The Freedom Cup

Champions of Shanty Creek

Champions of Shanty Creek

Freedom Cup 2026
Reveal Freedom Cup 2027 Trip
154
Days
13
Hrs
52
Mins
40
Secs
Feb 14
All courses
Cedar River GC

The Venues · 2026

Cedar River GC

"...a pleasure to play and a beauty to experience."

Tom Weiskopf · Est. 1999

72
Par
6,027
Yards (White)
69.4 / 75.0 · 127 / 138
Rating / Slope
Tom Weiskopf
Designer

About the Course

Cedar River is Tom Weiskopf's Northern Michigan masterpiece — a routing carved through glacial terrain, hardwoods, and wetlands along the actual Cedar River, with every shot framed by the landscape rather than by manufactured features.

Opened in 1999, Cedar River was Weiskopf's first design at Shanty Creek and has consistently ranked among the country's best resort courses. The site is a former glacial valley, and Weiskopf used the natural movement of the land — sweeping fairways, perched greens, and quiet wetland transitions — instead of forcing big earth-moving features onto it.

Cedar River is a strategic course, not a target course. Fairways are generous, but the angles into the greens reward keeping the ball on the proper side of the hole. The greens themselves are large and rolling, with subtle internal tiers that can leave a 40-foot two-putt if you miss the section.

From the White tees the course measures approximately 6,229 yards to a par of 72. The closing stretch is among the strongest at Shanty Creek and includes the iconic 18th — a long par 5 with the green tucked behind a pond.

What to Expect

Strategic, Not Penal

Wide fairways and visible hazards reward thinking your way around. Hit it to the right side, leave the right angle, and the greens open up.

Big Rolling Greens

Putting surfaces are some of the largest at the resort. Hitting the green is half the battle — being on the correct tier is the other half.

Glacial Terrain

Sweeping elevation changes and natural movement of the land give nearly every hole its own personality and aim point.

Cedar River Itself

The river and its wetlands border several holes. Bail-outs exist on almost every shot, but bringing your A-game off the tee opens the course up.

Signature Hole

No. 18 — Par 5

A long, three-shot par 5 finishing into the prevailing wind with a pond fronting the green. Lay back, leave a comfortable wedge yardage, and let par or birdie come to you on the closing hole.

Accolades

  • Among Golf Week's "America's Top 100 Resort Courses"
  • Listed in Rolex's "Top 1,000 Courses in the World"
  • Among Michigan's Top 20 Public Courses by Golf Magazine
Tees
TeeRating (M / W)Slope (M / W)
Black74.0138
Blue71.7 / 77.9134 / 144
Blue/White70.5 / 76.5131 / 141
WhiteIn play69.4 / 75.0127 / 138
White/Silver67.9 / 73.4124 / 133
Silver66.6 / 71.5120 / 128
Red66.0 / 70.7117 / 126
Scorecard
Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTot
Black458396582190451357425202559362053221146530216251940118460533817001
Blue427372553170425341383176537338451018942129015749037516458131776561
Blue/White388372553148397341363149537324851015639129015749034314758130656313
White388350508148397325363149495312347415639127814245534314751829046027
White/Silver338333508125355325363126495296847413335727813345530811851827745742
Silver338333440125355273320126444275444113335726613339630811849526475401
Red328327435121347269316114433269043212735025412839130311447925785268
Par445344435365344354353672
HCP711313117915561221618108144
Yardage Book Official Course PageAll Courses

Course details courtesy of Shanty Creek Resort.