Gaylord Golf Mecca Travel Guide

A Destination Overview

By Brian Weis

Over the past two decades northern Michigan has grown to become one of the outstanding golf destinations in the country and, in my humble view, certainly the finest destination in the Midwest from the pure quality and quantity standpoint of remarkable golf. The nationally accredited golf course designers who brought their acum to the region found the state's varied topography and stunning dense forests the ideal location for the game to thrive.

The sheer abundance of remarkable golf in the region is most noticed in and around the alpine village of Gaylord, Michigan, which has grown to be known as America's Summer Golf Mecca, with three world-class resort destinations and 17 top courses within a 45 mile radius.

Top resort destinations like Treetops Resort, Otsego Club & Resort, and The Loon Golf Resort anchor a destination that is dotted with top designs by such great architects as Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Rees Jones, Tom Doak, Gary Koch, and Rick Smith just to name a few. D Below you'll find a brief synopsis of all that Gaylord has to offer.

Where to Play

Treetops Resort, with its 81 holes of golf lead by Michigan's only Tom Fazio designed course features other strong designs by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and resorts owner, Rick Smith, who designed three of his own courses including the popular and nationally acclaimed Par 3 course - Threetops. From 1999-2007, ESPN broadcast the two-day event that pitted four of the game's greats against each other in a skins format par-3 contest. In 2001, Lee Trevino, made the richest swing in the history of professional golf, acing the par-3 7th hole for a one million dollar payout.

The Otsego Club & Resort is led by the nationally recognized Tribute course, designed by NBC golf commentator Gary Koch, and the player friendly Classic Course. Just down the road from Otsego Club are Black Forest and Wilderness Valley. Black Forest, designed by Tom Doak - arguably the World's most sought after golf course designer today - has been nationally ranked and very popular among golf aficionados.

Golfers will also be excited to know that The Loon Golf Resort is the Michigan home of the Butch Harman School of Golf, one of the top golf schools in the country. Harmon, the #1 golf instructor in the world, works with such top players as Phil Mickelson and Natalie Gulbis, and has made numerous appearances to the school over the summer months.

The Gaylord Golf Mecca also features such top stand-alone facilities as Black Lake Golf Club designed by Rees Jones, the "Open Doctor", Elk Ridge, Marsh Ridge, and Michaywe Pines. For those looking for an affordable option in Gaylord make sure to check out Black Bear, Gaylord Country Club, Mountain Lakes, and The Natural.

In conclusion, the Gaylord Golf Mecca offers something for everyone - top-notch public courses, exquisite fine and casual dining, award-winning resorts and quaint inns. It's an experience golfers of all skills and tastes can enjoy. For more information, visit www.gaylordgolfmecca.com or call (800) 345-8621.

Getting There

There are many options when traveling to Gaylord, Michigan. Obviously you drive from all points or take the high speed ferry from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Muskegon, Michigan and then drive the remaining three hours northeast to Gaylord. It is roughly a three and half hour drive from the Detroit Airport.

Best Time to Go

Anytime between late May and late September is ideal! During June and July you can easily play 54 holes with close to 16 hours of light per day. The fall colors of late September through mid-October are amazing as well!

Eats and Treats

The two local favorites and must visits for your buddy trip:

Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse, Gaylord- homemade brews, nachos, fish fry's etc.

TreeTops Sports Bar, Wilkinson - amazing pizza, wings, and bar food favorites!

More Information

Please visit www.gaylordgolfmecca.com or call (800) 345-8621 to learn more about their affordable packages.

The Remaining Courses of the Gaylord Golf Mecca

Black Bear GC - www.golfblackbear.net
Black Forest - www.blackforestgolf.com
Black Lake GC - www.blacklakegolf.com
Elk Ridge GC - www.elkridgegolf.com
Gaylord Country Club - www.gaylordcountryclub.com
Loon Golf Resort (The Lakes) - www.loongolfresort.com
Marsh Ridge Resort- www.marshridge.com
Michawye Pines - www.michaywe.com
Otsego Club (2 Courses) - www.otsegoclub.com
TreeTops Resort (4 Courses) - wwww.treetops.com
The Natural GC- www.golfthenatural.com
Wilderness Valley - www.blackforestgolf.com

Revised: 01/22/2013 - Article Viewed 31,296 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.