The Perfect Foursome: 4 Epic Golf Courses in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

The Perfect Foursome: 4 Epic Golf Courses in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Hello friends and welcome into the only golf show. Bold enough or perhaps crazy enough to wonder out loud what would it be like to hit a T-OT from the top of the ski jump? Because there’s no way on earth I’m putting skis on my feet and going down the ski jump. Now, if you know Michigan’s upper peninsula at all, you probably recognize this iconic landmark. We are in Iron Mountain for the first of a trio of stops to introduce you to a quartet of golf courses that have partnered together for an amazing value on four incredible courses. The package is called the perfect foresome and we’ve got that story for you straight ahead. Welcome to Michigan Golf Live Television. Shining the spotlight on the best places to play, stay, and celebrate the greatest game on earth. Stay connected to Michigan Golf Live 247 on Facebook X, Instagram, and our YouTube channel. And subscribe for free to our weekly for golfers network podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts are found. Hello friends and welcome into the program. Bill Hobson here and I cannot wait to take you on the journey we have in store as we introduce you to a an idea, a package called the perfect foresome. It combines four amazing golf courses in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Those courses include Greywalls, Timberstone, Sweetgrass, and Sage Run. And not only is the golf fantastic, but the value might be even better. So, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover in the moments ahead. We’re going to get things started and showcase these courses in really no particular order because you can play them in whatever order works best for your schedule. So, we’ll start things off by taking you to Iron Mountain and introducing you to a Jerry Matthews masterpiece called Timberstone. When you mention the name of Jerry Matthews to anybody who plays golf in the state of Michigan, they instantly recognize that prolific golf course architect. One of his earliest designs is an Iron Mountain at Timberstone, part of the perfect foresome package. Braden Wixom is the director of golf here. So, let me start by asking you, what did Jerry Matthews do with this remarkable piece of property? Well, it’s crazy. All the rocks you see out here, none of them were dropped in here. So they all had to push them out from fairways, greens, and tea boxes. So getting this course through the trees and rocks is pretty amazing. And having the mind of an artist to be able to do that is is a gift, I think. Yes, absolutely. There’s there’s definitely some holes out there where I’m like, how the heck did you even come up with that? But I’m glad he did. There are some people watching right now who have never set foot on the property here at Timberstone. How do you describe the flow of this course to them? the way it’s spread out, you’re on your own little world out there. So once you drive in, you’ll see our clubhouse. You look up the beautiful holes of 18 and nine. Then once you get out there, the um trees block you from every other hole. So like I said, you’re on your own little world. So here we are in this perfect foresome exploration and the first course that our viewers are seeing is timberstone. Can you talk a bit about the entire experience of this package, the perfect? So the perfect forsome’s awesome. It is in the golf world pretty pretty cheap to get three nights stay at the casino and then four rounds at all top 20 courses in the state of Michigan and I’m just happy to be at Timberstone and be a part of it. Can you kind of speak to the value of golf in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula? There is so many hidden gems up here for cheap. Honestly, I I’m not saying the courses are cheap. The courses are awesome. There’s a lot of five-star courses up here, but if you want a little getaway from different spots other than Arizona or any place like that, I would definitely recommend coming up here. You take one look around this timberstone course and you’re just overwhelmed by the beauty and part of the responsibility for that beauty is this guys. This is Phil Tushy. He’s the director of facilities and golf course superintendent. Job well done, my friend. Thank you. How do you describe Jerry Matthews creation here? Yeah, so you know this golf course uh Jerry did an unbelievable job of shaping this golf course through this rugged terrain. I mean the rocks and the boulders that you see on this golf course, that’s that’s what was in the ground. Um so uh when I describe timberstone, it’s just the tranquility um of this property is um unmatched. If you you spend a fair amount of time kind of gradually elevating going up this mountain up y and all of a sudden you’ve got a couple of opportunities to to play back down the terrain here is it’s just really quite unique. Yeah, it’s unbelievable what he did with this landscape. Uh with only two ponds as you see um all this water um that we kind of play through um it’s it’s it’s it’s something to behold. You think about this package called the perfect foresome, this partnership and the four courses that are a part of it. I think it’s a little bit of everything for the golfer. You’ve been to all of them. How do you kind of work through the menu? Yeah, and that is that is a fact, Bill. Um, one of the facts that uh with the perfect boresome, every single golf course brings something else to the table. Um, so one of the things that we try to bring um to this table is the sheer beauty um of Timberstone of getting giving the the the perfect foresome guests an opportunity to see this um um this golf course in this in this nature is is is something to behold. All right, we are 25% of the way through our perfect foresome journey and I thought we’d take a moment or two to relax, but I hate it when my hair gets in my eyes. At any rate, we’ve got three courses left to showcase. So, when we come back, we will head just outside of Esanaba to Island Resort and Casino where we find Sweet Brass and Sage Run straight ahead. Welcome back into the