PETOSKEY — BOYNE Golf, one of North America’s largest golf resort destinations located in Northern Michigan, announces its new par-3 short course Doon Brae, and the Back Yaird, a Himalayan-style putting course, will open in the summer of 2025.
Located behind The Highlands Main Lodge, the new short course will be BOYNE Golf’s 11th golf course, now becoming Michigan’s Magnificent 11.
Doon Brae, which is now accepting tee times in advance of its opening, will be the perfect add-on to any golf and resort package. The name, Doon meaning going down into a valley, and Brae, meaning steep bank or hillside in Scottish, is fitting as the routing of the course is on the site of the former Cuff Links nine-hole par-3 course set along the hillside that doubles as a ski slope during the winter months.
”As far as I know, this is the first modern golf course ever built on a ski hill,” said Bernie Friedrich, Director of Golf Course Renovations and Development at Boyne Resorts. “The combination of small greens inspired by some of the great green templates from overseas with sod-faced bunkers and tight mowing patterns will be a fun, perfect add-on to the daily golf itinerary. It also provides a wonderful option for families, kids, and beginners to try golf for the first time.”
Complementing the new par-3 short course is the Back Yaird (Scottish word for yard), a 1.5-acre 27-hole putting course featuring three nine-hole combinations. Inspired by great putting courses like the Himalayas at St. Andrews and Thistle Du at Pinehurst, this exciting golf experience features a variety of slopes and swales, providing endless excitement for golfers of all abilities, families, and kids. The location, just off the Slopeside Patio of The Highlands, will be convenient for lodge guests.
”Adding the Back Yaird putting experience creates the perfect combination for a fun golf experience for everyone,” continued Friedrich. “Having experienced some of the top resorts in the country with their short courses and putting courses they have created for guests, it is exciting to bring that type of golf entertainment for our BOYNE guests.”
Golf course architect Ray Hearn was selected to design the leading golf destination’s latest golf attractions. Hearn, a Michigan native, was the perfect choice, as he has been working closely with the BOYNE Golf team, modernizing and renovating many of the resort’s golf courses over the past several years.
Although Doon Brae is routed on a ski hill, Hearn focused on minimizing the walking uphill. The course, which measures between 993 yards and 678 yards, will feature a variety of fun yardages with downhill, flat, uphill, and sidehill lies, generally moving horizontally back and forth across the slope. Holes range from 57 yards to 134 yards, providing multiple angles and fairway options, with shorter-length holes having fewer bunkers on the path toward the greens, while longer holes provide more strategic angles with bunkers more in play.
”I wanted to make sure we were creating something fun and unique without being a difficult walk,” explained Hearn. “We also considered all the families taking their kids out to play the short course and then the putting course. Every time I visited Scotland with friends, I was always inspired by The Himalayas at St. Andrews. We just kept playing it over and over and never got bored. The Back Yaird will provide that kind of experience.”
Hearn’s favorite part of the project was the creatively designed green complexes.
“Drawing on our inspiration from the British Isles allowed us to create scaled-down versions of famous template greens highlighted by The Short at National Golf Links, a favorite of Stephen’s,” he said. “Other inspirations include Eden, Punch Bowl, Redan, Reverse Redan, Whinny Brae, Steep Slope, Postage Stamp, and Biarritz.”
BOYNE Golf has been named one of North America’s “Premier Resorts” (Gold) by GOLF Magazine.