Alpine Course at Boyne Mountain Resort

The Alpine Course at Boyne Mountain Resort is an 18-hole, par-72 championship layout designed by William Newcomb and opened in 1972 on the same Northern Michigan mountainside that hosts the resort's ski runs. Every round begins with a ten-minute cart ride to the summit, where dramatic elevation changes, hardwood-framed fairways, and views of Deer Lake define an experience unlike any other course in Michigan. The Alpine has hosted the Michigan PGA Championship and Michigan's Tournament of Champions and consistently ranks among the state's top public-access courses.

Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls, Michigan, was established by Everett Kircher, a Detroit-area businessman who purchased the property in 1947 and developed it into Michigan's first destination ski resort. By the late 1960s, Kircher was determined to extend Boyne Mountain's season appeal and commissioned William Newcomb to design a championship golf course that would use the same mountainside terrain that made the skiing so compelling. Newcomb accepted the unusual challenge of routing a golf course on a ski resort's slopes — terrain shaped not for golf but for vertical descent. The Alpine Course opened in 1972 and immediately established itself as a standout topographically dramatic golf experiences in the Midwest. The round begins with a ten-minute cart ride to the summit of Boyne Mountain, ascending approximately 500 feet above the base before the first tee.

The course then plays downward and across the mountain's ridgelines, routing through hardwood forests, across meadows, and along slopes that produce nearly every variety of sidehill and downhill lie imaginable. The design stretches to 7,056 yards from the Brown tees, carrying a course rating of 73.3 and slope of 138 — numbers reflecting both length and the inherent challenge of mountain terrain. The complete tee offering spans Brown (7,056 yards, 73.3/138), Purple (6,865 yards, 72.0/136), Orange (6,491 yards, 70.3/131), Green (6,035 yards, men's 68.8/122, women's 74.4/136), and Silver (5,062 yards, men's 64.2/111, women's 69.0/121). The range of tee options makes the Alpine accessible across a wide spectrum of abilities while preserving its championship character from the back. Newcomb's design philosophy at Boyne Mountain emphasized visual drama alongside strategic merit.

Mature hardwood trees frame virtually every fairway, providing both definition and seclusion — the sense that each hole occupies its own distinct world. The 14th hole is widely cited as a signature moment: Newcomb scattered bunkers off the fairway to direct the eye away from the intended target line, with an elevated green complex surrounded by additional traps demanding precision both off the tee and on the approach. The par-5 18th presents a final challenge of water and bunkers before a demanding green. The Alpine has served as the host venue for the Michigan PGA Championship and Michigan's Tournament of Champions — the state's most notable amateur championship. The course's combination of length, elevation change, and bunkering creates a test that can challenge tour-level professionals while remaining playable for resort visitors.

The facility operates as part of BOYNE Golf, the resort group founded by Everett Kircher that now encompasses multiple courses across northern Michigan. The Alpine shares the Boyne Mountain campus with the Monument Course, the resort's second 18-hole layout, as well as comprehensive practice facilities, the BOYNE Golf Academy, and lodging. The Beach House on Deer Lake provides dining and views of the lake that many Alpine holes overlook from above.