The Irish Links Experience Without the Big-Course Green Fees

By Tony Dear

You’ve saved and planned for months/years and, at last, you’re heading east across the Atlantic to the Emerald Isle for two weeks of world-class golf and the sort of hospitality you’ve read about in tourism guides but didn’t think actually existed. 

Your itinerary has been set in stone for ages and likely includes any number of fabled links – Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Portmarnock, Co. Louth (Baltray), The European, Waterville, Tralee, Connemara, Carne, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo (Rosses Pt), Donegal (Murvagh), Ballyliffin and Rosapenna where Michigander Tom Doak’s amazing new St. Patrick’s course opened in June.

It’s a pretty impressive list of venues from which to choose. What will make your trip even more memorable though, is finding an obscure links course your friends won’t know about but which you have time to visit having played a big-name course in the morning. At the lesser-known links, you’ll find the same expansive landscapes and firm, sandy turf as at the more famous courses, but you’ll pay half or even a third as much to play them and be welcomed like a long-lost member.

Here are 10 of the best on the island of Ireland with green fees ranging from €35 (about $41) to £105 (about $146).

Southeast
Rosslare – Co. Wexford (60 minutes south of the European Club)
It says so much about the golf in this country that a course like Rosslare, designed by Fred G. Hawtree and five-time Open champion JH Taylor and opened in 1925, is barely known outside it. The club abandoned its original nine holes for 18 on a superb stretch of linksland a little further north in 1925 and since then little has changed. Rosslare is a fairly standard out and back routing about the same width as the Old Course at St. Andrews and possesses the sort of humps, hollows, cropped turf and random contours that make links golf such an adventure.
€50 – rosslaregolf.com 

Arklow – Co. Wicklow (15 minutes south of The European Club)
Hawtree and Taylor laid out the course on classic linksland in 1927 since when a few changes have had to be made due to the ever-meddlesome Irish Sea. Eddie Hackett, the Godfather of Irish course design, was called upon to restore some lost holes in the 1970s and, toward the end of the century, Eddie B. Connaughton, who specialized in turf care and agronomy but also redesigned a number of courses, made several alterations. Arklow is a wonderful round of golf, with the thrilling front-nine providing most of the highlights.
€45 – arklowgolflinks.com

Northeast
Ballycastle – Co. Antrim (25 minutes east of Royal Portrush)
The delightful Ballycastle, one of the Golfing Union of Ireland’s (GUI) founding clubs, begins with five parkland holes on the south side of Cushendall Rd and which circle Bonamargy Friary, a Franciscan foundation established in 1485, before crossing the road and heading for the coast. After three or four pure links holes, the course begins to climb the high ground above Glenshesk, one of the Nine Glens of Antrim. The views from the top of the cliff over Rathlin Island, the North Atlantic and the Mull of Kintyre are spectacular. You drop back down to sea level at the short 17th then finish with the linksy 18th. Ballycastle may only measure 5,876 yards, but it’s quite a journey.
£105 – ballycastlegolfclub.com 

Corballis Links – Co. Meath (5 minutes north of The Island, 25 minutes north of Portmarnock)
After a hugely enjoyable, though somewhat stern, morning round at Portmarnock or the nearby Island GC, you will enjoy the opportunity to shoot a lower (much lower) number at the Par 66 Corballis Links. Now owned by Fingal County Council, the course has existed in one form or another since 1906, though today’s layout was created by American architect Ron Kirby in 2004-05. It is, in short, an absolute blast to play with so many quirks and so much character you may find yourself juggling your itinerary to make room for another visit.
€35 – corballislinks.com 

Laytown and Bettystown – Co. Meath (20 minutes south of Co. Louth)
I’ll never forget the day I first played L&B in September 1997. After meeting him in the clubhouse, the club secretary escorted my friends and I to the first tee chatting all the way and generally making us feel like the most important non-members to ever play there. I’ve also heard about the German visitor who arrived at the 18th green to see the Flagge Deutschland flying on the club’s flagpole. I don’t know if this sort of thing happens with every visitor, but it gives you an idea of the sort of club we’re talking about. Anyway, the course, originally laid out in 1909 but later totally rebuilt by club pro RJ Browne, is everything a great links should be – all fescue/marram-covered dunes, firm fairways, hollows, rises, sea views and fun greens.
€95 – landbgolfclub.ie

