Dan Perry

I’ve been a fan of The Big Break basically since it started, although this past season wasn’t the most exciting, and I’m not the only one to think that. I did notice that GolfMesquiteNevada.com was a very large sponsor. It seemed that, as the season progressed, their marketing efforts during the show intensified. Well, it worked… almost.

My wife and I are actively looking for golf destinations for 2008, so we decided to see what the site had to offer. As an Internet marketer, I may be hypersensitive to conversion funnels, but I ran into a couple issues on the site that I think may have increased their conversion percentage. As anyone who’s tried to convert users online can attest, every litle bit helps. I thought I’d share my observations with a video, in the hopes that it helps those of you trying to convert golfers online.

The video is about 8-9 minutes long, and I’d love to hear your feedback.

Since the weather was nice this morning (Christmas Eve), my wife and I went for a ride to look for a few last minute items before we spend the next day and a half with the family. Of course, every store we went to wanted to collect our email address. Sometimes I just want to buy something, but that doesn’t seem to be enough anymore.
I’m sure that I’m not the first to think of this, but how about having a little fun with the email address for this type of situation? Here are a few ideas.

• flushthis@
• myjunkfolder@
• crapcollector@
• thisiscrap@
• ihatespamemail@
• ihatecorporatespam@
• corporatecrap@
• mycrapemailaccount@

and my personal favorite: thiswillbeflushed@

Be creative; mix and match. The possibilities are endless, and if you can’t get one at gmail, try hotmail, live.com, yahoo, etc. Nothing better than seeing the smirk on the associates face as you provide this email. Spread that holiday cheer!

I received the following email today, and besides being a huge ego boost (I feel sorry for my wife; having to live with this), I thought it would make for a great post, so here’s the synopsis:

I found you through SEMPO and the SEMPO Institute group. I’m about 1.5 years into a consulting business and would eventually like to work as an in-house SEO or for a marketing company. So, seriously, how did you get to where you are? Was all of your SEO learning done through experience? How did you compile a list of qualifications?

Great questions. The short answer is: Some was luck, some was hustle, but there are takeaways for everything, so here’s how I did it. Hope it helps.

#1 Maximize Opportunities
I had a boring job at a factory (think Homer Simpson). For intellectual stimulation, I started screwing around online. I was asked to build a website and I said OK, without really having a clue. I taught myself HTML, built the site, and in about 3 months, I searched Netscape, and was on the first page for the term “Michigan golf”, and the light bulb went off. This was 1998.

Takeaway: Do it. Build a website. Learn HTML. Play with CSS. Start a blog. I rarely do web design, but knowing the tags and specifics makes it much easier to talk to the designers, and IT. SEO is a different language than most people are accustomed to speaking, so you’re going to need a bridge, and this is a great place to start.

Quote: Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. Ella Williams

#2 Tempt Fate
I had built a few websites of my own, and was screwing around with the affiliate stuff and running a small consulting business. Within a 6 week period, I lost my wife, job, and house (which I built). Easy to read; tough to live through. It was the hat-trick of self-doubt. I immediately started looking for a job, and one in Chicago looked like a good fit. I applied, interviewed, and accepted a position that paid me less (than the job I just lost), but also got me out of my dismal situation.

Takeaway: Life threw a curve ball that hit me in the face. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, and getting “lost in a haze of alcohol-soft middle age” (anyone get the reference?), I looked at it as a chance to truly go a different direction.

Quote: You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. Walt Disney

#3 Drive/Hustle
The job ended up being the World Series of Internet Marketing. I was thrown into an environment where I was immediately in charge of over 100 websites, SEO, Analytics, PPC, Local Search, etc., and I absolutely loved it. I’d set goals for myself (and have them set for me), and I’d shatter them. I’d do whatever it took. I get up at 5 a.m. (or earlier) every day, and get online to take care of personal stuff prior to going to work; I’ve been doing it for years. It’s all about setting goals, and stomping on them as you go past.

Takeaway: It all comes down to passion. There is absolutely nothing I’d rather be doing, and if you can look in the mirror and honestly say that to yourself, then work your butt off. Get up an hour earlier tomorrow and use the time to reach that goal.

Quote: Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it. Author Unknown

#4 Parlay
I made sure to got the maximum benefit out of the position. I started submitting speaker requests at conferences, and have since spoke at fourteen different shows. I ran for the Board of Directors of SEMPO, and got elected. I joined all the industry groups I could (WAA, CIMA, etc.), and networked like crazy. I have profiles on most social sites, try to make new friends, continue relationships with old friends, etc.

