Shanty Creek (Summit)

Overview: Summit is the short-game specialist in Shanty Creek’s five-course collection. William H. Diddel’s northern Michigan routing uses compact holes, precise landing areas and quick, demanding greens to make placement more important than length. The current resort description stresses that distance is not the main factor, and the course’s tee options let golfers approach the round at different scales. Set in the Bellaire hills near Lake Bellaire, Summit is a useful change of pace after the longer Cedar River, Legend or Hawk’s Eye, with every hole asking a different question around the green.

History: Shanty Creek’s current course record dates Summit to about 1965 and links it to William H. Diddel, whose work at Otsego also helped establish Northern Michigan as a serious golf destination. The course was part of the early Summit Village story before Shanty Creek expanded into a larger resort network. Its identity has remained distinct because it offers a different kind of challenge from the later championship courses: the architecture is measured through recovery shots and putting surfaces rather than headline yardage.

Did You Know? Summit gives junior players a par-three tee option on every hole. The same routing can therefore serve as a full strategic test for accomplished golfers and a more inviting learning course for younger players.