Northwest
Portsalon – Co. Donegal (75 minutes west of Ballyliffin, 25 minutes east of Rosapenna)
One of the nine clubs that together formed the GUI in 1891, Portsalon was originally designed by Charles Thompson, pro at the County Club (now Royal Portrush). Today’s course, however, is really the result of Pat Ruddy’s phenomenal redesign in 2000 when the former journalist and founder/designer of the European Club built nine new holes and left only five of the originals untouched.
€100 – portsalongolfclub.ie

Dunfanaghy – Co. Donegal (25 minutes west of Rosapenna)
British soldiers are said to have whacked balls here as far back as 1740, but it wasn’t until 1906 that the golf club officially formed. The course was designed by six-time Open champion Harry Vardon (he’d won four of the six when he first visited Donegal) whose narrow routing alongside Killahoey Beach runs from west to east and back again, turning for home at the exquisite 124-yard 9th hole which crosses an arc of beach sand. 
€60 – dunfanaghygolfclub.com 

Strandhill – Co. Sligo (20 minutes south of Co. Sligo, 45 minutes east of Enniscrone)
Eddie Hackett extended Strandhill’s original nine holes to 18 in 1973 creating a Par 70 of about 6,350 yards (the club’s scorecard uses meters) that is a fabulous follow-up to your morning game at Co. Sligo. Bordered by Cullenamore Beach, Strandhill Beach and the lower slopes of a 1,000 ft limestone hill called Knocknarea, Strandhill is another of those courses that might not appear on your starting itinerary, but which you’ll be so pleased you added along the way.
€100 - strandhillgolfclub.com

Southwest
Castlegregory – Co. Kerry (45 minutes east of Ceann Sibeal, 45 minutes west of Tralee, 60 minutes south of Ballybunion)
It's likely a fair chunk of your trip to Ireland will be spent in Kerry where legendary links courses seem to proliferate. But after a morning round at Waterville, Tralee, Ballybunion, Ceann Sibeal (Dingle), Dooks or Hog’s Head (Lahinch and Doonbeg are just a little way further north in County Clare), you’ll appreciate the change of pace at Castlegregory, a wonderfully natural links nine-holer bordered by the Atlantic to the north and Lough Gill to the south. Other great nine-hole courses that will fill sunny evenings, when there’s enough light to play until a little after 10pm, include Cruit Island, Spanish Pt, Achill Island, Mulranny and Gweedore.
€40 (for 18 holes) – castlegregorygolflinks.com

Lahinch (Castle) – Co. Clare (adjoining Lahinch)
A number of Ireland’s great clubs have more than one course. Royal County Down has the Annesley and Royal Portrush the Valley. Portmarnock has a third nine called the Yellow while Ballybunion boasts a ‘secondary’ 18 designed by Robert Trent Jones - the Cashen. Co. Sligo’s 36 holes include the Bomore Links, Enniscrone’s the Scurmore Course. Carne has the Kilmore Nine, Castlerock the Bann Nine. With the addition of St. Patrick’s, Rosapenna now has 63 holes while Ballyliffin has 45.

And, in addition to its world-renowned Old course designed by Alister Mackenzie in 1927, Lahinch offers visitors the Castle Course which occupies flatter ground to the east of its more illustrious sibling. Whether you’re tuning up for, or winding down from, a round on the Old, you’ll enjoy a relaxing saunter round the Castle whose first nine holes were designed by Englishman John Harris and opened in 1963 with the second nine debuting in 1975.
€40 – lahinchgolf.com

(Note: the difference in currency between Northern Ireland and the Republic. As part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland's currency is the Pound Sterling - £. The Republic, meanwhile, deals in Euros - €. There isn’t much difference between them - at the time of writing £1 = €1.17). 

