Shanty Creek - Cedar River: #18
A view of the 18th green surrounded by tricky bunkers at Cedar River from Shanty Creek
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Rating Index Rating
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4.4
165 Reviews (165)
5 Stars
117
4 Stars
38
3 Stars
8
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.4
Value
4.1
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.1
Pace
3.6
Amenities
4.0
84.7%
Recommend this course
154 out of 165 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
6 Reviews (6)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.2
Layout
4.8
Pace
3.8
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.8
83.3%
Recommend this course
5 out of 6 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
10 Reviews (10)
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.6
90.0%
Recommend this course
9 out of 10 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Cedar River's elevation changes and well-separated holes create a beautiful, challenging layout that consistently earns high marks from returning golfers. Fairways and greens stay in excellent condition, making this Shanty Creek course a favorite worth revisiting.

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 72
Length 6980 yards
Slope 135
Rating 73.2

Shanty Creek in Bellaire is one of northern Michigan's most popular golfing destinations, offering 72 holes of championship golf. The Cedar River Course was Tom Weiskopf's first design in Michigan. It has been ranked as one of the top 100 resort golf courses in the country. The layout closely follows the natural contours of the landscape, providing a wealth of unique shot opportunities. The dramatic elevation changes define the traditional layout, which gives an excellent rhythm to the course. The course will appeal to low and high handicappers alike offering a mix of generous landing areas and ones that require accurate tee shots and approaches. The 13th and 14th holes are quite unique and located in the most scenic section of the golf course. They play across rolling hills framed by tall heather and fescue as well as strategically placed bunkers and trees.

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Course Details

Year Built 1999
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Open: 4/27 Closed: 10/21
Architect Tom Weiskopf (1999)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Pull-carts Yes
Caddies No
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities, Spa

Available Sports

Fitness

Accolades

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Reviews

4.4
165 Reviews (165)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 6
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 12
Bunkers 11
Forced Carries 7
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 16
Advanced Golfers 12
A Weekend Splurge 10
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 14
Worth the Drive 14

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Great course. Fun layout.

Love this course. One of my Up North favorites. Fun layout. Lots of variety with the holes. Mostly generous fairways and large greens. I try to play it a handful of times very summer.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Course

A great course for the money but the holes prepped for Covid 19 did not meet good exceptions. For the money the ball was not allowed to drop at all in the hole. Made for tough putting.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Beautiful out of the way gem

Great course that is very challenging but playable. The scenery was breathtaking.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 33
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Outstanding venue

This course was in great shape, with interesting layout and greens that rolled true. Excellent!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 37
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Michigan Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Loved the course, a bit beat up and pace of play sucked.

The layout of the course I really enjoyed typical resort northern Michigan golf course. Elevation changes, big greens and larger fairways. We played in late August and the course appears to have too many rounds as it is beat up a bit. My biggest compliant PACE OF PLAY. 5.5 hours. We were advised at the beginning of the round we should take 4.5 hours. Apparently not everyone agreed and the Ranger was on a hole making sure you kept up with the group in front of you. There are some holes that require you to wait until you can see the group in front of you has moved to the green. So perhaps a bell to let someone know you cleared (we were hit into 2 times and as clearing the Par 3's group behind would start firing away). If you haven't played need to play at least once. I would advise going during the week and not on the weekend. We are advised by ranger that typical time to play both Cedar and the Legend is 5 to 6 hours. Note tee times are 10 minutes apart so it's not like they throw too many people on the course at the same time.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played

Too pricey for a slow,5 hour round of golf.

I was looking forward to playing this course today but was extremely disappointed in the pace of play. Ranger did not do much to improve the pace until I called and spoke with the pro in the pro shop. Finally the foursome backing up the entire course started picking up the pace after that. This should have happened much sooner and not toward the end of our round. Ranger seemed quoted annoyed with our complaints and not the foursome backing up the course. I do not plan on playing this course anytime in the near future.

Conditions Excellent
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Greens. Great Value

Course was a little wet from the rain but greens were excellent condition. Rolled extremely true. Very good value for the price.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 449
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Illinois Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Glorious 4th of July round at Cedar

Please read my previous reviews. Cedar is in great shape and they've taken out a couple of trees on the 18th to make the tee shot and hole more playable. One of my favorite courses....this course never gets old. Wonderful Weiskopf design and if you play this course a few times you really get to know the rolls bounces and speed slots. Highly recommend.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

First class course and facility

The way golf courses used to be. Great facility good layout fabulous conditions did not look like the typical course today that can not afford to maintain its facility. Absolutely perfect.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 449
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Illinois Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Immaculate Greens!

Cedar River is always a very pleasant play. See my review from last June and previous Junes....one of my favorite courses in the entire world. Highly recommend. Cedar River is a do not miss course if you travel to Northern Michigan. Course is very wet from recent rains but still very playable. Greens smooth as glass.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful Course

We played on May 20 at 9:30 am and it was very cold and damp. We had the golf course to ourselves. Even though I had rained a lot the previous day the course was in great shape and the greens were faster than they looked. We are visiting the area from Seattle but if we come back we will probably play this course again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

MarkDpar

Enjoyed the whole day! A great course for all types of players.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 29
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

The Best at Shanty Creek

In my opinion, best course at Shanty Creek. Course conditions were perfect. Playable but challenging. My only complaint is hole #18. If you play take the time to drive up and look at the landing area. Otherwise you'll hit what you think is a perfect drive and end up messing up a nice round.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 26
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Well kept and open

Overall a great round with a few exceptional holes. One par three on the back nine offers a real challenge for the first tuner. Fairways are generous for the most part. A “must play’ for the area. You decide after playing them all...

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Cedar river

Started out fine but the 3 some in front of us caused a lot of frustration. They had no idea about golf etiquette. Guy parked his cart on one side of fairway, walk across fairway to hit his ball and then walked back to his cart. I forgot to mention he walked like a walk in the park. We were a 2 some, you think they would ask us if we wanted to play ahead-no. This happens so I guess you have to let it go. Btw-I think the ranger was a friend of theirs. He talked to them 2-3 times for about 6 mins which means more waiting! We like the course so we will play there again. I have seen the course in better condition than today, but they have been short of rain.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

On our top five list

Course in excellent condition and the greens were outstanding; i.e., among the best we have ever played: fast but not overly, and very true. Although we played as a twosome in less than four hours, we were behind a fivesome that bogged down toward the end. Nonetheless, it was a most enjoyable golfing experience and we shall return.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

Shanty Creek Stay & Play Package

Click Below
BELLAIRE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Shanty Creek's Lakeview Hotel or Lodge of Cedar River and golf at Shanty Creek - Cedar River, Hawk's Eye, Legend, Schuss, or Summit Courses.

Destination Kohler - To Dye Four Golf Package

FROM $557 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake and 4 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River & Meadow Valley Courses) and Whistling Straits (Straits & Irish Courses).

Destination Kohler - Champions' Trail Golf Package

FROM $617 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn at Woodlake and 3 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River or Meadow Valleys Course) and Whistling Straits (Straits or Irish Course)
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