show as we continue our journey in Michigan’s beautiful upper peninsula, introducing you to a group of courses and an ideal golf trip known as the perfect foresome. Up next, we come to the epicenter of that trip because you’re lodging and two of the courses emanate from Island Resort and Casino just outside of Eskanaba. We’ll talk more about these two courses in just a moment. But when you know you’re going to be facing shots with the level of challenge like this one, maybe we should take a moment or two and talk about relaxation and taking care of your body and your mind. So to do that, let’s introduce you to the director of the Drift Spa here at Island Resort and Casino, and then we’ll talk more golf. You want to make sure that your mind, body, and uh spirit is free for when it helps to improve your golf game. Uh we do a lot of services that include uh red light therapy. Now we have float therapy and of course massage to help with all those extra injuries that you might occur during your golf. Okay, let’s talk briefly about red light therapy. I’m not familiar with that. Mhm. So, red light therapy is infrared uh lights that will help improve inflammation and recover your injuries from um muscle tears or aches and pains. A mud wrap does what for a for an old body like this one? What’s a mud wrap going to help? Sure. the uh the mud helps with minerals to replace into your body that might be at loss of um to taking care of your your energy and your muscles as well. So there’s a long list of ways to help prepare our our bodies, our souls, our minds, not just to play the game better, but really to do life better. Absolutely. I am about as relaxed as any human could ever be and could easily lay here the rest of the day. But we still have three tea times to get to as we continue our tour of the perfect foresome. So, as much as I’d prefer to stay here at Drift Spa for a few more hours, let’s head outside back to the golf course and dig into the origin story for how the perfect foresome concept got started. Every great idea has to start somewhere and the idea of the perfect forsome I believe got its its launch with with this guy’s creative mind. How did the concept of bringing competitors together come about? Well, I think it came from from all the courses to be honest with you. We have uh Grey Walls and Timberstone. you know, they’re great courses on their own and you know, our our people saw them as a natural partner, not really a competitor. Uh people are going to travel for golf and more than one course is always more attractive. Uh the Bandon Dunes people, Mike Kaiser, he has this formula that 1 + 1 equals three. And we really believe that, especially adding Sage Run, that that formula is actually really true. So we banded together, came up with a price that worked and you know it was really designed just to just to draw people up with price. But now the courses are so good that that they come because of the the quality of the golf is really what attracts them. Here at Island Resort, Sweetgrass and Sage Run take a backseat to nobody. What’s the draw of these two courses? They’re very high-end for the cost and they’re playable for just everybody. I mean, you can we we’ve got a guy named uh Jay Jerich that’s trying to get on the US Senior Tour and he’s 50 51 and he’s right on the edge and he loves to play these courses. He’s from up in Iron River and he tells me every time he plays he goes, “These just courses just are so well designed.” He goes back to the tips and he can shoot under par from the tips and he goes, “You know, every hole here has a strategy.” And, you know, we’ve played probably a half a dozen times. And that’s where I really think the the really high-end skilled golfer sees that. And then when you’re not so good, you could still play it. Um, it’s probably a little harder than your country club, but not much. It It’s real fun. Now, let’s talk specifics about the two golf courses here at Island Resort because they are an integral part of the perfect foresome. Nathan Rouso is the director of golf. And let’s let’s head over about 12 minutes away from the resort to the beautiful Sage Run. And what can you tell us about that course? It’s a very different golf course from Sweetgrass. I mean, so it’s a little bit more undulated. There is more more rolling hills, more uphill shots that you don’t see traditionally at resort courses. Um, very unique. Paul Albanese did a very good job creating unique golf course. U, very playable though. We have five different tea boxes, a ton of different options for different level golfers. It’s a fantastic track. It is very different from Sweet Grass and the same architect showing off his skills and his versatility. Most of the time when we play golf in Northern Michigan, we’re thinking about downhill majestic T- shots. And as you mentioned, that sage run, there are a couple of instances where you’re you’re looking up pretty steep embankment. It’s interesting. I mean, it’s a different form of golf than most people play. You play uphill a little bit. I mean, it’s more club. You’re worried about where the ball’s bouncing. I mean, it’s a whole different a whole different game than it is playing a lot of the downhill part 3s that are normal um in the up. Well, and I don’t want to mislead anybody. It’s not all uphill. There’s no chances to come back down the hill in a wonderfully treelined environment. So in many ways it’s the polar opposite of sweet grass at sage run treelined elevation changes and I think the the requirement of some precision with your iron game to very large greens very large greens they’re very they’re playable greens I mean they’re a lot like sweet grass they’re large greens you know once you get on the green there’s undulation and you have to be a pretty good reader of the green but um it’s getting to the green is the hard part you know with different undulation and having to play some different shots than you would play at a traditional course or play here at Sweetgrass. It’s incredible the way this resort has evolved since 2005. So, I came out and saw this piece of property here and it was relatively flat and we so we created Sweetgrass out of a relatively flat piece of property and