Posts tagged Lakes
TRAVEL GUIDE: Great Lakes of North America
Apr 3rd
I’ve been to Hell and back and if I get the chance, I may well go back again. The states of Michigan, (where Hell is), Illinois and Ohio kind of blend into each other and it’s where I discovered the pleasures of the Great Lakes of North America.
The Great Lakes represent the largest expanse of fresh water in the world with a unique and diverse landscape. This region is the size of continental Europe and covers eight states.
This was possibly one of the best holidays I’ve ever had. My adventure break in the Great Lakes brought a whole new meaning to the term ‘swinging sixties’ with yours truly literally suspended from a rope, zip-lining high above the trees and loving every screaming moment of it. Driving ATV, or all terrain vehicles, was another adrenaline rush, maybe only surpassed by doing a flip over in a tiny four-man plane as the sun set deep in the sky.
After that, horse-riding on a ranch in Brighton, Michigan seemed almost chilled!
A Great Lakes break is not just for the young and agile, although the others in the group definitely qualified. And it’s a holiday that can easily be combined with a stay in New York or Toronto (only hours away by car).
The main attraction in Hell is the General Store set up by Vietnam vet John Colone. It sells souvenir T-shirts, the usual shot glasses, fridge magnets etc, and also does wedding catering. Half an hour’s drive brought us to the Brighton recreational stables run by one Helluva handsome rancher and his wife. My dilemma there was how to climb on board the majestic mare I’d been allocated because she was blonde like me, but I needn’t have worried as we all had to use the bales of hay provided to mount.
The uncharacteristically fine late October weather made for a leisurely hack through the forest, followed by a hayride through the pumpkin fields at Mayhews in a surrey. We spent our first week under the leadership of young Joe Vargo from Columbus who quite rightly suspected we’d be ravenous when we arrived and brought us to his local diner. You couldn’t make it up.
From an eatery that probably hadn’t changed since the 1960s, it was on the road again and onwards to our first sleep stop at the Glenlaurel, a Scottish Country Inn. Nestled in 140 heavily wooded acres, Glenlaurel is in the process of creating a replica links style golf course with eight holes as built in the British Isles over 400 years ago.
I began to feel nervous as we set off for the magnificent Hocking Hills the following morning for a canopy tour, described as ‘the region’s most adventurous way to soar over autumn’s colourful vista’.The new higher, faster, longer Super Zip takes visitors right over the Hocking River and we also flew over caves, rock cliffs, waterfalls and some of the tallest and prettiest trees.
Nature lover meets thrill seeker just about describes it. Rappelling back down to earth, was the most breath-taking experience of all. Hocking Hills also offers hot air ballooning or a fabulous scenic tour, which we took with veteran pilot and flight instructor Harry Sowers in his Cessna, soaring over several local counties at sunset. Meeting Harry was just as thrilling as the ride itself.
An afternoon hike to Old Man’s Cave, one of the park’s most popular attractions was made all the more enjoyable by our guide, naturalist Pat Quakenbush who talked us through the history of Hocking Hills where early man first inhabited the caves over 7000 years ago. We later hooked up with Trent Walters from ATV World.
At first, I have to admit, I tried to cry off when I realised not only the speed these vehicles can do, but the terrain we were about to cover. But before long, the newly formed adrenaline junkie was back and careering over rows of huge tyres, uphill and deep descents through heavily forested woods with deers and other wildlife popping out for a peep.
Next day, after breakfast on the run, we moved on to Lake Erie Shores and Islands and caught the Miller Ferry to Put-In Bay.
Choice lobster and succulent seafood made lunch at the Boardwalk a very welcome affair before we took a tram ride round the little island on a super sunny day.
We stayed at Sawmill Creek Resort for our visit to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Point is one of the most popular family destinations in the world, with 75 rides including some of the fastest and longest you’ll ever experience. (I chickened out!).
There’s the top thrill Dragster at 420 feet tall, the Maverick that launches through a 400feet tunnel and the Magnum, if you fancy taking off at 72mph before you even tackle the 200 feet rollercoaster.
A visit to a local farm market and winery seemed a sedate option next day and Quarry Hill had some fine wines on sale.
Regardless of the weather, which was fine for us, you can surf and swim at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky 365 days a year.
America’s largest indoor waterpark offers accommodation, an animal reserve, a spa and much more besides. What a way to start a visit to a new city.
Lexi, our next guide in Cleveland, escorted us on the Great Lakes Brewing Company tour in the city’s West Side. It’s the state’s first microbrewery.
Slept well at the Downtown Crowne Plaza Hotel before an early start for perch fishing on Lake Erie. All on board a charter boat with bait, tackle, licences and rods provided.
I’d never ever gone fishing before but beginner’s luck saw me thrilled, yet again, to catch three enormous yellow perch out in the depths.
From Positively Cleveland it was onwards again, to Pure Michigan for our first meeting with new guide, the truly delightful Barbs Barden.
