Jones Masterpiece at Treetops Resort

This course was in beautiful condition. I will definitely be back. Pace of play was really slow but is beautiful views to wait with. First time I played a course where the clubhouse wasn’t on the turn so make sure you have everything you need for 5 hours.

Put a foursome together and enjoy a special course. Designed by a legend of our game

Played all 5, this was a notch above the others.

Many people believe that Treetops Golf Resort in Gaylord put Northern Michigan on the map as a great golf destination. Although there are several golf resorts in the area with multiple courses, Treetops emerges each year as one of the most recognizable golf resorts in the state. With 81 holes of spectacular golf at two locations (Treetops North is about a 7-minute drive), 226 guest rooms and suites, a spa, a salon, and more than 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, it’s easy to see why Treetops Resort is a popular venue for golf getaways, weddings, and business conferences.

If golf’s not your game there are plenty of other activities including mountain biking, fly fishing, tennis, disc golf, and horseback riding. When the white stuff starts to fall, Treetops transforms into one of Northern Michigan’s top ski resorts, with 23 expertly groomed ski runs, and 14 kilometers of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails.

Over the years Treetops has received its share of accolades from the golf world. Golf Magazine awarded them its Silver Medal Award as one of the finest resorts in the United States, 7-times. In 2002, Treetops was ranked #32 on Golf Digest’s list of “America's Top 75 Golf Resorts”, and in June 2000, Conde Nast Traveler recognized them as a “Top 50 International Resorts.” Pinehurst and Pebble Beach were the only two golf resorts ranked higher that year. Year in and year out Treetops is awarded at least 4 stars by Golf Digest’s Places to Play. And with courses designed by three of the industry’s top golf architects – Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones Sr., and Rick Smith – you’re sure to be challenged.

For my money, there are two other qualities necessary for a golf resort to earn consideration (besides exciting golf): good dining and comfortable accommodations. On either point, Treetops does not disappoint. Treetops offers three restaurants on the main property that are all located within steps of each other: Legends on the Hill, Hunter's Grille, and the Sports Bar. The food is outstanding and, in many respects, unique. Hunter’s Grille offers an ever-evolving menu of eclectic cuisine and spectacular views from the top of the ski hills. Legends on the Hill has a pasta dish that features a giant elk meatball and handmade herb pappardelle pasta covered in a rich tomato sauce and served with shaved Parmesan, and garlic toast. There’s also fresh Michigan rainbow trout and a Sous Vide Pork Chop that is incredibly delicious.

At the Sports Bar, you can indulge in your favorite made-to-order pizza or enjoy a hot and spicy Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. The Southfork Ranch Steak Sandwich is delicious too; 8oz of prime rib, sauteed onions, fresh spinach, and garlic aioli, served on fresh rosemary Herb Bread.

The Jones Tavern at Treetops North is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. It’s primarily a grab-and-go menu with items like a Signature Burrito, Smith Breakfast Sandwich, the Fazio Grilled Ham and Cheese, and the Traditions Southwest Wrap.

Bar 81 is located on the main floor of the lodge just past the reception area. There are several TVs, making it a perfect spot to relax with your friends, recap the day, and watch your favorite sports teams. They even offer a light menu, something to snack on between sips of your favorite adult beverage.

As far as the rooms in the lodge go, the rooms are some of the largest I’ve stayed in. Each room is equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker as well as a large flat-screen TV, and bathrooms with huge walk-in showers. In the lodge, you’ll find an indoor pool, hot tubs, and a fitness center as well as the Treetops Spa.

The newest addition to the Treetops lodging collection is the Jones Cottages, located on the 4th hole of the Masterpiece. Each cottage sleeps eight people comfortably, making them perfect for small groups and outings. All are outfitted with modern amenities and the two-floor layout provides added space and unbeatable views.

