Bay Harbor GC
Bay Harbor, MI
1997, Arthur Hills
Directions: From the City of Petosky, drive 4 miles E on Hwy 131 to the Town of Bay Harbor, from there the golf course entrance is straight ahead.
Greens Fees: ~$200 plus
Fat Guy Note: Saw the Quarry 9 on a Shell's Wonderful World Of Golf match between Lehman and Mickelson. Hard by the bay, long carries over massive rock ravines, sandy waste areas, cliffside greens. Looks like a Must Play.
T&L Golf Review: Northern Michigan golf is all about coastal stunners like Bay Harbor, where during the mid-summer twilight players can relish a blazing sunset over Little Traverse Bay at 10 p.m…
BAY HARBOR GOLF CLUB
Bay Harbor; 800-462-6963, www.boyne.com. Yardage: Links, 3,432; Quarry, 3,348; Preserve, 3,378. Par: 36 apiece. Slope: 141, 145 and 143, respectively. Architects: Arthur Hills and Stephen Kircher, 1996 (Links); '98 (Quarry and Preserve). Greens Fees: $129-$199 for eighteen holes. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
Three wildly different nine-holers: The Links course offers Irish-style golf with views of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan; the Quarry is a postindustrial adventure over shale cliffs; and the Preserve winds through a hardwood forest. The Links gets the kudos but the Quarry is more interesting, if a bit zany. Local knowledge is vital on its par-five third hole, where a ravine cuts off much of the fairway on the blind second shot; aim for the Irish stone way left. And while you'll be tempted to try to drive the 332-yard par-four sixth, unless you're Phil Mickelson—who cleared the huge wetland hazard during a Shell's Wonderful World of Golf match in 1998—you'll almost surely butcher it.
Golf Magazine Review, 8/08
Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry Course) Bay Harbor, Mich. 6,724 yards, par 70 Green fees: $159-$199231-439-4028, www.bayharborgolf.com
Perched high above Little Traverse Bay, Bay Harbor makes it hard to believe that just 12 years ago this spot was home to a limestone quarry and a cement factory. "It looked like we'd knocked down a building, but I knew it would be beautiful when we were done," says architect Arthur Hills. "The lake views were awesome."
Ranked No. 31 on our Top 100 Courses You Can Play, Bay Harbor boasts three strong nines, but the Links nine is the most dramatic, with a handful of cliff-edge holes. Equally eye-popping is the Quarry loop, especially the par-5 third, which traverses a quarry and dunes on its 561-yard way to a plateau green.
Where To Stay: From the Bay Harbor website: In the spirit of hospitality, the staff of Bay Harbor Resort & Marina, Hotel and Conference Center extends a warm welcome to you. We are dedicated to providing you with services and accommodations that are beyond compare. When you come to Bay Harbor, we want your stay at Bay Harbor Resort & Marina, Hotel and Conference Center to be relaxing and exceed every expectation. 888-BAY-HARBOR / 231-439-2400 / info@bayharbor.com
Bay Harbor Golf Club is still king in Northern Michigan
By Mike Bailey, Senior Writer, TravelGolf.com
BAY HARBOR, Mich. - There are golf courses that, no matter the weather, no matter your mood, you look forward to playing. Bay Harbor Golf Club in Michigan's Boyne Resorts is one of those courses.
It's been billed as the "Pebble Beach of the Midwest," but the comparison really isn't necessary. Because this 27-hole resort course, which ranks among the top golf courses in the country, is more than just a few holes perched above Lake Michigan. Bay Harbor has three distinct nines that all feature fun, well designed golf holes.
The stage set here for golf is truly spectacular - whether it's the Irish-like coastal setting of Bay Harbor's Links Nine, the innovative routing of The Quarry course or natural feel of The Preserve Nine. It's easy to see that over the last decade, Bay Harbor has only gotten better as it matured.
Bay Harbor G.C.: The pinnacle of Boyne Golf
It's not as if Boyne Resorts didn't have some pretty good golf courses before Bay Harbor came along in 1998. After all, besides Bay Harbor, Boyne has seven other courses and two additional resorts in the Wolverine State.
In fact, Boyne USA Eastern Operations President Stephen Kircher already knew he had his architect when the company decided to build along the bluffs of Little Traverse Bay.
Boyne was already working with Arthur Hills on a new course at Boyne Highlands Resort at the time, and, along with Steve Forrest and Associates, Hills had already completed numerous courses in Michigan.
In fact, the Arthur Hills Michigan Golf Trail has a dozen courses, and his company has some two-dozen in the state, so the Midwestern-born architect was a natural selection for the job.
But in Michigan - and the Midwest for that matter - it's tough to beat Bay Harbor, both in terms of design and natural topography. And it really does start with The Links Nine.
Lake Michigan at Bay Harbor: Not quite the Pacific, but not bad
By the time you hit your approach shot on the first hole, a dogleg right par 4, you've got a pretty good idea of what's in store over the next few hours.
To the left is Lake Michigan, which on a sunny day can appear to be a deep blue ocean; in front of you is a well-protected green, several stories above the water. And off the fairways, which comes more into play on the difficult 420-yard par-4 second hole, is high fescue much like that on the Irish courses Bay Harbor imitates.
