Michigan Golf Trip - 2023

A year ago we went on a road trip through northern Michigan. It was a fabulous time, and as I've told many of you... perhaps the best variety of courses we've experienced on our annual golf vacation. Let's get into a detailed review, with subjective Golf Digest rankings included for you people who think that stuff matters:

Travel Overview

We flew into Grand Rapids, and created a big counter-clockwise loop. Eight days total, playing eight rounds of golf, and staying in five different locations. Almost like backpacking through Canada!

 

 

Pilgrim's Run

Mike DeVries - 1998

#24 in Michigan (#11 public)

Mike DeVries is a celebrated architect who has done a majority of his work in Michigan — most notably the Kingsley Club and Greywalls. But the official story of Pilgrim's Run is interesting, as 6 different investors each "designed" three holes on the property, hiring Mike DeVries to put it all together.

You would think this resulted in a discombobulated mess, but the course is a gem. I'll go ahead and say it... this was my favorite on the trip!

A blasphemous statement if you're going off views alone. But the overall layout and feel of Pilgrim's Run is one that you'll enjoy for all 18 holes, every single day. I'd legit join this club if I lived nearby... something I can't say about anything we have in Tampa.

 

Geoff on the tee.

Despite being carved out in a massive pine forest, the fairways are wide. The bunkering is outstanding and natural. And the greens have sweeping contours that are difficult, but not confusing. Overall the conditions were pristine.

 

Wide corridors with dense woodlands.

 

If you're ever near Grand Rapids, you must play this course!

Tullymore

Jim Engh - 2002

#22 in Michigan (#9 public)

A resort and residential community which contains two courses (Tullymore and St. Ives), this was a weird one for a few reasons. First of all, it's in the middle of nowhere. We found one restaurant nearby... which was surprisingly good.

The standard buddies trip lodging is a fairly new one-story "motel" carved into the woods away from civilization. Imagine the shitty outside hotel wing of Inn on the Lake (where we stayed for the 2023 Rapture). Small rooms with two twin beds in each.

Now — as a man of the people — this is right up my alley. Opulence is not something I need on my golf trip accommodations, especially when we're only staying one night. But the rest of the boys thought we were going to get murdered. It made for some excellent hanging out though.

Beers on the porch.

Literally one long porch, with about 20 rooms each side.

I booked Tullymore because it helped break-up the travel between Pilgrim's Run and Forest Dunes. I also had a bunch of ex-Michiganders tell me it was great!

 

Tullymore - from meadows to woods.

 

It was... pretty good... I think? I played well, but for some reason the round hasn't stuck with me the same way Pilgrim's Run did. The layout weaves throughout a combination of forest and meadow lands. It's very penal, with deep bunkers framed by unnatural mounding, and a handful of greenside lakes to avoid.

Lots of difficult approach shots like this one.

I'd definitely recommend Tullymore — and what little I saw of St. Ives looked cool — but only if you were mimicking our itinerary. It's not something people plan their trips around.

Forest Dunes

Tom Weiskopf - 2002

#5 in Michigan (#2 public; #33 public in USA)

You should plan a trip around Forest Dunes.

Pros:

- "Three" courses on property (two are the same course that reverses each day)

- Two distinct styles of golf

- Large putting and short course

- Lodging was top notch

- Currently not on the golf influencer radar

Cons:

- Very remote so you'll be on property the entire time

- Only one restaurant which closes early

- The three courses are really just two courses

If they add another course, and some more lodging and dining, this place will explode in popularity as a top "buddies trip" destination.

The lodges and clubhouse were awesome!

But after 10pm it was BYOB at a firepit.

The original Forest Dunes course was my 2nd favorite on the trip. Tom Weiskopf — who passed away a couple of years ago — is responsible for some very fun layouts (ie: TPC Scottsdale). This course follows all those same themes, with split fairways, drivable par 4s, and large greens with interesting contours.

The routing is superb, as the name implies the front nine traverses a forest in the foothills...

6th hole - split fairway with a tree in the middle!

...and then reveals an open dune landscape for the back nine.

8th hole looking toward the back nine.

Expect to be hearing a lot about Forest Dunes in the future.

