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Places to play in Michigan?


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I have heard Michigan has some really nice places to stay & play and was looking for suggestions from folks on the board on where to go. To give a guide I just played the RTJ Trail in Alabama and this is the kind of adventure we are looking for. Really nice courses and great resorts to stay at as well.
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Driver: Speed LD F Driver 9.5°
5 wood: 909F2 18.5°
Hybrid: EDGE CFT 21°Irons: i5 - 4-pwWedges: CG10 52°, 56°, & 60° degreePutter: Udrainium Doc 15Ball: DT SoLoHome Courses: Spring Lakes Golf Club, Stouffville, ON & Ocean Ridge Plantation Golf, Sunset...
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hard to beat the value of the RTJ trail. in terms of resorts, the top 2 are Treetops and Grand Traverse in Northern Michigan. Both have 3 or 4 great courses in PGA quality shape.

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Driver: Adams 9064LS (project RIP Shaft) 9.5 degree
3 Wood: Titleist 909R 14.5 degree
Hybrid 3-iron: 19 degree Tour Professional (bent to 18 degrees)Hybrid 4-iron: 21 degree Tour ProfessionalIrons: Tour X-20 5-PW Project X 6.0 shaftsGap Wedge: Mizuno MP10 52.08 Sand Wedge: Mizuno MP10 58.10 Lob Wedge: Nike 62.06

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In Michigan you may want to look up either Treetops http://www.treetops.com/
or Grand Traverse Resort http://www.grandtraverseresort.com/ . Both resports are great. Treetops has servaral courses, "Five distinctly different courses by renowned designers Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Tom Fazio and Rick Smith" and is the location where the famous Par 3 shootout is held. Grand Traverse has three great courses, one is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course (The Bear, which does live up to its name) and another was designed by Gary Player (The Wolverine). Both resorts popular and have great golf.
Also don't forget to look into Arcadia Bluffs, http://www.arcadiabluffs.com/ which is among Golf Digest's top public courses, I belive it is number 10. The Boyne Respots are also supposed to be fantasic, http://www.boyne.com/ just remember there are two separate Boyne Resorts, the highlands and the mountain. These resorts have some great courses and have a five day package with lessons and such that looks great.

Northern Michigan in the Summer isgreat golfing weather and the courses at these resorts are fantastic.


Some other places to look at would be:

Sheppard's Hollow: http://www.shepherdshollow.com/

Bay Harbor: http://www.bayharbor.com/golfclub/

Garland: http://www.garlandusa.com/?page=47

The Orchards: http://www.orchards.com/golf_awards.htm

For a overview of a lot of great Michigan courses go here: http://www.michigan.org/travel/press...3-34A4631A03C6

Hope this helps...enjoy it.

In my Grom:
Driver: :nike: Sasquatch 9.5° Graffalloy Shaft-Stiff Flex
FW: :nike: 3 (15°) & 5 (19°) Sasquatch Diamana Shaft-Stiff Flex
Hybrid: :touredge: Tour Edge Exotics Ironwood 21° Adila Shaft-Stiff Flex
Irons: :nike: 4-AW OSS Steel Shaft-Stiff Flex
Wedges: :vokey: Vokey Spin Milled 54 and 60
Putter:  :edel: Basic Series 

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Treetops and Boyne are first rate resorts. Garland http://www.garlandusa.com/ is also a great option with four very good courses and great lodging. You should try to play Arcadia Bluffs if at all possible. If you pick Boyne see if they will include Bay Harbor into your package. There are a bunch of great courses that are not part of resorts as well if you want to try and play your way arround.

