CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB
Betsie Valley Course (231-378-2000) x 4000
Michigan Golf Course Review
General information
Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville just SW of the Traverse City resort area, is a full service golf resort featuring 36 holes of 4-star golf with a variety of lodging options that rank with the finest in the Midwest. The golf school and junior golf academy have been recognized nationally and rank with some of the finest facilities in the country. Crystal Mountain is a
four-season resort featuring upscale amenities including dining, fitness facilities, banquet/outing space, and the award-winning Crystal Spa. In addition to golf, the resort offers
outdoor recreation such as the outdoor pool and water playground, hiking, biking, tennis and more. For info on the resort and stay and play packages, visit the properties' website by clicking here.
The Mountain Ridge and Betsie Valley courses are serviced by the same clubhouse, which features a well stocked pro shop, grill and lounge. The 10-acre practice facilities are
very comprehensive and include a targeted grass range, short game area with sand bunkers plus putting greens. Both courses are well marked with 150 yard stakes in the
fairways, 100, 150 and 200 yardage plaques, as well as color coded flags that indicate front, middle and back pin placements.
BETSIE VALLEY COURSE
Betsie Valley is the original design at Crystal Mountain and recently underwent significant renovations in 2022. The contoured fairways with narrow approaches are a bit more
forgiving now, but you'll still have to be more strategic off the tee as you approach a variety of green complexes. Most of the greens are quite accessible, with open fronts and mild
bunkering. These traditional putting surfaces are usually small in size, making accurate approach shots especially vital. It is important to note, that golfers who have played Betsie
Valley in past years, will find the two nines reversed. This means players will begin their round with a short but challenging par five with water in play on both sides of the winding
fairway.
The back side begins with the original opening hole – also a short par five that plays probably 75 yards longer due to the severe uphill nature of the tee shot. Water hazards come
into play on 8 holes, and sand bunkering is understated with just 22 traps strategically located near the landing zones and putting complexes. Landscaped waste areas also are
present on par four 3rd and 6th holes. Similar to the Mountain Ridge course, the partial cart paths allow golfers to drive directly to their ball. In Contrast to the Mountain Ridge,
Betsie Valley is a shorter course that allows golfers to skip the cart and enjoy a round of golf solely by foot.
Five sets of tee boxes play to distances and slopes measuring 6527 yards/136 slope, 5941 yards/124 slope for men and 139 slope for women, 5716 yards/122 slope for men and
135 slop for women, 5397 years with a slope of 120 for men and 129 for women, plus a 4791 yard tee that has a slope of 102 for men and 121 for women. This is a fun and
playable layout and a good course for resort golfers. For more info, visit our page for the course with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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