A golf career that spans 50+ years in Michigan earns its highest honor from the MGCA
Harbor Springs, MI – Bernie Friedrich, Director of Golf Course Renovation and Development for BOYNE Resorts, has been named the winner of the 2026 Matthews Lifetime Achievement Award by the Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA).
Friedrich will be honored at the Annual MGCA Awards Banquet on Tuesday, Dec. 1, during the 2026 Michigan Golf Business Conference and Vendor Fair at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant.
The Matthews Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to an individual or organization that, over a lifetime, has provided steadfast leadership, outstanding service, and continuous commitment to the Michigan golf industry.
“I’m humbled and honored to receive the Matthews Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Friedrich. “I’ve been fortunate to spend my career in an industry and a state I love, surrounded by incredible people who make this work so rewarding. This recognition belongs to every colleague, mentor and teammate who helped along the way. Boyne Resorts and Michigan golf have given me so much, and I’m grateful for the chance to give some of it back.”
Friedrich began his career with BOYNE 50 years ago, embodying company founder Everett Kircher’s philosophy of developing year-round employees capable of leading both golf and ski operations. A 45-year PGA of America member, Friedrich has overseen BOYNE’s 14 golf courses and semi-private clubs across Michigan, Maine and Montana, managing golf operations, staffing, agronomy, marketing, memberships, and retail operations. Now serving as director of golf course renovation and development, he continues to help shape the future of golf experiences at one of North America’s largest golf and ski resort operations.
Friedrich’s contributions to the game have earned him numerous honors, including the MGCA Lyle Leeke Distinguished Service Award in 2018, and induction into both the Michigan PGA Hall of Fame and Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. He has also served on the MGCA Board of Directors, held committee roles with the Michigan Section PGA, and received two Michigan PGA Golf Professional of the Year awards. In 2023, the PGA of America recognized Friedrich with its prestigious PGA Golf Executive of the Year Award for his outstanding leadership, vision and service to the game.
“Boyne Resorts is built on our people, and for 50 years Bernie has been the best example of what that means,” said Stephen Kircher, President and CEO of Boyne Resorts. “He has developed talent, led with integrity and cared deeply about our guests, our teams and the communities we serve. His impact reaches well beyond our 14 golf courses, from the golf professionals he’s mentored to the young people who’ve benefited from The First Tee and the Harbor Cup Fund. There is no one more deserving of this honor, and we’re proud to call him one of our own.”
Friedrich’s most rewarding achievement has been the charitable efforts he implemented, which BOYNE Golf’s PGA professionals continue to carry out. He is a founding member and board member of The First Tee of Northern Michigan and is a co-founder of Harbor Cup Fund, a Michigan-based charitable fund that has raised more than $1 million since its 1997 inception.
About BOYNE Golf
BOYNE Golf has been recognized by GOLF Magazine as one of North America’s “Premier Resorts” (Gold) and is currently ranked No. 3 in USA Today’s 10BEST Golf Resorts category. The resort was also previously ranked No. 1 in the 10BEST Golf Destinations in the U.S. for a golf getaway, and The Highlands was ranked No. 2 in the 10BEST Golf Resort category.
The Highlands, rated the No. 1 Golf Resort for Value by Golf.com, features four championship courses and a par-3 course. The Heather, the 2019 NGCOA Course of the Year, was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., while Arthur Hills crafted the Hills Course. In addition, the resort features The Donald Ross Memorial, a rendition of the legendary architect’s great holes from around the country, and the always-fun Moor course. The par-3 course, Doon Brae, and the 27-hole Back Yaird putting course add to the golf vacation experience. The Highlands is the perfect buddy trip destination for golfers who like to play as many holes as they can during the long summer daylight hours that northern Michigan features.
The Inn at Bay Harbor and Bay Harbor Golf Club, the premier golf destination’s flagship properties, feature 45 holes, including three golf course combinations designed by Arthur Hills (Links/Quarry, Quarry/Preserve, and Preserve/Links), and the scenic Crooked Tree Golf Club, with one of the most beautiful and iconic hotels in America, all set along a scenic five-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline. The Links/Quarry course is listed among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest.
Boyne Mountain features two picturesque 18-hole courses (The Monument and The Alpine), along with the charming Mountain Grand Lodge & Spa. It’s also the leading family-friendly golf destination in the region with the Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark, junior golf camps, and various kid golf programs. Golf Digest named Boyne Mountain one of its “Top 10 Destinations for Family Golf Trips.”
For more information, visit BOYNEGolf.com.
