Three fairly highly regarded courses in NW Michigan. I am going to play them in early September. Anyone been there?

I've played Arcadia Bluffs twice and it is just outstanding. Bring your camera...every tee box is a photo op. Green fees are steep but I will play it again when I return to that part of Michigan.

Just got the schedule for next week:

Wed. a.m. Arcadia Bluffs par 72, 7,300 yards, 75.4/147 (ouch)
Wed p.m. Crystal Downs, par 70, 6,518 yards, 73.6/138
Thurs. a.m. Kingsley Club, par 71, 6,900 yards, 73.2/141

At a 6.8 index, I am the second highest handicap out of 8. Not really sure I have the game for Arcadia Bluffs from the tips.

Where are you flying into? I played Bay Harbor, Tree Tops and 4 of the courses at Boyne 2 weeks ago. First time to play up there. Amazing courses! Did not have the time to make it down to Arcadia.

I live in Chicago and we are driving up from there. Should be about 5.5 hours. Eight guys in a large van with a designated driver. Clubs and luggage in a trailer. Last year we did Erin Hills, Whistling Straits and Black Wolf Run in Wisconsin. Decided to try the other side of Lake Michigan this year.

Just wanted to post a post-trip report.

First, Arcadia Bluffs: What a great course. Reminded me a lot of Whistling Straits, but with wider fairways and bigger greens, it is a little more forgiving. Also, at $160, about half the price. I was right though. I did not have the game to play this course at 7,300 yards. Also, if you play Arcadia, get a cart. It was the hardest course to walk I have ever played. Much more difficult than Whistling to walk. Public course.

Crystal Downs: Alistair MacKenzie calls this the greatest golf course he ever designed. I now understand why. I would like to play this course about 100 more times to try to figure it out. It never occurred to me that a 6,500 yard golf course could be so challenging. The green complexes are simply amazing, though also very frustrating. One of our group did not finish the first hole after alternating between putting and chipping from the same spot about 5 times in a row. On the eighth hole, two guys in my group, (both +1 handicaps) putted the ball off the green and down a hill about 50 yards. It wasn't that they were really bad putts, they were just in an impossible place. $250 was kind of steep, and no drinking on the course was weird, but this place was amazing. Private course. Another oddity was that the only acceptable method for paying greens fees was a personal check. No cash, no credit card. Though you could use a credit card or cash for pro shop merchandise or food.

The Kingsley Club, also private, was a bit of a cross between Arcadia and Crystal Downs. At 6,900 yards, the length was manageable, but some of the greens were quite challenging. They were slower than Crystal Downs which made them a little more forgiving. A couple of holes stood out. The 2nd, was a 160 yard par 3, with a severely elevated, and tiny green. Fescue and bunkers all aroung. You simply had to hit the green here. Two of us did and made par. The other two, (a +1 and a 3 handicap) missed the green and both made 6. On the 200 yard par 3, 16th the caddy pointed a bench about 50 yards right of the green and said, "hit it there." I did, and the ball rolled down the hill onto the green and I was rewarded with a 15 foot putt (which I missed). The 455 yard, par 4 15th is the number one handicap. It plays uphill, into the wind, to a severely elevated green about the size of my dining room table. Kingsley was $150 with carts, and a $25 replay which was just the charge for the cart.

All in all, I highly recommend all three of these courses if you are ever planning a trip to Northwest Michigan. If you can only play one, I would suggest Crystal Downs.

Was looking for a thread on Arcadia and came across this. Impressive connections for Crystal Downs and Kingsley.

Think we're going to both Arcadia courses and the 3 at Forest Dunes for our 2026 summer trip. Very excited. Don't hear much about Arcadia South, but seems like a great take on a Raynor style design.

Both courses at Arcadia are great but try to get early tee times. I made the mistake of playing late in the day and it was almost a 6 hour round at the Bluffs course. Would have run out of daylight but a couple foursomes quit and we were able to finish around dark. Plenty of deep rough so play gets Pebble Beach like slow very quickly.
The South course is a nod to golden age architects like CB Macdonald and Seth Raynor. I love that but some don't.
Kingsley is super fun with plenty of elevation changes and tricky greens.

The front nine at Crystal Downs is one of the best in the United States. Back 9 is great too but the front is SPECIAL.

Enjoy your trip.

Playing Arcadia Bluffs course this summer while visiting some in-laws. How'd you get on to Kingsley? Would love to play that course after seeing it on Tourist Sauce.

GDP said:

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Both courses at Arcadia are great but try to get early tee times. I made the mistake of playing late in the day and it was almost a 6 hour round at the Bluffs course. Would have run out of daylight but a couple foursomes quit and we were able to finish around dark. Plenty of deep rough so play gets Pebble Beach like slow very quickly.
The South course is a nod to golden age architects like CB Macdonald and Seth Raynor. I love that but some don't.
Kingsley is super fun with plenty of elevation changes and tricky greens.

The front nine at Crystal Downs is one of the best in the United States. Back 9 is great too but the front is SPECIAL.

Enjoy your trip.

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Thanks for the tip on the pace out there. I love playing golden age courses or inspirations whenever possible. The Lido was a special day.

I'd probably try to get an afternoon tee time after we get in that morning on the South, Then Bluffs the next morning with the new 12 holer in the afternoon to have some fun match play.

Then the next morning head across to Forest Dunes and play that and the Loop both ways.

My pro called the Kingsley pro and set it up. They are getting more and more play and it is harder to get on at Kingsley than it used to be.

Did this trip several years ago played these 3 and Forest Dunes. All were incredible. Would rank them as follows:

Crystal - agreed with previous post about the front 9. Favorite 9 holes I've ever played. Truly remarkable experience.

Kingsley - great piece of property and a really fun course. Extremely rugged and far from a "traditional Michigan" feel.

Arcadia - fun course to play once. Wouldn't be an every day course. Long round and some pretty tricked up holes. Some truly crazy holes and like a more crazy Old Mac at Bandon. Only played the original as the 2nd course wasn't opened yet.

Forest Dunes - great course. Might have it above Arcadia. Much more traditional Michigan golf. Didn't play the loop - interesting concept and I've heard somewhat mixed reviews.


Overall a great trip. Required some driving but very reasonably priced for what you get. Direct flight from DFW to Traverse City made it very easy.

Traverse City local here...want to point out that United will be starting an IAH non-stop during the season this year.

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One of our group did not finish the first hole after alternating between putting and chipping from the same spot about 5 times in a row. On the eighth hole, two guys in my group, (both +1 handicaps) putted the ball off the green and down a hill about 50 yards.

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no drinking on the course

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brutal of them to do this.

We had to trim down the trip for next year, so won't get to include Forest Dunes, but we are going to do Arcadia Bluffs in July.

Based on flight routes, likely we fly in and out of Grand Rapids instead of Traverse City. Would like to add one on our last day after we leave Arcadia. I hear Pilgrims Run is great. Any other insights on something that would be convenient headed back to Grand Rapids?

We'll have 8 of us so getting on a bonus round at a private is likely out of the picture, but I may go in a little early and squeeze one in myself. If anyone has any experience... what are the odds my own pro would be able to get me on at Dunes Club or Lost Dunes?

I'd love to get up to Kingsley but seems unlikely (and Crystal Downs impossible). If so I'd fly into Traverse City and reorganize a bit.

The Milkman said:

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We had to trim down the trip for next year, so won't get to include Forest Dunes, but we are going to do Arcadia Bluffs in July.

Based on flight routes, likely we fly in and out of Grand Rapids instead of Traverse City. Would like to add one on our last day after we leave Arcadia. I hear Pilgrims Run is great. Any other insights on something that would be convenient headed back to Grand Rapids?

We'll have 8 of us so getting on a bonus round at a private is likely out of the picture, but I may go in a little early and squeeze one in myself. If anyone has any experience... what are the odds my own pro would be able to get me on at Dunes Club or Lost Dunes?

I'd love to get up to Kingsley but seems unlikely (and Crystal Downs impossible). If so I'd fly into Traverse City and reorganize a bit.

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American Dunes looked pretty cool when the ladies team played up there early in the fall.

I would highly recommend Pilgrims Run if going on that route north of Grand Rapids. I thoroughly enjoyed it and if I make it back to Michigan each year its on the list to always return. It has over 700 reviews on Google and is 4.9 out of 5.

Not far from it is Northern Trails Bar and Grill which would be a good spot for a post round meal. (Pilgrims for the most part just has some brats and beers).

jonj101 said:

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I would highly recommend Pilgrims Run if going on that route north of Grand Rapids. I thoroughly enjoyed it and if I make it back to Michigan each year its on the list to always return. It has over 700 reviews on Google and is 4.9 out of 5.

Not far from it is Northern Trails Bar and Grill which would be a good spot for a post round meal. (Pilgrims for the most part just has some brats and beers).

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Pilgrim's Run is great and would definitely put it on the itinerary.

Play Arcadia Bluffs for the views but play the South course for the golf.

We've got em both don't worry. And the new Dozen

I forgot to address the other part of your post - if you do go in early before the rest of your group and want to get on a private course as a single, my home club was able to set me up for a round at Kent Country Club.

It is slightly north of downtown Grand Rapids and easy to get to. It is a Donald Ross course with some nice elevation variances for its location, and was in excellent condition. I played as a single so I didn't get a thorough feel of the membership, but the few I encountered seemed to be cordial.

So far thats the only private club I've played in the area.