2013 Battle Creek Enquirer Golf Guide

2 April 2013 Battle Creek EnquirerGOLF GUIDE 2013

Battle Creek Enquirer April 2013 3GOLF GUIDE 2013

The Battle Creek Enquirer’s Golf Guide 2013 takes a look at golf in thearea, featuring information on local golf courses as well as tips on how toimprove your golf game.

INSIDE THIS SECTION

» COVER STORY: Enquirer golf writer Will Kowalski talks to local experts onthe importance of using driving ranges or practice greens to improve yoursuccess over a summer of golf rounds - Page 4» KEY DATES: Mark your calendar for the top tournaments of the summerusing our schedule of events -Page 11» GOLF MAP: Find out where and when you can play golf throughout thearea with our map of local courses - Page 12-13» AREA COURSES: Locations, course hours, green fees and description ofcourses in the area - starting on Page 14» SCHEDULES: Follow the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and the Champions Tourwith a season-long schedule - Page 20-21» FIRST TEE: Find out what Battle Creek’s First Tee program has to offer thissummer - Page 22» CONTACT US: If you have a golf event, tournament or want to report ahole in one or an eagle, send information to the sports desk at theEnquirer at [email protected]

Locals prepare for golf season at range at Cedar Creek Golf Club. JESSIE CARON/ENQUIRER


“Practice makes perfect.’’It’s a phrase that most folks have heard time and

again during their life’s endeavors.Well, becoming “perfect’’ at something might be a

bit of a stretch, as no matter what you’re trying to getreally good at, nobody’s “perfect.’’

Yet it is commonly accepted that the more onepractices at something, the better one gets.

And that certainly holds true with the game of golf.

So, where does one practice golf?Certainly not on the golf course it-

self. When a linkster is playing a round,every shot counts. Plus, there are usu-ally other golfers playing in front of youor behind you, which leaves little timeto try new things or take extra swings— which isn’t allowed during a round,anyway, unless you enjoy marking dou-ble-digits down onto your scorecard.

Rather, the place to hone one’s gameis on the practice range and the practicegreen. And many local courses andfacilities have both ranges and practicegreens on their grounds.

The key to a golf season is to get some practice in early at a driving range like this golfer on the practice range of The Golf Club at Yarrow in Augusta. JESSIE CARON/FOR THE ENQUIRER

DRIVENto

SUCCEED

Local pros sayit’s best to have

a plan whenworking on

practice ranges,practice greens

By Will Kowalski | The Enquirer

See RANGE, Page 5


» Binder Park Golf Course/The First Tee of Battle Creek, 7255 B Drive S, BattleCreek (Binder Park 979-8250, First Tee 979-6203).» Bedford Valley Golf Club, 23161 Waubascon Rd., Battle Creek (965-3384).» Cedar Creek Golf Club, 14000 Renton Rd., Battle Creek (965-6423).» Marywood Golf Club, 21310 North Ave., Battle Creek (968-1168).» Riverside Golf Club, 245 E. Columbia Ave., Battle Creek (962-3921).» Hit-Em-Here, 1790 Columbia Ave., Battle Creek (965-5221).» The Medalist Golf Club, 15701 N Drive N, Marshall (789-4653).» Maple Hills Golf Club, 16344 East C Ave., Augusta (731-4430).» Golf Club at Yarrow, 10499 N. 48th St., Augusta (731-2698).» Stonehedge Golf Club, 15530 D Ave., Augusta (731-2300).» Gull Lake View Golf Club, 7417 N 38th St., Augusta, opening June (731-4149).» Hickory Ridge Golf Course, 65 N 30th St., Galesburg (382-6212).» Tomac Woods Golf Course, 14827 26 1/2 Mile Rd., Albion (800-835-9185).» Foundation Learning Center, 491 Jonesville Rd., Coldwater (517-279-6164).» Golf Club of Coldwater, 270 Narrows Rd., Coldwater (517-279-2100).

LIST OF LOCAL PUBLIC GOLF PRACTICE RANGES

The only problem is, the majority of“average’’ golfers or those newer to thegame don’t always know exactly whatthey’re supposed to really be doingwhen they’re “Home on the Range.’’

What’s right? What’s wrong? Followalong, and some answers will be offeredby several local PGA teaching profes-sionals and/or players — with hopes ofhelping you become a better golfer,while also helping you get more enjoy-ment out of your links experiences.

The local pros who offered theirknowledge about the correct ways to dothings on the range and the practicegreen for this article are John Morse,Matt Thompson, Gary Robinson, RonOsborne and Dean Kolstad. For thewrong way to do things, yours truly caneasily handle that angle, starting now.

What not to do on the rangeHere’s another catch-phrase that

seems appropriate: “Don’t do what I do.’’I’ve been the golf writer at the En-

quirer for 25 years now, and I’m prettymuch an “average’’ bogey golfer myself.

I have my moments when all goeswell from tee to green on any one partic-ular hole every once in a while, and Iwind up scoring well on that hole in theprocess.

However, I also inevitably wind uptaking my share of extra strokes hereand there and everywhere during around. Those extra, unwanted strokesare due to a combination of mis-hits; badcourse mental management decisions(for instance, using a driver on a tightfairway instead of a fairway wood oriron or hybrid which would lead to less

distance but which might insure betteraccuracy); plain-ol’ out-of-sync swingsor follow-throughs; plus the mis-readingor wrong-speed decisions of putts.

And all of that bad stuff more thanlikely has to do with the way I usuallyapproach my time on the range.

First off, I’ve never taken lessons

RANGEContinued from Page 4

See RANGE, Page 6

Golfers work on their game at the driving range at Binder Park Golf Course. JESSIE CARON/FOR THE ENQUIRER


from a professional, which is why I’llprobably never get better. And withoutlessons from a pro, I guess you couldsay I really don’t know how to correctmy swing or set-up problems the way Ishould.

That said, to make things worse,here’s my typical practice range rou-tine: Get a basket of balls, stretch out alittle, then grab the driver out of thegolf bag and start banging away a fewdozen times.

Then, if I still have a few moments

before my tee time, I might hit a coupleof short irons and wedges on the range,then go to the practice green and putt afew balls around with hopes of finding a“line’’ and getting to know the speed ofthe greens that I’ll soon be encounter-ing.

But that’s pretty much it. That’s myroutine. And it’s not a very good one, isit?

The right things to doThat said, it’s now time to find out the

correct way to approach a practicerange and practice green, via com-ments from some local experts.

Those experts are:» John Morse, age 55, of Marshall.

Morse is a 1976 Marshall High grad whofirst went to Kellogg Community Col-lege, then on to the University of Michi-gan where he became captain of thesquad. He then turned professional,played and won all around the world,played and won on the PGA Tour, and inmore recent times was a former headpro at Marshall Country Club and alsoplayed on the Champions (Senior) Tour.Morse — who has earned well over $1million playing golf in his lifetime alongwith hitting over a million golf balls onthe range — said he’s had some backproblems again recently, and that if hedoesn’t wind up playing in ChampionsTour and PGA Tour events again thisseason, that he might be helping out thissummer as a teaching pro at BattleCreek Country Club.

» Matt Thompson of Battle Creek. Asa prep star at Lakeview High he helped


Marshall’s John Morse, a veteran of the PGA Tour, works with a young golfer on the driving range. AL LASSEN/FOR THE ENQUIRER

See RANGE, Page 7

“The more often youproduce a consistent swingand then reproduce it, the

better you will play.”JOHN MORSE

PGA pro


the Spartans win a state title and wasalso a two-time prep individual statemedalist. Thompson, now 23, completedhis tenure with the University of Michi-gan golf team as one of its captains lastspring — he also won a unprecedentedfive consecutive Calhoun County Ama-teur titles during his prep and collegiateyears — and early last summer turnedprofessional. He competed in PGA TourQualifying School in Georgia last mid-September and made it through pre-qualifying, and then went to Florida tocompete in the first state of Tour qual-ifying but did not advance from thereon his first attempt. He said he willattempt Q-School again this year. Mostrecently he competed on the pro Gate-way Tour in Arizona this winter, andsaid he might be around the Cereal Cityand will play in some Michigan majorevents this summer while figuring outhis next moves toward someday realiz-ing his goal of playing on the PGA Tour.

» Gary Robinson of Jackson, who isthe longtime head PGA teaching profes-sional at The Foundation Learning Cen-ter in Coldwater. Robinson, who has alsoexcelled playing in regional pro events(including more recently at the Seniorlevel), said that lately he has most beenthe personal PGA teacher of BrianStuard of Jackson, who is now perform-ing on the PGA Tour.

» Ron Osborne of Battle Creek, whois the head PGA professional and gener-al manager of Binder Park Golf Coursein the Cereal City. Osborne is a past

president of the Western MichiganChapter of the Michigan PGA, he’s cur-rently the secretary of the MichiganPGA (he’ll assume the role of presidentin about four to five years), and on hisstaff at Binder Park is PGA teachingpro Paul Hawkins, whom Osborne saidis now Binder Park’s No. 1 teaching proas well as the site’s top club fitter. Thecurrent president of the Michigan PGAis Gary Koenes, most recently ofSpringbrook Golf Course in Springfield.