Thunder Bay Golf and Elk Tour

A golf weekend experience like no other

By Tom Lang

One year ago, I took part in one the most unique golf weekend experiences I have ever had, and a bonus was taking my wife along and – even though she is not a golfer – she enjoyed herself very much. 

In other words, automatic bonus points.

As people think about fall golf, and even activities for the wintertime, this month seemed like a good opportunity to re-introduce this property. Thunder Bay Resort, located in Hillman, is due west of Alpena on Michigan’s ‘sunrise side.’

Thunder Bay Resort not only includes good golf – along with package deals that combine Red Hawk Golf Club in Tawas City and Black Lake to the north – but the main attraction on this eastside swing is Thunder Bay’s award-winning Elk viewing carriage ride. It is complete with gourmet dinner and wine tasting inside a modernized yet rustic-looking cabin in the woods. In the winter, the Belgian horse-drawn carriage is changed over from rubber tires to be fitted with sleigh runners and people bundle up under their own blanket for the tour through the 160-acre Elk nature preserve on the way to dinner. 

‘Over the River and through the Woods’ is not just a music lyric in this case. 

It’s what you literally experience as the Thunder Bay Resort Elk tour meanders through the only wild Elk preserve within range of dozens of states. In non-Covid years, thousands of travelers come in from other regions across the U.S. to participate. 

“Some people think the Elk are tame, and we can get quite close to totally wild Elk as well, but most of these animals have never been touched by a human being – we keep them as close to totally wild as we can,” said the original and current property owner at Thunder Bay, Jack Mathias, age 80. He first developed the front 9 of the now 18-hole course in 1971 – meaning this is the property’s 50th anniversary year.

The ride is an excellent look at, and history lesson for, the Elk habitat in Michigan. On the Saturday evening we went along, up to three dozen Elk were easily seen, with one coming up to within 15 feet of the carriage to graze. At the time in 2020 it was only the second carriage ride of the season due to prior Covid restrictions, so a few other Elk that were initially close by were spooked to see humans for the first time in several months and scampered away.

The dinner was very good and – although the spouse and I rarely touch wine – the wine tasting was done well and my wife found an ‘Ice Wine’ from Modern Craft Winery in Au Gres, MI that she fell for.

Accommodations at Thunder Bay Resort were built in the early 1990s. They are roomy and comfortable and according to my spouse (she has the sensitive nose) they smelled fresh, without any hint of mustiness. The overnight choices range from condominium style Chalets to Suites in 2-and 3-story buildings along the second hole. There’s approximately 70 bedrooms on the property.

There is also an RV Park that on our trip was filled with many high-end motor coaches, from Texas, Florida and Alabama.

“The second most inquiries we get from the website come from Texas,” Mathias said. “We’re the only people doing something like the Elk Tour that’s east of the Rockies. We get rave reviews, and almost everybody says we exceeded their expectations. Our word of mouth is very good, and when it comes to couples’ golf getaways, I am reasonably confident that we can compete with just about anything you can do anywhere.”

For two years running, the Elk Tour has been recently awarded the "Best of the Best" in the "Adventure" category by Destinations Magazine.

“Some people think the Elk are tame, and we can get quite close to totally wild Elk as well, but most of these animals have never been touched by a human being – we keep them as close to totally wild as we can,” said the founder and current property owner at Thunder Bay, Jack Mathias. He first developed the front 9 of the now 18-hole course in 1971 – meaning the property is more than 50 years in operation. 

The sleigh ride is an excellent look at, and history lesson for, the Elk habitat in Michigan. On the Saturday evening we went along, at least three dozen Elk were easily seen, with one coming up to within 15 feet of the carriage to graze. 

The dinner was very good and – although the spouse and I rarely touch wine – the wine tasting portion was done well and my wife found an ‘Ice Wine’ from Modern Craft Winery in Au Gres, MI that she fell for.

Virtually every weekend on the year-round calendar has Elk rides with dinner and wine. Occasionally the resort offers ‘Murder Mystery Weekends’.

Accommodations at Thunder Bay Resort were built in the early 1990s. They are roomy and comfortable and according to my spouse (she has the sensitive nose) they smelled fresh, without any hint of mustiness. The overnight choices range from condominium style Chalets to Suites in 2-story buildings along the second hole. There’s a rough equivalent of 70 bedrooms on the property.

