Northern Michigan Gems: Bahle Farms
Suttons Bay, Michigan. Bahle Farms is the quintessential Northern Michigan course.
By Matt Fernandez
Bahle Farms has all the pieces you want in a true ‘Up North’ course; secluded and cut through the woods, great elevation changes, an outstanding route, memorable holes, & a tough finish… Throw in a working farm on top of that and you have one special place, and an absolute must-visit.
From the opening tee shot, Bahle Farms takes you on a golf adventure traversing up, over, down and around the beautiful Northern Michigan terrain. Every hole leaves you wanting more, and no two holes feel the same. It’s 4 hours of challenging, fun, unique and playable golf.
Fitting Name
Bahle Farms didn't get its name by pure chance. The course runs through a working farm-- and cuts straight through cherry trees on the back nine. We always pick a few off to try ourselves, some quality testing for the farm, of course. Unfortunately, the cherry trees that enclosed the 14th hole had to be taken out, but next year will bring new cherry trees that will live there for the next 30-40 years.
Hole 2 Tee
Hole 7
Hole 18 Green
Unforgettable Holes
Bahle has a plethora of memorable holes from start to finish including great tee shots, undulated greens, fantastic views and other unique features. Put all of this together and you're in for a true Northern Michigan experience you won't soon forget. It’s hard to pin down just one signature hole, there’s probably 6 that come to mind. Some say the 11th is the signature. A wildly downhill par 3 with the Bahle Barn and several holes in view.
There’s no shortage of good holes at Bahle. Some of our favorite include 2, 4,7 and 8 on the front. 11, 12, 15, 17 & 18 on the back. Yes, that’s like half the holes, and no I can’t cut down that list.
The Bahle Barn
The Barn at Bahle Farms adds a cool aesthetic to the course. It embodies the entire course and ties it together in a way few course symbols can. It's a retired barn in the middle of the course, a perfect symbol for the working farm nearby. The barn is visible on both the front and back nine tying the loop together perfectly.
What a Finish 🏌
The 17th and 18th holes can make or break your round. Both holes require accurate drives in order to make par (or better). The 17th is a shorter, tight par 4 with a blind green that slopes away from you. The 18th is a slight dogleg left par 4 with an elevated green, some 20-30 yards above the fairway. If you don't hit a solid drive AND a great approach, you're looking at a double bogey, easy. Helluva finish.
Final Thoughts
Bahle Farms is one of our favorite spots in Michigan hands down. We play it at least once a year, and it just seems to get better and better. The young owners (shoutout Crosley & Melissa) have put in time and effort to make this place special top-to-bottom.
There's not a bad hole on the property, and no two holes feel the same.
The Pro Shop features a ton of great custom gear, including some custom North Coast x Bahle Farms gloves.
Even the snack shack and bar have been updated to feature a more robust list of food and drink.
Overall, the experience is great, the round is affordable and the course is fantastic. Can't wait to get back.
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