Sweetgrass Golf Club & Sage Run in Harris Are Michigan Must-Plays
Plus, Perfect Foursome Stay and Play Packages Make it Easy to Play Two Other Stellar Tracks
By Brian Weis
Golf courses and casinos go together like the Ryder Cup and intensity. One of my favorite combinations of golf and gaming in the entire Midwest resides in Harris, which is only a few miles west of Escanaba, Michigan. Island Resort & Casino is now home to two championship courses designed by Paul Albanese as Sage Run joined the elder Sweetgrass Golf Course three years ago. Now golfers have the option to play 36 championship holes during their stay that is also highlighted by great table games and stunning amenities, including a brand-new spa.
It is also important to note that Island Resort & Casino partners with nearby stellar tracks Greywalls and Timberstone in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. By purchasing their Perfect Foursome stay and play package, golfers can enjoy four totally different layouts that all have one thing in common - a fun factor that is off the charts. Please see below for a Top 10 list on why golfers from throughout the Midwest should make the pilgrimage to Michigan's U.P. to enjoy Island Resort & Casino.
1. Multiple Award Winner:
Sweetgrass has been named on the following lists: Golf Digest's "Best New Courses" of 2009, Golf Week's "Best Courses You Can Play" State-by-State 2013, "Best Casino Courses" since 2009, "Best New Courses" of 2009, 2010, "Best Casino Courses" and #14 "Best Courses You Can Play" in Michigan 2011, Golf Magazine's #13 "Best Courses You Can Play" in Michigan 2010. Plus, Sage Run was named #4 on Golf Digest's 2019 Best New Course list.
2. If it's Good Enough for the Pro's:
Home of the LPGA's Symetra Tour's Island Resort Championship since 2011. The Symetra Tour is known as "the Road to the LPGA" and since 1999, it has been designated as the LPGA's official developmental tour. The LPGA acquired the Symetra Tour in July 2007.
3. Playable for all Skill Levels:
Choose from multiple tee boxes with yardages of 7,275, 6,829, 6,439, 5,740 and 5,075 give everyone a chance to play well and have fun.
4. Five-Star Casino and Hotel:
A driver away from the golf course is the Island Resort and Casino (www.islandresortandcasino.com) World class accommodations, dining and gaming await you after golf.
5. Affordable Stay and Play Packages:
Rates are as low as $85 for one night's stay and 18 holes of golf with cart. Completely customizable, the stay and play packages allow you to choose the number of nights lodging in addition to the number of rounds of golf. As mentioned earlier, Sweetgrass and Island Resort & Casino also partners with Greywalls and Timberstone to form the Perfect Foursome Package - one of the finest stay and play options in the Midwest. One quick note, Timberstone is on CST, while all other courses are on EST, so make sure you keep your timing straight! For more information, please check out this link: add link here
6. The Cool Factor:
Holes are named after, and pay homage to, Indian legend. The Island green, which jibes with the casino's name and fits within the parameters of the land's dedicated design, meshes with Potawatomi legend, which holds the turtle and its wisdom in high esteem. The challenging par-3 15th hole features an island green that is surrounded by a bed of rock outcroppings and resembles the renowned creature. Known as the "Keepers of the Fire," the Hannahville Band of the Potawatomi Nation honors legend by featuring a symbolic flame next to the 10th tee. The name Sweetgrass refers to an aromatic herb, a sacred plant used in Indian peace and healing rituals, and is found along the course.
7. Pleasing to the Eye:
Sand bunkers and water hazards strategically defend the course, while shimmering fescue frames the wide fairways. Historic bridges "rescued" from around the region lend the course a unique feel. Prevailing winds add additional drama to the memorable design and round of golf. Beautifully crafted rockwork and cedar log creations appear throughout the course.
8. Pre-Game Delight:
Sweetgrass features a massive practice facility with multiple targets and hitting areas in addition they offer a FREE, downloadable yardage booklet. View yardage guude at https://islandresortgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/sweetgrass_yardage_booklet_website.pdf
9. RV Accessible:
The RV campground has very large level RV spots with laundry, and pool access in the hotel.
10. Service with a Smile:
A group stay at the Island Resort & Casino includes a dedicated on-site golf concierge and VIP Room that offers guests a private 19th-hole experience. Groups can enjoy comfortable living room-style seating, private dinners, gaming tables, beverage service, televisions and direct access to the golf course, pro shop and open fire pit.
More Infoamtion
Visit www.islandresortcasino.com.
Revised: 10/15/2020 - Article Viewed 14,131 Times
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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.
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