I have to tell you that my visit to Manistee was pretty special. I have known Doug Bell General manager for many years, maybe 12, and all that time he had been suggesting that I should come up and check the place out. Well I finally made it and I am sure glad that I did. It was a pretty special couple of days and I did not even feel like I was working. Yeah, I know, like many others you're thinking that this is not really work!

With having Golden Retrievers as part of my life for the past 15 years or so I felt right at home with dog toys in the hotel lobby along with the wagging tails and tongues that are always happy to see you. That is just the way most dogs are. Over the years my own dogs have walked fairways on occasion and you can't help wondering what it might be like to play a round of golf with your pal by your side.

On this particular Monday some maintenance work was being done on the Canthooke Valley Course which we were playing. We had the first tee time at noon. CJ, one of Doug's 2 Golden's, had been hanging out with us that morning as I got a tour of the Manistee area. I asked Doug if he ever took his boys onto the course, "On occasion" he said "Not if we are busy, but the boys are good, they stay close." Since we were first off that day Doug said that CJ could accompany us for at least the first 9.

It was pretty amazing to see that this Golden was obviously very comfortable on the course. He spent half his time running alongside the cart and the rest riding in the cart. Not once did he ever interfere with our playing. CJ seemed to know when we were hitting our shots and that it was a good time to rest or check out what might be rustling in the woods. Like a good dad Doug had plenty of water for CJ. It was a nice warm sunny day so we had to keep all of us hydrated. He ran his little butt off for nine holes and then it was time for him to do what all dogs do best – snooze. An unforgettable day with a great dog in great shape. Thank you for experience Doug.

The day before was another day that was pretty much all about me but this time because of my golf round. It did not really hit me until the next day but shooting a 74 on the Cutters Ridge Course that has a slope of 144 is probably my best round ever. I have had lower scores but not on that tough of a course. Yes I played some good golf that day but the golf Gods were looking down on me in a favorable way for a change. As we all know, they are not on our sides often. I arrived at Manistee in plenty of time to get checked in and make my way to the Clubhouse and grab some lunch at the 19th hole. A favorite gathering place for golfers playing here! There was a vibrant atmosphere with golfers coming and going. I can understand why, the food was very tasty, the staff friendly and the suds were cold. I was expecting to play the easier of the 2 courses on this day but my playing partner Don who works at Manistee and his buddy Bill Smith advised me that there had been a change of plans and we would be playing the toughie today - Cutters Ridge. We played the blue tees at a length of just over 6,300 yards, and to have a slope rating of 144 you know it has got to have bite. The landing areas off the tee are fairly generous and the key to scoring on this course is the shot into the green. Missing the green on the wrong side could lead to big numbers. Well there was not much that I could do wrong on this day especially with the putter. With 2 penalty stroke situations that I encountered they really only cost me one stroke to par. The first was on the 3rd hole, a shot from about 190 yards out that rolled off the green under a big fir tree. Took my drop, chipped up and one putt! On the par 3, 15th I hit a terrible shot off to the right that hit a tree and dropped greenside close to a bunker. A poor chip left me about 15 feet – no problem, drano!

CJ's Thirsty Manistee National Manistee National

Just to top off the kind of day it was, the par 4, 17th requires a fairly long carry off the tee to get to the fairway. It gets longer the more to the right that you stay. Of course my draw decided not to draw and it stayed right. We did hear the ball hit on the other side but when we got there – no ball. There is a severe bank that rolls and slopes toward the hazard so we assumed that the ball hit and rolled back in.

Take my drop, penalty stroke and hit my 4 rescue from 180 onto the back side of the green. Of course the pin was at the front. Downhill and curling putt from about 30 feet or more – no problem on this day. Drano and another par. I just dropped my putter and smiled embarrassingly at Don and Bill before bowing down to the Golf Gods. Thank you Golf Gods!

A few days I will never forget. If you get a chance to make it up to Manistee you will not regret it. Great fall packages are available. www.manisteenational.com or 1-800-867-2604

You will catch CJ out and about. He likes to help out the junior golfers with their chipping and putting and Ferris he is more of the couch potato type. He takes care of the Pro Shop; you will likely find him snoozing on the air conditioner vent.

 

08/10