Michigan Golf Blog : News & Specials

Get ready for the season at the driving range or better yet, improve your game at the Crystal Mountain Golf School. Rated in the Top 25 by Golf Magazine and in the Top Five by Golf For Women, the Crystal Mountain Golf School offers 100+ golf schools, clinics and programs including junior, adult and women-only programs, including the famed Nike Junior Golf Camp. This is some of the most sought-after instruction in the Midwest!

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Pure North Country Golf

Make Crystal Mountain your destination for your next northern Michigan golf vacation. Crystal Mountain offers an exceptional northern Michigan golf experience. With two distinctly different golf courses – both of which have received a four-star golf course rating from GOLF Magazine – you’re sure to find everything you expect from this premier northern Michigan golf resort.

Looking for a great northern Michigan golf and lodging package? Crystal Mountain’s golf packages offer just that. Plus, Crystal offers a remarkable range of lodging choices…from cozy to extravagant and all points in between. Click here for more information on our northern Michigan lodging options. What’s more, we’re not far from all of the Benzie County and Traverse City golf courses – so you could easily play a different northern Michigan golf course each day. Crystal Mountain. Your northern Michigan golf vacation starts here.

Crystal Mountain is about to embark on a $10 million expansion that will include three new projects: a full-service destination spa, new slope-side residences named the Bungalows at Crystal Glen and Michigan’s only alpine slide.

These three new projects represent the latest steps in Crystal Mountain’s master plan, Emergent Directions. Upon completion of the spa, Bungalows, and alpine slide, Crystal will have invested over $50 million in resort expansion and improvements in the last decade.

“We are excited to undertake these new projects that will not only enhance our guests’ experience, but further sustain Crystal as a year-round destination resort,“ said Jim MacInnes, president and general manager of Crystal Mountain.

The Crystal Spa
The Crystal Spa, with construction scheduled to begin this spring and completion scheduled for winter 2008/09, will include a 13,000 square-foot expansion to Crystal’s existing indoor pool and fitness area. The project includes the addition of a full-service spa featuring 12 treatment rooms, private locker rooms, a manicure and pedicure area, and an outdoor meditation garden with a hot tub. The facility will also include indoor and outdoor motion studios for yoga, Pilates, stretching and aerobics classes as well as additional state-of-the-art fitness and weight training equipment.

The Crystal Spa will be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified project that incorporates green building practices throughout. The design will celebrate the art and natural beauty of northern Michigan in a setting that encourages relaxation, renewal, and rejuvenation. This $4 million addition will position Crystal as the Midwest’s leading destination resort for the promotion of healthy lifestyles. An array of spa services, extensive fitness programming and healthy cuisine from Crystal’s Peak Performance menu will offer guests the opportunity to enhance their health and wellness.

The Bungalows at Crystal Glen
Crystal is now accepting purchase agreements for the first phase of its newest ski-in, ski-out residential neighborhood, The Bungalows at Crystal Glen. Design of these quaint three- and four-bedroom dwellings is influenced by early 1900s era Michigan vacation bungalows in an arts and crafts motif. Nestled in the heart of the resort village, at the base of the slopes and just steps away from Kinlochen and the Betsie Valley golf course, the Bungalows offer flexible summer, winter, and year-round ownership plans, and will also be available through Crystal’s vacation rental program.

Loki Alpine Slide
Crystal Mountain will add to its reputation as a premier year-round playground when it adds Michigan’s only alpine slide this summer. Riders will take the Loki triple chairlift to the top, hop on a sled, and cruise down one of two parallel 250-foot-high, 1,600-foot-long curved tracks.

“From top to bottom, the rider controls the speed,” explains Jim MacInnes. “’Whether it be a slow and easy ride through the beautiful terrain or action-packed excitement through the dips and high-banked turns, it’s a ride that will delight people of all ages.”

