My husband and I took a trip this summer from our condo at Boyne Mountain to play golf on Drummond Island, which is located on Potagannissing Bay to the east of the Mackinac Bridge in Lake Huron. (The drive was about 2 hrs. and 45 minutes from Boyne, add another 3 hrs. if you’re coming from Detroit.) Drummond Island is the largest freshwater island in the United States, and the only way to get there is by air or boat as there are no bridges. We took a car ferry that makes trips hourly to the island from De Tour, the city opposite in the Upper Peninsula. Drummond is very beautiful, and you have a good chance of seeing lots of wildlife from the ever-apparent deer to black bear, wolves and rarely even moose and bobcats. Like my husband and I, most people are drawn to the island for its boating, swimming, biking, hiking, golfing and other outdoor activities since there’s not a lot of shopping, nightlife or gourmet restaurants.

But that allows for people to enjoy the beauty and solitude of the island. My only complaint was that cell service was spotty at best.

We stayed at the Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center, and our cabin-like room was cozy and had a view of a small river. Going along with the lodge aesthetic, the water pipes were exposed in the room and made for a noisy night, the TV was older and the bathroom could have used an extra scrub or two. Still we really did love the feel of the hotel, and enjoyed dining at the resort’s Bayside Dining restaurant. The waitstaff was fantastic, the wine our waitress suggested was refreshing and the daily flatbread delicious. I had a slight problem with the mushroom sauce on my filet mignon entree being too salty and they quickly made me another with the sauce that was more edible. However, the side of potatoes was delicious and my husband’s lentil soup was to die for. We also had breakfast at the Pine Bar and Grill, which was very good, too.

As for the golf, the reason we were there, it turned out to be quite the challenge. The Rock is an 18 hole championship course that was given 4 stars by Golf Digest, and it plays like it. My husband and I both lost our share of balls, but the scenery and feeling of seclusion made up for our frustration of not driving too many fairways. Just be warned the drive to and from the course to the club house is a LONG one, and that there are times you can hear the sounds from the nearby clay sports course.

Overall, I would definitely go back to Drummond Island. Perhaps in the winter when we could try cross-country or snow-shoeing.