As Michigan's only 19 hole golf course, you have the luxury of playing a "warm up" Par 3 before teeing off on the 18-hole championship course. The layout, while not long, features a combination of links style holes with traditional tree-lined Michigan golf holes routed through some of the most diversified terrain in the state. With its impeccable playing conditions and professional service, it's no wonder it was voted "Best Golf Course in the Area" four years in a row by the "People's Choice Awards."

Cut through 360 acres of Northern Michigan woods, Black Forest is one of Tom Doak's finest designs. Annually ranked in the top ten courses in Michigan, this course features spectacular bunkering and diabolical "Doak" greens that truly challenge one's short game. Not only will you you enjoy this incredible layout, but you'll also appreciate the natural setting and the abundance of wildlife. You may want to spend all day and play the Wilderness Valley course, as well!

Black Lake Golf Club is an 18-hole public golf course designed by nationally acclaimed architect, Rees Jones, most known for his restoration work on many U.S. Open courses. Jones utilized every feature found on the property, from cranberry bogs to a small sand quarry to produce what may be his most charming design yet. Always in pristine condition, this championship design is one that offers golfers of all abilities an enjoyable round of golf.

Elk Ridge Golf Course has proven to be the benchmark of quality and conditions when it comes to public golf. This is a big rolling course with elevation changes, magnificent stands of red and white pines, wetlands, streams, and undulating greens. Sculpted out of over 400 acres of Northern Michigan woodlands, golfers can choose their own yardage from four sets of tees. After your round, be sure to visit the full service pro shop, or enjoy a famous HoneyBaked Ham sandwich in the award-winning grill.

Fountains, the newest of the four resort championship courses, opened in 1995. This 6,800-yard layout is the perfect complement to its pristine setting that includes sparkling ponds enhanced by beautiful fountains. The layout is unique in that it is comprised of six par-5s, six par-4s, and six par-3s, and is always kept in impeccable playing condition making it a favorite among many players.

The Monarch course is one of Michigan's longest, a formidable 7,188 yards from the back tees. Despite the length from the tips, and the streams, ponds and lakes found on 14 holes, this course seems to appeal to women as the forward tees are set at a mere 4,904 yards. This true championship golf course is very demanding from tee to green. The layout includes many long doglegs, large greens complexes, and a good amount of water in play. Be sure you warm up before beginning a round on Monarch because you'll start with a bang. The first hole is the toughest hole on the course! It is a brutal 451-yard par-4 dogleg right with water on both sides. The approach shot requires a forced carry over a pond in front of the green that devours a lot of golf balls. The next three holes are equally demanding, leading to the reachable par-5 #5, the first opportunity on the course to relax. Are you up for the test?

The Reflections Course is one of the most popular courses at Garland, in part because it's the shortest course on property, and because its lush fairways meander through a scenic forest of majestic pines. The fifth hole is the most demanding on the course. This 555-yard par-5 requires that you navigate safely past two creeks that cross the fairway. The tenth hole is a great spot to view Garland's famous eagle's nest, and the eleventh hole is the most photogenic hole on Reflections and one of the most beautiful at the resort. In fact, it was named one of the most romantic holes in the state by AAA of Michigan. Just as on the front nine, the back nine ends on a par-3, a tough finishing hole that measures 222 yards from the back tees.

Swampfire, opened in 1987, was the first of the four championship courses at Garland designed by Ron Otto. A round of golf on this course will require patience and precision as all but four holes require careful management to avoid numerous water hazards. This course will be a true assessment of your shot-making ability. You'll understand the tests you'll be facing once you've played No. 2, a long par-5 that's a sharp dogleg right measuring 553 yards from the back tees that requires a perfectly straight tee shot. The unique par-3 at No. 5 is considered the signature hole on Swampfire. This malicious hole, responsible for frequent big numbers, features a huge teeing area in the shape of a horseshoe that wraps around a giant pond allowing the hole to be played at a variety of yardages and angles. No matter where you stand, the tee shot is over water to a narrow strip of green guarded by bunkers in the rear. A round on Swampfire will certainly inspire you play it repeatedly.

Marsh Ridge has gained statewide praise for its challenging, yet highly enjoyable layout. The 18-hole championship golf course bridges across acres of unspoiled marshlands, with dramatic elevations featuring tees as high as the treetops and unspoiled views throughout. All eighteen holes are designed to be challenging, yet fair for men, women, and juniors. Marsh Ridge takes great pride in providing a world-class golf experience, lodging, and dining at unparalleled value.