» Dean Kolstad, who is the longtimehead PGA professional at Bedford Val-ley Golf Club in Battle Creek (with Bed-ford Valley being one of the Gull LakeView chain of courses). Kolstad is also aformer professional hockey player, andbegan working for the GLV chain over15 years ago. It should also be noted thatboth Bedford Valley and Stonehedge ofthe Gull Lake View chain have practiceranges and practice greens, and that anew practice range is currently underconstruction at Gull Lake View GolfClub in Augusta and is expected to beopen to the public in June.

Following, then, are what those proshave to say about being efficient whenyou are “Home on the Range.’’ You’llnotice that some of their recommenda-tions differ a bit here and there, butindividual golfers also differ a bit hereand there as well, right? So use the in-formation below as it pertains to yourown personal game.

John Morse» “The thing about golf is that it’s a

game of repetition and the more often


Ron Osborne, the pro at the Binder Park Golf Course, says it is important to get practice inon the driving range. AL LASSEN/FOR THE ENQUIRER

See RANGE, Page 8

“There are two basic types ofpractice: Mechanical practice

and playing practice.’’RON OSBORNE

Binder Park Golf Course Pro

Battle Creek on June 20-21. Tour eventsbegin in early June, and there’s also afall tour. For signup information, seemichiganpgagolf.com or call 517-641-7421.

TOP 50 JUNIOR TOURThe Western Michigan Zone of thenationwide program is for boys andgirls ages 12-18, and there’s also a co-eddivision for ages 8-11. For signup in-formation, see top50juniortour.com.

AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLFASSOCIATIONThe AAJGA has events at the local,state, regional and national levels,including tour stops in Michigan. Forsignup information, see ajga.org.

There are again plenty of opportunities for local youth golfers to play at the com-petitive level this season. Following is a list of available junior tours offered forboys and girls for the spring/summer/early fall of 2013.

GAME OF YOUR LIFEFOUNDATIONBased in Coldwater at The FoundationLearning Center, the Foundation offersthe Meijer Junior Players Tour (for ages7-14/starts May and June); the AdamsGolf Junior Tour presented by Meijer(ages 12-19/starts May and June); andthe TaylorMade-adidas Collegiate Se-ries (starts in June). For signup informa-tion, see juniorgolf.org or call 517-278-4892.

MICHIGAN PGA JUNIOR TOURThe Michigan PGA Junior Tour is forboys and girls ages 13-18. Included inthe tour schedule is the Junior Champi-onship at Bedford Valley Golf Club in

Juniors have plenty of chances to compete


you produce a consistent swing andthen reproduce it, the better you willplay. Even better if it’s a fundamentallysound swing.’’

» “ I’m not sure there is a proper or

improper procedure for practicing onthe range. For example: Tom Watsonstarts sessions with a 3-iron, they areslow methodical swings at first butquickly gets to speed. Remember this isafter he is in the gym for 30-45 minutesbeforehand. One must find a routineand stick with it because that helpsbuild consistency on how they approacha round of golf. A few exercises first isalways recommended before you startis the main point here.’’

» “You want to hit balls on the range,balls out of practice bunkers and hitputts on the practice green, all threethings, because that helps you feel thegame. You can start your warm-up onthe range if you want, but I like to finishwith a couple of very short putts beforeI go to the first tee box for a round forconfidence.’’

» “Going back to repetition, the moreyou do things the same, the better theybecome. I wouldn’t recommend beingscared off of a club unless it’s a driver.By that I mean management more thananything because you don’t have toalways hit a driver to score, but an ironis another thing.’’

» “Practice does tend to make youbetter, but only if you practice the rightthings. One needs to find a good teacheror be an excellent student of the gamefor practice to be effective. If you haveboth, you’re ahead of the game.’’

» “It takes a long time for a golfer tofigure out how and what is best forthem. Personally I tend to hit more ballsthan some but not as many as others. Iknow people who hit very few but playincessantly. Both ways are OK. The keyhere is that they do it consistently andalways maintain their fundamentals:grip, stance and alignment.’’

» “Try and make your practice ses-sions fun and go with a thought or two toaccomplish that day. Do not add to thelaundry list as the day goes on because

if you do you’ll never finish it. Go homehappy!’’

Matt Thompson» “Spending time on the range is

important for all skill levels. Time onthe range can serve the purpose of sim-ply warming up before a round, toworking on your swing, to using drillsand/or other training aids.’’

» “In the case of practicing on therange, quality is much better than quan-tity. Many golfers can mindlessly hitballs on the range, firing one ball afteranother, and get in some sort of groove.We have all done this, and then we won-der why we can’t find that groove on thecourse. Our time on the range is bestspent going through our routine beforeeach shot, simulating the process thatwe go through on the course.’’

» “I think proper procedure is what-ever procedure fits you the best. Per-sonally, I warm up with some wedgesand work up to my driver. If you want tofocus on your driver, spend more timehitting your driver. If your wedges areholding you back, spend more timehitting wedges. The best way to spendyour time on the range is the way thatsuits you the best. Spend as much timeon the range as you wish as long as youare moving forward. Once you feel likeyou are doing more harm than good,move on to your short game.’’

» “And the short game, it’s the mostimportant part of golf. Everyone wantsto hit the long drive, but being able toget up and down will save you morestrokes than you can imagine. Practic-ing your short game is much like prac-ticing on the range, it’s all about thequality of the time that you put in. Gothrough your routine before every chipand every putt.’’

» “When practicing your short game,one tip applies to everyone who playsthe game: Use your less-lofted clubs asmuch as you can around the greens.Don’t be afraid to take out that 7-ironwhen you have green to work with.Sometimes we tend to take out the lobwedge without thinking, when our 7-iron would serve us better. Practiceusing those clubs between your pitchingwedge and 7-iron because it eliminatesmuch of the risk that comes with usingyour lob wedge around the green.’’

» “Spending some time on the rangeon days when you aren’t getting out onthe course will help you to keep yourrhythm and feel for the days aheadwhen you do get out on the course. It iseven more important to maintain thatfeel around the greens. If you have alittle time for some short-game practiceon days when you aren’t playing, yourchipping and putting will benefit.’’

» “During the season when I have

See RANGE, Page 9


Gary Robinson of the Foundation Learning Center in Coldwater says taking lessons on thedriving range can help your golf game. AL LASSEN/FOR THE ENQUIRER

“When general golfers go toa practice range I almostnever see anyone practice

with a purpose.”GARY ROBINSON

Teaching pro at Foundation Learning Center


multiple tournaments, I will spend timeon the range every day. Personally, thetime I spend on the range varies fromweek to week and even day to day. Ienjoy spending my time on the courseand using that time to work on my gamebecause nothing emulates the shots youneed to work on like facing them on thecourse. When I am on the range, mytime is spent working on my techniqueand mechanics. Stance and posture arevery important to check on the range ...so that once you get on the course you

can put those things aside and focus oneach shot.’’

» “Luckily for us, there are greatresources in West Michigan that golferscan use to further their progress in golf.The many PGA professionals we haveare a great resource to hone in the as-pects of your game that need the mostfocus.’’

Gary Robinson» “When general golfers go to prac-

tice range I almost never see anyonepractice with a purpose. If you are tak-ing lessons, you should have some drillsyou are working on and your instructorshould have given them to you.’’

» “When you go to the range with apurpose and you are using it properly,you start out with your 56-degree ormost lofted club. Let’s talk in dozens.Maybe start out with some stretching.The hit some little 30-yard shots. Nowgo on to hitting some full shots with it.Now grab a mid-iron like a 7-iron. Nexta long iron like a 4-iron, then a hybrid,now some 3-metals, then on to yourdriver. Like I said, all about a dozen.’’

» “Then on to the short game areawhere you hit some 20-, 40-, 60-yardshots. Then to the chipping area where

you some pitch and run shots and someshort-sided shots. Then into the sandbunker with some long and short shots.Remember about a dozen each. Thiskeeps you from useless random hit-ting.’’

» “Now on to the putting surface.Start out with some five-footers around

the cup, then onto 12, 20, 35 and longerputts. Remember, it'’ not how many, it'sthe quality of hitting that counts. Allplayers vary in what clubs they hit, butall good players have this regimen.’’

» “I am fortunate to coach BrianStuard on the PGA Tour; at this time heis 37th on the money list with $690,000.He arrives an hour and half early toprepare for a tournament day. We now,because of his level of play, work moreon shaping shots to prepare for tourna-ment play. So at his level we spend lesstime on the range, more on the coursewith shaping shots and playing thegame.’’

» “So remember to utilize the range,have a purpose and continue to workwith a qualified PGA professional.’’

Ron Osborne» “In order to practice your golf

game, we must first know how to prac-tice. There are two basic types of prac-tice: Mechanical practice and playingpractice.’’

» “A majority of players think thatpractice is beating golf balls. Wrong.That is just hitting balls. There must bea purpose for improvement. In reality,if you’re working on something in yourswing, then you must work on this cor-rectly even if you miss the ball.’’

Matt Thompson, a former standout at Lakeview and University of Michigan, says work onthe range can help with technique or just as a warmup. THE ENQUIRER


“Spending time on therange is important for all

skill levels.”MATT THOMPSON

Former University of Michigan golf standout


» “Two more things to remember:Learn better practice techniques, anddon’t forget about an equipment re-view for high handicappers.’’

