To say that the anticipation of playing a ‘brand new’, highly talked about, golf course in Northern Michigan was feverish, might be an understatement.  Especially when this property is a compliment to Arcadia Bluffs, one of my favorite golf courses, anywhere.  Then add in the focus on creating a completely different brand of public / resort golf experience, I could barely stay off-of the website for the hole by hole tour, leading up to the visit.

The new Arcadia Bluffs South Course was built in the mold of American Golf Course architects CB Macdonald and Seth Raynor, but not as replica course, a new original dreamed up by Fry Straka Global Golf.  With the spirit of Chicago Golf Club in mind, Arcadia Bluffs has created something that many of us ‘public golfers’ and probably most private club members have never experienced.

From the first tee shot, you quickly realize this is not going to be your average, aim down the middle and hit it hard kind of round.  There are bunkers to consider on every tee shot, not just on the right or left side, but cutting in diagonally or small pot bunkers out in the middle, ready to catch a well executed shot if you did not consult the yardage book.  Playing firm and fast, you must also get used to landing the ball short of your target.  Even a 58 degree wedge from 85 yards can roll out 30 – 40 feet depending on the slope of the green.

While I loved every second of the challenge, my playing partners might have gotten a little weary of my constant discussions around every tee ball and approach?  Other unique qualities to the South Course include very geometrically shaped greens, some squared off and not your typical amoeba shape that most courses follow these days.  Several greens had wrap around bunkers that you could only see on one side but wrapped around the sharp corner to the back of the green.

The par-5 3^rd hole was one of my favorites on the front nine.  A demanding tee shot with bunkers left and right that result in a wedge-out scenario and extremely long third shot if entered.  Successfully hit the fairway from the tee and your 2^nd shot is a bit easier but still requires 160 or more yards to carry the next set of bunkers.  The comes your short third shot.  You may have seen a ball run out on the first two holes, but now you have an uphill pitch or approach to a pin that looks like if you go over you make 8.  Your mind is constantly running during the round and if you pull off the perfect shot and get a ball within 10 feet you feel a real sense of accomplishment.

There are no weak holes at Arcadia South.  Each one with its own beauty and challenge.  Counting off your yardage so not to go bounding over greens and occasionally coming up short in a bunker. 

The par-3, 12^th hole is about a 150-yard shot.  Horseshoe shaped green with a bunker dead in the middle and a false front on the left side.  We played a middle pin which looked easier until you got to the green.  Right on top of a subtle ridge, two putting from 30 feet was no easy task.  The brilliance of Fry Straka Golf comes out in the abundance of subtle breaks that do not always show up on the plum bob or aim point.  A PGA Tour Green book at Arcadia South would look like War and Peace. 

I could easily write a 5-page paper on Arcadia South, which was a rarity in my college days.  Arcadia Bluffs was already an annual pilgrimage for me and my golfing buddies, but with the addition of the 2^nd lodge and now the South Course, Arcadia, Michigan is on the map for great golf destinations.

For more information go to www.arcadiabluffs.com

St. Louis golf fans are showing the world why St. Louis is considered by many to be one of the greatest sports towns in the country.

So just how do you go about maneuvering the grounds at Bellerive Country Club amidst record breaking crowds and still enjoy watching the 100th playing of the PGA Championship?

Here’s a cheat sheet of how to view the competitive rounds at Bellerive:

Best Viewing Location – Just left of the 14th green there is a hillside anchored by one of Bellerive’s large Oak Trees. You’ll access this hillside by entering near the stairs to the grandstand over looking the 11th green. From this location you’ll be able to watch action down the 11th hole, 12th hole, 3rd hole and until it gets really crowded you’ll even be able to watch the action directly behind you on the 14th green. Around 11:30am you’ll start getting shade from the big oak tree, so the closer you can get to the trunk of the tree the better. (Bring some binoculars and you’ll be able to watch play down the 4th hole and on #2 green well.)

#5 Tee – From around the 5th tee you’ll be able to see tee shots down the 5th, approach shots into the 4th and approach shots into the 7th hole.

