Treetops Smith Signature
Rick Smith routed his Signature course through the valleys and ridgelines of Treetops in 1993, and it remains the architect's calling card on his home property in Gaylord. A par 71 of about 6,653 yards with the most demanding greens at the resort, it is the strategic centerpiece of one of northern Michigan's great golf addresses.
Photo: Treetops Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
The Smith Signature is the course Rick Smith built to show what he could do on his own ground. As the long time teaching base and design home of Smith, Treetops gave him a spectacular northern Michigan canvas of hardwood ridges and deep valleys, and the Signature, opened in 1993, is where he used it most boldly.
It is not long, at about 6,653 yards to a par 71, but it is all movement, with elevation changes on most holes and fast bentgrass greens that are widely considered the toughest of the five courses at the resort. The round rewards the player who controls trajectory and respects the contours over the one who simply swings hard. As one of a cluster of strong courses on a single property, it anchors a Treetops stay and play that ranks among the best value golf trips in the Midwest.
Treetops Resort Smith Signature Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1993
- Designer
- Rick Smith
- Type
- Parkland, mountain style
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,653 yds
- Green fee
- Under $100
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Treetops Resort and leading course databases. The Smith Signature course was designed by Rick Smith and opened in 1993, a par 71 of about 6,653 yards. Indicative 2026 green fees at Treetops run under $100 per round, with the best value through resort stay and play packages and multi round play. Fees move with season and demand, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Elevation defines the round from the start. Tee shots drop and climb through the hardwoods, and judging how the slope will add or take away yardage is the first skill the Signature demands. The fairways are generous enough to swing freely, but the angle into each green depends on finding the correct side, so the thinking starts on the tee.
The greens are the real defense. Smith built them fast, sloping and full of subtle internal movement, and an approach left above the hole leaves a putt that is hard to keep on the green. The premium all day is on controlling distance and leaving the ball below the cup, a more important skill here than raw length.
The valley holes provide the drama and the photographs. Several plunge from a high tee to a fairway far below with the forest filling the frame, classic northern Michigan golf at its most scenic. Played as part of a multi course day at Treetops, the Signature is the round that tests the short game and the nerve most thoroughly.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Resort course; open to the public and to Treetops guests, with stay and play and multi round packages across the five courses |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 rates under $100 per round, with the best value inside a resort package; confirm at booking |
| Booking | Reserve through Treetops Resort; summer weekends and the peak Gaylord golf season fill early, so book the multi course days ahead |
| On the day | Carts standard given the elevation; walking possible for the fit; the greens reward time spent reading them |
| Getting there | Gaylord in northern Lower Michigan, just off Interstate 75, about four hours north of Detroit |
| 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 simplest base is Treetops itself, whose lodge rooms and on site dining put all five courses on the doorstep and make a multi round day effortless. Gaylord adds further hotels and restaurants minutes away, and the wider area is the heart of the northern Michigan golf belt.
Treetops pairs naturally with the other great public golf around Gaylord and the wider region, so many visitors fold the Signature into a multi day, multi course tour. It is an ideal anchor for a buddies trip built around big scenery and plenty of golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Treetops Resort Smith Signature Course.
Build a northern Michigan golf trip
We book the Treetops tee times, pair the Smith Signature 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.
Treetops Resort Smith Signature Course questions
Who designed the Treetops Smith Signature course and when did it open?
The Smith Signature course was designed by Rick Smith, the long time design and teaching figure at Treetops, and opened in 1993 in Gaylord, northern Michigan.
What is the par and length of the Smith Signature course?
It plays as a par 71 of about 6,653 yards from the back tees, a shorter but dramatic layout through valleys and ridgelines, with fast bentgrass greens regarded as the most challenging at the resort.
Can visitors play the Treetops Smith Signature course?
Yes. It is open to the public and to Treetops Resort guests, with stay and play and multi round packages across the resort's five courses. Indicative 2026 rates run under $100 per round; always confirm directly before booking.
How does the Smith Signature compare to the other Treetops courses?
It is the strategic, greens focused test of the property, generally considered to have the toughest putting surfaces at Treetops. Playing several of the resort's courses across a stay is the way to experience the full range of the Gaylord golf.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
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.