Last Sunday we fired up the irrigation system for the season.  No leaks, great communication and the pumps/motors are ready! Here is Nate mowing greens this Monday morning after some light frost.  This was the week our deep tine aerication contractors do their work.   My photos of the machine are even more blurry than this one I borrowed off of the internet.  The 1/2 inch solid tines go into the green 8 inches to break through any layers, get water and oxygen to the roots and promote additional rooting. Here is Scott laying down topdressing sand to help f ..read more

17 left rough, three trees removed last fall.  Two were overgrown and affecting playability and one was damaged years ago and only had growth on the south side.  All tree removal decisions are first discussed in a green committee meeting and reccomendations and reasons are sent to the board for final approval.  The Club also has a written and comprensive tree removal policy that is follow. 17 Left close up of three stumps. 17 Looking back at the tee and the 1/2 tree. Side note: You can see here how the edge of the fairway has lost it's original edge.  Areas li ..read more

Yes, I am very happy with the condition of the golf course and all of the playing surfaces.  My team did an amazing job last fall with all of our winter prep work.  Let's start playing and carts are available! 15 green last week. 12 green and a perfect flag stick. We always take out our fairway mowers for a quick test after the massive winter renvovation work.  Kind of hard to see but this is the cut on 6 fairway.  Mitch has developed quit the system on our reel, bedkinfe and cutting unit set up.  The precision is out of this world! We had our custom ..read more

Yes, we officially opened the golf course for four days in early February!  A light layer of snow is back with temps in the upper teens and lower 20's at night so we are closed again. Fairway mower preventative maintenance. We added new cable lid stoppers to our water bottle cooler stations.  Love the look of fresh stain! Cleaned, armour all on the plastic and stained.  We have a second shoe cleaner coming for the other 19th hole door or the pro shop entrance. Every piece of equipment gets super detailed over the winter.  This green and tee sprayer is n ..read more

Last week on Thursday, our equipment  manager Mitch Hunt, received his national certification recognition at the annual conference of golf course superintendents in Phoenix.  So proud of your accomplishment Mitch and you have really raised the bar of your profession in Michigan and on the national stage! Click here for the on stage video,  https://twitter.com/SteveHammon/status/1753164442161000831   ..read more

Our cross country trails are now open as of Monday Jan 15. We have one loop but three separate trails. Two are side by side classic xc set and one is a six foot wide trail for skate skiing, snow shoeing or winter hiking.  We groom the trails everyday by 10:00 am after a day or night of snow.  See the trail sign on 10 tee or take a picture of the qr code.  Enjoy!   ..read more

Thank you to all of the members who participated in the employee holiday gift program!  It is a great tradition and very much appreciated by my grounds staff.  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and cheers to a great 2023 season. Dan Spoor - Assistant Superintendent - 31 years     ..read more

Mitch joined my team as the equipment manager almost three years ago.  He owned the Yamaha boat dealership in Kalkaska for years, sold it and retired, so he thought.  Mitch's best friend saw my employment post for the position and said, "this is what you have been waiting for Mitch."  Mitch came in and interviewed, the rest is history. Mitch has transformed the maintenance of our entire fleet of golf course equipment.  I didn't know a level like this even existed.  He has created standards for the standards in bedknife and reel grinding as well as a 12 month detaile ..read more

What a great way to nearly end the 2023 golf season, the weather has been great this week!  The driving range will be closing for the season this Friday, 11/17, but the chipping  area and the golf course will remain open.  Like in the past, we will keep the golf course open until the bitter end with either snow accumulation or the ground stays frozen all night and all day.   Next week we will be applying a layer of sand on the greens to help protect our little grass plants over the winter from wind desiccation and hopefully any ice damage or crown ..read more

A great picture shared with me from my friend, Post Commander Andy Schanno at the United States, Traverse City Coast Guard Station. A really cool picture looking south. One of my pictures (not in the helicopter) looking towards the west to Crystal Lake and Frankfort. This American flight from Chicago made a huge loop to the north east over Torch Lake and A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort, the Golf Association of Michigan course of the year!   ..read more