Garland Lodge & Golf Resort Celebrates 75 Years
By Greg Johnson –
For 75 years, Garland Lodge & Golf Resort has welcomed golfers looking for a true Northern Michigan golf getaway. One year into his role as director of golf, Shane Riley said he now fully understands why so many visitors keep coming back.
“It’s been an amazing learning experience at a wonderful place,” he said. “The staff and the members here welcomed me with open arms.”
His wife, Stephanie, made a splash at Garland, too. She made two hole-in-ones playing golf in her first summer at the resort. “She became a celebrity really quick,” Shane said and laughed. “Members started asking for lessons from her and not me.”
Shane revealed there are plans underway for the celebration of 75 years, but he can’t disclose them just yet. “We’ll do a couple of special things,” he said.
For now, the focus is on recovering from what Shane called a monumental winter that included snow and more snow, followed by ice, rain and some area flooding. In other words, the Northern Michigan winter was maybe just a little more relentless this time around.
“The good news is we have recovered well and are ready for summer. The golf courses are immaculate for this time of year, and our round count in May was really close to last year’s count” he said.
The celebrated new short course, The Sawyer, a 10-hole reversible par 3 layout, is one-year-old and has been a fabulous new addition, too.
“The Sawyer looks amazing,” he said. “People who chose not to play it last year are now telling us they want to play. I think our returning golfers saw people out enjoying it and realized they should give it a try. We allow 12 or less players in one group to play and have a good time out there, so it’s a unique, fun experience where groups enjoy it the way they choose.”
Of course, the four 18-hole courses that start from one perfectly situated golf shop remain. Aptly named, they offer varying experiences and contribute to the resort’s incredible get-away-from-it-all aspect.
Quick review:
Fountains is golf art with challenging approach shots and undulating green complexes.
Reflections winds among towering pines, lakes, streams and wildflower patches.
Monarch is the longest course, a championship test amid the area’s incredible beauty.
And Swampfire is for those who like navigating trees, bunkers, varying terrain and of course, water is visible if not playable on 16 of the 18 holes.
“I’ve learned so much about our great courses and I’m impressed with the staff, the courses and the members,” Shane said. “What I know now versus what I knew a year ago is night and day.”
Shane said he has especially enjoyed meeting the golfers. “I’ve met people who have been coming here for 30 years, husbands and wives, groups of buddies who count 15, 20 even 30 years of making this their golf trip. We had a group just last week with families that have been coming to Northern Michigan for four generations, but they had never been to Garland before. They told me they had a ball. I know they will be back.”
Shane said he makes it a goal each day to provide golfers with the same type of experience he has had since arriving. “I want Garland to exceed everyone’s expectations.”
As Garland celebrates 75 years, Shane believes the combination of memorable golf, loyal visitors and the peaceful Northern Michigan setting continues to make the resort one of the cornerstones of the Gaylord Golf Mecca experience.