Takeaway: SEO is all about maximization, and so is this takeaway. If you don’t put yourself out there, nobody will know who you are. Of the three options, which is better: Applying for dozens of jobs and waiting, picking and choosing, or finally, being contacted for positions? By maximizing all the available channels (and in this industry, there are many), I’m between #2 and #3, and there’s no reason you can’t be either.

Quote: Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential. Winston Churchill.

#5 Network
When I started thinking about a career change, I told a few friends in the industry. They ended up putting me in touch with someone at my current company. The job wasn’t even posted. I can’t think of a better example of the value of networking.

Takeaway: Start your blog. Comment on other blogs. Get in the discussion. Meet new people in the industry, either at a conference, show, online, social network, etc. Nurse those relationships. They may pay off in the future in ways you’ve never imagined.

Quote: True friendship consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and value. Ben Johnson

#6 Personal Branding
This is probably the easiest one, and goes hand-in-hand with Networking. In your view, which is better; Wal-Mart or Target? Both are (basically) after the same customer, but which brand do you like better? Now think of yourself as a brand. Are you a Wal-Mart or a Target? If I were an employer who interviewed you and two other equally qualified applicants, and went online to research the three of you, what would I think of your online brand?

Would I find positive and thought-provoking posts on your blogs? Well thought out replies on other blogs? Active participation on industry web sites? Or would I find you’re post ranting and raving over the shipwreck that the latest Google Dance caused (complete with obscenities)?

Lesson: Your personal brand is everything. Eventually, all employers (especially in this industry) will be doing this, and probably before they call you for an interview. Do a search for your name online. Are the results positive? If not, reference #3 above.

Quote: Perception is reality in the absence of experience – Tom Martin

What would’ve happened if I wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to build a website for a friend in 1998? I have no idea, but I sure am happy I took the chance, and believe me, you will be too. You’re never going to get there from here standing still. Now JUMP!

I played the Heather Course in June of 2006. While on this trip, we also played the Arthur Hills Golf Course (also at Boyne Highlands), Bay Harbor Golf Club, and traveling south, Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course.

We played the Heather Golf Course a couple of days after the 95th Annual Michigan Amateur Championships. This was good and bad.

The good: The golf course was in pristine condition, and the sand in the bunkers was “tour sand”, which actually had a crisper feel on contact, and allowed for better backspin. The bad: The rough hadn’t been cut, so anything out of the fairway was painful, to say the least. In the end, Kate wasn’t a particular fan of this course, but she did spend a lot of time in the rough, so it’s understandable.

There’s a reason why this course was selected to host a Michigan Amateur: It’s tough. The first few holes provide a good start to what’s going to be a challenging round. The first par 3 (4th hole) is all carry over water, and when we played, the pin was in the front. No need to ask; yes, I did get wet.

The 5th hole is a dogleg left, with a great view from the tee of Boyne Mountain. The green has a big bunker in front of it, making the approach very important.

The 9th hole is one of those that starts out easy enough, but finishes strong. Maybe it’s the raised green, or maybe it’s the multiple bunkers surrounding the green. Either way, it made for a great approach. (I actually parred this, but the glee was short-lived).

The 11th is a long, fairly straight hole (with lots of greenside bunkers, of course), but it provides a great view from the green looking back to the tee; you can see the mountain again!

The back starts out simple enough… except for the bunkers. I have to say that I had plenty of opportunity to test the “tour sand” on the Heather course; I was on the beach A LOT. Robert Trent Jones is famous for his greenside bunkering, and it’s obvious that this is one of his courses. If your sand game isn’t on, RUN AWAY!!

Other than the bunkers, the next few holes kind of flew by, until the 14th. We happened to see one of those things that you see in Northern Michigan from time to time; a fox casually following a cart path across the fairway. Kate isn’t accustomed to this, so she was really excited about it. That’s another benefit of golf: Seeing the wildlife in its natural environment.

The Heather course finishes with an approach over water, to a very thin green, and large bunkers behind it. Hitting back to the green from these bunkers is quite the gut shot; the water is very close, and definitely in play.

All in all it was a great round of golf, but the uncut rough made for a very difficult round. I’m sure that if the rough were normal, it would’ve been a much better experience.

