press reslease header 2021

Press Releases

Belvedere Greens in Northern Michigan, Among the Country's Best by William Watson

Belvedere Greens in Northern Michigan, Among the Country's Best by William Watson

BELVEDERE GREENS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN, AMONG THE COUNTRY’S BEST BY WILLIAM WATSON

When it comes to ranking the best green complexes in the country, the first courses that come to mind are always Augusta National, Oakmont, Oakland Hills, Winged Foot, and even Crystal Downs in Northern Michigan. Well, another course in Northern Michigan can also claim to be part of that conversation, Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Mich.
belvedere greens
 
In 2016, officials discovered Watson’s original 1925 plans during a local building demolition. The plans revealed how the green complexes used to be much larger with more slope around the edges. Club officials took immediate action.

Course architect Bruce Hepner of Hepner Golf Design, who had been working with Tom Doak’s Renaissance Golf on subtle renovations of Belvedere for the past decade, used the long-lost blueprints as a basis to restore the greens to their original size and shaping. The greens are now notably popular among golfers. And while they essentially shrunk over time, much more was revealed during the restoration process.

“The drawings validated what was in the field,” says Hepner. “You could see the outlines or the actual shaping of the greens -- the plateaus were out that far. You could also see that the greens had shrunk that much. When I first started working there 20 years ago making modifications to the course, they were like small little circles inside these big rectangular greens. We did the green restorations in two phases -- starting by mowing the surrounds, and early on expanding the greens as much as we could. Then once we saw those drawings, it validated that the greens went out that far on those field pads. So that definitely gave us the guide.” 
 
Hepner says it's the variety that mabelvedere greens 2kes the greens unique, citing that Watson accomplished three key things at Belvedere. First, he found great green sites with plenty of variety -- some are high up on ridges, some are low, some are side hill. For instance, the first hole falls to the left, the 16th to the right, and the 12th falls away. Secondly, the shaping around each green site made each one unique. 
 
“Here’s the brilliant part of it: When you have a hillside green, you don't want the water coming off the hillside under the green,” says Hepner. “So, he created drainage swales around each green site, and used them in different ways to create interest and variety to divert the water away from the greens while also creating interesting contours in the shaping. Like at the 11th green, he's got a swale going around the right-hand side about 30 yards out in the approach and then through the left side of the green he brought the swale in the green and then has it exit out the front left. And that just gave all these interesting looks and varieties of putting surfaces, just by using swales and the surrounding shaping.” 
 
“Finally, there’s variety to the internal contours. Every green has a distinctive personality. Says Hepner: “You go from the giant 18th green that has probably 10 little moguls in it to the little 16th green that's devilishly hanging out up there that the ball can roll off in any direction, or the 8th hole, a great uphill par 3 utilizing a skyline green with the putting surface as the horizon with several bumps and fall offs around it. So it's the variety in all different categories that Watson applied that makes it feel special.” 
 
 
That made Hepner’s job relatively easy. He used a paint gun to define where the original greens were, belvedere greens3and then it was a matter of mowing the greens down at a slow pace over three years -- from collar height and then gradually lower -- to get them down to putting surface quality. The team sodded some areas, as well. And now they're seamless -- golfers can't even tell where they were expanded. 
 
Hepner says the changes definitely affect scoring and strategy, calling it good old-school golf -- the ground dictates where the ball’s going to roll. Watson used the swales and architectural features so that if you wanted to run the ball in a certain spot, you'd have to run it through a swale. It’s very Scottish links-like. “Each hole he used the swale in a different direction, or distance from the approach, or to the side of a green, or the ball will fall off,” he says. “When we mowed all the short grass around the greens, that's really when they came alive because the ball rolls off the putting surface down into a swale. If it's not in the rough, it's in the short grass and then it just keeps rolling and those cool swales and shaping around the greens come into play on the recovery shot. It's just brilliant. I've taken so many architectural friends there to study those greens because they’re that good.”
 
For the most part, the greens are crowned -- but those mounds and swales continue 30 yards away from each green. Most architects would just stop right at the base of the green. Not Watson. Experts say that secondary shaping makes them quite unique -- unlike at any other course.
 
