If you only take one golfing vacation this year, make it this one: Petoskey Area in the northwest, Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This is where golfing traditions are started, golfing stories are shared, and golfing memories are created to last a lifetime.
While northern Michigan is blessed with more than its fair share of exceptional golf courses, nowhere else are there so many located in such close proximity to one another. In fact, Golf Magazine has rated Petoskey Area as one of the top two regions in the country for concentrated golf quality. There are 18 courses here, all within a half-hour drive of one another.
Even by northern Michigan standards, these courses are above par. The spectacular landscape is defined by rolling wooded hills up to 600 feet in elevation. Most courses take full advantage of the stunning terrain changes, while other courses feature breathtaking vistas of Lake Michigan, with one having even more shoreline than Pebble Beach.
No matter which course is played, you’ll love the fact that the layouts are not the typical bowling alley back and forth. Virtually all the holes are separated from each other, making each a unique, fun, and memorable experience.
Whether the course winds its way through the forests or sits perched on bluffs overlooking the lake, your round will be unforgettable. You can tee it up on courses designed or inspired by the likes of Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Arthur Hills and Donald Ross. These are courses you’ve heard about, read about, and always wanted to play. It’s no wonder the Petoskey Area is home to many prestigious tournaments.
Since the Petoskey Area is on the outer edge of the Eastern Time zone, you can play from sun up around 6:00 a.m. until the sun sets around 9:30 p.m. with 18 courses to choose from and 15 hours of daylight: Sounds good to us.
Although you could golf a different course every day for more than two weeks, you may not want to. That’s due to all the other things there are to do in the Petoskey Area. The charming lakeside resort communities of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Bay Harbor, and Boyne City offer a vacation full of things to do and see. This is a family destination where non-golfers won’t feel stranded.
There are dozens upon dozens of inviting shops, boutiques, and galleries; you can hike or bike along the lake or through wooded parks and preserves; splash into Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark; or experience the excitement of the Odawa Casino.
All that golf and shopping can create quite a hunger and thirst: the Petoskey Area is full of craft breweries and wineries pouring a fresh taste of northern Michigan. There are also more than 100 restaurants dotting the landscape with fare ranging from casual to gourmet. You’ll go home relaxed, but you should never go home hungry.
Once you’re here, you won’t want to leave. So we make it easy to stay: choose from quaint country inns, luxurious condominiums, or modern full-service hotels; stay on a golf course, on a lakefront, or right in the heart of town; or select a place that has an indoor pool or one that allows pets.
Whatever your preference, with more than 2,800 rooms, you can rest assured in finding accommodations that are the exact right fit.
The combination of unforgettable golf, beautiful lakeside resort communities, and a friendly, unhurried pace are why this area is rightly called a Michigan treasure.
For more information, including lodging assistance, call the Visitors Bureau at 800.845.2828 or visit PetoskeyArea.com.
