Michigan Golfer, September / October 2014

2 S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R M A G A Z I N E

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MICHIGAN GOLFER

Publisher/EditorArt McCafferty

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Editor EmeritusTerry Moore

AssociatePublisher/ProducerJennie McCafferty

WritersPeter Allen

Martin AmesSusan BairleyPhyllis Barone

Jack BerryMike Duff

Keith GornickGreg Johnson

Doug JoyBrad KingTom Lang

Chris LewisScott MooreBill Shelton

Brad SheltonScott Sullivan

MikeTerrell

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3M I C H I G A N G O L F E R M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4

In This Issue

4 Year One for Meijer LPGA Classic Is a Big Success By Terry Moore

8 The Berry Patch By Jack Berry

11 LPGA Connects with Kids at Meijer LPGA Classic By Jennie McCafferty

14 Elmbrook Turned Half-Century Old This SummerBy Mike Terrell

16 Volunteering at the 2014 Women’s U.S. Open By Bill Shelton

18 Golfing the Grand Strand – North or South? By Bill and Brad Shelton

22 Newberry Country Club: A Revitalized Upper PeninsulaTreasure By Chris Lewis

27 Leelanau Club – a Sassy Teenager By Mike Terrell

29 Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort – Family Fun in the Sun By Martin Ames

31 Slice of Life: By Terry Moore

V O L U M E 3 2 • S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 • N U M B E R 4

About the cover:

Michelle drives from the No. 1 Tee during the FirstRound of the Meijer LPGA Classic. Wie withdrew fromthe tournament after nine holes.Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Michigan Golfer NewsWeekly email newsletterTo join: email [email protected]


Champion Mi Rim Lee of South Korea takes home $225, 000.

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By Terry Moore

Year One for Meijer LPGA ClassicIs a Big Success

Well, the inaugural MeijerLPGA Classic has endedand in light of its many

successes it should now take a bow.For a debut tournament, it couldn’thave gone much better for the eventheld at the fan- and player-friendlyBlythefield Country Club outsideGrand Rapids. I must admit I was alittle concerned a few months agothat not enough marketing andadvertising dollars were being spenton the first-year event to turn out agood size gallery. Rest assured, thesmart folks at Meijer knew whatthey were doing, especially with theaffordable $15 any day ticket andwith kids being admitted free withan adult. I spent four days there lastweek and was very impressed withhow the tournament was organized.Let me share a few observations:

The LPGA is on a roll rightnow with a host of attractive starsled by the world’s number oneplayer, Stacy Lewis. What’s smartabout sponsoring an LPGA event,is that its stars show up and don’ttake a week off. (For first yeartourneys, all LPGA players areexpected to tee it up.) Playersknow that supporting a first yeartournament is critical for buildingnot only sponsor but fan loyal-ty. Even Michelle Wie, withdraw-ing after her first nine holes onThursday due to a hand injury,didn’t spoil the party in GrandRapids. Another strong field isexpected next year.

Blythefield Country Club provedvery popular with players and fansalike. The players liked its old-timey,

classic layout with its open-frontgreens, modest bunkering, relativelyflat greens and fairways, and its

Paula Creamer tied for 12th.

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strategic dogleg holes. It’s also acomfortable walk especially after onenegotiates the uphill 7th hole.Tournament officials also made agood call in reversing the nines forplay as the original 10th hole afford-ed better spectator viewing as astarting hole. Smartly, they retained

the club’s ninth and 18th holes asfinishers on both sides.

Transportation to and from thecourse all went exceedingly well withthe general public being bussed tothe course from Fifth/Third ballparkand dropped off at a special gate at

the first hole. I didn’t hear a singlecomplaint about transportation.

Volunteers were out in full forceand, in fact, the tournament stoppedtaking names a few weeks before theevent given the strong communityresponse. Credit in part goes to Meijerwith over 300 volunteers and toBlythefield with over 100. And theyhad a cheery, helpful attitude, too. Iparticularly liked one volunteer nearthe front entrance who greetedpatrons with a spirited “Welcome toBlythefield Country Club!”

Quality of competition, as expect-ed, was exceptional. The sunny anddry weather, great greens, and a nottoo penal of a course set-up, all madeconditions conducive to scoring andthe pros didn’t disappoint. After a lowround of 65 on Thursday (by SandraGal), 64s were carded each day there-after. Birdies make for good entertain-ment. On day one, 39 players were atpar or better which set the tone forthe week.

Approachable and fan-friendlyplayers. As noted, the LPGA playersreally get it. They connect and engagewith their fans. And all the stars I wit-nessed took time after signing theirscorecards to then sign autographs andpose for photos with fans. One dayafter her round, Paula Creamer tookextra time talking and posing for pic-tures with a group of junior fans alldressed in her trademark pink.

A community-minded and well-heeled sponsor. That’s Meijer. Givenits huge retail operation with itsthousands of brands, it wasn’t sur-prising to learn the pro-am sold outearly. If you do big business withMeijer, it only made sense to get on-board and support this event.


Inbee Park lost a playoff to finish in second place.

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Likewise, Meijer leveraged its rela-tionships to maximize its investmentwith the tournament.

What could be done better? Well,even the Masters keeps getting betterwith its mantra of “constant improve-ment” so I hope no one gets too sensi-tive about a few suggestions:

I’d like to see more grandstandsfor the general public. Blythefieldmembers and sponsors deservedlyhad exclusive grandstand seatsaround the 9th, 17th and 18th holesand I don’t begrudge them that. ButBlythefield isn’t a stadium TPCcourse (thank goodness!) with natu-ral amphitheaters so it needs somehelp with elevated seating for therest of the gallery. A few grand-stands on both nines should beerected—as well as small bleachersfor the practice range— and setaside for general patrons.

My wise colleague Jack Berry alsopointed out that the pairing sheetslacked the customary scorecarddescribing par and yardage for eachhole. That’s an easy fix.

The television coverage wasgenerally well done. Yet, I’d like tosee Meijer talk to the GolfChannel and offer some additionalinformation about Grand Rapidsand West Michigan. Mentionsand footage about ArtPrize (start-ing next month) should be includ-ed as should be Grand Rapids’nationally acclaimed craft beerreputation. I mean, it did earn thetitle of “Beer City USA” two yearsin a row. Other considerations areGrand Rapids growing stature inhealth care as well as the fact thatthe scenic Lake Michigan shorelineis only 30 minutes away.

Establish a year-round awarenessabout the tournament and buildearly and long term fan interest.And create an incentive to buyweek-long tickets earlier.

But the big picture: a resoundingsuccess for the inaugural MeijerLPGA Classic.

- MG -

Morgan Pressel missed the cut.

