It's been a few swings since my last visit to Treetops Resort, tucked in northern Michigan's rolling hills. My golf pal, Jen, and I returned this summer to discover the resort is a true stay-n-play adventure. Located just east of Gaylord, the resort is home to five award-winning courses with on-site lodging, dining, year-round activities like skiing, extreme tubing, spa services, and more. Bonus: it holds a distinction for two top 50 courses for women.
Treetops Resort began as the Sylvan Knob Ski Area in 1954. The resort evolved into a multi-sport destination when ownership hired golf architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. to design the resort's first golf course, The Masterpiece. It opened in 1987, establishing Treetops as a premier golf destination.
The resort continued to expand, adding courses designed by Tom Fazio and Rick Smith in the 1990s, including the award-winning Threetops par-three course. In 2001, Treetops cemented its golf reputation by hosting the ESPN Par-3 Shootout.
Treetops Resort, view from the north Pro Shop
Treetops Stay-n-Play
My own memories started to surface from a previous visit when my younger brother was a resort employee as a greenskeeper. Some 20+ years ago, Ben and I took a crack at Threetops and a Fazio course when my golf game was in its infancy. Today, armed with better clubs and a better handicap, I was stoked for another go.
After checking in and settling into our cozy room at The Inn, we walked across the street for appetizers and beverages at The Sports Bar, next to the Legends Restaurant. We soaked in the expansive views of the Pigeon River valley, dotted with chairlifts and ski towers awaiting Michigan's next winter season. It was too hot to sit outside on the deck, so Jen grabbed us seats at the bar so we could gab with the friendly bartender. We sipped craft brews, devoured the potato keg appetizer, then dove into a juicy burger and seasoned fries. All good fuel for the next day's tee time.
The Smith Tradition Course
Smith Tradition at Treetops Resort
We began our golf adventure on the Rick Smith Tradition course from the impressive north Pro Shop perched above 1200 feet, which serves four of the five courses. The Tradition course begins at the yellow line, with a golf cart rollercoaster ride to the starter house. We arrived with 360 panoramic views of the links course, the fairways highlighted by purple and yellow wildflowers, with plentiful bunkers. The tall white Queen Anne Lace blossoms waved at us in the wind as we prepared to tee off.
It was a good start, embarking with good drives on the opener. Jen and I high-fived two pars in a row, then veered back to reality. The Smith rough, laced with flowers, is pretty, but hit it amongst the colorful petals and you'll be opening new sleeves of balls. We kept up a bogey pace and discovered the Treetops signature bunkers on the back nine. The “beach” here is equipped with “bunker mustaches” or tall grasses that line the sand edges closest to the green. The mustache is also a good place to lose a couple.
In between holes, we flagged the cart staff for lemonade-laced iced teas to combat the heat. The starter house is also the stop at the turn for snacks, a chicken-salad wrap, and bathroom breaks. Happy with mostly bogey play on a new course, I navigated us back to the Pro shop and bar for cocktails with a view. Funny, neither one of us thought we played well, but our Garmin's notched us an 89/90 respectively. We toasted our scores with V & Ts from our perch in Michigan-shaped Adirondack chairs overlooking the signature golfer's vista.
Treetops is known for its elevation changes, and the Fazio #1 starts out with a downhill shot and continues into sweeping undulations for most fairways. If you're looking for a level lie, I'd send you elsewhere. We were up for a challenge, and my compliments to Fazio for the sweet views around every cart path turn and dogleg. Elevated tee boxes are plentiful, and the bowl-shaped design helps funnel crappy shots closer to the hole. We spent time gawking at the landing areas and snapped plenty of photos to prove how stunning the course views are. The Premier remains the only Fazio-designed course in Michigan, and after our round, I understood why it maintains a 4.5-star rating from Golf Digest.
At the turn, the cart path takes you to yet another peak for snacks and beverages. Brat and beer in hand, we looked ahead, surveying more challenges and a waterhole on #11 yet to come. Jen and I worked hard on our BCM play (better course management) to avoid the mustached bunkers and pretty-wicked rough. Although, I celebrated two sandy pars yet managed to double all the par threes. The topographical adventure outweighed our scores in the end. Safely back at Treetops North homebase, we sipped a round of cold beers and gabbed with other golfers finishing up their bout with Fazio.
Fazio Premier Course
Award-Winning Golf
For the next visit, sign me up for the Jones Masterpiece. Stay a couple of nights so you can tackle up to five courses. There are hotel-style rooms at the Inn and the Lodge, larger suites with kitchenettes, or golf side condos suited for larger groups. It's more than a round of golf at Treetops; it's a shot-making adventure in elevation. Avid golfers should put this resort on their must-swing list.
Don't take my word for it, Golf Digest and Golf Magazine (and a host of other golf publications) attest that the reputation is legit. Awards, yup, there's a long list. I don't have any official golf credentials, but it has my thumbs up. Book your fall stay and play at the Tops!
Signature elevated tee boxes at Treetops Resort
Golf Digest: Treetops courses, including the Signature and Threetops, have been featured in “America's 100 Greatest Public Courses” and “Best in State” rankings. The Masterpiece, Premier, and Signature courses have received 4½-star ratings, and Threetops has been called the “#1 Par 3 Course in America.”
Golf Magazine: The resort has received the Silver Medal Award as a top U.S. resort multiple times and has been featured in “Best Golf Resorts” rankings. Threetops has been recognized as the “Best Par-3 Course in America”.
