When the Island Resort & Casino unveiled Sweetgrass Golf Club in July 2008, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula transitioned from an outdoorsman’s paradise with a few quality golf courses to a formidable golf destination with a bevy sporting options to please the palate of all levels of golfers. The Upper Peninsula – affectionately nicknamed the U.P – features a troika of world-class golf courses, Sweetgrass, Greywalls and TimberStone, which maximize the region’s natural splendor and reflect the area’s Indian heritage.

Sweetgrass
www.islandresortandcasino.com • 800-682-6040 ext. 2251
Like its namesake plant used in Indian calming and healing rituals, the aesthetics of the Sweetgrass course – windswept fairways and undulating greens – are sure to relax the mind and body and please the eye. But golfers shouldn’t get too comfortable with the flowing fescues, peaceful waterfalls and acres of unspoiled earth, the Paul Albanese designed course challenges even the most skilled golfers.

Inspired by the tribe’s heritage, Albanese incorporated Native American legend throughout with areas of terrain reminiscent of long-forgotten fortress ruins and tricky bunkers named after tribal elders. The aforementioned, aromatic Sweetgrass is sprinkled liberally on the 18 which stretches a lengthy 7,300 from the tips and has five tee boxes per hole. Novices will find forward tees that sweeten the course to a beginner-friendly 5,000 yards.

On a course filled with memorable holes, the 15th – a challenging par-3 – is considered the signature with an island green surrounded by rock formations. A similar landscape awaits golfers on the 17th. The next-to-last hole, a difficult dogleg par-4, features a tee shot over water with a large boulder serving as the target in the middle of the fairway.

In addition, a pair of majestic waterfalls split the fairways of the ninth and 18th holes, bringing the round to a breathtaking close. After the 18th golfers have the option of Las Vegas-style gaming at the resort’s recently renovated Island Casino, dining at the world class Beachcomber Restaurant or relaxing with a drink and a concert from one of the top names in show business at the Island Showroom.

TimberStone
www.pinemountainresort.com • 877-553-7463
TimberStone Golf Course – an amenity of Pine Mountain Resort – has been named one of Michigan’s Top 10 courses by Golf Digest and sits less than an hour from Sweetgrass making 36 holes a feasible option in one day.

Carved from a dense forest with abundant rock outcroppings, the Jerry-Matthews designed course features four sets of tees and measures just under 7,000 yards from the tips. During the winter, The Pine Mountain Resort doubles as one of the area’s top ski destinations and the golf course winds its way up and down the mountain.

One of TimberStone’s signature holes – the par-3 fourth – is known as “Miner’s Trick” with a skull and crossbones marking the spot on the scorecard. Nearly 200 yards from the back tees, the “Pit from Hell” showcases a devastating grass bunker that upon further review is actually a leftover cavity from the area’s long-forgotten mining days.

The elevation change, generally subtle throughout the design, becomes fairly evident as you play down Nos. 9 and 18 to a shared green. The ninth is the course’s longest par-4, measuring an intimidating 471 yards, but the wide fairway and downhill approach make the outward finishing hole less daunting.

Saving the best for last, the 18th hole challenges golfers with its 625-yard layout. The aptly-named “Double Black Diamond” boasts a pair of tiered rock walls that dissect the fairway and golfers gladly take their par into the clubhouse on this course-capper.

New for 2009, TimberStone will unveil a pro shop, “Timbers on the Green” in the spring, as well as a short-game practice area.

Greywalls
www.marquettegolfclub.com • 866-678-7171
Nestled in the Michigan highlands, Greywalls comprises half of the UP’s lone 36-hole facility – Marquette Golf Club. Opened in 1926, the semi-private club has expanded to include The Heritage, the original course designed by William Langford (later expanded by David Gill) and nationally-ranked Greywalls, designed by Mike DeVries and opened in 2005.

DeVries insured that golfers enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Superior during their rounds as the course weaves through majestic forests and granite pillars overlooking the largest of the Great Lakes. The course takes players through a wild ride over diverse but flowing terrains: tumbling fairways, boldly contoured slopes, dramatic elevation changes, rolling and bunkered links land, and spectacular panoramic aquatic views.

Golfweek named Greywalls the “No. 2 Course You Can Play” in Michigan and upon its opening, was included in the Top 10 Best New Course listings of several major golf publications.

Off the Golf Course
While golf and the great outdoors define the UP, look no further than the Island Resort & Casino, located adjacent to Sweetgrass for around-the-clock entertainment. The resort features Las Vegas-style gaming, an expanded floor with 500 newest slot machines, the chic Club Four One nightclub and the Beachcomber Restaurant & Bar with exotic specialties.

A highlight of the Island Resort & Casino’s multi-million-dollar expansion is the new Palm Tower – 162 spacious, well-appointed rooms and luxurious penthouse suites – adjoining the existing Sun Tower, for a total of 320 living spaces.

Additionally, the resort boasts the 1,327-seat Island Showroom which has hosted national acts as the Blues Brothers, Martina McBride, Huey Lewis and the News and Gretchen Wilson.

Whether searching for championship golf, hunting for game or gaming, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is up the alley of outdoorsman, athletes and golfers of all skill levels.

How to Get There
The unspoiled beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may seem to be a world away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, but Sweetgrass Golf Club, TimberStone and Graywalls are easily accessible via a pair of regional airports in Escanaba and Marquette, Michigan, as well as the Austin Straubel International Airport in nearby Green Bay, Wisconsin.