#7 Tee – From this location you’ll be able to watch 2nd and 3rd shots into the 8th hole, action around the 6th green and tee shots from the par 4, 7th hole.

#8 (Around the 100 yard marker) – Here you’ll be able to watch approach shots into the par 5, 8th hole which is the easiest hole on the course this week. You can also watch the action up the 9th fairway.

#15 Green Area – While you won’t be able to stand and see action from multiple locations here, you are close to several good viewing areas. The 10th green is behind you, along with the tee shots to the par 3, 16th hole. And of course, players will be grinding their way down the long par 4, 15th hole.

Little Kids? – Check out the area along the 11th green, directly across the creek right by the gallery ropes.  This area is right in between the 3rd tee and 11th green. What’s nice about this location is that most to the gallery following players down 11 will be on the opposite side of the fairway and won’t make you claustrophobic. Galleries following play on the front nine will divide at the 2nd green with many of them watching the play on 3 from the inward part of the hole, making for an easy transition to 4; again staying away from your location. As soon as your favorite player is past 11, just turn around and get a prime location for watching shots from the par 3. Small children enjoy this location as they won’t be fighting looking around anyone and nobody can sit in front of you.

Follow the action as St. Louisan Skip Berkmeyer tees it up in his 10th United States Amateur.

Also worthy of note is the 2nd oldest player in the field, Taylorville, IL native Dave Ryan.

Go HERE to view Inside the Field

Built exclusively for guests at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino, looking for an exceptional off-campus experience, Fallen Oak Golf Club exceeds expectations.

Just a 20-minute shuttle ride from the Resort in Biloxi, MS, this Tom Fazio design is beautifully laid out among the Southern Mississippi landscape of large oak trees, tall pines and natural wetlands. From the moment you arrive you are greeted and directed to one of the most stunning 19^th holes you will see. A giant wall of seamless windows, perched slightly above the 18^th green for a terrific way to end your day with a Beer and a Burger. Knowing this is what awaits you, only amps up your anticipations for the rest of the day.

Custom golf carts with seats you barely want to get up from, take you to a beautiful range. You are not a part of a 200 person cattle call at Fallen Oak, nicely spaced tee times make you feel as if you are the only group on the course.

Expecting a nice but slow start to the round, the 1^st hole is actually one of the most stunning on the course. A mid-length par-5, dog leg left around a stream and pond, require a good drive and a strategic layup, unless you are feeling confident enough to take on the many bunkers and water near the green. Immediately you feel the speed of the greens and something most of us do not get to experience is greens with a sub-air draining system, usually reserved for the PGA Tour courses (although Fallen Oak has hosted the PGA Tour Champions, multiple times).

The third hole is a mid to long iron par-3 completely over the natural wetlands short and left. But don’t just bail out right to be safe, a significant slope from right to left could propel a frisky chip shot to the back of the green or even the water if not careful. Just three holes in and you can tell it is going to be a special round.

A good mix of shorter and longer holes continues on the front nine, where most clubs in the bag come out. My favorite one coming in was the par-4, 6^th hole. A classic risk/reward hole of only about 290 yards but slightly down-hill with the fairway sloping to the green. The risk lies on both sides with marshland protecting the right side all the way up to the green and two deep bunkers protecting shots hit too far left. A well struck driver or 3-wood could give you less than 40 yards into this tricky green.

After a quick pit stop at the turn to catch the view of the impending 18^th, the back nine quickly showed that it would feature a bit more elevation changes than the front nine. The 10^th hole has a fairway the creates a valley on your approach and the 11^th and 13^th holes (par-4 and par-5) play up the hill.

The par-3 14^th hole is a short but deceiving shot. Well bunkered, our pin was on the right side of the green which was protected short and long by sand. Be accurate or have an awkward lie from off the green and be thrilled with bogey.

Finally, you get to play back down the hill on the par-5, 15^th hole. One of the most visually stunning holes of the back nine. This reachable par-5 (with a good tee ball) bends a little to the right and appears to have a lot of room for a miss, but the right side, short of the green is not very flat and plays significantly below the green, while left will be a crap shoot of missing small pods of trees. A birdie hole, but only on two or three well executed shots.

