The Golf Explorer 2022

go round

for round

It’s where everything comes together. Where you can swing away the mornings and sip easy in the a ernoons. Where every fairway and friendly smile seems to remind you that you’re in a pre y great place.

of Michigan

Harbor Shores Benton Harbor, MI

FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES

ONE RESORT

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA ACME, MI PHOTOGRAPHY: NILE YOUNG

Minutes from downtown Grand Rapids and all of West Michigan

A Mike Devries masterpiece that is a must play while in West Michigan

VISBEEN ARCHITECTS

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BAHLE FARMS | the new owners at Bahle Farms look to the 2022 season to build on their inaugural year at the Suttons Bay, Michigan destination

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THE LINKS AT BOWEN LAKE | the Korsons welcome a father-and-son team to lead the public golf course in Gowen, Michigan

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THE MINES | an experienced industry professional looks to the future of The Mines as he takes over leadership of the Walker course near Grand Rapids, Michigan

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IN CONVERSATION: SANDY CROSS, CDP, CHRO | The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf had the opportunity to speak with Cross about her career, her journey with the PGA of America, and stepping into her role as the Chief People Officer

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THE GREAT LAKES STATE ESCAPES | the newest edition of destination escapes and resorts highlighted for their stay-and-play opportunities

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FRAMING A GOLF COURSE | the timber-framed, cottage style residence that takes on contemporary inspiration as it seeks to frame the course and golf community where it is built

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THE LTDX MAX DRIVER | the driver intentionally designed to deliver a faster ball speed, higher loft, and forgiveness within COBRA Golf Inc.’s latest line of drivers, irons, fairways, and hybrids

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TECHNOLOGY AND PASSION | a passionate pursuit to develop an innovative ecosystem that connects the world of golf to users across the globe

GET UP AND GO

The paradise of golf in Northern Michigan is more than a mani cured green, orchard-lined fairway or battling The Bear. More than award-winning course design, spacious Clubhouse or veteran instructors. It’s having all of those things at your fingertips. You won’t believe it if you haven’t seen it. Get up and go at grandtraverseresort.com/golf

Owned and Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

From the editor

Golf, as a game and as an industry, has an incredible reach. It touches lives of individuals and players of all ages, reaches across state lines and international borders, and has transcended the physical aspect of a singular course to the palm of the hand or custom simulator bay through innovative technology. With careful environmental stewardship, the courses themselves are a beautiful, seminatural landscape and resource for biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and a destination where people can connect, raise funds for charitable initiatives, and compete at both the leisure and elite levels.

In this issue, we highlight some of those areas the game has informed, from the intentional engineering of drivers, state-of-the-art technology in data tracking, and the economics of industry, to the dynamic lifestyle, great course destinations, and the unique attractions, amenities, and hospitality in the Great Lakes State.

Welcome to this year’s edition of The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf.

Rachel J. Weick Editor | SVK Multimedia and Publishing The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf

CRYSTAL 36

TWO CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES, ONE EXCEPTIONAL RESORT. The Mountain Ridge Course: Significant elevation changes and tree-lined fairways. The Betsie Valley Course: After a significant 2021 renovation, more scenic and playable than ever. Both are in exceptional condition, and rated  by Golf Digest

Continued

golf coverage after

MichiganGolfExplorer.com

EDITOR Rachel J. Weick

SENIOR WRITER

Brenna Buckwald

CREATIVE AND DESIGN

Robin Vargo

PUBLISHER

John C. Olsa

ADVERTISING SALES

John C. Olsa, johno@svkmp.com

Kim Amesbury, Advertising Sales kamesbury@comcast.net

CIRCULATION

David Fant, Market Mapping Plus

PRINTING AND MAILING

Walsworth Printing & Holland Litho

CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brian Walters Photography

Nile Young, Nile Young Photography

LEGAL

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge

ACCOUNTING

Pennell CPA

Fred Pennell, CPA, CGMA Austin Roberts, CPA

FINANCE

Lake Michigan Credit Union

The Golf Explorer is printed once per year, with 100,000 copies.

PO Box 586 Hudsonville, MI 49426 (616) 379-4001 michigangolfexplorer.com/contact-us/

©2022 All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or reproduced without written consent of publisher.

Advertising rates found at michigangolfexplorer.com

SVK Media & Publishing is not responsible for unsolicited materials or contributions.

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Nile Young | PHOTOGRAPHER

With a portfolio spanning more than 400 courses across the globe, Nile Young is among the foremost photographers in the industry. His library includes some of finest golf properties in the world, including: The Old Course at St Andrews, Michigan’s Arcadia Bluffs, Tucker’s Point in Bermuda, Florida’s StreamSong Resort, Wisconsin’s Whistling Straits, and Mexico’s Mayacoba. Nile’s expertise extends to lifestyle, portraiture, and architectural imagery for many of the world’s top resort brands, including Wyndham, Walt Disney World Golf, Four Seasons, World Golf Village, Hilton, and Waldorf Astoria, among others.

0 + V E T E R A N S L O S T T O S U I C I D E E V E R Y D A Y

h e m i s s i o n o f t h e P T S D F o u n d a t i o n o f A m e r i c a i s t o b r i n g h o p e a n d h e a l i n g t o C o m b a t V e t e r a n s a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s s u f f e r i n g f r o m t h e e f f e c t s o f c o m b a t r e l a t e d P o s t T r a u m a t i c S t r e s s .

Encounter one of West Michigan’s finest upscale public golf facilities. This magnificent course was built on over 400 acres and bears the hallmark of premier design and construction, with bentgrass fairways, distinctive green complexes, and 6 different yardages to play from! Pilgrim’s Run is a “must play” for golfers who enjoy the combination of tranquility, beauty, and great golf!

Public Course by State, 2020

Ranked Golf Course for “Staff Friendliness.”

Golf Advisor Staff 2018

10 Hidden Gems in the U.S.” 2014 The Golf Channel Course record 29-36= 65 PGA Tour Two-Time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen

Bahle Farms’ NEW OWNERS LOOK AHEAD TO 2022

Text: Brenna Buckwald

In June of 2021, the Bahle Farms Golf Course in Suttons Bay, Michi gan, transitioned ownership from the Bahle family, who had previous ly owned the 200-acre golf course and were long-time residents of the area, to 24-year-old Crosley Duckmann and his father, Mark Duckmann. The Duckmann family, while originally from Chicago, Illinois, are also quite familiar with the area having spent years vacationing in northern Michigan and Leelanau County near the Bahle Farms Golf Course.

It was initially the dream of Crosley Duckmann and his girlfriend, Me lissa Obis, to own and run a golf course, with Mark Duckmann joining the venture later in the process. Crosley Duckmann indicated that he began dis cussing the idea of purchasing a golf course with Melissa Obis around Sep tember or October of 2020. The two were not greatly serious about the idea until Duckmann’s grandmother, who lives in northern Michigan sent him the sale listing for Bahle Farms Golf Course. Although he had never visited the golf course in person, Duckmann noticed it was only about a 20-minute drive from where his family regularly vacations in Leelanau County, so he was familiar with the area.

“We started with this phone call to the real tor and they sent us documents and all this oth er [information] about the business. We slowly sifted through that and what we were doing just led to another phone call, to another phone call, to another phone call—it slowly started devel oping into this foreseeable thing. It was real,” Crosley Duckmann said.

“We finally got to the point where we made the offer and all parties agreed, and we just looked at each other like, ‘we are going to move up to Michigan and run a golf course.’ Right around that time is when I was talking to my dad to get him involved with me. It has been re ally cool being able to go through this with my father as well,” Duckmann added.

Though ownership of Bahle Farms didn’t officially transition until June 2021, Duckmann noted that the Bahle family were incredibly helpful in teaching him the ropes of running a golf course, allowing him to work alongside Erik Bahle, one of the previous general manag ers, from April to June 2021.

Now, Duckmann has taken on the general manager role at Bahle Farms full-time, while Melissa Obis is the marketing and events man ager at the course. Mark Duckmann, with pre vious experience running small businesses, will assist behind the scenes.

For Crosley Duckmann, having worked at the golf course this past season has made him feel prepared and excited for the 2022 season.

He noted that the golf club recently received their liquor license, so guests will be able to en joy the addition of a full-service bar, as well as an expanded pro shop, with fresh inventory of shirts, hats, and other merchandise.

“A big takeaway that I had is to not be afraid to jump into something, because you don’t know

where it could lead to. This was a big leap of faith; we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and we just put our minds to work and said, ‘this is what we are going to do,’ and here we are, one season down,” Duckmann said.

The Links at Bowen Lake welcome new owners

Text:

R.J. Weick

The Links at Bowen Lake, a public golf course in Gowen, Michigan, will wel come its new owners this spring as the fa ther-and-son team of Tom Combs and Tommy Combs assume leadership this season of the 18hole golfing destination located nearly 35 miles north of Grand Rapids in Montcalm County. The Combs, who signed a purchase agreement

for the sale of the golf course late December 2021 from its most recent owners, Vicki Korson and Wayne Korson, had an official closing date planned for March 23, 2022 with both Vicki and Wayne Korson agreeing to remain for a year to help guide throughout the transition as the Combs take the helm in April 2022.

“We really want to learn everything that we need to learn. There is going to be a lot that we don’t know, neither of us have experience in this, so we are grateful Wayne and Vicki [Korson] have decided to stay on for a year to help us through that transition process,” Tommy Combs said. “We aspire to get to know as many of the mem bers and property owners, regulars, by name and keep that family atmosphere and family environ ment going that Wayne and Vicki established.”

Designed by Bill Newcomb, The Links at Bowen Lake initially debuted in 1998 with its more than 150 forested acres of bentgrass fair ways, wetlands, rolling meadows, and greens set on the shores of Bowen Lake. Since then, it has developed into an 18-hole, public golfing course featuring five sets of tees with a range of about 4,300 yards to 6,700 yards and when Vic ki and Wayne Korson assumed ownership in the late 2010s, they invested in a new clubhouse, a full-service restaurant known as Bowen Lake Bar & Grill, cart-path work, and tree removal, among other initiatives. Vicki and Wayne Korson, who noted in a release they are now one step closer to retirement, also stated Bob Klingbeil, superin

PHOTOGRAPHY

tendent at The Links at Bowen Lake, and his team plan to return for the 2022 season to maintain the course’s condition.

Combs noted while they anticipate one of their biggest challenges at the onset will be staffing for the Bowen Lake Bar & Grill, one of their long-term goals is to have The Links at Bowen Lake become a multigenerational business, with the hope that one day he can pass the operation onto the next generation.

“My dad has always owned his own businesses, so I grew up in a house where I was watching

him do that and learning about that. From the time I was 12 or 13, I always dreamed of owning my own business, and he and I had talked about doing things together, maybe doing things apart, but in the long run, we decided it would be better to do something together,” Combs said.

“When I graduated college, I wasn’t sure I wanted to step into his line of work, so we opened the door to look into other things and I was actually golfing at The Links and saw the sale sign on the counter. We gave Wayne and Vicki a call and sat down and met with them.

We kept meeting with them over and over again, and we decided it was something we really wanted to pursue, and Wayne and Vicki were generous enough to give us the opportunity to step into this role,” Combs added.

The Combs’ passion for golf is a multigenerational affair, where father-and-son played with Tom Combs’ own father throughout the years, and even led to a green installation known as “Tom Combs Memorial Green” complete with a flag honoring his WWII service at their home. Tommy Combs noted for him, golf is about the social aspect, and he is most excited to spend a little extra quality time with his own father.

“We’ve always been very close and dreamed of doing something like this and to see that dream come true, it’s exciting. My dad and his dad actually golfed until my grandpa was 85, I believe, and I witnessed that. I decided I wanted to pick up a club and take up the sport so I could do it with him as well. It’s something my dad and I can do together that allows me to get to know other people who have similar passions. I enjoy talking to people and getting to know people,” Tommy Combs said.

“It doesn’t matter who I am with, what the weather is like, what the course conditions are: I get to go out and spend three-to-four hours with individuals, get to know them, share laughs, and maybe have a serious conversation. It’s the best way for me to spend time with people,” Combs added.

EXPERIENCED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL LOOKS TO THE FUTURE OF The Mines

Chris Sobieck, business owner and oper ator of The Mines Golf Course, recently purchased the 18-hole course in Walker, Michigan in March of 2021, after a long history of experience working in the golf industry.

Up until his purchase of The Mines, So bieck had previously served as general manag er at The Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe since 2001, as well as general manager at Watermark Golf Properties—now known as part of the golf properties within the RedWater Collection— since 2017 when the company purchased The Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe, adding it to their portfolio of courses.

Sobieck noted that working at Watermark Golf Properties made him realize some career goals and desires of his own that were lacking in the previous role, prompting him to start think ing of alternative career options. Around Novem ber of 2020, discussion of Sobieck buying The Mines Golf Course ensued, as the former own er was looking to sell the property. In January of 2021, Sobieck and the previous owner of the course came to an agreement, and the deal was finalized on March 1st of 2021.

“It has been great, honestly. I couldn’t have asked for a better year to buy the golf course. The weather was excellent, and golf has regained

Text: Brenna Buckwald

some popularity with COVID-19; it was the only thing people could do, so the millennial group has become more interested and attached to golf,” Sobieck said.

Named after the gypsum mines portions of the course are built 150 feet above, The Mines is a par-70 course, featuring 18 holes of rolling bluegrass fairways, undulating bentgrass greens, and increased playability with four different sets of tees. The land is highlighted by mature hard woods and sandy soils.

As the golf course initially opened in 2005, some of the features of the gypsum mines and mining process were utilized in the construction of the course, such as the water that irrigates the course being pumped directly from the mines.

“This is a really great golf course, The Mines. The more I am on it, the more I like it. For being downtown Grand Rapids, you would never know it. It is like you are up north,” Sobieck said. “The terrain changes dramatically; there is 70 to 80 feet of elevation change throughout the property.”

Sobieck indicated that one of his goals for the future of The Mines is to build a banquet facili ty, hopefully within the next year or so. The ex tended space would allow the golf course to host events such as corporate dinners and weddings.

“This is what I have done my whole life; golf is very important to me. I am also a high school golf coach and a college golf coach, so I live and breathe golf every day and not because of golf it self, but because I see the positive effects that golf

can have on people,” Sobieck said.

“Golf is just a great sport that everyone can play. There is no restriction. You don’t have to be fast; you don’t have to be tall—anyone can play golf. It [of fers] a lot of opportunity, and it is just what we, as in my family, love to do,” Sobieck added.

In conversation:

Sandy Cross, CDP, CHRO

Founded in 1916, the Professional Golfer’s Association of America consists of nearly 29,000 golf professionals and has a mission of elevating the standards of the profession to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. In 2019, Sandy Cross, CDP, CHRO, was promoted to serve as the first ever Chief People Officer in the PGA of America’s history.

The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf Magazine had the opportunity to speak with Cross about her ca reer, the 26-year journey working with the PGA of America that evolved into her stepping into the Chief People Officer role, and leading with inclusion to create a purpose-driven, values-based, and people-centric environment.

PICTURED: SANDY CROSS AT VALHALLA GOLF CLUB, 2014, LOUISVILLE, KY; PHOTOGRAPHY: MONTANA PRITCHARD/THE

OF AMERICA

The Golf Explorer:

Tell me your story. What led you to the PGA of America?

SANDY CROSS: It is very interesting, because I didn’t set out to have a career in the business of golf. Initially, in undergrad, I was on a pre-law track, and I was playing volleyball in college at the Universi ty of Buffalo. I had the opportunity to work in the athletic department while I was there as my workstudy, and a gentleman that I worked for encour aged me to consider a master’s [degree] in sport administration. Ultimately, I went to Kent State University and earned that degree in sport admin istration. After graduation, I really looked high and low for a job and applied primarily in college athlet ics. I think just because I was familiar with college athletics that is where most of my applications were.

I wound up taking a job at a very small sports organization in South Florida called the United States Water Fitness Association as their director of special projects. While it was a great experi ence, just about a year into it, the company was struggling financially to the point where—this was back in the days where they would give you a pa per paycheck and I remember the CEO giving me my paycheck and saying, ‘hey, can you wait until Monday to cash this?’ I got nervous.

I went to the local employment agency just to have a backup plan in case the Water Fitness job fell through. I did not know it, but the employment agency I went to worked very closely at the time with the PGA of America and they offered me a 90-day temporary position as what was called the licensing administrator. I instantly said yes. I was like, ‘PGA? Yes.’

I took that 90-day temp job and it blossomed into a full-time opportunity, and my first 15 years were in the business development department working with our sponsors. I started out on the sponsorship, partnership fulfillment side and then I had an opportunity to grow into the sales side.

Why take on the Chief People Officer role?

That is also an interesting evolution. I had the 15 years under my belt on the business development side and I was very fortunate to develop a lot of strong relationships, not only inside the PGA and inside the golf industry, but also beyond golf as well. When our organization and the industry needed someone to lead a new strategic initiative called Connecting With Her, I was tapped to lead that effort because of the relationships that I had built in golf and outside of golf.

The Connecting With Her strategic initiative was designed to bring women into the sport of golf and retain them in the sport. The initiative started because we had commissioned a study with the Boston Consulting Group, and we learned that there were 32 million women in America who wanted to play golf, but were not playing golf for one of two reasons: they had never been invited or they were too intimidated.

Golf, if you think about it, is a sport of invi tation. Almost every single person who plays golf was invited that first time out by somebody else; it

is really not a sport that many people take up on their own. My work, and on the Connecting With Her strategic initiative, is what opened my eyes to the broader world of diversity and inclusion.

I went to our leadership and said, ‘I want to take on diversity and inclusion for the organiza tion.’ I started the diversity and inclusion depart ment from scratch, I built the strategic plan for the department, and I went about implementing that. Probably four years into that, our new CEO at the time, Seth Waugh, had a vision for a Chief People Officer role, and that was a brand-new role at the PGA of America—someone who would oversee human resources, which we now call our people team, as well as oversee the diversity, equity, and inclusion practice. Seth gave me the opportunity to step into that newly created role and marry the DE&I with the people side of the business. That is how the journey has evolved.

Can you tell me more about this role and the work you do?

A priority item for me at the outset of the Chief People Officer role was I wanted to see us evolve as an organization from being purely mission-fo cused, and our mission is to serve our 28,000 members and grow participation in the sport of golf. That is critical and that is paramount, but I wanted us to also become values-based as an orga nization. At the time, we weren’t rooted as a team in shared values. I went about an effort to develop shared values for our organization and it was very much an employee-led effort.

There are four shared values and each of them is supported by five behavioral statements. Since we launched the values in March of 2020, we have been working to have them underpin our entire employee-life cycle.

That is the number one thing in my role, is en suring that we are living and embodying the shared values and that they are anchoring the employee experience throughout. Also, translating policies into personalized experiences for our employees. What employees expect today is very different than maybe just five years ago or even three years ago.

It is very challenging; we are learning every

single day in this new environment on how to live this values-based experience and still advance the strategic priorities of the organization to fulfill our mission, but do it in a way that recognizes employ ees’ concerns and anxieties and this personalized experience that they are seeking.

What are the four shared values?

Our value statements are: have each other’s backs, practice gratitude, get better every day, and start with clarity. It is like a playbook for our employees; they know how to show up each day and how to interact with one another in a values-based environment.

In our annual performance management process with our employees, they are evaluated equally 50 percent on what they do and 50 per cent on how they do it through the lens of the shared values. Gone are the days where we had employees who were crushing it from a ‘what’ perspective, but their ‘how’ was very poor. That is no longer acceptable. Your ‘what’ has to be equal ly as good as your ‘how.’ That has been transfor mative for our organization.

In your mind, why is inclusion and diversity in golf important?

Our mission is to serve our 28,000 PGA mem bers and grow participation in the sport of golf. The only way we are going to grow participation in the sport, and ultimately serve our members by driving them new customers, is through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The demographic composition of our country continues to change, evolve, become richer and more dynamic, and we must reflect the demo graphics of America in who plays the sport, who works in the business, and who benefits from the golf industry supply chain. There are two mil lion jobs in golf annually in this country; it is an $84-billion-dollar-a-year supply chain in the Unit ed States alone, and we need more women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, LGBT-owned, and disabled-owned businesses benefitting from the golf industry’s supply chain.

It is critically important to not only sustain the

PHOTOGRAPHY: MONTANA PRITCHARD/THE PGA OF AMERICA

PICTURED: (L-R) SANDY CROSS; GRETCHEN GEITTER, VP OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS, BUFFALO BILLS; LAUREN DIXON, OWNER AND CEO, DIXON SCHWABL; CATHY CROWTHER, SENIOR DIRECTOR, REMOTE OPERATIONS AND PRODUCTION PLANNING, GOLF CHANNEL; OAK HILL COUNTRY CLUB, 2013, PITTSFORD, NY

sport and the related business, but also to grow it through that lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion and reflect the demographic composition of con sumers in this country.

I have heard you speak about leading with inclusion; what does that mean to you?

Wherever golf is consumed, or where people are working, the environment has to be authentically in clusive. I believe if you lead with inclusion, and you create these environments in these settings where people can be their whole selves and bring their whole selves, then diversity will naturally follow.

So often companies lead with diversity and it can become a box-checking effort. Where, ‘we need this many women, and this many multicul tural employees, or this many multicultural play ers,’ and they may hit those numbers, but those individuals—those women and individuals from diverse backgrounds, or of LGBT identity, or in dividuals with disabilities—they come into those workplaces and they come into those points of play, and they find that the experience isn’t an in clusive one, and they leave. If you create the truly authentic inclusive environments first, then bring the individuals from diverse backgrounds, identi ties, and abilities into those settings, they are going to thrive, engage, and stay.

What inspires you to keep pushing for equity in the golf industry?

The things that inspire me are the successes that I’ve seen over the years. I know the joys of the sport of golf and what that can mean to an individual, both personally and professionally, throughout their entire life. I want as many people as possible to be able to experience those joys for a lifetime.

What are you most excited about for the future of the PGA of America?

I am just really excited about the growth opportu nities that exist for our PGA members when look ing at the business through that lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We saw over the last year, as devastating and as tragic as the pandemic has been for so many, the golf industry in a lot of ways has experienced a boom, because golf was and is some thing that individuals can do in an outdoor setting, in a more safe and responsible way. It is something they can engage in during a pandemic and we saw that happen. I’m incredibly excited about the op portunity to retain those individuals in the sport and keep them coming back, and have them invite friends and family and colleagues and customers.

From a jobs and careers standpoint, I always encourage people to follow us at careers.pgahq. com. From a supply chain perspective, anyone who is a business owner, we now have a procure ment portal at VRAconnect.org, for the entire golf industry. If you are a business owner, you can register yourself in the portal, and as golf indus try entities are looking to do business and bid out opportunities, they go to the portal to find compa nies to include in the bids.

BLACK LAKE

GOLF CLUB

THE GREAT LAKES STATE ESCAPES

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA

When Michigan’s warmer months roll in, daylight hours extend, and snow melts off the golf courses—individuals, couples, friends, and families alike with a passion for the game begin planning their golf season. In this edition of The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf Magazine, several resorts around Michigan are highlighted for their unique play-and-stay opportunities, allowing golfers to find the right fit for this season’s golf vacation.

100 GRAND TRAVERSE VILLAGE BLVD. | ACME, MICHIGAN

“The thing that is really special about Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is it is an experience for everyone of all ages. We have relaxation, we have fun, we have fine dining, we have special memories. It is an all-encompassing, 900-acre property that has a little bit of everything,” said Caroline Rizzo, public relations manager at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme, Michigan near Traverse City.

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa provides guests with a rounded golf vacation, starting with three unique golf courses, and ending with other fitness activities and the onsite full-service spa.

From The Bear, designed by Jack Nicklaus; The Wolverine, which was Gary Player’s first signature course in Michigan; and Spruce Run, the resort’s original golf course that was redesigned by Bill Newcomb in 1979; golfers at Grand Traverse Resort can attain varying golf experiences, each conveniently beginning at The Clubhouse.

Text: Brenna Buckwald

BOYNE/BAY HARBOR

For golfers looking for something more af ter playing the three championship courses, or looking for indoor activities, The Golf Acade my at Grand Traverse Resort awaits. The Golf Academy is a 2,000-square-foot space open year-round, featuring three heated indoor-out door hitting bays equipped with mirrors and motion-capture technology for swing anal ysis. During the colder months of the year, The Academy houses the Winter Golf Center, which offers lessons, SuperSpeed golf training, practice sessions, and golf simulators for guests to play.

The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa also offers an onsite full-service spa and health club located conveniently in the same wing of the resort, ready for golfers once they step off the courses for the day. Hair artistry, nail care, body massages, facials, waxing, and lash services are just a few of the treatments available to guests of Spa Grand Traverse. Saunas, hot tubs, and pools sit within that same wing, and an award-win ning tennis program, workout facilities, and pickleball court are also part of the health club at the resort.

Eight eateries sprinkled around the resort ensure hungry guests have a lot of options when it comes to grabbing a snack or sitting down for a meal. Rizzo indicated that the most wellknown restaurant at Grand Traverse is Aerie Restaurant and Lounge, an establishment that sits on the 16th floor of The Tower, offering pan oramic vistas of the property, as well as views of Old Mission Peninsula and Grand Traverse Bay.

Some of the other dining options at the resort comprise Sweetwater American Bistro, a family-style bistro nestled just off the Grand Lobby; The Grille Restaurant, an eatery pro viding lunch and dinner, overlooking the 18th hole of The Bear golf course; and Jack’s taproom, the resort’s go-to spot for craft beer and upscale pub fare.

Grand Traverse Resort has been steadily gaining popularity throughout the past cou ple of years, with the number of golfers play ing the sport increasing, according to Rizzo.

“Last year we were super excited to say, ‘2020 has been a record setting year,’ but 2021 blew 2020 out of the water. It is incredible,” Rizzo said.

“We have never seen golf grow like we did last year, until now this year. It is amazing to see what is happening with old golfers return ing to the game and rekindling their interest

and love for the sport. Also, new golfers who are just learning it and picking up a club for the first time, anxious to get outside and be part of that incredible golf atmosphere,” Rizzo added.

BOYNE GOLF

Bay Harbor Golf Club

5800 COASTAL RIDGE DRIVE | BAY HARBOR, MICHIGAN

The Highlands At Harbor Springs

600 HIGHLAND DRIVE | HARBOR SPRINGS, MICHIGAN

Boyne Mountain

1 BOYNE MOUNTAIN ROAD | BOYNE FALLS, MICHIGAN

Crooked Tree Golf Club

600 Crooked Tree Drive | Bay Harbor, Michigan BOYNE Golf delivers the same high level of excellence in quality across ten courses and three resorts, while still creating distinct ex periences at each stop within their 30-minute radius in northern Michigan.

For Ken Griffin, director of golf sales and marketing at Boyne Resorts, each property under the Boyne umbrella is so unique, that when one first visits Boyne for their vacation, it feels as if they are stepping into a different part of the world. Griffin described the vil lage at Boyne Mountain, the original resort at Boyne, as similar to European or Bavarian style in the building’s architecture and décor.

As the name denotes, Boyne Mountain features wide elevation changes on its moun tainous terrain, allowing golfers the oppor tunity to begin their game at the summit of the slope with views of Deer Lake below

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA

that stretch as far as the eye can see, playing down toward the blue waters—an experience wrapped into the two courses, The Alpine and The Monument.

During the winter months between the 2021 and 2022 golf season, Boyne Mountain underwent some resort updates, such as the 35 upgraded suites at Edelweiss Lodge at Boyne Mountain, the transformation also in cluding a shift in the lodging’s name to Chalet Edelweiss. Griffin noted that the new rooms weren’t just modified to stay current in style, but also were expanded for guests to have apt space during their stay.

Coming this summer to Boyne Moun tain, the world’s longest timber-towered sus pension bridge, called SkyBridge Michigan, will stretch between the peaks of McLouth and Disciples Ridge. Guests will experience a walkway 118 feet above the ground after rid ing a chairlift to the mountain’s top, strolling across the 1,203-foot-long bridge. After the attraction opens in June 2022, it will be avail able to walk year-round—the perfect escape into nature in-between rounds of golf.

