By Greg Johnson The year 2023 was huge for Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills. He won the stroke play title at the Michigan Junior State Amateur, reached the quarterfinals in the Michigan Amateur, won the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Division 2 individual state championship with a record score, was named the state’s Mr. Golf and embarked on his collegiate career at Michigan State University.  “The goal is always to improve and finishing the year at the top of the points list tells me I accomplished the goal by getting better and being more consistent,” Pinili said.  Pin ..read more

By Greg Johnson Alena Li sets goals that usually involve playing as well as possible each time out.  “I want to win when I go to a tournament but I can still be happy when I don’t win if I played the best I could that day,” said the 15-year-old junior at Okemos High School.  Li, the winner of the overall girls’ title in the GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship and a consistent top finisher through the season, has been named the 2023 Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Junior Girls’ Player of the Year.  “I’m excited, it is an honor to be Player of the Year,” she said. “There are so ..read more

The Macomb Lutheran North senior won three state titles By Tom Lang Lauren Timpf has been a dominant player in girls’ golf the past several years, both in high school competitions and in GAM tournaments. She capped her senior season in high school by being selected Miss Golf by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association. The award came on the heels of winning her third consecutive Division 3 high school state championship, this fall played at Grand Valley State’s The Meadows, with a 3-under 74-67. She is one of just seven girls in the Lower Peninsula finals history to win three stat ..read more

By Tom Lang EAST LANSING – Detroit has its Big Three; so does Division 1 girls high school golf. A trio of seniors, the only three to play under par, wrestled neck and neck for two days with Elise Fennell of East Kentwood taking home state medalist honors at 4-under par, 70-70-140. Jessica Jolly of Rockford and Byron Center’s Macie Elzinga, the state champ of Div. 2 last year, tied for runner up at 141. Fennell and Jolly are both headed to Illinois State. “I was refreshing (the online scoring app) all the time,” Fennel said about the final round. “It was motivation for me. I stayed steady. I m ..read more

As a lead up to the high school state finals on Oct. 20-21, we share some of the top highlights from the regular season: Jessica Jolly, Rockford 29 at Pigeon Creek GC Zoe Dull, Spring Lake 32 at Pigeon Creek GC Emma McKinley, Ludington 32 at Waters Edge GC Mia Melendez, AA Greenhills 32 at Washtenaw GC Elsie Fennell, East Kentwood 33 at Stonewater CC and Pigeon Creek Carly Lukins, Zeeland East 33 at Lincoln GC Lily O’Grady, GR Christian 33 at Watermark CC Isabel Kelly, Grand Ledge 33 at El Dorado GC Elise Fennell, East Kentwood 34 at Blythefield CC Anaya Bansal, Troy Athens 34 at Springdale ..read more

By Keith Dunlop The Division 1 state girls golf tournament might not be until October, but there probably will be many events before that time that feel like the state tournament, at least for Rochester Adams and Rochester.  That’s because whether it’s at invitationals, dual matches or league tournaments, whenever Adams and Rochester are competing at the same event, it will likely be more than a battle of the best teams in Rochester or metro Detroit. It could very well be a contest between the two best teams in the state that reside roughly just three miles from one another.  “It ..read more

By Jason Manshum Ask any golfer to name their bucket list courses.  Most likely, Pebble Beach Golf Links is on that list.  Now imagine putting the peg in the ground on its first hole, with hundreds of patrons surrounding the tee and lining the fairway. Camera crews are broadcasting your round to millions more around the world on Golf Channel. Finally, imagine all this while be paired with the likes of Ernie Els, Mark O’Meara, Vijay Singh, Steve Stricker, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, or Jim Furyk.  Sound too good to be true? Not for junior golfer Lucas Power, a six-year Firs ..read more

By Tom Lang Before the nationwide First Tee organization was a thought in anyone’s head, there was the Traverse City Junior Golf Association, founded by bay-area local resident Bob Lober. With its principles of honesty, integrity, respect, confidence, learning and playing by the rules, good sportsmanship and encouraging families to enjoy the game of golf together, the TCJGA reached a major milestone and enjoyed a 40th season event on July 30 at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa’s Spruce Run golf course.  "I'll be 80 in September, so a little more than half of my life has been Traverse Ci ..read more

Note: story originally published in the GAM Michigan Links MagazineBy John Retzer Scott Wilson is helping to turn Traverse City — the Cherry Capital of the World — into Michigan’s Junior Golf Capital. As a PGA professional at Bay Meadows Family Golf Course in Traverse City, Wilson has dedicated his career to youth golf. “We try to introduce the game of golf to as many kids as we possibly can through a variety of different programs based on age and ability levels to make them comfortable playing the game,” Wilson says. The youngest kids — the “Little Juniors,” ages 5 to 8 — assemble ..read more

Lauren Timpf of Macomb rallied to beat Lily Bargamian of Grosse Ile 2 and 1 in the final match of the 45th Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur Championship at Forest Akers West Golf Course.  It was the second win in the championship for Timpf, the winner in 2021. The senior-to-be at Macomb Lutheran North High School said this one means more.  “Back when I won the other one, I was on top of my game and then I kind of went through a little slump last year and I wasn't playing my best,” she said. “So, coming out here and proving to myself that I can win and compete again feels amazing ..read more