» “Here are some ideas for you tothink about the next time you go out tomechanical practice. Always lay downa reference line for alignment. Useand 8-iron or a 7-iron to train with,even if you’re having trouble with thedriver. These clubs are easier to in-grain a feeling for than the driver.Verify your fundamentals, grip, aim,alignment, posture, ball position andplane angle.’’

» “Start by loosening up with a sandwedge — it’s the heaviest club in thebag — and hitting little chip shots.Then move into small pitch shots. Thisbuilds a strong foundation for learn-ing the proper impact alignments.’’

» “Focus on whatever it is that youare trying to improve on mechanical-ly. Do drills to help enforce thischange. Every half hour, put down theclubs and take a break. Then alternatebetween the long game and the shortgame. Remember, as your chippinggets better your pitching gets better,

and then your full swing gets better.’’» “Set realistic goals and time

frames to achieve them. If you want towin the club championship but have a15 handicap, then give yourself time towork on things that will get you there.For instance, if you putt well but pitchpoorly, then spend more time pitchingand less time putting.’’

» “Then, when it’s time to play,forget mechanics and focus on thetarget. You must learn to separateplaying from practice. And lastly, ifyou want to improve and you’re strug-gling, see your local PGA profession-al. Tour players take golf lessons, whywouldn’t you?’’

Dean Kolstad» “Always start on the putting

green. It allows you to get mentallyready for your practice session.’’

» “Start by stretching, a good fiveto 10 minutes will assure you of somegood practice time. After you areloosened up, hit some wedge shots,then stretch a little more.’’

» “When you start to practice makesure you are focused on the task athand. I start with the shorter clubs,five to 10 balls, then move up in theset. Save the driver till last. Someplayers like to hit a few irons, then a

couple drivers then back to the irons,whatever works.’’

» “Remember: Perfect practicemakes for perfect shots. If you do notintend to get better every time you hitballs, you are wasting your time. Itmight not always work out that way,

but at least that was your intentions.’’» “And, after your time on the

range, go back to the practice greenand hit a few chips with differentclubs. Get a feel for the texture of thegrass. Finish up by hitting some moreputts from different distances. Do allthat, and your game will go strongerand stronger the more you spend yourtime working on the range and thepractice green.’’

Dean Kolstad, PGA professional at BedfordValley Golf Course, promotes working onthe practice green before a round. JOHN

GRAP/THE ENQUIRER


“Always start on theputting green. It allows you

to get mentally ready foryour practice session.’’

DEAN KOLSTADPGA pro at Bedford Valley Golf Club


» MAY 5: Annual Open House for TheFirst Tee of Battle Creek Learning Acad-emy, noon to 3 p.m., at The First Tee’sbuilding on the grounds of Binder ParkGolf Course. For more informationabout the Open House, or to sign upfor this season’s First Tee programs(which begin in early May and runthrough early September), call programdirector Steve Van Der Heide at TheFirst Tee at 979-6203.» MAY 9: Local qualifier for the 102ndGolf Association of Michigan Champi-onship, at Bedford Valley Golf Club.Qualifiers for the event will take placeMay 7 through June 1; the 102nd cham-pionship is June 18-22 at MuskegonCountry Club. For more information,see gam.org or call the Golf Associationof Michigan at 248-478-9242.» MAY 23: Michigan Open Qualifier, atBattle Creek Country Club. Registrationdeadline May 15. For more information,see michiganpgagolf.com or call theMichigan PGA at 517-641-7421. TheMichigan Open Championship is June10-13 at The Orchards Golf Club inWashington Township.» MAY 28: 60th annual VA/PGA Tour-

nament, featuring professionals fromthe Western Chapter of the MichiganPGA, at Custer Greens Golf Course onthe grounds of the VA Medical Center.Starts 8:30 a.m. with instructional clin-ics, then 18 holes of golf (twice aroundthe 9-hole course) starting at 10 a.m.The WMPGA makes donations to theVA’s recreational programs each year,and VA patients caddy for the pros. Formore information, call WMPGA presi-dent Dean Kolstad at Bedford ValleyGolf Club at 965-3384.» JUNE 14: Annual Optimist JuniorWorld of Golf Local Tournament, atBinder Park Golf Course. For ages 5-18for boys and girls; tee times start at 9a.m. for older players. No fees for golfand free lunch, provided by the HarperCreek Optimist Club. Top older-agedfinishers advance to state/regional play.For more information, call John Pe-ruzze at 979-3045 or Binder Park at979-8250.» JUNE 20-21: Michigan PGA JuniorChampionship, at Bedford Valley GolfClub. Open to all junior players, boysand girls, ages 13-18. Top boy and girlfinishers advance to regional competi-

tion. For more information or to signup, see michiganpgagolf.com or callthe Michigan PGA at 517-641-7421.» JUNE 24: Golf Association of Michi-gan/USGA Junior Amateur Champi-onship local qualifier, at Battle CreekCountry Club. The championship is July29-Aug. 1 at Radrick Farms Golf Coursein Ann Arbor. For more information,see gam.org or call the Golf Associationof Michigan at 248-478-9242.» JUNE 28: Chili’s First Tee FundraiserOuting, annual fundraiser outing forThe First Tee of Battle Creek. Call TheFirst Tee at 979-6203 or Binder Park at979-8250.» JULY 9-10: 21st annual City SeniorChampionship, open to all male andfemale players age 50-over. Flighted byscore and age after first round. Open-ing round this year will be played atCedar Creek Golf Club on July 9, andsecond and final round will be playedon July 10 at Binder Park Golf Course.For more information or to sign up, callCedar Creek at 965-6423 or Binder Parkat 979-8250.» JULY 15-17: 32nd annual MichiganPGA Senior Open, at Bedford Valley

Golf Club. The Pro-Am, open to thepublic and for all ages, is July 15. Thetourney, for male golfers age 50-over, isJuly 16-17. For more information or tosign up, see michiganpgagolf.com orcall the Michigan PGA at 517-641-7421.» JULY 17-18: 22nd Golf Association ofMichigan Women’s Championship, atGull Lake Country Club. Registrationdeadline is July 3. For more informa-tion, see gam.org or call the Golf Asso-ciation of Michigan at 248-478-9242.» AUG. 6: Annual City Junior Champi-onship, open to all youths, at BinderPark Golf Course. Tee times start at 10a.m. For more information or to signup, call Binder Park at 979-8250.» AUG. 17-18: 36th annual CalhounCounty Amateur Championship, opento all male and female players (in-cluding older-aged juniors), at BinderPark Golf Course. Flighted after firstround of 18 holes; several flights avail-able; scratch as well as higher-handicapgolfers invited. For the second straightyear, tee times will be used instead ofshotgun starts. To sign up or for moreinformation, call Binder Park at 979-8250.

KEY DATES FOR 2013


THE MEDALIST GOLF CLUB

» ADDRESS/PHONE: 15701 N DRIVE NORTH,Marshall; 269-789-GOLF (4653)

» HOLES/YARDS.PAR: 18/6,965/72» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset» WALKING FEES: $22/$36 for 9/18 holes

weekdays all day, $26/$44 for 9/18 holes week-ends. Also offered is a special senior (55 andolder) walking rate of $12 for 9 holes and $22for 18 holes Monday through Friday. GoldMedalist Thursdays all season long 18 holeswith cart $37 or $28 for seniors offered everyThursday.

» WHATS OFFERED: Power carts, pro shop,practice range, practice green, rental equip-ment, food, restaurant, bar, outing and tour-nament opportunities, patio dining area (Os-prey Grille), banquet facility, weddings, classreunions.

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Osprey RecreationalProperties that also own Ridgeview GC inKalamazoo, Manistee National GC in Man-istee, and the Otsego Club also in Gaylord.Lowell Weaver II (general manager); JohnThompson (food and beverage manager);Kelly Perrian (event/wedding coordinator);Alan Blonde (superintendent).

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1996 (front nine),1997 (back nine).

» ABOUT THE MEDALISTLowell Weaver is back for his 14th season as

general manager of the upscale 18-hole layoutthat is located on N Drive North near I-69 andkitty-corner to Cornwell’s Turkeyville USA.

Also back as Superintendent of the champi-onship-style, 18-hole course is Alan Blonde.And in its 8th full year as owners of the 6,965-yard, par-72 layout is the Osprey RecreationalProperties/Osprey Management group. TheOsprey group has made sure that The Med-alist’s playing conditions are up to their highstandards and that the course is in immaculateshape. Golfers from near and far truly enjoyplaying The Medalist for its design that blendsnatural surroundings with both the links andparkland styles, and which sports plush bentgrass fairways and large fast greens.

In addition to the intriguing course andscenic layout, The Medalist has added a beau-tiful tented facility that can accommodate upto 300 guests for parties, reunions, weddings,receptions, or banquets.

The Medalist welcomes back John Thomp-son as our food and beverage manager. Johnhas extensive experience in the local market asan owner and manager of many successfulrestaurants. Most recently, John was the foodand beverage manager at the upscale OtsegoClub in Gaylord. Weaver said “we are veryhappy to welcome John back to The Medalist.We have created a great reputation for thequality of our food and with John, I feel thatour reputation will get even better.”

