Depending on your perspective – or favorite season – Crystal Mountain is either a ski resort with 59 well-groomed downhill runs or a golf resort with 36 holes of championship golf. Yet, regardless of the season, it’s one of Northern Michigan’s best resorts. Crystal Mountain has the most unique history of any resort I have ever written about. It began as a school project when a geography teacher at Benzonia High School tasked his students to find the best place in Benzie County, MI to start a ski area. After much research and debate the class determined the Buck Hills…
Author: David Theoret
David Theoret
The Golfin’ Guy aka David (or Dave, but never Davey) Theoret grew up in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, where it was naturally assumed he would play hockey. Beginning at the age of 3 and continuing into his late 30's, he did just that. However, after one too many pucks to the head, he realized that golf was a lot easier on the body and took the game up. Whoever said hockey players were slow? Since that time, golf has become his passion – just ask Belinda. From 2003 until 2009, David ran the sales and marketing department of TravelGolf Media and took his team to over $1M in annual advertising revenue. While at TravelGolf, an editor told him he had a flair for writing and the lightbulb came on. He started writing articles about anything golf related: courses, destinations, resorts, shoes, apparel, equipment and training aids and sending them to websites and magazines. At first, his articles were picked up by a few golf websites and magazines, but the number steadily grew – enough that he could call it a career. Most days he’s on a course somewhere, either working or playing. Actually, to him playing IS work. Occasionally you’ll find him on the practice range reinforcing bad habits. David plays to a 12 handicap - unless there is money involved in which case it goes considerably higher. He currently resides in Lakeland, FL with his wife Belinda and their two "kids", Louie and Molly.
When a golf course melds seamlessly with its surroundings, that’s Nature’s Golf. When environmental preservation and forward-thinking course design come together, that’s Nature’s Golf. When you play Old Waverly and Mossy Oak Golf Clubs in West Point, MS, that’s Nature’s Golf. It’s Southern Golf at its finest. When most golfers think of golf in Mississippi, they are probably thinking of the Gulf Coast and the Biloxi area. But if you want to experience the best golf in the state, you’ll need to head about four hours north, past Jackson and Hattiesburg, to the little town of West Point, MS. That’s…
Many people believe that Treetops Golf Resort in Gaylord put Northern Michigan on the map as a great golf destination. Although there are several golf resorts in the area with multiple courses, Treetops emerges each year as one of the most recognizable golf resorts in the state. With 81 holes of spectacular golf at two locations (Treetops North is about a 7-minute drive), 226 guest rooms and suites, a spa, a salon, and more than 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, it’s easy to see why Treetops Resort is a popular venue for golf getaways, weddings, and business conferences. If…
Jimmy Lynn – President of Lifestyle Management Group of Florida – has come a long way since we first met in 2011. After spending 10 years in the golf industry, running sales and marketing for the largest publisher of golf travel information in the world, I had taken a position outside of golf but was still doing a little writing about golf courses and equipment. On the occasions I was sent some equipment, I would head to the driving range at The Club at Gateway. I had worked out a deal with General Manager Jimmy Lynn, mentioning his club’s facilities…
Concert Golf Partners is one of the fastest-growing private club ownership companies in the US. Their specialty is taking private clubs that are under performing and under-utilized, giving them an infusion of much-needed capital, and turning them around so that members can thoroughly enjoy their private club membership. Concert currently has over 30 properties in its portfolio, spanning 16 states from Massachusetts to Texas. While this is true for the majority of properties, it is not the case with the Club at Renaissance in Fort Myers, Florida. In fact, The Club at Renaissance is one of the most impressive private…
No golf trip to Northern Michigan is complete without a visit to BOYNE Golf near Petoskey, MI. In my mind, no other Michigan golf resort offers the variety of golf courses that Boyne has. Golfers have the opportunity to play ten uniquely different golf courses; stay in a variety of accommodations designed to meet anyone’s needs and dine at some incredible restaurants. Recently, I was able to play several courses in the BOYNE Golf lineup including two of my favorite Highlands courses, the Arthur Hills Course and the Robert Trent Jones-designed Heather Course. The Hills Course is one of Hill’s…
During a recent visit to Cider Ridge, I was told by several golfers that over the past few years, the previous management company had let the conditioning of the golf course decline dramatically. The club was recently sold to Zotan, LLC, a company led by PGA member Cory Etter that also owns Pine Hill Golf Course in nearby Anniston, AL. Etter and his staff have stepped up to the plate and are in the process of making Cider Ridge better than it has ever been. Many golfers I spoke with commented on the improved conditioning of the course and how…
Most golfers in the Midwest know about Harbor Shores and these days it may not be much of a stretch to say that a good percentage of visitors to the Benton Harbor area are there because of Harbor Shores. For those unfamiliar with the property, Harbor Shores is a 530-acre mixed-use development with residential homes, hotels, a lakefront park, and a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course. The course was built in 2010 when Benton Harbor, Michigan was a less-than-desirable place to live. Downtown buildings were being abandoned and the area had become a dumping ground for garbage, oil sludge, and…
Herndon, Virginia-based Heritage Golf Group recently added another private club to their growing list of Florida clubs. In June, they acquired Deercreek Country Club on the south side of Jacksonville. The Club is across from The Avenues Mall and a mere 20 minutes from the beaches and downtown. This acquisition brings Heritage holdings within the golf industry to 32 clubs in 13 states. Other Florida properties include TPC Prestancia, TPC Tampa Bay, Venetian Golf Club, The Club at Pelican Preserve, and The Club at Boca Pointe. Deercreek Country Club opened in 1989 to rave reviews. It’s located within the gates…
In a part of Florida that is known for prestigious private and resort golf clubs, the Amelia River Club has been recognized as one of the most prestigious courses in all of North Florida. The Club is located on Amelia Island, just north of Jacksonville and within minutes of the historic town of Fernandina Beach. It’s and a favorite of both local golfers and visitors to the Amelia Island area for many years. It’s not your typical daily fee facility; the fairways are always in pristine condition with well-manicured fairways and sculpted bunkers that lead to smooth TifEagle greens that…