![\"\"](\"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2011\/07\/manitoupass_33.jpg\")
<\/a>Manitou Passage is a user friendly layout<\/p><\/div>\n
Thankfully, a group of investors headed by The Homestead\u2019s Bob Kuras bought the property two years ago and last summer it reopened as Manitou Passage. A host of improvements were made to the course in terms of tees and bunkers and course maintenance. The clubhouse was also handsomely redecorated and accented with many excellent Palmer photos. Attending the Media Day last summer, I was glad to see the course in capable hands. The tie-in to The Homestead, a first-class resort and residential community, always made sense to me.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately on June 5 at Manitou Passage there was a fire in the pump house for the irrigation system. Starting as a mechanical fire, the pump house burned to the ground and left the course without water for five days until a temporary pump was installed. Without any significant rainfall, the course took it on the chin with some burn-out areas. But stuff happens and overall the conditioning is still fine. The new pump was being installed the day we played so everything is now back to normal.<\/p>\n
With friends in Glen Arbor, I\u2019m very pleased with the progress seen with Manitou Passage. It\u2019s a solid, eye-pleasing golf course with accommodating open-approaches to the greens and no watery cross hazards. The par-five eighth hole with its elevated tee and a majestic view out to Manitou Island remains a delight. Suggestion: mount some naval or vintage coin-operated binoculars at this tee and let golfers enjoy the sights.<\/p>\n
As shared by my playing partners it would be nice to see some of the dense fescue cut back and thinned out in the rough. Currently on many holes, particularly on holes no. 5-6, the rough is so thick, penal and gnarly it\u2019s an automatic lost ball. Not only too penal it also slows play. \u2018Player friendly\u2019 should be the watchwords going forward. But maybe this is another work-in-progress item that will be addressed in the future. Again, there\u2019s much to like and to enjoy at Manitou Passage. It doesn\u2019t take binoculars to see it\u2019s on the right course. Visit www.manitoupassagegolfclub.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"