Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan

Upscale, modern golf resorts like Treetops and Grand Traverse get most of the attention in northern Michigan golf. But one of the region's oldest courses, Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, remains one of its most coveted plays.

Opened in 1927 from a design by Scottish architect William Watson, the course looks and plays much as it did 80 years ago. It has hosted the Michigan Amateur 39 times and is a favorite of PGA Tour legend Tom Watson, who played it often as a teenager when his family vacationed in Charlevoix. Though running a relatively modest 6,715 yards, the course offers several tricky holes, the most famous being the short par-4 16th, which features an uphill approach to an elevated green built into the side of a hill.

Belvedere GC's clubhouse

Stately Belvedere Golf Club opened in 1927 and hasn't changed much since.

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First tee at Belvedere GC

Belvedere starts off with a view down from the first tee.

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Belvedere GC overview

The traditional layout was designed by Scottish architect William Watson.

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Trees on Belvedere's fairways

Mature trees are a factor on Belvedere's smallish fairways.

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Historic Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan

A teenage Tom Watson honed his game at Belvedere when his family took summer vacations in Charlevoix, Mich.

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No. 5 at Belvedere GC

No. 5 at Belvedere Golf Club, Charlevoix, Mich.

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6th at Belvedere Golf Club

The par-4 sixth at Belvedere Golf Club, Charlevoix, Mich.

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Historic Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan

Mature trees are a factor on Belvedere's smallish fairways.

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Belvedere's 10th

The par-5 10th plays downhill and straight, affording a nice birdie opportunity.

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Belvedere Golf Club

The original fescue grass is still going strong at Belvedere Golf Club.

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Belvedere Golf Club

Belvedere Golf Club, Charlevoix, Mich.

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Belvedere GC - No. 13

No. 13 at Belvedere Golf Club, Charlevoix, Mich.

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Par-3 14th

The par-3 14th at Belvedere Golf Club, Charlevoix, Mich.

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Belvedere 16th green

A tricky approach shot to a narrow green makes the short par-4 16th one of Belvedere's biggest tests.

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