Michigan Golf Journal September 2021

21 September 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com The ride is an excellent look at, and history lesson for, the Elk habitat in Michigan. On the Saturday evening we went along, up to three dozen Elk were easily seen, with one coming up to within 15 feet of the carriage to graze. At the time in 2020 it was only the second carriage ride of the season due to prior Covid restrictions, so a few other Elk that were initially close by were spooked to see humans for the first time in several months and scampered away. The dinner was very good and – although the spouse and I rarely touch wine – the wine tasting was done well and my wife found an ‘Ice Wine’ from Modern Craft Winery in Au Gres, MI that she fell for. Accommodations at Thunder Bay Resort were built in the early 1990s. They are roomy and comfortable and according to my spouse (she has the sensitive nose) they smelled fresh, without any hint of mustiness. The overnight choices range from condominium style Chalets to Suites in 2-and 3-story buildings along the second hole. There’s approximately 70 bedrooms on the property. There is also an RV Park that on our trip was filled with many high-end motor coaches, from Texas, Florida and Alabama. “The second most inquiries we get from the website come from Texas,” Mathias said. “We’re the only people doing something like the Elk Tour that’s east of the Rockies. We get rave reviews, and almost everybody says we exceeded their expectations. Our word of mouth is very good, and when it comes to couples’ golf getaways, I am reasonably confident that we can compete with just about anything you can do anywhere.” For two years running, the Elk Tour has been recently awarded the “Best of the Best” in the “Adventure” category by Destinations Magazine . MGJ