From Canada to Texas: Gaylord Golf Mecca Courses Wow the Writers
Photo Credit: Tom Bedell
In recent days some VIP golf writers from places like Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, Vermont and Canada visited the Gaylord Golf Mecca as a group and played golf – a lot of golf come rain, shine or even windstorms.
They departed impressed and should be sending their golfer audiences to the Mecca soon.
Mike Ratchman, publisher of Texas Golf Insider Magazine and producer of a network radio show, and one of his writers, Greg Wettman, who is an honest-to-goodness child support judge in Houston when he isn’t writing golf, came along, too.
Beyond joyously winning a match against Paul Beachnau, the executive director of the Mecca and yours truly, they were impressed with the collection of 15 courses and 20 lodging partners that make up the Mecca.
“The variety of what is here is probably the thing that surprised me the most,” Ratchman said. “Each place we have played has been impressive, and yet different.”
The group started their marathon of golf at Black Lake Golf Club in Onaway and made stops at Michaywe’ – The Pines, The Loon Golf Resort, Gaylord Golf Club, Indian River Golf Club, The Natural at Beaver Creek and Treetops Resort.
They delivered like the mail, too, in all types of weather. The Mecca members, delivered, well, like Mecca members always deliver – as promised.
“In the summer in Texas it’s too hot to play for a lot of people, but this is perfect here,” Ratchman said on a damp morning at The Natural that didn’t deter the group. “I’m really enjoying this. The green, the trees, the conditioning of all the courses, it’s beautiful and perfect for golf. I didn’t know all of this was here before, at least this nice of a collection of facilities. We will be telling the Texas golfers about this.”
Ratchman can share that there is direct air travel from the Dallas area to Traverse City, too. The Mecca and other tourism partners made that happen in recent years.
The Mecca would like to thank the writers who came and played marathon golf at the Mecca; Tom Bedell of Vermont and The A Position, Darren Reese of Tennessee Golf Quarterly, Shannon Bower of Golf Georgia, Gord Montgomery of Inside Golf-Canada/Alberta Golfer, Ken MacLeod of Golf Oklahoma, Michael Cunningham of ProShop Magazine-Canada, Ratchman and The Judge, who made it clear he will rule that Gaylord is a nice place with nice people and great golf.
We knew that, but it is great to know the word is getting spread around.
Oh, and Beachnau promises the Texas Gang will be challenged to a rematch. In the Mecca, of course.
