Boring old person OT - Suggest a golf course I should play
Short preface, COVID and a lower back injury laid me pretty low and one of the things that brought me back was a golf trip to North Carolina with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. I got a chance to play Tobacco Road (never thought I’d enjoy the work of a Sparty that much) & The Cradle at Pinehurst, and it did what it does to many middle aged men, started an addiction. In my earlier days it was drugs or Jordans and now it is playing different golf courses. This year I have made it my goal to play 52 different courses, today I played 40 (Heathlands @ TPC Toronto).
Being from the Southern Ontario area we aren’t blessed with the variety of world class courses Michigan is. Our best courses are private and while I do alright and was blessed with a great life, it wasn’t exclusive country club great. I’m planning to do a Michigan trip to see how many great courses I can fit in. The obvious ones being the loop and Arcadia bluffs, but I'd love some local suggestions. I think greywalls may be a drive too far for this trip but I’d love to play your quirky local public course. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Like I said I’m a childless 41 year old with no children and a very understanding wife, golf is 90% of my personality now. Don’t live in Michigan, drop your favorite anyways, I’ve set a goal to try and play as many Gil Hanse courses as I can so who knows I may be close to where one of your favorites are.
Highly recommend Eagle Eye in East Lansing.
Is a burning couch considered an unplayable lie?
For a theme, maybe play some university courses: the UM course is outstanding, MSU Akers West is very good and Akers East is fun, EMU is very good, the Meadows at Grand Valley is always in excellent shape, Katke at Ferris is good.
I second the Gull Lake View recommendation. Others that are fun and not a long drive up north are Eagle Eye and Hawk Hollow, Calderone Farms, The Grande, Quail Ridge, The Ravines, Tullymore/St. Ives, Bucks Run, The Medalist, The Majestic, Moose Ridge.
Another theme would be nice muni courses: Leslie Park is really good, Kaufman in GR is one of my faves, Binder Park in Battle Creek is very good, Groesbeck in Lansing and Milham Park in Kazoo are decent, and the oldest public course west of New York is Ottawa Park in Toledo, which is a blast.
I have forgotten many, I’m sure.
Also Timber Ridge near East Lansing. Pilgrims Run is great, and there are 2 others nearby by the same designer: The Mines and Diamond Springs. I’m gonna quit now, that’s enough.
I love this list, thanks for putting it together. I really appreciate the local favorites I wouldn't find on one of the online raters lists
Play the EMU course. Eagle Crest. Played there a few weeks ago and is excellent
I'm not much of a golfer, but my office looks out onto Eagle Crest and it's quite the view.
I second the Leslie Park recommendation. It was always an interesting course and the two remodels in the 90s and early 00s have really improved it. Won't kill your wallet either.
If you haven't already, look up Michigan Golf Live on YouTube. Tons of good info and that guy is living my dream life.
I recently played UM and I thought it was in terrible shape. Worse than I ever remember and I usually play it a couple of times a year.
I strongly prefer Radrick to the Stadium course.
I play it every Sunday morning and I think it is in great shape, including, finally, the bunkers.
Love the Forest Akers courses. Hawk Hollow across from Eagle Eye is a good course too. The Fortress in Frankenmuth is also worth it.
Agreed here, you can knock out a few real nice courses in the Ann Arbor area with the University Course at UofM, Eagle Crest at EMU, and Leslie Park (all these are reasonably priced, no range at UofM and free range at EMU). Calderone Golf Club in Jackson is nice and surprisingly cheap as well.
If in the Lansing area, Forest Akers (MSU's course) is good, then Eagle Eye and Hawk Hollow real close in Bath, MI.
We recently did a stay-and-play out of Soaring Eagle in Mt. Pleasant. I think price was around $600 for 2 nights and 3 rounds at Tullymore, St. Ives and Bucks Run. Loved all the courses, Buck's Run was a favorite. Pohlcat is also up there which has ties to Dan Pohl from Mt. Pleasant who played on the PGA and Champions tour.
If up in the Boyne or Boyne Highlands area, all those courses are superb and looked after well. Monument and Alpine at the Mountain with Dunmaglas right down the road in Charlevoix. Crooked Tree and Bay Harbor courses right in Petoskey and the Highlands has 4 courses with Don Ross, Moor, Arthur Hills and The Heather. If you like "historic" courses, Belvedere is fairly close and is consistently ranked in the Top 15 for Michigan, although I think that ranking is purely based on the history of the course.
Gaylord with all the Treetop courses are great.
Dream and Nightmare right by westbranch also great courses that are BYOB that you can hit on the way up or down from the more northern courses.