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By Jack Berry

The Berry Patch

Whatwillit be

this time?Another onepoint defeat oranother recordclobbering?We’re talkingabout theRyder Cup ofcourse, the

event in which the pride ofAmerican golf regularly thrashed thewhimpering Europeans.

That was a couple decades agowhen Great Britain and Ireland werethe thrashees. Then good old UncleSam took pity on the Brits and theIrish and said go ahead, invite somecontinentals if you can find any thatplay the game.

America has been paying for itpretty much ever since Spain’s SeveBallesteros played toreador andstuck every club in his bag into theYankee bull. A 13-match winningstreak for the United States ended in1983. Since then it’s been Europe,10-4, including that 18-1/2 to 9-1/2rip at Oakland Hills in 2004 fol-lowed by the same crush at the KClub in Ireland in 2006.

Ballesteros left the ring threeyears ago but his spirit lives on,especially in Ian Poulter who ralliedthe Europeans at Chicagoland’sMedinah two years ago with fivestraight birdies in the final Saturdayafternoon four ball to give him andhis partner, Rory McIlroy, a 1-up

victory over Jason Dufner and ZachJohnson. That night the Europeans,down 10-6, felt they could win theSunday singles. They won eight ofthe 12 matches and halved another.Europe kept the cup with a 14-1/2to 13-1/2 victory. Veterans PhilMickleson, Jim Furyk, Matt Kucharand Steve Stricker collapsed in thestretch as what seemed a victoryturned to vinegar.

Ironically the joke this year seemsto be hoping the Europeans will beoverconfident. Led by McIlroy’s tri-umphs in the Open Championship,PGA, the World Golf Championshipat Firestone and his BMW PGAChampionship in England, theEuropeans are on form. MartinKaymer, who clinched the 2012 vic-tory, beating Stricker, is the reigningU.S. Open champion. Sergio Garcia,always at his best in Ryder Cup play,has been hot, pushing McIlroy to theOpen Championship. Henrick

Stinson tied for third in the PGA.Add Justin Rose, Thomas Bjorn,Graeme McDowell and VictorDubuisson and Europe is loaded.Rickie Fowler is the only really hotseason-long American. Furyk hashad good finishes without winningand he may have nightmares over hisfinish at Medinah. He lost 17 and18 in his match with Garcia. Furyk’shad late round troubles in recentyears. Might be a good idea to addanother hour to his five hour energydrink.

PGA of America president TedBishop is pinning his hopes on TomWatson, the last American captainto win in Europe. Watson’s teamwon at The Belfry in 1993. If hepulls off an upset this time he canwear a Superman cape.

Watson said he wanted “heart.” Idon’t believe for a moment thatFuryk or Stricker lacked heart. If

Gleneagle King’s Course - 5th Hole

Jack Berry

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anything, they had so much hearttheir nerves simply were tied inknots. I think it happens more withage, so much more difficult to takethe club back and through. It hap-pened to Ben Hogan and who hadmore heart than Hogan?

The Sept. 26-28 match is atGleneagles, the five-star Scottishresort in the Ochil Hills ofPerthshire, owned by the Diageocompany which produces a dozen ormore premium whiskeys including

Johnnie Walker, Bushmills, J&B,and Crown Royal plus GuinnessStout and Smirnoff and Ketel vodka.Jack Nicklaus designed the courseand every player is familiar withNicklaus courses. This year theyplayed Dove Mountain in theAccenture Match Play, the Honda atPGA National, the Memorial onJack’s own Ohio course and thePGA at Valhalla.

With Diageo hosting, there will beliquids suitable for winners and losers.

Home Front

Congratulations to BlythefieldCountry Club and sponsorMeijer for bringing bigtime

golf back to Michigan with theLPGA Meijer Classic. The field wasworthy of a major championshipwith U.S. Open champion MichelleWie, World No. 1 Stacy Lewis,Inbee Park, player of the year lastyear with three major champi-onships, British great Laura Davies,Norwegian star Suzann Pettersenand Michigan native MorganPressel.

The players loved the classiccourse and the galleries and the gal-leries loved the friendliness of theplayers. Meijer smartly had freeadmission for kids 17 and youngerwith an adult and the kids allseemed to be having a ball and get-ting autographs. Everyone was awinner and the contract runs twomore years. I hope it continues pastthat. Host pro Patti Butcher and theBlythefield members can be veryproud of their course and the show.Blythefield has a good history. I cov-ered the 1961 Western Open atBlythefield and Arnold Palmeredged Sam Snead. Gary Player wasin that one too and took “a freshair.” First time I heard the term. Heswung at a ball under a tree. Nocontact. Rickie Fowler won theWestern Junior at the Grand Rapidsclub and two of Butcher’s predeces-sors are in the Michigan Golf Hallof Fame, John Barnum and BuddyWhitten.

GOLF Magazine is out withits Top 100 Courses YouCan Play and 20 Michigan

courses are ranked. No Midwesternstates can match Michigan and not


Ryder Cup Captains Tom Watson and Paul McGinley

Gleneagle Queen’s Course - 8th Hole

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A huge gallery followed LPGA superstar, Stacy Lewis.

many nationally. Michigan’s 20include courses designed by the bestin the landscape art, Robert TrentJones, Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus,Arnold Palmer, Tom Doak, TomFazio, Tom Weiskopf, Rick Smith,Art Hills, Jim Engh, Mike DeVries,Jerry Matthews and Kevin Aldridge.And Michigan prices don’t choke ahorse as they do in a number ofother locations.

Weatherwise, compared to manystates, we’ve done well this summer.We managed to survive a winter thatwas very tough, especially on a num-ber of Detroit-area courses and clubs,and then some Biblical proportion

rains. But no droughts, no fires, no(knock on wood) tornadoes.

It was a tough summer for 20Michigan PGA professionals wholost their jobs when Dick’s sportinggoods, citing lower than expectedsales, fired 478 PGA pros nation-wide. This season didn’t start with$300 drivers flying off the racks butDick’s continues to sponsor televisedtournaments. Oddly, I don’t recallDick’s ever promoting they had aPGA professional on duty.

Kevin Helm, executive directorof the Michigan PGA section, said ithas been a good summer for the

PGA Junior League and the Drive,Chip and Putt competition. Bothprograms are aimed at turningyoung people on to golf. PGA presi-dent Bishop said the Junior League,which started in 2012 with 1,500youngsters, has grown to more than18,000 this year and the Drive,Chip and Putt program, which start-ed in 11 PGA Sections and 19states, jumped to all 41 Sections and every state in the union.

A moment back at weather –where oh where are the 80 degreedays?