The guest rooms in the main lodge at the newly rebranded The Highlands At Harbor Shores have also been recently remodeled, as Boyne continues to stay updated for over night guests at their resort locations.

“When you go to Boyne Highlands, the idea was to give you an experience like you would get going to a Scottish island. On the way in you see the shaggy, long-horned, Scot

tish Highland cattle; that is the start of your experience,” Griffin said.

Home to Boyne’s first golf course, The Heather, which was established in 1966, The Highlands also includes the courses Arthur Hills, Donald Ross Memorial, The Moor, and an extra nine-hole course, Cuff Links Execu tive Par 3, which offers a friendly, quick game at the base of The Highlands Day Lodge.

Granting magnificent vistas of the sunsets reflected on Lake Michigan’s waters, the Inn at Bay Harbor, opened in 1998, was designed in homage to the grand hotels of the late 19th century. The 125-room establishment pro vides a five-star stay for visitors, with an on site full-service spa and salon, and numerous dining options to fit any occasion. Visitors who would like to stay in Bay Harbor can also choose to book one of the resort’s Lakeside Cottages or Crooked Tree Cottages, both of which offer access to all the amenities at the Inn at Bay Harbor.

Largely influenced by the nearby Lake Michigan, the courses at Bay Harbor Golf Club complement the natural landscape, each offering at least one picturesque view of the bay. The Links, The Quarry, and The Preserve diverge dramatically from one another in style, with each set of nine holes a combinable experience to play a unique 18-hole round. Crooked Tree Golf Club marks the final golf course one can play while in Bay Harbor.

“Beyond the golf, there are very few places in the United States where the sun comes up

at 6:30 in the morning, it doesn’t set until 10 o’clock at night, and your average tempera ture is 75 to 80 degrees,” Griffin said.

“The largest spa in Michigan is at Boyne Mountain; it is an 18,000-square-foot spa. If families and younger kids want to go to the waterpark, there is an 88,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, and you have a 450-acre lake out back where we have a private beach on it. There is just a lot of variety to make a well-rounded vacation still centered around golf that can be a main reason for it, but it is not the only reason for it, which is what happens with a lot of great golf destinations,” Griffin added.

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN

12500 CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN DRIVE | THOMPSONVILLE, MICHIGAN

At Crystal Mountain, the two golf courses— Mountain Ridge and Betsie Valley—are just the beginning to entertainment available at the re sort during one’s stay. The 36 holes offer distinct play, fun challenges, and panoramic views from the height of the mountain.

Open to the public, a 10-acre Practice & Learning Center allows golfers to sharpen their skills before trying out Mountain Ridge or Betsie Valley golf courses. The center is home to the nationally renowned Crystal Mountain Golf School, as well as a driving range, which includes a covered hitting area, putting green, and two multi-tiered chipping greens with bunkers.

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN

Guests staying overnight at the resort can play a free round of golf during their stay with a Crystal Mountain golf package. Of course, an overnight vacation at the golf destination also allows guests to take advantage of the other activities available during the warmer months, such as archery, tennis, pickleball courts, disc golf, approximately 25 kilometers of mountain biking trails, an outdoor pool, hot tub, and water playground.

“We have Michigan’s only alpine slide, where you control the speed with a knob, and you ride down on a wagon. My 80-year-old grandpa went on it, so it is [for] all ages from kids to elders, as long as you have the need for speed,” said Brittney Buti, public relations manager at Crystal Mountain.

The chairlifts used in the wintertime serve a different purpose during the warmer months: they become scenic chairlift rides, bringing guests to heights overlooking three counties of rolling hills and forest, with the option of hopping off at the top and enjoying a hike back down the mountain.

Inside the resort, guests can venture to the Crystal Spa for a bit of relaxation in the form of facials, massages, or spending time in the sauna or steam room. An indoor pool and fitness center included in guests’ resort stay makes it easy to keep up the workout regime one might have at home.

“I would say, keep your mind open when you come here to play golf. Look around and enjoy everything that we have to offer, in cluding the hiking trails and especially the Michigan Legacy Art Park; it’s a unique fea ture that a lot of other golf resorts don’t have,” Buti said.

“It is a little cliché, but there really is some thing for everyone,” Buti added.

SHANTY CREEK RESORT

Summit Village

5780 SHANTY CREEK ROAD | BELLAIRE, MICHIGAN

Cedar River Village 2400 TROON S | BELLAIRE, MICHIGAN

Schuss Village 1826 SCHUSS MOUNTAIN LN | MANCELONA, MICHIGAN

Hawk’s Eye Village 2620 HAWKS EYE DRIVE | BELLAIRE, MICHIGAN

It is no secret that Shanty Creek Resort is com monly known for its expansive golf experience, with a variety of courses spread across its villages and 5,500 acres of property. This year, with the re sort’s recent acquisition of Hawk’s Eye Golf Club, Shanty Creek now boasts an impressive 90 holes of golf across five unique, championship courses.

“We essentially just catapulted among the largest golf resorts in the world. I believe from the research we’ve done we are among the fourteen largest golf resorts in the world that have 90 or more golf holes at one des tination. That is a pretty nice feather in our caps,” said Chris Hale, vice president of sales and marketing at Shanty Creek Resort.

At Shanty Creek, guests can hop on a shuttle and experience golf across the resort’s many villages—Summit Village, Cedar River Village, Schuss Village, and Hawk’s Eye Village—as one doesn’t have to be staying in accommodations specific to that village to enjoy golf, or other activ ities, there. Hale compared Shanty Creek’s village system to Disney World, noting that although the different areas are distinct in resembling the eras they were built in, to gether they represent one unified Shanty Creek experience.

“It is all one resort and one daily ticket will get you into each of the [villages]. Even our transportation systems connect you to all those venues, but they are separated by two miles this way and three miles that way. Ultimately, it is not as stuffed together as a center point village would have it,” Hale said.

Often referred to as the original Shanty Creek, Summit Village holds an abundance of overnight accommodations ranging from

SHANTY CREEK RESORT

DESERVES THE PERFECT SETTING

a room at the Lakeview Hotel, or for a little extra space, one of the condos: Crosswinds, Ridgewalk, Sawtooth, Timber Ridge, Trappers Lodge, or Windcliff.

Although staying overnight at Summit Village does not bound visitors to that area, it does offer easy access to two fantastic golf courses right on the premises: Arnold Palmer’s The Legend and William Diddel’s Summit—as well as the abilities to rent a bike or electric bike to pedal through nature or unwind at the onsite Wellness Spa and Fitness Center.

Guests can start their morning off right with a trip to The CoffeeBAR within the Great Room of the Lakeview Hotel, serving Starbucks coffee just how you like it—hot or cold—and fresh breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and lunch items.

For in-between rounds of golf, Grab-n-Go outlets are available at most of the golf clubs for a quick snack or cold drink. For those playing The Legend and Summit courses, Ar nie’s Grab-n-Go is conveniently located.

One can also choose to dine in the glow of the sun setting over Lake Bellaire at The Lakeview, a dining experience that Shanty Creek calls “simple local social dining,” high

lighted by its menu of award-winning steaks, pasta, and homemade desserts.

At Cedar River Village, golfers can stay overnight in Slopeside and Golfside condos, or room in a spacious, architecturally modern suite at The Lodge. Summer activities within Cedar River include hiking Schuss Mountain and playing a round on the Tom Weiskopf-de signed Cedar River Golf Club course.

Overlooking the 18th green of the Ce dar River course, The River Bistro offers a year-round patio for guests to observe the surrounding activities while enjoying a selec tion of chic appetizers, sandwiches, specialty sides, and fresh fruit cocktails. Inside, the eat ery also has tavern sports such as billiards, air hockey, and darts.

Privately available in The River Bistro, Shanty Creek just added a Topgolf Swing Suite to their list of entertainment, for groups to go and play a variety of virtual golf simula tion games on a massive screen.

During the summer, those visiting Schuss Village can celebrate the warm weather with rounds on the Schuss Mountain Golf Club course, designed by Warner Bowen, that

draws golfers through a course of pine-dot ted forests, wetlands, and rolling hills. Guests can also hike Schuss Mountain and stop at the Grab-n-Go eatery, Schuss Grill. Visitors that want to stay in Schuss Village overnight can choose among The Schuss Lodge, Bergrand Condos, and Vienna Woods Homes.

The resort’s newest addition, Hawk’s Eye Village presents the Hawk’s Eye Golf Club course, a John Robinson design that will chal lenge players of all skill levels, highlighted by incredible, open vistas and water hazards on half of its 18 holes. Chipper’s Pub at Hawk’s Eye serves a great solution to hungry stom achs before or after playing a round of golf.

While a vacation destination in-and-ofitself, Shanty Creek Resort’s shuttle system can also take guests to nearby cities to explore other local amenities and experiences.

“It is almost a small town; we have a trans portation system with complimentary shut tles and various vehicles to get people in-andaround the villages, but also in-and-around downtown Bellaire. Because of the size of our place, it does sometimes feel like its own little zip code,” Hale said.

HARBOR SHORES RESORT

“The town of Bellaire is so important to that guest experience. It is, to be fair, a small town, but it is rather cosmopolitan and pro gressive in its small-town feel. It doesn’t feel like the kind of place you would go for meatloaf and mashed potatoes; it has got a cool factor to it that I don’t think many small towns quite embrace the way that Bellaire has. Bellaire has figured out a way to not let size dictate how cool you are,” Hale added.

A stay at Shanty Creek Resort unlocks the potential to enjoy all 90 holes of golf, the sur plus of outdoor activities and dining options, and the ability to shuttle to nearby cities such as Bellaire for a night out on the town.

HARBOR SHORES RESORT

Harbor Shores Golf Course 201 GRAHAM AVE. |

BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN

The Inn at Harbor Shores 800 WHITWAM DRIVE | ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN

First opened in 2010, Harbor Shores Golf Course, the only Jack Nicklaus signature course on Lake Michigan, was made possible from the restoration of the land it sits on—a process that included demolishing more than 3 million square-feet of dilapidated buildings and remov ing roughly 140,000 tons of waste materials from portions of the Paw Paw River and other areas around the property. The revitalization of the land made Harbor Shores Resort possible, marking Benton Harbor as a must-visit golf des tination for many.

“Our story is one-of-a-kind; just under standing what was here prior to the golf course, and everything it took to put it in place. When you basically transform 550 acres of land that was once abandoned by factories and things along those lines, doing an overall restoration to the land to bring wildlife back and to bring economic dollars back to Benton Harbor, I think that is a big part of the guest experience,” said Joshua Doxtator, PGA, general manager of Harbor Shores Resort.

“When people play the golf course, they’ll see signage of what was there before and what it looks like now, and it is nothing short of a miracle from a transformation side of things,” Doxtator added.

Harbor Shores is a not-for-profit develop ment that strengthens its local community. A portion of the green fees is used to maintain the public areas in Jean Klock Park and its 12mile walking system—promoting community health on-and-off the resort’s own golf course. Any revenue that falls above the operating ex penses are also granted back to the community for job training and educational programs.

Through a partnership between Harbor Shores and the Benton Harbor Arts District, Josh Andres, a metal sculptor, and Jerry Cat ania, a glassblower, who both have studios in the Benton Harbor Arts District, crafted sculptures for every hole on the course. The metal sculptures feature at least one piece of blown glass and hold a plaque describing one of Jack Nicklaus’ major championships. Also tying in the local environment, each hole was

named after plants indigenous to the area.

Doxtator noted that the course opening in 2010, the Champions for Change Golf Chal lenge, created a legendary moment within the golf community. At this event, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Arnold Palmer, and Tom Wat son competed in the 18-hole scramble with rotating two-man teams. A video from the opening event of Nicklaus showing Miller how to make a 102-foot putt on the 10th green, has since surpassed a few million views on You tube across multiple accounts, although many people still don’t know that the famous mo ment took place at Harbor Shores.

After successfully hosting the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, the 2020 event at Harbor Shores was cancelled due to COVID-19, but the resort is excited to host the championship again in 2022 and 2024.

When staying with Harbor Shores, guests have the option of booking one of 92 luxury guest rooms at The Inn, or a high-rise con dominium. Some of the benefits of staying at The Inn at Harbor Shores are the resort’s mul titude of dining options—Plank’s Tavern on the Water, Rise & Vine, and Torch & Tapas— as well as a full-service spa, indoor and out door pools, and a fitness center to be enjoyed during one’s stay.

Golfers don’t have to wait until they get back to their lodging to visit a restaurant, though. Doxtator indicated that two dining options are located on the 14th hole of the Harbor Shores course, including North Pier

GARLAND LODGE AND GOLF RESORT

Brewery and North Pier Restaurant.

Guests of Harbor Shores can also spend some time out on the area’s waters, either with a kayak rental on the Paw Paw River, or a boat rental to take out on Lake Michigan.

“We have a relentless focus on knowledge, learning, and improvement, and I think that is the core of who we are,” Doxtator said. “There is no better story in golf than the transforma tion of the community, and the support of the community through the game of golf.”

GARLAND LODGE AND GOLF RESORT

4700 NORTH RED OAK ROAD |

LEWISTON, MICHIGAN

With 3,000 acres of unspoiled Michigan wilder ness serving as a natural backdrop at Garland Lodge and Golf Resort, those who venture up to Lewiston experience a golf trip completely immersed in nature and the wildlife that lives around the four golf courses. An assortment of overnight accommodations, walking access to all onsite golf courses, and excellent dining form a rounded vacation, encouraging golfers to leave the stresses of their everyday lives behind.

Fountains, Swampfire, Monarch, and Reflections golf courses dive headfirst into nature, taking golfers on a journey through rolling meadows, lakes, streams, mature hard woods, and great pines, while being greeted by the hawks, wild turkey, and bald eagles liv ing around the resort. All four courses begin at the same golf shop, eliminating the hassle of having to take transportation from one to the next; groups can seamlessly play multiple courses in the same day.

Garland also encompasses more than 400 beds on their property, fit into different shaped and sized accommodations. Garland Lodge offers varying room sizes similar to that of a standard hotel. Single and Double Villas of

fer more space for golfers hoping to achieve a more home-like stay. Located on the Fountains course, two-story, three-bedroom French Villas, and three-story, four-bedroom French Coun try Villas offer an even more spacious unit, the four-bedroom villas being the largest accommo dations at the resort. Also sitting on the Foun tains course, Golf Cottages present four-bed room units that sleep four to six people.

Two of Garland’s more popular dining options are Antlers Bar and the Tiki Bar Pa tio, both serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Groups can grab a drink after a round or two of golf at Antlers Lounge, which features many Michigan craft beer op tions, an expanded single malt Scotch selec tion, and small-batch bourbons. Tamarack Restaurant is also open for dining in on Fri day and Saturday nights during June.

LAKEWOOD SHORES RESORT

7751 CEDAR LAKE RD | OSCODA, MICHIGAN

Just minutes from the beautiful beaches of Lake Huron, Lakewood Shores Resort in Oscoda, Michigan transports golfers to three diverse courses—The Gailes, Blackshire, and The Ser radella—that celebrate the spaces where the se renity of nature meets masterful course design.

For Craig Peters, general manager and PGA professional at Lakewood Shores Re sort, one of the biggest accomplishments that has set the resort apart from others in the state was in 1993, when The Gailes, a course designed by Kevin Aldridge, first opened.

“It is only one of two courses in the state of Michigan that has ever received a number one new course ranking from Golf Digest, so we’re quite proud of that because there is a whole lot of great golf in Michigan,” Peters said.

“The Gailes is very distinctive; the whole concept was to create what you would see

along the coast of Scotland. It is as close to that experience as you are going to find in the country,” Peters added.

Also designed by Kevin Aldridge, Black shire offers a rugged feeling with hardwoods, large sand waste areas, and undulating greens—modeled similarly to the famous Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey.

“[Blackshire cuts] through the trees like a lot of Michigan and northern Michigan courses, but the waste areas along the fair ways, tees, and greens give it a much different look than what you would typically see in our region,” Peters said. “It is as different as black is white from The Gailes.”

Speckled with floral gardens of roughly 50,000 annuals and perennials, the Serradella is a Bruce Matthews design, highlighted with min imal hazards, wide fairways, and large greens.

“Those three courses give you three en tirely different looks. A lot of groups are play ing multiple rounds, so you can play three rounds here and never have the same look or style of golf,” Peters said.

Tucked behind the resort’s lodging facil ity, Wee Links is an 18-hole pitch and putt course, free to play for overnight guests. Per fect for beginning golfers, children and fam ilies, and groups desiring a friendly compe tition to round out the day, the holes range from 50 to 105 yards.

Peters noted that families staying at Lake wood Shores often take advantage of the nearby Lake Huron and Au Sable River, tying in beach trips and water activities such as ca noeing and tubing into their golf vacations.

During their downtime at the resort, guests can also relax on the clubhouse’s patio overlooking The Serradella, enjoying drinks, lunch, or dinner.

“The whole theme behind Lakewood Shores is offering great golf at a value. Being general

PHOTOGRAPHY: LAKEWOOD SHORES GOLF RESORT

LAKEWOOD SHORES RESORT

manager, I keep tabs where everybody is, and we’re a very good value for the level of golf we have. Especially for those just coming into the game, it’s a nice spot for them,” Peters said.

“We are very excited for 2022 and the bookings seem pretty strong. God willing, we will keep pushing it and get even more folks up here,” Peters added.

A-GA-MING GOLF RESORT

627 AGAMING DRIVE |

KEWADIN, MICHIGAN

Resting on the shores of Torch Lake and Lake Michigan, this 72-hole golf resort and north ern Michigan vacation destination stands true to its name—A-Ga-Ming, a Native American term meaning “on the shore.” A true golfer’s ha ven, at A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort guests can try their swing on four different courses—Torch Course, Sundance Course, Antrim Dells, and Charlevoix Country Club—and when they’re ready to rest in preparation for the next day’s rounds, they have three unique options onsite for overnight lodging, along with dining paired at each site.

Torch Course, the original 18-hole game at A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort that was renamed in 2005 after the lake it overlooks, is known for its natural scenery throughout the game. Water is featured on 11 of the course’s holes, and dense woods are seen throughout. This course is built for golfers that feel up to a challenge; playing nearly 6,700 yards from the tips, accuracy, rather than lengthy shots, is key to a good game.

First opened in June of 2005, Sundance Course weaves through glacier-carved bluffs, offering serene lake views in many directions, as it sits in between Torch Lake and Grand Traverse Bay. With features such as wide, playable fairways, vast windswept bunkers, sculpted greens and heather-clad mounding, Sundance is enjoyable for golfers of all expe rience levels.

Often described as fair and fun, Antrim Dells leads golfers through the classic park land setting of the front nine, featuring acres of lush, freshly mowed grass—a clean slate that complements the woods and creeks of the back nine. This course, along with the

resort’s more recently acquired Charlevoix Country Club, is a Jerry Matthews design.

After a round, golfers can head to one of A-Ga-Ming’s four onsite eateries. Within walking distance of all lodging facilities at A-Ga-Ming, Duffers, inside the A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort Clubhouse, is a great spot to grab a burger with family. Located inside the new er Sundance and Torch pro shop, Sundance Brick Oven features a menu of brick-ovenstyle pizzas, sandwiches, and a full bar. To enjoy a meal overlooking Lake Michigan’s waters, people can head to Sunset Grill. Sha nahan’s Pub is the final option for dining when golfing at A-Ga-Ming. With a daily lunch and dinner menu, golfers can finish playing a round at Charlevoix Country Club and grab a bite to eat at the pub.

Overnight guests have options when it comes to their stay at A-Ga-Ming. One-, two, three-, and four-bedroom layouts highlight ed by open floor plans are available across the onsite Maplewood Ridge, Cedar Hollow, and Vista Town Homes, offering lodging fit for any size group.

A-GA-MING GOLF RESORT

MANITOU PASSAGE GOLF CLUB

4600 S CLUB DR | CEDAR, MICHIGAN

THE HOMESTEAD

1 WOODRIDGE RD |

GLEN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

Since 2009, when the owner of The Homestead, a beachfront resort on Lake Michigan, led a group of avid golfers from Leelanau County to purchasing Manitou Passage Golf Club, both the resort and the golf course have been close ly tied—a partnership that traveling golfers can now reap the benefits.

A course intertwined with the local ar ea’s charms—vast green meadows, towering coastal forests, and vistas of the nearby wa ters of Lake Michigan and rolling dunes—the Manitou Passage Golf Club course provides an escape into the depths of Michigan’s nat ural world. After finishing a round on the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Course, one can learn more about Arnold Palmer and satisfy their hunger at Arnie’s Grill, where an extensive collection of memorabilia from Ar nold Palmer’s career is displayed.

The experience at Manitou Passage Golf

Club is only made better by the other activi ties one can do at The Homestead after play ing a round of golf. At the beachfront resort, guests can splash around in the waves of Lake Michigan, enjoy smaller, inland lakes, dive into one of the several resort pools, or play a round at the nine-hole, par-3 executive course onsite known as Mountain Flowers. Other available activities on the water include boating and fishing.

For those in search of land activities, lakefront clay tennis courts allow groups to hit the ball around while soaking in lakeside sunshine, and hiking and biking trails of all difficulty levels are within proximity to the resort. If a solo indoor workout is preferred, New Leaf Health and Fitness is an onsite fit ness center, offering a variation of workout machines to personalize one’s routine.

With signature treatments featuring locally sourced herbs, plants, and minerals, Spa Ami ra takes guests on a journey to ultimate relax ation several hundred feet above Lake Michi gan. The spa opens to panoramic views from Sleeping Bear Dunes to Manitou Islands.

During the warmer months, The Home stead features a few onsite eateries for guests

to choose from. Café Manitou is a private dining experience for the resort’s members and guests, offering simpler meals during the daytime, and gourmet dining during the eve nings. A newer addition to the resort, Cava naugh’s is half-grocery-store, half-restaurant, with ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fare such as coffee, desserts, pizzas, ribs, and salads. At Whisker’s, families can enjoy firepits, games, and watching their food cooked right before their eyes on outdoor grills or an indoor dis play kitchen.

Like their dining scene, the lodging at The Homestead also supplies guests with a vari ety of options for their overnight stay. Four Lake Michigan hotels ranging from surpris ingly affordable to increasingly decadent al low guests to customize their stay based on their group size and vacation goals. Villas and vacation home rentals, also sitting along Lake Michigan, vary in style and size from one to five bedrooms.

Tying in golf with a trip to The Homestead is also made simple with Manitou Passage’s golf packages, which allow golfers to person alize their trip and cultivate a golf vacation that is fun for everybody.

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA

FRAMING A GOLF COURSE

Text: R.J. Weick

Built deep within the 320-acre, private golf and residential community featuring a rolling terrain of hardwoods, bentgrass fairways, and large greens with their gentle un dulations, the more traditional timber-framed, cottage style takes on rich, bold contrast in this contemporary-inspired residence. It is set inten tionally into its elevation and landscape, framing views of the fifth hole green and sixth hole tee box, and maximizing natural daylight through its western exposure. There is a striking warmth to its materiality and distinctive presence, reflective of both surroundings and client vision, where stone, cedar, and metal elements come together in a composition of gabled ends, strong ridge lines, curved roofing, and a juxtaposition of ver tical and horizontal siding.

Designed by Shoreline Architecture & Design Inc. and built by Jim Cesario of J. Cesario Build

ers of Petoskey, Michigan, this home is a curation of contemporary and traditional woven into the footprint of True North Golf Club’s champion ship golf course located five miles north of Har bor Springs, Michigan. The private destination, which features a course designed by Jim Engh of Jim Engh Golf Course Design, onsite lodging, trout fishing, and dining facilities, is a golf and residential community where serenity, native forests, and wildlife can be found around every bend. Its property also comprises Club Cottages, Cabins at Camp True North, and private Estate Homesites featuring timber-framed, cottage style architecture vernacular.

Steve Werner, partner at Shoreline Archi tecture & Design, said the client was referred to the architectural studio and had selected a site prior to starting a dialogue about the design and build of his custom home. A self-admitted avid golfer, Werner noted he was very familiar with the site and quickly learned the client had a keen

eye for design himself, expressing interest in in tegrating landscape, views, and contemporary elements to the home.

“We met, we walked the site, and looked at the possibilities. It really is an incredible site in terms of what it has to offer in terms of its association and location to the golf course and its views that are provided by that, and also its orientation to natural sunlight; its natural terrain,” Werner said.

“We hit if off right away, because he is an avid golfer himself. We met and we played golf a cou ple of times and had chances to discuss what he wanted out of this house. I got to know him on a personal level before we even sat down and started to design anything. [The process] is truly a collab orative and I invite the customer to be as engaged as we can possibly get them and in this particular case, [the client] was incredibly engaged. He has a great eye for design himself and a lot of the inte rior of the house particularly he can contribute to himself and his efforts,” Werner added.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE GULLON, PHOENIX

Shoreline Architecture & Design is a full-ser vice, architectural design studio that embraces a philosophy where architecture is seen as a means to enhance the human experience. Founded in 2007 as a partnership between Werner and Mike Pattul lo, AIA, Shoreline Architecture & Design combines the creative and technical talent and experience of both and has since spent 15 years crafting incred ible spaces for their clients. Backed by a portfolio of custom residential and commercial work, the studio team offers architectural design, interior de sign, site planning, and construction management, among other services, to their clients.

Werner noted the client had initially been drawn to the specific site at True North Golf Club due to its western and slight southern exposures, which would provide the ability to bring in nat ural sunlight. The lot also featured a natural ele vation of roughly a 25-foot grade change, lending itself well for a lower-level walkout and to take full advantage of both upper and lower floors in terms of its views of the golf course.

“He wanted to keep it somewhat traditional, but he was inspired by some more contemporary elements. We had to be respectful of what the development wanted out of their homes, but also give it some personality. He is very clean-lined and that is where his personality is reflected in the home, inside and out. He gave me some in spirational images of things he likes and togeth er we sat down and said, ‘okay, what are some of these elements that we can incorporate into the house?’” Werner said.

“Outside the stylistic approach, the site had a lot to do with it. We needed to capture the views it provided out onto the golf course and also take advantage of the natural elements the site provides. [The client] and I spent hours out on that site, staking it and re-staking it to capture the view perfectly. When the house was finally dug and situated, we were both incredibly happy with how the house was sited,” Werner added.

Plateaued at a medium point between the street and golf course, the house was sited to not only create an unbroken sightline from the front door and through interior communal spaces out onto the elevated outdoor patio, but also to sup port the client’s love of entertaining. Its intuitive interior layout features a vaulted open floorplan where public spaces like the living, dining, kitch en, and foyer lead to the outdoor patio. Private spaces, such as the master bedroom, master bathroom, laundry spaces are located opposite and are connected to a three-stall garage, while its lower-level features guest rooms, public gath ering spaces, and a golf simulator.

“He is a golfer, he is a member of this golf course, and he wanted to be on property, so those boxes are already checked. That lifestyle is already there, but he loves to entertain, so that was the focal point of, ‘how do we design this house to allow him to do the entertaining that he wants to do, but then also has all this amazing outdoor living space?’” Werner said.

“The other really important element was as you drive down the driveway and walk up

to the front door of the house, you can see through the house to the golf course. You can physically see the flag on the green in the dis tance. That was the view he wanted to capture and show his guests as they approached the house. It was framing a golf course. That is the essence of what he wanted to capture the mo ment you walk in that door,” Werner added.

Its materiality is one that reflects a blend of contemporary with the traditional, carrying

elements on the exterior throughout its interi or where wood, stone, and metal create a rich tonal contrast and pay homage to the organic landscape beyond. For Werner, its scale and proportion create a sense of connection, in tegration, and comfort throughout its interior and the way in which it interacts with the ex terior and outdoor living spaces stands out as distinctive to him.

“Even as you walk up to the front door,

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE GULLON, PHOENIX PHOTOGRAPHIC

there is a path that has you walk around to this outdoor living space that is so incredible and such a vital part of the house. It has back-toback fireplaces where one is on the inside of the house and one is on the exterior that is just an extension of what we have going on in the inside. From that aspect, I am really pleased with it and then the other is the fun we were allowed to have with the exterior cladding of the materials, the siding materials, and the col or choices,” Werner said.

