Lakewood Shores - Gailes/Blackshire/Serradella

[N8dogg2669]

Going up there next weekend for an annual golf trip. Wondering if anyone has been there lately and how the conditions are? 

[CHRISTOPHER DESANA]

Have not been, but word is not very good. Hope I am wrong.

[Pepetito]

How was it?

[N8dogg2669]

On 10/1/2024 at 9:48 AM, Pepetito said:

How was it?

 

The worst experience I have had at a golf resort in the state of Michigan. I just poured a new coffee, so here's my breakdown. 

 

Blackshire (Friday)

 - I'll say the 2nd worst of the 3. We show up to the main lodge/course to check in. Rooms weren't ready and they double charged my Amex. Honest mistake, but the trip was so bad that I started getting petty and finding all the things I could find wrong. We hit some balls at the range because they don't have one at Blackshire as it's down the road from the main course. The driving range is legitimately the worst driving range I have seen in the 30 plus years I have been golfing. The balls were beyond dead, no grass, everyone who was on the range with us was kind of in disbelief and laughing about the conditions. This was for sure a sign of what was to come. So, we drive over to Blackshire and when I walk to the clubhouse there is a note on the door that says "do not drink the water or wash your hands" something along those lines. I walk in and the guy working there is sitting on a chair playing on his phone and looked completely annoyed that I dared to walk into the clubhouse to get something to drink. So, I ask him if they have ice because of the sign and he says yes, but he doesn't have any bags or coolers to put the beers in. So, I walk out to the truck and grab my cooler, not that big of a deal but found it odd. He fills up the cooler with some beer and ice and I pay. I think it was like $45 for a 6 pack with tip, absolute joke of a price. So, we go out to the first tee, and they have the place just stacked tee time after tee time, and this is a Friday at like 1pm. The greens were borderline unputtable. Diseased, patches of grass, it was honestly easier to putt when it was just through the dirt, bunkers were just dirt, no sand. The fairways sort of had grass but patchy and burnt to a crisp. Didn't play great, partly conditions, partly I just played bad, but the overall sentiment in our foursome by the 18th hole was thank god this is over and hopefully this is the worst of it. Side note: I read they have a contaminated well, and that's the water issue, but I could not confirm that to be 100% accurate, I just know they do not allow you to use the water. 

 

Lodging

 - We drive over to the clubhouse to get our keys, go to the rooms to unload our stuff and figure out dinner. We stayed in the rooms right by the short course they have there. Walk in and just blasted with the smell of mildew. If any of you have played hockey, imagine a hockey bag full of wet equipment left in a hot garage for a few days and that might get close to the smell. The beds, literally smaller than a twin bed. My buddy is 5'7'' and his feet were hanging off the end of it. I'm substantially bigger than him. Sleeping was a nightmare all trip, on top of that I am 100% sure I got bed bug bites on my arms and had to basically fumigate all of my clothes/bag/golf bag after I got home. 

 

Serradella (Saturday)

 - Started off not great. I walk into the pro shop and the guy working was a real piece of work. I asked if anyone from our group (16 guys) had checked in. I do not run any of this trip, I'm just a participant. He hands me all the keys and scorecards for the entire group. I didn't want to take them, because I was hungover, had a sore back, crabby as heck and just wanted to load my cart but I obliged and took them with me to hand out to everyone. Well, he can't count to 8, and didn't give us enough keys or scorecards and then acted like an absolutely toddler and threw a hissy fit on the guy who went in to get more keys and scorecards. If you can't count to 8, probably shouldn't be handling a cash register is all I'm saying. But as far as the golf it was honestly it was the best of the 3. The layout is super basic, the conditions are as average as possible and the bunkers are full of rocks but considering the other two courses (Gailes is coming next, just you wait) it was like Augusta. We actually had a decent time that day, and we went back in to pay for more golf and played like 13-14 more holes, 4v3 scramble until it was too dark to see. Honestly that round was the best round of the trip. Lots of fun. Here's where they fell right on their face again. We get done at 7:50pm and I ask the cart guy if the restaurant is still open, and he says yes. So, while I understand it's probably not the thing a restaurant staff wants to see walk in 10 minutes before they close, but I can't imagine we are the only ones to do so since there isn't a lot around the resort (joke even calling it that). So, I tell my buddy throw the clubs in the truck, I'll get us a table so they don't close. 3 of our guys from our group were in there finishing their meals and I walk in and ask the waitress are you still open and she fires back a super rude "NO!" and I asked well what time does the restaurant close and she said 8. I look at my phone and by now it's 7:55pm and I just shake my head, make a comment I won't repeat on here, and walk out. This really chapped my *** because we just spent 7-8 hours on the course drinking all day, nothing delivers to the lodges, and the town or any restaurants are about a 5–10-minute drive. So, we figure out who is driving and head in. Just doesn't make sense to me that they would one turn the business down, and two knowing the geographical layout of the place and lack of places to eat you'd think they would be accommodating. They 100% were NOT.