There is also an RV Park for summertime, that on our trip was filled with many high-end motor coaches, from Texas, Florida and Alabama.

“The second most inquiries we get from the website come from Texas,” Mathias said. “We’re the only people doing something like the Elk Tour that’s east of the Rockies. We get rave reviews, and almost everybody says we exceeded their expectations. Our word of mouth is very good, and when it comes to couples’ golf getaways, I am reasonably confident that we can compete with just about anything you can do anywhere.”

Here’s a sampling of TripAdvisor ratings I found online:

January, 2022: 

“It has been a childhood wish to ride a horse drawn sleigh in the snow. This was such a relaxing two-night package. My husband and I enjoyed the room, the resort bar and grill. Good cocktail selection. The ride included elk viewing and dinner. The weekend exceed expectations.”

Valentines Weekend, rater from Grosse Pointe Farms:

“It was pretty nippy (below zero) the night we went on the sleigh ride, but we were kept warm by sitting on a wool blanket and having one thrown over our laps (both provided by the resort). This trip was so worthwhile because it's rare to do this kind of thing without having to go out West. We've done a similar sleigh ride/dinner in Snowmass, Colorado, and this one is just as lovely. Lucky for Michiganders to have this right in our backyard!”

When Spring Arrives for Golf:

Three golf experiences are included in the summertime traditional Getaway Package – at Thunder Bay, plus Red Hawk and Black Lake – three courses combined as a loop to hit Red Hawk in Tawas on the way north, two nights at Thunder Bay, then finish at Black Lake to the northwest on day 3. But they can be played in any order golfers desire.

Thunder Bay doesn’t have a famous designer’s name affiliated with the layout, but it’s a nice parkland style course surrounded by trees. The first three holes start out with tree-lined fairways before Holes 4-7 open up on a piece of land across the street with wider fairways and large greens. Once the routing goes back across the same residential road, you’ll never encounter a straight fairway again, sans the par 3s. Every hole 8-18 has some amount of turn in them that in all but one case hides the green from view of the tee box.

Ponds dot the course to serve as drainage and hazards. Reaching the 3rd, 8th and 11th greens requires going over the edge of ponds, while 12 and 17 require full-flight approaches over water. 

Although it was abundantly clear Thunder Bay is a buddies’ trip destination, lots of couples were also out playing together, a refreshing change from most courses.

Red Hawk is an excellent Arthur Hills design north of Tawas situated on a gorgeous track of land. Holes 2-4 might be my favorite run of holes, but that certainly doesn’t mean the fun stops early. 

No 2 is a drivable par 4 to an elevated green surrounded by bunkers so if your sand game still needs work it’s best to layup off the tee. No. 3 is a stunning par 3 with a huge drop off from the tee. It’s tempting to club down for that very reason but it’s still a good poke to get your ball there. No. 4 is a beautiful par 4 that turns right to left as it glides downhill – just a picture-perfect setting (which honestly can describe plenty of holes on the course).

Black Lake was designed by Rees Jones at the UAW property near the top of our mitten. Jones might have created the routing and some green complexes, but God did the land design. A handful of holes have ravines to clear off the tee, which also highlights the several elevation changes on site. 

As long as accuracy is maintained in your golf game, the sand bunkers can be viewed as artistry instead of hazards. Several greens have two-tiers offering multiple pin placements, with the 12th hole par 3 the most dramatic in the two different levels to conquer par. All in all, a great place to culminate a fun weekend getaway.

For more information and pricing, visit: www.thunderbayresort.com

Fall Renewal in North Carolina’s Sandhills

By Brad King

This fall, there is a sense of rebirth around the Home of American Golf.

At Southern Pines Golf Club, the classic Donald Ross hidden gem is one of the oldest golf courses in North Carolina’s Sandhills region of Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen. Southern Pines GC just unveiled an 18-month renovation improvement project headed by architect Kyle Franz — who comes full circle reimagining a variety of Ross designs, following his previous award-winning work at Pinehurst No. 2, Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club and Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club.

