May 25, 2007

JACKSON, MI — Ray Hearn is clearly on a roll. With the Grande Golf Club, he’s almost assured a slew of new course awards on at least the state level, and perhaps nationally, too. Grande offers a different golfing experience. In a word, it ain’t just a marketing ploy – Grande Golf Club is truly grand.

The 455-yard, par-4 13th hole is another special Hearn design. It is particularly deceptive and wicked. Sand traps run basically down the middle of the fairway from the main landing area to the green.

The fairway runs downhill from tee to green allowing a golfer to pick a side. Each side of the split fairway is 40 yards wide, which doubles the chances of hitting the fairway from the tee box. "The left fairway, which is a little skinnier than the right side gives golfers a better look at the entire green," says Jason Watson. "The left fairway runs 15 feet higher in elevation than the right fairway."

The Grande gives everyone a choice off the tee.

"There is a lot more room on the right than it appears off the tee," said Chad Long after his round in July 2006. "If you suck like me, you want to aim down the middle for the bunkers. As long as you do not hit it straight, you are definitely in the short grass."

Mike Trojanowski had another take on the line of bunkers splitting the fairway. "Let me tell you," said Troj. "You do not want to be in the bunkers. Leap-frogging from one sand trap to another on the way to a quadruple bogey is about as much fun as accidentally sitting on the pointy end of a pricker bush."

The green at the 13th hole is also divided into two sides and two levels. The left side sits 3 1/2 feet higher than the right side. The absolutely huge green is sure to leave 140-foot putts from side to side.

"Missing this green from the fairway will feel like hitting one in the water," says Kyle Marti. "The green is huge. This green will have quite a few 4-putts during the opening round."

Tournament pin placements are expected to be back left, front left, and front right. The practice round pin will be center, but very close to the sharp contour.

The 2007 Carl Spackler Open Championship will begin on June 7 with the mandatory player meeting and Zavinski 100, which is 100 consumed beers in 100 seconds.