The UP is one of the best-value golf destinations in the country. Sweetgrass charges $85 in peak season for a course that would fetch $200+ elsewhere, and Greywalls at $235 is a genuine top-100 public course. The catch is pure logistics: the region is remote, the season runs May through September, and non-golf options are limited. Golfers who embrace the drive and the northwoods setting will not be disappointed.
Courses included
The trip experience
Michigan's Upper Peninsula is one of those destinations that rewards golfers willing to accept the logistics. The courses here -- Sweetgrass, Sage Run, Greywalls, and TimberStone -- are genuinely great, priced well below what they'd cost in more accessible markets, and packed into a 90-minute driving corridor. The tradeoff is real: you're in a remote part of the country, the season runs May through September, and getting there requires either a direct flight to Marquette or a long drive from the Mackinac Bridge.
Sweetgrass at Island Resort and Casino in Harris is the anchor. Paul Albanese's design opened in 2007 and earned immediate recognition: Golf Digest Top 100, Travel + Leisure top public courses, and a consistent ranking among the best public courses in Michigan. The routing moves through wooded corridors and open meadows with Lake Antoine visible from several holes. At $85 in peak season, it's the most underpriced quality course in the Midwest.
"Sweetgrass charges $85 in peak season for a course that would fetch $200+ elsewhere, and Greywalls at $235 is a genuine top-100 public course."
Sage Run, the second course at Island Resort, plays harder. The fairway corridors are tighter, the design is more demanding, and the conditions match Sweetgrass entirely. Both courses on one property means 36 holes without moving the car. Island Resort handles the logistics efficiently: one check-in, two excellent courses, a casino for the evenings, and room blocks that accommodate larger groups without negotiation.
Greywalls in Marquette is a different experience. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry designed a course that runs along the rocky Lake Superior shoreline, and the natural terrain here -- granite outcroppings, elevation changes, boreal forest -- creates a round that feels nothing like the downstate Michigan experience. The greens are fast, the sightlines are long, and the aesthetic is genuinely distinctive. The 55-minute drive from Harris on US-2 is worth making for at least one round.
TimberStone in Iron Mountain sits 35 minutes south of Harris, a Jerry Matthews design through northern hardwoods. The routing uses mature trees and natural topography with a design philosophy that ages well: straightforward strategy, interesting routing decisions, consistent condition across all 18.
"The combination of Sweetgrass, Sage Run, Greywalls, and TimberStone gives you a four-course rotation where every course is at least very good -- an unusual quality density for one trip."
The casino at Island Resort is a genuine asset for groups that include non-serious golfers. It gives the property a resort completeness that keeps everyone occupied after rounds without requiring a drive anywhere.
The seasonal constraint is real. The UP golf calendar opens in early May and closes by mid-October, and weather turns quickly in June and September. Peak season runs July through Labor Day, when conditions are reliable and daylight is long. US-2 connects the entire corridor; Harris to Iron Mountain (TimberStone) is 35 minutes west, Harris to Marquette (Greywalls) is 55 minutes east. The whole circuit requires one highway.
Stay at Island Resort. The on-property package bundles room nights with Sweetgrass and Sage Run rounds at a discount that makes the per-round cost lower than booking separately. Check package rates before booking independently.
Book Greywalls in advance for summer weekends. It fills faster than anything else in the rotation.
Side trips & bonus golf
Greywalls and TimberStone are on-route options rather than true side trips -- both sit within 55 minutes of Island Resort on US-2, the same highway you'd take to leave the region. The natural routing is Harris to Iron Mountain to Marquette (or the reverse), and most groups will make both drives during the trip.
The core question is whether to treat Greywalls as optional. The Lake Superior shoreline setting and the Hurdzan/Fry design quality argue for treating it as essential rather than optional -- it's the most visually distinctive round in the rotation and the one course guests consistently cite as memorable. TimberStone is genuinely secondary but rounds out the four-course sequence cleanly.
Non-golf in the UP centers on outdoor activity: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is 1.5 hours east of Marquette, the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is 2 hours west, and Tahquamenon Falls in the eastern UP adds a full-day nature option for anyone with a free afternoon. The landscape here is worth more time if the trip extends beyond pure golf.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓Book this trip if you are a Midwest golfer who has already done Traverse City and wants the next level.
- ✓Book this trip if you care about course conditions and are willing to pay $85 for pristine fairways rather than $50 for mediocre ones.
- ✓Book this trip if a top-100 public course (Greywalls, #55 Golf Digest) is on your bucket list and you want to pair it with three more courses in the same region.
- ✓Book this trip if you enjoy road-trip golf where the drive is part of the experience.
- ✓Book this trip if you want on-property convenience: Sweetgrass and Sage Run are steps from your hotel room at Island Resort.
- ✓Book this trip if value matters and you are willing to stay at a casino resort to get it.
- ✓Book this trip if four rounds over three to four days is your preferred pace.
- ✗Skip this trip if you need a city or nightlife scene beyond a casino floor and a handful of bars.