Shanty Creek has 4 or 5 solid courses and isn't too far from Wolverine or The Bear, which are both fantastic.
Garland resort is nice, it has 4 or 5 courses on the property and you can get a cabin. The courses, IMO, pale in comparison to all the above tho.
I aggressively hated Monument and Alpine. ALL of the other Boyne Courses are fantastic, though.
With all of the past tense, retrospective, calling yourself “middle aged” and perspective tone I was fully expecting you to say you were sixty something. Not… 41.
I'll say that when the back started giving me trouble I felt it aged me immensely.
If you can make it 20 minutes south of Michigan to Angola, IN, Glendarin Hills is a very nice course.
About an hour south is Sycamore Hills in Fort Wayne. It's a Jack Nicklaus design course. Or, Cherry Hill. Probably the highest rated in Fort Wayne.
If you're in Boyne City area, Ye Nine Olde Holes is a fun and funky 9 hole course. Much better courses in the area for sure but I have fond memories of playing there with my dad and brothers and I am way past middle aged.
If you're up for a west coast trip, Bandon in OR is a year round option. Combine that with Chambers Bay in WA and a few others. Prices vary widely by season. I've had good luck playing the Bandon courses in late February. Completely dry for 8.5 out of 10 rounds the two years I've gone. And the cheapest rates that time of year. Same with Chambers Bay.
I think Bandon is an 18 month wait at this point. was looking to do it in 24 with some friends as our yearly. I think we are now down to Streamsong or Cabbot instead because we can book them now
Check out the Gailes Golf Course in Oscoda if you're headed in that direction, but call first to check on the condition. A true links course with several copycat holes from British Open courses. For example, the "Postage Stamp," the 8th hole at Royal Troon, is one of the replicated holes.
I've played this course over two different weekends. The first time was on the same weekend as the British Open in 1989 (interestingly enough held at Royal Troon that year). Heavy winds and rain were frequent and punishing, yet I was enamored as I felt like I was experiencing the real thing. It's the type of course that requires you to hit to specific distances and locations on most holes due to the numerous pot bunkers (similar in this way to Arcadia).
The second weekend was in 2021, and the course was in downright terrible condition. When I asked what had happened, I found out that over half of their typical customers are Canadian but couldn't come into the country that year because of the Covid shutdown. No money = no greenskeepers. I still had a blast, but you'll want to call ahead to see how it is. A shotmaker's dream!
The Gailes is an absolutely beautiful golf course. But you better be prepared to spend five minute per hole looking for your ball that is two feet off the fairway after a shot you thought was perfect.
A West Michigan swing:
Pilgrim’s Run
The Meadows at GVSU
Thornapple Pointe
Stonegate near Muskegon
American Dunes is pretty great. Challenging as hell and fairly price.
Username fits!
Thornapple Pointe is also known as Planes, Trains and Automobiles for obvious reasons.
I would add The Ravines and Diamond Springs to your list. I am not a huge fan of the Meadows but I will but add a big stamp of approval to the rest of these suggestions!
If your in Ohio, Apple Valley GC is beautiful and amazing . If you want a challenge Black Diamond GC is a very difficult (for me) including a PAR 6 650yd death trap.
Belvedere in Charlevoix is classic and one of Tom Watson’s three favorite golf courses The other two are Augusta and Pebble Beach. Tee times for the public in the afternoon.
The Tree Tops courses are beautiful and amateur friendly. They have several really nice amateur friendly tracks and and one of the best par three courses you will ever play. They had an annual skins game with Mickelson, Trevino, Couples, Floyd, Zoeller, North, Stadler for about ten years. They have great lodging and it’s perfect for a big group destination deal
Boyne Highlands Heather course is excellent. Crooked Tree and Boyne Mt. Alpine Course are fun and reasonably priced. Hidden River is nice and you can fly fish for some trout.
Dunmaglas is a beautiful goat track for N Mi play at $100 a round. You can play eights guys together if your goofing off because you’re usually all alone.
Thousand Oaks and Pilgrams Run in West Michigan are top notch.
Arcadia is the best.
Pilgrim's Run. North of Grand Rapids in Pierson. Great track.
If you are up in the Traverse City area for Arcadia Bluffs, play Bahle Farms in the Leelenau, just a bit west and south of Sutton’s Bay. Off the beaten track, and a really fun, beautiful course. Unwind with a cider or glass or two of wine at one of the many local vineyards.
Poster up the thread recommended A-Ga-Ming, with which I concur. Pro tip — ALL of the greens break to the bay. Even the ones that look like they do not.
