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.

The Golf Association of Michigan is running several rules seminars:

Every four years the United States Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, re-issue the Rules of Golf including changes in the Rules and Decisions. These Rules changes will be discussed this winter during the Golf Association of Michigan’s seminars on the Rules of Golf.  The majority of these seminars will be presented at the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, in the Troy Office Center Building at 320 E. Big Beaver Road in Troy. A western Michigan seminar will be held near Grand Rapids at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada.  There will be two different programs for the seminars this year, and sessions will be held on some evenings and Saturdays. The cost is $10 per two-hour session and will include the 2012-2013 Rules of Golf booklet. All sessions will cover any important changes in the Rules for 2012. To register, call Jeanne Myers at 248-478-9242, ext. 14 or email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Program One

This is the presentation which was given last winter and spring (December 2010-April 2011) at the Hall of Fame. It primarily covers the relief options: Unplayable Ball, Water Hazards, Provisional Ball, relief from obstructions and abnormal ground conditions, but this year will also include the new Rules changes.  This program will be offered on the following schedule:

          December 6     3:00 PM (Tuesday)
          January 10       6:00 PM (Tuesday evening)
          February 11     10:00 AM (Saturday)
          February 16     3:00 PM (Thursday) - Egypt Valley Country Club
          March 6           3:00 PM (Tuesday)

Program Two

This program is entitled “The Rules of Golf Are Easy EXCEPT…………” and focuses on the general Rules and then all the exceptions which make the Rules complicated.  If you have already attended a Hall of Fame seminar last winter, we would suggest you attend one of these Program 2 seminars. This program will cover any new Rules changes for 2012 and will be offered on the following schedule:

          December 13   3:00 PM (Tuesday)
          January 21       10:00 AM (Saturday)
          February 23     6:00 PM (Thursday evening)
          March 13         3:00 PM (Tuesday)

The weather’s still holding (fingers crossed). Here’s a photo from my round a couple of days ago. The skies were sunny and the temperatures in the mid-50s. At this point in the year in Michigan, any round is a bonus!

I managed to get out to play golf this year on November 1—not always a sure thing in Michigan.

The weather has just been terrific this week, with temperatures in the upper 60s, and light breezes. But ... to quote Eddard Stark ... Winter is Coming.

Just in time for Halloween comes a device of unimaginable golfing horror: the green aerator!

I know why these things are necessary, but I hate them nonetheless. Scoring well for me is so dependent upon my putting ...