The 36-hole Boyne Mountain Resort is the most family-friendly of the three Boyne Resorts properties in northern Michigan. The Avalanche Bay waterpark and beach at Deer Lake are perfect for children and families. There's also an events lawn with a putting course, tennis courts, villas and tiki bar adjacent to the beach. The Grand Mountain Lodge is…
The Inn at Bay Harbor made a splashy debut in 1998, instantly becoming one of Michigan's grandest resorts. The 116-inn, which includes one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, as well as 35 cottages, became a part of Marriott's Autograph Collection Hotels in 2016. Guests get pampered with a full-service spa and salon, two restaurants and a cafe, a…
The Cottages at Dunmaglas reside in two buildings lining the 18th green near the range. These eight spacious three-room condos feature two bedrooms with full baths and individual balconies separated by a kitchen, living room, third full bath and laundry. Separate front entrances to each room offer ease of access and privacy. The 6,897-yard course…
The 72-hole Highlands at Harbor Springs is one of the premier golf resorts in the Midwest. Activities are aplenty during summer: Ziplining, adventure camp, horseback riding, tennis, chairlift rides, Segway tours, hiking and biking. A heated swimming pool and the state's largest outdoor hot tub are gathering spots. The complimentary Cuff Links par…
The Otsego Club, which started out as Michigan's first private ski club, is made up of four different lodges, totaling 68 rooms, and chalets. The Bavarian-themed resort offers 36 holes at The Classic and The Tribute, designed by Rick Robbins and Gary Koch. At the heart of the resort is the award-winning Duck Blind Grille, which overlooks the…
With 81 holes, Treetops Resort in Gaylord is one of the world's largest resorts and one of the Midwest's finest getaways. Treetops offers 226 guest rooms and suites among five separate locations on property. There's also a spa and 25,000 square feet of meeting space. The six different dining options range from buffets to casual dining serving 17…
The Loon Golf Resort has grown to include a second location in Gaylord: The Ridge, formerly the Marsh Ridge Golf Resort. The Loon offers a townhome village with four-bedroom/four-bathroom units with full kitchens just steps from the clubhouse restaurant and the course. The Ridge is more versatile with hotel-style rooms, suites and free-standing…
Hawk's Eye, a very good John Robinson design across the street from Shanty Creek Resorts, was purchased by Shanty Creek in 2021 and brought into the fold, bringing the resort to 90 holes. Its accommodations are a collection of houses and condos surrounding the course and rooms above clubhouse.
The Chief is one of three golf resorts within close proximity of one another in Bellaire - Hawk's Eye Golf Resort and Shanty Creek Resorts the others. It offers several accommodation choices. The golf cottages along the fifth fairway are executive quality with upper and lower units. Each one sleeps eight (four double beds total) with a kitchen and…
The 5,000 acres of Shanty Creek Resorts are spread among three villages - Cedar River, Schuss and Summit, each with at least one golf course, restaurant and accommodations galore. The Summit is arguably home base with the Lakeview Lodge housing the Lakeview Restaurant, the spa and the Legend and Summit golf courses. The resort added the Hawk's Eye…
Pine Cone Vacations is a series of rental homes, condos and chalets spread through the Michaywe community. Guests will have access to the community's outdoor pools and the restaurants Inn The Woods at the golf clubhouse. Michaywe Pines offers a classic layout that's fun to play for all ages and skill levels. It's much flatter than most of…
The A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort (pronounced Ah-Ga-Ming) in tiny Kewadin north of Traverse City has blossomed into one of Michigan's largest and most impressive golf resorts. Its original Torch course overlooks the popular Torch Lake, redesigned by major champion Chick Harbert in 1986. Since then, guest lodging, real estate developments and three courses…
The town of Petoskey is one of the best destinations in Northern Michigan for both golfers and tourists alike. It's a historic town that sits on the shores of Little Traverse Bay and anchors the nearby towns of Charlevoix and Harbor Springs. It's world-famous for the "Petoskey Stone," a highly coveted type of rock found off its shores. Golfers have all sorts of hidden gems to explore as well. Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs features four 18-hole courses, while closer to Charlevoix, the newer Bay Harbor Golf Club and Inn at Bay Harbor combine for one of the MIdwest's most luxurious and spectacular stay-and-plays. There are many other lesser-known courses like historic Belvedere Golf Club (boyhood playground of Tom Watson), Dunmaglas and Little Traverse Bay. As far as summer destinations go that combine beaches, lakes and great golf, it's tough to beat the Petoskey area.
Gaylord is situated at the center of the northern Lower Peninsula, putting the city in the heart of northern Michigan and its scenic beauty. The area's shimmering lakes and flowing rivers were sculpted by glaciers millions of years ago and are now surrounded by beautiful, mature forests and lush valleys.
If you're seeking a base for a northern Michigan golf excursion, Petoskey is a superb choice. Courses dot the engaging terrain, and there's lots to do for non-golfers as well.
Turning a quarry into a golf course is no small feat for architects. From Chambers Bay to Granite Links, here are some of the most successful efforts in public golf.
Boyne Resorts is one of Michigan's premier stay-and-play destinations. If you're a buddy trip captain, you're invited on an exclusive scouting trip for your group!
