BOYNE Resort in Northern Michigan features ’10 Magnificent Courses’ that will please any golf aficionado. Accommodations at all three of the BOYNE properties, The Mountain, The Highlands at Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor are first class and are constantly being updated to meet even the most ardent traveler’s standards.
The Heather course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, opened for play in 1966 and set the trend for ski resorts offering upscale golf in the summer. The Heather has hosted numerous Michigan Amateurs, been named by Golf Magazine in its “Top 100 Courses,” plus it was named the 2020 National Course of the Year by the Golf Course Owner’s Association.
After the Heather, three more courses were added to The Highlands at Harbor Springs. The Donald Ross Memorial, the Arthur Hills and the Moor combine to give golfers a variety of golf experiences in a single location.
The Donald Ross Memorial is a recreation of his most memorable holes from around the world in one 18-hole golf course. Familiar holes from; Seminole, Inverness, Pinehurst, Detroit Golf Club, Oakland Hills, Aronimink, Royal Dornach, plus a few more are represented in this compilation.
The Arthur Hills Course at The Highlands may provide the truest test for golfers. Hills created majestic green complexes that will test any short game. The elevated 13th tee sits over 100 feet above the fairway and tee shots seem to hang in the air forever against the verdant green backdrop.
The Moor Course just underwent a renovation to update the greens and surrounding areas. It may be the easiest test at The Highlands at Harbor Springs, but it may also be the most fun to play.
The Lodge at The Highlands recently underwent a massive renovation with the rooms sporting a more modern feel. Guests won’t want to leave.
The Highlands at Harbor Springs is slated to undergo massive changes over the next couple of years. Ray Hearns has been contracted to build a new short par-3 course that will lay just behind The Highlands Lodge, at the base of the ski hill.
Between the lodge and the Heather pro shop, a new upscale steak and seafood restaurant will be built to keep guests well-fed, while at the resort.
In addition, other changes will be occurring in stages to upgrade the lodge and add a convention and events center.
BOYNE Mountain actually had the first golf course at the resort. The owner, Evert Kircher used a Ford tractor to carve out a nine-hole lay out, the Hemlock, to attract more guests to the ski resort in the summer.
Today two championship courses, The Alpine and The Monument sit on the backside of BOYNE Mountain. After a 1.2 mile golf cart ride to the top of the mountain, where the first tee for both courses can be found, they wind their way back down the mountain to finish at Deer Lake and the Beach House Restaurant.
Both courses are challenging and provide jaw-dropping views of the lake and valley below.
The Ruby in BOYNE’s crown is the Inn at Bay Harbor and the Bay Harbor Golf Club. Designed by Arthur Hills, it was the most expensive golf course built in the United States, when it opened for play in 1995.
The golf club includes three nine-hole tracks, The Links, The Quarry and The Preserve, that can be mixed and matched to a variety of combinations. Several holes on the Links nine run along a cliff above Little Traverse Bay and provide majestic views out into Lake Michigan.
The Quarry loop runs through an abandoned stone quarry with elevated tees, rolling fairways and unique green complexes.
The Preserve winds its way through wildflowers, lush grass and native wetlands. It is a sanctuary filled with an abundance of wildlife. Saving the best for last, the ninth hole at the Preserve is a par-3 situated on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Before you leave this gorgeous setting, be sure to enjoy a delicious meal on the veranda of the massive clubhouse overlooking the finishing hole of the Quarry nine.
On a sand ridge high above Bay Harbor sits Crooked Tree, an 18-hole championship course that was recently renovated. It has long been a favorite and because it sits over 200 feet above the lake, your score on the golf course becomes secondary to the awe-inspiring views of Lake Michigan.
Just north from the Bay Harbor Golf Club, along the shoreline of Little Traverse Bay, sits the Inn at Bay Harbor. It is an Autograph Collection Hotel reminiscent of the turn of the century Victorian charm and modern-day elegance. In 2002, Golf Digest recognized the Inn at Bay Harbor as one of the “Top Ten Coastal Resorts” in the country, ranked alongside, Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes. Also in 2002, the magazine named The Highlands, Boyne Mountain and Inn at Bay Harbor in the “Top 75 Resorts in America”.
All three BOYNE locations in Northern Michigan include world-class spas, a multitude of dining options, plus zip lining, fishing, hiking, biking horse-back riding, as well as, the Young American’s Dinner Theater. No guest leaves dissatisfied with their accommodations, or time spent at BOYNE.
BOYNE is not simply a Michigan company. In addition to the three golf and ski resorts in Northern Michigan, it operates the Big Sky Resort in Montana, Brighton Ski Resort near Salt Lake City, The Summit at Snoqualmie in the state of Washington, Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, Sugarloaf and Sunday River resorts in Maine, Cypress Mountain in Vancouver, which was the freestyle and snowboard venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, plus the Gatlinburg Sky Lift in the Great Smokey Mountains.
BOYNE was started in 1947 by Evert Kircher on a 40-acre site where BOYNE Mountain sits today. BOYNE is still family owned and operated by the Kircher family and it will continue to provide high-quality golfing, skiing and outdoor sporting adventures for visitors for decades to come.
2022 ‘Stay & Play’ Packages
Now is the time to book your golf getaway to Northern Michigan. BOYNE has re-defined the premier golf travel experience and helped to cement Northern Michigan as “America’s Summer Golf Capital.”
Michigan’s Magnificent 10 Vacation
The Michigan Magnificent 10 includes five nights lodging at Boyne Highlands or Boyne Mountain with UNLIMITED golf on seven of BOYNE Golf’s championship courses, The pakcage also includes a welcome party, a lesson at the Boyne Golf Academy, a session on TrackMan Range, and a $100 Shopping Card. Package price starts at $1,585 per person for the week.
Super 5 Vacation
This Super 5 includes five nights lodging at Boyne Highlands, or Boyne with UNLIMITED golf on five of BOYNE Golf’s championship courses. Guests can add The Heather, Arthur Hills, or Bay Harbor Golf Club for an additional charge. The Super 5 also includes a welcome party and a session on TrackMan Range. Package price starts at $1,109 per person for the week.
BOYNE Unlimited Golf Package
The Unlimited package includes lodging at Boyne Highlands, Boyne Mountain, or Crooked Tree along with UNLIMITED golf on The Moor, the Donald Ross Memorial at Boyne Highlands, The Alpine and The Monument at Boyne Mountain, or Crooked Tree Golf Club. The Heather, or Arthur Hills courses at Boyne Highlands can be added for a slight upcharge.