I’m doing some research for a project and am wondering if those with an ear to the ground can tell me what courses have closed in Washtenaw and Livingston Counties over the last couple of years, or if any are currently thought to be in trouble. Contact me through the site form here.

Here’s what I think I know:

Hickory Woods (9 holes) - Closed
Hickory Sticks - Closed
Marion Oaks - Closed
Ann Arbor Country Club - In trouble and looking for a savior
Ann Arbor City Courses - perhaps up for sale
Lake In The Woods - ?

Funding for the “Pure Michigan” tourism ads had been cut in half by a penny wise-pound foolish State legislature, but the amount apparently is being reconsidered in the State house today. Governor Granholm is considering an additional tax on rental cars at the airport to fund it.

The program more than pays for itself, which is why I for one can’t figure out why out legislative leaders idiots won’t fund it.

A state-sponsored study concludes the ads lured 2 million visitors from outside of Michigan. Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi, said she isn’t con vinced. She questioned the study and led an effort to scale back funding in her Senate Finance Committee. The study was conducted by Longwoods International, a Toronto-based advertising research firm whose clients in clude Procter and Gamble, General Motors, Whirlpool and the Canadian and U.S. postal services.

Longwoods founder William Siegel is to testify today before Sheltrown’s House Committee on Tourism and Outdoor Recreation.

Siegel said for every dollar the state spent airing “Pure Michigan” ads in surrounding states, Michigan received $5 in tax revenue; for more distant states, the return was nearly $3 for every $1 spent.

Siegel said Monday he’s done advertising research for 30 years, and he called the “Pure Michigan” campaign “terrific, it seems to hit emotional levers that a lot of adver tising doesn’t do. And it’s paying off.”

What the state legislature is saying is that they’re willing to forego $100 million in tax revenues to save $30 million. It’s likely even worse than that. As I noted in a previous post, a single transaction generates far more than the initial investment because money is turned over many times—in technical terms, money has velocity:

Lets say that a tourist comes into the state and spends $100 at Zehnder’s restaurant in Frankenmuth. Zingerman’s then spends $50 of that to purchase more chicken (it’s a chicken restaurant) from a local poultry producer. The poultry producer spends $25 to buy chicken feed. And the grain farmer spends $12 to purchase fertilizer and seed. That initial $100 thus generates $187 in transactions, all of which presumably are taxed. Tourism generates jobs and income far beyond the hotels, restaurants and golf courses.

The opponents of this program are the poster children for what happens when you don’t pay attention in your economics classes in high school. And while I’m standing on my soapbox ranting, let me just say that the worst single thing this state has ever done politically is to enact a term limits amendment. All that has done is to purge anyone in state government with a long term vision, and replace them with short term, self-serving, not-terribly-bright amateurs. Since the law ensures that there’s no future in politics in Michigan, the qualified, intelligent, forward thinking people stay in private industry, leaving us with people like Cassis.

We don’t need term limits. We’ve always had them—they’re called elections. We in Michigan have gotten the government we deserve.

The 10th Annual Swing for PAR Golf Tournament is at the University of Michigan Golf Coruse on June 14, 2010. It benefits the Prostate Cancer Research at the University of Michigan. A golfer package is $400, including lunch, 18 holes, dinner and prizes. $240 of that is tax deductable.

Visit http://www.parfund.org or http://www.med.umich.edu/urology/giving/fund.htm for more information.

There were a lot of good deals on Michigan golf courses at the Novi Golf show this weekend. Here’s a selection. Note that I have no connection to any of these and they all are subject to change at any minute:

Tullymore and St. Ives
1 night stay at the Inn at St. Ives, with 18 holes at St. Ives and Tullymore
April 1 - May 13: $95 weekdays; $104 weekends
May 14 - Sept 26: $162

Garland
You pick the date: Garland picks your room and the time, you get savings:
Spring and Fall: $72 per person
Summer: $92 per person
Dinner for two, room, breakfast and a round of golf: $297 weekdays; $327 weekends

The Bear
25th Anniversary Special June 18 - 24:
Unlimited golf on The Bear, Wolverine or Spruce Run: $95 for resort guest; $120 for non guest; $99 hotel rooms
This is a great deal, because you’ll have 16+ hours of sunlight.

Otsego
Room and 18: Weekdays: $79; Weekend: $99
36 Hole Blowout; two nights lodging: $149/$199
54 Hole Blowout: two nights; $199/$249
72 Hole Blowout: three nights: $229/$299

Hawks Eye/The Chief
Free Golf April 15 - May 9: Pay only $20 cart fee
2 nights, two courses, two breakfasts: from $149 in spring/fall; from $199 mid season; from $219 high summer

Treetops
Stay and Play: One night, one round from $99
Major Championship: Two nights; one round of golf on each of four 18 hole courses, one nine hole, two breakfasts from $289
Juniors play free Sunday through Thursday.
Book April 26 - May 9 and get free upgrade to unlimited golf

Thunder Bay
Ultimate Value: Unlimited golf and deluxe suite golf: $49/$99 per person
They’ve got a unique Elk Viewing carriage ride

True North
Spring: $60/$75
Early Summer: $75/$110 Twlight: $60/$75
Summer: $110/$145 Twilight: $95
Fall: $65/$85

Shanty Creek
One night, unlimited golf and breakfast from $89
one night, 18 holes, massage and breakfast from $165

A-Ga-Ming
2 days, 2 nights, 36 holes from $119

Black Lake Golf School
Highly Recommended!!! I’ve been to one and they’re terrific.
“Classic” Golf Schools: $220 with one night lodging, including play at Black Lake
Two Day Golf School: $350 with two nights lodging, unlimited play

Elk Ridge
$50 Tuesdays
2 for 1 on Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Father’s Day and July 4.

The weather has warmed to the mid 40s and the snow and ice are melting. Spring and the new golf season are not far around the corner. This is a shot of the eighteenth, thirteenth, tenth and twelfth holes at the Washtenaw Country Club in Ypsilanti, Michigan. And a shot of the Lake Forest Golf Club in Ann Arbor earlier the same day: