made me whimper like a pup
Even to swear to give it up
And take to drink to ease my sorrow
Oh, the ball knows…I’ll be back tomorrow

Thanks and a Tip of the Tam to Ken Kapcia of Handicomp for this lovely.

***
NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION: GOLF ROUNDS UP FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2006
With an 8.0% increase in rounds played in April 2006 vs. April 2005, the National Golf Foundation reported a 9% increase in rounds played for the first four months of 2006. The reporting is based on data from operators at 1,835 golf facilities.

For the full year 2005, rounds played were down 0.1%.

Year-to-date, regions experiencing the largest positive swings were the Northeast (+39.5%), Mid-Atlantic (+22.9%) and Upper Midwest (+19.7%). Only the Northwest (-9.9%), which had experienced above normal precipitation in the Jan-Feb timeframe, showed a y-t-d decline.

Year-to-date, play at premium public courses (those with peak season weekend green fees with cart above $70) rose 4.0%. At value courses (those with peak season weekend green fees with cart below $40), rounds played rose 9.9%. At standard courses ($40-70), play was up 9.4%.

At all public courses, rounds played were up 0.1% for 2005; year-to-date 2006, up 9.1%. At private clubs, 2005 rounds played were down 1.0%; year-to-date 2006, up 8.7%.

Taken and edited from the NSGA research newsletter
http://www.nsga.org

***
HILTON GARDEN INN CHAIN PARTNERS WITH 330 GOLF COURSE IN U.S. AND CANADA TO OFFER FREE ROUNDS
By Roger Yu, USA TODAY
Taking a swing at attracting business travelers who can't stay away from their golf game, Hilton Garden Inn has partnered with 330 golf courses across the USA and Canada to offer free rounds.

The Garden Inn deal, which started in 2005 and has been renewed this year, is unusual.

Hotel chains typically limit their involvement with golf to their own courses at high-dollar resorts. Those courses are big draws for meetings and conventions.

Generally, chains have shied away from tapping into individual business travelers' lust for golf. Business travelers tend to be in a hurry to get to their next stop or to return home.

But 13,000 Garden Inn guests used their vouchers in 2005, and the mid-price chain thinks it has a winner.

More http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotels/2006-06-12-hotel-golf-usat_x.htm

***
DELTA BEGINS NONSTOP TRAVERSE CITY ATLANTA SERVICE
Delta Airlines will begins service from Atlanta to Traverse City on June 17. Bob Courtelyou, Delta’s vice president for planning, said the move is part of a general strategy to open seasonal routes to popular summer destinations. “Delta is responding to strong passenger demand for convenient service to some of the country’s most popular summer leisure markets,” said Courtelyou. “Interest in visiting the beaches and biking and hiking trails of Traverse City increases in the summer months.”

Brad Van Dommelen, president of the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau, said he hopes the expanded air service will make it more convenient for Southerners to escape summer’s heat and humidity for the cool woods, clear lakes and championship golf courses that have made Traverse City such a favorite with Midwestern vacationers. “Once we get people up here, we know they’ll fall in love with this place,” he said. “Everybody does.”

Taken and edited from a Traverse City CVB release-Mike Norton

http://delta.com

***
ACKERMAN EARNS SPOT IN U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Congrats to Bob Ackerman for winning a spot on the U.S. Open that is to be held at Prairie Dunes CC in Kansas. Ackerman survived a five hole playoff at Great Oaks CC to win the only slot open. Ackerman had finished 46th in the U.S. Open at Merion in 1981. The U.S. Open begins on July 9.

Taken from an article by Carlos Monarrez in the Detroit Free Press, June 10.

http://freep.com

***
HICKORY OPEN TO BE PLAYED AT BELVEDERE ON JUNE 30 AND 31
The storied Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevox, will host the lastest installment of the Hickory Open. Belvedere was designed in 1927 by Willie Watson, and was the home of the Michigan Amateur on 39 occasions. The $240 entry fee includes one practice round. Participation will be limited to 36.

Contact ralph@hickorygolf.com
Web: http://www.belvederegolfclub.com
*Editor's Note: We did a show with Gary Wiren at last year's site, The Kingsley Club
Video: http://michigangolfer.tv/2006shows/wiren/

***
MICHIGAN GOLFER TELEVISION UPCOMING SHOWS
Jack Berry's Ireland Golf Part IV
http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/golfireland/
Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus Design Sebonak
The Tribute at Otsego Club
Arnold Palmer's-The Legend at Shanty Creek Resort
The Michigan Amateur at The Heather Course at Boyne Highlands
The 2nd Annual Native American Cup
http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/nativeamericancup/
The 2nd Annual League Championship Series
http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/majestic/
http://michigangolfer.tv/2005shows/mgcoaleaguetournament/
Harbor Point Golf Club - A history of one of Michigan's oldest golf courses
Upper Peninsula Golf - A Tour of Greywalls, Chocolay Downs and Timberstone

***
SUMMER EDITION: MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE ONLINE-PREVIEW

Chuck Kocsis-The Best There Ever Was-by Jack Berry Jack Berry reflects on the past achievements of Michigan's greatest golfer

The 95th Michigan Amateur-by Jack Berry The Michigan Amateur shares the spotlight with The Heather at Boyne Highlands. The Heather, the course that launched Northern Michigan golf, is 40 this year.

Michigan Golfer Television: The First Five Years and 250 Courses-by Art McCafferty

New Courses: The Ambassador Club-by Thad Gutowski Golf architect, Thomas McBroom, adds another course notch on his belt

Beeches Golf Club: The latest from W.Bruce Matthews III and his Matthews Golf Design firm.- by Kelly Hill

W. Bruce Mathews III: Small Budgets, Big Courses Matthews Golf Design still has work. Although the golf building boom has fizzled, Matthews Golf Design keeps pumping out courses.

Michigan Golf Hall of Fame: Class of 2005-by Jack Berry Jack Berry, a Hall of Fame member himself, chronicles this classy class.

Slice of Life-The DeVicenzo Code, The Movie - by Terry Moore Terry Moore revisits the mystery of the DeVicenzo and Goalby Masters

Readership of the Michigan Golfer Ezine averaged 9,789 per issue in 2005.

http://www.webgolfer.com/

***
MICHIGAN TOURNAMENTS
http://michigangolfer. com/tournaments.html

***
2006 MICHIGAN GOLF CALENDAR
http://michigangolfer.com/calendar.html" ASSOCIATION LINKS
American Association of Golf Course Architects
http://asgca.org
Golf Association of Michigan
http://www.gam.org/
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
http://www.gcsaa.org
Michigan Section PGA
http://www.Michigan.PGA.com
Michigan Golf Course Owners Association
http://mgcoa.org
Michigan High School Athletic Association
http://www.mhsaa.com/
Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association
http://migca.com
Michigan Publinx Seniors Golf Association
http://mpsga.net
National Golf Course Owners Association
http://ngcoa.org
National Golf Foundation
http://ngf.org
National High School Golf Coaches Association
http://www.nhsgca.org

***
MICHIGAN GOLFER ONLINE RESOURCES
Website: http://glsp.com
Ezine http://michigangolfer.com
News: http://www.webgolfer.com/news.html
Video: http://michigangolfer.tv
Podcast: http://glsp.com/podcasts.html