KINGSLEY, Mich. -- The Kingsley Club, located in a remote setting 20 minutes south of Traverse City, is the second-best private club in northern Michigan, trailing only the legendary Crystal Downs Country Club in nearby Frankfort.
Did you know anybody can enjoy one of Michigan's premier courses with a simple phone call? The Kingsley Club will accept tee times made by phone from your PGA Professional.
Kingsley's architect, Mike DeVries, grew up playing Crystal Downs, so there are some subtle similarities. The Kingsley Club, a 6,956-yard par 71, plays firm and fast with all-fescue fairways, almost like an inland links. The terrain rolls nicely, with tilting greens sitting on hillsides or in natural bowls.
It takes a few rounds before you learn where to hit it (and miss it) on the five challenging par 3s.
The club's motto is "In the Spirit of the Game" because this special place is all about the fun and enjoyment of the game.
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The Kingsley Club opens with a fantastic par 5. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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Creative bunkering, like this hazard on the third hole, make the Kingsley Club unique. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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A mammoth green, rolling fairway with few flat lies and sheer length makes the fourth hole one of the toughest par 4s at the Kingsley Club in northern Michigan. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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The Kingsley Club's fifth green sits in a bowl, playing 222 yards from the tips. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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The Kingsley Club's par-4 sixth hole plays relatively easy if you hit the fairway. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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When the wind is in your face, the par-5 seventh hole at the Kingsley Club plays extremely difficult. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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A crater of a bunker sits in the middle of the eighth fairway at the Kingsley Club in Michigan. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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The 292-yard 13th hole at the Kingsley Club isn't reachable because it plays uphill. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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The green of the par-5 14th hole at the Kingsley Club is reachable for big hitters. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
