golf : All posts

Pittsfield Township's Miles of Golf expands to new market after 18 years in business

Chris Mile, president of the 18-year-old Miles of Golf in Pittsfield Township, has considered expanding his golf shop, practice facility and training academy for several years.

golf advice: Trouble getting loose before a round? Try a dip in the hot tub

Pioneer and Saline golfers walking during a round at the Michigan golf course.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo

Cool Michigan mornings bring on the greatest challenge when trying to warm up the body. Nobody likes to start the round on a Par 3 over water that’s all carry. Primarily, this is because we haven't warmed up yet, found our rhythm for the day. When the muscles are on the stiff side, that begins to play games with the mind and can chip away at a golfer’s confidence.

Proper club selection and confidence key ingredients to curing ETS on the course

Picking the proper club is half the battle when suffering from Elevated Tee Syndrome.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo

At the time I wondered - much like you probably are now - “what on earth is that?”

Don’t worry, a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a trip to the drug store aren’t necessary to cure this ailment. ETS stands for Elevated Tee Syndrome.

golf advice: A wet spring can make non-fairway golf a 'rough' ride

Not all paths to the green are as smooth as the one pictured above at Travis Pointe Country Club in Saline.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com file photo

Wet, thick, nasty rough. It’s a course superintendent's dream, but a golfer's nightmare. As a Scottish friend of mine put it, "The super's sneak'n out at night and throw'n fertilizer in the bloody rough for the Open!" I guess that is how Carnoustie, got the nickname "Car-nasty."

with poll: Golf advice: Don't let the wind blow up your game

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo

Editor's note: With the long winter finally coming to a close and with people looking to get out to the golf course, we are introducing a weekly golf advice column from contributor Kyle Dobbs. Dobbs is a former professional and University of Michigan golfer. He grew up in Ann Arbor and won the individual Big Ten title for the University of Michigan men’s golf team his senior year in 1997. Hopefully his expert advice can help you maximize your potential on the course this season.

Spring time is when the links play to their historical reputation: nay wind nay golf aye laddie! Finding your spring game is challenging enough, compound this with gusty winds and you are facing a strong challenge.

WITH POLL: 'Drive for show, putt for dough' applies to all, from Masters champs to local hacks

When practicing, don't spend too much time on the practice range. The putting green is just as, if not more, important

Editor's note: With the long winter finally coming to a close and with people looking to get out to the golf course, we are introducing a weekly golf advice column from contributor Kyle Dobbs. Dobbs is a former professional and University of Michigan golfer. He grew up in Ann Arbor and won the individual Big Ten title for the University of Michigan men’s golf team his senior year in 1997. While it's unlikely you'll get to the level of Dobbs, hopefully his expert advice can help you maximize your potential on the course this season.

When you think of a Masters champion, the long drives are entertaining and it's always fun to watch a shot stuck close to the pin on No. 16, but the green jacket is worn by the work done on the putting green. The greens at Augusta National are arguably the most revered in golf. The fairways are wide and the course is short by PGA tour standards, yet year in and year out the Masters maintains an extremely difficult test of golf.

This test is found on the putting green.

golf advice: Stretching at the office will pay dividends on the golf course this spring

With any luck, a winter hat won't be a necessary piece of equipment on the golf course for much longer.

MLive Media Group file photo

With the golf season just around the corner, nothing builds excitement more than anticipation of the Masters. For Michigan golfers, what breaks the ice for us, is the first cut of the greens and tee boxes exposing that lush green turf. Last year with such a mild winter, we had the opportunity to get out and play virtually on a regular basis. Ann Arbor this year has been in a golfer's locked down with the late spring.

Now that the frost is finally out of the ground and courses are "officially" opening, it will be a mad race to the first tee. You know the routine, leave work a little early, go straight from the parking lot, hop on the course, and don't even take the time to warm up by hitting a bucket of balls.

After losing $2.25M over 5 years, Ann Arbor's city-run golf courses being absorbed by general fund

Ann Arbor's two city-run golf courses have lost a combined $2.25 million over the past five years, requiring a sizable subsidy from the city's general fund.

It's due to that kind of financial performance that the city's golf course enterprise fund has been on a five-year deficit elimination plan with the state of Michigan.

City officials believe they've made strides operationally and financially at the Huron Hills and Leslie Park golf courses in recent years, but they still haven't completely eliminated the deficit.

Funeral arrangements set for Tom Simon, former Michigan coach and U-M Golf Course pro

Funeral arrangements have been announced for former Michigan golf coach and long-time U-M Golf Course club professional and manager Tom Simon.

The 83-year-old, who continued to play and teach golf until last year, died Friday “with his family by his side,” according to a Nie Funeral Homes obituary.

Visitation is scheduled for 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Nie Funeral Home's Liberty Road Chapel in Ann Arbor and preceding a 10 a.m. funeral mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Ann Arbor on Wednesday.

Simon was the first head coach for the Wolverines’ women’s golf team in 1975 and took over the men’s program in 1978. He coached both teams until 1982. He oversaw the U-M Golf Course from 1969 until his retirement in 1988.

Once a student of Byron Nelson, Simon - who recorded 13 holes-in-one in his lifetime - played one year on the PGA Tour before serving in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

Unable to restart his professional touring career after the war, Simon served as a club pro at various country clubs in Southern California before moving to Ann Arbor.

