Crystal Mountain

Getting To Know: Crystal Mountain

An Insightful Interview With Greg Babinec, Head 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 Greg Babinec 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
Crystal Mountain's Mountain Ridge golf course offers panoramic vistas of our northern Michigan vacationland. Its fairways wind through stately forests and ascend to high elevations, providing a true northern Michigan golf experience. Crystal Mountain's Betsie Valley golf course, which recently underwent a $1 million renovation, will challenge the ability of any golfer with its protected greens, tree lined fairways and challenging bunkers.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
The course conditions are excellent and the Greens putt great!

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
It helps to know where the top of the mountain is for putting.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
We were selected as one of the Top 25 Golf Schools in America by GOLF Magazine. We've also been the host of the Michigan PGA Women's Open for 12 years.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
Mountain Ridge # 5 has it all. It's a par 3 with great bunkering, towering pines and just enough elevation change to offer a great vista.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
Mountain Ridge # 7 - A demanding driving hole where accuracy is a premium and will set up an approach to a very demanding and undulating green.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
An ice cold Rainmaker from Stormcloud Brewing Company or Crystal's Twisted Thistle created by North Peak.

Back Tee Stats
Course Slope:
Mountain Ridge: 135
Betsie Valley: 132

Course Rating:
Mountain Ridge: 73.5
Betsie Valley: 72.0

Par:
Mountain Ridge: 72
Betsie Valley: 72

Yardage:
Mountain Ridge: 7007
Betsie Valley: 6578

More Information
Crystal Mountain
12500 Crystal Mountain Dr.
Thompsonville, MI, 49683
(855) 995-5146
http://www.crystalmountain.com

More Information »

Revised: 02/12/2018 - Article Viewed 12,149 Times - View Course Profile

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.