If you are able to successfully navigate the challenging and up-hill 16^th and 17^th holes, you get to enjoy the unmatched view of the 18^th hole. The fallen oak the club is named after is obvious down the right side. The clubhouse in the distance reminds you of that is to come, but there is no relaxing for the next 10 – 15 minutes as the longest par-4 on the course will take all of your skill to complete at par or even bogey. After a good drive the green sits below the fairway with water and bunkers protecting the left and another green that slopes from right to the water will challenge any miss short or right of the green.

Let’s just say we all made par on 18 (wink, wink).

Fallen Oak provided one of the most stunning golf experiences our group had ever seen and matched it with a clubhouse and friendly service that puts this on the list of must plays not just on the Mississippi Gulf Coast but throughout the Southeast. It is worth the splurge and heck, you might even win your greens fee and more back as you finish your night off at the Beau Rivage Casino.

For more information on Fallen Oak and the Beau Rivage Resort and casino, visit – www.fallenoak.com and www.beaurivage.com.

Congratulations to J.R. Howard, the winner of Free Golf for the rest of 2016 by Golf Around STL.  Golf Around STL is the area’s leader in offering online tee times to St. Louis’ top public golf courses.

Howard entered a contest sponsored by Golf Around STL and was the lucky winner.  He will literally enjoy free golf at Golf Around STL facilities for the rest of the season.

Golf Around STL is hosting another contest with the winner being selected August 1.  You can enter to win by registering at www.golfaroundstl.com.

The New Orleans area is rich with history and tradition. We know all about the French Quarter, Mardi Gras, The Sugar Bowl and numerous Superbowls, but there is also a long history of golf, including a very popular stop annually on the PGA Tour schedule. The region also offers a lot of public golf options for locals and the millions of visitors each year.

One of the options, pretty close to downtown is Stonebridge Golf Club. Just about 15 minutes from downtown, Stonebridge offers a challenging but fair 18-hole layout with a bonus 9 for settling those carryover bets. Water comes into play on nearly all 18 holes of the championship layout and it can sneak up on you at times if you are not paying attention. The greens are smooth and role true and can get nice and fast as they dry out during the Fall season. Their claim of seeing the local reptiles also came to pass before we even got to the range. A small gator swam right across the lake in front of the clubhouse and perched up on the 18^th fairway for at least the 6 hours we spent on property.

The first hole is no gimme. A long par-5, with water down the right side, and the fenced off canal down the right. Two off the first might be a good option if you don’t have time to warm up at the range. If you navigate the tee shot the 2^nd shot is much easier and should leave you a short pitch into the medium sized green. Keeping your approach shots below the hole is crucial, not just on the 1^st but throughout the round.

Then you get to the par-4, 4^th hole, probably the most visually intimidating tee shot of the day. On the left side you have the intra-coastal waterway and no rough to stop your ball from rolling down the steep slope if you tug it a bit. The right side is protected by OB. Our foursome hit 9 tee balls combined and let’s just say, most of them were not found. When double bogey wins the hole, something got into your head on the tee.

My favorite hole of the front was #9. A reachable par-5 with a generous landing zone for your tee shot but a well-protected green with bunkers guarding short and left of the green and water that comes into play down the right about 50 yards short of the green add a level of difficulty to the layup or attempt to go for it. Depending on the wind and the pin placement it could be one of the easier or tougher birdies or pars this nine.

The tenth hole gives you another look at our friend ‘the gator’, but with a pretty wide open fairway, the green provides the real challenge with a severe, two foot slope dividing the back left portion of the green from the rest. Get it on the wrong level and par will be a great score.

Hole #17 is a terrific penultimate hole for a match. A mid-length par-4 with a slight dog leg left so any tee ball to the right can make for a long approach. Huge fairway bunkers guard the left side of the fairway and the dogleg so choose your line carefully. The green is well guarded and mostly hidden from view and with water right of the green, your distance control has to be perfect to have a chance at birdie or even a two putt par.

