Cut from a 1,000-acre forest retreat owned by the United Auto Workers, this course meshes seamlessly with the surrounding terrain. Golf Digest awarded the Black Lake Golf Club 2nd place for "Best New Upscale Public Facility." The club was also voted the top rated public course in Michigan by Golf Digest in 2000. The surrounding woods are thick, and there's water to avoid, so you'd better not be a novice if you want to get full enjoyment from this challenging layout.
$$ (Moderately Priced)Golf Course Statistics: 7,030 yards, par 72, slope 140 - designed by Rees Jones (1999). The season runs from April 23 to October 29. This is a public course.
Northern Michigan's newest golf jewel is Black Lake Golf Club, designed by acclaimed architect Rees Jones, who is renowned for his classic style and unsurpassed quality. Jones found a welcoming canvas on 300 acres of the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center with mature forests, wetlands and sandy soil, which are a designer's delight. "We were trying to build an old style, classic course," Jones said. "You'll notice we don't have mounds or moguls. We just have sweeps and natural grade. We strive for holes blending with the natural terrain. There is nothing artificial or contrived. A good course should at once be a test of championship golf while at the same time affording an average golfer playing from forward tees an enjoyable round."