Happy New Year Golfaholics! FRED ALTVATER PUBLISHER Back 9 Media Group Also Publishes: Ohio Golf Journal Indiana Golf Journal Back 9 Report The calendar has turned over once again and expectations for the 2024 golf season begin by attending one of the golf shows in our area. Grand Rapids and Novi both host large golf shows that feature low pricing on new and used golf equipment, plus apparel. Golf groups can chat with resort representatives and receive discounted pricing on their next Buddies’ Trip, Girls’ Golf Getaway, or Family vacation. If you feel like traveling, Chicago, Toledo and Cleveland all have golf shows in either February, or March. In this issue, Ed Travis reviews the new Kirkland driver from Costco. BOYNE is set to open its newest course. Steve Pike writes about the renovated Bobby Jones Golf Club in Sarasota. Plus, we wonder who is trying to kill golf quicker, the LIV, or the USGA. We will be down in Florida in January for the PGA Golf Show in Orlando and will spend time visiting golf resorts in the Sunshine State. Hopefully we will also catch a beautiful sunset, or two from a beach chair on the Gulf Coast. We hope you hit it long and straight, plus limit those nasty three putts this year. HAPPY NEWYEAR, GOLFAHOLICS!! Ohio Golf Journal
BoyneGolf.com Getting to BOYNE Golf has never been easier... drive, or take advantage of the new updates to our 5200’ airport at Boyne Mountain. And with convenient non-stop flights into Traverse City (TVC) from 18 U.S. cities, it is so easy to have your friends join you too. Call 877.749.0745 to plan your 2024 trip now! THE GOLF, EPIC. THE TRIP, EASY. BOOKING 2024, EVEN EASIER.
Ohio Golf Journal Ohio Golf Journal is Published By Back 9 Media Group Publisher: Fred Altvater, USGTF Teaching Professional Advertise with Ohio Golf Journal, Contact us for more information Be sure to take advantage of the links to social media, videos and other content provided within the articles FIND INSIDE 28 06 14 24 38 Let It Snow…..It’s Golf Show Season! NOPGA Welcomes Lashunda Lee As PGA HOPE Ambassador BOYNE Set to Open 11th Course: Doon Brae Men’s Professional Golf Doesn’t Deserve Our Respect Ohio Golf News Enjoy A Relaxed Atmosphere on Jekyll Island 2024 PGA Golf Show Continues to Bounce Back 06 10 18 32 14 28 21 Who’s Trying to Kill Golf Quicker…LIV or USGA? Kirkland Signature Adjustable Driver by Costco 24 37 Our Favorite Videos Our Contributors Sarasota’s Bobby Jones Golf Club Reopened 41 40 38
EEven though it’s winter, visions of warm summer days and lush green fairways dance in every golfer’s mind. This is the season that golfers yearn for straight drives and long curling putts that find the center of the fairway and the hole every time. It’s Golf Show Season and golfers are ready to get a head start on 2024 with new clubs, balls and apparel, plus a new golf swing to start the new year. Ohio hosts two large shows in Toledo and Cleveland. Michigan has the West Michigan Golf Show in Grand West Michigan Golf Show After rumors the West Michigan Golf Show was not going to be held in 2024, it is back and bigger than ever. For over 35 years, the West Michigan Golf Show has started the golf season. With the area’s top equipment dealers, courses and resorts, you can plan your entire golf season and even book your first tee-time of the year. Let It Snow….. It’s Golf Show Season! Rapids and the Michigan Golf Show in Novi. If you feel like traveling, the Chicago show is one of the biggest in the Midwest. Ohio Golf Journal
Cleveland Golf & Travel Show The Cleveland Golf and Travel Show will be held February 16-18 at the International Exposition Center near Hopkins International Airport. Adult admission is $12.00 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. Attendees won’t want to miss, the $100 HoleOut Challenge, Closest to the Pin Contest, plus the Long Putt Contest worth $10,000. Entrance fee is $12.00 for adults and children under the age of 14 can enter for free. The Western Michigan Golf Show will once again be held at the Devos Center, in Grand Rapids and features used, as well as new clubs, with low pricing on apparel, equipment and everything a golfer needs to play his best. Show dates and times are: Show Hours & Admission: Friday, February 9 Saturday, February 10 Sunday, February 11 Friday, February 16 Saturday, February 17 Sunday, February 18 2:00-8:00 PM 9:00 AM-6:00 PM 10:00 AM-3:00 PM 2:00 PM -7:00 PM 9:00 AM-5:00 PM 10:00 AM-4:00 PM Friday evening features live music, raffles and other fun activities. Visit the 9,000 square foot Manufacturer’s Demo Range to try the newest clubs, or just get in a little early season practice. All the major equipment manufacturers will have clubs available to try and improve your game.