The best part after completing the 18^th hole was the opportunity to keep the round going with the Par-33, executive 9. A nice combination of short and long holes, the presence of water is still very prevalent throughout and the finishing two holes are a lot of fun. The par-5, 26^th hole is only reachable on downwind days but can be a tricky approach and of course the canal challenging 27^th hole forces you to suck it up and hit a shot completely over the canal.

Stonebridge is a terrific option if you are staying downtown when you visit the Big Easy. The greens roll true and the course is in great shape. It is a great match play layout with risk reward throughout.

To learn more visit www.stonebridgegolfofno.com.

The inaugural Golf Around STL Tournament Series is coming to a close this month with the season ending Tour Championship at Tapawingo National Golf Club on August 30th.  One points event remains on the schedule in the form of this Sunday’s 1pm shotgun at The Golf Club of Wentzville.

Go HERE to get more information on the updated point standings and links to register for this weekends event.

It’s Glory’s Last Shot at the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Jordan Spieth will be aiming for this 3rd major championship title in 4 attempts, having already won the Masters and United States Open earlier this year. Zach Johnson will be looking to repeat as a major champion after capturing the Open Championship a few weeks ago.

The 2015 PGA Championship kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 13 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisc.

Once again CBS and TNT team up for four-round broadcast coverage of the event, with TNT airing Thursday and Friday coverage, as well early Saturday and Sunday coverage.

The PGA of America will also stream the telecasts, as well several exclusive digital channels, including marquee groups and a par-3-specific channel and media room interviews. PGA.com and its mobile apps will carry the streams, as will CBSSports.com when it airs its coverage window.

On SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, the satellite radio provider, co-producing with Westwood One, will deliver audio coverage of the year’s final major.

Here’s a look at the broadcast times, channels and how to stream the 2015 PGA Championship:

Long-Drive Contest, Tuesday, Aug. 11:

Streaming: PGA.com, PGA Championship app

First Round, Thursday, Aug. 13:

TV: 2-8 p.m. on TNT
Radio: 12-8 p.m. on PGA Tour Radio
Streaming: PGA.com, PGA Championship app

Second Round, Friday, Aug. 14:

TV: 2-8 p.m. on TNT
Radio: 12-8 p.m. on PGA Tour Radio
Streaming: PGA.com, PGA Championship app

Third Round, Saturday, Aug. 15:

TV: 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. on TNT, 2-7 p.m. on CBS
Radio: 12-8 p.m. on PGA Tour Radio
Streaming: PGA.com, PGA Championship app, CBSSports.com from 2-7 p.m. ET

Final Round, Sunday, August 16:

TV: 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. on TNT, 2-7 p.m. on CBS
Radio: 12-8 p.m. on PGA Tour Radio
Streaming: PGA.com, PGA Championship app, CBSSports.com from 2-7 p.m. ET

Below is an email I received this morning from Roy Wilson of the St. Louis District Golf Association.  Along with so many friends of golf in St. Louis, Larry Etzkorn impacted my life in such a positive way.

In 1996 I was just starting to realize my potential as a golfer. I had just missed out on a trip to Hawaii as part of the United States Golf Association Public Links Championship Qualifier at Forest Park. Immediately following the final round of the qualifying, after coming up a shot short of earning a spot in my first USGA championship, Tournament Director, Bart Collida and Larry Etzkorn approached me with an invitation to participate in an upcoming St. Louis District Golf Association Championship.  I’d never played in a STLDGA tournament as I was a public golfer, bouncing around on golf courses like Ballwin Municipal, Sunset Lakes and Paradise Valley.

Larry had followed my group at Forest Park almost the entire back nine as a rules official for the day. He was apparently impressed with what he saw and felt like I deserved an opportunity to tee it up in the St. Louis District Men’s Championship he was hosting at The Country Club at the Legends the following week.

I would spend a lot of time with Larry that week at the Legends as I was fortunate to capture my first St. Louis District Championship title and become the first bona fide public golfer to win the championship.  As the Executive Secretary for the STLDGA, it was Larry who awarded me the trophy at the conclusion of that memorable week.