“The layout of the course is one of the bestyou’ll find and we stress customer service,”Weaver said. “We want people who come outhere to enjoy their whole day, from theirinitial interaction with the pro shop staff, tothe experience of playing on this champi-onship course, and finally enjoying dinner onthe picturesque patio overlooking the 18th

green.” The fantastic layout and pristineconditions lends itself to tournament play,which is why the Golf Association of Michiganhas chosen to host at least one tournamenthere each of the last 12 years, including the

Michigan State Junior Championship lastseason. The Medalist again will be offeringGold Medalist Thursday’s as it was so popularin previous seasons. Every Thursday you canplay 18 holes with cart for $37 or $28 for sen-iors 55 and older. Also included is $2 hot dogs,$2 drafts and $2 range tokens.

RIVERSIDE GOLF CLUB &BANQUET CENTER

» ADDRESS/PHONE: (Office/Pro Shop): 245 E.Columbia Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49015,269-964-0291

» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/6,664/72» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to Sunset» WHAT’S OFFERED: Electric golf carts, pull

carts, pro shop, golf lessons, practice range,practice green, food & snacks, bar & bever-ages, & banquet facilities.

» CLUB EXECUTIVES: The Vocke family andRyan Frost (grounds superintendent);

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1925» ABOUT RIVERSIDE GOLF CLUB: Riverside

was started in 1925. Known at that time as theMasonic Golf Club, the course was a 9-holefacility. In 1927 another 9 holes were added,positioning 12 holes north and 6 holes south of

AREA COURSES

See AREA COURSES, Page S15

The Medalist Golf Club of Marshall offers an intriguing course and scenic layout. JOHN

GRAP/THE ENQUIRER


Columbia Avenue. In 1933 the club becameincorporated and the name changed to River-side Country Club. The present course config-uration, 9 holes north & 9 holes south of Co-lumbia Avenue, took place in 1963. In 2011 agroup of local investors purchased the club,and opened it to the public.

Currently, Riverside has wonderful amenitiesto offer. The banquet center at Riverside hasbeen newly remodeled and is the perfect placeto host a reception, class reunion, party, or anyother special event. Riverside has also up-graded their cart fleet from gas carts to elec-tric. Riverside is the perfect place to host yourgolf outing, tournament or golf fund raiser.

The golf course is in immaculate condition.Well maintained greens, tees, and fairways areoverseen by Ryan Frost, Grounds Superinten-dent, a graduate of Michigan State’s Horticul-ture Landscape Design program. Ryan is in his6th year of overseeing the course. There arecontinuous improvements planned and beingmade to the course and facilities. The locationis outstanding, you don’t have to drive very farfor a great golfing experience, and Riversideprobably has some of the best views in thearea. The banquet facilities are also availibleand opened for the public to book receptions,parties, meetings, and any other special eventyou may have. Seating capacity goes from 20up to 230 guests, and offers a wonderful largedance floor and beautiful views of the courseand downtown.

A great place that is conveniently locatedfor the public to enjoy.

CEDAR FARMS GOLF CLUB» ADDRESS/PHONE: 12111 South Helmer

Road, Battle Creek; 979-7277 (PARS)

» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/3,179/61 (back tees).» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» WALKING FEES: $9.00 for 9 holes, $14.00

for 18 holes weekdays. $10.00 for 9 holes,$16.00 for 18 holes weekends.

» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pull carts,pro shop, lessons, practice green, rental equip-ment, food, bar, picnic area, group outings,expansive junior program and opportunities intandem with those at Cedar Creek Golf Club

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Cris and KristeVocke (owners); Tim Hesselink (superinten-dent)

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1998» ABOUT CEDAR FARMS: Cedar Farms is one

of the “coolest” golf courses you may ever

play. It is a “strategic” style course that fea-tures outstanding playing conditions andgreat greens. What makes it cool is that itconsists of 7 par four’s and 11 par three’s, andis on some of the most beautiful real estate inthe area. It has been described as one of thebest strategic style courses you may ever play,and definitely one of the best in the Midwest,right here in your hometown!

The course was constructed in 1997 by theVocke family, along with Tim Hesselink, thecourse superintendent. Ron Nickel construc-tion was brought in to help with the shapingof the course and greens. Cedar Farms official-ly opened in 1998.

Cedar Farms Golf Club is a fabulous place for

families, couples, juniors, and seniors to enjoythe game of golf. There are 4 sets of tees onevery hole, so even the best players can bechallenged, and the “not so experienced”player truly enjoys the game without getting“beat up” and frustrated. You can also playthe game a lot quicker than a regulationlength course, and it doesn’t cost as much!Conveniently located at the very south end ofHelmer Road. Keep your eye out for the fam-ous “Couples Margarita Nites”.

Also part of the fun is playing on groundsthat are filled with remnants of the old, origi-nal Dairy farm that Cedar Farms was built on -including farm equipment, tools, and the120-plus-year-old barn that serves as the back-drop and backstop to the No. 1 green.

CEDAR CREEK GOLF CLUB» ADDRESS/PHONE: 14000 Renton Road,

Battle Creek, 965-6423.» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/6,467/72 (back tees).» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» WALKING FEES: $12.00 for 9 holes, $18.00

for 18 holes weekdays. $13.00 for 9 holes,$20.00 for 18 holes weekends (carts extra).Inquire at course about junior, senior andother special Rates.

» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pull carts,pro shop, lessons, practice range, practicegreen, rental equipment, food, bar, areas forlarge groups both inside the clubhouse andoutside in the picnic area, expansive juniorprogram and opportunities in tandem withthose at Cedar Farms (reservations recom-mended but walk-ups always welcome)

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Cris and KristeVocke (owners);Tim Hesselink (superinten-dent); Tom Cameron (general manager); Jenny

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Continued from Page 14

Cedar Creek Golf Club has a No. 5 hole that features two ponds running across thefairway. JOHN GRAP/THE ENQUIRER

See AREA COURSES, Page 16


Kijek (food & beverage manager)» COURSE OPENED IN: 1974» ABOUT CEDAR CREEK: Cris & Kriste Vocke

purchased Cedar Creek Golf Club from theBrown family and the Penty family in 1990,and they proceeded to upgrade the playingfacilities. The course was originally opened in1974.

Players enjoy Cedar Creek because of itsgreat conditions, friendly staff, and affordableprices. The par 72 course boosts 5 par three’s,and 5 par 5’s. There are four sets of tees, sopick the one that suits your driving distances!Cedar Creek is just a very fun and challengingplace to play, that is why it is the most popularcourse in the city.

Cedar Creek is known for a great place tohave your golf outing or league. We also offerseveral tournaments, scrambles, and our fam-ous “Couples Pinehurst” on Friday evenings.There is an event for everyone who would liketo participate! Please call for more informa-tion.

Cedar Creek Golf Club also has a greatpractice facility. There are 2 putting and chip-ping greens, and a wonderful range. Lessonsand Junior golf programs are our specialty.Cedar Creek hosts 3 high school golf teams.

ISLAND HILLS GOLF CLUB» ADDRESS/PHONE: 61809 Stonegate Drive,

Centreville, MI 49032» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/7038/72» RATING/SLOPE: 73.9/135» OPERATION HOURS: 7AM to 7PM» GOLF WITH CART: Weekdays $49/Week-

ends $59» WALKING FEES: N/A» WHAT'S OFFERED: Full service restaurant,

driving range and accommodations.» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Andy Mears, Presi-

dent & COO; Joe Jehnsen, Superintendent» COURSE OPENED IN: 1999» ABOUT ISLAND HILLS: Island Hills GC is a

Ray Hearn masterpiece, which was completelyrenovated in 2010/2011. Island Hills is nestlednear Lake Templene and boasts magnificentconditions with playable areas of woodlandsand prairie. Call 269.467.7261 for tee times.

THE GOLF CLUB AT YARROW» ADDRESS/PHONE: 10499 North 48th Street,

Augusta; 269-731-2698.» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/7,005/72 (back tees).» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» FEES: $55 for 18 holes with a cart week-

days, $65 for 18 holes with cart on weekends.Inquire at course about daily specials andsenior/junior specials.

» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pro shop,lessons, practice range, practice green, rentalequipment, food, restaurant, bar, outing andtournament opportunities, patio area, ban-quet facilities, The Lodge at Yarrow featuringa 14,000 square foot lodge along with 45

newly renovated overnight rooms, Pub andfull-service conference/retreat center (reserva-tions recommended).

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Managed by HotelInvestment Services, Head Pro – Steve Helner,Superintendent - Chad Hively, General Man-ager – Toby Hilton and President - Tim Moska-lik

» COURSE OPENED IN: 2003.» ABOUT YARROW: Yarrow opened its doors

in November of 1992 with only nine guestrooms, dining for 20 and a few cozy meetingrooms. Since that time, the landscape haschanged dramatically.

