All Things Michigan Golf....the Mulligan (MOD EDIT: NO POLITICS, NO COVID-19, NO ECONOMICS)

[swizbeatz]

What about one of the women or beginner camps at miles? Otherwise there's a million teachers there, I can ask which ones are the best with beginners.

[1puttTUT]

Yeah that's a good idea. She needs to buy clubs too so they can also help steer her in the right direction on that.

[swizbeatz]

 

does your buddy play? It’s not hard to scoop a couple year old set, driver, one wedge, putter. The GF has been playing the Amp cells from cobra. Nothing too big or obnoxious but nothing too hard to hit. With a lower speed an actual club fitting isn’t important.

Ill PM you who my buddy that works there says is best.

[1puttTUT]

My buddy does not play, but I'm hoping his wife will get hooked and suck him in. We work together and therefore travel together a decent amount so it would be awesome to have someone else to golf with when we're on the road for a week.

[ryan84]

Has anyone done a wedge fitting at Miles of Golf? I wanted to do it soon but was wondering if they take you to chip/hit off grass in the summer. I think that is an important part of wedge fitting, but if they don't do it either way I would prefer to just get it done now. Also would appreciate any general comments on the MOG wedge fitting.

[cassel191919]

If you are going to hit the wedge out of the sand wait until you can use the players club sand traps. They will take you out there with several wedges and you can try them all out of the bunker and you can chip and pitch to the greens.

 

[Mikey5e]

Probably a very good idea. I think typically better players use a 56 or 58 degree loft for sand shots, but that doesn't always hold true for all players. For me, I use a 54 degree sandwich with 12 degrees of bounce, more typical of the higher handicap golfer that I am I think. The point is, I wouldn't have known this unless I practiced with particular wedges to see what suits me the best.

[jcorna01]

I see Jim Yuhas at Miles of Golf doing group lessons a lot with women. Might be a nice way to dive in. I’ve never taken a lesson from him but chatted a few times and he seems like a nice guy.

[3_Jack_Par]

Got my January round in today (Brae Burn in Plymouth was open). I had no idea the snow was all going to be gone by this morning, so that was a nice surprise.

[swizbeatz]

 

Me too. It was 75 in Pinehurst :)

[3_Jack_Par]

Oh wow, nice! Which course?

[Go_Blue!]

I've worked with Jim for the past 2+ years. Good guy. Simplified many things for me. Really opened my eyes to short game and controlling trajectory.

[odshot68]

Stopped in lto the new club champion in Grand Rapids. I’ve never seen the multiple of exotic shafts. I’m stoked to go there in a couple weeks to see if they can kick out my driver shaft. A simply awesome place. No need to make the trip to the east side.

[1puttTUT]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm going to recommend Jim at MOG as a first option, then maybe MOG in general if she can't get Jim.

[swizbeatz]

what did they have that somewhere like MOG doesn’t? I still think seeing the ball fly is important, I could get unlimited time at CC and pay for MOG fittings.

 

 

[swizbeatz]

6, 8, Tobacco Road, and just worked out a time on #2. Caddying on 5 and 6 for my friends kids today and tomorrow.

[1puttTUT]

A little over a week from my Phoenix trip. Itinerary below...can't wait!

Saturday: Poston Butte

Sunday: both Gold Canyon courses

Monday: Wekopa Saguaro

[3_Jack_Par]

I played both We-Ko-Pa courses last year, and really enjoyed them. The Saguaro is probably the more scenic of the two, but I think I enjoyed the Cholla a little bit more (probably because I was hitting it all over the place on the Saguaro, lol)

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

Looks like we've got tentative plans for a Northern VA and DC trip in March, then a second one in June or July. Can you guys recommend a good course out there for someone like me who's never played outside of Michigan before?

[1puttTUT]

I've never played either, but my buddy who we're staying with seems to prefer Saguaro.

