The Legend at Shanty Creek

About
The Legend Course is one of four championship golf courses at Shanty Creek in Bellaire, one of northern Michigan's most popular golfing destinations. The Legend might be the most well known of the four since it is the club's Arnold Palmer design. It has been ranked as one of the top four resort courses in the country and the best resort course in the Midwest. It is definitely a challenge but Palmer incorporated generous fairways and true-rolling greens that allow golfers to play to their handicap. The golf course features elevated tee areas and slightly raised, heavily bunkered putting complexes. Water hazards also come into play on five holes. The 12th is one of the most challenging holes and also one of the most scenic. There is water to the left and a treacherous bunker waiting on the right.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 72 | 6764 yards | 73.2 | 137 |
Blue | 72 | 6269 yards | 71.0 | 131 |
White | 72 | 5801 yards | 68.8 | 129 |
White (W) | 72 | 5801 yards | 74.4 | 132 |
Silver | 72 | 5017 yards | 64.6 | 115 |
Silver (W) | 72 | 5017 yards | 70.0 | 123 |
Red (W) | 72 | 4895 yards | 69.3 | 121 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 73.2/137 | 496 | 350 | 433 | 181 | 402 | 410 | 501 | 379 | 178 | 3330 | 404 | 415 | 173 | 569 | 379 | 190 | 442 | 382 | 480 | 3434 | 6764 |
Blue M: 71.0/131 | 459 | 303 | 412 | 152 | 380 | 370 | 474 | 351 | 168 | 3069 | 370 | 393 | 156 | 528 | 333 | 167 | 425 | 367 | 461 | 3200 | 6269 |
Blue/Wite M: 69.9/130 | 459 | 303 | 388 | 135 | 380 | 347 | 474 | 331 | 154 | 2971 | 350 | 363 | 142 | 528 | 333 | 146 | 425 | 322 | 461 | 3070 | 6041 |
White M: 68.8/129 W: 74.4/132 | 416 | 273 | 388 | 135 | 357 | 347 | 432 | 331 | 154 | 2833 | 350 | 363 | 142 | 504 | 312 | 146 | 411 | 322 | 418 | 2968 | 5801 |
White/Silver M: 66.7/122 W: 72.2/128 | 416 | 273 | 334 | 106 | 326 | 282 | 432 | 331 | 112 | 2612 | 301 | 329 | 124 | 504 | 312 | 121 | 382 | 322 | 418 | 2813 | 5425 |
Silver M: 64.6/115 W: 70.0/123 | 377 | 240 | 334 | 106 | 326 | 282 | 394 | 276 | 112 | 2447 | 301 | 329 | 124 | 455 | 253 | 121 | 382 | 285 | 320 | 2570 | 5017 |
Red W: 69.3/121 | 373 | 234 | 328 | 100 | 322 | 272 | 386 | 270 | 107 | 2392 | 293 | 321 | 120 | 450 | 247 | 118 | 378 | 281 | 295 | 2503 | 4895 |
Handicap | 5 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 6 | |||
Par | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
Handicap (W) | 3 | 9 | 5 | 17 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 8 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities, SpaAvailable Sports
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Reviewer Photos
Challenging layout
Nice course. It was way too wet to play the day we were there. Will have to play again when course conditions are better to give an honest opinion
Fantastic Setup that requires Creativity off the Tee!
Played this one last in our rotation of the 4 Shanty courses. I thought this was the best one in terms of total experience - strategy/creativity, greens, and conditions. Pace of Play was slow, but that did not ruin the day for me. The course is SUPER spread out, and I can't imagine playing 9 is an option as the 10h hole is out in the middle of nowhere, but they did have a beverage cart and a snack shack at 10.