did some really interesting design concepts and ideas. Then we went over to Sage Run and I was given a drumland to work with and it was the exact opposite of this property. It was ups and downs and a gigantic drumland ridge running through the middle of it. So they were completely opposites and I think I’ve used on your show the analogy of red wine and white wine all the time. And the third one we’re building over there now. This is cedar. Everyone says this who sees it and I see it as well as do my designers. It’s a combination of the two. It’s it’s not sweetgrass and it’s not sage run. So it’s it’s a wonderful blend. It’s I guess we’ll call it a rosé because it’s really it’s a blend of the red wine and the white wine over at Cedar. And we’re really excited about that too. And I think they’re going to have three different products out here. golf experiences that golfers will really want to come here, stay and play for at least a long weekend. And one of the, I think, cool inspiration points that I’ve appreciated uh from your perspective over the years is the connection between Native American heritage, not just into the names of the courses, but really into kind of the design features as well. That that had to take some extra level of research on your part. Yeah, it’s one of the things we we prided ourselves. We did it really specifically at Sweetgrass. That was the first project. So, we took this Native American heritage, history, stories, legends, and we incorporated them into the design. And part of the reason we did that is because, as I said, it was a blank canvas and you have a flat piece of ground. So, what are you going to really respond to? And if it’s just your own ego, you’re going to start putting up things that you want out there and that you think make sense. I wanted the design to reflect the tribal heritage and the culture of Pawatamies. So, we did. We did a lot of research. We read a lot of books. We studied their legends. And we took pieces of them and we incorporated that into the design process so that it would come out in a very subtle abstract way. Again, I was talking on the on the plane about this and how you can go overboard with this concept and make it look literal and look Disneyesque. And that was something we really did not want to do. And I don’t think we did. So anyone who came out here would never see it, never get hit over the head. You don’t want to hit them over the head with the idea. You want it to be an abstract painting. And we did that abstract painting utilizing the Native American tribal culture and heritage as the inspiration. We won the course of the year through the Golf Course Owners Association in 2020 and then went on to win the National Golf Course of the Year through the Golf Course Owners Association. So that was that was pretty awesome. That’s pretty high price. I would think that would have to feel good for a man who does what you do. That felt really good. Yes. You’re seeing guests from all over the world really come up. Oh yeah, without a doubt. What’s that like to have them playing on your carpet? Oh, that’s awesome. I’ve talked to many people from east coast to west coast and and a few overseas and they’ve all loved it. We’ve got 54 holes under our belt already, 18 still to go. But before we get to our final featured course in the perfect foresome, we’ve got to talk food for a couple of moments. We are in the Horizon Steakhouse, a top island resort and casino with views that go on forever. And uh we’re joined by the executive chef. This is Michael Timonss. love to know from you what makes for a great steakhouse experience. Staff besides of course having a a great product, but our staff goes above and beyond to make sure everybody’s experience here at Horizons is topnotch. Can you take us on a flyover tour of the four entre that we have before us? They each look really good and well quite fascinating. Thank you. This is our seafood pasta. It has um green lip muscles in it, little neck clams, uh prawns, shrimp, scallops, bay scallops, uh fetuccini, and a garlic cream sauce. This is our Del Monaco steak. Um medium, whoever ordered it, good choice. Uh garlic butter on it, grilled asparagus, and mashed potatoes, redskins, or a king salmon. We have that flowing in from New Zealand Weekly. It’s uh with our seared scallops, grilled asparagus. Again, a reduction of balsamic with a classic risoto. And in front of you is tonight’s special classic risoto. Beef tips and asparagus in a a creamy beef sauce. You have this opportunity to play a special memory making role in the lives of all of the guests who come up here. How does that responsibility weigh on you? I’ve done this for 36 years now. Uh, and you know that that first bite when you’re looking through that window and you see that first bite and close their eyes and you know you hit the spot. It’s a good feeling. The Horizon Steakhouse up on top of the tower here at Island Resort and Casino. We’ll take a break and when we come back we head over to Marquette for our final featured course, Grey Walls. A course unlike any you’ve seen before. That’s straight ahead. Welcome back into the show and our exploration of a quartet of golf courses in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Those four courses are known as the perfect foresome. And as we now head down the home stretch to feature the fourth course in the quartet, we bring you to a place that has been described by many golfers as the games Jurassic Park. It was carved out of some spectacular northern Michigan terrain by one of the great golf course architects I think of the modern era. Cannot wait to introduce you to a very special place called Greywalls. Let’s go. There is nobody, and I mean nobody, who knows this Greywalls property better than Mark Gilmore, everybody’s favorite guy in the world of golf. It’s good to see you on this perfect day at this incredible setting, this vantage point where I think I can actually see my house. Yes. How do you describe Grey Walls for people who haven’t set foot on this property? Um, it’s kind of a mystery. We kind of leave it as a mystery. It’s unique. It’s a one-of-a-kind course in the Midwest. There’s nothing else like it. Everybody