Central
Michigan
Destination Guide
When spring comes and the ground thaws, Michigan's golf courses and resorts take center stage. For golf vacationers, the state is position "A" during the mid-summer months. It is the mix of perfect summer warmth, rolling landscape and, of course, the Great Lakes that give Michigan a little something extra that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the Midwest. In the northern part of the state, these golf courses come with a hefty price tag. But in Central Michigan it isn't necessary to pay a bundle to play the best. The state has more golf courses per person than any other state and the third most courses of any state in the country. One byproduct of this continued growth is numerous Central Michigan courses that offer a great round of golf for far less than the triple-digit fees at some Great Lakes courses.
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Located in Stanwood, Tullymore Golf Club has been a breath of fresh air for Michigan golfers since it opened in 2001. Jim Engh, whose design work in Colorado, the Dakotas, and Europe had garnered immense critical and public acclaim, helmed Tullymore’s construction. Engh’s design techniques can’t be found elsewhere in the state. Marshlands make up nearly half of the facility’s 800 acres and deep sand-filled rivulets add a hint of Ireland.
Not
even two years old, Tullymore is already considered among the best courses
in the country. The maturity of the course is a testament to the course's
workers and the beauty of the property. Engh’s championship beast stretches
to 7,146 yards with one of the highest slope ratings (148) in the state.
Tullymore already has surpassed its sister course, St. Ives, which is
also considered an elite course. Both cost roughly $80-90 in season.
Other bargains can be found throughout the heart of Michigan. Forest Akers West, located on the Michigan State campus, has been touted as one of the finest in the state since MSU graduate Arthur Hills revamped the course in 1992. The addition of new, tougher bunkers, redesigned greens, as well as length, has put the course in the upper echelon in Michigan. Weekend greens fees top out at just $42.
While
many municipal courses in Michigan aren’t kept up throughout the summer
months, Pierce Lake
Golf Course in Chelsea bucks this trend. Pierce Lake is plenty challenging,
playing more than 6,800 yards. It winds through water, marsh and tight,
wooded fairways. A confident tee ball is the only way to go here, as
numerous tee shots require a significant carry over marsh to narrow
landing zones. The back nine is especially unique with three par-3s,
par-4s and par-5s. The par-3 18th is no cakewalk for a closing hole
at 234 yards and water on the right reeling in slicers.
