Michigan Golf Journal February 2019

Deer Lake and a recently ƌĞŶŽǀĂƚĞĚ ƐƉĂ ǁŚĞƌĞ ŵLJ wife kept using words like ͞ĂǁĞƐŽŵĞ͕ ďĞƐƚ ĞǀĞƌ͟ ŽŶ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů ŽĐĐĂƐŝŽŶƐ͘ Boyne Highlands : Th e Heather, along with The Hills, the Donald Ross Memorial and The Moor – the only Boyne course I haven’t tried – make up a quad of courses that can be squeezed into a weekend if needed or can Įůů ĂŶ ĞŶƟƌĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŽĨ ŶĞǀĞƌͲ boring replays. The Heather (where you can rent golf boards) has its great history for design, playability and challenge all rolled into one, but The Hills is my favorite. The layout is wide open on most holes ĂŶĚ ĚŽƩĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂƩƌĂĐƟǀĞ ďƵƚ ƐŽŵĞƟŵĞƐ ƚƌĞĂĐŚĞƌŽƵƐ bunkering. The 10 th green complex is super cool for a risk-reward short par 4, and ƚŚĞ ϭϯ th tee is also one of the highest points in northern Michigan with an incredible inland view for miles. The Golf Channel’s Big Break X was ĮůŵĞĚ ƚŚĞƌĞ͘ Boyne Highlands was ŶĂŵĞĚ ďLJ 'ŽůĨ͘ĐŽŵ ƌĞĂĚĞƌƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ h͘^͘ 'ŽůĨ ZĞƐŽƌƚ ĨŽƌ sĂůƵĞ͘ /Ŷ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ϵͲŚŽůĞ ƵŶĚĞƌͲƚŚĞͲůŝŐŚƚƐ Ƶī Link course, the Highlands ĂůƐŽ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ůŝŬĞ zip lines, biking trails, horse- back riding and the Young American’s Dinner Theatre. Bay Harbor Golf Club : B ay ,ĂƌďŽƌ ŝƐ ŶĂƟŽŶĂůůLJ ĂĐĐůĂ ŝŵĞĚ for is three 9s; the Quarry, the Preserve and the wow factor of the Links course elevated ǀŝĞǁƐ ŽĨ ƐĐĞŶŝĐ >ŝƩůĞ dƌĂǀĞƌƐĞ Bay and Lake Michigan. Words can’t appropriately describe the awe in traversing ĚŽǁŶ ŚŽůĞƐ EŽ͘ ϭ͕ ϯ͕ ϰ ĂŶĚ 7 overlooking the bay from high atop the Links course – highlighted even more if ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ Ă ƌŝƐŝŶŐ Žƌ ƐĞƫŶŐ sun on the water. The Quarry course is tough and rugged, with many holes cut and shaped inside an old rock quarry. The Preserve balances the adventure with a more ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂů ŶŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ DŝĐŚŝŐĂŶ tree-lined layout that’s fun and gorgeous. Stay & Play or Unlimited Golf Packages: I recommend the Stay & Play package when all you want is an overnight and 18 holes – or take advantage of the Unlimited Golf package for a few dollars more if you just can’t get enough golf. Yet the ďĞƐƚ ǀĂůƵĞ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ 5-day Great ƐĐĂƉĞ sĂĐĂƟŽŶ ŽīĞƌŝŶŐ unlimited golf, breakfasts, dinners, and a $75 BOYNE 'ŽůĨ 'ŝŌ ĂƌĚ͕ ƐƟůů ŝŶ ͚ƚƌŝƉůĞ ĮŐƵƌĞƐ͛ ;ůĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ΨϵϱϬͿ͊ 5 February 2019 ǁǁǁ͘ŵŝĐŚŝŐĂŶŐŽůłŽƵƌŶĂů͘ĐŽŵ