Lakewood Shores Resort - The Gailes Golf Course
Lakewood Shores Resort - The Gailes Golf Course
3.4
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This course is part of a highly-rated resort complex.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.4
40 reviews
Excellent
10
Very good
15
Average
4
Poor
3
Terrible
8
DinesEverywhere
Tampa245 contributions
Jun 2019
One staff member in the pro shop had an indifferent attitude. It is recommended to bring your own GPS indicator, as there are no yardage indicators on sprinkler heads. This is to help ensure a true Scottish experience. There is a neat starter house at the 1st tee. Hole #9 does not end at the pro shop. The 1st cut of rough was manageable.
Small pot bunkers can catch good golf shots and it is essential to know exactly where those bunkers are located. Even during a chilly, damp morning, some of the greens putted fairly fast. Overall, the course was in acceptable condition.
Some of the favorite holes:
#3 (burns make the fairway like an island with pot bunkers, ending at a huge green)
#9 (the green is interesting)
#10 (a short hole, but the narrow fairway is well mounded)
#11 (a big surprise behind this green, but it was not noticed until the 14th hole)
#12 (the tee box has a decent view of several holes)
#18 (ends with a huge green)
This course is recommended for experienced golfers. Staff members stated the grass along the holes is longer in September and October. The drive cart was a little older, with about an average ride. At the time of this visit, resort guests received a discount on merchandise.
Small pot bunkers can catch good golf shots and it is essential to know exactly where those bunkers are located. Even during a chilly, damp morning, some of the greens putted fairly fast. Overall, the course was in acceptable condition.
Some of the favorite holes:
#3 (burns make the fairway like an island with pot bunkers, ending at a huge green)
#9 (the green is interesting)
#10 (a short hole, but the narrow fairway is well mounded)
#11 (a big surprise behind this green, but it was not noticed until the 14th hole)
#12 (the tee box has a decent view of several holes)
#18 (ends with a huge green)
This course is recommended for experienced golfers. Staff members stated the grass along the holes is longer in September and October. The drive cart was a little older, with about an average ride. At the time of this visit, resort guests received a discount on merchandise.
Written 31 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GregfromDTW
Bloomfield Hills, MI111 contributions
Aug 2013 • Friends
Stayed @ Lakewood Shores in the apartment style condos and played The Gailes and Blackshire. Saw some recent reviews saying the place was no good - au contraire mon ami, the rental rooms/apartments are a bit spartan but fairly clean (a spider or 2 in residence and they don't clean behind the nightstands/dressers) but fine in the main - especially when considering the price (great stay and play deals) and the fact that you're probably on the golf course all day anyway. The Gailes is the links style course and is a touch shopworn as it seems no one fixes their divots or ball marks, but is a challenge. The Blackshire is in a it better shape, but a traditional "up north" type course vs. the links style Gailes. I'm not sure you can beat the price of the lodging/golf packages and you can include food packages if you like (food is pretty good, but not gourmet fare). I will say you can't beat the price of any of the packages I've seen (we got ours on golfnow.com). So if there is some dust, bugs, less than spacious rooms, so what @ these prices????
Written 7 August 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hackers2
Williamston, MI75 contributions
Jul 2017
Classic example of you get what you pay for...as other posters have stated, to keep costs low something needs to give. In our case it was the golf carts. We played Blackshire on Sat. and the Gailes on Sun. The brakes did not work correctly on either cart. We had to make sure we were on a flat and turned the wheels to keep the cart from rolling. On Sunday, the cart would not move very well over grass and quit on 17. My husband pushed it to 18 and I called for a replacement. When we finished there were no carts available for golfers because golfers were taking over 5 hrs. to play (looking for balls of course) and the number of carts is based on a 4.5 hr. round. We probably lost over 20 golf balls and found around 10 balls. You could track your ball into the long grass or stream and think you knew exactly where it was and never find it. I knew this ahead of time and took all the old golf balls from my garage to play with. The course was in okay shape. I wouldn't call the traps sand traps as they were more like hard packed dirt - not easy to get under and out. The food was okay in the clubhouse but the service was excellent. Their special price for dinner and breakfast never made economical sense to us no matter how we calculated it so we just paid the menu prices. The hotel was very basic but clean. Very noisy though. We could hear our neighbors talking and walking up the stairs outside just like they were in our room. We had fun at the beach in downtown Oscoda but the town itself is lacking. We drove the 20 min. to Tawas for dinner. Much more festive atmosphere...like being in an up north town. Much more fun to walk around. It was a good value for what we paid on the discount site but don't think we would return here.
