Golf in Holland

As the sun rises each morning, the smell of dew summons golfers to Orchard Hills Golf Course, a scenic, 27-hole complex with one 18-hole course and a separate, 9-hole track. Cleaved through 6,026 yards of tree-lined terrain, the 18-hole monolith requires precise play and whispered Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes to conquer its topographical challenges. The par 72 layout showcases multiple memorable shots, including forced carries onto water-protected greens on both the second and fourth holes.

Slightly shorter than the other two nines, the East course blankets the countryside with a straightforward layout that begins with a tricky, 425-yard right dogleg. A staff of golf pros presides over Orchard Hills’ pro shop, where guests can upgrade their equipment, schedule a lesson to hone swings, or learn to read greens written in their doctor’s handwriting.

18-Hole Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,026 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 68.0 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 116 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options

Anchored by a golf course on the shores of Lake Michigan, Macatawa Legends Golf & Country Club offers warm-weather relaxation on the course and professional instruction off the course. Golfers can practice at the Club’s driving range or putting green, or seek out expert advice during a lesson with PGA Class A Pro Bruce Saip. The Club’s pro shop showcases a variety of golf gear from top brands for golfers in need of new equipment. After a day at the links, guests can unwind with a drink at the Club’s Bar & Grille.

Prior to 1963, the entire Gun Lake area did not have a golf course. Local enthusiasts had to travel out of town to get their weekend morning fix, and younger residents had nowhere to become acquainted with the game. It would take a man who had never played a round of golf in his life to give the community a welcoming locale to practice the game and unveil heat seeking three-woods. This visionary, Frank Tichvon, turned his greenhorn status into green-thumbed activism, building a modest yet challenging nine-hole course that thrilled locals with tee shots down beautiful tree-lined fairways and breaking putts across manicured greens. The course's popularity brought about the construction of a second nine-hole layout, and by 1987, the course had grown into a 27-hole destination sprawled across more than 200 acres of verdant Michigan terrain. Eighteen-hole combinations range in length from 5,200 yards up to 6,373, challenging golfers with tight fairways framed by mature arbors that kidnap gullible golf balls.

Course at a Glance:

• 27-hole course, par of 36 on each 9-hole side
• 18-hole length of up to 6,373 yards from back tees
• 18-hole rating of 67.2–69.1 from back tees
• 18-hole slope of 105–110 from back tees
• Two sets of tees

Carved through dense woodland, Chase Hammond Golf Club's 18-hole course showcases a scenic backdrop and a well-manicured landscape. Throughout the course, a tapestry of towering trees sways over the edges of fairways, shrinking landing zones for the tiny Scottish pilots who steer golf balls from their dimple-size cockpits. Wildlife such as deer, turkeys, eagles, and foxes occasionally emerges from the foliage to check in on players' rounds, adding character to the vibrant fringe. Before rounds, golfers and their clubs can warm up swings at the club's driving range.

Nestled among oak trees and apple orchards, the 18-hole, par 72 course at Deer Run Golf Club hosts weeping willows that have been ducking golf balls for more than four decades. Golfers start out at the course’s second-hardest hole, navigating a dogleg left in the last fourth of the fairway and hitting past two bunkers that stand sentry just in front of the green. The second hole, a handicap 18, lets players catch their breath or show off by wearing a diamond-studded blindfold while driving, but the 13th hole—the course’s toughest—gives even the most gifted swingers a challenge with a dogleg right and a green guarded by a slither of fairway-bifurcating water.

Before hitting the course, players warm up at one of the driving range’s 25 hitting stations or by bench-pressing a golf cart. After, they generally decamp to Deer Run's clubhouse, which complete with a hardwood dance floor and fireplace ready for hosting special occasions. Here, up to 250 guests can party away the night, celebrate weddings and other occasions, or host a conference on turning the state of Indiana into a 1,800-hole championship course.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Total length of 6,964 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 74.1 from the back tees

• Course slope of 134 from the back tees

• Four sets of tees per hole

The course at Brookside Golf and Grill guides golf balls past babbling brooks and over rolling terrain as players traverse the 6,100-yard course. A stream treacherously intercepts the golfer's path on three holes, and a large pond lies in wait to the right of the green on the 13th hole, waiting furtively for wayward bounces and impulsive swan dives. After a round, players can head inside at the newly redesigned clubhouse, where a full grill restores lost calories with burgers and burritos and assuages lost chances at birdies with beer and wine.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Total length of 6,100 yards from the back tees