During the process, Hepner says he learned as an architect that form follows function. Where Watson created those swales is an engineering masterpiece -- they divert water while also being belvedere greens4part of the golf experience. “This is how you build a green on a hillside,” says Hepner. “You just don't bench it in, you tie it in. That's the great lesson of Belvedere -- how Watson tied those greens into the native grade without making it look artificially built. The biggest key Tom Doak’s always taught us is to figure out why the great courses are good. Generally, why they're so good is how they utilize that piece of land and apply golf to it. Belvedere is a great example of how to build green sites.”
 
Ranked on Golf Digest’s biennial America's 100 Greatest Public Courses list in 2019, Belvedere has hosted the Michigan Amateur for 40-years, as well as the US Hickory Open. The course has long been a favorite of many golf greats, including legend Walter Hagen, who won the first Great Lakes Open at Belvedere, and five-time British Open winner Tom Watson, who as a youngster honed his game playing summers at Belvedere. He remains a member today and loves to return to play the before mentioned 16th hole, which he describes as one of the great par fours in America. Belvedere is pure golf as it was meant to be played.
 
 
 

William Watson's Classic-Era Design on Showcase at 102nd PGA Championship at Harding Park

William Watson's Classic-Era Design on Showcase at 102nd PGA Championship at Harding Park

William Watson and Sam Whiting routed Harding Park (for the modest sum of $300), which neighbors famed Olympic Club and San Francisco Golf Club, to open in the interior of the property and have the holes wind their way to its exterior borders, with the last five holes overlooking scenic Lake Merced which sits to the west of the course and just across Skyline Blvd. from the Pacific Ocean. 

It’s notable that Watson, while well-educated Scot who cherished the sensibilities and subtleties of the Old Course at St. Andrews, was not bound by many of the prevalent design constructs other architects of his era frequently used, like programming specific template holes into his routings. “(Watson) never practiced a cookie-cutter approach to design. All of his courses were different. His bunker style was totally different from course to course. He was terrific in using the land’s natural features, but he was also skilled at creating features when needed,” architect Todd Eckenrode-- who has teamed to restore six courses where Watson was the original designer-- recently told Morning Read’s Joe Passov.


That being said, the closing stretch at Harding Park, while in a different topographical setting and lined by mature cypress trees, does bear some resemblance to Belvedere, at least in its routing. Both courses feature short par 4s with their sixteenth holes. Harding Park’s 16th is a 336-yard risk-reward opportunity that doglegs right a bit with bunkers left and an overhanging cypress that can come into play. A conservative tee shot leaves a wedge approach to one of the course’s most befuddling greens. At Belvedere, the uphill pitch to the 16th hole means the short hole is no pushover while a semi-blind approach to the long, narrow green (over a false front, no less) can be one of the most nerve-wracking shots of the round.


Both courses save pleasing par 3s for their penultimate holes. At Harding Park, the 17th plays 171 yards from the tips and is guarded by sand traps on either side of the green’s front. By contrast, Belvedere’s uphill, one-shot 17th allows for more strategic options- either a full carry or a more driving trajectory that uses the right slope to feed the ball toward the hole on the Redan-like green.

Harding Park and Belvedere both call for exacting tee shots on their finishing holes that avoid the left side and favor, but miss, fairway bunkers on the right. Harding Park’s lengthy 480-yard, par-4 closer is bordered by Lake Merced on the left and its approach plays into an elevated and challenging green. Similarly, the finish at Belvedere’s 456-yard bruiser of an 18th also presents a green complex where missing the green can leave some vexing and thought-provoking situations, depending on the pin placement found on it delightfully uneven surface.



Eckenrode’s conversation with Passov yields more insight into Watson’s singular approach: “He wasn’t afraid to play along a sweeping hillside or up and over a ridge. He understood how to align a golf hole that would take maximum advantage of the contours and kickslopes and would reward a player who could figure that out. He had a wonderful way of using diagonals, of rewarding the player who recognized the proper angle,” Eckenrode explains. “(Watson) holds the belief that a course is more interesting if every green has a character all its own, giving the player something besides the flag to rest his eye on in approaching the hole.”


In his own words, Watson once wrote on maintaining naturalness in his work: “A good rule is to stress the importance of fitting in all grading work to harmonize with the surrounding territory,” Watson wrote. He further asserted, “Mounds, slopes, grassy hollows, sand pits, all have their values in beautifying the setting of our greens and in giving them distinctive definition — if artificially arranged without appearance of artificiality.”


