[PCCraig]

Has anyone heard from Doug? I sent a PM and an e-mail earlier today with no response. If I don't hear back by Wednesday I'll take him off the list.

Ended up hearing from Doug who is out for the event. I've updated the first page of attendees. At this point we have a manageable group of 32 (8 groups) with nearly everyone confirmed.


If there is anyone else who has had a change of plans let me know as soon as possible.


Otherwise. I will begin working on pairings and release those later this week with a more comprehensive schedule.


Thanks,


Pat

[Jay Mickle]

I don't want to leave Lawsonia.

[Tyler Kearns]

I don't want to leave Lawsonia.

Jay,


I played Lawsonia last week, really impressed!!  Look forward to discussing it with you in a few days.


Tyler

[PCCraig]

Gents,

Here is a bit more of a detailed post on our schedule of events for the Mashie this weekend.

Please check in at the pro shop when you arrive.

Tee times will begin at noon on Saturday. The format will be "West vs. East" and we should have an even 32 players. The first day's format as always will be 2 vs. 2 best ball match play.

12:00pm
Vaughn Halyard/Brandon Urban
vs.
Ran Morrissett/Jay Mickle

12:10
Joe Lynch/Pete Pittock
vs.
Jason Thompson/Frank Kim

12:20
Jeff Shelman/John Crowley
vs.
Matt Bosela/Bill Steele

12:30
Dan Kelly/Derek Holland
vs.
Steve Kline/Ross Harmon

12:40
Frank Sekulic/Morgan Clawson
vs.
Criss Titschinger/Dave Herrick

12:50
Tom Atchison/Scott Skorupa
vs.
Lou Duran/Jason Thurman

1:00
Chris Tritabaugh/Shane Wright
vs.
Tyler Kearns/Bill Morrissett

1:10
Pat Craig/Jake Marvin
vs.
Joe Andriole/Ted Sturges

After golf, Northland will have beverage service set up near the 18th green where folks can gather to have a drink, socialize, or head in to get cleaned up for dinner which will be served at 7:00pm sharp. The "theme" of dinner will be BBQ and the menu looks terrific.

After we've eaten we will have a few speakers which I think everyone will enjoy very much. Specifically, Ran Morrissett will welcome everyone and give a State of GCA, Chris Tritabaugh & Jake Ryan will discuss their work at Northland from an agronomy perspective given the innovative things they've done, and Ron Prichard & Tyler Rae will discuss their renovation work at Northland and lead a discussion from an architecture standpoint.

After that we'll have the opportunity to retire to the Grill Bar until

The next morning, breakfast will be served in the clubhouse from 8am-10am with tee times beginning at 9:30am.

Here are the final round singles matches:
9:30am
Chris Tritabaugh vs. Ran Morrissett
Dan Kelly vs. Lou Duran

9:40am
Vaughn Halyard vs. Bill Steele
John Crowley vs. Criss Titschinger

9:50am
Tom Atchison vs. Bill Morrissett
Jake Marvin vs. Tyler Kearns

10:00am
Morgan Clawson vs. Jay Mickle
Pete Pittock vs. Frank Kim

10:10am
Pat Craig vs. Matt Bosela
Shane Wright vs. Jason Thurman

10:20am
Scott Skorupa vs. Ted Sturges
Derek Holland vs. Jason Thompson

10:30am
Joe Lynch vs. Ross Harmon
Frank Sekulic vs. Dave Herrick

10:40am
Jeff Shelman vs. Joe Andriole
Brandon Urban vs. Steve Kline

Those are the matches. I tried to make sure folks were playing with different people each day, while trying to quasi keep the matches somewhat even from a handicap standpoint.

Looking forward to seeing everyone up at Northland this weekend. It should be a lot of fun.

If anyone has any questions, please let me know.

Thanks,

Pat

[PCCraig]

One more note.


If anyone would like a caddie, the Head Professional would like everyone to know that they are available but some advance notice would be appreciated as they only have about 20-30 total.

[Dan Kelly]

Pat,


I am confused. Derek Holland appears to be playing on both sides (with me Saturday; against Shelman Sunday), and Jason Thurman has two opponents in singles!

[Howard Riefs]

Pat,


I am confused. Derek Holland appears to be playing on both sides (with me Saturday; against Shelman Sunday), and Jason Thurman has two opponents in singles!

Have you seen Thurman play? He's a talent extraordinaire.


I hope everyone has a great time at the Mashie. Look forward to following along from afar.

[Pete_Pittock]

I don't want to leave Lawsonia.