His obituary notes that local golfers will always lovingly remember Simon’s signature critiques of their swings, such as “Maybe you should take up tennis,” and “With your swing, I would appreciate you not mentioning to anyone that I have been working with you.”

Simon met Emily, his wife for the past 22 years, during a golf lesson and they played together throughout their years of marriage and retirement together.

Updated July 25: Upcoming golf scrambles: Rotary Club, EMU baseball outings planned

Check here for upcoming golf scrambles and events in the Ann Arbor area. To have your event listed, send information to sports@annarbor.com.

Your 2012 guide to Washtenaw County and nearby golf courses

PUBLIC COURSES

Ann Arbor Country Club

4699 E. Loch Alpine Drive, Ann Arbor

734-426-4693

Holes:18

Length/Par: 6,420/72

Website

Brae Burn Golf Club

10860 W. 5 Mile Road, Plymouth

734-453-1900

Holes:18

Length/Par: 6,511/70

Website

Brookside Golf Club

6451 Saline Ann Arbor Road, Saline

734-429-4276

Holes: 18

Length/Par: 6,066/72

Website

Cattails Golf Club

57737 9 Mile Road, South Lyon

248-486-8777

Holes: 18

Length/Par: 6,433/72

Website

Downing Farms Golf Course

8145 7 Mile Road, Northville

248-486-0990

Holes: 18

Length/Par: 5,866/71

Website

Eagle Crest Golf Club

1275 S. Huron St., Ypsilanti

734-487-2441

Holes: 18

Length/Par: 6,735/72

Website

Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center

8768 N. Territorial Road, Plymouth

734-453-7272

Holes: A 27-hole Fox Classic course, 18-hole Golden Fox course, 18-hole Strategic Fox course.

Length/Par: Woodlands 2,941/36; Golden Fox: 6,431/72; Lakes 3,179/36; Hills 3,028/36.

Website

Georgetown Country Club

1365 King George Blvd., Ann Arbor

734-971-5500

Holes: 9

Length/Par: 1,272/28

Website

Green Oaks Golf Course

1775 E. Clark Road, Ypsilanti

734-485-0881

Holes: 18

Length/Par: 6,780/71

Website

Ypsilanti's Henry Do among early leaders at Michigan Open

Greenhills School junior-to-be Henry Do shot a 2-under-par 70 Monday in the first round of the Michigan Open at The Orchards Golf Club in Washington, Mich.

Former Eastern Michigan golfer Darby Peters among early leaders at Michigan PGA Women's Open

Darby Peters, who recently wrapped up her golf career at Eastern Michigan, shot a first-round 74 Monday and is five strokes off the lead of the Michigan PGA Women's Open.

Hoffman eyes three-peat at Ann Arbor Women's Golf Championship

Saline’s Sarah Hoffman, winner of the last two Ann Arbor Women’s City Championships at Leslie Golf Course, is confident she’ll contend again.

Hoffman who just completed her junior year at Grand Valley State University, has golfed for the Lakers’ golf team all three years. Hoffman won three individual tournaments last season and captured First Team All-GLIAC and Division II All-American honorable mention.

Fran Coy's Salon & Spa voted best salon; this week, vote for best public golf course

What’s the best salon in Washtenaw County? The voters in AnnArbor.com’s BestOf contest say it’s Fran Coy’s Salon & Spa, which won with 330 votes, leading Brown & DeLine Salon, which took second with 253 votes.

Best salon voting began last Sunday and ended at 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

Your 2011 guide to Washtenaw County and nearby golf courses

Your quick guide to local golf courses.

Fit Mommy

Health, with video: A pre-golf warm up before your first round

Make sure to stretch before swinging that club!

I love golf. In fact, I have been a golfer most of my life! Since I have been strength training and practicing yoga regularly, I have noticed that my golf game has improved. I can now hit the ball farther, and I have better balance.

If you haven't moved since last fall, and you are about to swing that club again, please put the club down for 10 minutes and warm up properly! You don't need to throw out your back or your knees!

Here is a video (embedded below) that demonstrates all of these moves below! I hope you take about 10 minutes before you hit the first tee to warm up and stretch. Here is my checklist of a proper golf round warm up:

Ann Arbor's Huron Hills and Leslie Park golf courses officially open for 2011 golf season

The city of Ann Arbor has announced the city-run Huron Hills and Leslie Park golf courses are officially open for the 2011 golf season.

Go online for a tee time at http://www.a2golf.org.

Letters to the editor

Opinion: Editorial on Huron Hills contained a number of fallacies

I see a number of fallacies in your editorial of Sunday, Feb. 13 (“City needs to give up operating Huron Hills”).

“The city runs other recreational facilities at a loss, but swimming pools or community centers are different, in that those opportunities wouldn’t exist if the city didn’t provide them.” Not true. Every high (school) in town and some middle schools have a pool.

Fees to increase at Ann Arbor's Huron Hills and Leslie Park golf courses

The Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to increase certain fees at the city's golf courses for 2011 and to increase the senior citizen qualification age.

Fee increases for power golf cart rentals are needed to place the Leslie Park and Huron Hills golf courses in line with other area golf courses, city officials said.