Watson’s words ring true as one plays Belvedere, where that gentle commune with nature remains a part of every round and the features on the ground reflect the flow and beauty of the land. While the PGA Championship at Harding Park will feature plenty of bombers and modern approaches to this ancient game, it will be fun to see examples of pros using the ground’s contours and the distinct design angles Watson intended to see endure at Harding Park. Nearly a century after Watson’s peak creative period, he still inspires golfers with bold, creative and strategic design elements that can be found in designs as similar- and as disparate- in their DNA as Harding Park and Belvedere.

January 11, 2021 - Jordan Caplan and Belvedere, featured in the GCSAA Michigan Chapter Magazine, COURSE Conditions.

January 11, 2021 - Jordan Caplan and Belvedere, featured in the GCSAA Michigan Chapter Magazine, COURSE Conditions.

https://www.migcsa.org/48-course-conditions-q4-2020/

cover

 

 

March 20th, 2020 - Travel mailbag: Where’s the best location to play unlimited golf for three days?

March 20th, 2020 - Travel mailbag: Where’s the best location to play unlimited golf for three days?

https://golf.com/travel/travel-mailbag-best-location-unlimited-golf/

 

October 3, 2019 - Northern Michigan’s Belvedere Golf Club Welcomes New Superintendent Caplan, from Philadelphia Cricket Club

October 3, 2019 - Northern Michigan’s Belvedere Golf Club Welcomes New Superintendent Caplan, from Philadelphia Cricket Club

October 3, 2019

Charlevoix, MI – One of the Midwest’s most revered and classic golf properties, Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, MI is proud to welcome new superintendent, Jordan Caplan, who joins the Belvedere team fresh from his seven-year role as superintendent of the historic St. Martins Course at Philadelphia Cricket Club (the oldest country club in the United States, founded in 1854).

Caplan, perfectly suited to maintain a classic-era golf course design like Belvedere’s 1925 William Watson design, has worked at some of the finest golf properties, including the St. Martins (host of the 1910 U.S. Open) and Militia Hill Courses at Philadelphia Cricket Club, Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing, MI, Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, MA (which hosted four of the first 4 U.S. Opens) and Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, MI, host of the 1947 PGA Championship. 

“In an era of modern golf equipment and courses getting longer just to keep pace, I value the history of course design and truly appreciate when classic courses like Belvedere Golf Club and Philadelphia Cricket Club have committed to keeping and maintaining the courses the way they were originally designed to be played,” Caplan says. “There is a striking similarity in the commitment both clubs have to hickory golf as Philadelphia Cricket Club played host to two National Hickory Championships and the inaugural World Hickory Match Play Championship in 2014. I would look forward to doing the same at Belvedere Golf Club.”

Belvedere, which stretches to 6,906 yards, isn’t long by modern standards, but the challenge lies in the short game shot values around the dynamic green complexes, which features subtle undulations, ridges and slopes that fall off to chipping areas. Earlier this year, Belvedere was ranked-- for the first time ever-- on Golf Digest’s biennial list of “America's 100 Greatest Public Courses.” The honor comes two years after the 1925 William Watson creation underwent a caring restoration using long-lost blueprints of Watson’s original design, which were serendipitously discovered during the demolition of a building in downtown Charlevoix in 2016.

“Jordan Caplan has outstanding credentials in course supervision and maintenance. He comes with a great respect for Belvedere and its traditions. He’s excited about helping make this property even more of a ‘must play’ course in Michigan, the Midwest and even nationally. We are excited to welcome Jordan and his family to Belvedere,” says David Gray, Belvedere’s general manager.

Belvedere has been lauded a respected tournament venue for nearly a century. Belvedere, like many of the historic courses in Great Britain, allows limited public play during the golf season and is best known as the host of 40 Michigan Amateur Championships. It will also host the 2025 Michigan Amateur during Belvedere’s centennial year.

In June, Belvedere hosted the 2019 U.S. Hickory Open, an annual event that attracts an international field of golfers who play with antique pre-1935 hickory shafted golf clubs or authentic replica hickory clubs.

“Growing up in the Detroit area and attending Michigan State University, I knew Belvedere Golf Club as the iconic host of the Michigan Amateur Championship,” Caplan says. “Charlevoix also holds significance to me as my wife and I were married at Castle Farms in 2013.” 