 

Gailes (Sunday) supposedly in the 90s this place was something, it no longer is. 

 - The worst of the 3. We tee off Sunday morning and the course is just a bomb zone. I mean barely any grass on the fairways, bunkers haven't been shaped, had sand, or de-rocked in what I would assume would be since the 90s. The greens were just as bad as Blackshire. The layout of the course is odd, no holes are memorable for good reasons. They don't really have any heather anymore, it's just weeds and overgrowth. I have played this course before but it was years ago and it was not in this condition. I don't know what has happened but it was a coin flip if you hit grass in the middle of the fairway and then it was questionable if you had a grass path to putt on and to be honest, the greens were probably the best part of the course and that's not saying much. 

 

Sorry for this ridiculous synopsis but this place is doomed. If someone doesn't buy it and put some cash into it, I don't see it being open much longer. Place looks like 1971 inside, all the shirts/towels/hats are awful, rude staff, overpriced for everything and the conditions are just awful. I hope if anything this saves someone some money and an awful experience. 

[Pepetito]

This is actually a great review.  I hope someone buys it and pours some money into the place. Pretty much the only resort on that side of the state.

[N8dogg2669]

1 hour ago, Pepetito said:

This is actually a great review.  I hope someone buys it and pours some money into the place. Pretty much the only resort on that side of the state.

 

It has so much potential. Thats my favorite trip of the year, we rotate golf resorts, and it was completely ruined by the course. It needs millions to bring it up to date though. Just a guess, but it seems as though they are clinging to life and squeezing every last penny out of it before it shuts down. Someone could make a killing if they setup a couple food trucks down by all the hotel rooms. 

[StoutKing]

1 hour ago, N8dogg2669 said:

 

The worst experience I have had at a golf resort in the state of Michigan. I just poured a new coffee, so here's my breakdown. 

 

Blackshire (Friday)

 - I'll say the 2nd worst of the 3. We show up to the main lodge/course to check in. Rooms weren't ready and they double charged my Amex. Honest mistake, but the trip was so bad that I started getting petty and finding all the things I could find wrong. We hit some balls at the range because they don't have one at Blackshire as it's down the road from the main course. The driving range is legitimately the worst driving range I have seen in the 30 plus years I have been golfing. The balls were beyond dead, no grass, everyone who was on the range with us was kind of in disbelief and laughing about the conditions. This was for sure a sign of what was to come. So, we drive over to Blackshire and when I walk to the clubhouse there is a note on the door that says "do not drink the water or wash your hands" something along those lines. I walk in and the guy working there is sitting on a chair playing on his phone and looked completely annoyed that I dared to walk into the clubhouse to get something to drink. So, I ask him if they have ice because of the sign and he says yes, but he doesn't have any bags or coolers to put the beers in. So, I walk out to the truck and grab my cooler, not that big of a deal but found it odd. He fills up the cooler with some beer and ice and I pay. I think it was like $45 for a 6 pack with tip, absolute joke of a price. So, we go out to the first tee, and they have the place just stacked tee time after tee time, and this is a Friday at like 1pm. The greens were borderline unputtable. Diseased, patches of grass, it was honestly easier to putt when it was just through the dirt, bunkers were just dirt, no sand. The fairways sort of had grass but patchy and burnt to a crisp. Didn't play great, partly conditions, partly I just played bad, but the overall sentiment in our foursome by the 18th hole was thank god this is over and hopefully this is the worst of it. Side note: I read they have a contaminated well, and that's the water issue, but I could not confirm that to be 100% accurate, I just know they do not allow you to use the water. 

 

Lodging

 - We drive over to the clubhouse to get our keys, go to the rooms to unload our stuff and figure out dinner. We stayed in the rooms right by the short course they have there. Walk in and just blasted with the smell of mildew. If any of you have played hockey, imagine a hockey bag full of wet equipment left in a hot garage for a few days and that might get close to the smell. The beds, literally smaller than a twin bed. My buddy is 5'7'' and his feet were hanging off the end of it. I'm substantially bigger than him. Sleeping was a nightmare all trip, on top of that I am 100% sure I got bed bug bites on my arms and had to basically fumigate all of my clothes/bag/golf bag after I got home. 