And now on to the main event: Golf at Treetops! The Jones Masterpiece Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is the only course on the main property. Many feel that The Masterpiece is the one course that put Gaylord on the map as a golf destination. Recently, Golf Digest named Masterpiece to its Top 10 list of Favorite Fall Foliage Courses in the US. Masterpiece has a slope rating of 147, making it one of the state’s toughest courses, but if you play the tees that best suit your game, you’re sure to have a fun and challenging round. As you make your way around the course, be sure to take in the scenery, especially in the fall. I spoke with several women at the course who all said that it’s the fall scenery that brings them back every year.

Controlling the ball off the tee is everything, and don’t try and bite off more than you can chew. You can score well here, especially on the par 5s which play anywhere from 435 to 500 yards, so getting there isn’t the problem. The problem is keeping the ball in the fairway. Number 6 is a memorable par three that plays 162 yards from the Blue tees, but up to 4 clubs less because of the 120 ft. drop and the wind. This and one other hole at Treetops North put Northern Michigan golf on the map.

Practice facilities at the Jones Masterpiece Course include a grass driving range, a short game area with a practice bunker, and a putting green. Regardless of how you play, it’s hard to not enjoy your round on the Jones Masterpiece Course.

Treetops Resort is located about 5 miles east of Gaylord and only 10 minutes from I-75. With great golf, fantastic dining, and spacious, comfortable rooms, you won’t go wrong in choosing Treetops as your next golf getaway destination.

Many people believe that Treetops Golf Resort in Gaylord put Northern Michigan on the map as a great golf destination. Although there are several golf resorts in the area with multiple courses, Treetops emerges each year as one of the most recognizable golf resorts in the state. With 81 holes of spectacular golf at two locations (Treetops North is about a 7-minute drive), 226 guest rooms and suites, a spa, a salon, and more than 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, it’s easy to see why Treetops Resort is a popular venue for golf getaways, weddings, and business conferences.

If golf’s not your game there are plenty of other activities including mountain biking, fly fishing, tennis, disc golf, and horseback riding. When the white stuff starts to fall, Treetops transforms into one of Northern Michigan’s top ski resorts, with 23 expertly groomed ski runs, and 14 kilometers of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails.

Over the years Treetops has received its share of accolades from the golf world. Golf Magazine awarded them its Silver Medal Award as one of the finest resorts in the United States, 7-times. In 2002, Treetops was ranked #32 on Golf Digest’s list of “America's Top 75 Golf Resorts”, and in June 2000, Conde Nast Traveler recognized them as a “Top 50 International Resorts.” Pinehurst and Pebble Beach were the only two golf resorts ranked higher that year. Year in and year out Treetops is awarded at least 4 stars by Golf Digest’s Places to Play. And with courses designed by three of the industry’s top golf architects – Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones Sr., and Rick Smith – you’re sure to be challenged.

For my money, there are two other qualities necessary for a golf resort to earn consideration (besides exciting golf): good dining and comfortable accommodations. On either point, Treetops does not disappoint. Treetops offers three restaurants on the main property that are all located within steps of each other: Legends on the Hill, Hunter's Grille, and the Sports Bar. The food is outstanding and, in many respects, unique. Hunter’s Grille offers an ever-evolving menu of eclectic cuisine and spectacular views from the top of the ski hills. Legends on the Hill has a pasta dish that features a giant elk meatball and handmade herb pappardelle pasta covered in a rich tomato sauce and served with shaved Parmesan, and garlic toast. There’s also fresh Michigan rainbow trout and a Sous Vide Pork Chop that is incredibly delicious.

At the Sports Bar, you can indulge in your favorite made-to-order pizza or enjoy a hot and spicy Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. The Southfork Ranch Steak Sandwich is delicious too; 8oz of prime rib, sauteed onions, fresh spinach, and garlic aioli, served on fresh rosemary Herb Bread.

The Jones Tavern at Treetops North is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. It’s primarily a grab-and-go menu with items like a Signature Burrito, Smith Breakfast Sandwich, the Fazio Grilled Ham and Cheese, and the Traditions Southwest Wrap.