- MG -

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By Jennie McCafferty

LPGA Connects with Kids atMeijer LPGA Classic

Afew years ago I had a blast atthe PGA Championship atOakland Hills with my

twelve-year-old nephew, Gus Meyer.On a practice day, Gus chased auto-graphs, but had little success gettingnear the hot players. Once he tried adifferent tactic, he did get auto-graphs from a couple of players nei-ther of us knew much about: BrianGay and Daniel Chopra. Gus knowsthe game of golf, mentioning the

typical driving distance of severalplayers, especially his favorite, AdamScott. We followed groups ofyounger players, including Scott,Camilo Villegas, and Anthony Kim.We also began to pay more attentionto the players whose autographs Gusnow had. As it turned out BrianGay tied for third at the end of theFirst Round, finished T20 and wenton to win several tournaments.

This year I was looking forward toattending the Meier LPGA classicwith Lily Zylstra, my eleven-year-oldgrandaughter. Lily has interviewedkids at the West Michigan Golf Show,but she is just learning about golf. Onthe Wednesday practice day, the firstthing Lily noticed was kids gettingautographs from players. “Where dothey get those flags?” she asked. ThePro Shop, of course, had the flags andalso included Sharpies. The LPGA

Kids watch play on the Seventeenth Green from the Kids Club.

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players were especially friendly andaccommodating with kids who soughtautographs. No fences, no ropes, nobarriers were there to keep fans away.Lily acquired the autographs ofTiffany Joh of San Diego, PernillaLindberg of Sweden, Christel Boeljonof Netherlands, Mi Rim Lee of SouthKorea, and Grace Choi, the Universityof Michigan sponsor’s exemption. Allof a sudden, Lily is especially interest-ed in several players.

Another kid-friendly feature wasthe Meijer LPGA Junior Clinicwhich was held on Wednesday after-noon. Blythfield CC GM PattiButcher hosted 150 junior golfers atBoulder Creek Golf Club. We spokewith one junior golfer from TraverseCity who was pleased as punch withthe instruction she got on driving,putting, and chipping.

Lily also read about players in theLPGA 2014 Player Guide and noticedsomething special about Chie Arimuraof Japan, whose birthday is the sameday as Lily’s, November 22. It was

Lily’s idea to follow Chie Arimura’sround for several holes.

Lily and I walked most of thecourse on Thursday, watching manyplayers. Lily was interested in get-ting a better view and found severaltrees perfect for climbing.Unfortunately, most of those were“inside the ropes”

We also planned to visit some-thing called the Kids’ Club that firstday. The Kids’ Club was a hit. Itwas a very upscale grandstand withwhiteboards and markers, tableswith games and crayons. One littleboy, about 5, wanted everyone to seethat he could draw a really big circleon that whiteboard. We were greetedwith offers of drinks, ice-cream andpopsicles. High stools with tables infront and chairs overlooked theSeventeenth Green. We had a fan-tastic view of the green, watchingSuzann Petterson, Lydia Ko, andPaula Creamer, then Stacy Lewis,Karrie Webb and Jessica Korda play.The Kids Club was the answer to

getting that better view that Lily washoping for.

Chie Arimura made the cut, finish-ing the tournament T42. And,among those autographs which Lilyhas is one Mi Rim Lee, the winner ofthe inaugural Meijer LPGA Classic.

- MG -


Mi Rim Lee signs a flag for Lily Zylstraafter playing in Wednesday’s ProAm.

Kids show off their autographed hats at the Kids Club. Kids who participated in the Junior Clinc got hats like the one on the left.

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Elmbrook Golf Course, theregion’s oldest public course,turned a half-century this

summer, and has lots of eventsplanned throughout the summer tocelebrate the anniversary, accordingto owner Carolyn Olson.

“We’ve had a long associationwith the Traverse City community,and it’s been mutual,” said Olson,whose family has owned the golfcourse from the beginning. “We sureappreciate their support, and overthe years we’ve hosted numerouscharity events and fundraisers forcommunity groups.”

It’s not only the oldest course in

the area, but one of the busiest. It’sproximity to downtown TraverseCity, just 10 minutes south, aplayable course that caters to bothwalkers and carts, dramatic elevationchanges, and jaw-dropping views ofdowntown, both bays and OldMission Peninsula from the backholes make it popular with bothlocals and visitors. They are knownas a “family golf course” and payspecial attention to kids and women.

“We host lots of women’s leagues,tournaments and special women’sclinics throughout the season,”Olson pointed out. “We’ve had spe-cial children’s tees on every hole foryears, which makes the course very

playable and keeps the game fun forthem. And, we’ve put on many pro-grams over the years for juniorgolfers.”

The course is not long, 6,131yards, but challenging with elevatedtees and greens on some of theholes. Native grasses frame the holescarved out of the upland, rollingcountryside, not unlike Scottishcountryside along the seashore. Teeboxes on the 6th and 13th holesoffer panoramic, stunning views ofboth bays and the peninsula. Thefairway unfolds before you droppingaway on both holes. Hit a long, hightee shot, and the ball seems to hangin the air forever. Very visual holes,

Elmbrook Turned Half-Century Old This Summer

By Mike Terrell

Elmbrook Golf Course

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if you carry a camera in your golfbag, both holes lend themselves topictures from the tee boxes.

The course was designed byCarolyn’s father Vern Nelson, one ofthe original owners. It was the onlycourse he ever built, but did a nicejob laying out the holes over thesand hills. The fairways, which oftenflow through valleys and hollows,are slightly narrower than manyresort courses. It pays to keep yourdrives in the fairway, or you mayfind some awkward lies.

In celebration of the 50-year-anniversary Elmbrook is introducingFootGolf, one of only two locationsin Michigan offering the new sport.The other is Shanty Creek. It hasbecome very popular in Europe and

South America. You kick a soccerball into a 21-inch hole. Each kickcounts as a stroke, and you startfrom a tee-box just like golf. Thereare rules and guidelines establishedfor the sport. An 18-hole round canbe played in about the time it takesto play nine holes of golf.

Elmbrook also plans an expandedfood and beverage operation thissummer with a new patio overlook-ing the putting green and golfcourse and introducing a new foodconcept, Pig Wings, pork on a boneeaten like chicken wings.

“It’s pork without the fork,”laughed Olson. “We are the onlyplace in the region that is offeringthis new product, and we expect itto be very popular.”

They will also be hosting Musicon the Green, which will featureconcerts with some of the region’stop musical artists throughout thesummer.

A Girls Just Want To Have Funclinic will be taking place onMonday nights throughout the sea-son. It’s a three-hole event withinstruction followed by a network-ing wine mixer. The cost is $10.

As Olson said, “It’s been 50 yearsof mutual respect betweenElmbrook and the community.” Ifthe popular television show Cheershad been about a golf course insteadof a neighborhood bar, Elmbrookwould be it.