Today, Yarrow features a 14,000 square footLodge, 45 newly renovated overnight rooms,an 18-hole 4-star rated championship golf

course, two dining options – the Yarrow Pub &Evergreen Dining Room, 12 versatile meetingspaces to host everything from weddings tocorporate groups to church retreats, GolfOutings and Golf Groups. Yarrow is a CertifiedSteward with Michigan Green Lodging and it’scommitment to environmental sustainability isevident by the layout and design of the golfcourse.

When Michigan native, Raymond Hearn, setout to design Yarrow in 2002, he was deter-mined to carefully preserve the natural sur-roundings, which through the years havemade the area such an appealing place to visit.Working from a well-planned design thatrequired very little earth moving, Hearn cre-ated 18 beautiful holes that challenge the best

golfers, yet still leave plenty of room for errantshots.

Yarrow has a links-style feel, with widefairways and large, distinctively rolling greensguarded by strategically located sand bunkersand high fescue. At Yarrow, you’ll experiencedramatic views from the five tee box set-up,extremely generous landing areas, enormousgreen complexes, subtle changes of elevationand only two forced carries over hazards onthe entire course.

Hearn’s design respects all the natural beau-ty of the area, sending the track throughgroves of Scotch pine, hardwoods, nativebushes and grasses, a private lake, numerous

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Yarrow Golf Course in Augusta has a links-style feel, with wide fairways and large, distinctively rolling greens . JOHN GRAP/THE ENQUIRER

See AREA COURSES, Page S17


marshy areas and the meandering AugustaCreek.

From the first tee shot through a chute ofpine trees on No. 1 to the No. 18 par 4 thatprovides a gorgeous view of the Lodge as itrises majestically behind the 18th green…whe-rever you are on the course you’ll get a gener-ous dose of what makes Yarrow one of themost beautiful and playable courses in Michi-gan.

Yarrow is a memorable course that golferswill want to play over and over again. Thecourse offers a test for all levels of golfers, hasa lot of variety with different hole styles and isvery scenic. If you have not yet played Yarrow,you will want to put it on your list as you willtruly be impressed.

RIDGEVIEW GOLF COURSE» ADDRESS/PHONE: 10360 West Main St. -

Kalamazoo MI, 49009 - 269-375-8821» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18 holes, 6235 yards

par 71» RATING/SLOPE: 71.1 / 118» OPERATION HOURS: Daily from 7:00 a.m.

to 7:00 p.m.» GOLF WITH CART: Weekdays golf w/cart

$33, weekends golf w/cart $35, Sr./Jr./College$23 weekdays before 1:00 p.m. w/cart

» WALKING FEES: Weekdays $18, weekends$20

» WHAT'S OFFERED: 18 holes of Golf, Barand Grill

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Andrew G. SoleyGM/ P.G.A. Golf Professional

» ABOUT RIDGEVIEW: Ridgeview GolfCourse is a player friendly yet challenging golfcourse. Players of all levels are challenged with4 sets of tees to select from and will use everyclub and shot in there bag. Ridgeview is afacility that allows the serious golfer to bechallenged and the average golfer to have avery enjoyable round of golf. The friendly barand grill offers a great relaxing atmosphere toenjoy a sandwich and your favorite beverageafter your round. The golf course is under newmanagement in 2013 and features a friendly,courteous professional staff to make your golfexperience a very enjoyable one.

We have a great Spring rate of $27 for 18holes with cart or $15 for 18 holes walking.Spring Senior/Junior/College rates are $23 for18 holes with cart. 9 hole rates are availablealong with great yearly membership rates. Wehave golf league availabilities. Please call fortee times.

THE PRAIRIES GOLF CLUB(a/k/a Elks Golf Club)» ADDRESS/PHONE: 5303 West Main, Kala-

mazoo; 269-343-3906.» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18 Holes/6,044 yards/

Par 71 White Tees.» RATING/SLOPE: 69.2/126 White Tees.» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to Sunset.

» GOLF WITH CART: 9 Holes with Cart:$20.00/Weekday & Weekends after 2pm -$22.00/Weekend. 18 Holes with Cart: $34.00/Weekday & Weekends after 2pm - $38.00/Weekend. Senior 9 Holes with Cart: $18.00/Weekday & Weekends after 2pm - $22.00/Weekend. Senior 18 Holes with Cart: $30.00/Weekday & Weekends after 2pm - $38.00/Weekend.

» WALKING FEES: 9 Holes: $12.00/Weekday& Weekends after 2pm - $14.00/Weekend. 18Holes: $19.00/Weekday & Weekends after 2pm- $23.00/Weekend. Senior 9 Holes: $10.00/Weekday & Weekends after 2pm - $14.00/Weekend. Senior 18 Holes: $15.00/Weekday &Weekends after 2pm - $23.00/Weekend.

» WHAT'S OFFERED: Public Play. Excellentcourse condition. Close proximity to Kalama-zoo. Gas powered carts, pull carts, practicerange, practice green, pro shop, bar, beveragecart, food, outing opportunities, league op-portunities, banquet facility (up to 250).

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Joe Farrell, Directorof Golf; Brian Larsen, Superintendent. GolfServices, Consultants.

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1912.» ABOUT "THE PRAIRIES": The Prairies Golf

Club, conveniently located at West Main andUS-131, proudly boasts excellent playing condi-tions from tee to green. Although once aprivate Elks Lodge golf club, The Prairiesopened play to the public in 1998.

The terrain of the golf course is gently roll-ing making it enjoyable for all levels of play(seniors, women and juniors) yet the courseremains challenging to the avid golfer.

The Prairies Golf Club welcomes you toexperience the perfect layout for golf outings.Many areas of the golf course are gatheringplaces where you can mingle with your fellowouting participants without slowing play. JoeFarrell and his staff make the outing an enter-taining experience with a personal touch.

The pro shop stocks balls, gloves, appareland accessories from Golf Services.

The fully-stocked bar is open daily and foodservice is provided by Asiago Bakery and Deliof Kalamazoo.

The banquet facility at The Prairies accom-

modates up to 250 people and is an economi-cal venue for weddings, parties, businessmeetings, reunions and any other event inwhich you need ample space and good foodand beverage.

LAKE DOSTER GOLF CLUB» ADDRESS/PHONE: 116 Country Club Bou-

levard, Plainwell; 269-685-5308 – Golf Shop,269-685-6368 - Banquets

» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/6,565/72.» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, beverages,

bar, food, rental equipment, pro shop, lessons,practice range, banquet facilities (reservationsusually necessary, but walk-ups always wel-come).

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Tim Hartson, ToddHartson, Bart Hartson, David Yaw and WaltMatyasic (owners); Dan Haagsma (superinten-dent).

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1968 – 9 holes, 1969 –18 holes.

» ABOUT LAKE DOSTERDesigned and built as a home- and condo-

lined country club type project around thelake, Lake Doster Golf Club came under newmanagement in the late 1980s when a group

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Bunkers and water can be found everywhere at Lake Doster. JOHN GRAP/THE ENQUIRER



from the Battle Creek area took over as own-ers.

And that fivesome has upheld and con-tinued Lake Doster's rich tradition as one ofthe finest courses in the area - and making it apublic course instead of a private club - byimplementing improvements and upgrades onan annual basis. The course is plush, lush anddecorated, and holes go every which way -which explains why one gets the feeling ofbeing in near isolation, aside from one's owngroup members, when going from hole tohole along the long and winding cart pathsboth on and between holes.

Bunkers and water can be found every-where, and most every hole offers a challenge.The most challenging hole - or at least themost fun and/or maddening to play - is the88-yard, par-3 No. 3 hole that has earned thenickname of "The Little Monster."

Golfers from near and far never forget theirexperience of playing the unique "Little Mon-ster" that features an elevated tee that'shorseshoed by trees, and an extremely low-level green that's pretty much surrounded bybunkers and water. The design makes the holelook deceptively longer than it really is, andalso makes a golfer's heart beat just a littlefaster in anticipation of where their ball isgoing to land - on the narrow green, short ofthe green in a trap or in the water, over thegreen in the water, to the right of the green inthe water, or to the left of the green and inrelatively safe shape.

Lake Doster's greens fees remain quitereasonable for an upscale-type course, andgolfers from near and far agree that it's wellworth the money spent to play this northernresort-feel layout that features a variety ofinteresting holes - some very short, some verylong — and which is located off M-89 betweenRichland and Plainwell. Visit our website atwww.lakedostergolf.com. You can text Dosterat 49798 to join our “VIP” Club and get futuregolf offers and a chance to win a free round ofgolf with cart.

OAKLAND HILLS GOLF CLUB» ADDRESS/PHONE: 11619 H Drive North,

Battle Creek; 269-965-0809.» WEBSITE: www.oaklandhillsgolfclub.com,

Facebook and Twitter.» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 18/6,631/72 (back tees).» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» RATES: Current rates and specials available

at www.oaklandhillsgolfclub.com.» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pull carts,

pro shop, putting green, chipping green, sandtrap and shag ball practice area, food, bar,historic clubhouse, league play, tournamentand outing opportunities. Reservations notnecessary and walk-ups always welcome (butit's always best to call the course first). Casinois three minutes away.

» WHAT’S NEW: 40 year anniversary cele-bration.

» COURSE OWNERS: George Vello (GeorgeVello Nickolaou) and family.

