Mountain Ridge at Crystal Mountain Resort

About
Crystal Mountain Resort boasts two 18-hole championship golf courses, Mountain Ridge and Betsie Valley. Both are classic examples of northern Michigan golf, sprawling across hills and valleys and through mature forests, but they each offer a different set of challenges. Mountain Ridge was added after the original Betsie Valley Course. Carved from a mountainside, the golf course covers a range of elevation changes from subtle to dramatic. The undulating terrain provides not only several challenges, but also scenic respite with panoramic views of the surroundings forests and hills. The layout is tucked away amongst towering pines, which frame the fairways and greens. Accuracy is immensely important on this course, as is a good strategy for each hole. The occasional water hazard comes into play and there are strategically placed bunkers lurking throughout.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Championship | 72 | 7007 yards | 73.5 | 135 |
Back | 72 | 6258 yards | 69.8 | 129 |
Member | 72 | 5700 yards | 67.6 | 122 |
Forward | 72 | 4956 yards | 69.4 | 123 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue M: 73.6/139 | 407 | 167 | 382 | 418 | 202 | 541 | 402 | 364 | 530 | 3413 | 400 | 424 | 206 | 443 | 546 | 406 | 370 | 206 | 559 | 3560 | 6973 |
White M: 70.9/131 W: 76.5/137 | 386 | 143 | 344 | 376 | 183 | 513 | 375 | 326 | 485 | 3131 | 341 | 380 | 177 | 402 | 501 | 368 | 325 | 169 | 490 | 3153 | 6284 |
White/Green M: 69.5/129 W: 74.9/133 | 386 | 143 | 344 | 338 | 157 | 485 | 375 | 326 | 445 | 2999 | 341 | 343 | 177 | 345 | 449 | 368 | 325 | 169 | 480 | 2997 | 5996 |
Green M: 68.2/127 W: 73.4/131 | 362 | 131 | 295 | 338 | 157 | 485 | 356 | 310 | 445 | 2879 | 325 | 343 | 149 | 345 | 449 | 342 | 303 | 149 | 480 | 2885 | 5764 |
Red M: 64.4/114 W: 68.8/126 | 339 | 100 | 272 | 303 | 124 | 395 | 325 | 272 | 396 | 2526 | 275 | 317 | 132 | 277 | 379 | 316 | 269 | 108 | 419 | 2492 | 5018 |
Handicap | 6 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 3 | |||
Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
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Reviewer Photos
Overpriced for what you get
Crystal Mountain is a pretty cool resort in general. In fact, the California Club in the restaurant was probably the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, the Mountain Ridge golf course is just overpriced for what you get. At $140 I would have expected to not be hitting out of mud on numerous tee boxes.
The layout is decent. Some holes are VERY average and some holes are pretty cool, but overall nothing to write home about.
Pace of play on a Saturday morning was very slow. There were 3 groups lined up on #1 when we teed off. We waited every hole and almost every shot.
The course has some challenging aspects to it, but attention to detail was lacking. No way they should be charging over $100 to play this course. let alone $140. $75 would be doable based on the condition in June 2023.
The greens however, were in great shape and rolling nicely.
Overall, just a big let down in course quality and conditions based on price.
Great Fall Day
it was a beautiful day to play golf in October. The course was beautiful as usual. The tees were pretty beat up but he rest of the course was still in great shape.
Mountain Course at Chrystal Mountain
Great course. Beautiful views and great conditions. Everything about the experience was great. Will definitely be back next time in the area (we live 4 hrs away)
Nice Northern MI Layout w/ Breathing Space
I went here with my dad on family vacation at twilight time. Its a nice course through the woods of the Northwest LP and a fair amount of variety. There are four different tee boxes, a good deal of elevation change, and smooth greens that are swift but bot crazy fast. The fairways are fairly open and there are a couple doglegs but its pretty straightforward. It's totally worth it at the twilight rate but I would not personally pay the full rate for what you get.
