michigan golfer, fall 2010

4 Manitou Passage: Rebirth ofPalmer’s King’s ChallengeBy Terry Moore

7 Senior Tournaments Put MichiganGolf Back on the Map By Jack Berry

12 Dyeabotical By Jack Berry

16 Strom Storms From Behind to WinMichigan Women’s Open By Tim Hygh

18 Matthews Wins Out Over Fouch andDo at Tournament of ChampionsBy Tim Hygh

21 Brehm Wins 2nd Michigan Open atOrchard Lake Country ClubBy Tim Hygh

22 Ron Beurmann Wins Michigan PGAProfessional ChampionshipBy Tim Hygh

23 Teaching Pros Compete with theTouring Pros By Brad Shelton

26 Golf Club at Harbor ShoresCelebrates Its Grand OpeningBy B.R. Koehnemann

30 For Pete’s Sake, Enough is EnoughBy Bill Shelton

MICHIGAN GOLFER

Publisher/EditorArt McCafferty

[email protected]

Editor EmeritusTerry Moore

AssociatePublisher/ProducerJennie McCafferty

WritersJeff BairleySusan BairleyL’anse BannonMike BeckmanJack Berry

Jason DeeganTom DoakMike Duff

Rob FranciosiThad Gutowski

Kelly HillGreg Johnson

B.R. KoehnemannVartan KupelianChris LewisJim Neff

Norm SinclairMichael Patrick Shiels

Ron WhittenGary Holaway

Janina Parrott Jacobs

Herschel NathanialBernice PhillipsBill SheltonBrad SheltonMarc Van SoestJohn Wukovits

Photo/VideoMike BrownKevin FrischDave RichardsCarter SherlineClarence SorminBrian Walters

Director ofAccountingCheryl Clark

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In This IssueV O L U M E 28 • F A L L 2 0 1 0 • N U M B E R 3

Cover: Manitou Passage. Photo ©Brian Walters

2 F A L L 2 0 1 0 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R MA G A Z I N E

F A L L 2 0 1 0 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R MA G A Z I N E4

The first time I met Bob Kuras,President of The Homestead inGlen Arbor, was at the inaugural

Michigan Golf Summit in 1989. Kuras hadbeen in the news the previous three yearsfor his tenacious efforts to build a champi-onship golf course at his acclaimed resort.In spite of spending a small fortune in fea-sibility plans and environmental impactstatements, Kuras’s dream of a world-classresort layout was blocked by concerns byarea residents and governmental authorities

(most notably the Michigan Dept. ofNatural Resources and U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency) that a course wouldharm the ecosystem of the pristine CrystalRiver. (For an interesting historical per-spective on the controversy, visithttp://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/slbe/adhi_5g.htm )

Anyway, Kuras attended the second dayof the two-day Summit which included apanel discussion on “The Environment and

Manitou Passage:Rebirth of Palmer’s King’s Challenge

By Terry Moore

Terry Moore

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Golf in Michigan.” He sat in the firstrow of seats in the auditorium direct-ly in front of the panelists, whichincluded the then head of Michigan’sDepartment of Natural Resources. Itwas obvious Kuras had a bone topick with the DNR as he listened tothe remarks of the DNR director. Healso took public issue with some ofDNR director’s statements and chal-lenged them in the concluding Q &Aportion of the agenda. I concludedthen that Kuras was a formidableand tireless advocate for TheHomestead and that he ‘would notgo gently into the good night’ abouthis golf course.

As it turned out, Kuras neverwas able to build a championshipcourse for The Homesteadalthough he did add an admirablepar-three course and a Dave PelzShort Game School to the resort’sfull roster of amenities and diver-sions. I can only imagine Kuraswent to bed at night thinking his

dream of a golf course wouldremain a dream. But then presto,King’s Challenge fell into his lap.

King’s Challenge was the nameof the Arnold Palmer-designed lay-out that sits ten miles north of TheHomestead off M-22. It was aproject by some investors and resi-dents of the nearby Sugar LoafResort in Cedar. Opening in 1997,it received favorable reviews forits playable and understated designand for some stunning vistas,mindful of mountain Carolinas, onits back side. But almost from thebeginning, and possibly auguringMichigan’s overbuilt golf coursewoes, King’s Challenge struggledto find a loyal customer base. Overtime, its play dwindled and mainte-nance and care of the course suf-fered. Finally a few years ago, itclosed. But a small group ofinvestors, which included a reluc-tant Kuras and the noted golfcourse builder Brent Wadsworthwho had vacationed at The

Homestead for over 30 years, pur-chased the property and began theprocess to resuscitate it. A keymove was retaining course archi-tect Eric Wiltse, the son of ArnoldPalmer Design’s Ray Wiltse whowas Palmer’s lead man on the orig-inal project, to oversee the manyneeded renovations. Now twoyears after its demise, King’sChallenge has risen from the asheslike the mythical Phoenix and isre-christened as the ManitouPassage Golf Club. The transfor-mation is impressive.