- MG -

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Last year Idecided tovolunteer for

the 2014 Women’sOpen at Pinehurstprimarily to get adifferent perspec-tive of professionalgolf. I have hadthe privilege of

playing in Pro-Ams, serving as co-chair of a charitable mini-tour event,and covering tour events for theMichigan Golfer. Rather than opt-ing for volunteer sessions for the

men’s Open or serving in bothweeks, I submitted an applicationfor four sessions of only the women’sevent. To get the best perspective, Irequested the practice area though Iknew it would be a prime choice formany. Surprisingly, my applicationwas accepted and I was moredelighted to read that my assign-ment was the practice area!

I quickly found the term “volun-teer” to be somewhat of a misnomer.First, there is a request for detailedinformation followed by a require-

ment of $235 for the uniform whichincluded two shirts, a rain jacket, capor hat (bucket in my case), ID withlanyard, and a meal ticket for each ses-sion. There was an air-conditionedvolunteer tent that provided freedonuts, coffee and soft drinks. Specialparking was available for your sessionsonly. However, you could attend alldays of the tournament using yourID. The cost of volunteering was real-ly not bad considering all the clothingwas Ralph Loren and free admissionsto all days. And, if you had the earliestsession (5:30-10:30 AM), you could

Volunteering at the 2014 Women’s U.S. Open

By Bill Shelton

Michelle Wie on the Par 5 10th Hole.

Bill Shelton

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get a sugar high eating donuts.Surprising I had two of those sessions!

A training sessions for PracticeArea volunteers was held about 3weeks before the Open. During the90-minute session, we got a pep talkfrom a USGA staffer, watch a brieffilm about the Open, and thenquickly reviewed the do’s and don’tlisted in the Volunteer Guide.Because we would be in a restrictedarea, unlike some other volunteergroups, a picture was required forour ID. Pretty impressive stuff!

Finally it was time for my firstsession. I had been to Pinehurstmany times and was familiar withthe layout of the clubhouse andcourses (the first tee boxes and fair-ways of courses #3 and #5 were usedas the driving range). I had alsoattended two days of the men’sOpen the previous week. I arrived atthe practice area just as dawn broke,

reported to the Practice Area Chairand was assigned to the putting andchipping greens. Among my dutieswere handing out buckets of practiceballs for the chipping area, keepingbottles of water in the cooler forplayers and caddies, policing thearea for litter, and picking up ballson the chipping greens. (Here Imust voice a criticism of the USGA.At the training session we were toldthat there would be different brandsof balls—Titliest, Taylormade,Callaway, etc—available dependingon the pro’s preference. And thatwas the case for the men. But, thewomen were only provided TitliestPro-V 1’s even though they playeddifferent brands also. The other ballswere already there so why not makethem available to the women also?)

The first arrival to the area wasthe caddie for Natalie Gulbis. Shewas the first pro there each morningof the practice rounds and was as

genuinely friendly as she appears ontv. In fact, the women pros are so farahead of the men in terms of appre-ciating the fans and volunteers.Other than one rather rude andarrogant veteran player, I was trulyimpressed by the responsiveness ofthe players. It made the long hotsessions very worthwhile. I was alsoimpressed by the effort made by for-eign players to express their appreci-ation and speak English thoughsometimes a challenge. Clearly theyhave a commitment to makingwomen’s golf a success.

Volunteering was a great experi-ence and I encourage others to giveit a try. Kudos to the women proswho contributed to an exciting 2014Open. I got no autographs and tookno pictures but I certainly will havelasting memories of my experienceas a volunteer.

- MG -

Amateur Brooke Mackenzie Henderson at Pinehurst No. 2

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Officially the Grand Strandof South Carolina is a 60-mile stretch of beach land

from Little River on the State’snorthern border to Georgetownsouth of the Waccamaw River inlet.

The primary economic driver of thearea is tourism with almost 15 mil-lion visitors per year. Supportingtourism, there are 460 hotels and1900 restaurants available to Strandvisitors. In addition, many of thegolf complexes offer apartment andcondo rentals.

The largest city on the GrandStrand is Myrtle Beach. It hasincreasingly become known as anaffordable family vacation destina-tion with manicured beaches,amusement and water parks, a giantFerris wheel on the beach, the

Carolina Opry, an excellent aquari-um, myriad themed putt-putt facili-ties, a NASCAR cart track, thenation’s #3 rated boardwalk, andseveral outlet malls. Virtually all ofthe major hotels cater to familieswith children by providing playareas, pools, and lazy rivers.

Surprisingly, some visitors spenda week or more on the Grand Strandwithout ever stepping on a golfcourse! For golfers throughoutNorth America, there is one primaryreason to visit the area - immersingthemselves in a reasonably priced

Golfing the Grand Strand– North or South?

By Bill and Brad Shelton

Bill & Brad Shelton

Ocean Ridge Golf Course

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golfing marathon!

Dubbed as the “Golf Capital ofthe World,” the Strand offers over120 courses hosting 5 millionrounds annually. The visitors bureauboosts that a golfer could play a dif-ferent eighteen every day for morethan 3 months and still not haveplayed all of the Strand courses. Ithas served for several decades as thesite of the World Amateur HandicapChampionship, a 72-hole eventattracting 3300 golfers on 60 differ-ent courses. And every summer, ithosts the largest Father-Son tourna-ment in the world.

In March, the Strand is filledwith “North Americans,” escapingthe cold winters of Canada and theNortheast during the Can-Am Days.And, when the players finish theirrounds, a trip to Martin’s PGA Storeor the Golf Dimensions Superstoreis a favorite way to continue in thegolfing trance. Reliving each daywhile enjoying freshly caughtseafood or aged beef with your golf-ing mates and hit the sack foranother day of 18 or 36 holestomorrow.

With so many courses and limit-ed vacation time, golfers should pre-plan their trips to maximize time onthe course and minimize time stuckin slow moving traffic along theGrand Strand—real bumper tobumper, stop and go traffic. Whilethe 17 Bypass has relieved somevehicle congestion, getting aroundMyrtle Beach can still be a time-consuming ordeal.

The premium golf season is fromlate February through mid-May, buttourism has become a year roundactivity. Lower golf rates typicallycan be found during the summermonths and early fall.

With so many golfing opportuni-ties the full “Strand Experience”cannot be achieved in just one trip.Promotional material typicallydivides the Strand courses into threesections—northern, central, andsouthern. Though the NorthernStrand officially begins at LittleRiver, just across the border inNorth Carolina are 20 additionalcourses that are available to Strandvisitors.

