The Medalist

Golf Travel Guide - Battle Creek/Kalamazoo

An Interview With Kimber Thompson, Calhoun County Visitors Bureau

By Brian Weis

Want to go on the perfect Stay 'n Play golf trip to the Battle Creek/Kalamazoo area? You'll quickly find out that planning a trip like this can be a full time job, not to mention pressure-filled, to deliver a memorable experience. Below is an interview with Kimber Thompson, Marketing Manager at Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, who shares some insider information about golfing and traveling to this region of Michigan. In addition, must play courses, a sample itinerary and where you can go for more planning tools.

Overview of Destination:
Michigan's Southern Swing offers a great combination of top courses, relaxing lodging options, and an exciting list of attractions that make golfers visit Southern Michigan again and again. From the many outstanding micro-breweries like Bell's, Arcadia, and Dark Horse, to FireKeepers Casino - there's something for everyone, on and off the course!

Must Play Courses:
Golfers don't want to miss a course like The Medalist, a championship course that has been exquisitely etched out of a landscape of almost 300-acres of wetlands and rolling hills, which is combined with outstanding service and up-to-the-minute technology.

Other "must-play" courses include the brand new in 2017 Stoatin Brae in Augusta with it's carefully preserved natural surroundings and sculpted course layout, Riverside Golf Club which has holes that are carved out of the side of a hill so the view of downtown Battle Creek is spectacular, and Angel's Crossing which is set on over 700-acres and features unique holes around every bend.

Each of the courses in the Michigan Southern Swing Stay 'n Play program offer a unique challenge to golfers of all levels, and the friendly and helpful Southern Swing staff can help you choose which courses to play for your perfect golf getaway!

Hidden Gem:
Binder Park Golf Course is a unique 27-hole course nestled in a woodsy setting - highlighting some of Michigan's old growth forests, wetlands and scenic bluffs. While playing rounds on this course it is common to hear exotic noises spilling over from the Binder Park Zoo, located right next door, and to view native wildlife roaming the links.

Itinerary for a Long Weekend:
The friendly and experienced staff at Michigan's Southern Swing will help you create the perfect custom itinerary. Choose from 16 premium golf courses and 8 luxury lodging options - and they will manage all of the details. You just relax and enjoy great golf and good times!

Begin each day with a new course to explore, and enjoy lunch afterwards in the on-site restaurant or pub. Take a short drive to your next course selection to enjoy even more breathtaking views and challenging holes before breaking for dinner. Should you go to one of the micro-breweries in the area, or maybe FireKeepers Casino? Whatever you choose, you are sure to win!

Must See Attractions:
After a full day of golf, FireKeepers Casino is an adult-only hotspot offering over 2,800 slot machines, live table games, six restaurants and more. Try one of the local micro-breweries, such as Bells' Brewery, Arcadia Ales, or Dark Horse Brewery. Another great option is Binder Park Zoo where both kids and adults can explore Wild Africa and even hand-feed a giraffe. For more information on all there is to see and do in Battle Creek/Calhoun County visit www.battlecreekvisitors.org

Best Time to Travel:
Summer in Southwest Michigan is beautiful and there are many unique events and festivals golfers won't want to miss. However, for the best value, spring and fall are excellent options.

Anything Else?:
Southwest Michigan is the perfect golf destination with a wide variety of courses offering challenges for every golfer and options for every budget. Every golfer should explore Michigan courses - there is a reason why Michigan courses are consistently named among the best places in the country to play golf in golf magazines!

Top designers have crafted championship courses out of native woods and farmlands, combining natural water features, hills, and valleys with incredible views. And with the longer summer nights, it is the best place to get in some extra rounds before enjoying the area nightlife.

More Information:
Visit www.misouthernswing.com to get an immediate NO-OBLIGATION quote, or call 877-MI-SWING and let the friendly and knowledgeable staff help you build your perfect golf getaway.

Revised: 01/27/2014 - Article Viewed 30,929 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.