Michigan Summer Season Golf Club

[SWFL Couple]

Retired couple headed to central Michigan for a few months (June/July/August) to get out of the Florida heat/humidity. Would like to find a nice club to maybe join for a few months (maybe national or season membership). We enjoy golf (3 days/week), tennis and fishing. Looking for area and club recommendations. TIA 

[chrisbellaire]

Define "central" if you can.  Saginaw, Midland, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Mt. Pleasant ??   Private clubs in each.

[SWFL Couple]

56 minutes ago, chrisbellaire said:

Define "central" if you can.  Saginaw, Midland, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Mt. Pleasant ??   Private clubs in each.

We were advised to try from Grand Rapids latitude up to Cadillac latitude. They said south of GR could be hot?  and Traverse City could be a little pricey?

[cassel191919]

14 hours ago, SWFL Couple said:

Retired couple headed to central Michigan for a few months (June/July/August) to get out of the Florida heat/humidity. Would like to find a nice club to maybe join for a few months (maybe national or season membership). We enjoy golf (3 days/week), tennis and fishing. Looking for area and club recommendations. TIA 

Are you looking for a Country Club or a membership at a Public Course?  The Gaylord area is fantastic for public golf, it can be busy on the weekends but during the week there are all kinds of openings.  There are about 30 good golf courses with in an hour drive.

[BG5]

Michigan has some of the best public golf courses in state and they are priced pretty reasonable so you may want to consider just living in an area and hopping around and playing everything instead of joining a club since you will be here only a few months out of year.

 

Housing is reasonable in all areas including Traverse City and Petoskey as long as you are not right on the lake.  I would be looking in and around the Traverse City area, Kewadin, Petoskey because its just that beautiful.  Plenty of properties under $300k and if you want there is really nice "stick built" homes that can be found if you dont mind living a little farther out.

 

Grand Rapids is also a great area but summers in Northern Michigan are just that much better in my opinion

[SWFL Couple]

We were informed that Michigan has a lot of great public golf courses that we could play.  
Besides playing golf we are looking to socialize with people of similar interests such as fun members of a country club or semi private club. 

[BG5]

Northern Michigan is loaded with a few nice places that would probably really connect you with people your age with similar interests.

 

A few places I would check out and the good news with Northern Michigan is there are lakes all over the place up there with outstanding fishing 🙂

 

Boyne Country Club - Has 10 courses and amazing practice facilities along with an outstanding social network and events.  Couple membership to all 10 courses is $6100 for a couple and the courses are outstanding.  If you choose to add Bay Harbor Golf Club (Which I def would) the couple price tag goes up to $7400 but Bay Harbor golf club would give you access to 11 courses and that course is just amazing with views of Lake Michigan on a lot of holes.  Consider looking at housing or condos in Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Boyne City, Charlevoix etc.  Plenty of cheap options for housesing in that area (Plenty of expensive houses as well).  Lots of couples events and dinners and boyne would be my number 1 choice because of 11 courses and social events

 

Birchwood Farms Country Club - They have 27 holes and the place is loaded with tennis, swimming etc.  This is in Harbor Springs and housing/ condos can range from pretty expensive to some very reasonable priced condos/houses.  Not sure on price but probably similar to Boyne but alot of amenities to choose from and a great social network.  This would be another great option because of the couples events and social events

 

True North Golf club - Last I checked membership for couples was around $6000 but its an amazing course with a great clubhouse and social scene.  Lots of couples play here.  Not sure about tennis but pretty sure they have courts and the membership appears to be pretty social with a lot of couples.  This is located in Harbor Springs as well

 

A-Ga-Ming Golf Course - Gives you membership to 5 courses and it has an amazing practice facility with great views of Torch Lake.  These courses get busy but a couple membership is around $2500 a year.  This is located in Kewadin and I would look for housing in Kewadin, East Port, Bellaire, Traverse City, Charlevoix

 

Lochenheath - Located just north of traverse city and this place is amazing as well.  Good social scene and not sure on price

 

Belvedere Country Club - Located in Charlevoix and its an amazing course that is priced reasonably and the town of Charlevoix is outstanding

 

Shanty Creek - Has 5 courses and located in Bellaire Michigan.  MEmberships appear reasonable and not sure about the social scene but some really nice courses.

 

Treetops Golf Resort- 5 courses and located in Gaylord Michigan.  The courses are outstanding but this is a public courses and are really busy.  Housing is very reasonable here.

 

Black Lake Golf Club - Located in Onaway Michigan and this course is amazing.  Very cheap houses in Onaway on Black Lake and you can get a couples membership around $2200.  

 

Kingsley club - Located just south of traverse city in Kingsley Michigan.  The golf course is amazing and membership is around $7000 for a couple.  More of a pure golf club but the course is probably the best of the best.

 

Forest Dunes Golf Club - 3 courses and located in Roscommon Michigan.  The golf is outstanding and you can get a membership if you buy a house on the course.  It has some of the best fly fishing in the world and is located by higgins and hougton Lake which are outstanding.

 

It sounds like the social thing is very important, along with golf, tennis and other fun activities.  I think I would go Boyne/Bay Harbor, or Birchwood Farms as my first options with both being amazing.  Birchwood might be perfect.

 

Traverse City has an airport with direct flights to multiple places in Florida along with direct flights to Denver.  That itself is a big perk I would look at places like Traverse City, Petoskey, Elk Rapids, Bellaire, Harbor Springs, Onaway, Boyne City, Alden, Kewadin etc.  Alot of expensive houses but plenty of really nice places that are priced right.  If you have never been "Up North" then you better check it out compared to the Grand Rapids area as I think you would fall in love with it.  Dont hesitate to send me a message with any questions

 

Best of luck and I hope to be like you someday 🙂  I am saving like crazy for retirement so I can do the exact same thing 🙂

 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by BG5

[postfold]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:02 PM, SWFL Couple said:

We were advised to try from Grand Rapids latitude up to Cadillac latitude. They said south of GR could be hot?  and Traverse City could be a little pricey?

 

In general it's cooler as you get closer to Lake Michigan.  Also cooler north over south, though I'm not sure there is that much of a difference between Grand Rapids and places along the IN/OH border.  Up north is a great place to spend the summer.

 

If you want a more urban area, many private clubs in Grand Rapids (plus Muskegon and Holland) are owned by RedWater.  I have played all but two and they're all fine courses.  I'm particularly fond of Muskegon CC and Thousand Oaks.  https://www.redwater.com/redwater-golf/

If I were going to join somewhere it would probably be Muskegon.

 

Blythefield in GR is a nice facility with a good sized membership.  I'm not familiar with too many other private clubs in the area.

 

Along the lakeshore, Spring Lake CC is an okay course with a good membership and nice facilities.  Lincoln GC north of Muskegon is semi-private, has nice greens.  I have managed to never play White Lake GC in Whitehall.  Not too familiar with private courses north of there. 

 

If you're a Rockefeller and just don't want to admit it, Wuskowhan Players Club in Holland is a beautiful facility.  

Edited April 26, 2023 by postfold

[knickerbocker]

Battle Creek Country Club:

 

Awesome classic golf course

New Tennis/Pickleball Facility

On a lake where you can keep a boat for fishing

Great value

[Jose c.]

23 hours ago, knickerbocker said:

Battle Creek Country Club:

 

Awesome classic golf course

New Tennis/Pickleball Facility

On a lake where you can keep a boat for fishing

Great value

Also a nice variety of secondary courses in area,along with a casino. 

[joekloo]

Look at the Canadian Lakes area, central in MI and usually some good rental opportunities on smaller inland lakes.  Good golf courses in area also.