 

Serradella (Saturday)

 - Started off not great. I walk into the pro shop and the guy working was a real piece of work. I asked if anyone from our group (16 guys) had checked in. I do not run any of this trip, I'm just a participant. He hands me all the keys and scorecards for the entire group. I didn't want to take them, because I was hungover, had a sore back, crabby as heck and just wanted to load my cart but I obliged and took them with me to hand out to everyone. Well, he can't count to 8, and didn't give us enough keys or scorecards and then acted like an absolutely toddler and threw a hissy fit on the guy who went in to get more keys and scorecards. If you can't count to 8, probably shouldn't be handling a cash register is all I'm saying. But as far as the golf it was honestly it was the best of the 3. The layout is super basic, the conditions are as average as possible and the bunkers are full of rocks but considering the other two courses (Gailes is coming next, just you wait) it was like Augusta. We actually had a decent time that day, and we went back in to pay for more golf and played like 13-14 more holes, 4v3 scramble until it was too dark to see. Honestly that round was the best round of the trip. Lots of fun. Here's where they fell right on their face again. We get done at 7:50pm and I ask the cart guy if the restaurant is still open, and he says yes. So, while I understand it's probably not the thing a restaurant staff wants to see walk in 10 minutes before they close, but I can't imagine we are the only ones to do so since there isn't a lot around the resort (joke even calling it that). So, I tell my buddy throw the clubs in the truck, I'll get us a table so they don't close. 3 of our guys from our group were in there finishing their meals and I walk in and ask the waitress are you still open and she fires back a super rude "NO!" and I asked well what time does the restaurant close and she said 8. I look at my phone and by now it's 7:55pm and I just shake my head, make a comment I won't repeat on here, and walk out. This really chapped my *** because we just spent 7-8 hours on the course drinking all day, nothing delivers to the lodges, and the town or any restaurants are about a 5–10-minute drive. So, we figure out who is driving and head in. Just doesn't make sense to me that they would one turn the business down, and two knowing the geographical layout of the place and lack of places to eat you'd think they would be accommodating. They 100% were NOT.

 

Gailes (Sunday) supposedly in the 90s this place was something, it no longer is. 

 - The worst of the 3. We tee off Sunday morning and the course is just a bomb zone. I mean barely any grass on the fairways, bunkers haven't been shaped, had sand, or de-rocked in what I would assume would be since the 90s. The greens were just as bad as Blackshire. The layout of the course is odd, no holes are memorable for good reasons. They don't really have any heather anymore, it's just weeds and overgrowth. I have played this course before but it was years ago and it was not in this condition. I don't know what has happened but it was a coin flip if you hit grass in the middle of the fairway and then it was questionable if you had a grass path to putt on and to be honest, the greens were probably the best part of the course and that's not saying much. 

 

Sorry for this ridiculous synopsis but this place is doomed. If someone doesn't buy it and put some cash into it, I don't see it being open much longer. Place looks like 1971 inside, all the shirts/towels/hats are awful, rude staff, overpriced for everything and the conditions are just awful. I hope if anything this saves someone some money and an awful experience. 

That such a shame.  The Gailes course actually used to be really nice.

[Pepetito]

Looking at (really) old reviews and pictures of the place its so sad.  Place looked real nice.

[N8dogg2669]

2 minutes ago, Pepetito said:

Looking at (really) old reviews and pictures of the place its so sad.  Place looked real nice.

 

4 minutes ago, StoutKing said:

That such a shame.  The Gailes course actually used to be really nice.

 

I played this course probably 6 years ago and it was not in the same condition. The Gailes was in great condition. I was the first one out the one day I played and was dew sweeping and chasing the mowers all day. Had a tee time on Serradella and it was so backed up they let me off The Gailes again. Course was great, in way better condition that it is now. 

 

 

[3_Jack_Par]

The Gailes was never worthy of some of the accolades it got, but it was at least a somewhat decent idea, in good condition, even if it was a links-style course that appeared to be built by someone who had never seen a real links. Blackshire has always been a crappy layout, and seemed like their attempt to build a hard course. Seradella was wide open and pretty easy. The only time I went was 10+ years ago, and the lodging was bug-infested, sparsely furnished and outdated then, so if they haven't updated or maintained it well, I hate to imagine how bad it must be now. My group has avoided it since then because of the lodging situation (we prefer to rent a house where we can all have a place to gather), and this review makes me really glad that we haven't gone back. It seems like a real missed opportunity, because there's not a lot of competition in that part of the state as far as golf goes.

