All Things Michigan Golf.....The Three Putt

[odshot68]

Just got back from up north. So great to play forest dunes again. It’s been many years.  Such a phenomenal course. Probably the worst I’ve seen it due to the divots and ball marks on greens but still in great shape. We use for play it many years ago when it was perfect but still loved it. The loop…..we’ll not my cup of tee. The fact that you can’t hit spinning wedges or full shots I got the greens without them bouncing and pins were in crazy spots near the edges of large undulations. Felt like putt putt golf for first six holes. Reminded me of stoatin brae but considerably more expensive. Would much rather play forest dunes twice and play a different tee box the second time. 

[mitts7]

Had anyone played Island Hills in Centerville, Mi lately? I see some contradicting info. on course condition. Some good reviews and some not so good reviews. Wondering if anybody has any recent feedback?

[timbo08]

On 7/17/2023 at 1:10 PM, odshot68 said:

Just got back from up north. So great to play forest dunes again. It’s been many years.  Such a phenomenal course. Probably the worst I’ve seen it due to the divots and ball marks on greens but still in great shape. We use for play it many years ago when it was perfect but still loved it. The loop…..we’ll not my cup of tee. The fact that you can’t hit spinning wedges or full shots I got the greens without them bouncing and pins were in crazy spots near the edges of large undulations. Felt like putt putt golf for first six holes. Reminded me of stoatin brae but considerably more expensive. Would much rather play forest dunes twice and play a different tee box the second time. 

Have you played Arcadia South recently and would you say it is comparable to the Loop? 

 

I've played Arcadia South twice now and maybe I just haven't "figured it out" but I have very similar about Arcadia South to what you said about the Loop. 

 

Didn't help that we most recently played it in 35 mph winds but I just didn't have a fun time.  My score wasn't THAT much worse than the Bluffs Course but the Bluffs was a more enjoyable round of golf.  Haven't played the Loop yet but have been really wanting to check it out.  Sort of worried I might end up hating it.  I will say, I did play Stoatin for the first time in the fall of 2021 and I didn't hate it.  Definitely can understand your comparison to the Loop based on everything I know about the Loop but for me it so extreme that it was detrimental to the experience which I am starting to think that's my opinion of Arcadia South. 

[odshot68]

I’ve played stotin brae and those greens are way tamer than the loop. 

[mattsam]

Short golf trip starts tomorrow:

Harbor Shores

The Warren Course at Notre Dame

Lost Dunes

and one more TBD

[StudentGolfer4]

1 hour ago, timbo08 said:

Have you played Arcadia South recently and would you say it is comparable to the Loop? 

 

I've played Arcadia South twice now and maybe I just haven't "figured it out" but I have very similar about Arcadia South to what you said about the Loop. 

 

Didn't help that we most recently played it in 35 mph winds but I just didn't have a fun time.  My score wasn't THAT much worse than the Bluffs Course but the Bluffs was a more enjoyable round of golf.  Haven't played the Loop yet but have been really wanting to check it out.  Sort of worried I might end up hating it.  I will say, I did play Stoatin for the first time in the fall of 2021 and I didn't hate it.  Definitely can understand your comparison to the Loop based on everything I know about the Loop but for me it so extreme that it was detrimental to the experience which I am starting to think that's my opinion of Arcadia South. 

Full disclosure, haven’t played Arcadia South. If you have played other courses that are designed to be firm and fast, and actually live up to it, the loop shouldn’t come as a shock. (If the courses are built on a sandy site and have fescue fairways then even better.) 
 

I found the conditions at the loop to be almost identical to what I encountered at Sand Valley. Full sand  wedges from the fairway would release 20-25 ft or so and that remained true up through 7 iron. The friends I played the loop with who have made it out to Bandon say the firmness is extremely similar. Heck, there are a couple of nice private tracks around Indy that almost approach the level of the loop greens during the summer months and it’s by design. 
 

Yes, wedges will roll out. Balls that land short will bounce up. You will have balls roll off of slopes and away from you. You do have to adjust your game a bit but it’s not like you have to hit completely different shots. You can still hit your normal shot from the fairways. You just have to land them shorter. Yes, this will make some pins near a bunker or on a slope nearly inaccessible. 
 

Different strokes for different folks. If you get caught up that wedges won’t spin you probably will not enjoy the loop. A few guys on my trip flat out didn’t like the loop because they believe a good wedge shot should spin and stop like it does on the other 95% of courses they play. 

