With two US Opens and two Masters thanks to the pandemic not to mention an almost 51-year-old winning a major championship the 2020-2021 PGA Tour season was certainly one that will long be remembered.
Patrick Cantlay had four wins including a FedExCup event and the Tour Championship while Jordan Spieth, after an agonizing dry spell, elevated his game to be in the mix many if not most weeks and took the Valero Texas Open, his first “W” since the 2017 British Open. Phil Mickelson prevailed at the PGA Championship just 24 days short of his 51st birthday becoming the oldest to have won a major and other fan favorites were multiple winners.
The sometimes-controversial Bryson DeChambeau won twice adding the 2020 US Open and Bay Hill Championship to his resume.
Equipment companies are recovering from the disastrous pandemic-induced drop in sales as the number of rounds continued to increase and retail sales set records. The largest club maker Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) reported for the first six months of 2021 equipment sales of $401 million almost double 2020 and 37% higher than non-pandemic year 2019. They also are making gains in the ball market against the competition touting a Golf Datatech market analysis showing Callaway had their highest share of the ball business in July at over 20%. This slotted them in as an even stronger number two behind market leader Titleist, a brand of Acushnet Holdings Corp. (NYSE: GOLF).
Titleist more than doubled club sales for the six months ending June 30 to $152.8 million compared with $72.4 million in 2020 while ball sales increased 98.1% to $202.1 million.
Keeping track of the equipment used by tournament winners an interesting exercise and has often provided information appropriate for those 19th hole debates. The following is accurate to the best of my knowledge and is not meant for deeper analysis so don’t read too much into it. The major manufacturers spend millions of dollars compensating professionals to endorse their clubs so just because your favorite linkster is promoting a particular brand don’t get carried away thinking it’s the right one for you.
With those caveats the driver count for this season’s tournament winners on the PGA Tour finished in a near dead heat among the big four makers: Titleist 14 wins, Ping 12, Callaway 11 and TaylorMade 10.
In golf balls there was no surprise either. Titleist’s Pro V1 or Pro V1x were used by 36 victors, TaylorMade and Callaway by five each, Srixon three and Bridgestone two.
As far as putters are concerned the greatest number of tournaments (18) were won by players stroking one of Titleist’s Scotty Cameron models with Odyssey, Callaway’s putter division, able to point to 12 champs. The season-long list finishes with Ping (8), TaylorMade (8), Bettinardi (2) and SIK (2).
The magnificent 18-hole championship golf course was designed by D.J. DeVictor and Peter Langham and is set on over 150 acres of rolling terrain. As you make your way around the layout you’ll encounter mounded fairways, significant elevation changes, and challenging putting surfaces, all while enjoying the spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains and Lake Tellico. No matter how good or bad you play, the views will keep you in a positive frame of mind.
Number 4 is probably the most interesting hole on the golf course and if I were naming holes it would be “Where’s the Green?” From the Blue and Gold Tees, it’s a long par 4, dogleg left. Move up to the Whites and it’s a 288-yard hole that plays straight away, once you figure out that the green is sitting significantly below the fairway things start to change! There’s a periscope to help see the group in front of you. Hit a good drive followed by a good pitch shot and this is a fun little golf hole!
Number 10 is a reachable 486-yard par 5 that plays downhill from the tee box. A good drive will leave a decision of whether or not to try and get home in two. It will be a long iron or hybrid that is all carry into a green that slopes back to front with two bunkers guarding the right side. Come up short on your approach shot and you’ll be left with a challenging pitch shot significantly uphill.
After your round, you’ll want to venture inside Rarity Bay’s well-stocked pro shop to pick up some logoed gear to commemorate the occasion. They have all kinds of apparel for men and women and all of the necessities you’ll need while playing such as balls, gloves, and towels. If you’re hungry, Rarity Bay has some great food, and the Bay Bistro is a great place to grab a bite to eat before or after your round. After a complete renovation and remodel the dining room is open to members and golfers until 3 pm, after which it is available only to members. The menu is interesting, with such dishes as a Chicken and Waffle Sandwich, Breakfast Pizza, and Blackened Barbeque Salmon. If you enjoy the food, it’s just another reason to join the club.
Pickleball is probably the fastest growing sport in America and Rarity Bay is no exception. And why not enjoy a game while enjoying breathtaking mountain and lake views. In November 2017 Rarity Bay Country Club (RBCC) built four dedicated pickleball courts. The Rarity Bay Pickleball Club (RBPC) has created a Thursday evening event called “Dink & Dine” which is a great way to get some exercise and meet new members.
slope of 73.2 and a course rating of 131. Move up to the White Tees 6,346/71.5/127) and the distances are a lot more manageable. The golf course was cut from a mature pine forest and has Bluegrass and Rye fairways and tee boxes. As you make your way around this layout, you’ll see how picturesque it is. You’ll encounter some typical golf course hazards in the form of sand and water; surprisingly in Northern Michigan, water hazards seem to outnumber sand traps.