Can't say the same for Bully Pulpit.  Trip so far is 3 driving days + 1 golf course. One more drive before Wilderness/Giant Friday

[PCCraig]

Pat,


I am confused. Derek Holland appears to be playing on both sides (with me Saturday; against Shelman Sunday), and Jason Thurman has two opponents in singles!

Fixed. Jason Thurman and Jason Thompson both just roll off the keyboard in the same way. I accidentally put Lou Duran on the west team Sunday morning and that threw everything off. I think it's fixed now.

[PCCraig]

I don't want to leave Lawsonia.

Can't say the same for Bully Pulpit.  Trip so far is 3 driving days + 1 golf course. One more drive before Wilderness/Giant Friday

Safe travels, Pete. That is a whole lot of driving!

[PCCraig]

Bumping to the top once again for folks to see in advance of our matches in a *couple* days.


Should be fun!


Pat

[Brad Tufts]

Like all Midwest Mashies that have happened since my last one (Lost Dunes?)...I wish I was there!


Will be playing though, the Dawson Invitational at the Prichard-restored Concord CC in Mass.


Have fun boys!

[RJ_Daley]

Just a last minute check to see if anyone will be looking for a dinner companion for Friday night in Duluth.  I snagged what seemed like a last available room in the city at the Days Inn near airport.  I figure to arrive about 3-5pm and probably could make it a little earlier if by chance someone would need a pick up at Duluth airport or such.  I will check this IM on GCA.com or I can be reached on cell 920 530 3371 call or text.

I can't play, but would like to roam the FWs as the players go after the coveted Mashie, if the club won't object to a walking observer.  I need the exercise for sure!  Weather looks perfect and comfortable for summer golf. 

[PCCraig]

Just a last minute check to see if anyone will be looking for a dinner companion for Friday night in Duluth.  I snagged what seemed like a last available room in the city at the Days Inn near airport.  I figure to arrive about 3-5pm and probably could make it a little earlier if by chance someone would need a pick up at Duluth airport or such.  I will check this IM on GCA.com or I can be reached on cell 920 530 3371 call or text.

I can't play, but would like to roam the FWs as the players go after the coveted Mashie, if the club won't object to a walking observer.  I need the exercise for sure!  Weather looks perfect and comfortable for summer golf. 

Dick,


You are welcome to watch the matches. You're also obviously signed up for dinner Saturday night as well.


Looking forward to it. I think it's been since the 2nd Mashie at Lawsonia I believe?


Safe travels.


Pat

[Rick Shefchik]

To my profound regret, I have told Pat I will not be able to make the Mashie at NCC. I fell and tore my quadriceps tendon on Sunday. My orthopedic surgeon (with whom I am far too well acquainted) got me into surgery on Tuesday, but I'll be on crutches for six weeks, and golf appears to be over for me until next year (given the Minnesota climate).
I had some material prepared to present to the group about the pre-Donald Ross 18-hole routing, based on a story I found in the Duluth Herald in 1922. It appears to have been a Tom Bendelow design, and used land that is no longer owned by the club. Since I can't be at Northland, I will wait till the event is over and put together a GCA post about Northland once the Mashie is over, so more of us will have some familiarity with the course on which I learned to play the game.

[RJ_Daley]

Darned, too bad Rick.  It seems clear that GCA.com has gone on so long that most of us 'senior' or long time contributors are becoming brittle and tearing and breaking too many vital parts. 

And I had my money on you in your matches...

[Tyler Kearns]

Rick,


Sorry to hear about your injury, get well soon. Look forward to your post on Northland.


Tyler

[Tyler Kearns]

Just played a pre-pre mashies round at Keller golf course this afternoon. Really solid course, Richard did a wonderful job. I’m curious to see what it looked like before the renovation. Great value for $45.


Looking forward to midland hills & white bear yacht club tomorrow.


Tyler

[BHoover]

As a participant in several previous Mashies and former Minnesota resident, I wish I could be there to experience Northland. I hope to see lots of photos and look forward to reading the recaps of the event.

[PCCraig]

As a participant in several previous Mashies and former Minnesota resident, I wish I could be there to experience Northland. I hope to see lots of photos and look forward to reading the recaps of the event.

Sorry you won't be able to make it, Brian. I'll do my best to document!

[PCCraig]

Well....

It's in the books!

I just got back this evening from the 2018 Midwest Mashie in Duluth. As always, it is always such a treat to get everyone together to play golf, talk golf, and occasionally have a beer while talking more golf! Not to mention seeing old friends and making new ones.

