The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort
When Jack Nicklaus opened The Bear in 1985, it announced Grand Traverse Resort as a national golf destination and earned a reputation as one of the hardest resort courses anywhere. Terraced fairways, deep grassy rough and tiered greens make it a brute that the strong player still loves to test themselves against.
Photo: The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort via Google.
The verdict
The Bear is the course that built the reputation of golf in northern Michigan. Jack Nicklaus routed it across the rolling farmland at Grand Traverse Resort and opened it in 1985, and from the start it was designed to test the best, with a Scottish flavor of terraced fairways, deep grassy rough, mounding and pot bunkers that Golf Digest once rated among the toughest courses in America. Played from the tips it is relentless, and that difficulty is precisely its appeal for the low handicapper who wants a real examination.
For the traveling golfer it is the anchor of one of the Midwest's best resort stays. Grand Traverse pairs The Bear with The Wolverine and the shorter Spruce Run, and sits a few minutes from Traverse City, the cherry capital and a genuinely lovely lakeside town. Play The Bear from the right set of tees, take your medicine when the course demands it, and it rewards you with a memorable, strategic round in beautiful country. Pick the wrong tees and it can bite, which is exactly how Nicklaus drew it up.
The Bear at a glance
- Opened
- 1985
- Designer
- Jack Nicklaus
- Type
- Parkland resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,078 yds
- Green fee
- From around $50
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from Grand Traverse Resort and leading course databases. The Bear is a Jack Nicklaus signature design opened in 1985, a par 72 of about 7,078 yards from the back tees. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 50 dollars at off times to about 115 dollars at peak, lower for resort guests and twilight play. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Bear announces its character early, with terraced, two tier fairways that demand a drive to the correct level and rough that gives nothing back. Nicklaus framed the holes with mounding and deep pot bunkers, so the premium is on position and on the courage to take on the line that leaves the best angle into the green. Miss in the wrong place and a bogey is a good score.
The greens are the second half of the test, large and tiered with run offs that turn an indifferent approach into a hard up and down. The par 3s are strong and varied, asking for control of distance and trajectory, and the par 5s reward two well struck shots while punishing the greedy. From the back tees the sheer length adds to the difficulty, which is why most golfers are happiest a tee or two forward, where the strategy stays intact and the course becomes a fair fight.
The closing holes keep the pressure on to the last green, and the round leaves you in no doubt that you have played a proper championship layout. The conditioning is reliably good through the northern Michigan summer, and on a firm, breezy day The Bear plays every bit as tough as its name.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public access resort course; tee times are open to visitors, with priority and packages for guests staying at Grand Traverse Resort |
| Green fee | Around 50 dollars at off times rising to about 115 dollars at peak, lower for resort guests and twilight play (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve online or by phone through the resort; summer weekend mornings fill early |
| On the day | Carts are standard; a collared shirt and the usual resort dress; choose a tee one or two forward of your instinct on a first visit |
| Getting there | At Acme just east of Traverse City, about 15 minutes from Cherry Capital Airport |
| Best months | May through October, with high summer the most reliable for warm, settled weather |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the resort or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is Grand Traverse Resort itself, whose tower and lodge rooms put you steps from The Bear, The Wolverine and the practice facilities and make an early start or a 36 hole day easy. Staying on property is how most golfers play the destination and is the simplest way to take in more than one of the resort courses.
Beyond the resort, downtown Traverse City offers boutique hotels, excellent restaurants and the wineries of Old Mission and Leelanau within a short drive, making it a fine choice for couples or groups who want more than golf. We can build the lodging and the routing around the rounds you want to play.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Traverse City.
Build a Traverse City golf trip
We build a trip around The Bear and the best of the Grand Traverse courses, add the wider northern Michigan golf within reach and sort lodging, transfers and tee times. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
The Bear questions
Who designed The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort and when did it open?
The Bear is a Jack Nicklaus signature design that opened in 1985 at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan, near Traverse City. It was the course that put the resort on the national golf map.
What is the par and length of The Bear?
The Bear is a par 72 that plays to about 7,078 yards from the back tees, with the white tees around 6,100 yards. Terraced fairways, deep rough, mounding and pot bunkers make it play tougher than the card.
How much does it cost to play The Bear in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 50 dollars in shoulder times to about 115 dollars at peak, with resort guests and twilight times priced lower. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Is The Bear a public course?
Yes, The Bear is open to the public as one of the courses at Grand Traverse Resort, which also offers The Wolverine and Spruce Run, making the resort a strong multi course base near Traverse City.
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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.