For more information visit Alpine Slide, LLC at: http://www.alpineslide.com/

Crystal Mountain officials have worked in partnership with the Traverse Bay Economic Development Corporation in packaging $1.1 million in local, state and federal non-traditional low-interest financing, the majority coming from Benzie County Economic Development Corporation’s Revolving Loan Fund. As a result of this expansion project, Crystal expects to create 32 new jobs.

Celebrating over 50 years, Crystal is a family owned resort, featuring 45 downhill slopes, 40+ km of cross-country trails, 36 holes of championship golf, lodging, dining and IACC-approved conference facilities for groups of up to 400 people. SKI Magazine rated Crystal the #1 Resort in the Midwest in 2005.

NOTE: Click here for hi-res downloadable images,

Fall golf R & R - $79* per person per night for 18 holes and lodging!

Getting away in the fall is what some people wait all summer for. The fairways are less crowded, the nights are a little cooler, and prices begin to dip.

You’ll see an explosion of northern Michigan colors in late September thru October.

Fall golf at Crystal is calling you.

Valid midweek, Sept. 24 thru Oct. 31, excludes Sept. 26-27, 2007.

Call (800) 968-7686 ext. 5100.

Visit Crystal Mountain Website For More Information

Instructors are among Golf Digest’s top instructors while the students finish on top in tournaments.

THOMPSONVILLE, MICH. – Three instructors from the Crystal Mountain Golf School were recently ranked among the best in Michigan by Golf Digest; a well-deserved honor based on the success of their students.

Golf Digest’s “Best Teachers in Your State,” rated Crystal Mountain Director of Golf, Brad Dean second, Director of Instruction, Scott Wilson eleventh, and Head PGA Professional, Mike Cote seventeenth. Ballots were distributed to more than 1,000 teaching pros in each state to determine the rankings.

If the success of the Crystal Mountain Golf School students is any indication, those rankings will be on the rise. In June, Ryan Brehm became Brad Dean’s third student in the last five years to win the Michigan Amateur Championship. Brehm recently made it to the third round of the North & South Amateur Championship held at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Crystal Mountain golf students Tony Casciano (16-18 division) and Patrick Colburn (13-15 division) won their respective age divisions at the Michigan PGA Junior Tour event (July 12-13) held at Treetops Resort.

Ryan Brehm, 2002 Michigan Amateur Champion, Korey Mahoney, Tony Casciano, and Patrick Colburn are all products of Crystal’s premier Junior Elite Program which focuses on the technical, physical and mental skills of the competitive golfer. The program is structured to be an ongoing learning and training process over many weeks, months or years.

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The quality, experience and size of the Crystal Mountain Golf School’s instructional team is second to none in Michigan. Here’s a brief introduction:

Brad Dean - PGA Director of Golf Crystal’s Brad Dean is recognized nationwide as one of the top instructors in the state. Twice named the Teacher of the Year by the Michigan PGA, Dean has also repeatedly been named to Golf Digest’s Top Instructors in Michigan list as well as the force behind Crystal Mountain Golf Schools being named a Top 25 Golf School in the Nation by GOLF magazine. In 2002, Dean received the honor of Golf Professional of the Year from the Michigan Section PGA. Dean has also captured several local and state tournament titles and top ten finishes, and was also named, for three consecutive years, the Northern Michigan PGA Teacher of the Year.

Scott Wilson - PGA Director of Instruction Scott, the Director of Instruction for the Crystal Mountain Golf School, has been with Crystal since 1996. In addition to leading the Crystal Mountain Golf School to a Top 25 rating by GOLF magazine, Scott was also named one of the Best Teachers in State by Golf Digest, has been nominated by the Northern Chapter PGA for Michigan Section PGA Teacher of the Year and has been a featured instructor for PGA.com.

Ed Laprade - PGA Lead Instructor Ed has been teaching players of every level for over fourteen years. Prior to joining Crystal in 1999, Ed worked for four instructors on GOLF magazine’s Top 100 Teachers list. In addition to being part of the team that lead the Crystal Mountain Golf School to a Top 25 rating, Ed was also named one of the Best Teachers in State (#5) in the September 2003 issue of Golf Digest.

