In a way, Don Stefanko got to live out a dream.

Stefanko is an avid golfer who went to Michigan State University for landscape architecture (with a focus on golf course design) and then later to the University of Georgia for a turfgrass certification.

Exactly none of this, however, was being put to use as he toiled away in the marketing department of a local auto dealership. His wife worked at Munson while he worked from home, and while it wasn’t a bad life, it left him wanting...more.

“I went to school to do something I love, but here I was just sitting at home,” he tells The Ticker. “It wasn’t ideal.”

Fast forward to last year, after he linked up with and was later hired by Traverse City Golf Performance Center’s owner, Travis Kamm. Even before Kamm bought the 17-acre Secor Road property a few years back, he and Stefanko imagined a small “pitch and putt” course that would genuinely challenge high-level golfers while inviting new players to the game.

So early last spring, Stefanko got to get to work on designing and building The Rooster, their six-hole, 320-yard short course. After first carefully planning the hole design and overall layout, Stefanko was delighted to dig in and get to building the course.

“I consider myself a pretty creative person, and this was like turning a backhoe into a paintbrush,” he says. “Seeing it come to life was just amazing, and I’m really excited to get to the point where it’s open. The biggest reward for me will be to see people enjoying it.”

The Rooster, which opens July 12, fills a void in the local golf world by allowing players of all levels the ability to hit some quality short-game shots without the time commitment required to tackle a full course, Kamm and Stefanko say.

“You got 45 minutes or a lunch break, just bring one wedge and a putter either by yourself or a couple of friends,” Stefanko says. “Play (some real) golf without committing to four or five hours.”

Stefanko says he thoughtfully designed the course to be something that would engage high-level golfers, despite its small size.

“I wanted this to challenge good players,” Stefanko says. “A good player is looking at a wedge shot depending on the flag position and contour of the green. What kind of shot do I want to play? Do I want that draw spin? Cut spin? High? Low? That kind of stuff.”

That said, he feels The Rooster is also a great spot for novice players and families to get into a groove.

“It’s just far less intimidating than standing on the first tee of a full-size golf course,” Stefanko says. “This gets newer players out there understanding how to play the game without putting a ton of pressure on them right off the bat.”

The final hole ends in the remaining foundation of an old wooden barn that until recently had stood on the property for decades. Much of the wood was used for decorative purposes inside the shop, and what remains outside provides a unique setting for a green.

“It’s a big part of this place,” Kamm said. “We wanted to utilize it.”

Mary-Jo Green is communications director at the Golf Association of Michigan. While she was not yet familiar with The Rooster, she said the organization loves it when people are given a new way to engage with the sport.

“Overall, the GAM is always happy when facilities open or re-open and give golfers in Michigan new opportunities to play and enjoy the game,” she says.

Photo: Kamm (left) and Stefanko