The Course

The opening hole is a straight away par 4 with varied terrain. The length makes this a challenge to forward tee golfers as there isn’t a large yardage advantage. Upon approach to the green, you will have two green side bunkers that are not that deep, but the back to front sloping green can make it a challenge to get up and down.

Par 4 (Back) / 5 (Forward/Gold)

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 418 Yards / 1
Forward Tees: 411 Yards / 1
Gold Tees: 292 Yards / 1

The second hole is a slight dogleg left, however, not noticeable enough to alter your line off the tee. The hole is fairly flat with a downhill approach the last 70 yards to the green where the only major challenge is the grassy mounds front left.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 362 Yards / 7
Forward Tees: 353 Yards / 5

The third hole is a dogleg right from an elevated tee. The views on the tee are breathtaking out to Lake Michigan. The approach requires a precise short iron as a front green side bunker will catch any miss-hits.

Par 4
LAKE MICHIGAN HOLE

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 358 Yards / 3
Forward Tees: 306 Yards / 9

The fourth is a straight away par 4 from a highly elevated green on the bluffs of Lake Michigan. Long hitters may reach the fringe on the drive, however, the greatly narrowing fairway should play for a 200 yard tee shot with wedge to the green.

Par 4
LAKE MICHIGAN HOLE

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 309 Yards / 15
Forward Tees: 271 Yards / 15

The fifth is a slight dogleg left, with a water hazard in the primary landing area on the right for shorter hitters. Longer hitters will not have an issue with water, but a narrowing fairway could make your approach coming from a heavy rough to a green protected by two green side bunkers left and right.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 360 Yards / 5
Forward Tees: 352 Yards / 3

The sixth is the first par three on the course and and is the longest. From the back tees, at nearly 190 yards, it will require a long iron for most hitters, and a mishit will collect in the forward bunker with a difficult out over a high lip to the green. A long tee shot, or one off to the right will collect into a low area near the forward bunker or behind the green with a tough elevated approach to get up and down for par. The best place to miss if you cannot get there would be left, or just short of the green.

Par 3

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 184 Yards / 11
Forward Tees: 127 Yards / 11

The seventh is the first hole of three along Cherry Street (with the entire right side OB) which can get in the minds of even the most experienced golfers. This is the longest of the holes, and a well positioned long iron center-left will leave yourself with a clear approach to a three-bunker protected green.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 326 Yards / 9
Forward Tees: 316 Yards / 7

Long and tight with OB right, the 8th is much more challenging than it looks from the tee. The 15 yard wide and 35+ yard long severely-sloping green makes this one of the most difficult greens on the course. Take a long iron off the tee and leave yourself with a wedge. Don’t miss this long or left as you will have a blind shot up to the green where bogey is now your best-case scenario.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap

Back Tees: 305 Yards / 13
Forward Tees: 295 Yards / 13

The home hole on the front nine is the second easiest hole on the course. A short par three from an elevated tee makes this a wedge for most golfers. The green slopes back to front making for a great back stop that you can work your shot within 10 feet for a probable birdie.

Par 3

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 121 Yards / 17
Forward Tees: 111 Yards / 17

The opening hole of the back nine is the longest on the course measuring at 533 yards from the back tees. The fairway is undulating and shot placement is critical to ensure you don’t have an awkward second shot and approach to the green. If that isn’t tough enough, three green side bunkers guard a small green. It is no wonder why this is the #2 handicap on the course.

Par 5

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 533 Yards / 2
Forward Tees: 407 Yards / 2

The hardest hole is followed by one of the easiest on the course, but don’t let that fool you, the two green side bunkers can still make this a tough hole if you find one of these. If you miss, miss long, or to the left as a relatively easy approach will still give you the opportunity to save par.

Par 3

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 164 Yards / 18
Forward Tees: 149 Yards / 18

The second par 5 on the back (for back tees) is a challenge despite its short distance. Many will try and reach it in 2, but with a playable hazard running along much of the left and right side of the fairway (inside 150 yards) makes this a hole that can quickly turn to a bogey hole if you loose your ball in any one of these hazards.

Par 5 (back) / 4 (forward)
LAKE MICHIGAN HOLE

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 460 Yards / 6
Forward Tees: 333 Yards / 6

The par 4 thirteenth is another hole where course management is critical to make a good score. a middle/long iron off the tee followed up by a 9 iron-wedge can make this an easy birdie hole, however, if the daring driver wants to cut off the heavy dogleg left, the green can be reached, but with water along much of the left side of the fairway and water through bogey can be the best case scenario if you find one of these hazards.

Par 4
LAKE MICHIGAN HOLE

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 300 Yards / 16
Forward Tees: 269 Yards / 8

Signature Hole

The final par 3 on the course is a beautiful shot out to Lake Michigan. With a large green, this can be a birdie hole, especially if the pin position is center-front. However, a back left, or center right position can be trouble for aggressive golfers as three green side bunkers will snatch up a pushed or pulled tee shot. Missing far left, is OB and a 150′ ravine will keep your ball for quite some time.

Par 3
LAKE MICHIGAN HOLE

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 177 Yards / 12
Forward Tees: 165 Yards / 16

Fifteen is the final hole of a stretch that can make or break your round. This short par 4 is a dogleg right around a heavy grouping of trees. The best play is to keep a long iron left off the tee and you will set up an ideal approach with a short iron/wedge. The only real issue at the green is a front green side bunker.

Par 4
LAKE MICHIGAN HOLE

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 302 Yards / 10
Forward Tees: 255 Yards / 14

Sixteen is a picturesque hole that has the high dunes along much of the left side of the fairway. On a windy day, this will be one of the few holes where you will get a break from the breeze off the water. Don’t let the short distance fool you, put the driver away, as the long narrow, elevated green is almost impossible to drive with accuracy, and a short short and right is going to be tough to make par. Take a long iron, and wedge into this green for the best shot at birdie.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 284 Yards / 14
Forward Tees: 277 Yards / 12

The seventeenth is a tough hole as the primary landing area for many with a driver is the pond center left of the fairway. This split fairway requires a decision off the tee to go for it and carry the point which is at around 225, or to layup and take a mid/short iron into the elevated green that is guarded by two front green side bunkers. Golfers are rewarded once you reach the green as it is fairly flat and a long putt has a good possibility to drop.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 305 Yards / 8
Forward Tees: 242 Yards / 10

The home hole at the Manistee Golf and Country Club offers a reward for long hitters as there is a large ridge and hill that can give you an extra 20-30 yards of carry if you can reach it center-right in the fairway. This dogleg right, will take you back to the historic clubhouse with an elongated green with green side bunkers both left and right.

Par 4

Yardage/Handicap
Back Tees: 383 Yards / 4
Forward Tees: 375 Yards / 4