Manistee is one of the area's oldest courses. It is a Tom Bendelow design from the 1920s, with almost a mile of shoreline along Lake Michigan providing views of the Lake throughout the round.

The golf course is a parkland design with the fairways defined by trees. Several ponds are in play, along with sand bunkers guarding the modest green sites. It's an entertaining layout with a reachable par 5 in two and potentially drivable par 4s, and six holes have either greens or tees overlooking the Lake. Typical of the older courses, it's short at only 5,690 yards from the back tees, a par of 70, 68.1/130, and course/slope ratings.