Driving North on I75 you can start with Shepherd's Hollow. It is at exit 93, about 35 minutes Nort of Detroit. As you continue North, in West Branch are the Dream and the Nightmare. This is arround exit 212. From there go North about 70 more muiles and you are in Gaylord. There are tons of courses including Treetops and about a dozen top courses. Garland is about 30 minutes NW of there. If you continue North about an hour you will be at Boyne. From there you go about an hour SW and you are in Traverse City at Grand Traverse. Go South from there and you are at Arcadia Bluffs. You can then loop through Mid-Michigan where there are also some very nice courses. It is a great golf state with more courses than you can play in one trip.
Driver: 9.5° 905R Stiff Aldila NV 65
3 Wood: 15.° Pro Trajectory 906F4 Stiff Aldila VS Proto Blue
Hybrid: 19.0° 503 H Stiff Dynamic Gold S400
Hybrid: 21.0° Edge C.F.T. Ti Stiff Aldila NVS
Irons: 775cb 4-GW w/S300 Sand Wedge: Vokey 58° Puttter: Laguna Mid-Slant Pro PlatinumBall: ProV1Bag: Li...
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  • 2 weeks later...
I am going on a trip next Saturday (7/14) and playing:

Shepherd's Hollow Saturday
Boyne Mountain (Alpine & Monument) Sunday
Boyne Highlands courses Monday
Bay Harbor & Crooked Tree Tuesday
Boyne Highlands courses Wednesday
Boyne Highlands courses again Thursday
1 Boyne Highlands course Friday & Arcadia Bluffs that afternoon

I'd love any info on these courses, especially their current condition, etc.
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I am going on a trip next Saturday (7/14) and playing:

Great choices. Shepherd's Hollow is one of the best in South East Michigan. The Boyne Highlands courses are all very good. I liked the Arthur Hills one the best, but the Ross Memorial is also very cool. It is 18 replicas of some of his best holes. The carts all have GPS and tell you the story behind each hole. I have never played Boyne Mountain, but Crooked Tree is one of the most underrated courses in the state. Bay Harbor and Arcadia Bluffs will stand up next to most courses in the country. Enjoy yourself, you are in for a real treat.

Driver: 9.5° 905R Stiff Aldila NV 65
3 Wood: 15.° Pro Trajectory 906F4 Stiff Aldila VS Proto Blue
Hybrid: 19.0° 503 H Stiff Dynamic Gold S400
Hybrid: 21.0° Edge C.F.T. Ti Stiff Aldila NVS
Irons: 775cb 4-GW w/S300 Sand Wedge: Vokey 58° Puttter: Laguna Mid-Slant Pro PlatinumBall: ProV1Bag: Li...
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Thanks for the feeback. We're so excited. Saturday can't get here fast enough. If anyone has any info on these courses/conditions, I'd sure love it. We're expecting great weather in mid-July in the great white north! This will be my first time setting foot in Michigan. We usually go south on golf vacations.
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Thanks for the feeback. We're so excited. Saturday can't get here fast enough. If anyone has any info on these courses/conditions, I'd sure love it. We're expecting great weather in mid-July in the great white north! This will be my first time setting foot in Michigan. We usually go south on golf vacations.

Be glad you aren't here today. It's going to be 96 with a heat index well into the 100's. It's already like a swamp out there. It is going to rain tomorrow which will break the heat. The forcast for Saturday through the begining of next week looks like near perfect weather. It is going to be in the high 70's to low 80's and sunny.

Here are the 10 day forcasts for Boyne and Clarkston: http://www.weather.com/outlook/recre...hr_topnav_golf http://www.weather.com/outlook/recre...10DayLink_golf
Driver: 9.5° 905R Stiff Aldila NV 65
3 Wood: 15.° Pro Trajectory 906F4 Stiff Aldila VS Proto Blue
Hybrid: 19.0° 503 H Stiff Dynamic Gold S400
Hybrid: 21.0° Edge C.F.T. Ti Stiff Aldila NVS
Irons: 775cb 4-GW w/S300 Sand Wedge: Vokey 58° Puttter: Laguna Mid-Slant Pro PlatinumBall: ProV1Bag: Li...
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Don't know if you also like sailing, but the Chicago to Mackinac race will be starting on Saturday and ending at Mackinac Island sometime on Monday, and there will be some partying going on the Island on Monday or Tuesday. The Port Huron to Mackinac race will be going on the following weekend but you probably won't be around to see that one finish.

