Sunday: Rain, rain go away! But still play at Hidden River and Crooked Tree

 

We wake up Sunday to rain. The kind of rain I won’t play in. According to the radar, it’s not going away in Cadillac for a while. Decision: load up, head over to El Dorado to wave, show Levi the cars, and head North up to Boyne where it looks clearer. Breakfast on the way. Maybe check in early at the Mountain.

Inside at El Dorado (old picture from last time).

Dark at El Dorado, so we wave and head north, stopping for coffee, snacks and Better Made Butter Braided Pretzels on the way to Shirley’s Café in Mancelona, Michigan (no website, but FB page: https://www.facebook.com/mancelona2020/). Levi is our navigator on this trip and picked this place. Great choice – omelets were great, coffee was great and THE HOMEMADE BREAD was the star of the show. Oh-my-wonderful-homemade-rye bread (Tom bought a loaf of their cinnamon bread to tear off and gnaw on in the car).  Pete’s only criticism was that they overcooked their bacon and it was bacon dust. I left most of my potatoes and omelet and focused on the rye toast. While we’re at breakfast, Tom gets us 10:20 am tee times at Hidden River Golf and Casting Club in Brutus, Michigan (off of 131 past Petoskey).

Still raining at gas station where I found Better Made Butter Braided Pretzels.

Shirley's Menu (the coffee mugs weren't matching).

Nothing fancy about the front of Shirley's Cafe.

Front window seating for us!

Then to the Mountain to check in. They check us in but our cabin isn’t ready. But, because we’re Boyne Rewards, at 8:00 am we each get a free beer from Shorts Brewery! Amy is great at check in.

I try to get the zipper fixed on my pink sweater. No luck. Even from the top.

Then off to Hidden River. It’s a cool course that we don’t always play because it’s not part of the Boyne package anymore. It winds around the fern-laden woods, a stream, marshes. We usually see critters (but none this time). Levi likes (as do we all) this course more than Harbor Shores. And, at $109 a round, better priced. The greens are slower, but nice. The fairways were soft so not a lot of roll. On the back nine, we get some drizzle (Portland rain as Tom calls it) that does turn to rain on a couple of holes at the end (I don’t like). The first couple of holes are surrounded by trees – the kinds you’d see in timber forests. Then you head into the woods and then into marshy fields. The short #4 hole is always one of my favorites, with trees, bunkers, narrow fairway. The par #3 downhill #9 hole (Pete makes birdie) gives me fits. It’s under 90 yards from the red tees and plays a couple of clubs short. I usually go long because a baby sand wedge usually doesn’t go well for me. It doesn’t on this trip and I end up in the bunker long.

Tom picked up a new hat at Hidden River since he forgot to bring it.

Looking for Levi (far left) and Tom (closer left) in the "rough."

If you look close, sand cranes (a pair).

Hidden River round complete (round 2) and they gave us 20% off in the clubhouse. I found a purple zippered jacket to replace the pink sweater. It’s still not the pink sweater, but it does have pockets. No hoodie. And isn’t too thick. I can also wear a small now that I don’t have boobs anymore. Off to grab something to eat before Crooked Tree. We end up with brats at Crooked Tree (and I get a new glove since I lost one at Harbor Shores – it’s hard to find women’s small right gloves, but they have them in abundance).

Crooked Tree isn’t my favorite course on the rotation, but I like the views on the back of the bay. We all start out pretty good. They’ve redone the green on the par #3 second hole so its tiers aren’t as severe as they used to be. I’m riding with Levi this round (we switch things up). There are a few more birdies at Crooked Tree – even I get one! And Levi is driving the par 5s when he hits the fairway (or close). When we make the turn, unfortunately the café is closed (and they don’t have cart people) – bummer.

Hole #3 at Crooked Tree (dogleg left past that pine tree).

Pete on #16 (Levi took this picture -- I take the bad ones).

Round 2 complete and off to grab our cabin keys (they gave us wrist band keys?) and unload and go to bed. They’ve provided a bottle of champagne and four complimentary drink coupons from Boyne. Day 3: Heather and Hills at Boyne Highlands.

[NOTE: I am not blogging live. Right now, I’m sitting on the floor in our cabin at Boyne Mountain, trying to drink coffee, blog and stretch at the same time.]