Stoatin Brae at Gull Lake View Golf Club and Resort

Different than we normally see....the heather is thick but the fairways are forgiving. The local rule is basically “drive and drop” if you hit in the heather...keeps play moving...our group only hit three balls into it so, it didn’t come into play much. Fairways and greens are very firm which actually turned out to be a fun thing. The greens are big, hard, fast and confusing. But really fun to putt on I would go back here in a heartbeat. Lots of fun holes. Our rate on “golf now” was $54. Normal rate is about $80....we never waited on on group but we teed off at 11. I think the resort guests probably tee off earlier in the day and then early afternoon so they can get 36 in...one thing I’ve never seen in my life. They put yellow “proof of purchase” stickers on their beer to make sure you don’t bring your own! Hahaha. Must have been a problem in the past. And a (or 6) $5 coors light helps pay the bills! Very fun though. 215 yard par 3 followed by a 340 yard par four...

We had the first tee time and it was great. My only complaint is that the snack shop wasn’t open at the turn. It’s available at 3 different points in the round and was not staffed during any of those times we passed it. Thankfully though, the bathroom portion WAS open, which was appreciated.

Overall, awesome course and a tough challenge.

Course was actually pretty playable!! Only complaints were the ground was so hard taking a big divot could break a wrist!! Second they need to better mark the holes because the course is so close together!!The course is definitely not worth the 79 dollar green fee!!

I had heard Stoatin Brae was getting Top 100 hype, so we drove over from the Western Michigan coast. I don't think it was worth the hour drive unfortunately. For a new course, the layout was very simple, save the first few holes on the back nine. More importantly, it feels like most of the holes are on top of each other; you can see most of the course from any one point, and are at risk of incoming errant shots from other holes. For a new property receiving such hype, I'd have expected a more seclusive layout.

This course is very nice. The atmosphere is relaxing, and it is all about the golf experience. Greens are in excellent shape.

Absolutely great links style course on a wonderful hilltop setting.Great views,perfect conditioning,fast and firm greens,a unique and fun experience

Awesome course layout in great condition. I wish I lived nearby so I could play it again.

Great conditions on the course. Food was lacking, but that was more sue to the pandemic than the facility.

Incredible course on an amazing piece of property. I read some reviews about the course not playing as firm as it should and got a little worried, but it seems like they heard the reviews and the course was playing as fast and firm as possible. It was wonderfully baked out and made for a super fun round of golf with all the slopes, especially around the greens.

My only two very minor improvements would be: 1) pin sheets. There are a couple blind shots, and since it was my first time i got fooled by a couple pins. Would be nice to have a pin sheet especially with the awesome greens. 2) maybe it has to do with the grass, but the turf right around the greens didnt seem to be playing as fast as the rest of the course. It almost seemed sticky like bermuda or something. My only complaint with this is that it made some of the slopes off the green tougher to use, but certainly not a big deal.

Overall, amazing course and can't wait to get back

Went on Saturday to learn the course for upcoming tournament. I ended up being a single. 8:30 am. Thick fog for the first three holes, lost 3 balls as I had no idea where it went. Couldn't see anything. I asked a couple in front if I could join them as I needed some local knowledge due to low visibility. Friendly people! Once the fog lifted..absolutely beautiful! I stopped several times during my round just to take in the beauty. Golf is more than just about the score. Now.. about the playing. If you miss the fairway, odds of finding your ball are about 50/50 and odds of saving par probably 20/80. The greens were very slow that day. But its early in the season and with the State shutdown thing going on, I understand. If the greens were shaved and rolled, the undulating greens would probably make it a US Open venue. Not the longest course in the world, but once you're on it you'll be thankful. I played front 9 with a driver and paid the price of barely missing faiways...shot well over. I played back 9 with a 2 iron and shot par. From the fairways, this course is gettable. Perfect fairways and approachable greens will allow you a lifetime low score. Off the fairway and you could be considering a new hobby. Loved this course.

Second time playing the course. Absolutely love the layout. Lot of fun! Only issue for me is is That this is a links style course but the fairways and greens were so long that there was no roll out in fairways and you had to hammer putts. The greens shouldn’t be lightning fast because it would be impossible with all the undulation, but they can’t be so slow you have to hit downhill putts hard still. Medium pace greens would have made it a perfect round.

I brought a group of six friends out that hadn’t played the course. After our 4 1/2 hour round we meet in the restaurant (Blue Stem) to swap stories. My friends told me they loved the course and couldn’t wait to play it again next year. The also thought the Bunker (halfway house) was the best thing they had ever seen on a golf course. Overall it was a great day to play with friends and finish out the 2019 season.

Lovely course in a lovely location. Very tough, but fair. Rough can be punishing, so accuracy over distance is key.

As recent years have taught us, less is more when it comes to golf course design. And Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design associates absolutely nailed their design of Stoatin Brae, which uses the natural terrain, rather than extemporaneous shaping, to create compelling golf.Firm turf, generous corridors and sneaky greens all provide a challenge that delights any golfer.

Greens were very undulating which is probably why they weren’t very quick. Plenty of fairway but they were a little long as well. Bunkers had decent sand. First time here. Maybe expected more for highest dollar green fees in the immediate area.

Stoatin has some incredible architecture for a pretty good value. It's very walkable and the routing makes a lot of sense as you're playing. The stretch from 10-15 is one of the best collections of holes I've ever played. The land on that portion of the property is outstanding. These holes don't take away from the ones rounted on the flatter section of the property. Visual deception, bunkering, tall heather, and demanding greens make those holes a blast to play. Renaissance did a great job with this course. The reason this is not a 5-star course to me is the conditioning. I believe if Stoatin Brae played firm and fast, it would be, without question, one of the best in Michigan. When I played, it was rather soft and the fairways were pretty grown out. I can tell it was designed for more of a ground game approach, but that just doesn't work as well as you need it to. By all means, get to Stoatin as fast as you can. I just think it can be even better.

Disregard some of the early reviews for Stoatin Brae, this course has grown into itself and will continue to get better with each passing year. Played an early morning round a few weeks ago at Stoatin Brae and could not have been more impressed with the quality of this course. From the friendly, welcoming gentleman in the pro shop, to the impeccable course conditioning, to the challenging but fair and fun layout, and the best views in the area - this course is an absolute must play if you’re in the area. The front opens up and gently eases you into the round, allowing you to get a feel for the course and the conditions. Once you make the turn you’ll feel like you’re in a whole new world of dramatic elevation changes and undulation that makes finding a level lie a challenge. Get out and play this course while it’s still under the radar. I’ve played most of the top public courses in the state, and Stoatin Brae is every bit as good and it would not surprise me at all to start seeing it on some of the “best of” lists soon.