(South Haven, Michigan)—As the tourism season begins along the Lake Michigan shoreline, media guests and civic leaders were on hand June 6 to visit and play golf at the Beeches Golf Club, the 18-hole championship course designed by award-winning Michigan architect Bruce Matthews III.
Its always great to see a new course officially launched, said Matthews. I feel everythings come together at the Beechesits a great site in a growing area and all the design and construction elements have come together beautifully. I think the course will endure and be enjoyed by golfers for decades to come.
With its waste bunkers, the Beeches has a feel similar on the front nine to a European links course while ponds on the back side lend itself to a lakeland course. We give players a chance to choose their own path on most holes, says General Manager Jason Fargo. Theres plenty of room to play off the tee, but Bruce has designed some wonderful little twists and turns to make it fun and interesting to play every day.
The front nine of the Beeches includes the short par-four third, a hole of 320 yards that is bordered the entire distance of the hole on the left by the first of six large ponds on the property. Matthews has also incorporated use of sandy waste areas throughout the course that provide an additional challenge. The back nine features most of the rest of the water on the course and finishes with the 420-yard 18th, where the green is guarded to the right by a pond and on the left by the giant beech tree that was the inspiration for the clubs name. Its testing, but a great way to end the round, says Matthews. The giant beech frames the hole on the left, and the water on the right will get your attention, too!
With five sets of tees, the Beeches Golf Club ranges in length from forward tees of 5,005 yards to 7,115 from the black tees. Were close to Lake Michigan, and that means were hardly ever lacking for wind, says Fargo. The breezes provide the variety that will change the face of the course nearly every day. Best of all, says Fargo, is that Matthews design will allow the club to operate with an affordable rate structure for its visitors. Like many places, Michigan has needed to develop affordable courses. By utilizing the characteristics of this property, weve been able to do that.
The Beeches Golf Club is Bruce Matthews III first Michigan design since Angels Crossing in Vicksburg, a course that received national recognition from Golf Digest magazine two years ago. With a residential element in the planning stages, more information on current rates and services at the Beeches is available at (269) 637-2600 or through the clubs web site, www.beechesgolfclub.com.
Contact:
Terry Moore, All About Golf (616) 247-1931 E-mail: terry_moore@comcast.net
Tom Cleary, All About Golf (616) 915-4267 E-mail: tjcleary@aol.com