 

[N8dogg2669]

1 hour ago, 3_Jack_Par said:

The Gailes was never worthy of some of the accolades it got, but it was at least a somewhat decent idea, in good condition, even if it was a links-style course that appeared to be built by someone who had never seen a real links. Blackshire has always been a crappy layout, and seemed like their attempt to build a hard course. Seradella was wide open and pretty easy. The only time I went was 10+ years ago, and the lodging was bug-infested, sparsely furnished and outdated then, so if they haven't updated or maintained it well, I hate to imagine how bad it must be now. My group has avoided it since then because of the lodging situation (we prefer to rent a house where we can all have a place to gather), and this review makes me really glad that we haven't gone back. It seems like a real missed opportunity, because there's not a lot of competition in that part of the state as far as golf goes.

 

 

I'd be shocked if anything, literally anything was updated since your last visit. I thought the same thing about the Gailes. It just didn't seem like a links course. It sort of looks like one but doesn't play like one. Too many little creeks and areas that block you from playing a links style game. 

[Curmudg3on]

We played it a few years ago with a Group Golfer discount.  I believe we paid $69 for 2 rounds and 1 night.   We couldn't leave soon enough.  The aforementioned review was spot on.

Edited December 12, 2024 by Curmudg3on

[bk52]

Yes, I was there in 2023, and everything said is spot on. The only other detail that was "interesting" was the Gailes has somewhere around 500 bunkers and NOT A SINGLE RAKE. The carts do not have rakes and when I played the Gailes, there was not a single rake to be found.

[El Gringo]

What does a high season weekday green fee cost these days if you don’t stay at the resort?

[N8dogg2669]

On 12/20/2024 at 5:13 PM, bk52 said:

Yes, I was there in 2023, and everything said is spot on. The only other detail that was "interesting" was the Gailes has somewhere around 500 bunkers and NOT A SINGLE RAKE. The carts do not have rakes and when I played the Gailes, there was not a single rake to be found.

 

Generous calling them bunkers. It's a hole with dirt and rocks. But I noticed that same thing, I very quickly stopped caring about raking bunkers. 

[Ger21]

Glad I got to play there in the late 90's when it was still a nice resort.

Did you guys go play Red Hawk while you were there?

[N8dogg2669]

On 12/27/2024 at 11:44 AM, Ger21 said:

Glad I got to play there in the late 90's when it was still a nice resort.

Did you guys go play Red Hawk while you were there?

 

I've played Red Hawk, but not on this trip. Cool course from what I remember, but it might be 10 years since I was there last. 

[N8dogg2669]

https://www.lakewoodshores.com/post/spring-2025-update-from-lakewood-shores
 

I hope this is sincere. I’d love to see those courses and lodging get a makeover. Course/resort has so much potential.

[cassel191919]

8 hours ago, N8dogg2669 said:

https://www.lakewoodshores.com/post/spring-2025-update-from-lakewood-shores
 

I hope this is sincere. I’d love to see those courses and lodging get a makeover. Course/resort has so much potential.

It sure sounds like it, I will for sure give the Gailes a play this summer if they are putting in the work on the course.

[N8dogg2669]

Just now, cassel191919 said:

It sure sounds like it, I will for sure give the Gailes a play this summer if they are putting in the work on the course.

 

I wouldn't rule it out, but I know I wouldn't stay in the lodging they have onsite. I got bed bug bites last time I was there. I'd get a AirBnB before I stayed there. I played that course years ago and it was a fun good track. It's just in such bad condition now, hoping for the best. 

[Pepetito]

9 hours ago, N8dogg2669 said:

https://www.lakewoodshores.com/post/spring-2025-update-from-lakewood-shores
 

I hope this is sincere. I’d love to see those courses and lodging get a makeover. Course/resort has so much potential.

This can only be taken as good news.  I will be looking out for reviews later in the summer.  I'd love to take my group there at some point in the future if they turn that place around.  Those three plus Red Hawk would make a good trip and logistically a pretty easy one too.

