Where do I begin? Let me just state right off the bat that Michigan is far and away my favorite state in the union to play golf. It's a shame the Michigan golf season is no longer than eight months and that's stretching it. Michigan trails only California in courses that are on or have been on Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" list. California has 19. Michigan is tied with Arizona with 15.
I've played 139 courses in Michigan, by far the most of any state. And as far as the one course I'd select to play for the rest of my life, it's the Heather Course at Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, MI. It's challenging, it's fun, and has some of the toughest greens to read in the country. The Heather was on Golf Magazine's list from 1996 to 2000 and is a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design that opened in 1968.
A group of golfers from Coyote Creek Golf Club in Fort Wayne, IN took a brief four day trip to Michigan the last week of July, playing five different courses in Western Michigan.
We began with a Sunday round at Pilgrim's Run, a well-conditioned and fun to play course in Pierson, MI. Pilgrim's Run made a brief stop on Golf Magazine's 2002 list at number 98. It plays through tall pines and black oaks and sports seven different sets of tees and will provide a comfortable round for you.
I've played 139 courses in Michigan, by far the most of any state. And as far as the one course I'd select to play for the rest of my life, it's the Heather Course at Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, MI. It's challenging, it's fun, and has some of the toughest greens to read in the country. The Heather was on Golf Magazine's list from 1996 to 2000 and is a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design that opened in 1968.
A group of golfers from Coyote Creek Golf Club in Fort Wayne, IN took a brief four day trip to Michigan the last week of July, playing five different courses in Western Michigan.
We began with a Sunday round at Pilgrim's Run, a well-conditioned and fun to play course in Pierson, MI. Pilgrim's Run made a brief stop on Golf Magazine's 2002 list at number 98. It plays through tall pines and black oaks and sports seven different sets of tees and will provide a comfortable round for you.
We then spent the night at the Evergreen Resort (formally known as McGuire's Resort) in Cadillac, MI, playing the nine hole Norway course as a tune-up before heading a couple of miles southwest to play Eldorado Golf Course, also in Cadillac.
The Norway Course at Evergreen is a nine hole course that begins with an extremely steep downhill Par 4 and then turns back up the hill before continuing on relatively flat terrain. It finishes with two nearly 90 degree dogleg right holes. While on the course, I noticed the strangest restroom facility I've seen on any golf course. It is presented below for your viewing pleasure.
The Norway Course at Evergreen is a nine hole course that begins with an extremely steep downhill Par 4 and then turns back up the hill before continuing on relatively flat terrain. It finishes with two nearly 90 degree dogleg right holes. While on the course, I noticed the strangest restroom facility I've seen on any golf course. It is presented below for your viewing pleasure.
The Restroom on the Norway Course at the Evergreen Resort
Eldorado Golf Course is located at the US-131 and M-115 interchange, really easy for a traveler to find. It has elevated tee boxes and fairly large bentgrass greens. The course opened in 1996 and received a four star rating from Golf Digest.
Guests will quickly discover that everything at the property has a car theme, especially a Cadillac Eldorado theme. In fact, there are two gorgeous Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz', one a 1959 and the other a 1960, on display in the showroom.
There are five sets of tees ranging in yardage from 4923 to 6836 with a slope rating of 137 from the back tee. In keeping with the car theme, the sets of tees are named Steel, Power, Chrome, Ride, and Comfort and the holes all have names inspired by the automobile industry such as Straight-Pipe and Tailfin.
It is important to select the correct set of tees as several of the holes have forced carries, most notably the tough 18th hole both from the tee and into the green.
Guests will quickly discover that everything at the property has a car theme, especially a Cadillac Eldorado theme. In fact, there are two gorgeous Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz', one a 1959 and the other a 1960, on display in the showroom.
There are five sets of tees ranging in yardage from 4923 to 6836 with a slope rating of 137 from the back tee. In keeping with the car theme, the sets of tees are named Steel, Power, Chrome, Ride, and Comfort and the holes all have names inspired by the automobile industry such as Straight-Pipe and Tailfin.
It is important to select the correct set of tees as several of the holes have forced carries, most notably the tough 18th hole both from the tee and into the green.