Like inheriting a home witha sour front yard, it willtake some more time before

Manitou Passage’s conditioning isback to exemplary resort standards.Yet it’s headed in the right direc-tion with fairways and greens start-ing to respond to better mainte-nance practices. And the bunkershave been rejuvenated with newsand and edging and definition

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giving it a more professional look.Most importantly, new links-stylerectangular tee boxes have beenadded that add even more playabil-ity for all handicaps, especially offthe forward tee. Then there’sexpensive but often little appreciat-ed improvements like new andrerouted cart paths and betterdrainage that greatly enhance theproperty. Also, the clubhouse hasbeen revitalized and remodeledwith a handsome deck overlookingthe 18th hole, now a more forgiv-ing par-five.

In a neat touch, the new nameof the course is fitting thanks tothe keen eye of Kuras’s youngestson Jamie who spied a terrificview of Lake Michigan throughthe trees and brush up near theelevated eighth hole tee box.After some trees and overgrowthwere cleared, a spectacular viewof Lake Michigan and ManitouIslands was revealed.(Suggestion: a permanentlymounted telescope would be anice addition here.)

I came away from ManitouPassage thankful that a fine golfcourse amid beautiful surroundingsin northern Michigan was beingreclaimed, refurbished and “recy-cled.” Because let’s face it, gener-ally speaking we don’t really needany more new golf courses inMichigan.

As the remodeling industryreminds us: don’t build, justimprove!

- MG -

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M I C H I G A N G O L F E R MA G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 0 7

Michigan returns to bigtime professional golf in2012 with the United

States Senior Open at IndianwoodG&CC in Lake Orion and on theother side of the state, the PGA

Senior Championship at HarborShores in Benton Harbor. They arethe two oldest senior major cham-pionships. Old playing the old?

Not exactly. In fact seniormajors are quite young. There arefive of them, but every one isyounger than the MastersTournament which is the youngest

of the four majors including theBritish and United States Opensand PGA Championship.

The senior majors, and theirbirth year, are the PGA, 1937; theUSGA, 1980; Senior Players,1983; British Senior, 1987, and theTradition, 1989.

Senior TournamentsPut Michigan GolfBack on the Map

By Jack Berry

Photo above: Arnold Palmer blastsout of a bunker at his Turning PointTournament, Detroit Golf Club, 2004

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The PGA Senior Championshipstarted thanks to Bobby Jones whofive years earlier invited golf’s bestplayers to a tournament at his newclub in Augusta, Ga. That was thebirth of the Masters Tournamentand was won by Horton Smith wholater became professional atDetroit Golf Club.

Jones felt that older pros neededa tournament of their own and thefirst two Senior PGAs were playedin the fall at the Augusta NationalGolf Club before moving toFlorida and switching to winterwhen old club pros from the northcould play.

But despite Sam Snead winningthe PGA Senior six times, GeneSarazen and Julius Boros twice andTommy Bolt once, all winners ofgolf’s majors, it took more than 40years before the old boys got a sec-ond major of their own – theUSGA Senior Open – and theimpetus came from television.

Producer Fred Raphael soldShell Oil Co. on sponsoring Shell’sWonderful World of Golf, two-manmatches played on beautiful cours-es around the world. Snead,Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Hoganplayed, so did “kids” like ArnoldPalmer, Jack Nicklaus and GaryPlayer. It was a huge hit and forthe nostalgic, it still is.

Then, in 1978, Raphael came upwith the Legends of Golf, pittingtwo-man teams of players 50 andolder against each other in a 54hole tournament. Snead andGardner Dickinson beatAustralians Peter Thomson (fivetime British Open winner) and KelNagle in the first one and Borosand Roberto De Vicenzo beat Boltand Art Wall in a playoff in 1979that featured one astounding shotand putt after another.

The Legends and WonderfulWorld led the PGATour to start theSenior (now Champions) Tour in1980 and the USGA got the mes-sage. Old is gold. It wasn’t just abunch of veteran club pros. Thesewere names golf fans knew and theyresponded and so did sponsors.

“As a result of the remarkablegrowth of senior golf, both at the

Jack Nicklaus

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M I C H I G A N G O L F E R MA G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 0 9

Tom Watsom

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F A L L 2 0 1 0 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R MA G A Z I N E10

professional and amateur levels,” theUSGA statement said, it was estab-lishing the USGASenior Open.

But whereas the PGAChampionship from the beginningset the entry age at 50, the USGAalready had set 55 as the seniorentry age when it established theUSGA Senior Amateur in 1955.

The USGA learned in a hurry that50 was better for a Senior Open. The

1980 championshipat Winged Foot,with 55 the entrypoint, was won byRoberto DeVicenzobut the gallery con-sisted of manymore trees thanpeople. So it low-ered the age to 50and headed toOakland Hills.

Just coinciden-tally, Palmer, 51,now was eligible.Bud Erickson,who was the tour-nament director atOakland Hills,said they startedgetting calls for“the ArnoldPalmer tourna-ment.”

It was a hit andeven drew a largegallery includingoffice-dressed menfor the Mondayplayoff whichPalmer won over

Billy Casper and Bob Stone.

Nicklaus turned 50 in time forthe 1991 Senior Open, again atOakland Hills, and beat Chi ChiRodriguez in a playoff. It wasanother hit.