There are lots of terrific holes on The Links Nine, but the signature hole has to be the seventh - a reachable par 5 that narrows off the tee the longer you hit it.
At 490 yards, this uphill hole often plays into the wind, with the "ocean" on the right and fescue on the left. Both the tee shot and approach are somewhat blind if you attempt to reach it in two, a gamble worth taking if you're feeling lucky.
The Quarry doesn't take a back seat at Bay Harbor
While The Links Nine is what you're likely to see in Bay Harbor's brochures, The Quarry Nine might be just as worth playing.
It was on the 15th hole (Links usually plays as the back nine in an 18-hole configuration) where Phil Mickelson, in a Shell Wonderful World of Golf match against Tom Lehman, pulled off a shot even remarkable by Lefty's standards.
The par-4 hole, which is just 312 yards, is drivable, but the green is pretty much an island, with wetlands surrounding it on two sides and rock behind it. Mickelson drove his ball left and long of the green, then played a flop shot out of the rocks, which he nearly holed for eagle.
The Quarry has other interesting holes, as well. The 14th is 478 yards, and unless you drive it well over 300 yards, laying up on this par 4 is probably the best strategy, considering it's all carry on the second shot over water to a shallow, firm green.
The par-4 16th features an intimidating tee shot where the carry over wetlands looks farther than it actually is. And the 17th, which plays back into the lake (and you thought you were done with the lake) is one of the most picturesque par 3s in the Midwest.
For an extra fee, you can also play The Preserve, which probably sees more member play than resort traffic.
While The Preserve doesn't get the publicity of the other two nines, it's certainly up to the standards of the rest of the course. You get more hardwood trees on this nine, and like the 17th on The Quarry, the final hole on The Preserve also opens up to the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Bay Harbor Golf Club: The verdict
What's not to like about Bay Harbor Golf Club? Yes, the green fees can run close to $200 during peak season, but it's well worth it to play at least once. Pretty much every feature and every hole are instantly memorable.
The service at Bay Harbor is also first-class, from the elegantly comfortable clubhouse and grill to the starters and practice facilities. Lessons are available from the knowledgeable, professional staff.
Another nice feature, especially since there are a few blind shots and forced carries, is the ProLink Satellite Yardage System on the carts. This handy gadget provides a graphic of each hole, plus yardage to the pin.
Stay and play at Bay Harbor
Boyne has a number of resorts that offer golf packages, but if playing Bay Harbor is your primary goal, you might want to consider the Inn at Bay Harbor - A Renaissance Golf Resort.
Located on the lakeshore of Little Traverse Bay, this Victorian-style luxury resort is the ultimate summer getaway. It offers spacious suites, fine and casual dining, spa facilities, and cabana loungers that are perfect for watching coastal Lake Michigan sunsets.
October 15, 2009
Other Area Tracks To Play: From the Bay Harbor website: Boyne Michigan offers an additional 135 holes of world-class golf within a 20 minute drive of the Bay Harbor Golf Club. Play endless golf on these championship courses with the Truly Unlimited Golf Package.
Crooked Tree Golf Club
Located just down the street from The Inn at Bay Harbor, A Renaissance Golf Resort, the Crooked Tree Golf Club is perched on bluffs high above Lake Michigan. Its 18 holes have been sculpted from centuries-old pine and hardwoods of old Michigan Farmstead, elegantly assuming the terrain rather than overpowering it. The back nine open to breathtaking views of Lake Michigan.
Boyne Highlands Resort
This elegant country estate located just 17 miles from The Inn at Bay Harbor, A Renaissance Golf Resort boasts a collection of unique courses as well as the stately Country Club of Boyne. Like Bay Harbor Golf Club, Boyne Highlands has also received Golf Magazine's prestigious Silver Medal Resort award.
The Heather by Robert Trent Jones
Slope 141- The course that started it all in Northern Michigan. A classic winding its way through a north woods forest and a blueberry bog. A shotmaker's favorite, this course features excellent risk reward challenges. Named one of the "50 Best Courses for Women" by Golf for Women magazine.
The Hills
Slope rating not yet established. This course offers expansive bunkers, challenging water holes and state-of-the-art tees, fairways and greens are just what you'd expect from one of America's most respected golf course architects, Arthur Hills.
The Donald Ross Memorial
Slope 132- Eighteen recreations of the master's greatest holes. St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Royal Dornoch, Inverness, Oakland Hills and others pay tribute to this accomplished designer. Greens are painstakingly detailed.
The Moor
Slope 135- The favorite of summer summertime residents and world-class instructor Jim Flick, the Moor features numerous doglegs, marshes and water holes along its 7,179 yards. This course is known for its bunkers that front undulating greens.
Boyne Mountain Resort
Winner of the Top Fairways Award by Golf for Women.
The Alpine
Slope 136- A panoramic start from the heights of Boyne Mountain. A mature course of strategic design. Classic, elegant and eminently challenging. Stunning views across sweeping meadows and scenic Deer Lake.
The Monument
Slope 138- A mile long cart ride ends at the summit of Boyne Mountain. Tee off into the valley and finish at the stunning island eighteenth hole.