Bar 81 is located on the main floor of the lodge just past the reception area. There are several TVs, making it a perfect spot to relax with your friends, recap the day, and watch your favorite sports teams. They even offer a light menu, something to snack on between sips of your favorite adult beverage.

As far as the rooms in the lodge go, the rooms are some of the largest I’ve stayed in. Each room is equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker as well as a large flat-screen TV, and bathrooms with huge walk-in showers. In the lodge, you’ll find an indoor pool, hot tubs, and a fitness center as well as the Treetops Spa.

The newest addition to the Treetops lodging collection is the Jones Cottages, located on the 4th hole of the Masterpiece. Each cottage sleeps eight people comfortably, making them perfect for small groups and outings. All are outfitted with modern amenities and the two-floor layout provides added space and unbeatable views.

And now on to the main event: Golf at Treetops! The Jones Masterpiece Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is the only course on the main property. Many feel that The Masterpiece is the one course that put Gaylord on the map as a golf destination. Recently, Golf Digest named Masterpiece to its Top 10 list of Favorite Fall Foliage Courses in the US. Masterpiece has a slope rating of 147, making it one of the state’s toughest courses, but if you play the tees that best suit your game, you’re sure to have a fun and challenging round. As you make your way around the course, be sure to take in the scenery, especially in the fall. I spoke with several women at the course who all said that it’s the fall scenery that brings them back every year.

Controlling the ball off the tee is everything, and don’t try and bite off more than you can chew. You can score well here, especially on the par 5s which play anywhere from 435 to 500 yards, so getting there isn’t the problem. The problem is keeping the ball in the fairway. Number 6 is a memorable par three that plays 162 yards from the Blue tees, but up to 4 clubs less because of the 120 ft. drop and the wind. This and one other hole at Treetops North put Northern Michigan golf on the map.

Practice facilities at the Jones Masterpiece Course include a grass driving range, a short game area with a practice bunker, and a putting green. Regardless of how you play, it’s hard to not enjoy your round on the Jones Masterpiece Course.

Treetops Resort is located about 5 miles east of Gaylord and only 10 minutes from I-75. With great golf, fantastic dining, and spacious, comfortable rooms, you won’t go wrong in choosing Treetops as your next golf getaway destination.

Fall golf in Michigan at its best. Second year at Treetops for a buddies golf weekend and this course did not disappoint. Course was in fantastic condition and the staff is top notch!

Im shocked to see the amount of 4 stars this course has. It was in perfect condition when I played it. It is a pretty difficult course, probably the hardest at Treetops, but I still had a great time. When the course is in such good shape its hard to not appreciate that. If you get a chance to play here, do it. I rated the pace of play 4 stars because the expected play time is 4:45, so just be ready for a longer round. They do tell you that on the carts so just know that it is normal to have a longer round.

As part of a stay and play package at Treetops Resort, our group got to play the Jones Masterpiece course a couple of times. What a treat! The course was in great condition and was very challenging, but fair. The only complaint we had was the lack of water or beverage carts due to a combination of Covid and lack of players, so if you play in the summer or 2021, bring your own fluids.

Back to the course though, there are plenty of imaginative holes and greens that will test your skill. The pro shop staff was very friendly and we found a couple of apparel deals during our visit.

We're looking to return in the future.

We're looking forward to a return visit

Played here while vacationing in the Gaylord area. I just can't say enough about this course. It kicked our butts for sure, but the layout is absolutely stunning.

The staff is absolutely topnotch. Our tee-time was delayed due to rain, but everyone was very friendly.

Will certainly come back to play this course again.

Masterpiece has been the center of a lot of negative attention lately due to it's conditioning. I saw pictures from a few weeks ago and was considering changing our tee time to one of the other courses, but we decided to stick with it and hope the conditions improved by the time we played. The conditions were definitely better than the pictures I saw, but still not as good as they should be or as good as the other courses.

So, two years in a row they have had major issues with the greens at the Masterpiece, but not at any of the other courses. This year, they aerated (on the 4th of July) and then the extreme heat killed large parts of them. By the time we played, the greens rolled ok, but didn't look good at all. You could still see evidence of the aeration and some deep lines from a verticut gone wrong. Overall, it's disappointing for what should be such a great course to have greens that aren't great.

