Black Lake punches above its weight with a championship-caliber Rees Jones design routed through northern Michigan woods, bogs, and sand. It’s a must for serious golfers on a northern Michigan trip, delivering both strategic muscle and natural drama.
Check out the tribute mural to labor and golf inside the Conference Center—an unexpected window into the course’s UAW roots.
Black Lake Golf Club is a true testament to modern championship design, blending Rees Jones’s big-shouldered shaping with the subtlety of northern Michigan's natural features. Each hole is meticulously routed through mature woods, over sandy ridges, and along marshy bogs, creating an experience both visually dramatic and strategically engaging. Jones’s design doesn’t just ask for length—it demands positional play, awareness of angles, and discipline, with tiered and protected greens punishing sloppy approaches. The result is a course that rewards thoughtful golf and offers memorable moments from the first tee through the closing stretch.
Rees Jones leveraged the land’s natural diversity—sand, bog, woods, and elevation shifts—to craft a course that feels as challenging as it is immersive, with each hole capitalizing on its setting for maximum drama and playability.
A long par 4 that doglegs through dense woods, demanding both precision and power off the tee before a challenging approach to a protected green.
Play conservatively off the tee to find the fairway, then attack from the optimal angle for the safest entry to the tiered green.
Errant drives bring woods and tough angles into play, and approach shots that miss right or left will find deep bunkers or tangled rough.
Excellent resort conditioning, smooth greens, and well-groomed fairways; expect consistent surfaces even in shoulder seasons.
Full championship routing; allow for a four-plus-hour round, with pace depending on tee choice and skill level.
Upscale destination feel with a relaxed northern Michigan atmosphere—serious golf set among natural tranquility.
Standard golf attire; collared shirts recommended, no denim.
Secure your tee time early in peak season, as local events and regional draws can fill slots quickly.
Northern Michigan mornings can be cool and damp even in summer—bring extra layers and rain gear just in case.
With several hefty par 3s and long approaches, bring your best hybrids or long irons and practice shots from 175–225 yards.
Take a moment on the first tee to review carry distances—the sand, bogs, and layup zones can be deceptive to first-timers.
Course opens as a new Rees Jones original design for the UAW Black Lake Conference Center.
Named to Golf Digest America's 100 Greatest Public courses.
Achieves peak ranking of No. 25 on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public list.
Ranked No. 34 on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Courses in America.
Remains in top 15 courses in Michigan.
Last appearance on the national top-100-public list; maintains state-top-15 status.
Black Lake’s very existence owes itself to the labor movement: it was built for the United Auto Workers as a championship-level getaway, a rarity among America’s elite public courses. This unique origin infuses the club with a distinctive character and mission.
Several of Black Lake's most memorable holes were routed alongside a reclaimed sand quarry, creating visually arresting shots and penal sandy waste that challenge club selection and course management. It’s where the ground game meets northern Michigan charm.
Rees Jones himself called Black Lake 'well worth the drive,' and true to its reputation, golfers journey hours north for a round set amidst cranberry bogs, natural marsh, and glacial landforms. The remote setting only heightens the satisfaction of conquering its bold layout.
Despite its daunting length, Black Lake’s wide fairways and playable routing mean reward for strategy over brute strength. It's a versatile test that lets golfers bite off as much as they can handle across multiple tee options.
Black Lake was built specifically for the United Auto Workers Conference Center, a unique pedigree among elite courses.
The course has ranked as high as No. 25 among America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses.
Part of the routing traverses a reclaimed sand quarry—rare for northern Michigan courses.
Cranberry bogs and natural marsh lend both beauty and hazard to the course’s character.
It is often described as one of the best value-for-quality destination courses in the Midwest.
Showcases spectacular elevation changes and is regularly ranked among Michigan’s best.
A nearby, fun public layout with a relaxed vibe—great for a second round without much travel.
Another Gaylord-area highlight that combines playability with some creative shotmaking.
For those with access, it offers a high-end, exclusive northern Michigan golf experience.
Offers excellent variety and another flavor of the Treetops experience.
Stay in Gaylord for the best cluster of options and amenities, or Onaway for shortest drives to Black Lake.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Portsmouth Country Club's own setting.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Reynolds Lake Oconee – the Landing's own setting.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Dunes Golf and Beach Club's own setting.
Community Sentiment
See something inaccurate in this listing?