Number 9 can be interesting. The hole plays only 303 yards and calling it a “dogleg” is an understatement; it’s more like a left turn. For golfers not familiar with the course, you don’t want to hit your tee shot any longer than 165 yards. Any further and you’ll be in the pond. If you don’t know any better and hit driver, you may find what used to be the tennis courts or worse yet, bounce one off the clubhouse. According to my playing partner that day, Head Golf Professional John Kuzewski, that is a reality.
Number 11 will allow you to air out your tee shot. It too is tree-lined and at 465 yards, fairly short. A good drive up the left side will leave the best angle into a green with water short and left. For pins set left of the center, add one club; right of the center hit one less.
Number 17 probably has the most photographed approach shot on the course. It’s a 365-yard par 4 dogleg right so a good drive down the left side will reward you with a clear look into the green and the opportunity to snap a picture of your own. A good drive will leave a mid to short iron approach into an elevated green with a small pond and rock garden short of it. As I found out, you get a free drop from the rocks; either that or John was being extremely nice that day.
area with a full-size coffee pot, kitchenware and utensils, microwave, and a mini-refrigerator. Behind that is a living room area complete with a pull-out couch, murphy bed, recliners, fireplace, flat-screen TV, and dining area. These are the perfect accommodations for a foursome! In case you have your own home with you, there is a small, full-service, RV Park just off the parking lot and only a few steps from the first tee.
Desperate to find a solution and keep the business afloat, owner Jack Matthias and his staff came up with a unique solution: Elk Viewing! Thunder Bay’s Elk Viewing Package includes a sleigh/carriage ride (depending on snowfall), a gourmet dinner prepared by Jack’s son and a world-class chef in his own right, Spencer, and a wine tasting. The Elk Viewing Package began strictly as a winter sleigh ride event, but because of its wild success, is now offered from mid-May through the summer, fall and winter until late March. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the event.
When you combine a round of golf with elk viewing, a carriage ride, gourmet dinner, wine tasting, and a night’s lodging at the resort, you’ve got the most unique couples golf package available. For more information or to book a visit at Thunder Bay Resort, visit them online at 
The biggest challenge the two faced in realizing their dream of building and owning a golf course was finding the right piece of property. Their goal was to find land that was “naturally laid out” and had the right soil and elevation. They looked at hundreds of sites and finally found a 400-acre site located in Hubbard Lake, MI. The land featured majestic white pine and oak trees, high terrain, and light sandy loam soil. The brothers purchased the property in 1991 and, after 21 months of construction and renovation, opened White Pine National Golf Resort in September 1992.
With all of the trees, sand bunkers, and smallish greens to keep your shots honest, the one thing you won’t find out here are water hazards, and with good reason. Bruce, who also serves as the Golf Course Superintendent at White Pine National, says that the course does not require any type of drainage system. Because of its high terrain and what Mother Nature has already provided, the turf is protected from disease and damage caused by heavy downpours and flooding. The course has only been closed once because of heavy rains since it opened, and that was only for a few hours.
Whether it’s a quick warm-up before their round or some solid practice time, golfers from all over the area come to White Pine National to take advantage of their practice facilities. In addition to 3 target greens on the driving range, there’s a practice putting green and a 9-hole putting course to test your skills with the flat stick. Be sure to loosen up before heading over to the first tee!
Favorite Par 4: Number 16 is a fun par 4 and a great risk/reward hole Hitting it straight off the tee can pay large dividends. It’s a very narrow driving hole with trees on either side and at 251 yards from the White Tees, it is reachable. Once you reach the green and look back, you’ll notice that the hole plays downhill and that the green is surrounded by bunkers. Avoid the bunker off the tee and you should be able to post a good score.
Favorite Par 5: Number 3 is the second par 5 at White Pine National. This dogleg left plays 461 yards from an elevated tee box downhill to an awaiting fairway. You’ll need to be careful with your layup shot and playing it out to the right is a safe bet. On the left side of the landing area is a lot of mounding and bunkering that can add a lot of difficulty to the hole. The bunkers start about 80 yards from the green. Two successful shots will leave a short pitch shot into the green and set up a good birdie opportunity.
White Pine National provides seasoned golfers with a formidable challenge and beginners with a great place to learn the game. They offer lodging on a limited basis in some tremendous local homes. Best to contact them for more information. You can reach them by phone at (989) 736-3279 or visit their website at 
Today, the prestigious BERES line continues to turn heads with gold inlays and luxury pricing, and that will not change. The soon-to-be-released
