Boyne Golf - Experience America's Best Summer Golf Destination

It was a typical summer day. It was 9 a.m., the temperature was already 80 degrees, and the air was thick enough to grab by the handful. Those of us who grew up in these conditions may be used to it by now, but that doesn’t make it any easier. It’s also why the notion of spending a few days in a cooler place has such appeal and why Northern Michigan is an incredible golf vacation destination that’s only a few hours away.

IT’S BOYNE GOLF TIME

You can fly to Traverse City, Michigan, non-stop from 20 U.S cities, and you can be at one of the BOYNE Golf resorts after about an hour behind the wheel. Upon arrival, you’ll have a ton of options when it comes to golf, outdoor activities, awesome accommodations, and cool, comfortable playing conditions.

BOYNE Golf has 11 golf courses and a trio of unforgettable resorts that are within an 18-mile radius of Petoskey, Michigan. It’s like golf heaven, ideal for any sort of dream buddy trip, but also perfect for the family since there’s plenty for the kids and non-golfers to do. And the new nine-hole short course, dubbed Doon Brae, and the adjacent 27-hole Himalayan putting area, the Back Yaird, are a great way to introduce youngsters to the game — or settle a few bets between friendly competitors.

It all started in 1955, when Everett Kircher, who owned a ski resort in northern Michigan, conceived the idea of attracting golfers to generate summer business. He began with a nine-hole executive course at Boyne Mountain, near the alpine-like village created at the base of the slopes. He hired Robert Trent Jones Sr. to create the first championship course, The Heather, at a second resort he had recently acquired, and the idea grew and grew.

BAY HARBOR

The Links may be the most majestic course in BOYNE’s collection. With holes along the shore of Lake Michigan — and unforgettable views throughout — players are challenged by bluffs and dunes that produce an Irish vibe. The Quarry was built in and around a former shale quarry. Paired with The Links, it provides a night-and-day experience. There are stone cliffs, gorges, and natural ponds that architect Arthur Hills has used to create one memorable hole after another. The Preserve cuts through the forest but is close enough to hear the waves and feel the lake breeze. It finishes with a memorable par-3 set right on the shoreline. This may be the favorite for the club’s members. Crooked Tree Golf Club is the only course that was purchased instead of being specifically built for BOYNE Golf. The final three holes were enhanced by Hills in 2014, and Ray Hearn’s modifications on several holes in 2022 further improved the course’s impact and playability.

THE HIGHLANDS

The Heather was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1966 and was the first BOYNE Golf championship course. It winds its way through rolling hills and around natural areas  —  and includes the requisite bunkers that the designer loved. The finishing hole — one of the best in the country — works around a large pond that was “suggested” by Kircher. A poorly placed drive might require a long iron and a potential splash.  The Heather is one of those courses you can never get tired of playing. It was voted the 2019 Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association. The Donald Ross Memorial is a compilation of holes inspired by the work of the great architect. Deep thought and research were done before selecting the holes to replicate, and visitors can get the feel of a famous designer. There are holes reproducing the ones found at Pinehurst, Seminole, Aronimink, Oakland Hills, Oak Hill, etc. You can experience all the features of a Ross design — from the small, tricky greens to the sand. Better bring your sand wedge, because you’re going to need it. The Arthur Hills was built and named in honor of the famed architect, and was named among the top 200 resort courses in the country by Golfweek. The wide fairways make it a playable layout, but there are plenty of challenges as you get closer to the greens. The 13th hole features a 350-foot drop from tee to green; it’s a good chance to crush your driver and see how far it will go. The Moor has a bit of everything — bunkers, wetlands, water, and a bag full of dog legs. The 18th features an S-shaped fairway with a couple of different water hazards. Doon Brae is the new nine-hole short course that opened in the summer of 2025. The course is cut into the side of the hill that doubles as a ski slope during the winter. Players get to choose the distance from three teeing areas, making for a fun afternoon. Beware the greens, which are similar to what you’ll find at some of great old courses, like St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Royal Dornoch, etc. The Biarritz green on the final hole is especially fun. No carts at Doon Brae, but it’s not a difficult walk.

BOYNE MOUNTAIN

You’ll have to hop into a golf cart to drive 1.2 miles to the first hole on these two courses, which both begin in the shadow of SkyBridge, a 1,100-foot suspension bridge that connects the two peaks of Boyne Mountain, and finish in the clubhouse near Deer Lake. And although The Alpine and The Monument are both built around Boyne Mountain, there’s never a hint that you’re playing a typical mountain course. There’s no up-one-down-the-other feel that permeates so many mountain layouts. It almost feels like you’re playing downhill the entire round. The Alpine is an entertaining layout that finishes with a long par-5 that requires an approach shot over a pond in front of the green. The Monument tips its cap to some of the game’s top designers, and each hole has a granite marker with a commemorative designation. The 16th is dedicated to Kircher and has an old Nash car buried in the middle of the trap, a nod to Kircher’s old days as a car dealer in Detroit. The 18th is dedicated to Sam Snead and features an island green.

Conditions on all 11 of the BOYNE courses are consistently good from tee to green. Each course follows the same maintenance plan, meaning the fairways and greens will be pristine at each course. USA Today 10Best named it the #1 Golf Destination in the United States last spring, and demand has been so high that they have been accepting golf package bookings for 2026 since last June. So, it’s a good idea to plan early.  

GETTING THERE

Direct nonstop flights into Traverse City from 20 U.S. airports are offered via Delta, United, American, Avelo, JetBlue, and Sun Country. The Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport is expanding in the future, which should make it even easier to arrive. For more information, visit BOYNEGolf.com, then call 877.269.8034 to speak with a BOYNE Golf Experience Agent to plan your dream summer golf vacation.

Written by Stan Awtrey