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1973.» COURSE HONORS: The course has received

multiple “Four Star” ratings from Golf Digest’s“Best Places To Play”; rated “best greens” inthe tri-state area by Michigan State Univer-sity’s renowned Turf Grass Program; featuredas a destination on Fox Sports Detroit TV andM.Live.

» ABOUT OAKLAND HILLSGeorge Vello never had official training as a

golf course architect. But the personable80-year-old immigrant from Neret, Macedonia- who came to the U.S. in 1951 - built the 18-hole course along H Drive North pretty muchon his own, opened it in 1973 and continues tomake improvements to his layout each year.

Because of the course's friendly atmosphereand dedication to the rules and principles ofthe game of golf, people have returned annu-ally from both in-state and globally to playOakland Hills' 6,631-yard, par-72 layout. Itsreasonable rates and verdant mix of hills, treesand water that at some points parallels I-94have won the course regional acclaim. And thewell maintained greens are considered bysome the best anywhere.

The greens are key… greens that turf man-agement groups from around the countryhave been envious of for years due to theirbent-grass purity - which enables golfers tofire shots toward the pins on greens that holdextremely well and which are silky smooth forputting.

Oakland Hills' historic clubhouse occupies agrand country farmhouse that was built in1862 which at one time served as a stop-overpoint on the Underground Railroad. Duringanother era the building was a half-way housefor Al Capone where illegal wares and monieswere exchanged between Detroit and Chicago“businessmen”. Most recently, the propertywas a dairy farm before George constructedthe golf course.

There is ample seating inside the historic

clubhouse for foursomes and leagues, butlarger parties are also able to enjoy the spa-cious outdoor pavilion.

Play is fast, no special coupons are requiredfor low rates and there is always a “nine”open for easy access. And since 2010, thecourse has been just “a chip shot away” (threeminutes door-to-door) from Battle Creek’s newcasino in Emmett Township.

HICKORY RIDGE GOLF COURSE

» ADDRESS/PHONE: 65 North 30th Street atM-96 (Michigan Avenue) intersection, Gales-burg; 269-382-6212.

» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: Red Course 9/2,370/33,White Course 9/2,076/33, Blue Course 9/2,180/33 (back tees).

» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» WALKING FEES: $9.50/$15 for 9/18 holes

weekdays, $10.50/$17 weekends.» RIDING FEES: $5.50/$11 for 9/18 holes

weekdays.» SENIORS: 55+ Mon.-Fri. (no holidays)

before 2 PM $10/$18 for 9/18 includes cart» TWILIGHT: Every day after 6 PM 9/riding

$10» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pull carts,

pro shop, lessons, practice range, practicegreen, rental equipment, food, beverages(reservations not usually necessary).

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Dave Dart (owner);Woodie Capron (club and Class A PGA teach-ing pro): Wade Lowder (Pro Shop Manager).

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1995 (first 18 holes),1998 (final nine holes).

» ABOUT HICKORY RIDGE GOLF COURSELooking for a place to play a quick nine?

Then another quick - yet different - nine, and

AREA COURSES


The No. 16 hole at Oakland Hills Golf Course is known as "the moat." JOHN GRAP/THE ENQUIRER



even a third quick nine before calling it a day?Then Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Gales-

burg just might be the place for you.It certainly has been the place to play for

many local and area golfers since HickoryRidge and its original 18 holes opened to thepublic in 1995, and then expanded to 27 holesin June 1998 - the result of which are thecurrent Red, White and Blue nine-hole layouts.

The three, mid-length nines are a uniquesetup that have been received by the publiccourse player quite well, said club and Class APGA teaching professional Woodie Capron.

"Golfers first come out here thinking thatHickory Ridge is just a bunch of par-3 holes,but they soon find out that's not the case,"said Capron, who administers and runs severaljunior and adult lesson sessions - three meet-ings per session - each season, as well as Sher-man Lake junior camps.

"Yes, it's true that there area a several par-3sout here, but each nine has 4 par-4s and apar-5 as well. So, while playing less-time-consuming, golfers also get the feeling ofplaying a full-length golf course because ofthe way the holes are designed. Some arelonger, some are shorter, and they require avariety of clubs."

Owned and operated by Dave Dart - formerowner of Turtle Creek Golf Club in Burlington -Dave Dart and his father Ken Dart designedand built Hickory Ridge.

With three nines they have open golf almostall the time and can get you right off the tee.

BINDER PARK GOLF COURSE» ADDRESS/PHONE: 7255 B Drive South,

Battle Creek; 979-8250.» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: Natural Course 9/

3,257/35, Marsh Course 9/3,346/36, PreserveCourse 9/3,276/36 (back tees).

» OPERATION HOURS: Sunrise to sunset.» WALKING FEES: $12/$21 for 9/18 holes

weekdays, $13/$23 weekends (carts extra).Also, fee for the three-hole practice course is$3 weekdays and weekends. Inquire at courseregarding junior, senior and other specialrates.

» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pull carts,pro shop, lessons, practice range, practicegreen, rental equipment, food, bar, three-holepractice facility, expansive junior program, lotsof events for seniors (reservations not alwaysnecessary, but it's best to call course first fortee time availability on a particular course).

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Jeff Hovarter (B.C.Parks and Recreation director); Ron Osborne(head pro, Class A PGA Member, generalmanager); Chuck Duckwall (Class A PGA Mem-ber); Paul Hawkins ( Class A PGA Member),Dave Damerow (PGA apprentice); Ryan Ding-man (superintendent); Roy Tooke (director ofThe First Tee of Battle Creek junior program;First Tee building is located on the Binder Parkgrounds/979-6203).

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1963 (original 18-hole

layout), 2000 (expansion project that includedusing some of the original holes and addingnew ones for three nine-hole layouts plus athree-hole practice facility).

» ABOUT BINDER PARKFrom the early 1960s through the late 1990s,

Binder Park Golf Course - Battle Creek's onlymunicipal (city owned) course - was a hotbedfor local players and was many times honoredon the state and national levels for its playabil-ity and beauty.

But because the course was so heavily traf-ficked, it was many times hard to get teetimes. Hard for walk-up players, hard for folkswho wanted to start new leagues, hard forjuniors and novices to the sport who wantedto learn the game.

Eighteen holes just weren’t enough.So, in mid-June 2000, a new 27-hole version

of Binder Park Golf Course made its debut,which incorporated many of the courses oldfavorite holes with several new ones. And thenew three nine-hole layouts were named TheMarsh, The Preserve and The Natural.

And along with the new layouts came a newthree-hole practice course, as well as a newpractice range (something the old Binder Parkdidn't have), a new practice green and a mod-ern new clubhouse.

Then, three seasons ago, popular local golfprofessional Ron Osborne took over runningthe clubhouse. And since that time, the pop-ularity of Binder Park has blossomed evenmore. Lots of league, tourney, member, out-ing, junior (in conjunction with The First Tee ofBattle Creek that's located on Binder Park'sgrounds), special event and walk-up play isnow the norm at Binder Park.

"I think that our customers really feel com-fortable here at Binder Park, and they'reenjoying coming out here more on a regularbasis," Osborne said.

SPRINGBROOK GOLF COURSE» ADDRESS/PHONE: 1600 Avenue A, Spring-

field; 269-441-7529.

» HOLES/YARDS/PAR: 9 holes/2,946 yards/Par36

» RATING/SLOPE: 69.0/131 Blue tees» OPERATION HOURS: 7 a.m. to sunset daily,

thru the golf season» RIDING FEES: $15/$25 for 9/18 holes week-

days, $16/$26 for 9/18 holes weekends» WALKING FEES: $8/$12 for 9/18 holes

weekdays, $9/$13 for 9/18 holes weekends» WHAT'S OFFERED: Power carts, pull carts,

golf shop, practice green, rental equipment,grill, Ale House restaurant/bar upstairs, leagueplay and tournament and outing opportuni-ties, along with 2 and 3 person scrambles allseason.

» COURSE EXECUTIVES: Bonnie Bogue (Di-rector of Golf Operations), Operated by BLFManagement.

» COURSE OPENED IN: 1972.» ABOUT SPRINGBROOKTry it, you'll like it! Springbrook is Battle

Creek’s best kept secret! Springbrook's play-ability compares well with any course in thearea. The fairways are well defined and thegreens are excellent. Springbrook has a per-sonality all its own which will challenge thebest of golfers without intimidating the lessskilled. If you haven't played this course in thelast few years, you won't recognize it! Ratesare reasonable, the staff is friendly and theconditions are topnotch!

The picturesque Springbrook Golf Course issurrounded by nature. Its topography rolls

through majestic hardwoods, along streamsand around ponds. Water comes into play

on 5 of the 9 holes. The greens are excellentand mowed daily. Fairways and tee boxes arewell defined. The entire play area is wateredand fertilized for a beautiful, playable golfingexperience every time you're out.

Springbrook will challenge the best golferswithout intimidating the less skilled. Playtoday to take advantage of the outstandinggolf and the many benefits at out top-notchfacility. We strive for excellence and offer thebest value around.

Before or after your round, be sure to stopand check out the Ale House Restaurant.Whether you are looking for a full dinner, asnack or a drink to quench your thirst, you willenjoy the warm and comfortable atmospherewhile watching golfers approach the challeng-ing 9th green.

