LOCATION: Mackinac Island ADDRESS: Mackinac Island, MI YARDAGE: 6,105 yards ARCHITECTS: Re-Design by Jerry Matthews YEAR OPENED: 1911 PHONE: (800) 33-GRAND WEB SITE: www.grandhotel.com

For the grandest of all Michigan golf experiences, travel to Mackinac Island. There, you’ll find an 18th-century British fortress, Fort
Mackinac, and a 19th-century national historic landmark ­— Grand Hotel — which features 18 of the most unique golf holes anywhere.  

What makes Grand Hotel a destination unlike any other? Perhaps it’s the world’s longest porch more than two football fields long; the 500,000-gallon Esther Williams swimming pool; or the 385 guest rooms, of which no two are alike. Each has been tastefully decorated in its own special style by New York interior designer Carleton Varney.

If golf is your passion, you’ll be suitably rewarded with a walk around The Jewel, Grand Hotel’s historic golf course. The Jewels’ original nine holes were shaped in 1901 according to the island’s land formations, and touched up in 1987. Seven years later, golf course architect Jerry Matthews was commissioned to add a back nine into the interior of the island. Matthews, a native Michigander, is particularly proud of having contributed to the historical significance of The Jewel.

Because motorized vehicles are prohibited on Mackinac Island, the experience of building and rebuilding a golf course there was unique. Players are escorted to the Woods nine via horse-drawn carriage. Views of the State of Michigan Governor’s residence, the Mackinac Bridge, Fort Mackinac and the Mackinac Island marina can be enjoyed from various points on the course.

Grand Hotel’s experience is no less spectacular once your round is over. In 2008 and 2009, Travel+Leisure magazine placed Grand Hotel on its list of Best Hotels in the World, while T+L Family deemed it one of the best resorts in the U.S. and Canada for parents and kids. Children 11 and under stay and eat free. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, hotel guests age five years and older can participate in children’s group programs during lunch and dinner.
The dining experience at Grand Hotel is unparalleled. A full breakfast and five-course dinner in the Main Dining Room are included daily, and other casual dining options are available.

Other popular guest activities include tennis, bicycling horseback riding, and shopping in both Grand Hotel and throughout the island. The hotel’s shops––a dozen in all––offer resort wear and accessories, fine art, jewelry, books, children’s toys and games, a full-service spa and more.

For more information and to make reservations, call 1-800-33-GRAND or visit www.grand hotel.com.