GOLFEST 2008 - "THE GREAT LAKES TOUR"
RANK - COURSE - DATE
10? - Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course (5/20)
24 - Tullymore Golf Club - (5/21)
25 - Black Lake Golf Club - (5/18)
35 - Bay Harbor Golf Club - (5/19)
43 - Shepherds Hollow Golf Club (5/16)
47 - Lakewood Shores Resort - Gailes (5/17)
66 - Red Hawk Golf Course - (5/17)
 
2008 Photo Album

     (Written by Jim Allen) ... There are road trips, and then there are … ROAD TRIPS!  Golfest 2008 – "The Great Lakes Tour" would rate of the "ROAD TRIP-SQUARED" variety, setting a new group record by tallying up 877 miles on our odometers as we toured what seemed to be … the entire state of Michigan.  The kind of freeway bound adventure where you're in the vehicle so long that the jokes and the B.S. gets deeper than the garbage on the floor.  While most people recognize the state for cities such as Detroit or Lansing, we had the luxury of touring backwood places called Stanwood, Onaway, Clarkston, East Tawas, Oscoda and Bay Harbor. The population of all of those towns combined barely nips at 100,000 people ..., and that may include livestock. And on this week during May, we added 14 more to that number.

     However, what rural Michigan lacks in population, it makes up with some pretty nice golf courses.  Seven ranked courses on Golf Digests coveted top 100 list to be exact, including six in the top 50.

     With our new GolfestOnline.com website to update on a daily basis, the Great Lakes Tour featured lap tops to keep everyone informed. So based on that, our Golfest 2008 review is an expansion of our daily journal entries, most of which were posted at 70 miles per hour using a wireless card. ...

     5/15/08 – It’s a travel day as our group journeys in from California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, and Indiana.  Surprisingly, everyone arrives within two hours of each other.  A local restaurant called MAD JACKS STEAKHOUSE serves as ground zero.  High-fives are the norm, since many of us have not seen each other since our last trip.  Due to a variety of reasons … bad weather, work, new babies, and even more lousy weather, all of us have been counting down the days to this trip like a five-year old to Christmas.  Some are celebrating more than others, and a few have a serious head start in the drinking department!

     Our group is starving, especially the contingent that flew in on Southwest and had to survive on two miniscule bags of peanuts.  We literally take over the MAD JACKS bar and order dinner.  The food is good and is wolfed down with a take no prisoners attitude.

      Spanky Hayes decibel rating is increasing by the minute and he is the first to get cut off by the bartender.  A hour or so later, we head up the road a couple of blocks to the Comfort Suites where some rooms are louder than others. The last thing some of us hear before going to sleep is the sound of the glass breaking on the fire extinguisher.  Let the games begin!

5/16/08 - Shepherds Hollow Golf Club (27-holes) 
43rd ranked - Clarkston, MI
     We kicked off our tour with 27 great golf holes at Shepherds Hollow Golf Course.  Many of the locals looked at us like we were crazy when we showed up in shorts -- but that is what we do.

     This place definitely lived up to its top 100 rating as it cut up, down and through the rolling hills and forest in Clarkston.  I am proud to announce that Golfest 2008 is off to a great start.  Even better, the weather is cooperating, with temperatures rising by the minute … eventually hitting 70 degrees.  The low round of the day was racked up by Craig Decker who posted back to back 41’s. 

     The scrambles tournament turned out to be a great change of pace, and a display of who could play the best hurt.  Spanky was in the process of earning a Purple Heart, due to what can best be described as an acute case of alcohol poisoning.  He was hurting badly, as we witnessed back at the hotel, when he either fertilized or killed a bush with his stomach contents.  He also added a new definition to the words "bag drop" at the course, when his body purged in that area also.  His final scorecard stated that he played four holes of golf and 23-holes of nap in Jim Dee’s Trailblazer.  Rickey Berger and Joe Arellanes were also sweating at 80-proof levels.

