Betsie Valley golf course renovations begin

Golf course construction has started on the front nine of Betsie Valley, one of Crystal Mountain’s two golf courses.

The improvements were designed by renowned golf course architect A. John Harvey Golf Course Design, LLC, will improve the player experience on the course.

Holes four and five, the tee complex for eight, the approach to the eighth green, and the ninth tee complex have been redesigned. Golf Course Construction will be completed by the end of July; then golf course superintendent Jason Farah and his team take over to work on the grow-in process.

“We’re always looking for enhancements to keep our golf courses in pristine condition. It’s part of the culture at Crystal Mountain,” Farah said. “We have reopened up some windows on the course, which will lead to healthier greens, tees, fairways and rough, and frame beautiful views.”

Play will continue throughout golf course construction, though there will be some modifications. Temporary tees will be set up on holes eight and nine, a temporary green will be used on eight, and a temporary golf cart path will be created along the wood line from eight to nine. This will allow crews from Great Lakes Golf Construction to work safely over the next few weeks while allowing golfers to continue play.

The project coincides with a three-year forestry management plan aimed at keeping the forests healthy and mitigate risk from wildfires.

Betsie Valley Renovations: At-a-Glance

• Redesign of holes No. 4 and No. 5: The renovation of these holes includes extensive waste bunkering accented with fescue grasses and Kentucky bluegrass throughout.

• Renovation of the tee complex on No. 8: Construction on the tee complex on the eighth hole will create five new tee boxes, as well as restoration of a small area behind the green on the seventh hole.

• Revamping the approach on No. 8 green to the No. 9 tees: As golfers hit their second shots on No. 8, they’ll have a wider landing zone thanks to a shift of the fairway to the right side of the green. This allows for a wider approach to the green, making the hole more playable.

• New No. 9 tee complex: Redirecting the golf cart path will create a flowing turfgrass transition into the new ninth tee complex. The tees will have some elevation from the back to the front and include four new tee boxes.