Bay Harbor Golf Club, The Links/Quarry Course, Bay Harbor, Michigan ? The ``King of Northern Michigan Golf,'' According to Golf Digest; The ``Pebble Beach of the Midwest'' According to GOLF Magazine

The semi-private Bay Harbor Golf Club opened in 1998 and quickly moved to the top of the rankings for Michigan and national golf destinations. Built on the site of a former limestone quarry and cement factory along the shores of Lake Michigan and Little Traverse Bay, Bay Harbor is considered the crown jewel of Boyne USA's 172-hole golf empire.

The Bay Harbor Golf Club consists of three, nine-hole courses, with The Links and The Quarry considered the most picturesque of the Arthur Hills designs. The Links Course plays to 3,432 yards, is more "wide open,'' and never strays far from the shorelines of Lake Michigan and Little Traverse Bay.

The layout is fashioned after the windswept shorelines typical of Scottish links-style golf courses, while providing golfers with some scenic views they'll never forget. The bunkers are not pot bunkers, per se, but the sand traps can still be deep and penalizing, while huge fairways are bordered by the customary entangling heather/gorse grasses.

The Quarry Course is considered the most challenging of the three nines, and it was the site of the Shell's Wonderful World of Golf special challenge between Phil Mickelson and Tom Lehman. The course is cut from a former quarry and is said to be "one of the unique and visually spectacular stages for golf you'll find anywhere.''

The course plays to 3,348 yards, with features such as 40-foot rock walls juxtaposed against lush, green fairways. It's been said that golfers must be wary of losing a ball at any turn, with eight tee shots and six of the nine approach shots requiring forced carries.

One of the more noteworthy holes on The Links Course is hole No. 7, which has been described as "the closest thing to Pebble Beach this side of the Rocky Mountains.'' This hole is situated on cliffs 150 feet above the waters of Lake Michigan, and the fairway winds back and forth until reaching a two-tiered green set against the cliffs.

On The Quarry Course, every hole has been described as unique. But the finishing three holes all play toward the water and are some of the most scenic on the course. No. 7 features a forced carry off the tee to a fairway with a bunker at its center. No. 8 plays 172 yards downhill to a peninsula green bordered by Lake Michigan. And hole No. 9 runs along the cliffs above the water, with a fairway that drops 30-40 feet for a dramatic conclusion to the round.

Since opening, the Bay Harbor Golf Club has received many accolades, including being ranked #8 among the "Top 100 Courses in America'' by GOLF Magazine, and receiving a 5-Star rating from Golf Digest. It has also been called the "King of Northern Michigan Golf,'' and "The Pebble Beach of the Midwest'' by those same publications.

Practice facilities include a driving range with several rows of hitting stations, along with several practice greens. A spacious clubhouse is home to a Pro Shop, along with dining options, such as Arthur's 27 for elegant dining, and the Links Grille for casual pub fare. The Preserve Room is also available for private dining.