Toledo Golf Show The 16th annual Toledo Golf Show is scheduled for February 23-25 at the Tam-O-Shater Sports and Exhibition center in Sylvania. Chicago Golf Show The Chicago Golf Show will be held February 23-25 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Admission for Adults is $8.00 at the door, or $7.00 in advance, while children 12 & under are free. Show dates and times: Friday, February 23, 2024 Saturday, February 24, 2024 Sunday, February 25, 2024 3 PM to 8 PM 9 AM to 6 PM 10 AM to 4 PM Show hours and entry fees are: Friday, February 23 Saturday, February 24 Sunday, February 25 Admission, $7.00 Admission, $12.00 Admission, $12.00 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM To save $1.00 per ticket, plus skip the line at the door, purchase tickets at one of the following locations: Flicks in Lambertville, Forestview Lanes in Temperance, Fore Golfers Indoor Golf, Components Plus, Pro Golf Fairways, Reset, Rossford, Fallen Timbers Fairways and BlueSkies Forever in Point Place. There is always a lot of free giveaways, fun activities, as well as the best deals on clubs and equipment, plus tips from pros, at the Toledo Golf Show. Don’t forget to book your next golf getaway, at discounted pricing, from one of the many resorts that will be at the show. There will also be a Long Putt Challenge and Long Drive Championship, as well as presentations on the stage and golf tips from PGA Teaching Professionals. Talk to golf travel destinations and check out the latest golf equipment at the Cleveland Golf Show. Ohio Golf Journal
MiCHiGAN Golf Show The MiCHiGAN Golf Show will be held once again at the Suburban Collection Showplace on Grand River Avenue in Novi. Hundreds of exhibitors will be promoting Michigan courses, new and used golf equipment, plus everything a golfer needs to hit the links this year. The 2024 MiCHiGAN Golf Show hours are as follows: The entry fee is $12.00 each for adults, while children under the age of 12 are allowed to enter for free. Tickets for Junior Golfers ages 12-15 are $4.00 for every session and Children under the age of 12 are free. If you have a favorite foursome, the VALUE PACK is available and provides four tickets for either Saturday or Sunday admission for $36.00, but must be purchased online. Show dates and times: Friday, March 8 Saturday, March 9 Sunday, March 10 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Attendees can test their skills and one lucky golfer will win $10,000 in the Putting and the Par 3 contests sponsored by Garland Lodge and Golf Resort. Of course, there will a food, plus cold beer available on the show floor. Area Golf Shows are always well attended with golfers strolling the aisles to find the best pricing on travel, equipment and every necessity to hit the links this spring. Round up your favorite foursome, we hope we see you at a golf show near you this winter.
Ohio Golf Journal
NOPGA WELCOMES LASHUNDA LEE AS PGA HOPE AMBASSADOR Lashunda Lee graduated from Shaw High School in 1996 and immediately enlisted in the army. She had no idea that her military service would one day make her the perfect candidate to become a PGA HOPE Ambassador for the Northern Ohio PGA (NOPGA). Lashunda has held several positions over the years with stops in South Carolina, Virginia and Texas during her military days, plus she was a substitute teacher working with at-risk students at St. Vincent Charity Hospital. As the PGA HOPE Ambassador, she will recruit new Veterans into the program, and encourage them to take advantage of all the services offered through the program. PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) mission is to introduce and teach golf to military veterans and first responders with an emphasis on enhancing their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. From Northern Ohio PGA
The golfing gods work in a variety of ways and Lashunda is proof. Over the years a series of injuries, trauma, and surgeries left Lee physically weakened, mentally strained and in need of rehabilitation. Her therapist advised her to continue with exercises that would help her range of motion. “I tried to think of ways to continue my therapy and I was driving down the street one day and I saw this man had a whole bunch of golf bags (with a few clubs) lined up on his front lawn and he was selling them,” she recalled. “So, I stopped and bought a $20 golf bag and clubs.” She started swinging the clubs and later added golf balls to the process. Golf became a source of physical and emotional therapy. “For the hour or so that I was out there I noticed that swinging those clubs at those balls took my mind off everything. All I wanted was to see my ball go straight and high. I kept working at it and the ball would go straight and high.” In 2022, she attended a PGA HOPE session at The Turn, in North Olmstead and was hooked. She immediately professionalism is felt right away as soon as you walk in. The instructors are friendly and very understanding.” She is still relatively new to the game and all its terminologies, rules and nuances. “There is so much to learn,” she said. “When I started, I didn’t know anything. Now I know the difference between a sand wedge and a pitching wedge, what a slice is, what a mulligan is.” Recently, Lee attended National Golf and Wellness Week in Washington, D.C. and had the opportunity to play 18 holes at Congressional Country Club. “What a place,” she said of the site of five major championships and numerous stops on the PGA Tour. “Everything was perfect. There wasn’t a blade of grass out of place. It was an honor to play at a prestigious historical course.” It is a long way from Shaw High School, to Congressional Country Club, plus it is a long way from the U.S. Army to the PGA HOPE program. With her background and experiences, she is the perfect choice to work with NOPGA HOPE. The golf gods work in a variety of