[N8dogg2669]

13 minutes ago, Pepetito said:

This can only be taken as good news.  I will be looking out for reviews later in the summer.  I'd love to take my group there at some point in the future if they turn that place around.  Those three plus Red Hawk would make a good trip and logistically a pretty easy one too.

yeah I’ve done that exact trip but it was years ago. When we did it we stayed at a buddies place in East Tawas. I’d for sure make that a buddies trip if they fix the course. 

[cassel191919]

2 hours ago, N8dogg2669 said:

 

I wouldn't rule it out, but I know I wouldn't stay in the lodging they have onsite. I got bed bug bites last time I was there. I'd get a AirBnB before I stayed there. I played that course years ago and it was a fun good track. It's just in such bad condition now, hoping for the best. 

I have a cabin not to far from there and would probably play on my way there or back home. I stayed once in high school and they would have to make some major changes to lodging for me to consider staying again.

[N8dogg2669]

1 hour ago, cassel191919 said:

I have a cabin not to far from there and would probably play on my way there or back home. I stayed once in high school and they would have to make some major changes to lodging for me to consider staying again.

 

yeah bulldozing the lodging would be the perfect place to start. 

[cassel191919]

1 hour ago, N8dogg2669 said:

 

yeah bulldozing the lodging would be the perfect place to start. 

That was my thought, but didn't want to seem like i was going overboard.

[N8dogg2669]

4 hours ago, cassel191919 said:

That was my thought, but didn't want to seem like i was going overboard.

I don’t think it’s overboard, I think it’s the sad truth of the conditions of the place. 

[bk52]

There are so many things wrong with the resort and courses, I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet. I was there in 2023. The Gailes has 138 bunkers and -0- rakes. Many of the sod faced bunkers are collapsing or have collapsed. Weeds have completely taken over some bunkers. Aerating is great but that doesn’t fix all the neglect.

 

The range was a disaster with grass 6 inches long and essentially -0- employees assigned.

 

Blackshire’s waste areas have been allowed to become weed infested messes. I needed a transfusion after a couple hours fighting the bugs.

 

The entire fleet of carts need to be replaced, not just the ancient ones.

 

The only course that had any sort of conditioning, Serradella, is nice enough but fairly mundane in design.

 

As others have said, bull doze the lodging and start over.

[cassel191919]

9 hours ago, bk52 said:

There are so many things wrong with the resort and courses, I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet. I was there in 2023. The Gailes has 138 bunkers and -0- rakes. Many of the sod faced bunkers are collapsing or have collapsed. Weeds have completely taken over some bunkers. Aerating is great but that doesn’t fix all the neglect.

 

The range was a disaster with grass 6 inches long and essentially -0- employees assigned.

 

Blackshire’s waste areas have been allowed to become weed infested messes. I needed a transfusion after a couple hours fighting the bugs.

 

The entire fleet of carts need to be replaced, not just the ancient ones.

 

The only course that had any sort of conditioning, Serradella, is nice enough but fairly mundane in design.

 

As others have said, bull doze the lodging and start over.

It honestly just takes a commitment to hire employees and some cash. The work that has been done at Black Bear over the last year gives me a little faith. The new owners over there have completely revitalized that golf course and clubhouse. 

 

Lodging is another issue, but I will be more than happy if they can get the 2 courses back to what they were.

Edited April 25 by cassel191919

[Pepetito]

2 hours ago, cassel191919 said:

It honestly just takes a commitment to hire employees and some cash. The work that has been done at Black Bear over the last year gives me a little faith. The new owners over there have completely revitalized that golf course and clubhouse. 

 

Lodging is another issue, but I will be more than happy if they can get the 2 courses back to what they were.

Interesting you mention black bear.  I played it several times around a decade ago and watched it slowly deteriorate.  Always thought it was an interesting design that just needed some TLC.  Watching it come back in just a year was crazy.  Everything I've read and people i've talked to that played it last summer say its on the big time up and up.  Our group added it to our golf trip this year in June and I cant wait to see how far its come back.  

[3_Jack_Par]

I haven't heard much about it in a while and haven't played there in probably a 6-8 years, but it sounds like the Tribute in Gaylord is another example of a course being brought back from the dead after being neglected by its previous owners. I was never a big fan of the designs of any of the Lakewood Shores courses, but a decline conditioning is something that can be reversed with a commitment of money and effort from ownership, though it is unusual to have a resort fall into disrepair under an owner because they're just not focused on it, and then for that same owner to suddenly turn it around. I'll believe it when I see it, or more accurately, when I hear about it.