In the past six months, I’ve had the opportunity to play one third of architect Mike Strantz’s golf courses. That may sound like an impressive total, but because he died much too early, at age 50, his portfolio is limited to nine courses. But if the three I’ve played are representative of his work, Mike Strantz was indeed an artist of golf course design.
Mike Strantz was raised in Toledo, OH, and attended Michigan State University. After graduating in 1978, he returned to Toledo to work for Tom Fazio, who was then preparing the Inverness Club to host the 1979 U.S. Open. Strantz continued to work for Fazio for the next eight years, honing his skills on courses like Moss Creek Plantation in Hilton Head, the Links and Harbor courses at Wild Dunes near Charleston, Lake Nona in Orlando, Osprey Point on Kiawah Island, and Black Diamond Ranch in Florida.
Lorena Ochoa wins in her season debut, but she’s still no Tiger. Ernie Els hasn’t beaten Tiger, but at least he’s won again. Also, waiting on LPGA drug testing, the Saturday cut, and more in this week’s Golf Talk.
Ah, it’s finally March, which means for us in the non-golfing areas of the United States, we can see the light at the end of our long, dark winter and finally play golf again.
Hello and happy March to you from Hittin’ the Links. Can you smell that? That is spring coming! Golf season is rapidly approaching. Have you gotten those clubs out of the closet and given them a preseason pep talk? Well you best get to it.
Today’s interview is with Gary Sherrell, inventor of the 
It’s dream season here in Ohio. By that I mean the only golf we’re getting to play right now is in our dreams. But it’s also close enough to spring (just over a month away) that we can start thinking about playing. One of these days, the snow is going to melt and the mercury’s going to rise into the 40s, 50s, and (dare we hope?) 60s.