Aside from the greens, there were some brown spots in the fairways, but they weren't an issue. Some of the back tee boxes were also brown, but you have a tee anyway.

The views on the Masterpiece are truly impressive and the layout is truly challenging. It is the toughest of the Treetops courses by far and there are some holes that will likely tick you off the first time you play because it's unclear where to hit the ball.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend Premier and Signature (even with the $20 upcharge) over Masterpiece due to the conditioning issues this year.

1st time reviewing anything. I have only ever read reviews directed towards the busy little ma and pa public course I manage, but I felt compelled to take time out of a short weekend getaway to comment on the appalling course conditions at this “Top Golf Destination” and Masterpiece of golf design. Weather conditions over the last couple months in Michigan as always have stressed our golf courses and course superintendents to new highs and lows but as someone who works on a maintenance budget 5 times less than the Masterpiece and charges 3 times more money for a round of golf; I just have to simply say that was the worst I’ve ever seen or played. The views and golf course design are priceless at this venue but Id rather play on our local no name track any day. Also, 75% of the practice range balls we were given to hit were spilt in half from mowers chopping them up or otherwise ones you’d find at the bottom of a swamp. Do better, TreeTops Masterpiece Golf course. Do better.

The course this year is already in great shape. The greens were true, the grass is healthy. And the view around the course is off the charts. The 5th hole par 5 may be the hardest hole in Michigan. Highly recommend to anyone.

For the second year in a row our group played the Tradition, Premier, and Masterpiece (in that order), and for next year I will be recommending that we skip the Masterpiece. The conditioning was quite bad this year, and when combined with some really poorly designed holes, it's just not an enjoyable experience.

My main issue with the course is some really bad holes. It starts with the 3rd hole, where the fairway in the driving zone is domed and ejects all shots. Playing less than driver off of the tee is really the only option, leaving a mid- to long-iron into a sliver of a green. Despite a rainy spring, the greens played very firm, and this green kicked every one of our approach shots to the back section. This green does allow for a run-up shot, though, unlike many of the other holes. However, it's still one of the more difficult approaches, which is forced by the lack of options off of the tee.

The next hole, the par 3 4th, has been altered with a new green, as the original green has been turned into a practice area. The shot into the practice green is beautiful and framed perfectly by the woods. The alternate green, on the other hand, is a 180+ yard forced carry uphill with no fairway or run-up option, and surrounded by condos. The hole is unfinished, exactly as it was a year prior. It's a bad hole, and even more disappointing that nothing has been done to it in a year.

Up next, the par 5 5th is among the worst holes I've ever played. The fairway is domed and ejects drives down the right side into the woods, and down the left side into a deep ravine. The amount of holdable fairway on a drive has to be less than 10 yards wide. There is more room if playing less than driver, however the layup area has the same features as the rest of the fairway, kicking balls into the woods right and a ravine left. Because there are so few options for landing a ball safely on the hole, the pace of play bottlenecks here.

That 3-hole stretch is by far the worst, but even some of the better holes have problems. After the confusing blind uphill second shot on the par 5 10th, the 11th is a nice looking hole with an interesting drive around a left-hand bunker. Drives down the right side near the woods provides the best angle into a lot of the pins on the left side of the green. The firmness and ridge in the middle of the green make it near impossible to hold an approach, though, even with a wedge, negating any advantage from playing a good drive. The massively uphill green prevents any run-up shots, which would be required here.

The greens were in brutal shape, making it near impossible to hit a true putt. Some of the blue tee boxes were also in rough shape, or laughably sloped and uneven. I don't recall it being in bad shape last year, so this may be a temporary thing and doesn't bother me that much. Combined with the bad design, though, and I was ready for the round to end early.

Like the Premier and the Threetops course, there are some holes here with large downhill drops and great views, including the par 3 6th, and the short par 4 15th. For an extended first-time stay, I would recommend seeing the course and deciding for yourself. One play was enough for me, though, and two plays was too many. I'm hoping we won't come back to this one.

