Pigeon Creek Golf Course & Banquet Center
Pigeon Creek Golf Course & Banquet Center has been named the 2026 Michigan Golf Course of the Year by the Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA).
“It’s one of the greatest honors I can think of,” said Chase Kuyers, co-owner and director of golf at the popular public daily-fee facility. “Our team works extremely hard here and I feel we have earned it with what we’ve improved, but I also think the opportunity to highlight the public daily-fee course in this award process is tremendous, and it lets the golf community know that small golf courses all over Michigan are doing a lot for the game of golf, too.”
MGCA Executive Director Jada Paisley said Pigeon Creek exemplifies the qualities the association looks for in Michigan’s Golf Course of the Year.
“This year, MGCA updated its selection process to evaluate courses across five key areas: quality of ownership and management, course character and unique attributes, facility investment and improvements, community engagement, and contribution to the game of golf,” Paisley said. “Pigeon Creek’s excellence in each of these areas and its commitment to creating an outstanding experience for golfers and the surrounding community make it a deserving recipient of this prestigious recognition.”
Designed by the late Mark DeVries, Pigeon Creek features well-conditioned bluegrass fairways with generous landing areas and bentgrass rolling greens set on natural terrain. Built with golfers of every skill level in mind, it offers links-style challenges while still allowing a relaxing round amid West Michigan farmland.
Chase Kuyers co-owns the facility with his cousin Mike Kuyers, who has served as superintendent for more than 20 years. They purchased the course from their fathers in 2018. A Ferris State University Professional Golf Management graduate, Chase built experience at Pinehurst, Bandon Dunes, and Mission Hills before returning home to the course his father and uncle started 26 years ago, across the street from the family dairy farm.
“I knew we needed to grow the game and develop golf for women and for kids here. I created programs to reach women and juniors each summer, and they’re sold out — 250 participants in each one, each year,” he said.
He credits community involvement and growing the game, along with the nearly three-year-old Event Center, for the recognition. “We are in five different Chamber of Commerce groups, we sponsor all kinds of things, three high school golf programs use our facilities, we serve families and we are the working person’s golf course with all of our leagues through the week,” he said. “Honestly those are the things, I feel, that really make us a strong operation.”
Learn more at golfpigeoncreek.com and from the MGCA announcement.