Eldorado 9th and 18th Greens from the Clubhouse Balcony. The Greens connect. Photo courtesy of Dan Meese
After one more night at the Evergreen Resort, we headed west to play the gem of the trip, Arcadia Bluffs in Arcadia, MI.
Arcadia Bluffs is a Rick Smith/Warren Henderson design that opened in 1999. It was built on a bluff high above and overlooking 3100 feet of the Lake Michigan shoreline. It is a links course with few trees in play, rolling terrain, and natural fescue grasses.
There is onsite lodging including rooms above the Nantucket coastal estate style clubhouse, a second lodge located just steps from the clubhouse, and cottages located along the second hole. Inside the clubhouse is a restaurant that provides fine dining.
Coming in 2018 is the South Course that is located across the street and one mile south of the Bluffs Course. It is intended to represent the architectural style of early architects CB Macdonald and Seth Raynor.
There are four sets of tees but the middle tees have a rating for both men and women. The tees range in yardage from 5107 to 7300 and the slope from the back tees is 147. Even the Middle tees have a slope rating of 128 for the men so it is a tough test of golf.
The fact is, the first time you play the course, you will be overwhelmed with the views of Lake Michigan as you learn the routing and the intricacies of the course.
The in-season rate is $195 but there is a Ladies Day and a Senior Day with a reduced rate of $120. There is also a twilight rate from 4:00 to 6:30 P.M. and a replay rate of $90.
The Bluffs Course has spent the last 18 years on Golf Magazine's list and is currently ranked 36th. IT IS A MUST PLAY!
Arcadia Bluffs is a Rick Smith/Warren Henderson design that opened in 1999. It was built on a bluff high above and overlooking 3100 feet of the Lake Michigan shoreline. It is a links course with few trees in play, rolling terrain, and natural fescue grasses.
There is onsite lodging including rooms above the Nantucket coastal estate style clubhouse, a second lodge located just steps from the clubhouse, and cottages located along the second hole. Inside the clubhouse is a restaurant that provides fine dining.
Coming in 2018 is the South Course that is located across the street and one mile south of the Bluffs Course. It is intended to represent the architectural style of early architects CB Macdonald and Seth Raynor.
There are four sets of tees but the middle tees have a rating for both men and women. The tees range in yardage from 5107 to 7300 and the slope from the back tees is 147. Even the Middle tees have a slope rating of 128 for the men so it is a tough test of golf.
The fact is, the first time you play the course, you will be overwhelmed with the views of Lake Michigan as you learn the routing and the intricacies of the course.
The in-season rate is $195 but there is a Ladies Day and a Senior Day with a reduced rate of $120. There is also a twilight rate from 4:00 to 6:30 P.M. and a replay rate of $90.
The Bluffs Course has spent the last 18 years on Golf Magazine's list and is currently ranked 36th. IT IS A MUST PLAY!
We left Arcadia Bluffs and headed south to Manistee National Golf & Resort where we spent the night. Manistee National has two courses, the original resort course called Canthooke Valley and the newer and more difficult Cutters' Ridge.
It is a small resort but there is a good restaurant onsite and breakfast is provided each morning.
We woke up on Wednesday morning to overcast skies with the threat of rain. We played eleven holes of the Cutters' Ridge course before the skies opened on the par 3 12th hole. We attempted to wait out the storm under the trees but the rain became torrential and made the course unplayable so we made our way back to the clubhouse where we received a nine-hole rain check.
The golf in the state of Michigan is not to be overlooked. No matter where you travel in the state, you will find a Top 100 ranked course. I can't wait until my next visit.
It is a small resort but there is a good restaurant onsite and breakfast is provided each morning.
We woke up on Wednesday morning to overcast skies with the threat of rain. We played eleven holes of the Cutters' Ridge course before the skies opened on the par 3 12th hole. We attempted to wait out the storm under the trees but the rain became torrential and made the course unplayable so we made our way back to the clubhouse where we received a nine-hole rain check.
The golf in the state of Michigan is not to be overlooked. No matter where you travel in the state, you will find a Top 100 ranked course. I can't wait until my next visit.
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