The short story here is something happened to their greens this year and they are terrible. It looks like a chemical mishap, but the greens are a dark brown/almost black color and many of them are very bumpy. An employee told us it was something they did on purpose and it would be fixed in a few days, but nobody in our group was buying that. It kind of ruins the experience of what is an otherwise beautiful course. f you're coming to Treetops in 2019, I'd highly recommend playing on of their other courses. The other three courses are on a different piece of property and don't appear to have the same issue as Masterpiece.

They need to replicate the Bethpage Black warning sign on thef first tee here. Hardest course I've ever played... simultaneously the most fun I've ever had. Only complaint pace of play was impacted by difficulty.5 1/2 round... But the course was so astonishing I simply didn't care.....staff was awesome course was in pristine shape....I highly recommend this beating..

First time playing the Masterpiece, and I will be back for sure. Cart staff was friendly and accommodating. I got to the course early enough to warm up on the range first, and the complimentary range balls were a plus. I played as a single, but was able to play through several groups ahead. Course was in great condition for an early spring round. Greens rolled very true. Bunkers needed some attention, but with a large group of old timers in a league ahead I suspect is was more the groups before not raking than the course. Great layout with scenic views on almost every hole. This track lives up to the hype.

I hadn't played the Jones course since the late 90's. I will not wait that long again. This track was not only the first at Treetops, it was the pretty much the one that put northern MI on the golf map. I've played just about every course in and around Gaylord and this course and the Fazio Premier are still the two finest ones in the area. Unlike some other strong designs in the area (Otsego Club Tribute, Black Forest) this resort continues to maintain the course - conditions on Sunday afternoon of Labor Day weekend were outstanding. It is still very demanding, maybe the toughest course in the area, but the views tend ease the harshness of the layout. I had my best ball striking stretch of the season on the back nine and still posted a score that's higher than normal for me. Pace of play was ok - 4hrs 35 minutes on Labor Day Sunday, and they were booked solid. We paid retail - $80, but I still don't think that's a bad value considering the experience.

Played from the whites and shot in the 120s. Played in afternoon after overnight and morning rains soaked everything in the area. Elevation changes and rolling hills make this a very tough course but the scenery and beauty is amazing. Expected way worse from a state where Detroit is located. The staff and facilities are very good for a public golf resort. Ended up re-playing the front 9 as a scramble (2 vs 2) and added some team competition into it.

Played couple days after a week end tournament of 500 players and its shows. Too bad we had to pay $110 for this. Course underaeration condition made the same day. Many workers on the course. I would think than usually the course would worth the price but not yesterday! For my husband and I, the most chalenging was the putting. Really something to figure out. Misread couple time. Would playit again when dryer when visitinhg nexttime in Michigan. We far more enjoyed the Quarry and Links at Bay harbor.....those two nine are master piece and must play in that state.

The Good: One of the final RTJ Sr. tracks and the course that really jump-started the Northern Michigan golf boom, the Masterpiece has arguably the best collection of Par 3's in the Midwest. Many doglegs that include supreme elevation changes and long, uphill Par 5's are a signature of this bear of a layout. Nice greens that put true and very difficult. Great on-and-off course amenities includes full clubhouse and restaurant nearby in the resort, full practice facility, and halfway house. The best service of any of the Treetops courses. Arguably the most eye-appealing of all the layouts at the resort. Just awesome!

The Bad: Lack of GPS is a glaring omission. Course conditions are good but not great. Sand consistencies are sub-par compared to the other courses. Extremely difficult in the wind - high handicappers beware!

The Verdict: The most fun you can have playing northern Michigan golf. The appropriately named course is one of RTJ's defining tracks and the stamp of the Treetops resort.

Best Hole(s): The downhill Par 3 6th is where everyone brings their camera out, but the best hole is actually the dog leg Par 4 8th. A blind tee shot around the corner to a small peninsula green. Very tough!