Golf Travel Guide To Michigan's Southern Swing

An Interview With Jodi Bowen, Director of Communications

By Brian Weis

Looking to plan the perfect golf trip to Michigan's Southern Swing? Planning a buddies trip or a romantic golf getaway can be a full time job not to mention pressure filled to deliver a memorable experience. Below is an interview with Jodi Bowen, Director of Communications who shares some insider information about golfing and traveling to Michigan's Southern Swing, must play courses, a sample itinerary and where you can go for more planning tools.

Give our readers an overview of your destination and why they should consider it for their next golf trip?
With the golf courses in Southwest Michigan, it is all about providing you with the top courses, the best hospitality, and an exciting list of attractions that will make you want to come back time and time again. From Binder Park Zoo to FireKeepers Casino, there's something for everyone on and off the course.

What are the must play courses in Michigan's Southern Swing?
The Gull Lake View courses feature five separate courses that all offer beautiful fairways, championship courses, and fantastic views. The five courses are Gull Lake View East, Gull Lake View West, Stonehedge North, Stonehedge South, and Bedford Valley. All of the courses have professional staff members that can help you out with anything golf related, challenging courses that will make your day on the course that much better, and some of the highest rated courses in all of Michigan.

What is the hidden gem and/or best value course?
Hidden Gem: The Medalist - Rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest, the Medalist is more challenging than your normal golf course. Tucked away in Marshall, MI, it is certainly a course that adds to the local charm and makes for a great destination vacation.

Best Value: Binder Park Golf Course - The course offers 27 holes for golfers at an affordable price; making the trip to Binder a great value for any golf group.

Can you provide our readers with an ideal itinerary for a long weekend?
The Southern Swing golf program does just that. We can help you select your travel dates, choose golf courses, tee times, and the lodging property you prefer. Our itineraries provide you with the chance to create your own custom package. That means we help pick your favorite courses, lodging that best suits your needs, and we offer $20 in FREE casino vouchers that can be sued during your trip at the FireKeepers Casino.

After golf, what are the "must do" things or attractions to see?
After a full day of golf, Battle Creek offers many great options and attractions! For those looking for an adventure Binder Park Zoo is a great place for kids and adults to explore and discover the animals at the zoo's Wild Africa and even feed the giraffes. Those 21 and over will enjoy FireKeepers Casino for some evening entertainment. This Las Vegas style casino has 2,800 slot machines as well as blackjack, craps, and roulette.

What is the best time to travel?
When looking to play golf in Southwest Michigan your best bet will be to travel during the summer and fall months.

Anything else you would like to share about the Michigan's Southern Swing?
Southwest Michigan is a destination for kids of all ages. From the golf courses, to the nightlife and attractions, there is something for everyone. Add in fantastic dining options and it is the ideal destination for any vacation getaway.

Where can golfers go for more information to research and plan their trip?
A great option to get a full Play and Stay Package is to use Michigan's Southern Swing. Golfers can visit the site at www.misouthernswing.com or call 1-877-MI-SWING.

Revised: 07/01/2013 - Article Viewed 33,631 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.