Located on some of the ski slopes of the Shanty Creek resort, there are some fun elevation changes and amazing views of Lake Bellaire and the surrounding area. There are a few interesting lines shaped by trees. The stated pars were ridiculously high, but if you've ever wanted to get an eagle, this is the place!

The tee boxes were mostly sand pits and cramped. In a few places the sign at the front corner of the tee box felt like it was blocking your throw. With this and crappy traction in the sand we teed off next to the tee boxes on a few holes. Holes 1-3 were wide open and well-mowed. On the remaining holes there were some "fairways" showing the line of the holes, but they were very skinny. That seemed to be the extent of the upkeep when we visited. Finding discs in the knee-high weeds was annoying. The basket for hole 6 was a trashy canvas basket chained in the woods, and it repelled more discs than it accepted. While the elevation changes made the holes interesting, it also made walking the course a workout. It was hot this day and I was glad to be done after 9 holes.

We were looking for a nearby course to play while staying at a cottage at Intermediate Lake, but after one round my son and I agreed that we didn't need to visit again. Maybe it would have been nicer if it wasn't so hot, but the constant hiking up and down got tiresome. There aren't a lot of options in this area, so it's an OK choice if you need something, but it's far from a destination course.

Aesthetic-- plays down a ski hill on the back side of a resort in picturesque northern Michigan. Be aware that if you are there at the same time as a large convention or during the winter, the course is unplayable.

Baskets-- decently visible with the ribbons and orange necks. In good repair.

Variety-- some mix of open and wooded shots. the open shots lack any sort of challenge except for dodge the tourist.

Design-- the design is relatively awful, holes are short and playing up and down a ski hill with a 1000' rollaway potential is pretty terrible.

Teepads-- sand with wooden boxes reminiscent of horseshoes (not the dg variety) pits. when the hotel is busy, the tourists think these are random sandboxes and play in them.

For a resort 9-hole this could be SOOOO much better. the property that this company owns is pretty immense and has world class golf courses, ski hills, resorts and a TON Of ammenities. The placement of this course at the top of a ski hill is just straight up wonky.

Right outside a nice hotel. Nice baskets. Nice use of terrain. Have to adjust to shooting up and down hill. Cool place to make some safari holes, or a Ript round.

Missing 1 basket, replaced with travelers. Teepads just sand. Could be better. Pulled during winter for skiing

Alot better courses in the area. Pass this one by unless your staying for a round of ball golf or just a getaway to northern Michigan.

Proper signage on 6 of the 9 holes.

One of the holes is over 300'.

One of the holes is a cool downhill dogleg left with an obscured basket.

One of the holes is a tunnel shot.

The above are all the same hole.

A volleyball court sits smack dab in the middle of holes 5, 6, & 8, with additional possibilities to hit it from holes 1 & 2.

No challenge whatsoever.

No aspects remotely pleasing.

No reason it should be this way.
**update:
I spoke with the designer, and he informed me that the one rule Shanty Creek gave him was "every hole must be visible from the dining room." I see, now, there was at least one reason it had to be this way.
**

I played this pathetic excuse for a course back in 2007. At the time I knew I "never" would come back.

Then I read reviews on DGCR of 700'+ downhill holes, and decide I have to go back, as they must have redesigned it. This year, Shanty Creek took out the redesigned course from 2008, and put this stinker back in, and I ate my words.

To be fair, it is off the Fitness Center's door, and was designed not with DGers in mind, but getting the average shlub out to get some exercise. If you had never thrown a disc before, your score might reflect the course par and you could never be in danger of hitting anyone, except for #8. You might even have enjoyed yourself, but I doubt it.

Course par is laughable. I usually play the posted par the first time I play a course, and my round would have been 9 under, which included terrible putting.

This course is well off US-131, and unless you are trapped at a convention held in Shanty Creek, stay well away, for your own good. It's a shame, too, as Bellaire's brewery, Short's, has very fine brew.

-the course is in good condition
-mowed often for well defined fairways
-creative nine hole layout is fun to all skill levels
-tee signs show general direction of baskets, but all baskets are visible from their tees
-good balance of shot type, all around fun 9 hole

-the distances on the signs are WAY off
-the tees are just sand and can get muddy when it rains
-out in the middle of nowhere, and out of the way of the other, better courses in the area

The directions to the first tee are a little shoddy, so when you park in the "ski parking" lot, up to the right. Park in the corner closest to the buildings (hole 7, the red temp basket will be to your right), and hole one tees off right by the bottom of the tube run, through the buildings to your left.

It was a fun, quality 9 hole course. i just wish it was closer to civlization. not worth going out of your way for, unless you're near Mancelona.

Hole 6 is definitely the highlight of this course 760 ft. bomb down the slope,baskets have lights on top of them,some signs,good mix of holes for a short course,seems like a nice resort,

holes are a little spread out it gets a little confusing,course is pretty close to patio area errant shots could be dangerous,knee high grass through most fairways,

this is a pretty exhausting 9 holes be prepared and bring water,overall this course was just ok, I had fun but wouldn't go out of my way to play again,

You get good exercise playing this course. Has a 700 foot hole back down the ski slope.

Grasses on slopes not cut, makes finding discs more difficult and makes your legs itchy! (wear shoes and socks), not 18 holes

Don't stop unless you're driving right by and need to get 9 in.