A new course is to be built at the Gull Lake View Golf Club and Resort in Michigan, US.
Tom Doak’s Renaissance Golf Design firm will lead the development of what has been initially named the Stoatin Brae course. The firm’s senior associates – Eric Iverson, Don Placek, Brian Schneider, and Brian Slawnik – will work on the course alongside the club’s owners, the Scott Family.
“The open, rolling terrain really lends itself to a course with very strong, links type characteristics,” said Jon Scott, a third generation of the Scott Family to own and operate Gull Lake View Golf Club and Resort. “We see this as an opportunity to grow our business and offer our customers more opportunity to play fun, interesting, and challenging golf courses.”
Gull Lake View is currently home to five courses, four of which were designed by members of the Scott family, with the other being the William Mitchell-designed Bedford Valley course.
“This is a really dynamic piece of property,” said Iverson. “We knew right away we could help the Scotts build the kind of course that we love – roomy, engaging holes laid over great golfing ground, with beautiful views in every direction. Finally, the focus on golf being fun has become more mainstream in golf design, but it has been our focus all along. While part of the approach is to avoid having to manufacture any holes, it also means that we avoid undoing cool, unique features that nature provides, and navigating those holes is where the fun lies.”
The new course is slated to be a par-71 and will play around 6,800 yards from the back tees.
“There are some who may question the wisdom of building a golf course in such a tough golf market,”said Charlie Scott. “We may seem a little crazy to do this, but we are contrarians at heart. We quit building golf courses in the mid-90s when there was a boom and are starting to build now when others are closing. It may seem nuts, but we love golf and this site is one of those that begs to have a golf course on it.”