Bucks Run Golf Club

About Bucks Run Golf Club

Bucks Run sits on 290 acres that the Fisher family's sand and gravel business mined for decades. When the mining stopped in the 1990s the land sat for nearly ten years, and then Jerry Matthews, a Michigan Golf Hall of Famer with some 90 designs in the state, turned the central quarry pit into Lake Fisher and worked in almost two miles of Chippewa River frontage and two smaller lakes. It opened on July 1, 2000.

The water is what you remember. The course's own tour calls the par-3 8th, tucked between Lake Fisher and the woods, one of the most talked-about holes, and the 9th approach carries water the whole way. The 14th is a downhill par 3 over a corner of the lake into the prevailing wind, and the 18th lets you bite off as much of Lake Fisher as you dare, with water short, long and left of the green. The river runs down the 12th and frames the 16th green. The map survey counts water on six holes along the river, 13 holes that bend and 13 lined by trees. Course character from OpenStreetMap contributors' survey data.

It has hosted U.S. Amateur qualifiers, LPGA events and Powerbilt Junior Tour stops. After the round there's the Short Game Island, an 18-hole natural-grass putting and chipping course out in one of the lakes, plus the Quarry Grill and rooms for overnight stays.

It's one of 27 courses Yoink watches in the Mid-Michigan & the Thumb area, and the closest alternative is Pohlcat Golf Course, about 5 miles away — handy when your first choice is booked solid.

What it's like to play Bucks Run Golf Club

You'll carry water off the tee or into the green on 4 holes. 13 of the 18 holes bend, so position off the tee matters more than length. A creek or river runs through the property and comes into play on 6 holes.

Course character from OpenStreetMap contributors' survey data (ODbL).

Booking a tee time at Bucks Run Golf Club

Tee times are recommended but walk-ons are taken when there's space. Groups of fewer than eight can book up to 4 weeks ahead, online or by calling the golf shop at (989) 773-6830; bigger groups book 6 to 18 months out through the head pro. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead or you won't get a refund. Twilight starts at 4 p.m. and covers 18 holes, and 9-hole rounds are up to the shop on the day. It's soft spikes only, with collared shirts required. The Short Game Island is $20 for adults and $15 for juniors.

How to get a tee time at Bucks Run Golf Club