We all sometimes think it is just too far to go, but now The Upper Peninsula has given three great reasons to pack up the clubs and head north. TimberStone at Iron Mountain, Greywalls at Marquette Country Club, and the soon to be open Sweetgrass Golf Club near Harris headline what is fast becoming the new place to play great golf in Michigan.

Those who love Michigan golf are starting to realize what those in Wisconsin discovered years ago – superior golf awaits in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The trip for those coming from under the bridge goes like this: The first stop will be at Sweetgrass at the Island Resort Casino in Harris, Mich., 150 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. Slated to open in July of 2008, the Paul Albanese design (Moose Ridge, South Lyon to name two of his works) will no doubt be a course to remember. Ranging from 5,000 to over 7,300 yards in length, Sweetgrass has a tee station for every skill level. The Island Resort Casino adds that after-golf entertainment component our state is becoming so popular for. Look for Sweetgrass to introduce itself as one of the top new courses for 2008.

Twenty-five miles west towards the Wisconsin border you’ll cross into the Central Time zone community of Iron Mountain, home to the five-star TimberStone Golf Club. This worth-the-drive destination earned the prestigious Michigan Golf Course of The Year award in 2004. Wonderful panoramic views and more than 300 feet of elevation change are part and parcel of this manageable 5,000- to 7,000-yard test of golf skill. Further into the course you’ll begin to take notice of a seemingly endless climb that ends at the famed par-three, 17th hole named Sagola for the small community you’ll see from the tee-top perch. The par five 18th hole carries you the rest of the way down the mountain allowing you to let it all hang out as you conclude a memorable round. While the golf is as good as it gets in Michigan, TimberStone Director of Golf Susie Fox and her staff are equally excited to announce a new clubhouse that’s due to open this season.

There once was a time, not so long ago actually, that only a couple of really good courses lured Lower Peninsula golfers to the U.P. That changed with the addition of the No. 2 course you can play in Michigan according to Golfweek Magazine: Greywalls at Marquette Country Club. Located in Marquette, about an hour from TimberStone, this Mike DeVries design completes the U.P. Golf Triangle. DeVries’ courses (Kingsley Club, Pilgrim’s Run, Diamond Springs) are something special. He has a knack for the extra-ordinary. Greywalls shot out of the gate as the third Best New Upscale Public Course of 2006 by Golf Digest magazine. DeVries was limited with low levels of top soil, but he masterfully patterned the course through forested valleys, leaving majestic rock formations in place, giving the course a feel like no other in the state, and possibly the entire country. On a clear day, with views reaching out 50 miles or more, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore can be seen in the distance. Greywalls is not just a golf experience; it’s an exclamation to your golf season.

Golf Packages, top level lodging, and dining await your group. Don’t let the Wisconsin folks have all the fun, plan a trip to the Upper Peninsula and enjoy. Visit Sweetgrass at www.islandresortandcasino.com; TimberStone at www.pinemountainresort.com and Greywalls at www.marquette golfclub.com. Don’t forget to bring back some fudge for your friends.