Written By: Greg Johnson
BATTLE CREEK – Bedford Valley Golf Course is a course for champions.
The classic William Mitchell design that opened in 1965 has been the home to multiple championships for multiple associations and starting Monday hosts the 48th Michigan Junior Amateur Championship.
The championship, featuring 84 junior boy golfers determined by past performance and sectional qualifiers presented earlier this season across the state, will play for the overall title through Thursday. A 15-and-under division will also be presented for 24 younger golfers.
Bedford Valley is part of the Gull Lake View Golf Club and Resort’s collection of golf courses. Gull Lake View is one of the largest family-owned resorts in the U.S., and the Scott family has impacted golf since 1963 when Darl Scott, an entrepreneur at heart and golf course superintendent by trade, decided to build and open his own public golf course. He and his wife Letha ran the course, and Charlie, one of three sons, next directed the resort. Several family members are still involved in the operation.
The Bedford Valley course is a traditional parkland design. It was purchased by the family in 1988. It is not on the Gull Lake resort campus in Augusta, but a few miles away in Battle Creek. Like the resort’s other courses, it cuts naturally through the trees on rolling hills with classic green settings. Large bunker complexes add to the challenge.
It is also perceived by many as a perfect place to decide championships. Bedford Valley has hosted the Michigan Open, Michigan Senior Open, Michigan PGA Junior Championship, Michigan Publinx State Match Play, and the NCAA III National Championship, some multiple times, as well as GAM championships and qualifiers.
The field will play 36 holes of stroke play Monday to determine a medalist and top seed to lead the low scoring 32 golfers into the match play bracket. The Round of 32 is Tuesday, and the Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches are Wednesday with the semifinals and finals on Thursday. The 15-and-under division starts play on Tuesday with eight golfers filling out a match play bracket. The younger golfers play one round of matches on Wednesday and the semifinal and final matches on Thursday.
East Grand Rapids golfer JP Levan is returning to defend his championship, and the 2025 GAM 15-and-under Player of the Year Tommy Preston of Grand Rapids is also in the field. Nicklaus Smith of Rochester, who lost in the Round of 16 in this week’s Michigan Amateur Championship, and was a semifinalist in last year’s Junior Amateur, is also playing.
Levan’s win a year ago at Forest Akers West Golf Course at Michigan State University earned him the USGA exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur last summer. This year’s champion will earn the same exemption for 2026.
The list of champions in the history of the tournament is impressive and includes former PGA Tour players Ryan Brehm and Joey Garber, 2021 U.S. Amateur Champion James Piot, and Michigan Golf Hall of Fame members Michael Harris and Jeff Roth.
Dan Wilson is the head golf professional at Bedford Valley Golf Club. Andrew Brandt is the superintendent. Learn more at gulllakeview.com.