Dinner outdoors with Barbs and Dave Lorenz was gargantuan and gorgeous and we got an insight into how very different the people from the Mid-West are from their East and West Coast compatriots.
Over the next couple of days we enjoyed our trip to Hell, riding in Brighton and another first for me, when we had a golf lesson with the pro at Huron Meadows Golf & Country Club. Well, you can’t be good at everything!
I showed real skill at driving the golf cart across the hiking trails and cross-country ski trails , however, until I thought I was back in an ATV and tumbled the thing.
Because of the enormous variety of trees, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula rates among the best ‘fall foliage’ in America and is a spectacularly beautiful sight with great sunsets. A guided tour aboard the Island Queen across one of the country’s largest man-made lakes displayed Kensington Metropark in all its autumn glory before we were captivated by the tranquillity of a well-stocked Butterfly House.
And how better to complete the adventure trip of a lifetime, than by a final Zip Line, Highropes Adventure Course and tour through the Howell nature Centre. There’s only one word to cover this Great Lakes trip — awesome.
- For further information on the Great Lakes of North America visit greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk or call 08456 020 574
From www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
High school roundup: Seven Lakes golf finishes fall on a high
Dec 15th
Seven Lakes golf coach Sean Ewing could not have asked for a better conclusion to the fall season.
After struggling in their first two tournaments, the Spartans finished second in Division II at the Dick Harmon Memorial, shooting a 27-hole 480 on the tournament course at Redstone Golf Club.
“It was a great way for us to end the semester and go into the break with confidence, saying ‘Hey, we got this. We’re on the right track. We know where we’re going. We have our goal,’” Ewing said.
The goal is to return to the regional tournament, which the Spartans missed for the first time in four years last season. They finished a disappointing fourth in District 17-5A.
“I was in uncharted territory basically,” Ewing said. “Even our first year open, when we competed with Friendswood and them — they threw us in a 4A district just to put us somewhere – we competed.
“We got third and missed going to regionals by a couple strokes.
“Then the next three years we go to the state tournament, either winning the region or coming up second, so yeah, it was hard to swallow for our boys. They didn’t get to do what they wanted to do.”
A back injury that sideline Juan Espiga and Trey Anderson‘s struggles with a new swing coach were the biggest factor’s for the Spartans April struggles last spring. This fall, it was a lack of experience.
Espiga, who’s a senior, is back, and so is sophomore Matt Sullivan, a top-five player last season, but the other three players are new.
Junior Ben Yoo was on the ‘B’ team last season, when he still managed a top-10 place in district, sophomore Cole Smith is seeing top competition for the first time, and junior William Bevevino, a move-in from Philadelphia, still is adjusting to the weather and course conditions in Texas.
And really, Espiga is still working his way back into shape after about a six-month layoff with his back injury. He made his return to tourney action on Halloween weekend at River Ridge Golf Club.
That made his Division II individual win at Redstone all the more impressive. He shot a 27-hole 115.
“He’s looking to get a scholarship still,” Ewing said. “With him being injured like he was last year he’s behind the eight ball now, so it was good for him to come out and do that, throw that up, so people can see he’s back.”
Now the Spartans are off until Jan. 28, 2011, when they open the five-tournament spring schedule with the two-day Fort Bend Austin Invitational at the Greatwood Golf Club in Sugar Land.
That’s when the real preparation for the district tournament begins, and though the Spartans’ goal is to finish in the top two and return to the regional tourney at Eagle Pointe, it’s not getting easier.
Cinco Ranch, which won the Division I title at the Dick Harmon Memorial, Katy Taylor and Mayde Creek return most of their top golfers, and now Memorial is in the district mix.
“It’s going to be a dogfight but I think we’ll be alright,” Ewing said. “We still have enough experience with Matt and Juan that those guys should lead us back to regionals. That’s our goal definitely.”
Spartans wins LBJ titleThe Seven Lakes boys basketball team defeated Austin Johnson 59-49 for the Austin LBJ Invitational championship.
The Spartans led 22-10 early on and controlled the game most of the way. Guard Atif Russell paced the team with 18 points, and point guard Trey Pinkney and forward Jaylon Jones had 10 apiece.
They ousted Austin Anderson 62-55 in the tournament semifinals after trailing by four points at halftime. Forward Princeton Onwas had 15 points in that one.
Robinson signs with TCUKaty Taylor’s Cooper Robinson recently signed with the TCU swim team.
The 6-foot-4 senior, who ranked seventh in the country in the 100-yard backstroke last season, is a six-time All-America selection.
His time of 49 seconds flat in the 100 back is a school record. He also holds the 50 and 200 back records for Power Aquatics and 50, 100 and 200 back records for Katy Aquatics.
In the Finger Lakes, Enjoying a Master’s Vision
Aug 30th
Bristol Harbor The 14th hole at Bristol Harbour in western New York begins a breathtaking closing stretch in a distinctive woodland setting.
