Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - The Bear Course
About
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 72 | 7078 yards | 76.1 | 150 |
Blue | 72 | 6601 yards | 73.3 | 147 |
Blue/White | 72 | 6347 yards | 72.0 | 144 |
White | 72 | 6122 yards | 71.1 | 139 |
White (W) | 72 | 6122 yards | 77.8 | 150 |
White/Yellow | 72 | 5688 yards | 69.2 | 134 |
White/Yellow (W) | 72 | 5688 yards | 74.9 | 145 |
Yellow | 72 | 5281 yards | 67.0 | 128 |
Yellow (W) | 72 | 5281 yards | 73.1 | 139 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 76.1/150 | 393 | 451 | 528 | 194 | 413 | 532 | 423 | 386 | 181 | 3501 | 505 | 421 | 413 | 167 | 390 | 543 | 451 | 220 | 467 | 3577 | 7078 |
Blue M: 73.3/147 | 364 | 407 | 528 | 151 | 376 | 532 | 364 | 386 | 168 | 3276 | 505 | 364 | 367 | 150 | 390 | 543 | 391 | 188 | 427 | 3325 | 6601 |
Blue/White M: 72.0/144 | 364 | 390 | 472 | 151 | 376 | 471 | 364 | 386 | 168 | 3142 | 505 | 364 | 355 | 150 | 347 | 543 | 367 | 188 | 386 | 3205 | 6347 |
White M: 71.1/139 W: 77.8/150 | 340 | 390 | 472 | 135 | 376 | 471 | 364 | 351 | 142 | 3041 | 446 | 364 | 355 | 134 | 347 | 494 | 367 | 188 | 386 | 3081 | 6122 |
White/Yellow M: 69.2/134 | 340 | 346 | 472 | 135 | 336 | 435 | 364 | 351 | 117 | 2896 | 446 | 304 | 301 | 134 | 347 | 427 | 324 | 155 | 354 | 2792 | 5688 |
White/Red W: 74.9/145 | 340 | 346 | 472 | 135 | 336 | 435 | 364 | 351 | 117 | 2896 | 446 | 304 | 301 | 134 | 347 | 427 | 324 | 155 | 354 | 2792 | 5688 |
Yellow M: 67.0/128 | 301 | 346 | 425 | 98 | 336 | 435 | 328 | 271 | 117 | 2657 | 375 | 304 | 301 | 93 | 291 | 427 | 324 | 155 | 354 | 2624 | 5281 |
Red W: 73.1/139 | 301 | 346 | 425 | 98 | 336 | 435 | 328 | 271 | 117 | 2657 | 375 | 304 | 301 | 93 | 291 | 427 | 324 | 155 | 354 | 2624 | 5281 |
Handicap | 11 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 10 | |||
Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Handicap (W) | 13 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 4 |
Course Details
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Practice/Instruction
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Available Facilities
Banquet Facilities, SpaAvailable Activities
SwimmingReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by u183373765 on 09/08/2023
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Photo submitted by u183373765 on 09/08/2023
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Photo submitted by u183373765 on 09/08/2023
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Photo submitted by u183373765 on 09/08/2023
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Photo submitted by u183373765 on 09/08/2023
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Photo submitted by u183373765 on 09/08/2023
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Great Group! Photo submitted by Curleron on 06/04/2023
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The Bear's third hole. Photo submitted by JasonDeeganGA on 09/07/2021
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Number 18 from the tee box. Photo submitted by Trent7888405 on 07/09/2021
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Number 15 with a treacherous pin. Photo submitted by Trent7888405 on 07/09/2021
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Photo submitted by Jonathon4403245 on 07/28/2020
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Photo submitted by jastwhit on 06/26/2020
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Photo submitted by cjohnbrown on 10/07/2019
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Photo submitted by cjohnbrown on 10/07/2019
Tough course with lots of variety
After playing The Wolverine Course here at the Grand Traverse Resort, I was surprised at how much more difficult The Bear course played from its neighbor - even from the forward tees! Every hole seemed quite different from the last with different challenges to boot but even struggling through hot temperatures , the variety of hole layouts kept it fun. The first hole on The Bear is the only somewhat easy par, but only if you can avoid the moguls. After that, pars are much trickier to come by thanks to multi-tiered greens, deep, difficult bunkers and lots of thick waste areas and water, The forced carries and /or water hazards are visually intimidating on most holes but particularly on 14 and 18. This beautiful finishing hole plays downhill back to the clubhouse with another carry over water to a large green.