“It departed from more traditional methods and we played with some stuff in terms of using vertical siding and horizontal siding, just to cre ate scale and proportion on the exterior eleva

tions that are really appropriate for this house. It is very eye-catching and very comfortable and that is one of the things I really love about this house. It is a mix of wonderful elements that came together,” Werner added.

Werner also noted every time the studio does a project for a client, they get to know them on a personal level and it is one of the most re warding aspects of their work.

“They open a door to themselves a little bit and they share a little bit and you get to know them. The homeowner in this particular case, it was really an enjoyable experience with him, because he appreciated everything we brought to the table. His interaction and his design eye

and his collaboration with us on this job was as important as any job I’ve ever done and that left a lasting effect on me personally, because some times you can learn something from a client and I think I did in this particular case,” Werner said. “This house in that sense is special. I did develop a friendship with him and we created something really amazing and he truly is very happy.”

While a rich departure from the tradition al, this home is intentional in its footprint and materiality, creating a strong relationship to its surrounding landscape as it seeks to capture both golf course views and a client vision. For Werner, design has the ability to inspire others and rather than being about ego, it is about try ing to make the world a better place.

“I know that is a pretty grandiose statement, but there are only so many things in history that mark our point in time. The written word ob viously is something, artwork is another really valuable thing to history, but then architecture is right there. The importance of design and archi tecture in our society is so important and when that charge is left to us, we try to be good stew ards about it and be good designers and leave some legacy behind, not just for us, but for ev erybody to be able to experience,” Werner said.

“You know when you are in a space that has been properly designed, just by the way you feel. It envelops you and part of what we do as architects is we try to create those spaces for individuals and it doesn’t matter if it is a residential space or a commercial space. I real ly believe that good design lifts people up and inspires them. It encourages them, it is emo tional,” Werner added.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE GULLON, PHOENIX

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The LTDx MAX Driver

Text: R.J. Weick

COBRA Golf Inc., a subsidiary of COBRA PUMA GOLF and a leading sports equipment manufacturer headquartered in Carlsbad, California, has been developing innovative, high-quality golf equipment and design-patented club technology since it introduced the first utility wood known as the Baffler™ to the market in 1975. Its patented sole-plate design set the standard for future development at the company and would ultimately lead to the introduction of an extended-length driver, graphite-shafted woods and irons, oversized irons, an iron graphite shaft, and a driver featuring a lightweight carbon composite crown and the industry’s lightest shaft at the time at 45 grams. Cobra Golf, which was initially founded in 1973 by the 1961 Australian amateur golf champion Thomas L. Crow, also has a long history of developing products specifically for women and seniors, tracing back to 1985 when the company introduced the Lady Cobra and Senior line of woods and irons.

Nearly four decades later, Cobra Golf unveiled its 2022 line of LTDx drivers, irons, fairways, and hybrids, which includes a lineup of woods and irons within the LTDx product line that is designed specifically for wom-

en. The lineup comprises the Women’s LTDx MAX Driver, Women’s LTDx MAX Fairway, Women’s LTDx Hybrid, and Women’s LTDx Combo Set, which is equipped with two hybrids and five irons.

Caitlin Farley, product marketing manager at COBRA PUMA GOLF, said the LTDx is Cobra Golf’s top tier franchise product line that offers a women’s-specific configuration in woods and irons complete with its own unique colorway and careful study of engineered dynamics.

“We understand there are a lot of different types of women golfers out there, so we have multiple product lines that we have developed to cater to these specific types of golfers,” Farley said. “We evaluate how much they are willing to spend, are they new to golf, what colors and designs they like, what do they expect out of their products, and their level of commitment to the sport: are they invested in trying to progress or improve their game, or do they just need something that is going to get them through the weekends and when they are playing with their girlfriends?”

Cobra Golf’s Women’s LTDx MAX Driver, for instance, is intentionally designed to deliver a faster ball speed with reduced spin. The women’s configuration features a higher loft to improve launch and a lighter overall weight to improve feel and speed for women. Featuring PWR-COR Technology that positions weight low and forward, an additional tungsten back weight, roughly 30 percent more carbon, a titanium chassis, and a premium aftermarket UST Helium Nanocore shaft weighing 43 grams, the Women’s LTDx MAX

Driver balances form and function to promote forgiveness, accuracy, and speed.

Farley said it is not just the color that is different, as the team takes into account elements like women golfers often having a slightly smoother swing tempo, which limits the amount of spin and launch they can produce. In response, the Women’s LTDx MAX Drivers are available in a 10.5-degree and 12-degree loft offerings that measure slightly weaker than the labeled loft to help with spin creation to maximize carry distance. In comparison, the LTDx men’s drivers are available in 9-degree, 10.5-degree, and 12-degree lofts, and the LS model is available in a 9-degree and 10.5-degree loft.

“Swing speed is the main thing that comes into play when we are determining the loft of the driver. The men’s driver head is going to be a lower loft, because they have a faster swing speed. Since women naturally have smoother swing tempos, they are going to benefit from a higher lofted driver that will help them optimize launch and spin characteristics so they can increase distance,” Farley said.

“Normally, we had just offered the 12-degree head in the past in the women’s driver, but we added the 10.5-degree to increase our fitting capabilities for women with varying swing speeds. We realized there were stronger women players that may want to play the women’s colorway—

black and pink—that need a lower loft option. Our focus is to give women more options to choose from or get fit for, as custom fitting and personalization is becoming more important. Stronger women have the option to play a men’s head if they want, or have the option to play a women’s colorway if they choose. It’s not a onesize-fits-all approach,” Farley added.

Farley also noted the driver’s shaft is lighter and the diameter grip was designed specifically for women to overall have a lighter weight club that is going to be easier to swing to get a higher launch and maximize the carry distance. Another element of the Women’s LTDx MAX Driver is its new H.O.T. Face design, which compiled data from thousands of impact simulations to perfect the thickness across 15 different zones on the club face to increase ball speed.

“In terms of the type of performance we are trying to get out of it, we are trying to maximize ball speed across the face. Many companies have variable face thickness design meaning that there is different thickness across the face— some parts are thick, some parts are thinner— we studied hit location patterns for various

swing speeds and determined that the hit pat terns followed an elliptical pattern that spanned from the high toe to the low heel,” Farley said.

“We were up against constraints when it comes to speed in the center of the face—we can’t get too thin, because USGA regulates the speed on the center—so we realized there were opportunities to maximize CT and ball speed away from the center when they hit it on the toe or the heel,” Farley added.

Cobra Golf then tweaked the design and optimized the thickness on 15 different areas on the face based on the identified pattern to deliver higher ball speed across a larger area of the face away from the center. For Farley, the PWR-COR weighting delivers improved ball speed and distance, blended with a solid sound and feel. The LTDx Driver delivers a significant leap in ball speed and distance using PWRCOR weighting, which pushes as much weight low and forward to create faster ball speed with reduced spin—and as companies move away from the “shrink it and pink it” mentality, the colorway itself was an element that required a lot of time and research.

“I think people would be surprised how much time we spend talking through color ways. I think people assume that it is a really easy, quick decision. There is a lot of research and deliberation that goes into that. We have gone away from using bright pinks or bright

blues—things that people assume girls would like, that are super feminine,” Farley said.

“We have seen in other industries, things like watches or other statement pieces, that are trendy are a little more understated. We have taken that approach into our colorways for women and are moving into like the elderberry colorway we have used, which is more of a rose gold, and differentiating ourselves in that way, doing more research, talking with more women, having focus groups, and figuring out what col ors they would be drawn to rather than making assumptions about what they would like on our own,” Farley added.

Farley also noted there has been a lot of con versation recently about the growth of golf in terms of beginners and women in the wake of the pandemic and though women are one of the fastest growing segments in golf—presenting a great opportunity as a potential market—they also tend to be one of the quickest segments to leave the sport after they try it.

“One of the key things that we focus on is making a golf club that is designed to have easy launch and be easy to hit and feels good in the hands. If we can do anything that helps us stand out as a company that is invested or dedicated to that woman golfer, I think that is a huge thing; just having more offerings available and making it clear that we are invested in the woman golfer and having them improve,” Farley said.

“It doesn’t matter what level you are—be ginner, intermediate, advanced—we have prob ably the most product offerings out there that are dedicated to women between AIR-X, LTDx, T-Rail—all with specific women’s colorways and specifications, so they can choose based on de sign, performance, and even price-point, from entry-level pricing to more premium-pricing. We don’t have to price to be a barrier for begin ners who may be hesitant about investing in the game,” Farley added.

For Farley, golf has been a part of her life from a young age. Growing up near Torrey Pines Golf Course in California, Farley was drawn to the green-and-fairway industry early on, spending time playing on both high school and collegiate teams before landing a customer service role at Cobra Golf that has developed into a nine-year-long career—six of which have been in product management.

“I always knew I wanted to do something related to golf, I just didn’t know what exactly. Thankfully, in that golf world, I made a lot of connections early on and then I realized that I wanted to work in the industry and applied at Cobra,” Farley said. “Now, in this product man agement role, I am able to bring that passion I have for the sport and introduce that in every thing I do on the product development side and the marketing side, so it’s a really cool and re warding opportunity for me.”

Technology AND PASSION

Text: R.J. Weick

The idea of connection can take on many forms when it comes to the game of golf. It is in the rotation and swing of the body, in the sound of a well-struck ball on a club, and in the more intangible relationship between player and designed course. It can be found between professionals and enthusiasts, players and coaches, colleagues and friends, broadcast events and audiences, and golfers and natural landscapes. For TrackMan, a performance data solutions company based in Vedbæk, Denmark, that idea of connection may go beyond a simple component of their performance data software

and platforms, to a passionate pursuit to devel op an entire innovative ecosystem that connects the world of golf to users across the globe.

What began as a simple question whether it was possible to track a golf ball, TrackMan has become known as an industry leader in tech nology and innovative solutions for data-led sports. Since its establishment in 2003 with a mission to make practice more fun, engaging, and meaningful, TrackMan has developed a robust portfolio of patented radar-based tech nology, state-of-the-art hardware platforms, and software solutions that provide reliable data and performance-based analysis for athletes and customers across sports like golf, baseball, ten

nis, football, soccer, and Olympic-level shot put. For TrackMan Golf, it is an ecosystem that comprises the TrackMan Business Portal, TrackMan Range, TrackMan Indoor Bays and Simulators, TrackMan 4, and TrackMan Golf App, and is intended to deliver a seamless expe rience across its suite of devices and platforms for users. From solutions like the customizable TrackMan Simulator and TrackMan FlexCage with iconic Virtual Golf courses and immersive games, to the scalable, golf-tracking TrackMan Range system and latest TrackMan 4 Optically Enhanced Radar Tracking monitor, TrackMan offers innovative solutions for non-golfers, be ginners, elite, and professional players alike.

Zeke Schwartz, Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager at TrackMan Golf, noted its newest monitor, TrackMan 4, builds on the previous TrackMan 3e model by changing the way it takes in data.

“We’ve actually introduced the use of both camera and radar. We call it OERT or Optically Enhanced Radar Tracking. So, the main difference is we have beefed this one up to have multiple radars—a long range and a short range— and then also have the use of a camera that is in there, which actually helps us take in some of the data and confirm some things,” Schwartz said. “It also gives us the ability to take in impact locations to where the golf ball hits on the club face without any markers. It’s a combination of multiple technologies, but the main difference is the introduction of OERT.”

With its combined dual radar systems featuring a short-range, ultra-high-resolution and long-range, high-accuracy ball tracking, and built-in camera sensors with high-speed optics, TrackMan 4 can measure club and ball data such as: club path, face angle, spin loft, impact height, ball speed, smash factor, launch direction, tempo, roll speed, and curve, among other metrics on both the course and in virtual simulation. It also tracks and displays the full, 3D trajectory of a shot whether it is a short putt or a 400-yard drive, mapping the landing position, impact, and launch information, in real-time.

Schwartz noted the ability to go from tracking one or two metrics on the course to delving into other parameters like impact location and angle of attack—and the ways in which that data is compiled—has been a huge game changer. Changing the game, particularly in terms of data analysis and connecting users to the sport, has been a part of the company throughout its history as it seeks relentless innovation and to improve upon its existing platforms. It has led to the introduction of its TrackMan Golf App, which compiles data from TrackMan Simulator, TrackMan Range, and TrackMan 4 sessions; games like Bullseye, Magic Pond, and Capture The Flag; and an ever-growing virtual course library mapped using LiDAR drone technology featuring iconic destinations like St. Andrews Links Old Course and PGA National, and Michigan-based favorites such as Arthur Hills and The Heather at Boyne Highlands, Port Huron Golf Club, Bay Harbor Golf Club, Franklin Hills Country Club, and Wabeek Country Club.

“There are competitors out there that have certain aspects of what we offer. Some companies do one thing really well. What sets us apart is the fact that everything is in-house—R&D, actual manufacturing of the unit, sales, and installation of the simulator—all those pieces are done in-house, but then just the simple fact that it is radar,” Schwartz said in reference to its place in the industry. “There are other radar units out there, but there are certain patents that we have and certain things that we hold that allow us to be the paramount and most accurate.”

The company’s innovative spirit has also led

to new partnerships with Titleist to develop Pro V1 and Pro V1X golf balls with Radar Capture Technology; and the development of TrackMan Virtual League presented by Titleist. Even TrackMan Range, which is one of the company’s longest running products, has been updated with a much larger radar, and its long-standing partnership with the PGA Tour expanded in February 2022 to enhance how fans experience PGA Tour events by having nearly every shot traced and automatically shared on television and across digital platforms.

“The exciting thing for us is we have the full ecosystem at this point. We have the driving range technology for the players—they want to understand some of the numbers and they want to be able to use it when they just go to the driving range. We have the in-home simulation, which allows them to play virtual golf, play games against each other, play in tournaments around the world, and then also we are taking the Tour, all those numbers are going to be from us coming in 2023 as well. It is just exciting to see,” Schwartz said.

began playing golf at the age of five-years-old, it is a great time in TrackMan’s history as its entire ecosystem of products come to fruition and exciting to see the level of connectivity across them, from a single, cohesive app to the Virtual League connecting players across the globe.

“The simulators have been in existence, but right now we have one connecting app to bring all the pieces together. You use the same app in your simulator as you do on the driving range; it is displayed all the same way, so it is just an exciting time,” Schwartz said.

“In the simplest form, I just love the feeling of a well-hit golf shot. I’ve been playing for a long time, so it has always been a passion of mine. That feeling of striping a drive, hitting a good wedge shot—it doesn’t necessarily have to be you swinging your hardest possible and making good contact, it’s more about hitting the shot that the golf course requires, so I love that aspect and I’ve also made a career out of it, so the connections and the network are massive. It’s been a huge part of my life,” Schwartz added.

but to see as an employee and as a customer. I think to see that in our network realize that, but those who are going

“We’ve always been an innovator, but we just continue to expand that with not only new technology, but also new ways to do it and new partnerships. It is exciting to see as an employee and as a customer. I think to see that we are continuing to get better and not only the people in our network realize that, but those who are going to benefit from it the most, the PGA Tour,” Schwartz added.

For Schwartz, who has fostered a passion for the sport since he

TOUR DE FAIRWAYS AND GREENS

Text: Brenna Buckwald

Remote work combined with indoor re strictions has led to a great number of people trying new hobbies and expand ing their leisure time outdoors. It has also re sulted in more individuals picking up a golf club for the very first time alongside those reuniting with the sport or simply using their free time to play and grow their enthusiasm for golf as both a competitive sport and recre ational activity.

The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf Magazine has assembled a list of golf courses around Michigan, for both the beginner and experienced golfer alike to help them discover new ways to enjoy the game or simply reconnect with an old favorite.

GAYLORD GOLF MECCA

GREATER GAYLORD, MICHIGAN REGION

Just off Interstate-75, a collection of 17 golf courses and 21 lodging facilities awaits in the heart of the Northern Lower Peninsula, all within approximately a 45-minute radius. These facilities form the Gaylord Golf Mecca, a collection of courses and lodging that togeth er, create the ideal golfing destination for those hoping to experience a variety of courses with in one region.

“For such a small region, I would say we have the highest concentration of quality golf courses of any community literally in the United States,” said Paul Beachnau, executive director of the Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau.

“We are renowned for having a wide variety of terrain; we have the highest elevation in the lower peninsula. The views from all our cours

es are pretty spectacular,” Beachnau added.

The member courses in the Gaylord Golf Mecca are all public, 18-hole courses. The dif ferent golf clubs and resorts comprising the Gaylord Golf Mecca are Treetops Resort, The Natural at Beaver Creek Resort, Otsego Resort, Michaywé Pines Golf Course, Lakes of the North Golf Course, Indian River Golf Club, Gaylord Golf Club, Garland Lodge and Golf Resort, and Black Lake Golf Club.

“What makes Black Lake Golf Club so spe cial is that it is carved out of northern Michi gan woods, and there is no development on the golf course. It is just pure golf, the way nature intended golf to be played,” said Nick Aune, general manager of UAW Black Lake Confer ence Center and Black Lake Golf Club.

Due to its woodsy environment, people golfing at Black Lake Golf Club will often see wildlife on the course, such as deer and turkey

milling around. As a warmup or wind down to playing the Rees Jones 18-hole design, groups can also enjoy the walking nine-hole, par-3 course that Black Lake offers.

“We are the headwaters for five major riv er systems, so all our courses have these really unique, interesting terrain that makes them re ally fun,” Beachnau said.

“If you are just starting to play, or you are fairly new and learning, Michaywé Pines Course, the Gaylord Country Club, Lakes of the North, and The Classic golf course at Otsego Resort would all be really fun courses that won’t make you hate the game. They all have forward tees so you can shorten them a bit,” Beachnau added.

The Gaylord Golf Mecca encompasses a variety of levels of difficulty, so both beginner and practiced golfers will find a course to play that will match their experience. Beachnau recommended pairing a more leisurely course with a more challenging course to create a rounded day of golf. The combination allows groups to put their skills to the test during the morning hours and then finish the day with a less demanding game, so they can socialize more and focus less on strategy. One of the benefits of golfing at the Gaylord Golf Mecca is all the courses are within driving distance, making it easy to combine different courses into one day’s activities.

“The Premier at Treetops Resort is the only Tom Fazio design in the Midwest, and it is just a really fun, scenic, playable golf course,” Beachnau said. “I love The Tribute at Otsego Re sort; I think it doesn’t get enough recognition for what a high-quality course it is. It is in and around Sturgeon River Valley, so it has got these views that are just phenomenal, and there are various places where water literally just comes out of the ground to start the Sturgeon River.”

There are many lodging facilities that are partners of Gaylord Golf Mecca when it comes to booking a stay-and-play package. Through Gaylord Golf Mecca’s website, people can browse the different package deals that vary with member lodging facilities and member courses, choosing a package that allows them to play as many rounds as they’d like and stay in Gaylord for however long they choose.

Beachnau indicated that the mecca has seen record purchases of golf equipment with in the past year or so, which is a good sign that people intend to return to the sport in upcom ing seasons. When golfing in Gaylord, people not only have a choice between 17 different golf courses to play, but also are close to the area’s other northern Michigan activities, offer ing many entertainments for their downtime.

FOREST DUNES GOLF CLUB

6376 FOREST DUNES DR | ROSCOMMON, MICHIGAN

“More than anything, it is about the experi ence. We are a true getaway located within the Huron National Forest and like any good golf course, it is off the beaten path and away from a lot of the distractions of life. It is about enjoy ing our high-quality courses with the group of people that you’re with,” said Don Helinski, di rector of operations at Forest Dunes Golf Club.

Home to three championship-level courses, a putting course, and a 10-hole short course, Forest Dunes offers a variety of golf experienc es paired with an overnight stay in one of their three lodging options.

First opened in 2002, the Forest Dunes course, designed by British Open Champion Tom Weiskopf, is highlighted by wide open meadows, hardwoods, rugged native dunes, scruffy sand areas, and water features. Two dis tinct nines provide their fair challenges—the

front nine features parkland-style holes that wander through passages of red and jack pines, a path punctuated by elaborate bunkering and sandy waste areas on the sidelines. The back nine, however, features exposed native sand areas, scruffy underbrush, and is bordered by fairways and greens.

Measuring just 302-yards, the 17th hole on Forest Dunes course is a Tom Weiskopf trade mark. The short par-four hole is high-risk, high-reward, flowing through dramatic native sand dunes and framed with fescue grasses, and offers several ways to be challenged. Helinski not ed that trying to hit the ball onto the green runs the risk of putting it right in the bunker that near ly lines the entire left side of the fairway.

“Another unique aspect of the Forest Dunes course is the 19th ‘bye’ hole, which is kind of a Scottish tradition to settle bets. It is spelled B-Y-E, as in waving goodbye, but our joke is we like to call it the ‘buy hole, B-U-Y,’ as in who buys the drinks, because a lot of times people will have a closest-to-the-pin contest or some thing fun even if they’re not playing a match,” Helinski said.

“That hole is just a hundred-yard-shot over water, but there is a bunker right in the middle of the green that makes it interesting as well, so that is kind of a feature that a lot of people don’t see either. It is a 19th extra bonus hole for you to play at the end of your rounds,” Helinski added.

A two-in-one course, The Loop is a Tom Doak design that opened in 2016. This course has two routes available to play: the Red rout ing, which plays counter-clockwise around The Loop, and the Black routing, which plays clockwise. On even calendar days, the course follows the Red routing, and on odd calendar days, the Black route is available to play, offer ing two entirely different courses on back-toback days for golfers staying at Forest Dunes.

FOREST DUNES GOLF CLUB

“What makes The Loop unique is that it is more of an English Heathland style of course. It is very fast and firm and more brown than it is green. You will get a lot of extra rolls on your drives; when you’re approaching the greens you don’t want to fire right at the pins, you want to land it in front of the green and have it roll on,” Helinski said. “It is very similar to the experience that most of us are used to seeing when watching the British Open on TV. It is a different style of play and something you need to get used to.”

In 2018, Forest Dunes reopened the HillTop Putting Course, a feature of the original Forest Dunes development that had been closed for about nine years. HillTop is free to play for any one, even those who aren’t golfing at Forest Dunes or staying onsite. Booked tee times are not re quired to play this course, although large groups may reserve HillTop for exclusive, special events through tournament services for an additional fee.

The most recent addition to Forest Dunes Golf Club, The Bootlegger, is a 10-hole short course that sits atop a hill between The Loop and For est Dunes courses. The pavilion at Forest Dunes

has been renamed Bootlegger Bar after the short course and is situated next to its first tee—the per fect place to grab a drink before or after heading out for a friendly competition.

“The Bootlegger is a really relaxed experience that throws out some of the old norms of golf,” Helinski said. “We allow groups of up to 12 to play together, there is music playing throughout, and rather than concentrating on our score it is more about playing different games and competi tive contests with that larger group of people that you’re with.”

Helinski indicated that it only takes about an hour to play The Bootlegger on a regular day, but if the club isn’t as busy and someone is playing alone, they may be able to play the ten-hole course in about half-an-hour.

“Being in the middle of nowhere, you want to stay right onsite and be with us under the bowl of stars at night, and not have to worry about driving anywhere. We’ve got three different types of ac commodations depending on what your group is looking for,” Helinski said.

The three lodging options at Forest Dunes

include full home rentals available in a variety of areas around the property, villas positioned cen trally near the clubhouse, and a quaint lodge with standard hotel-style rooms.

“2020 and 2021 have been our best two years in history, and 2022 is shaping up to surpass both of those years with the number of bookings that we’ve had this off-season,” Helinski said. “We’re looking forward to the season and, like most of the other resort courses throughout Michigan and partic ularly Northern Michigan, we are all expecting a tremendous year again and looking forward to it.”

TULLYMORE GOLF RESORT

11969 TULLYMORE DR | STANWOOD, MICHIGAN

“Tullymore [Golf Resort] is frequently ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the country, and just the overall experience and atmosphere you’re go ing to get here between the two courses being so uniquely different from one another, but also both so playable and enjoyable for any level of golfer is unique,” said Matt Golden, chief executive officer and general manager at Tullymore Golf Resort.

Both the 18-hole St. Ives and the 18-hole Tul lymore at Tullymore Golf Resort give guests the opportunity to have two distinct golf experiences onsite, while also enjoying the resort’s other ame nities during their golf trip.

“I think that the differences between the two courses is one of the most unique things here. You’re going to play a more wooded, hilly course over at St. Ives, and over at Tullymore you’ve got a little more room to work but a lot more action on the ground with our trademark deep bunkers and the approach to some of the shots that you have to figure out,” Golden said.

First opened in 1995, the St. Ives course was designed by golf course architect Jerry Matthews. Carved out of glacial till, the par-72 course reach es dramatic elevation changes of 40- to 80-feet, allowing golfers to meander through mystic woodlands, sprawling wetlands, and rugged high

PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP): TULLYMORE GOLF RESORT; PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM): HAWKSHEAD LINKS

TULLYMORE GOLF RESORT

HAWKSHEAD LINKS GOLF COURSE

3 Beautiful locations • 72-Holes of Championship golf

We are frequently asked, “What is A-Ga-Ming?”. A-Ga-Ming represents many things. To the Native Americans, it is a word meaning “on the shore.” For families across the Midwest and the nation, it is a beautiful vacation destination, complete with lodging, dining, and relaxation. To the golf community, it is a 72-hole golf resort nestled on the shores of Torch Lake and Lake Michigan, in three beautiful Northern Michigan locations. For everyone, it means the perfect destination for group trips, membership & daily-fee-play,

Opened in 2005 as the third best new course in the country, Sundance exempli es the extraordinary natural beauty of northwest Michigan with views of both Torch Lake and Lake Michigan. With wide, playable fairways, superbly sculpted greens, vast windswept bunkers, heather-clad mounding and spectacular vistas, Sundance will delight the scratch golfer or a newly edged beginner. Sundance continues to be one of the premier golf courses in northern Michigan.

e original A-Ga-Ming 18 holes, renamed Torch in 2005 for the famous lake that the course overlooks, continues to be a very scenic and enjoyable round. e Torch is situated majestically on the ridges o ering spectacular views of Torch Lake. A challenging shot-makers course that favors accuracy over length, water comes into play on 11 of the holes, as do mature stands of woods throughout the course. e Torch is one of the most scenic golf courses in all of northern Michigan.

Overlooking Lake Michigan Antrim Dells is back to its splendor as one of nest golf experiences in northern Michigan. Former host of e Michigan Amateur, the course is in the best shape of its life! Built by Hall of Fame architect Jerry Matthews who calls it one of his favorite designs, Antrim Dells now features four sets of tees along with some of the “Sweetest Greens in the North.”

From your rst tee shot until your nal putt you will enjoy the peace and tranquility of “ e North.”

Charlevoix Country Club is a four-star Jerry Matthews design that o ers golfers beautifully manicured bent grass fairways and large undulating putting surfaces. Water dominates the landscape, as many holes weave their way across a nice mix of open and tree lined holes with expansive surrounds of heather. ere are many birdie and par opportunities to be had, but the last 4 holes are among the most challenging nishing holes in northern Michigan. is course proves to be worth the drive!!

dreamlike weddings, celebrations and more!

4 from torch lake to charlevoix award-winning courses

lands, taking in the scenic landscape as they play through the course.

One of the more popular holes on St. Ives is the par-4, hole number 14, which tests how straight and accurate one can hit onto the narrow landing pad, and challenges golfers to display a lengthy carry over wetlands to land on the green.

At St. Ives course, a driving range that can accommodate up to 15 golfers allows people to warm up before beginning a round, as well as a separate chipping and putting practice area for short-game practice.

Designed by golf course designer Jim Engh, Tullymore is a par-72 course first opened to the public in 2002. Weaving its way through roughly 800 acres of woods, meadows, and wetlands with subtle undulations throughout, golfers can test their skills on greens that vary in shape and size and adapt their game to their personal abilities with multiple tee sets at each hole.

