Wawashkamo Golf Club

Wawashkamo Golf Club occupies a distinctive place in American golf as one of the oldest courses in continuous play in Michigan, dating to 1898. Located on Mackinac Island, where motorized vehicles are prohibited, the course exists in a setting defined by horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and a pace of life largely unchanged for over a century. Alex Smith, a Scottish professional who won the U.S. Open twice in the early 1900s, is credited with the design work that shaped the routing still in use today. The course plays across rolling terrain characteristic of northern Michigan, with fairways moving through stands of hardwoods and natural meadowland. The layout reflects turn-of-the-century design principles, with straightforward holes that follow the land rather than impose dramatic shaping upon it. Greens are modest in size and relatively flat by modern standards, and the routing includes several short par fours and compact par threes that emphasize accuracy over length. Wawashkamo remains a nine-hole course, typically played twice for a full round. The club operates without many of the amenities common to contemporary facilities, maintaining a rustic character that aligns with the island's preservation ethos. Access requires ferry passage to Mackinac Island, and the journey to the course itself involves travel by non-motorized means, making a round here as much about the experience of place as the golf itself. The course attracts visitors interested in golf history and those drawn to the island's unique atmosphere.