Welcome to our September 2025 Newsletter!
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Wayne R.
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Lasagna was served at Fish Camp
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Summer Moving Much Too Fast!
As I said last month, July was a blur, and somehow August did not slow down one bit. We managed to squeeze in plenty of local golf (more on a certain Big Hole Challenge in a future issue), hosted the Virginia kids, the Up Mid kid, and even my Scottish “son” Johnny, who flew in just to show us up on the course.
Whenever the kids come home, I slip into “Italian mom mode” and make the comfort food they remember from growing up. Of course, one of the dishes was lasagna—one classic, one gluten-free for the Celiac crew. I have tasted the sauce, I have tasted the cheese mixture, but I have not had a single bite of the completed dish the last two times I made it. This last time I was making sure everyone was eating and forgot to eat myself. 😊
Heading to the Golf Course
All the golfers wanted to golf while everyone was in town. We ended up with two foursomes for an early tee time. And yes, for the record, we played as two separate foursomes (none of that “we’ll all hit off the same tee box” nonsense).
Guy and I snuck in a weekend golf trip the following weekend! I’m holding onto those details for a later edition. One of the courses we tried doesn’t even take reservations, carts are “while supplies last,” and if you are late you’d better be ready to walk. Did we get on the course? Well, you will just have to keep reading our Golf Up North Newsletters to find out.
⛳️ Still Waiting on Course Updates
⛳ Marking as Closed for the Season
The signs are there, the websites have not been updated, and the social media silence says it all. These courses look like they won’t be opening in 2025:
- Les Cheneaux Golf Club – Cedarville
They advertise as Michigan’s longest continuously operating course. Trouble is, they have not been open the last two seasons. In 2024, they supposedly let a “select few” play, but officially, they have been dark. Feels like they are being a little less than transparent, doesn’t it? Here’s hoping by 2026 things are sorted out — because this is a course I would still love to tee up at. - Logger’s Trace & Springport Hills – Harrisville
They have cited repairs and an ice storm, but I have also seen references to RV park development on the property. Could be that construction is also a holdup. Either way, golfers love these courses, and the staff and owners have a great reputation. My guess? We will hear something definitive by 2026.
Party of 8?
Remember how I said we had eight family members golfing? We split into foursomes like proper humans, teed off at our scheduled times, waved across fairways, and regrouped at the 18th green. No drama.
But this season, it seems like everywhere we go, groups of six, seven, or eight are out there playing together. No shame, no attempt to disguise it. Just, “We’re all golfing as one happy mob, deal with it.”
Deaf or Persistent?
Case in point: at one of our regular courses, we teed off behind what was supposed to be two groups of four. Instead, they were one big group of eight. The GM came out to remind them (again) that she had told them on the phone, at check-in, and even at the bar: no groups of eight.
Of course, they had already all teed off. Half went charging ahead, the rest hung back until the GM left, then scurried to catch up. Out came the ranger, who made them “split up.” Which they did. Well, sort of.
The 2 foursomes would meet at the tee box, then all would hit their drives and split up again for the fairway and meet at the green. Not much you can do about that, except try not to let slow play infect your own round.
Could Have Been Worse
Thankfully, they only played nine holes. Yes, our round still dragged past five hours, but it could have been a six-hour hostage situation.
Listen, I get wanting to play together. Believe me, if I could have played all eight of us as one giant group without causing a mutiny on the course, I would have. But that is not how this works. You have to consider other golfers.
We still had a great time, afterward the kids went tubing while I went home to make another family favorite chicken piccata (gluten-free, naturally). Hours of slicing, dredging, and saucing later, I didn’t even eat the chicken. Just rice with that heavenly garlic-butter-caper-wine sauce. Small victories. 😊
Why Does Golf Etiquette Keep Getting Ignored?
Golf boomed during COVID because it was one of the few safe activities people could still do. New golfers found their way to the fairways, which is great, fresh blood, younger players, busier courses.
But along the way, etiquette seems to have fallen into a water hazard.
Most of these new players probably were not taught by an old-school mentor who barked out rules about pace of play, not blaring your Bluetooth speaker on the tee box, or not parking your cart practically on top of the group ahead.
They just do not know.
I have started politely asking people to back their carts up or turn down their music when they are at MY tee box, and most of the time they are receptive.
