If golf is a journey, your experience will begin at the city limits of Kingsley. A few miles outside the quaint downtown, a dusty dirt road sets the stage for your four and half mile rugged royal ride. Be warned, relying on your GPS to get to the front gates may lead you down the wrong path. I strongly urge you to get directions to the course before your trek begins.

The Mike DeVries masterpiece is a tale of two nines. The front nine has a British links feel, that rises and falls through native prairie grasses and rugged Northern Michigan sand hills. While the back nine adds a northwoods charm carving through dense deciduous forest and cathedral pines.

What makes The Kingsley Club a truly unique is the fescue grass fairways, commonly used in Scotland and Ireland. Beleive it or not, only two other courses in America utilize fescue fairways. Add firm, fast and undulating green complexes and golfers have traditional Scottish golf right in the tip of the Michigan mitten.

The members deem the long par 4, 12th as the signature hole. From the elevated tee the hole flows through the valley with mature forest on the left and wind-blown prairie grass on the right. Distance and accuracy is needed to reach the small green on the valley floor.

The closing hole is an experience in itself, assuming your host or caddie share the secret on how to play the hole. I won't reveal what's in store for you but many golfers have had their best shot of the day on this tee box.

Recent Awards
2012 Golfweek Magazine rated The Kingsley Club as the 23rd Best Modern Course in America 2012 LINKS Magazine Names Kingsley Club #63 in USA 2012 Planet Golf Ranked #74 in World
The Skinny
Tees: 5 Sets of Tees Yardage: 6956, 6480, 6309, 5755 and 4987 Yards Slope/Rating: 141 / 73.2, 133 / 70.8, 132 / 70.1, 129 / 69.5 Par: 71
How To Play
Kingsley Club is a private club that allows some public play. The best way to play the course is through an invite from a guest. You can also secure a tee time by having your local country club golf professional call for a reservation. As guest, a fore caddie is mandatory. Your guide will provide you the local knowledge to save at least 5-10 shots - tee shot lines, distances to pins and trouble and reading the slick greens. The recommended tip is $20-$40 a bag.

Kingsley Club observes traditional Country Club policies so tuck your shirt in and leave your cell phone in the car.

More Information
The Kingsley Club 5511 Mayfield Trail Kingsley, MI 49649 231-263-3000 www.kingsleyclub.com