Michigan Golfer ON-LINE: Golf Packages

Golf Packages
By Art McCafferty

Ann Arbor
Eagle Crest Resort, Fox Hills and Rustic Glen are among the city's inventory of 23 courses, 387 holes and 135,369 yards of golf. As you might imagine, with so many lodging properties a golf package is only a wedge away. http://www.annarbor.org/visitorsguide/golf/

Arcadia Bluffs
Holiday Meadows, a new B&B in the area features two packages; "Day on the Bluffs $498.40+ tax and Sunset at the Bluffs 341.60 + tax. Includes day or evening (after 4:00) round of golf, breakfast and dinner, lodging and casino package. http://hoiidaymeadows.com

Bay City
The Bay City area is a nice stopping off place for those heading north for some golf. They have redone their waterfront and generally spiffed the place up. Golfers can visit the recently renovated Bay Valley Resort, with their Destin/Nicklaus beauty of a course or wander further up the road and golf some of the 27 holes you will find at Maple Leaf GC. You really need to visit this place in the late spring and summer, owner Geraldine Jezowski, transforms this place into a virtual flower garden. http://www.baycityarea.com/golf_courses.htm

Battle Creek-McCamly Plaza Hotel
Basically, you only need to know one name for Battle Creek Golf Packages and that is Toby Hilton. Toby is the Director of Golf Packages for the Battle Creek area and runs the operation out of the McCamly Plaza Hotel. There is truly an embarrassment of riches in the Battle Creek area. Courses such as Stonehedge, North and South Gull Lake East and West ,Bedford Valley ,The Medalist , Golf Course ,Lake Doster Golf Club , Binder Park Golf Course and Island Hills Golf Club are all available. You can golf your brains out, and then retreat to the comfy confines of the McCamly Plaza. Lord take me now. http://www.mccamlyplazahotel.com

Big Fore Golf
Four of the top-rated courses in northern Michigan, Hidden River, Charlevoix CC, Black Lake and Little Traverse Bay, have teamed up to offer golfers an unmatched golf vacation. When you go to their site, you can choose from a variety of package options. http://www.bigfore.com

Boyne Country
The golf packages are not all that complicated in Boyne Country. When you check into one of the cooperating lodging properties in town they will give you either a $5 or $2.50 coupon to take to the golf course of your choice. In Boyne Country, you have the Boyne USA properties as well as Hidden River and Eagle Beach golf courses. http://www.boynecountry.com/gpackages.html

Crystal Mountain
Holiday Meadows, a new B&B in the area features " A Day on the Mountain." The package, $319.20 + tx, for two, features a round of golf, lodging, casino pkg, breakfast and dinner. http://holidaymeadows.com

Eagle Crest Resort
Eastern Michigan University was one of the first universities to bring together a hotel, conference center and first rate golf course. Others have followed, Ferris State University being one of them. To find out about their golf packages and other fine golf courses in the area like Fox Hills and Rustic Glen you can click on http://www.annarbor.org/golf/

Fortress
Mark Black, Fortress professional, will take good care of you, once you get there. The Fortress has a package with Zehnders for $110 midweek, dbl occ, plus tax, that gives you lodging, dinner for two at Zehnders Restaurant, golf for two with cart and breakfast. If you want to go on the weekends or holidays, add $5. http://zehnders.com

Golf Big Rapids
Big Rapids features some excellent golf. The Rose, Tullymore, St. Ives, and the Katke course at FSU are but four of the seven courses available. Lodging includes the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center and the new Inn at St. Ives.

Golf Cadillac
Carol Potter, Director of the CVB, is one of the shakers and movers of Golf Cadillac. The golf package group has 11 courses, including The Rose, El Dorado and McGuires and 10 lodging partners in Best Western, Days Inn and Hampton Inn. For total info, check out http://golfcadillac.com

Grand Rapids
Looking for something in the Grand Rapids area? They have some terrific courses in Thousand Oaks, Quail Ridge, Gleneagles, St. Ives, Tullmore and The Meadows. All you need to know is the following website. http://www.visitgrandrapids.org/golf/golf_package.html

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
From April 28 to June 13, Grand Traverse Resort is offering golf packages that are 30% off of their summer rates. GTR has a ton of golf packages as you might expect from a resort that features a Nicklaus, Player and Newcomb course, a Jim McLean golf school and a first rate Spa.

Their Golf and Spa package really caught my eye. The package includes accommodations, daily breakfast and one round of golf on Spruce Run, the original resort course designed by William Newcomb. Golfers also receive range balls, and choice of one Spa treatment such as a Swedish Massage, Sports Massage, Cherry Essence Massage, Essential Facial, Men's Facial, Cherry Honey Glow, Stress Relief Treatment, Mineral Mask, Aroma Wrap, Aromatherapy Bath, Cherries and Cream Bath, Spa Manicure w/ Paraffin Treatment or Spa Pedicure with Paraffin Treatment. Rates begin at $244 per person, based on double occupancy. There is a surcharge of ($20) for play on The Wolverine, Gary Player's signature course, and Jack Nicklaus' famed course, The Bear. http://grandtraverseresort.com or call 800-748-0303.

