A few years ago, it was a foregone conclusion the struggling Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire would close. There is an article on MichiganGolf.com from 2004 that starts nailing the coffin.

But having visited Shanty Creek Resorts this week (they’ve added an ’s’ on the end of ‘resort’ to highlight its three separate villages), things look very promising. New ownership and management is pumping in tons of money and new ideas to put the resort back in the conversation of Michigan’s best ski and golf resorts.

Shanty’s four golf courses suffered mightily over the last few years, lacking the resources to keep them in decent condition as the resort simply struggled to survive. Today, they are back in the shape the courses deserve, most notably the Legend and Cedar River.

Cedar River, a Tom Weiskopf design, is among the prettiest courses I’ve played in Michigan and is great fun to play. It’s got a little of that front nine at Forest Dunes feel to it, albeit with more elevation change (and it’s a tad easier, too).

$10 million will go into renovating the Summit Lodge over the next year to put it back in its place as one of the north’s best hotels and conference centers.

The resort is also offering plenty of incredible deals all season in hopes of bringing people back who may have been turned off over the last few years, and visitors this summer receive an exclusive offer to a $79 package including lodging, unlimited golf and dining credit this fall.

Plenty more on northern Michigan at WorldGolf.com & MichiganGolf.com coming soon.

Grounds crews are hard at work at Cedar River, helping restore it to one of northern Michigan’s top courses.