Course Tour

Hole 1

Yardage Blue – 545 White – 495 Red – 390 Par – 5 Handicap – 6

A challenging Par five introduces golfers to the outstanding scenic beauty of The Natural at Beaver Creek Resort. The hole begins from multiple tees tucked into the beautiful woods and plays slightly uphill to the first landing area. Don’t be short with your drive because your second requires a lengthy carry over some of the most beautiful wetlands in Northern Michigan. After your second shot, a short iron shot will then be required on your approach shot to the green. Large oak, maple, and birch trees define the second dogleg to this Par five while a large sand bunker guards the font right corner of an elevated and undulating green. Overall this opening hole rates as a fair but challenging test of golf ability.

Hole 2

Yardage Blue – 340 White – 325 Red – 305 Par – 4 Handicap – 14

The second hole begins from an attractive three-tiered teeing complex and plays slightly uphill in a narrow valley guarded by oak, maple, and pine on both sides. This hole plays as a short Par four with the fairway landing guarded by sand on the right. Be careful though, a very accurate short to medium-length iron shot is required to a long and narrow green which is guarded with sand bunkers in the front, a sand bunker in the back left corner, and a thirty-foot drop-off in the back right corner. A tiered putting surface allows both championship and everyday pin locations.

Hole 3

Yardage Blue – 420 White – 395 Red – 310 Par – 4 Handicap – 4

Hole number three is the calendar hole of the golf course. This hole offers the golfer outstanding natural beauty with water, sand, woods, and elevation changes, all while providing an exciting test of golf on the number two Handicap hole of the course. The hole begins from three nicely elevated tee positions which allow the golfer to view the fairway landing area with a target sand bunker on the right and oak, maple, and pine trees on the left. From the fairway landing area, the hole plays downhill by approximately fifty feet to a green set in a picture-book setting with a free-form pond guarding the right side of the green; sand, majestic oak, maple, and pine trees guard the left side. This massive, undulating green measures approximately 8,000 square feet in order to allow a fair target. Par on this hole will be hard to come by while “birdies” will be rare.

Hole 4

Yardage Blue – 405 White – 390 Red – 305 Par – 4 Handicap – 8

It doesn’t get any easier on this long and demanding uphill Par four. The entire fairway is tightly guarded with oak, maple, birch, and pine on both sides. The fairway landing is tightly guarded with sand on the right and a tall birch tree in the fairways on the left side. A wood or long iron shot into the green will be the norm for most. This narrow green complex is guarded in the front with two sand bunkers on the right side and one sand bunker on the left. The green is backed by a dominant white pine which provides a nice background for the green. As with the previous hole, Par will be difficult and a birdie would be a great achievement.

Hole 5

Yardage Blue – 105 White – 100 Red – 80 Par – 3 Handicap – 18

“Shorty” is a good name for this short, Par three golf hole. Although lacking in length, don’t let down your guard. This hole has some “bite.” The hole begins from a large and slightly elevated two-tiered teeing complex and plays to a small, very undulating green which is guarded by two sand bunkers in the front and a sharp drop-off of approximately forty feet in the rear. Golfers will be required to carry their shots over the sand bunkers to the green. After facing the challenge and length associated with holes three and four, this hole should be a good “birdie” opportunity.

Hole 6

Yardage Blue – 395 White – 375 Red – 320 Par – 4 Handicap – 12

The pines really stand out on this medium length Par four which plays downhill from an elevated tee location down a valley. From the tees, a golfer can “hit away” and watch his or her ball roll down hill “forever”. Be careful! The fairway is tightly guarded with trees on both sides and sand on the right. Some might even be tempted to hit a low-numbered iron off this tee in order to accurately steer his or her drive. The hole ends with a slightly elevated green guarded with sand in the front left and right corners with beautiful wetlands providing the background. The wildlife is abundant on this hole, so keep your eyes open for deer, beaver, duck, or heron. Don’t rule out spotting even a “birdie” or two within your group!

Hole 7

Yardage Blue – 310 White – 300 Red – 280 Par – 4 Handicap – 12

This hole provides the golfer with outstanding scenic beauty and the opportunity to pick up a “stroke”. This short Par four plays uphill in another valley setting. After your drive, an accurate short iron shot will be required into a narrow green surrounded by sand everywhere except the front right corner.

Hole 8

Yardage Blue – 445 White – 415 Red – 370 Par – 4 Handicap – 2

Strategy is the key to scoring on this very challenging and long Par four hole which plays as a dogleg to the left. Two options present themselves from the teeing complex: a long iron or three wood played down the right side of the fairway with a long iron shot remaining over the wetlands into the green, or a long drive down the left side of the hole over the pine trees and wetland pocket leaving the golfer a short iron into the green. The first option is more forgiving, but demands a long carry over the scenic, but menacing, wetlands. The hole plays to a green complex with a “pot” bunker nestled in the front left corner off-setting the large sand bunker on the right. Beautiful white birch and pine provide an attractive setting for this green. Bring some extra golf balls with you on this whole, you may need them!

