BOYNE Golf: Where to Play Ten of Michigan’s Best Golf Courses
It’s hard to find a golf destination with as much variety as BOYNE Golf, located in northwest Michigan’s lower peninsula. To start with, BOYNE Golf is a single destination with ten world-class, extraordinary championship golf courses and three incredible resorts. Secondly, consider the nearly 16 hours of daylight in the summer, and you’ve got time for 36 plus holes of golf. Add to that the breathtaking vistas of Lake Michigan with spectacular sunsets, and you will understand why BOYNE Golf is a golf destination like no other.
Ken Griffin, Director of Marketing for BOYNE Resorts, says, “We have worked hard to make BOYNE Golf a special place for golfers to visit and create lasting memories and to want to return often. As a summer golf destination, we are growing each year, particularly with booking buddy trips and couples get-away-and-play packages.”
While BOYNE Golf is Bucket List worthy, BOYNE Golf doesn’t want to be a Bucket List destination – since a Bucket List item is usually a once-in-a-lifetime thing. However, BOYNE Golf does want to be on top of your “I’m coming back again and again” list.
Ten Of Michigan’s Best Golf Courses
Situated between the stunning shores of Lake Michigan and the lush, rugged hills of Michigan’s lower peninsula, these courses come from the legendary golf architects Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and Donald Ross. A links course, a quarry course, a parkland course, a wetland course, a pine forest course, a mountain course, or a lakeshore course are distinctly different.
The common element that links all of BOYNE Golf is the course playing quality and the golf staff’s courtesy. The golf courses are all meticulously cared for from tee to green. Everything is pristine. Plenty of other golf course supers could come here to learn how to do it right. Additionally, everyone I encountered at BOYNE Golf was cheerful and made my time there very enjoyable.
The Highlands Courses
Four courses are designed to challenge your game and showcase the breathtaking beauty of the Northern Michigan setting.
Arthur Hills Course
Unquestionably a Must-Play – Arthur Hills Signature Course. Broad fairway landing areas, large bunker areas, and narrowing approaches with fascinating green complexes make this a course to remember. The 11th hole begins a three-hole ascent to one of the highest points in lower Michigan and the magnificent view from the 13th tee. Without a doubt a course you will want to play often.
Donald Ross Memorial Course
Play a compilation of classic golf holes designed by Donald Ross. Where else can you play a round of golf with the history and heritage of 3 Ryder Cups, 8 U.S. Amateurs, 11 PGA Championships, and 15 U.S. Opens? Indeed a unique Michigan golf course.
The Heather Course
BOYNE Golf’s first course, the Heather, has earned its reputation as one of the finest championship courses in the United States. Since 1966, this Robert Trent Jones, Sr. course has tested the finest names in the game. Playing host to Michigan Amateurs, AJGA Championships, the Michigan State Pro-Am, and The Celebrity Tour.
The Moor Course
The Moor course is a favorite for those seeking an actual test of their game. Regarded as one of the most challenging among BOYNE’s ten courses, those who have played The Moor all agree – the difference is in the doglegs. The best young players in the world compete here every July for the American Junior Golf Association’s Coca-Cola Junior All-Star Championship.
Cuff Links Executive Par 3 Course
Nine holes of fun. The Cuff Links Executive Par 3 course sits at the base of the North Camelot ski hill at The Highlands Resort Day Lodge—a great place to practice your short game and putting.
Bay Harbor Golf Club
Lake Michigan significantly influenced the design of the Bay Harbor Golf Club, and each course has at least one stunning view of the bay. The design and quality are consistent, but each course’s play and “flavor” is unique. The Links, Quarry, and Preserve are three very different nines that combine into one seamless experience.
Links – Nine
This Arthur Hills masterpiece, inspired by the great seaside courses of Ireland, delivers truly unforgettable holes which wind along 50-foot bluffs. Miles of shoreline form a backdrop of incomparable beauty. The course overlooks one of the deepest blue freshwater vistas in the world, and the signature seventh hole ranks as one of the top 500 golf holes in the world by Golf Magazine.
Preserve – Nine
The Preserve course certainly lives up to its name, as its natural beauty is a haven for wildlife and golfers. Stately hardwoods tower over lush grasses, wildflowers, and wetlands, all within earshot of the Lake Michigan shores. The final hole opens up and concludes your round with a dramatic par 3, featuring a breathtaking shoreline vista.
Quarry – Nine
The Quarry epitomizes Arthur Hills’ unique ability to leverage existing terrain to create something distinctive – and spectacular. This one-of-a-kind course claims some of the golfing world’s most dramatic features, from 40-foot gorges and stone cliffs to natural ponds and a gentle waterfall. But beyond the scenery, The Quarry is golf at its finest. This Arthur Hills gem finishes with dramatic views down to and along the shore of Lake Michigan.
Crooked Tree Golf Club
Crooked Tree Golf Club, perched on the bluffs high above Bay Harbor and offering stunning views of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan, is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque golf courses in the state. Holes 16-18 recently underwent a redesign by noted architect Arthur Hills, greatly enhancing playability and charm.
Boyne Mountain
The 36-uniquely challenging holes of Boyne Mountain offer the unique opportunity to play your way down the mountain. After the mile drive up to the top of the summit, the championship-caliber courses offer breathtaking views of the northern Michigan terrain.
The Alpine Course
With a spectacular mountainside setting and panoramic views toward Deer Lake, The Alpine is as breathtaking as its legendary design. From the opening tee shot at the peak of Boyne Mountain to the demanding finish, The Alpine may be one of northern Michigan’s best. The Alpine is a constant blend of beauty and playability, making it a favorite of many who have experienced it.
The Monument Course
The Monument lives up to its name by paying homage to great golf course architecture, making it a unique playable Hall of Fame. The course features a collection of dramatic and challenging golf holes reflecting the design philosophies of noted architects, including Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio, Pete Dye, and more.
BOYNE Golf – Takeaway
BOYNE Golf is known as Michigan’s Magnificent Ten. Unquestionably home to ten of the best golf courses in Michigan. The golf, resorts, dining, and people are world-class.
It’s no surprise that BOYNE Golf is the Michigan golf resort you will want to visit yearly. So many courses and holes that demand a replay. A place to introduce someone to the game. The type of place to rekindle friendships and make lifelong memories.
Let BOYNE Golf help you create an annual golf trip. Let this year be the first year of a new tradition. A tradition that starts and ends with BOYNE Golf.
BOYNE Golf truly offers an unrivaled Michigan golf vacation experience.