ways. entered the PGA HOPE program and has never looked back. “I didn’t know what to expect when signing up for the PGA HOPE Program. Will I be the only woman? Will there be any triggers? Or how will the instructors react if I make a mistake?” she said about her decision to investigate PGA HOPE. “I was afraid to get involved. But I didn’t want to remain in that little shell either and that’s why I decided to see what it was all about. So, a friend of mine agreed to go with me to the first PGA HOPE class I went to and she has gone every time.” Her repeated attendance has brought comfort and the knowledge that help is out there. “PGA HOPE is a safe place,” she said. “It is a safe place for women. It also left her with a clear understanding of what injured/ abused/disabled veterans experience. “I didn’t know anything about golf and nothing about the PGA HOPE program,” she said. “But what I learned right away is that it has a love and passion for veterans and the game of golf. The level of Ohio Golf Journal
SPREAD OUT AND PLAY ON 16 SPECTACULAR COURSES. Save some green! Book with our Stay & Play Package partners. Call: 800-345-8621 | Click: gaylordgolfmecca.com GARLAND LODGE & GOLF RESORT, HOME TO 4 CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES WHEREGREENS STRETCH AS WIDE AS THE SKY ORDER YOUR CLICK OUR SITE FREECOPY
The Ohio Girls Golf Foundation (OGGF) has awarded over $140,000 in college scholarships over the last 30 years. All graduating high school lady golfers can apply for a college scholarship before March 31, 2024. OhioGolf News Scholarships are awarded based on the applicant’s overall qualifications. Eligible applicants must be high school seniors and Ohio residents, participated in golf, are of good character, have a financial need, plus an acceptable academic record. Deadline Approaching for OGGF Scholarship Applications Ohio Golf Journal
2024 Hurricane Junior Golf Tour Schedules Ohio Tournaments Boys and girls between the ages of 8-18 are invited to compete in Hurricane Junior Golf Tournaments (HJGT). HJGT can help every junior golfer build a compelling digital profile, provide an extensive database of college golf programs and help college coaches follow your performance. HJGT events are held in Ohio, Indiana, plus 16 other states east of the Mississippi, as well as Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Applicants must also supply a copy of their high school transcript, one letter of recommendation, financial information, including FAFSA. The applicant is also required to submit an essay talking about their golf experience, what they intend to pursue in college and why they are a good candidate for the OGGF Scholarship. To learn more visit: https://oggf.org/ The tour also visits Columbus and Ravenna in May, Nashport and Warren in June, as well as Lagrange and Stow in July. The Great Lakes Junior Open will be held at Avalon Lakes, July 31-August 1. To view the full schedule and register visit: https:// tournaments.hjgt.org/ Tournament. Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Arizona. The first event in the state will be held at New Albany Golf Club, March 23-24. The Cleveland Junior Open will be held April 6-7 at Signature of Solon. The Virtues Golf Club will host the HJGT April 13-14, plus a tournament will be held at the Bunker Hill Club, April 27-28. The Ohio Golf Association (OGA) has set their schedule of events for 2024. They begin with the Ohio Amateur Qualifiers held at the end of May and June. NCR, Stone Ridge, Hickory Hills, Medina, Losantiville, and Fairlawn all host qualifiers leading up to the Ohio Amateur held July 8-12 at Sylvania Country Club. The Ohio Senior Amateur will be held at Portage Country Club June 17-19 with the Ohio Mid-Am hosted by Coldstream Country Club August 19-20. For the complete schedule visit: https://www.ohiogolf.org/events/oga Ohio Golf Association Sets 2024 Schedule
Women’s Ohio State Golf Association 2024 Schedule The Women’s Ohio State Mid-Amateur will be held at Belmont Hills Country Club, July 22-25. Alliance Country Club will host the Cosmopolitan Stroke Play Four-Ball, June 23-25. The Ohio Junior Girls Championship will once again be held at the Marion Country Club, July 15-16. The 101st Women’s Ohio State Amateur will be held July 22-25 at Belmont Hills Country Club and Prestwick Country Club will welcome the ladies for the 26th Women’s State Senior Championship with the dates to be announced later. Visit https://www.wosga.org/ for more information and to register. If it’s January its time to sign up for Toledo Junior Golf Association (TJGA) tournaments. The TJGA is one of the leading junior golf tours in the country and has been helping junior golfers improve their competitive skills since 1973. If you live in the Northeastern portion of Ohio and are looking for a group of women that love golf, check out the Cleveland Women’s Golf Association (CWGA). The CWGA was founded in 1923 to promote fellowship and competitions for women golfers. The CWGA is comprised of 14 area Clubs, representing over 1100 women. Each year, CWGA hosts seven, one-day tournaments for its members as well as a four-day District Championship which rotates Golfers qualify through the summer tournaments to earn awards, scholarships and a spot in the Tournament of Champions held at the historic Inverness Club. Find out more at: https://www.tjga.golf/ through each Member Club and will be held this year at Mayfield Country Club in August. In addition to these tournaments, there is also a five-event, season-long, Team competition pitting each Club’s best players against one another until one Club, at the end of the season, claims the traveling trophy and bragging rights for the coming year. CWGA has also long been a charitable organization dating back to the 1940’s, when they raised money for the war effort. The CWGA’s philanthropic efforts have continued and annually they support, The Ohio Girls Golf Foundation, The Turn, and The First Tee. To join visit: https://cwga.net/ Toledo Junior Golf Association Registration Cleveland Women’s Golf Association is Ready for 2024 Ohio Golf Journal