Hole 9

Yardage Blue – 185 White – 150 Red – 100 Par – 3 Handicap – 10

This medium length Par three presents a nice closing challenge to the front nine. The hole begins from four seParately elevated teeing areas and plays to a significantly elevated green complex which is approximately thirty feet above the tees. All carry is needed from the back tees over the wetlands and a very large sand bunker preceding the front right three quarters of the green. Don’t be too long or too left because you may find yourself in other sand bunkers. Not only does this great Par three offer the golfer a challenging test of ability, but it also allows views of the majority of the wetlands and native wildlife located on the site.

Hole 10

Yardage Blue – 410 White – 375 Red – 365 Par – 4 Handicap – 9

Hole number ten plays as a medium-length dogleg to the left Par four. Don’t be short on your drive from the elevated teeing area because a large oak tree defines the inside leg of the dogleg. From the tee, you can see six sand bunkers stacked in different elevations in the side of a fifty-five foot hill creating a spectacular scene. A large sand bunker helps balance the left edge of this green presenting added challenge for those golfers hitting long to medium iron shots into the green.

Hole 11

Yardage Blue – 540 White – 510 Red – 405 Par – 5 Handicap – 3

The longest hole on the course set in very undulating terrain best describes the eleventh hole at The Natural at Beaver Creek Resort. The hole plays as a slight dogleg to the left at the first and second landing areas. Each landing area is emphasized with target bunkers on the right and woods on the left. The entire fairway is highlighted with natural ridges and depressions, creating difficult hitting stances. The green complex is tucked into a wooded area with sand bunkers guarding both the front right and left corners. This is a good hole to “let out the shaft” on your drive and second shot in order to achieve Par or a birdie.

Hole 12

Yardage Blue – 335 White – 295 Red – 180 Par – 4 Handicap – 13

“Short, but dangerous” best describes this Par four dogleg to the right. Hit a long fade and you have a short iron shot to an elevated green. “Duff” your drive and you’re in the bottom of a seventy foot deep valley. Large oak, maple, and birch help define the inside of this dogleg thus creating a very visual obstacle for those trying to “cut the corner”.

Hole 13

Yardage Blue – 290 White – 275 Red – 265 Par – 4 Handicap – 17

Hole number thirteen plays as the number seventeen Handicap hole on the golf course. The hole presents the golfer with a moderate dogleg to the right with a target bunker emphasizing the landing are along with pine, birch, and “blow-sand” emphasizing the right. The hole ends with a green defined with sand on the left and grass bunkers in the back and on the right side. The entire hole is set in a rustic setting with wind-blown sand everywhere in the rough. As with hole number twelve, this hole allows for good “birdie” opportunities.

Hole 14

Yardage Blue – 140 White – 120 Red – 80 Par – 3 Handicap – 15

Accuracy is the key to this short and scenic Par three which drops over one hundred feet from the tee to the green while offering the golfer views of Benjamins Beaver Creek Resort. The hole begins from two tees of different elevations and plays to a green with sand bunkers in the rear, right, and left. Control your short iron because there are plenty of tournament pin placements on this small, undulating green. Don’t overshoot the green because the elevation drops off another hundred feet, making a recovery shot rather difficult!

Hole 15

Yardage Blue – 400 White – 340 Red – 315 Par – 4 Handicap – 11

This medium to long Par four plays straight away and requires an accurate shot due to the narrow fairway, all of which is set in a valley. After a good drive, a medium to long iron will still be required to get home. Two strategically-placed sand bunkers guard the left side of the green with a small, oblong-shaped bunker guarding the front right. Your challenge does not end once you’re on the green as the complex features three distinctive putting plateaus.

Hole 16

Yardage Blue – 485 White – 455 Red – 355 Par – 5 Handicap – 5

Hole number sixteen exhibits a nice contrast to hole number eleven, the other Par five on the back nine, while providing an excellent opportunity to knock a couple strokes off your score. The hole plays as a short dogleg to the right Par five, tightly guarded with woods on both sides of the hole. The hole presents itself as another good hole to “let out the shaft”. The green complex is slightly rolling and guarded with sand on both sides. Those golfers hitting a good drive can possibly make the green in two shots. Take advantage of this hole in terms of your score because seventeen and eighteen are “killers”.

Hole 17

Yardage Blue – 160 White – 130 Red – 85 Par – 3 Handicap – 7

Hole number seventeen begins the sequence of the most difficult Par three and Par four on the golf course. The hole begins from three teeing areas of seParate elevations all tucked away in scenic woods. The hole requires a medium to short iron shot well-placed into a narrow green with a steep hillside on the left, sand in the front right, and an elevation drop in the rear of the green measuring approximately seventy-five feet. The key to this hole is not to miss the green, or your recovery shot will be difficult.

Hole 18

Yardage Blue – 445 White – 420 Red – 320 Par – 4 Handicap – 1

Hole number eighteen is a truly great test of golf, all set in some of the site’s most beautiful terrain. The hole plays downhill as a slight dogleg to the left, with plenty of length to contend with. Sand and trees that define the fairway landing area set the stage for a menacing carry over wetlands to a long and narrow green backed with three sand bunkers and majestic pine trees (with each measuring greater than four foot in diameter and eight feet tall). A “bale out” area located northwest of the green allows the higher Handicap golfer a reduced carry over the wetlands, then allowing a short chip to the green. Golfers will appreciate the wildlife in this area, especially the heron and other water fowl. Par on this great finishing hole is truly a well-deserved score!

The 19th hole at The Natural also goes by the name Hole Zero and Hole 9 1/2.