Garland Lodge Monarch
Ron Otto designed the Monarch as the longest and most demanding of the four courses at Garland, a par 72 of about 7,145 yards carved through the forest and wetland of northern Michigan. Opened in 1989, it is the championship test at one of the region's most characterful golf resorts, set deep in the woods near Lewiston.
Photo: Garland Lodge & Golf Resort via Google.
The verdict
The Monarch is the big course at Garland, a remote and characterful resort set in thousands of acres of northern Michigan forest near Lewiston. Ron Otto, the design force behind the family owned property, built it in 1989 as the resort's championship test, and at about 7,145 yards to a par 72 it is the longest and most exacting of Garland's four courses.
What sets it apart is the setting. Holes are cut as private corridors through dense hardwood and pine, with wetland and water threatening on many, so the round feels secluded and demands accuracy off the tee above all. It rewards the player who keeps the ball in play and manages the wetland carries rather than the one who reaches for distance. As the headline course at a resort built for the golf trip, the Monarch anchors a Garland stay that feels a world away.
Garland Lodge Monarch Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1989
- Designer
- Ron Otto
- Type
- Parkland, forest
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,145 yds
- Green fee
- From about $55
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Garland Lodge and Golf Resort and leading course databases. The Monarch Course was designed by Ron Otto and opened in 1989, a par 72 of about 7,145 yards. Indicative 2026 green fees run roughly $55 to $125 depending on season and day, with the best value through resort stay and play packages. Fees move with season and demand, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Off the tee, the Monarch is about discipline. The treelined corridors leave little room for a wayward drive, and finding the fairway is the first and most important task on nearly every hole. The wider landing areas reward a positional tee shot that opens the angle to the green, while the tighter holes simply ask for a straight ball and a cool head.
Water and wetland provide the second test. Several holes ask for a carry over marsh or skirt a pond on the approach, and judging when to take on the line and when to lay back is the strategic heart of the round. The greens are sized to hold a well struck long iron but punish the loose approach, so position in the fairway sets up everything.
The closing holes have the length and the hazards to protect a score, fitting for the resort's championship layout. Played within your game it is a fair and rewarding test; pushed for distance through the trees it bites back quickly. It is the round at Garland that asks the most of the long game and the nerve.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Resort course; open to the public and to Garland guests, with stay and play packages across the four courses |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 range about $55 to $125 depending on season and day; best value inside a resort package; confirm at booking |
| Booking | Reserve through Garland Lodge; the short northern Michigan season concentrates play into summer, so book ahead |
| On the day | Carts standard given the spread out, wooded routing; the secluded corridors reward steady, accurate golf |
| Getting there | Lewiston in northern Lower Michigan, deep in the forest, roughly 45 minutes east of Gaylord and Interstate 75 |
| Best months | Late May to early October, with high summer the most reliable and fall color a highlight of the shoulder season |
Access and fee details verified June 2026. Pricing moves with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. See our Michigan green fees guide for the wider picture.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is Garland itself, a sprawling log lodge with rooms, cottages and on site dining set among its four courses, built precisely for the multi day golf trip. Staying on property is the way to enjoy the seclusion and to play the courses across a relaxed stay and play.
Garland pairs naturally with the wider Gaylord golf belt some 45 minutes west, so many visitors combine it with the cluster of courses around Gaylord for a longer northern Michigan tour. It suits a buddies trip that wants golf, forest and quiet in equal measure.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Garland Lodge Monarch Course.
Build a northern Michigan golf trip
We book the Garland tee times, pair the Monarch with the best of the Gaylord golf belt and arrange the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Garland Lodge Monarch Course questions
Who designed the Garland Monarch Course and when did it open?
The Monarch Course was designed by Ron Otto, the design force behind the family owned Garland resort, and opened in 1989 near Lewiston in northern Michigan.
What is the par and length of the Monarch Course?
It plays as a par 72 of about 7,145 yards from the back tees, the longest and most demanding of Garland's four courses, cut as private corridors through forest and wetland.
Can visitors play the Garland Monarch Course?
Yes. It is open to the public and to Garland guests, with stay and play packages across the resort's four courses. Indicative 2026 green fees run roughly $55 to $125 depending on season and day; always confirm directly before booking.
What makes the Monarch the championship course at Garland?
At about 7,145 yards it is the longest layout on the property, and its tight, treelined corridors and wetland carries make it the most exacting test of the four courses, the headline round of a Garland golf trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.