Been playing A-Ga-Ming since it was just nine and Antrim Dells since it opened. Used to have just the Charlevoix public course, Elk Rapids public and Bellaire golf club in the late 60's to play from north Torch Lake. Loved the cash box for bottles of pop cool in the stream around the 5th hole or so at Bellaire. They said they always made money from it which surprised me.
A-Ga-Ming had a cement culvert driven vertically into a spring off one of the original holes and filled with sand and gravel as a filter and little paper cups hanging on a post nearby for thirst quenching which I thought unique. I am sure the health folks shut that down after just a few years.
Neighbor on Torch Lake had a long pipe 20 feet into the lake and a screen on it for water into his log cabin back in the mid to late 60's through late 70's. Different world.
Manistee Golf & Country Club has 6 holes overlooking Lake Michigan. Twilight rate (after 3pm) of $40 is ridiculously cheap for such a beautiful experience. Not far from Arcadia, maybe this could serve as an appetizer the day before you head to the Bluffs.
My dad and I go to Manistee for an annual weekend trip, such a hidden gem.
My dad and I go to Manistee for an annual weekend trip, such a hidden gem.
Riyadh has some nice courses, or so I've been told.
Black Lake Golf Club in Onaway is very nice and the green fees are relatively modest. I believe it's owned by the UAW. Fairly secluded and has the look of an upscale, private club.
The Tribute in Gaylord has some pretty amazing views and is a lot of fun to play.
I have to show some love for Garland! 4 courses onsite.
I love playing an executive course every now and then. My favorite is a little course called Benona Shores north of Muskegon near Shelby and Hart. Beautiful layout right in the middle of an apple orchard.
The five courses at Treetops in Gaylord were spectacular and made me realize I will never be a great golfer. Many other good courses are a short drive away. Fall golf "up north" is wonderful.
I strongly recommend Perry Maxwell courses; you can find everything from the elite Southern Hills to tiny, podunk courses with the same sadistic greens he did in the middle of nowhere. I need to play more Hanse courses tbh but man, Maxwell's stuff is crazy (he did the back 9 at Augusta and also did U of M's).
There's the putt putt on US-31 on the road between Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
Its private, But if maybe you could hook up with a member here, Meadowbrook in Northville is an awesome track, Just completely redone. Northville Hills is a nice course as well. Next year St Johns will be open to a new championship course. These are closer than the Up north courses.
I can't wait to see what St. John's looks like when it's done. I live down the street from there. They were a client of mine when the Archdiocese converted it to 27 hotels and added the hotel and conference center. Hotel and conference center turned out great. 27 hole course...not so much.
Has anyone played Grande in Jackson lately? I was on that course 2 or 3 years after it opened, but could see it had great potential. I imagine it has matured nicely. The front 9 had a southern Michigan feel while the back 9 transported you to northern Michigan.
It's the only time I've ever felt threatened by sandhill cranes. They didn't like us invading their green area.
I would suggest The Orchards in southeastern Michigan, near Romeo.
The Loop by Doak and Forest Dunes are great tracks in Roscommon. Red Hawk in Tawas. GR has the Mines and Pilgrims run both by Devries who did Greywalls. If you know someone who can get you on Kingsley jump at it very quickly. Also Calderone in Jackson.
Grewyalls is worth the trip. There are a ton of great UP courses. Sweetgrass is world class and they have a newish course nearby Sage Run. We will be doing a trip this summer which is most Upper Peninsula courses.
Really depends if there is an area you want to stick to. Calderone, U of M, plus a couple of GR courses would be a pretty good trip in my opinion.
I play Arcadia Bluffs 1x a year. Pricey but if you're looking for amazing views and a great experience, pretty hard to beat.
I played the new south course last year and IMO, not worth it. Stick to the bluffs course.
Fieldstone in Auburn Hills and Shepherd's Hollow in Clarkston. Shepher'ds Hollow is very underrated.
If you're there for Arcadia Bluffs, take the drive down to Ludington and play Hemlock. I had some family who were part owners of it at one point.
(and as a sidenote, never invest in a golf course, it was a terrible money loser for them)
1. Roseland in Windsor, ON. Great old style Donald Ross course. I always say that being a muni they never had the money to hire an architect to come in and ruin it. Well maintained, particularly for a muni.
2. University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Alistair MacKenzie course - greens are diabolical.
3. Verona Hills, just east of Bad Axe, MI in the Thumb. Nice course, very well maintained in the only hilly part of the upper Thumb.
4. Rackham in Huntington Woods, MI. Another great old Donald Ross course owned by the City of Detroit. Holes 2 through 5 are not original as they were shortened when I-696 was built. The back nine is excellent. Maintenance can be a bit iffy.