The newest business in town is ready to be a hole-in-one as the new River Club Glen Arbor (RCGA) mini-golf course opens its doors just in time for the summer rush later this month.
It’s been a long time coming to make a dream a reality for founders Mike and Gina Sheldon.
“We’re beyond excited to launch this new entertainment experience to the good people of northern Michigan,” said Mike Sheldon, RCGA chief executive officer. “Our hope is that families and friends have as much fun enjoying the park as we’ve had building it.”
The Crystal River is a gem. However, not everyone has daily access to the river.
Customers now have a front row seat to enjoy a good meal and their favorite drink all while watching the fish, birds and kayakers go by. Then for some friendly competition your group can play a custom designed Michigan-inspired mini-golf course.
“The nice thing about a putting course is it’s fun whether you’re seven or 97,” Sheldon said.
When the coveted Crystal River property went on the market a couple of years ago, it was time to make a move for Sheldon. In January 2023, Sheldon and partner Chuck Damman caught a break and placed their bets.
“I certainly didn’t want to put condos up in northern Michigan ... it went on the market and then I made an offer on it. Then that didn’t work out. And six months later I just kept thinking about it,” Sheldon said.
Sheldon’s whole idea was to bring back the putt-putt course that was originally on the property and closed back in 2008.
“We’re committed to providing locals and tourists with a relaxing day in the park. Our hope is that you, your parents, your kids and someday their kids, will develop fond memories at River Club,” Gina Sheldon said.
The goal is to make River Club an entertainment destination, beyond simply putting for kids, but as an adult miniature golf course that has live music, riverfront and rooftop seating.
“I love the wineries and the breweries and the wines and distilleries up here. They’re awesome. But if you don’t like beer, then you’re not going to go to a brewery. It was really a way to eliminate the veto-vote of all those other liquors or beverage choices,” Mike Sheldon said.
River Club will be doing a different take on area cuisine with a goal of efficiency and high quality.
River Club Executive Chef Matt Millu will be crafting a healthy-Mexican inspired vibe that resembles higher-class Mexican franchises. The menu includes burritos, tacos, bowls, salads with a signature Hawaiian pork taco or build your own options through a kiosk based system. The key for Millu will be food prep. From the time you start at the line to the time you get food will be just a few minutes.
The biggest question mark and challenge of building River Club required significant infrastructure projects across the five acre property.
Sheldon says they acquired 11 permits over nearly a year to build a 10,000-square foot drain field and another 10,000 square foot reserved drain field to deal with human waste.
“We wanted to do everything by the book. It was way more than we thought it was gonna be, frankly. But, we’re here for the long run ... This is a 10-year, 50 -year project,” Mike Sheldon said.
The drain fields are located on the west side of the river that will have to evacuate sewage and water disposal deep under a stream that branches off of the river to the drain fields.
“We worked very closely with the health department. Many, many revisions and revisions of what we can do ... We had to go to other restaurants and other establishments to see what their water usage was. That was all working really closely with the health department to find out what we had to do,” Damman said about the regulations.
River Club’s goal for the first year is to make every day feel like the grand opening.
The miniature golf course features 18 holes that starts by walking across a bridge overlooking a hole that resembles Lake Michigan, while a caddyshack inspired sign says “Welcome to the club.”
The golf course features par-2, 3, and 4’s, with plenty of local nods to Leelanau lore through golf themes including the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Glen Arbor, Lake Michigan and more.
Sheldon said the strategy is to make people laugh and smile through River Club’s unique amenities.
“We’re not going to do what anybody else has done around here ... We’re going to do our own thing,” Mike Sheldon said.
Adventure Golf & Sports, one of the only miniature golf course builders in the U.S. with over 35 years of experience located in Traverse City, built River Club's course.
The golf course is made entirely of Astro turf with plenty of restrooms and a commercial kitchen.
At the moment, River Club has plans to be open through November, but ideas of converting to a restaurant await with the right cards.
Mike Sheldon said River Club is hiring.
“We can use a few more people that are able to jump in and do a variety of roles. But everybody who’s come through our doors are eager to work, are excited, partly because of just the overall concept and the excitement for the property,” he said.
