via GoogleTraverse City
Traverse City is the Midwest's best major-architect lakeside golf destination, with four big-name designs (Nicklaus, Player, Palmer, Weiskopf) anchoring 7 courses in our catalog, $$ pricing, fly into TVC, best played May through October.
Grand Traverse Resort's Bear (Nicklaus) and Wolverine (Player) plus Shanty Creek's Legend (Palmer) and Cedar River (Weiskopf) deliver four major-architect courses in Traverse City. Crystal Downs and Kingsley Club are private. Pair with Arcadia Bluffs or BOYNE Golf for a week-long Lake Michigan trip.
What are the top golf courses in Traverse City?
7 courses
Traverse City has 7 courses in Scramble's catalog, anchored by Grand Traverse Resort - The Bear, Grand Traverse Resort - The Wolverine, and Shanty Creek - The Legend. Grand Traverse Resort - The Bear is nationally ranked, a destination-quality round on its own. All three play within a normal trip itinerary out of the same lodging base.
$$Grand Traverse Resort - The Bear
Jack Nicklaus (1985)
$$Grand Traverse Resort - The Wolverine
Gary Player (1999)
$$Shanty Creek - The Legend
Arnold Palmer (1985)
$$Shanty Creek - Cedar River
Tom Weiskopf (1999)
$$Grand Traverse Resort - Spruce Run
William Newcomb (1980)
$$A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort - Torch Course
Jerry Matthews (1973), Matthews II (2005)
$$The Mines Golf Course
Mike DeVries (2001)
Photos by Google
How much does a 3-round Traverse City golf trip cost?
A 3-round, 4-golfer trip to Traverse City runs about $1,245 per person with mid-range ($$) lodging. That covers 3 peak-season green fees, lodging at roughly two golfers per room, and a daily food + ground-transit allowance. Flights are excluded since they depend on your home airport. Adjust the round count, group size, or tier on the trip calculator to see how the number moves. See the full breakdown →
Where is Traverse City and how do I get there?
Traverse City sits in Michigan. The closest major airport is Traverse City (TVC), which serves as the primary hub for most visitors. Most groups fly into TVC, rent one or two SUVs, and base out of a single resort or hotel for the entire trip.
What's the best month for golf in Traverse City?
The strongest months for golf in Traverse City are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, based on 20-year playability scores combining temperature and precipitation. Traverse City averages a 28°F high in January and a 79°F high in July, so playable conditions cluster in the shoulder months. Book early in those windows. Rates and tee-time inventory tighten as the season firms up.
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Traverse City data is part of Scramble's catalog of 128 destinations and 971 independently researched courses. Weather data from 20 years of Open-Meteo; awards compiled from Golf Digest, Golfweek, and state-level rankings.
Published June 2026. Updated when the data or Scramble’s recommendations change.