looks at the photos like on our website, things like that, but we just don’t even look because it’s not even the same. So, just come out here and experience it. It’s everything you’ve ever thought like a wild wool golf course could be and that’s what we have here at Greywall. It’s really special. Mike Dere, the architect, I think is a a genius in every property he touches. What did he do here? You know, Mike’s categorized as a minimalist. Okay. And I think he’s a king of the minimalists. Um he just doesn’t he has this innate ability to blend his courses in with nature. He’s best on the planet right now in my mind. And some of his work he’s done since Grey Wells is the best on the planet. I mean, that’s how talented he is. And now everybody’s enjoying it. They sure are. I’ve heard it described as the Jurassic Park of golf. I’ve heard all sorts of different adjectives put on it. To make your way around greywalls with a good score is going to require every part of your game. Absolutely. Which part of your game do you think is tested the most? I I think it’s visually intimidating. You know, the first time you play it, uh there’s things out when you get in the T- box, there’s see things you see out there you don’t see anywhere in the Midwest. I mean, it’s just rock formations lining with uh fairways, tons of undulations, tons of elevation, things like that. Get to our back ner valley holes is full of uh bunkers. Front nine’s full of rocks again because that’s the natural element on the front nine. So, he use Mike uses the rocks to his nth degree. So, and he’s very creative with his green complexes. Unbelievable. And again, that’s kind of his his design flare. He doesn’t do much with them. We all saw him in action and he gets on our dozer, he does them all himself and he doesn’t move much. I mean, he just doesn’t. I mean, that’s why if we get a big rainstorm, we’re playing a half hour later. You know, there’s tons of rain coming down, water’s running off, but it’s all natural runoff. So, we can play within 30 minutes, you know, no matter what the storm is. That’s a credit to him. There are areas with these large rockface surroundings that I think had to require some dynamite at some point. You can’t just do that with a shovel. There were two small locations on the golf course that he actually diamonded and that was it. So a little bit on hole five and a little bit on hole seven. He spent the whole winter here where all the foilages off the trees and he walked it and walked it and walked it. This was his second project. So he was going to give it 150%. He gave it 200%. I mean he was out here every single day and he said at one time he had 100 different routings at one time. Wow. So it’s trying to tie it all together and make the best course he could. It’s a vast piece of property for sure. So I could understand why he would have so many options at his disposal. Uh what do you remember about the origin story of the perfect foresome? Somebody had to present the idea and get get rivals to join together. Yeah. Let’s see. The general manager of the casino at one time was Tom Chesn and he had a good friend here, a good friend of all of ours, uh Welss Chapen, and we were looking to form some kind of alliances, partnerships in town for stay and play. They were too down there. And so it ended up those two gentlemen being the good friends they are sat down at the table. Let’s do something cool and it happened to be Timberstone was just coming online at the same time. So we just tied it all together and instead of competing with each other, we created this amazing package. People all over the country are coming to see it. They should allow me to share with you a piece of advice. Before you decide to tackle the gray walls challenge, have a conversation with my next guest. He has been the head golf professional here for nearly a decade. Bob Bastion, PGA golf pro. And when you give advice for people on the strategy of playing greywalls, what is that advice? It’s a good question. I would say buckle in for for the front nine. It’s it’s going to give you a lot of twists and turns, but it’s a heck of a golf course, and if you can survive the first two holes, things get slightly easier and then they get harder again. So, just just buckle in for a wild ride. There’s really no place to to let your mind check out. You’ve got to pay attention really to to every shot on this course. Yeah, absolutely. And your first time playing it is obviously an adventure and and just kind of learning where to hit it and and all the different nuances that come along with T- shots and on the greens, but after you play it once or twice, you catch on so many things and becomes easier. Not that it’s ever easy, but you see daily guests stop in to play and you also host collegiate golfers. You host big-time tournaments here. It seems to me like this course would present a pretty good challenge no matter how skilled you are. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, obviously, we have a variety of TE’s that you could play from and combo TE’s and and etc., but no matter where you are, no matter what your skill level, it’s it’s going to provide a challenge, but you know, with the challenge comes such great beauty and serenity back in the woods here. So, it’s it’s such a cool place. The beautiful Timberstone in Iron Mountain, SweetG Grass and Sage Run at Island Resort just outside of Esanaba, and the unmistakable Greywalls and Marquette, Mike Dere’s masterpiece. These are the courses, my friends, that form what’s called the perfect foresome. And I have a feeling that after you’ve seen all four of them and the tremendous value of this package, you’re ready to make a journey to Michigan’s spectacular upper peninsula. So, when it’s time for your group to put those plans together, all of the tea times, all of the accommodations, all of the arrangements are made by our friends at Island Resort. Check out the website on the bottom of the screen and get ready for the golf trip of a lifetime as you come to Michigan’s spectacular upper peninsula to explore the perfect foresome. Thanks for joining us. We’ll see you again next time when I can get a putt all the way to the hole. Heat. Heat.

