Day 4: Liz's Day at Bay Harbor

Tom likes ketchup

Bob's pretending to read the newspaper

Day 4 has been designated “Liz’s Day.” It’s Bay Harbor and the entire day is special to me, regardless of how I play. We head first to the Inn at Bay Harbor for breakfast at Sagamore’s. Probably shouldn’t be eating breakfast with linen wearing my golf hat (but women are allowed, right?). Then, off to Bay Harbor down the road. All of us have gotten a bit nervous about the van and the speed Pete makes turns into places. Feels like either he’s going to put the van on two wheels, or we’re going to plow into the flowers and rocks next to the turn. So far, so good.

Check in, warm up. We begin with Links/Quarry and then follow up with Preserves/Links. The weather is beautiful. The scenery is gorgeous. Believe it or not, on this trip, I didn’t buy anything. I have plenty of Bay Harbor gear so I’m good. Today, I’m riding (rather driving) Tom around the course. It will be interesting to see how Pete and Bob do in the same cart.

The marshals are pretty serious in a good hearted way at Bay Harbor (actually for the most part, all of the marshals at Boyne courses are great, but Bay Harbor is the best as they also wear a name tag that says where they are from). Larry and "Mr. Ogre" go over pace of play and how we could get forced to skip a hole, blah blah blah. Pete has to tell them what his index is and how we play as 5 every weekend in under 3.5 hours at Woodbridge.

Bob talking to the marshal at the first tee

Again, I have clearly not brought a game to Michigan, especially at the beginning of the round. Bob, playing from a set of tees forward from Pete and Tom, shoots lights out (when we turn these cards into Woodbridge, his handicap may just drop a bit). Bob beats all of us on the Links with a solid 40. Pete’s having “putting issues” again this round. But, we're at Bay Harbor. And, Bob and I have a motto: It's either good, or it isn't. It either will be, or won't be.

Guess somewhere on this nine we missed Pete (aka The Volcano or Whirly-bird) toss one sending a flock of geese scurryering (sp) away thinking that they were target. My bad game, while not making me happy, isn't getting me angry. Besides, I have beer and the beer cart girl has shown us how to stash our beer under the seat. Why hadn't we thought of that earlier?

We make the turn to play the Quarry and the group ahead of us stopped at the clubhouse before heading to the Quarry tees. Tom and I missed something, but Bob thought they were slowing up play and buzzed the marshal on the GPS we have on the cart. Then, he realizes he lost his BOSE speaker for music (which I had “banned for Bay Harbor -- don’t ask me why, but I \just like the atmosphere of Bay Harbor sans music. You can hear the waves on the beach, the silence of the water, just so serene). Ask \if he’s sure that he put it in the cart. Bob takes off in search of his speaker. We wait for the group to clear and then tee up. Find out that two groups back did find his speaker (need to ask Bob where they found it -- who knows). We tee off and then head to our second shots. A couple of minutes later, Larry, the marshal shows up.

“Did you have a problem with your button? Or do you need something?” asks Larry. Tom and I busted up. Clearly the call button on the cart should be for something important. The marshals, after all, are monitoring the pace of play. And, we’re on vacation, so who cares. They aren’t going to put us on the clock if we’re waiting on every shot (and it’s not tedious -- we spend enough time just taking pictures). Larry’s timing wasn’t ideal as Pete shanked one into the woods.

Quarry again is beautiful. Don't know if Pete thinks so as

Had to show my third shot on Hole 3/Quarry. Don't know if I've ever finished this hole. Pretty, but ...

Quarry/Hole 4/Blue Teebox/harbor in the background

Quarry/Hole 7/Par 5

Quarry 9/View from the patio

Lunch on the patio. Bob and Tom have to make a few calls so they didn't get to enjoy as long as me and Pete. How perfect of a day to be able to play a round, sit on the patio overlooking Quarry 9 and get to play another round.

Off we go to Preserves. This takes a little ride down the road past some pretty nice houses. Again, like the Mountain, we load up with extra balls to toss back and forth to each other to see if you can hit a cart. Silly, yes. Fun, yes. We're obviously easy to amuse.

Tee off for our second 18. Pass the marshal (Mr Ogre again) on our way and wave and say hi, again, saying how happy we are to be here. A few minutes later, he comes back and drives into the fairway and beckons me. Hands me a beat up yardage book and says it's his personal and sorry it's so tattered but he thinks it's much better than GPS. He gets a hug. Tom gets a picture.

Please note that all of these blog posts may be reposted with additional pictures that Tom has taken on this trip. Haven't uploaded them yet so as I type, I can't access. And since it's not quite 5 am ET won't go knocking on his door even though he is awake. 

No, Pete isn't beating up on Bob (even though he probably wants to). Just trying to crack Bob's back on Preserves 1.

Preserves 2/Short hole, hard dogleg if you hit it left (don't go left).

Hole 2/Preserves bridge now has gorgeous planter boxes.

Bob: #1 Links, Round 2

Tom, #1 Links, Round 2

Pete, #1 Links, Round 2

The Preserves are also giving Pete fits. One club toss. I'm playing poorly because with all of my overturning, I have a "Athlete's Hernia" as Bob put it. But, still playing and then take out some of my woods. If I'm playing poorly, may try to hit some of them. They go airborne, slightly, but I make contact. But, I'm trying again.

Make the turn and back to Links. OK, Pete, you asked us if we ever thought of playing the same course twice on our week so you can remember the course (Tom and I looked at each other and then at him as if that was the silliest thing in the world. Why would you?). Well, here's your chance. Repeat on the Links this afternoon. Pete does do better, but I guess on the third hole I missed a near cart incident as Daigle took a wrong turn (I think) and went barrelling down a hill, almost turning the cart, crashing the cart, don't know what else. No footage available).

On 4,  Bob almost jars it on the short par 3. But doesn't. Tom and I talk about not eating dinner and playing another 9 (yes, we're like that). It's just so nice here that you don't want to leave. But, we finish our round, load up into the van and head out.

I have really enjoyed this "no cell phone during the day policy" I enacted. I turn it off at breakfast and not on again until after our second round. No distractions. No, let me see what the blinking red light says. I think everyone needs to detox from technology -- especially outside and on a golf course. Try it.

We head to dinner near the Inn. I feel like a prima donna since it's a fish/seafood place and I have to be difficult. Probably not my best meal in Michigan but Tom, Pete and Bob make out OK. Back home to shower, watch the women's beach volleyball team win, and a bit of the Olympics.

Tomorrow: day 5. Heather and Hills. Lunch at the club. Bob In Again for dinner (not per Bob and Pete who may go out when we return). More pictures to be uploaded later since WiFi is going too slow for me.