Business View Magazine - January 2024

holes from private clubs east of the Mississippi because the idea was that our guests would never be able to play those particular golf courses and this would allow them to play them,” Friedrich recounts. “Back then we were taking pictures of holes and asking if this was an original Donald Ross hole. Sometimes what we thought we built really wasn’t the original design. So, we went back into the archives and dug out Donald Ross’ original plans. Now, we can go back and get some of these greens to within an inch of the original drawings. So, we’ve been taking holes that are ‘off’ and rebuilding them to make them much more accurate.” In attempting to create a better all-around experience for its players, Boyne has also invested in new technology, specifically E-Z-GO’s Pace system, a golf cart GPS and tracking application that allows course administrators to monitor the pace of play in real-time. In fact, E-Z-GO supplies all the Boyne’s golf carts, which have been powered by lithium batteries since 2019, helping the company to reach its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030. “We switched many of our utility vehicles to lithium, as well,” says Richter. “And we’re doing some of our beverage carts now in lithium.” The utilization of battery power is part of Boyne Resorts’Forever Project, formulated in 2021, as the company’s commitment to building a sustainable future throughout all its properties and attractions. ROOM UPGRADES ON ‘COURSE’ Boyne Golf is also renovating some of its accommodations. “At the Inn at Bay Harbor, we have always offered a very high-quality lodging experience,” Griffin says.“At Boyne Mountain Resort and The Highlands, the rooms were very nice, but we didn’t have that ‘top of the pyramid’ room. So, during COVID, we took the opportunity at The Highlands’ Main Lodge and at Boyne Mountain’s Chalet Edelweiss to gut them in two-year projects at each resort that raised those standards to provide some of the highest quality rooms that you would ever stay in at a golf resort.” “Between the three properties, we have over 3,000 beds and 100 different room types. Do you want or their families, Boyne Golf offers a host of other activities at, and around, its properties. In addition to zip lines and kayak runs,“Boyne Mountain has the largest indoor water park in Michigan,” Griffin reports. “You can take horseback trail rides at both Boyne Mountain and The Highlands. You’ve got mountain bike trails. You can take chair lift rides to the top of both resorts; from The Highlands, you get a beautiful view of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. So, there’s always a ton of activities. And that off- the-course experience is equally important as the on-course experience, even though the on-course experience is what draws them.” Boyne Resorts also owns the iconic Gatlinburg SkyPark in Tennessee, a major tourist attraction since the 1950s. Five years ago, the company built the Gatlinburg SkyBridge there. At the time, it was the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America. “Due to the success of Gatlinburg Sky Park, we brought that here with the SkyBridge Michigan. It’s now the world’s longest and highest timber suspension bridge,” says Griffin. “It’s 1,100 feet long and 120 feet off the ground. Golfers can see it; they drive right past the north tower when they go to the first tees of the Alpine and Monument courses.” PROJECTS ON ‘COURSE’ Meanwhile, the most important work at Boyne Golf continues to go on: upgrading current courses to improve their playability. For example, selected tree removal at certain courses, according to Richter, gets “more of the right light at the right places at the right times. We also spent time and effort on irrigation projects, getting water in the right places so that turf is firm and fast,” he adds. One particular project is near the heart of Bernie Friedrich, who started as a golf pro at Boyne 47 years ago, and today is Director of Golf Course Renovations and Development. It’s the renewal of the Donald Ross Memorial golf course at The Highlands -- a composite re-creation of classic golf holes designed by the legendary architect, Donald Ross, who has an estimated 600 courses to his credit. “When we built that in the ‘90s, we wanted to pick BOYNE GOLF