Big hills, deep valleys and one very famous par three.
Treetops sits in the hills east of Gaylord, in the middle of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, and has had golf since its first course opened in 1987. It has five courses, from Tom Fazio’s Premier to three by Rick Smith, but most visitors build a trip around two of them: Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s Masterpiece, the resort’s first course, and Threetops, a nine-hole par-3 course best known for one television moment. Treetops says rounds start as early as 6:30am and run into the evening, which makes 27 or 36 holes in a day realistic.
Treetops Resort green fees and tee times.
Treetops sells tee times on all five courses through the Tee Times page on treetops.com, and by phone on (866) 348-5249. You do not need to be a hotel guest. The resort does not publish green fees on its site; prices appear when you search a date, and if your time is not online you call a pro shop or reservations. Packages run from a single night to a week of golf, with named options including the 5-3-1 Golf Package, the Unlimited Golf Package and The Perfect Week; the site lists no package prices. Groups use a separate request form. If your preferred time is gone, sign up for Noteefy alerts on treetops.noteefy.app.
The courses at Treetops Resort.
Jones Masterpiece
Par 71, 7,028 yards from the Black tees and 5,888 from the White, with a 74.8 rating and 147 slope from the back. Treetops says Golf Digest has rated it 4½ stars, and the course looks out over the Pigeon River Valley. GolfPass lists the season as late April to the end of October and notes that a cart is included in the green fee.
Threetops
Nine holes, par 27, all par threes, playing 1,435 yards from the back and 978 from the front. The 7th is the hole where Trevino’s 2001 ace won US$1 million, and the resort marked the 20th anniversary in 2021 when he came back. You can play 18 holes, have dinner and return for a twilight nine.
The round, in perspective.
The Masterpiece overlooks the Pigeon River Valley, routed through the forested hills of the resort. GolfPass lists it at par 71 and 7,028 yards from the Black tees, with a 147 slope, and credits Jones and Roger Rulewich with the 1987 design. Treetops says Jones stood on the site in 1985 and chose to build there. Threetops, by Rick Smith, opened in 1992 as nine par threes from about 135 to 219 yards, a total of 1,435 yards from the back; the 3rd is the longest and the 9th the shortest. It hosted the ESPN Par-3 Shootout for eight years, and in 2001 Lee Trevino holed out at the 7th to win the million-dollar prize. Treetops says it is widely considered America’s best par-3 course.
Know before you go.
First tee times
From 6:30am, into the evening
Carts
Included in Masterpiece green fee (GolfPass)
Walking
Smith Tradition designed to be walkable
Threetops
Nine holes; twilight replays offered
Booking alerts
Noteefy for sold-out times
Make the trip work.
Pair a morning Masterpiece round with an afternoon on Threetops: the short course takes much less time and is the easiest place to fit a group of mixed ability. The resort has two pro shops, at the main resort on Wilkinson Road and at Treetops North on Fazio Drive, so check which one your course starts from. If you want a replay or the Unlimited Golf Package, ask about it when you book rather than at the first tee. Groups should use the group golf request form, which covers custom packages and tournament set-ups.
Treetops points flyers to Traverse City (TVC), roughly an hour and a half west by road. Pellston (PLN) is the other airline airport to the north. Gaylord sits on I-75, so driving up from Detroit or Grand Rapids is common; Detroit is around three and a half hours. The main resort address is 3962 Wilkinson Road, Gaylord.
Lodging is all on site: The Lodge at Treetops, The Treetops Inn, the Jones Cottages, the Chalets at Treetops, Treetops North Condominiums and rental homes. The Lodge has indoor and outdoor pools and a spa, and places to eat include Legends on the Hill, Bar 81 behind the Lodge lobby, Hunter’s Grille and the Sports Bar. Gaylord, a few minutes west, has chain hotels and restaurants if the resort is full.
Make a trip of it.
Stay on site for Fazio Premier (1992), Michigan’s only Fazio course, and Rick Smith’s Signature (1993) and Tradition, the last designed to be walked. Bay Harbor and The Highlands near Harbor Springs are around an hour north-west for a two-base trip. Off the course, the Pigeon River Country State Forest east of Gaylord has trails and is home to Michigan’s wild elk herd.
Find your season.
Golf runs from spring to autumn; GolfPass lists the Masterpiece as open from late April to the end of October. July and August are the busiest weeks, and late September brings colour to the valley. In winter the same hillside runs as a small ski area.
Yes. Public tee times are sold online and through reservations on (866) 348-5249 for all five courses. Packages that combine lodging and golf, from one night to a week, are the other route if you plan several rounds.
Where did Lee Trevino make his hole-in-one?
On the 7th at Threetops, during the 2001 ESPN Par-3 Shootout, which paid him US$1 million. The event was held at Threetops for eight years, and Trevino returned for the 20th anniversary in 2021.
How long is the Treetops Masterpiece?
GolfPass lists it at 7,028 yards from the Black tees, par 71, with a 147 slope. The Blue tees play 6,398 yards and the White 5,888, and there are combination tees in between.
What are the green fees at Treetops?
Treetops does not publish a rate card. Prices show in the online tee sheet for each date and time. Package prices are not listed on the site either, so ask reservations for a quote by date and lodging.
Last checked 10 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