If you get a chance you may also want to look into the Grand Traverse Courses--The Bear, The Wolverine and Spruce Run.

Sounds like you have a great week planned, I am jealous. Be sure to post back after your trip to give us the highlights.

In my Grom:
Driver: :nike: Sasquatch 9.5° Graffalloy Shaft-Stiff Flex
FW: :nike: 3 (15°) & 5 (19°) Sasquatch Diamana Shaft-Stiff Flex
Hybrid: :touredge: Tour Edge Exotics Ironwood 21° Adila Shaft-Stiff Flex
Irons: :nike: 4-AW OSS Steel Shaft-Stiff Flex
Wedges: :vokey: Vokey Spin Milled 54 and 60
Putter:  :edel: Basic Series 

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Sounds like we could use some luck with the weather. I already need luck for my game, so why not weather too?

I hear the greens on these courses are really quick. Has that been consistent with your experience?
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I have not played any of them this year, but they tend to keep them on the quicker side. It's been a relatively dry Summer so far and that can speed them up a lot. When I played at Boyne Highlands, they were holding the qualifier for the Michigan Amateur the following week on the Heathers course so it was playing pretty tough.
Driver: 9.5° 905R Stiff Aldila NV 65
3 Wood: 15.° Pro Trajectory 906F4 Stiff Aldila VS Proto Blue
Hybrid: 19.0° 503 H Stiff Dynamic Gold S400
Hybrid: 21.0° Edge C.F.T. Ti Stiff Aldila NVS
Irons: 775cb 4-GW w/S300 Sand Wedge: Vokey 58° Puttter: Laguna Mid-Slant Pro PlatinumBall: ProV1Bag: Li...
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Just saw your post, Matt. I'll certainly post a trip report. Personally, I'd like to do some fishing...not really a sailor. But I'm with hard-core golfers on this trip, and we're golfing daylight to dark every day.

The Boyne web site indicates that all their greens are running over 9 and some as high as 10.5 on the meter. My home course probably rolls betwen 7 and 8 at the most. I'm going to struggle with that. I'm also a bad wind player, and something tells me that being right on Lake Michigan, we're gonna see some wind.

Wish me luck.
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  • 2 weeks later...
Just returned from our Michigan golf trip...what a trip!

Shepherd's Hollow in Clarkston (just north of Detroit)--great track in great shape. We played all 3 nines, and they are all good. 2 and 3 are especially good. Great greens. Lots of elevation changes and character to the course.

Alpine & Monument courses at Boyne Mountain--Alpine is the weakest of the Boyne courses. Okay conditions, etc. Just kind of a straight forward track. Monument is by far more dramatic with huge drops off the mountain. Still, not the best of what Boyne has to offer.

Heather at Boyne Mtn (Robert T. Jones)--Magnificent greens! Layout very nice. The front is nicer than the back. More challenging and more character.

Crooked Tree--Amazing views of the bay and Lake Michigan. Great course from tee to green, and conditions very good. Tricked up greens with goofy, nearly impossible pin placements somewhat tainted the round.

Bay Harbor--Top 5 course I've played. Links & Quarry nines. Absolutely terrific layout with awesome views, terrain, and layout. Perfect conditions.

Moor--Boyne's supposedly weak layout, but we liked it a lot. Nice course; lots of water and sand, but greens not as nice as the rest of Boyne's courses.

Ross Memorial--mimics 18 of Donald Ross's most famous holes. He's evil. Lots of sand and collection areas. Great conditions. Nice course.

Hills--This is the Arthur Hills design at Boyne, and it is their best other than Bay Harbor. Awesome course with awesome conditions, varying challenges, great design. One of my favorite courses I've played.

Arcadia Bluffs (about 2 hours south of Boyne, played on way home)--Two words--AWE SOME!!! Links style course with views of Lake Michigan on every hole. Truly incredible layout, and very tough. They had a bagpipe player serenading the course during part of our round, with the sun setting over the Lake. Don't miss this gem.