The Belvedere Golf Club’s history began in 1925, when members of the Belvedere Club decided their existing social club needed a golf course. The membership hired renowned Scottish architect William Watson to design a golf course “worthy of national reputation” and Watson delivered.

Along with its many Michigan Amateur Championships, Belvedere has hosted several professional events. Legends such as Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Leo Diegel, Alex Smith, MacDonald Smith, Jock Hutchison, Tommy Armour, Denny Shute, Jim Barnes, Alex Ross, Emmet French, Horton Smith and many others all walked the historic course and competed at Belvedere.

In more modern times, Sam Snead, Julius Boros, Ken Venturi and Loren Roberts have made several visits to experience the club and its history. Hall of Fame golfer and five-time Open Champion, Tom Watson, spent his childhood through his college years summering in Northern Michigan and Belvedere became his home course during the summer. To this day, Watson pronounces Belvedere as one of his three favorite courses in the country – behind Augusta National and Pebble Beach. Watson is an honorary member of Belvedere Golf Club and still makes occasional visits to the club.

For information about Belvedere visit www.belvederegolfclub.com or call 231-547-2611.

Media Contacts:
Kevin Frisch PR
Kevin Frisch
(989) 614-0241
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Carl Mickelson
(512) 797-2673
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

September 12, 2019 - Rick Grunch, Legendary Belvedere Golf Course Superintendent, Retires After 26 Years

September 12, 2019 - Rick Grunch, Legendary Belvedere Golf Course Superintendent, Retires After 26 Years

September 12, 2019

Charlevoix, MI – Long time golf course superintendent at historic Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Rick Grunch, has recently announced his retirement following 26 years of dedicated service to the historic club.

“Belvedere has been my life for more than a quarter century, but my body is telling me it’s time,” said Grunch. “The members have been family to me over these years and I have had the privilege of working with an amazingly talented and dedicated staff. It has truly been an honor to be the caretaker of one of the games national historic treasures.”

During his tenure, Rick oversaw a variety of projects that would maintain the rich classic design architect William Watson created in 1925. The largest of those projects unfolded in 2016. While renovating an old building in Charlevoix, the original William Watson golf course plans were discovered. Together with his grounds crew and architect Bruce Hepner, he oversaw the restoration that brought much of the course back to the original Watson design.

The restoration resulted in Belvedere Golf Club being listed, for the first time ever, among Golf Digest’s biennial list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.” The course was also selected as the site of the 2019 United States Hickory Open which was held this past June.

David Gray, General Manager of the Belvedere Club and Belvedere Golf Club said of Grunch’s long years of service, “Rick was totally dedicated to the course, the Club and making Belvedere one of the prime courses in Northern Michigan. We wish him the very best in his retirement. His dedication and the long hours of work he put in on a regular basis have been greatly appreciated by all.”

Rick plans to remain in Charlevoix with his wife, Nancy and near their children Christine, Mary Jane, Liz and Keith along with seven grandchildren. He has also established a consulting service for the golf course industry that will occupy much of his time along with bear hunting with his champion dogs. 

For information about Belvedere visit www.belvederegolfclub.com or call 231-547-2611.

Media Contacts:

Kevin Frisch PR
Kevin Frisch
(989) 614-0241
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Carl Mickelson
(512) 797-2673
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

June 22, 2019 - U.S. Hickory Open: Rick Woeckener Wins at Belvedere with Hickory Shafted Golf Clubs

June 22, 2019 - U.S. Hickory Open: Rick Woeckener Wins at Belvedere with Hickory Shafted Golf Clubs

June 22, 2019

Charlevoix, MI – Golfers tend to feel a deep connection to the sport’s storied history. The passion for golf’s roots runs particularly deep among the growing number of throwbacks who, for fun and to feel linked to the past, play hickory-shafted golf clubs from the early 20th century.

Just ask Rick Woeckener, who just won his second U.S. Hickory Open Championship held this weekend at the historic Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Michigan, located along the shores of Lake Michigan in beautiful Northern Michigan.

“This is a great honor. There's a lot of good players in this field, and I'm just happy that I played well enough to win,” said Woeckener. “Belvedere is the best course I have played for the U.S. Hickory Open and the greens are as good as any course I have played in Scotland.” 