The Michaywe Pines Course features secluded fairways winding through beautiful white birch and pine forests along the AuSable River. Strategic bunkering and a minimum of water hazards enhance the makeup of this exceptional classic design. The golf course was completely renovated in 2004 by Don Childs, the original architect. Every hole features tees carpeted with bent grass, and every bunker is deeply shouldered with Bluegrass and filled with high quality sand. This exciting layout is female friendly from the forward tees, yet will challenge the big hitters as it plays to over 7000 yards from the tips requiring strategies from tee to green on every hole.

Formerly the "Lakes Golf Course" at Michaywe, this is a Jerry Matthews design, which was ranked "Third Best New Resort Course" by Golf Digest when it opened in 1988. Under the direction of new owner and course designer Michael Tellshow, the Mountain Lake golf course is undergoing a number of course renovations. Four green complexes have been rebuilt and several holes have been widened to improve the Mountain Lake golfing experience for all levels of golfers. The golf course is a favorite challenge for guests vacationing in northern Michigan, as well as for local Gaylord golfers. It offers six holes featuring links architecture, another six on alpine terrain with stunning vistas, and six holes are set amid the natural beauty of river, ponds, and lake. This course is a "must play" for anyone visiting the Gaylord area.

The traditional, "Country Club" design of The Classic provides a no gimmick honest approach to the game making it a favorite among golf course traditionalists. It is nestled in a beautiful parkland setting overlooking the famed Sturgeon River Valley, and though only 6,348 yards from the tips, it offers enough challenges for the most skilled golfers and wide fairways for the beginner. This outstanding track is a sleeper amidst the big name resort courses in this area, and the greens are kept at a very quick pace and are considered by some players to be the best in Northern Michigan. The scenic number 18 signature hole is a par-4 measuring only 310 yards from the back tees. What makes this finishing hole special is that golfers must hit from one ski slope top to another, and the view back from the green is an unforgettable twenty-mile panoramic view.

Recently named the 8th Best Public Golf Course in Michigan by Michigan Golf Magazine, the newest Otsego Club masterpiece, a Robbins/Koch design, is an 1,100 acre tour of the majestic Sturgeon River Valley. Four to six tee boxes accommodate all levels of play, and the shear magnificence of the elevation changes, natural forestry and the flowing Sturgeon River Valley will delight every player.

Built in the era when architects were striving to build difficult golf courses, the Masterpiece debuted with Michigan's highest slope rating at the time. The course may play difficult, but it is easy on the eyes as it features many breathtaking vistas throughout the layout. When Robert Trent Jones Sr. stood on the Par-3 sixth hole, he coined the existing name of the resort, "Treetops".

The Premier course at Treetops Resort is the only Tom Fazio design in Michigan. Rick Smith's persistent urging finally inspired Tom Fazio to travel to northern Michigan for a site visit. Once he arrived, he fell in love and built the perfect golf course to complement the Masterpiece. The Premier is very playable for most skill levels, and features rolling hills that seem to rescue errant shots.

The Signature course at Treetops is Rick Smith's first 18-hole design, and it's a great one. The course is well known by guests for its beauty and is an instant favorite to nearly all who play it. Most importantly, the course is as much fun to play, as it is to look at. The design features several elevated tees, and wide, forgiving fairways, yet still puts up a stern defense to par.

Threetops is a nine-hole Par-3 course that is anything but your typical Par-3 course. Known world-wide for hosting ESPN's Par-3 Shootout from 1999-2006 in which current stars such as Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples, and legends of the game, such as Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino, haven taken part. This little gem is a must play if you're anywhere remotely close to Gaylord, Michigan.

The Tradition course is the newest addition to Treetop's fabulous collection, and was built to look and play like courses built in the classic design era. Walking is still allowed, and the conditions and greens speed are unmatched when compared to neighboring resort courses. Although the Tradition doesn't always get its proper due, it is every bit as good as any course in the region.

The Wilderness Valley course is the perfect complement to Black Forest. This older classic design is more forgiving and open, but still a sporty and playable track for golfers of all abilities. It is the perfect venue for a second eighteen following a round on Black Forest, or an "Emergency 9."