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 33,012 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a 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). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.