Woeckener shot rounds of 75-78 for a 36-hole total of 153 in the gross division edging out Peter Lory and Taylor Jones by two shots. Rounding out the other division winners were William Ernst in the Senior Division, Michael Shiff in the Super Senior Division, and Kate Tomkinson in the Ladies Division. 

Woeckener, who is from Ohio, was introduced to hickory clubs by his father when he was young. Now after 13 years, he finds himself winning and walking the same course as legends like Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Tom Watson. 

“It's a similar feeling when you find these historic clubs and play with them. You wonder who might have had this club or hit this club. Walking in the footsteps of these great players on this historic course and winning with these clubs is really special,” continued Woeckener.

The U.S. Hickory Open annually attracts an international field of golfers who play with antique pre-1935 hickory shafted golf clubs or authentic replica hickory clubs. Belvedere is the only club in the U.S. to have as many as 44 antique hickory club players. Competitors dressed in period appropriate apparel, including knickers, ties and jackets. The Society of Hickory Golfers celebrates and promotes the hickory game of the 1910s – 1930s. Conservative estimates of the total number of hickory players in the world now total about 3,000 and growing.

Dennis “Marty” Joy II, the head golf professional at Belvedere and a competitor in the U.S. Hickory Open this weekend, said the club couldn’t be happier with how the event was presented at Belvedere.

“Belvedere, with its history and classic parkland design by Willie Watson, was the perfect venue for hickory players”, said Joy. “We had already held an annual hickory tournament for the past 13 years, so bringing the Society of Hickory Golfers national Open and marquee event was a natural for us.”

“Combine that with our scenic location in Charlevoix along Lake Michigan and the support of the Belvedere Association, we anticipate this could be the first of many more Hickory events at Belvedere.”

Belvedere Golf Club was established in 1925 and designed by renowned golf course architect William Watson, who is famous for classic and major championship designs across America including Olympia Fields in Chicago, Interlachen in Minneapolis, The Olympic Club in San Francisco and others. It has been recognized as one of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest and best known in Michigan for hosting 40 Michigan Amateur Championships. It will also host the 2025 Michigan Amateur during Belvedere’s centennial year.

In 2016, the original hand-drawn architectural plans by Watson were discovered and a two-year restoration plan returned the golf course greens, fairways and many of its tees to the original design of 1925. The course has long been a favorite of many golf greats, including legend Walter Hagen, who won the first Great Lakes Open at Belvedere, and five-time British Open winner Tom Watson, who as a youngster honed his game playing summers at Belvedere. He remains a member today and loves to return and play the highly acclaimed 16th hole, which he describes as one of the great par fours in America.

For information about Belvedere visit www.belvederegolfclub.com or call 231-547-2611

For information about the Society of Hickory Golfers visit www.hickorygolfers.com   

Media Contacts:

Kevin Frisch PR
Kevin Frisch
(989) 614-0241
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Carl Mickelson
(512) 797-2673
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

June 3, 2019 - Belvedere Golf Club Debuts on Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” List

June 3, 2019 - Belvedere Golf Club Debuts on Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” List

June 3, 2019

Renovation to Classic William Watson Design Garners National Recognition for Historic Northern Michigan Course.

Charlevoix, MI – One of the Midwest’s most revered and classic golf properties, Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, MI is ranked-- for the first time ever-- on Golf Digest’s biennial list of “America's 100 Greatest Public Courses.” The honor comes two years after the 1925 William Watson creation underwent a caring restoration by Belvedere staff and architect Bruce Hepner, using long-lost blueprints of Watson’s original design, which were discovered, serendipitously, during the demolition of a building in downtown Charlevoix in 2016.

“Restoring this Watson gem was all done with in-house labor. We expanded the greens and fairways even farther out than my work 10 years ago. It’s an amazing set of greens and surrounds,” Belvedere’s head professional Marty Joy told Golf Digest. “We moved bunkers around to match original locations. The style is simple and intentionally not stylized.”

The publication's biennial review of America's top public courses, where Belvedere comes in ranked No. 89, can also be found on Golfdigest.com. Golf Digest uses nearly 1,000 low-handicap male and female golfers on its Course Ranking Panel and asked each to submit ballots based on eight criteria including shot options, challenge, layout variety, distinctiveness, aesthetics, conditioning, character, and fun.

