Harris, Michigan
Sweetgrass Golf Club blends resort polish with accessible public play, rolling out a striking parkland course shaped by bold template greens and Upper Midwest scenery. With immaculate conditioning, strategic risks, and a homegrown tournament legacy, Sweetgrass stakes its claim as a must-play stop for adventurous golfers.
After your round, seek out the sweetgrass braid in the clubhouse—a nod to the course’s name and local tribal tradition.
Sweetgrass Golf Club is a showcase of creative American parkland architecture, built on open land with subtle elevation, native fescue, and enough water to keep golfers alert. Designer Paul Albanese paired striking modern flexibility with a nod to classic golf template holes: the Redan, Biarritz, island green, and a memorable double-green shape the round’s most exciting moments. Wide fairways offer inviting tee shots, but dramatic green contours, strategic bunkering, and sudden shotmaking demands make for a feast of risk and reward. No major redesigns have diluted its vision, and its identity remains that of a place where the mind—and the wedge—are always engaged.
Paul Albanese’s layout pushes golfers to think and create, using bold greens and classic strategies in a contemporary, scenic resort setting.
A short iron shot over marsh and native grasses to a perched green, this hole tests both nerve and club selection with tricky wind and a demanding target. Flanked by hazards front and sides, it rewards an accurate, well-judged approach.
Choose a club that holds the green to avoid runoffs, and favor the fat side to take double out of play.
A short miss is swallowed by trouble; firm green edges repel anything tentative.
Firm, meticulously groomed fairways and fast, imaginative greens.
Solid pace typical for a top resort course; efficient even during tournament season.
Upbeat, spirited, and welcoming—with the air of a destination golf stop.
Standard resort golf attire recommended.
Bundle your tee times with the Island Resort for package savings and the best access.
Read up on Redan and Biarritz green strategies to sharpen your approach play.
Upper Peninsula weather shifts quickly—layers and rain gear are smart insurance.
Sweetgrass Golf Club opens, designed by Paul Albanese
Hosts first Island Resort Championship, an Epson Tour annual event
Named Michigan Golf Course of the Year
Wins National Golf Course of the Year by NGCOA
Epson Tour event sets scoring record, continuing tournament legacy
Developed with the Island Resort & Casino and Hannahville Indian Community, Sweetgrass represents a collaborative leap for the local economy and golf travelers. The original design by Paul Albanese fuses regional lore with modern resort ambition.
Since 2011, Sweetgrass has hosted the Island Resort Championship, drawing the Epson Tour’s best and putting its firm conditions into sharp relief. The course has witnessed dramatic scoring swings as players take on bold approaches in view of the marshes and pines.
Albanese’s embrace of Redan and Biarritz concepts means every round is a short-game test as well as a visual treat. Greens shaped with intention force golfers to plot and shape shots, rewarding creativity in approach play.
Once an outlier for destination golf, the Upper Peninsula now flashes championship credentials thanks to Sweetgrass’s acclaim and playability. Its rise brought new eyes—and new players—to an unsung golf region.
‘Sweetgrass’ refers to a sacred plant woven by local Native American tribes and visible around the course.
The course features template-inspired greens rarely found in Michigan, such as Redan and Biarritz complexes.
Sweetgrass has hosted the Island Resort Championship on the Epson Tour every year since 2011.
A double green at Sweetgrass mirrors famous Old Course design elements in a new setting.
Dramatic terrain and a modern test—Albanese’s other U.P. original.
Spectacular elevation, boulders, and wild views—arguably Michigan’s most memorable public course.
Award-winning design with true northwoods charm, just under an hour away.
The Island Resort & Casino in Harris for maximum convenience and easy twilight replay.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: If Sweetgrass Golf Club is your kind of course, Barefoot Resort – Love Course is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. The Links at Perry Cabin a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Sweetgrass Golf Club.
Why it matches: Miakka Golf Club is a natural next stop after Sweetgrass Golf Club: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Community Sentiment
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