BOYNE Set To Open 11th Course: Doon Brae Doon Brae will be the 11th course at BOYNE when it opens is 2024. The new short course was designed by Ray Hearn and sits at the base of the ski hill behind The Highlands Lodge. “As far as I know, this is the first modern golf course ever built on a ski hill,” said Bernie Friedrich, Director of Golf Course Renovations and Development at Boyne Resorts. “What excites me most is how beautiful and different it is. There are three or four stacked wall bunkers. Ohio Golf Journal
Instead of using tee boxes, we’ll have just one marker on each hole and let guests play wherever they want. And the greens are inspired by some of the great ones around the world. They’re not copies of any specific greens, but they look different and are big. We also sodded all of the fairways, which will be well-maintained and surrounded by some tall fescue for that whisper look and feel. It’s going to be quite stunning. There’s a lot of excitement about short courses. We want to keep people excited about golf and wanting to play. If playing 18 or 36 holes is not enough on any day, this gives golfers another option.” In Scottish, Doon Brae translates to, Doon, going downhill into a valley, while Brae refers to a hillside. Sitting at the base of the Highlands ski hill, that is exactly what this 9-hole short course is. The course maxes out at 993 yards with the forward tees being 678 yards. Holes will vary in length from the shortest 57 yards to the longest at 134 yards. Due to the elevation and slope of the hillside, uphill, downhill, as well as side-hill lies will add to the challenge. Golf designer Ray Hearn, who has been working closely with BOYNE to renovate several of the resort’s courses, was chosen to build this new course. “Working with Stephen Kircher and Bernie Friedrich on this project has been really exciting,” said Hearn, who was inspired by his many overseas trips to Scotland and Ireland and in particular, Royal County Down. “Stephen came over to Ireland on one of the first architecture seminars overseas while teaching at MSU and we both fell in love with Royal County Down and it inspired us during the design of Doon Brae.” Hearn drew inspiration from the iconic links greens in Scotland and Ireland. Golfers will find Hearn’s tribute to the Eden green, Punch Bowl, Redan, Reverse Redan, Volcano, Steep Slope, Postage Stamp, and even a Biarritz green. Doon Brae will also be lit for night play and a quick round will be the perfect end to a day on the links. The short course is also the ideal family activity.
2024 PGA Show Continues Bounce Back By Ed Travis efficient way to potential purchasers, plus several hundred members of the media from around the world. Thirdly and perhaps the most attractive is that the Show provides the opportunity to connect, person to person, with friends and business acquaintances, to fuel more business growth. Prior to the opening of the exhibit floor on Wednesday, January, 24, Demo Day will be held at Orange County National Golf Center’s driving range, on Tuesday. Not only are the latest in clubs and technology available for hands on investigation, but the PGA also holds workshops on club fitting and coaching. PGA of America President John Lindert, Director of Golf at The Country Club of Lansing, in Lansing, Michigan said in a press release concerning the Show’s objectives, “The PGA Show attracts the largest annual gathering of PGA of America Golf Professionals and is the most significant The 71st PGA Show will be held this month in Orlando and will be larger than the 2023 show. The return to prepandemic numbers of attendees and exhibitors should continue. The “Major of the Golf Business,” held annually and hosted by the PGA of America, is the largest annual meeting of the industry. The 2023 Show drew about 30,000 PGA Professionals and industry executives roughly double that of 2022, while the 2021 Show was held virtually due to the covid pandemic. This year over 35,000 golf industry professionals are expected to attend. In 2023, just over 800 exhibitors attended, twice as many as 2022. Early registrations for the 2023 PGA Show exceeded 840 and the final number of exhibitors is expected to reach 900. The Show is not open to the public and performs three important functions for the golf industry. Education sessions are held for PGA Professionals to further their knowledge of teaching, marketing and business, while earning continuing education credits. Secondly it provides golf companies with an ideal way to expose their products and services in a constructive,
business event for the global golf community each year. From discovering the latest game innovations, networking with some of the Association’s finest Professionals, to attending widespread educational and business programs, our PGA of America Members return from the PGA Show better equipped to improve the the world,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon. “Education, business, career and peer networking programs, plus opportunities to unwind together in the evenings, are also important aspects of a packed PGA Show Week that help to recharge our professional growth and build up the business of golf.” everyday golfer’s journey at all levels and influence the growth of the sport.” “The expansive mix of market leaders, veteran manufacturers and inventive start-ups at the annual PGA Show creates an unparalleled marketplace for thousands of golf industry professionals from around Ohio Golf Journal
