Island Resort & Casino in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has experienced exceptional demand for golf since opening the Sweetgrass Golf course 15 years ago and is now one of the top golf destinations in the country.
The resort is owned by the Hannahville Band of the Potawatomi Nation. In 2008 the Hannahville Indian Community hired acclaimed Golf Course Architect Paul Albanese to build its first golf course. The course’s name, Sweetgrass, refers to an aromatic herb and sacred plant used in Native American peace and healing rituals that is planted throughout the course.
The prairie links-style course meanders to a wide-open vista where many greens and flags can be seen in the distance. The greens are also some of the most fun to putt, featuring Redan, Biarritz, Island, and Double-green.
“It’s my own philosophy and the Native American philosophy that we always try to make the design fit the land, and truly allow it to reflect the principles of Native Americans’ respect for the land,” said Albanese, a Harvard University transplant who now lives in Plymouth, Mich. “This also inspired stories to share throughout the course. We put some wooden posts in the side of a hill along the fairway that represent the remains of a fort from the 1650’s. And the green complex itself worked out very nicely to be a redan-style green. Redan is the French word for fortress.”
“Over the 15 years since the Sweetgrass opening, it has been exciting to see how we have grown to become a top golf destination, to see the EPSON Tour evolve and impact our community, and to be named National Course of the Year. It’s a testament to the quality golf experience we offer and the strong team of employees that make things happen,” said General Manager Tony Mancilla, who appreciates the resort’s massive expansion. “You have to start small, make your mistakes, and work to get better. And we add a little more every year. We’re not done growing yet.”
The Sweetgrass course has hosted 11 EPSON Tour events, won numerous golf course design awards, and earned the 2022 National Golf Course of the Year from the National Golf Course Owners Association.
With the high demand for more golf the resort added a second Albanese-designed course, Sage Run, in 2016. To meet additional demand for accommodations, a new hotel tower was also recently added, bringing the property’s guest room total to 454. The new hotel features golf suites and a steakhouse on its top floor.
Sage Run features a rugged terrain with hardwoods, open areas, and a massive ridge, or drumlin with bunkering that reminds golfers of Royal County Down, in Northern Ireland.
Golf packages can be customized to fit any budget. The Perfect 4-Some package combines Greywalls in Marquette and TimberStone in Iron Mountain along with Island Casino & Resort’s two courses.
For more information on booking 2023 Island Resort & Casino golf packages visit: http://www.islandresortgolf.com/
