Welcome to our September Newsletter!
Congratulations to
Patti C.
You are the winner of the August Newsletter – You submitted the correct answer –
Fish Camp was at Tullymore!
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Fun and Golf Packed August
August seemed to zoom by faster than a golf ball on a perfect drive! It’s hard to believe we squeezed in so much. The Virginia kids came for a visit, pictured are my Virginia grandkids going for a ride with Uncle Jeff on his side by side. The next day he took them for long rides on the trails on his property.
With family in town we found ourselves on yet another golfing adventure, this time at West Branch Country Club. We will talk about that round in a future issue, but if you would like to see pictures of the course from that day visit the course’s picture page on Golf Up North.
My son from downstate met us on the east side of the state. He didn’t head up to his cabin or come north because he promised his nieces (two of my granddaughters) that they could stay at his place for a concert in Detroit. So, while he missed out on seeing the Virginia niece and nephew, he did get in some quality golf time with one of his brothers and brother-in-law. My other son, who lives near me, had prior commitments and couldn’t join us that day. 😊
I’d mentioned I planned to golf with my 14-year-old grandson once things slowed down. We’ve got a tee time set for September 6th (he’s got a half-day of school). He was too busy in August, so we’re making it happen now.
As we ease into fall, I’m crossing my fingers for a warm stretch, hoping to keep golfing right into December. Another round of Christmas Golf, anyone? I love watching football, but as the games start, it’s bittersweet knowing golf season is winding down.
Missaukee Golf Club
Last month, while Guy was at Fish Camp, I met up with my downstate son at Missaukee Golf Club in Lake City (he was at his up-mid cabin). My oldest boy and his wife completed our foursome.
Missaukee Golf Club Hole 1
I’ve been itching to golf this course for a while. I love Lake City—such a quaint little town. A friend lived there for years, and I always enjoyed visiting.
I booked our tee time online, and it asked for my credit card, so I dutifully provided it. What I didn’t realize was that it only charged the convenience fee that Golf Now collected. While en route to the course, I got an email suggesting I could pay for our round online. Unfortunately, I don’t have the American Express app on my phone, so I couldn’t check what I’d been charged and didn’t want to pay twice.
When we finally stopped somewhere, I sifted through my emails and realized I’d only been charged the $10-ish convenience fee for booking online. The slightly awkward part? I’d told my son that golf was on me, but he ended up paying for his round to snag a cart and hit the driving range. It all worked out in the end—I Zelled one son the money, and he Venmoed it to his brother (I don’t have Venmo). Crisis averted!
A quick side note: tapping your credit card is apparently more secure than using the chip. Who knew?
The Course
As for the golfing? You know I had a blast—how could I not when playing with two of my boys? Plus, breaking 100 again didn’t hurt my mood!
Missaukee Golf Club Hole 4
The course is well-maintained, easy to navigate, and has bathrooms strategically placed (always a win). The fairways are a nice mix of tree-lined, wide-open, and somewhere in between. The course is fairly level, which my hips and back appreciate since climbing hills and hitting from uneven lies isn’t my idea of fun.
My sons, who have a habit of veering off course (serious slicers), found this course forgiving. Even if they ended up in a neighboring fairway, they still had a clear shot to the green.
Arianna and I, on the other hand, stayed true to the center of the fairway and both had one of our best games. Arianna outplayed us all with five pars and a score of 92. I came in third with two pars and a score of 95. I’m still scratching my head over how one of the boys scored a 93 with two pars while the one who seemed to be playing so well only managed one par and a score of 100. Two blow-up holes tanked his score—otherwise, he would have beaten us all.
Friendly Staff
Missaukee Golf Club Hole 12
Everyone at the course was fantastic. They asked if we’d played there before, offered tips, and mixed a mean Captain & Diet (I wasn’t driving). When we checked in, they recommended calling in our order for brats or dogs at the 7th hole since they grill them to order. They serve Ebel’s brats and dogs—naturally, we all got at least a brat. I won’t name names, but one of the boys got both. 😊 If you haven’t tried Ebel’s brats, I highly recommend the Jalapeno, though I haven’t had a bad one yet!
Missaukee Golf Club is located in a small northern Michigan town known for the “Greatest Fourth in the North,” and Merritt Speedway is just a 10-minute drive away. If you’ve got time, explore the area before or after your round. It’s a friendly little town with lots to offer. It’s an easy drive from Cadillac, Houghton Lake/Roscommon area, Grayling, Traverse City, Mount Pleasant, etc. And it was a breeze for the Up Mid kid to get to as well. Whether you’re visiting a nearby community or looking for a spot to stop and play on your way to your northern destination, Missaukee Golf Club is a great option.
To see all the pictures from our round click here.
Did You Know?
There is a 12,500 to 1 chance that a typical golfer will make a hole-in-one?
That is because the width of the hole is so small. Even professional golfers can go their whole career without making a hole-in-one! The chance of making two hole-in-ones in a single game is 1 in 67 million
USGA GHIN Handicap
In our February newsletter, I dove into the world of GHIN handicaps—what they are, how they’re calculated, and how to get one. Well, fast forward to early July, and guess what? I finally took my own advice and signed up with the USGA. That’s right, folks, I now have an official handicap!
I followed my February roadmap to a tee (pun intended). First, I joined my local Allied Golf Association (AGA). Since I’m here in Michigan, that meant joining The Golf Association of Michigan (GAM). This got me a GAM-only membership, which conveniently grants me access to the GHIN Mobile App. But I didn’t stop there—I also grabbed a USGA membership. They sweetened the deal with a snazzy U.S. Open hat for Guy and a cool USGA bag tag for me. The total damage? A mere $79 annually ($49 for GHIN and $30 for USGA).
What is my handicap?
Now, I know you’re all wondering—what’s my handicap? Well, let’s just say Guy’s been selling me short with those 18 strokes per round. I clocked in with a 26.3 handicap, which basically means I’m out there beating the pants off him almost every time we hit the course. 😊 Of course, if you ask Guy, he’ll remind you that his handicap isn’t “official” like mine—he’s only got a league handicap, after all. He’ll probably say he’s been overly generous with those 18 strokes and that I should be grateful for my occasional “wins.”
But nope, I’m sticking to my guns. From now on, Guy’s giving me 26.3 strokes every round, and we’ll just assume he’s a scratch golfer until I see something official to prove otherwise. Based on his league 9-hole handicap doubled, he’s floating somewhere in the high single digits or low double digits—so, still a much better golfer than me, but hey, I’m catching up!
Below are screenshots of the mobile app where you can input your scores and more. You can add your score as a total for front and back, by hole (my preferred method) or by hole with stats. Based on my scores I know I got, a score with an A after it is actual and a score with an H has to do with handicap of the course and is an adjusted score (the 115 score is discussed below).
Golf Quote of the Month
I don’t remember where I first heard this quote, but it perfectly sums up a round I had just a week ago. I joked that the course was having a full-blown love affair with Guy while it had a serious grudge against me. The weather was scorching (mid-90s), which I absolutely love, so I figured this was going to be my round to shine. I was driving the ball like a pro, but my fairway shots were on a mission to sabotage me. I even joked that I should write an article titled How to Ruin a Perfect Drive Over and Over Again.
A few of my drives were the best I’ve ever had on those holes, but let’s just say “frustrating” was only one of the F-words that may have crossed my lips that day. I ended up with a 117, which is the highest score I’ve seen in a long time. The golf gods were definitely not on my side!
No clubs were harmed during this round😊!
Click here to see all the pictures we have taken of courses over the years.
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