     Mike Werner is struggling, on all fronts, but we can’t figure out why.  He has been complaining of having something stuck in his throat after last night’s two-bite dinner.  We thought he was joking.  Then again, according to roommate Jeffrey Adkins, he barely slept at all last night.  Today, he is getting dehydrated because he can’t even swallow water.  Two swallows down, and two swallows came right make up.  Mike suggests that it would be in his best interest to go to a local hospital.  We agree.  Our scramble tournament field gets reshuffled as Jeffrey plays the role of the ambulance driver.

     Two teams tied in the best ball tournament at 2-under par, forcing a team putt-off for the prize money. The putt-off proved that even the most predictable things … are well … totally unpredictable.
     The team of Mark Suzda, Craig Decker, Jim Dee, and Art Taylor should have won easily. 

However, one of those players, who would prefer to remain nameless so none of his fellow firefighters will recognize him in Roseville, CA, ended up pulling off a five-putt, including an astonishing four putts from two-feet.  It was unbelievable to watch as the $200 purse dropped into the hands of Bob Potts, Mark Pickering, Jim Allen, and Kasey Scheidenlein.  It was like taking candy from a baby.  Poor Art!  We are surprised he didn’t snap his putter over his knee, even though some of his teammates suggested that he do so.  It was a moment in golf infamy, the stuff that legends are made of.

     If there was an award for the shot of the day, Mr. Potts would have earned it.  He two-hopped his Titliest into the hole from 80 yards out for an eagle on a par-five.
     We're now off on a 150-mile drive to ... oh yah … hold on … hold on … we need a Mike Werner update. The hospital ran some test and discovered that he had two pieces of meat wedged in his esophagus.  They ended up putting him under and pumped out the renegade filet migeon from his throat.  Up to this point, the worst injuries we’ve ever experienced on a Golfest trip were a few blisters and bruises at Bandon Dunes.  But seriously, the doc said he could have died in his sleep, because the meat could have blocked his airway.  Now we know why they called the place MAD JACKS steakhouse.  Next time he is ordering lobster bisque.

     We spend the night at the condos at Lakewood Shores Resort, which are really hard to find when it’s pitch black outside. Apparently, the residents of Michigan don’t believe in street lights.  Mike is now fully hydrated and sleeping like a baby ... one that snores like a Peterbuilt idling at a truck stop.  So is Spanky.

5/17/08 - Lakewood Shores Resort - Gailes 
47th ranked - Oscoda, MI
     We quickly find out that the Lakewood Shores- Gailes course is one of those Scottish links style courses that is supposed to resemble the real deal across the pond.  On this morning, we truly end up with a true to life experience, because it’s cold and windy just like in Scotland.  It’s 44 degrees and the wind is howling at 15-miles per hour off of Lake Huron.  Most of us appeared in the parking lot this morning wearing shorts, but quickly returned in search of pants.  We also discovered that Jeffrey Adkins didn’t pack a single pair of long pants.  The only reason I know that is because he is the only one not wearing any.

     As far as the course goes, the fairways are pretty wide, the gorse is thick, the cavernous sod bunkers are deep, and it’s really helpful to know the location of the creeks before you hit your shot.  Considering that this Scotland-clone is in the Michigan makes it that much more unique.

     By the luck of the draw, the group in front of us is playing from the back tees, but should be playing from the Ladies.  We watched impatiently as every member takes three practice swings, and then rockets their ball sideways into the junk.  The putting is even slower, causing us to impatiently glance at our watches on a frequent basis.  We have a 45-minute drive to get to our second venue of the day -- Red Hawk.  We are supposed to have a two-hour window, but now it’s down to less than an hour.

     Bob Potts, who is dressed more for snowmobiling than golf, knocked it around Gailes in just 83 strokes, which represents a great outing, considering that trouble was abundant at every turn.  Mark Suzda had a respectable 84 on his card.  Rickey Berger, who is still trying to fully recover from knee surgery is hurting, his steps short and deliberate.

     We arrive at Red Hawk with just 10-minutes to spare because even our GPS systems are having a hard time navigating the back roads of Michigan. ... "WARNING … you have reached an off-road condition." The good news is that we don't need any warm ups. ... (MORE)