Education is Key
When Guy first took me golfing, he gave me a crash course in do’s and don’ts, and honestly, that’s probably why I now care so much about etiquette. Someone’s got to keep the traditions alive.
Did You Know?
This month you are getting two “Did You Knows” because they’re connected.
Birdie = one under par (you knew that).
Turkey = three birdies in a row in the same round (not as well-known as a birdie).
So yes, three strikes in bowling and three birdies in golf are both turkeys. File that away for your next 19th-hole trivia session.
⛳ The Crown Golf Course
The Crown Golf Course – Traverse City, Michigan – Hole 4
It had been four years since I last played The Crown Golf Course. The course has always felt like more of a special occasion course at $100+ a round. It is priced right for the challenge and experience, but I usually stick to some nearby courses in the $70 range that better fit my comfort level.
This year, Golf Up North bought a hole sign ad (hole 4 if you’re curious), which came with a couple of rounds, so I finally had the perfect excuse to play a round on the 4thof July.
Guy plays The Crown with his buddies a few times each season, and for golfers who enjoy the test, it’s worth every penny.
Surprisingly, the course wasn’t busy, probably because the Cherry Festival had people distracted. It was a beautiful day… until the last hole, when a single hit up on us. We hadn’t seen a soul behind us the entire round, so not sure why she decided we needed the pressure of her ball landing ten feet from me.
Course Vibes
The Crown winds through a residential development, which means a lot of tee shots start basically in someone’s backyard.
On the plus side, nobody’s chasing you off their lawn if your ball drifts. On the minus, it’s a little odd teeing off near someone’s deck.
The Crown Golf Course – Traverse City, Michigan – Hole 11
Plenty of elevation changes kept things interesting (and occasionally humbling). Chipping continues to be my personal nemesis. Too soft one time, too hard the next, and suddenly I’m off the green and sliding toward some abyss at the backend of the green.
The course is challenging, but still fun. I carded a 112, which is higher than I’d like. Between tougher courses and maybe just getting older, I’ve had several rounds well over 100 this year. Progress with my irons has stalled too. I can’t for the life of me figure out my “X-yard club.” When people ask, I just laugh. If I hit a 7-iron right, it’ll go 100 yards. If I don’t, it’s 75. Same with every club. Consistency, where art thou?
Mulligans
The Crown’s clubhouse restaurant, Mulligans, is a family favorite. We used to eat there a lot when the kids were in school. The menu has changed, no more giant stuffed burgers, now it is smash burgers (not my thing, since I like a thick rare patty). But their fish and chips, French dip, and creative romaine “wedge” salad are excellent. Potato skins, wings, and fried pickles are also top, tier apps.
We grabbed dinner after our round. We kept it classic—hot wings for me, fish and chips for Guy—and both hit the spot after 18 holes. Add in a couple of cold drinks and plenty of laughs while replaying our “highlight reel” (and lowlight reel), and it turned the round into a full day of fun! Mulligans is the cherry on top of The Crown experience.
If you’re golfing, eating, or just dropping in for drinks, The Crown/Mulligans is worth the stop.
👉 See all the pictures from our round at The Crown here.
Golf Quote of the Month
This sums up my Crown round. Too soft one shot, too hard the next, never quite right in the middle.
Cotton was a three-time Open Champion, Ryder Cup player and captain, and RAF pilot in WWII who raised money for the Red Cross by playing exhibition matches. Clearly, the man knew golf and perspective.
⛳️Fall Golf Vibes in Northern Michigan
September is when summer starts to fade and cool mornings sneak in. Don’t hang up your clubs yet, there’s still beauty (and birdies) to be found on crisp autumn mornings. I’ll keep playing until the frost wins. See you next month!
🌀 Check Out Our Latest Blog
Sure, we send out a newsletter every month — but I’m also writing 1–2 blog posts each month. Check out Golf Up North to read all the blog posts and catch up on past newsletters.
Golf comes with its own dictionary, and if you’re new, the jargon can be just as tough as the game. What’s bogey? Why’s everyone yelling“mulligan”? Don’t worry — we’ve got your back.
📍 Essential Golf Terms Every Golfer Should Know
See you on the course!
Click here to see all the pictures we have taken of courses over the years.
The Crown Golf Course Hole by Hole
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