Franz says the golf course will evoke the feel of a Ross original, staying true to the well-preserved routing while removing elements that have been added through the years. More than 700 trees have been removed, accentuating dramatic vistas throughout the property. The Ross greens have been revamped and the bunkers restored. Franz also uncovered Ross’s “Lost Hole” — not part of the routing — while researching historic materials prior to the restoration. “Much of the property is transformed,” said Franz. “You really get a good sense for Ross’s golf course and where we’re going with everything.” 

Meanwhile, the United States Golf Association (USGA) is establishing a second home in Pinehurst. “Golf House Pinehurst” will be the site of the USGA’s equipment research and testing center, and turfgrass agronomy and management offices, as well as a museum and welcome center — all of which will be accessible to the public. The USGA tabbed the resort’s No. 2 Course at its first U.S Open anchor site, with five championships scheduled through 2047. Plans for a new, 64,000-square-foot, 34-room Lodge at Pinehurst hotel on Pinehurst Resort’s campus overlooking The Cradle par 3 short course and the Thistle Dhu 18-hole putting course include meeting spaces, locker rooms, a fitness center and bar. 

Following the completion of the recent thrilling 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur at the Country Club of North Carolina’s Dogwood & Cardinal courses, the Sandhills will continue a great run as host site for several more prestigious events. Just around the corner is the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles and the 2023 ACC Men’s Golf Championship at CCNC’s Dogwood Course. The big-time events will be culminated by the fourth U.S. Open Championship, on Pinehurst No. 2, in June of 2024.

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw completed a restoration of Pinehurst No. 2 in 2011 that brought back many of the design characteristics from Donald Ross’ own 1935 renovation. The Granddaddy of American Golf opened in 1907 and as golf lovers know has hosted dozens of major tournaments over the decades. 

History was made during the summer of 2019, when the recently redesigned Pinehurst No. 4, along with No. 2, served as the site of the 36-hole match-play final of the 119th U.S. Amateur Championship. Architect Gil Hanse and his design partner Jim Wagner’s version of No. 4 that debuted in 2018 is nearly unrecognizable from its predecessors. Pinehurst No. 8 opened in 1996 to commemorate Pinehurst’s centennial year. Architect Tom Fazio incorporated signature Ross features into the design, including dips and swales around the greens, sloping greens and false fronts.

Pine Needles is another legendary Ross masterpiece, already having served as the site of three U.S. Women’s Open Championships, the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open and the upcoming 2022 U.S. Women’s Open. To play at Pine Needles — and, of course, its sister course across Midland Road, Mid Pines — is to live and breathe Donald Ross golf. Mid Pines was impeccably restored by Franz in 2013. The renovation was honored with GOLF Magazine’s Best U.S. Resort Renovation and Restoration of the Year.

The Village of Pinehurst Area Chapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association named the New Course at Talamore its “Course of the Year 2018.” The prestigious award came after a major restoration. Talamore’s partner property, the Arnold Palmer-designed Mid South Club, also underwent a similar golf course restoration and greens conversion along with numerous other club enhancements. Both have also risen in state rankings since then.

And, of course, Tobacco Road Golf Club in Sanford has changed the face of Pinehurst-area golf ever since architect Mike Strantz’s masterpiece debuted in 1998. If you are planning a trip to the region, booking a round at Tobacco Road is something you need to seriously consider.

And there are plenty more outstanding, if lesser known, layouts in the area that are especially enjoyable during autumn’s picturesque appeal.

Legacy Golf Links in Aberdeen is a memorable Jack Nicklaus II Design, with more than 7,000 yards picturesquely routed around five lakes and renovated in 2012. Legacy’s Mini Verde greens are immaculate and its collection of par 3s are regarded among the area’s best. The challenging variety of holes, wide fairways and strategic use of water hazards make Legacy a true championship test — one of the few courses in the region to play host to a USGA National Championship. 

Deercroft Golf Club in Wagram is worth the drive. Franz has also helped keep Deercroft scenic and challenging, yet fair without being tricked up. Come experience “the best-kept secret in the Sandhills,” according to Golf Digest.

