Harbor Shores Resort developing new Wee Course

Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan, is developing a new pitch-and-putt experience called the Wee Course.

The course will be designed by Hall of Fame golfer and former KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Colin Montgomerie. The plan is to make a five-acre, nine-hole pitch-and-putt course that sits adjacent to the cottages along the first hole. The holes will measure 60 yards or less and will be modeled after nine iconic holes from the main Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course at the resort.

The Wee Course will be supported through donations from various sources, including Corewell Health, one of the largest non-profit healthcare systems in Michigan. The course will target kids, families and non-golfers. Children will be able to play for free, and Harbor Shores will prioritize youth programming.

Jeff Fettig is the former chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation and will be a leading contributor to the expansion through the Fettig Family Foundation.

“We’ve been talking over the last several years about what other amenities we could add,” he said. “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 course will also accommodate senior play with its short distance and space for practicing shorter shots. Players will be able to complete the course in only an hour, and it will be lit for night play as well.

The resort is also adding an 18-hole putting course that takes cues St. Andrews and Pinehurst and features lighting, music, and food and beverage to make it a community gathering space.

Joshua Doxtator, general manager at Harbor Shores, views these new developments as a further enhancement to the value of Harbor Shores as a whole.

“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,” he said.

The short course and putting green will break ground in early 2025 with a tentative goal of preview play by Fall 2025, and a grand opening scheduled in the spring of 2026.