Tuesday - The Donald Ross Memorial (bunker course)

August 05, 2021

Tuesday - The Donald Ross Memorial (bunker course)

Tuesday, yet another electrical issue in my room and bathroom. Who needs lights to get ready? And, no Wifi in the morning. We love staying at Boyne Mountain, but this hasn't been fun and the Disciples, where we normally don't stay, is a little "worn." But we can't really complain.We swing by the front desk and let them know on our way to The Donald Ross Memorial – with breakfast at the Highlands before we head to Ross Pro Shop. They are doing construction – with detour – on 131 that may affect us on the way back since it’s one way. Pretty easy drive to Boyne Highlands – our mini van has squeaky windshield wipers that need to be replaced.

We haven’t seen a lot of COVID protocols in Michigan since we’ve been here. A few masks, a few shields. Boyne Highlands dining/buffet was the first. They have the tables socially distanced. The food is either individually packaged, or staff has to serve you. They don’t have as many choices. The buffet at the Highlands, as a result, is not as impressive as it used to be. But, it’s not like we are starving. We eat and drive over to the Country Club of Boyne, where the Ross, Moor and Arthur Hills courses are.

This golf facility has a nice driving range/practice area. I am not partaking in this area this year since I’m only chipping and putting – well, the practice green, just not the range.

Scoreboard in Memory of Glenn Johnson -- he's done a lot in golf in Michigan

Tom gets a golf board (the cart staff forgot to secure his bag and it fell off when he started)

Tom rents a golf board for the Ross. With his bad knees, he thinks it may be a bit challenging this year, but he’s up for it. Pete and I load up together. We head to the Ross, a collection of signature Donald Ross holes around the world. This reads as: lots of bunkers in strategic areas, domed greens that you need to hit, and some lengthy par 3s. It’s a pretty course, but I’ve never played it well. This time I can even pick which holes I want to play, and what yardage I want to chip and putt, so I like the course much more. The first hole, a Seminole replica, has been redone this year. They added all of the native bunker areas to the left and right, that weren’t there before. Kind of like what they did at Pinehurst (they haven’t done that to the Pinehurst #2 holes yet).

I really think that the first par 3, #3, is a pretty hole and maybe my favorite, most memorable hole on the Ross. It’s surrounded by bunkers.

Scorecard and yardage for Donald Ross are here: https://boynegolf.com/boyne-highlands-resort/donald-ross-memorial

We haven’t and don’t see much wildlife like we usually do on Ross. After our round, we load up and head to the “Pot Shop” in Petoskey and then off to Charlevoix for a “day off.”