Winning that week helped me to find the confidence I needed to realize future success in golf. I’m truly grateful to Mr. Etzkorn for the opportunity he provided.

A week after the championship I received a special letter in the mail from Mr. Etzkorn, which I still have today. Mr. Etzkorn took the time to write and let me know how much he enjoyed watching me play golf a week earlier.  He projected great things for me in the game of golf and in his words showed a young man what true class was all about.

As I got older and continued to compete in St. Louis District Golf Association tournaments, among other amateur championships, Mr. Etzkorn would often be present as a rules official. Never a day went by that I would see Mr. Etzkorn that he wouldn’t ask about my mom, who followed me shot for shot that week at The Country Club of the Legends. He would remind me of what my golf swing looked like that week in 1996, how much he enjoyed sharing that experience with me and send me off with an encouraging word.

St. Louis golf needs more people like Larry Etzkorn and I feel very lucky to have known the original himself.

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Email from Roy Wilson

Dear Golfers and Friends of the St. Louis District:

It is with much sadness that we inform you of the passing of past District Secretary and a longtime member and supporter of the District and area golf, Larry Etzkorn.  He died peacefully in his sleep this morning. As many of you know, over the past year Larry battled with pancreatic cancer. However, in his traditional high spirited nature and always good humor, he never let it get the better of him. His occasional appearances at local golf events brightened everyone’s day.

Larry’s involvement with golf goes back to his youth when he began as a caddie. In 1947, while caddying for Dutch Harrison at the U.S. Open at St. Louis CC, he had the pleasure of carrying a bag for Ben Hogan when he went out to play a few extra holes during practice rounds. The stories of his long association with men such as Jim Jackson were legendary.  For years, he played out of Normandie GC before moving to Algonquin GC. However, wherever he went, Larry continued to enjoy both golf and the card games that followed with his many friends. His knowledge of area golf history were of great inspiration when the history of golf in the region was first set to print. Those of us who were fortunate to call him a friend have certainly lost much today with his passing. Larry was Executive Secretary of the St. Louis District Golf Association 1984-1997.

The wake will be at Bopp Chapel on Manchester Road in Kirkwood on Sunday, May 31. The funeral will be at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Kirkwood on Monday, June 1.

We ask that you keep Larry, his wife Rose and family in your prayers.

Please check the paper for details as they become available.

It’s golf season again…finally!

If you are like me, you long for the wintertime to be short and mild here in St. Louis.  While mother nature does not often cooperate in the spring, it seems consistent golf weather is finally here.  So here is a short list of what to do when your golf season begins.

*DO NOT buy the jumbo bucket of balls at your favorite practice facility and pound drivers for 2 hours.  You will end up in the emergency room and mostly likely my office after that J

*DO go visit your local PGA professional to get a spring tune up.  You have probably been on You Tube all winter long exploring swing theories which you cannot wait to put into practice….here’s the deal…your body type and level of flexibility dictate the type of swing you should have.  Your PGA pro can figure this out…you cannot J

*DO expect less than ideal conditions at all of your local facilities.  Winter sucks for grass….it’s just the way it is.  Unless your home course has the maintenance budget of Augusta National, just be happy there is grass, it’s greenish, and you can get outside to play in the springtime!

*DO be early to your tee time and give your old, stiff body adequate time to warm up.  Sprinting from the car to the first tee in mid- April is a great for me, but not good for youJ

*DO NOT play slow!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is the reason golf sucks for too many people.  Find it, hit it, and hit it again.  You are not a Tour Player; you are most likely not going to be a tour player, so get a damn move on!!!!  If you miss the 2 footer on 18 after standing over it for 30 seconds to lose the $1 Nassau…send me the bill.

*DO patronize the many, wonderful, local public courses we have access to here in Missouri and Illinois!

I hope to meet many of you on the links this season soon!

Dr. Tobin Lingafelter
Owner, Back & Neck Care Center of Sunset Hills