Why Golf Trips to the Great Lakes Region Are Summer's Best Kept Secret

Every summer, thousands of golfers pack their bags and head south. Myrtle Beach. Scottsdale. Hilton Head. The usual suspects. And every summer, those same golfers deal with brutal heat, packed tee sheets, inflated prices, and courses that feel more like tourist traps than golf experiences.

Meanwhile, something remarkable is happening right in our own backyard.

For golf trips in the Great Lakes region, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia offer one of the best kept secrets in American golf travel. World-class courses, stunning scenery, reasonable prices, and summers that are made for walking 18 holes. The only thing missing? People talking about it.

That's what we're here to fix.

The Weather Argument Nobody's Making

Here's a question nobody asks: why are you flying to Florida in July?

Average July temperatures in Myrtle Beach hover around 90 degrees with humidity that makes every round feel like you're golfing inside a steam room. Phoenix in summer is essentially uninhabitable for outdoor activity. Even the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina can get oppressively hot by mid-afternoon.

Northeast Ohio in July? Mid-70s to low 80s on a typical day. Michigan's Upper Peninsula? Even cooler. Western Pennsylvania's rolling hills catch a breeze that makes even the hottest days manageable.

Summer is actually peak season up here — and golfers from outside the region are only just starting to figure that out.

The Courses Will Surprise You

When people think of great golf, they think of famous destinations with famous price tags. What they don't realize is that the Great Lakes region is loaded with exceptional courses that don't require a second mortgage to play.

From the links-style layouts of Northeast Ohio to the wooded, dramatic terrain of Northern Michigan, the variety alone is worth the trip. Holmes County offers a peaceful, pastoral round unlike anything you'll find in a resort corridor. Western Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands deliver elevation changes and views that rival anything in the Mid-Atlantic. West Virginia's hidden courses are genuinely world-class — and genuinely unknown.

These aren't consolation prize courses. These are courses serious golfers travel specifically to play — they just haven't been marketed the way Pebble Beach has.

The Group Golf Experience

Here's what really separates a Great Lakes golf trip from a cookie-cutter resort experience: the people and the places around the golf.

Cleveland, Akron, Pittsburgh — these are real cities with incredible food, great bars, passionate sports cultures, and no shortage of things to do when you put the clubs away for the night. A bachelor party here doesn't mean generic resort nightlife. A corporate outing here means a genuine experience your team will actually talk about.

And because the region isn't overrun with golf tourists, you get something increasingly rare at premium destinations — you actually feel like a guest, not a number.

So Why Isn't Everyone Doing This?

Honestly? Marketing. The big resort destinations have massive budgets and decades of brand recognition. The Great Lakes region has always let the golf speak for itself — which is admirable, but it means most golfers simply don't know what's here.

That's exactly why Great Lakes Golf Excursions exists. We're locals. We know these courses, these regions, and these experiences because we've lived them. Our job is to connect golfers who are ready for something different with the trips that will make them wonder why they ever flew south in the first place.

Ready to See What You've Been Missing?

Whether you're planning a weekend getaway with your foursome, a bachelor party your crew will never forget, or a corporate outing that actually impresses people — the Great Lakes region has the perfect trip waiting for you.

Browse our pre-built packages or build your own custom itinerary. Either way, we'll handle the details so you can focus on the golf.

Your best golf trip might be closer than you think.