Written 2 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PARtisan
Fife, Scotland12 contributions
Jun 2013 • Friends
Firstly, I want to say that the staff at The Gailes could not have been more helpful on the day. I live in Scotland and a friend and I traveled to Michigan to play golf. This was the first of a 4 day side trip to Northern Michigan. We also played Forest Dunes, Boyne Alpine and Monument and Arcadia Bluffs.
My friend who lives in Michigan booked the Blackshire and Gailes in October 2012. He paid deposits for the accommodation in Jan/Feb. He received a call from the resort in Mar/Apr asking if we wouldn't mind flipping our rounds. Wew had been due to play The Gailes in the morning. He agreed.
On arrival at the Blackshire we were not told of the significant casual water, however that's an aside.
After lunch at the main clubhouse we were told that the visiting party of 64 Canadian golfers had been put out in groups of 8 and 10. Can you believe that? Unheard of!!! We were asked to go out in a seven-some. Can you believe THAT? We said no and that we would go out as planned in a three and four and would play through the groups. We were told that wasn't possible. After much discussion, consideration and debate with the larger group, we were left with little alternative so we played in a seven-ball group. It was horrendous. We passed adjacent to the visiting party of Canadians and they were loud. raucous and drunk. They showed no consideration for other gofers or the cours, lying around on greens, swilling beer and generally lacking in etiquette.
It should never have been allowed to happen. The whole thing was a farce and very poorly managed. We will not be back and will not recommend this course ever!
My friend who lives in Michigan booked the Blackshire and Gailes in October 2012. He paid deposits for the accommodation in Jan/Feb. He received a call from the resort in Mar/Apr asking if we wouldn't mind flipping our rounds. Wew had been due to play The Gailes in the morning. He agreed.
On arrival at the Blackshire we were not told of the significant casual water, however that's an aside.
After lunch at the main clubhouse we were told that the visiting party of 64 Canadian golfers had been put out in groups of 8 and 10. Can you believe that? Unheard of!!! We were asked to go out in a seven-some. Can you believe THAT? We said no and that we would go out as planned in a three and four and would play through the groups. We were told that wasn't possible. After much discussion, consideration and debate with the larger group, we were left with little alternative so we played in a seven-ball group. It was horrendous. We passed adjacent to the visiting party of Canadians and they were loud. raucous and drunk. They showed no consideration for other gofers or the cours, lying around on greens, swilling beer and generally lacking in etiquette.
It should never have been allowed to happen. The whole thing was a farce and very poorly managed. We will not be back and will not recommend this course ever!
Written 14 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jrich773
Portage, MI22 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
I was part of a golf trip that went to Lakewood Shores at the end of May and we were happy to have shot the Gailes a few times. It is a great Links style course. If you stay in the fairway it is a course you can still put up a good score(But isn't that every course). This course doesn't forgive you if you are far off the fairway and some of the Greens are huge.
Written 22 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Z
Royal Oak, MI2 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
Just loved the uniqueness and layout, already booked another trip here. Trust me, this course is a world class track, very different than anything you will find in Michigan - never been to Scotland but have been told "this is what it's like" - I've been coming to Lakewood Shores over 15 years and personally rate The Gailes as high as any public course in the state. Links design, rolling fairways with pot bunkers, lined with heather and huge greens - some of which are double greens - course has always been in great shape but the design/layout keep me coming back! By far this is the most reasonably priced resort you can get to and their rooms were much bigger/nicer than you would get at treetops....
Written 14 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Corey H
Ontario, Canada12 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
Bring your "A" Game. This authentic Scottish links style course is visually stunning. Errant shots are punished with knee high heather, sod stacked bunkers and rolling dunes on every hole.
Written 9 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry W
London, Canada2 contributions
May 2012 • Couples
Only golf here. If it's only golf then its barely OK. The whole facility is quite "tired". Room was not very clean, dining room could be better. Maybe Golf Digest recognized them 19 years ago........but they haven't done much since. Only groups of rowdy drunken men. Not sutiable for couples.
Written 5 June 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BHartMich
Northville, MI694 contributions
Jun 2017
We were looking forward to playing the course since it seemed like an interesting concept -- a Scottish links type course. The course was in nice condition throughout despite the huge amount of rain they had during the past few weeks.
