Otsego Club & Resort

Getting To Know: Otsego Club & Resort

An Insightful Interview With Mark Hogan, PGA Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Mark Hogan who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
The Tribute golf course is built on 1100 acres and is 7.5 miles from 1st tee to 18th green. Many natural springs magically appear through out the course which only adds to the private nature preserve setting. Almost all of the holes are tree lined giving The Tribute a great Northern Michigan setting. Combined with the 20 mile views from a couple spots on the course, The Tribute could be called one of the best courses that the public can play in Michigan.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
One of the best features on The Tribute is the fact that it is so secluded that you only see other golfers on 2 areas of the entire course. In other words, golfer cannot see the next tee until they have completed their previous hole. This only adds to the excitement and anticipation of the course.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Hit it straight, stay out of the woods and don't get caught up in the natural beauty of the lay - out. Many golfers find themselves day dreaming and forget what they are doing and where they are at.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
The Tribute was named a Top 10 Course in the World when it opened in 2001 by Sports Illustrated.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
The Tribute really does not have just one signature hole since every one is breathtaking, but the most photographed one is Hole #3. This is a 430 yard down hill par 4 that features a 130 vertical drop. All of the golfers gain an extra 100 yards in roll off the tee. This hole usually takes longer to play since it is one of the spots that offers a 20 mile view to the North.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
The Par 3 9th is my personal favorite. Imagine a typical Northern Michigan hardwood forest, complete with a stream and wetlands....Now imagine a par 3 hole taken out of the landscape. That is the 9th Hole. >From the back tees...240 yards, most of all carry, to a rather small green guarded by bunkers. Then scenery in great.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
The burgers made on the outside grill are wonderful while sitting on the patio overlooking the valley is a great way to end the experience.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
Not sure who officially hold the course record but I shot 68 from the Blue tees about 7 years ago.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7155
Slope: 138
Rating: 75.2

More Information
Otsego Club & Resort
696 M-32 East, PO Box 556
Gaylord, MI, 49735
989-732-5181, Ext. 330
www.otsegoclub.com

Revised: 02/11/2013 - Article Viewed 31,129 Times - View Course Profile

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.