MGoBlogs: Men's Golf, Vol. I, No. 2

Wolverines in the Hills
SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 4, 2007
When the 2007 Michigan football schedule was finalized, coach Andrew Sapp knew he had a problem. Six of the Wolverines' first seven games were at home, leaving only one weekend (Sept. 29-30) free for the men's and women's golf teams to hold their fall invitationals at the U-M Golf Course. The men could have moved their event at the university's other course, Radrick Farms, as they did in 2004, but Sapp and assistant coach Chris Whitten settled on an even better plan: hold U-M's "home" tournament some 950 miles away from Ann Arbor at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.

"We wanted to extend our fall season into late October or November," said Sapp, whose team enjoyed an elongated fall in 2006 with a successful tournament against a strong field in Kauai around Thanksgiving. "We looked for events in that time frame, and there was nothing that was a good fit, so we decided to explore moving our tournament. Chris made several trips to Mission Inn when he was a player at Notre Dame, and I had been there for a golf camp when I was at Purdue. It's pretty easy to get to, they have experience hosting college events, and the course is very good."

Sapp invited other Midwest schools to join the Wolverines in central Florida and ended up with a 10-team field that will play 54 holes on the 6,923-yard, par-72 El Campeon course. The course, designed by Charles E. Clark of Troon, Scotland, and opened in 1926, features elevation changes (remember, it's in Howey-in-the-Hills), plenty of water, and gaping bunkers around smallish, sloped greens.

Getting to Mission Inn is pretty simple -- the resort is located about 45 minutes northwest of Orlando -- but doing so with a travel party nearly double the normal size meant an increased level of coordinating for the coaches. Michigan brought all 10 of its players on the trip, with five -- Tim Schaetzel, Alexander Sitompul, Nick Pumford, Bill Rankin and Brian Ottenweller -- in the regular lineup and the other five -- Lion Kim, Michael Slovitt, Billy McKay, David Weisfeld and Ross Millman -- playing as individuals. "I don't know how a team like volleyball or baseball does it," said Sapp.

The Wolverines arrived Saturday afternoon and went straight to the course for some time on the range and putting green, but they did get checked in to their rooms in time to watch the football team complete its comeback at Michigan State. The teams experienced glorious weather during their Sunday practice round, and the forecast is for more of the same (sunny with highs around 80) for the Wolverine Invitational at Mission Inn, U-M's home away from home.

The Start of Something Great
SATURDAY | OCTOBER 27, 2007
A week ago, after checking in the last person on his list, assistant coach Chris Whitten could only sit back and smile and think. "This is in the early stages, but we think the mission of the group is really good. Not just with our players now, but for the whole program in the future. It is a start of something great."

Photo Gallery

What was the mission and the something great It was the first of three planned golf events the Wolverine golf team will share with the Friends of Michigan Golf.

This past summer U-M coach Andrew Sapp and Whitten formed "FMG" to help rekindle the relations of the men's golf program with the players, coaches, families and fans of the past. "The object of this of this event, and for the Friends of Michigan Golf as a whole, is to get people involved and give them the information so they know what we're doing as a program and what we are trying to accomplish," said Sapp. "Hopefully this is the first step in making this event grow throughout the years."

More than 60 supporters showed up for the inaugural event in Ann Arbor at the U-M Golf Course, including former golf coach of 20-years Jim Carras. "I was always hoping in all my years that something like this would take place. It's a credit to Andrew and Chris to getting it started back up. I just hope that it continues to get bigger and bigger."

Even with the first event in the books, the event was about the recognition of starting something new. With the second event scheduled in February with an alumni match in Phoenix, Ariz., and a third summer event in the planning stages, Sapp and Whitten hope the word spreads and the events continue to get bigger and bigger.

"There is so much rich history of this program and so many great players who have come through here, we really wanted to see if they could come back," said Whitten. "We really want to hear their stories and also really just show them how the program has changed since they have left. I am really excited about the future of these outings."

Chip Shots

In addition to the inaugural Friends of Michigan Golf Outing, the Wolverines were able to unveil their newly renovated locker room at the U-M Golf Course. The Maize and Blue replaced the old metal lockers with dark cherry wood lockers, and the room received a fresh coat of paint and new carpet. "Thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of Michigan Golf, we were able to show the new look for the locker room. It just incredible how good it looks," said Sapp.

The Athletic Development Office's recent move to Weidenbach Hall freed up considerable space at the U-M Golf Course clubhouse, and the golf teams are enjoying the additional room. Assistant coach Chris Whitten has moved from the basement and shares an office with women's assistant Cheryl Stacy on the first floor, which will include a new team meeting room and lounge next to the coaches' offices. Plans call for the majority of the basement to be converted into a 1,500-square-foot putting-and-chipping facility starting in mid-November.