3962 WILKINSON ROAD GAYLORD, MI 49735 866.348.5249 The view from the top will mesmerize you. Take it all in. Play 81 holes of spectacular terrain with dramatic views, contours, and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. And once you get to that horizon, you’ll see why we’re called Treetops. CALL TO BOOK YOUR TEE TIME | 866.348.5249 Jones Masterpiece, #6
Who is Trying to Kill Golf Quicker…… LIV or USGA? Opinion Since 2020 the golf industry has experienced a resurgence of popularity and golf course owners are experiencing the highest levels of profitability they have ever seen. Women and juniors are taking up the game in record numbers and tee sheets at golf courses are filled with enthusiastic golfers. By Fred Altvater The golf equipment and apparel segments are seeing record sales of golfing paraphernalia. Everything seems to be booming in the golf world, but is it really? When there is big money to be made, others want a piece of the pie. That is exactly what is happening right now and it will alter the game as we know it. The LIV and PGA Tour are in a battle to the death to control the professional game. The United States Golf Association (USGA), in their infinite wisdom has decided that the golf ball goes too far and plans to limit it for everyone, not just elite golfers, by 2030. Both of these issues are causing everyday golfers to sit back and wonder about the health of the game. There are a total of 25 million golfers in the United States that play on over 15,000 courses. One of the arguments raised by the USGA is that golf courses are being shrunk due to the distances the golf ball travels. Ohio Golf Journal
Between the Korn Ferry Tour, LPGA Tour and PGA Tour fewer than 150 golf courses host professional golf tournaments. Add in the 15 national championship events and qualifiers that the USGA hosts that brings the total number of courses used for professional than .1% of all golfers are the cause for concern? Average amateur golfers with swing speeds of 100 mph, or less will not see a big difference in distance lost, but why should a 20 handicapper’s enjoyment of the game be reduced, due and elite amateur events to less than 200, or 1.3% of the 15,000 courses. There are approximately 2,000 tour professionals which is less than .1% of all golfers. Why is the USGA rolling back the golf ball for everyone, when less
to limitations placed on his equipment? In a game that can be frustrating, why would anyone want to limit the average hacker that pays for tee times, golf equipment and watches golf on their big screen. That brings me to the next culprits, the PGA Tour and the rival LIV. The LIV is raiding the best talent from the PGA Tour for exorbitant sums of money, which lowers the quality of product the PGA Tour is producing for the golfing public. When the PGA Tour negotiated their most recent television contracts, CBS, NBC and ESPN pay the tour over $700 million annually to broadcast tournaments on their respective media platforms. In addition, the Discovery Channel pays $177 million every year for international broadcast rights. million in 2024, up from $18 million last year. How long will sponsors pony up these large amounts of dollars to support the PGA Tour’s lack of star power and lower quality product? If television and sponsor money decreases, or even disappears, what becomes of the PGA Tour. Purses will decrease and tournaments will disappear, which lowers the professional’s ability to earn money. We hear the phrase, “Grow the Game” repeatedly from the USGA, PGA and the PGA Tour, I’m not sure how the PGA Tour going down the tubes and the USGA rolling back the golf ball will help “Grow the Game.” In fact, I feel that the golf industry is at the precipice of a sharp decline. Sponsors have been willing to shell out upwards of $20 million for the naming rights to individual tournaments. Between the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the FedEx Cup the huge logistics company shells out over $90 million annually. The winner of the FedEx Cup will receive $25 Ohio Golf Journal
Enjoy A Quiet Relaxed Atmosphere On Georgia’s Jekyll Island By Mike May If you are seeking a restful and relaxed destination in the Southeast that has everything that you could possibly want, look no further than Jekyll Island, Georgia, in the extreme southeastern corner of the Peach State. With ten miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, kayaking, biking, bird watching, tennis, paddle boarding, horseback riding, fishing, boating, canoeing, croquet, as well as 63 holes of golf, Jekyll Island has it all. Ohio Golf Journal
With easy access off I-95 and located not far from airports in Jacksonville and Savannah, Jekyll Island is easy to get to. “Jekyll Island is one of the best places in the country where you can go to unwind and relax while enjoying golf, fresh seafood, long walks along the beach, poolside siestas, and time off the grid,” said Doug Hollandsworth, Founder, the Georgia Golf Trail. “For golfers, the Jekyll Island Golf Club is one of the most popular getaways on the Georgia Golf Trail, plus the island is ideal for golfers and their families.” The Jekyll Island Club Resort combines luxury and history. In 1910, a meeting of financial and business leaders was held on the Island and led to the creation the Federal Reserve System, The Jekyll Island Club’s late-19th Century charm, historical accommodations, diverse dining venues, on-site activities, and direct access to the National Landmark Jekyll Island Historic District make it a wonderful place to stay. This resort also has a sun-soaked swimming pool with a fire pit nearby. For beach lovers, there’s a complimentary shuttle which will take you to and from the nearby seashore. The finely manicured croquet courts are also popular with hotel guests. In the late 1800’s, the Jekyll Island Club Resort provided overnight accommodations for wealthy families of the time, such as the Rockefeller’s, Morgan’s, Vanderbilt’s, and Pulitzer’s, all of whom made regular annual trips to Jekyll Island.