In our opinion, the challenge is

for golfers to settle on either anorthern or southern Strand pack-age—and we do mean package. Thebest way to getting the maximumbenefit for your money is to buy agolfing/lodging package. Almostevery course is packaged with othercourses usually owned or managedby a common entity. The good newsis that the degree of course difficultyand the price per round vary widelyproviding excellent opportunities forall golfers regardless of skill orresources.

The writers have visited theStrand numerous times and partici-pated in the Father-Son tournamentfor six years (and even picked up alittle hardware!). As would beexpected, while both agree that theGrand Strand is a golfing mecca,they do not agree on which area hasthe best courses.

Brad – I usually only get a week orso to spend in Myrtle Beach andmust make a choice – I need to getmy priorities straight!

In my opinion, the north side of


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Myrtle has the best courses offeringvalue for both your money and golfexperience.

One of my favorites in MyrtleBeach is Tidewater Golf Club. Sethigh on bluffs overlooking the

Intracoastal Waterway, AtlanticOcean and the Cherry Grove saltmarshes, the course is one of onlythree Grand Strand courses on GolfMagazine’s prestigious listing of“Top 100 Places You Can Play inthe United States.” Tidewater is

South Carolina’s mostawarded golf courseand recognized as aone of the premierNorth Myrtle BeachGolf Courses. I couldtry to describe theexperience but wouldfall short of youenjoying your ownexperience on thismagnificent course.

Tabbed theFantastic Four, archi-tects Greg Norman,Davis Love III, TomFazio and Pete Dyehave helped BarefootResort & Golfbecome a popular golfdestination in MyrtleBeach. Top golf publi-

cations have honoredBarefoot Resort’s four

award-winning courses designed bythis legendary foursome. Be carefulnot to get caught up in the beautifulvistas of the Lowcountry, thesecourses are beautiful and fun butchallenging to play.

Head further north and you willfind a trio of courses that willdemand the best of your game atThe Glens. Heather Glen, GlenDornoch, and Shaftesbury Glen arethree courses that have receivednumerous awards form Golf Digest,Golf Magazine, and other travelpublications for their challenge andplayability. Two courses, bothdesigned by Clyde Johnson, are trib-utes to the legendary Donald Rossand the designs at Augusta National.

Ocean Ridge Plantation, home ofthe award-winning and nationally-recognized Big Cats golf courses –

Tidewater Golf Course

Tidewater Gofl Course

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Leopard’s Chase, Tiger’s Eye,Panther’s Run and Lion’s Paw offersanother great experience for bothresort living and golf.

The three distinctly different sig-nature courses at Sea Trails GolfResort, designed by Rees Jones, DanMaples, and Willard Byrd, can beenjoyed by players of all levels, butare challenging even to the accom-plished golfer.

There are 47 courses listed as NorthMyrtle Beach golf, all which offerchallenges and fun for every level ofgolfer. These are just a few cases thatI can include to express my pointthat golf north of downtown MyrtleBeach is better.

Bill—Admittedly it is a tough calland I agree with Brad that thenorthern courses offer a great golf-ing/lodging experiences. Withoutdoubt, the northern half of theStrand offers more golfing venuesbut, for me, the highest qualitycourses are found in the southernsector. An added benefit is that vir-tually every top golf designer has puthis signature on one or more of thecourses. Here a few of the represen-tative courses that I believe shouldinfluence you to go south!

Ranking at the top are True BluePlantation and Caledonia Golf andFish Club, both designed by archi-tect Mike Strantz. Both courses haveappeared numerous times in golfpublications’ “America’s 100Greatest Public Courses.” Pawley’sPlantation, a Jack Nicklaus signaturecourse, has recently undergone amajor renovation and is described as“one of Myrtle Beach’s elite venues.”The Heritage Club, built on two

historic plantations along theWaccamaw River, appears frequentlyin the top 50 courses you can playcategory. Pete Dye and his son, P.B.,combined their talents in designingthe Prestwick Country Club, onceincluded in Golf Digest’s “Five Best-Kept Secret Courses.”

The TPC at Myrtle Beach is oneof the best TPC venues anywhereand it is the only course awarded 5stars by Golf Digest. Designed byTom Fazio, the course and impres-sive clubhouse have been the cite ofa Senior Tour Championship. For“one-stop” stay and play trips,Litchfield Golf and Beach Resort,offers three excellent courses byWillard Byrd, Tom Jackson, andDan Maples. Golf for Women mag-azine named the Maples course inits “Top 100” for 5 consecutiveyears. The Legends Resort is verypopular with golf groups for its 3award-winning courses, golf villas,Scottish tavern, and lighted practicefacility. Its Heathland course,designed by Tom Doak; Moorlandtract by P.B. Dye (listed by a majorgolf publication among the “Fifty

Toughest Courses in America”); andthe Parkland course are all rated at 41/2 stars.

These are just a few examples ofwhy I think the southern half of theGrand Strand is the finer golfmecca. Admittedly, many are amongthe more costly courses to play butcarefully planning and scheduling atrip to the Strand will result in anunforgettable golfing adventure.

So many courses and so littletime - if only we all had threemonths to spend on the GrandStrand we would play every coursein the area and take advantage ofevery golf package available. It’s hardto make a mistake.

Whether you select North orSouth, the Grand Strand is a great,affordable golf trip for individualsand groups.

Go North, Go South, but defi-nitely go Grand Strand!

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Timing really is nearlyeverything. And what it isn’t, circumstance makes up for.

- Steven Van Zandt, actor and musician

Without question, thisquote could be directlyapplied to Lance Byrns,

the owner of the Upper Peninsula’sNewberry Country Club, especiallylast summer.

While visiting his wife’s relativesin nearby Curtis and McMillan, ashe had throughout the last threedecades, he decided to attend a pub-lic board meeting with his father-in-law, in which the financial state ofthe country club was discussed. Inthe midst of the meeting, Byrnsraised his hand and mentioned hewould like to help the club recoverfrom its recent financial losses so itcould remain opened to the public.

Little did he know at the time,but in less than three months, he

would not only help the countryclub financially – he would purchaseit. But before he could acquire theproperty, he set out to determineexactly what he would need to do tohelp restore the country club’s popu-larity. After meeting with Newberrycommunity members and attendingadditional board meetings, he deter-mined the best method to increasebusiness on a short and long-termbasis. He would have to renovate theclub’s golf course and return it to itsinitial design.


By Chris Lewis

Newberry Country Club: A RevitalizedUpper Peninsula Treasure

Newberry Country Club, Hole No. 1

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“Its feel was like an executivecourse and I wanted to give it aresort course feel instead, with widefairways and low-cut approaches,”says Byrns. “New equipment waseven purchased to ensure the coursemaintained a manicured, profession-al appearance as well.”