[1puttTUT]

10 hours ago, timbo08 said:

Have you played Arcadia South recently and would you say it is comparable to the Loop? 

 

I've played Arcadia South twice now and maybe I just haven't "figured it out" but I have very similar about Arcadia South to what you said about the Loop. 

 

Didn't help that we most recently played it in 35 mph winds but I just didn't have a fun time.  My score wasn't THAT much worse than the Bluffs Course but the Bluffs was a more enjoyable round of golf.  Haven't played the Loop yet but have been really wanting to check it out.  Sort of worried I might end up hating it.  I will say, I did play Stoatin for the first time in the fall of 2021 and I didn't hate it.  Definitely can understand your comparison to the Loop based on everything I know about the Loop but for me it so extreme that it was detrimental to the experience which I am starting to think that's my opinion of Arcadia South. 

 

I've played Arcadia south but not the loop. I also hated it, and people totally flame me whenever I mention it. Sorry I don't get an erection over square greens. 🤷‍♂️

 

I will say it was absolutely gusting when we played and there hadn't been any rain in the area in over a month. What really pissed me off was the holes with the trough bunkers. It's fine I guess that a well struck shot will run down into a bunker, but then to not have a backswing in that bunker that's barely off the green? Just seemed gimmicky to me. Maybe the back nine was better; idk I quit at the turn lol.

 

I'll give it another try, but only if we're doing a stay and play with multiple rounds.

 

Playing the Bluffs course today 😊

[timbo08]

3 hours ago, 1puttTUT said:

 

I've played Arcadia south but not the loop. I also hated it, and people totally flame me whenever I mention it. Sorry I don't get an erection over square greens. 🤷‍♂️

 

I will say it was absolutely gusting when we played and there hadn't been any rain in the area in over a month. What really pissed me off was the holes with the trough bunkers. It's fine I guess that a well struck shot will run down into a bunker, but then to not have a backswing in that bunker that's barely off the green? Just seemed gimmicky to me. Maybe the back nine was better; idk I quit at the turn lol.

 

I'll give it another try, but only if we're doing a stay and play with multiple rounds.

 

Playing the Bluffs course today 😊

LOL okay glad I'm not the only one!!  I think maybe you just hit the nail on the head for me.  I don't mind bunkers but it feels like they are there just for the sake of having insanely hard bunkers.  There's no need for a trough bunker that has a sign on it cause it's so steep not to walk up the edge that's flat at the bottom so if you roll off the back your ball is not just in the bunker but against the back edge too.  Makes zero sense to me, that's way more penal than a bunker is meant to be.  Same with a lot of the fairway bunkers.  I understand that in Links golf you need to play away from bunkers, you'll get some bad bounces etc... but at the South....it just feels like it's set up to be "hit the perfect shot or you're hosed".  Either hit the line we want you to take off tee at the traj we want (so it doesn't rolling into the thicker stuff) or you're going to have a bad time.  Not, hey there's some bunkers on the right, if you take those on and can carry them you'll be rewarded with a great look at birdie but if you want to take the safer route bail out to the left and hope your ball stays on the fairway.  Instead it's, hey you might carry these steep faced bunkers but you're just going to have to worry about another bunker that requires a 100 yard wedge shot over a 6 foot lip to put it in a trough bunker next to the green so you better bail out left but don't hit anything longer than a 5 iron because otherwise you'll be in this other giant bunker that's tucked in some heather.    

 

Have a blast on the Bluffs!!

 

 

@Studentgolfer4 I can totally understand where you are coming from, and I don't necessarily have a problem with having to hit a club shorter or wedges that aren't necessarily going to spin.  The challenge I run into is when there's no options or shots to play and that's what I think I have trouble with for the South course.  For instance in some case, yep sure, going to hit the wind and have a ball knocked down short or pull a bad club and it didn't run out or whatever.  But at that point, you should have options, whether that be a wedge you maybe shouldn't hit, or a hybrid, or a putter or a 3 wood or a 7 iron.  Have a chance to hit some shots.  Instead at the Bluffs it feels like "hey, you missed the green short, the greens are so stupid fast that it doesn't matter what you do you're going to be 20 feet past the pin.  That to me just isn't golf that I enjoy.  It's fine if some shots are blocked but I should be able to die a putter at the top of that hill after coming up short and not worry about it going 35 feet past the pin to the back corner of a square green that's 80 feet wide and just as deep.  

