Harbor Shores Golf Resort

Address: 201 Graham Ave., Benton Harbor, MI 49022

Phone: (269) 927-4653

Overall Rating: 8.30

Front 9: Par 36

Back 9: Par 35

Overall Course: (all 18) Par 71

Clubhouse and Amenities – Rating 8.93

Harbor Shores Golf Resort boasts a welcoming clubhouse and pro shop in Benton Harbor, Michigan, is nestled in southwest Michigan near the shores of Lake Michigan. Guests enjoy a full restaurant and menu that features a grill serving quick sandwiches, burgers, and pre-packaged snacks at average pricing, complemented by a full bar stocked with beer, sodas, juices, energy drinks, and water, all at average pricing.

Shoppers find a variety of apparel options including caps, hats, visors, shirts, pants, shorts, skirts, and jackets, each at average pricing, alongside a wide selection of golf equipment at average pricing that covers golf balls, golf gloves, tees, ball markers, divot tools, golf bags, and a selection of clubs. 

Clubhouse restrooms stay clean, while restrooms with sinks appear on the course, and a halfway house provides facilities, a grill, and beverages; the staff delivers helpful and friendly service. Golf carts are well-maintained with GPS and club covers, cart paths run paved and well-marked, and paved adequate parking supports visitors, with the assisted bag drop easy to find. Amenities encompass a driving range, large putting green, and a beverage cart.

Hole 1 – Par 4 – Rating 7.50

Blue: 307 yds
White: 369 yds
Gold: 385 yds
Black: 420 yds

The first hole opens with level medium size tees. A rolling fairway accepts drives before an uphill approach shot climbs to the green. Three real sand fairway bunkers guard the right side, dunes frame both edges, and medium rough lines the way. Wetlands threaten right of the tee and early fairway. Tree-lined areas surround the green, a real sand bunker protects the left front corner, and maintained fringe encircles the surface. A large green runs fast, is receptive, features undulating contours and includes a small tier on the back left corner with slope back to front. At time of review this green and fringe showed some damage but was under repair.

Hole 2 – Par 3 – Rating 7.67

Blue: 93 yds
White: 117 yds
Gold: 141 yds
Black: 169 yds

The second hole marks the first par 3 on the front nine and presents large level tees. Drives launch over large sprawling dune bunkers. Medium rough borders the landing area, while tree-lined right edges frame the view. A real sand greenside bunker sits left with multiple rakes, maintained fringe surrounds the putting surface, and the large green slopes back to front, is receptive, features undulating contours, and runs at fast speed.

Hole 3 – Par 4 – Rating 8.50

Blue: 251 yds
White: 288 yds
Gold: 305 yds
Black: 318 yds

A short par 4 starts from a large, long narrow level tee box. A good drive reaches a rolling fairway that rises uphill from the tee and holds four real sand fairway bunkers. Medium rough borders the path, heather covers left, and a river water hazard runs down the left side all the way. Two real sand greenside bunkers defend the right front corner while another watches the right side. Maintained fringe rings the putting surface, and the large green putts fast, is receptive, has undulating movement, slopes back to front, and is tiered with the high tier on the back.

Hole 4 – Par 3 – Rating 8.00

Blue: 109 yds
White: 132 yds
Gold: 158 yds
Black: 201 yds

The fourth hole delivers a challenging par 3 on the front nine from tiered small level tee blocks. Shots carry over wetlands. Medium rough flanks the area, and a real sand bunker sits right of the green. Maintained fringe circles the putting surface, and the large green is tiered with the high tier in back, slopes back to front, putts fast, is receptive, and has undulating movement.

Hole 5 – Par 5 – Rating 8.25

Blue: 444 yds
White: 512 yds
Gold: 530 yds
Black: 566 yds

The first par 5 on the front nine launches from large level tees. Drives soar over wetlands, and a long drive can provide an opportunity to avoid a layup shot. A rolling fairway plays uphill from tees before descending downhill to the green. Multiple fairway bunkers challenge the path—two on the right side, one on the left, and another in the middle. Medium rough borders the edges, and heather spreads nearby. A pond water hazard on the right sides guards the green. Three bunkers protect the green—one on the right side, one on the left, and one on the back left corner. Maintained fringe rings the putting surface, and this huge green is tiered, putts fast, is receptive, undulating and slopes back to front—from the high tier in back everything slopes to the front, except on the right side of the green where a bowl throws all putts right.