In addition to rooms at the Resort, guests have two other accommodation options – the Jekyll Ocean Club, which is built along the beach, or one of three on-site historic cottages, Crane, Cherokee, and Sans Souci. Built in 1917, the Crane Cottage features Victorian era architecture with a fabulous garden. The Cherokee Cottage is an Italian Renaissance structure, built in 1904. The Victorian-style Sans Souci was once owned by the late J.P. Morgan. At the Resort, there are six on-site dining destinations: The Wharf, Grand Dining Room, Eighty Ocean Kitchen and Bar, The Pantry, The Pool House and The Bar & Alexander Lounge. The Jekyll Island Golf Club features three 18-hole championship courses. plus a ninehole layout. The three 18-holers, Indian Mound, Oleander, and Pine Lakes, are joined by the original nine-hole course, Great Dunes. Indian Mound, constructed in 1975 by golf course designer Joe Lee, is the shortest of the three 18-hole courses. Designed by golf course architect Dick Wilson, Oleander is known as the most ‘distinct’ of the three championship courses and measures 6,500 yards from the back tees. Pine Lakes, designed by Clyde Johnson, was first opened for play in 1968 and renovated in 2002. The golf course meanders through ocean forests and natural marsh hammocks. Great Dunes was the first golf course on Jekyll Island. The architect of this coastal jewel was Walter “Old Man” Travis and he was tasked with designing the best golf course money could buy in 1928. After golf, enjoy a post-round drink or snack at McCormick’s Grill. Ohio Golf Journal
To book your visit to Jekyll Island visit JekyllIsland.com, or GeorgiaGolfandTravel. com. With miles of Atlantic Coastal Beaches, 63 holes of golf, delicious seafood dishes and a laid-back atmosphere, Jekyll Island makes the perfect golf, or vacation destination.
Men’s Professional Golf Doesn’t Deserve Our Respect or Attention “I am proud to join LIV Golf and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport,” Jon Rahm There it is yet again. ‘Grow the game,’ a nauseatingly trite phrase routinely deployed to justify any questionable decision, or action in the golf industry. Jon Rahm has shown himself to be just the latest golfing mercenary for whom words are cheap in the pursuit of gargantuan signing bonuses and rich tournament purses. From Kieran Clark, GolfShake.com Ohio Golf Journal
How can one criticize him for seemingly turning his back on everything he once believed? He is just trying to admirably ‘grow the game.’ Gratefully, this game of golf that is apparently in need of constant growth will happily continue to exist and thrive. It doesn’t even require the input of Rahm, or any other professional on LIV and the PGA Tour who are often united in possessing an overinflated sense of worth. Regular four-balls will still take place at your local club on a Saturday. Families and friends will be outside enjoying the physical and mental health benefits offered by golf. Keen players will be working tirelessly at the range in that constant search of improvement. The busting communities of golf societies are busy planning their buddy’s trips and girl’s golf getaways for next season. None of this has anything to do with profiteering, or ‘growing the game.’ The game of golf is not what you see on TV. Professional golf was always nothing more than a window into the game, but the view it offers is not one that deserves our respect or attention anymore. Many people have contributed to this regrettable reality, while enriching themselves along the way. The PGA Tour created a monopoly by launching its year-round FedEx Cup schedule, effectively keeping the best players in America, which made
the environment untenable for events played outside the United States, weakening historic tournaments in Europe and the national opens of South Africa and Australia. Was that part of ‘growing the game’ too? This provided the opportunity for the LIV to emerge to readdress that balance, backed by Saudi Arabia’s seemingly limitless Public Investment Fund and the indulgence of its golf fanatic governor Yasir AlRumayyan. What the suits at the PGA Tour never considered was that one day another organization would have the means to buy the weak loyalty of its top players. Breaking Jon Rahm’s professed “fealty” to the established circuit was more household names. Chris Stroud, who earned over $13m in his career, recently declared, “The tour has never tried to give back to the players and that the leadership didn’t care about those ranked outside the top 30.” Everyone (even the LIV defectors) are entitled t o seek a better deal for themselves, but where is the perspective to any of this? Mr. Stroud could walk into any golf club and signing the guestbook would be the only autograph he would be asked for. But PGA Tour players do have legitimate reasons to question what is going on since the Framework Agreement was expensive than others, but the outcome was exactly the same. Where it leaves us now is a curious, absurd position where the product that is men’s professional golf has been diluted and weakened beyond recognition, but the players themselves have never been more rewarded financially. The PGA Tour has thrown money at the FedEx Cup and its Signature Events to the extent that it’s now begging tournament sponsors for more support, while its ‘Player Impact Program’ this year handed a bonus of $100 million divided between 20 players just for sticking around. Modern tour golf is a recipe for entitlement and not just for the Ohio Golf Journal