Crooked Tree, one of Boyne Resort's many northern Michigan golf courses, has reopened after a winter under the knife at the hands of architect Arthur Hills.
There are golf courses that, no matter the weather, no matter your mood, you look forward to playing. Bay Harbor Golf Club in Michigan's Boyne Resorts is one of those courses, Mike Bailey writes. It's been billed as the "Pebble Beach of the Midwest," but the comparison really isn't necessary.
The national spotlight of the Golf Channel's Big Break X series paid off for the host Boyne Highlands in northern Michigan, as the resort is enjoying record play from out-of-state golfers. But Boyne Highlands encompasses less than half of Boyne's golf holes and one third of its resort properties. To ensure you're doing the Boyne that's right for you, here's a selection of golf itineraries to suit any golfer or golf group ...
Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands and Bay Harbor anchor the golf scene in northern Michigan. They continue to set the standard for one of the Midwest's best golf destinations.
Recent improvements and restorations to Belvedere Golf Club, an historic course in Charlevoix, northern Michigan, have made this Willie Watson classic better than ever.
At True North Golf Club, Jim Engh used the wealth of acreage at his disposal to lay his imaginative shaping, getting the best aesthetic value out of it. He also strategically incorporated trees along certain points of the course, and took advantage of Harbor Springs natural terrain to create challenging uphill shots. While green fees may be considered steep by some, a private course like this opening to public play is good news for north Michigan golfers.
Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan spent most of its existence as a private club, but it opened to the public for limited play about a decade ago. The club, which has held 39 Michigan Amateur and boasts a hole that is among golf legend Gene Sarazen's all-time favorites, isn't long by today's standards -- but it isn't a pushover, either.
The Threetops Course at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Mich. is once again primed to host a national event. Treetops has launched a new two-person team event called the National Par 3 Team Championship. Qualifying runs until Sept. 11.
Golf in Michigan is arguably the best in the nation. If you're making your way to the Gaylord Golf Mecca for the first time, here are six (and a half) must-plays to get you acclimated.
With 17 courses in the Gaylord Golf Mecca, getting a good deal is never a concern. There are price points in all ranges. In fact, a three-day golf trip spending $200 or less on green fees can be done even in high season.
Other than missing a handful of big-timers, northern Michigan features a list of golf course designers as good as any destination in the country. All the usual suspects who dominate top 100 lists are well represented. But what are the best of the best? Jason Scott Deegan offers up northern Michigan's 10 best "designer" golf courses.
For sheer convenience and depth of quality courses, no summer vacation destination beats the Gaylord Golf Mecca in northern Michigan, a golf hub unlike any other in the Midwest. Native son Jason Scott Deegan offers his list of the 10 best golf courses in Gaylord. Drum roll, please ...
Summer golf is grand in Michigan, but fall might be the best time to tee it up. The courses are more affordable with fall rates kicking in. You can play some top 100-type courses for half the price you'd pay in summer. The courses are less crowded, too.
The signs of recession still linger in this tiny outpost in northern Michigan. So how does Bellaire state such a strong case as one of the area's best golf destinations? The recipe starts with Shanty Creek Resorts.
There might not be a more diverse 27-hole course in the world than Bay Harbor Golf Club. The Links nine dances upon the cliffs along Lake Michigan and Little Traverse Bay. The Preserve ambles through the backwoods northern Michigan is known for, with a few wetlands and a lake view for added effect. Bay Harbor's Quarry nine, cut from an old rock quarry, boldly rolls out a demanding test of target golf.
It's hard to beat a golf trip to northern Michigan. With a variety of courses, mild temperatures and northern Michigan in full bloom, northern Michigan's golf courses are at their best in the summer. Mike Bailey recently played in the area, hitting Boyne Highlands, Bay Harbor Golf Club, Crooked Tree, Belvedere Golf Club, the Kingsley Club and finally, Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City.
True North is one of the newest courses to come to northern Michigan's rich golf scene. It originally opened in 2004 as a private club, but has recently opened its doors into a more semi-private model. The terrain is quintessential northern Michigan, with hills and thick forests.
The Tribute Course at the Otsego Club in Gaylord, Mich. runs up and down and around the Sturgeon River Valley, with plenty of panoramic views off the tees and natural forest framing the holes. With four to six tee boxes on every hole, the Tribute plays to all levels, but is a stiff test from the tips. Nearly every tee is elevated, and some offer views of more than 30 miles.
Cedar River is the newest -- and many would say best -- of the four golf courses at Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire, Mich. Opened in 1999, this dreamy Tom Weiskopf design roams through a magical northern Michigan hardwood forest, where deep bunkering, streams, ponds and elevation drops and climbs challenge players of all abilities.
The hillside of flowers spelling out "The Legend" and the gorgeous downhill opening tee shot on a risk-reward par 5 provide a fantastic first impression on The Legend at Shanty Creek Resorts. Once golfers survive the tricky second hole, The Legend unveils golf as good as northern Michigan gets.
The Black Forest Course at Wilderness Valley in Gaylord is set on 400 acres of native Michigan evergreen and hardwood forests and cuts through the land naturally. The Tom Doak design gets golfers on the greens and in the bunkering (there are more than 100 bunkers here, and no two look alike). The greens have that classic look, like they were crafted by hand. The bunkers, meanwhile, are true hazards, so they are to be avoided at almost any cost.
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