Other Michigan Golf Course Reviews:

The Heathlands, Onekama, Michigan
Fazio Premier, Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan
Bay Harbor Golf Club, Bay Harbor, Michigan
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course, Arcadia, Michigan
Canthooke Valley, Manistee National Golf & Resort, Manistee, Michigan
Hemlock Golf Club, Ludington, Michigan
Arthur Hills Golf Course, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Michigan
The Bear Golf Course, Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, Michigan

Return to the Golf Course Reviews Homepage.

Bay Harbor was the last stop on our Northern Michigan golf trip (having already played the Hills and Heather at Boyne). We thought that it would be a good finishing course, and we weren’t disappointed. Easily one of the best Michigan golf courses I’ve ever played.

There are three nine’s to choose from (27 holes total), but through our research (I’m a planner, through and through), we found that the most scenic were The Links 9 and The Quarry 9. Not having seen the third (The Preserve), I can’t judge whether or not we missed anything, but suffice it to say that we were very happy with the views and quality of golf.

The Links 9 starts out on with an uphill par 4, that, upon reaching the green, you can see Lake Michigan, and Bay Harbor proper. What a beautiful sight.

The third hole has a split fairway, which is always fun. There’s a wide, safe route on the right, and a thin, difficult fairway on the left, which borders a steep slope. It was way too early for me to play aggressive, so I opted for the right.

There are two par 3’s on the front, and both offer a decision for club selection (both are downhill, and with Lake Michigan so close, the wind is always a factor), and wonderful views of the lake. We had already gotten out money’s worth, and hadn’t even seen the Quarry!

And what a 9 the Quarry is: It starts our simple enough, with a couple holes that, while testing, wouldn’t be on the top of the list of scenic views. Then, as we got to the third tee, we started to see what would become some of the most scenic golf of our lives.

The third is a par 5, with the green separated from the fairway by some OB, and a large bunker in front of it. As you get further into this hole, you start getting a glimpse of the lake again.

As you approach the 4th tee (riding over a very long bridge), Lake Michigan is in full view, and you’re heading right towards it. There’s also a small lake on the right-hand side, so don’t be too distracted that you push it!

The green of the fifth has a cut-out of the Quarry as a quasi-backstop for the green. Of course, if you hit it, you’re going to be sorry, but visually, it makes for a great approach. There’s also water in front of the green, so this is one of the more precise approaches on this 9.

The sixth is one of my favorite types of holes: Risk/reward. Only 300 yards, it allows you to either lay-up, or go for it. By this time in my round, my score was painful enough that I decided to go for it! The outcome? Let me just say that I was glad I hit a provisional.

The greens for the 7th, 8th and 9th holes are all along the Lake. I’ve yet to see a stronger finish visually on a golf course in my life. I think I took 10 pictures of each hole.

Bay Harbor Golf Club isn’t going to make any of the “lowest priced golf course” lists, but if you enjoy Michigan golf as much as I do, this is easily on the ”must play” list. In addition, my wife noted that the bathrooms were immaculate, and the course, while difficult for her, easily made up for it with the great views. This was her favorite of the three Boyne courses we played, and I’d have to agree.

To view over 100 pictures, visit my Bay Harbor Golf Club page on Flickr.

Other Michigan Golf Course Reviews:

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course, Arcadia, Michigan
Canthooke Valley, Manistee National Golf & Resort, Manistee, Michigan
Heather Golf Course, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Michigan
Fazio Premier, Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan
The Heathlands, Onekama, Michigan
Arthur Hills Golf Course, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Michigan
Hemlock Golf Club, Ludington, Michigan
The Bear Golf Course, Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, Michigan

Return to the Golf Course Reviews Homepage.

I’ve been lucky enough to speak at over a dozen conferences over the last 4 years, most of them being search conferences. I’ve spoke at Multiple Search Engine Strategies, ad:tech, Search Insider Summit, eMetrics, the Internet Marketing Conference in Montreal (old school; hey Barb Coll, remember that show?), and most recently, Pubcon. There’s one element of every panel that will either make it a floating success, or turn it into the Titanic: The Moderator.

My moderators have run the gamut from impressive professionals, to unprepared legacies, and the problem for the audience is that many skew towards the latter.

Now, before every moderator decides to ban me from future sessions, let me preface this by saying that I understand. You’ve probably been attending/speaking at shows longer than I have, and based on seniority, have been elevated to mod status. It only makes sense.

Also, I understand that everyone has a day job, and it’s very, very easy to push a lot of the “non-essential” duties aside, specifically moderating. Making money for your respective company takes precedence over moderating; I get it.

