TRAVEL
America’s Summer Golf Mecca
Gaylord Michigan 17 Spectacular Courses By TOM LANDERS “My thoughts were short my hair was long. Caught somewhere between a boy and man. She was seventeen, and she was far from in-between. It was summertime in Northern Michigan.” You might recognize these lyrics from one of my favorite rock songs by non other then Kid Rock. We know he didn’t have golf on his mind when he recorded this, no doubt focused on guiding his boat cutting through one of the many pristine lakes in Northern Michigan. I am not even sure if Rock golfed back then. We do know that he is a golfer now, and if he came back to Gaylord now those lyric’s might just be different, or maybe not! Either way, from my visits to Gaylord Michigan, America’s Summer Golf Mecca I am confident to say that your visit will live up to and exceed your expectations, maybe even Rock’s. The focal point of the destination is the Town of Gaylord in Otsego County, offering no fewer than 17 spectacular courses for golfers to choose from. We didn’t have time to get to them all but we were treated to a stellar collection. Two of the iconic resorts in the Gaylord area
are the Treetops Resort and Otsego Resort we split our time between the 2 and for good reason, both have so much to offer. Treetops Resort is home to 81 holes, (5 courses) of exciting and challenging championship golf, spectacular terrain with dramatic views, contours, and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. Once you get to that horizon, you’ll see why it’s called Treetops. www.TreeTops.com We played the Jones Masterpiece which when opened in 1987 was voted 2nd best new course in the country. It is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. “masterpiece” you could say. Jones utilized elevation changes, deep ravines and numerous water hazards to create what might be considered the most challenging course at Treetops. The three other traditional 18-hole courses are no gimee’s either. The Fazio Premier might just have 18 signature holes, because that is just what Tom Fazio does. Rick Smith was most influential over a lot of the Golf at Treetops with his own, Smith Signature course, and the Smith Tradition that might be considered the most player friendly. One course not to be missed and oh so much fun is the 9-hole, par 3, Smith Threetops. Arguably the #1 par 3 course in the country. It
might be the best 90 minutes that you ever spend on a golf course. If you haven’t had enough golf in any one day at Treetops, you can check out The Himalayas a massive 9 hole putting green with contours like no others. It’s no wonder Golf Digest named Treetops an “Ultimate Michigan Buddies’ Trip” destination in 2018. Needless to say, that dining at a world class resort such as Treetops is second to none whether in the Sports Bar or the Tavern on the Hill, a couple of our favorites. The Otsego Resort is home to two uniquelychallenging PGA championship courses – The Classic and The Tribute. Founded in 1939, Otsego Resort has been a prominent fixture in northern Michigan. While golf is the #1 pastime in the summoer months, skiers enjoy meticulously groomed, family friendly ski hillls during the winter. www.OtsegoClub.com The Classic was designed by perhaps the country’s finest golf course architect of his time, William H. Diddel, and became the founding course of the Gaylord Golf Mecca. This course provides great play with the beginning golfers in mind.
Treetops Resort Sugarloaf Golf Course, Hole 16 14 14
Golfing Golfing Magazine Magazine •• New New England England Edition Edition
