The SW Michigan resort destination development that transformed a community adds a new pitch-and-putt experience designed by Colin Montgomerie.
Benton Harbor, MI – Harbor Shores Resort, the lakeside resort destination with its Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course that has been the core of a major economic transformation for the Benton Harbor, Mich. community since 2010, announces its next community amenity. The Wee Course will provide another unique, fun golf attraction at the popular resort where kids will play for free, and youth programming will be a priority.
Hall of Fame golfer and former KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Colin Montgomerie will design this five-acre, nine-hole pitch-and-putt course adjacent to the cottages along the first hole. The course will consist of holes measuring 60 yards or less in length, modeled after the nine most iconic holes of the current Jack Nicklaus layout.
When Whirlpool initially developed Harbor Shores almost 20 years ago, it was all about creating a catalyst in the Benton Harbor community for economic development, recreation, and tourism. This project is about seeding the future.
“It’s a perfect use of the land,” says Jeff Fettig, former chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation, who is the visionary behind the Harbor Shores expansion and a leading contributor through the Fettig Family Foundation. “We’ve been talking over the last several years about what other amenities we could add. We percolated the idea, focusing on families, kids, non-golfers, and golfers – wondering what we could do to make this an even more successful magnet for people in our community. This project will fit that need. It will be a fun pitch-and-putt course that anybody can play.”
The Wee Course, which will also be supported through donations from Corewell Health, one of Michigan’s largest non-profit healthcare systems, will target kids, families, and non-golfers.
“We at Corewell Health are thrilled to partner with Harbor Shores, the Whirlpool Foundation, and the Fettig Foundation on this innovative project,” said Soroya Pierre-VanArtsen, President of Corewell Health Foundation Southwest Michigan. “By improving the green space in our community and making golf more accessible to everyone, we are not only enhancing the beauty of our surroundings but also creating opportunities for individuals who may not typically have access to play. This initiative embodies our commitment to fostering a healthier, more inclusive community where everyone can enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation.”
Serious golfers will also enjoy the new course because it allows them to practice short shots in a unique setting. It’s also about creating a value proposition that complements the Harbor Shores championship course. This experience is fun, inexpensive, and can be played in an hour. It will be the centerpiece for getting kids and families together, friends socializing, and entertainment. It will be a perfect venue to host events.
“There will also be two different tees so that you can play 18 holes, added Fettig. “It will be lit, too, so guests can play at night. And it’s just something that we think will be attractive to the entire community, and that’s really what we’re trying to do. You can bring a wedge and a putter or just a putter to play a round with.”
Complementing the Wee Course will be an 18-hole putting course inspired by similar attractions at St. Andrews and Pinehurst – replete with lighting, music, and food and beverage to make it a great gathering space for the community.
Joshua Doxtator, General Manager of Harbor Shores Golf Club, sees this latest golf attraction and community development as further enhancing the value of Harbor Shores.
“We’re very excited to create something that will be so much fun and unique while enhancing the value and overall experience for our guests, members, and the community,” he said. “The Wee Course will provide a much more accessible and less-intimidating experience for youth and beginners to learn and play the game but will also be a popular spot for golf guests to hang out and play more into the evening.”
The Wee Links development and putting green will break ground in early 2025 and could see preview play by Fall 2025, with a grand opening in the spring of 2026. The new course is just one of many exciting developments in the community, including an outdoor park along the canal on Riverview Drive and the continued expansion of walking and bike trails.
About Harbor Shores Resort
Harbor Shores Resort, the long-time site of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship (2012-2024), is the premier golf, resort, beach destination, and waterfront community in Southwest Michigan located just 90 minutes east of Chicago in Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Michigan. More than 75 years ago, Benton Harbor became a booming industrial town. During World War II, global home appliance leader Whirlpool Corporation transformed its plants and factories into F.D.R.’s arsenal of democracy, manufacturing components for fighter planes. The town then evolved into a vibrant manufacturing center in the 1950s and 60s only to see it all disappear over the next two decades.
Harbor Shores and the development of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Design signaled a turning point in Benton Harbor’s history. Golf was the core component of the development on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Paw Paw River and stands as a remarkable testament to a vision made possible by $900 million in strategic investments, a collective set of projects with collaborating community leaders and organizations, all led by the Whirlpool Foundation and its benefactor Whirlpool.
The award-winning golf course winds through a variety of terrain including wetlands, riverside and hardwood forest and offers stunning views of Lake Michigan from lakeside holes. The 550-acre residential, golf, recreational and waterfront community features world-class amenities, including a marina village and river walk, town center with restaurants and shops, health and fitness center, deep water marina, the four-star Inn at Harbor Shores hotel and spa, golf villas, miles of recreational trails and rivers, and acres of parks and green space. Visit www.harborshoresresort.com.
