Upper Michigan Resorts

Al Gregson: Consider golfing way up north

First of all, York County has been awfully hot this month. By contrast, the 2 p.m. temperature in the U.P. was 73 degrees the day I checked, with an 84 the highest prediction over the next 10 days.

Secondly, a tour rookie from Bayside, N.Y., won the inaugural LPGA Futures Tour Island Resort Championship there in June with a three-day total of 209. That got my interest because I graduated from Bayside High School a lo-o-o-ng time ago.

Then there's the name: Sweetgrass Golf Club. It sounds so, well, er, sweet.

Sweetgrass is in Harris, about 13 miles from Escambia, and is part of the Island Green Resort and casino owned and run by the Hannahville Indian Community of the Potawatomi Tribe. Golf packages are less than $100 a day per person, double occupancy, by going to sweetgrassgolfclub.com .

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Times gone by: Speaking of Bayside, there used to be a golf course across the street from the school.

I didn't play golf then, but I'd sometimes gaze out the window when the teacher wasn't looking and see golfers and caddies walking the fairways on the Dr. Alister McKenzie layout.

You can see a picture of the course, Bayside Links, and the school in a golf book called "Missing Links" by Daniel Wexler. One of my classmates' claim to fame is that he once caddied for Babe Ruth there.

Caddy chat: And speaking of caddies, the recent split between Tiger Woods and Steve Williams had me thinking that not that many caddies achieve household-name recognition.

Williams and Mike "Fluff" Cowan, who now loops for Jim Furyk, are the exceptions. Others I can think of include Jim Mackay for Phil Mickelson, "Squeeky" Medlin for Nick Price and John Daly and the late Bruce Edwards for Tom Watson. It's a short list.

Who caddied for Jack Nicklaus? I don't know, except that his son Jackie did when Jack won his sixth Masters at age 46. I have no idea who caddied for Arnold Palmer.

Joe LaCava, Fred Couples' caddie for two decades, carried for Dustin Johnson during the Players' Championship this year. That could be a good fit because Couples and Johnson both have laid-back personalities and both hit it a long way.

One more name comes to mind. Fanny Sunneson, who carried Nick Faldo's bag for many years. I can still hear her saying, "Stand still, please!

Grand Traverse Resort Head Professional Scott Herbert inducted ...

ACME, Mich. -- Grand Traverse Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the recent induction of Scott Herbert, the resort's head golf professional, into Michigan's Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. With this esteemed honor, he joins the ranks of the U.P.'s most notable athletes. The induction ceremony for the class of 2011 was held April 23, 2011.

Now Head Golf Professional and Director of Instruction at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa Golf Academy, Herbert has an impressive record worthy of Hall of Fame attention. Scott Hebert, winner of the 41st PGA Professional National Championship in 2008, is a Class-A PGA Professional and a member of the Titleist Leadership Advisory Staff. He is the 2006 - 2010 Michigan PGA Player of the Year.

Following his induction, Hebert reflected, "To be recognized as an outstanding athlete from Michigan's Upper Peninsula and inducted into the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame is an honor. Although I stood at the podium alone, I could not have had the same level of success without the help of family, friends and coaches. Normally this is honor reserved for the conclusion of a career; I hope to continue my career success in the future."

A six-time Michigan Open Champion, (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006) Scott is tied for the record number of Michigan Open wins with Al Watrous. He also is four-time winner of the Michigan PGA Championship (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and was named the Michigan PGA Player of the Year each of those years.

He played in the PGA of America Championship in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2009, he led the USA team of 10 PGA Professionals to victory in the PGA Cup played at Loch Lomond, Scotland against the PGA of England & Ireland, by winning all of his matches, the only one to do so. In 2008, Hebert also won the Michigan PGA's Pro-Pro and the Michigan McGladrey Team event.

In 1998, Hebert was winner of the Chicago Open, Michigan State Assistants Championship, Michigan Pro-Assistant Championship, and the Northern Michigan PGA Chapter Championship. He also was the winner of the Northern Michigan PGA Chapter Championship in 2006 and 2008.

From 1998 to 2001, he played on the Nationwide Tour and the NGA Hooters Tour. While playing on the NGA Hooters Tour in 1999 he won the San Antonio Championship and the Tunica Championship.

The U.P. Sports Hall of Fame is proud to honor outstanding men and women from Michigan's Upper Peninsula whose achievements in sports have brought distinction to themselves and enduring pride and inspiration to the entire Upper Peninsula community.

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