Meadow at Old Channel Trail Golf Club

Old Channel Trail Golf Club's Meadow course sits in Montague, Michigan, a small lakeside community along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan near Muskegon. Designed by Bruce Matthews, a regional architect active in Michigan during the latter decades of the twentieth century, the course occupies rolling terrain characteristic of the western Michigan landscape, where glacial deposits and proximity to the Great Lakes create varied topography and sandy soils conducive to golf.

The Meadow routing takes advantage of natural elevation changes and open spaces, with holes playing through a mix of meadowland and wooded corridors. Matthews designed courses throughout the Midwest with an emphasis on playability for everyday golfers while incorporating strategic elements that reward thoughtful course management. The layout typically features wide fairways that accommodate multiple skill levels, with greens that reflect the natural contours of the property.

Old Channel Trail serves as a public facility, drawing golfers from the Muskegon area and summer visitors to the Lake Michigan shoreline. The club offers a straightforward golf experience without extensive amenities, focusing on the course itself and the surrounding natural setting. The Meadow course provides a representative example of regional public golf design from its era, balancing accessibility with enough challenge to engage regular play throughout the season.