[3_Jack_Par]

The GAM website has some of the venues posted for tournaments this year:

Michigan Am - Boyne Highlands - Heather

GAM Championship - Western G&CC

Four Ball - Plum Hollow CC

Senior Am - Belvedere

Senior Match Play - Stoatin Brae

 

There isn't a venue listed for the Mid-Am or the Senior/Mid-Am Team yet/ I'd assume that since the Am is at the Heather, the Mid-Am might switch back to Hills/Ross this year, assuming they stay at Boyne. Overall, it's not the most exciting list of courses, especially for the Am/GAM Championship.

[odshot68]

I've only been to the Grand Rapids location but they have a full gamut of flex and weight (includes X flex which is hard to find on the west side) for Fujikura, MCA, TPT, Accra, Oban, VA composites, Padderson , and Veylik. I am only looking at perhaps a new driver shaft as the rest of my bag is set so didn't spend much time looking at their iron or hybrid shafts. Looking forward to seeing if I can gain much from my setup.

[3_Jack_Par]

I've been trying to plan a trip for an 8 man group, and I think we've finally settled on an Airbnb near Big Rapids. I know Tullymore/St. Ives are in the area (I've somehow never played either), but we have a couple of, let's call them frugal, guys, and I doubt they'll want to shell out to play there. Other than me, everyone is a 10+ handicap (including 3-4 guys who around a 20 and one guy who we cap at 36, but usually shoots 110+), so it's more about having a good time than playing the absolute best courses (though I do want to play somewhere decent). As such, I want to avoid any courses that don't allow booze. I really haven't spent any time up that way, so I'd appreciate any suggestions for courses that I should look into.

We're coming from the Detroit area, Fri-Sun, and we're open to playing somewhere somewhat on the way for the Friday and Sunday rounds (I was thinking maybe Pilgrim's Run and/or somewhere in Mt. Pleasant). We'd prefer to minimize driving on Saturday, so if there's anywhere that has 36 holes where we wouldn't need to drive anywhere between rounds, that would be ideal, but in the little bit I've searched so far, Tullymore/St. Ives is the only one I've found, and getting a couple of these guys to pony up over $100/round would be a hard sell.

[newoodky]

For Mt. Pleasant you have Pohlcat and Bucks Run. Not the same piece of property but roughly five minutes apart. For courses near Big Rapids you could look at Canadian Lakes? They have a few courses which are decent but not expensive.

[3_Jack_Par]

Are the Canadian Lakes courses private-ish? It looks like you maybe have to be a member of the Canadian Lakes Association to have access to the golf courses, but it's pretty vague on their website. Location-wise, that would be great. The Royal appears to be the only 18-hole course they have, right?

Does anyone know if the Katke course at Ferris has or allows booze?

[Mikey5e]

I play The Royal often enough and I think it's a very nice course and not that pricey. Usually in great shape and good challenge. (For the life of me, I just can't par #18) http://www.michigangolf.com/courses/stanwood/canadian-lakes-royal/

[3_Jack_Par]

Can you play without a membership, though? The link you provided says that it's private and that you can only play as a guest of a member.

[newoodky]

If they're private, it is news to me. I played there a few times when I was a student at CMU. Last time I was there was around 2011. The royal is the only 18 hole course though. I am 95% sure Katke has/allows booze as well. Think their grill is sponsored by Founders.

[3_Jack_Par]

It looks like it's the "Founders Grill", but I think that's referring to the founders of the course or university or something. I just found a review from 2015 that says they don't have beer, because it's on campus. Maybe that has changed?

[Mikey5e]

All I know is that we have a large group of guys that go up there every year and play the course and none of us are members. It has never crossed my mind whether they are a private course, because we play it like any other public Course in Michigan. A quick phone call would probably settle the matter, but I know they've got to be serving the public as well.

I just tried phoning them but nobody would answer. Now I am curious as to their status, because everything I read says it is private? I'm not a member there of course, but I play there every year.