Hole 13 - Eagle
Par 4
489 | 456 | 426 | 391 | 348 yards
The 13th hole is a long dogleg left par 4. From the back tees you have a 200 yard carry to reach the fairway. A pair of bunkers sit right in the landing area off to the left of the the fairway. These present a hazard for those playing it safe, but also as protection for longer hitters to cut distance off of the dogleg.
It is a 280 yard carry to clear the second of these bunkers from the back tees and reach the fairway. If you can accomplish this the approach is still going to be around 170 yards.
The green is slightly elevated on the approach and features a pair of bunkers short right. There is room to miss both long and left here.
Behind the green is a pair of carved eagles sitting atop an old tree. This green is another fairly sizable kidney shape measuring just under 40 yards from front to back.
Hole 14 - Legend of the Snowbirds
Par 4
346 | 330 | 294 | 264 | 213 yards
Not a hole named after those heading down to Florida or Arizona in the winter, but rather a legend of two lovers who perished in a snowstorm. According to the course website, the snowbirds lie in the two green side bunkers. I can't vouch for this morbid statement- I never found myself in those, nor do I habitually dig in bunkers looking for gruesome findings, well other than some occasional wicked fried eggs.
This tee shot requires hitting a fairway running almost perpendicular to the tees, very reminiscent of the 5th hole. You must carry the ball 175 yards form the back tees to reach the fairway. Between that lies a field of native grasses and a huge bunker that runs up the entire right side of the fairway all the way to the green.
The key on the tee shot is picking the line to play to. Obviously the further right you go the more risk you take on the tee shot, but the shorter your second shot. I found that aiming at the second bunker from the left was a good line. That is about 300 yards to reach from the back tees. Aiming further right than that you start to find a fairway that is squeezed down by a finger of rough that comes in from the left just in front of the green.
On your second shot, depending on how aggressive you played, you may have a tough approach between the river of sand on the right and the pair of bunkers short left of the green. The right and back aprons of the green do slope down away to that long trap so hitting the green is important here.
Sometimes it takes tremendous concentration to play in our rounds. Never mind the detritus being thrown at you during your approach; just focus on your shot.
Hole 15 - Turtle
Par 3
168 | 152 | 141 | 125 | 107 yards
The 15th features a true island green connected to the course by a very sturdy steel bridge. A huge curved tee box hugs the shoreline and offers a lot of options for set up on this hole allowing for this to play anywhere from 90-168 yards.
There is very little room around the green to miss, but the green is a large target being again almost 40 yards from front to back.
A cool shelter/restroom building sits between the 15th green and 16th tees.
Hole 16 - Ogeema Muckwa
Par 4
479 | 456 | 443 | 414 | 366 yards
Named for the longstanding chairperson of the Hannahville Indian community, this is another long dogleg par 4 that turns right. Your aiming line here is at, or just left of, the bunkers sitting across the fairway. That is 340 yards from the back tees. Keep the drive to the right of the stand of trees running down the left side as those are reachable if your drive is off line.
Again, a good carry is required off the tees to clear the native grasses before the fairway starts. On a line with the bunkers, it is a 225 yard carry to the fairway from the tips.
In the widest part of the fairway landing zone, the hole turns and plays a good 200 yards to reach this green. The further right you go on your drive the shorter the hole can play but it brings a slope down away from the fairway into play as well. Also sitting right at the corner on the right, directly across from the sand, is a small pond.
This is a wide but shallow green to hit. There is no sand present, just a grassy depression guarding the center of the green. A left pin placement is much easier than one tucked back right. There is room to miss this green on all sides, though your lie can be questionable in the fairly thick rough.
Hole 17 - Wisdom
Par 4
427 | 392 | 381 | 337 | 325 yards
This hole gets its name from the rock sitting in the middle of the fairway. This boulder represents a turtle who guards the approach to the green and also symbolizes the wisdom of the animal world.
The tee grounds are divided into 2 groups that make this hole play significantly different. From the back 3 tees you must cross a bridge to hit your drive.
From the back tees you must carry the lake immediately in front of the tee boxes. Again, this fairway runs diagonally away from you. The further right you play the closest your second shot but the longer your drive needs to be.
From the back tees it is almost exactly 300 yards to the "Turtle" rock in the fairway. Really anything played between the bunker and that rock is fine and will leave you with a 150-100 yard shot in.
From the forward tees this hole plays as straight ahead and the water is all effectively taken out of play. On your second shot from the fairway, you must avoid a smattering of bunkers that run the hole short of the green. The green is elevated up and is relatively small compared to others on the course. Missing long will find a slope falling away from the green.
Hole 18 - Seven Grandfathers
Par 5
550 | 530 | 506 | 434 | 369 yards
Named for the seven grandfathers charged with looking after the Potawatomi people. There are seven bunkers that represent these men as you approach the green.
This hole is framed down the left by a series of fescue covered hills. Down the right side is the water shared with the 9th hole. A good straight drive down the heart of the fairway is all that is needed here.
The second shot here requires a decision. Based on your tee shot you can either lay up to the fat part of the fairway and leave yourself a 125 yard shot in, or you can take on the green, tucked behind the water that runs up the right. It is all carry to the green so if you are being bold there is no room to bail out.
I have to brag on this one. I finally connected with a drive on this one and found the right center of the green. I was playing from the blues and my drive was 325 yards. My second longest drive I have ever recorded.
From my tee ball I decided to go for it. I took all of the 7 bunkers that run up the left side of the hole out of play with this but did bring on the water guarding the green.
If you do play safe and try for the green in two you are offered a fairly accessible angle in. A bunker does sit to short and left of the green, and of course the water is in play if you miss right.
This portion of the shared green is a narrow target. Shown here near the last of the seven bunkers you can see it is only about 20 yards from front to back. This "half" of the sahred green is probably 45 yards across, before the spine separating it with the 9th comes in.
A close approach is all we want.
Looking back down the hole from behind the green shows a typical approach shot to the green.
Conclusion
This was my first time playing golf in Michigan, and Sweetgrass was a great introduction. The stay and play packages offered by the onsite Casino/Hotel are great. With green fees around $80 and a stay and play package of around $100, it makes staying and playing a great deal.
With the impending opening of a second 18 here the argument for a drive up here is even better. The new course, having been designed and built by the same architect promises to offer a very similar feel to Sweetgrass.
Overall Sweetgrass offers plenty of variety and tee boxes for different skill levels. From the back tees and on a windy day, this course could be a beast. Play up a tee or two and it turns into a much more enjoyable resort course.
Most fairways were fairly large and nearly every hole offers a variety of ways to play. Get off the fairways too far and the native grasses can be a big problem.
The greens are challenging and were in great shape. Most of the greens were large and just getting on them by no means ensures an easy two putt.
Actually the conditions from tee to green throughout were excellent. Aside from a soggy first fairway, I would saw the course was pretty near immaculate. Sweetgrass is a top rated course in Michigan and it is easy to see why.
I would commend Paul Albanese for coming up with a layout that presents an annual challenge for professionals while at the same time offering a reasonable test for the average weekend golfer.
Harris Michigan is pretty sleepy but a short drive away is Escanaba which has a pretty descent variety of restaurants, and is right on the lake. The Island Resort and Casino offers a handful of options in that department too.
Be aware that the course is based on East Coast time. (Harris sits right on the timezone boundary.)
Anyone considering a trip to the U.P. should definitely check out Sweetgrass. Paired with the upcoming Sage Run and some of the regions other courses you have a top notch golf destination. Outside of golf there is lots to do to in the region. Time your trip in the fall and this certainly would be a very memorable getaway.