 

Different strokes for different folks I supposed, the course is in great shape for being as tightly kept as they have it, and the greens are fun to putt on but even then I enjoy the large undulations at the Bluffs course more. 

 

 

[1puttTUT]

Matching shirt/drink/headcover at Arcadia 

[hackeraz]

On 7/13/2023 at 9:03 AM, hackeraz said:

Heading up to Michigan next week and playing Ravines, Meadows, Gull Lakeview, Angels Crossing, and then a couple old stops from when we were kids. Any issues (course shape and such) that anyone is aware of with those listed? 

 

Dang, what a great trip and so good to get to spend some time back home, playing golf after all these years away. Quick little run down of where we played. 

 

Ravines - I thought I played this back around 1998 before moving and turns out I was right. Fun track, course was in good shape, greens were good and true. It wasn't blow you away amazing but it was solid. 

 

Angels Crossing - Hands down best of the bunch according to everyone in our group. Seems like this could be a fairly windy course so we lucked out with perfect weather and for the most part kept things close on those monstrous greens. Course was in beautiful condition and those greens were rolling amazingly well. 

 

The Meadows at GVSU - Another really great track. Definitely puts a premium on accuracy off the tee! Greens were rolling pretty dang quick, fastest of the bunch, but were fair and true. Course was in great condition all around. Only downsides were the proximity to the road on a couple holes (traffic noise) and lack of food options before tee off. Actually seems none of these places had food service running in the mornings which seemed strange. 

 

Cheshire Hills (old faithful) - Nostalgia course for us as I grew up golfing on this one. Back in the day we held it pretty high but it's certainly fallen off a fair amount in the last 25+ years. Ok shape but could be a lot better. Didn't go here looking for amazing golf, just to have fun and we did that. 

 

 

[Pepetito]

19 hours ago, hackeraz said:

 

Dang, what a great trip and so good to get to spend some time back home, playing golf after all these years away. Quick little run down of where we played. 

 

Ravines - I thought I played this back around 1998 before moving and turns out I was right. Fun track, course was in good shape, greens were good and true. It wasn't blow you away amazing but it was solid. 

 

Angels Crossing - Hands down best of the bunch according to everyone in our group. Seems like this could be a fairly windy course so we lucked out with perfect weather and for the most part kept things close on those monstrous greens. Course was in beautiful condition and those greens were rolling amazingly well. 

 

The Meadows at GVSU - Another really great track. Definitely puts a premium on accuracy off the tee! Greens were rolling pretty dang quick, fastest of the bunch, but were fair and true. Course was in great condition all around. Only downsides were the proximity to the road on a couple holes (traffic noise) and lack of food options before tee off. Actually seems none of these places had food service running in the mornings which seemed strange. 

 

Cheshire Hills (old faithful) - Nostalgia course for us as I grew up golfing on this one. Back in the day we held it pretty high but it's certainly fallen off a fair amount in the last 25+ years. Ok shape but could be a lot better. Didn't go here looking for amazing golf, just to have fun and we did that. 

 

 

Havent played Angels or the Meadows.  Hope to in the future.

[hackeraz]

3 hours ago, Pepetito said:

Havent played Angels or the Meadows.  Hope to in the future.

Highly recommend them. Also, I forgot what bargain basement, dirt cheap golf Michigan has!! Amazing to be able to jump onto courses of this quality, in season, for sub $100 all weekend long. 

[wittgolfer]

Just got back from playing the monument and alpine courses at Boyne mountain.  I was thoroughly impressed with the turf quality and how fun the golf courses were to play. Definitely a place worth checking out.

[1puttTUT]

Just got back from our U.P. trip. Played Wild Bluff, Greywalls twice, Sage Run and Sweetgrass. 

 

The weather was perfect and the conditions at all the courses were excellent.  I loved the firm turf at Greywalls, and my putter was on fire at Sweetgrass. 

 

[Jayshaft]

I loved sweet grass and sage run on our annual trip 2 years back! We played the bluff then to. We didn’t plan greywalls then - i need to hit that next

[Pepetito]

18 hours ago, 1puttTUT said:

Just got back from our U.P. trip. Played Wild Bluff, Greywalls twice, Sage Run and Sweetgrass. 

 

The weather was perfect and the conditions at all the courses were excellent.  I loved the firm turf at Greywalls, and my putter was on fire at Sweetgrass. 

 

Two years ago we did the perfect foursome.  Best quality of golf to $$ ever.

 

How did you like Wild Bluff?  Thats the only one I havent played.  

