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October Chill is in the Air

Feels like I just was here writing the same thing a few days ago. The season is winding down, leaves are starting to turn, and I am beating myself up once again.

I start the darn season so strong, committed to golfing every Wednesday, I blocked my calendar off with the words MARISA IS NOT AVAILABLE. I made it to the course the first few Wednesdays. Then a client could only meet that Wednesday and of course the meeting goes long. Once a routine is broken it is easier to break it again. Before I knew it, it had been a couple of weeks since I golfed.

Putting my Foot Down

So, I took a stand and said office be damned, I am golfing today and made a tee time. Head to the course, play my round and feel good that I am back on track to golf at least weekly. Until a couple of days later and another client can only meet on a Wednesday, we are busy, and I need to step in and help and we are back with the excuses. We did get a few rounds in at area courses on the weekend, but those were far and few because of other commitments.

This basically was how my summer went, I really wanted to come to the end of the season and tell you all that I golfed at least once a week and that I had broken 100. I did not golf at least once a week, but I did come close to breaking 100. My best score was 101.

I was on Fire!

I thought I was going to break 100 when I went golfing by myself last week and was having a great game. The drives were beautiful, fairway shots doing exactly what I was hoping for, chips, putts everything in sync. By the 11^th hole I had scored my 3^rd par! I was on track to break 100, but I let outside forces into my head and affect my game.

The course, having recently sold, was having some work done and I ran into the bulk of it starting with the 13^th hole. Machinery coming out of nowhere just as you are hitting, workers in the fairway and large construction trucks barreling on the 2-track next to the tee box. I joked at one point that I was not particularly good, and they were taking their lives into their own hands. They did not move and of course I was so afraid of hitting them that my shots were horrible. Got to the point where I had to accept how the next holes were going to go and just continue with my round. I knew at that point I was not going to break 100 like I had thought I would initially. I was pretty angry, not only with the course but with myself for letting silly things affect my game.

Time to Relax

My husband was playing with his group 3 holes behind me, they had a group of 6 jump in front of them. So, I had plenty of time to relax and decompress. At the point we left I felt great about how well I did those first 12 holes and those 12 holes showed me that I am making good progress. I just know a sub 100 score is any round now!

Enough of my whining or you all are going to ask for Arianna to come back! Do not worry, you have not heard the last from her. 😊

Let’s Golf!

I had mentioned that we golfed at a 9 hole in one of the small northern Michigan towns earlier in the summer and realized I did not really share much about it. Recently talked to a friend and they had golfed that course, and they gave it rave reviews as did I.

Guy had high school friends in town that would be staying at our house, and we headed to Elk Rapids to pick up one of them that lived there. Since we were going there anyways, I suggested we golf along the way, specifically wanting to golf their little 9-hole course, he agreed, and I booked a tee time.

Elk Rapids Golf Course

Even though Elk Rapids Golf Club is a private club, the public is welcome. Their clubhouse is private, signs as you approach the clubhouse state members only. We saw someone coming out of it and I asked if we could get any beverages and she said sure, but to purchase beverages you have to be with a member. I do not remember if the member had to purchase the beverage or serve you, but she was genuinely nice and said you are now with a member. They do not really have a bar, but a serving area and she made me a drink and I was able to pay through her.

The course sits right on Elk Lake, if you have ever been to the area, you know how beautiful the lake is. It is part of the chain of lakes that includes Skegemog, Torch, Lake Bellaire and more. Such a wonderful setting. Of course, Guy had golfed there before numerous times when he lived in that town. We did reserve a cart but once we did the course, I realized it really was not necessary. This is a very walkable course and we saw more walkers than riders.

History

A little history about the course before I talk about how much fun we had. The course was designed and built in 1922/23 by Donald J. Ross and paid for with a $9,000 bond passed in September 1922. The course opened for play on July 15, 1924, businesses closed for the day and even the post office closed for part of the day. Ross designed the course very much like the courses he played in Scotland as a young man. Elk Rapids Golf Club is very much a links course. They mention on their website that the course has an “out and back” hole routing. Whatever you call it, in my opinion it is laid out nicely and a fun course to golf.

Any concern that it may not be challenging enough can be put to rest. The friend I mentioned earlier that had golfed there with another friend and both gave it a great review and both are very good golfers.

Getting Ready to Play

As we were waiting for the starter to give us the go ahead, we chatted about the course, any pain points we should be aware of, course tricks and other things like that. There was one hole where you cannot see the green from the tee box. They ask you to ring the bell next to the green once you are off it so that the folks waiting to play that hole know they can proceed. I love that!

The Course

Hole 1 is a par 5 and rated as the hardest hole for all tee positions. Not my preferred type of hole to start a round, but the hole looked so very doable. That is why it is the rated 1, because it makes you believe you can beat it. That it is not as difficult as the rating suggests. You hit a nice drive and it takes your ball mid air and sends it far, far away from the intended goal. This was one of a couple of blow-up holes I had that day. It was hard to get discouraged though, between the views, the other golfers being so nice, and the anticipation of ringing the bell at Hole 4, I was good.

Hole 4 ends at the water and I rang the bell. The hole doesn’t seem like it is that steep and it is less than 400 yards from the blue tees. Still, you cannot see the green from the tee box. The bell does serve a purpose. Bonus, neither of us hit into the lake!

Halfway through the Course

Holes 5 & 6 run alongside the lake. You have to cross the parking lot for holes 7-9. Somehow, I missed taking a picture of hole 7.

Now hole 8 made me a little nervous. It was only a par 3, but it ran alongside a main road. I was very worried I was going to slice the ball and hit a car. Good news, I did not do that and bogeyed the hole (Guy got a par).

We finished and I went in to talk to the pro shop to get a little more information. I found out that they will be celebrating their 100^th anniversary in July 2024. They are planning a big celebration with a lot of activities. As the date get closer, we will make sure to share the plans.

Visit Elk Rapids Golf Club Picture Page for all the pictures taken that day.

Golf Quote of the Month

Sir Alan Patrick Herbert (1890-1971) was an English humorist, novelist, playwright, law reform activist. He was also an Independent Member of Parliament for Oxford University. Based on this quote I would say he spent a fair amount of time on the golf course as well. This quote seemed fitting considering last week.😊

Golf Weekend

As the newsletter was being sent out, we were pulling into our garage after a weekend of golf (fingers crossed). Went to a golf resort Guy had stayed and played years before and he has been wanting to take me. As I sit here writing this 2 days before we leave, I think the package and the price were quite the deal. I will let you know all about it in a future issue. I will take plenty of pictures to share as well. I am excited to play a few rounds on a new to me course.

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