Treetops Resort, Masterpiece Course, Gaylord, Michigan - a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Design at One of the Best Golf Resorts in the Nation

Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan is the home of five different golf courses, all designed by renowned golf-course architects. The Masterpiece Course was the first of the five to open in 1987, and is the design of Robert Trent Jones, Sr.

The Masterpiece Course is said to derive its name from the moment when Jones was first surveying the property. As he and owner Harry Melling stood atop the hill that would become the 6th tee, overlooking the Pigeon River Valley, Jones envisioned his "Masterpiece.'' As the story goes, Jones also suggested the name "Treetops'' for what was at that time the Sylvan Knob Ski Area.

The Masterpiece Course features a number of the hallmarks associated with golf in Northern Michigan, including rolling terrain, lots of trees and some beautiful scenery, including views of up to 30 miles. The course also is known for its large greens (averaging more than 6,000 square feet), challenging pin placements and elevation changes. There's also no shortage of hazards, from water to sand to deep ravines, and the greens are known for not offering much room for error on approach shots.

The 18-hole, par-72 championship course plays to 7,060 yards from the Black tees, with a USGA rating of 75.5 and a slope rating of 144, making it one of the tougher courses in the state and true to designer Jones' motto, "Hard par, easy bogey.'' The Masterpiece plays to a much more manageable 6,399 yards from the Blues and 5,817 from the Whites, and it's not uncommon for the staff to recommend golfers play one tee shorter than normal on this course.

The more noteworthy holes on this course are many, including the opening hole, which is considered one of the best opening holes in the state. The par-5 hole plays to 524 yards, but a good drive will find the downhill side of the fairway. A pond guards the front of a wide, narrow green, giving golfers pause if they're thinking of getting on in two.

It's been said that course designer Jones was the first golf architect to envision the concept of a "signature'' hole, and the signature hole at the Masterpiece is No. 6, where the course and resort name were born. The tee box for the par-3 hole sits 120 feet higher than the putting surface, and golfers will find themselves looking down at the treetops as they take aim at the green.

Holes 7, 8, and 9 all incorporate the headwaters of the Pigeon River, and comprise some of the most scenic on the course. Hole No. 8 is a long par-4 that plays downhill through a funnel of trees to a 44-yard-long peninsular green surrounded by water. And, just to change things up, Hole No. 9 features an island tee box.

The accolades and honors the course has received include 4.5 Stars among "Places to Play'' in 2008 and a ranking at #56 among "America's Top 75 Golf Resorts'' in 2006. The course is also home of one of the finest instructional programs in the nation, the Rick Smith Golf Academy.

The Masterpiece course has its own clubhouse and pro shop, and the resort also features two restaurants, as well as a Conference Center.