Indianwood isn’t likely to getPalmer, who will be 82 then, orNicklaus, who will be 72. MaybeTomWatson who will be 62. Theleaders now are Bernhard Langer,

Fred Couples, Tom Lehman, MarkCalcavecchia, Nick Price and CoreyPavin, all major championship win-ners, and Paul Azinger and KennyPerry hit the Champions Tour agemark this year.

Indianwood and Harbor Shoresare fresh territory for the seniors.Indianwood is a fine course thathosted golf’s stars in its early daysand was a favorite of Detroit resi-dent Walter Hagen. Gene Sarazenwon the Western Open, then con-sidered a major, in 1930 and theclub hosted two successful U.S.Women’s Opens, in 1989 won byBetsy King, and 1994 won byPatty Sheehan.

Harbor Shores is brand new,period. The Jack Nicklaus designopened this year with Nicklaus,Palmer, Tom Watson and JohnnyMiller playing a fund-raiser onAug. 10. Nicklaus routed threeholes along the shore of LakeMichigan (no danger of gettingyour feet wet) and the par 71 isunusual in that there are five parthrees along with four par fivesand nine par fours.

The two majors are Michigan’sfirst step back onto the big stagesince the Buick Open expired in2009, victim of the economicplunge. The Senior PlayersChampionship had 17 years inDearborn with the first one atDearborn Country Club and thenext 16 at the Nicklaus-designedTPC Michigan. The ChampionsTour’s 18-year ride in GrandRapids at the Highlands and EgyptValley ended in 2004 and the

Oakland Hills Clubhouse

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LPGA’s Olds tournament ended anine year run in Lansing in 2000.

Ironically, Wisconsin which hadonly two majors in the last century,the 1933 PGA in Milwaukee andthe 1998 Women’s Open atBlackwolf Run in Kohler, suddenlyis overrun with riches, thanks toindustrialist Herbert Kohler, and anew course which Golf Digestarchitecture editor Ron Whittenhad a hand in.

Kohler hired Pete Dye to designtwo courses at the American Club,

a five star resort with the finestplumbing available (Kohler ofKohler), and 10 miles north ofthere, Whistling Straits. The 2004and 2010 PGA Championships and2007 USGA Senior Open wereplayed at Whistling Straits and italso will get the 2015 PGA and the2020 Ryder Cup. Blackwolf Rungets the 2012 Women’s Open.

Erin Hills, 35 miles northwestof Milwaukee, was designed by Dr.Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry.Randall Mell of Golf Channel,stopped at Erin Hills after coveringthe PGA at Whistling Straits anddescribed Whistling Straits as amanufactured course and Erin Hillsas a course made by nature. Erin

Hills opened in 2007, had the 2008Women’s Amateur Public Links,will host the U.S. Amateur nextyear and then the big one, the U.S.Open, in 2017.

It’s ironic that Wisconsin is get-ting all that big time golf and yet itlost its oldest tournament, theMilwaukee Open that dated to1968. The PGA Tour gave it adeadly date – opposite the BritishOpen – and no sponsor wanted tospend money on a Class B event sothat ended in 2009. Milwaukeegave Tiger Woods a sponsorexemption for his pro debut. Andthen he never went back.

- MG -Photo below:Tiger Woods wins the last BuickOpen in 2009.

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Dyeabotical by Jack Berry

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F A L L 2 0 1 0 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R M A G A Z I N E

Herb Kohler is a big bear ofa man and he’s proud ofthe 1200 or so ugly babies

that Dr. Frankenstein, AKA golfcourse designer Pete Dye, present-ed him with on what was describedas wasteland, toxic dump, militaryfield, whatever, on the LakeMichigan shore of Wisconsin.

Neither Kohler, head of thehuge restroom implement manu-facturer, nor Dye know preciselyhow many ugly babies are outthere. In joint appearances duringthe 92nd PGA Championship itwas said that the number variesdepending on winds andencroaching grasses. With all that,the name Whistling Straits seemsappropriate.

So how is one to know whetheryour golf ball rests in what rulesofficialdom calls a bunker or whatmost folks who play golf, includ-ing touring professionals, call asand trap? Especially on the lasthole of a major championship, in aheated dash to the wire, as it were.

I learned that the Local Rules,which apply to that course, wereposted on the wall and mirrors inthe lockerroom for the 2004 PGAChampionship, which Vijay Singhwon, and for last week’s event.And, each player received a rulessheet and at the top of the list itwas noted that all those spits ofsand, small, large, inside and out-side the gallery ropes, were consid-ered bunkers and thus it was apenalty to ground your club priorto taking a shot.

In normal circumstances,bunkers/sand traps, are raked anda rake is on the ground for handyuse. When there isn’t a rake, andspectators have been standing init, one would suppose it’s what iscalled a “waste area.” Like thewhole property used to be beforeKohler hired Dye who orderedmore than 13,000 truckloads ofsand and dirt and then pushedthem every which-way with biggraders. It cost a ton but Kohlerhas it.

Besides the porcelain works hehas a five star resort 10 miles southof Whistling Straits in the townnamed, fittingly, Kohler,Wisconsin. He also owns twohotels on the 18th hole of golf’smost hallowed ground, the OldCourse at St. Andrews.

