Sweetgrass Golf Course receives NGCOA National Golf Course of the Year honors

The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) named Island Resort & Casino’s original course, Sweetgrass, the 2022 Golf Course of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Island Resort Casino)

Island Resort & Casino’s original course, Sweetgrass, has been named the 2022 Golf Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). The announcement was made at the NGCOA Golf Business Conference 2022 in Orlando.

The NGCOA bases its course of the year winner on four criteria: quality of golf course, quality of ownership and management, outstanding contributions to the local community and significant contributions to the game of golf.

“When we received the Michigan Golf Course of the Year award back in October, we were very excited,” said Tony Mancilla, general manager of Island Resort & Casino. “Now, to earn the national award and recognition is the cherry on top. I recently talked with other courses owners about how this is a big deal because it’s more than just about having a great golf course. You have to do more things for the game and help promote golf, and we’re doing that on a lot of different levels.”

This par-72 course opened in 2008 and was designed by Paul Albanese, and spans 7,300 yards from the tips. Sweetgrass features an open layout with some of golf’s most fun greens to putt as well as some wonderful strategic holes — including the famous island green no. 15 and a finishing par-five hole on each side.

Hole no. 15 at Sweetgrass Course. (Photo courtesy of Island Resort Casino)

Sweetgrass was selected, in part, for its contribution to the community through the Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass, which debuted in 2011 and has become the premier community event in the region. The event’s official charity, The Strong Kids Campaign – YMCA, guarantees that all kids, regardless of income, have an opportunity to receive free YMCA memberships. Other local charities and nonprofits have also received more than $250,000 raised from the tournament’s ticket sales. The course also hosts the Symetra Tour’s Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass.

“The Symetra Tour event raises about $100,000 each year, and that’s about one-quarter of the entire YMCA annual funding in membership scholarships,” said Mancilla. “It gives underprivileged kids of economically struggling families a chance to enjoy time at the YMCA.”

The YMCA golf program is also supported by this effort, providing clubs for kids to use and youth golf clinics to participate in during the tournament.

The growing popularity of golf and gaming at Island Resort has driven the demand for yet another major expansion of $30 million, making it one of the Midwest’s largest golf, casino and entertainment resort destinations. Opened in January 2022, the new hotel tower is connected to the south end of the current Palm Tower. It features 138 guest rooms, including golf and spa suites, the top-floor Horizons Steakhouse fine dining offering the region’s best views and the new Splash Island family water park.