Finally, it’s a pretty thankless job that takes up a lot of time, for no pay, and probably little to no value for you personally. In fact, it may have evolved into more of a chore for you than anything else. The problem is that in some cases, it’s starting to show.

No doubt about it: The audience suffers when the moderator is weak. Couple that with the fact that, regardless of the strength/weakness of the moderator, these conferences are going to continue to grow. It’s like having a very poor marketing department at a casino. Sure, there are numbers to hit, but at the end of the day, they’re going to make money, so it’s not as critical as it is to most organizations. Same thing here: More and more people are getting into the industry regardless of the strength of the shows.

Here are a few things I’ve seen lately that have made for poor panels.

I was asked to speak on a panel, about 6 weeks prior to the conference. During that six week period, I never received an email from the moderator. Nobody asked what I’d be speaking on, to ensure there was little overlap between presentations. When the conference began, nobody reached out to me to ensure I was prepared. Nobody reminded me to bring the presentation on a USB stick. When the session time arrived, nobody shook my hand and thanked me for spending my time and money (OK, my company’s money) to educate the audience.

Here’s the rub, and the reason for this article: I spoke on a panel, and never met the moderator. Other than introducing me (luckily my name is easy to pronounce), I haven’t carried on a conversation with this person in my life. Never shook their hand, never heard about their business, nothing. To me, that’s a sad state of affairs, and I can see the conferences taking on water. The quartet isn’t on the main deck, and the women and children aren’t being loaded into life-boats, but the hull is definitely not fixing itself.

So how did the panel perform? In my opinion, lousy. Most of the moderators covered the same industry statistics, all having different numbers from different sources, which had to be confusing for the audience. Since there wasn’t any collaboration ahead of time, how were they to know who was covering what?

In addition, one of the speakers decided to turn his presentation into a sales pitch. I’m guessing this was his first speaking engagement, because normally, it’s well known that that is frowned upon. I’d bet that he had no idea, and again, since there wasn’t any contact before-hand, why shouldn’t he plug his company?

The result? From the time he started plugging, to the time he was finished (and it was painfully long; at least 6-7 full conference minutes of plugging away), I’d estimate 1/5 to 1/6 of the audience left. It was unbelievable to watch. The speaker seated next to me kept looking at me in amazement: When will this end? Why isn’t the moderator stepping in? WTF? I felt bad for the next speaker. He was about to present to 20% fewer people.

Don’t let this happen on your panel. Here’s where a moderator can stand out. Not only should you select good moderators, but keep them on the same page, for conference consistency. Here are a few ideas:

• Plugging your company in such a painfully blatant way is not acceptable. Viewing presentations before-hand would fix this problem. (Jim Sterne of the Emetrics Summit starts his conferences off by telling the audience that when a speaker starts pitching his own product, start booing, and has the audience practice their booing, so they’re ready. The message is pretty clear, and it works well.)
• Set up a conference call at least a month in advance (two months is better, if possible) with all the speakers. Discuss who covers what, to avoid overlap.
• Two to three weeks prior to the show, collect the presentations from the speakers, and ensure both of the above areas are covered. This will also assist in setting up the batting order of the speakers. Have the “stats and industry numbers” presenter go first.
• Set up a meeting with your panel in the speaker’s lounge prior to the session so everyone can meet in a relaxed setting. I’m nervous as heck prior to speaking. This is not the time to meet my fellow panelists. Plus my palms are sweaty, and nobody likes the guy who wipes his hand on his pants prior to shaking theirs. A short meeting in a more relaxed environment to exchange last minute ideas and business cards is a much better approach.
• Ask the speaker for a tidbit of info about them that nobody knows, and use it in their introduction. (For me: After getting discharged (honorably) from the Navy, I spent 2 ½ months in England, with time in London, Hull, York, Scarborough, and a long, interesting weekend in Amsterdam). The value? This gives audience members a lead-in to start a conversation with the speaker after the presentation. Very conducive to networking, and when done at the conference level, very valuable all around.
• Collect a question from each speaker to ask them after their presentation. (What’s the one big takeaway? What’s the most important lesson learned? … Something like that.) I spoke on a panel where the moderator liked “shooting from the hip.” I’m sure you can see where this is going. Nobody was prepared, and the answers were weak at best. Personally, I froze, and that’s not a pretty sight. In addition, this give the audience the ability to differentiate the most important point from each presenter’ great for note takers.
• By having this question before-hand, it can make the transition between speakers much more valuable. There’s nothing valuable about this: “Thank you very much; good presentation; very interesting. Our next presenter is…” Don’t be that guy. This is the perfect spot for a predetermined question, and also gives the moderator ample time to switch presentations.
• Afterwards, thank the speakers for presenting. Most, if not all of them paid their own way to come to the show. Some of them may be able to write it off, and others won’t. Regardless, remember that they have not only paid with money, but also time, and everyone in this industry knows how valuable that is.