The number of sand traps at Whistling Straits varies depending on winds and encroaching grasses.

Photo preceding page:Whistling Straits

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Personally, while the Kohler-Dye sandscape looks spectacularfrom the blimp, I was there in2004 and again last week and Ithink it’s a gimmicky course. Youneed steel spikes or mountainclimbers’ crampons on the slickhills, and we shouldn’t be surprisedat the weird happenings, topped byDustin Johnson’s two shot penaltythat took him out of a playoff withMartin Kaymer.

Bill Fields of Golf World, oneof my favorite writers, reportedthat David Price, a Dallas club proand veteran official who hasworked 34 majors and two RyderCups, was with Johnson. On twooccasions earlier in the roundJohnson, or his caddie, asked whathe could do. When Johnson’s drive

went outside the gallery rope on18, into an area where the fanswere standing, Price asked Johnsonif he was O.K. and Johnson justasked Price to go forward andmove the huge crowd back.

After he made the shot, an offi-cial who watched it on television,radioed Price who then askedJohnson if he had grounded hisclub. Johnson said he didn’t thinkso but later he saw the TV picture,and agreed that he had grounded it.Price said Johnson didn‘t cuss, didn’t argue and accepted it.

I think players should bereminded on the first tee eventhough it is the player’s responsi-bility to know the rules.

I’ve been asked that if it wasJack Nicklaus or Tiger Woodswould the result have been thesame. I think Nicklaus knew therules as good as any official but healways asked. Woods is the same.Johnson is inexperienced andsometimes moves too fast. He didit at Pebble Beach in the U.S.Open and disintegrated.

Now he’s lost two major cham-pionships he could have won, justtwo months apart. I don’t recallthat happening to anyone else inthat brief a span. In golf you’resupposed to learn from your mis-takes. Will Johnson, with so muchtalent, learn?

- MG -

Neither Whistling Straits owner Herb Kohler, nor course architect Pete Dye, knows precisely how many sandtraps are out there.

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16 F A L L 2 0 1 0 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R M A G A Z I N E

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Lisa Strom ofHuntersville, NC camefrom three shots behind

to win her second MichiganWomen’s Open Championshipat Crystal Mountain. Strom, 33,edged first and second roundleader Suzy Green-Roebuck bya shot with a clutch 8-footbirdie putt on the last hole for afinal round 71 and a tournamenttotal of 2-under, 214. Green-Roebuck finished alone in sec-ond at -1, 215.

“The key today was to beconsistent,” said Strom whowon here in 2007. “Today I hita lot of greens and only mis-judged one iron shot.”

Green-Roebuck, 42,entered the final round with athree-shot cushion but gaveaway a stroke on the first holewith a bogey…the first of fourduring the round. Up untilthen, she had recorded justthree-bogeys combined for thetournament. She has been bat-tling a bad back all week and

Strom Storms FromBehind To Win Michigan

Women’s OpenBy Tim Hygh

Photo left: Michigan Women’s OpenChampion, Lisa Strom

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172010 Michigan Women’s Open:http://youtube.com

Search 2010 Michigan Women’s Open and Crystal Mountain:

left the course with numbness onher right side. But she made Stormearn her victory on the last hole.

On the par 5 18th, Green-Roebuck laid up to 70-yards andhit a wedge to 9-feet. Strom wentfor the green in two but landed justshort of the green and in the firstcut of rough. Strom knocked herchip to 8 feet above the hole.Green-Roebuck made her birdieand that left the last play of the 54-hole event up to Strom.

“You play in these tournamentsto get into situations where yourheart beat rises and it was on 18,”Strom said. She holed the birdieputt to end the tournament and col-lect $5,500 of the $40,000 purse.She now heads out to the DuramedFuture’s Tour for three-events andthen back to the LPGA Tour whenthey return from Asia.

Roebuck-Green heads back toher family in Ann Arbor. She has-n’t played three consecutive rounds

in three days since last year’sMichigan Women’s Open.

Two long time rivals finishedtied for third. Elaine Crosby, 52, ofJackson and Sue Ertl, 52, formerlyof Ionia both shot 71-216 for evenpar.

Only four players bested par orbetter.

- MG -

Photo below:Crystal Mountain’s Mountain RidgeCourse hosted the 2010 MichiganWomen’s Open Championship.

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Matthews Wins Out Over Fouch and Do at

Tournament of ChampionsBy Tim Hygh

The Tournament of Champions is played onThe Alpine at Boyne Mountain

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Andy Matthews, of Adaerased a four shot deficitover the final three holes

to win the Boyne Tournament ofChampions. Matthews, 30, is aseasoned Canadian Tour profes-sional and was trailing 15-year oldHenry Do of Ypsilanti when the

storybook ending for a sophomorein high school competing withMichigan’s best golfers turned intoa putting nightmare.

Do shook the Michigan golfingcommunity by shooting a 10-underpar 62 in Tuesday’s second round.

He started the final round with atwo-stroke advantage over LPGATour player Allison Fouch and athree stroke lead over Matthews.That lead was expanded to fourshots as the final group headed tothe fateful last three holes.