To help achieve his goal as quick-ly as possible, Byrns sought assis-tance from a man who arguablyknew the club’s golf course betterthan anyone else, its original archi-tect, Mike Husby. A designer of anumber of golf courses, includingthree based in the Upper Peninsula,Husby first oversaw the develop-ment of Newberry Country Club’scourse back in 1998.

“Mike has a great design eye andis a working designer, which meanshe is actually doing the work,” Byrnssays. “He has a crew that works forhim, but he is very hands-on andworks right alongside them.”

“I have a true love for NewberryCountry Club, which I consider ahidden gem,” Husby explains.

“When Lance asked me to tour thecourse with him prior to his pur-chase, we discussed our ideas andcame up with a game plan to revital-ize the course.”

A Game Plan forRevitalization

The “game plan” particularlyinvolved creating new tee boxes toincrease the course’s length, widen-ing fairways for improved playabili-ty, and adding bunkers so the coursewould be a bit more challenging foradvanced golfers.

The revitalization began during thelast week of September 2013, withindays of Byrns’s purchase, and contin-ued until early November. Once theharsh winter started to dissipate, Byrnsand his own grounds crew began towork with Husby and his crew againthis spring, along with NorthlandHarvesting, a local logging company.The team added 300 yards to thecourse overall, starting with the 10thhole, which was straightened out andlengthened by 40 yards.

Seven other holes were renovatedlast winter and this spring. Theentire right-hand side of the 11thhole’s fairway was opened up to givethe hole a different look and feel,whereas the fairway of the 16th holewas also opened up and two newbunkers were added near the green.

On the 18th hole, a new tee boxwas created, increasing the length ofthe hole by 30 yards, while twobunkers were also built greenside. Anew tee box was also generated at thefirst hole (lengthened by 25 yards)and at the par-three fifth, whichmeasures 25 yards longer than it hadpreviously. Furthermore, a very largebunker was created near the rightside of the sixth hole’s green, a par-five that formerly did not providechallenges to long hitters.

But perhaps the most significantrenovation occurred on the thirdhole, where tee boxes were relocated,three new bunkers were created,trees were removed along the rightside of the fairway, and the lengthwas increased by 40 yards. As aresult, the hole is no longer a dog-leg, but, rather, plays straight.

“The course is now more player-friendly than it has been in years,”Byrns states. “With its wider fair-ways, smoother and faster greens,tightly mowed approaches and col-lars, and better sight lines, thecourse has more of that resort coursefeel that I was hoping for when Ifirst began the restoration process.”

Three Recently RevisedCompliments to the Course

In addition to the course renova-tions, the country club’s clubhousewas entirely remodeled last fall andNewberry Country Club Hole No. 3

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winter to provide guests a lodge-likeatmosphere, complete with a gorgeousrestaurant, sports bar, and pro shop.

“The restaurant and sports barhas been a great compliment to thecourse,” says Byrns. “The restau-rant’s menu is very different fromthe local flavor, as guests can order asimple BLT, cheeseburger, or wings,or, if they prefer, more specializeditems like bowtie alfredo, braisedpork rafano, and aged rib-eye.”

He adds, “The bar, meanwhile, isfull-service, with a line of domestic,import, and craft beers, includingWidow Maker and Pick Axe Blonde,as well as an extensive wine list thatprovides choices like Canyon Roadand Rodney Strong.”

The restaurant and sports bar areopened seven days a week. If guestsprefer, they can also eat outside ontwo patios overlooking the golf course.

“The entire clubhouse is trulyone-of-a-kind, as it is very invitingto everyone, friends, couples, fami-lies, you name it,” Byrns says.“Whether guests want to watch theirfavorite sporting events on one ofthe bar’s six large screen TVs, or justenjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner,they will find whatever they preferat the clubhouse. And, better yet,they will be able to eat at the club-house in the winter as well, as it willbe opened all year.”

In the meantime, before or afterfinishing their rounds, guests canalso visit the newly updated proshop that offers a full lineup ofclothing, shoes, golf clubs, andequipment for men, women, andchildren. From TaylorMade andPing clubs to Nike and Footjoyclothing and shoes, the pro shop’s

Newberry Country Club’s renovated clubhouse

Newberry Country Club’s clubhouse bar.

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lineup was created with golfers of allages and experience levels in mind.It even includes the only fullystocked Oakley sunglass retailer inthe entire Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Exceeding Expectations asa “Must Play” Course

Since reopening the course onMay 15th, Byrns and his staff mem-bers have received a positive reactionfrom the golfing public.

“Business has increased this year,even with the cool spring,” saysByrns. “The amount of support thelocal and regional community mem-bers have shown has been over-whelming. At the same time, golfersfrom outside of the Upper Peninsulahave been just as excited about the

course as the locals.”

He continues, “People have beencoming up to my staff and me daily,thanking us for what we’ve done.Apparently, the course has made avery good impression on those whohave played it so far. It’s been veryexciting.”

“Most people don’t think of golfwhen they mention the UpperPeninsula and that needs to change,”Husby states. “When golfers visitthe Upper Peninsula, they actuallyhave a tremendous selection of goodcourses to choose from – andNewberry Country Club will nowbe on golfers’ ‘must play’ lists.”

As Byrns prepares for the future,he anticipates further renovations,such as new bunkers, lengthened

holes, and wider fairways, will con-tinue to occur, ensuring customersremain pleased and eager to see thepristine layout for themselves, whichis nestled alongside 200 acres offorests, streams, ponds, and hills.

“My goal is for NewberryCountry Club to become a ‘destina-tion’ course, restaurant, and proshop,” Byrns concludes. “I love see-ing both new and pre-existing cus-tomers alike revel in the course, bar,and restaurant. It truly proves all ofthe hard work is well worth it.”

For more information aboutNewberry Country Club, as well asits membership offerings and year-round family activities, please visitwww.newberrycountryclub.com.

- MG -

Newberry Country Club, Hole No. 13

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You may never mistake theLeelanau Club at Bahle Farmsfor the Augusta National Golf

Club where they hold the famedMaster’s Golf Tournament, but theentrance way mid-May might bejust as beautiful.

It may not be Magnolia Lane,but the entrance to Leelanau Club,meandering through a tart cherryorchard, is pretty spectacular whenthe trees blossom, according to headprofessional Logan Price.

“It’s absolutely stunningly beauti-ful,” the long-time golf pro enthused.“It sets the mood for the rest of thecourse, which was cut through a 100-year-old orchard on Bahle Farms. Theentrance way is just as pretty when thetrees are ripe with fruit.”

