Shanty Creek Resort Overview

By Glen Turk

It's not too often a view without a golf course in it totally captures my attention. Such was the case from high atop the Summit Hotel at Shanty Creek Resort and its panoramic landscape of Lake Bellaire below. It's the type of initial wow factor usually reserved for private resorts with large gates I can only dream of entering. Shanty Creek's General Manager, Michael Jordan, has a name and a property that carries some serious star power.

"The western view from the Summit Hotel and Conference Center overlooks a vast stretch of Lake Bellaire and some of the most impressive northern Michigan landscape," described Jordan. "Our Lakeview Restaurant and Lounge enjoys a massive wall of windows of this view, and because it is adjacent to our front desk, it is common to see families who are checking-in to walk toward the windows with their jaws dropped. The view is incredible and its sunsets are stunning. What's more, most of our rooms enjoy this view from personal balconies," stated Jordan.

The views from any one of their four golf courses are just as prodigious, especially those found on The Legend, an Arnold Palmer design that defies the laws of physics. I used to believe that what goes up must come down, but at the Legend the holes only seem to go down. Gorgeous valleys throughout present extreme shot values and will test your club-pulling and shot-making acumen throughout.

"The Legend has been described as Arnold Palmer's best design in the state of Michigan," explained Jordan. "Built on a wonderful piece of property, this masterpiece requires driving accuracy and solid iron play to every green. The fairways are tree lined and the elevations undulate from #1 to #18. Arnold hit the ball right to left and he designed this course with seven doglegs, three that go right to left and four that go left to right. From the third tee, which overlooks Lake Bellaire, the beauty of the area captures you," concluded Shanty Creek's General Manager.

The resort originally opened in 1960 was named after Shanty Creek which meanders through the property and is first present to golfers on the 501 yard par-5 7th. "The 7th on the Legend is the signature hole on the course. It is a great par-5 with a challenging tee shot due to a pond on the right and our namesake Shanty Creek in front. These obstacles are present to make sure you don't try to go for the green in two. The green itself is unbelievably narrow and placed in the base of a hill. The views and challenges on this hole are enough for any skilled player," said Jordan.

The Legend maybe the flagship course on site, but The Cedar River Course designed by PGA player and architect, Tom Weiskopf, weaves through the hills and peaceful waters of northern Michigan and has been named one of America's Top 100 resort courses by Golf Week. Opened in 1999, the fairways of the Cedar River Course are forgiving but the greens require accurate shots and true putting.

The third championship course on the property is Schuss Mountain GC, a 6,922 yard Warner Bowen design. Schuss gets my vote as the most underrated property at Shanty Creek as the course flows through wetlands, wildlife areas, and rolling hills. You'll never play the same hole twice, the conditioning is immaculate, and their rates are ultra-friendly - all reasons you have put Schuss Mountain GC on your must-play list for 2010.

Shanty Creek's resort course, The Summit, is perfect for a leisurely round with family and friends. Plus at Schuss Mountain GC and Summit GC kids 17-and-under play free with a paid adult. With three sets of tees ranging from 6200 to 4600 yards, The Summit is the ideal place to hone your skills at a course that only features two water hazards.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention their Lakeview Lounge Restaurant one last time. This stunning beautiful restaurant was voted as having the best steak and desserts in Northern Michigan by the readers of the Northern Express. I, of course, had both and would happily concur. The key to a successful golf trip is to do a bevy of things you can't possibly screw up like I can at golf. First, you enjoy ample spa services, followed by copious amounts of sight-seeing, and you cap it off by a cornucopia of stellar dining experiences. And that's how you feel good about yourself at the end of a golf getaway! For more information on Shanty Creek, visit their website at www.shantycreek.com or call 1-800-678-4111.

Article Tags: Shanty Creek

Revised: 05/15/2011 - Article Viewed 31,202 Times

About: Glen Turk

Glen Turk is a Wisconsin native and is the Senior Writer/Editor of Midwest Golfing Magazine. Midwest Golfing Magazine was formerly known as Pub-Links Golfer's Magazine and is a free publication distributed four times per year throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio.

His duties at MGM include writing course features, facilitating product testing, and overseeing the overall content and look of the magazine. But clearly his most important task is playing as much golf as his wife allows. Fortunately for him, she plays also and loves out-driving him even with a 60 yard head start.

Glen plays to a 6 handicap but once set a record by having his ball retriever regripped 15 times in one calendar year. It was a December trip to Guam that ultimately did him in. Finally, if you haven't caught on by now, the two most worthy weapons in Glen's writing arsenal are self-deprecating humor and pithy one-liners.

My signature line, "Be A Force on The Course" and now more recently, "Hit 'Em Where They Mow!" can be reused at no charge.