Possibly Moving to Ada/Grand Rapids, MI

[EMA1]

Apologies if there's a thread already on this topic and feel free to send me the link if so, but I wanted to get everyone's insights into what to expect as my fiancé and I are looking to move to the Ada/Grand Rapids area from Orange County, CA.

 

A few questions I have --

• What months out of the year can you golf? I don't mind cold weather gear but I don't intend on playing when it's below 32 degrees.
• What public courses should I look into? Pilgrims Run is one I have seen that looks beautiful.
• Are there are good private clubs that offer Jr. Memberships? 

 

Thanks in advance! 

[sittingbull]

Im like a hour from there and we start playing late march and lately can play into to late October.

[VNutz]

29 minutes ago, EMA1 said:

Apologies if there's a thread already on this topic and feel free to send me the link if so, but I wanted to get everyone's insights into what to expect as my fiancé and I are looking to move to the Ada/Grand Rapids area from Orange County, CA.

 

A few questions I have --

• What months out of the year can you golf? I don't mind cold weather gear but I don't intend on playing when it's below 32 degrees.
• What public courses should I look into? Pilgrims Run is one I have seen that looks beautiful.
• Are there are good private clubs that offer Jr. Memberships? 

 

Thanks in advance! 

 

Been a while since I was there, but the amount you can play depends on how badly you want it. When I was there the spring was pretty tough as you could get random lake effect snow overnight that put a couple inches of snow on the ground. I'd say April is a pretty safe start, but remember the courses still need time to grow in, IMO it's usually not until late May/June that you start getting the best conditions. Summers are fantastic for golf there as the sun sets at 10pm, so you can easily get a late evening round in. Fall golf in MI is simply spectacular, minus the leaves. Aside from that it's some of my favorite places to play. You can usually play into October, and anything beyond that is a bonus as each winter is different, I know some people that have played year round, other years nothing from December through March due to snow cover.

 

Pilgrims is one of my favorite courses anywhere, such a great variety of holes. Grand Valley's course is a fun track about 30 minutes away, American Dunes is about 45 minutes away and a very cool play as well, Arcadia Bluffs is a nice course in an amazing setting. There are plenty of other good, lesser, public courses around but it's been a while. My go to back then was Sascatoon, which is about 20 minutes south and had several 9s mostly set in the trees.

 

Private clubs: I had friends that were jr. members at Cascade and Watermark that enjoyed them. No idea on rates or any other info, just that they were there. I worked at Egypt Valley for a summer and that's a great club with 2 18s but I believe on the higher end so no idea on jr memberships.

[postfold]

6 hours ago, EMA1 said:

Apologies if there's a thread already on this topic and feel free to send me the link if so, but I wanted to get everyone's insights into what to expect as my fiancé and I are looking to move to the Ada/Grand Rapids area from Orange County, CA.

 

A few questions I have --

• What months out of the year can you golf? I don't mind cold weather gear but I don't intend on playing when it's below 32 degrees.
• What public courses should I look into? Pilgrims Run is one I have seen that looks beautiful.
• Are there are good private clubs that offer Jr. Memberships? 

 

Thanks in advance! 

 

I have played in every month of the year, on Christmas, on New Year's Day, on an 80 degree day in February.  That said, you just never know from year to year.  The "lock" golfable months are mid-April through mid-October.  But you will often have years where you can play in March or into November or December.  Conditions are definitely not as good and you may have to play a lesser course, but it's still nice to get out on a 45-50 degree winter day after weeks of winter.

 

I'll echo others and say that public courses to check out include Pilgrim's Run, Thornapple Pointe, LE Kaufman, GVSU Meadows, American Dunes, Eagle Eye in Lansing , Diamond Springs ... pretty long list.  Plenty of decent mid tier courses too.  Plan on going to Maple HIll in Wyoming for all your golf equipment needs.

 

No clue on private club memberships and it would probably depend on where you end up living. 

 

Don't forget to check out all the great courses "up north" too -- lots within 3 hours of GR.

 

If you can deal with the seasons GR is a great place for a golfer to live.

[Zac1321]

Have a good friend that moved out there this past winter. He joined Blythefield country club on a jr membership this year. i think his initiation fee was somewhere in the range of ~$2,000 and his monthly dues are ~$250-350. Unbelievable how cheap. I have played with him there on a few weekend trips from chicago and it is an awesome course, Hosts a LPGA event.

 

For reference we both are from north san diego county originally so we are very familiar with golf in southern california. IMO i would take a shortened season out here over year round in southern california. Price, availability, conditions are all so much better. add in that in peak summer you will have light past 9 in GR. Good luck!

[EMA1]

All, thank you for the great replies and insights! Looking forward to trying a few of these courses out next time I visit as we finalize our decision.