“What a tremendous validation for the restoration here and the timelessness of our William Watson design to have Golf Digest rank Belvedere in the Top 100,” Joy said. “It’s been a thrill to see people have affection for a layout that’s sneaking up on 100 years old. We’re very proud of this honor.”

Belvedere, named 2016 Michigan Course of the Year by the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association, has been a respected tournament venue for nearly a century, having hosted the Michigan Amateur 40 times. Beginning in 1963, Belvedere hosted the event for 26 consecutive years. The 41st hosting of the Michigan Amateur at Belvedere will come in 2025, the club’s centennial year. Belvedere has also hosted the Belvedere Hickory Open annually since 2006 and in 2019 will host the 2019 U.S. Hickory Open on June 20-22.

Stretching to 6,906 yards, Belvedere isn’t long by modern standards, but the challenge lies in the short game around the dynamic green complexes, which features subtle undulations, ridges and slopes that fall off to chipping areas.

The course has long been a favorite of many golf greats, including legend Walter Hagen, who won the first Great Lakes Open at Belvedere, and five-time British Open winner Tom Watson, who as a youngster honed his game playing summers at Belvedere. He remains a member today and calls the short par-four 16th hole one of the great par fours in America.

For information about Belvedere visit www.belvederegolfclub.com or call 231-547-2611.

Media Contacts:

Kevin Frisch PR
Kevin Frisch
(989) 614-0241
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Carl Mickelson
(512) 797-2673
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

June 26, 2018 - CLASSIC MAJOR: Belvedere Golf Club Selected as Host of 2019 U.S. Hickory Open

June 26, 2018 - CLASSIC MAJOR: Belvedere Golf Club Selected as Host of 2019 U.S. Hickory Open

June 26, 2018

CHARLEVOIX, MI – Historic Belvedere Golf Club, which has hosted an annual Society of Hickory Golfers major championship since 2006, has been selected to host the major among hickory majors – the U.S. Hickory Open in 2019. The tournament is being planned for June 20-22 of 2019.

 “Belvedere is a classic, classic course,” said Rick Meyer, the club’s president. “It is old-school in small town America. When dry and firm, it plays fast and requires a hickory style ground game. Our club and the Charlevoix community are committed to and will host a great championship.”

Meyer lends a unique perspective at Belvedere. The St. Louis resident and entrepreneur is a former board member and green committee chairman at Bellerive Country Club, which in August this year will host the world’s top golfers in the 100th PGA Championship. He has also been part of five championships, including three major championships at Bellerive in the 20-plus years he chaired the Future Championship Committee.

He said the U.S. Hickory Open next year at his summer club will be a “classic final major for me.”

The U.S. Hickory Open annually attracts an international field of golfers who play with authentic pre-1935 hickory shafted golf clubs or can also play replica hickory clubs. Belvedere is the only club in the U.S. to have 44 authentic hickory club players that will participate in the championship. Competitors also dress in period appropriate apparel, including knickers, ties and jackets. The Society of Hickory Golfers celebrates and promotes the hickory game of the 1910s – 1930s. 

 “The club is very excited about it,” said Dennis “Marty” Joy II, the head golf professional at Belvedere and a competitor in society tournaments.

“Here at Belvedere we have the most hickory society golfers of any club in the country. We have 44 men and women who are members here who play with authentic hickory golf clubs. They are very excited we are hosting the U.S. Hickory Open and a lot of our members will be playing in it.”

The Belvedere Hickory Open has been played 12 times at the course and is considered one of the four major championships by the Society of Hickory Golfers. It will not be presented in 2019 because the Open is coming to Belvedere but will be presented again this year June 14-16.

“I think it was just a matter of time for Belvedere to host the U.S. Hickory Open,” Joy said. “Having our restoration finished last year when a lot of the golfers came for the Belvedere Hickory Open allowed them to see some of the changes. Also, Belvedere takes care of the players and I think they feel like members for the weekend.”

Meyer, 70, said he is honored to be involved in both “majors.”

“The 100th PGA Championship is the culmination event in 25 years of working with the leaders of the USGA, PGA and the Tour,” he said. “Our pro Marty Joy got me interested in hickory golf. My fellow members urged me to try it. Once they hooked me, it seemed like a natural extension of giving back to the game to respond to the desire to host something big at Belvedere, and 18 months later we received the invitation.