 

 

The Loop (Black/Red)

Tom Doak - 2016

#10 & #15 in Michigan (#4 & #7 public)

 

Forest Dunes wanted to build a new course to attract visitors and keep them on property longer. During the RFP process, the owner asked prospective architects to "wow" him. Unfortunately, the land available was extremely boring. 

 

Tom Doak had always toyed with the idea of a reversible course, and for that to logistically work you actually need uninteresting land. Big, bold features are very difficult to use in two directions.

 

His proposal was gimmicky enough to make headlines, and it does keep guests on property since they switch the routing every day.

 

Bottom right corner is first tee and 18th green for both routings.

 

The firm and fast sandy conditions made it a unique challenge, which a lot of the guys struggled to adapt. It's wide open, but you have to play along the ground and bounce your approach shots onto the greens.

The problem I had was twofold: 1) Doak's greens are too small and far too penal 2) I genuinely can't distinguish between the two routings.

It was this for 36 holes.

 

If I had to give The Loop a glowing compliment... it's golf in its purest form. The way the sport developed in Scotland. Start here at this marker... there's a hole off in the distance... go figure it out. It's definitely worth playing, but The Loop will not be anyone's highlight.

Old Mac at Bandon Dunes (another Doak design) did a much better job of turning uninteresting land into a memorable experience.

The Bear (Grand Traverse)

Jack Nicklaus - 1985

#20 in Michigan (#8 public)

Jack Nicklaus is probably the most overrated golf architect in history — single-handedly ruining the sport for generations with the "Signature Era" of the 80s and 90s. Every course he developed was built to withstand PGA TOUR pros... despite zero chance of hosting any professional events.

The Bear was once ranked the 18th most difficult in America by Golf Digest. And we were warned it wasn't as "fun" as the other courses on property. Add to it the pouring rain before our tee time, and my expectations couldn't have been any lower.

Nonstop rain for 6+ hours before our round.

Almost every group scheduled to go out before us bailed. But Grand Traverse was not about to give out preemptive rain checks! Luckily for us, the rain miraculously stopped as we were heading to the first tee.

So it was a little soggy, and cartpath only, but I was pleasantly surprised! The Bear wasn't that much of a bear after all.

Sure, there were multi-tiered greens surrounded by water and artificial mounding.

 

Like this one!

 

It also had multiple approach shots requiring a fade toward a lake.

Like this one!

But the experience was fun! Not a bad option if you're in the area.

Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs)

Warren Henderson & Rick Smith - 1999

#3 in Michigan (#1 public; #14 public in USA)

The jewel of the trip, with most of our group ranking at the top of their list. Arcadia Bluffs' original course is basically a mini Whistling Straits. Luckily we caught it on a somewhat calm day.

 

 

The entire property slopes toward the lake, so while there aren't a lot of holes on the water, you're still staring at it the entire round.

It's an amazing experience, but a very difficult test of golf.

Some of the hazards are comically deep. Half the holes have a bunker or ravine which will lead to a max score. Here's Darren and Dave finding themselves in one, with varying results:

Weather is definitely going to dictate your experience at the Bluffs Course. And it will mentally wear you down. But it's arguably one of the best "American Faux Links" courses we've ever seen.

Arcadia Bluffs (South)

Jason Straka & Dana Fry - 2018

#7 in Michigan (#3 public; #53 public in USA)

The last stop was an excellent finish to our trip. The South course is a homage to C.B. Macdonald & Seth Raynor — similar to Old Mac at Bandon Dunes. It very much resembles the exclusive and highly praised Chicago Golf Club, one of the five founding clubs in the USGA.

It's flat, extremely firm and fast, the tee boxes and greens have sharp edges, and all the trees have been removed — the way golf was meant to be played.

Opening tee shot at Arcadia South.

Fairway bunkers are quite deep, and a true penalty. They're strategically placed to gobble up any tee shot not down the middle.

The greens are awesome! An old-style look with lots of difficult contours and multiple tiers. Most of the holes are C.B. Macdonald's famed "template designs." Like the Lion's Mouth par 3:

Horseshoe green wrapped around a deep bunker.

The golfing-neanderthals of the group (there's always at least one) might complain it looks boring. But the South course was the most thought provoking of the trip!