Longleaf Golf & Family Club has been touted as “The Most Playable Course in Pinehurst” by Golf Digest. Designed by Sandhills native Dan Maples, Longleaf’s front nine is more links style with the back more tree lined with nice elevation changes. Be sure to check out their six-hole, par-3 short course, “Bottlebrush.” Owned by U.S. Kids Golf and home to the U.S. Kids Golf Academy, each hole ranges from 50 to 100 yards and is fun for the whole family. 

Designed in 1976 by Peter Tufts III, godson of Ross, 7 Lakes Country Club in West End has a history and heritage of excellence in course design. This classic design delivers a spectacular golf course emphasizing the traditional and classic design elements that present a true Sandhills experience.

Fall golf in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen area is hard to beat. This year, during an ongoing season of rebirth, the region treasures its past, while focusing on an exciting future. 

Fall packages and latest news at www.HomeofGolf.com

Stalk the Cat: PohlCat Golf Course

By Tom Lang

Many golfers in Michigan enjoy taking on courses designed by former PGA Tour players such as Nicklaus, Palmer, Weiskopf and Crenshaw. We are fortunate to have a handful of their courses in our state. 

The layouts are usually fun and interesting because those players got their design background from playing golf courses all across the globe, then blended the features of those courses with their own personal style of the type of holes they’d like to play. 

We are equally blessed that mid-Michigan has a wonderful 18-hole course that falls into the same category – designed by a former PGA Tour winner, but with one special caveat: golfers can actually talk to him, pick his brain and maybe take a golf lesson because he works there every day. 

We’re talking about Dan Pohl, a former PGA Tour champion (twice in 1986), Ryder Cup player and past Vardon Trophy winner (both in 1987) and led the Tour twice in Driving Distance – who was born and raised in Mt. Pleasant and now helps run the PohlCat Golf Course.  He designed the course in the early 1990s, and not long after severe back injuries slowed down and eventually ended his playing days on Tour. All totaled he earned 70 top-10s on Tour. 

There is something special about having a person with Pohl’s background and professional golf experiences working daily at a high-level, award-winning golf course balanced with reasonable rates, anchored in a Midwestern community. For one, the pro shop and grill are littered with genuine, personalized PGA Tour memorabilia that set a really fun mood for golfers before and after their special round. 

Almost 40 years since he tied for first at Augusta National in The Masters in 1982, there’s still a passion in his eyes and enthusiasm in his voice when he serves the golfing guests who stop in for a round, or some excellent food in the Den grill room – or to enjoy a cold one from some three dozen beer options and local craft brews, on the very large veranda overlooking the 18th. 

And that passion rubs off on the rest of the staff who want to give each golfer a great experience – golfers like 11-handicap Gayle Ruhl, a woman who is not a member but said she plays the course at least once a week. 

“I think PohlCat is more challenging for my game,” Ruhl said in comparison to other area courses. “I like the yardages, and it’s more fair now that they changed some of the tee boxes. I think the staff is great and they’re very friendly – that’s another reason I come out here.” 

Playing the Course: 

The PohlCat has an intriguing opening four holes and even better closing four holes (aesthetically anyway) in my opinion – and frankly the other 10 in between are pretty darn good.  In fact, if you asked the designer himself, the toughest part of the course is the middle stretch that is much more wide open than the bookend quartet of holes. 

“Those last four holes are such a good combination of length (variations), open, little doglegs, things I look at,” Pohl said this spring. “But really the meat and 

The Par 3 17th at Pohlcat

potatoes of this golf course are right in the middle of the course; 7-12 are good a 6-hole stretch with par 4s and 5s and the toughest par 3. So that area, you really have to play your golf ball. I look at it like you have to score early and score late; even though the beauty of it in those first four and last four, they are probably the more getable holes for scoring.” 

No. 1 gets things started as a par 5 dogleg with no trees in play, but a brook to clear and water to avoid on the edges after the fairway turns left to the green. No. 2 (my favorite) is a par 4 with a drop off at the end of the fairway where golfers must clear the Chippewa River to the green framed by trees in the shallow valley below.  

