Day 4: Hills and Heather (scooters and pale feet)

It’s Wednesday and time for Boyne Highlands to play Arthur Hills (think: booming trees) and Heather (classic beauty). Internet is super slow as I try and upload Sunday’s blog. The news is still talking about the weather being: Chamber of Commerce weather. Today’s high is only supposed to be 76. Perfect. They also just ran a story about recreational marijuana that has been legalized in Michigan but needs town votes to bring it in (no, I don’t care, but it’s newsworthy in Michigan). It’s also definitely clear in Michigan that there is a prescription drug problem based on the news and the commercials.

Head to the Boyne Highlands where we have breakfast in the main lodge (they still haven’t fixed the wing that had the fire a couple of years ago, since the rooms on the first floor are still as is). Another big breakfast buffet with an omelet station staffed by the same guy from many years. Weird that this year there is no rye toast (my blog, so I can be random).

Random Boyne Mountain (www.boyne.com) shower commentary: I have blogged multiple times about my dislike of the corner bathroom shower at the first floor second bath at the Creekside condos. As a woman, they just don’t work if you only want to take a shower and not wash/wet your hair, especially if you want to shave your legs. This year, not only do I have the corner shower (Tom gets the master bedroom/bathroom), they have changed the shower head to one of those rain shower heads. Even worse. And it’s kind of a dinky spray/rainfall. I’ve brought it up to the guys. On the way to the Highlands, Paul says they want to stop at Home Depot and replace their shower heads – it seems that they have the new shower heads, but instead of a dinky spray/rainfall, it “feels like toothpicks being shot out of a machine gun.” They can barely stand under it.

Short drive to Arthur Hills to check in and warm up before our round. Arthur Hills has to be another of my favorites (it feels like a broken record when I keep talking about my favorites – this is why we come back every year – there’s not much to dislike and when we say something bad, it’s not even that deserving of criticism).

Nice temp in the morning heading to the Highlands (sweater weather)!

#1 Teebox on Hills (bunker down the right side)

Pete and me (that pink sweater has made every Michigan trip).

#3 Hills (par 5 with bunker down the right)

Birdie by Tom on #3 warrants a pancake!

The aliens definitely designed this hole with the green in the middle of it all. Don't go long. Don't go short.

Signature Par 5 at the Hills (down, down, down the hill)

Embedded tee shot from the tips.

Nice touch at Boyne (also on another course) suggesting that peeing in the woods is not recommended and that there are facilities on the course to us.

The rest of my blog posts are going to be late. I can’t seem to get emails to go through with attachments to post. Slow internet, or? But, don’t even seem to be getting email in general. Oh well, my email post says I don’t “have no Internet” as sung by Kidd Rock.

Back to Arthur Hills – what an awesome course – and picturesque on every hole. Something different about all of the holes as well – some more links like, some lined by forest and tree “farms” – not much in the way of water, but some (most in play on the par 5 18^th, which dares a good player to get there in two by going over the pond). This year, we’ve been putting with the flag in a lot, since the rules allow. For some reason on this day, I start pulling it – and putting better. I guess it’s mental, but the flag can get in your head, in my mind – and I can be a head case when it comes to things like this.

Pace of play is perfect and we don’t see a group ahead of us, or behind us, the entire round (well, on the signature par 5 that everyone hits from the back tees down the hill (someone’s ball embedded into the fairway when it landed).

We don’t have time for lunch at the Country Club and head over to Heather for a beer and a brat before teeing off. Boyne now has the little golf “scooters” that you can use instead of a cart at Heather, Moor, and Ross. Tom decides that he’s going to do this at Heather (I think it’s a $35 surcharge). HE LOVES IT. And, it has a cup holder for a beer (but not a basket for other stuff – where would I put my purse?).

Heather is also a great, classic, Robert Trent Jones, course. A little bit of everything – with water in play more than other courses we play in Michigan. They did Big Break here a number of years ago on The Golf Channel.

I check us in to Heather with Paul, Pete and Tom – with a picture of Tom on the scooter. I also text the breakfast club with a picture and this is the dialogue that ensues:

·         Ron: I hope he doesn’t break a hip!

·         Someone: way cool, are you getting one too? (don’t know who that is… just figured it out now)

·         Ron: In fact I hope no one does…LOL

·         Peter: Suicide mission

·         Someone: Sorry, Jan Stark (duh, not “sorry, Jan Stark” but “sorry, this is Jan Stark)

·         Me: Jan’s OK, just Mary Warren!

·         Ron: Smart Move Paulie

·         Heather: Safety first Dad!

·         Mike: Y’all should put on a sumo suit and have a demolition derby

Barefoot golf

#18 at Heather (not my favorite hole with that #$$^&^@! pond in the middle of it all), but they added a bench...

I’m driving Pete around today and his game has gone south and he’s crabby (when you’re a 6 handicap and not shooting anywhere near to your handicap, it makes sense. I’m not that good and have a more positive attitude about it – airborne is a good thing; forward is a good thing; not losing a ball is a good thing). I suggest barefoot golf, and before we know it, shoes and socks are off (mine too after a bit). Man our feet are white! I also suggested a drink, but Pete didn’t buy that (when your game goes south, beers help!).

It continues, but you get this gist… Tom is fine. Nothing broken. Everything good. No tumbles (he did mention a close encounter with a bunker). And he had a blast (of course, we carried all of his extra stuff – and extra beers).

The Country Club is closed for dinner due to a private function, so we head over to the mountain for dinner at the 40 Acres Tavern (much better than Everett’s in my opinion and they let us choose what we want -- within limit -- on our Great Escape plan – excluding alcohol). The Great Escape plan, in case I didn’t talk enough about it, includes unlimited golf (a few course upcharges), lodging (we stay in the cabins with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, hot tub, kitchen, deck, living area, etc.), breakfast and dinner at a number of restaurants on property. The ice cream options for dessert weren’t enough for Tom and Pete, and they stopped next door at Kilwins.

No more Bob In Again (sniff).

The "Hansel and Gretel" condo is for sale at the Mountain.

I made us a "logo" in chalk.

Dinner at the Tavern

Off to bed and ready to go again at the Highlands in the morning. Just like Groundhog Day, only 13 different courses and a few different dining options.