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By VW
For me, playing courses multiple times is like listening to Van Morrison. The more that I listen, the more that I hear. And, in some cases, the more I play a course, the more I experience and the more I come to appreciate it. The Wolverine at Grand Traverse Resort falls into this category. The last time that I teed it up in Acme, located near scenic Traverse City, I had made fast friends with a couple from Ontario. The joy ended just after our introductions as the little brother to The Bear opened me up. House and I came back three years later to test our mettle against this Gary Player-designed track as part of a 54-hole tour of Grand Traverse.
| #1 |
The opening hole gives a fantastic view of all three courses at Grand Traverse from the elevated tees. Blast away to a wide open fairway, ignoring the ever-present bunkers on the right. Avoid the heather and pines on the left and mark a par. |
| #3 |
The first of the par 5's, the green can easily be reached in two. The green is narrow and slopes from back to front. The best approach is to aim short of the green and run up below the hole. |
| #5 |
This is the longest of the par 3's on the course, playing 175 yards. This is a visually daunting tee shot. The window from the tee is narrow and you must carry an expansive marsh to an undulating green with white-sand bunkers left and right. |
| #6 |
Don't be fooled by the tee shot on this par 4 if it is the first time playing the course. You may lean toward a long iron or hybrid to the right side of the fairway, removing the bunkers and marsh on the left from play. A well-struck driver over the left bunker will allow you a short iron into the green. This is one of those holes where experience is critical. |
| #8 |
A power fade off of the tee on this par 5 will follow the fairway on a slight dogleg right downhill. The tree line on the left can make for a difficult second shot (as House and I both experienced). Thanks to the general lack of distance from the white tees, this hole plays as a long par 4 and can easily earn par or birdie. |
| #10 |
Proving that golf is, in some measure, mental, we approached this downhill par 4 after a long ride from the 9th green through the hustle and bustle of the hub of the resort, all the while remembering vividly how poorly I played this hole in the past. With that dark thought hovering over the tee box, I managed to make a routine par 4 an annoying trip down memory lane. Keep the ball near the fairway and key in on the center of the green, which is absolutely surrounded by bunkers. |
| #11 |
The second half of this par 5 feels like an uphill climb to an elevated green, starting out past the trees that impede into the left side of the fairway. Take a little extra club on approach to avoid the front greenside bunker. |
| #13 |
This par 4 sticks in my memory more than any other hole on the course. Playing 318 yards, the green can be reached in one if you can successfully cut the right corner. The landing area rests on a down slope that can trickle to the green. I have had the opportunity in the past to eagle this par 4, which anyone can attest is an amazing feeling. |
| #14 |
Distance is key on this par 3. The backside of the green runs off to the marsh, so leave your tee shot on the front side and use your touch with the putter to get your par. |
| #16 |
Using the natural elevations, the tee shot on this par 4 is to a severely elevated fairway. The smart play is left of the tree. If you are going for gusto, take your drive over or to the right of the tree to cut corner. The fairway runs gradually downhill to the green. One greenside bunker on the left is the only hazard to contend with. House and I took different approaches on this hole and his conservative play paid off with a birdie. |
| #18 |
The finishing hole on The Wolverine is a short, uphill par 5. There are fairway bunkers near the landing area and moguls throughout, so there are varying lies to contend with. Again, the green is reachable in two but difficult to hit depending on the amount of club required to reach it. Par or better is an excellent score. |
| How is it possible to love a course you previously detested? The course is the same, so the person has changed. And, so too, has my appreciation for The Wolverine. In the midst of our 54 holes of golf, these 18 holes inspired a bogey golfer to play his best in weeks and see for the first time, the merits of one of Northern Michigan's lesser-appreciated tracks. |
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| 1) |
Fee Factor
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15
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| $95 midweek and $110 on the weekends. Resort guests save $15 off this rate. Rates seem stiff to me, but this resort is home to two of the better courses in the state. |
| 2) |
Friendliness Factor
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20
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| From the bag staff to the wait staff, every person we met was courteous and attentive even with the large number of golfers on the course. |
| 3) |
Fringe Factor
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20
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| Every aspect of the practice facility and clubhouse was first class. |
| 4) |
From 1st Tee to Handshake Factor
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20
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| The course was in fantastic shape. Traps were pure white sand and smooth as silk. Greens were true and every detail in the landscape was immaculate. |
| 5) |
Fun Factor
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18
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| The Wolverine is a great course on its own, without the thought that there are two other championship courses on-site. Playable for every golfer and a true joy to experience. |
Website: http://www.grandtraverseresort.com/
Check out the Where to section: for places to eat, drink, and stay in NW Michigan or try one of the four restaurants located in the resort. Check out TraVino Traverse Wine & Grille next to Spruce Run and the Turtle Creek Casino.
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