Candlestone Inn Golf & Resort is a beacon of light for golf traditionalists in West Michigan. It is a golf course that plays straight and honest. It is secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city, but is easily accessible for those not wanting to go far to get away. It sometimes plays easy. It sometimes plays difficult. It always is challenging.A Jerry Matthews-designed golf course, Candlestone opened to the public in 1977. Located adjacent to state owned land, Candlestone provides a peaceful, quiet country setting for a golf course.

"At that period of my life, it was one of the better sites I had come across,” Matthews said. “It’s still a wonderful site for a golf course.”

Three sets of tees at Candlestone constitute distances of 6,692 yards from the blue, 6,227 from the white and 5,546 from the red. Don’t be fooled by the yardage. This course plays longer than it appears on the scorecard — and even longer when the wind is blowing.

The 18 holes on this par-72 course provide a different look from hole to hole and is a challenging test of golf.
(Click on hole # to visit each hole at Candlestone or continue with course description below).

Candlestone starts with a fairly straight forward and open No. 1 hole. It is just 377 yards from the back, 358 from the middle and 339 from the front. From that point, the course begins to wind through the woods, wetlands and marshes and gets progressively tougher.

The unmistakable scent of pine and soft barriers of blue spruce provide a pristine setting in the middle of the course. The quiet — except for a bird chirping here and there — puts one at ease and in touch with his or her surroundings.

“ It has a real natural feel to it,” Matthews says. “The wetlands and native grasses are natural. They are there by accident, and they make it work. Nowadays, those types things are deliberately planned into course development.”

Despite those gentle undertones, it does not necessarily mean it will be a walk in the park for birdies.
The layout of the course allows for bump-and-run shots to the stick. There are no bunkers guarding the greens.

Candlestone is a test to one’s endurance. As enjoyable and relaxing as the first 14 holes can be, the final four can eat someone’s lunch.

The “home stretch” consists of four of the more challenging finishing holes anyone would want from a public course. It begins at No. 15 with a par-3 that is over 200 yards long. After that, a long par-5 with a tiered green is waiting, followed by two par-4 holes that play well over 400 yards apiece — and usually into the wind.

After finishing a round of golf, enjoy some tasty delights at Bogie’s, Candlestone’s full-service clubhouse restaurant. The menus at the restaurant have changed considerably over the years, but one thing remains constant: Candlestone continues to be one of West Michigan’s more enjoyable and affordable public golf courses.