[Bluefan75]

So we're looking at heading to Northern Michigan this summer for a bit of an anniversary trip. She wants to get away, and doesn't mind if I play a bit, so going to a golf resort is ok. But I also want to make sure that there are things for her to do, and at a decent price.

From what I understand, Treetops has the advantage of everything being essentially right there. No driving to and from places. But it is more expensive.

Boyne on the other hand, appears to have some great deals, but there is some driving involved to get to the different courses.

Have any of you been to either with a non-golf spouse/partner, and how did they enjoy things? She is a runner so trails nearby would be a plus, and we would go do things together as well(I'm an early morning player, so she would just be getting up when I get done!).

The assumption is the quality of courses is similar. I'm not concerned that one course is a 98 as opposed to another being a 94 on a scale of 1-100, so long as courses aren't 65s that's fine. I'm not driving that far to play dog tracks, but I don't have to play the absolute very best greatest in the world courses either. Very good golf courses are fine.

I know there have been threads on these two locations, but none of them deal with much besides the golf from what I read through. Gotta keep the wife happy as well you know.... Thanks for any feedback.

[Tiger Jr.]

I think Boyne has a lot more in the way of spa and non-golf activities. If you go to the Highlands, that's near Harbor Springs, which has quite a bit more to do than Gaylord, too.

Course quality is pretty similar between Treetops and the Boyne courses that I've played.

[lebanontngolfer]

My opinion only, but I have always felt the Sylvan Resort (Treetops) courses are a notch above the Boyne courses. Also, there are so many other great courses in the immediate Gaylord area that you aren't confined to only playing at the Resort.

[FairwayFred]

Go with Boyne imo a much better place to take the wife and the golf is better too.

[BandonOrBust]

I agree with Ari, Boyne is sweet and Harbor Springs is ridiculously cool. Also, right down the road from Boyne is True North -- www.truenorthgolf.com -- which is a sweet Jim Engh track.

[seamusthemick]

Gaylord area golf is better but your in the center of the state away from the big lakes, there's good fishing hunting and hiking and the overall feel of the area is rustic. Boyne area is much more gentrified. Harbor Springs, and Petoskey to a lesser extent, is an area with alot of "old money."
In Gaylord I'd reccomend in order:
Black Forest
Treetops Fazio
Treeetops Smith
Threetops
Treetops Tradition
Otsego-The Tribute
Treetops RTJ

At Boyne I'd reccomend in order:
Boyne Ross Memorial
True North
Boyne Hills
Bay Harbor (over priced)
Boyne Heather
Little Traverse Bay (not my cup of tea, but gorgeous views)

[Bluefan75]

Well we've booked Boyne Mountain. Given the proximity to larger bodies of water, the waterpark and some of the other things Boyne Mountain has, my wife was cool with that. I was kind of hoping to stay at Highlands, but since all the courses are very good, I let her choose which resort. I'll play Alpine and Monument. May slip out if she's ok with something in Harbor Springs, but if not, no big deal. We'll see how it goes the first week of August.

(Ari, I would have been coming to see you but we just couldn't find flights in our budget. If she doesn't qualify for Boston, we may be there next may for her to run the Eugene Marathon. I can't wait to get back to Eugene.)

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

My group and I checked out 3 different Michigan Golf Resorts for our July trip.

Garland
Boyne
Treetops


BOYNE blew the rest out of the water for price......

We are playing these courses:

Bay Harbor L/Q
The Hills Course
Ross Memorial
True North CC
Fortress (on the way back)


BOYNE's prices are really excellent right now!