Michigan Golf Packages: A Bagful of Options
by L'anse Bannon

Gathering information on Michigan golf packages is intimidating in its scope and overwhelming in its detail. Packages can include lodging, free golf lessons, meals, or come with or without taxes, buckets of balls, casino vouchers, carts, discount tickets, and involve one or more courses, 18 holes or unlimited golf for the entire day. Prices can be lower on weekdays, in the spring or fall and higher in summer and on holidays. They can be targeted to seniors, singles, couples, have occupancy requirements and can even provide child care. Phew!

There are however, a number of very good sources of information available on the subject and most of those are on the Web. They include the State of Michigan, local convention and visitor bureaus, golf courses, lodging properties, companies that market packages.

For golf package information openers, visit http://www.michigan.org/golf. The state's website which, according to Travel Michigan representative Ken Yarsevich, is now getting 1.6 million hits per year, will alert you to what's new on the Michigan golf scene, show you some beautiful photos, let you know where all of the public golf courses are located, give you some new course reviews and also give visitors a line on Michigan golf packages. The site also hosts the state's regional convention and visitor bureaus.

Interested in Ann Arbor? Visit http://www.annarbor.org/visitorsguide/golf/ to check out the prospects. With Eagle Crest Resort, Fox Hills and Rustic Glen among that city's 23 courses, 387 holes and 135,369 yards of golf, you have plenty of packages to choose from. At the Eagle Crest Resort (http://www.eaglecrestresort.com), for example, they have a deluxe guest room for one night, a buffet breakfast for one in Bentley's American Grille and one round of golf including cart for $159 single occupancy or $239 double occupancy. Packages do not include gratuity and tax and are based upon space availability.

The Big Fore Golf Package http://www.bigfore.com combines the course attributes of Black Lake Golf Club, Charlevoix CC, Hidden River Golf and Casting Club, Little Traverse GC with the lodging of Hamlet Village condominiums and Trout Creek Condominium Resort. The golf packages are a little hard to find on the Web site, you have to scroll down and they are in the left hand corner of the page. Generally, the rates allow you to put together your own package.

The new Chief Golf Course is partnering with the Bellaire Inn. They offer a 36 hole two night package for $159 from April 1 to May 24 and September 4 to close, with summer rates at $199 pp/do.

For the ultimate golf package, you might want to hook up with Limo Coach Golf Tours. You can travel in style with the newest in Up North golf packages www.upnorth.com. The 40 foot Limo Coach can take up to 3 foursomes to courses like The Chief, Chestnut Valley, or many other fine courses, "Up North" The interior boasts luxurious leather seats and game tables for card games.

If you venture to Boyne Country (http://www.boynecountry.com/golf.html) you will find more than 20 public golf courses to choose from in the Petoskey-Harbor Springs-Boyne City area. These courses range from the eight world-class courses of Boyne USA to a golf bag full of economical and municipal courses There is a plethora of packages that meet different wallets and playing abilities.

Looking for something in the Grand Rapids area? Look no farther than http://www.visitgrandrapids.org/golf/golf_package.html. You can also go to golfgrandrapids.com to find out about golf packages. The courses which seem to draw the biggest package activity are Thousand Oaks, Quail Ridge, Gleneagles, Boulder Creek, St. Ives and The Meadows.

Jackson is one of the hot areas for new courses this year with the opening of Ray Hearn's Grande Golf Club and William Newcomb's Calderone Farms. Check them out at http://www.jackson-mich.org/Golf/golfpackages. If the Grande and Calderone Farms are not yet listed, call the courses at (517) 866-GRAND3 or (517)522-6661.

The Traverse City area (http://www.tcvisitor.com:591/golf/) opened a substantial number of courses of late, with LockenHeath, The Leelanau Club and Kingsley Club coming on line to join the current stable of Highpointe, Elmbrook, Grand Traverse Resort, A-Ga-Ming and others. There are numerous lodging properties on this website which feature packages.

