Gull Lake View Resort: Great Golf, Good Times

By Tom Lang

Two years ago, when I moved westward from metro Detroit to the Battle Creek region, I was pleasantly surprised that so many people said, ‘oh, they have great golf there.’

I already agreed with them and was looking forward to being the new neighbor.

The great golf reputation is most assuredly because of the (tied for) 6th largest golf resort in the country – Gull Lake View – located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo in the nation’s best golf mecca namesake, Augusta.

Founders Darl and Letha Scott designed and opened 60 years ago in 1963, the first of what’s become six excellent golf courses, each with their own personality. Four generations later the Scott family continues to own and operate the property and they work hard to assure the family heritage of giving golfers a great experience stays strong.

The pinnacle of the family business was being recognized by the National Golf Course Owners Association with the 2021 Jemsek National Golf Course of the Year award – for Stoatin Brae, Gull Lake View’s most recent, and premier, 18 hole layout.

The award recognizes a course that epitomizes exceptional course quality and management excellence, makes important contributions to its communities and the game and is a model of operations to its peers.

Stoatin Brae beat out three other national regional finalists, including Pinehurst Resort and Country Club.

“Gull Lake View has become one of the best stay and play destinations not only in the state, but in the Midwest,” said Bill Hobson, executive producer and on-air talent of Michigan Golf Live. “Their collection of courses, led by the stunning Stoatin Brae, has propelled Gull Lake View into a ‘must play’ destination.”

6 Courses, 6 Experiences:

STOATIN BRAE:  The newest but core course in the portfolio is loaded with challenges but is balanced by a sense of serenity. Whether you’re having a good day or bad day striking the ball, every golfer should be able to walk off the course and say that was a great way to spend their time.

Right off the bat, Hole 1 is the first of several with green complex lower than the end of the fairway, but then hole 7 is a long par 3 that is uphill but with bunkers and a ridge hiding most of the huge green (from the back tees). The flag is visible, but it plays much farther away than it looks to the naked eye, so trust the published yardage and then hit up one club at least.

Holes 10 and 11 are possibly the most attractive back-to-back holes in this region of Michigan. No. 10 (our cover image) is a shorter par 4 that with a big drive and a helping wind, golfers can flirt with reaching the small, elevated green. 

No. 11 is a medium-length par 3 with a perched tee and green and deep valley in between that plays farther away than it looks (but note, all references to playing distance is predicated on that day’s wind direction, a main feature of Stoatin Brae). On a clear day downtown Battle Creek can be seen in the distance across the valley.

Additional awards include Golfweek's Top 100 Courses You Can Play List 2019 -- 2023 … GolfWeek’s Top 10 course to play in Michigan for 2018 -- 2022 … and the 9 Michigan Courses You Should Play at Least Once, GolfDigest.

GULL LAKE WEST:  This is the original course built by Darl after he gave up being the superintendent at Gull Lake Country Club to be his own course owner. Like most of the properties in the Gull Lake inventory, tree-lined rolling hills and water features are the highlight of this early 1960s design.

GULL LAKE EAST:  Was the resort’s only course I hadn’t played – until this spring. All I could keep asking myself was why did I wait so long. It was opened in the mid-1970s and launched the eventual need for overnight 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom villa accommodations, which were all remodeled and updated in the past few years.

The East is situated on beautiful rolling hills with several elevated tee boxes and natural ponds to navigate. In most cases the water is there for aesthetics, not overtly dangerous obstacles, unless your game is pretty wild. What stands out is 6,032 yards from the tips, which often fools men’s groups coming in. Some scoff at that yardage, thinking it’s too short, but I defy any of them to play their best game on the East.

STONEHEDGE SOUTH:  This gem, which this year earned Top 50 course in the U.S. by the GolfPass Golfers Choice Ratings, is a fun one. Similar in design to the East Course, and which butts up against Stoatin Brae’s back 9, South was the third course designed by the family. Completed in 1988, this is a favorite for players who enjoy a walk in the country as much as they enjoy playing championship golf. A variety of stone work around the course helped create the name.

BEDFORD VALLEY:  Due north of Battle Creek, the formidable Bedford Valley continues to host important state tournaments annually, like high school state finals. It also used to host the Michigan Open, and regularly hosts the Michigan Sr. Open. On June 22-23 it hosts the Michigan PGA Junior Championship.

According to Gull Lake View president Bill Johnson, the theme there is ‘big.’

“It’s a good old-fashioned golf course,” he said. “There’s no tricks. It’s big. The bunkers are big, the greens are big. The trees are big. And the yardage can be big (when necessary). Bedford withstands the challenge, for all ages and genders.”

STONEHEDGE NORTH: Stonehedge North has also hosted Div. 3 college tournaments as Gull Lake expands in hosting more of those style events. It sits across M-89 from Stonehedge South but plays more open links style, despite the many trees on property. Designed by Charles (second generation) and Jon Scott (third generation), with six each of par 3s, par 4s and par 5s, Stonehedge North opened in 1995 and has been impressing golfers with its dramatic landscape features ever since.

Updates and Renovations:

There is no resting on laurels for Gull Lake View Resort. After Stoatin Brae earned National Golf Course of the Year, when some course owners would sit back and simply buff the shine on such a trophy, the staff and family got to work to make even more improvements to carry the torch long into the future.

The most noticeable renovations came in the 67 condos, utilized most often for family and buddies’ trips (yes, women have buddies’ trips too, which have been increasing), but the more than $2 million recent investments can be seen all over the multiple properties. Gull Lake View can sleep about 280 people per night on site.

They’ve added new golf carts to all six facilities in the past two years – and many cart paths were also replaced.

One popularity point for Gull Lake View is its location between Chicago and Detroit. Johnson said being in a chain of lakes region with rolling land and the closeness to the two large cities makes it attractive; basically 2.5 hours in either direction. 

While Gull Lake View Resort is a place that’s all about golf – meaning no swimming pool nor ongoing dedicated activities for young children – it sits at the southeastern tip of Gull Lake, where many restaurants and boating activities can be found.

“The Scott family have been and are true servant leaders of the golf course industry and within their community,” said Jada Paisley, executive director of the Michigan Golf Course Association. “Each generation of the Scott Family has embodied these characteristics, showcasing a legacy of unwavering dedication and service to the game.”