Andy Matthews

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2010 Tournament of Champions: http://michigangolfer.tv/2010shows/boyne_toc/

“I was kind of nervous, “ Dosaid. “I told myself to be confidentand just make pars until a birdiesituation became available.” Thefive-foot four-inch Do did just thatand was 11-under sailing into the16th hole. He proceeded to threeput 16 while Matthews birdied.That two stroke swing left himwith a two stroke lead heading tothe par 3 17th. Do three puttedagain on 17 to take a one shot leadinto the final hole.

On the par 5 18th, Do andMatthews both laid up and hitwedges for their third shots landingwell below the hole. Do’s putterfinally kicked in but to Matthewsadvantage as Do nearly missedwhile showing Matthews the line.Matthews made the 35-footer forbirdie to get to 9-under.Do missed his twofooter for par and achance for a playoff.

“I was stunned whenHenry missed,”Matthews said. “I got agreat look from hisputt. I feel for Henry.We’ve all been thereand he will grow fromthe experience.

The Tournament ofChampions is a uniqueevent pitting men,

women, juniors and seniors togeth-er on Boyne Mountain’s Alpinecourse. The men play from theback tees at 6,938 yards, the seniormen and high schoolers play from6,562 yards and the women playfrom 5,898 yards.

Matthews was the low man,Fouch the low woman at 6 under,Dave Kendall was the low seniorat 5 under and Do was the lowamateur at 7 under.

The tournament started with 111players and was reduced to 71 andties after the second round. Thepurse is $55,000 and theMatthew’s share is $10,000.

- MG -

Jack Berry Interviews Allison Fouch for Michigan Golfer TV

Henry Do, another “Natural”?

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Orchard Lake, Mich. — RyanBrehm of Mt. Pleasant erased a two-shot deficit to capture his secondconsecutive Michigan Open cham-pionship. The 24-year old HootersTour player shot a final round 67 fora tournament total of 268 at theOrchard Lake Country Club. GarySmithson of Grand Rapids had thelow round of the day with a 65 thatmoved him into a tie for secondwith Eric Wohlfield of Brighton at270. Andy Matthew of Ada, whohad led the entire tournamentslipped to fourth-place 273 with afinal round 74.

“I enjoyed coming frombehind,” Brehm said. “It broughtout the best in me.” “This feelsreally good. It’s just nice to winand beat a good field.” Brehm’swin last year was different in thathe got out to an early lead in thefirst round and finished the tour-nament at 20-under par whichwas 8-shots better than secondplace.

Smithson charged through thefield shooting 4-under par on thefront nine. The 42-year old head pro-fessional at Thousand Oaks GolfClub bogeyed the last hole however,which gave Brehm the 2-strokecushion playing two groups behind.“I feel sick to my stomach” he saidafter the tournament. “I’m pretty dis-appointed with my finish.”

The other runner up, Wohlfieldfelt entirely different. He wasecstatic about his finish and hopesthe $4,250 he earned today willhelp get him to the tour-qualifyingevent in November. “It was myworst round of the week but I’mhappy with it. It was fun to playwith Andy and we were hitting 60-yards behind Brehm all day withour second shots.”

Brehm earns $10,000 for hiswin out of the $70,000 purse. TheMichigan Open will change venuesnext year moving to The Orchardsin Washington Township.

- MG -

Brehm Wins 2nd Michigan Open at

Orchard Lake Country ClubBy Tim Hygh

1st Ryan Brehm Mt Pleasant 268 $10,000.002nd Gary Smithson Thousand Oaks Golf Club 270 $4,250.00

Eric Wohlfield Brighton 270 $4,250.004th Andy Matthews Ada 273 $3,000.00

2010 Michigan Open: http://www.youtube

Search: 2010 Michigan Open:

Kevin Helm, Michigan Section PGA Executive Director, and Lincoln-Mercury representative present check to Champion Ryan Brehm.

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EAST LANSING, MI- RonBeurmann of Jackson came fromfour strokes behind with two holesto play to win the 89th MichiganPGA Professional Championship ina playoff. The 50-year old Directorof Golf at The Country Club ofJackson was two strokes behindentering the final round and won thetournament on the second hole of athree man playoff.

“It’s a miracle, it’s a miracle” theman known for his ball striking andpoor putting said.

“The key for me winning thisweek is the fact I only missed twofive-foot putts this week.”

John Seltzer of Ann Arbor held atwo stroke lead entering the finalround at Eagle Eye Golf Club. Heexpanded the lead to three shots afterseven holes and it looked like Seltzerwould cruise to a wire to wire win.Sean Winters of Bloomfield HillsCountry Club started the final roundfive shots behind Seltzer but got hot inthe middle of the round with an eagleon 14 and a birdie on 15. It thenbecame a three horse race.

By the time the lead groupheaded to the infamous islandgreen par three 17th holeSeltzeer was nursing a one-stroke lead over Winters and afour-stroke lead overBeurmann.

Seltzer found the waterwith “ a 155 yard pitchingwedge” on the 142 yard hole,Winters three putted for bogeyand Beurmann made par. “Iwas relaxed at 17 because Ithought I was out of it.”Beurmann said.

