TREETOPS GOLF REPORT -Conditioning - EARLY MAY

[BG5]

Gents,

 

Just returning from a wonderful golf trip up to Treetops in Gaylord Michigan. For those of you who have never been I highly encourage you to do so. We paid $135 a person for a nights stay and 91 holes of golf and they even through in a free breakfast. This is the early season rate but its such a good deal make sure you try to get up there sometime soon.

 

We played 45 holes the first day followed by 36 the next.

 

Day 1

-Fazio Premier Course

-Smith Signature Course

-Smith - Threetops

 

Day 2

-Jones Masterpiece Course

-Fazio Premier

 

 

 

The courses were in excellent shape this early in the season. Everything was extremely green and trees already have small leaves and buds so it looks like all the courses survived the winter without major issues.

 

The greens were rolling really well and the Premier had the best greens early on as they rolled the fastest and had the least amount of punch marks followed by the Signature and the Masterpiece. The sand traps were also in great shape with new sand in most of them.

 

The fairways were in amazing shape and it was like hitting off a range matt.

 

Over all great time and the courses are in outstanding shape. Take a trip and check it out yourself.

[countvelvet]

That is great to hear. My group of 48 will be heading up there next month. Thanks for the report BG5.

[propman]

Appreciate hearing this. Going up there in 2 weeks with a couple of friends. Hopin' the weather cooperates.

[thegrayman]

Appreciate hearing this. Going up there in 2 weeks with a couple of friends. Hopin' the weather cooperates.

 

Hmmm small world. I'm going up there in 2 weeks also...to play against a bunch of guys from Chicago. Wierd.

[155 Funson]

Great news to hear! Have 32 going up Thursday - Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, can't wait. Did you happen to stay in the newly renovated lodge rooms? Would be curious as to how the upgrades look.

[BG5]

The upgrades were the showers which are pretty nice. Looks like they are still working so I'm sure it will continue to get better. Other than that the rooms were the same but it was still nice to have a big shower.

[thegrayman]

Played Forest Dunes Thursday, followed by 81 holes at Treetops over the weekend. Course was in great shape with greens on Premier, Masterpiece, and Tradition all running fast and true. Premier is a serious test, and the whole place is gorgeous. However, after 81 holes the courses began to feel a bit like goofy golf with all the ridiculous elevation changes.However, Threetops is a blast and actually fits the terrain. I highly recommend it if you can squeeze it in. The Lodge is making a weird effort to update the rooms with showers big enough to park your cart in and nothing else. They desperately need to remove the aging wooden balconies. I thought the practice green at the north clubhouse was a bit of a gimmick until we started playing, it really is that hilly.

[BG5]

Gray man,

 

Can you tell us about the conditioning at forest dunes? Greens running fast? How did the course look?

[thegrayman]

Gray man,

 

Can you tell us about the conditioning at forest dunes? Greens running fast? How did the course look?

 

Forest Dunes in general is an immaculate place, as evidenced by the guy raking the medians in the parking lot at 6 AM. The property definitely captured a mix of links and highland aesthetics. It does all look a bit new, with some construction still going on and a somewhat unnatural feel like the course hasn't matured yet. The greens were fine but I couldn't help but feel like they weren't running true due to all the sand. It didn't look like top dressing so I'm not sure if this is just a part of my inexperience with a links style course or they had done something else recently. They weren't particularly fast and varied from hole to hole depending on how much sand there was. Something about the inconsistency made them hard to gauge. I had 4 birdie putts inside 10 feet (humblebrag) that all seemed to roll differently. Again, might just be my inexperience with a very sandy course. We definitely got the quintessential "Open conditions" experience when we got there as the temperature dropped into the 40's with 40 mph winds and misty rain. Without it I don't think the course would play very tough. A guy in my group put a solid drive straight down the middle coming in on 18 into the wind and we measured it at 135 yards.

 

All in all I'd say the course and facilities are a steal for the stay and play price. However, just know that the property is fairly remote and they will be making up as much of their margin as they can in their very cozy dining room and bar unless you feel like driving 40 minutes to someplace else. Also, pass on the steak and get the Walleye. As a walker I wish we would have had time to play The Loop course as I heard it was sublime, but I would have no problem coming back for a couple nights.

[SilverBullets]

Gray man,

 

Can you tell us about the conditioning at forest dunes? Greens running fast? How did the course look?

 

Forest Dunes in general is an immaculate place, as evidenced by the guy raking the medians in the parking lot at 6 AM. The property definitely captured a mix of links and highland aesthetics. It does all look a bit new, with some construction still going on and a somewhat unnatural feel like the course hasn't matured yet. The greens were fine but I couldn't help but feel like they weren't running true due to all the sand. It didn't look like top dressing so I'm not sure if this is just a part of my inexperience with a links style course or they had done something else recently. They weren't particularly fast and varied from hole to hole depending on how much sand there was. Something about the inconsistency made them hard to gauge. I had 4 birdie putts inside 10 feet (humblebrag) that all seemed to roll differently. Again, might just be my inexperience with a very sandy course. We definitely got the quintessential "Open conditions" experience when we got there as the temperature dropped into the 40's with 40 mph winds and misty rain. Without it I don't think the course would play very tough. A guy in my group put a solid drive straight down the middle coming in on 18 into the wind and we measured it at 135 yards.

 

All in all I'd say the course and facilities are a steal for the stay and play price. However, just know that the property is fairly remote and they will be making up as much of their margin as they can in their very cozy dining room and bar unless you feel like driving 40 minutes to someplace else. Also, pass on the steak and get the Walleye. As a walker I wish we would have had time to play The Loop course as I heard it was sublime, but I would have no problem coming back for a couple nights.

 

Im betting the greens were top dressed. I have played FD 5 or 6 times since 2011 and can't recall having an issue like that. I played there in late june/early july last year (right when the Loop opened) and the greens at FD were pure.

 

I played it once in conditions like you are describing, except my round was in early October. That course can be a bear with conditions like that. Conversely, as you mentioned, play it on a calm, warm day, and it's certainly scoreable.

 

Im curious to see what The Loop looks like after the fall and now spring growth seasons. It was very immature when I played it last summer and the entire course was as hard as concrete. It's a pretty cool layout and concept (albeit a relatively easy golf course). I can't wait to get back to Michigan in the next couple years to play it as it's more grown in.