announced with the Public Investment Fund in June. This came one year after, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan weaponized the grief of 9/11 families in a PR move against the Saudis, only to disgracefully betray the trust of those people he used and declare a deal that remains unratified. Sports Illustrated has now reported that Patrick Cantlay is somehow in a position in that he is driving talks with the Saudis and other potential investors. The American is someone permanently determined to accrue more dollars, presumably to compensate for his complete absence of personality. No wonder Rory McIlroy resigned from the Policy Board. of millions spent, it has failed to gain any traction beyond a tiny niche within the already small niche that is the golf audience. Like other contracted mouthpieces before him, Rahm was quick to point to the ‘innovation’ and ‘team’ appeals of LIV. Naturally, these came a joint-close second to growing the game in his ranking of motivations and way ahead of the reported £450m he could earn. These revolutionary innovations appear to be that instead of having 72-holes of stroke play, 54 holes and a shotgun start are sufficient. What a groundbreaking innovation! There is also a separate The future is even murkier than it was before. Rahm may believe that his crossing of the divide could help to push unity, at least when it comes to LIV players representing Europe in the Ryder Cup, but does anyone really care? When a sport and its participants reek of dishonesty, it ceases to have credibility. When it’s just about the money, it becomes crass beyond measure. Combined those two failings make much of what you see on television meaningless. Setting aside the moral and sportswashing concerns that instantly turned many people against LIV, for all its hundreds
leaderboard charting the progress of teams that sound like they’re part of a Christmas pub quiz. The Majesticks, The RangeGoats, The Cleeks, The Toilet Seats, I just made up that last one. There really is a team called the Rippers. You’ve got to love the Rippers! Rahm ludicrously compared this contrived and artificial setup to his childhood football team, Athletic Bilbao, eight-time winners of La Liga who proudly represent the Basque Country by famously only selecting players native to that region. That is team with meaning. the late David Warner decides to pursue the doomed lovers Rose and Jack to get his hands on a priceless diamond in spite of the fact that he is likely facing certain death as the dining room floods around him. Cameron removed this sequence from the film because the audience wouldn’t believe anyone would actually do that. But it feels somewhat apt for the corporate melodrama that is men’s professional golf. The ship has struck the iceberg, it’s sinking, it cannot be saved, but the characters are getting their hands on what gold they can on the way down to the bottom of the ocean. DP World Tour star Eddie Pepperrell summed it up best when he recently tweeted, “Pro golf is on a one-way street to nowhere. Lost its mind, and I’ve lost my respect and love for it.” He is not alone. But thankfully - despite the noise - showbiz golf really isn’t the game. We can simply ignore it and get on with what truly matters. The friendship, companionship, challenge and rewards that golf enduringly provides. I look forward to seeing you on the first tee. That’s not to say that we don’t require change in the everyday diet of televised events. But it’s a moot point with everything being so irretrievably fractured and in danger of sliding into further public irrelevance. Whatever happens during the coming years, few will be satisfied, apart from the bank managers and agents of players for whom greed is dressed up in that celebrated virtue of ‘growing the game.’ There is a deleted scene from the 1997 epic blockbuster Titanic in which a villainous henchman called Spicer Lovejoy played by Ohio Golf Journal
Kirkland Signature Adjustable Driver by Costco By Ed Travis Giant warehouse retailer Costco, has been in the golf retail business for some time and is now offering a low-price driver under the Kirkland Signature brand. It has multi-material construction and an adjustable hosel. When you visit Costco, in addition to buying groceries, televisions, lawn furniture, jewelry and just about anything else you might need, you can put a carbon-titanium-headed, graphite-shafted driver in your cart. In the past, Costco has been very successful with their lineup of golf gloves and balls, plus they recently added a set of game-improvement irons to their lineup. They also offer package sets from Nancy Lopez Golf and Callaway. The Kirkland Signature Adjustable driver was just recently announced but is already sold out. The store I visited didn’t know when they would receive new stock. The standard driver loft is 10.5° but adjusts one degree down to 9.5° and one degree up to 11.5°. Adjustments can be made to result in a a 10.5° draw setting for all you slicers out there. The crown is constructed with a carbon fiber composite, plus the face is made with variable thickness of titanium, for those off-center hits. Titanium is also used in the sole. A weight screw in the rear of the club helps to adjust the weight balance. Golfers will want to know if the Kirkl and Signature is a solid value. I am not able to answer that question definitively because we have not had the opportunity to try it. Even with their low pricing, it is still prudent to “drive before you buy,” although Costco does have a good return policy. Fast Facts Kirkland Signature Adjustable Driver Game-improvement category Right hand only (Sorry Lefties) Adjustable hosel with three degrees of loft adjustment Stock shaft: True Temper EvenFlow Riptide Regular flex only Stock grip: Lamkin Crossline 360 MSRP: $199.99