A driving range sized for 22 golfers and a separate practice area for chipping and putting await those who would like to hone their skills at Tullymore course.

Along with utilizing each onsite practice fa cility at the courses at Tullymore, guests looking

for one-on-one assistance can book a golf lesson with one of Tullymore’s PGA golf professionals for a lesson individualized to their needs.

“A visit to Tullymore and St. Ives really comes down to an overall experience. It can be enjoyed for a group of two going out for a round of golf during the day or a group of up to eight or 24 looking to stay at some onsite lodging, take ad vantage of our restaurants, and making a week end trip out of it,” Golden said.

At Tullymore, there is an abundance of lodg ing options to fit the needs of any group—includ ing a range of styles, amenities, and the size of the space. Guests can choose between a classic hotel stay or booking a condominium or cottage for larger groups.

The two onsite restaurants, the Tap Room at Tullmore and the St. Ives Grille, also provide onsite options for those guests who want to so cialize, grab drinks, and dine without having to leave resort property. A shuttle is also provided to transport between the two golf courses and overnight accommodations to offer a relaxed, worry-free trip.

“2021 was a great year especially coming out of 2020,” Golden said. “It ended up being a great

season for daily play golf, but it was also nice to see some of our groups return and get back to gether for their annual golf trips. We look for ward to that in 2022 as well. We are looking for ward to the Canadian border being reopened and welcoming our guests back from Canada who weren’t able to join us in 2021 or 2020.”

HAWKSHEAD LINKS

GOLF COURSE

523 HAWKS NEST DR |

SOUTH

HAVEN, MICHIGAN

A course that ranges from a 4,960-yard game marked at gold-colored tees to a 7,003-yard, par-72 layout marked by the championship tees, the HawksHead Links Golf Course, designed by golf architect Arthur Hills, allows guests to play in a variety of ways.

At HawksHead Links’ practice facility, golf ers can perfect their swing with the assistance of certified instructors, on the full-size driving range, chipping green with bunkers, and the putting green.

Not only do guests of HawksHead Links’ golf course and country club get an adaptable game of golf and practice, but they can also make the most of their golf trip while staying onsite. Restored from an elegant Old English Tudor Mansion, The Inn at HawksHead sits near the course, the interior featuring nine rooms influ enced by old world décor. Tucked on the back nine of HawksHead Links course, two Golden Hawk Cottages offer more spacious accommo dations for larger groups, with four bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as a common area kitchen and dining room.

In-between rounds, golfers can grab a bite to eat at the HawksHead restaurant, located inside the Inn at HawksHead, which offers an old-time atmosphere and varied menu for lunch and dinner inside the pub. In the dining room, guests can enjoy gourmet cuisine inside a space wrapped in understated elegance, perfect for a dinner for two or more intimate gatherings. From either space, people dining can look out floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views of the woods and links.

PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP): ISLAND RESORT; PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM): APPLE MOUNTAIN

ISLAND RESORT APPLE MOUNTAIN

ISLAND RESORT AND CASINO

W 399 US HIGHWAY 2 | HARRIS, MICHIGAN

Just outside Escanaba in Michigan’s Upper Pen insula, Island Resort and Casino houses 36 holes of championship golf split between Sweetgrass course and Sage Run course, as well as overnight accommodations in the resort’s suites or RV park, and a premier gaming casino.

As they make their way through the Sweetgrass course, golfers will experience an open parkland layout designed by golf architect Paul Albanese and highlighted by motifs of the area’s heritage. On each hole, golfers are introduced to the rich history of the Hannahville Indian Community with holes named after traditional Potawatomi clans, villages, allies, medicines, and symbols.

Also designed by Paul Albanese, Sage Run of fers a prairie, links style course, a stark contrast to the resort’s Sweetgrass. A natural drumlin, or elon gated hill or ridge, formed by glacial ice is the pri mary feature of the course, providing a challenge to golfers of all abilities as the course’s holes meander off and around the hill. Thick fescue grasses line the course, and a combination of long holes and short par-4s test golfers’ strategy in shot-making.

At the Island Hotel, guests can stay the night in one of more than 400 rooms or luxury suites or book a one of 42 sites in the RV Park. The resort offers free transportation services from the RV Park to the casino.

Island Resort and Casino makes booking a golf trip easy with their Stay & Play packages. Golfers can choose a package with the perfect number of rounds and nights to stay for them, with rates that include ½ cart, GPS system, warm-up balls, and a stay in a standard guest room at the Island Hotel.

Staying onsite allows groups to spend the day golfing, eat at the onsite dining establishments, and end the night with gaming in the casino.

APPLE MOUNTAIN

the highest peak in the region, and a well-placed shot makes way for good opportunity on the ap proach into a forgiving green.”

Apple Mountain’s location just off Inter state-75 makes it an accessible up-north style golf course for those in the lower part of the state, as well as an easy stop for groups making the trek farther north during their golf trip, ac cording to Schippers.

While golfing at Apple Mountain, guests can also grab a bite to eat. Offering quick, casual fare, Putter’s Pointe Café on the main level of the Club House is a simple solution to those wanting

a snack or beverage before or after playing the course. Mountain View Restaurant hosts casual elegance and a variety of cuisine and beverages, a perfect venue for a sit-down meal with clients, friends, or a date night.

“We anticipate wrapping up a refresh of our Club House building prior to the start of the 2022 season. The work includes the addition of a stateof-the-art indoor golf simulator featuring Track Man 4,” Schippers said. “We’re excited to make golf a year-round experience with access to over 100 iconic courses and the ability to use insights to improve your game year-round.”

4519

NORTH RIVER ROAD | FREELAND, MICHIGAN

A John Sanford design, the par-72 championship course at Apple Mountain was built to challenge golfers of all ages and abilities, offering four tee boxes, grand fairways, scenic vistas, and the feel ing of up-north style golf.

The land the golf course occupies was once an apple orchard, and subtle clues to the history of the property are integrated in the course’s design. Ben Schippers, marketing manager at Apple Moun tain, indicated that the fifth hole of the course, a par-3, features an apple-shaped green and bunker complex, and on the sixth hole, a par-4, there is an apple-shaped bunker complex in the middle of the fairway, requiring a well-placed tee shot.

“Holes five and six are the pinnacle of the Apple Mountain experience as both are played from the top of the mountain,” Schippers said. “The change in elevation on the par-3 fifth hole requires careful club selection to place the ball on a green that is full of subtle breaks. The tee shot on the par-4 sixth hole features views from

From its exclusive setting less than two miles from Lake Michigan, and nestled between South Haven and Saugatuck, HawksHead Links offers world-class golf, fi ne dining, superb accommodations, special events, and beautiful weddings. The 7,003-yard, par-72 golf course designed by Arthur Hills, a renowned golf architect, winds through sand dunes and woodlands in southwestern Allegan County.

Vacation cottages

Four-bedroom, four-bathroom cottages—featuring a common kitchen and dining room—are located on the back nine of HawksHead and provide a serene golf or beach vacation escape for families or friends.

AMERICAN DUNES GOLF CLUB + FOLDS OF HONOR

Also inside the clubhouse, CAVU Fighter Squadron Bar celebrates fighter pilot traditions and culture through memorabilia on the walls. Golfers can grab a drink before or after playing the course, in remembrance of those who have served the country.

The 7,213-yard, par-72 American Dunes golf course, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, was completely redesigned from the routing that had previously sat in the same location as the Grand Haven Golf Club since the 1960s. The new de sign features rolling fairways, dramatic elevation changes, 30 bunkers, and natural dunescapes na tive to the shoreline area.

Roughly 15 years ago at Grand Haven Golf Club, a golf tournament called Patriot Golf Day inspired the formation of Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization established the following year to pay-it-forward to the families of fallen or disabled military members, honoring their sacrifice by providing their spouses and chil dren with educational scholarships.

Folds of Honor has the motto: “Honor Their Sacrifice. Educate Their Legacy,” a representation of the organization’s mission to supporting the families of those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The financial contribution of the scholarships granted to the spouses and children of service members ensure that they can pursue their academic dreams without added fi nancial burden, providing the funding for prima ry and secondary education, as well as post-sec ondary education. Folds of Honor has awarded roughly 35,000 educational scholarships since its founding, totaling more than $160 million in ed ucational impact. The nonprofit has a cumulative average ratio of 90 percent of every dollar raised going to their scholarship program.

In 2018, though Grand Haven Golf Club closed indefinitely, a group of people who wanted to pay tribute to Folds of Honor worked together to cre ate American Dunes Golf Club, which opened to the public in May of 2021. The project was led by the collaborative efforts of Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, PGA Professional, founder and chief executive of ficer of Folds of Honor, and Jack Nicklaus, known as The Golden Bear, an 18-time professional major championship title holder, and founder of Nick laus Companies LLC. The company also compris es Nicklaus Design, which has been recognized as a leader in golf course design with more than 420 courses globally in its portfolio. For American Dunes, Nicklaus waived his $3 million design fee and designed the new golf course, while 18 other individuals sponsored each hole, and five addition al private investors joined the mission to preserve the birthplace of Folds of Honor.

Since its opening in 2021, American Dunes Golf Club has been dedicated to honoring those who serve in the United States Armed Forces, by

donating all profits generated from the club to Folds of Honor.

“It is bigger than just playing a round of golf, because you’re helping support Folds of Honor, which supports all these spouses and children across the country of our military members who were hurt or disabled,” said Doug Bell, PGA, gen eral manager at American Dunes Golf Club.

“When you get out of your car and walk to the clubhouse, you walk through a memorial that has 13 plaques hanging on the wall of 13 service mem bers who were killed serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is a very emotional experience for most people that play. Before they even get to the golf course, they are here for an hour or more, absorbing all that,” Bell added.

The only way to enter or exit American Dunes clubhouse is through the memorial, a tribute and fundraiser to Folds of Honor. Once inside, guests can visit the golf shop, where merchandise with ei ther a patriot jet or patriot bear logo, among other things, can be purchased—wearing or using the patriotic gear not only supports American Dunes and Folds of Honor by showing pride in their mis sion, but also directly supports Folds of Honor’s cause, as profits are donated to the organization.

As golfers play their way through the golf course, they’ll notice each hole recognizes one of Nicklaus’ 18 major championships, as well as plaques hon oring a service member’s legacy and how Folds of Honor supported their family members. The course also features tees with designated names such as “Jet,” “Valor,” “Freedom,” “Honor,” and “Bear.”

Bell indicated that the 4th hole of the course, which brings golfers to a higher elevation, is of ten a crowd favorite, as it allows those playing it to look down and see how vastly different the prop erty looks from its redesign, as well as capturing views of the sand dunes local to Grand Haven.

Allowing golfers to extend their onsite expe rience at American Dunes, the golf club currently has plans to build The Camp, a building that will house overnight accommodations in 16 patriot staterooms curated to honor each branch of the United States Armed Forces. On the lowest level of the structure, there will also be a social, gathering space called The Bunker. The project is designed by GH2 Architects LLC of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is planned to be built in 2023.

“The golf course opened last year to huge fan fare and national press; we had players come from every state in the country to play here,” Bell said. “It is fantastic that it is in Michigan, and we like to say it adds to the wonderful options that people have if they come to play golf in Michigan. We are very proud that it is here in Grand Haven, and the west side of the state—that being said, it is being accepted across the nation as a go-to place.”

PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP): NILE YOUNG; PHOTOGRPAHY (BOTTOM): R.J. WEICK

Text: Brenna Buckwald

in Michigan

Text: Brenna Buckwald

To many, golf is an escape from the stresses of everyday life. Breathing in fresh air while out on a golf course with a club in one’s hand often re-energizes the soul, and for a lot of people, is the ideal way to spend a free day. With membership at a private club, golfers can step onto the course to play a round whenever is most convenient to them, eliminating long wait times or feeling rushed from playing on a crowded golf course. Membership with a private club allows golfers to make the golf course their second home, strategize new ways to play a course, and enjoy the game anytime they want, however many times they want during the season. At Lost Dunes Golf Club and LochenHeath Golf Club, two private clubs in Michigan, golfers can choose the membership that is the right fit for them.

LOST DUNES GOLF CLUB

9300 RED ARROW HIGHWAY | BRIDGMAN, MI

Offering a fairly quiet golf course, Lost Dunes Golf Club in Bridgman, Michigan, allows golfers to immerse themselves in nature and focus on the game, leaving the pressures of the city behind the moment they step foot on property.

A 6,900-yard, par-71 course, Lost Dunes features 18 holes carved through a reclaimed sand quarry, surrounded by rolling 60-foot natural grass dunes. Varying pin placements, elevated tees, and strategic hazards presents new challenges with every game.

“It is a well-maintained, beautiful golf course that is highly rated. Tom Doak is the architect and he just did a great job of routing the golf course through this property. [Membership] gives you access to the golf course any time you want,” said Bill Korbel, general manager at Lost Dunes Golf Club.

“It requires you to be a little more tactical and think about your strategy as you play the course, which makes it fun for members who play it repeatedly. You never get tired of it, because every time you play it, it seems like you find yourself in a circumstance or situation that

LOST DUNES GOLF CLUB

you haven’t been in before and you have to think about it differently on how you’re going to ap proach that particular hole,” Korbel added.

For those hoping to golf at Lost Dunes, there are a few types of membership available. These include a non-equity membership, which al lows families—such as two parents and children under 25-years-old—to play whenever they choose. There is also a national membership for people who live 150 miles or greater away from Lost Dunes; it has some limitations on the amount of times one can play the course during a given season, but is more cost-efficient than the local membership options.

Currently, the membership program at Lost Dunes is at full capacity. However, people hoping to join aren’t completely out of luck, according to Korbel. The waitlist program at Lost Dunes allows golfers who would like to become a fulltime member of the club to pay a minimized spot-holding fee, allowing them to use the club on a limited basis until they get accepted as a fulltime member when spots become available.

Aside from access to the golf course, mem bership also includes the perks of dining at the full-service restaurant and bar inside the club house, making a splash or laying out in the sun at the onsite pool, and using the locker room to freshen up.

“I think what sets us apart is the service. Our staff returns almost every year, so we have a lot of people that have been here a long time,” Korbel said.

“When members come here, they feel that they can just relax and let their guard down and not have to worry about too many rules as far as, ‘can we wear jeans in the clubhouse? Do I have to take my hat off? Are cell phones allowed?’ We think common sense prevails for the most part, and if you want to wear jeans, wear jeans, just look presentable. If you want to use your cell phone, then use your cell phone, just don’t be rude about it. We try to create a place for people to just enjoy all those amenities, and relax out here while they’re doing it,” Korbel added.

At Lost Dunes, members also have the op tion of renting an onsite cabin, allowing them to host family and friends on property and stay

overnight. There are five onsite cabins total, each with four private bedrooms and baths, and a commonplace area with a kitchenette.

“[The cabins] are very popular to come over with a foursome or two foursomes, and you can literally be here 24 hours and feel like you have been away for a mini vacation,” Korbel said. “Our members love to bring out their friends and fam ilies and entertain, it is a great place to do that.”

Korbel indicated that Lost Dunes is plan ning to have one-to-two member events each month of the upcoming golf season, including member-to-member tournaments, or events

where members can bring guests to compete.

“It took a pandemic to revitalize the golf in dustry, and it certainly has. We have been fortu nate that people now have more time and may be a bit more of a flexible schedule; we’ve seen our members utilizing the club, getting out here and taking advantage of what we have to offer,” Korbel said. “We feel fortunate it has made the club that much more fun to be at, just because there are more people here and more opportu nity to play golf with your friends and do what you want because you now have the time and flexibility to do it.”

LOCHENHEATH GOLF CLUB

7951 TURNBERRY CIR |

WILLIAMSBURG, MI

Resting on land covered in native grasses and overlooking East Grand Traverse Bay, Lochen Heath Golf Club is named after the environ ment that surrounds it. Kevin O’Brien, general manager at LochenHeath Golf Club, indicat ed the name of the course comes from “loch” meaning “lake,” and “heath,” meaning “native grasses.” Originally opened in 2001 and re opened with new owners in 2011 after being closed for two years, the golf club has recently transitioned to a private club.

“January first [of 2021], we made that complete transition to a private club, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” O’Brien said.

PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP): SPECKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM): LOST DUNES GOLF CLUB

LOST DUNES GOLF CLUB

LOCHENHEATH GOLF CLUB

“When we announced it, it was amazing. We had sent an email out to those that had played [at LochenHeath] before, letting them know the change and thanking them for their past sup port. The phone rang off the hook immediate ly, I was blown away. We had probably 48 solid leads just from that email,” O’Brien added.

Four types of membership are available to those wanting to make LochenHeath their pri vate club. These membership options include a national membership, a seasonal resident mem bership, a resident membership, and a corporate membership.

“A national membership is someone who would not have any type of residence or longterm rental in the area. When they come up here, they are going to stay in the cottages and entertain friends or clients or golf buddies, and have the ultimate experience,” O’Brien said.

The seasonal resident membership is for

those who spend less than 40 days of a year within 50 miles of LochenHeath, such as someone who visits the local area on the weekends, or for a few weeks’ vacation, but have some type of residen cy nearby. For golfers that permanently reside in the area, a resident membership allows them to utilize the club’s services whenever they choose.

The last tier of membership option at Lo chenHeath is a corporate membership, which is for companies that would like to utilize the course and club for client relations. With this member ship, companies can name two designees as their corporate members to use the club’s services.

O’Brien noted that after LochenHeath an nounced their shift to a private club, their goals for signing on new members were blown out of the water. The club’s initial goal for the 2021 sea son was to establish 28 new golf memberships, and they ended with more than 60 new private members for the year.

When applying for membership, people do have to interview with O’Brien to make sure they are a good fit for the club, and likewise, the club is a good fit for them. For O’Brien, it is important that everyone at LochenHeath has a good attitude and positive energy when on property, so he has five rules for all members. The rules include respecting the other members, respecting the club staff, supporting the club, having a good time when on property, and leav ing egos at the door when they walk in.

Originally opened in 2001, LochenHeath is a links-style course with some parkland-style holes tied in, designed by Golf Course Architect Steve Smyers.

“Steve [Smyers] is a very talented architect and to this day still one of the best playing ar chitects in America. The golf course has great strategy to it, it is all about the angles coming into the greens, as opposed to just hitting the golf ball. The fairways are very wide and gener ous. There are really no forced carries over wa ter, so it is very playable. The greens have a lot of movement to them, then you pair that with the overall land it possesses—there are elevation changes up to 85 feet,” O’Brien said.

“It is a fun golf course to play, but the vistas are spectacular. You can look behind you, for ward, to the side, and you’ll see the East Grand Traverse Bay on 13 holes in some shape or form,” O’Brien added.

At LochenHeath’s practice facility, golfers can practice in the short game area, which features six varying target greens, and at the large teeing area.

O’Brien described the restaurant at Lochen Heath as casual fine dining, serving lunch and dinner with a menu that utilizes locally sourced farm-fresh ingredients. The drink menus in clude a carefully curated wine, bourbon, and single malt Scotch list. An attached patio allows guests to dine outside, enjoying views of Grand Traverse Bay and the golf course.

Just a short stroll from the clubhouse and private practice tee, the cottages at LochenHeath offer space to accommodate up to eight over night guests, with four suites that each have two queen-sized beds and a private bathroom, and an expansive living area and guest bathroom as well. O’Brien indicated by 2023, they hope to add one to two more cottages at LochenHeath, so that the club can host more overnight guests at a time.

LochenHeath plans to host a variety of golf events throughout the upcoming 2022 season, including more competitive events like club championships and tournaments that will range from members-only to allowing both members and their guests. The club will also host seven nine-and-dine events, which is a social event that entails a nine-hole scramble for couples.

“We were entering uncharted waters [be coming a private club], and credits to the own ership group to take this leap of faith; it started off great,” O’Brien said. “There are a lot of peo ple moving here, and we are a part of a lifestyle for them. It is our job to make sure they are having a good time.”

LOCHENHEATH GOLF CLUB

LOCHENHEATH GOLF CLUB

Whether you ’re looking for a ride on the course, at the cottage or just around the neighborhood, we’ve got you covered. We have a huge selection of new and used

plus the custom accessories to make it yours!

Preserved, by design

Text: R.J. Weick

Wine has inspired poets, winemakers, and enthusiasts for millennia. Each barrel, bottle, and glass represent a pursuit, a labor of love, to capture a richness of heritage, terroir, story, and craft in a single vessel—characteristics of which are at times ephemeral. For nearly as long, those most capti vated with the tradition have sought to preserve it, storing a metaphorical message-in-a-bottle for future wine connoisseurs to discover. From underground chambers filled with amphorae, bedrock-carved niches of terracotta jars in sub terranean spaces, basement vaults lined with barrels, and masonry-arched cathedrals—such as the Cooperative Pinell de Brai in Spain de signed by noted architect Cèsar Martinell i Bru net in 1918—wine cellars have been an integral solution for the craft.

For Jim Cash, founder and owner of Revel Custom Wine Cellars in Michigan, it was his own passion for wine and exploration of wine regions, wineries, and vineyards that would ul timately serve as the catalyst for the creation of a patented line of custom, label-forward wine storage cabinetry. After years of building his own wine collection—and anecdotal moments of wrecked labels and broken bottles retrieved from racks—Cash said he found himself in a position where he could afford to build his own cellar, but could not find a pull-out drawer solu tion on the market.

“I just wanted a drawer to pull out where I could see four or five bottles at once and push it back in, and pull out another drawer to be able to see the labels and find what I was looking for. I was just going to try to find something like that to buy and I searched and searched and found that there wasn’t anything like that on the market, so

I decided to create my own system,” Cash said.

“I was in the real estate and construction business prior to that, so I had connections with millwork shops and things like that so I contact ed a group to work with and create my designs. That is how it started. I never gave a shred of thought to what it was going to look like; I just thought that this was a better way for a collector to enjoy their collection,” Cash added.

Cash, a self-admitted creative problem solv er and inventor, at the time served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Christman Cap ital Development Company in East Lansing, Michigan. Upon completing his personal cellar, which was designed strictly with function in mind, Cash filed for design patents for his initial storage cabinetry solutions, but still hadn’t given much thought to starting a business.

“I started ordering wine from one of my on line suppliers—I was buying it by the case—and

I kept asking for the original wood cases. The guy I bought the wine from said, ‘why do you keep asking me for these boxes? Nobody ever uses them.’ I said I built a new cellar and I had slots in there for cases. He said, ‘can you send me some pictures?’ And then the next day I had a call from an attorney in Long Island who was sent the pictures by my wine vendor and she wanted to order one,” Cash said. “It was off to the races from there.”

Established in 2009, Revel Custom Wine Cellars is a designer, producer, and distributor of patented wine storage cabinetry for high-end, custom wine cellars where bottles and cases are presented in dramatic visual statement. Of fering a proprietary and patented line of solu tions, Revel Custom Wine Cellars are designed

as functional, wine-centric gallery showcases crafted to each client’s needs in both residen tial and commercial settings. Throughout the years Revel Custom Wine Cellars has developed a portfolio of projects that blend function and aesthetics for the discerning collector as well as built upon its line of inventive design elements meant to maximize visibility and hold wine as central to the overall experience.

With its sliding pullout drawers featuring a patented dowel system serving as the corner stone of its product line, Revel Custom Wine Cellars has since introduced the Wine Wheel™ towers to optimize corner space, rotating Rev el-ution Towers that reinvent the racking sys tem, and a Designer Series for a more contem porary style. Cash said the design of the pullout

drawers were first and foremost, ultimately re sulting in a number of different versions where the dowel system allowed bottles to rest and be stable in both a horizontal and vertical orienta tion, as well as at a 15-degree angle to display the labels. The patented system was also repli cated with different spacing for wine boxes.

“We actually would go to wine shops and measure bottles and boxes so we could get the sizing right, but then the other big development for us was when I laid out my cellar on paper: one bank of cabinetry on the right-hand side, when it met the bank of cabinetry that was on the back wall, there was a big 30-inch empty spot,” Cash said.

“I had my guys design a wine wheel so we could make use of that corner space and that

is pretty much all we did for the first five years, but along the way, our customers thought our cellars were so beautiful that they wanted to dis play them, so they started asking to have glass across the front so they could sit outside the cel lar and look in,” Cash added.

From the commercial, glass-enclosed cel lar designed for the Jackson Family Wines’ Lokoya Estate Wine Cellar in California, where 1,060 bottles are displayed in walnut sliding pullout drawers; and the Grand Rapids, Mich igan-based, glass-enclosed cellar featuring 1,162 bottles in a contemporary-transitional style crafted in mahogany; to the more than 3,000-bottle residential showcase in Charlev oix; the introduction of glass has given clients a new perspective and appreciation for the cellars themselves, according to Cash. In the Charlev oix project, a tasting room is intentionally locat ed between the window overlooking lake waters and the glass-enclosed cellar where Revel-ution Towers comprised of walnut panels and stain less dowels, signature wine rack, sliding pull

outs, wine wheels, and LED lighting is visible.

“It has been a huge change. I’ve talked a lot of people out of putting seating in a cellar and the reason I did that is because when I built mine and started bringing people into it to show them, its 55 degrees in there and within five minutes, peo ple’s teeth started chattering,” Cash said.

“I found with my own experience, people actually appreciate their wine cellars more from the outside than they do from the inside and promoting those views has really helped people make better use of their cellars, their investment in their cellars, and be able to appreciate their collection more,” Cash added.

While traditional elements, materials, and style endure for wine cellars, Cash also noted that clients have also started requesting more contemporary, transitional, and modern mate rials and design, which has led to the introduc tion of aluminum, steel, bamboo, and acrylic in addition to its glass and wood material palette.

“We design everything with function first and the initial designs were wood and back at

that time, the typical cellar was stuck in the back corner of somebody’s basement and the idea of a cellar was this dark, damp room with old-world style. I dipped my toe in the water with that with my cellar by just saying I want at least a glass door so I can have views into the cellar,” Cash said. “The other materials work just fine in a cel lar. It is more of an aesthetic consideration, but we only design things that are highly functional first. Quite frankly, everything we make that is steel could also be made from wood, but it is a client preference and consideration.”

Some of Revel Custom Wine Cellars other projects range from the modern cellar designed for a small, narrow space in Franklin, Tennessee featuring 716 bottles, walnut wood, RGB Color LED lighting with the ability to switch between white and color display modes; the lodge-style, industrial chic cellar featuring a blend of stone, steel, glass, concrete, and Fijian Mahogany for an 1,829-bottle collection in Oklahoma; a glass-enclosed, modern wine cellar featuring high-grade acrylic in a sleek, clean design; and

the chrome-plated Designer Series wine towers holding 480 bottles of wine on fully rotating plates in Key Biscayne, Florida.

For Cash, it is the collectors themselves who inspire him on each project, and he en joys the dialogue and the relationship built throughout the process.

“I learn a lot from them. Some of the most sophisticated collectors that there are, are our customers and I always make a point to talk to them about their collection and what they want to feature in their cellars. It is just a great dia logue and now I have hundreds of clients who have become friends over the time we have worked together,” Cash said.

“I have a very active brain, so I love the cre ative challenge of coming up with a design that is just fabulous for the customer or that solves a particular problem, ways to get around a beam in the middle of the ceiling, or that kind of thing,” Cash added.

With nearly 30 projects currently designed and waiting to go into production, Revel Cus

tom Wine Cellars has also introduced a limit ed-edition product for their clientele: the Cigar Lover’s Gift Box. Cash said it is a direct outcrop ping of those clients he has spent time with in recognition of many of them having an affinity for cigars. The limited-edition product, which is a portable and fully functional luxury cigar humidor, features handmade hardwood, gas ket-sealed compression latches, a Spanish cedar chamber for a Boveda humidification pack, an analog hygrometer, and carbon-fiber-topped, foam-fitted inserts for a bottle of wine or whis key. It also holds 25 Churchill or Robusto-sized cigars, hand-blown Waterford glassware, a du al-flame Colibri cigar lighter, a Colibri cigar cut ter, and a J.A. Henckels corkscrew.

