STRAIGHT UP: Heart of Michigan Resort Golf is The Gaylord Golf Mecca

By Greg Johnson

It’s 230 miles or less from the Detroit area to Gaylord. Straight up I-75.

It’s about 175 miles or less from the Lansing area to Gaylord. Straight up U.S. 127.

It’s about 180 miles or less from the Grand Rapids area to Gaylord. Straight up U.S. 131.

And the Upper Peninsula, it’s straight U.P. from Gaylord across the Mighty Mac bridge in 60 miles or less.

Straight up, America’s and Michigan’s favorite summer golf destination is the Gaylord Golf Mecca, and it’s easy to find. 

The Mecca is in the heart of the Northern Lower Peninsula. It’s a beautiful, rustic woods and water paradise where long summer days on the edge of the Eastern Time Zone allow all day play at 16 golf courses. There are also wonderful places to stay with 20 lodging partners.

Each year, large numbers of golfers from across the country can be found roaming the Mecca courses, but those who hail from Michigan sometimes make the pilgrimage multiple times each summer.

“Michigan golfers realize they can make it here in part of a day, then play their first round that same day on a wonderful golf course. They stay that night in the lodging of their choice at prices more affordable than other destinations,” says Paul Beachnau, executive director of the unique cooperative Mecca marketing group now in its 37th year of working together.

“We have 16 courses and 20 lodging partners, including well-known resorts, and other unique options for golf, making us that go-to summer destination. The Mecca is perfect for a weekend or longer stay, for groups, for couples, for everybody.”

The Mecca, according to Beachnau, makes it happen with old-fashioned Michigan work ethic, cooperation, vision and investment. 

“We keep getting better,” he says. “You continue to see Mecca members improve their golf courses and properties with renovations, investment in additions and facilities, all the hard-work items. When you put it together, it makes a better experience for our visitors.”

The Mecca’s current president is J.T. Aude, the head golf professional at Gaylord Golf Club. He says the Mecca, which includes three flagship resorts in Treetops Resort, Otsego Resort and Garland Lodge & Golf Resort, and eight properties total, is unique because it’s a wide variety of partners who contribute to bringing golfers to the Gaylord area. 

“Together we all strive to offer quality and quantity, and that allows us to offer unmatched price points, getaway golf, classic golf, resort golf, great country club style golf and some of the best-conditioned courses in the country. We may be competitors, but we know what’s best for all of us is to work together to be a summer golf destination.”

The Mecca’s lineup includes:

• Black Lake Golf Club with its award-winning Rees Jones-designed golf course.

• Gaylord Golf Club with its classic pristine greens that have charmed golfers for decades.

• Garland Lodge & Golf Resort, which is home to four golf courses and is in year 73 as a destination.

• Indian River Golf Club, a classic which bills itself accurately as the friendliest golf course in the north. 

• Lakes of the North Golf Club, a get-away-from-it-all spot that provides an affordable hidden-gem golf course.

• The Pines Golf Course at Michaywe,’ which has been a home of classic golf for 52 years, including hosting the Michigan Amateur Championship twice.

• Otsego Resort, which is continuing multi-million-dollar improvements and features two courses, including the highly acclaimed Tribute Golf Course.

• And Treetops Resort, with its unmatched five golf courses including one of the most famous par 3 courses in the world – Threetops.

Gaylord, known fondly as the Alpine Village, started its journey to being a U.S. golf destination in 1987. Harry Melling, an auto industry supplier and NASCAR team owner who had earlier purchased a ski resort on the edge of town, unveiled the Masterpiece, the last major golf course design by the legendary architect, Robert Trent Jones Sr.

The award-winning work by Jones attracted golfers to what became known as Treetops Resort, but also quickly put Gaylord in the national golf conversation as a must-stop in the Midwest.

When golfers stopped, they found uncommon variety fashioned by not only Jones, but multiple highly regarded architects.

Tom Fazio’s only Michigan design – the Premier – is at Treetops.

Rick Smith, best known for working on the swings of Phil Mickelson and several other top pros, picked the brains of Jones and Fazio when he was the director of golf at Treetops and then designed the Signature, the Tradition and Threetops, all award winners.

Wilfred Reid, a Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member who designed over 20 courses in the state as well as the Olympic Club in San Francisco, did original design work that remains a part of the classic 101-year-old Indian River Golf Club, since redesigned by Warner Bowen.

Rees Jones, one of Robert Trent Jones’ sons, created one of his personal favorites and an award-winning course at Black Lake Golf Club.

Rick Robbins and PGA Tour player and NBC golf analyst Gary Koch built The Tribute at Otsego Resort, a tribute to Michigan golf and vistas. William Diddle of Indianapolis, a co-founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, designed The Classic, the friendly course along the road at the resort.

Michigan Golf Hall of Fame designer Jerry Matthews designed nine of the holes at Lakes of the North to go with an original nine by Michigan designer Bill Newcomb.

Don Childs, another notable Michigan designer, created The Pines at Michaywe’ and Gaylord Golf Club, both shining-star parkland style courses that first brought quality golf to the area.

The late Ron Otto, a Detroit businessman who invented the insulated garage door and later developed and owned Garland Lodge & Golf Resort, also designed golf courses. His four popular designs at the resort are a clear reflection of his inventive mind and talents. 

“We might not be as well-known as Myrtle Beach or the Alabama Golf Trail, but our courses rival in design and variety those bigger boys in the destination game. Plus, we are a lot easier to travel to for Michigan golfers and those in the Midwest,” says Judy Mason, head professional at The Pines at Michaywe.’

“It’s also really beautiful here in the summer. Come on up.”

Straight up.

Learn more at gaylordgolfmecca.com.