Courses in review: Tullymore, Forest Dunes, Bay Harbor, Arcadia Bluffs, Grand Traverse, Crystal Downs, Oakland Hills & Cog Hill
I must say that anyone who is serious about golf must consider Michigan as one of the top destinations. With over 650 public golf courses in Michigan, this golf mecca has a golf course for just about every level of play and budget.
I was fortunate enough to obtain access to two top private courses that are in the top 100 in the world: Crystal Downs and Oakland Hills. However, there are plenty of great public courses you can play.
Tullymore Golf Resort
Cost: Rate
Tullymore Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.3/5.0
Shortly after opening in 2002, Tullymore was named the number one new upscale public course in America by Golf Digest. With that kind of rookie year distinction, it’s easy to see why golfers keep coming back to this challenging course set amongst the pure, raw landscape of the Michigan wilds.
Designed by the highly acclaimed Jim Engh, this par-72 course has also been ranked amongst the top 15 of the 100 Greatest Public & Resort Courses in America by Golf Digest on more than one occasion.
With subtle undulations, the Tullymore course meanders through over 800 acres of woods, meadows, and wetlands. Greens are uniquely varied in both shape and size, and multiple sets of tees allow you to adapt play to your skill level. The course features five par-3 holes and five par-5 holes.
Tullymore Practice Facilities
Warm up before conquering the challenges of Tullymore on a generously sized driving range. With space for 22 golfers on the range, there is also a separate area for chipping and putting practice, ensuring your short game is as strong as your long.
Architect
Jim Engh is the genius behind Tullymore Golf Club’s challenging 18-hole course. He is one of only five living golf designers who have courses listed in Golf Digest’s Top 50 Greatest Courses in America. The renowned golf publication also named him as Architect of the Year in 2003. Another crowning achievement came from Golf World magazine when it named him one of the 25 Hottest Golf Architects in the World.
Engh’s acclaimed career in professional golf course design stretches over more than two decades. As projects in Asia and the U.S. were completed recognition of his work continued to grow and grow. Engh started his own firm in 1991 after honing his craft under such distinguished architects as Dick Nugent, Ken Dye, and Joe Finger. He also served as director of golf course design with the legendary British firm, Cotton Pennick.
Forest Dunes
Cost: Rate
Forest Dunes Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.8/5.0
Nestled on 500 acres of heavily wooded land within the Huron National Forest, Forest Dunes has become one of the country’s most peaceful and exciting golf experiences. This is a MUST go resort destination in Michigan.
In this pristine setting, British Open Champion Tom Weiskopf designed a parkland-style classic with modern enhancements.
“Forest Dunes replicates classic style and emulates a risk/reward involvement on most every hole,” Weiskopf said. “I consider this golf course to be in the top three which I have ever been involved in the United States.”
Forest Dunes features a number of intriguing challenges including wide open meadows, hardwoods, century-old red and jack pines, rugged native dunes, scruffy sand areas and water features. The front nine at Forest Dunes highlights parkland-style holes meandering through corridors of red and jack pines, with elaborate bunkering and sandy waste areas on the sidelines.
The back nine brings to mind Pine Valley with exposed rugged native sand areas and scruffy underbrush crossing and bordering fairways and greens. The finishing holes will thrill and leave golfers with vast memories — beginning with the par-three 16th, which measures over 200 yards and requires a challenging carry over a rugged dune area.
Bay Harbor
Cost: Rate
Bay Harbor Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.7/5.0
Taking its lead from the dramatic courses that hug Ireland’s North Atlantic coastline, The Links is situated on the beautiful Lake Michigan shore, with miles of uninterrupted views up and down the lakefront. Accented by towering bluffs and windblown dunes, The Links 9 demonstrates Arthur Hills design at its finest, combining the course’s unique topography with the native environment to achieve golf’s greatest promise as both a sport – and a lifestyle.
The Quarry epitomizes Arthur Hills’ unique ability to leverage existing terrain in the creation of something distinctive – and spectacular. Located in and around the remains of a massive shale quarry, this one-of-a-kind course claims some of the golfing world’s most dramatic features, from 40-foot gorges and stone cliffs to natural ponds and a gentle waterfall. But beyond the scenery, The Quarry is golf at its finest – rewarding well-planned tee shots, and approaches that hit their spots.