On the final hole of regulation,Winters drove his tee shot into thewater on the par five. He ended with adouble bogey. Seltzer’s layup shotfound the edge of a railroad tie. Heblasted out and was left with a diffi-cult wedge shot that went past the holeand he ended with a double bogey.Beurmann, presumably out of thetournament birdied the hole and allthree players finshed regularion at 10-under par.

Winters was eliminated on thefirst playoff hole when he again hit

his tee shot into the water and endedwith double bogey.Seltzer bogeyedthe second hole of the playoff andBeurmann’s par was good enough towin the $7,000 first place prize andshake a 12-year draught of winninga major.”

“I never gave up but it’s amazinghow many times I’ve walked awayfrom a tournament and said this is itbecause of my putting.” “I’ve seensome crazy stuff over the years butnever for me and it’s great to win infront of my friends and peers andScott Hebert who has won this tourna-ment four years in a row. - MG -

Ron Beurmann Wins Michigan PGA Professional

ChampionshipBy Tim Hygh

1st *Ron Beurmann Country Club of Jackson 70 65 71 206 $7000.002nd Sean Winters Bloomfield Hills Country Club 68 70 68 206 $3250.003rd John Seltzer The Polo Fields GCCAnn Arbor 64 69 73 206 $3250.004th Scott Hebert Grand Traverse Resort Spa 70 71 71 212 $1800.005th Lee Houtteman Grand Traverse Resort Spa 68 71 73 212 $1800.00

2010 Michigan PGA Professional Championship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27SIgIFsk7s

Hawk Hollow (pictured) and Eagle Eyehost the Michigan PGA ProfessionalChampionship.

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For a majority of the year, the PGAClub Professional spends his dayteaching junior clinics, organizing

member events, and making sure the firsttee is on time. Beyond the occasionalround with members or Monday sectionevents, these pros rarely have the opportu-nity to practice or play the game they loveat its highest level.

At the 2010 PGA Championship atWhistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, 20

of best PGA Club Professionals traded inthe teaching shoes and tee sheets to laceup their spikes and compete head-to-headwith the world’s best players.

The second time hosting golf’s finalmajor, Whistling Straits is another Pete Dye“work of art” perched on two miles of unin-

Teaching Pros Competewith the Touring Pros

By Brad Shelton

Photo above: Sheep mow the grass at PGAChampionship host course, WhistlingStraits

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terrupted shoreline along LakeMichigan. Ranked No. 3 in GOLFMagazine’s “Top Courses You CanPlay,” Whistling Straits is a unique7,500-yard, par 72 reminiscent of theseaside links courses of the BritishIsles. Beyond the rugged andwindswept terrain of the property,Whistling Straits has eight holeshugging the Lake Michigan shore-line and, most impressive, is its morethan 1,000 bunkers.

Club Professional Rob Moss,PGA Head Golf Professional atPepper Pike Club in Ohio, made hissecond PGA Championship start. Nostranger to competitive golf, Mosswas an All-American golfer at KentState University, has won the OhioOpen three times, owns 17 NorthernOhio PGA Section victories, and fin-ished runner-up four times during his11-year stint on the Nationwide andAsian Tours.

By Moss’ own admission howev-er, the PGA tournament was much

different than his previous competi-tive rounds. “This is a whole differ-ent environment,” says Moss.

“At the PGA Championship youare on a much grander stage. Theseplayers are good and this is just ahard golf course. There are threepar 4’s I just can’t reach”

Scott Hebert, PGA Head GolfProfessional at Grand TraverseResort & Spa in Acme, Michigantees it up for the fourth consecutivetime in the PGA Championship. Anaccomplished player, Hebert is expe-riencing role reversal during thistournament.

“In the Michigan events overthe past few years, I am the playereverybody is trying to beat,” statesHebert. “At this event I am the onechasing the other players.”

Hebert has won a record-tyingsix Michigan Open titles, is a mul-tiple winner in the Michigan PGA

Section Championship, and was amember of the 2009 U.S. PGACup Team.

If the past is indicative of whatthe club professionals can expectthis year competing against thebest players in the world, history isnot on their side. During the last10 years, in 2005, the highest num-ber of club professionals to makethe cut is 4 – in both 2003 and2008, none of the club pros quali-fied to play the weekend.

Even though most people expectvery little from the club profession-als, their attitudes still reflect thecompetitive spirit that earned them aspot in the tournament.

Keith Ohr, Head Professional atWildwood Country Club inLouisville, Kentucky and 2008Kentucky PGA Player of the Year,is playing in his first PGAChampionship.


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French Lick’s Pete Dye Course hosted the Club Professional Championship in 2010

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“I won’t set numbers or take a‘make the cut’ approach this week,”admits Ohr, “but I will set highexpectations for myself to compete.”

“I am representing my clubmembers, my profession, and mypeers,” Ohr responded when askedabout his play. “I want to play wellfor all of them to show that clubpros can play golf too.”

Having missed the cut in his pre-vious three attempts, Hebert sethigher expectations for himself thisyear. “I made ten birdies during thepractice rounds this week,” Hebertstated when asked about hisprospects for the week. “I need to hitthe fairways and, if I can, the coursesets up well for me to compete.”

