Southwest Michigan Destination Guide
Far from the Great Lakes and the massive wooded forests of Northern Michigan, you might assume that Southern Michigan has little to offer. But this part of the state offers some unique choices even for discerning golfers.
Pilgrim's Run Golf Club is one of the best courses in Western Michigan. Just 45 minutes north of Grand Rapids, Pilgrim’s Run is among Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Places You Can Play. The course was designed by six employees, who each drew up three holes, and then hired Mike DeVries, a student of Tom Doak, to bring their fantasies to life over 400 acres. Since opening the front nine in July 1997 and the back nine one year later. Pilgrim’s Run added a clubhouse in 1999. The course will also hit a home run with your wallet. Playing early in the season costs a mere $39, while the course's most expensive tee times are $59 on weekends.
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In Saugatuck, Clearbrook Golf Club and its sister property, the Ravines, offer a tag-team dose of championship golf. It is very possible to play both of these courses in the same day, making the trip to Saugatuck very worthwhile. There is a nice variety in design between the two layouts.
Clearbrook’s
most distinguishing feature is a brook that meanders through the facility.
Its par-5 fifth hole is among the prettiest and most challenging in
the state. The brook snakes close to the green, requiring your approach
to fly over it in two sections. There is a small landing area in-between
if you choose to lay-up and play it safe. Holes six and seven are two
of the easiest holes on the course -- a short uphill par-5 followed
by a reasonable par-3. The eighth requires another approach over the
seemingly endless creek, while the 9th is a relatively long par-3 --
and one of the few totally dry holes on the front.
The Ravines, an Arnold Palmer course, is a difficult challenge with its slope rating of 142 from the tips. But it does allows room for some error and is very fair. Palmer doesn’t trick up any of his holes, and the trouble you need to avoid is well defined.