“It is not the same challenge of all the work at Bellerive but rewarding just the same. Our respective budgets are just a little different. I already know Bellerive will break many PGA records. I am certain Belvedere and the Hickory Open will also. And on the last day of both Championships, coming down the stretch, the players will care just as much.”

Belvedere’s course, which allows some public play during the golf season, was established in 1925 and designed by renowned golf course architect William Watson. It has been recognized as one of the best golf courses in the Midwest and is best known for hosting 40 Michigan Amateur Championships. It will also host the 2025 Michigan Amateur during Belvedere’s centennial year.

In 2016, the original hand-drawn architectural plans by William Watson were discovered and a two-year restoration plan returned the golf course greens, fairways and many of its tees to the original design of 1925. The changes were completed with architect Bruce Hepner’s help in time for the 2017 Belvedere Hickory Open.

“The changes in just a year of maturity are now really making a difference with the way the course is played, and by the time we host the U.S. Hickory Open it should be fully mature and playing like it did in 1925 for the hickory players,” Joy said.

Meyer’s roots in golf go back to his childhood when his father was an accomplished local amateur in St. Louis, and his work with major championship golf goes back over 50 years.

“I worked for the 1965 U.S. Open (at Bellerive), and I was involved in the inaugural U.S. Mid-Amateur hosted by Bellerive,” he said. “I have been a member of the Executive Committee of St Louis’ Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association for almost 30 years. I’ve officiated at numerous USGA qualifiers.”

He said he has never satisfied his desire to improve his game but continues to try. He has read and studied the game and read about the variety of golf course design philosophies, which led him to be involved in the 2005-06 retrofit at Bellerive. It also led him with then-president Jeffrey Buntin’s support, to be involved in bringing Belvedere back to its classic design roots.

“Bruce Hepner is an accomplished student of minimalist design,” he said. “He has been a great partner who carefully and with great sensitivity to our budget coordinated the project with our indefatigable superintendent, Rick Grunch. I have been fortunate to be involved in all these championships and projects – a true labor of love!”

The Society of Hickory Golfers is currently planning for the 2018 U.S. Hickory Open in September in Greensboro, N.C. at Sedgefield Country Club.

For information about Belvedere visit www.belvederegolfclub.com or call 231-547-2611

For information about the Society of Hickory Golfers visit www.hickorygolfers.com   

Media contact: Kevin Frisch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 989-614-0241

February 9, 2017 - Historic Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan Undergoes Major Restoration Project

February 9, 2017 - Historic Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan Undergoes Major Restoration Project

Historic Belvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan Undergoes Major Restoration Project

After laying hidden for almost 100 Years, William Watson’s original drawings spur a walk back in time

Charlevoix, MI - Long recognized as a must-play experience in northern Michigan, the historic Belvedere Golf Club has turned back the clock thanks to a find that has purists and golf aficionados alike waiting in anticipation for this spring.

In the summer of 2016, the demolishment of an old building in Charlevoix led to the discovery of famous golf architect William Watson’s original drawings of the historic course. While aerial photos existed from the late 1930’s, there was no actual documentation of the original parkland design with its classic flowing fairways, strategic bunkers and subtle greens.

The original course was designed in 1923 by Watson who is famous for classic and major championship designs across America including Olympia Fields in Chicago, Interlachen in Minneapolis, The Olympic Club in San Francisco and others. With five teams of horses and 150 men, the brilliant Scotsman turned a farm on the outskirts of the small Lake Michigan village of Charlevoix into one of the most iconic and enjoyable courses in America.

After 95 years, with the genius of William Watson having resurfaced, the decision was quickly made to begin a restoration that would restore much of what had been lost over the decades.  Under the watchful eyes of golf architect Bruce Hepner and course superintendent Rick Grunch the restoration project will be completed for the 2017 season. Hepner, a former Tom Doak disciple, has been highly regarded in the industry as a specialist when it comes to classic course restorations by legendary designers such as Ross, Tillinghast, MacKenzie and now Watson to name a few.

Hepner and Grunch spent a great deal of time studying the plans and walking the golf course. That led to changes like expanding putting surface areas on many of the holes that were lost over time, and strategic tree removal. The tree removal has opened up the winding creek that meanders through the front nine and brought it back in play in certain areas. Other changes included restoring and expanding lost fairway and approach areas, as well as bringing back lost bunkers. The work has brought back some of the strategies for playing the course that Watson originally intended.

