Lakewood Shores Golf Resort

Make this season a memorable one with an unforgettable getaway to Lakewood Shores Golf Resort in Oscoda. Located on the sunrise side of the state, near the windswept shores of Lake Huron, Lakewood Shores is home to three phenomenal treats of golf that touch on every possible style of play: The Gailes, Blackshire, and The Serradella. GroupGolfers can also take the opportunity to work out any kinks and finalize some wagers with unlimited use of the 18-hole pitch-and-putt course, The Wee Links.

The Gailes leads the way at Lakewood Shores Golf Resort. One of two superbly crafted creations by Kevin Aldridge here at Lakewood Shores, The Gailes is the most notable and memorable design of the three courses. With accolades such as “#1 Best New Resort Course in the United States,” The Gailes is a truly unique experience you won't find anywhere in Michigan. Inspired by the famed seaside courses of Scotland, The Gailes will challenge you with sod-faced pot bunkers, deep rough, fescue-lined fairways and huge double greens.

Playing 6,954 yards from the tips with a 138 slope, you better bring your A and C game — as in “Accuracy” and “Creativity” — because knocking out a twenty-yard putt from the fine cut fairway, an eighty-yard bump-and-run or shaping an iron off the back side of one of the hundreds of meandering burns into the blustery Lake Huron wind is as formidable a test of golf skill as any. Bottom line: The Gailes is the closest you're going to get to British Open conditions without a passport.

Aldridge didn't stop with The Gailes, taking a blend of Pinehurst #2 and Pine Valley as inspiration when designing Blackshire. Cut from natural hardwoods, lined with tall pines and adorned with sand waste areas on nearly every hole, Blackshire is also a true test of golf. Pacing off a solid 6,898 from the farthest of five sets of tees, the course rewards a solid short game more than bombs off the tee. These greens are well-known for chalking up three-putts seemingly at will. Similar to The Gailes, getting your hands on a yardage book before heading out could help save as much as a stroke per hole. Take the par-five No. 9, for example, where from 150 yards out, you can be reaching for a wedge or a six iron, depending on pin placement and wind direction. Make note, while The Gailes may steal the limelight, Blackshire is an excellent addition to your weekend itinerary.

Completing the triple crown, Lakewood Shores also boasts a third course, The Serradella. This parkland track is the easiest of the three, and is a great course for a little competition among your group. Throughout your round, it is not uncommon to see a variety of small game while also taking in the serenity of the nearly 60,000 annuals and perennials which grace The Serradella’s layout. Designed by Bruce Matthews, The Serradella provides golfers with the chance to go low, while keeping them honest with strategically placed water hazards that will gobble up any errant shot.

As if that weren't enough, Lakewood Shores offers its guests unlimited use of its championship 18 hole pitch-and-putt course, The Wee Links. Offering an excellent opportunity to settle up any lingering bets, or just tighten up your short game between rounds, The Wee Links challenges you with shots between 50 - 105 yards. Located just outside the resort accommodations, you can simply walk out to the nearest hole and begin knocking it around. Seriously — does it get any better than this?

Well, yes, it does. The Scotland Cove 19th hole is an excellent place to relax and tally up your totals while enjoying an apres-golf libation or two. The main dining area provides a full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner options, where you can plan your day's adventure. Each of the 152 rooms are nicely equipped, and definitely more than suitable for a golf weekend. Lakewood Shores can also provide banquet facilities for company gatherings of up to 80 people, offering a great place to mix business with pleasure.

If you've played at Lakewood Shores, then you know the quality of golf this resort brings to the table. And if you’re among those who haven't played at Lakewood Shores, then you're definitely missing out. Don't be 'that guy' (or ‘that girl’!) anymore — spend some time at Lakewood Shores Golf Resort and let the memory of it stay with you for the rest of your golf career.