Hole 6 – Par 4 – Rating 7.75

Blue: 296 yds
White: 364 yds
Gold: 389 yds
Black: 420 yds

This par 4 begins from small tiered level tees. Drives fly over heather onto a rolling fairway that climbs uphill from tees. Three real sand fairway bunkers position themselves—two left of the fairway and one right. The fairway abruptly drops off a cliff, so the second shot must carry a pond/wetlands water hazard to reach the green. Medium rough lines the sides, and a real sand bunker sits between the water hazard and green. Maintained fringe borders the putting surface, and the large green putts fast, is receptive, has undulating movement, slopes back to front, and slopes right to left.

Hole 7 – Par 4 – Rating 8.00

Blue: 276 yds
White: 295 yds
Gold: 396 yds
Black: 430 yds

The 7th hole launches from small level tees built separately along a bridge system. Drives target a rolling fairway that doglegs sharply right. A pond water hazard sits to the right, while 5 real sand fairway bunkers scatter on the right side and 2 dune bunkers position left at the turn. The approach plays severely uphill to the green elevated atop the hill. Rough mixes medium length with heather. Four greenside bunkers guard—one short of the green, one on the hill, and two right of the green. Maintained fringe surrounds the putting surface, and the small elevated green is receptive, undulating, slopes back to front, and putts fast.

Hole 8 – Par 4 – Rating 7.71

Blue: 272 yds
White: 337 yds
Gold: 364 yds
Black: 381 yds

Shots descend from multiple tiered elevated small level tees. Drives land on a rolling fairway that sits downhill from tees and doglegs sharply right. A large deep bunker sits past the fairway at the dogleg. Thicker medium length rough combines with heather, while trees line the right. Two bunkers protect the green—one left, the other behind. Maintained fringe edges the putting surface, and the medium size green putts fast, is receptive, undulating, features a false front, slopes back to front, with high dunes to the right of the green.

Hole 9 – Par 5 – Rating 7.50

Blue: 460 yds
White: 522 yds
Gold: 530 yds
Black: 560 yds

The second par 5 on the front nine opens from level medium size tees. Drives clear heather onto a rolling fairway that doglegs sharply left. Real sand fairway bunkers sit right and left with two more placed in the middle of the fairway, while another bunker lies in the middle closer to the green. Medium rough joins heather along the edges, and wetlands appear right of the fairway at the dogleg. Two real sand bunkers guard the front corners. Maintained fringe frames the putting surface, and the medium size green is receptive, putts fast, has undulating movement, and slopes back to front.

Average Rating Holes 1-9: 7.88

Harbor Shore Golf Club Back Nine

Hole 10 – Par 5 – Rating 8.29

Blue: 389 yds
White: 423 yds
Gold: 475 yds
Black: 530 yds

The first par 5 on the back nine starts from elevated tiered small level tees. Drives drop to a rolling fairway that plays downhill from tees before climbing uphill to the green with a slight dogleg right. Four real sand fairway bunkers position themselves—three down the right side, one left. Medium rough mixes with heather, and trees line the right. Three greenside real sand bunkers guard the left side, right side, and right front corner. Maintained fringe outlines the putting surface, and the large elevated green is receptive, undulating and features three separate tiers—the high tier in the back, middle tier on the left side, lower tier on the right front—with the rise to the higher tiers from the lower tier reaching as much as 5 feet, making it important for putting to land in the correct tier.

Hole 11 – Par 3 – Rating 7.33

Blue: 89 yds
White: 109 yds
Gold: 122 yds
Black: 137 yds

The first of three par 3s on the back nine launches from elevated tiered large level tees—use the space of the tees to get the best angle to the green. Drives carry over wetlands and play downhill to the green. Medium rough blends with heather, while trees line the left. Two real sand greenside bunkers sit on both left corners front and back. Maintained fringe encircles the putting surface, and the medium size green putts fast, is undulating, receptive and tiered with the high tier on the front right corner, with a slope from front to back.