Welcome to a breathtaking golf journey through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where rugged terrain, world-class course design, and unmatched value collide in what’s known as The Perfect Foursome.

In this special Michigan Golf Live TV feature, host Bill Hobson takes you behind the scenes of four of the state’s most revered and visually stunning golf courses – all bundled into one unforgettable experience.

Your journey begins in Iron Mountain at TimberStone, a Jerry Matthews-designed masterpiece where dramatic elevation changes, tree-lined fairways, and natural rock outcroppings set the stage for solitude and beauty.

From there, the adventure continues to Island Resort & Casino, where two distinct courses await: the welcoming elegance of Sweetgrass, with its tribute to Native American heritage and strategic greens, and the bold, undulating challenge of Sage Run, carved into rolling terrain that rewards precision and power alike.

After recharging at the Drift Spa and enjoying a gourmet experience at Horizons Steakhouse, the finale takes you north to Marquette, home of Greywalls – a wildly unique course often called “the Jurassic Park of golf.”

Designed by Mike DeVries, Greywalls pushes boundaries with massive elevation swings, granite ridgelines, and some of the most unforgettable visuals in Midwest golf.

More than just a highlight reel of great courses, this TV special tells the story of collaboration, vision, and passion – as four top-tier destinations come together to create one of the best golf packages in America. The Perfect Foursome includes three nights lodging and four rounds of golf at premier destinations – all coordinated through Island Resort & Casino, making planning seamless and travel rewarding.

If you’re looking for a golf getaway that combines natural beauty, championship-level design, rich cultural stories, and unbeatable value, The Perfect Foursome is calling your name.

Visit https://islandresortgolf.com/stay-play-with-the-perfect-foursome-at-the-island/ for tee times, rates, and availability.

0:00 – Intro
1:55 – Timberstone
6:30 – Island Resort
18:00 – Greywalls

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