Moss took a more balancedapproach to his expectations thisweek. “I am here to have fun. Thisis a great reward for me,” saidMoss before revealing that he stillwants to show he can play.“However, there are 20 club proshere this week and, at the least, Iwant to beat the other 19.”

Both Moss and Hebert finishedtied for 11th at the 2010 PGAProfessional NationalChampionship at French LickResort in Indiana – another PeteDye design – to earn a spot in thefield this week. Ohr recorded a tiefor ninth in the event.

After the first two rounds onlyone of the club professionals, RobLabritz, PGA Director of Golf atGlen Arbor Golf Club in BedfordHills, NY, made the cut to play the

weekend. Labritz finished with a 295(+7) score and received the honorsfor the low club professional.

Even though 19 of the 20 clubprofessionals missed the weekendrounds at Whistling Straits thisyear, they were still happy to havebeen a part of thetournament theycreated. “I’m out there havingfun,” said Tim Thelen fromCollege Station,Texas, “and that’s

what I think it’s all about.”

If nothing else, each of the clubprofessionals can say they played ina major championship. So the nexttime they take a member to the rangefor a lesson or play with members ona Tuesday afternoon, the club profes-sionals can know that they havereached, in many ways, the pinnacleof their profession.

- MG -


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Scott Hebert played in his fourth consecutive PGA Championship.

Scott Hebert at the PGA Championship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-B_2Y2PGJM


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Jack Nicklaus, whose accolades as a golf coursedesigner parallel a legendary career that includes arecord 18 professional major championships, joined

friends and fellow greats Johnny Miller, Arnold Palmer

The Golf Club at Harbor Shores Celebrates

Its Grand Opening TThhee CChhaammppiioonnss ffoorr CChhaannggee GGoollff CChhaalllleennggee FFeeaattuurreess JJaacckk NNiicckkllaauuss,, AArrnnoolldd PPaallmmeerr,,TToomm WWaattssoonn aanndd JJoohhnnnnyy MMiilllleerr iinn CChhaarriittyy SSkkiinnss EExxhhiibbiittiioonn

By B.R. Koehnemann

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and Tom Watson to celebrate thegrand opening of The Golf Club atHarbor Shores, a new 18-hole JackNicklaus Signature Golf Course.The Harbor Shores Champions forChange Golf Challenge featuredthe foursome competing in an 18-hole scramble skins format withrotating two-man teams.

More than 3,600 spectators wit-nessed this historic day of golf thatwas kicked off with a communityclinic for all attendees. Prior to theclinic, Whirlpool Corporation CEOJeff Fettig, announced that theBenton Harbor-based company

would donate $1 million in honorof the four players to the Boys andGirls Club of Benton Harbor andThe First Tee of Benton Harbor.“The golf course has been manydecades in the making in terms oftransforming the industrial base inthe community into somethingvery productive,” said Fettig. “Ican’t think of a better group ofpeople, the four legends of golf,we had here today to kick it off.”

With introductions and morningceremonies complete, the four play-ers took to the course for its ceremo-nial first round in a rotating two-man

skins format with partners switchingevery six holes. Patrons were treatedto the two-man team ofNicklaus/Palmer to start off theround, followed by Nicklaus/Watsonfrom holes 7-12 and Nicklaus/Millerto close out the round.

“I thought the golf course wasin fantastic condition,” saidNicklaus. “The golf course wasquite good and I’m quite proud ofit. I’m also proud that I was askedto be a part of this project.”

Although it didn’t count on thescorecard, the highlight of the day

Jack Nicklaus signs autographs for fans.

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came on the No. 10 green whenJohnny Miller saw Arnold Palmer’s100-foot eagle putt fall short of thethree-tier ridged green and fall backtowards his direction. Miller ques-tioned the makeability of such a putt,which got Nicklaus’ attention. Thecourse designer himself then demon-strated how the putt could be madeby sinking the more than 100-footuphill putt, which broke 15 feet fromleft to right, in front of more than2,000 spectators who were surround-ing the green.

While the focus of the day cen-tered around the revitalization ofthe community and raising fundsfor two local charities and no actu-

al money was exchanged, TomWatson did earn the most honoraryskins money ($381,250). His totalwas followed by Jack Nicklaus($268,750), Arnold Palmer($181,250) and Johnny Miller($168,750).

More than just a golf course,Harbor Shores will serve as a cata-lyst for ongoing community trans-formation—economic, environ-mental and social. Not only willthe non-profit resort communitystimulate increased tax revenue,create jobs and generate new con-sumer spending, it will buildhuman capacity in areas includingwork-force training, youth devel-

opment, education, life skillsdevelopment, housing and home-ownership.

Harbor Shores has alreadyrestored beauty to a pristine area ofLake Michigan’s waterfront throughrehabilitation of local public parkspace, clean-up of brownfields andpreservation of natural wetlands.

All 18 holes of The Golf Clubat Harbor Shores are currentlyopen for play. Video footage andphotos from the event are currentlyavailable atwww.harborshoreschampions.com.

