THE ROCK ON DRUMMOND ISLAND (906-493-1006)
Michigan Golf Course Review 7/26/06
Visitors to the Drummond Island Resort are treated to a serene escape featuring a rustic but dramatic golf
environment, along with amenities that will satisfy the inklings of serious golfers and families alike. The resort
features comfortable hotel style accommodations, with in-room refrigerators, televisions with cable, and coffee
makers standard. Besides championship golf - tennis, sand volleyball, boating and fishing are available during
the spring/summer/fall, and skiing plus other activities keep the resort hopping during winter months. Free
bicycles and movies are also offered to guests. There is a 9-lane bowling alley which hosts the Pins Restaurant,
presenting a variety of casual fare. The Bayside Restaurant a mile away is a gourmet eatery open daily for
dinner and Thursday - Sunday for lunch, and offers the best cuisine on the island. Also on property are a outdoor
pool with Jacuzzi, and a spacious sauna that is available for guests 24 hours a day. For more info on the resort, visit our page for Drummond Island, with link to their website by clicking here.
Golf facilities include a clubhouse with pro shop and bar, small fitness center with some weight machines, plus
grass driving range and practice green. A putting course was under construction during our late July 2006 visit.
The pro shop features a wide array of golf bags, accessories and attire. Service is fast and friendly, directing
players to the first tee or practice area, which necessitates a cart ride of about 1 and-1/2 miles through thickly forested terrain.
This is about as serene as it gets. There are very few residences along the golf course routing, which traverses
beautiful terrain frequented by families of deer and other native wildlife. Ponds and streams attract abundant
water fowl and ad to this aesthetically pleasing environment, while also presented daunting challenges to golfers.
Rustic cart paths wind along rolling fairways that are lined with matures cedars and pines.
Thirty three sand bunkers dot the fairways and green complexes, and 8 holes have water in play in some shape
or form. The front nine is replete with natural ponds and marshes that squeeze the landing zones off the tees, or
make approaches to the medium to large size, mildly undulating putting complexes an exacting science. Land on
the greens in regulation and good scores can be had - miss and up and downs can be a tricky business.
Generally speaking, there is sufficient room on the rather generous fairways, but good iron play is necessary as many green complexes present thick forest immediately behind and on both sides.
This is a thinking golfer's design, as driver is not always the prudent play. The back side features an abundance
of doglegs that require accurate lay-ups to preferred landing areas that afford a straight shot at the green. Four
holes on the back side bend to the right, while two of the par fours (numbers 13 and 17) turn right to left off the
tee. The 150 yard stake is a good target on these doglegs. Each par four and five also have 100 and 200 yard
markers on the rye fairways, and sprinklers heads are measured to the center of the green. Color coded flags indicate front, middle or back hole locations.
There are some significant uphill approaches that require accurate iron play, so distance and control are of
importance. There are 2 par threes and 2 par fives on the back, while the front side has one par five and plays to a par 35.
On our late July visit, we had the opportunity to become familiar with the layout as we were able to experience 4
complete rounds. Course knowledge is of great value here....those staying on a multiple night package will have
the opportunity to play several rounds, which makes the experience here all the more enjoyable. The more we played here - the more we enjoyed the design.
We saw more deer on the Rock than any other course we have ever played. They are quite tame - used to
human presence, and provide ample photo opportunities. We highly recommend this golf course, and we also
suggest a stay of two or more days at the resort. There are beaches nearby, and the drive and boat ride are an
experience worth enjoying. For more information on the Rock, visit our page with direct link to their own website by clicking here.
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