BOYNE Golf - Where Great Golfers Gather
Written by Mike May
Golfers dream about playing Pebble Beach, hope to play St. Andrews, and pray for the chance to play Augusta National. Those dreams, hopes, and prayers may never come true, but every golfer who craves a classic golf getaway should visit northern Michigan to play all Magnificent 10 courses at BOYNE Golf.
Located 90 minutes north of Traverse City, near the lakeside community of Petoskey, BOYNE Golf is one of America’s most appealing and accessible golf destinations – especially in the late spring, summer, and early fall. BOYNE Golf can be summarized by three numbers: Ten, Three, and One. Ten golf courses, three resorts, in one destination. It’s not an overstatement to say that BOYNE Golf may well be the standard by which all U.S. golf resorts are now measured. BOYNE’s ten golf courses are well designed and are maintained with meticulous attention to detail. Their three locations, Bay Harbor, The Highlands at Harbor Springs, and Boyne Mountain are first-class. When bundled into one package, BOYNE Golf rises to the top of anybody’s wish list.
The Highlands: A Golf Destination in Itself
The Highlands is an impressive destination with four 18-hole golf courses: The Heather, Arthur Hills, Donald Ross Memorial, and The Moor. The Heather is the oldest course in BOYNE’s impressive portfolio. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., it opened in 1966. The most recent accolade bestowed upon The Heather speaks for itself as it was named the 2019 National Golf Course Operators Association’s Course of the Year. The Arthur Hills course hosted Big Break X on Golf Channel. Standing on the 13th hole’s elevated tee, over 4,000 acres of non-inhabited forest is visible in the distance. The Donald Ross Memorial is a creative collection of some of Ross’s finest holes from 14 of his classic golf course designs. Of the 14 courses used to build the Ross Memorial, they have hosted 14 U.S. Opens, 11 PGA Championships, eight U.S. Amateurs, and five Ryder Cups. Courses represented at Donald Ross Memorial include Pinehurst #2, Plainfield Country Club, Oak Hill Country Club, Scioto Country Club, Inverness Golf Club and Charlotte Country Club. Twists and turns are a common theme at The Moor, especially the front nine, which has four left-to-right doglegs. Accommodations at The Highlands range from private, on-site cottages to recently remodeled luxurious rooms inside the lodge. The lodge’s breakfast buffet is first-class and highly recommended.
Bay Harbor Golf Club: Lakeside Jewel
Bay Harbor Golf Club features 45-holes - three nine hole golf courses combined to play as 18 and the 18-hole Crooked Tree Golf Club located across the street. The Inn at Bay Harbor and the Bay Harbor Golf Club are both set along a scenic five-mile stretch of stunning Lake Michigan shoreline. Several of the holes on the Links course hug the Lake Michigan coastline with jaw-dropping views. The Quarry course was designed within the remnants of an old shale quarry with several tee shots struck from elevated tees. The Quarry routing brings golfers back to the Lake Michigan coastline for the final two holes.
The Preserve starts in the presence of a hardwood forest and concludes with a par three overlooking Little Traverse Bay. The Preserve has spacious fairways surrounded by tall grasses, native wetlands and wildflowers. The 18-hole Crooked Tree Golf Club is situated on the bluffs overlooking the Inn at Bay Harbor. The front nine at Crooked Tree winds its way through the forest, while the back nine provides amazing views overlooking Little Traverse and Lake Michigan. The Inn at Bay Harbor is beautiful, lakeside hotel and one of the top rated Marriot Autograph hotels. In addition to the contemporary look inside the Inn at Bay Harbor’s rooms, guests enjoy unobstructed views of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. If you are traveling with a group, 22 modern Lakeside Cottages as well as more than 20 Cottages located along the 18th fairway of Crooked Tree Golf Club area are also available at Bay Harbor.
Boyne Mountain: Two Loops
Boyne Mountain features two dynamic 18-hole courses -- The Monument and Alpine – along with the charming Mountain Grand Lodge & Spa. Boyne Mountain is perfect for families with the Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark, junior golf camps, and various kid’s golf programs. Golf Digest named Boyne Mountain one of its “Top 10 Destinations for Family Golf Trips.” With the elevated mountain setting the Alpine course has a number of photo ops especially looking down to Deer Lake. The Alpine is fairly open, which allows wayward drives to be found. The Monument course at Boyne Mountain was designed by borrowing the design tendencies and philosophies from great golf course architects like Donald Ross, Dr. Alister Mackenzie, George Fazio, Pete Dye, and Robert Trent Jones, Sr, plus it also pays tribute to some of America’s most accomplished and memorable golfers.
BOYNE Golf Awaits
Again, you don’t have to dream, hope, or pray about visiting BOYNE Golf, you just have to pick the dates, reserve tee times, and go play. The Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City receives direct flights from 17 different major U.S. airports and is a short drive to BOYNE once you land. Boyne Mountain recently reopened their 5200’ airport after upgrades to the runway including widening, installation of new lights, and a new weather station.
Visit BOYNEGolf.com or call one of their Experience Agents at 877.269.8034 for additional information or to plan your trip.