The Bahle family still owns thecourse, which turns 15 this summer.Opening in August 1999 it hasmatured into one of the area’s topcourses. It was Tuesday in early Mayas we talked in the pro shop, andthere was a good crowd for early sea-son midweek. The sun was out andtemperatures were near 60.

“We’ve gotten off to a little laterstart than normal, but the golf coursecame through the winter in greatshape and is ready for play. I thinkafter the cold fall that ended the golfseason early last year and the longwinter there’s pent-up demand amonggolfers to get out and play. Our firstgolf league started this morning,” Pricepointed out. “We host over 300 leaguerounds per summer and 45 tourna-ments. It’s busy.”

Despite being busy there’s stillplenty of time for non-league playersto squeeze in a round of golf, insist-ed Price.

“Over the next few months wehave 14 to 15 hours of daylightdaily, which is plenty of time to playa round and still have plenty of day-light hours left for other endeavors,”he asserted. “And, you can alwaysplay just nine holes, which a lot ofgolfers are doing today. We reversethe order of which nine holes westart on daily, so you could play nineone day, play nine the next andyou’ll have played all 18. There arelots of options.”

Over the last few years the LeelanauClub has been making improve-ments to the course, and a lot of it is

By Mike Terrell

Leelanau Club – a Sassy TeenagerLeelanau Club at Bahle Farms

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to speed up play. That has become aserious consideration among golfcourses in general to speed play andmake it more fun and forgiving foraverage golfers.

“We’ve been taming the golf courselittle by little, making it more playablefor all golfers,” added Price. “We’veopened up hole No. 5, a dog-leg leftwith a ravine, by cleaning it out andcutting back some tall pines so thatplayers will have a better view of thegreen. We cleaned out a lot of thewoods along holes No. 7, 8 and 14.New tee boxes have been added atholes No. 6 and 14. All of the bunkerswill be restored over the next coupleof years. Probably 10 this season, butit will be done one at a time so playisn’t impacted much.”

The course has a reputation for

requiring use of every club in yourbag playing a round. There’s some-thing for all tastes. It’s not flat byany means, carved out of the sandhills and glacially enhanced ridges ofLeelanau County. It offers rolling tohill terrain with huge elevationchanges. A couple of the holes playalongside working cherry orchards,and hole No. 15 offers jaw-droppingviews looking down at Suttons Bayand Lake Michigan. The course isnever dull and always scenic.

“Club selection is an importantpart of your game here,” laughedPrice. “You will probably use all 14in your bag during an 18-holeround. There are elevation changes,and you have to consider wind sincemany of our holes sit on high ter-rain. You don’t come out here and

just bang away. It’s a thinkinggolfer’s course.”

The course was designed by pro-lific local golf course architect GaryPulsipher, who also designedMatheson Greens, Bay Meadows,The Crown and Manistee National.He’s been Leelanau Club’s only golfcourse superintendent since itsinception.

The club house contains theOrchard Grille, which is open forbreakfast and lunch and libations inthe afternoon until close. There’s also afully stocked pro shop available.

For tee times you can call 231-271-2020 and for more informationyou can log onto www.leelanau-club.com. - MG -

Leelanau Club at Bahle Farms

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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.(July 2014) — If any one placeexemplifies the phrase “family fun inthe sun,” it is the Palmetto DunesOceanfront Resort in the historicLowcountry of South Carolina. Therenowned resort’s numerous offer-ings for all ages is a major contribu-tor to Palmetto Dunes being namedone of the World’s Top-25 FamilyGetaways in 2013 by Travel +Leisure Family magazine.

For years, generations of familiesfrom across the globe have visitedHilton Head Island and enjoyedPalmetto Dunes’ seemingly infinitebounty of outdoor activities with afamily focus: World-class golf andaward-winning tennis, fishing,kayaking, canoeing and paddle-boarding on an 11-mile lagoon sys-tem, bicycling, dining and shopping,all of it along a three-mile stretch ofpristine Atlantic Ocean beachfront.

Palmetto Dunes is designed for fam-ilies to get active together by offer-ing a variety of ways to do just that— including its Hilton Head FamilyGolf School.

Whatever levels at which a familymay play, Palmetto Dunes will tailorits golf school to specific needs andskill level. Its head of golf instruc-tion, former PGA TOUR playerDoug Weaver, is great with kids andteaches them moves like “closing thecar door” and “alligator arms” tohelp them learn golf in a fun andengaging way.

Palmetto Dunes offers a varietyof Hilton Head golf lessons for jun-iors, including its popular “LittleSwingers” program designed for ages3-7. Weaver and his instructorsteach the game of golf while singingsongs with the kids.

Palmetto Dunes’s Junior Golf

Clinics for ages 6-18 focus on golffundamentals like golf shots, eti-quette and rules, covering three dif-ferent shots every day, and four-timeattendees are rewarded with a JuniorGolf School Manual. If you have ajunior golfer who’s top of the class,enroll him or her in the AdvancedJuniors Classes for ages 8-18.

The golf school includes a videoanalysis sent by email, on-courseinstruction, rules and etiquette les-sons, use of the school’s video lend-ing library, take home materials,lunch daily, free range privileges,plus nine holes of golf daily on aspace-available basis and 25 percentdiscount on all rentals — such asbikes, kayaks and canoes — fromHilton Head Outfitters.

Palmetto Dunes OceanfrontResort is showcased by its sterlingtrio of world-class golf coursesdesigned by legends of the industry:

By Martin Ames

Palmetto Dunes OceanfrontResort – Family Fun in the Sun

Hotel Complex

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The renowned Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, whichfeatures picturesque views of the ocean; the Arthur Hills Course,where collegiate stars like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson honedtheir talents; and the George Fazio Course, designed by GeorgeFazio with construction work headed by his nephew, famed archi-tect Tom Fazio.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort caters to golfers of all lev-els, having installed permanent junior tees on its Robert TrentJones golf course, while the George Fazio course caters to juniorswith markings of 150 yards or less. In addition, kids play free atthe Robert Trent Jones Hilton Head golf course and the ArthurHills golf course after 4 p.m. with an adult paying regular rate.

To sign up for a Family Golf Program at Palmetto Dunes

Palmetto Dunes Golf Course

Palmetto Dunes Golf Course

Oceanfront Resort, please call 877-567-6507 orvisit http://www.PalmettoDunes.com.

About Palmetto Dunes OceanfrontResort

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is a2,000-acre resort destination located in the mid-dle of Hilton Head Island, S.C., bounded by 3miles of Atlantic Ocean beach on one side and asheltered Intracoastal Waterway marina on theother. The resort features three world-class golfcourses, an award-winning tennis center, an 11-mile inland salt-water lagoon system for kayakingand fishing, and Hilton Head Outfitters for bikerentals, canoes, kayaks, fishing and much more.

