The pro shop closest to GolfBlogger’s World Headquarters building—Ann Arbor’s Miles of Golf—has recently acquired Michigan’s first Trackman.

The TrackMan is a doppler radar system that is designed to provide three-dimensional measurements of club movement and ball flight and accurate data to within a foot over 100 yards. Produced by Denmark-based ISG A/S, the TrackMan has already found a home with virtually ever major American and Asian golf equipment manufacturer, and has been purchased privately by an increasing number of PGA TOUR stars. According to Matt Frelich, director of U.S. sales and business development for ISG A/S, the device has quickly become the gold standard for measuring golf shots. “There are endless ways to apply the data TrackMan produces,” he says. “And how it’s used will vary from manufacturer to TOUR player to the average golfer. But at Miles of Golf, we’re seeing how quickly players find out whether they should consider an equipment change based on information from TrackMan Reports.”

Brent Norton, the golf shop manager at Miles of Golf in Ann Arbor, Michigan, says that “The TrackMan offers a complete menu of data and information and is the first apparatus of this kind to follow a golf shot from beginning to end,” he says. “Because of the wealth of information that’s produced instantaneously, it’s a huge breakthrough in club-fitting as well as instruction and that’s why we own one—Michigan’s first TrackMan.”

And while the TrackMan figures to have a have a lasting impact on such practices as equipment-testing and ball development research, at the ground level it offers the instruction and sales staff at Miles of Golf an another important service to its clientele. “Whenever we look at something like this, we are most interested in the value it has to our customer,” says Chris Mile, founder and owner of Miles of Golf. “Some people might think this is only something from which a professional golfer could benefit, but there’s a much greater potential ‘upside’ for golfers saddled with outdated and ill-fitting equipment. Combined with the knowledge our staff members already have, TrackMan is a real piece of breakthrough technology.”

The GolfBlogger can’t wait to try it.

To experience the TrackMan (http://www.trackmangolf.com), visit Miles of Golf at 3113 Carpenter Road in Ypsilanti, just 1.5 miles northeast of the US-23/I-94 interchange. The Miles of Golf offices can be reached at (734) 973-9004 or toll-free at (877) 973-9005. Additional information is available on the web site http://www.milesofgolf.com.

Michigan’s climate and my other responsibilities finally cooperated and today I got to play my first nine of the season.

The weather was spectacular: sunny, breezy and sixty degrees; in short, perfect golf weather. I wore long pants and spent much of the round thinking I should put on the windbreaker that I had tucked in my golf bag. But I didn’t. I simply enjoyed the fact that I could walk a quick nine without breaking a sweat.

The inaugural round was at Fellows Creek in Canton, Michigan. It’s a community track with three distinct nines: woodlands, parklands and links-style. I played the east course, the links. As this is the beginning of the season, it’s in terrific shape. Thousands of league golfers have not yet had a chance to pockmark the ground with divots. Fairways and greens were a bit soft from recent rains, but that didn’t affect my play.

As you might expect, I had a rough start. (I have not even practiced at a range this year). My first tee shot popped up and that led to a double. I lost two more and then two more after that. On the fourth, however, I managed a scrambling par. My second shot fell short of the green, but I managed to pitch it close and get it down.

The foursome on the next hole let me play through. I hit the green on that par three, but the ball skipped off the back and I lost another to par. I managed another par on the following par 5, hitting the green in regulation and finishing with a two putt.

Another show was lost on the 220 yard par 3, but deliberately so. The right side of the small green is guarded by a pond, so rather than take a chance, I aimed short. My pitch was close, but I two putted.

With pars on the remaining two fours, though, I finished in fine fashion. That left me eight over for the nine—not bad considering that I haven’t played since September last.

I concentrated on setup and alignment, thinking about the keys from the Jim Hardy Plane Swing book (see the ad in the sidebar) for a two plane golfer. Always remember, Hardy says, that the two plane swing tends to be a little steep and a little narrow; when you’re not hitting it well, you need to take steps to compensate for that.

Friends of mine will be curious about my decision to try the two plane swing. I spent all of last summer trying to become a one-plane golfer. But I always found myself standing taller and setting up in the “inverted K” of the two planer. So this year, I’ve decided to go back to the setup that I was initially taught. The one plane may be better, but it never felt comfortable.

I struck the ball well today, so I hope that bodes well for the rest of the season.

After clubs belonging to the Milan, Michigan girls golf team were stolen from their Coach’s SUV, Detroit’s own Kid Rock came to the rescue.

Rock contacted John Daly, who in turn contacted his sponsor, TaylorMade. And the gesture came through in a big way: the team will receive new TaylorMade clubs to replace the stolen goods.

Milan is a small town just to the south of GolfBlogger’s Ann Arbor World Headquarters.

In addition to the donations from TaylorMade, Daly and Rock, the team also has received offers from dozens of people in the surrounding community.

Kudos to all involved. I hereby award Daly, Rock and The TaylorMade corporation GolfBlogger’s first Good Golfing Award.

You can read more here.

A couple of golf courses in the Ann Arbor area are offering package deals.

At Fox Hills, you can get 6, 12, or 24 round packages are available at a discount for any of their 3 courses. Presumably that means the Fox Classic—a nice track—the Golden Fox—a premium course—and the Strategic Fox—a wonderful par 3. Call Fox Hills for details at 734.453.7272

Stonebridge Golf Course is offering a ten pack for $395 that lets you lock in the Spring rates for your next ten rounds. Rounds can be used Weekdays anytime and Weekends & Holidays after 11am.  You can visit Stonebridge to purchase the packages online.

The most recent issue of GolfWorld has two quotes about golf in Michigan.

“We’re not a golf course anymore, we’re a ski resort.”

Ron Osborne, general manager of the Binder Park GL in Battle Creek, Michigan, on the unreasonable stretch of cold and snowy weather that struck the recently opened course

BTW, Binder Park is a great looking course. It’s on my play list for this summer.

“I don’t want to start World War III over this, but the World War II veterans like the fact that we’re beating [the Japanese] again.”

Joe Gibbs, on the 1007 yard hole he is building at Chocolay Downs GC, a course he owns in Marquette, Michigan. When completed, the hole will surpass a 964 yard hoel in Sano Japan as the longest in the world.

Chocolay Downs also is on my list for this summer. Stay tuned for a review.