Jackson
Jackson Golf is rated by Golf Digest as one of the top 15 places to golf out of 309 major cities. They have more golf courses per capita than any other city in the United States besides Sarasota. Last year the area added Calderone Farms, the Grande GC, a new nine at Waterloo and became even more of a destination. The area has a new Golf Getaway feature on their web site, which enables the golfer to enter what type of package they are looking for and 48 hours later; Golf Jackson will get back with a quote. Sounds pretty slick. http://jackson-mich.org/GolfJackson/golf.htm

Lakewood Resort
The Lakewood folks are touting their Ultimate Golf Experience. On weekdays, Sunday - Thursday, you can play 3 rounds on 3 different courses and have 3 totally distinct golfing experiences. The package includes two nights' lodging, 18 holes w/cart on The Gailes, Blackshire and The Serradella, dinner each evening and continental breakfast each morning. This packages starts at $274 /person. They have all kinds of golf packages on their site, so click on and save. http://www.lakewoodshores.com/specials.htm

Lakeview Hills
Lakeview Hills has lodging on site for their 27 holes of golf. However, you can pull up the local website for the town and check out some of the lodging.

Livingston County
Lots of nice things have been happening to Livingston County and their golf inventory. They had a couple of new courses come on board last year, The Preserve and The Jackal. Add those to the list that includes, Dama GC, Dunham Hills GC, Faulkwood Shores GC, Hunters Ridge, Huron Meadows Metropark, The Majestic at Lake Walden, Marion Oaks Golf Club, Mystic Creek and Whispering Pines GC and you have quite a destination. Barbara Barden, Executive Director of the Livingston Area CVB has prepared information for you to check out on their website at http://www.htnews.com/lcvb/leisure.html

Mid Michigan
There are eleven courses in this group, featuring the likes of Riverwood Resort, The Emerald and Mount Pleasant CC to name a few. The lodging is on site at Riverwood and many other packages with the Doherty Hotel in Clare. You can pull up the Doherty at http://dohertyhotel.com

Mt. Pleasant
15 golf courses, 14 lodging venues and 11 restaurant are the numbers you face when you check out the Golf Getways 2002 brochure. Some of the courses include, Riverwood Resort, the dazzling duo of St. Ives and Tullymore and the Emerald. Lodging properties include the Comfort Inn, Riverwood Resort and the Holiday Inn. Really, there is so much, you just need to jump into their site at http://mountpleasantwow.com

Otsego Club
The Otsego Club continues with their extremely popular "Blowout" series. The basic Blowout Package is1 Night Lodging , 2 Rounds of Golf from $99 *per person, dbl occ, midweek. Their 54 HOLE BLOWOUT; includes 2 Nights Lodging 3 Rounds of Golf Complimentary Dinner in the Duck Blind Grille. That package starts at $180. The Tribute is officially opening in May of this year and it is an absolutely fabulous course. For more info on this magic resort click on http://otsegoclub.com

Riverwood Resort
Dick Johnson is the go to person at Riverwood Resort. He has been greeting people for the past six years. Their eye-opening package this year is $89 for one night, two days, midweek, per person, quad. Your foursome gets to enjoy themselves in their deluxe villas, unlimited golf on their 27 holes, 18 holes for the cart each day, a gourmet dinner and a full breakfast. Dick also likes to throw in a hug as well. http://riverwoodresort.com

St. Ives and Tullmore
The Inn at St. Ives is a spanking brand new facility that awaits you this year. The Inn contains 44 rooms, 17 of which are suites.

A number of the rooms have Jacuzzi tubs, microwaves and mini-fridges and one thing that caught my eye in this 24/7 world of today, high speed internet connection. How suite it is! Their golf packages start as low as $80 and feature the St. Ives and Tullymore golf courses. Dble occ and include tax and gratuity. Tullymore and St. Ives are the best twosome since Currier and Ives.

For further click on to http://stives.com

The Club Card
These folks have been in business for the past seven years and they have a simple message, affordable golf. They are allowed a restricted number of cards from the cooperating golf courses in Livingston County, Gaylord Golf Mecca, Cadillac Golf and Mt. Pleasant. This no nonsense approach to affordable golf works. See their site at http://golfclubcard.com or 800-838-5294 Florida

The Natural at Beaver Creek
The Natural has a new website, but the same attitude of quality golf at affordable rates. They have onsite lodging and create many packages themselves. They also work with Resort One that supplies a number of properties in the area in which to stay. http://thenatural.org

Thunder Bay Resort
Jack Matthias never met a deal he didn't like. He has more packages than a tardy UPS driver. He has 90 and 72 Hole Sunrise packages, Mid Week packages and the cr�me de le cr�me, the $59 unlimited golf and lodging package pp day quad occ. While you are there you can also do some elk viewing. This is a real quid pro quo deal, as the elk can also view you. Thunder Bay has also joined the Gaylord Golf Mecca this year. http://thunderbaygolf.com

