TimberStone Golf Club, Pine Mountain Resort, Iron Mountain, Michigan An Upscale, 5-Star Golf Course and Resort in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

TimberStone Golf Course is part of the Pine Mountain Golf & Ski Resort in Iron Mountain in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The course is set amid the towering pine trees and hardwood forests atop rolling mountain terrain, making for some spectacular scenery and some of the hallmarks of Northern Michigan golf.

The 18-hole, par-72 public course was designed by Jerry Matthews and opened in 1997. TimberStone features plush, Bent grass fairways as it plays through majestic oak trees, red and white pine trees, and some of the largest stones found on a golf course. Water hazards come into play on six of the 18 holes, and there are numerous sand traps along the way as the course steadily climbs the underlying mountainside.

The course plays to 6,937 yards from the longest tees, with a USGA rating of 75.2 and a slope rating of 148. From the middle (White) tees, the course only plays to a modest 5,832 yards.

Some of the more noteworthy holes include No. 6, a par-4 that plays to 413 yards from the back tees, but only 349 from the "Timber'' (White) tees. The challenge comes from the large water hazard that cuts in front of the tee boxes, then tracks the hole along the left side all the way to the green. The putting surface is sizable, but long and narrow, which may help golfers on the approach shot as they'll be playing over the water hazard once again.

Hole No. 8 is a par-3 that plays to 211 yards from the "Forest'' (Championship) tees, and 157 yards from the Whites. The hole plays downhill to a green surrounded by water at the back, so club selection is the key challenge on this tee shot.

Hole No. 9 is the longest par-4 on the course, and the #3 handicap. The hole plays to 471 yards from the back tees and 448 from the Blues. This tree-lined hole features a fairly tight fairway as it jogs downhill and then doglegs left, where water hazards right and left come into play on the approach to the green.

Hole No. 12 is a picturesque and challenging par-4 that plays to only 345 yards from the back tees and 325 yards from the Blues. The tee shot calls for a carry over water to a snaking landing area, followed by an approach shot to a green guarded by bunkers.

Hole No. 17 is the signature hole on the course, a par-3 that plays severely downhill. From the tee box, golfers have a stunning view of two states and three counties, as well as Bass Lake. From the back tees, the hole plays to 215 yards, but the 110-foot drop in elevation to a green tight to a row of trees on the right will make club selection the biggest challenge regardless of tee choice.

Since its opening, TimberStone has received a good deal of acclaim. In 1998, Golf Digest ranked it #3 among the Best New Upscale Public Courses, then gave it a 41/2-Star Rating in 2001. Subscribers of the magazine rated the course even more highly, giving it a prestigious 5-Star rating, making it one of only 16 courses out of the 3,500 rated to receive the award.

Practice facilities at the course include a multi-target driving range and practice putting green. There's also a full-service pro shop and lessons are available.

The Lodge at Pine Mountain provides a locale for dining at Farmers Restaurant and Bar, meetings and banquets. Lodging is also available in either Lodge rooms or 24 condo units.