Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
 |
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
Travel
|
||||
 Bay Harbor Golf Club Bay Harbor, Michigan (800) 462-6963 • bayharborgolf.com With three par-35, nine-hole options designed by Arthur Hills, Bay Harbor has the ability to shake things up with some stirring layouts. The 3,350-yard Links is a great seaside course that winds along 150-foot bluffs overlooking the lake; the 3,320-yard Preserve is a parkland layout that is a haven for wildlife and wetlands; and, as its name implies, the 3,420-yard Quarry was designed out of a vast shale quarry that is relaxed target golf at its finest. Playing all three is a must, but management says the Links is the favorite of repeat visitors because of its stunning views of the lake on six holes. The Quarry, however, is the most fun for players who enjoy elevation changes and scenic contrasts provided by gorges, stone cliffs, ponds and the lake, which comes back into view on the eighth and ninth holes. “Arthur Hills did a great job designing three distinct nines,” said Boyne’s Bernie Friedrich. “People are amazed at the contrast in landscapes on three layouts so close together.”  Boyne Highlands — The Heather Harbor Springs, Michigan (800) 462-6963 • boyne.com Robert Trent Jones Sr. apparently didn’t buy into the adage that the quickest way from tee to green is a straight line. Besides the four par 3s, nearly every hole on this 7,118-yard wooded wonder has a gentle bend or dogleg to negotiate. A cool example is No. 5, a 560-yard par 5 that will tease long hitters into trying to cut off a large chunk of marshland at the elbow of the dogleg left. But it’s best to play if safe, because you’ll want your best wedge yardage into a green that — like the majority of putting surfaces on the course — is gently sloped and requires a deft short-game touch. “People love this layout because it’s fair, yet challenging enough for people who want to give it a go from the back tees,” said Josh Richter, head pro at the facility that was selected as the host site of the 100th Michigan Amateur.  Boyne Highlands — The Hills Harbor Springs, Michigan (800) 462-6963 • boyne.com Arthur Hills must have had a hard time picking a signature hole on his namesake course. And who can blame him? Every step on this 7,310-yard mixture of beauty and beast is a breathtaking look at the best Mother Nature has to offer. Two especially memorable holes are the 354-yard, par-4 10th and the 570-yard, par-5 13th. The short No. 10 has a slight dogleg right, with the entire left side of the fairway and rear of the dome-shaped green lined with towering evergreen trees that have no foliage except on top. The lengthy 13th hole has a tee box about 125 feet above the fairway. Negotiate that step properly and you’ve got another 125-foot drop to the landing area in front of the green. “This course has some wonderful rolling terrain with accessible fairways,” said director of golf Mike Chumbler, who oversees eight Boyne facilities. “It’s the biggest piece of land we have.”  Dunmaglas Golf Club Charlevoix, Michigan (231) 547-4653 • dunmaglas.com Buckle your seat belts before departing on this rugged ride of a round. “You tee off in northern Michigan and land in Scotland on a lot of our holes,” said Dunmaglas general manager Darin Philport. “It’s cool, and some of the views are the best you’re going to see.” That thought easily comes to mind on the tee box of the 14th hole, which has panoramic views of Lake Michigan, Lake Charlevoix and Beaver Island. But players also need to look out below, because the tee shot on this 383-yard par 4 requires concentration to hit the fairway about 150 feet below. “You don’t have two holes that are alike,” Philport said about the 6,780-yard course that opened in 1992 and was softened a bit in 2000. “People love the variety associated with the layout.”  Belvedere Golf Club Charlevoix, Michigan (866) 547-2611 • belvederegolfclub.com Like old-school courses? This semi-private William Watson layout that opened in 1927 and has played host to 39 Michigan Amateurs is for you. Nothing fancy. Nothing crazy. Just pristine conditions that take a step back in time. At 6,713 yards, Watson’s layout isn’t long by modern standards and, as is true with many minimalist designs from many years ago, the toughest tests come on the greens, which have subtle undulations and slopes. A variety of mature hardwoods and evergreens gives Belvedere a tranquil feel. Simply put, playing the course is a simple pleasure.  Hidden River Golf & Casting Club Brutus, Michigan (800) 325-4653 • hiddenriver.com Towering pines, hardwoods, elevation changes and the meandering Maple River give Hidden River a reclusive feel in a parkland setting. Three ridges run through the course, with vast open spaces and sandy waste areas adding to the layout’s contrasting appeal. A quaint hole that depicts many of the qualities the course has to offer is No. 9, a 161-yard par 3 with a tee box about 75 feet above the green, which is bordered in back by trees and foliage and slants to the left toward a trout-shaped bunker near the edge of the river. Being accurate is especially important here, since the clubhouse patio is on the other side of the river and an audience hungry for a good shot might be watching. W. Bruce Matthews, who designed the course that opened in 1998, best summed up the experience of playing Hidden River and other courses in northern Michigan when he said: “It just feels good being there.” For more information on lodging, activities and stay-and-play packages in Petoskey, visit petoskeyarea.com. For more information on vacation and golf options for the entire state, visit michigan.org. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
