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Bay Harbor Golf Club<\/p>\n
BOYNE Golf\/Niles Young Photography<\/p>\n
Friends often ask me what my favorite U.S. golf destination is. And I have several \u2013 each offering a unique experience. The Kohala Coast on Hawaii\u2019s Big Island offers underrated golf in a magical Pacific atmosphere. Then there are the many desert-style courses in Scottsdale that are just plain fun \u2013 surrounded by mountains, the deep green fairways are often framed by the barren desert for a visually spectacular look. And the courses near Monterey, Calif. are collectively outstanding, and also often play under cloudy, cool conditions \u2013 which to me only enhances their atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Yet one destination that\u2019s been near the top of the list for years is the Northern Michigan stretch from Petoskey to Boyne City to Harbor Springs. Parts of the region visually resemble Lake Tahoe, thanks to gorgeous lakes, elevation changes, and a variety of excellent golf courses that are perpetually in outstanding condition. In the summer, the weather is typically golf-perfect with mild temperatures and chill breezes as the day moves on. The sun doesn\u2019t set until late up here, so you can easily fit 36 holes in during vacation days. Course proximity lets you travel quickly from one to another. And the variety and abundance of lodging in the area is simply outstanding \u2013 provided you book well enough in advance. How in demand is this region? Our family recently tried securing a cottage through countless websites for a late summer trip, and the consensus was we should have started looking a year ago. Yeah, the location is that popular. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur population probably triples in the summertime,\u201d says Jim Powell, executive director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau. \u201cAs we\u2019re a four-season destination, we attract just south of 2 million visitors per year.\u201d Depending on how the region emerges from winter, golf season usually runs from mid-May through the end of October. \u201cRoughly 15-to-20 percent of people coming up here during that period are golfers, and will likely play golf,\u201d says Powell. \u201cIt’s more than just in-staters. More people are flying in from New Mexico, Texas and Florida where it\u2019s just too hot to play golf in the summer. Other fly markets include New York, Georgia, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. This year, we’re marketing in Dallas \u2013 it\u2019s the first time we’ve ever done a fly market there for our region, knowing we’ve got a golf product that they’re willing to travel for. Our primary market is always going to be Michigan, and then the drive states \u2013 Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and a little from Canada.\u201d Summer weekends are perpetually sold out.<\/p>\n