Island Resort & Casino in Harris, Michigan, will launch a new nine-hole golf course for preview play in July 2026 with a full opening planned in 2027. Named the Cedar Course – also dubbed “Kishki” for the word cedar in the Potawatomi language – the new layout was designed by Paul Albanese and features several nods to Golden Age architecture and famous template holes.
The golf resort is already home to two highly ranked 18-hole courses. The Sweetgrass course is ranked by Golfweek’s Best as tied for No. 9 among all of Michigan’s public-access courses, and Sage Run is No. 13 on that list. Albanese designed both those courses. The Cedar Course (3,445 yards max, par 36) was designed on terrain that isn’t as steep as at Sage Run but that offers more elevation changes than Sweetgrass.
“This may be my favorite site of all three courses we’ve done up here,” Albanese said in a media release announcing the planned opening of the Cedar Course. “It just sets up really well for some great golf. Cedar gives players a chance to experience the strategy, creativity and fun that defined the Golden Age – without it ever feeling forced.”
Said to be inspired by classic courses such as National Golf Links in New York and Prestwick in Scotland, the Cedar Course features fresh takes on such classic design concepts as a Bottle Hole, in which the fairway narrows considerably closer to the green – imagine an old glass soda bottle’s narrow neck. Other templated concepts include a double-plateau green, a Himalaya bunker, a boomerang green and a punchbowl green. No. 8 of the Cedar is a drivable par 4 modeled after the iconic No. 10 at Riviera Country Club in California. Added together, the holes intend to provide a strategic challenge that rewards creative shotmaking, all while helping to alleviate some of the pressure of demand for the resort’s Sweetgrass and Sage Run courses.
“Over the past few years, the demand for golf has increased significantly, with our existing courses frequently at capacity,” Tony Mancilla, general manager of Island Resort & Casino, said in the media release. “The addition of the Cedar Course allows us to better serve our guests, whether they’re looking for a quick round, an early tee time or another reason to extend their stay. It’s a meaningful addition that enhances the flexibility and overall experience of our golf offering.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Island Resort & Casino to open new Cedar Course with Golden Age style
