GOLF THE GOOD LIFE AT PINECROFT

by Jim Barnes

Pinecroft is a great little golf course, perched on a great big hill with one of the best views in the world of golf. You know you are in for a treat even as you approach the course in your car, following the Pinecroft signs that urge you further and further up the hills east of Beulah, climbing and climbing until you reach the parking off of Henry Road. As you sign in for your round at the clubhouse, you get a glimpse of many of the holes on the front nine routed through the valley below and out beyond the course you can see almost the entire expanse of Crystal Lake laid out before your eyes.

But before we get lost in that view, let's tee off..

FRONT NINE

The first hole sets the tone. This isn't a course you can just get up and rip it with driver. (Unless, of course, you rip it a heck of a lot straighter than I rip it.) In some cases you'll rip it right through the fairway. So be prepared for some creative thinking on the tee box.

Number One is the epitome of "the ball runs towards the water" as in this case, the entire fairway runs toward the water, and success is measured in a flat spot to stand on, and a not-too-blind shot at the green.

Number Two is a steep-drop par 3, you know the kind, that you carry 3 clubs up to the tee and you still don't have a clue where it'll land while its in the air. Fun hole- Enjoy the fairly flat green, the Mystery Spot of golf is coming...

The view through the trees from the second tee.

Number three is a roller coaster of a par 5, with a thick, mature hardwood forest on the right side of the fairway and a grove of silver poplars to the left. Anywhere right and you are into the woods and down a steep embankment. The fairway doglegs slightly to the left to a real tricky, usually blind elevated green to hit-and-hope to. Placement, placement, placement.

The last time I played Number 4 I hit 6-iron, 7-iron, putt for birdie. Be patient. The green is small, tiered and tricky.

Number Five is a short par 4 with bunkers guarding the green on the right. Number Six which has a nice tree-rimmed green. Number Seven is an uphill par 3, and Number Eight is a hoot! with a waffle of trees to maneuver through to get to a hard-to-hit green.

The home hole Number Nine is a splendid par 5, almost 90 degree dogleg that's cuttable if the wind is with you (until the trees grow up) and a great uphill approach guarded by traps.

BACK NINE

This side opens up a bit-the fairways get flatter, but the greens tilt more. You start out on the same side of the hill, just below the first hole, and for the first five holes you traverse back and forth across the gentle slope. This part of the course is dotted with some magnificent hardwoods that give Pinecroft an old-course feel. They also provide a lot of shade on hot, summer days.

Number Ten is a nice downhill, dogleg left over water to a big green. Number Eleven crosses back over the pond, straight uphill to a wildly slanted, tiered green.You can't believe you can hit a putt that hard and not get there.

A small pond guards the green at number 10.

Twelve heads back down the hill and up to a nicely framed green, and Thirteen is just a short hole to get us up the hill again.

Number Fourteen is an uphill par 5 that takes more club than you think, and once you're there is another adventure in putting.

At Fifteen you cross over and play the plateau at the top of the ridge. On Fifteen you might consider driving out for a look, as there's some surprise odd terrain out there to the right, a miniature Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. Stay down the middle on this dogleg right. Try cutting the corner and you will find sand.

We're up on the plateau now where its flat and hard to get a view. This hole and the rest of way in, you'll want to keep your slice club in the bag--thick trees and drop-offs to the right...

Number Sixteen is a straightaway par five with a green slightly protected by trees and well bunkered. The woods on the right is the main hazard.

Number Seventeen is a pretty little par 3, the green nicely framed by trees. This is one of the nicest holes in the fall when the hardwoods that surround the hole are blazing.

By now that view over Crystal Lake has been catching your eye off to your left. Number Eighteen feels like there's nothing between you and this majestic lake, one of the most beautiful in Michigan. The view is fantastic, and you realize that this is the best view of the lake there is, certainly better than from that Crystal Downs course at the other end.

The view from the 18 tee. Hole number 2 through the trees and Crystal Lake beyond.

This is a nice finishing hole--the kind that makes you want to stay out there awhile. Big drop-off right, some nice fairway bunkers, mature trees, and a tricky little guarded green. And that view . . . .

Nice finish to a nice little northern Michigan golf course.