This is nicer than the other Crystal Mountain Resort Course and more manageable than Arcadia nearby. Its worth trying for a price when you are around here.
Shoutout to the Michigan Women's Open host
Mountain Ridge has gained fame as the host of the Michigan Women's Open, an event that attracts aspiring pros from around the country.
It's the perfect resort course - tough enough for a highly respected championship but fun and engaging for 9-10-handicaps like me. It's generally flat until the final stretch climbs up the ski hill and ends dramatically with a go-for-it-in-two downhill par 5. It's great fun.
Beautiful course, great layout, challenging holes. Greens in fantastic condition, people so nice,,will definitely play here again, and would recommend to anyone, fun to play.
Mountain Ridge - A Really Nice Track
Played the Mountain Ridge course on the last day of a buddies golf trip. Greens were fantastic. Not wicked fast but rolled very true. A nice break from the toughness of Arcadia Bluffs but still not a pushover course. All of the staff were very friendly and the practice area was nice as well.
Gorgeous views and conditions
Mountain Ridge is one of my favorites in Michigan. Each hole is different and keeps you guessing, unlike some other resort courses. As you near the end of your round, you take the cart path up the mountain and are met with the best three finishing holes in the area. You can sometimes get stuck behind groups of people (it is a resort, after all), but don't let that stop you from coming. This is a wonderful course and I would definitely recommend playing it.
Great Up North Course
This course is one of my favorites, and well worth the money.
The greens are always quick, but very true. The layout does have the typical resort feel, but it is challenging and has more variation than most.
The practice facility is top notch and the food beverage is terrific. This is just flat out a well run place.
Excellent Value!
Tough, but fair. You need to drive the ball well to score here. Many fairways have trouble on both sides, so straight will trump long almost every time. Break in greens is obvious which helps putting reads. Got a great twilight rate on Golfnow.com which made this a MUST play!
Very nice course for Northern Michigan
I golf the mountain several years back, great then and also today. Took two friends along fist time they loved it, seen several dear and wildlife.
Very scenic, many elevation changes
Played this course on a Thursday afternoon and felt like we were the only ones on the course until we caught up to another group on the 16th hole. Greens are large and will hold a shot, put very true. The only minor issue was the quality of the sand traps. All were well maintained, but contained more gravel than I like. Stay out of the traps and there is no issue. The tees, fairways, rough and the greens were all great.
Typical northern MI course
The course is built on a massive piece of property. There are 3-5 minute cart rides between holes throughout the course offering great views and numerous wildlife sightings. The course is pretty straightforward from the members Tees. The back Tees top 7,000 yards.
This course is a very scenic, enjoyable experience.
This was a great course. It was well-maintained and very scenic. We even spotted several deer on one of the holes during our play. We enjoyed riding the golf cart between holes taking in the view. It was very relaxing to play in this environment. Highly recommend this course and would play it again.
Rain
Rain rain go away...
Play was great (mist rain) up to the 15th hole, then waited on a large group of (8) foursomes...
We made it through #16 before the monsoon hit. We noticed greens were soaked with standing water on our way back to the club house.
Nice course, however, we didn't get to experience the mountain views due to the rain.
hilly
can't play this one without a cart...In fact, don't even try to walk to the first tee, as its a mile from the proshop. course cut from a forest- typical northern Michigan golf, lots of trees, nice fairways, lots of sand, some water. got repetitive after a while...par 4, 372 yards...decent value on golfnow, make sure to get the promo code for 25% off. 2 of us played for under $90.
It doesn't get any better than this...
Staff was very friendly and helpful (even greeted by the head pro at the start), course was in immaculate shape , pro shop, cart girl and refreshment stands were fully stocked and reasonable costs. Course tests all of your skills but not so tuff that you couldn't recover if you have one poor shot.
Definitely a must play to experience north woods setting. I will be returning :)