The layout is absolutely fantastic. It requires good driving off the tee, and if you put it in play, there a plenty of holes to score on. Hole 2 has a big cliff drop off on the right that you can't see from the tee or scorecard. You can hit driver if it's up the left, but laying up isn't a bad option. Being able to shape your ball both ways off the tee is a huge advantage as most of the holes dogleg one way or the other. Some of them, the easy play is just hitting a iron or hybrid, and playing from 150, but you can get creative and shape it around the bend (most of which are protected by trees). Driving it poorly here will almost certainly lead to frustration, lost balls, and a bad score.
4 was a great par 3, especially with the pin tucked back right over top of the bunker. 7 is a great par 5. If you hit a good drive, you can take it on in two over the creek. Otherwise, a bad drive brings the lake into play on the tee ball, and would require a layup short of the creek. 11 and 12 is a fun back to back stretch, with water and bunkers in play on both. 5 is the hole that perhaps creates the most options off the tee. The easy play would be to play a mid iron to the 150 post and play from there. However, if you can shape it right to left, or hit it high over the trees, you can try and take out parts of the dogleg and have nothing more than 75 yards in. The hole really is a 90 degree dogleg left. 18 is a narrow par 5, with a chair lift and ski slope (old?) right next to the tee box. It is reachable in 2 but requires two good shots.
The creativity is what made the course so enjoyable to me. It's an Arnold Palmer design and you can see why. The greens were the quickest we played of the 4 courses at Shanty, and basically every putt had some movement, and they moved true to their line. Great views, great price, great course. MUST PLAY!
Beautiful!
I’ve waited a long time to play this course and it was totally worth the wait! Love this course, challenging but fun! And on top of that beautiful scenery. Can’t wait to come back!
Great course, needs tree trimming.
I’ve played this course over the last few decades many times. It is a great layout and a challenging course. I like all of that the staff are friendly willing to help and the pace of play is reasonable.
One area that needs work as tree trimming. The views have been reduced due to growing trees and many trees overhanging in areas that reduce good shot making ability. This is not uncommon in mature courses however significant trimming needs to occur to make this a world class type of place to play golf.
Loved this course
The legend is a beautiful course. The course was in great shape and quite challenging.
Nice layout can't go wrong playing
Unlike my experience with Cedar River our pace of play was excellent. We did not have anyone within few tee times of us as we managed as 3 some to play the front in little over 2 hours. Took us little longer on the back mainly because we weren't being pushed and not taking our game to seriously.
The Legend
I would not pay full price. But at a Golf now price it’s well worth it Golf course Is well taken care of but does not have a signature hole
Challenging
The course is narrow and not for the faint of heart. Overall the course has been in better shape in the past, but still in good shape.
Good Course Bad Service
Asked in the clubhouse if there is beverage cart service. Was told there was. Never saw her. Asked a ranger to send her our way when we saw him on 3rd hole. Never saw her. Halfway house closed. Course does not loop anywhere near clubhouse at the turn. Saw Ranger again on 15, was very rude when we asked him about the beverage cart. Not the service or friendliness I would expect from a resort golf course. Very dissapointing
Challenging and gorgeous
Enjoy the elevation changes, but keep your ball on the fairway for a fun round!
Markdpar3
Many things to do off the course. Bellaire is a great small town. The Legend is a great test for all skill levels.
Excellent
A favorite during our summer vacation here, did not disappoint. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Beautiful Course
I was pleasantly surprised with The Legend. I was expecting Cedar River to be spectacular (and it was)....but The Legend was a phenomenal golf course too. Spectacular views of Lake Bellaire on a couple holes add to the beauty. Plenty of elevation change to give it some character.
Awesome Course
This was an incredible experience. I enjoyed the course and my wife enjoyed the scenic views of the woods and homes!!!! Unreal. I would play this course anytime!!

Great Course to Play
We loved playing this course, also wished that the weather was better. The staff was very friendly and allowed us to play around and between storms. We all agreed to play it again when the weather is better.
Nice Challenging and Scenic Course
Conditions were great, pace of play excellent and certainly a gem of a course. Elevation changes in the course are significant so be prepared to use an extra club on many holes.