Depending on which tee boxes the grounds crew sets up your day, No. 4 can have a straight shot at the par 4 down the right fairway or when going down the left, golfers must turn a little right to access the green. 

“I’ve played golf all over the world, and this golf course flows as well as any that I’ve played,” Pohl said. “You don’t get stagnant with one look, or stagnant with one shot selection (like all draws or cuts). In my estimation, when people come out, they could play it over and over and never get stale.” 

Jump to Hole 15 and you’ll find an attractive dogleg left that would otherwise be a drivable par 4. Then comes 16, a mid-range par 5 with three massively-tall pine trees splitting the fairway that can cause fits on your way to a 3-tiered green. 

“I think that’s the hardest ‘easy’ hole out here (at 455 yards from the white tees),” said GM Dean Paesens. “You can play it in a variety of ways; you could even hit 6-iton, 6-iron, 6-iron and get to the green staying out of trouble. You can hit driver over the wetlands and it’s getable in two – and it’s getable in six,” he added with a chuckle.  

The par 3 No. 17 is the course’s signature hole with a carry over the elbow bend of the Chippewa River about 90 feet below, to a bowl-shaped green complex that’s been expanded recently when new tee boxes were also added. Don’t hurriedly play the par three 17th hole; relish it – because 18 (my second favorite) will come soon enough. 

The PohlCat has long been a fan favorite stopping point in Mt. Pleasant for golfers heading Up North. Several times I have placed it on my top-10 places to play fall golf with its wide variety of tree colors. 

After the Round: 

The bar and grill area mentioned above is on the quality high-end of what most public courses offer. The hamburgers, chicken options and various wrap sandwiches are excellent.  All can be enjoyed indoors with a bank of windows along the 100-foot-plus veranda or enjoyed outdoors where you can heckle your golf league buddies coming up 18 – or just relax with one of the nicer in-land views in Michigan that’s not on a Great Lake. 

The clubhouse has a 300-seat banquet hall to compliment the permanent structure outdoors located near the expansive driving range/practice area that seats about half that number. Both provide the community great options for weddings, proms, graduations and charity outings. 

If you’re not hitting the ball well before or after the round and want a lesson with a Ryder Cupper, that pretty rare opportunity is available in group and corporate outing settings. 

“You are welcome to play out here, we are excited to have you here – and we want you to come back again,” Paesens said. “The last five years (since an ownership change) we’ve been able to connect better with the community, there’s more local traffic here, people are embracing the PohlCat and it’s becoming home to a lot of people now.” 

Are you next? 

Great Golf in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Island Resort & Casino shines as a must-play Midwest golf destination  

By Tom Lang

There are many great golf destinations across the Midwest, with an abundance of them in Michigan – including locations in our natural-resources-rich Upper Peninsula. 

From southern Michigan to northern lower Michigan, golfers have a plethora of places to get their game on. While many of these destinations have received high accolades and plenty of attention, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula provides great, award–winning golf as well. 

For this golfing adventure, you can road trip north on I-75 crossing the scenic and historic Mackinac Bridge and turning left on U.S. 2 for one of the prettiest 2.5-hour drives in America, along the U.P.’s southern shoreline on Lake Michigan, to Island Resort and Casino in Harris, MI. There are also very affordable, and one of my favorite, flights from Detroit Metro into Escanaba. 

The Island Resort and Casino is one of the Midwest’s largest golf, casino and entertainment resort destinations, spanning more 408,000 square feet. The resort has over 300 guest rooms, including spacious suites and many dining options like the signature 5 Bridges Steak and Seafood House, 5 Bridges Pub, Firekeepers Restaurant, and T. McC’s Sports Bar making it an all-encompassing destination that you won’t want or need to leave. On the casino floor, guests can enjoy over 1,200 slots, a poker room, craps, blackjack, Spanish 21, three-card poker, let-it-ride, roulette and bingo.   

New This Year and Coming Soon: 

We’ll get to the golf course experiences in a minute… I think you’ll want to hear what’s new for this year: golfers can now add sportsbook entertainment to their golf vacation. TwinSpires, the official online wagering site for Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, announced its official partnership with the resort in January.  

