If you want to golf at some of the best courses in Michigan, you should call Kelli Pash.
She’s the sales coordinator for Michigan's Southern Swing, which is like being a travel agent. She’ll set you up with tee times, accommodations and restaurant reservations in Southwest Michigan.
But first, you should ask her about her snowmobile, a Ski-Doo Renegade.
“I love snowmobiling for the comradery and scenery,” Kelli says. “I have met so many really cool people snowmobiling.”
Like golf, Michigan has a wealth of snowmobile trails. In the Upper Peninsula, Kelli once rode 208 miles in one day.
“I let my ride be my mojo, inspiration and decompression.”
Kelli is also a CPR instructor, certified EMT and volunteer firefighter with the Johnstown Township Fire Department.
Golf runs in Kelli’s family. As a kid, she went to the Marshall Country Club with her grandparents all the time.
“My grandpa always bought me a Snickers and a Cherry Coke. That was fun, too,” she said.
She remembers what a privilege it was to be allowed to drive the golf cart.
Visit the golf course today and there’s a plaque dedicated to her grandfather where she once played in the water, searching for frogs and lost golf balls.
Jay Gladstone, director of sales for the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, says one reason she’s good at her job is because she likes to take care of people.
“She’s really personable, she understands the golf business and she works well with the golf groups,” he said.
The two first met while working at Yarrow, where Kelli was a conference service manager and golf coordinator. But booking golfers and planning events wasn’t all she did.
“I was one of those employees, that if I had to bartend, I bartended. If I had to wait tables, I waited tables. If I had to carry bags, I carried bags; clean golf carts, snack shop, front desk. Pretty much everything,” Kelli said.
When Yarrow closed, Kelli stayed on for the new property owners until Jay called her about Southern Swing, in 2018. She was back in the golf business.
The first thing Kelli had to do in her new job was build bridges with people, which is one of her greatest assets. She likes to joke that she wants to make sure she’s not dealing with a serial killer, but she is genuinely interested in people, asking questions and listening carefully.
The golf-organizing part of it is second nature to her now.
“They contact me and all they have to do is show up because I book everything for them,” she said.
So give Kelli a call. Ask her about her Ski-Doo. Then find out what a great golf trip in Southern Michigan can be.
If you’re interested in getting a quote for a customizable golf package with personalized service, Request a Quote today or email southernswing@battlecreekvisitors.org.
