I know that this may come as a disappointment to
some but this is not a story about me. I'm only a legend
in my own mind.
No,
this is about a true legend, Arnold Palmer, or at least
about a course he designed called "The Legend" at Shanty
Creek.
Arnold transformed this piece of northern Michigan
landscape. He took the big trees, the water, the creeks,
the wetlands and the sand and gave us one beautiful
course. It still amazes me how these people can take a
chunk of land that is full of ravines and trees so thick
you can't see more than a few yards and come up with a
course that makes sense.
I guess that's why he's a legend and I run a motel.
The Legend begins with two of the nicest starting
holes in the north. The first is a par 5 where the
fairway keeps going down all the way to the green. It's
just a great hole from every point of view. After the
leisurely trip down the valley on hole one, you have to
climb out of the valley on number two. This trip is a
little more daunting. From the tee, you have to hit over
a ravine to a not-too-large plateau. If you land safely
there you have to hit over another ravine to the green.
This hole is not for the weak of heart.
You could call the first two holes "The Beauty and the
Beast".
The
rest of the course is more like the first hole -- tees
that are set high with tree-lined fairways falling away
in front of you. Of course not all the tees are up, but
enough to make for some great views.
The large, well-maintained, bent grass fairways give
you the impression that it's almost impossible to get in
to trouble at the Legend. However, quite often the angle
of these fairways just beg you to cut a corner here, hit
over that tree there. They present you with the
opportunity to cut off a lot of yards. Sadly, when you
find yourself in the weeds or behind a tree you won't be
able to blame tight fairways for your troubles.
This course has large greens that are in great shape.
Most are tiered just to make it interesting. Crafty
undulations test our skill at reading greens.
The sand traps range in size from small, almost pot
bunkers, to large bunkers that are almost a work of art
with the contours that were put into them. Arnie didn't
want to punish us with sand traps. I think he must have
added them just to help spruce up the course.
When Arnie was a boy growing up helping his dad mow
fairways with that Ford tractor we see on television, I
am sure he had a pet dog because he sure likes doglegs.
Half or more of the holes on this course has some degree
of dogleg. Some very slight and a couple almost ninety
degrees. Most are some where in between the two.
The large fairways and greens make Legend the type of
course that Arnie would want us to play because after
all, he is the Ambassador of Golf. He's a nice guy. He
wants us to enjoy the game. Just relax and enjoy the
beauty of the north woods. Right?
Not exactly.
Although The Legend is a thing of beauty, don't be
lulled too quickly into a sense of everything being all
right. Arnie, the ambassador of golf, had a few sneaky
things to add to the mix at The Legend. I believe the
golf gods made him do these things.
I think the golf gods made Arnie leave a few trees on
the corners of a some of the doglegs, or just off to the
side of some greens. Trees that you hardly notice. Trees
that you think are really not in the way.
Well these trees can deflect shots better than NHL
goalies. The Russian five couldn't get a shot past these
trees. Just when you think you got one past them, smack!
So quick you can't even see it.
Sneaky.
Then the golf gods had Arnie add a few mounds that
just nudge your nice drive into the rough, or even worst,
into some wetland that Arnie wouldn't have left there.
Really sneaky.
And they were still not satisfied.They had Arnie cut a
creek or two across some fairways that you pay no
attention to until you start looking for your ball.They
had him put a small river and some big boulders in front
of a par five. They had him move fairway traps to bring
them more into play. They had him raise some greens up
just a smidgen so your ball now has a chance to kick into
the sand if you are just a little off with your shot to
the green.
Extremely sneaky.
It
must have been the golf gods. Arnie would never do that
to us would he? He's too nice a guy. If Arnie did this,
and not the golf gods, he is a genius at putting the
trouble in the spots that give you the opportunity to
make a great shot, but grabs the shot that is just a
little off. He makes you pay a small price for not paying
attention to where your shot should be. He makes you do
what you should do all the time when you play golf.
Think.
The Legend is sneaky tough. You just don't notice the
trouble. It's hidden in all that beauty like that snake
in the garden.
So enjoy the views, but pay attention.
My hats off to Arnold, and the Legend.
Ken
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