
Cedar River Course
Shanty Creek Golf Club

About this course
Cedar River at Shanty Creek Golf Club is a Tom Weiskopf design that opened in 1999 in the northern Michigan resort region near Bellaire. The course occupies rolling, wooded terrain characteristic of the area's glacially shaped landscape, with elevation changes and natural corridors carved through dense hardwood and conifer forests. Weiskopf, who designed several notable courses in Michigan during the 1990s, routed Cedar River to take advantage of the property's natural contours and integrate the golf holes into the existing topography rather than impose dramatic earthwork. The layout features relatively generous fairways by modern standards, though accuracy off the tee remains important given the tree-lined nature of most holes. Water comes into play on several holes, and the greens typically show Weiskopf's preference for subtle internal contours that reward precise approach shots. The course sits within the larger Shanty Creek resort complex, which has offered golf and skiing in this part of Grand Traverse County since the late 1960s. Cedar River serves primarily as a resort course, attracting visitors to northern Michigan's summer golf season alongside the property's other layouts. The setting provides views of the surrounding hills and forests typical of the region between Traverse City and the Straits of Mackinac. The course fits into the tradition of northern Michigan resort golf that has drawn players from Detroit, Chicago, and other Midwest cities for decades.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in MI
Quick facts
- Location
- Bellaire, MI, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1999
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Tom Weiskopf
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,980 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.6/144
- Course Vaults score
- 7.2
Getting there
The journey to Shanty Creek Golf Club begins at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, a compact regional hub roughly thirty minutes north by car. The drive southeast traces the edge of Grand Traverse Bay before turning inland, where the terrain shifts from lakeside charm to rolling hardwood forests and the first hints of northern Michigan's ski country. As M-88 narrows and climbs gently into the hills above Bellaire, the landscape opens to reveal the kind of quiet, forested seclusion that defines this corner of the Lower Peninsula - a fitting prelude to arrival at a resort where golf and wilderness meet in equal measure.

FAQ
Common questions about Cedar River at Shanty Creek Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Cedar River at Shanty Creek Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 16 logged golfers.
Cedar River was designed by Tom Weiskopf.
Yes. Cedar River at Shanty Creek Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Cedar River is 72.
Cedar River plays 6,980 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Cedar River is 144.