“Wine and cigars seem to go together—I’m a cigar aficionado myself—and when I go vis it a friend and sit out by the lake or sit out on the deck, I would end up carrying a grocery bag of cigars, cigar cutters, cigar lighter, wine, wine glasses, and it would just be a big old jumble of stuff that I would have to bring just to have a

cigar out with a friend,” Cash said. “I thought wouldn’t it be cool if you could have a really nice, custom-designed, beautiful box that would just have all that stuff in it and you could just walk in and open it up and there is everything?”

Revel Custom Wine Cellars collaborated with Benchmark Wood Studio Inc., a high-end custom cabinet and millwork shop based in Hol land, Michigan, and Pak-Rite Ltd. of Wixom, Michigan, a full-service packaging design and manufacturing company, in development of the handmade wood box and foam-and-carbon-fi ber inserts, respectively, for the Cigar Lover’s Gift Box. From initial concept to final product, Cash noted the process itself took a long time and he spent months considering the handle alone.

“I started with the bottle. I know bottle shapes very well from the wine cellar business and I know they come in different shapes and sizes. I also learned through that process that a lot of cigar afficionados prefer to have a Scotch or bourbon with their cigars, so I needed to come up with an opening that was universal that

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE GULLON, PHOENIX PHOTOGRAPHIC

didn’t look tacky. I wanted everything to be set in foam for a custom shape that it sets in and so I went from there and moved around to the glasses,” Cash said.

“I needed to figure out an opening size that would fit both wine glasses and whiskey glass es—that was an extensive process—and then came the cigars. I wanted it to not just be a car rying case for the cigars; I wanted it to be an actual functioning humidor and so we had to design a closure system and a mating of the lid and the box that is like an actual cigar humidor so it creates a good seal,” Cash added.

Drawing on experience with wine cellar doors sealing in humidity and temperature, Cash said it led to the gasket seal on the perim eter of the box and incorporating closure clasps that actually compress the lid down onto the body of the box. The next step was designing chambers using Spanish cedar for both large and small cigars and integrating a false bottom under the chamber to accommodate a humidifi cation pack that would have to be changed every two months.

“We had to do CAD models of every item that goes into these boxes—3D, CAD models— and then we had to find a vendor that could create a foam insert that goes into the box that has three-quarters of these items submerged into the foam with a custom opening and then they emerged outward from the top of the foam enough that you can get ahold of them and also had foam in the top that presses down on them when it’s closed,” Cash said.

“Lastly, everything in the box had to have a certain look. The touch, the feel, the look: ev ery touch point, every aspect, has to carry the image and so we didn’t want the top surface of the foam to be foam, so we looked at a lot of dif ferent materials. We looked at a wood overlay, a wood layer to go on top to match the outside of the box and that was nice, but not quite what we were looking for and we settled on carbon fiber,” Cash added.

Since its introduction, the Cigar Lover’s Gift Box—which is available in different furni ture-grade hardwoods and custom-etched lo gos, initials, or artwork—has been custom-de

signed for professional athletes, a couple of well-known football coaches, a celebrity Napa Valley winemaker, and a foreign ambassador to the United States. Cash said while the boxes are currently reserved for wine cellar clients since he likes the idea of them being aspirational and very special like the cellars, there is also a wait ing list available.

“I tell people all the time about wine cel lars that design is the most important thing. I learned it very early on in my construction career where builders value building, designers value design, and I wanted to be a builder who valued design. That is what I try to be,” Cash said. “I really don’t consider myself a design er. I really have approached the whole process as a creative problem solver; that is what pro pelled me into creating my wine cellar in the first place.”

*First published in The Golf Explorer sister publi cation, Great Lakes By Design: Ergonomics, 2022.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE GULLON, PHOENIX

Michigan’s Golf Coast

As soon as the snow melts—and until it falls again—golf is the game in northern Michigan. Long summer days, bay breezes, and vibrant greens make for perfect conditions. Designer courses from legends like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are nestled between forests and lakes. Even the spring and fall seasons bring their own beauty, with cherry blossoms and autumn color sure to take your breath away.

But a great round of golf on one of 25 courses is just the beginning when endless amenities and attractions are waiting to be explored in Traverse City and beyond.

Better than the beverage cart

Northern Michigan is famous for its wine, beer, and spirits. (In fact, the Travel Channel lists Traverse City as one of the best cities for wine snobs and a top beer destination in North America.) Hop on a Traverse Wine Coast tour bus with your choice of more than forty wineries. If you’re feeling more adventurous, try a kayak brewery tour, which combines craft beer and great exercise. Or stop by a distillery, where you’ll find small-batch vodkas, whiskeys, and gins.

off the cart path

game fuel

There are few places where you can summit a pine-covered hill, stroll along the lake, and follow the river’s path through peaceful forests on a single hike. Hundreds of miles of dedicated hiking and biking trails can be found in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Benzie counties, so swap out your spikes for hiking boots and hit the trails.

There’s nothing wrong with a club sandwich after your round, but the foodie scene in northern Michigan is not to be missed. Stay on the golf resort’s property for a four-star meal or explore farther afield to choose from restaurants serving global cuisines, contemporary American fare, and even fresh-caught fish like whitefish, salmon, and walleye.

Loftyviews

Good Morning America

most beautiful place in America, and they weren’t wrong. Lake Michigan stretches out with the majesty of an ocean while towering bluffs and sand dunes reach toward the sky. Enjoy a leisurely trip down the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and brave the Dune Climb for a once-ina-lifetime experience.

after the 18th hole

Seeking the TC nightlife? Try your luck at winning green at a casino. Catch a concert in an intimate venue. Celebrate at one of Traverse City’s many festivals. Or just head downtown for evening in a laidback brewpub or modern cocktail lounge.

beyond the pro shop

Uncover the perfect souvenir alongside a fascinating bit of history at the Grand Traverse Commons. The former state asylum is one of the largest preservation developments in the country. Eclectic shops, award-winning dining, guided tours, and soaring architecture are just a few of the attractions tucked in this historic gem.

the best bunkers

Everyone wants to be in the sand when you’re at the beach. And really, that va cation vibe is what northern Michigan is all about. Pack a picnic and savor the sun on your face, your toes in the sand, and the crystal blue waters beckoning beyond.

With accolades from Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, the “Golf Coast” of the Midwest is a pretty great place to be. Find yourself there at traversecity.com

called Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore the

The Dish:

Shkodé Chophouse

Text: Brenna Buckwald

After experiencing the buzz and bright lights of gaming at Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, guests looking to relax in warm ambiance and enjoy a flame-grilled meal, artisan cocktails, and a sweet dessert can look no further than the casino’s own Shkodé Chophouse. Named after the Pottawatomi word meaning fire, Shkodé first opened in September of 2021. Since then, it has taken a masterful team behind the scenes to bring guests a culinary experience rooted in locally sourced and freshly harvested ingredients.

Josef Huber, executive chef at Gun Lake Ca sino, noted that when he first took on the role in April of 2021, he was given somewhat of a blank canvas when building the menu.

“The dining experience is an out-of-this-world experience,” Huber said. “The beautiful thing with a casino is that we can really play around with some of those more expensive foods, without real ly needing to come down to the nitty-gritty of how much money we are going to make from it. It is a beautiful thing.”

Though given open direction for the food se lection at Shkodé, Huber aligned the menu with an overall vision for the restaurant becoming a fine dining chophouse destination, complete with a culinary curation highlighted by steaks, inquisi tive dishes, and modernized flavors.

Informed by a 40-year-long career in the cu linary arts, Huber brought a flavor influence to Shkodé that can be traced back to a beginning in his homeland of Austria as well as his work at dining establishments around the country and across international borders. At 16-years-old, Huber was first introduced to the culinary world and European cuisine as an apprentice at Elisa beth Park, a Five-Star, Five Diamond Resort in Salzburg, Austria. From there, he ventured out on a bit of a world tour, working at The Imperial and Bristol Hotel in Vienna, Wild Coast Sun Hotel and Casino in South Africa, and The Regency in Bangkok, to name a few. In 1989, Huber traveled to the United States for the first time in a student exchange program before returning to Europe to finish a master’s degree in Culinary Arts. Since then, Huber not only worked as Executive Sous Chef at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Flor ida, but also worked in major markets across the U.S., such as Los Angeles, Orlando, Columbus, New York, and Chicago. Huber also spent nearly 14 years working in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the Amway Hotel Corporation where he man aged the culinary affairs of 14 Amway-owned restaurants until 2020.

His vast experience came in handy when cre ating the menu at Shkodé, Huber noted. Currently, some of the more popular items at Shkodé are the crab cakes, steak options, the Chilean seabass, and the fire-roasted seafood platter, which offers an as sortment of lobster tails, jumbo scallops, shrimp, clams, oysters, potato puree, and seasonal vege tables. Huber also noted his team was somewhat surprised to find that guests of the restaurant also gravitated toward the lamb skewers on the menu.

“It then comes to presentation and execution of the dish,” Huber said. “It may read ordinary, but then you get it, and it is like, ‘wow, I wasn’t expect ing that.’ Then you eat it, and it is like, ‘wow, this is even better than it looks.’”

The culinary team at Shkodé comprises many specialists, including a mixologist and a pastry chef. Huber indicated that Zac Williams, the mix ologist at Shkodé, makes his own syrups, bitters, and oils for the cocktails he crafts—even utilizing the oil from beef fat in an Old Fashioned, as well as using a bubble machine to create texture on the glass of some of the cocktails.

“He is a true mixologist. The things I do with food, he does with drinks,” Huber said. “It is un real what he puts together.”

Albert Cruz, a dedicated pastry chef on the team at Shkodé, brings a thoughtful selection of sweets to the table at the restaurant as well. Cur rently, desserts comprise a crème brûlée trio, multiple cheesecake flavors, and a seven-layer chocolate cake.

“To have somebody really dedicated to do nothing else but the sweets, he made such an im pact,” Huber said. “We couldn’t have done it with out him. It is a very specialized art of the kitchen, and to have him on board is great.”

Huber noted some of the other key players at Shkodé include Michael Morgan, the sous chef; Jes Breu, the assistant manager; Burdette Pombier, Shkodé supervisor, and Balal Darwich, the Chef de Cuisine, as well as the hourly team members who keep the restaurant running smoothly.

“[Darwich] really pushes the envelope of what he wants to do. He is trying to push this whole farm-to-table idea, which really brings to life the flavor profiles he creates between the traditional flavors and modern flavors and some of his Asian-influenced flavors. He is pushing us

and is a leader as a chef, but he is also pushing me and my boss to try different avenues of how to do things,” Huber said.

Having spent the better part of two decades in the Grand Rapids area, Huber developed rela tionships with a number of local farmers from the region and puts much of his trust into their work. The local businesses that Shkodé purchases their produce, meat, and other locally sourced ingredi ents from are recognized on the menu at Shkodé, as it takes a community of people who put their heart and soul into their products to bring a final dish to the customer, according to Huber.

“We have a few ideas floating around for the near future. We would like to start our own chef garden here, just producing some of our own product on-property. One of the chefs, he is ac tually a master gardener, so we’re playing around with the idea of maybe building a greenhouse,” Huber said.

“For us, really what we want to push is to be come a dining destination, not just for the people who want to come to the casino and gamble, but also for people who want to come here to eat. The idea of it is that our food is really the driving fac tor,” Huber added.

From the runway to the fairway.

Set your course for West Michigan with easy access through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. With a convenient location and continued safety measures, we’ll get you on the green faster, and safer, than ever. Book your trip at FlyFord.org today.

Pilgrim’s Run Golf Club

Central Michigan

Text: Brenna Buckwald

Easily accessible to golfers traveling from all corners of Michigan, Mt. Pleasant and its surrounding area offers exciting golf courses, unique dining experiences, educational and entertaining festivals, and a distinct down town scene surrounded by nature parks for out door exploration. Mt. Pleasant is also home to Central Michigan University and Soaring Eagle Casino, making it easy to find adventures both on and off the course.

PLAY PohlCat Golf Course

6595 EAST AIRPORT RD |

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

First opened in 1992, PohlCat Golf Course was designed by former PGA Tour professional and Mt. Pleasant native Dan Pohl. The par-72 course is built over and around the meander ing 100-foot-wide Chippewa River, offering a unique playing experience and view on each of the 18 holes.

“The whole key was to establish a golf course that fit into this piece of property like a glove. [We] didn’t have to move a ton of dirt and create visuals, you are going to get them just because it is a nice piece of property,” Pohl said.

“The goal as a designer was to create a fun, challenging, and visually stimulating golf course. It forces you to hit good shots; it really is an iron player’s golf course. It has some holes where it is wide open and then it has some that are narrow. The whole goal was to create a golf course that every style of golfer fit; it didn’t hit one segment of the golfing public, it hit every body,” Pohl added.

The practice facility at PohlCat is expansive, offering a driving range, chipping green, and two putting greens, designed to give golfers the opportunity to practice the shots they would be making out on the golf course.

At any point during the day, golfers can stop at the Den Bar & Grill for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With a menu stacked full of gourmet burgers, wraps, and sandwiches, guests can dine-in and watch the two flat-screen TVs, or eat outside on the veranda, soaking up sun and overlooking the 18th hole of the golf course. The bar also has a selection of specialty PohlCat mixed drinks.

“One thing that I tried to do when I first came back and got involved with this, is I want ed to make sure that everybody knew that it wasn’t a competition with the other courses. If we bring people to the community and we give them an opportunity to look at all the things that Central Michigan and the Mt. Pleasant area have to offer, then they can make their own judgement,” Pohl said.

Pohl noted he values supporting the com munity and making sure his guests are having a good time, even if it means they’re experiencing

other businesses outside of PohlCat. He is confi dent that the PohlCat course is a unique enough experience that visitors can play other courses in Mt. Pleasant and will still choose to make PohlCat part of their next golf trip in the area.

“I was born and raised in Mt. Pleasant. There are not a lot of golf courses that you would go to where the namesake who built it and played the [PGA] Tour is potentially being seen there a lot. I do a lot of autographs, I do a ton of pictures—a lot of people come in and say, ‘is that Dan Pohl guy here?’ and they’re asking me,” Pohl said.

“There is a connection that I love that I think ties me to the city of Mt. Pleasant, that ties me to the facility itself, and that makes this a little more unique. When you come into our Den and our pro shop, there is memorabilia and stuff that shows some of the highlights of my career—peo ple I played with, from the Glen Campbells and guys like that over the years—it is unique. As far as just this golf course, this is a hidden gem. If a golfer comes here and plays, he knows that he has played a really good golf course,” Pohl said.

Bucks Run Golf Club

1559 SOUTH CHIPPEWA RD. | MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

“We’re a big public course with everything that a resort would offer, without the lodging,” said Emily Rohdy, PGA Head Professional at Bucks Run Golf Club.

Bucks Run Golf Club offers a full cham pionship 18-hole course, as well as many of the amenities of a private club or resort. An 18,000-square-foot clubhouse with a walkaround balcony allows guests fresh air and pan oramic views of the outdoors, and also houses a spacious banquet center inside, where the club hosts many events such as weddings and golf outings, as well as The Quarry Grill, a full-ser vice restaurant. Guests can also dine outside on patios overlooking Lake Fisher.

Bucks Run Golf Shop, where golfers can refresh their golf bag with new equipment and purchase new golf apparel and accessories, is also located inside the clubhouse.

“You won’t find too many courses in our lo cal area that put the tender love and care into their golf course that we do. We have a fantas tic golf course superintendent, Craig McKin ley, who takes really good care of our course,” Rohdy said. “It is just a very unique golf course spread out over 300 acres.”

A Jerry Matthews design, the Bucks Run golf course features 18 challenging, yet play able holes highlighted by the waterways woven throughout the course—river frontage, lake views, and natural wetlands make an appear ance in many spots. An added bonus for groups hoping to fit in an extra round after playing the Bucks Run course, an 18-hole real-grass putting island is situated right on Lake Fisher.

Although Bucks Run does not have on site lodging, golfers can take advantage of the many variations of stay-and-play packages that the public club offers. Rohdy indicated that Bucks Run started the packages about eight years ago, and since then they have grown by at least 20 percent each year and are a great way to bring business to the local area. Bucks Run partners with other local courses, most within approximately 45 minutes of the club, such as Tullymore Golf Resort, St. Ives Golf Course, Apple Mountain, PohlCat Golf Course, Eagle Glen Golf Course, Mt. Pleasant Country Club, The Emerald Golf Course, and The Pines Golf Course at Riverwood Resort. For the lodging as pect of the stay-and-play packages, Soaring Ea gle properties, Comfort Inn in Mt. Pleasant, The Fairfield, Baymont Inn, and Courtyard Mariott are options for guests to stay at overnight. Bucks Run streamlines the booking process with the other establishments for golfers utilizing their package offers.

POHLCAT GOLF COURSE

“Bucks Run, compared to a lot of other courses, we are proudly one of the premier golf courses in the Central Michigan area. It is a great travel spot for people heading north or heading south, right in the middle of the state, and we have a lot of future potential,” Rohdy said.

“We have only been around since 2000, so this year we will only be 22-years-old, which is pretty young as far as the golf course world goes. Hopefully, it will keep growing and keep getting better, and we will see where things take us,” Rohdy added.

DINE

Mountain Town Station Restaurant & Brew Pub

506 W BROADWAY ST. |

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

Opened 26 years ago in Mt. Pleasant, Moun tain Town Station Restaurant & Brew Pub is the first local restaurant that owner Jim Holton had started in the area. The brew pub steakhouse was created from an abandoned train station, renovated as a restaurant.

Guests of the eatery can sit down and enjoy American-style fare, with menu options such as appetizers, steak, seafood, pastas, and stonefired pizza. Mountain Town brews its craft beer onsite, but also has a full bar available.

“When you pull up to the building it is just unique. It has got the water tower out front, and a patio on the west side overlooking the Chip pewa River,” said Jim Holton, owner of Moun tain Town Station, Camille’s Prime, and Summit Smokehouse.

Camille’s Prime

506 W BROADWAY ST. |

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

Camille’s Prime is a high-end steakhouse and seafood restaurant with a more refined space, attached to Mountain Town Station. Holton de scribed it as a classier and quieter atmosphere,

where parties can go to have an intimate meal and enjoy a carefully cultivated wine list.

“We saw a need in the community for a higher-end steakhouse restaurant that was not here, and so we had some fun with that. My mom’s name is Camille, so we named it after her,” Holton said.

Throughout the golf season, Camille’s Prime will continue to offer monthly wine dinners, where wine selections from different regions around the world are paired with food. Behind both Camille’s Prime and Mountain Town Station, there is a full garden where they grow the vegetables for the season. Holton in dicated that the restaurants sit on a seven-acre piece of property, and in the warmer months they put up a tent and hold private, catered events in the outdoor space.

Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room

3068 JEN’S WAY |

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

“We have a microbrewery that distributes beer across the state, called Mountain Town Brewing Company, and we wanted to add on a restau rant to that production brewing company, so we found a space west of town and built it from the ground up,” Holton said.

“There wasn’t a barbecue place in town, so we are trying to do something that customers or folks around mid-Michigan didn’t have an op portunity to try,” Holton added.

A barbecue restaurant, Summit Smoke house is highlighted with giant garage doors that can roll up in the warmer months, and a heated, covered patio that allows them to extend outdoor dining into the chillier times of year.

MOUNTAIN TOWN STATION RESTAURANT AND BREW PUB

CAMILLE’S PRIME

The smokehouse features a selection of slow-roasted brisket, ribs, smoked sausage, pulled pork, and smoked chicken. There are also meals offered that aren’t prepared with the smoke system, such as salmon or pastas.

“It is not overly smoked where you taste it and it feels like you’re licking an ash tray,” Holton said. “The smoke just enhances the flavor.”

The Brass Café

128 S MAIN ST. |

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

“The Brass is the perfect restaurant and lounge to have a nice dinner after a day on the golf course. We aim to provide a high-end, fine dining experi ence with an intimate small-town feel,” said Brian Block, executive chef at The Brass Café.

The Brass Café is a family-owned establish ment, offering New American fare prepared with a classic French technique, and served in a modern style.

“Our food at The Brass is made from scratch. We practice nose-to-tail cooking. We make our own stocks from bones, cut our fish from whole, and prepare our food in-house as much as pos sible,” Block said.

The café serves classic and creative cocktails, premium beers and ciders, and has an extensive and eclectic wine selection to choose from. The menu typically alters seasonally, but each Friday and Saturday night, The Brass also offers chef fea tures, which often include an appetizer, entrees, and homemade dessert, as well as craft cocktails.

“The best source of inspiration for creating new dishes at The Brass is our team of dedicat ed and creative chefs and cooks,” Block said. “We typically create our specials by having an informal brainstorm in the kitchen. We throw out ideas and eventually they spontaneously come together after much editing, reworking, and thought. We come up with the bare-bones of a dish through what is available seasonally or what is particularly available in good quality that week.”

At The Brass, guests can celebrate any oc casion over a delicious meal—whether they’re hoping to have an intimate dinner for two in the dining room, enjoy drinks with friends in the lounge, or host a larger gathering in the café’s private banquet loft.

This spring, a relatively new outdoor patio dining space will also be opening just in time for the golf season, according to Block.

UNWIND

Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival SHEPHERD, MICHIGAN

Just south of Mt. Pleasant, in Shepherd, Mich igan, the annual Maple Syrup Festival will run from April 22 to 24, 2022. One of the main at tractions of the festival is the pancake, maple syrup, and sausage meals that will be served throughout the weekend, at Shepherd High School. Some of the other family-friendly ac tivities that will be at the festival are a 5K walk

PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP): COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN TOWN; PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM): COURTESY OF THE BRASS CAFE

THE BRASS CAFÉ

SUMMIT SMOKEHOUSE & TAP ROOM

and run, parades, tractor and horse pulls, bingo, an arts and crafts show, chainsaw carving, pony rides, and a classic car show.

Alma Highland Festival and Games

ALMA, MICHIGAN

Drawing in thousands of visitors to Alma each year, the Alma Highland Festival will take place at the Alma College campus on May 28 and 29,

2022. The activities at the festival showcase the best of Scottish tradition, such as a massed band performance featuring nearly 1,000 pipers and drummers playing all at once, clan tents that al low people to learn about their Scottish heritage, and an entertainment tent featuring live music and cold beer on tap.

The main focus of the weekend are the world-class athletes, dancers, and musicians

who will compete at various venues in events such as the U.S. Open Piping Band Champion ship, Solo Piping and Drumming, Great Lakes Open and Closed Regional Highland Dance Competition, Highland Choreography Dance, Great Lakes Scottish Heavyweight Athletics, and Great Lakes Amateur Athletics.

Saginaw Chippewa Powwow SAGINAW, MICHIGAN

From July 29 to 31, 2022, residents, golfers, and other visitors to the area can visit the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Campground to experience the annual Saginaw Chippewa Powwow.

The lighting of the sacred fire that burns throughout the weekend, plus the grand entry of dancers signifies the official beginning of the Powwow. Typically, upward of 500 dancers take part in the traditional dance, with age-group categories in place for different dance styles. Throughout the weekend, visitors can observe and experience a celebration of dress, dance, drum, song, cuisine, and craft.

“That is a great opportunity to see dancing, try different foods, and really take in the Native American culture. That is one I would highly rec ommend if people haven’t done it before,” said Chris Rowley, CMP, executive director at Mt. Pleasant Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Art Walk Central

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

During the month of August, from the 7th to the 29th, Mt. Pleasant becomes an art gallery as state and national artists compete in the juried art competition, Art Walk Central. The streets of downtown Mt. Pleasant, as well as venues like Central Michigan University Art Gallery, Pure Vitality, and GreenTree Cooperative Grocery, will feature displays of sculptures, paintings, photog raphy, and crafts. This event is held by Art Reach of Mid Michigan, and guests also have the option to visit Art Reach of Mid Michigan and cast their vote for their favorite People’s Choice art piece.

Mt. Pleasant Craft Beer Festival

MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

A celebration of the beer culture in Central Michigan, the Mt. Pleasant Craft Beer Festival brings together brew masters, brewery repre sentatives, restaurant owners, managers, and chefs, allowing guests of the festival to sample everything from beer to cider and mead. Live music plays as those in attendance explore, tasting Michigan craft brews, and snacking on food from the multiple food vendors that will be there. The event will also have complimentary water stations to keep guests hydrated.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

6800 E SOARING EAGLE BLVD | MT. PLEASANT, MICHIGAN

“Mt. Pleasant is a great destination for golf, be cause we have some great and beautiful golf courses, but it is also because of our night life, and with the Soaring Eagle Casino as one of the

ART WALK CENTRAL

SAGINAW CHIPPEWA POWWOW

largest gaming floors in the Midwest, it is a great opportunity to try your luck on the course as well as the gaming floor at the casino,” Rowley said.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort’s gaming floor encompasses slot machines, table games, bingo, and a poker room within its 210,000 square-feet. Throughout the day, people can stop at the Native Grind Coffee Shoppe for a caf feine pick-me-up, and Little Eagle Café to enjoy comfort food such as burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings, and fries. The resort’s other onsite eater ies include Ascend Sportsbook Bar & Lounge, SiniiKaung Steak & Chophouse, Legend’s Diner, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, which is set to open in 2022.

“In the summer, they do bring in an outdoor concert series, which is roughly around 13,000 people that come in for those concerts. That is a really great way to see big name artists right in Central Michigan,” Rowley said.

Guests also have the option of staying over night in one of the resort’s first-class rooms and premium suites, allowing groups to fully make the most of the onsite activities during their stay.

EXPLORE

In downtown Mt. Pleasant, golfers can find just about any evening entertainment they could hope for, such as drinks and live entertainment at Hunter’s Ale House or Rubble’s Bar, or a more intimate gathering of friends at Midori Sushi and Martini Lounge. Just outside of the down town area, Central Michigan University often hosts sporting events and concerts, an exciting end to a day of golf.

“Our downtown is also surrounded by all of our park systems,” Rowley said. “We have great parks if people want to get out and explore the area, and we have trails that are all connected.”

Golfers and their families or friends who are seeking to experience more of Central Mich

igan’s outdoor beauty beyond the golf courses can venture to any of the parks or nature pre serves for outdoor activity and natural scenery.

“We have over 1,000 acres of parkland in Isabella County. One of our parks just west of town, Deerfield [Nature] Park, was voted the most beautiful place in Isabella County by Pure Michigan,” Rowley said.

At Deerfield Nature Park, 591 acres of land along the Chippewa River welcomes adventur ers to eight miles of hiking and biking trails,

10 remote campsites accessible by hiking or canoeing, a swimming beach, fishing along the river, two 18-hole disc golf courses, and two swinging bridges.

“We also have 18 nature preserves, through the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy that are in the area, so there are lots of opportunities to get outdoor recreation as well,” Rowley said.

Owned and maintained by the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy, or CWC, there are sev eral nature preserves just outside Mt. Pleasant’s city center. Many of the preserves offer oppor tunities for passive recreation, such as hiking, birding, trail running, and fishing. Educational events are often hosted by the Chippewa Water shed Conservancy at these locations, providing a great opportunity for people to learn about the local flora, fauna, and geological history.

One of CWC’s four flagship nature pre serves, Bundy Hill in Broomfield Township, presents massive rolling hills and two miles of challenging hiking trails. The preserve is home to Isabella County’s tallest point, the summit of Bundy Hill standing tall at 1,270 feet above sea level.

