The crew at The Highlands battled lasting damage from a late March ice storm to prepare The Heather course for the Great Lakes Championship June 13-15. Photos courtesy of Jason Bazan
A monumental ice storm didn’t halt superintendent Jason Bazan and his crew at The Highlands near Harbor Springs, Mich., from their grand plans to host the course’s first professional golf tournament.
From March 28-30, a series of ice storms swept through Northern Michigan, causing widespread damage from freezing rain, accumulating ice and high winds. Many individuals and businesses were left without power, including Bazan and his crew.
Despite the damage and concerns for their families, Bazan’s crew arrived at work after the storm, ready to go. But this day was anything but typical, starting with clearing some treacherous downed trees that kept the team from even getting in.
“We had to cut our way into the property to get down there to the shop,” Bazan says. “Chain saws were needed to make an entry as wide as a cart path.”
The once-in-a-generation ice storm that crippled northern Michigan did not spare The Heather, one of four 18-hole golf courses at The Highlands, and the course hosting the Great Lakes Championship, overseen by the LPGA Epson Tour, from June 13-15. The facility at BOYNE Golf’s all-season destination was covered with 1-inch-thick ice in spots for several days.
“I thought there was no chance of opening for play, let alone holding a tournament,” Bazan, a 9-year GCSAA Class A superintendent, says.
The entire golf course was devastated by ice. Trees in large numbers were destroyed. “We cut down hundreds of trees,” Bazan says. “Every single hole looked like a tornado went through the place.”
The Highlands maintenance team had to cut their way through fallen trees to access the shop.
Stacks upon stacks of logs were removed with the help of mini excavators, tractors, and trailers. “Fairways took me and five guys one day to go halfway down one par-4 fairway to do cleanup. It was insane,” he says.
Bazan’s crew toiled tirelessly, with assistance from outside crews, including crews brought in from sister properties in the Boyne Resorts family. Boyne Resorts owns 11 ski resorts throughout the U.S. and provided staff to assist Bazan’s team as the winter season was ending. The team effort provided the necessary manpower to overcome Mother Nature’s wrath.
Meanwhile, Bazan did all he could to motivate his weary staff, some of whom lost power at their homes for 11 days or more. “At first it was an uphill battle,” says Bazan, who escaped losing power at home, but did have a chicken coop sustain damage. “We fought through at every level with support from the club.”
That dedication didn’t go unnoticed by Boyne Resorts’ leadership.
“Jason’s fantastic leadership really shone during this challenging period. His excellent communication, consideration of the team, and work ethic were paramount not only in the clean-up effort but also in taking care of the team,” said Josh Richter, senior vice president of golf operations for Boyne Resorts. “His positive attitude resonated through the entire crew and was another example of our success in preparing for golf season and the Great Lakes Championship at The Highlands event on the Epson Tour.”
By the end of April, glimmers of hope finally emerged. The mowers were on the move before the course opened in early May. “It was very cold, and we didn’t spray as early as we normally would have,” Bazan says.
The Highlands as it typically looks. Photo courtesy of The Highlands
As May was about to turn the page to June, Bazan’s optimism rose. “Turf conditions are beautiful. There are some aesthetically displeasing areas, and we will be picking up sticks for a while, but the golf course won’t miss a beat,” says Bazan, an Ohio native and Penn State University grad. “I drive around sometimes and say to myself, ‘I’m not sure how we got here.’”
But really, Bazan does know. He looks around and sees the evidence every day. “I’m proud of my team. They’re tired, and sometimes it already feels like it’s July, but this is an awesome crew. This wouldn’t have gotten done without them,” he says.
A sign for Bazan for where things stand for the tournament, compared to the icy days of the past, has to do with the bentgrass/Poa annua pushup greens. “The Stimpmeter was 11.5 yesterday,” he says. “I think we’re ready.”
Howard Richman is GCM’s associate editor.