Overall, I would say that all these courses are worth playing, and Arcadia, Bay Harbor, Hills, Shepherd's Hollow, Crooked Tree, and even Ross are all truly special. In summer, 75-80 degrees every day--AMAZING.
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I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. The best part is, you could come back next year and play in the Gaylord area and not replay any of those courses and still have a great time. The courses at Treetops are great, as well as Garland, where I will be in a couple weeks. The Natural, Black Forest and the Loon are also in Gaylord. They are very nice as well. A little further North is Black Lake. It is owned by the UAW and I have heard rave reviews. For a unique round there is a course on Mackinac Island called The Gem. It is a short course, but it is in the middle of one of the most historic places in the country.
Driver: 9.5° 905R Stiff Aldila NV 65
3 Wood: 15.° Pro Trajectory 906F4 Stiff Aldila VS Proto Blue
Hybrid: 19.0° 503 H Stiff Dynamic Gold S400
Hybrid: 21.0° Edge C.F.T. Ti Stiff Aldila NVS
Irons: 775cb 4-GW w/S300 Sand Wedge: Vokey 58° Puttter: Laguna Mid-Slant Pro PlatinumBall: ProV1Bag: Li...
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  • 2 weeks later...
Treetops is great. It's hard to match the layout they have.. few places can use that much land for a golf course. It's in a hilly area, carved out of a beautiful forest.

Garland and Boyne are also fantastic golf resorts. Each one of them has several excellent courses, and on-site accommodations - hotels or condos depending on group size. You can usually find some good package rates for a great golf trip.

Basically, that whole area, NW corner of the lower peninsula around Traverse City, is packed with top notch golf courses.

TM Burner Tour Driver | TM R9 3W | Nike VR 21° Hyhrid | Mizuno MP-60 4-PW | Vokey Wedges 56°, 60°| Cameron Kombi Putter

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I was at Garland for the weekend. We played the Monarch on Friday and then Reflections and Swampfire on Saturday. We were scheduled to play Fountains on Sunday, but there was a huge thunderstorm and it was not going to blow over until at least 11:00-12:00. After that it would have been at least an hour before they allowed play and it would have been cartpath only. We had a 9:00 tee time and there were quite a few groups ahead of us. We realistically would not have been done until at least 6:30-7:00 and then would have to drive 3 hours home. It's too bad because Fountains is their signature course. We did get rain checks.

All said the trip was great. The courses were all in excellent shape and the staff was very friendly. The food was also top notch. We stayed in the cottages that are on the Fountains course and they were nice, but not 5 star. I would suggest it to anyone looking for a Michigan golf trip where you can just pull up, drop off your clubs and not have to go anywhere for the weekend. Our cottages were accross the street from the main area, but it was only a couple minutes drive. They even offer a shuttle service. We checked our clubs at the bag drop and they kept them there for us the entire time. All four courses are centrally located so you can go to anyone of them right from the bag drop. We litterally never left the property the entire time.
Driver: 9.5° 905R Stiff Aldila NV 65
3 Wood: 15.° Pro Trajectory 906F4 Stiff Aldila VS Proto Blue
Hybrid: 19.0° 503 H Stiff Dynamic Gold S400
Hybrid: 21.0° Edge C.F.T. Ti Stiff Aldila NVS
Irons: 775cb 4-GW w/S300 Sand Wedge: Vokey 58° Puttter: Laguna Mid-Slant Pro PlatinumBall: ProV1Bag: Li...
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saw on the TV an ad for golfing in Michigan. Pure Michigan

www.michigan.org
What's in the bag

Driver: Speed LD F Driver 9.5°
5 wood: 909F2 18.5°
Hybrid: EDGE CFT 21°Irons: i5 - 4-pwWedges: CG10 52°, 56°, & 60° degreePutter: Udrainium Doc 15Ball: DT SoLoHome Courses: Spring Lakes Golf Club, Stouffville, ON & Ocean Ridge Plantation Golf, Sunset...
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