By following a few of the above ideas, your next conference will be more fluid, your speakers will be better prepared and more relaxed, and your audience will walk away with a better overall conference experience: A win-win-win. I can see the people stepping from the lifeboats back onto the ship already.

What’s going to differentiate all these conferences going forward? In my opinion, the quality of the moderator will play a big part.

What do you think? Do you have any ideas to add to the list to make moderators consistently better? Are some of the points valid, or am I just a whiner?

UPDATE: I posted a follow-up to this with some additional thoughts on conference moderators.

I played in the first SEO Pubcon Poker Tournament at the Venetian last night and I won! It came down to Shoemoney and I, and I was fortunate enough to come out on top.

Just a quick note on how great of guy Jeremy is. Prior to the tournament, I had never met him. Sure, I’ve read his posts, and sure, I’ve seen the picture with the Google check (who hasn’t), but had no idea what kind of person he was. Now that I sat next to him, I can easily say that he is a class act. Smooth (and not just his haircut), polite, and down-right normal, in a good way. I couldn’t have been luckier.

As some of you may have read elsewhere, this was my first official poker event. I have played at my uncle’s (Hi Torrin), but that’s really more of an excuse for guys to get together and be stupid, which is awesome in its’ own right. This was clearly a case of beginners’ luck.

Finally, prior to the tournament, I read through the info on the charities, and was touched by the story of the wife who lost her husband in the California fires. My step-dad passed away a few years ago, and left my mother a widow, and I remember how tough a transition it was for her. I know that no amount of money will “fix” anything, but I also know that it doesn’t hurt, so I made an additional donation to the fund.

In the end, that’s really the foundation of our industry (at least to me); giving back. I’d like to kick-off what I hope becomes a tradition: That going forward, the winner of the Pubcon SEO Poker Tournament donate a percentage of the winnings to one of the great charities for which the event was conceived. In the ebb and flow of a poker tournament, it’s easy to forget why we were there in the first place; charity, and I’m honored to have the opportunity of starting what I hope is a long and beneficial tradition.

Thanks again for all the congratulations, atta-boys and photo-ops, and I can’t wait to defend my crown in 2008.

I played Arcadia Bluffs with my wife (Kate) in June of 2006. The funny thing about this course is that it is built about a half hour north of where I grew up (Manistee). I never imagined that a course of this caliber would be located so close to my hometown. Now I have an additional reason to take the 5-hour drive to visit my parents!

We played in the early afternoon, teeing off around 1, so we had plenty of time beforehand to peruse the golf shop, which had some very nice, distinct items (Kate was already thinking of Christmas presents, so we left with a bagful). We also had time for lunch, and it was definitely a few steps above most clubhouse fare. Lots of choices too. If you go save time for lunch before or after your round.

The first few holes start off “simple” enough, and by simple, I mean that you’re not distracted by the views of Lake Michigan (yet). From the onset you know that this isn’t going to be like most rounds of golf in Northern Michigan (or North America, for that matter). The bunkering is a dead giveaway that this round is going to be something special.

By the time you get to the third tee, you can see a lot of the golf course, and Lake Michigan, and the anticipation sets in (at least for me it did). There’s no feeling quite like being on the first couple holes of a golf course, and seeing all the wonderful terrain to come. Experiencing anticipation like this is what it’s all about to me.

I started the course par, par, and then birdie on the 3rd (stuck a wedge very close) to be one under after 3. Then I started thinking about how well I was doing, and it started to unravel, but mercifully, slowly.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the restroom facilities on the 4th hole. As a guy, it’s not really a big deal, but when you play golf with a woman, it matters… a lot. My wife noted that these were some of the cleanest bathrooms she’s ever seen on a golf course. That’s a pretty big kudos to the staff.

Working our way towards the lake over the next couple holes, then back to the clubhouse for 9, just enjoying the views. It was a little foggy that day, but it came and went just enough to tease us of what was to come on the back 9.

