Golfers from Minnesota have long known the road east leads to something special. Each summer, when the snow finally melts and the days stretch deep into the evening, golfing buddies make the 5½-hour drive from the Twin Cities and Minnesota across Wisconsin and into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Their destination is Harris, a quiet town surrounded by pine forests and big skies, and the growing golf mecca at Island Resort & Casino. 

What began as a single standout course has evolved into one of the Midwest’s most compelling multi-course destinations. Today, travelers arrive to experience Sweetgrass and Sage Run, and now, with the debut of the new nine-hole Cedar Course in the fall of 2026, the resort’s golf offering has entered a new era.

Sweetgrass, the original layout that opened in 2008, remains the initial experience for many first-time visitors. The prairie-style course rolls across wide-open terrain, its fairways framed by native grasses and expansive views. What truly sets Sweetgrass apart, though, are its green complexes – playful and strategic interpretations of Golden Age templates. 

Golf architecture enthusiasts will recognize classic inspirations: a Redan, a Biarritz, an island green, and even a double green. The par-3 12^thfeatures one of the most memorable Biarritz holes in the region, while the island-green 15^th demands a precise short-iron strike to a floating target. 

A decade after Sweetgrass opened, architect Paul Albanese returned to the property to create a bold counterpoint. Sage Run, unveiled in 2018, is a more rugged and dramatic experience. The routing tumbles through hardwood forests and open ridges, with massive elevation changes and strategic angles that recall the great linksland courses of the British Isles. 

Where Sweetgrass is open and lyrical, Sage Run is muscular and adventurous. Together, the two courses create a one-two punch that has made Island Resort a favorite among Minnesota golf travelers looking for something different from the flatland courses back home.

Now, the story continues with the Cedar Course, a new nine-hole layout built adjacent to Sage Run. Designed again by Albanese, Cedar is a deliberate homage to the Golden Age of golf course architecture, emphasizing strategy, angles, and imaginative green complexes rather than brute length. The course will open for preview play in the fall, with a grand opening in 2027.

From the opening hole, Cedar makes its architectural intentions clear. The par-4 first, known as “The Bottle,” narrows farther from the tee, forcing golfers to choose how aggressively they want to play – an idea borrowed from the famous National Golf Links of America. 

The centerpiece of the course is the par-5 sixth hole, a three-shot masterpiece that layers several Golden Age concepts into a single design. A deep Himalaya bunker guards the tee shot, a vast Sahara hazard looms in the landing area, and the hole finishes at a boomerang-shaped green inspired by Alister MacKenzie. It’s a strategic puzzle that rewards patience, imagination, and precise placement.

Then comes the short par-4 eighth, a tempting drivable hole modeled after the famous 10^th at Riviera. The fairway invites bold play, but the steeply sloped green punishes careless approaches. It’s a reminder that great architecture is about decision-making, not distance. 

For Minnesota golfers planning a full trip, the resort’s popular “Perfect Foursome” package expands the experience beyond the Island’s property lines. The customizable stay-and-play offering combines rounds at Sweetgrass and Sage Run with two of the Upper Peninsula’s most celebrated public-access courses: Greywalls and Timberstone. 

Greywalls, located at Marquette Country Club along the shores of Lake Superior, is known for its dramatic rock outcroppings, wide fescue fairways, and firm, fast conditions that feel more like Scotland than the Midwest.

Timberstone, set in the hills of Iron Mountain, weaves through pine forests and wetlands, climbing and falling across a scenic mountainside. Together with Sweetgrass and Sage Run, plus the new Cedar course, will create one of the country’s most diverse and value-packed golf buddy trips, where a fivesome of courses is now perfectly allowed.

Back at the resort, expansion continues beyond the fairways. A recently completed convention center addition has added nearly 17,000 square feet of modern meeting space, anchored by a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. The facility has already increased midweek occupancy and attracted larger regional events.

Golf travelers will also notice the new Sweetgrass golf shop. Built in a traditional Hardy Plank style and overlooking the finishing holes, the 3,000-square-foot facility serves as both a retail space and a social hub, with terraces, locker rooms, and gathering areas that reinforce golf’s central role at the resort. 

Golfers make the journey for the value and the easy drive. Others come for the architecture, the variety, and the sense that this remote corner of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan offers something authentic and unspoiled. But most return for a simpler reason: in a region known as America’s Summer Golf Capital, they’ve found a place where great courses, cool air, and long northern evenings come together – one memorable round at a time.

The Island Resort & Casino offers fully customizable packages with 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-night lodging options, including up to four golf rounds. The very competitive package pricing ranges from $136 to $772, depending on the time of year.

Plan your trip now – whether it be for this summer or fall. You won’t be disappointed. Book now to save on your out-of-this-world golf experience today.

For more information about Island Resort and Casino and its golf packages, visit www.islandresortgolf.com or call 877-475-4733.