[1puttTUT]

2 hours ago, Pepetito said:

Two years ago we did the perfect foursome.  Best quality of golf to $$ ever.

 

How did you like Wild Bluff?  Thats the only one I havent played.  

 

It was the weakest of the courses, but I'd say it was still worth it to break up the drive.

[knickerbocker]

My thoughts:

 

Loop is poor design, but plays the most like links golf than any course in the US that I have played.

 

I still don't like Greywalls, even if it is beautiful and unique. 

 

I just ordered a TSR4. First club purchase in over two years. I remember when one Michiagn WRXer rolled up with plastic wrap still on their irons because we were buying so many clubs...

[StudentGolfer4]

23 hours ago, knickerbocker said:

My thoughts:

 

Loop is poor design, but plays the most like links golf than any course in the US that I have played.

 

I still don't like Greywalls, even if it is beautiful and unique. 

 

I just ordered a TSR4. First club purchase in over two years. I remember when one Michiagn WRXer rolled up with plastic wrap still on their irons because we were buying so many clubs...

OK, I’ll bite. 
 

What aspects of the loop did you think  were poorly designed? Slopes around the greens to severe? Not enough trouble off of the tee
 

Disclaimer: I love the loop. 

[cassel191919]

On 8/9/2023 at 8:10 AM, knickerbocker said:

My thoughts:

 

Loop is poor design, but plays the most like links golf than any course in the US that I have played.

 

I still don't like Greywalls, even if it is beautiful and unique. 

 

I just ordered a TSR4. First club purchase in over two years. I remember when one Michiagn WRXer rolled up with plastic wrap still on their irons because we were buying so many clubs...

Don't like Greywalls, are you sure you like golf lol. I personally think its a ton of fun, but if you don't know some of the slopes I could see how some could find it frustrating. All joking aside what don't you like about it. 

 

I think the Loop is incredibly over priced, but I did enjoy it much more once I stopped trying to land the ball short of the pin and started firing at the pin. 

[knickerbocker]

The greens at Greywalls are overdone and the slopes around the greens are too severe for the firmness.  Several times I hit solid shots that were not rewarded. I would like to try it again, but the 36 holes I played there left me feeling underwhelemed and frustrated. 

 

Loop is fun, but it uninteresting.  The need to play it both ways waters down the design of the course.  I enjoy the loop more than most and I love how it plays - but it is foregetable. 

[Chanceman]

Note to self: don’t expect your good shots to be rewarded. Often likely to finish somewhere unintended. Golf is played on natural terrain not a billiard table. Prepare for the worst and enjoy it. Have cold drink after. Sleep well.

[ruascott]

Our group recently did a N Michigan trip that included:

 

Tullymore 

Boyne - Hills

Boyne - Heather 

Bay Harbor 

 

Tullymore.... very scenic, great facilities and conditioning.  Our group was mixed on the course,  some liked, some didn't.  It's very target golf oriented,  plenty of forced carries and small greens. Worth playing, IMO, but not overly memorable. Really didn't care for 18, could be a great risk/ reward par 5, but a huge tree directly in front on green just dumb.  

 

Boyne Hills : everyone loved it.  Absolutely beautiful scenery. Course very playable but still challenging.  Probably the surprise hit of the trip. Great elevation changes,  particularly on the back nine. Pure Michigan golf. 

 

Boyne Heather:  just ok.  Feels it's age,  but not necessarily in a good way.  Very typical RTJ, a lot of doglegs and bunkers fronting greens.  Not much imagination needed.  Several significant forced carries.  18 is a brute. I'd probably skip this one on another trip to Boyne and try the other courses. 

 

Bay Harbor:  enough of has probably been written on this.  Gorgeous views, great conditioning.  For the price I much preferred Arcadia Bluffs. The Preserve course would be very fine anywhere else,  but would never command the price tag of the other two 9s. 

 

 

[El Gringo]

On 8/11/2023 at 2:05 PM, Chanceman said:

Note to self: don’t expect your good shots to be rewarded. Often likely to finish somewhere unintended. Golf is played on natural terrain not a billiard table. Prepare for the worst and enjoy it. Have cold drink after. Sleep well.

I don't think a few of these boys would enjoy some classic GB&I links if The Loop is ott.

 

I found The Loop in near perfect condition. Firm and fast both ways. Not much trouble tee to green, but the greens exact a price for over aggressive play and poor leaves. Stunning achievement having two routings over the same ground. If the 36 holes could be considered one course it was hands down the best course I saw on an extensive trip. 

