Charlevoix, MI – Belvedere Golf Club, the historic William Watson design in Charlevoix, Michigan, plays host to the 114th Michigan Amateur Championship June 17-25. By the time the first tee shot is struck, the iconic club will turn 100, and it’s marking the milestone by doing what it does best — hosting Michigan’s most prestigious amateur event for a record 41st time in its century-long history.
“There’s just something about this place,” says Dennis (Marty) Joy, Belvedere’s long-time head professional. “The course asks all the right questions for match play. Players love the atmosphere, and honestly, so do we. This year will be special.”
Special is one way to put it. Iconic might be better. Just a few blocks from downtown Charlevoix, Belvedere is a postcard come to life. With its William Watson design, walkable routing, and timeless greens, it has long provided the perfect stage for match play drama.
The Michigan Amateur first arrived here in 1930, when legendary Chuck Kocsis defeated James Standish Jr. 9&7—beginning a love affair between the club and the state’s top amateur golfers that continues to this day.
Over the decades, Belvedere has become more than just a host venue. It’s become a character in the tournament’s history—its rolling fairways and subtly treacherous greens shaping careers and crushing dreams. From 1963 to 1988, the Amateur called Belvedere home for 26 consecutive years, creating a kind of summer pilgrimage for players, spectators, and golf lovers across the state.
“When I was younger, it felt like all roads led to Belvedere every June,” Joy says. “The Amateur was part competition, part reunion. The clubhouse porch was always buzzing. Governors, writers, players—they all kept coming back.”
That era produced some unforgettable moments. Randy Erskine, the pride of Battle Creek, claimed his Michigan Amateur title at Belvedere in 1972 in a 21-hole thriller. Dan Pohl, who went on to a successful pro career, won twice here in his amateur days in the 1970s, including a 20-hole battle in 1975 against three-time champ Melvin (Bud) Stevens. In 1978, future PGA Tour winner John Morse outlasted Dr. Mark Engleman in—you guessed it—extra holes.
It wasn’t just about who won, though. It was about where they won. “There’s something about this place that makes you rise to the moment,” Joy adds. “And when you don’t, it exposes you. That’s a mark of a great championship venue.”
After the Michigan Amateur began rotating sites around the state again in 1989, Belvedere still stayed in the mix. It returned in 2003 when Colby Beckstrom triumphed, and again in 2014, when Henry Do defeated Steve Anderson in a 19-hole final. The event’s return in 2025 is more than just another chapter—it’s a tribute.
“Bringing the Amateur back for the club’s centennial feels like coming full circle,” Joy says. “We’ve got nearly a century of memories tied to this event.”
It’s a deep and proud history. Belvedere has hosted champions from every corner of Michigan: from the Detroit duo of Kocsis and Sam Kocsis in the 1930s and 1940s, to Grosse Ile’s Glenn Johnson in the 1950s, to Jackson’s Steve Maddalena in the 1980s. They all etched their names into the club’s legacy.
The 2025 championship will begin with two days of stroke play qualifying on June 17 and 18, narrowing the field to 64 match play contenders. From there, it’s single elimination over three days—down to the final two on Saturday, June 21, where one name will be added to a very distinguished list.
“There’s something old school about match play at Belvedere,” says Joy. “You don’t overpower the course and your opponent; you outsmart them. That’s why this event works so well here.”
The bones of Watson’s original design remain intact, especially after a renovation over the last decade that restored the architect’s original intentions. When the best amateurs in Michigan arrive at Belvedere this year, they will see a slightly different golf course than the one they competed on in 2014, most noticeably in the green complexes, which were fully restored and enlarged to Watson’s original plans with added slopes and runoffs, putting a premium on ball position and putting for this year’s players. The greens at Belvedere are now some of the most challenging in golf. In addition to the restored greens, original bunkers were rediscovered, trees were removed, and fescue lines were created. The course still walks the line between subtlety and sting.
Beyond the golf, there’s the town. Charlevoix in June is a throwback kind of summer destination. With its harbor, quaint restaurants, and tree-lined streets, it provides the perfect backdrop for a tournament with deep roots and traditions. Charlevoix the Beautiful, as they say—and for one week in June, it will be the capital of Michigan golf once again.
As Belvedere steps into its second century, the message is clear: The Michigan Amateur didn’t just make memories here. It helped shape the soul of the place. And in 2025, it comes home again.
For more information, visit www.belvederegolfclub.com.
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