Day 6: The Mountain, Barefoot Golf

There is always a chance of rain in Michigan and so far we’ve avoided it. I’m happy that Bay Harbor day was overcast AND sunny, but no rain. On the Mountain, there’s a chance, but it looks good. Maybe in the morning a little. And maybe in the afternoon.

Today we have breakfast at the Mountain. Same type of buffet as Highlands. But, different. We eat, grab “To Go” coffees, and head to the Mountain to check in for Alpine in the morning. Monument in the afternoon. Take the 15 minute ride up the mountain.

The Whites are running a little late in the morning. Heather tells us from their window.

Yes, six people, six sets of clubs fit in this guy.

A little early for breakfast so we get some lucky pennies made at Boyne Mountain.

Riding up the mountain and golf ball tossing (objective is to catch a tossed ball).

Paul wants a group shot of everyone on the bridge between Alpine #2 and #3. Me, Tom and Pete finish up on #3 and drive back for the photo – a selfie, no less. Success. Our first group of six selfie.

Heather, Mark and Paul on #2, Alpine

Selfie on the bridge, #2/#3, Alpine

Sign antics. We made some changes to the leaderboard.

Mark slays Alpine.

Pete's still trying to get the sod record and collect #20 from Scott.

Tom not quite able to climb this tree.

The bridge where we took the selfie.

Baby seagull.

Matchie, matchie.

Heather at the apple altar.

Pete starts out ROUGH on Alpine. Until #4 – drive into a left bunker. Hits his second. In the hole it goes for an Eagle, Chippie, Sandie, Skin (if we were playing that game). It makes him happy and less grumpy, at least for a bit. It’s hard for Pete not to appear grumpy. We try and poke him into a smile.

Lunch on the patio. Then off to the Monument and back up the Mountain. We get off earlier, hoping to beat the rain that is supposed to come in the afternoon. Me, Paul and Pete. Heather, Tom and Mark. Mark has given me and Paul an extra bottle of “pancakes” and we have fun. Me and Paul take our shoes off after the cart girl gets us a beer hookup. Pete’s mad at us for talking. We just get more giggly. And then Pete takes his shoes off so life is better. Jerry Lee takes our picture on Green #16. 

Paul with the Willow Tree

Paul trying to capture the $20 from Scott.

We finish up our round. Alpine and Monument are now Heather and Mark’s “new favorites.”

And then we decide we need to play more. As a scramble. Some of us barefoot (Mark and Heather didn’t go for that though – and Tom didn’t either). 6 under for 9.

Birdie = Pancakes

And then dinner instead of at the Bob In Again, at a Mexican restaurant – Red Mesa (http://www.magnumhospitality.com/redmesa/#contact ). Pretty good Mexican for Michigan coming from Texas. It’s raining pretty good at this point and on the way home.

Paul's "fancy" beverage at Red Mesa.

Mark listening intently to Tom's story.

One more round for the Whites on Friday before they head back to Dallas, Crooked Tree. We also are playing the Donald Ross course.

Day 5: Liz’s Day: Bay Harbor – Links, Quarry, Preserve

Yeah, my day, Bay Harbor (http://www.bayharborgolf.com/). On the way to Bay Harbor we pass 7-11 – we’re not stopping because I can get a to go cup at Sagamore’s. But, it’s no longer a 7-11! No need to keep that tradition anymore. Sad. At least I have a picture of it when it was a 7-11.

Sagamore’s has the best of the Boyne breakfast buffets. Huge bowls of cherries, blueberries and raspberries. Perfect omelets. Excellent bacon and sausage links (local). Paul gets biscuits and gravy and says they are the best.

Inn at Bay Harbor

"Beach" at the Inn at Bay Harbor

The Whites in matching orange and grey.

Warm up quickly and then off to the Links. Bay Harbor has this new iPad registration thing for carts that was a pain in the butt to fill out and got us off late. Me, Heather, Tom – Mark, Paul, Pete. 9 Links holes and then 9 Quarry holes in the morning. Heather gets to hit balls into the Bay as a first timer, now understanding why we collect golf balls when we get to Michigan. I like the Links, but like Quarry even more, especially the Par 3s. The only hole I don’t like on Quarry is the Par 5 third hole. This time, I make it over in 3 by hugging the right side more than I usually do.

Quarry, Par 5, #5

Quarry, Par 5, #5

Paul and Pete ball hunting on quarry, Par 5, #6 (Paul makes par)

Quarry, Par 3, #8 (awesome view of the bay) -- two club wind.

Hitting balls into the Bay on Links.

Obligatory pose on the bench at House on Links, #8.

Heather posing with her "son" at House on Links, #8.

No lunch on the patio, as is tradition, because they are getting ready to tear up the patio and redo it.

Paul in his colorful glory thanks to Jan!

It's definitely an orange kind of day (except Tom who won't wear orange).

Afternoon is Preserves/Links with me, Mark and Paul – and Heather, Pete and Tom. I manage to shoot a 78 (my first round in the 70s in all of the years I’ve been coming to Michigan!). Definitely save my mulligan for the 9^th hole of the Preserve, a par 3 that has an awesome view of the Bay (and a pretty nice “little” house behind the green). These courses are now Mark and Heather’s “favorites.” Mainly the whole package – views, course, conditions. But there is still more to come!

Tom, Heather, Pete on the Links

Mark hitting into the Bay.

Paul hitting into the Bay.

Obligatory picture on bench on Links, #8.

"Father" and "Son."

Mark with his new "son."

For "Southerners" this pole is for them to find the hydrants in times of "big snow."

One more ball into the Bay for Mark.

Handstands on the Links par 5, 7th.

And cartwheels.

On the Par 5 last hole of the Links, we run into the Marshall. Find out he’s recently retired and his son is the Head Professional at Bay Harbor (from their website: Steve Niezgoda has stepped into Fuhrman's vacated role as head golf professional. No stranger to Bay Harbor, Niezgoda spent time with the club as an intern before beginning his full-time professional career with BOYNE as an assistant golf professional. Steve returns to Michigan from Maine's Sugarloaf Resort, a BOYNE-managed property where he was the Director of Golf, Retail and Rental.). Not a bad retirement “gig.” Marshal and free golf at all of the Boyne courses.

Mickelson played at Bay Harbor in the Wonderful World of Golf (note Bones signed the bib as well).

Lehman also played in the Wonderful World of Golf.

Sometimes after Bay Harbor we go to the marina for a “fancy dinner” – nothing I’m all that excited about, but not bad. This time, we have a drink down at the open bottom patio and watch the players come in (comments about seeing if we could get some carts and play the 9^th hole of the Quarry over and over). Then, our first stop at the Bob In Again (a shrimp basket for Paul – and Bear Claws). We place our orders (they stopped making the shrimp basket so Paul is bummed and just orders a Bear Claw. Me the strawberry shortcake with custard. Mark and Heather a Traverse Cherry (we find out that Mark doesn’t like chocolate – you find out all kinds of things on this trip). I pay and ask if Robert is there. They say, no, tomorrow.

And then Robert shows up to our table! Finally, after all of these years (the first contact I had with him was a panicked phone call because their website was down and I thought they were closed – happened that he let the hosting expire so it went down and then had to redo the website). He bought us onion rings. Mark buys Tom a Bob In Again tee shirt (he doesn't have one after all of these years).

Bay Harbor Day is over. Until next year.