Golf magazine names Sweetgrass Golf Club to 2011 Best Casino Courses List
Courtesy of Sweetgrass Golf Club
(HARRIS, Mich.) – Sweetgrass Golf Club has been named to Golfweek’s “Best Casino Golf Courses” list for the second year in a row, the club announced.
The list, published in the December 9 issue of the magazine, names the top 50 courses where excellent golf and gaming facilities exist.
“Winning this award recognizes our two strongest assets: exceptional golf and an expansive casino and entertainment experience,” says Tom McChesney, CEO of the Island Resort and Casino. “The results show in what we see as a banner year for both increased rounds and visits.”
Since its opening in mid-2008, Sweetgrass has garnered seven national awards, including Golf Magazine’s Best Public Courses, State-by-State listing. It has also garnered a top-20 spot on Golfweek’s Best-in-State listings, and was a Golf Digest’s Best New Course in 2009.
To produce Golfweek’s Best Courses lists, a nationwide team of course raters – which currently boasts more than 730 evaluators – surveyed more than 3,000 courses on the basis of 10 criteria, including routing, conditioning, variety and memorability of holes. The result is an average of scores that then dictates a course’s overall rating.
LPGA Changes Futures Tour to Symetra Tour, Returns to Sweetgrass in late June.
The news of its most recent award comes at the end of a strong year for Sweetgrass and the Island Resort & Casino, which hosted the LPGA Futures Tour in 2011 for the inaugural Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass to rave reviews by fans, players the Tour alike.
The LPGA Futures Tour has gained a title sponsor and will be called the Symetra Tour for the 2012 season. It return June 28 – July 1, 2012 for the second of a three-year contract with Sweetgrass Golf Club.
“In only a short few years, Sweetgrass has put itself on the national map and has claimed one of the best values in golf,” McChesney adds. “The Symetra Tour adds significant cache and has made Sweetgrass a must-play course. We’re committed to making it accessible and affordable to everyone.”
The course has bucked the national trend by garnering another banner year in golf package sales and interest.
The Island Resort & Casino also unveiled their new $2 million conference center and outdoor patio in 2011, adjacent to its pro shop. The new facility includes a Golf VIP room with a private 19th-hole feel, offering private dinner and lounge space for up to 20 people, and a large ballroom that can seat up to 800 for larger corporate outings.