Crystal View Golf Course

Crystal View Golf course is a nine hole municipal course located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan about a half hour drive from our cabin. Built in 1928 the Golf Course has an old course appeal, small but good greens and a layout that provides plenty of challenge. 

For the first couple of years when we headed to the U.P. for vacation I would take my golf clubs but had not done so for quite some time. In our "Exploring Years" there just didn't seem to be enough time and now, since no one else plays, I just sort of forgot about golf when at the cabin.

In addition to our annual trip to the U.P., the summer also marks the eastern migration from California of my college roommate, lifelong friend Joe and his family returning to visit families and friends. Though the years, Joe and I would find time to slip away and play a couple rounds of golf; perhaps saving him from joining in on shopping trips and I from a routine day at the office.

This year, with Surgery scheduled before they are due to arrive it looked like our annual pilgrimage to the links simply was not to be. Until.... Joe decided to travel and visit with us at the cabin.

To know true friendship is to know someone from San Hose who would travel to Crystal Falls to tee it up a few times. Crystal Falls is not a dream destination for golf, rather it is a logician's dream, a challenge to figure out how the hell to get there. Needless to say, Joe would board a "Red Eye" fly to Atlanta, Detroit and then Green Bay before renting a car for the final two hour drive to Crystal Falls. To make the trip "Extra Special", Joe arrived in Green Bay two hours ahead of his clothes and golf clubs.

Luck did prevail as Joe's clothes and clubs finally arrived on the next flight. In addition, I was able to reach Sue over sketchy cell phone service to let her know she could put back the twenty five percent recycled cotton underwear she had thrown in the cart "Just In Case".

Perhaps playing golf early in the morning, after little sleep and traveling a couple of time zones might not be the most recommended warm up for a round of golf but off we went anyway, headed to Crystal View.

On our way to the course we passed and I pointed out Clarence. Clarence works at the Crystal Falls IGA bagging groceries and transporting them to the parking lot for willing customers and their tips. I suspect Clarence may be somewhat challenged but I'll bet he knows how to pick out the "right" customers. I also imagine you can set a watch by his morning commute.

Arriving at the golf course before eight A.M. we were the only car in the parking lot. Outside of the clubhouse door there is a mailbox with envelopes inside meant to deposit your greens fees (fifteen dollars for nine holes, walking) in the event no one is around to collect. This morning  someone was in the clubhouse so I went in to settle up. To my surprise, there was a "ladies day special" reduced rate of nine dollars for nine holes to encourage early morning play.

Just before we hit our first drives, a group of walkers wandered around on a morning trek, otherwise it was Joe, a couple maintenance guys and I on the golf course. If you have never played golf with no one ahead or behind you on a perfect morning let me assure you it is a real treat.

I can't be exactly sure what time we finished the nine but was before ten and the the course was still virtually empty. Joe was game for another nine holes and off we went again, although this time our green fees had soared to an astonishing eleven dollars each!

Friday morning we headed back again, a few minutes later in the morning as marked by the progress Clarence had made trekking down to the IGA and our walking group had made on the golf course.

This morning Joe and I had agreed to nine holes, we would be playing again on Saturday so didn't want to "Golf Out" ourselves. This time Joe ventured inside the club house to take care of the fees and came out smiling. "Mike, it's two for one day", he told me, and then went on to explain that it was twenty seven dollars for both of us to play nine holes with a cart. "How much if we want to walk?", he asked the gal taking the fee. She replied, "Thirty Dollars." All I can say is Welcome to the U.P.

Once again we launched drives having the course almost to ourselves, laughing about the rates and enjoying our time together on the course even if our golf wasn't as stellar as it might of been.

Later ....... Mike