Iron County recreational facility prepares for summer activities

IRON RIVER, Mich. (WLUC) - Many outdoor recreation facilities have completed the transition from winter to summer activities.

Transitioning from feet of snow to dry grass takes dozens of hours and cooperation from mother nature. Young’s in Iron River spent a full week in April preparing the golf course.

“We have 12 guys out on the grounds crew and they are here all week long, including the weekend, cutting grass. It is every day for at least eight hours a day for each of the guys. There is a lot that goes into it,” said Jason Smedlund, Young’s marketing director.

This year’s season started on May 6, which is about a month later than last year’s opening day of April 10.

“This winter we had a spring that kind of hung on. It was long, it was wet, and the snow kept coming. We were delayed in our ability to cut grass,” Smedlund said.

Now, the course looks ahead to Memorial Day. Golfers enjoyed breezy, but temperate weather on Monday. Smedlund says Young’s offers a unique experience.

“You can go anywhere in the U.P., you are not going to find a better price for this quality of course,” Smedlund explained. “That is our number one thing, That goes along with our non-profit status.”

The non-profit trust is in memory of George and Margaret Young. Smedlund says being a non-profit allows them to keep prices low.

“With the [trust] funding, and other funds we make throughout the year, that is what keeps the place going,” Smedlund said.

Young’s rebranded itself in 2018 and ever since then, staff said attendance has been going up.

“We are getting a lot of customers from out of the area, which is nice to see. Illinois, really all of Wisconsin, lower Michigan, and Minnesota even,” Smedlund said.

This June, Young’s will host the men’s UPGA senior championship for the first time ever. Smedlund said staff are extremely excited and will continue to maintain the course.

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