Designed by one of Michigan’s most famous golf course architects, Jerry Matthews, St. Ives features a breathtaking setting with glacial-carved highlands and sprawling wetlands. The outstanding course conditions combined with a beautiful backdrop make St. Ives a world-class golf experience.

The course, which was built in 1995, has received several prestigious awards including a five-star rating from Golf Digest. In addition, we were named among the “Top 10 Courses in America for Women” by Golf for Women, and achieved the No. 5 ranking for the “Best New Affordable Public Courses” and the No. 1 slot for best courses “East of the Mississippi” by Golf Digest.

“St. Ives is a dramatic melding of hardwoods, wetlands and steep elevation changes. It all adds up to a golfing experience unparalleled south of the 45th parallel.”
– Don VanderVeen, Michigan Golf Magazine

St. Ives offers four sets of tees so that you can make your round as exciting or challenging as you wish. With velvety lush bentgrass fairways, tees and greens, the course is distinguished by water features in 11 of the 18 holes.

The undulating terrain is the result of the course being built on what was once glacial till. St. Ives presents 40 to 80 feet of elevation change so you will experience outstanding views of the surrounding area.

The elevation changes are visible on the first hole, a par-4 playing at 424 yards from the back and 336 yards from the front. It’s a hole where the fairway keeps dropping all the way to the green. From the tee box, you’ll be hitting down to a fairway protected by a large bunker that overlooks Lake Mecosta.

The testiest green on the course is on No. 3, a par-4 playing at 410 yards from the tips and 281 from the front. There’s a lot of undulation on the putting surface and some pin placements can be trickier than others.

The most exciting hole—and one that will inspire you to try again and again—is the par-4 14th (429 yards from the back and 315 from the front). You need a straight and accurate tee shot here to hit the narrow landing pad. Then to get to that green off in the distance, you need a 160- to 200-yard carry over wetlands.

We have many fine par-3s, but one of the best is the 16th (175 yards from the back and 108 from the front), where you will be flying over a lake that almost surrounds the green. The water laps dangerously close to some tee boxes as well.

The 16th kicks off a trio of great finishing holes, including the best par-5 on this course, No. 17 (560 yards from the back and 429 from the front) with a fairway that wraps around a lake. The grand 18th is a par-4, 448 yards from the back and 332 from the front. The fairway here waggles right as it climbs upward.

St. Ives Practice Facilities

Get your A-game ready on our driving range before officially teeing off. Free range balls are included in your round of golf, and a warm-up will help prepare you for the doglegs, elevation changes and carries over water and wetlands.

We have a spacious range that accommodates up to 15 golfers. Simulated targets allow you to get comfortable with all your clubs from the very start.