Like us on Facebook and/or follow us onTwitter to take advantage of special offersthat no one else receives!

Springbrook Golf Course and the Ale HouseRestaurant where it’s always fun, friendly andaffordable!

For a virtual tour of our facilities includingall nine holes and the Ale House, log on towww.springbrookgolf.net.

AREA COURSES


One of the choices at Binder Park GolfCourse is The Marsh Course. AL LASSEN/FOR THE

ENQUIRER


PGA Tour ScheduleJan. 4-7 — Hyundai Tournament of Cham-

pions (Dustin Johnson)Jan. 10-13 — Sony Open (Russell Henley)Jan. 17-20 — Humana Challenge (Brian

Day)Jan. 24-27 — Farmers Insurance Open

(Tiger Woods)Jan. 31-Feb. 3 — Waste Management Phoe-

nix Open (Phil Mickelson)Feb. 7-10 — AT&T Pebble Beach National

Pro-Am (Brandt Snedeker)Feb. 14-17 — Northern Trust Open (John

Merrick)Feb. 20-24 — WGC-Accenture Match Play

Championship (Matt Kuchar)Feb. 28-March 3 — Honda Classic (Michael

Thompson)March 7-10 — WGC-Cadillac Championship

(Tiger Woods)March 7-10 — Puerto Rico Open (Scott

Brown)March 14-17 — Tampa Bay Championship

(Kevin Streelman)March 21-24 — Arnold Palmer Invitational

(Tiger Woods)March 28-31 — Shell Houston Open (D.A.

Points)April 4-7 — Valero Texas Open (Martin

Laird)

April 11-14 — Masters Tournament, Augus-ta National GC, Augusta, Ga.

April 18-21 — RBC Heritage, HarbourtownGL, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

April 25-28 — Zurich Classic, TPC Louisiana,New Orleans

May 2-5 — Wells Fargo Championship,Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, N.C.

May 9-12 — The Players Championship, TPCSawgrass (Players Stadium Course), PonteVedra Beach, Fla.

May 16-19 — HP Byron Nelson Champi-onship, TPC Four Seasons Resort, Las Colinas,Texas.

May 23-26 — Crowne Plaza Invitational atColonial, Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas

May 30-June 2— Memorial Tournament,Muirfield Village GC, Dublin, Ohio

June 6-9 — FedEx St. Jude Classic, TPCSouthwind, Memphis, Tenn.

June 13-16 — U.S. Open, Merion GC, Ard-more, Pa.

June 20-23 — Travelers Championship, TPCRiver Highlands, Hartford, Conn.

June 27-30 — AT&T National, Congression-al CC (Blue Course), Bethesda, Md.

July 4-7 — The Greenbrier Classic, TheGreenbrier (The Old White TPC), White Sul-phur Springs, W.Va.

July 11-14 — John Deere Classic, TPC DeereRun, Silvis, Ill.

July 18-21 — The Open Championship,Muirfield, Gullane, Scotland

July 18-21 — True South Classic, AnnandaleGC, Madison, Miss.

July 25-28 — RBC Canadian Open, GlenAbbey GC, Oakville, Ontario

Aug. 1-4 — WGC-Bridgestone Invitational,Firestone CC (South Course),Akron, Ohio

Aug. 1-4 — Reno-Tahoe Open, MontreauxGolf & CC, Reno, Nev.

Aug. 8-13 — PGA Championship, Oak HillCC, Rochester, N.Y.

Aug. 15-18 — Wyndham Championship,Sedgefield CC, Greensboro, N.C.

Aug. 22-25 — The Barclays, Liberty Nation-al, Jersey City, N.J.

Aug. 30-Sept. 2 — Deutsche Bank Champi-onship, TPC Boston, Norton, Mass.

Sept. 12-15 — BMW Championship, ConwayFarms GC, Lake Forest, Ill.

Sept. 19-22 — Tour Championship, EastLake GC, Atlanta

Oct. 3-6 — Presidents Cup, Muirfield VillageGC, Dublin, Ohio

Oct. 10-13 — Frys.com Open, CordeValleGC, San Martin, Calif.

Oct. 17-20 — Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenOpen, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas

Oct. 24-27 — CIMB Classic, The MINESResort & GC, Selangor, Malaysia

Oct. 31-Nov. 3 — WGC-HSBC Champions,Sheshan International GC, Shanghai

Nov. 7-10 — The McGladrey Classic, SeaIsland Resort (Seaside), St. Simons Island, Ga.

Nov. 14-17 — OHL Classic at Mayakoba, ElCamaleon GC, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

PROFESSIONAL GOLF

Tiger Woods has climbed back to the top of the PGA Tour. Can he keep that goingthroughout the season? AP


LPGA Tour ScheduleFeb. 14-17 — ISPS Handa Women’s Australian

Open (Jiyai Shin)Feb. 21-24 — Honda LPGA Thailand (Inbee

Park)Feb. 28-March 3 — HSBC Women’s Champi-

ons (Stacy Lewis)March 14-17 — RR Donnelley LPGA Founders

Cup (Stacy Lewis)March 21-24 — Kia Classic (Beatriz Recari)April 4-7 — Kraft Nabisco Championship

(Inbee Park)April 17-20 — LPGA LOTTE Championship, Ko

Olina GC, Kapolei, HawaiiApril 25-28 — North Texas LPGA Shootout,

Las Colinas CC, Irving, TexasMay 2-5 — Kingsmill Championship, Kingsmill

Resort (River Course), Williamsburg, Va.May 16-19 — Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, RTJ

Jones Golf Trail (Magnolia Grove, CrossingsCourse), Birmingham, Ala.May 23-26 — Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic,

Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island, Baha-masMay 31-June 2 — ShopRite LPGA Classic,

Stockton Seaview Hotel and GC (Bay Course),Galloway, N.J.June 6-9 — Wegmans LPGA Championship,

Locust Hill CC, Pittsford, N.Y.June 21-23 — Walmart NW Arkansas Champi-

onship, Pinnacle CC, Rogers, Ark.

June 27-30 — U.S. Women’s Open, SebonackGC, Southampton, N.Y.July 11-14 — Manulife Financial LPGA Classic,

Grey Silo Golf Course, Waterloo, OntarioJuly 18-21 — Marathon Classic, Highland

Meadows GC, Sylvania, OhioAug. 1-4 — RICOH Women’s British Open, The

Old Course, St Andrews, ScotlandAug. 16-18 — The Solheim Cup, Colorado GC,

Parker, Colo.Aug. 22-25 — CN Canadian Women’s Open,

Royal Mayfair GC, Edmonton, AlbertaAug. 29-Sept. 1 — Portland Classic, course

TBA, Portland, Ore.Sept. 12-15 — The Evian Championship, The

Evian Resort GC, Evian-les-Bains, FranceOct. 3-6 — Reignwood Pine Valley LPGA

Classic, Pine Valley GC, BeijingOct. 10-13 — Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia,

Kuala Lumpur G&CC, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaOct. 18-20 — LPGA KEB-HanaBank Champi-

onship, Sky72 GC (Ocean Course), Incheon,South KoreaOct. 24-27 — Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Champi-

onship, Sunrise G&CC, Yang Mei, TaiwanNov. 8-10 — Mizuno Classic, Kintetsu Kashiko-

jima CC, Shima, JapanNov. 14-17 — Lorena Ochoa Invitational,

Gualalajara CC, Guadalajara, MexicoNov. 21-24 — CME Group Titleholders, course

TBA, Naples, Fla.

PROFESSIONAL GOLF

Inbee Park celebrates by jumping in a water hazard with her caddie and others afterwinning the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship golf tournament earlier this month. AP

Champions Tour ScheduleJan. 18-20 — Mitsubishi Electric Champi-

onship (John Cook)Feb. 8-10 — Allianz Championship (Rocco

Mediate)Feb. 15-17 — ACE Group Classic (Bernhard

Langer)March 15-17 — Toshiba Classic (David Frost)March 22-24 — Mississippi Gulf Resort

Classic (Michael Allen)April 19-21 — Greater Gwinnett Champi-

onship, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Ga.April 26-28 — Liberty Mutual Insurance

Legends of Golf, Westin Savannah Harbor GolfResort & Spa, Savannah, Ga.

May 3-5 — Insperity Championship, TheWoodlands CC (Tournament Course), TheWoodlands, Texas

May 23-26 — Senior PGA Championship,Bellerive CC, St. Louis

May 31-June 2 — Principal Charity Classic,Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa.

June 6-9 — Regions Tradition, Shoal CreekCC, Birmingham, Ala.

June 21-23 — Encompass Championship,North Shore CC, Glenview, Ill.

July 27-30 — Constellation Senior PlayersChampionship, Fox Chapel GC, Pittsburgh

July 11-14 — Senior U.S. Open Pen, OmahaCC, Omaha, Neb.

July 25-28 — Senor British Open, RoyalBirkdale, Southport, England

Aug. 2-4 — 3M Championship, Twin CitiesGC, Blaine, Minn.

Aug. 16-18 — Dick’s Sporting Goods Open,En-Joie GC, Endicott, N.Y.