Golf courses are increasingly listing golf packages on their Web sites. Garland has lots of golf and lots of packages. They offer spring, summer, fall, Holiday or Couples golf packages. All these are available at www.garlandusa.com or (877) 4-Garland. The resort's spring packages start at $99 midweek and $119 on weekend from May 4-19. The one-night stay includes 36 holes of golf with cart. Summer packages include their highly successful Player's Package, at $169 midweek. It includes lodging in a golf cottage and 36 holes of golf for each night's stay, based on quad occupancy. This package also includes a 90-minute golf lesson each evening. There is a three-night minimum, however. Garland also has a summer couples package which includes one night's lodging in a villa, 18 holes of golf with cart per person (if you stay two nights you receive a complimentary dinner and breakfast).

Bay Mills (http://www.4baymills.com) has a Stay and Play package for $99, Sunday through Thursday; and $109, Friday and Saturday. For $99 you get 18 holes on the Wild Bluff Championship Golf Course, with cart, one night's stay in the new waterfront hotel, drinks, a $15 dinner credit, a roll of quarters and a $20 voucher in one of their two casinos.

Bay Valley Resort (http://www.bayvalley.com) is featuring a Signature 2-4-1 (Sunday through Thursday) Golf Package, which features 18 holes of golf, cart, one night of lodging for two and breakfast for $198. They also have a one-weekend-night package that runs $250 and a two-night package for $450, per person, double occupancy.

Grand Traverse Resort (http://www.grandtraverseresort.com) is featuring a Black and Gold Package this year. For $236 (ppdo) you get two nights lodging and a round of golf on the Bear and the new Gary Player course, The Wolverine.

Grand Traverse Resort is also offering a Spring Golf Package from April 29th to June 14. According to Michael DeAgostino, the resort's lowering its rates by 30 percent. They are also offering midweek Great Golf Getaway Packages.

At Lakewood Shores (http://www.lakewoodshores.com) host pro Craig Peters has a new course, the Blackshire, coming on board this year and a terrific new golf package which features three different courses with three totally distinct golfing experiences. You can enjoy two nights' lodging, 18 holes with cart on The Gailes, Blackshire and The Serradella, dinner each evening and continental breakfast each morning, with packages starting at $269 per person.

Lake Michigan Hills (http://www.lakemichiganhills.com) is hooking up with the Boulevard Inn (800) 875-6600 and the Park Inn (800) 228-5885. The Boulevard Inn Tee for Two package includes a spacious two-room suite, two greens fees, cart, two premium Boulevard golf towels and $20 in "Bistro Bucks" for use in the Bistro. The restaurant and Harbor Light Suites overlook Lake Michigan, packages run $175-$210 per couple.

High Pointe GC (http://www.highpointegolf.com) is offering an eyebrow raising Eagle Package from April 13 to June 14 and Sept. 3 to Oct. 27, Sunday through Thursday. The package, at $59, includes one night's lodging and 18 holes of golf with cart (ppdo).

The Natural at Beaver Creek has spring and fall weekday prices at $64.95 per person per night, based on a minimum two-night stay. The weekend rate increases to $74.95. Golfers receive accommodations in a spacious log cabin which includes a full kitchen and living room with full use of the resort's amenities. In the summer season, which begins on June 9 and runs until September 4, the rates are $90 and $105, respectively. Call (517) 732-2459 or book online at thenatural.org.

Otsego Club (http://www.otsegoclub.com) has a new package this year, offering two midweek nights' lodging, a dinner at the Duck Blind Grill and unlimited golf at the Loon, The Lake or the Classic, for $199. You might also keep an eye on their site to see when the spectacular new Tribute opens.

The Rose (http://www.golftherose.com) has partnered with a number of properties in Cadillac. You can check out that site at http://www.golfcadillac.com.

