Black Bear Golf Club

Glad to see the course conditions have improved. One of our local favorites to play and a good value for the money. The food was really good. Give the course another try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

New ownership has really tuned this course around! Still work to do but trending in a very positive direction.

Spoke with the new owner, he has a great sense of where to take the course. Have always loved the layout of the course but conditions were not good in the past. They have really turned it around! Will be playing there again.

Challenging greens with multi levels lots of swoopy curves. Great north michigan layout, lots of hills. Ciurse well cared for.

Since the new owners have taken over it has been a complete turn around from what it used to be. Great fairways and beautiful greens. They are continually improving things. The Proshop and the restaurant are beautiful and some great food and drinks. Right now they are expanding the clubhouse and putting golf simulators in for winter leagues. A great course, staff and atmosphere for the price.

I had stopped taking my golf buddies to this course several yea ago due to the lack of maintenance. I must say, the course is on its way back.

Course was in great shape. The only thing that was a negative was that the sand traps needed to be manicured.

A couple of years ago, I thought I had played my last round here. I recently read the reviews that new owners had made improvements. I decided to try it again - glad I did. Greens are great and everything was green. I have always loved the layout of this course. Kudos to ownership.

The course and staff are great. The pace of play is bad. A ranger is absolutely needed. We were a two-some and it took us 5 hours to play 18 Holes. We never experienced zero wait on any of the 18 hole tees. We saw a group of five playing in front of us, which is a no during busy play. We saw golfers driving all over the long grasses and way too many golfers hitting multiple balls. Never did we see any groups playing ready golf. Everything could have easily been eliminated by a Ranger. I hate to say but, it totally destroyed our golf game at a very nice course.

The course is beautiful and as I said, staff was great. The only thing missing was a Ranger.

The greens are excellent. The price fro golf now makesit a good deal.

The course is better than before in many places. Very playable now.

My older brother was a member here up until five years ago, and I had played back Black Bear many times over the years.And I loved the challenges. However, four years ago, we stopped playing it completely because it had gotten into such disrepair, you had to look for Grass on the fairways and many spots on the greens the grass had died.

New ownership took over in January 2024 and my what a pleasant and joyful surprise. All the greens were in great shape and the fairways grass was growing back. Be aware that the grass on the fairways is being left longer than you find most fairways so it can grow back. However, there is a difference in grass height between the fairways and the rough to I assume give grass a chance to fill in.

I talked to one of the grounds crewmembers and he said he’d already replaced 400 sprinkler heads.! Get out to Black Bear and see for yourself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with it’s recovery. I can’t wait to Ter it up again at the Black Bear.

We enjoyed our round and look forward to playing again.

Things we enjoyed:

- New Owners - caring staff

- A practice hole!!!! There is a solid par 3 hole as a practice.

- Good food and bev at reasonable prices

- greens were fabulous!

The course is still a little rough but it’s clear good things are happening.

We will be back!

It is 10 times better than it was in the previous years

The new owners are doing a terrific job on getting it back into shape