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By
Dave
Finn
Now
I ask… Do you really need the extra
amenities? How often you do you really
use the sauna, pool, exercise club, fine
dining or concierge service? And more
importantly, do you like spending extra
for these? Most golfers I talk to at golf
& travel shows are only interested
in three things - golfing, eating and
drinking; they are happy with a clean
bed, good golf located close by, and a
place to wet their whistle.
If
these three requirements are what you
are truly looking for, Gull Lake Inn will
suit you to a tee! Truly a family run
business, owners Bill and Mary Ellen Walls
will welcome you with open arms to their
modest Southwest Michigan retreat. Gull
Lake Inn is located just two hours from
Detroit or Toledo, and about two and half
hours from Chicago, and it is perfectly
located in Michigan's beautiful lake region.
Perched
on M-89, directly across from Gull Lake
and the lakeside homes for those working
in nearby Kalamazoo and Battle Creek,
this Inn is within walking distance to
two restaurants, a small grocery store,
and the marina where you can find both
boat rentals and fishing.
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Each
of the 23 standard rooms boasts refrigerator,
coffee pot, cable TV, air conditioning
and free local calling. There are
four whirlpool rooms and two four-person-suites
on the upper deck. For those traveling
with a bit of a larger group, The
Gull Lake Inn offers a group room
where up to eight golfers can share
a two bedroom/two washroom unit complete
with its very own pool table for some
additional entertainment after a day
on the links.
Gas
and charcoal barbeques are also available
for those who wish to grill their
own steaks and dine alfresco under
one of the twin covered gazebos. A
few guests have even been known to
enjoy a beverage in the gazebo while
watching their traveling companion
practice the short game on the nearby
putting green. Inside the main log
lodge, guests enjoy a complimentary
continental breakfast each morning,
and the roomy upstairs loft area provides
a pool table for your evening's entertainment.
The
best part about staying at The Gull
Lake Inn? You can walk to the first
tee on two different golf courses!
Gull
Lake View Golf Club offers two
4-star Golf Digest rated 18-hole golf
courses. The East Course has mature
treed-lined fairways with lots of
elevation changes and plenty of water
hazards. With small undulating greens,
this 6,059 yard par 70 layout places
the onus on shot making and accuracy
rather than distance here. The par
71 West Course, at 6,303 yards, is
more open on the front nine but the
back nine will challenge most golfers.
The Gull Lake Inn offers a makeshift
drive-through halfway house serving
pizzas, hot dogs and sausages as you
make the turn.
Stonehedge
South is only three miles east
of the Gull Lake Inn. This 4 ½-star
rated championship par 72 is carved
out of the woods with fairways that
are lined with stone hedges. There
are a lot of elevation changes here
with very few flat lies. With a course
rating of 72.4 and a slope of 133,
this 6,656 yard course will definitely
test your abilities.
Stonehedge
North is located directly across
the road from its sister course and
is rated
4 stars by Golf Digest. This 18-hole,
6,673 yard, par 72 offers a combination
of wind blown holes and forested fairways.
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Gull
Lake Resort
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Gull
Lake View Course
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2nd
green on the Yarrow Course
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18th
on the Yarrow Course
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The
Golf Club at Yarrow is located 15 minutes
west of the Gull Lake Inn. In 2008/2009
Golf Digest rated this course as a 4 star
- Best Places To Play. There are five sets
of tee blocks ranging from 5,000 yards to
over 7,000 yards to keep this course exciting
for any caliber of golfers. There are ten
pin positions with a chart in every cart
to tell you how much more or less you need
to calculate for your approach shots.
Yarrow
was originally built as a conference centre,
and 18 holes were added in 2003. Offering
wide, generous fairways, it is arguably
the best course in the area.
The
most memorable holes would be #5 - a big
swooping downhill par 4 that encircles a
pond with a very narrow landing area off
the tee. The #13th is a pretty hole where
your tee shots gives you the impression
that you have no landing area, but once
you clear the hill the fairway opens up.
#14 is a down hill par 4 with a great view
of Hamilton Lake behind the green –
visually the nicest hole on the course.
#18 is the only hole on the course with
a big carry over a swampy area from the
back tees with the resort in the background
and remember fescue lurks behind a number
of the bunkers here.
For
those looking for an inexpensive golf getaway
that offers a variety of courses within
driving distance, The Gull Lake Inn in Michigan
deserves consideration. Golf Package rates
start at $218.00 USD for a two-night weekday
stay with three rounds of golf that includes
mandatory cart and taxes.
For
more information on booking an incredible
trip call Bill & Mary Ellen or Sarah
Polley, Golf Package Coordinator at 877-485-5525.
You can also email them at staff@gulllakeinn.com.
09/09
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Other
Courses
in the Area...
Maple
Hills Golf Course
Augusta, MI
9 hole, 2,994 yard par 35
5 minute drive
Lake
Doster
18 hole course rated as one of the toughest in the State
10 miles west
Bedford
Valley
Battle Creek, MI
4-star, 18 hole 7,070 yard par 72
12 miles east
Marywood
Golf Club
Battle Creek, MI
18 hole 6,710 yard par 72
Located 13 miles east
Thornapple
Creek Golf Club
Kalamazoo, MI
18 hole 6,579 yard par 72
15 minute drive
Binder
Park Golf Course
Battle Creek, MI
27 hole Championship Course
20 minute drive
Heritage
Glen
Paw Paw, MI
18 hole 6,630 yard par 72
35 minute drive
The
Medalist Golf Club
Marshall, MI
18 hole 6,955 yard par 72
45 minute drive
Island
Hills
Centreville, MI
18-hole Par 72
45 minute drive
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