 

Arcadia South has brilliant greens. They are big and bold. It's easy to get caught in poor places where the putting will be tough. I am less confident about tee to green. An awful lot of bunkers. Made many holes look similar and play slightly different from each other because of sand. Course needs some judicious tree planting to break up the plain visuals. Overall good, but not one I am rushing back to play.

[knickerbocker]

12 hours ago, El Gringo said:

I don't think a few of these boys would enjoy some classic GB&I links if The Loop is ott.

 

I found The Loop in near perfect condition. Firm and fast both ways. Not much trouble tee to green, but the greens exact a price for over aggressive play and poor leaves. Stunning achievement having two routings over the same ground. If the 36 holes could be considered one course it was hands down the best course I saw on an extensive trip. 

 

Arcadia South has brilliant greens. They are big and bold. It's easy to get caught in poor places where the putting will be tough. I am less confident about tee to green. An awful lot of bunkers. Made many holes look similar and play slightly different from each other because of sand. Course needs some judicious tree planting to break up the plain visuals. Overall good, but not one I am rushing back to play.

 

I love playing across the pond. Greywalls is nothing like that.  

[MattSTL88]

On 8/11/2023 at 11:26 AM, ruascott said:

Our group recently did a N Michigan trip that included:

 

Tullymore 

Boyne - Hills

Boyne - Heather 

Bay Harbor 

 

Tullymore.... very scenic, great facilities and conditioning.  Our group was mixed on the course,  some liked, some didn't.  It's very target golf oriented,  plenty of forced carries and small greens. Worth playing, IMO, but not overly memorable. Really didn't care for 18, could be a great risk/ reward par 5, but a huge tree directly in front on green just dumb.  

 

Boyne Hills : everyone loved it.  Absolutely beautiful scenery. Course very playable but still challenging.  Probably the surprise hit of the trip. Great elevation changes,  particularly on the back nine. Pure Michigan golf. 

 

Boyne Heather:  just ok.  Feels it's age,  but not necessarily in a good way.  Very typical RTJ, a lot of doglegs and bunkers fronting greens.  Not much imagination needed.  Several significant forced carries.  18 is a brute. I'd probably skip this one on another trip to Boyne and try the other courses. 

 

Bay Harbor:  enough of has probably been written on this.  Gorgeous views, great conditioning.  For the price I much preferred Arcadia Bluffs. The Preserve course would be very fine anywhere else,  but would never command the price tag of the other two 9s. 

 

 

Haven't made it to Tullymore yet, but I agree with the other three. Love Hills, Heather meh, Bay Harbor is obviously very good but pricy. Next time you're back, check out Hidden River Golf and Casting Club. 

[El Gringo]

2 hours ago, knickerbocker said:

 

I love playing across the pond. Greywalls is nothing like that.  

I don't know Greywalls. Never played it. 

[1puttTUT]

2 hours ago, knickerbocker said:

 

I love playing across the pond. Greywalls is nothing like that.  

 

To me Greywalls was like alot of the mountain golf I've played in North Carolina, Arizona, and Colorado. Really cool land and visuals, but a few contrived holes due to said land, and that always involves some weird kicks.

 

That being said, I feel like it has it's place due to just being cool and different. 

[CRDuffy21]

Headed up to Crystal Downs this weekend (Saturday and Sunday golf), but looking to play on the way up there somewhere. My dad is coming up from Chicago and I am coming up from the Ann Arbor area, so it makes sense to meet and play somewhere north of Muskegon.

 

Here's options I am thinking:

• Kingsley (If one of our pros can get us on)
• Arcadia South (Bluffs only has a twilight @ 5:15pm)
• Manistee National

 

What am I missing and/or any recommendations? Any hidden gems along west side of the state? 

[mattsam]

27 minutes ago, CRDuffy21 said:

Headed up to Crystal Downs this weekend (Saturday and Sunday golf), but looking to play on the way up there somewhere. My dad is coming up from Chicago and I am coming up from the Ann Arbor area, so it makes sense to meet and play somewhere north of Muskegon.

 

Here's options I am thinking:

• Kingsley (If one of our pros can get us on)
• Arcadia South (Bluffs only has a twilight @ 5:15pm)
• Manistee National

 

What am I missing and/or any recommendations? Any hidden gems along west side of the state? 

Pilgrims Run

Edited August 15, 2023 by mattsam