The new design strategies are most evident at the historic 16th hole, a favorite of legendary golfers like Gene Sarazen, who spoke highly of the hole even late into his life. The classic short par 4, known for its well-positioned green set in the hillside, lost some of its green complex over the years, as well as a strategic bunker and fairway approach area on the left side. Hepner has brought the expanded putting surface and left side bunker back in play challenging the golfer up the left side for the best approach angle. 

Examples like the 16th hole can now be found throughout the golf course. The restoration has clearly brought the course’s historic strategy and challenges back into play while still maintaining the playability and fun for all levels of players.

Home to the Michigan Amateur for 40-years and the annual Belvedere Hickory Open, the course was recently named 2016 Michigan Course of the Year by the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association.

The course has long been a favorite of many golf greats, including legend Walter Hagen, who won the first Great Lakes Open at Belvedere, and five-time British Open winner Tom Watson, who as a youngster honed his game playing summers at Belvedere. He remains a member today and loves to return to play the before-mentioned 16th hole, which he describes as one of the great par fours in America.

Belvedere is pure golf as it was meant to be played. If you haven’t experienced this wonderful historic course, make sure to add this on your next trip to northern Michigan.

For more information about the Belvedere Club, which is open to the public, visit www.belvederegolfclub.com.   

Media Contact:

Fusion Media Strategies

Kevin Frisch

(989) 614-0241

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

November 27, 2016 - Belvedere brings home MGCOA 2016 Michigan Golf Course of the Year award

November 27, 2016 - Belvedere brings home MGCOA 2016 Michigan Golf Course of the Year award

CHARLEVOIX — Charlevoix's Belvedere Golf Club has long been one of Northern Michigan's most beloved courses. Recently, that praise has begun to come in from more than just Northern Michigan. The latest honor comes from the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association, who named the club's course, founded in 1925, as the 2016 Michigan Golf Course of the Year. "We were notified by MGCOA that we'd been nominated by someone, and put together a package for their consideration," Belvedere general manager David Gray said. "Obviously, it's a huge honor to be selected out of the many excellent and deserving courses throughout the state, and it's another sign that as a club we're doing well right now." According to a press release from the MGCOA, the Belvedere Club met all four criteria for the award, starting with the quality of the course. Designed by famed architect William Watson, the management at the Belvedere Club has kept the course true to its roots and it's stood the test of time, with several memorable holes and a layout that's challenging enough to host championships (including the Michigan Amateur 40 times, a record) while still being playable enough to accommodate weekend golfers. In fact, based on a recent discovery of the original plans for the course, the Belvedere is in the process of making alterations to closer reflect its original state and strengthening its link with the past. The Belvedere matches its quality of course with the quality of management and staff, who have maintained a singular vision and kept the course running at a high level for decades. "We're proud of our entire staff for the work they've done, but in particular our greens superintendent, Rick Grunch, who's outstanding at his job and whose experience really shows in the state of the course every year, and our head pro, Marty Joy," Gray said. "Marty is not only an excellent golfer and a teacher but also a true historian of the game and of the unique history of the Belvedere, which makes him a perfect fit for this course." On top of its quality, the Belvedere Golf Club also earned the honor for its charitable work, which includes fundraisers for the local hospital and library, its place as a host of the nationally-acclaimed Charlevoix Junior Golf Association, and its program, now in its 19th year, to provide college scholarships for its workers. "We're a semi-private club, but the vast majority of our members live in Charlevoix and take great pride in their community," Gray said. "We see it as a very important part of our mission to give back to our community, and we're very grateful for the support the community gives us as well." As a part of its charitable work, the Belvedere Golf Club also does a great deal to grow the game of golf, the fourth criteria for the award. On top of playing a big role with the CCJGA, as mentioned above, which helps youth from across Charlevoix County learn the game of golf in an inexpensive way, the Belvedere Club is also the home course for the Charlevoix Rayder high school golf teams, and played a role in helping start the Rayder girls program in 2014. That girls squad qualified for the state finals in just its third season of existence in October. For more information on the Belvedere Golf Club, visit belvederegolfclub.com or contact the club by phone at 231-547-2512. Kevin Frisch This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (989) 614-0241 www.kevinfrischpr.com

Member Portal

//