Eric Johnson Head Coach | Northern Michigan University Athletics Website
Eric Johnson Head Coach | Northern Michigan University Athletics Website
The Northern Michigan University men's golf team is set to begin its 2025-26 season at the Bulldog Fall Classic in Big Rapids. The two-day tournament will take place from Monday, September 15, to Tuesday, September 16, at the Katke Golf Course.
Northern Michigan last participated in the Bulldog Fall Classic during the 2023-24 season, finishing tied for 11th out of 16 teams. Of the current roster, only Tyler Annala and Arthur Ylitalo remain from that event. In their previous appearance, Annala finished with a score of +21 and Ylitalo shot +28 over the 54-hole tournament.
This year's Bulldog Fall Classic serves as a regional preview and features 16 schools from three regions. Fourteen teams represent the Midwest region, including Northern Michigan (#153/27), Ferris State (#47/6), Saginaw Valley (#65/8), Ashland (#76/10), Tiffin (#91/13), Rockhurst (#95/14), Lewis (#102/17), Parkside (#105/18), Davenport (#109/19), Northwood (#118/21), Purdue Northwest (#144/25), Roosevelt (#152/26), Cedarville (#154/28), and Walsh (#160/29). Minnesota-Crookston comes from the Central region, while Gannon represents the Atlantic region.
Weather forecasts predict high temperatures for Big Rapids during the tournament, with Monday expected to reach 84 degrees and Tuesday forecasted at 86 degrees. Winds are expected to be minimal on both days.
The Katke Golf Course was named after Mr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Katke, whose donation supported campus development and construction of the course. Marvin L. Katke served as vice president for manufacturing at Ford Motor Company and received an honorary degree from Ferris State University in 1967.
Since opening in 1974, Katke Golf Course has hosted several league and regional championships, including events for both cross country and golf at conference and NCAA levels. A new clubhouse added in 1999 houses Ferris State's Professional Golf Management (PGM) Learning Center. The PGM program began in 1975 as the first of its kind sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA).
Alerts Sign-up