The resort offers one of the largest concentrations of golf courses in the world, with a diverse terrain and a range of difficulty levels — and all five courses are located within minutes of each other.
Steve Scheuermann, PGA, has played hundreds of golf courses, but there is one in particular that keeps him coming back: Cedar River GC at Shanty Creek Resort.
Designed by Tom Weiskopf, a 16-time PGA Tour title winner, Scheurmann says the course has “a very clever, very collaborative design” that provides a great experience from start to finish, with tree-lined pathways, wide, rolling fairways and a view of the Cedar River in two spots. It’s a course one reviewer describes as having “quirky holes that you could resent in any other setting but work perfectly in a northern Michigan forest.”
“I’ve been a golf professional for 45 years. This is the one course I would play every single day and never get tired of it,” said Scheuermann, who serves as director of golf operations for Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, Michigan.
“It’s a terrific design, and the terrain—the woods, the rolling hills—is just part of its appeal,” he said. “What makes it most unique for golfers is that it has five par 5s, five par 3s, and eight par 4s. The par 5s and par 3s are what most golfers of all abilities prefer because they can actually shoot some good scores every now and then. It’s a course that, as soon as you play the first hole, you enjoy all the way through.”
For northern Michigan residents and tourists, Shanty Creek Resort’s five championship courses offers something for everyone, with varying levels of difficulty across some of the top-rated golf courses in the nation. And for families with children who are just beginning to golf, the experience is also a great value, where children play golf with a paid adult for only $15.
Moreover, with 90 holes of golf located within a five-mile radius, Shanty Creek’s golf offerings are highly convenient to access.
“We have a very large concentration of courses and a resort shuttle that enables guests to move from course to course without going back to their car,” says Lindsey Southwell, Shanty Creek Resorts director of marketing and an avid golfer. “There are other places in northern Michigan that might own five golf courses, but they’re nowhere near as close in proximity. You might have to drive an hour between courses at other sites. And at Shanty Creek, you can play 90 holes of golf without getting into your car again, which is a fantastic thing.”
Each of the resort’s five courses is unique, enabling golfers to tailor their experiences according to their preferences and level of ability.
“Often guests will purchase a package of three, four or five rounds of golf, which gives them a chance to play on more than one course,” Scheuermann said.
Here’s a look at what each of the resort’s five courses offers:
Summit Golf Club. Designed by William Diddel, who won five Indiana State Amateur Championships in golf, Summit is the oldest golf course at the Shanty Creek Resort, having been built in the 1960s. “It’s a very challenging golf course for the greens. It’s difficult to putt,” Scheuermann said. As a result, the course is one that forces even the most accomplished golfers to test their short game—and guests appreciate the challenge. “Summit is the one that everyone seems to include in their route,” Scheuermann said.
Schuss Mountain Golf Club. The second-oldest golf course on the property, Schuss Mountain provides a true up-north experience. “It’s heavily wooded, with a lot of dogleg holes right and left,” Scheuermann said. “But then the back nine is a little more hilly. That’s because it’s on the base of the mountain.” Schuss Mountain is also known for having the fairest greens on the property. “The soil on that property is so conducive to growing grass, it’s just so green, it’s phenomenal,” he said.
The Legend Golf Club. This Arnold Palmer-designed course opened in 1986 and was has been ranked among the “Top Resort Courses” in the United States by GOLF Magazine, a designation that put northern Michigan on the map for golf. “It’s probably known as one of the more challenging courses in Michigan. It’s very difficult,” Scheuermann said. “The first hole starts out really nice, a par 5, not very difficult, and you say to yourself, ‘Oh, this isn’t so bad.’ But then the fun really begins. There is such an amazing difference in terrain on The Legend, with rolling hills and heavily wooded areas and very challenging greens.”
Hawk’s Eye Golf Club. The newest golf course at Shanty Creek, this course was acquired by the resort in 2021. It features a variety of designs, from wooded to more open areas, and has an appealing layout. “Many of our guests will certainly rank Hawk’s Eye as their number one or number two golf course to play on,” Scheuermann said. The course is adjacent to the Cedar River Golf Club, and for years before it was purchased by Shanty Creek, guests would play Hawk’s Eye as well, even though it wasn’t included in their packaging. “It’s a fantastic course,” he said.
Cedar River Golf Club. Cedar River celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. GOLF Magazine calls it one of Michigan’s Top 20 Public Courses. Designed by Weiskopf, Cedar River joins The Legend in earning a reputation for “bucket-list caliber golf.” " Shanty Creek also offers lessons with golf professionals for children and adults, including junior golf clinics and workshops geared specifically toward women.
Find out more about Shanty Creek’s golf courses and reserve a tee time.