- MG -

Arnold Palmer

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Champions for Change: The Golf Club at Harbor Shores http://www.youtube.comSearch: The Golf Club at Harbor Shores

Tom Watson

Johnny Miller

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For Pete’s Sake, Enough is Enough

by Bill Shelton

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For Pete’s Sake, Enough is Enough

by Bill Shelton


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Dear Pete Dye,

Enough is enough! Somebodyhad to tell you. You are so admired

and respected by the golfing com-munity that no one wanted to bethe messenger. You were recentlyinducted into the World Golf Hallof Fame, a rare and extremelyprestigious recognition for a golfcourse architect. You, Alice, andyour associates have designedmore than a 1000 courses (give ortake a few hundred) and renovatedtwice that many. In 2010, three ofyour courses were listed in top 10of Golf magazine’s “Top 100Courses You Can Play.” WhistlingStraits, site of the 86th and 92ndPGA Championship and the 2020

site of the Ryder Cup, was ranked#3. Many of your courses are regu-lar venues for major tournamentsincluding the Ryder Cup, PGAChampionship, US Open, PGANational Championship, US SeniorOpen and annually the TourPlayers Championship atSawgrass. You have designed someof the most difficult courses in theworld and yet every serious golferwants to play them regardless ofskill level. And, yes, followingthose rounds your name is oftenuttered in a string of expletiveseven as the golfer calls for a tee

An Open Letter to Pete Dye

Bill Shelton

The Pete Dye Course at French Lick

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time at another of your courses.Pete, you ARE THE MAN in mod-ern golf course design.

What possibly then could be thebasis for the message that “enoughis enough?” Well, Pete, you have atendency to over-excel. Moderationdoes not seem to be in your vocab-ulary—never adequate, alwaysexceptional. Let’s use WhistlingStraits, site of the 2010 PGAChampionship, as an example. Adecade ago Herb Kohler asked youto design an unforgettable champi-onship course on a flat stretch ofold farmland that had been usedlater as an anti-aircraft range alongthe shoreline of Lake Michigan.You apparently thought he said foryou to move heaven and earth—and spare no expense. And so youdid and didn’t! You moved morethan a million tonsof cubic earth. Youhad 13,126 truck-loads of sand hauledto the site. And,mentioning sand,who but you woulddesign a golf coursewith almost 1000sand traps?(Bulletin: you werenot named CourseArchitect of theYear by NationalAssociation of Rankand File GolfCourse MaintenanceWorkers Who Haveto Rake Traps[NAR-FGCMWHRT]).

Finally, greensaveraging 7500square feet andtee boxes of6000 square feetrepresent areaslarger than thehome sites of 90percent ofAmericans. Infairness to you, Idetermined onerumor floatingabout at thePGAChampionshipwas unfounded.Your original course design (drawnwith a pencil on the back of anenvelope) for the Straits Coursedid NOT include the relocation ofLake Michigan two miles to theeast.

Speaking of water, Pete. TheTPC asked you to create a bunkeror hazard in front of the 17th greenat Sawgrass. Did you misunder-stand? How did you interpret that

Pete Dye

17th Green, TPC Sawgrass

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request to become arather substantial lakewith an island green?No one can argue thatyou don‘t give ownersmore than asked. Take,for example, the OceanCourse at Kiawah.

You were asked todesign a Scottish links-style course along theCarolina shore linethatwould be worthy ofhosting major champi-onships and, specifical-ly, the Ryder Cup. Anddid you ever fulfill thatrequest! The OceanCourse is one of thesternest tests in moderngolf and indeed incorporates all ofthe challenges and complexities oflinks golf. Unfortunately your per-fection resulted in a distinct play-ing advantage for the Europeanteam and a stunning defeat for theUSA. Have you done it again atWhistling Straits, host of the 2020Ryder Cup?

There are just a couple of otherexcesses of your designs thatshould be addressed. First,youapparently have some trouble withthe proverbial question, “how longis long?” Pete, the par 4 fourthhole at Whistling Straits is 493yards. That is extremely long. Thepar 4 fifteenth hole is 527 yards.How can I explain? Try this, youtee off in one time zone and putt inanother! The 2010 PGA NationalChampionship was played at your

new French Lick Course in Indianaand I know how proud of it youare. But, really Pete, does anycourse below 10,000 feet abovesea level need to stretch more than8000 yards? (I have only been ableto play the front nine since I failedto bring my passport.)

There is one other message I havebeen asked to deliver. Your frequentuse of railroad ties in course designshas been well documented. You muststop! The American RailroadInstitute has alleged that you havealmost single handily have crippledour nation’s rail system. Pete, theirmessage is clear—”We want our tiesback.”

In closing, there are a couple ofareas that we think more, not less, isneeded. First, your 85 years of lifehave given us so much and we want

more. We want you to stay around awhole lot longer and continue todesign spectacular courses. Second,Alice has been your wife and busi-ness partner for 60 years. She is pro-fessional in every sense in the worldof golf. We feel you two make agreat combination that should con-tinue for a very long time. Third,about your dog who is your constantcompanion. You named him Sixty,the same name as your former dogand your dog before that and perhapseven more. Pete, could you possiblyname your next dog Sixty-One? Itjust seems to be the right thing to do.

Your Friend and Admirer,

Bill Shelton Representing The American Golfer

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34 The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

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michigan golfer, fall 2010

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