Through TwinSpires, golfers can now add to their gaming experience by betting on their favorite sports including the PGA Tour, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS and many more at one of the convenient 14 kiosks located in and just outside of T. McC’s Sports Bar. TwinSpires Sportsbook offers all the betting options – straight bets, parlay bets, teaser bets, live bets, futures, and proposition bets. 

The resort has been immensely popular amongst golf groups and buddy trips looking for a combination golf and gaming escape. The growing popularity of golf, gaming and resort getaways drove the need for a $30 million expansion that will be completed later this year. More than 100 new hotel rooms are coming, which are being connected to the south end of the current 11-story Palm Tower. Many rooms will have excellent elevated views of the award-winning Sweetgrass Golf Course and will allow for golfers to stay together in larger golf suites.  

A high-end dining venue and convention space are also planned for the top floor, as well as a pool and water park.  

Consider all of this, plus the current, luxurious Drift Spa, with its variety of high-end spa services and access to the resort’s saltwater pool, steam rooms and sauna, the destination will become a popular escape for buddies, couples and now families.   

Golfing Splendor on Site: 

Now for the great golf – which has been described as “unforgettable” and maybe sometimes “under-rated.” The resort’s original golf course is the exceptional Sweetgrass Golf Club, built in 2007 and home to the Island Resort Championship, one of the premier stops on the LPGA Symetra Tour, which will return again this summer June 11-13.  

Designed by Michigan resident Paul Albanese and ranked among the top 20 public courses in Michigan (which is saying a lot since Michigan, overall, is one of the nation’s top states for golf), Sweetgrass features masterfully crafted rockwork with a prairie links style. The course boasts an island green on number 15 and a pair of spectacular waterfalls that greet golfers as they play up the twin par five 9th and 18th holes to an enormous, shared green.  

Classic green complexes like a Biarritz and a Redan along with historic bridges rescued from other areas in the state are compelling design components and part of the story of the course – along with links to the Native American roots of the Hannahville Indian Community.  

To complement Sweetgrass, a few years ago the resort added another championship course, Sage Run, which was also designed by Albanese. Opened in 2018, the course, which Albanese said was inspired by the “rough and rugged” appeal of Northern Ireland’s Royal County Down, is also beautiful, but a definite 180-degree site in comparison to Sweetgrass. Built on a natural ridge formed by glaciers, golfers not only have to find the fairways, but the correct side of the fairways to set up ideal scoring opportunities and avoid the thick rough.  

The course showcases exceptional variety, including holes like the par 3 fifth, which plays significantly uphill – and the short par 4 reachable 16th which dares you to take on an uphill shot to a blind landing area. Sage Run is beautiful and challenging and built in a thrilling and breathtaking natural setting. Sage Run received a major honor being named to Golf Digest’s prestigious list of “Best New Courses, 2019.” 

As previously mentioned, Island Resort and Casino is owned and operated by the proud people of the Hannahville Indian Community. It’s no surprise that utilizing and properly caring for the land is their top priority – making a good match for Albanese, who incorporated legends and tales about the Potawatomi Tribe into every hole. 

“It’s my own philosophy and the Native American philosophy that we always try to make the design fit the land, and truly allowing it to reflect the principles of Native Americans’ respect for the land,” said Albanese, a Michigan transplant from Harvard and now Plymouth resident. “This also worked as inspiration for stories to share throughout the course. We put some wooden posts in the side of a hill (along the fairway) that are representative of (the remains of) a fort, from the 1650’s,” Albanese said about design elements at Sweetgrass. “And the green complex itself worked out very nicely to be a redan style green. And a redan is the French word for ‘fortress’.” 

Turns out, great golf in the northern part of Michigan doesn’t stop in Traverse City, Petoskey or Gaylord. In the endlessly scenic Upper Peninsula, there is a bounty of outstanding golf and a bevy of captivating tourist attractions. Yet don’t take my word for it; try a stay and play for yourself. I’m confident you’ll keep going back.  

For more information about Island Resort and Casino and its golf packages, visit www.islandresortgolf.com or call 877-475-4733.