- ✗Skip this trip if you are flying commercial and expect the airport to be close: Escanaba and Marquette airports have limited service, and most people drive five-plus hours from Detroit, Milwaukee, or Green Bay.
- ✗Skip this trip if you plan to visit in October through April, as all four courses are closed.
- ✗Skip this trip if dramatic elevation and blind shots at Greywalls and Sage Run will frustrate rather than excite you.
- ✗Skip this trip if one top-ranked course plus three good ones does not justify the travel distance for your group.
When to go
- July and August are the prime months with the longest days: sunset in the UP is close to 9:30 PM, allowing late tee times.
- Course conditions at Sweetgrass and Sage Run are at their best in July, when the fescue is fully established and the greens are fastest.
- Package rates at Island Resort are at their highest in peak season but still represent strong value relative to course quality.
- Greywalls books up fastest in July and August; tee times should be secured at least three to four weeks out.
- The UP is genuinely remote; bring what you need because the nearest large city with full shopping is Green Bay or Marquette.
- June and September offer lighter crowds and reduced rates at Greywalls ($145 versus $235 in summer) without a meaningful drop in course quality.
- Sage Run and Sweetgrass shoulder rates fall to $75 per round, making the value case even stronger.
- June can still run cool with overnight lows in the 40s; an extra layer for morning rounds is worth the space in the bag.
- September is arguably the prettiest month for a UP golf trip, with the hardwoods turning color around Sage Run and Greywalls by mid-month.
- Course closures start in mid to late October depending on weather; confirm opening and closing dates before booking a late September or early October trip.
- All four courses close for the winter, typically from mid to late October through late April or early May.
- Island Resort and Casino stays open year-round for gaming and entertainment, so the hotel is available, but there is no golf.
- Greywalls closes after the Heritage Course leaf-season window ends; exact dates vary by weather year to year.
- Spring opening dates at Sweetgrass and Sage Run depend on ground conditions; confirm with Island Resort before booking a May trip.
What a Upper Peninsula trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee fees (4 rounds) | $180–$280 | $150–$240 | $110–$190 |
| Lodging (3 nights) | $140–$240 | $110–$180 | $80–$140 |
| Food & drink on property | $50–$90 | $40–$70 | $35–$60 |
| Rental car (3 days) | $45–$75 | $40–$65 | $35–$60 |
| Total (est.) | $415–$685 | $340–$555 | $260–$450 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (4 rounds) | $180–$280 |
| Lodging (3 nights) | $140–$240 |
| Food & drink on property | $50–$90 |
| Rental car (3 days) | $45–$75 |
| Total (est.) | $415–$685 |
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1Book Island Resort packages as early as possiblethe stay-and-play bundles sell out in July and August, and booking piecemeal costs significantly more.
- 2Greywalls summer rates are $235 per person with cart; spring and fall drop to $145, making those shoulder months a meaningful savings if conditions are acceptable.
- 3Sweetgrass and Sage Run peak rates are $85 per person, making them among the lowest-priced top-tier courses in the Midwest.
- 4The Perfect 4-Some package through Island Resort covers Sweetgrass, Sage Run, Greywalls, and TimberStone with lodging; the premium add-on for Greywalls is $55 per round per person on top of the base package.
- 5Tee times at Greywalls book up on summer weekends; call the Marquette Golf Club pro shop at 906-225-0721 or book online at least three to four weeks ahead.
- 6TimberStone is the least crowded of the four and typically has same-week availability, making it the easiest to add on.
- 7All four courses have walking options; Sweetgrass in particular plays well on foot given its flat, links-style terrain.
Common mistakes
- !Underestimating the driveGreen Bay to Harris is three hours, Milwaukee is five, and Detroit is over six. Build travel days into the itinerary or you will be rushing.
- !Playing all four courses in three daysFour rounds in three days is doable but leaves you flat for Greywalls. Four rounds over four days is the better pace.
- !Booking Greywalls last-minute in JulyTee times on peak summer weekends go quickly. Secure Greywalls first, then build the rest of the trip around it.
- !Skipping Sage Run for a second Sweetgrass roundSage Run is a fundamentally different course, the drumlin terrain and wooded routing contrast well with the open prairie feel of Sweetgrass. Play both.
- !Not packing for windSweetgrass sits on flat, open land and can play completely differently in wind. Club selection matters more here than almost anywhere in the Midwest.
- !Expecting resort food variety in HarrisIsland Resort has multiple dining options but Harris itself has nothing nearby. If you want to explore local restaurants, plan a Marquette overnight.
- !Arriving without cash or knowing casino policiesIsland Resort is an active casino resort. If that environment is not for your group, factor it into lodging decisions.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive + SweetgrassAfternoon Sweetgrass. Casino evening at Island Resort.
- Day 2Greywalls in MarquetteFull day at Greywalls. Dinner in downtown Marquette before driving back.
- Day 3TimberStone + Sage RunMorning TimberStone in Iron Mountain (35 min). Afternoon Sage Run back at Island Resort.
- Day 4DepartLeisurely breakfast, drive south.
Where to stay & eat
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