Sage Run Golf Club | Bark River, MI | Par 72

Sage Run Golf Club brings some serious golf drama to the Northwoods. The course winds through the trees as elevation changes offer majestic views at every turn. The course will give you a great sense of seclusion on nearly every hole thanks to those trees and the routing. Sage Run is challenging while still offering playability. The fairways are generous in most areas a minimal number of forced carries. The greens are also rather large, though they offer a good deal of undulation. The course has a standard setup, with two par-5s and two par-3s on each side, for a par 72 layout. There are a total of five tees, which allows a wide range of skills to play. One thing missing from the course is water. There isn’t a single hole where water comes into play, but the trees and long grass you’ll find off many of the fairways will keep your attention.

I was so impressed by the overall condition of Sage Run. The fairways are immaculate, rolling along like carpet. I never saw a patch that was in less than great shape. The greens, while difficult, rolled well and consistently, which is all you can ask. The rough offered different challenges, as there are areas where it’s far denser than others. Figuring out how the ball will come out of the dense stuff adds to the challenge. The bunkers offered consistent sand that’s not too heavy, and not too light. It’s just the way I like to see the sand, if I am forced to see it. Combined the condition with the overall beauty of the property, and you won’t leave disappointed.

For a course as big and bold as Sage Run, the practice areas are cramped and not well thought out. There is a small putting area that will give you a taste of how severe some of the greens on the course can be. It just needs to be bigger. It would also be nice if it weren’t so close to the first tee. The range is a small walk away from the putting green, and it’s also not very large, which really comes into play when you’re in an event the size of the one I was in. The last comment about the range is that hitting areas are pretty uneven, which is fine if that’s what you’re looking to work on, but not great for your everyday player looking to loosen up and hopefully build some confidence. So many aspects of the course are well done, they just could have done better here.

The clubhouse is another feature that feels like it may have been forgotten when designing the course. The structure itself is fine. It’s obviously new – the course opened in 2019 – and clean. The bathrooms are right by the entrance and are clean. There’s a tiny pro shop that has some good logo apparel and there’s a small food and drink area on the other side. The area gets claustrophobic pretty quickly, though. Again, like with the practice areas, they could have done a little more and it wouldn’t feel like they were an afterthought.

The carts at Sage Run were solid, but what I feel like is the bare minimum for a course like this. The GPS on the cart is the small tablet style in the corner of the driver’s side, which makes it a little tougher for both golfers to see it. It’s also not point-and-measure, so you are reliant on the points of interest the software has pre-measured out for you. The carts have club and ball cleaners on them, which is nice, but no cooler. My cart ran perfectly well, so no concerns there.

All the staff I encountered at Sage Run were very friendly and effective. The person organizing the golfers and getting them sent off was clear (though he was a little hard to hear). The workers in the bar/grill in the clubhouse did a great job dealing with what was certainly a continual line all day. There was no beverage cart out the entire day, likely because of the event and wanting to keep pace of play up. I believe there was one the previous time I played, so I would expect no issues on a regular, non-event day.

For between $75 and $85, this course is a great deal. It is dramatic, fun and in wonderful condition. You will catch yourself just looking around at the views on nearly every tee box. If not for the location – kind of in the middle of nowhere – I wonder how much they could get for a round of golf there. It is worth every penny.

The first thing about Sage Run that makes it challenging is all the elevation changes. There is some of the most dramatic elevation change I have seen on a golf course. All that up and down, combined with any kind of wind, makes it tough to pick a club or a target. You’ll have several blind shots to contend with. The second feature is the trees and the appearance that the course is tight. In most cases, the course gives the illusion of being tight, without being that tight. But all the trees are going to make you think, and that can make things just as difficult. Finally, the greens can have some pretty severe break due to all the levels and ridges you’ll find. This course will absolutely challenge most golfers.

The beautiful surroundings and well-defined holes make Sage Run a joy to play. There is plenty of challenge, but it is still very playable. There are some very unique holes that you are sure to remember, and some of the green complexes will give the best short games fits. Not to mention the overall condition of the entire course. Finally, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter some wildlife during your round, which I always find exciting. This course is worth the drive.

The par-3 5th is one of the holes you are certain to remember after playing Sage Run. It is severely uphill, which means the low- to mid-iron you were going to hit off the tee when looking at the yardage on the GPS, is now a mid- to long-iron. Whatever you do, make sure you have enough club to get up the hill. because failing to do so will make for some real difficulties. Most shots to the right side of the green should kick back towards the middle of the large, slanted surface. It is not an easy hole, but the one I was most excited to play again.

The 2nd hole at Sage Run is a pretty straightforward par-4. It’s just long and it plays long, despite being slightly downhill. The teeing area is generous, but if you get too far offline on either side, you’ll run into long grass, which will eliminate your hopes of getting to the green in regulation. A bunker sits in front of the green, waiting to catch any shots that hoped to roll up onto the surface. Once you’re on the large putting green, it’s no cakewalk, as there’s a good amount of slope to navigate. Sage Run definitely starts you off with a firm test.

Hole #16 is a short par-4 that is straight up the hill. Depending on the tees you play, you might be able to just bomb it right over the incline, but with trees on both sides and some severe terrain and bunkering down the left side, you can’t afford to miss too badly. I played the hole well, but I just didn’t care for the idea of it. Anything less than a very good tee shot (again, depending on the tees you play), even one that finds the fairway, will leave you in a spot where you have no idea where you’re going. Also, this is one of the most treacherous greens you’ll find on the property. It is severely sloped back to front with ridges and low areas. Don’t be on the side of the green away from the hole.

I played in the Island Resort’s two-day scramble event over Memorial Day weekend and had a blast. 72 four-person scramble groups spread out between Sage Run and Sweetgrass, and things couldn’t have gone more smoothly. My team played Sage Run first, which proved to be the tougher course of the two, and it was a near perfect day. The wind swirled and was up and down throughout the day, so that made things a little tougher, but it was a great experience.