Dennis Grall photo Pictured above is the No. 8 fairway at Greywalls Golf Course in Marquette in the fall of 2011. A dozen national golf writers recently went on a U.P. golf tour and were stunned by what they saw while playing the “Perfect Foursome,” which includes Greywalls, TimberStone in Iron Mountain, Sweetgrass at Island Resort and Casino and Sage Run in Wilson.

ESCANABA — A group of national golf writers were overwhelmed by what they saw while playing four of the Upper Peninsula’s elite golf courses recently.

“There are a great variety of courses, something for everybody,” said Rick Limpert. “Nobody had to twist my arm to come up here from Atlanta. These courses are in great shape and enjoyable to play.”

A dozen national writers spent four days on the Pure Michigan tour directed by Kevin Frisch of Gaylord. He also invited this writer, who has played golf in all 50 states and is believed to be the only person to play every course in the U.P., including five that have since closed.

“This is definitely a hidden gem up here,” said Limpert. “It is out of the way for most Americans to come here, but if you come you will really enjoy yourself.”

The group, which was met by rain, played first at year-old Sage Run Golf Course. Then they played Sweetgrass, which is also part of the Island Resort and Casino complex, Marquette Greywalls and Iron Mountain TimberStone, which opened in 1998 to start the swing to prime U.P. golf destinations.

The media reps came from California, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, Tampa, Philadelphia, Boston and Detroit.

They have combined to form the “Perfect Foursome” package that offers exceptional deals for golf, lodging and dining and have been extremely attractive to midwest visitors.

Alice Scott of Phoenix, who works with her husband Danny in the golf business and are billed as “America’s Golfing Couple,” said “I could have stayed home (and nursed shoulder problems) or go to different courses. I want to come back again and would play them over and over.

“It is a walk unspoiled. We sashayed through the prairie grass of the Upper Peninsula,” she said, adding “high handicappers are going to have high scores on this course. Expect Sage Run to give you a run for your money, and enjoy it.”

Her husband, a high level player who striped some excellent shots throughout the trip, said it is important to play courses like rugged Sage Run to be in good position for approach shots from positions that feature massive elevation changes.

“There are plenty of landing areas. You just can’t see it,” he said after his round at Sage Run, which he placed at seven on a scale up to 10 for difficulty.

“I’ve played some of the top golf courses in the U.S. and the world and this is definitely worth playing again. It is not a grip and rip course,” he added with a chuckle. “It is deceptively difficult only because you don’t know the course. It is fair. It is a good test for golf.”

With the greens firm because they are so new, he said “it is important to know the pin placement.”

Wayne Mills, who splits time between Boston and New Hampshire, said the U.P. reminds him of the Green Mountain State with its elevation changes and trees.

“These are definitely distinctive golf courses,” he said of his second visit. “Sage Run makes interesting use of those drumlins. He (designer Paul Albanese) did a good job of mixing uphill and downhill (holes). It is a challenging course because it is new and is still pretty firm. It needs to grow in and settle.”

He felt at home at Sage Run and Greywalls and said Albanese “has a pretty inventive imagination” regarding his use of rocks and outcroppings. “He is really clever.

“This (Greywalls) is a spectacular golf course. You better have control of your golf game.”

Again harking back to his home area, Mills said the area has “it’s own personality, it is rural, it is rugged. The Upper Peninsula has its own kind of distinctive personality, with good people, unpretentious people. I like that.”

Bill Cuebas of Tampa, who conducted several radio interviews with the trippers, said “I’m on the other side of the world” compared to the flat golf surfaces in Florida.

“This is really, truly unique. They are harder, and I’ve enjoyed them more. There is beautiful scenery, which makes a round more pleasant. The beauty of nature, the rock formations.”

A supporter of the Folds of Honor veteran golf fundraiser which he promoted during his radio interview and is called “The Golffather,” raved about the U.P. courses during his broadcasts. “They are all different and unique. Each one has its own individual values.”

Cuebas said the best way to play some of these challenging layouts is to go with someone familiar with the course, or use a best ball or scramble approach.

Mike Bailey of Houston said Greywalls “is an amazing golf course. You have to be on your (golf) game to have success there. The jury is still out on Sage Run (because it is still new). It will be interesting to see what changes they make. Sweetgrass is super solid. It is very enjoyable.

“It is incredible to come up here and play in this (natural) kind of air conditioning. The scenery is really incredible, and there are a lot of changes in elevation.”

Janina Jacobs of Detroit, like several trippers who serve as golf course raters for national magazines, said Sweetgrass “is a good test of golf, and fun to play. It is much kinder and gentler (than Sage Run and Greywalls).”

A proponent of setting up courses that will be enjoyed by women, Jacobs said “I think most courses are too long from even the most forward set of tees.” She said that is because most architects have no idea how far average women hit the ball. That in turn makes the game more difficult for females (and shorter hitters in general) and they may give up the game.

Jacobs said Sage Run “needs at least two more sets of forward tees, one for senior men and another for ladies.” The gold tees are 5,841 yards, the red tees are 5,231 at Sage Run, which opened in 2018. Jacobs said because of the elevation, Sage Run’s forward tees “play more like 6,000 yards” and many holes require high-arching shots.

The Island Resort Intercollegiate was held at Sage Run Sept. 1-2, and Jacobs said “if the course is designed mostly for tournament play, OK, I get it. But how often is that? Their play will come from the (Sweetgrass) resort, and resort golfers will see it as too hard.”

Jacobs, who walked most of Greywalls during our round, said many golfers have never ventured north of the Mackinac Bridge “and would be very surprised at the quality of golf offered in the Perfect Foursome (Sweetgrass, Greywalls, Sage Run and TimberStone). The quality of U.P. courses is second to none, and is in fact, better than most.”

She also pointed out that elite golf architects live in Michigan and designed U.P. courses, such as Albanese (TimberStone, Sweetgrass, Sage Run), Jerry Matthews (TimberStone) and Mike DeVries (Greywalls).