The moment you arrive at Bucks Run in Mt. Pleasant you know you’re in for a memorable experience. To quote architect Jerry Matthews, it truly is a “spectacular golf course”, and 2005 proved to be their best season ever.

The centerpiece of the layout is the 34-acre Fisher Lake, which is surrounded by two holes on the front nine and three on the back nine, and fronted by a massive lodge-style clubhouse that affords a total of 18,000 square feet of space for banquets, weddings, meetings, conferences and outings.

While the golf at Bucks Run, which earned 4.5 Stars from Golf Digest, is on par with courses that charge twice as much for a round, I was especially struck by how well maintained superintendent Jeff Sweet and his grounds crew keep this 300-plus-acre facility. The condition of the course is nothing short of impeccable: The place looks as though a master gardener tends to it each day, and Bucks Run was rewarded with a Top 50 ranking for pace of play, course conditions and the ever important customer service grade.

The third hole is the longest of the par 5s measuring 588-yards, requiring a 200-yard carry over the wetlands from the back tee to the front edge of the fairway. The following par 3 may be the toughest of the water-guarded three-shot holes and a par at this 193-yard, two-tiered green will be prized.

The back nine at Bucks Run plays 200 yards shorter, featuring three of the most enjoyable holes on the course – 16, 17 and 18.

Eighteen may well be the signature hole of Bucks Run. There would be no shame in making this hole a par 5 and dubbing hole sixteen a par 4. Eighteen is nearly as long as sixteen but requires every bit of 220 yards from the tee to carry Fisher Lake leaving you anywhere from a fairway wood to a long iron to reach the water-guarded green.

Is life on the links more your fancy? Buck’s Run has its North and West Developments ready for you to enjoy life on the course. 15 lots on the North side, with some overlooking the course and Chippewa River, 20 _ acre lots on the main road, with a dozen of those overlooking #18 and Fisher Lake. _ Acre lots start at $60,000. A new development at the course in the future is a South phase, which is 2-3 years away. All in all, great golf and a chance at life on the links waits in the center of the state.