OT-Jackson, MI Native Wins PGA Tour Event

Submitted by DOBlue48 on

Thought it is worth a mention on a slow UM sports news day that MI native Brian Stuard has won the Zurich Classic PGA Tour event.  Brian was born and raised in the Jackson area and was a standout for Oakland U before turning professional.

Pretty rare for a guy from the enchanted mitten making it to the PGA Tour.

So far, there have been no reports of him brandishing any firearms during his post tourney celebration.

Two Hearted Ale

May 2nd, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^

Jackson natives Mike and Dave Hill had successful PGA tour careers with 16 wins (13 Dave, 3 Mike) between them and another 24 wins (6 Dave, 18 Mike) on the senior tour.

1974

May 2nd, 2016 at 6:09 PM ^

Jackson used to be an awesome place for affordable golf (ranging from Cascades, if I'm remembering the name correctly, to Gracewil Pines). It may still be.

DOBlue48

May 2nd, 2016 at 6:17 PM ^

Cascades is still a great course to play for the money.  The best public course over that way is The Grande.  I will respectfully disagree on the Gracewil Pines.  Terrible course....though it is cheap.

Michigasling

May 2nd, 2016 at 8:55 PM ^

But I don't remember it limited to public courses, simply highest golf acreage per capita.  Is it possible that either version could still be true?  (Jackson native, but still have friends and family there.)  I know the population has gone down, but curious to know if the number of courses has stayed the same. 

Wolverinefan84

May 2nd, 2016 at 10:06 PM ^

Had the round of my life at Arbor Hills Golf Club in Jackson, MI- only time to ever have broken par for 18 holes. Love the course (obviously), will remember it for a lifetime! Love seeing Michigan natives succeed in the PGA. Not too many of them, that's for sure.

AMazinBlue

May 2nd, 2016 at 6:52 PM ^

I have to disagree with you though on The Grande being the best course in town.  It has gone down hill severly over the last few years and the prices are outrageous.  A yearly membership is now $1900, twilight during the week for 9 holes is $30!  There are stones in the bunkers and the greens are always so beat up.

 

For my money, I'd rather play Calderone Farms.  It is the most interesting course in town and it's a fair price.  I play my league golf at Arbor Hills, which used to be a country club.  It has the narrowest fairways I have ever played and very thick rough.

 

Michman82

May 3rd, 2016 at 12:28 PM ^

Agree on Calderone Farms. But, having grown up in Grass Lake and gone to school with all of the Calderone's, I have to clarify that the course is in Grass Lake Township, not Jackson. Very proud of my home town, tiny community, but has achieved 12 State Championships in a variety of sports -- the first in 1969 in Boys Track, a team of which I was a member.

AMazinBlue

May 2nd, 2016 at 6:55 PM ^

and north of Brooklyn (MIS) by 3-5 miles.

I listened to the playoff on PGA Tour radio at work and was thrilled for him.  Brian doesn't hit the ball very far (by today's standards), but he apparently has a pretty good short game and if I heard right, didn't make a bogey for the last 53 holes of the event.

Jamezz23

May 2nd, 2016 at 10:18 PM ^

Very cool as I am also from Jackson. Only athlete from Jackson that I followed was Antonio bass, add another person to the watchlist!!

And my cool bro moment was I actually played with and against Antonio bass in high school, not in a real game but at camps and to this day he is the fastest and was so shifty at the time it almost felt inhuman, I am not lying it was unbelievable. Too bad injury ended his time here, but I will never forget watching him and lining up next to him in drills

AMazinBlue

May 2nd, 2016 at 11:10 PM ^

for the most golf holes per capita of any county in the country.  There was a county in FL that overtook Jackson and never looked back.

Jackson has lost a couple of course since then, but a lot more people.  the tax base is so low that the roads are more like obstacle courses now.  I think it's a matter of time before the Grande is sold because they can't charge those rates in this small town and survive.  There are too many cheaper alternatives.

Heck the Country Club of Jackson is struggling with membership, I think in 3-5 years it will go public too.