TurfZoom with Michael Morris of Crystal Downs Country Club
By Pat Jones I Lessons learned from four decades overseeing one of the world’s greatest golf courses…and what’s next for one of the best minds in the turf business.
In 2016, when I first visited the famed Crystal Downs CC in the lovely lakeside town of Frankfort, Michigan, I was there to play a little golf and finally meet the legendary Michael Morris. I wasn’t expecting the best cart conversation ever. It started with the fact that, like me, Mike Morris was an English major. The Shakespeare quotes flowed from there. We talked about everything in the world EXCEPT turf. It was awesome.
Now, Morris will retire soon from the position that defined him and helped to define a club that Tom Doak and many others just plain love. I caught up with him about what he’d learned over 36 years overseeing CDCC’s turf and infrastructure and how his new venture, Michael Morris Consulting & Management Design, will help his fellow superintendents overcome their own challenges whether they’re in the Top 20 or just starting out. Enjoy!