Traverse City
It seems that most of my life I am selling something to someone. However, each summer I get the opportunity to teach a class for Eastern Michigan University's College of Business in their Traverse City summer program, and therefore I can just hang out and play some golf after class. The biggest difficulty I have is selecting from the course menu. Obviously you have the terrific trio of The Bear, The Wolverine and Spruce Run at Grand Traverse Resort or wonderful A-Ga-Ming GC and that look at Torch Lake, High Pointe GC, Tom Doak's first course is always a delight, LochenHeath GC is new and spectacular, The Chief, new last year will soon be joined by Hawk's Eye, both John Robinson courses and the Leelanau Club at Bahle Farms, which is equally spectacular. Yes, there are choices. Frankly, one of the close by delights to Northwestern Michigan College, where the class is taught is Elmbrook GC. It is in town, extremely well maintained and you can be on the tee in a heartbeat. I can hardly wait. For golf packages on these and other fine TC courses, you can visit http://www.tcvisitor.com/golf/

Treetops
One of Michigan finest resorts, Treetops is looking forward to another busy year. They have the Par 3 Shootout on track for a fourth year, their Women's Golf Academy is set for 10 different dates and they have some excellent golf packages. They have their Double Eagle Package, Tee for Two Package and three different seasons to choose from, In Season, Value Season and Post Season. You will find it all on http://treetops.com

Wild Bluff
And the winner of the Best Michigan Golf Package of the Year is Wild Bluff. Well, I must say, I have saved the best Golf Package in Michigan for last. The Wild Bluff Golf Package is absolutely out of sight. Hang on, because here we go. For $89, (dbl occ) Drum roll please you get:

A one night stay at Bay Mills
18 holes with cart on Wild Bluff Golf Course
A $15 dining credit at any of their restaurants
One $10 roll of quarters
Two drinks in the Casino or Back Bay Grille
Two $10 blackjack match plays
20% off a purchase of merchandise in the ProShop & Gift Shop

With this kind of package you might feel confident about drawing to that inside straight.

Indiana

French Lick Springs Resort and Spa
Two of the most prolific golf course designers in American history, Tom Bendelow and Donald Ross have left a part of their legacy. They offer two basic packages at French Lick, The Birdie and Stay and Play. The Birdie features 18 on both courses cart, night's lodging, breakfast and dinner for each person, $5 pro shop gift certificate. $149.95 S-Th $169.95 F-S. double occupancy. The Stay and Play is one night lodging, golf, cart, full breakfast, $5 pro shop certificate and 18 at the Valley Course. $75.95 S-Th, $95.95 F-S Tax and gratuity not included . http://frenchlick.com

Hamilton County

When it comes to quantity, quality and affordability Hamilton County is the place to go for Indiana's best golf. Located just minutes north of Indianapolis, the area boasts of the state's only course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Prairie View Golf Club. Add to that, is the brand new Purgatory Golf Club breaking records as one of the longest courses on the planet at 7,754 yards. Purgatory can also be a tame 4,600 yards at the far forward tees.

For Michigan golfers wanting to start their game early or keep playing well into the fall, Hamilton County courses open in March and most stay open until December. Hamilton County Stay & Play Packages offer a wide variety of accommodations plus golf at Prairie View, Purgatory, Plum Creek and Bear Slide

Call the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-776-TOUR (8687) for a free Stay & Play Golf Guide. http://indianaspremiergolf.org

Kendallville

For those over by the Fort Wayne area, you might want to stop by a couple of nice tracts there and take advantage of their golf package. Generally speaking, Indiana golf is tad less expensive than Michigan, perhaps because their season is longer. The two courses are Cobblestone and Noble Hawk GC. The courses are located just minutes from I-69 and I-80/90, the Indiana Toll Road. They package with the Best Western there and have packages that start from $109. The $109,The Birdie, includes two -18 hole rounds, lodging and breakfast. The Eagle is the same, with another night thrown in. http://www.noblehawk.com/stayplay.html

North Carolina

I visited the Pine Hurst area about 15 years ago, and was impressed then, but more impressed now, since reading about the area in an article in our first issue by Thad Gutowski. In fact, the ING association will be holding their annual meeting at Pine Hurst this May. I will not wax on here, I would only ask that you read Thad's article in the Golf Show issue of the MG, now online at http://michigangolfer.com and then visit the Sandhills golf website at http://sandhills.com. You will no doubt find out fast why this destination has now been ranked third in the world.

Ontario

I usually spend about a week in and out of Ontario each year. Occasionally, I will run the CHOK Port Huron to Sarnia Bridge 10K Run in the summer, or visit one of the fine courses in the area. Basically, for those that want to play, Sawmill Creek, Bonnie Doon, Oakwood Resort, Forest Country Hotel and Golf Club or their other 16 courses, you need only to visit the website of Sarnia-Lambton to find out the best golf packages. Let's face it, you can not beat the value, where the dollar is king. Check out http://www.tourism-sarnia-lambton.com

A little farther Northeast you will find the fine folks at Monterra Golf at Blue Mountain. Their golf packages run from about $110-115 per person based on double occupancy at the Blue Mountain Inn (Opening to May 17 & Oct. 1 to closing) And roughly from $ 138 -$per person based on double occupancy at the Blue Mountain Inn (May 18 through Sept. 30, 2001) http://bluemountain.ca