Welcome to our April Newsletter!
Congratulations to the winner this month!
Sam C.
You are the winner of the March newsletter.
You submitted the correct answer – The three 9 hole courses at Mistwood are named Red, White and Blue.
Your Golf Up North Schwag is on the way!
If you would like a chance to win some Golf Up North schwag, you have to subscribe to the newsletter. Subscribe at Golf Up North Newsletter and be on the mailing list for the April 1, 2023 edition.
Snow, Snow, and more Snow
For our readers that do not live in northern Michigan March has been a cold snowy month. We typically have a couple of courses that open up in March for at least walkers, but we are not seeing that yet. Golfing well into November last year gave me hope that our winters were getting shorter. It does looks like some warmer temperatures will be heading our way soon and mid-April opening for many of the courses Up North seem very doable.
Arcadia Bluffs is showing tee times available for April 3rd for both the Bluff and South Courses. Their website started with tee times available the 1st of April and the available dates have been push twice so far. Based on today’s weather I say it is highly unlikely they will be sending carts out on Monday.
We are watching all the Northern Michigan courses websites and social media and updating our website daily.
Regardless of the chilly wet weather we have today, we are getting closer and closer to the season being in full swing.
Headed to warmer weather
With the cold and snow still hanging around we decided to head south and spend Easter with the Virginia kids. Bonus, my son’s birthday is that week as well. Plan on getting at least 2-3 rounds in.
When I first started golfing, I bought a hard sided bag so that I could take my clubs with me when I flew. The first time I was going to take my clubs I researched how to pack them, and comments and suggestions were making me nervous. I asked a friend that worked at our local airport for tips, and she said do not take your clubs.
She said our little airport was not careful with baggage, imagine how Detroit or Chicago would be. I cannot fly anywhere from here without first stopping in Detroit or Chicago, so the clubs stayed home. Fortunately, my daughter-in-law generously lets me use her clubs when I am in town.
I wanted to use my clubs this trip and try out my new 9 wood. So, we making the drive. I have driven there and back alone and with my husband several times. It is about 15-16 hours and other than parts of Ohio, it is quite a pleasant drive (avoid D.C. traffic at all costs). Normally we drive right on through, but this trip we are going to get a room in the Cumberland, Maryland area for the night. That way we are not arriving late in the evening after the kids are asleep. Less disruptive that way on a holiday weekend.
By the time we are back home we should have much nicer weather and a lot of the courses will be open for at the very least walkers. I will have mastered my 9 wood and ready to break 100!
This Season
We have been planning out our golf trips for the season. I am hoping to get up to the western/central part of the Upper Peninsula and play some of those courses. There are my near and far favorites we will always go to and it is time to check some more courses off the bucket list.
I would love to play Greywalls in Marquette, I do not care how “hard” it is. The reality is that I am never going to be good enough for the so-called hard courses so I might as well play them now. I would also love to try some of the smaller 9-hole courses on the west side of the U.P.
Wild Bluff in the Upper Peninsula is another one I would like to try. Mainly because my husband still talks about that course almost 2 years later. There are a few in the Soo area I would not mind hitting as well. My list of courses for this season may be a little too ambitious but going to give it a try. Of course, there will be lots of pictures and I am sure a few stories as well.
One of the places on my Bucket list is the Kingsley Club in Kingsley. This is a private club, and you can only play if you are a member or a guest of a member. I figure my only hope is for them to have a contest for members to bring the wonkiest golfer they can find. I would have members lining up to take me. My stance alone would win them first prize. 😊 So if there are any members out there and you need me for a contest at Kingsley Club or anywhere for that matter, let me know!
Boy’s Trips
Garland Golf Resort in Gaylord area and Black Lake Golf Club in Onaway are already booked for boys golf trips so far this season. Of course there is their annual trip to Drummond Island and playing at The Rock. I suspect there will be 2 or 3 more trips happening before the season is over.
Looking forward to pictures and hearing about Black Lake. That was a course I tried to book last year for our early spring trip, but I could not get any information. Not a patient woman and ended up booking at Lakeshore. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about Black Lake and now I will know if I need to be more patient and try to book it again.
Little River buys Bear Lake Highlands
There is also a new/old course I want to try in the Bear Lake/Manistee area. Little River Casino Resort purchased the former Bear Lake Highland Golf Course and have put it through a major facelift. They have renamed it Wolf River Golf Park. The anticipated opening date is May 26, 2023. Their website says that the name comes from a variety of heritage apples. Wolf River apples were grown on the property when it was an orchard a century ago.
Excited to get out on the course next week even if it is not here in Northern Michigan. Hopefully my 9 wood treats me as well as my 7 wood and we see my strokes drop considerably.
Northern Michigan Golf Courses are Opening.
As mentioned above Arcadia Bluffs is showing tee times for Monday, April 3rd (unlikely). Other Northern Michigan golf courses are deciding on a day-by-day basis, and others have announced opening days.
There are many that are planning on opening up around the 15th of this month. As we did last year we are keeping track of opening day for all the courses Up North.
Visit Golf Up North and scroll down the home page and you will see where you can choose a region and it will take you to a page that lists course open and courses opening soon with anticipated open dates for that area.
We are monitoring all the courses websites, social media and emails they are sending and updating our website as information comes in. We encourage area courses to either post on our group page or email me at marisa@golfupnorth with opening information.
Remember this is Northern Michigan and the weather can and does change frequently. Verify with the course that they are open and offering the services you are interested in before heading out.
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