By Fred Altvater
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan has long been a vacationer’s paradise. With the Soaring Eagle Casino, several top-flight golf courses, hiking, biking, fishing and boating on the Chippewa River, it has something for everyone.
One other little-known fact about this Central Michigan community is that it has produced several successful golf professionals. Golfers who have grown up in the Mt. Pleasant area that have won on both the LPGA and PGA Tours.
Dan Pohl
Dan Pohl nearly earned a Green Jacket, when he was tied with Craig Stadler after regulation play, at the 1982 Masters. Pohl lost to Stadler on the first playoff hole, but did have two career wins on the PGA Tour. Pohl also flirted with other major titles during his career. He finished inside the top ten several times in major championships including third-place finishes at the U.S. Open and PGA Championships. He was even on the 1987 Ryder Cup Team at Muirfield Village and went 2-1 for the losing American team.
Pohl credits playing baseball and basketball, as well as golf as a youngster, which developed his athletic abilities and competitive drive. Before turning professional, he won two Michigan Amateurs and played golf for the University of Arizona.
Currently you can find Dan in the summer months at Pohlcat Golf Club, but he heads to the warmth of Arizona in the winter.
Kelly Robbins 
Kelly’s father, Steve was the golf coach at Mt. Pleasant High School for many years. She won consecutive MHSAA Individual State Titles and helped her University of Tulsa team win the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship in 1988, plus she earned All-American honors twice during her collegiate career.
Joining the LPGA Tour in 1992, she won nine career LPGA titles. Including one major, the 1995 LPGA Championship. She retired from competitive golf in 2007, but was named as an assistant captain for the 2009 Solheim Cup team, captained by Beth Daniel, also a current Michigan resident.
Cindy Figg-Currier
Cindy’s father Dick Figg owned the Riverwood Resort and Golf Course helped teach young Cindy the game, beginning at the age of seven. She won the 1978 MHSAA High School State Championship.
She played collegiately for the University of Texas, graduating in 1982 with a degree in business marketing.
Playing on the LPGA tour for 22 years, she made 313 starts, won one title and finished in the top ten in three of the five women’s majors.
It’s all in the family. Cindy was 10 years older than Kelly Robbins and would sometimes babysit the future LPGA star.
Doug LaBelle II 
After a successful amateur golf career, Doug LaBelle II turned professional in 1998. He played on all the major professional tours, winning twice on the Web.Com Tour (Korn Ferry Tour). He started 96 PGA Tour events (2007-2014) and made the cut in 50.
He retired from competitive professional golf and is now involved in real estate in the Mt. Pleasant area.
Ryan Brehm
Ryan Brehm learned to play the game on the Pohlcat Golf Course and won three MHSAA Individual State Titles, while attending Mt. Pleasant High School. He attended Michigan State and helped the Spartans win three BIG Ten Championships. He has won the Michigan Open on three occasions and played on the Korn Ferry, Canadian and PGA Tours.
He recorded two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour and won the 2022 Puerto Rico Open, on the PGA Tour, by six shots. He started 128 PGA Tour events and made 57 cuts.
He is still competing with the young guys on tour and is 158th in the FedEx Cup standings.
It is unusual for a small community like Mt. Pleasant to produce such a group of talented golfers. It says a lot for the junior golf programs and commitment of the coaches and professionals in that area to help develop these young players into successful golfers.