I think I can speak for everyone in saying that Northland CC was a terrific host. Many thanks to John Kuenzli, their Director of Golf, for setting everything up and keeping us on time. Superintendents Jake Ryan and Tanner Schoenfelder were also with us the entire way and were also awesome hosts that allowed us architecture nerds (and amateur turf experts) pick their brains for the weekend.

As many were saying this afternoon, we actually played two different courses. The first day of the Mashie was defined by the weather. It rained really hard for most of the afternoon. To give the GCA crew credit, most soldiered on...walking and playing through the driving rain. Some of us decided to take shelter in the hallway house until the rain passed and we were rewarded with a few glimpses of Lake Superior. Despite the rain, the course was remarkably still firm and the greens were quick and perplexing.

That evening after dinner we were treated to awesome presentations from Jake Ryan, Chris Tritabaugh, and Tyler Rae. The love and respect that these three have for Northland CC and Donald Ross' work their is truly special. As others will mention, Northland is a unique property on so many levels, and it was great to have them all there to lead the discussion.

Today was a much different story. Hot and sunny, everyone was able to enjoy Northland in all its beauty.

Most importantly,  the West retained the Mashie by just ONE point!

Hopefully others chime in with their thoughts on the weekend.

I enjoyed seeing everyone this past weekend very much and I hope everyone comes back to see us and play golf again in the near future.

I'm having a hard time posting photos at this time, but I'll share a few here once I upload properly.

[Ross Harmon]

Back in Colorado reflecting on a great weekend! An huge thanks to Pat, the staffs at Northland and WBYC, members at WBYC and GCA for putting together such a fun Mashie. They truly were “Minnesota nice”! It was fantastic to see a few old friends and meet many new ones!

[Steve Kline]

I got back from the Mashie at 5 a.m. this morning. My wife and I left immediately after finishing yesterday and she did most of the almost 12 hours of driving.


It was certainly worth it!


A huge thank you to both the staffs and members of White Bear and Northland for allowing us to play their courses this weekend. Both of them were fantastic. I would gladly be a member at either course to play it every day and never get tired of it.


The topography of both courses was amazing and unique. The routings were terrific. The land at White Bear heaved up and down and side to side, causing many funky lies and some blind shots. Northland was dominated by the climb up the hill to flatter ground followed by the descent back down. For such a steep climb on 2 and 3, it did not feel like a slog.


Even with almost 1.5 inches of rain Saturday the greens at Northland remained fairly firm. On Sunday, you wouldn't even have known it rained the day before as the fairways were bouncy and greens firm once again. Clearly, there is an excellent maintenance program at Northland with an emphasis on firm and fast.


In my recent return to golf, it was a great to catch up with some old acquaintances and make some new ones as well. This weekend was a great way to really get back in the game. By the last nine at Northland, my swing was really starting to come back and my passion for the game took quite a leap. Thank you for the encouragement from those that I played with, particularly Ross and Brandon.

[Jake Marvin]

Boy, was that fun. Like most, I think, I expected Northland to be good, but not nearly that good. The routing is phenomenal and the course plays very well, even in the conditions we experienced. While the brown look isn't for everyone (admittedly, the rain made it look like mud rather than laying-down fescue), I thought it was mostly palatable and easy enough to hit off of.


The greens are really something. Tyler Rae didn't place them among Ross' best due to the lack of internal contour, and I defer to his experience but ask if those greens really need that much contour. I've played plenty of courses where "everything falls towards X," but when coupled with Ross' steep back-to-front greens, they get tough. Too much movement would've made a few of them unplayable. They only course where I can remember being so baffled by the greens is Lookout Mountain, not coincidentally also built on a hillside and the only other course where I've been given a putting map to help with reads.


The work Tyler is doing looks to be going quite well. I heard a few saying that #1 was their favorite hole on the course, which may be due to the changes, especially the reworked bunkering and expanded green. If the whole course receives the same treatment, and Jake is allowed to execute his grand vision of maintenance and tree removal, Northland would establish itself one of the top courses in the Midwest, it's that good. We'll have to get some MN guys up there when the whole course is done.


The event was awesome, all thanks to Pat for organizing, Ran, Jake, Chris, and Tyler for speaking, and the Club for being great hosts. Also, this was my first GCA event and I was impressed and grateful for the welcoming attitude of all present. Thanks to all I played with and met, hope to see you all at future Mashies and in my travels.

[Steve Kline]

Another thought that struck me about White Bear and Northland. Both courses measured 6,400 yards or less from the regular tees. But, they both felt a lot longer than that. In fact, many Ross courses I've played seem to have that characteristic - not long on the card but play long.


I don't think I've experienced that so consistently with any other architect. What did Ross do to cause that affect?

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