5 Best Golf Courses in Michigan

Michigan is quickly rising as one of many high golf locations within the nation, and for good cause. Recognized for its breathtaking landscapes, from lush forests and rolling dunes to fairways alongside the banks of the Nice Lakes, Michigan’s golf scene is as visually fascinating as it’s difficult

Discover our information to find among the finest golf programs in Michigan that each golfer ought to have on their bucket listing.

Greatest Golf Programs in Michigan

1. Crystal Downs Nation Membership

Frankfurt

Crystal Downs Nation Membership, or just “The Downs,” because it’s referred to by members, is one in every of golf’s best-kept secrets and techniques. It occupies a spectacular piece of land between Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake, and is arguably among the best examples of golf course structure that’s each totally unique and remarkably imaginative.

Designed by Alister MacKenzie within the late Twenties, simply after he accomplished Cypress Level and solely years earlier than his work on Augusta Nationwide, Crystal Downs showcases MacKenzie’s genius on the peak of his profession. The course development was supervised by Perry Maxwell, as MacKenzie journeyed dwelling to Scotland, and it’s believed that Maxwell might have taken some inventive license. Nonetheless, the ultimate product was and is excellent.

The course options fairways that zigzag and roll over the glacial panorama, however it’s the greens that go away essentially the most lasting impression. Wildly contoured and boldly designed, they problem golfers with their steep, undulating surfaces that echo MacKenzie’s adventurous spirit. 

2. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Membership (Bluffs Course)

Arcadia

Not solely is the Bluffs Course at Arcadia Bluffs among the best golf programs in Michigan, however it’s one of many few premier programs nationwide that’s truly open to the general public. Many liken the design right here to Whistling Straits, Arcadia’s neighbor simply throughout the lake, however the Bluffs Course isn’t any imitation. 

With roughly 3,000 toes of Lake Michigan shoreline, the views listed below are nothing wanting spectacular. However don’t let the beautiful surroundings lull you right into a false sense of safety. This course has tooth. Wind-swept grasses are able to snag any errant pictures, dramatic elevation modifications will take a look at your membership choice, and deep sod-walled bunkers are to be averted – all this intensified by the unpredictable winds. Large fairways and greens present some aid, however even they arrive with their very own tough undulations.

After your spherical, sit on the Adirondack Chairs, among the best nineteenth holes in golf, perched proper behind the 18th inexperienced. Watch golfers hit their remaining strategy pictures and benefit from the spectacular views of Lake Michigan on the horizon. It’s the right spot to toast a spherical properly performed, or to console your self after a difficult day on the hyperlinks.

3. Oakland Hills Nation Membership (South)

Bloomfield Hills

Having hosted 17 main championships, one can confidently say the South Course at Oakland Hills Nation Membership has established itself as a premier venue in skilled golf. Of these tournaments, among the most notable embrace six U.S. Opens, the thirty fifth Ryder Cup in 2004, and three PGA Championships. Just a few of the best names within the recreation have performed and gained right here together with Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Participant, and Ben Hogan. Hogan himself famously declared that he had “introduced this monster to its knees” after his win, and the course has proudly carried the nickname “The Monster” ever since.

Walter Hagen, the membership’s first head skilled, is one other well-known title tied to Oakland Hills. Based in 1916 simply outdoors Detroit, the course has undergone a number of renovations and restorations during the last century however nonetheless stays one of many fairest assessments in golf. 

4. Kingsley Membership

Kingsley

Kingsley Membership might not have the thrills of an oceanfront setting or the attract of a centuries-old course, however it doesn’t want it. It’s as dramatic a setting for golf as you’ll be able to think about, with out the frills.

Nestled within the rolling panorama of Northern Michigan, Kingsley Membership is a contemporary masterpiece, having debuted in 2001, that exudes a timeless high quality. Designed by the visionary Mike DeVries, whose childhood experiences at Crystal Downs influenced his work, the course seamlessly marries pure magnificence with considerate design.

DeVries, recognized for his minimalist strategy, crafted a course that appears and feels organically built-in into its surroundings. True to his philosophy, DeVries moved minimal earth, letting the rugged terrain form the course’s character. This strategy is clear within the course’s distinctive options, from its rugged bunkers with uncooked edges to greens outlined by pure punchbowls and plateaus.

The course’s design showcases a captivating distinction between its open, links-like entrance 9 and the extra wooded, rolling again 9. The again 9, framed by tall pines and steep slopes, gives a extra conventional Northern Michigan really feel, full with breathtaking vistas and dramatic elevation modifications. For sure, there is no such thing as a weak gap on the scorecard and each single one has character. 

5. Forest Dunes Golf Membership (Weiskopf)

Roscommon

Forest Dunes Golf Membership boasts three spectacular programs, however none fairly match the 18-hole format designed by Tom Weiskopf. Opened in 2002, this course is just not solely among the best golf programs in Michigan but in addition ranks among the many high public tracks in the US.

Much like Kingsley Membership, Forest Dunes has a little bit of a cut up persona. The entrance 9, with its lush grass, towering pines, and pristine white-sand bunkers, channels a parkland type that some liken to Augusta Nationwide. In distinction, the again 9 embraces a rugged, Pine Valley-inspired aesthetic, that includes daring bunkering and wispy native grasses.

BONUS: When you’re at Forest Dunes, don’t miss The Loop – one other among the best golf programs in Michigan, however with a twist. Designed by Tom Doak, The Loop is a realization of Doak’s dream idea of a golf course with reversible fairways and greens that assist you to play the identical course in numerous instructions.

The Loop has two routings: the clockwise Black Course, which is barely favored, and the counter-clockwise Crimson Course. Every routing is a par 70 with 5 par threes on the scorecard. 

Regularly Requested Questions Concerning the Greatest Golf Programs in Michigan