Stopping at the turn for a soda (OK, probably a couple beers), I noticed a collection of Adirondack chairs that have a view of the 18th, and Lake Michigan. A very nice, unexpected touch.

The 10th has a massive, deep bunker in front of the green that is tough to miss (well, at least for me). It reminded me of some of the bunkers at Whistling Straits, where we honeymooned. Calls for a special shot, so be prepared to hit flops out of sand.

The 11th, a 563 yard downhill par 5 is easily the best hole on the course. You work your way downhill towards the Lake, and the views up and down the hole are fantastic. I think I took 10 pictures playing this hole. It’s one of those holes that you keep thinking about, even after you’re 3-4 holes past. Looking from the green back up the hill towards the clubhouse produced one of my personal favorite pictures, out of the 2,500 or so that I’ve taken on golf courses.

The 13th is one of those par 3’s that you don’t soon forget either. All carry, into the wind. Take a few extra clubs, but beware there’s a “secret” bunker behind the green that I wasn’t prepared for that you can’t see from the tee. You definitely don’t want to be short, because you’ll be OB, but don’t be long either. Like I said, a very memorable par 3.

As we worked our way through the remainder of the course, the fog was 90% gone, and it provided great views of Lake Michigan, the clubhouse, and the rest of the golf course. The finishing hole is a strong one; your drive is downhill, but approach is uphill. This type of hole makes for a great photo opportunity too.

The prices are not for the faint of heart, and are not anywhere near what the other area golf courses are charging, but that being said, it is a once in a lifetime experience you won’t want to miss out on. We went on a Wednesday, which in 2006 was ladies day, so Kate’s fee was half price. The staff was attentive, all the way from taking our bags at the drop, to shuttling us back to the parking lot to get our car after our round. I would easily suggest this course to anyone who wants to “experience” golf, rather than just play it.

For over 120 pictures of our round of golf at Arcadia Bluffs, please visit my Flickr page, or view the Slideshow.

Other Michigan Golf Course Reviews:

Bay Harbor Golf Club, Bay Harbor, Michigan
Fazio Premier, Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan
Canthooke Valley, Manistee National Golf & Resort, Manistee, Michigan
Hemlock Golf Club, Ludington, Michigan
The Heathlands, Onekama, Michigan
Heather Golf Course, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Michigan
Arthur Hills Golf Course, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Michigan
The Bear Golf Course, Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, Michigan

Return to the Golf Course Reviews Homepage.

Played the Arthur Hills course at Boyne in June of 2006 with my wife. The course starts out with pretty expansive views (including the ski resort), but within a few holes, you’re within a pine forest, which is what I think of when I think of Northern Michigan golf. Kate actually commented on how neat it looked. Wildlife was abundant, and I got some close-ups of a young deer foraging through the woods.

After finishing the 12th hole, I remember going uphill for a longer period of time than expected. We just kept winding up and up and up. Finally, when arriving at the 13th tee, it was apparent why. Easily the best view on the course. I think we could see for miles, and I must’ve taken 10 pictures, just to make sure I had some to choose from. It was a high point of our Boyne vacation. (It reminded me of the view from the 14th tee at The General at Eagle Ridge Resort.) In addition, someone had carved a small bear out of a stump with a chainsaw. That’s something you don’t see everyday, and one of those items that made you glad you remembered a camera.

Following is a very tough par 3, that luckily played perfectly into my draw. Then, we saw a couple of sandhill cranes walking across the course, nonchalantly, like they do. It was nice seeing them as a pair, so I took multiple shots.

The course finishes with another view of the mountain, and abundant wildlife around the lake. We saw some ducks, swans, and a Caspian tern, all within the same hole!

Other Michigan Golf Course Reviews:

Heather Golf Course, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Michigan
The Heathlands, Onekama, Michigan
Bay Harbor Golf Club, Bay Harbor, Michigan
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course, Arcadia, Michigan
Hemlock Golf Club, Ludington, Michigan
Fazio Premier, Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan
Canthooke Valley, Manistee National Golf & Resort, Manistee, Michigan
The Bear Golf Course, Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, Michigan

Return to the Golf Course Reviews Homepage.

Lee Odden of TopRankBlog stopped me at SES San Jose this year and asked if I’d give him a quick 90 second interview on SES as a whole, and about a SEMPO-sponsored in-house event I was hosting the first night of the conference. Yeah, I know, I talk WAY too fast; I’m working on it, I swear.