Island Hills Golf Club

Getting To Know: Island Hills Golf Club

An Insightful Interview With Andy Mears, President & COO

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 Andy Mears 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
Island Hills Golf Club is a Ray Hearn masterpiece. Nestled next to Lake Templene the terrain provides for both a wooded and prairie golf conditions. Along with its wonderful flow, golfers will find "country club" conditions and outstanding service. Island Hills Golf Club will land on your "best of" list for golf.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
Value! For the price, you can't beat Island Hills. It is a course any golfer can play and any golfer will want to play, time and time again.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Take a good look at our brand new tee signs. Very vivid detail of the hole route. It will guide you correctly for shot placement. Also, be careful on the greens - very fast and formidable.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
Island Hills has hosted many qualifiers for national tournaments...it is that good. We've also created three short-courses within the golf course configuration. Providing golfers with an opportunity to play a quick round and return to the clubhouse.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
Undoubtedly #17, Par 3. Downhill at about 175 yards and you will need carry entirely over marshland with Lake Tamplene as back drop. Beautiful hole.

Golfers can enjoy viewing #17 from the new Golf Cottages opening Memorial Day weekend 2013. Natural, Country, Elegance.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
#18 is a magnificent Par 5. Tee shot over water (235 from back tee) that sweeps dogleg left up the hill, back toward the clubhouse. There is risk/reward as longer players can attempt to carry over the creek that meanders in front of the green. The green itself may be the most difficult on the golf course - large and angulated. A true test of golf for a finishing hole. Very fun!

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Back soon with the answer. Island Hills has a new restaurant proprietor and The Grille Tavern re-opens April 1, 2013. Come on out and discover your own favorite dish and drink.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7038
Slope: 135
Rating: 73.9

More Information
Island Hills Golf Club
61809 Stonegate Dr.
Centreville, Michigan, 49032
269-467-7267
www.islandhillsgolf.com

Revised: 04/08/2013 - Article Viewed 41,853 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.