Aug. 23-25 — Boeing Classic, SnoqualmieRidge, Snoqualmie, Wash.

Aug. 30-Sept. 1 — Calgary Golf Classic,Canyon Meadows G & CC, Calgary, Alberta

Sept. 6-8 — Montreal Championship, LaVallee du Richelieu Golf Club (Rouville Course),Montreal

Sept. 20-22 — Pacific Links Hawaii Champi-onship, Kapolei GC, Kapolei, Hawaii

Sept. 27-29 — Nature Valley First Tee Openat Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach GL and DelMonte GC, Pebble Beach, Calif.

Oct. 11-13 — SAS Championship, Preston-wood CC, Cary, N.C.

Oct. 18-20 — Greater Hickory Classic atRock Barn, Rock Barn, Conover, N.C.

Oct. 25-27 — AT&T Championship, TPC SanAntonio (AT&T Canyons Course), San Antonio

Oct. 31-Nov. 3 — Charles Schwab CupChampionship, TPC Harding Park, San Francis-co

PROFESSIONAL GOLF


The First Tee of Battle Creek Learn-ing Academy, part of the national FirstTee program, incorporates golf instruc-tion with the teaching of life skills forboys and girls ages 18-under.

This is the 12th season for The FirstTee program in Battle Creek (the pro-gram started in the Cereal City on June24, 2001), and Steve Van Der Heide is nowin his second full season as program ex-ecutive director.

The First Tee's building is located onthe grounds of Binder Park Golf Course.Scholarship opportunities are available,as well as the free use of clubs for thoseyouths in need of equipment -- and no ap-plicant will be turned away.

Sessions run throughout the spring

and summer (early May through earlySeptember), and The First Tee also pro-vides on-location seminars and sessionsto local and area schools year-round.

The First Tee's annual free OpenHouse -- featuring getting-acquainted-with-golf instruction, face painting, fun,games and free hot dogs and beverages --is scheduled this year for Sunday, May 5from noon to 3 p.m.

Since 2001, The First Tee of BattleCreek has impacted more than 17,000young people in the community throughits life skills education curriculum andcharacter training. Each of those indi-viduals has been introduced to the life-long sport of golf while also learning lifeskills such as goal setting, managingemotions and resolving conflicts.

The First Tee program emphasizesNine Core Values -- confidence, responsi-bility, respect, honesty, judgment, perse-verance, sportsmanship, integrity andcourtesy -- at every level of instruction.

Since opening, The First Tee of BattleCreek has expanded its reach to includeprogram locations and outreach to over a

dozen youth service organizations. Also,the Chapter has helped facilitate thelaunch of The First Tee School Programat over 20 elementary schools through-out the community, where students arenow engaging in a structured golf andLife Skills curriculum.

Also, several past and current stu-dents and mentors of The First Tee ofB.C. have earned national awards, aswell as college scholarships.

The First Tee of B.C. is additionally inneed of volunteers each season, and al-ways is in need of donations of funds tohelp the program continue to touch asmany local kids as possible in a positivemanner, plus is yearly in need of equip-ment donations (used clubs of any sizeand make, which can be fitted for use byyouths).

Player, Par, Birdie and Eagle levels ofinstruction are offered for boys and girlsagain this season, with the levels depend-ing on age and ability. Each session in-cludes nine hours of instruction and ingeneral the cost is $75 per student -- butagain, financial aid is available to those

in need, and no youngster will be turnedaway. There are also Target Level (ages5-6) and Tiny Tots (ages 3-4) programsavailable (with those programs involv-ing fewer class hours and lower costs in-volved).

Sessions include chipping, pitching,putting, irons, woods and the Nine CoreValues. Youths ages 12 and over and qual-ify for First Tee league play as well.

To inquire about dates and times ofthis year's sessions, contact program di-rector Van Der Heide at The Fist Tee ofB.C. at 979-6203 or see thefirstteebattle-creek.org.

ALSO FOR 2013» First Tee Adult/Junior Fun Nights

are set for 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays April27, May 18, June 22, July 27, Aug. 24 andSept. 28.

» The first classes of 2013 begin Mon-day, May 6 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ($75 persession).

» The First Tee Junior League will

First Tee back for 12th seasonDirector Van Der Heidealso offers tips for kids

on the driving range

Will KowalskiThe Enquirer

See FIRST TEE, Page 23


take place at 2 p.m. Thursdays startingJune 20 (cost is $8 per player).

» The First Tee's 10th Annual GolfFORE! Kids fundraiser, sponsored byChili's and others, is Friday, June 28starting at noon at Binder Park GolfCourse (cost is $50 per player).

» First Tee Open Play Days, at 1:30p.m., are Saturdays April 20, May 4, May18, June 1, June 15, July 20, Aug. 3, Aug.17, Sept. 7 and Sept. 21.

GETTING KIDS STARTED IN GOLFAND SPENDING TIME ON THERANGE

The following information was pro-vided by The First Tee of Battle Creekexecutive director Steve Van Der Heide:

» IT HAS TO BE FUN: Teaching kidshow to golf requires a different approachthan when teaching adults. First andforemost, no matter what age your childis when they get started, making surethat they are having fun is the No. 1prior-ity. Whatever your aspirations may befor your child with golf, it is important toremember (and remind your child) thatyou're out there to have fun together. Weall know that golf is difficult, and that canbe the case even before you tee off. Besure to celebrate with them everychance you get -- it's the small things theywill remember.

» USE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT:There are a lot of great companies mak-ing quality junior sets, so do your child afavor and stay away from the cut-downadult clubs if possible. If you want to buyyour children some clubs or have thegrandparents foot the bill, make sure theclubs are the correct length and comewith lightweight, flexible shafts. When itcomes to looking for the right equip-ment, you can usually get a junior set thatincludes a stand bag and enough clubsfor $80-$150. I personally would rathersee a kid with a few clubs that are theright size and moderately priced versusa full set of expensive clubs that are toobig or too small. Golf is a hard game tolearn, and clubs that are not the right sizecan make it impossibly hard. It is veryimportant that your child uses equip-ment suitable for them so they can swingthe clubs with some control and power.

» WHERE TO START: At The FirstTee, we highly recommend that kids beintroduced to golf in a way that exposesthem to the whole game. Spend sometime on the practice putting green, as let-ting them roll a few putts into the holewill teach them what the game is aboutand having some early success will put asmile on their face. Furthermore, theshort-game swing will set the ground-work for the full swing.

» INSTRUCTION: When it comes togiving instruction, keep it simple. Resistthe temptation to offer new pieces of in-formation after each shot. Focus on onesimple idea like balance or foot positionsand just keep reinforcing that one idea. Akid's mind can learn new tricks a lot easi-er than we can with our poor swing habitsand tendencies. The age old adage "olddogs can't learn new tricks'' is quite true.A kid's palette is fresh and new, and itwon't take long to gain new skills. Also,adults in general are pretty intimidatingto kids, so when you're teaching themhow to do anything, get down to their lev-el into a position where you can make eyecontact with them. It might mean you'llget your knees dirty from time to time,but that's a trade worth making.

» OUT ON THE RANGE: Start yourchild out on the driving range where theycan hit a lot of balls in a short period oftime. Give them an opportunity to hit agolf ball without giving them your ideason how it should be done. Just let them tryit. When they get bored and aren't hittingballs any longer, it's time to go and get icecream. It is important for them to asso-ciate a trip to the golf course as a fun ex-perience and not one that is fun for awhile but ends with them sitting on abench watching mom or dad hit balls.

» UNDERSTAND THE GAME: Be-fore playing on the course, and especial-ly before playing in competitive situa-tions, kids should know how to displayetiquette on the golf course such as rak-ing bunkers, repairing ball marks andstanding quietly away while others arehitting shots. As the child gets older, ba-sic rules like not grounding your club in ahazard, how to proceed when you lose aball or what your options are when yourball goes in a water hazard or lands out ofbounds should also be taught.

» GET OUT AND PLAY: Take them toa course and have them watch you play.Let them hit some shots, or even better,go out with your child and act as a caddie,letting your child be the boss and havingthe joy of being the center of attention --they’ll love it. When it's time for them toplay on their own make sure the length ofthe holes is such that they can get nearthe green with a couple of shots. Thethree practice holes at Binder Park GolfCourse are a great place to introducethem to the course. If you don't have ac-cess to a short course or practice facility,having your child "tee off'' 100 yardsfrom the green on each hole is an easyway to make this transition.

» THE SOCIAL SIDE OF GOLF: Ifyour child shows a real interest in thegame, signing them up for a junior golfprogram or summer camp is a great idea.The First Tee of Battle Creek hosts awide variety of classes, clinics and play-ing opportunities throughout the spring,summer and fall where kids will learn ba-sic technique, rules, etiquette and meet

other children their own age. If a child isgoing to become a good player and enjoythe game, it is important that he or shehas friends to play with. While parents or

grandparents are OK, having golfingbuddies their age will go a long way to-ward keeping the game fun and engagingfor the rest of their lives.

FIRST TEEContinued from Page 22

Youth golfers participate in a class at The First Tee of Battle Creek at Binder Park GolfCourse. BILL BRODERICK/THE ENQUIRER

2013 Battle Creek Enquirer Golf Guide

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