The Mediterranean-style Shelter CoveHarbour deep-water marina, located right acrossfrom Palmetto Dunes, features waterfront shop-ping and dining and a wide variety of charters,including nature cruises, dolphin tours, sportcrabbing and fishing. For information aboutactivities or reservations, please call 877-567-6513 or visit http://www.PalmettoDunes.com.

About Greenwood Communities &Resorts

Based in Greenwood, S.C., GreenwoodCommunities & Resorts has been a leader in thecreation and management of award-winning resi-dential and resort communities in the southeasternUnited States since 1978. Beginning with theaward-winning Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resorton Hilton Head Island, S.C., and now includingcommunities like The Reserve at Lake Keowee, BigCanoe near Atlanta and The Ponds in Charleston,Greenwood’s mission has always been to creatememorable places that foster meaningful and fulfill-ing lives. For more information, please call 843-785-1106 or visit www.GreenwoodCR.com.

Contacts: Martin Armes (919-608-7260) & Brad King

(336-306-9219), [email protected]

- MG -

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Iknow it’sa bitearly for

end-of-the-year awardsand recogni-tion but thebest hotel Iexperiencedin 2014 wasStreamsong

in BowlingGreen, Florida. (Note: I wrote aboutStreamsong’s golf courses earlier thisyear.) For Michiganders planningwinter travels and vacations, theyshould check out Streamsong now.

In my thirty years plus of cover-ing golf, I’ve never encountered sucha singularly thematic design, ameni-ties and attention-to-detail all tiedtogether at one property. Streamsongis so different (in a good way) andin many cases so lavishly understat-ed, I can see where at first glance theresort—and its contemporary-designed, five-story, 216-roomhotel— may be greeted with somehead-scratching and “what’s goingon here?” mumbling.

But if one steps back a moment,takes a deep Zen-like breathe, andlooks around with a keen eye, it willbecome apparent that Streamsong isan exceptionally conceived,designed, constructed and managedproperty. The jury may be still outon the question of whether or notthe golf marketplace will patronizethis upscale, pricey resort in prof-itable numbers. (In fact, it may takeseveral years for that question to be

fully answered.) But you must giveStreamsong its due and a standingovation for the courage of its convic-tions—namely that top-shelf qualityand design, luxurious accommoda-tions and service will always com-mand a following. Besides, such anapproach has never been a problemfor elite hotels in major cities so whynot for Bowling Green (pop. 2900)only an hour’s drive from a littledestination called DisneyWorld?

And Streamsong is more than agolfer’s quiet retreat and respitebetween rounds. “We’re seeking adiverse target audience,” said TomSunnaborg, Vice-President of LandDevelopment for Mosaic Company,the enterprise behind the resort.“We’re seeking the avid and the alphacustomer— whether it be someoneputting together a golf buddy’s or gal’sgetaway or a CEO or meeting plannerlooking for an executive meeting.”Sunnaborg is not shy about voicing

Streamsong’s standard for excellence.“Along with the best golf, we’re pro-viding the best food, the best rooms,the best meeting space and the bestservice.” There are four restaurants atStreamsong, three at the main lodgeand one at the golf clubhouse, thatoffer both casual and fine dining.Along with 13,500 feet of meetingspace, the lodge also features a full-service, grotto-style spa, fitness center,lakeside pool, hiking paths, sportingclays, tennis and guided bass fishing.So although the resort is in an isolat-ed, sparsely populated area, there’s awealth of diversions at play here.

The magic starts with the lodg-ing’s contemporary, sleek design byTampa-based architect AlbertoAlphonso (who also designed previ-ously the golf course clubhouse).The Mosaic Company gaveAlphonso the freedom, license andfunds to create something uniqueand bold. The result is a hotel with

Slice of LifeBy Terry Moore

Terry Moore

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a design theme of a tree. Concretecolumns at the base are the “roots”of the tree where its branches andleaves rise up through the lobby andthe floors. Moving up vertically,building materials go from concreteto steel to wood. At the top of thetree’s “canopy,” there’s a rooftop bar

and restaurant—Fragmentary Blue(named after a Robert Frostpoem)— with wonderful views ofthe surroundings and the open sky.It was here I had a delightful lightdinner and a most savory Pleiadescocktail (named fittingly for a starcluster) while exchanging golf and

life stories with a fellow golfer fromToronto who was visitingStreamsong for his third time. Yes,he’s sold on the place.

The hotel rooms, all meticulouslydesigned and furnished byAlphonso, carry out the arborealtheme and are equally impressive.Decorated in soft earth tones andwith lots of wood, ample light andnatural materials, each room con-tains an original painting byAlphonso (this guy was busy!)Instead of curtains for the expansivewindows, Alphonso cleverly optedfor three-foot wide, floor to ceilingwalnut louvers that protect and hidethe room like leaves on a tree. Eachroom sports two-sided HD TVs—where one can watch programs fromeither the bed or from a sofa. There’salso a smartly designed and appoint-ed desk and work area and guests areeven issued complimentary NewYork Times and Wall Street Journaldigital access. The bathroom is largeand boasts a dreamy walk-in shower.Every room has a spectacular, unfet-tered view of the lake or the golfcourse dunes.

An obsessive attention to detail isbest seen in the books selected foreach room. On a bookshelf over thesofa, were such carefully chosen clas-sics as: Huckleberry Finn, TheCatcher in the Rye, Moby-Dick, ToKill a Mockingbird, A SeparatePeace, Invisible Man, Poetry by T.S.Eliot and Wallace Stevens, and mypersonal favorite (harking back tomy college days) Light in August. Inits own separate nook and againgracing each room is A LandRemembered by Patrick Smith, abest-selling novel published in 1984that was set in pioneer Florida andcovered a century of the state’s his-

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tory. A few nitwits may say this liter-ary touch is bit pretentious but Iadmired the care and thinkingbehind it. It certainly demonstratedhow Streamsong dared to take a dif-ferent path for its pampered guests.

I can’t explain why—other thanan appreciation for design that fitsholistically throughout the lodge—but it was a simple accessory foundon the room’s desk that was most

thought-provoking. Painted brightred, it was a thick #6 pencil byCharles Leonard, Inc., a leadingoffice and school supply company.Feeling just right in my hand, itsgraphite imparted clean marks andletters. It conjured up a famouspoem (not found in the room) byWilliam Carlos Williams titled, TheRed Wheelbarrow.

You see, that’s what a restorative

stay at Streamsong will do for you: itgets you thinking of long-forgottenlines of poetry that’s still resonate, stilloffering meaning and serenity in anoisy world.

On second thought, maybe itwas just the cocktail.

For more information, visithttp://www.streamsongresort.com

- MG -

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