10 | Ostego Club & Resort
won’t mind spending if they know the
product is right. “
“I’d much rather serve a perfect burger
than an overcooked filet. Whatever we do,
we strive to do it bottom-line perfectly.
And if we can’t do it perfectly, we won’t
do it. It’s that simple.”
The high-end approach in the kitchen
extends outdoors to the turf, where weath-
er becomes the driver of all things golf.
While Otsego’s playing season is obvi-
ously shorter than warmer destinations
down south, Ringgenberg contends that
the absence of searing sun during those
six months makes for superior playing
conditions than can be found elsewhere.
Gaylord is higher in elevation than
many places in Michigan, though, which
yields more snow and less rain than oth-
er parts of the state. As a result, it puts
more responsibility in the hands of the
“boatload” of staff members charged with
maintaining the playing surfaces.
“Believe it or not, we actually have
a very good climate up here for golf,”
Ringgenberg says. “It’s not unusual for us
to have snow on Mother’s Day, but dur-
ing our season it’s green and lush and the
