Golfing The Rock is more than 18 holes of golf on a very nice golf course. It’s an experience — one to be remembered. Like a mule trip down into the Grand Canyon, or a hole in one — something that you will never forget. In the first place you have to make an effort to play this course. It’s not a “Let’s run over and play — ” kind of course. No, it’s an adventure just to get to it. First you have cross Michigan’s ” Big Mac ” into the beautiful Upper Peninsula. That in itself can be quite an experience. A few miles north of St. Ignace you hang a right and travel 42 miles along a scenic road that darts in and out to the lake shore. Once you get to De Tour you have to hop a car ferry to get to Drummond Island. At this point you would have made a trip that I have made just for the scenery — and, one well worth making. After you get on the island it’s about 12 miles to the Rock. Once you get loaded onto the golf cart you have a 1-mile trip through the forest to get to the first tee. By this time you should be getting hungry and — as luck would have it — you come to the halfway house. You also end up here at the end of nine and also at the end of eighteen. You have very little chance of starving or dying of thirst on this course. By the way, the halfway house is a house. Tables, chairs, the whole works.Finally we get to stick a tee in the ground and take on a beautiful and scenic golf course. This course is carved out of the true far northern Michigan forest. Cedar trees, pines and other assorted shrubs so thick they almost form a wall along the fairways. Mix in some of the rocks that the island is make up of and some of the water that surrounds you and you got a golf course that is hard to beat. The fairways are wide, with well maintained, plush grass. The rough is just a slightly longer version of the fairway . So you have plenty of room to let your shots get somewhat off the mark. If you do hit into the woods, though, just forget it and reload. If you do care to venture after the ball, take a compass, you may need it to get back to the fairway. You can’t see a house ten yards into them, let alone a golf ball. Odds are that you can’t hit back to the fairway anyway. A great thing about this course is that each hole is all by itself. You will not see other holes and probably not even know other holes are around. Most of the time it’s a good ride to the next hole. I doubt if the wildlife on this course has ever heard the word “FORE”, and unless you did something to the people your playing with, you won’t either. Another thing you will not hear is the sound of traffic. How many times in our life are we away from the sound of distant traffic? What a great pleasure it is to play in this kind of setting. If you love nature, this is a must play course. Speaking of nature, you will see all kinds on this course. Seeing deer is almost a guarantee. This is a wildlife sanctuary by the way, so to the wildlife, you will be just another animal. While suspicious of you, they show no fear. I had the pleasure of watching, after I hit my drive but before my ball hit the ground, an otter come out of the woods. He came to a stop, when my ball hit the ground about 20 yards from him, and watched the ball come to rest. A quick chase, a dive and a roll or two with my ball and he proceeded on his way. A quick check of the rules found nothing about otter advancement of the ball, so I figured that I “otter” play it as it lies. A once in a lifetime treat. Something the Rock can give you. You will find water, in one form or another, on about half the holes. On other courses they are considered a hazard, here, they just add to the beauty of the hole. From the white or blue tees the course is not all that tough but will still give you plenty of challenge. From the gold tees (back) you will have all the challenge you want, but if this is your first time on the Rock, play the whites and just enjoy the serenity that this course can give you. I didn’t go into my usual way of describing this course, because this course is really more than just a golf outing. It’s more like an experience that you happen to be golfing while you enjoy it. That’s not to say that The Rock will not stand on its own as a golf course without all the bonus it gives you because it is a great course. The first time you play it, play the white tees, and just enjoy where your at. Drop back to the blue or gold tees the next time and find out how hard this course can be. I suggest you stay overnight at the lodge to really add to the experience. They have lots to offer you. Gourmet dining at the Bayside, nature trails, sauna, and a gym. They have a super room upstairs at the lodge, to sit around and drink coffee or just relax. The only nightlife on the island probably has eyes that glow in the dark but you won’t even care. Too many other things to enjoy. If you get the feeling that I enjoyed this experience, you hit the nail on the head. If you love nature and really want to just – enjoy – a round of golf, don’t miss this one. Ken

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