When planning a trip to Mt. Pleasant and Central Michigan area, Rowley suggests that one looks at Mt. Pleasant Area Convention and Visitor Bureau’s website, www.meetmtp.com, to see all the area attractions available during the upcoming golf season, as it is updated with new events and area developments frequently.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MT. PLEASANT AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

ALMA HIGHLAND FESTIVAL AND GAMES

NELSON PARK

DeZwaan Windmill photo by Norm Hoekstra. Highland games photos by Jutta Wilberding

ALLEGAN

Chesire Hills

Allegan 27 Public chesirehills.com 269-673-2882

Clearbrook Saugatuck 18 Public clearbrookgolfclub.com 269-857-2000

Diamond Springs Hamilton 18 Public diamondspringsgolf.com269-751-4545

HawksHead South Haven 18 Public hawksheadlinks.com 269-639-2121

Lake Doster Plainwell 18 Public lakedostergolf.com 269-685-5308

Lake Monterey Dorr 9 Public N/A 616-896-8118

Lynx Golf Course

Otsego 18 Public lynxGC.com 269-694-5969

Orchard Hills Shelbyville 27 Public orchardhillsgc.com 269-672-7096

Ravines

Saugatuck 18 Public ravinesgolfclub.com 269-857-1616

South Haven GC South Haven 18 Public N/A 269-637-3896

Winding Creek Holland 27 Public windingcreekgolfclub.com 616-396-4516

BARRY

Gun Ridge Hastings 9 Public gunridgegolf.com 269-948-8366

Legacy At Hastings Hastings 18 holes public legacyathastings.com 269-945-2756

Mullenhurst Delton 18 Public N/A 269-623-8383

Yankee Springs Wayland 27 Public playyankeegolf.com 269-795-9047

BERRIEN

Berrien Hills

Benton Harbor 18 Public berrienhills.com 269-925-9002

Blossom Trails Benton Harbor 27 Public blossomtrailsgolfclub.com 269-925-4951

Brookwood Buchanan 18 Public golfbrookwood.com 269-695-7818

Chikaming CC Lakeside 18 Private chicamingcc.org 269-469-5484

Dunes Club

New Buffalo 9 Private N/A 269-469-5539

Grand Beach New Buffalo 9 Public N/A 269-469-4888

Harbor Shores

Benton Harbor 18 Public HarborShoresLife.com 269-927-4653

Indian Lake Hills Eau Claire 27 Public indianlakehills.com 269-782-2540

Lake Michigan Hills Benton Harbor 18 Public lmhgolf.com 269-849-2722

Lost

Cedar Farms

Battle Creek 18 Public cedargolfclub.com 269-979-7277

Custer Greens Battle Creek 9 Public N/A 269-968-7398

Duck Lake Albion 18 Private ducklakecc.com 517-629-8650

Marshall CC Marshall 18 Public marshallcountryclub.com269-781-1182

Marywood Battle Creek 18 Public marywoodgolf.com 269-968-1168

Eagle Eye Golf Club Bath 18 Public eagleeyegolfclub.com 517-641-4295 Falcon at Eagle Eye Bath 9 Public eagleeyegolfclub.com 517-641-4295

Prairie Creek De Witt 18 Public golfprairiecreek.com 517-669-1958

Royal Scot Lansing 27 Public royalscot.net 517-321-6220

Woodside Bath 12 Public hawkhollow.com 517-641-4295

Dunes

Bridgeman 18 Private lostdunes.com 269-465-9300

Orchard Hills Buchanan 18 Private orchardhillscc.com 269-695-5722

Paw Paw Lake Watervliet 18 Public pawpawlakegolfcourse.com 269-463-3831

Pebblewood Bridgman 18 Public golfpebblewood.com 269-465-5611

Pipestone Creek Eau Claire 18 Public N/A 269-944-1611

Plym Park Niles 9 Public N/A 269-684-7331

Point O’ Woods Benton Harbor 18 Private pointowoods.com 269-944-1433

Signal Point Niles 18 Private signalpointgolf.clm 269-683-7073

Whittaker Woods New Buffalo 18 Public golfwhittaker.com 269-469-3400

BRANCH

Bella Vista Coldwater 18 Public bellavistagolf.com 517-238-6085

Bronson GC Bronson 18 Public bronsongolf.com 517-369-6745

Golf Club of Coldwater Coldwater 18 Semi-Private golfclubofcoldwater.com 517-279-2100

Iyopawa Island Coldwater 9 Public N/A 517-238-2216

Quincy GC Quincy 9 Public N/A 517-639-4491

CALHOUN

Alwyn Downs

Marshall 18 Public N/A 269-781-3905

Battle Creek CC Battle Creek 18 Private battlecreekcc.com 269-962-6121

Bedford Valley

Battle Creek 18 Public gulllakeview.com 269-965-3385

Binder Park Battle Creek 27 Public binderparkgulf.com 269-979-8250

Cedar Creek Battle Creek 18 Public cedargolfclub.com 269-965-6423

The Medalist Marshall 18 Public themedalist.com 269-789-4653

Oakland Hills Battle Creek 18 Public oaklandhillsgolfclub.com 269-965-0809

Riverside Battle Creek 18 Public N/A 269-964-0291

Springbrook Springfield 9 Public springbrookgolf.net 269-441-7529

Tomac Woods Albion 18 Public tomacwoods.com 517-629-8241

Turtle Creek Burlington 18 Public N/A 517-765-2232

CASS

Diamond Lake Cassopolis 9 Public N/A 269-445-3143

Dowagiac Elks Dowagiac 18 Public N/A 269-782-5685

Four Lakes Edwardsburg 18 Public fourlakescc.com 269-699-5701

Garver Lake Edwardsburg 9 Public N/A 269-663-6463

Hampshire/Dogwood Trail

Dowagiac 36 Public hampshire36.com 269-782-7476

Park Shore Cassopolis 18 Public parkshoregolfclub.com 269-445-2834

Spruce Ridge Dowagiac 18 Public golfspruceridge.com 269-782-5827

CLARE

Eagle Glen Farwell 18 Public golfeagleglen.com 989-588-4424

Firefly Golf Links Clare 18 Public fireflygolflinks.com 989-386-3510

Snow Snake Harrison 18 Public showsnake.net 989-539-6583

The Tamaracks Harrison 18 Public thetamaracks.com 989-539-5441

CLINTON

The Emerald St. Johns 18 Public emeraldgolfcourse.com 989-224-6287

Hawk Hollow Bath 27 Public eagleeyegolfclub.com 517-641-4295

Twin Oaks St. Johns 9 Public N/A 898-224-7342

EATON

Bonnie View

Eaton Rapids 9 Public bonnieviewgolf.com 517-663-4363

Centennial Acres Sunfield 27 Public centennialacres.com 517-566-8055

Grand Ledge CC Grand Ledge 18 Public grandledgecountryclub.com 517-627-2495

Ledge Meadows

Grand Ledge 18 Public ledgemeadowsgolfcourse.com 517-627-7492

Olivet CC Olivet 9 Public N/A 269-749-9051

Twin Brook Charlotte 18 Public N/A 517-543-0570

GRATIOT

The Fields

Ithaca 18 Public thefieldsgolfcourse.com989-875-4612

Hidden Oaks St. Louis 18 Public hiddenoaksgolf.com 989-681-3404

Gratiot CC Ithaca 18 Public N/A 989-875-4612

Northstar Ithaca 18 Public N/A 989-875-3841

Overbrook

Middleton 9 Public golfoverbrook.com 989-236-5357

Pine River CC Alma 18 Private pinerivercc.net 989-463-4610

Ridge Breckenridge 9 Public N/A 989-842-1510

HILLSDALE

Hillsdale Golf & CC Hillsdale 9 Private N/A 517-437-2201

Jenkings GC Litchfield 9 Public N/A 517-542-3121

Lake LeAnn GC Jerome 9 Public N/A 517-688-3445

Mill Race Jonesville 9 Public millracegolfcourse.com 517-849-9439

White Oaks Hillsdale 18 Public N/A 517-437-3434

IONIA

Candlestone Inn Belding 18 Public candlestone.com 616-691-7713

Huckleberry Creek Pewamo 18 Public N/A 517-593-3305

Iron Horse Belding 9 Public doublerranch.com 877-794-0520

Morrison Lake Saranac 18 Public N/A 616-642-9528

Portland CC Portland 18 Public oldpcc.com 517-647-4521

Rolling Hills Ionia 9 Public golfionia.com 616-527-3480

Shadow Ridge Ionia 9 Public shadowridgegolfclub.com 616-527-1180

Willow Wood Portland 18 Public willowwoodgc.com 517-647-1984

ISABELLA

Bucks Run Mt. Pleasant 18 Public bucksrun.com 989-773-6830

Mt. Pleasant CC Mt. Pleasant 18 Private N/A 989-772-1591

Pines Lake Isabella 18 Public thepinesgolfcourse.com989-644-2300

Pleasant Hills Mt. Pleasant 18 Public pleasanthillsgolfcourse.com 989-772-0487

Pohlcat Mt. Pleasant 18 Public pohlcat.net 989-773-4221

Riverwood Resort Mt. Pleasant 27 Public riverwoodresort.com 989-772-5726

Waabooz Run Mt. Pleasant 18 Public soaringeaglewaterpark.com 989-292-8891

Winding Brook Shepherd 18 Public wbgc.8m.com 989-828-6618

KALAMAZOO

Angels Crossing

Vicksburg 18 Public golfangelscrossing.com 269-649-2700

Crestview Kalamazoo 18 Public crestviewgcofkalamazoo.com 269-349-1111

Eastern Hills

Kalamazoo 27 Public kmgagolf.com 269-385-8175

Grand Prairie Kalamazoo 9 Public grandprairiegc.com 269-388-4447

Gull Lake CC Richland 18 Private gulllakecc.com` 269-629-9714

Gull Lake View Resort Augusta 108 Public gulllakeview.com 269-432-7971

Hickory Ridge Galesburg 27 Public golfhickoryridge.com 269-382-6212

Indian Run Scotts 18 Public irgolfclub.com 269-327-1327

Kalamazoo CC Kalamazoo 27 Private kalamazoocountryclub.com 269-345-6149

Maple Hills Augusta 9 Public golfmaplehills.com 269-731-4430

Milham Park Kalamazoo 18 Public kmgagolf.com 269-344-7639

The Moors Portage 18 Private moorsgolf.com 269-323-8873

Oakland Hills Battle Creek 18 Public oaklandhillsgolfclub.com 269-965-0809

Olde Mill

Schoolcraft 18 Public oldemillgolfclub.com 269-679-5625

The Prairies

Kalamazoo 18 Public prairiesgolf.com 269-343-3906

Ridgeview Kalamazoo 18 Public ridgeviewgolf.com 269-375-8821

Red Arrow Kalamazoo 9 Public kmgagolf.com 269-492-7800

States GC Vicksburg 18 Public N/A 269-649-1931

Alpine

Ironwood Byron Center 18 Public ironwoodgc.com 616-538-4000

Kent CC Grand Rapids 18 Private kentcountryclub.com 616-363-5811

L.E. Kaufman

Grand Rapids 18 Public accesskent.com/golf 616-538-5050

Lincoln CC Grand Rapids 18 Public lincolnccgr.com 616-453-6348

Links at Bowen Lake Gowen 18 Public linksatbowenlake.com 616-984-9916

Maple Hill Grandville 18 Public maplehillgc.com 616-538-0290

The Mines

Grand Rapids 18 Public minesgolfcourse.com 616-791-7544

North Kent Rockford 18 Public northkentgolf.com 616-866-2659

The Pines

Grand Rapids 18 Public pinesgolfcourse.com 616-538-8380

Quail Ridge Ada 18 Public quailridgegc.com 616-676-2000

Railside CC Byron Center 18 Private railsidegolf.com 616-878-1140

Rogue Sparta 18 Public theroguegolfclub.com 616-887-7182

Lincoln Hills

Ludington 18 Semi-Private lincolnhillsludington.com231-843-4666

Lakeside Links Ludington 27 Public lakesidelinks.com 231-843-3660

MECOSTA

Canadian Lakes CC Stanwood 36 Private clpoc.org 231-972-7651

Clear Lake Big Rapids 18 Public clearlakegolfclub.com 231-796-8200

Falcon Head Big Rapids 18 Public falconheadgc.com 231-796-2613

Katke Big Rapids 18 Public ferris.edu/katke 231-591-3765

St. Ives Stanwood 18 Public stivesgolf.com 231-972-4837

Tullymore

Stanwood 18 Public tullymoregolf.com 231-972-4837

MONTCALM

Brookside

Gowen 18 Public brooksidegolf.com 616-984-2381

Glenkerry Greenville 18 Public glenkerrygolfcourse.com 616-225-4653

Whitefish Lake Pierson 18 Public whitefishgolfandgrill.com 616-636-5260

MUSKEGON

Bent Pine Whitehall 18 Public bentpinegolfclub.com 231-766-2045

Chase Hammond Muskegon 18 Public chasehammondgolfclub.com 231-766-3035

Eagle Island Muskegon 9 Public N/A 231-773-7171

Fruitport GC Muskegon 18 Public fruitportgolfclub.com 231-798-3355

Hickory Knoll Montague 36 Public hickoryknollgolf.com 231-894-5535

Lincoln GC Muskegon 18 Public lincolngolfcourse.com 231-766-3636

Moss Ridge Ravenna 18 Public mossridge.com 231-853-5665

Muskegon CC Muskegon 18 Private muskegoncc.com 231-755-3737

Oakridge Muskegon 18 Public golfoakridgegc.com 231-798-3660

KENT

Comstock Park 18 Public alpinegolfmichigan.com 616-784-1064

Arrowhead Lowell 18 Public arrowheadontheweb.com 616-897-7264

Blythefield CC

Belmont 18 Private blythefieldcc.org 616-361-2661

Boulder Creek Belmont 18 Public bouldercreekgolfclub.com 616-363-1330

Briarwood

Caledonia 36 Public briarwoodgolfclubs.com616-698-8720

Broadmoor

Caledonia 18 Public golfbroadmoor.com 616-891-8000

Cascade Hills CC

Grand Rapids Twp. 27 Private cascadehillscc.com 616-949-0810

Cedar Chase

Cedar Springs 18 Public cedarchasegolfclub.com 616-696-2308

Egypt Valley

Ada 36 Private egyptvalley.com 616-676-2626

English Hills

Grand Rapids 18 Public englishhills.net 616-784-3420

Falls at Barber Creek

Kent 18 Public thefallsatbc.com 616-675-7345

Gracewil East & West Walker 36 Public gracewil.com 616-784-2455

Indian Trails

Grand Rapids 18 Public indiantrailsgc.com 616-245-2021

Sand Creek Marne 9 Public sandcreekgolf.com 616-677-3379

Saskatoon Alto 36 Public saskatoongolf.com 616-891-9229

Scott Lake Comstock Park 27 Public scottlake.com 616-784-1355

Silver Lake CC Rockford 18 Private golfslcc.com 616-874-7595

Sparta Moose GC Sparta 9 Private moose50.org 616-887-9126

Stonewater CC Caledonia 18 Private stonewatercc.com 616-949-0570

Thornapple Pointe

Grand Rapids 18 Public thornapplepointe.com 616-554-4747

Thousand Oaks Grand Rapids 18 Private thousandoaksgolf.com 616-447-7750

Tyler Creek Alto 18 Public tylercreekgolf.com 616-868-6751

Watermark CC Grand Rapids 18 Private watermarkcc.com 616-949-0570

LAKE

Marquette Trails

Baldwin 18 Public marquettetrailsgc.com 231-898-2450

MASON

Epworth Heights

Ludington 9 Private N/A 231-843-6355

Hemlock Golf Club Ludington 18 Public hemlockgolfclub.com 231-845-1300

Links of Edmore

Six Lakes 9 Public N/A 989-427-3241

Old Channel Trail Montague 27 Public octgolf.com 231-894-5076

Ravenna Creeks

Ravenna 18 Public N/A 231-853-6736

Stonegate Golf Club

Twin Lake 18 Public stonegategolfclub.com 231-744-7200

University Park Muskegon 9 Public muskegoncc.edu 231-773-9131

Westwind Muskegon 18 Public N/A 231-7738814

Whitelake CC Whitehall 18 Private whitelakegolfclub.com 231-893-4232

NEWAYGO

Briar Hill

Fremont 18 Public briarhillgolf.com 231-924-2070

Northwood Fremont 18 Public N/A 231-924-3380

Pilgrims Run Pierson 18 Public pilgrimsrun.com 888-533-7742

Ramshorn Fremont 18 Public golframshorn.com 231-924-2640

Summer Breeze Fremont 9 Public N/A 231-924-9759

Village Green Newaygo 18 Public villagegreengolfcoursemi.com 231-652-6513

OCEANA

Benona Shores

Shelby 18 Public benonashores.com 231-861-2098

Golden Sands Silver Lake 9 Public goldensandsgolfcourse.com 231-873-4909

Grand View New Era 18 Public grandviewgc.com 231-861-6616

Oceana GC Shelby 18 Public oceanagolfclub.com 231-861-4211

The Colonial Hart 18 Public colonialgolfhart.com 231-873-8333

Thoroughbred Rothbury 18 Public doublejj.com 231-894-3939

OSCEOLA

Birch Valley Sears 18 Public N/A 231-734-9112

Spring Valley Hersey 18 Public N/A 231-832-5041

Tustin Trails Tustin 9 Public N/A 231-829-5455

Intimidator Reed City 9 Public N/A 231-832-5616

The Rose LeRoy 18 Public golftherose.com 231-768-5060

OTTAWA

American Dunes Golf Club

Grand Haven 18 Public americandunesgolfclub.com 616-842-4040

Crestview Zeeland 18 Public crestviewgolf.com 616-875-8101

Gleneagle Hudsonville 18 Public gegolfclub.com 616-457-3680

Macatawa Golf Club Holland 18 Public macatawagc.com 616-212-2600

Meadows GC Allendale 18 Public gvsu.edu/meadows 616-331-1000

Pheasant GC Zeeland 9 Public N/A 616-875-4653

Pigeon Creek West Olive 18 Public golfpigeoncreek.com 616-875-4300

Sand Creek Golf Course Marne 9 Holes Public sandcreekgolf.com 616-677-3379

Spring Lake CC Spring Lake 18 Private springlakecc.com 616-842-4200

Sunnybrook CC Grandville 18 Private sunnybrookcc.com 616-457-1100

Terra Verde Nunica 18 Public terraverdegc.com 616-837-8249

Wallinwood Springs Jenison 18 Public wallinwoodsprings.com 616-667-0003

West Ottawa GC Holland 27 Public westottawagolfclub.com 616-399-1678

Western Greens Marne 18 Public westerngreensgolf.com 616-677-3677

Wuskowhan West Olive 18 Private wuskowhan.com 616-738-6000

ST. JOSEPH

Green Valley Sturgis 18 Public greenvalleygolfnow.com 269-651-6331

Island Hills Centreville 18 Public islandhillsgolf.com 269-467-7261

Lake CC Sturgis 18 Private klingerlakecc.com 269-651-7453

Pine View Three Rivers 36 Public pineviewgolf.com 269-279-5131

Sauganash Three Rivers 18 Public sauganashgc.com 269-278-7825

St. Joe Valley Sturgis 18 Public N/A 269-467-6275

VAN BUREN

Beeches

South Haven 18 Public beechesgolfclub.com 269-637-2600

Heritage Glen Paw Paw 18 Public heritageglengolf.com 269-657-2552

Jeptha Lake Bloomingdale 9 Public jepthalakegolf.com 269-427-7502

Lake Cora Hills Paw Paw 18 Public lakecorahillsgolfclub.com 269-657-4074

Lawton GC Lawton 9 Public N/A 269-624-2051

Peacock Ridge Marcellus 18 Public thegolfcourses.net 269-646-3300

Shamrock Hills Gobles 18 Public N/A 269-628-2070

ALCONA

Eagle Ridge Glennie 18 Public eagleridgegolfclubofglennie.com 989-735-3500

Greenbush GC Greenbush 9 Public greenbushgc.com 989-724-6356

Loggers Trace Harrisville 27 Public loggerstrace.com 989-724-5611

Lost Lake Woods Club Lincoln 18 Private lostlakewoodsclub.com 989-731-8197

White Pine National Hubbard Lake 18 Public whitepinenational.com 989-736-3279

ALPENA

Alpena Golf Club

Alpena 18 Public alpenagolfclub.com 989-354-5052

River’s Edge Alpena 18 Public riversedgealpena.com 989-354-5558

ANTRIM

A-Ga-Ming Resort

Kewadin 72 Public a-ga-ming.com 800-678-0122

The Chief Bellaire 18 Public golfthechief.com 231-533-9000

Elk Rapids GC

Elk Rapids 9 Semi-Private golfelkrapids.com 231-264-8891

Centennial Farm Bellaire 18 Public N/A 800-745-8277

Lakes of the North Mancelona 18 Public lakesofthenorth.com 231-585-6800

Shanty Creek Resort Bellaire 90 Public shantycreek.com 231-533-8321

BENZIE

Champion Hill

Beulah 18 Public championhill.com 231-882-9200

Crystal Downs CC Frankfort 18 Private N/A 231-352-9933

Crystal Lake Beulah 18 Public clgolfclub.com 231-882-4061

Crystal Mountain Resort Thompsonville 36 Public crystalmountain.com 231-378-2000

Mistwood Lake Ann 27 Public mistwoodgolf.com 231-275-5500

Pinecroft Golf Plantation Beulah 18 Public pinecroftgolf.com 231-882-9200

CHARLEVOIX

Belvedere

Charlevoix 18 Semi-Private belvederegolfclub.com 231-547-2611

Boyne Mountain Resort

Boyne Falls 45 Public boyne.com 800-GO-BOYNE

Charlevoix CC Charlevoix 18 Semi-Private chxcountryclub.com 231-547-9796

Charlevoix GC

Charlevoix 9 Public cityofcharlevoix.org 231-547-3270

Dunmaglas

Charlevoix 18 Public dunmaglas.com 231-547-4653

Mallard

Jordan 9 Public mallardgolf.com 231-536-3636

Scotland Yards

Boyne Falls 9 Public N/A 231-535-2848

Springbrook Hills

Boyne Falls 18 Public springbrookgolf.com 231-535-5155

Walloon Lake CC Petoskey 18 Private walloonlakecc.com 231-535-2992

Ye Nyne Olde Holles

East Jordan 9 Public yenyne.com 231-582-7609

CHEBOYGAN

Black Lake

Onaway 18 Public blacklakegolf.com 989-733-4653

Cheboygan Golf & CC

Cheboygan 18 Public cheboygangolf.com 231-627-4264

Indian River

Indian River 18 Public indianrivergolfclub.com 800-305-4742

Mullett Lake CC

Cheboygan 9 Semi-Private mullettlakecc.com 231-627-5971

Rippling Rapids

Cheboygan 18 Public N/A 231-625-2770

Wildwood Lakes Wolverine 9 Public wildwoodlakesgolf.com 231-525-8949

CRAWFORD

Forest Dunes

Roscommon 18 Public forestdunesgolf.com 989-275-0700

Forest Dunes/The Loop Roscommon 18/Reversible Public forestdunesgolf.com 989-275-0700

Fox Run

Grayling 18 Public foxruncc.com 989 348-4343

Grayling Country Club Grayling 18 Semi-Private graylingcountryclub.com989-348-5618

EMMET

Beaver Island Golf Beaver Island 9 Public beaverislandgolf.com 231-448-2301

Birchwood Farms Harbor Springs 27 Private birchwoodcc.com 231-526-2166

Boyne Highlands Resort Harbor Springs 72 Public boyne.com 800-GO-BOYNE

Bay Harbor Bay Harbor 27 Public boyne.com 231-439-4028

Chestnut Valley Harbor Springs 18 Public chestnutvalleygolf.com 231-526-9100

Crooked Tree Petoskey 18 Public boyne.com 231-439-4030

Harbor Point Harbor Springs 18 Semi-Private harborpointgolfclub.com231-526-2951

Hidden River Golf & Casting Club Brutus 18 Public hiddenriver.com 231-529-4653

Little Traverse Bay Harbor Springs 18 Public ltbaygolf.com 231-526-6200

Mackinaw Club Carp Lake 18 Public mackinawclub.com 231-537-4955

Maple Ridge Brutus 36 Public mapleridgegc.com 231-529-6574

Petoskey Bay View Petoskey 18 Private pbvcc.com 231-347-2148

True North Harbor Springs 18 Private truenorthgolf.com 231-526-3300

Wequetonsing Harbor Springs 18 Private N/A 231-526-5351

Wilderness Carp Lake 9 Public golfwilderness.com 231-537-4973

GRAND TRAVERSE

Bay Meadows

Traverse City 18 Public baymeadowstc.com 231-946-7927

Crown Golf Course

Traverse City 18 Public golfthecrown.com 231-946-2975

Elmbrook Traverse City 18 Public elmbrookgolf.com 231-946-9180

Grand Traverse Resort Acme 54 Public grandtraverseresort.com 800-236-1577

Interlochen Interlochen 18 Public interlockengolf.com 231-275-7311

Mitchell Creek Traverse City 9 Public N/A 231-941-5200

Traverse City CC Traverse City 18 Private tcgcc.com 231-947-9140

IOSCO

Lakewood Shores Resort Oscoda 54 Public lakewoodshores.com 800-882-2493

Red Hawk Oscoda 18 Public redhawkgolf.net 877-733-4295

Tawas Creek East Tawas 18 Public golftawascreek.com 989-362-6788

Wicker Hills Hale 18 Public wickerhillsgolf.com 989-728-9971

KALKASKA

Grand View Kalaska 18 Public grandviewgolf.net 231-258-3244

Timber Wolf Kalaska 18 Public timberwolfgolfclub.net 231-258-5685

Twin Birch Kalaska 18 Public twinbirchgolf.com 231-258-9691

LEELANAU

Dunes Empire 18 Public dunesgolf.com 231-326-5390

Mountain Flowers Glen Arbor 9 Public thehomesteadresort.com 231-334-5000

Manitou Passage Cedar 18 Public manitoupassagegolfclub.com 888-656-7572

Sleeping Bear Cedar 18 Public N/A 231-228-1870

Sugar Loaf the Old Course

Cedar 18 Public sugarloaftheoldcourse.com 231-228-2040

Bahle Farms Golf Course Suttons Bay 18 Public traversecitygolf.com 231-271-2020

MANISTEE

Arcadia Bluffs

Arcadia 36 Public arcadiabluffs.com 800-494-8666

Bear Lake County

Highlands Bear Lake 18 Public golfbearlake.com 231-864-3817

Chestnut Hills Bear Lake 18 Public chestnutgolf.com 231-864-2458

Fawncrest Wellston 9 Public fawncrestgolf.com 231-848-4174

Fox Hills Manistee 9 Public N/A 231-723-3809

Manistee Country Club

Manistee 18 Public manisteegolfandcc.com 231-723-2509

MISSAUKEE

Stoney Creek

Lake City 18 Public stoneycreekgolf.biz 231-839-7777

Missaukee Golf Club

Lake City 18 Public missaukeegolfclub.com 231-825-2756

MONTMORENCY

Elk Ridge

Atlanta 18 Public elkridgegolf.com 989-785-2275

Thunder Bay Resort Hillman 18 Public thunderbaygolf.com 800-729-9375

OGEMAW

Apple Valley

West Branch 18 Public applevalleygolf.com 989-345-2971

The Dream/ The Nightmare

West Branch 36 Public westbranchgolf.com 989-345-6300

Edgewood Greens Prescott 9 Public N/A 989-873-5427

Greenbriar Lupton 18 Public greenbriargolf.net 989-473-4900

West Branch CC West Branch 18 Public westbranchcc.com 989-345-2501

OSCODA

Cedar Valley Comins 18 Public N/A 989-848-2792

Fairview Hills Mio 9 Public N/A 989-848-5810

Garland Resort Lewiston 72 Public garlandusa.com 877-442-7526

Sidewinder Mio 18 Public sidewindergolf.com 989-826-8020

OTSEGO

Black Bear Resort Vanderbilt 18 Public golfblackbear.net 866-983-4441

Black Forest/Wilderness Valley Gaylord 36 Public blackforestgolf.com 231-585-7090

