Harbor Shores is not routed on one big parcel of land but rather on several smaller ones. It intertwines with wetlands, sand dunes, forests, and the Paw Paw River. Holes 4 and 5 used to be a slag pit for a company that made automobile brakes; holes 14 and 15 was a Superfund site occupied by a company that made a component for fighter planes; the river was loaded with garbage and debris from construction sites. It’s amazing that this beautiful course was once this destructive waste land.
(The 209/171 yard par three fourth plays directly over the wetlands. The mound behind the green makes for a safe aiming point. Hit it here and let your short game secure your three.)
(The best hole is the 436/396 yard par four seventh that takes the player out of the wetlands and into the dunes...
...the green sits atop the sand dune about 25 feet above the fairway. A view of Lake Michigan awaits as you climb up to the green...
...the view looking back.)
Harbor Shores is best known for hosting the Senior PGA Championship during the even numbered years since 2012. The heavily contoured greens are a sight to behold! Nicklaus did not hold back producing some of toughest putting surfaces I’ve ever seen. There’s so much internal movement that it’s hard to know which way the ball is going to break.
(The 384/364 yard par four eighth plays from an elevated tee over a sand dune to this green. Three distinct tiers makes a precise short iron shot mandatory.)
(The 539/493 yard par five tenth features the craziest green I’ve ever seen. There’s a ten foot slope between the bottom tier and the top tier. That’s not counting all the sub tiers. As this picture shows, you better have the correct yardage for your third shot!)
Harbor Shores has a sense of community that makes it a great experience. The cart path is shared with bicyclists, the river is full of kayakers and paddle boarders, and there’s even a general store off the fourteenth hole. When you’re on the seventh green and ninth tee, there’s a great view of the beach with all the locals frolicking in the water. It has a different vibe for sure.
The 549/510 yard fifteenth is a fun reachable par five. It’s well guarded with water all down the right and the green on the opposite side...
...several signs alert golfers to be aware of kayakers as they begin to hit over the Paw Paw River. The green is an inviting target with multiple pin placements that require precise play.)
(The 422/380 yard sixteenth doglegs left around one of the many marshes found at Harbor Shores. The long hitter can bomb it far enough to take the sting out of the approach, but most mortals will face a daunting shot over the hazard. The ladies tees is 301 and can make this a very driveable par four late in the round.)
Personally I have never played an easy Nicklaus course, nor an enjoyable one. Coming here, knowing that it hosts a senior major championship, I was expecting this to be just as difficult. And it lived up to that expectation. It’s a really difficult course.
But... that’s the draw.
(The 420/397 yard eighteenth plays alongside the Paw Paw River. The bunker in the distance on the left signals the safe side from the tee...
...the river comes right up to the fairway. If you can avoid the water, then it’s a reasonable approach to the green. A pin on the right is worthy of a Sunday designation. Par is a good score.)
Most major championships are held on private courses, but this one is public. It’s a rare opportunity to play where the best play. Inside the clubhouse are posters of the winners complete with all their scorecards. You can browse and compare. It’s pretty cool. Plus every hole has a plague of each of Nicklaus’ majors. (18 majors for 18 holes) Harbor Shores is great experience for the serious golfer. I give it a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours).
(The 144/122 eleventh is a short iron over water. The upper half of the green is in front while the lower half is the back. A pin in the rear is the hole in one position as balls bite and fall off to that section.)
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