Treetops in Gaylord has all of its packages laid out for the public on its golf package link (http://www.treetops.com/packages). Golfers should book early as the resort's five courses fill up quickly. Golfers also need to book hotels early for the Par-3 Shootout that takes place from July 31-August 1. During the high season, May 17 - September 15, the Stay and Play Package offers one night's lodging and greens fees on any one of four championship courses, for $133. They also give you a 10 percent discount coupon at Treetops Pro Shop or Edelweiss Shop with your booking.

There also are lodging properties that offer specialized golf packages. The McCamly Plaza Hotel in Battle Creek, Waterfront Inn in Traverse City, Quality Inn in Gaylord, Holiday Inn in Big Rapids, the Haworth Inn in Holland and Mission Pointe are among them. McCamly Plaza has a golf coordinator is in charge of booking golf on 12 different courses this year. Packages begin at $125 and offer luxurious accommodations, a full breakfast, golf and cart. http://www.mccamlyplazahotel.com or call (888) GOLFER9. Available courses include Gull Lake View's East and West, Island Hills, Marywood, Medalist, Bedford Valley and Stonehedge North and South.

Great Lakes Golf & Travel (http://www.glgtravel.com) is one of a number of companies specializing in marketing golf packages. Mike McGeath has joined the team of Tim Ummel and Blake Stouffer to create GLGT. McGeath recently renamed his company Great Lakes Golf and Travel. Some of their featured packages include a stop in Kalamazoo with lodging at either the Fairfield Inn, Holiday Inn or Radisson Plaza and golf at Heritage Glen, The Lynx, Thornapple Creek, Lake Doster or Island Hills. The golf package is two nights' lodging and three rounds of golf, starting at $195. In Grand Rapids you could stay two nights at either the Hampton Inn or Days Inn and play three rounds at Thousand Oaks, Boulder Creek, Quail Ridge or Pilgrims Run starting at $213. For info on other packages, call up their new website or call (888) 635-GOLF.

Resort One Vacation Rentals (http://www.resortone.com) wants you to come up to Gaylord and see what they have. These folks rent golf course chalets and lakefront homes for groups large and small. They do it all for you: reserve your home or chalet, reserve your tee time and generally put out the welcome mat. If you desire to play those great Gaylord favorites like Michaywe, The Loon, the Lake, the Natural, Marsh Ridge or many of the other golf properties, they will take care of you.

The Club Card (http://www.golfclubcard.com) is based on the premise that each card entitles the bearer or his guest to complimentary golf and/or dining when a second of equal or greater value is purchased. The card concentrates its programs in the north with Mt. Pleasant, Cadillac and Gaylord occupying most of the space on the brochure. You can also get a discount on lodging with your card at participating lodging properties.

The Comfort Inn in Mt. Pleasant is one of the better properties to package your golf in the heartland of our state. The facility is located just off the CMU campus, has some terrific amenities and a very friendly staff, letdby Bill Knopp, one of the architects of the Battle Creek program a number of years ago. Golf Central Michigan http://www.mountpleasantwow.com/getaway.html, in cooperation with fifteen area golf courses and fourteen lodging properties has arranged one stop golf getaway shopping. With a single call, their staff will save you time by booking your tee times and lodging. Then they include a 15% dinner discount coupon for each night you stay over in Mount Pleasant.

If that's not enough, ten of the golf courses offer unlimited golf. That's right, play at any one of the unlimited golf courses, all day, for a nominal fee per person which includes greens fee and shared cart. This offer is only valid if booked through Golf Central Michigan.

Michigan Convention and Tourism Bureaus Golf Resource Pages

- Alpena
- Ann Arbor
- Bay City
- Benzie
- Blue Water-Port Huron - Cadillac - Flint
- Frankenmuth
- Garland
- Gaylord
- Grand Haven
- Grayling
- Kalamazoo
- Lansing
- Lenawee
- Livingston
- Mackinaw City
- Marquette
- Monroe
- Mecosta
- Mt. Pleasant
- Oscoda
- Petoskey
- River Country
- Roscommon
- Saginaw
- Saugatuck
- Sault Ste. Marie
- Southwest Michigan Golf
- South Haven
- Upper Peninsula
- Ypsilanti