Betsie Valley at Crystal Mountain Tee Times

Depending on your perspective – or favorite season – Crystal Mountain is either a ski resort with 59 well-groomed downhill runs or a golf resort with 36 holes of championship golf. Yet, regardless of the season, it’s one of Northern Michigan’s best resorts. Golf entered the equation at Crystal Mountain in 1977 with the opening of the Betsie Valley golf course. Mountain Ridge followed in 1995. Both Betsie Valley and Mountain Ridge have received the prestigious 4-star rating from Golf Digest Magazine and are members of America's Summer Golf Capital, a collection of resort properties that feature 26 golf courses across northern Michigan. Both courses play out of the same clubhouse, which features a well-stocked pro shop, The Thistle restaurant and bar, and an outdoor patio complete with a bar, grill, and oftentimes live music. Before your round, be sure to visit Crystal Mountain’s 10-acre learning center and practice facility. You’ll find a targeted grass range, along with a short game area featuring chipping and putting greens complete with sand bunkers for practicing. Everything you need for a quick tune-up before heading to the first tee! The Learning Center is also home to Crystal Mountain Golf School, which has been recognized as one of the best golf schools by Golf Digest. They feature a variety of single or multi-day lesson options including private, group, women-only, and juniors. Since opening in 1977, the Betsie Valley course has received many upgrades, most recently from the summer of 2021 to the spring of 2022. Renovations included widening the fairways, building new tee boxes, a forestry management project to clear out brush, redesigned cart paths, and more. Even with all of these changes, the course still retains its original character and is now more playable than ever before. Betsie Valley is spread across the rolling terrain which is blanketed in mature forests of pine and hardwoods. Water comes into play on several holes, and although there are only a few bunkers on the entire course, the majority of golfers tend to find at least one during their rounds. The tight, tree-lined fairways are often accented with wildflowers and lead to small, severely sloped greens making Betsie Valley more of a shot-maker’s course. Golfers are welcome to walk or ride the course. Remember those “few bunkers” I mentioned? Two of them are located just right of the 7th green, which is bad news for most golfers. It’s a short, 129-yard par 3 with a narrow approach that feeds errant tee shots right of the green and into those bunkers! You may think that the 10th hole is a short par 5, at only 444 yards, but as you stand on the tee box studying the dramatic uphill nature of the hole, all of a sudden 444 yards isn’t short anymore! In fact, it may play up to 75 yards longer! It’s a dogleg right that just seems to keep on turning, and with trees lining both sides of the fairway, it emphasizes shot control over distance. When it comes to accommodations, Crystal Mountain has the widest variety of any golf or ski resort—everything from hotel-style rooms that sleep two or four guests to mountainside homes that sleep up to 14. There are bungalows and cottages to choose from; all are equipped with everything you’ll need during your visit and, if you need something, just ask. They have the politest staff I have ever met. Crystal Mountain offers several dining alternatives from pizza and subs at Betsie River Pizza to casual fine dining at The Thistle. As its name implies, this Scottish-themed venue has something for everyone. Breakfast is served daily at the Wild Tomato with just about any breakfast food you can think of. They also serve lunch and dinner. During the winter, Wild Tomato adds several “igloos” to their property where you can enjoy a cocktail and shareables outside under the twinkling lights of the Michigan sky.

2 years ago

Disappointment to say the least. This is a $120 round and unfortunately it is not at all worth the price. The carts are extremely outdated and just old- they need to upgrade these… They have no GPS tracking system (we went in the pro shop to buy a new rangefinder battery and conveniently they were sold out of those). The cart storage area up front was not impressive. No tees or divot tools were prepared in our cart. Range balls are not included in your $120 round - you have to pay for those too :) The course itself was not impressive. Some holes with water which were somewhat aesthetically pleasing, but for Crystal ‘Mountain’ - this course is a joke. It’s flat. Women’s tee box on 3 is an abomination (see photo below). Some holes were challenging. You’re best to take your money and go to Boyne Mountain and play the Monument or the Alpine for $20 more. Would not play this course again. Would give 1/5 starts truly, but their staff was really friendly and helpful! So 2/5.

2 years ago

Rates are extremely over priced for what you get. And what they charge for alcohol is diabolical. $17 for two shots of fireball is insane. This course should be priced around $60-$70. The geofencing on the golf cart was so extreme the person working the bag check area had to deactivate it just so we could leave the cart area. There's much better golf to be had in the area. Take your money elsewhere.

6 months ago

Course layout is decent. The greens could use some love and restoration, and the traps aren't super well manicured. The real reason for the 2-Star was the fact that in front of us was several groups of very drunk people. I'm guessing a group of 30 or do. Not exaggerating, it took us 5 hours and 10 minutes to play our round. We started at 4:30 and didn't finish until 9:40pm which was quite frustrating. Saw the ranger once, but he didn't say anything.

9 months ago

Beautiful northern MI golf. This sucker is tight off the tee box. Large, ungulated greens run true and show their breaks. Beverage cart and half way house make sure you stay hydrated. The clubhouse is nice. There's an outdoor bar/grill and a little fancier restaurant inside. Pure Michigan.

7 months ago