Gaylord CC Gaylord 18 Public gaylordcountryclub.com 231-546-3376

Otsego Club

Gaylord 36 Public otsegoclub.com 800-752-5510

The Loon/The Lakes Gaylord 36 Public loongolfresort.com 877-732-4455

The Ridge Gaylord 18 Public loongolfresort.com 800-743-7529

Michaywe Gaylord 36 Public michaywe.com 888-746-3742

Natural at Beaver Creek Gaylord 18 Public golfthenatural.com 989-732-1785

Treetops Resort Gaylord 81 Public treetops.com 800-444-6711

PRESQUE ISLE

Rogers City CC Rogers City 18 Public rogerscity.com 989-734-4909

Stoney Links Onaway 18 Public stoneylinksgolfcourse.com 989-733-2683

COURTESY HAWKSHEAD

ROSCOMMON

Birch Point St. Helen 9 Public N/A 989-389-7009

Burning Oak Roscommon 18 Public N/A 989-821-9821

Fox GC Roscommon 18 Public N/A 989-422-2497

Pine View Highlands Houghton Lake 18 Public pineviewhighlands.com 989-366-9806

Quest Golf Club Houghton Lake 18 Public questgolfcourse.com 989-422-4516

White Deer CC Prudenville 18 Public golfwhitedeer.com 989-366-5812

Ye Olde CC

Roscommon 9 Public yeoldcountryclub.com 989-275-5582

WEXFORD

Briar at Mesick Mesick 18 Public thebriaratmesick.com 231-885-1220

Bunker Hill Cadillac 9 Public N/A 231-775-3330

Caberfae Peaks Cadillac 9 Public caberfaepeaks.com 231-862-3000

Cadillac CC Cadillac 18 Public golfcadillac.com/countryclub 231-775-9442

Eldorado Cadillac 18 Public golfeldorado.com 231-779-9977

Emerald Vale Manton 18 Public emeraldvale.com 231-824-3631

Evergreen Resort Cadillac 27 Public evergreenresortmi.com 866-291-8136

Lakewood on the Green Cadillac 18 Public N/A 231-468-3344

Beech Hollow Freeland 18 Public beechhollowgolf.com 989-695-5427

Green Hills Golf Club Pinconning 18 Public N/A 989-697-3011

Maple Leaf Linwood 27 Public golfmapleleaf.com 989-697-3531

Sandy Ridge Midland 18 Public golfsandyridge.com 989-631-6010

Twin Oaks Freeland 27 Public twinoaksgolffreeland.com 989-695-9746

White Birch Hills Bay City 18 Public N/A 989-662-6523

GENESEE

Atlas Valley CC Grand Blanc 18 Private atlasvalleycountryclub.com 810-636-7977

Beachwood Greens Mt. Morris 9 Public N/A 810-686-4200

Briar Ridge Montrose 18 Public braiarridgegolf.com 810-639-4653

Brookwood CC Burton 18 Public imarecreation.com 810-742-4930

Captain’s Club Grand Blanc 18 Public captainsclubatwoodfield.com 810-695-4653

Clio CC Clio 18 Private cliocountryclub.com 810-686-0211

Copper Ridge Davison 18 Public golfcopperridge.com 810-658-7775

Coyote Preserve Fenton 18 Public coyotepreserve.com 810-714-3206

Davison CC Davison 18 Private davisoncc.com 810-658-5211

Fenton Farms Fenton 18 Public fentonfarms.com 810-629-1212

Flint Elks CC Grand Blanc 18 Public N/A 810-743-0730

ARENAC

Huron Breeze

Au Gres 18 Public huronbreeze.com 989-876-6868

Pine River Standish 18 Public pinerivergolfclub.com 989-846-6819

Singing Bridge

Tawas City 18 Public N/A 989-362-0022

BAY

Bay City CC

Bay City 18 Semi-Private baycitycountryclub.com 989-684-6313

Bay County GC Essexville 18 Public baycounty-mi.gov/golfcourse 989-892-2161

Bay Valley Resort Bay City 18 Public bayvalley.com 989-686-3500

Flint GC Flint 18 Private flintgolfclub.com 810-743-6100

Flushing Valley Flushing 18 Public flushingvalleygolfclub.com 810-487-0792

Genesee Valley Meadows Swartz Creek 18 Public N/A 810-732-1401

Goodrich CC Goodrich 18 Semi-Private goodrichcountryclub.com 810-636-2493

Jewel Grand Blanc 36 Public jewelgolf.com 810-694-5960

Kearsley Lake Flint 18 Public flintcitygolf.com 810-736-0930 Loch Lomond Flint 9 Public N/A 810-695-7900

Mott Park Flint 18 Public flintcitygolf.com N/A Pierce Park Flint 18 Public flintcitygolf.com N/A

Seifert Golf Course Grand Blanc 9 Public N/A 810-655-8070

Southmoor Burton 18 Public N/A 810-743-4080

Springmeadows CC Linden 18 Private springmeadowscountryclub.com 810-735-7836

Sugarbush Davison 18 Public sugarbushgolfclub.com 810-653-3326

Swartz Creek Flint 27 Public flintcitygolf.com 810-766-7043

Tyrone Hills Fenton 18 Public tyronehillsgolf.com 810-629-5011

Vienna Greens Clio 18 Public N/A 810-686-1443

Warwick Hills Grand Blanc 18 Private warwickhills.org 810-694-9215

GLADWIN

Gladwin Heights

Gladwin 18 Public N/A 989-426-9941

Sugar Springs Gladwin 18 Public sugarsprings.net 989-426-4391

HURON

Bird Creek Port Austin 18 Public birdcreekgolf.com 989-738-4653

Caseville GC Caseville 9 Public N/A 989-856-2613

Century Oaks Elkton 9 Public centuryoaksgolf.com 989-375-4419

Harbor Beach CC Harbor Beach 9 Private N/A 989-479-3423

Hidden Harbour Caseville 9 Public N/A 989-856-3991

Pointe Aux Barques

Village Port Austin 9 Private pointeauxbarques.com 989-738-7585

Scenic Golf & CC

Pigeon 18 Public scenicgolfandcountryclub.com 989-453-3350

Ubly Heights Ubly 18 Public ublyheights.com 989-658-2374

Verona Hills Bad Axe 18 Public veronahillsgolf.com 989-269-8132

INGHAM

Branson Bay Mason 18 Public bransonbay.com 517-663-4144

Brookshire Inn Williamston 18 Public brookshiregolfclub.com 517-655-4695

College Fields

Okemos 18 Public collegefields.net 517-332-8100

Chisholm Hills Lansing 18 Public chisholmhills.com 517-694-0169

Country Club of Lansing

Lansing 18 Private cclansing.org 517-484-4567

Eagle View Mason 18 Public eagleviewgolfclub.com 517-676-5366

El Dorado Mason 27 Public eldorado27.com 517-676-2854

Forest Akers East Lansing 36 Public golf.msu.edu 517-3551635

Groesbeck Lansing 18 Public lansingmi.gov/parks 517-483-4333

Indian Hills Okemos 9 Public ihcustomgolf.com 517-349-1010

Ironwood Links Mason 18 Public ironwoodlinks.com 517-676-3116

Lake of the Hills Haslett 9 Public N/A 517-339-9445

Meridian Sun Haslett 18 Public meridiansungc.com 517-339-8281

Oak Lane Webberville 18 Public oaklanegolf.com 517-521-3900

Red Cedar Lansing 9 Public N/A 517-351-3254

Timber Ridge East Lansing 18 Public eagleeyegolfclub.com 517-339-8000

Wheatfield Valley Williamston 18 Public wheatfieldvalley.com 517-655-6999

Willow Creek Stockbridge 9 Public N/A 517-851-7856

JACKSON

Arbor Hills Jackson 18 Public arborhillsgolfclub.com 517-750-1400

Burr Oak Parma 18 Public N/A 517-531-4741

Calderone Farms Grass Lake 18 Public calderonegolfclub.com 517-522-6661

Cascades Jackson 18 Public cascadesgolfcourse.com 517-788-4323

Clark Lake Brooklyn 18 Public clarklakegolfcourse.com 517-592-6259

Concord Hills Concord 18 Public concordhillsgolfcourse.com 517-524-8337

Country Club of Jackson Jackson 27 Private countryclubofjackson.com 517-482-5347

HARBOR SHORES | WEST | BERRIEN COUNTY Benton Harbor | 18 Public | HarborShoresLife.com | 269-927-4653

NILE YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY

Country Town

Springport 9 Public

N/A 517-857-4653

Deer Run Horton 9 Public N/A 517-688-3350

Ella Sharp Park Jackson 18 Public ellasharppark.com 517-788-4066

Gauss Green Valley Jackson 18 Public N/A 517-764-0270

Grande Golf Club Jackson 18 Public grandegolfclub.com 517-768-9494

Greenbriar Brooklyn 18 Public greenbriargolfclub.com 517-592-6952

Hankerd Hills Pleasant Lake 27 Public hankerdhills.com 517-769-2507

Hickory Hills Jackson 36 Public experiencejackson.com 517-750-3636

Hills Brooklyn 18 Public hillsgolfcourse.com 517-592-2110

Lakeland Hills Jackson 18 Public lakelandhillsgolf.com 517-764-5292

Pine Hollow Jackson 18 Public N/A 517-764-4200

Sparrow Hawk Jackson 18 Public N/A 517-787-1366

Waterloo Grass Lake 18 Public waterloogolfcourse.com 517-522-8527

Whiffletree Hill

Concord 18 Public whiffletreehill.com 517-524-6655

LAPEER

Arcadia Hills

Attica 9 Public arcadiahills.com 810-724-6967

Castle Creek Lum 18 Public castlecreekgolfclub.com810-724-0851

Greenbriar Mayville 18 Public N/A 989-843-6575

Hadley Acres

Metamora 18 Public N/A 810-797-4820

Lapeer CC Lapeer 18 Public lapeercountryclub.com 810-664-2442

Metamora Golf and CC Metamora 18 Semi-Private metamoragolf.com 248-969-2120

Rolling Hills

Lapeer 18 Public N/A 810-664-2281

Washakie Golf/RV Resort North Branch 18 Public washakiegolfrv.com 810-688-3235

LENAWEE

Centerview Adrian 18 Public N/A 517-263-8081

Demor Hills Morenci 18 Public demorhills.com 517-458-6679

Devil’s Lake Manitou Beach 18 Public devilslakegolfcourse.com 517-547-3653

Evergreen Hudson 9 Public N/A 517-448-8017

Hantz GC

Tecumseh 18 Private hantzgolfclubs.com 517-423-3930

Irish Hills Onsted 9 Public N/A 517-467-2997

Lenawee CC Adrian 18 Private lenaweecountryclub.com517-265-2142

Macon GC Clinton 9 Public N/A 517-423-4259

Raisin Valley

Tecumseh 18 Public raisinvalleygolfclub.com 517-423-2050

Wolf Creek Adrian 18 Public N/A 517-265-3944

Woodlawn Adrian 18 Public N/A 517-263-3288

LIVINGSTON

Chemung Hills Howell 18 Public chemunghills.com 517-546-7706

Dunham Hills Hartland 18 Public dunhamhills.com 248-887-9170

Faulkwood Shores Howell 18 Public faulkwoodshoresgolf.com 517-546-4180

Hartland Glen Hartland 36 Public hartlandglen.com 248-887-3777

Hawk Meadows Howell 36 Public hawkmeadows.com 517-546-4635

Hunter’s Ridge Howell 18 Public golfhuntersridge.com 517-545-4653

Huntmore Club Brighton 18 Public huntmoregolfclub.com 810-225-4498

Huron Meadows Metropark Brighton 18 Public metroparksgolf.com 810-231-4084

Ironwood Howell 18 Public golfironwood.com 517-546-3211

Kensington Metropark Brighton 18 Public metroparks.com 810-227-8916

Lakelands Golf Brighton 18 Private lakelandsgolf.com 810-231-3000

Jackal Brighton 18 Public jackalgolfclub.com 810-229-9581

Majestic Hartland 18 Public majesticgolfclub.com 810-632-5235

Oak Pointe CC Brighton 36 Private clubcorp.com 810-522-4709

Rush Lake Hills Pinckney 18 Public rushlakehills.com 734-878-9790

Timber Trace Pinckney 18 Public timbertracegolfclub.com734-878-1800

Whispering Pines Pinckney 18 Public whisperingpinesgc.com 734-878-0009

MACOMB

Bello Woods Macomb 27 Public N/A 586-949-1200

Bruce Hills Romeo 18 Public golfbrucehills.com 586-752-7244

Burning Tree Macomb 18 Private burningtreegolf.com 586-493-9500

Cedar Glen New Baltimore 18 Public cedarglengolfclub.com 586-725-8156

Cherry Creek Shelby Township 18 Public cherrycreekgolf.com 586-254-7700

Cracklewood Macomb 18 Public cracklewood.com 586-781-0808

Fernhill Clinton Township 18 Public fernhillcc.com 586-286-4700

Glacier Club Washington 18 Public glacierclub.com 586-781-2288

Gowanie GC Mt. Clemens 18 Private gowaniegc.com 586-468-1431

Greystone Washington 18 Public golfgreystone.com 586-752-7030

Heather Hills Romeo 18 Public heatherhills.net 586-798-9033

Hickory Hollow Macomb 18 Public hickoryhollowgc.com 586-949-9033

Maple Lane Sterling Heights 54 Public maplelanegolf.com 586-754-3020

Michigan Meadows Casco 18 Public golfmichiganmeadows.net 586-727-7029

Oak Ridge New Haven 36 Public oakridgegolf.com 586-749-5151

Orchards Washington 18 Public orchards.com 586-786-7200

Pine Valley Ray 27 Public pinevalleygolfcc.com 586-752-9633

Plum Brook Sterling Heights 18 Public plumbrookgolfclub.com 586-264-9411

Rammier

Sterling Heights 18 Public rammiergolf.com 586-264-4101

Richmond Forest Lenox 18 Public richmondforestgolf.com 586-727-4742

Romeo Golf Club Washington 36 Public romeogolfsouth.com 586-752-9673

Scalawags Chesterfield 18 Private scalawagsgolfclub.com 586-949-6080

St. Clair Shores CC St. Clair Shores 18 Public scsgolf.com 586-294-2000

Stony Creek Metro Park Shelby Township 18 Public metroparks.com 586-781-4242

Sunnybrook

Sterling Heights 27 Public sunnybrookgolfandbowl.com 586-977-9759

Sycamore Hills

Macomb 27 Public sycamorehills.com 586-598-9500

Tee J’s

Macomb 9 Public N/A 810-598-5010

Timberwood Ray 18 Public timberwoodgc.com 586-784-6000

Warfield Greens Fraser 9 Public N/A 586-293-9887

Wolcott Mill Metro Park Ray 18 Public metroparks.com 586-749-3415

MIDLAND

Currie Golf Midland 36 Public curriegolf.com 989-839-9600

Midland CC Midland 18 Private midlandcc.com 989-832-8866

MONROE

Bedford Hills Temperance 27 Public bedfordhillsgolf.com 734-854-4653

Carleton Glen Carleton 18 Public N/A 734-654-6201

Carrington Monroe 18 Public carringtongolf.net 734-241-0707

Cherrywood Ottawa Lake 9 Public cherrywoodgolfclub.com 734-856-6669

Deme Acres Petersburg 18 Public demeacres.com 734-279-1151

Dundee GC Dundee 18 Semi-Private N/A 734-529-2321

Fire Creek Temperance 9 Semi-Private N/A 734-847-1234

Giant Oak Temperance 27 Public giantoakgolfclub.com 734-847-6733

Green Meadows Monroe 18 Public greenmeadowsgolf.com 734-242-5566

Legacy Ottawa Lake 18 Public playlegacy.com 734-854-1101

Lilac Newport 18 Public lilacgolf.com 734-556-7555

Links at Lake Erie Monroe 18 Public linksatlakeerie.com 734-384-1177

BLACK LAKE | NORTH | CHEBOYGAN COUNTY Onaway | 18 Public | blacklakegolf.com | 989-733-4653

NILE YOUNG

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN RESORT | NORTH | BENZIE COUNTY

Thompsonville | 36 Public | crystalmountain.com | 231-378-2000

BRIAN WALTERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Maple Grove Lambertville 18 Public N/A 734-854-6777

Monroe Golf & CC Monroe 18 Private mgcc.net 734-241-5190

Old Town Monroe 9 Public oldtowngolfcourse.com 734-242-4476

Raisin River Monroe 36 Public raisinrivergolf.com 734-289-3700

Sand Wedge Ottawa Lake 18 Public N/A 734-854-4909

Sandy Creek Monroe 18 Public sandycreekgolf.com 734-242-7200

Thorne Hills Carleton 18 Public thornehills.com 734-857-2332

Wesburn Rockwood 18 Public wesburngolf.com 734-379-3555

Whiteford Valley Ottawa Lake 45 Public whitefordgolf.com 734-856-4545

OAKLAND

Bald Mountain Lake Orion 27 Public baldmountaingolf.com 248-373-1110

Bay Pointe

West Bloomfield 18 Public oakmanagement.com 248-360-0603

Beacon Hill Commerce Township 18 Public beaconhillgolf.com 248-684-2200

Beech Woods Southfield 9 Public cityofsouthfield.com 248-796-5000

Birmingham CC Birmingham 18 Private bhamcc.com 248-644-4111

Blackheath Rochester 18 Public blackheathgolfclub.com 248-601-8000

Bloomfield Hills CC Bloomfield Hills 18 Private bloomfieldhillscc.org 248-644-6262

Boulder Pointe Oxford 27 Public boulderpointe.net 248-969-1500

Bramblewood Holly 18 Public bramblewoodgolf.com 248-634-3481

Brentwood White Lake 18 Public brentwoodgc.com 248-684-2662

Brookwood Rochester Hills 9 Private mybrookwood.com 248-651-4820

Cattails

S. Lyon 18 Public cattailsgolfclub.com 248-486-8777

Copper Creek Farmington Hills 9 Public coppercreekgolf.net 248-489-1777

Copper Hills Oxford 27 Public copperhills.com 248-969-9808 Coyote New Hudson 18 Public coyotegolfclub.com 248-486-1228

Devil’s Ridge Oxford 18 Public devilsridgegolfclub.com 248-969-0100

Edgewood CC

Commerce Township 18 Private edgewoodcountryclub.org 248-363-7112

Evergreen Hills Southfield 9 Public cityofsouthfield.com 248-796-5000

Farmington Hills Farmington Hills 18 Public fhgolf.com 248-476-5910

Fieldstone Auburn Hills 18 Public fieldstonegolfclub.com 248-370-9354

Forest Lake CC Bloomfield Hills 18 Private flcc.us 248-332-8300

Fountains

Clarkston 18 Public golfthefountains.com 248-625-3731

Franklin Hills CC Franklin 18 Private franklinhills.com 248-851-2200

Glen Oaks Farmington Hills 18 Public destinationoakland.com 248-851-8356

Glenlore Commerce Township 18 Public glenlore.com 248-363-7997

Great Oaks CC Rochester 18 Private greatoakscc.com 248-651-5200

Hampton Rochester Hills 9 Public golfthehampton.com 248-852-3250

Heather Highlands Holly 18 Public heatherhighlands.com 248-634-6800

Heathers Club Bloomfield Hills 9 Private heathersclub.com 248-334-9770

Hickory Hill Wixom 9 Public N/A 248-624-4733

Highland Hills Highland 18 Public highlandhillsgolfclub.com 248-887-4481

Independence Green Farmington Hills 18 Public N/A 248-477-7092

Indian Springs White Lake 18 Public metroparks.com 248-625-7870

Indianwood CC Lake Orion 36 Private iwgcc.com 248-693-9100

Knollwood CC W. Bloomfield 18 Private knollwoodcountryclub.net 248-855-0825

Lincoln Hills Birmingham 9 Public ci.birmingham.mi.us 248-530-1670

Links of Novi Novi 27 Public linksofnovi.com 248-380-9595

Lyon Oaks Wixom 18 Public destinationoakland.com 248-437-1488

Maples Club Novi 9 Public N/A 248-669-6557

Moose Ridge

South Lyon 18 Public mooseridgegolf.com 248-446-9030

Mulberry Hills Oxford 18 Public mulberryhills.com 248-628-2808

Mystic Creek Milford 27 Public mysticcreekgc.com 248-684-3333

The Myth Oakland 27 Public golfthemyth.com 248-693-7170

Normandy Oaks Royal Oak 9 Public ci.royal-oak.mi.us 248-554-0019

Oakhurst Clarkston 18 Private oakhurstgolf.com 248-391-3300

Oakland Hills Bloomfield Hills 36 Private oakland-hills.com 248-644-2500

Oakland University Rochester 36 Private oakland.edu 248-364-6300

Orchard Lake CC Orchard Lake 18 Private orchardlakecountryclub.com 248-682-2500

Oxford Hills Oxford 18 Public oxfordhillsgolf.com 248-628-2518

Paint Creek Lake Orion 18 Private paintcreekgolf.com 248-693-4695

Pine Knob Clarkston 18 Public pineknobmansion.com 248-625-4430

Pine Lake CC Orchard Lake 18 Private pinelakecc.com 248-682-1300

Pine Trace Rochester 18 Public pinetrace.com 248-852-7100

Plum Hollow CC Southfield 18 Private plumbhollowcc.com 248-353-3553

Pontiac CC Waterford 18 Public pontiaccountryclub.com248-682-6333

Pontiac Municipal Pontiac 18 Public pontiac.mi.us 248-858-8990

Prestwick Village Highland 18 Private pvgcc.com 248-887-1762

Rackham Golf Club Huntington Woods 18 Public rackhamgolfcourse.com248-543-4040

Red Oaks

Madison Heights 9 Public destinationoakland.com 248-541-5030

Red Run

Royal Oak 18 Private redrungolfclub.com 248-548-7500

Riverbank South Lyon 18 Public riverbankgolfclub.net 248-486-6251

Rochester Hills Rochester 18 Public N/A 248-852-4800

Royal Oak Royal Oak 9 Public ci.royal-oak.mi.us 248-554-0027

Sanctuary Lake Troy 18 Public golftroy.com 248-619-7600

Shenandoah West Bloomfield 18 Public shenandoahcc.net 248-682-4300

Shepherd’s Hollow Clarkston 18 Public shepherdshollow.com 248-922-0300

Silver Lake Waterford 9 Public silverlakegc.com 248-673-1611

Somerset Park Troy 9 Semi-Private somersetparkapartments.com 248-643-8737

Springdale Birmingham 9 Public ci.birmingham.mi.us 248-530-1669

Springfield Oaks Davisburg 18 Public destinationoakland.com 248-625-2540

Stonycroft Bloomfield Hills 18 Private stonycroft.com 248-647-1294

Stony Creek Washington 18 Public metroparks.com 586-781-9166

Sylvan Glen Troy 18 Public golftroy.com 248-619-7600

Tam O’Shanter CC W. Bloomfield 18 Private tamoshantercc.com 248-855-1900

Tanglewood S. Lyon 27 Public tanglewoodlion.com 248-486-3355

Twin Beach CC W. Bloomfield 9 Private twinbeachcc.com 248-363-3335

Twin Lakes Oakland Township 27 Public mytwinlakesgc.com 248-650-4960

Union Lake Commerce Township 9 Public unionlakegolfcourse.com 248-363-4666

Wabeek CC Bloomfield Hills 18 Private wabeekcc.org 248-855-0700

Walnut Creek CC S. Lyon 27 Private walnutcreekcc.net 248-437-7337

Westbrooke Novi 18 Public N/A 248-349-2723

Westwynde Oakland Township 18 Public westwyndegolf.com 248-608-7820

White Lake Oaks White Lake 18 Public destinationoakland.com 513-892-3469

Wyndgate CC Rochester Hills 18 Private thewyndgate.com 248-652-4283

SAGINAW

Apple Mountain Freeland 18 Public applemountain.com 989-781-6789

Bayou GC Freeland 9 Public bayougolfclub.net 989-781-8181

Bridgeport GC Bridgeport 9 Public bridgeportgolfgrille.com 989-777-1750

Beech Hollow Freeland 18 Public beechhollowgolf.com 989-695-5427

County Line Reese 9 Public countylinegolfcourse.com 989-868-4991

Crooked Creek Saginaw 18 Public thecreekandvalley.com 989-781-0050

Fortress Frankenmuth 18 Public zehnders.com 989-652-9229

Green Acres Bridgeport 18 Public greenacresgc.net 989-777-3510

Kimberly Oaks St. Charles 18 Public kimberlyoaksgolf.com 989-865-8261

Maple Hill Hemlock 18 Public maplehillgolfclub.com 989-642-8204

Pleasant View Saginaw 9 Public N/A 989-791-4768

Saginaw CC Saginaw 18 Private saginawcountryclub.com 989-793-2860

Sawmill Saginaw 18 Public thesawmill.com 989-793-2692

Swan Valley Saginaw 18 Public thecreekandthevalley.com 989-781-4653

Twin Bridges Merrill 18 Public N/A 989-643-7475

Twin Brooks Chesaning 18 Public twinbrooksgolfcourse.com 989-845-6403

Twin Oaks Freeland 27 Public twinaksgolfclubfreeland.com 989-695-9746

Valley View Farms Saginaw 18 Public valleyviewfarmgolf.com 989-781-1248

SANILAC

E M S Links

Sandusky 9 Public N/A 810-648-2256

Huron Shores

Port Sanilac 18 Public huronshoresgolfclub.com 810-622-9961

Lakeview Hills Lexington 36 Public lakeviewhills.com 810-359-8901

Marlette GC Marlette 9 Public marlettegolf.com 989-635-3009

Willow Tree Melvin 9 Public N/A 810-387-4001

Woodland Hills Sandusky 18 Public woodlandhillsontheweb.com 810-648-2400

SHIAWASSEE

Corunna Hills Corunna 9 Public N/A 989-743-4693

Dutch Hollow Durand 18 Public N/A 517-288-3960

Glenbriar Perry 18 Public glenbriar.com 517-625-3800

Owosso CC Owosso 18 Private owossowcountryclub.com 989-723-1470

Pine Hills Laingsburg 18 Public pinehillsmi.com 517-651-7781

Willow Brook Byron 18 Public hawkmeadows.com 810-266-4660

ST. CLAIR

Belle River Memphis 18 Public bellerivergolfcourse.com810-392-2121

Black River Port Huron 18 Public blackrivergolfclub.com 810-982-9595

Deer View Imlay 9 Public deerviewgolf.com 810-395-7495

Fore Lakes Kimball 18 Public forelakes.com 810-982-3673

Golden Hawk Casco Township 18 Public N/A 586-727-4681

Holly Meadows Capac 18 Public hollymeadows.com 810-395-4653

Leaning Tree Wales 18 Public leaningtreegolf.com 810-367-3528

Marysville CC Marysville 18 Public cityofmarysvillemi.com 810-364-4653

Michigan Meadows Casco 18 Public N/A 586-727-7029

Middle Channel Harsens Island 18 Public N/A 810-748-9922

Pine Shores St. Clair 9 Public pineshoresgolf.com 810-329-4294

Port Huron Elks

Port Huron 18 Public porthuronelkslodge.com810-984-1204

Port Huron GC

Fort Gratiot 18 Private phgc.net 810-385-4447

Rattle Run St. Clair 18 Public rattlerun.com 810-329-2070

St. Clair River CC St. Clair 18 Private scrcc.net 810-329-7300

White Oaks Goodells 9 Public whiteoaksgolfcourse.com 810-325-9292

Willow Ridge Ft. Gratiot 9 Public N/A 810-982-7010

TUSCOLA

Caro GC Caro 9 Public N/A 989-673-7797

Rolling Hills Cass City 9 Public rollinghillsgolfcc.com 989-872-3569

Sherwood Gagetown 9 Public N/A 989-665-9971

Timbers Vassar 18 Public timbersgolfclub.com 989-871-4884 Vassar Golf & CC Vassar 18 Public N/A 989-823-7221

Willow Spring Vassar 18 Public golfthewillow.com 989-871-9703

WASHTENAW

Ann Arbor CC Ann Arbor 18 Public annarborcc.com 734-426-4693

Barton Hills CC Ann Arbor 18 Private bhcconline.com 734-663-8511 Brookside Saline 18 Public brooksidesaline.com 734-429-4276