While playing the Cornell University golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones before World War II, I wondered at times what the great Jones saw in the land as he laid out the holes. Why does this fairway meander to the left when the landscape slopes to the right?
Then I came around the corner of a dogleg right and saw the canopy of trees protecting the right side of the green — a daunting but perfectly natural runway of leafy limbs arching outward, ever ready to snag any slice struck from a dead slice lie.
Ah, yes, so that’s what he saw. More impressive, he saw it as he was beginning his trade, before he was even 35.
The Cornell golf course, named for its designer, is one of several examples of Jones’s work in the Finger Lakes region of New York, an early breeding ground of Jones’s work close to his boyhood home, East Rochester.
The Robert Trent Jones golf trail in Alabama is perhaps his best-known collection of golf courses and deservedly attracts a steady stream of golfers from around the nation.
But Jones, who died in 2000 when he was 93, was so productive, it sometimes seems as if you could piece together a Jones golf trail almost anywhere.
For sentimental value and because it’s only a four-hour drive from New York City, the Finger Lakes area is my unheralded but worthy choice. And with the Jones courses generally next to lakeside mountains lined with deciduous trees, there may not be a better time to visit than the approaching fall months of September and October.
Jones certainly knew the terrain. He built his first course, Midvale Country Club just east of Rochester, in 1931 when he was 25. He built several more soon after, including the rolling course at Green Lakes State Park, a Depression-era project by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Jones himself operated that course for several years.
If the Finger Lakes were an incubator, the golf world became the benefactor as Jones built more than 500 courses worldwide, including at least one in 45 American states. But the Finger Lakes remained the starting point, and one wonders if the region shaped his designs for decades.
“I think it did if for no other reason than it has the perfect topography for golf,” said James Hansen, a history professor and director of the honors college at Auburn University who is writing a Jones biography. “He came away from the Finger Lakes with a certain aesthetic in his mind. He had a sense for what was beautiful and pleasing to the eye and how that translated to a golf course.
“I think it stayed with him all his life.”
In July, I composed my own tidy, four-course Jones Finger Lakes trail, with drives between the courses of no more than 80 minutes.
For starters, there is the Green Lakes State Park course in Fayetteville, N.Y., a sweeping swath of land winding through hills and swales that rarely lead to a flat lie, whether in the fairway or on the green. About 75 miles west, there is a 1972 Jones design at Bristol Harbour Resort, which sits on a dramatic bluff overlooking shimmering Canandaigua Lake. The Bristol Harbour course has striking lake views and five brilliant and distinctive closing holes in a classic woodland setting. Heading back toward Cornell, there is a little nine-hole course on the campus of tiny Wells College in the picturesque village of Aurora.
Jones’s wife, Ione, whom he met while attending nearby Cornell in the late 1920s, persuaded Jones to renovate the 50-year-old Wells College course at roughly the time he was laying out the holes at Bristol Harbour. Jones re-configured only three holes, but the results are obvious. From the tee of the second hole, for example, a grove and a brook hide the green. It is one of several blind tee shots.
The Wells College course is a short, country nine-holer in the classic sense, so don’t expect closely mowed fairways or manicured bunkers. Lower your expectations and enjoy the walk on another course overlooking a lake.
The final destination is Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Cornell, which may be harder for the public golfer to experience because it is open to members of the extended Cornell community and their families, and, according to the club Web site, “anyone with an educational affiliation.” That can include a high school teacher in Iowa, or anywhere else, or a staff member at another college.
So if you can find a way to fit into one of those categories, or know someone who can, the Cornell course is the finest of Jones’s Finger Lakes offerings. The back nine was designed and opened first, in 1941. Jones completed the 18-hole routing in 1954.
Last year, Cornell received a voluminous collection of Jones’s papers, including his designs for hundreds of golf courses and about 400 boxes of correspondence and business records. In the documents was Jones’s transcript when he was a special student at Cornell — special because he designed a program that was considered the first golf architecture curriculum in American higher education.
Jones, referred to as the father of modern golf course architecture, studied agronomy and landscape architecture but also horticulture, hydraulics, surveying, economics and public speaking. The public speaking component was because golf architects needed skills of persuasion if they were going to raise money for construction during the Depression.
The Jones papers are not yet open to the public for research because they have to be organized. But Elaine Engst, the director of Cornell’s division of rare and manuscript collections, expects the collection to be exceedingly popular.
“A lot of people have contacted us already,” Engst said.
Teeing off on the 14th hole at Bristol Harbour on a pristine July day, I couldn’t imagine what Robert Trent Jones had in store for me. But striking my shot down the middle (or nearly so) seemed a suitable plan of attack.
Still, as I walked toward the ball in the fairway, I wondered: What did he see here?
Because I saw nothing.
And then I got to my ball and came upon the 80-foot drop from the fairway to a green enveloped by tall trees, a drop made even more devilish by the hole’s sharp turn to the left.
Ah, yes, so that’s what he saw.
And we can experience his vision forevermore.
From the archives, lessons on putting:
