There is So Much Golf to Love in Michigan

Below are excerpts from an article that originally appeared in Ohio Golf Journal.

Over the past few years, Arcadia Bluffs and Forest Dunes have been in a battle for best golf course in Michigan, with the Bluffs usually getting the nod.

Arcadia Bluffs hasn’t been outdone. Its lodging options were also increased and late last year opened the South course as a compliment to the Bluffs course. The South is a little over a mile away from its predecessor, but the courses couldn’t be more different.

The Bluffs, designed by Warren Henderson and Rick Smith, opened in 1999. It is far more challenging than the South, though the ratings, 75.7 for The Bluffs and 75.6 for the South, are almost identical.

Dana Fry and Jason Straka designed, the South. At 7,412 yards it is 112 yards longer than the Bluffs but there’s a big difference in slope.

The Bluffs’ is rated 146, the South comes in at 132. Both are par72s for men, while the women’s par on the Bluffs is 73. The Bluffs has four tee placements for men and two for women. The South three for women.

The numbers don’t mean much on either course. I really like the South, which unlike the Bluffs has no water views and features very generous fairways. The South was designed two nine-hole loops, clubhouse, the Bluffs does not.

While the South has 112 bunkers, it is more user friendly. The bunkers aren’t as deep as those on the Bluffs, but they are similar. The putting surfaces are extensive on both courses, but the undulations are more tricky on the Bluffs.

Click here to read the full article on ohiogolfjournal.com.