The pace of play however was terrible, and there are no rangers on the course paying any attention and helping to speed things up. The front nine took 2 hours 45 minutes to play, and we waited on every single shot. Awful experience.
Be forewarned also -- there is no halfway house to get anything to eat. The course layout is such that you do not return anywhere near the clubhouse until the end of the round. Plan on being on the course for 5 - 5 1/2 hours, and if you want food, bring it yourself. There was one cart person who came around offering drinks -- no sandwiches, no candy bars, nothing. We asked her if she could get us a sandwich from the club house which she eventually did. It took about an hour and turned out to be not what we asked for. At least we got something to eat.
There is no bag drop so plan on loading and unloading the clubs yourself. No one asked how we liked the course as we left. Apparently, no one cares at all about managing anything, or how the customers are doing. It was one of the worst golf experiences we have had.
This opinion is not based on hard the course is. It is hard, but we actually played pretty well. It is based on the complete lack of customer care that was exhibited.
The pace of play however was terrible, and there are no rangers on the course paying any attention and helping to speed things up. The front nine took 2 hours 45 minutes to play, and we waited on every single shot. Awful experience.
Be forewarned also -- there is no halfway house to get anything to eat. The course layout is such that you do not return anywhere near the clubhouse until the end of the round. Plan on being on the course for 5 - 5 1/2 hours, and if you want food, bring it yourself. There was one cart person who came around offering drinks -- no sandwiches, no candy bars, nothing. We asked her if she could get us a sandwich from the club house which she eventually did. It took about an hour and turned out to be not what we asked for. At least we got something to eat.
There is no bag drop so plan on loading and unloading the clubs yourself. No one asked how we liked the course as we left. Apparently, no one cares at all about managing anything, or how the customers are doing. It was one of the worst golf experiences we have had.
This opinion is not based on hard the course is. It is hard, but we actually played pretty well. It is based on the complete lack of customer care that was exhibited.
Written 29 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mexico_man2010
Saline, MI69 contributions
Aug 2015 • Friends
Very impressive layout, instantly jumped into my top half dozen in the state.
Great condition for the amount of play it gets, with fast true greens. It gets more difficult with the steady winds coming of Lake Huron. Several big boy par 4's at 420+ from the white tee's and 450+ from the blues. Balls are actually fairly easy to find in the natural areas as they are not solid/deep heather, but rather dirt/sand with sparse heather/grass. The huge greens that are some of the best conditioned I've played all summer and that includes some of the high end places.
On down side and keeping it from a 5 rating are two things:
- Expect a 5 hr or more round.
- this is due to the layout and amount of time people look for balls in the natural areas.
- Not a high end place as for the service, including on the course.
- beverage cart was scarce
- with an absolutely full course and a 5+ hr round they are losing a big opportunity to gain revenue.
- no starter so groups backed up quickly on the course. Specially as the 2nd hole is a par 3 it appeared to always have 2 groups on the tee waiting.
- no ranger in site to keep people moving along.
The lack of staff is obviously an attempt to control cost, and thankfully that money is put into an amazing golf course. So I can live with that.
Can't wait to take another shot at this course, which is not for the faint of heart.... just bring your patience.
Great condition for the amount of play it gets, with fast true greens. It gets more difficult with the steady winds coming of Lake Huron. Several big boy par 4's at 420+ from the white tee's and 450+ from the blues. Balls are actually fairly easy to find in the natural areas as they are not solid/deep heather, but rather dirt/sand with sparse heather/grass. The huge greens that are some of the best conditioned I've played all summer and that includes some of the high end places.
On down side and keeping it from a 5 rating are two things:
- Expect a 5 hr or more round.
- this is due to the layout and amount of time people look for balls in the natural areas.
- Not a high end place as for the service, including on the course.
- beverage cart was scarce
- with an absolutely full course and a 5+ hr round they are losing a big opportunity to gain revenue.
- no starter so groups backed up quickly on the course. Specially as the 2nd hole is a par 3 it appeared to always have 2 groups on the tee waiting.
- no ranger in site to keep people moving along.
The lack of staff is obviously an attempt to control cost, and thankfully that money is put into an amazing golf course. So I can live with that.
Can't wait to take another shot at this course, which is not for the faint of heart.... just bring your patience.
Written 25 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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