Hole 12 – Par 4 – Rating 8.00

Blue: 315 yds
White: 364 yds
Gold: 378 yds
Black: 409 yds

The 12th hole begins from level medium size tees. Drives cross a ravine/waste area onto a rolling fairway that doglegs left. A real sand fairway bunker sits left at the turn. Thicker medium length rough combines with tree-lined edges. A real sand bunker guards the left front corner. Maintained fringe borders the putting surface, and the large green slopes left to right, has undulating movement, is receptive, and putts roll fast.

Hole 13 – Par 3 – Rating 7.67

Blue: 126 yds
White: 154 yds
Gold: 167 yds
Black: 192 yds

The second of three par 3s on the back nine fires from large level tees. Drives sail over multiple dunes bunkers while wetlands sit right of tee blocks. Medium rough lines the landing zone and trees frame the green complex—any shot right faces great risk. Dunes bunkers run up and become difficult greenside bunkers right of the green. Maintained fringe edges the putting surface, and the large very wide green putts fast, is receptive and undulating while sloping back to front.

Hole 14 – Par 4 – Rating 8.00

Blue: 349 yds
White: 394 yds
Gold: 408 yds
Black: 438 yds

A long par 4 stretches from large level tees. Drives roll out along a rolling fairway where a fairway bunker sits down the left side closer to the green. Medium rough edges the play while trees line the left. River terrain and wetlands run all down the right side. A real sand bunker sits right between the green and wetlands. Maintained fringe surrounds the putting surface, and the small green is receptive, undulating, putts fast, slopes back to front, and slopes left to right.

Hole 15 – Par 5 – Rating 8.50

Blue: 392 yds
White: 446 yds
Gold: 487 yds
Black: 537 yds

The second par 5 on the back nine opens from tiered level medium size tee boxes. Drives chase a rolling fairway with three fairway bunkers up the left side. Medium rough mixes with heather while trees line the left. A river runs down the right side then crosses in front of the green. A real sand bunker guards the left front corner. Maintained fringe outlines the putting surface, and the large green is receptive, has undulating movement, slopes back to front, slopes left to right, and putts fast. The hardest handicapped hole on the back nine tests the most discerning guests or serious golfer.

Hole 16 – Par 4 – Rating 8.57

Blue: 290 yds
White: 352 yds
Gold: 380 yds
Black: 418 yds

Large elevated level tees command the start. Drives clear a pond water hazard that turns into wetlands running down the left side all the way. A rolling fairway tightens into a sharp dogleg left. Medium rough presses close while trees line the right. A real sand bunker guards the right front corner. Maintained fringe frames the putting surface, and the medium size green putts fast, is receptive, has an undulating surface, slopes back to front, slopes right to left, and is tiered with the high tier on the right side.

Hole 17 – Par 3 – Rating 8.00

Blue: 108 yds
White: 137 yds
Gold: 154 yds
Black: 190 yds

The third and final par 3 on the back nine fires from large level tees. Medium rough blends with heather while wetlands stretch to the right the entire way. Two real sand bunkers sit to the right side of the green and back left corner. Maintained fringe borders the putting surface, and the medium size green is receptive, undulating, putts fast, and slopes back to front.

Hole 18 – Par 4 – Rating 8.25

Blue: 276 yds
White: 331 yds
Gold: 390 yds
Black: 418 yds

Elevated tiered level medium size tee boxes overlook the start. Drives soar over flowing streams and wetlands onto a rolling fairway that doglegs slightly right. Two fairway bunkers position themselves—one left and one right. Thicker medium length rough lines the edges while a river flows all down the right side. A real sand bunker guards the left front corner of the green. Maintained fringe encircles the putting surface, and the large green putts fast, shows an undulating shape, is receptive, slopes back to front, and slopes right to left.

Average Rating Holes 10-18: 8.07

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