Course Info:
- The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort
- Traverse City, MI
- Public
- 6600 yards (Blue Tees) / Par 72
- Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, Built 1985
- Website
Review
Nominative Determinism is the theory that people (or things) tend to gravitate towards lines of work that align with their names. The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort would be case-in-point if anyone was to apply that theory to golf courses.
As its name suggests, the Bear is a beast of a course, one that can be equal parts wild, enthralling, and vicious. It’s a course that is unusual in the part of the country that it resides, not resembling its Michigan counterparts. While not a perfect course, from a pure enjoyment standpoint, the Bear earns my respect for its grandeur, challenge, and rarity.
The bear isn’t insanely long by modern standards, having its Blue/White combo tees playing just a touch over 6300 yards, but as some in my playing group encountered, the length isn’t the obstacle. The Bear throws visual deception, undulation, distinct penalty areas, and blind shots at you all the way through the 18 holes.
Starting with #1, which is a handshake of a 1st tee shot with a fairway as wide as could be. As a microcosm of what you are about to embark on, the 2nd shot on #1 gives you just about everything to worry about. Bunkers short and long, large mounds to carry, and several steep slopes on the green itself. Hit it in the wrong place and an 8 is waiting around the corner. As you move your way through the opening holes, the course’s individuality shines through. With massive drop offs just off the fairway, to the fortress-like wall that protects the front of #4, a short parr-three, the Bear is relentless in its mission to deceive and frighten.
Some of the most memorable shots take place on the many holes that seem to snake and bend their way around large ponds and water areas, forcing you to either commit to your shot and try to stick it close, or take your medicine and play for safety. The Bear forces you to be good with the mid-to-long irons and be good around the greens, as there are plenty of obstacles that reject your ball from landing safely on the putting surface.
Coming back the clubhouse, #18 is a gorgeous finishing hole, playing straight back to the clubhouse. When playing in a large group, the area long of 18’s green offers a perfect spot for a crowd to gather and cheer your buddies on (or heckle them) as they hit their final approaches.
The course feels like an up-north course, and if you’re from Michigan you know exactly what that means. For you out-of-towners, its a course that seems to be carved from out of the pine forrest, and secluded from the rest of the world at times.
The Bear is a beast of a course that demands as much caution as its namesake, although with some sensible shots and some game around the greens, good scores are available to be had.
The course is not perfect, however. Firstly, as a resort course, there’s a decent possibility that those playing aren’t going to be scratch golfers. For those at higher handicaps, the Bear is going to be a major challenge and one that could even get downright frustrating. Its a course that will eat golf balls, and have you going through packs of them throughout the day, if you’re not careful.
With some minor tweaks, I think the course could be more inviting, yet still challenging for all skill levels. First off, the course has amazing undulation and spectacular mounds that encase so many of the greens on the course. The issue I have with them, is that they are both too far away from the greens themselves, and are not mowed short-enough. With mounding closer to the greens, and slightly thinner rough, those who aren’t pinpoint accurate can bounce and run shots off the mounds and have fun hitting into stadium-like greens. Additionally, this would also demand slightly more accuracy from those more skilled players, as hitting an errant shot over the mounds could leave tricky approaches around the greens.
As shown by Scottish courses, and talked about by Andy Johnson here, surrounds of the green can add variety, excitement and allow from creativity, or they can stifle it.
Secondly, and this is less of a fault of the course, and more-so geographic, but with the course often being “links-y” in many ways, there isn’t much opportunity to play the ground game and run the ball along the spectacular features. The course often plays too target golf for my liking. The trickle-down effect is the reduction in shot value, as you tend to hit the same 6 or 7-iron over water into a tucked pin, many many times during the round. Again, firming up some of the run-ups and approaches could allow for more creativity and imagination.
All in all, The Bear is a unique, bubbling course that demands a lot from its players. It has quirk, challenge, incredible views, and a collection of exception holes. With some tweaks to the playability and shot-value factor, the course could really carve out an identity of fun, imaginative golf in Northern Michigan. If you want to find a place to stay-and-play in the area, The Bear is a top choice.
Two Off the First 