By Mike May
When you make plans to visit northern Michigan for a stay-and-play golf experience at BOYNE Resort, you will be hard pressed to decide which of the ten courses to play. Located 90 minutes north of Traverse City, BOYNE Resort has evolved into of America’s most appealing, accessible, and affordable golf destination, especially in the late spring, summer, and early fall.
Of BOYNE’s 10 golf courses, two of the best, The Alpine and The Monument, are located at BOYNE Mountain. The nearby Mountain Grand Lodge & Spa, offers a true family friendly destination with Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark, a Zip Line, junior golf camps, the new Sky Bridge, plus various golf programs for juniors.
The Alpine
The Alpine is affectionately referred to as a place where a good walk is made better, plus it generates a number of photo ops and selfies. The mountain setting and the wonderful views of Deer Lake will bring you back to Alpine time and time again. Golfers play from the top of the mountain and wind their way to the bottom. The friendly fairways allow wayward drives to be found, to keep play moving. The course annually hosts Michigan’s Tournament of Champions, which confirms the integrity of Alpine’s design.
The Monument
If you have any appreciation for golf history, you will relish the chance to play The Monument course. This course was designed by borrowing design tendencies and philosophies from great golf course architects like Donald Ross, Dr. Alister Mackenzie, George Fazio, Pete Dye, and Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
The course also pays tribute to some of America’s most accomplished golfers. Thirteen of the holes are named after well-known golfers, with a bronze plaque embedded in the boulders located along each of the dedicated holes, and document the highlights and professional achievements of that player’s career. The first hole honors Byron Nelson and the signature 18th concludes with an island green and is dedicated to the great Sam Snead. Other golfing greats so honored are Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Bobby Jones.
BOYNE’s Favorite Cart Girl
When playing either The Alpine, or The Monument, you will meet cart girl extraordinaire, Jerri Lee Richards, who is BOYNE Mountain’s unofficial Vice President of Fun and Ambassador of Joy. Jerri Lee has worked for BOYNE for over 30 years and is the most passionate advocate of BOYNE Mountain. When she shows up with drinks and snacks, her level of enthusiasm is infectious. By her own admission, Jerri Lee makes the best Bloody Mary in Michigan, if not the entire Midwest and she loves what she does.
“My career has been such a joy,” admitted Richards. “I’m happy to serve the golfers. I love what I do. My ‘office’ is so beautiful – rain or shine. Cups of ice are put in the carts, while the golfers continue to play and before they ask for it. I also offer to take photos for almost every group to record their memory.”
The golf is outstanding at both The Alpine and The Monument courses at BOYNE Mountain, but Jerri Lee Richards’ service sets the standard for which all Cart Girls should aspire.
