Fall Golf Is Splendid In Gaylord
There is no prettier place for fall golf that in the Gaylord Golf Mecca. When the hardwoods turn their splendid hues to scarlet, rust, gold and orange it is sometimes hard to concentrate on your game because you are awed by the views.
Located in the heart of Northern Michigan just three hours north of Detroit on I-75, the Mecca is anchored by three highly acclaimed resorts, 22 golf courses, and 19 hotel properties all with in a 30-mile radius.
Perhaps the golf course with the greatest autumn views is The Tribute at the Otsego Club. This Gary Koch design, open only a few years, is already known for the 20-mile views from its splendid elevated tees. In the fall, it is simply breathtaking.
A few miles further east is Treetops Resort, where its four golf courses are perched high above the Pigeon River Valley offering vast view of the terrain. This award-winning resort spreads over 4,000 acres of scenic terrain. Treetop’s inventory of four championship courses and a tough par-3 tract, represents some of the best golf holes on one property, anywhere in the country.
Garland Resort has long been known for its special Northern Michigan ambiance. Garland is Northern Michigan’s only AAA Four-Diamond resort, which features a lodge built of huge pines and a collection of charming golf villas. The four golf courses are fun and challenging as they weave through more than 3,500 acres of the state’s most scenic forests, lakes and streams.
A must-play in the Mecca is the Black Forest course at Wilderness Valley. An early design by Tom Doak, this course has been upgraded considerably by its new owners, Osprey Management LLC, and a new set of front tees has been added. The large undulating greens are the some of the most challenging in Michigan and the British-style bunker complexes are works of art.
Black Lake Golf Club near Oscoda is an 18-hole facility cut from a 1,000-acre forest retreat owned by the United Auto Workers. Rees Jones, the nationally respected architect, handled all design work. Holes mesh seamlessly with the surrounding terrain and dense tree lines.
Marsh Ridge, which is built over marshlands, features new condominium opportunities by Larry Bowden, who also owns The Natural designed by Jerry Matthews.
Other courses worth playing include The Pines course at Michawye, which has undergone recent renovations, Mountain Lakes course next to Michaywe, which is under new ownership and also undergoing renovation improvements, and the nearby Loon Golf Club is always popular with locals. In addition, the Jerry Matthews designed Elk Ridge is always a challenging course near Hillman, the classic parkland layout of Gaylord Country Club features great green complexes, as well as the challenging Black Bear Golf Club introduces golfers to Michigan’s only 19-hole golf course.
The Gaylord Golf Mecca offers many great fall golf experiences and great fall golf packages. Click on www.gaylordgolfmecca.com for more information.
