Group portrait of Capt. Filker, Bloomfield, Kidston, Becker, and Smoot, golfers, University of Michigan, sitting on porch stairs of a clubhouse in or near Chicago, Illinois.

From the Library of Congress

From the Library of Congress.

Warwick Hills—former host of the Buick Open—will host a US Open Sectional Qualifier in 2013.

The Flint, Michigan, club also is hopeful that a Champions Tour event will be held there starting in 2013.

I hope so. With its golf-mad population, its a shame that Michigan doesn’t have a pro event.

The famous Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan is giving away rounds of golf for the 2012 season. The only catch is that you need to attend the West Michigan Golf Show in Grand Rapids on Feb. 10 - 12 to get the coupon.

Tickets for the West Michigan show are available at the door as well as online at westmichigangolfshow.com, and until Dec. 25 half-price tickets are available as “stocking stuffers” on line. Click on “buy tickets,” and add “STOCKING” in the promotion code.

In spite of late night jokes, Detroit isn’t the worst city in Michigan. That title most likely belong to Benton Harbor. Detroit at least has the advantages of world class museums (such as the DIA), a university (Wayne State), professional sports franchises (hockey, baseball, football and basketball), a symphony orchestra, theatres (the Fisher, Masonic Hall) and other things any self respecting big city should have. Detroit even has a number of good city owned golf courses (including a couple of Donald Ross designs).

About those golf courses, though. Now Benton Harbor has one, too.

The New York Times has an article on the development of a Jack Nicklaus designed course that winds its way across former industrial and superfund sites, by a river, through woods and—controversially—across Lake Michigan Dunes. Its backers say the course will attract high end hotels, homes and shopping, sparking development in the depressed area.

It’s already attracting attention: it’ll be the site of the 2012 Senior PGA Championship. But I’m skeptical about the rest.

Benton Harbor also is a prime example of the recent rollback of democracy in Michigan. The city had an “emergency financial manager” imposed upon it, who essentially fired the elected officials and now runs the town by fiat—and with absolutely no accountability to the voters.

Benton Harbor has since become an unlikely cause for Rachel Maddow, who has railed repeatedly against the state’s seizure of the town — “Ground Zero for American politics,” as she calls it. The Rev. Jesse Jackson has taken up the cause, too, comparing Benton Harbor to Selma, circa 1965, because of the disenfranchisement of its largely black electorate. Stephen Colbert, for his part, offered a mock tribute to Harris: “I say good for him, because the people of Benton Harbor brought this on themselves. . . . Benton Harbor’s elected officials are incompetent, therefore, by electing them, the voters are incompetent. So they should lose their democracy.”

As a lifelong conservative, I’m profoundly disturbed by the trend here in Michigan. True conservatives always have opposed the centralization of power, and criticized technocrats who think they know better than the people what’s good for them. Rush Limbaugh rails daily against just that. And yet, here in Michigan, so-called “Republican Conservatives” are consolidating power in Lansing and elevating appointed technocrats over the heads of the people. Apparently, centralization and technocracy are okay when Republicans are in charge. Because, you know, Michigan’s Republicans actually ARE smarter than everyone else.

I’ll say this one last thing and let it sink in: I believe that it is no coincidence that the only cities under emergency financial managers have majority minority populations: Benton Harbor, Flint, Pontiac, Ecorse, with Detroit in the near future. I do not believe the Republicans will ever take local control from a majority white district.

I’ll get off my soapbox now.

above, the eleventh at Huron Hills

n Black Friday, I found myself—not at the Mall with the desperate bargain hunting masses—but on the course to take advantage of the unusually warm and sunny weather. Any time you can play in Michigan after Halloween, it’s a blessing.

My fantasy was that with everyone else shopping, I’d have a course to myself. The reality was that the tees were every bit as crowded as the malls; I called three places before finding one that could fit me in.

I ended up at Huron Hills, the Ann Arbor muni that’s just a couple of miles from GolfBlogger World Headquarters. It’s not what you would call a high end track, but is pleasant enough. The course suffered quite a bit over the past decade in terms of upkeep, but in last couple of years the city has made commendable efforts at revival. Greens and tee boxes were in good shape, as were the fairways. A recent change: where once it was a walking-only facility there now is a fleet of power carts. Huron Hills also been at the center of a controversy over whether in fact the city should be in the golf business at all. Residents near the course fought back all proposals for change, however, and for now it remains open for golf, cross country skiing and sledding.

My partner for the round was a retired high school counselor. Later, we were joined by a real estate agent and a university employee. All were fine fellows. I am, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, thankful for a sport that can turn four total strangers into friends for a few hours.

above, the fifth at Huron Hills

he ground was soft and in some places flooded from rain the previous few nights. Ducks, geese and swans had actually settled into the newly created water hazard on five. Walking by, I saw fish. Fortunately, Huron Hills is a relatively short course, so soft ground is a small handicap (and perhaps even a benefit, given the small greens and six par threes).

Considering several weeks of lay-off, I was in fine golf shape. My swing felt easy and smooth. I hit fairways and greens (or at least had near misses) Putts were dropping from all over. My only fault was an inexplicable loss of nerves around the greens. I left far too many chips and pitches short.

I played well enough to get one of the best golf complements I’ve had in ages: one of my partners compared my swing to that of Ernie Els. I can think of no higher praise. Els and Fred Couples are the guys I try to visualize.

above, the view from the ninth tee box at Huron Hills

he best part about Huron Hills are the views. Holes nine, ten, eleven, seventeen and eighteen are on commanding heights, overlooking the Huron River Valley. In full autumn bloom, it’s spectacular. It’s still nice when the leaves are gone and the trees are grey.

We finished our round just as the sun was going down. It’s surprising how quickly the air cools at that point. By the time I got back to my car, I was ready for a heavier jacket.

The forecast on this Monday is for snow mid week. That’s okay. I can’t imagine a better end to the season that the round I had last Friday: good weather, good golf, good company.