The highlight of staying overnight at the Inn at Bay Harbor is the breakfast buffet. While it was included in the stay and play package, the breakfast buffet is not to be missed. Including the buffet, you fresh and abundant fruits and berries to atop self-served cooked waffles
Arcadia Bluffs
Cost: Rate
Arcadia Bluffs Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.8/5.0
Built on 240 acres that was a mix of apple and cherry orchards, and densely wooded sections, construction of Arcadia Bluffs began in 1997 and was completed in 1999, with the clubhouse opening July 4th and the golf course to limited play on Labor Day. Although the land was spectacular by itself, many of the mounds and native areas were sculpted and shaped into their present form as the holes were routed by architect Warren Henderson. As the course began to emerge, it was clear that this was going to be a special place.
Throughout the years over half of the green complexes have been modified, offering a more enjoyable and playable course with an improved pace of play. Many of the original sod-walled bunkers have been converted into native bunkers, but those that remain are rebuilt every 3-5 years. A set of Senior Tees were added in 2016 offering playing distances of 5,200 to 7,400 yards with constant attention paid to making playing conditions better.
Grand Traverse
Cost: Rate
Grand Traverse Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.4/5.0
The Bear, every bit the animal it was when Jack Nicklaus first unleashed the course on June 17, 1985. Celebrated as one of the toughest 18 holes in Michigan, The Bear was ranked as the 18th toughest course in America, according to Golf Digest.
Nicklaus’ signature design features Scottish terraced fairways, tiered greens, deep grassy roughs, moguls and mounds, and deep pot bunkers. With rolling land, trees, lakes, streams, fruit orchards, and a variety of wildlife, The Bear features a mixture of different elements golfers rarely see on one course.
The Bear’s name is a tribute to its designer, Jack Nicklaus, whose trademark blonde hair earned him the nickname “the Golden Bear.“ Born in 1940, Jack Nicklaus is a legend both as a player and a course designer. His competitive career spanned five decades, including 18 professional major championship titles. He is the only player in history to have won each of the game’s majors at least three times, and is the only player to have completed the career “Grand Slam” on both the regular and senior tours.
Crystal Downs
Cost: Private
Crystal Downs Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.9/5.0
This course is a golf course in heaven. The clubhouse, the member lockers, and the course itself is so understated, if one did not know the significance of the this establishment
Alister MacKenzie & Perry Maxwell (1931) / Tom Doak (2018)
Perry Maxwell, the Midwest associate of architect Alister MacKenzie, lived on site while constructing the course to MacKenzie’s plans, but there’s evidence Maxwell exercised considerable artistic license on some holes. Whomever did it, Crystal Downs has fairways that zigzag and rumble over the glacial landscape and greens that have doglegs in them. One drawback is that the putting surfaces are so old-fashioned that they’re too steep for today’s green speeds. But that’s part of Crystal Downs appeal. It’s short but has considerable bite.
Oakland Hills
Cost: Private
Oakland Hills Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.9/5.0
This very exclusive club is so private, they do not accept unaccompanied guests without having one of their staff members playing with your group. Furthermore, all guest fees are billed back to your home club. Hence, if you do not belong to a private club, you are out of luck unless you befriend a member.
Founded in 1916, Oakland Hills Country Club has, and will continue to play a significant role in the history of golf in the United States. Walter Hagen, five time PGA Champion, was the club’s first head professional. The South Course has played host to 17 Major Championships including: six U.S. Opens; two U.S. Senior Opens; U.S. Women’s Amateur; two U.S. Men’s Amateurs; Western Open; the Carling World Open; the 35th Ryder Cup in 2004; and three PGA Championships–including the 90th PGA Championship in 2008. Some of the greatest players ever to play the game including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Ben Hogan have competed and won on the famed South Course, also known as “The Monster”. The membership is proud of the heritage of their club and consider themselves stewards of a national golf treasure.
Great review. I visited Michigan several years ago. You played the top courses!