Downing Farms Northville 18 Public downingfarmsgolf.com 734-486-0990

Eagle Crest Ypsilanti 18 Public eaglecrestresort.com 734-487-2441

Fox Hills Plymouth 63 Public foxhills.com 734-453-7272

Ypsilanti Ypsilanti 18 Public ytown.org 734-485-0881

Hickory Creek Superior Township 18 Public hickorycreekgolf.com 734-454-1850

Hudson Mills Metropark Dexter 18 Public metroparksgolf.com 734-426-0466

Huron Hills Ann Arbor 18 Public a2golf.org 734-794-6246

Inverness CC Chelsea 9 Private inverness-mi.com 734-475-8746

Lake Forest Ann Arbor 18 Public lakeforestgc.com 734-994-8580

Leslie Park Ann Arbor 18 Public a2golf.org 734-994-1163

Links at Whitmore Whitmore Lake 18 Public linksatwhitmorelake.com 734-449-4653

Pierce Lake Chelsea 18 Public piercelakegolf.com 734-475-5858

Pine View Ypsilanti 27 Public pineviewgc.com 734-481-0500

Polo Fields Ann Arbor & Ypsilanti 36 Private polofieldsccmi.com 734-998-1555

Radrick Farms

Ann Arbor 18 Private radrick.umich.edu 734-998-7040

Reddeman Farms Chelsea 18 Public reddemanfarms.com 734-475-3020

Rolling Meadows

Whitmore Lake 18 Public golfrmcc.com 734-662-5144

Rustic Glen Saline 18 Public rusticglen.com 734-429-7679

Salem Hills Northville 18 Public salemhillsgolfclub.com 248-437-2152

Stonebridge Ann Arbor 18 Public stonebridgegolfclub.net 734-429-8383

Travis Pointe Ann Arbor 18 Private travispointe.com 734-662-2582

University of Michigan GC Ann Arbor 18 Semi-Private mgoblue.com/umgc 734-662-2582

WAYNE

Brae Burn

Plymouth 18 Public braeburngc.com 734-453-1900

Brushwood Northville 9 Public brushwoodgc.com 734-420-3200

Chandler Park Detroit 18 Public chandlerparkgolfcourse.com 313-331-7755

Country Club of Detroit

Grosse Pointe Farms 18 Private ccofd.com 313-881-2090

Dearborn CC Dearborn 18 Private dearborncountryclub.net313-561-0800

Dearborn Hills Dearborn 18 Public dearbornhills.com 313-563-4653

Detroit GC Detroit 36 Private detroitgolfclub.org 313-345-4400

Fellows Creek Canton 27 Public fellowscreekgolf.com 734-728-1300

Fox Creek Livionia 18 Public golflivonia.com 734-471-3400

Gateway Romulus 18 Public gatewaygolfclub.org 734-721-4100

Glenhurst Redford 18 Public redfordtwp.com 313-592-8758 Grosse Ile CC Gross Ile 18 Private gigcc.com 734-676-1166

Harbour Club Belleville 9 Public golfharbourclub.com 734-699-8844

Hawthorne Valley Westland 9 Public N/A 734-422-1970

Hilltop Plymouth 18 Public hilltopgc.com 734-453-9800

Idyl Wyld

Livionia 18 Public golflivonia.com 734-464-6325

Inkster Valley Inkster 18 Public inkstervalleygolf.com 734-722-8020

Inn at St. Johns Plymouth 27 Public innatstjohns.com 734-414-0600

Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown 18 Public metroparks.com 734-379-0048

Lakes of Taylor Taylor 18 Public lakesoftaylorgolf.com 734-287-2100

Lochmoor Club Grosse Pointe Woods 18 Private lochmoreclub.com 313-886-1010

Lower Huron Metro Park Belleville 18 Public metroparks.com 734-697-9181

Meadowbrook CC Northville 18 Private meadowbrookcountryclub.com 248-349-3600

New Rogell Detroit 18 Public golfnewrogell.com 313-255-4653 Northville Hills Northville 18 Public northvillehillsgolfclub.com 734-667-4653

Palmer Par k Detroit 18 Public palmerparkgolfcourse.com 313-883-2525

Pheasant Run Canton 27 Public golfphgc.com 734-397-6460

Pine Creek Belleville 18 Public N/A 734-483-5010

Riverview Highlands Riverview 27 Public riverviewhighlands.com 734-479-2266

BOYNE HIGHLANDS RESORT | NORTH | CHARLEVOIX/EMMET Harbor Springs | 72 Public | boyne.com | 800-GO-BOYNE COURTESY BOYNE

Rouge Park

Detroit 18 Public rougeparkgolfcourse.com 313-837-5900

Shady Hollow Romulus 18 Public N/A 734-721-0430

Southgate Southgate 18 Public southgatemi.org 734-258-3004

Taylor Meadows

Taylor 18 Public taylormeadowsgolf.com 734-287-2100

TPC Michigan Dearborn 18 Private tpcmichigan.com 313-436-3000

Warren Valley Dearborn Heights 36 Public warrenvalleygolf.com 313-561-1040

Waters Edge Grosse Ile 9 Semi-Private grosseile.com 734-675-0777

Western CC Redford 18 Private westerngcc.com 313-531-1240

Westland GC Westland 18 Public cityofwestland.com 734-721-6660

West Shore CC Grosse Ile 18 Private golfwestshore.com 734-676-1944

Whispering Willows Livionia 18 Public golflivonia.com 248-476-4493

Willow Metro Park New Boston 18 Public metroparks.com 734-753-4040

Woodlands of Van Buren Wayne 18 Public thewoodlandsgc.com 734-729-4477

Woodside Meadows Romulus 18 Public N/A 734-782-5136

Wyandotte Shores Wyandotte 9 Public wyandotte.net 734-224-7270

Nahma GC

Nahma 9 Public N/A 906-644-2648

Terrace Bluff Gladstone 18 Public terracebay.com 906-428-2343

Tri-Valley Garden Garden 9 Public N/A 906-644-2693

DICKINSON

Eagle Mountain

Iron Mountain 18 Public N/A 906-744-0003

Oak Crest Norway 18 Public oakcrestgolf.com 906-563-5891

Pine Grove Iron Mountain 18 Public pinegrovecc.org 906-744-3493

TimberStone Iron Mountain 18 Public pinemountainresort.com906-776-0111

GOGEBIC

Gogebic CC

Ironwood 18 Public N/A 906-932-2515

Lacvieux Resort Watersmeet 18 Public lvdcasino.com 906-358-0303

HOUGHTON

Calumet GC

ALGER

Pictured Rocks Munising 18 Public picturedrocksgolfcourse.com 906-387-2146

BARAGA

L’Anse GC L’Anse 9 Public N/A 906-524-6600

CHIPPEWA

Munoscong GC

Pickford 18 Public munosconggolfclub.com 906-647-9812

Oaks at Kincheloe Kinross 18 Public kinross.net 906-495-5706

Rock at Woodmoor Drummond Island 18 Public drummondisland.com 906-493-1006

Sault St. Marie Sault St. Marie 18 Public saultgolfing.com 906-632-7812

Tanglewood Marsh Sault St. Marie 18 Public tanglewoodmarsh.com 906-635-0617

Wild Bluff at Bay Mills Resort

Brimley 18 Public wildbluff.com 906-248-3617

DELTA

Country Meadows

Escanaba 9 Public N/A 906-786-1565

Escanaba CC Escanaba 18 Public escanabacc.com 906-786-4430

Gladstone Gladstone 18 Public gladstonegolf.com 906-428-9646

Highland Bark River 18 Public highlandgolfclub.net 906-466-7457

Calumet 9 Public N/A 906-337-3911

Portage Lake GC Houghton 18 Public mtu.edu/golf 906-487-2641

Wyandotte Hills Toivola 9 Public wyandottehills.com 906-288-3720

IRON

Crystal View

Crystal Falls 9 Public crystalfalls.org/golfing 906-875-6647

George Young Recreation

Iron River 18 Public georgeyoung.com 906-265-3401

Iron River CC Iron River 9 Public ironrivercountryclub.com 906-265-3161

LUCE

Newberry CC Newberry 18 Public N/A 906-293-8422

Grand Hotel Mackinac Island 18 Public grandhotel.com 906-847-3331

Hessel Ridge Hessel 18 Public hesselridge.com 906-484-2107

Hiawatha Club Engadine 18 Private hiawathaclub.com 906-477-6592

Les Cheneaux Cedarville 9 Public lecheneaux.org 906-484-3606

Wawashkamo Mackinac Island 9 Public wawashkamo.com 906-847-3871

MARQUETTE

Gentz Homestead Marquette 9 Public N/A 906-249-1002

Northern Michigan University Golf Club

Marquette 18 Public NMU.edu/golfcourse 906-227-3111

Marquette Golf & CC/

Greywalls

Marquette 36 Public marquettegolf.org 906-225-0721

Red Fox Run Gwinn 18 Public redfoxrun.com 906-346-7010

Wawonowin CC Champion 18 Public wawonowin.com 906-485-1435

MENOMINEE

Indian Hills Stephenson 9 Public indianhillsgolf.net 906-753-4781

North Shore Menominee 18 Public northshoregolf.net 906-863-8421

Riverside Menominee 18 Public riverside-up.com 906-863-4837

Sweetgrass Harris 36 Public islandresortandcasino.com 800-682-6040

ONTONAGON

Big Spruce Blue Crossing 9 Public N/A 906-827-3727

SCHOOLCRAFT

Indian Lake Manistique 18 Public indianlakegolfcourse.com 906-341-5600

Discover Lansing

The city of Lansing, Michigan holds something for everyone. When in Lan sing, one doesn’t have to choose between playing 18 holes of golf with friends or stroll ing down the streets of downtown and visiting breweries, boutiques, and restaurants—their trip can encompass a wide range of activities, as the local area boasts an abundance of unique at tractions within close proximity to one another.

In Lansing, one can plan a vacation with sight-seeing, activities, and new experiences that every person in their travel party will enjoy. Visitors to the city can catch a Lansing Lugnuts’

baseball game at Jackson Field baseball stadium or cheer on the Spartans at a Michigan State University game. The State Capitol building, and museums such as the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum and Michigan History Museum await those hoping to indulge themselves in the his tory of the area. Although it does not have the largest footprint, Lansing offers endeavors that fuel just about all interests, granting a similar feel to traveling in a big city, accommodating parties both big and small.

“Lansing is a surprise; nobody expects Lan sing,” said Lori Lanspeary, CTA, manager of

social media and leisure marketing at Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“I think people think of Lansing as the home of politics, and living here, I never think of that. There is so much to see and do in the region that people are always surprised when they get back here and they are like, ‘oh my gosh, I didn’t re alize there is all this stuff to do.’ That makes me happy,” Lanspeary added.

With more than 20 wineries, breweries, and distilleries, the Makers & Shakers trail invites newcomers of the city to take a tasting tour of the area’s libations, carrying a stamp card that

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF LANSING CVB; PHOTOGRAPHY (LOWER RIGHT): COURTESY HAWK HOLLOW GOLF CLUB

can be marked with each stop and turned in for a free commemorative gift once they’ve visited at least 12 of the locations.

Just outside of Lansing’s downtown core, East Lansing is home to Michigan State Uni versity, as well as bars and accommodations that can be entertaining for alumni of the

school, according to Lanspeary. A new hotel to the area, Graduate East Lansing, overlooks Spartan Stadium and is charged with campus spirit throughout, making it a popular over night booking for fans of the university.

Eastwood Towne Center, an entertainment complex featuring shopping and dining oppor

tunities, is nearby to many of Lansing’s more popular golf courses, providing golfers and the rest of their travel group an ideal place to explore the shops or connect over drinks and food after playing a round.

“Greater Lansing’s golfing options come with an up-north Michigan feel to them, but they are super affordable. You have got cham pionship holes with municipal course pricing. The golf is great, but the area’s add-ons are even better,” Lanspeary said.

Eagle Eye Golf & Banquet Center’s collec tion of premier golf properties are some of the most well-known courses Lansing has to offer, including: Eagle Eye Golf Club, a rolling links style championship course; Hawk Hollow, which offers 27 holes to play over a 500-acre track; Woodside, a 12-hole course located less than three miles from Eagle Eye and Hawk Hollow; Little Hawk Putting Course, an 18hole natural grass putting course; The Falcon, a nine hole course; and Timber Ridge.

Some of the other popular courses in the area are Forest Akers Golf Courses, where Michigan State University golf teams host their home games, as well as Groesbeck Golf Course, which runs at a more affordable price point. Lansing’s expansive collection of local golf courses grants the opportunity to play a wide variety of routing during one’s vacation in the city, and after golfing, guests of Lansing can explore the other nearby attractions.

LIKE A LOCAL

Lush fairways, immaculate greens and challenging approach shots make Greater Lansing a truly memorable Midwestern golf destination. Book your getaway today! Love Lansing like a local and we promise, you’ll love Lansing as much as we do!

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF LANSING CVB

Located in the heart of Leelanau County, Bahle Farms is a public 18-hole championship golf course that truly embodies the natural beauty of Northern Michigan. Surrounded by a working cherry orchard, the rolling hills and drastic elevation changes makes for a fun but challenging course. e short drive from Traverse City makes it your next bucket list golf course.

THE OUTLOOK

Golf is a sport of millimeters in an indus try of considerable metered weight. It is an economic engine at the national level that is an $84.1 billion industry support ing more than two million jobs and providing $58.7 billion in annual wage income in the Unit ed States, with an average $3.94 billion raised across 143,000 charity golf events on an annual basis, according to WE ARE GOLF, a coalition of leading organizations dedicated to promoting and advocating for the game of golf. In Mich igan alone, golf is a $4.2 billion industry com prising nearly 57,000 jobs and 865 golf courses with $1.4 billion in total wages.

Its impact, of course, extends beyond eco nomic dollars to serve as a powerful vehicle for

shared social connection, cross-collaboration, environmental stewardship, and recreational outlets. The thoughtful design and construction of golf courses can lead to enriched biodiversity and landscapes that are beneficial for both peo ple and wildlife; and intentional management of those protected green spaces supported by innovative and highly efficient irrigation tech nology and practices can enhance air, water, and soil quality, providing a sustainable asset for people, communities, and businesses.

In recent years, some of the golf industry’s more intangible or unseen value emerged as so cial interaction, recreational opportunities, and indoor venues felt the tightening of restrictions in response to the global pandemic, prioritiz ing health of communities across the country. First-time players, long-time enthusiasts, and

elite athletes picked up a club and looked to the greens and fairways for a chance to connect once more to both sport and each other. While the annual volume of golf rounds was down nearly 16 percent around 2018 compared to the bench mark volume in 2000, the 2020 season saw a sig nificant increase in rounds volume for the U.S., according to the National Golf Foundation and Golf Datatech. It is a trend that continued for 2021, where a new record volume surpassed the original 2000 benchmark to finish roughly two percent ahead of 2000 numbers.

Emily Rohdy, PGA Head Professional at Bucks Run Golf Club in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, noted since a lot of golf courses experienced a similar boom or a comeback of golf in 2020, ev eryone was pretty hopeful 2021 could be a really good year. Though initial rate increases for 2020

Text: R.J. Weick

HARBOR

were put on hold due to COVID, Rohdy said they went ahead with the increase in 2021 and received no push back.

“I would say we actually discounted less rounds, because people were just amped up and ready to get outside and play. We were selling more golf at full rate and getting bigger groups and getting more people traveling, which was awesome,” Rohdy said.

“I was able to stock up the shop with plenty of merchandise ahead of time. I know a lot of peo ple ran into supply chain issues, but I do most of my buying at the end of the season—sometime between September and October—so I had every thing locked in and our shop sales went through the roof; rounds went through the roof. It was just a phenomenal year. We couldn’t have predicted that it was going to be that successful,” Rohdy added.

Rohdy also noted the course usually sees somewhere between 18,000-to-18,500 rounds per year, which increased about 15 percent to more than 21,000 rounds for 2021, which was measured at 18-hole plays and figured in con verted 9-hole rounds into full 18-hole starts. While Bucks Run doesn’t have onsite lodging, the public, resort-style golf destination partners with a number of local courses and hotels in the area and saw their stay-and-play package busi ness grow by about 20 percent last year.

“I’ve been here for three years and it was my first year getting to fully buy everything for the shop. In 2020, we had to cancel a bunch of stuff, because we didn’t know how we were going to be shut down and the shop sales grew exponen tially,” Rohdy said. “We increased our margins by about four percent in sales and—this puts it

into perspective as well that people were just re ally looking forward to travel and buying—we increased our shop sales by almost 38 percent last year here at Bucks Run.”

Joshua Doxtator, PGA Professional, gener al manager at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan, also said golf surged due to COVID with a number of people either working from home or getting back to the game, because it was one of the activities an individual could do outside.

“I think for us in 2021, it was doing what ever we could to make sure we maintained that additional traffic that we saw in 2020. We had rounds up again in 2021 over 2020 as well as across every department,” Doxtator said.

“Ultimately, it was having the opportunity to do more functions, getting back to charity golf,

BUCKS RUN GOLF CLUB

and things like that. I want to say in 2020 almost every charity golf event that we typically would host was canceled and in 2021 we saw those re turn, the return to food- and beverage-specific to special events, whether that is rehearsal din ners or golf outing dinners and things like that,” Doxtator added.

At the national level for 2021, overall golf participation increased to 37.5 million people aged six-years-old and older, with the growth split rather evenly across golfers who partici pated in off-course, on-course, and both offcourse and on-course play. Off-course only, which ranges from golf entertainment venues like Topgolf and other simulators to standalone driving ranges, reached about 12.4 million in participation; while on-course only reached about 12.6 million in participation. There were also an additional 12.5 million individuals who participated in both on-course and off-course play, according to the National Golf Founda tion, or NGF. The latter of which also noted the demographics for each type of play varied, such as the average age for off-course only was about 30-years-old, while on-course only players were roughly 45-years-old, with both on- and offcourse players averaged about 42-years-old.

Women and people of color were also more likely to play off-course only at 42 percent and 40 percent, respectively, compared to on-course only at 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. NGF also noted on-course participants in 2021 showed “a continuing trend towards diversifi cation—spurred in some respect by the height

ened interest and engagement being generated by off-course forms of golf.” In 2021, women comprised 25 percent of golfers and people of color comprised 21 percent, which are both up from the past five years. Young golfers, while stable in 2021, have also increased by nearly 25 percent in the past three years to reach about three million players. The number of begin ners who played golf on a golf course for the first time also rose in 2021 to reach 3.2 million, reflecting a 20 percent increase in the past five years, according to NGF.

“It is really exciting where the golf indus try is at right now. There is a lot of potential for growth and we’ve been trying, I know the PGA of America has been trying to grow the game, increase the game through women’s play, junior play, all-around golf in general, and now they have the opportunity where the interest is there, so it is going to be very interesting from this point on to see where golf goes, not only here at the local level in Mt. Pleasant and Michigan, but also across the entire United States and PGA of America,” Rohdy said. “I think now is the time that we could really grow the game the way we haven’t in the last couple decades.”

For Harbor Shores, which will once again host the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship after a four-year hiatus, there is an excitement and energy throughout the community—espe cially since the focus at the golf club has been to highlight the course and the southwestern re gion as a destination for the last few years.

“You have the entire world’s eyes watching

you and your property and having that platform to be able to showcase southwest Michigan and everything we have to offer from the resort to the beach to the breweries and wineries; it’s hav ing the opportunity to take advantage of that and getting more people to come visit whether they like golf or not,” Doxtator said.

Doxtator also said while golf was on a lull for quite a while and COVID, as horrific as it has been, created an opportunity for those in golf to draw a lot of people back into the game, it is now up to every facility and every PGA Professional to be able to retain and cultivate that, creating additional programming opportunities for peo ple to go out and play golf.

“I know that we have had a lot of campaigns over the last decade, whether it was 12-holes of golf or Tee It Forward. Through this pandemic, we have seen so many people want to get back into it, because I think they’re cherishing more the opportunity to be able to get outside to take a walk, to breathe fresh air, and focusing more on some of the health benefits as opposed to it just being a game,” Doxtator said. “We’ve seen a surge, especially in junior golf at Harbor Shores with our PGA Junior League, and ultimately it is up to us to be able to retain what we’ve been able to see and not let it just slide back to where it was.”

Rohdy noted golf is often unpredictable, like with the boom in the 90s and the subsequent industry recession, and now that the industry seems to be reaching another high, there is a lot of uncertainty in the industry, especially in a weather-dependent region.

HAWKSHEAD LINKS

“It is a risk-reward. If you don’t take those steps right now going into this next year to re ally push your courses, pricing, and rates; if you don’t push it now and if you don’t stock up on product now, you are going to miss out on po tential sales,” Rohdy said.

“With the potential of great reward in this next year, I think there is also a risk of maybe potentially losing those rounds and that reve nue. In Michigan, golf is very much seasonal, so it depends on whether our weather is good. Last year, we had one of the longest seasons we have ever had—we opened up March 19 and we didn’t close down until about November 12 and I know a lot of courses even played some rounds in December. The state of Michigan is very much weather dependent and it is just try ing to play your odds and we just don’t know what the spring or the fall will hold for us. It’s about trying to be aggressive where you can and push the envelope,” Rohdy added.

Weather can play a hugely influential role in the health of the golf industry in the state of Michigan and for course superintendents, the health of turfgrass alone can prove to be a challenge. Michigan, which has become a leader in course environmental stewardship and turf research, is home to a number of organizations dedicated to turfgrass research, integrated pest management strategies, and innovative tech nologies and methods to ensure landscapes are healthy, sustainable, and responsible resources. One such example, in January 2022, Michigan Turfgrass Foundation donated $1 million to the Michigan State University College of Agricul ture and Natural Resources as part of a $5 mil lion campaign to endow the Joe Vargas Chair in Turfgrass Pathology, named for the interna tional expert on turfgrass diseases and member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. The endow ment will ensure MSU’s land-grant tradition of

linking research to regional needs continues, advancing environmental stewardship, eco nomic development, and improved quality of life in the state and across the world, according to the press release.

For Levi Brindley, course superintendent at HawksHead Links in South Haven, Michigan, his philosophy is about trusting the science and the new technology to ensure great quality golf for those who visit the course.

“It’s ever-changing. That is what I rely on. I rely on talking with my reps who come in, the seminars, and keeping up with what the progres sion is with the science. That’s how I go forward with everything: what is the science telling me, what is the new science that is out, what is the new technology that is going to help me provide a better golf course out there?” Brindley said.

Brindley also noted some of the highlights of the 2021 season was having a good-sized crew to carry out projects and the day-to-day manage ment of the course, having a good turnout and amount of golf, and the quality of golf that they were able to provide for the golfers.

“We were busy every day and we were still able to provide a great quality for them. The challenges for sure, just like every year, has been trying to get more crew members in the door just because it is a seasonal position,” Brindley said. “I also think water is going to be a big chal lenge the more it stays hot out—not overwa tering too much, but not trying to underwater where we are losing turf.”

As for opportunities, Brindley noted it is about taking another step forward in the progres sion of the golf course itself and finding new ways through science and technology to provide a saf er, healthier way that allows the team to do more things on the golf course while not interfering with play too much. While gas and fertilizer pric es are currently on the rise—and potentially will impact the course in the future—Brindley noted he had an early order in for chemicals last year before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but with a golf cart fleet that relies on gas, even though tanks were filled before everything went up, there will be a time when decisions will have to be made based on cost-reward.

“You know, it wasn’t particularly golf, it was the outdoors,” Brindley said in reference to what drew him to the industry. “I’ve always been an outdoor person growing up as a kid and for me, it was more about the results. You could do something and you could see a result right away or you could see a result that was three months down the road. I got into golf and I enjoy and love playing golf, but for me it was more of being outside all the time and seeing your results all the time.”

PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP): NILE YOUNG; PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF HAWKSHEAD LINKS

HARBOR SHORES RESORT

HAWKSHEAD LINKS

Arrivals

The moment the rubber touches the tarmac and the plane begins to slow, there is an inevitable pull causing passengers to sit at the edge of their seat. A slight anticipation often fills the cabin, and for those headed to the green it may be piqued by a curiosity of stepping onto a new course or excitement of returning to a cherished fairway.

ALPENA COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (APN)

Alpena

Lakewood Shores . . . . . . . . . . 45 min.

Black Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 min.

Forest Dunes 1 hr. 40 min.

BOYNE MOUNTAIN AIRPORT (BFA)

Boyne Falls

Boyne Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 min.

Bay Harbor 15 min.

Boyne Highlands . . . . . . . . . . 35 min.

CAPITAL REGION

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LAN)

Lansing Eagle Eye 15 min.

CHARLEVOIX MUNICIPAL

AIRPORT (CVX)

Charlevoix

Bay Harbor 30 min.

Boyne Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . 55 min.

Boyne Highlands . . . . . . . . . . 50 min.

CHERRY CAPITAL AIRPORT (TVC)

Traverse City

Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 10 min.

LochenHeath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 min.

Turtle Creek Casino . . . . . . . . 15 min.

Balhe Farms 30 min.

Crystal Mountain . . . . . . . . . . 45 min.

Shanty Creek Resort 46 min.

Boyne Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . 60 min.

Bay Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . 1hr. 15 min.

Forest Dunes 1hr. 20 min.

Garland Lodge and Golf Resort . . . . . . . . 1hr. 30 min.

Boyne Highlands . . . . . . 1hr. 30 min.

Regardless of the destination, there are a number of options for out-of-state travelers to choose from as they book their flight to the Great Lakes State. Take a look at some of the airports providing convenient access to incredible golf in Michigan.

DELTA COUNTY AIRPORT (ESC)

Escanaba

Island Resort & Casino 15 min.

GAYLORD REGIONAL AIRPORT (GLR)

Gaylord

Garland Lodge and Golf Resort 40 min.

Black Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . 1hr. 10 min.

GERALD R FORD

INTERNATIONAL

Grand Rapids

AIRPORT (GRR)

Thornapple Pointe 10 min.

The Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 min.

Pilgrims Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 min.

Links at Bowen Lake 44 min.

Macatawa Golf Club . . . . . . . 45 min.

Lynx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 min.

Ravines 50 min.

American Dunes Golf Club . . . . 1 hr.

Hawkshead 1 hr.

Tullymore Golf Resort . .1 hr. 15 min.

Harbor Shores. . . . . . . . . 1hr. 30 min.

Bucks Run 1hr. 50 min.

HARBOR SPRINGS AIRPORT (MGN)

Harbor Springs

Boyne Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . 5 min.

Bay Harbor 15 min.

Boyne Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . 35 min.

KALAMAZOO/BATTLE CREEK

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (AZO)

Kalamazoo

Lynx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 min.

Ravines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 min.

Hawkshead 60 min.

Harbor Shores. . . . . . . . . 1hr. 15 min.

MANISTEE COUNTY

BLACKER AIRPORT (MBL)

Manistee

Crystal Mountain . . . . . . . . . . 31 min.

MT. PLEASANT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (MOP)

Mt. Pleasant Bucks Run 3 min.

MBS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MBS)

Saginaw

Apple Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . 10 min.

Bucks Run 36 min. Lakewood Shores . . . . . . 1hr 45 min.

PELLSTON REGIONAL AIRPORT (PLN)

Pellston

Boyne Highlands . . . . . . . . . . 20 min. Bay Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 min. Boyne Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . 55 min. Black Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 min.

WEXFORD COUNTY AIRPORT (CAD)

Cadillac

Crystal Mountain . . . . . . . . . . 39 min. Forest Dunes . . . . . . . . . .1 hr. 20 min.

BOYNE

SHANTY

1/4 slice orange rind/pith

1 Luxardo brand cherry

Splash of soda

Splash of simple syrup

2 dashes of bitters

— muddle in a cup

— add 2 oz. of George T. Stagg

— strain over large ice ball

— garnish w/torched orange peel

WOODFORD RESERVE KENTUCKY MULE

Copper mug packed with ice

1.5 oz. Woodford Reserve Pinch of lime

Top with Gosling ginger beer

Garnish with a torched lime slice

RUSSELL RESERVE 10 YEAR

MANHATTAN

1.5 oz. pour

Capfull of sweet vermouth

2 dashes of bitters

2 Luxardo brand cherries, wash juice off spoon

Pour over large ice

SAZERAC

1.5 oz. (generous) Sazerac Rye

2 dashes bitters

1 dash simple syrup

1/4 oz. Absente

— in shaker stir w/ice then pour over a large cube

— garnish w/lemon twist

GEORGE T. STAGG OLD FASHIONED

Photography by H3 Designs