Treetops Resort Premier Course
The only Tom Fazio course in Michigan sits high in the rolling forest above Gaylord. Opened in 1992 as the Fazio Premier, it is one of the standout rounds at Treetops, the 81 hole resort that helped make Gaylord the golf capital of the north.
Photo: Treetops Resort via Google.
The verdict
The Premier Course is the resort golf at Treetops at its most polished, the work of Tom Fazio and the only course he has designed in the state. Opened in 1992, it rolls across forested high ground with broad fairways, generous landing areas and the kind of subtle, well defended greens that are a Fazio signature. It is a course built to be enjoyed, demanding enough to interest a low handicapper from the back tees and forgiving enough to keep a mixed group smiling from the right ones.
For the traveling golfer it is one of the headline reasons to base a trip at Treetops, an 81 hole resort with courses by Robert Trent Jones, Tom Fazio and Rick Smith and one of the great concentrations of golf in the Midwest. The Premier conditions beautifully, walks well and pairs naturally with the resort's other layouts for a multi day stay. Gaylord built its reputation on golf like this, and the Fazio Premier remains one of its finest examples.
Treetops Premier at a glance
- Opened
- 1992
- Designer
- Tom Fazio
- Type
- Forest resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,832 yds
- Green fee
- Moderate, packages
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the resort and leading course databases. The Premier Course is a Tom Fazio design of about 6,832 yards, par 72, opened in 1992, the only Fazio course in Michigan. Indicative 2026 green fees are generally moderate by destination resort standards, often under 150 dollars at peak, with stay and play packages reducing the per round cost across the resort. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Premier opens across rolling, tree lined ground that lets you swing freely off the tee, with fairways wide enough to reward a confident drive and bunkers positioned to make you think about angles rather than simply survival. Fazio's hand shows in the way the trouble is visible and fair: you can see what each hole asks, and the penalty for a poor shot fits the crime.
The middle of the round mixes reachable par 5s with par 4s that demand a precise approach, and the par 3s are varied in length and direction so no two ask the same shot. The greens are the heart of the test, gently contoured and well protected, rewarding an approach to the correct section and punishing a careless one with a slippery two putt. There is no single signature spectacle so much as a consistent, high quality round that holds your attention from first tee to last.
Throughout, the conditioning is excellent and the course walks comfortably across its rolling terrain. The Premier is the kind of layout that better players respect and everyone enjoys, and it is a fitting flagship for a resort built on golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public access resort golf; tee times are open to visitors, with priority and stay and play packages for guests at Treetops |
| Green fee | Generally moderate by destination resort standards, often under 150 dollars at peak, lower as part of multi round packages (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve online or by phone through the resort; combine with the resort's other courses for the best value over a stay |
| On the day | Cart or walking with a collared shirt and the usual resort dress; bring a layer for cool, high elevation mornings |
| Getting there | At Gaylord in northern Michigan, roughly an hour from Traverse City and within easy reach of Interstate 75 |
| Best months | May through October, with high summer the most reliable for warm, settled weather and firm turf |
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 Treetops Resort itself, whose lodging, dining and 81 holes keep you on property for the whole trip and make multi round days simple to arrange. Staying at the resort earns the easiest tee times and the best value across the Fazio Premier and the other courses.
Beyond Treetops, the town of Gaylord sits at the heart of one of the densest golf regions in the country, with a string of resorts and standalone courses within a short drive, so a base here can fill several days easily. 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 Gaylord.
Build a Gaylord golf trip
We build a trip around the Fazio Premier and the best of the Treetops and Gaylord golf country, and sort resort lodging, transfers and tee times. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Treetops Premier questions
Who designed the Treetops Premier Course and when did it open?
The Premier Course was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1992 at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan. It is the only Tom Fazio designed golf course in the state.
What is the par and length of the Premier Course?
The Premier Course is a par 72 that plays to about 6,832 yards from the back tees. It rolls across forested high ground and is designed to challenge better players while staying playable for higher handicaps from the right tees.
How much does it cost to play the Premier Course in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at Treetops are generally moderate by destination resort standards, often under 150 dollars at peak with stay and play packages reducing the per round cost across the resort's courses. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
What else can you play at Treetops Resort?
Treetops is an 81 hole resort with championship courses by Robert Trent Jones, Tom Fazio and Rick Smith, plus a celebrated par 3 course. It is one of the anchor destinations of the Gaylord golf country in northern Michigan.
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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.