ALTO, Mich. — The list of things to do between Christmas and New Year's Day — the best or most boring time of the year, depending on your perspective — is pretty typical: Shopping, spending time with friends and family, a night at the movies and... golfing, apparently.
When temperatures in West Michigan fired up to the fifties this week, local golfers hit up the links, including the still-open Saskatoon Golf Club in Alto, looking to take advantage of the winter warm spell.
"I'd play in the snow if I could find my ball," said Perry VerMerris, playing a round with his brother, Larry VerMerris, on Saturday.
"That's when you do not want to use a white ball," Larry added.
The brothers hold a "little family-friendly competition" where they see how many consecutive months they can get in a round of golf. For a while, Larry held the record at 24. Now, it belongs to Perry at 25.
"I will say, I played them all in shorts," Larry said.
On Saturday, the parking lot at Saskatoon looked as full as it would on a summer day, minus the sunshine.
"Not that unusual for us," said manager Pat Howard. "We're grateful for the business. It works for us and we're glad it works for you."
Sandy ground, Howard says, lets Saskatoon stay open in the wetter, cooler months. He takes the weather day by day. If it's dry enough, as it often is, he puts out the word on social media: Open for golf!
"It's cool to be able to get out," said golfer Scott Riffel.
When Riffel saw an email from Saskatoon, advertising that the course was open this Saturday, he texted his buddy. They met up for a warmer-than-normal round (Riffel won by three strokes, he says).
In a time when Cousin Eddie can get on everyone's nerves, where you and the in-laws are cooped up in the same house, it's good to get out.
"I had one guy telling us he was going crazy," Howard said. "This was good for his mental health."
