Best golf courses near Charlevoix, MI

Built in 1927 as a getaway for the Chicago and Detroit swells summering at the tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, the William Watson design was ahead of its time with its large scale and almost 7,000 yards of length. Even in the heart of peak season, you can ride 18 for less than $100 and play where Tom Watson considered his summer home course during his family's annual visits throughout his teenage years.

True North Golf Club, located in Harbor Springs, captures the best of Northern Michigan golf as it winds through the forest with significant elevation changes. The fairways on this Jim Engh design play wider than they appear, as most are raised toward the edges, feeding balls back toward the center. Give the course plays through dense forest, each hole is separate from the others, giving the layout a secluded feel emblematic of the region’s laid-back vibe.

One of three grand "new Pebble Beaches" that debuted in the late 1990s, Bay Harbor was ranked third in Golf Digest's survey of Best New Upscale Public Courses of 1999, behind the twin juggernauts Bandon Dunes and Whistling Straits. Bay Harbor consists of 27 holes, but we rank its Links 9, which plays mostly on a plateau overlooking Lake Michigan, and its Quarry 9, which dips in and out of a lakefront stone quarry. Though there isn't lodging directly at Bay Harbor, the Inn at Bay Harbor is an upscale option part of the Autograph Collection right down the road. And eight-person cottages with stay-and-play deals are also available at nearby Crooked Tree.