Best golf courses: Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Michigan offers a vast spread of public golf courses. Bay Harbor Golf Club offers scenic bay views at virtually all holes while Robert Trend Jones Sr's Masterpiece course at the well-regarded Treetops resort makes the most of the natural landscape of valleys, plains and ravines. During your exploration of Grand Rapids' abundant natural beauty and electric nightlife, reserve the afternoon(s) for the championship layout at Thousand Oaks Golf Club or challenging, nationally-ranked course at Tullymore Golf Resort. 

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Traverse City
Henderson & Smith

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Traverse City

Designer

Warren Henderson in collabortion with Rick Smith.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Traverse City
Fry & Straka

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Traverse City

Designer

Dana Fry and Jason Straka of Fry/Straka Design.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Arthur Hills in collaboration with owner Stephen Kircher.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Watson, Willie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Original design by William "Willie" Watson from Fife, Scotland (1925); revised by Ray Didier (1961) and renovated by Bruce Hepner (2016).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
(Closed in 2019)
Gaylord
Doak, Tom

Visitors?

(Closed in 2019)

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Tom Doak

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Rees Jones
4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Sr

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Arthur Hills

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Newcomb, William

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

William Newcomb, Jim Flick and E. & S.Kircher

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Newcomb, William

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

William Newcomb, Jim Flick and E. & S.Kircher

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Newcomb, William

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

William Newcomb designed both courses at Boyne Mountain: Alpine course (1970), Monument course (1985).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Bowers, Harry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Harry Bowers

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Traverse City
MacKenzie, Alister

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Traverse City

Designer

Dr. Alister MacKenzie in collaboration with Perry Maxwell.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Lutzke, Chris

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Chris Lutzke in collaboration with Pete Dye.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
(Closed in 2016)
Gaylord
Matthews, Jerry

Visitors?

(Closed in 2016)

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Jerry Matthews

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Weiskopf, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Tom Weiskopf

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Rsrt guests only
Gaylord
Doak, Tom

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Tom Doak (Renaissance Golf Design)

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Detroit
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Detroit

Designer

Donald Ross

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Traverse City
Nicklaus, Jack

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Traverse City

Designer

A Jack Nicklaus Signature Design

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Traverse City
Player, Gary

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Traverse City

Designer

A Gary Player Signature Design
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Mitchell, William

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

William Mitchell
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Scott, Darl et al

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

GLV West (Darl Scott family, 1963); GLV East (Darl, Charles & Jim Scott, 1973).
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Renaissance Design

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Designed by Eric Iverson, Brian Schneider, Brian Slawnik and Don Placek of Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Scott, Charles & Jon

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Stonehedge South (Charles Scott, 1988); Stonehedge North (Charles & Jon Scott, 1995).
4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Nicklaus, Jack

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

A Jack Nicklaus Signature Design

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Matthews, Jerry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Jerry Matthews
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Traverse City
Robinson, John

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Traverse City

Designer

John F. Robinson

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Arthur Hills & Steve Forrest

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Matthews III, Bruce

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Bruce Matthews III

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Aldridge & Matthews

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Kevin Aldridge designed the Gailes (1992) and Blackshire (2001) courses; Bruce & Jerry Matthews designed the Seradella course (1969).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
(Closed in 2019)
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Gorney, Jeff

Visitors?

(Closed in 2019)

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Jeff Gorney

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Doak, Tom

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Tom Doak

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Detroit
Matthews, Jerry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Detroit

Designer

Jerry Matthews
Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Detroit
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Detroit

Designer

South course: original design by Donald Ross (1918); modifications by Arthur Hills (1987), Rees Jones (2006) and Gil Hanse (2019).
North course: original design by Donald Ross (1922); redesign by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1969); modifications by Arthur Hills & Steve Forrest (2014).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Detroit
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Detroit

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Jr.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Robbins & Koch

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Rick Robbins & Gary Koch (Tribute course, 2001); William H. Diddel (Classic course, 1958).
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Schumacker & DeVries

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Kris Schumacker & Mike DeVries of DeVries Designs.

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Arthur Hills and design associate Chris Wilczynski.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Weiskopf, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Tom Weiskopf

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Palmer, Arnold

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Arnold Palmer & Ed Seay

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Detroit
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Detroit

Designer

Arthur Hills
4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Matthews, Jerry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Jerry Matthews

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Rees Jones
4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Fazio, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Tom Fazio

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Jones Sr, Trent Jones

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Sr.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Gaylord
Smith, Rick

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Gaylord

Designer

Rick Smith

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Petoskey / Harbor Springs
Engh, Jim

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

Designer

Jim Engh

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Grand Rapids
Engh, Jim

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Grand Rapids

Designer

Jim Engh

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Detroit
MacKenzie, Alister

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Detroit

Designer

Original design by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1931); renovated by Arthur Hills (1994).

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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