Sarasota’s Bobby Jones Golf Club Reopened By Steve Pike, SpikeonGolfandTravel.com If you are heading to Florida this winter and looking for a new place to play, the Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Trail, in Sarasota, reopened, after extensive renovations. The 199-acre municipal golf course was restored to its original layout as designed by famed golf architect Donald Ross. conservation easement on the property, it will be protected in perpetuity. There’s no question Bobby Jones will be an urban oasis for those who enjoy green space and being outdoors for generations to come.” The new complex features, a completely resorted 18-hole Donald Ross design, the 9-hole adjustable Gillespie Course, a 25-acre practice facility featuring; 70 hitting bays, short game area, plus a 21,000 square foot putting green. “Bobby Jones Golf Club in Sarasota is as significant as they come because the land on which Donald Ross created this masterpiece is still intact, allowing us to restore his original plan,” said Richard Mandell, golf course architect.” The golf course yardage extends from a very playable 4,583 yards to a more challenging 6,714 yards. “By adding forward tee distances, we’re welcoming a “This will be a day to celebrate and remember,” said Mayor Liz Alpert. “Our historic municipal golf course has been restored and is a beautiful amenity for the community. The new wetlands already are cleaning stormwater and attracting wildlife. And, the nature park and trails will be a destination for birders, bicyclists, and walkers. With a Ohio Golf Journal
wider range of golfers at different skill levels,” said Sue Martin, Parks and Recreation team member who managed the golf course and shepherded the restoration. “Traditionally, red tees have been the closest to a hole, then white and blue tees farther away. Golf is evolving. With three additional tee distances, more options are available for golfers at Bobby Jones to have fun and add variety to their game, whether they’re a novice or lifelong player.” The adjoining 90-acre Nature Park features crushed shell and decommissioned golf cart paths repurposed into walking/bicycling trails around the newly created wetlands teeming with wildlife. The primary 1.57-mile Eagle Trail has three offshoots, Prairie Trail (.4 mile), Hammock Trail (.12 mile) and Osprey Trail (.07 mile). The nature park is free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. For more information, or to book a tee time visit: www.BobbyJonesGolfClub.com.
Our Contributors This Month Ed Travis Steve Pike Ed Travis is a national award winning golf journalist and has had a lifelong love affair with the game. He has competed in tournament golf both as an amateur and as a senior professional and though his competitive days are behind him, he still plays regularly and carries a handicap of 2. https://www.facebook.com/ed.travis.98 Steve Pike is a multiple award-winning journalist and author. He has written for Golfweek, Golf World, The New York Times Magazine Group, Golf Digest and as a golf business writer for PGA.com. You can find more from Steve at Spike’s Peeks: The Art of Travel, as well as, Links Magazine, Hotelinteractive.com, Coastal Star Newspaper, NewEngland.golf and Golf-Hound.com Kieran Clark Kieran Clark is a native of Scotland and a Golf Historian. His insightful articles can be found in Golfshake.com and Golfbreaks. com. He can be heard as a Special Co Host for Back 9 Report or find him on Twitter: @ KieranClarkGolf Mike May Mike May is a freelance golf travel writer based in Wellington, Florida. As you would expect, he is a “Golfaholic” focused on beating ‘Old Man Par’ each time he steps on a golf course. Contact him at mmaymarketing@gmail.com Ohio Golf Journal
VIDEOS Ray Hearn is responsible for renovating or designing over 150 golf courses worldwide. He recently completed work at St. John’s Resort near Detroit and has ongoing renovations at BOYNE Resort in Northern Michigan. His designs are perfect for the average golfer, plus he always strives to make golf courses sustainable and environmentally sound. Team USA is set to travel to Ireland in April of 2024 to compete on Irish links courses. The very best of Irish parkland golf and castles will play host during their trip! Amateur Golfers NO USGA GHIN Handicap required to play in Team USA Qualifiers! You could win a trip and play for Team USA in Ireland in 2025! To register visit: https:// www.usairelandgolf.com/#/ Back 9 Report breaks down three of the biggest golf news stories from 2023. Tiger Returned, sort of. USGA to limit golf ball. PGA Tour/LIV drama continued. Golf Designer Ray Hearn Discusses Recent Work & Sustainability Preview Team USA vs Team Ireland in 2024 Amateur Golf Championship Top 2023 Golf Stories Watch Now Watch Now Watch Now
OHIO GOLF JOURNAL ALLRIGHTS RESERVED; COPYRIGHT 2023 www.ohiogolfjournal.com Ohio Golf Journal
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ2Nzk4