Brooklyn, Michigan, lost a giant this week—not just in stature, but in grit and heart. Mike Hill, PGA TOUR Champions legend and proud owner of Hill’s Heart of the Lakes Golf Course, passed away on August 4, 2025, at the age of 86.
A Local Giant, In Life and Golf
While national headlines will rightfully celebrate his 21 professional wins, $8 million in career earnings, and dominance on the senior circuit, here in our little corner of Michigan, we remember something more personal.
The Course He Built—and the Values He Taught
I didn’t know Mike Hill well. I worked for him when I was young, though “worked” might be a generous term considering my then-teenage work ethic. One July day, I took a longer break than I should in the maintenance cart while trimming sand traps on a fairly hot day. Mike spotted me, rolled his perfectly detailed truck right onto the golf course, and asked—bluntly, as always—why I was sitting and not working.
Did he raise his voice? Sure. Were there some colorful words? You bet. He made his expectations clear: show up, work hard, and don’t waste the day or his time. I was notoriously late back then, and eventually, I was let go. It wasn’t personal—it was about principle and respect.
In hindsight, it was one of the many important lessons I learned early in life in Brooklyn. Hard work is expected, excuses aren’t, and he didn’t sugarcoat the truth. Turns out those traits are incredibly valuable on and off the course.
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From Dairy Farm to PGA Champions Success
Mike’s roots were in Jackson, where he grew up on a dairy farm next to the Country Club of Jackson. His path to professional golf wasn’t easy. He served 42 months in the Air Force, drove a beer truck to make ends meet, and didn’t even make the PGA TOUR until he was 31.
But once he did? The man worked. His five-win season in 1991 made him the leading money-winner in all of professional golf that year.
Later in life, and with a much better work ethic, I had the chance to interview Mike on-air. Same guy. No fluff. No filter. And every word he spoke carried the weight of someone who was very comfortable telling the truth. Brooklyn, Michigan, may be a small town, but when Mike Hill walked into a room—or drove a truck onto a fairway—you remembered.
Seeing Mike working on and off the golf course was common. His love for the game never faded. He still played and even taught the game when he wasn’t mowing greens or pruning trees.
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If he wasn’t at Hill’s Heart of the Lakes, you could see him on his tractor, tending to his farm just a couple of miles out of town. Mike wasn’t just a PGA legend. He was the very definition of hard work. And Brooklyn, Michigan, won’t be the same without him.
Challenge Your Skills: Identify Jackson, MI Golf Courses on Google Earth
Test your knowledge of Jackson, MI golf courses with this fun challenge! Can you identify them just by using Google Earth? Put your skills to the test now!
Gallery Credit: Scott Clow