Mike Cote - PGA Head Professional Mike’s long list of credentials includes working for a GOLF magazine Top 100 Teacher and as a Lead Instructor for the Cranwell Golf School, one of America’s Top 25 Golf Schools. Golf Digest also recognized Mike as the third best instructor in Massachusetts in 2001. Mike has been with the Crystal Mountain Golf Schools since 2002.

Ina Davis - LPGA Professional Ina joined the award winning teaching staff at Crystal Mountain in 2004. In her 25 years as a Golf Professional, she has taught lessons and camps for both adults and juniors besides working with several area golf teams. Since joining the Crystal team, she developed and teaches the very successful Two- and Three-Day Mini Camps for juniors ages 7-12. She also implemented the PGA’s Play Golf America Program, Link Up 2 Golf. This program teaches new to intermediate golfers the fundamentals of the swing, golf course etiquette and rules, and includes supervised playing experiences. Because of her extraordinary commitment to impact the game of golf by hosting Play Golf America programs, she is a member of the PGA President’s Council on Growing the Game. In 2005, Ina started the Betsie Valley Golf After School Program for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at the Betsie Valley Elementary School. She was awarded a grant from the PGA of America Growth of the Game Committee for this program. Ina was awarded the Michigan Section PGA President’s Plaque for growing the game of golf in 2006. In 2007, she was the finalist for the Michigan Section PGA Junior Golf Leader of the Year award. She is also a Crystal Mountain Service Excellence Award winner.

Rodger Jabara - PGA Professional Rodger has received countless awards and held numerous positions within the golf industry, including board positions on both the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association and the Michigan Section PGA. Roger’s teaching credentials include the Pinehurst Golf Advantage School and the Shanty Creek Golf Academy; he was honored by the Michigan Section PGA as the Golf Professional of the Year in 1990.

	Ryan Gordon - PGA Professional Ryan is entering into his third season with Crystal Mountain, previously having worked at Marriot’s Shadow Ridge Resort in Palm Desert, CA and Michigan’s King’s Challenge and Mistwood golf courses. Like many of Crystal’s instructors, Ryan is a graduate of the Professional Golf Management Program at Ferris State University.
	Mike Pearson - PGA Professional Mike has been in the golf industry for over 25 years. His experience includes tutoring many successful juniors that went on to state and national acclaim. From 1997 thru 1999, Mike was Director of Instruction at Garland. 2007 is Mike’s second season with the Crystal Mountain Golf School.

For More on Crystal Mountain Golf Instruction, Click Here

New this summer, Crystal’s quintessential guys’ weekend -a.k.a., “ManCation.” If you’re getting away with just the guys, try out one of these vacation package add-ons:

Drivin’ & Driftin’ - Includes a round of golf and either a morning or afternoon on the river with award-winning guides from Schmidt Outfitters. Fishing on the Blue Ribbon Upper Manistee River is valid June, July and August for Rainbow and Brown Trout. $199 per person (two person minimum), plus lodging.

Steak, Fire… GOOD! - Includes all the fixin’s for a New York steak dinner for you and your friends to grill at your unit. We provide the steaks, seasonings, vegetable and potatoes, plus some chips & dip for eating while the grill is going. Delivered to your door in one big box. Valid June 1 - Oct. 31. $29 per person (two person minimum), plus lodging.

The Man Room - Includes two decks of cards, poker chips, a DVD of Old School and a case of White Castle hamburgers, again, delivered to your door. Valid June 1 - October 31. $59 per package, plus lodging.

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Valid through Labor Day…for a limited time only!

Celebrate our 50th anniversary and save $50 this summer when you stay three nights Lodging Only or two nights on our Golf Package*!

*$50 credit available on three or more night Lodging Only or Golf package stays. Not valid with other discounts, non-golf packages, group rates, or special offers. May not be applied towards existing reservations.

Visit Crystal Mountain Website

Visit Crystal Mountain Website