Great course
Golf course was in excellent shape. Greens were perfect . We had a beautiful day in mid September with 70 degrees. Was a joy to play
A gem in the north
This is one of the best courses I have played in MI. Everybody tells you it is very difficult. It is not. It just asks you to think before you hit. A gasoline cart in such a beautiful environment led to one star less in my overall rating. Its OK to pay the green fee they ask, but 7$ for a small bucket of range balls is too much, especially when the range is not in good condition. A little bit of touch up here and there and it is a real 5 star.
Golf outing on Friday at 4:30 start? No wonder it was only $29 Bargain on Jacks diabolical beast
Well, I woke up Friday morning, September 8, and said wow look at 29 bucks to play the bear! Well, yeah, it was like 4:50 in the afternoon starting time which was late and I did not think we would probably get done but we did get done but the reason it was so cheap was it was behind a group of outings that started at 4:30. Can’t believe they started that late from some floor covering company. But anyway, the wife and I enjoyed it overall she was a little Upset that it was so tough I mean come on look at some of those holes over the lakes for women 350 yard par for for a senior lady. Give me a break anyway yeah I enjoyed it the guy in the Alden group in front of us was a cool dude he gave us some free beer put because we put up with , such slow play. Anyway, the homeowner on the 11th holes, a real jack butt hole because his property goes right up to the car path and my ball was just on his property and I could not out of his property because I did not pay to play out of his property. What a jerk anyway I think the course is a little overrated it there’s no way I would pay 150 bucks or whatever the heck they charge here but for 29 bucks year was a blast to play. I’m glad I did we just got done before dark if I ever came across a deal like that again I would play it for sure but the wife has played wants to know that’s it for her.
Anyway, the motels are outrageously expensive $400 for the Cambria motel. Give me a break it’s a comfort suites deluxe. It should be about 100 150 max but with my free points it was good all all good time I did play the wolverine five years ago in October for $25 and that was noisier along the highways of 31 and 72 of the bears a little quieter But yeah, bring her and get a game if you think you’re gonna break par from the tips at a 150 slope rating because it’s a beast
Diabolically bear traps tricked up # 5 unfair but for $29 followers of an outing neat one time
Well, I woke up this morning saw that the bear was on T off for 29 bucks and for that price I thought well I’ll wait till 445 almost 5 o’clock at night. Hopefully we can get done in three hours 3 1/2 or so, and we just about that we were behind some stupid outing which was slower than molasses But anyway we got done this course is a beast sand traps, cooler mounds, some boys shots, water everywhere swamps everywhere geese geese everywhere carries long carries just a total tricked up one and done for us. It’s just too much but the price was right for us were we would never pay over $100 like most people pay here Ridiculous . Anyway we had a good time I got done and we played the bear finally after living in Michigan 32 years so and we got a nice free motel too so it’s all good up in the ritzy traverse area where people are paying $300 a night for a motel. I don’t know what this world is coming too. It’s crazy.
The Bear - Not easy, but lots of fun
The Bear is a great course, and was in great condition. It is a difficult course, but fair, with lots of heavy rough, bunkers, and fast greens. A pleasure to play!
Really good and really difficult
What a great course! Greens perfect. Layout interesting but tough. Add at least 5 shots to your normal score. Probably more. I’ll be back to try and tame the Bear! But not this time.
reat Experiance
Check in Fast and efficient. Great warmup area, High quality carts. Concessions there when you needed them, Staff was very friendly and helpful.
Great Course, but can be difficult, pick the right tees
And buy a yardage book if they have one. This course would be much more playable if it had GPS, but it does not. I have played here a few times and still struggled to know exactly where to hit the ball. I hit it exactly has I wanted and where I wanted only to find it in trouble.
Fortunately we paired up with another twosome part way through the round and they were very helpful.
Great condition and perfect weather made for a great time. I will be back.
More target golf holes than links golf holes
Difficult but fair course. Must hit fairways to score well here. The rough is basically half-stroke penalty. Lots of water hazards, especially on par 3s. No easy up & downs if you miss the greens, very severe bunkering. Greens were not nearly as difficult as I was expecting, but still pretty soft and not firm and fast. Will play again in Fall when The Bear fully awakened from hibernation.
Pace of play
Slow play made it unlovable. 5and a half hours on a Wednesday, ridiculous
Bear Tough
Perfect, 67° September afternoon.
Nice, pro shop. Very pleasant starter and course ranger.
The Course - Bring your A game, you will need to have your best sharp shooting skills with your irons to every green.
You will shoot a higher score than your home course.