Michigan Bucket List: Public Golf Courses
Shandra Martinez
| 3 min read
Even before the last of Michigan’s snow melts, you might find yourself getting that familiar itch to load up your clubs and start swinging away.
While golf simulator games and indoor golfing centers can help keep your skills sharp during the long winters, once spring fever hits and Michigan’s golf courses open for the season, there’s a surge of golfers of all ages getting out on the greens. Private courses and private country club settings get their fair share of business, but Michigan is known for an abundance of public golf courses. In fact, the Mitten State ranks number one in the country when it comes to the number of public courses, according to the state.
Fun Fact: Golf is a good way to get your steps in. Players who forgo the golf carts typically get in 10,000 steps in a 18-hole round of golf, according to the Mayo Clinic.
View this post on Instagram
Here are some fast facts about Michigan’s amazing golf scene:
- Golf makes a $4.2 billion impact on the state’s economy each year.
- Michigan is home to nearly 500,000 people who play golf.
- The state has nearly 800 golf courses.
- We boast championship and world-class golf resorts, which is a big tourist draw.
- Golf Digest has selected Michigan as one of the best golf destinations in the world.
Best public golf courses in Michigan
While every golfer has a favorite course or two, sometimes adventure awaits when you play a course that’s new to you. If you’re up for a road trip – or you want to play nine or 18 while you’re on vacation – consider these public courses below. They’ve been named the Top 10 by Pure Michigan, the state’s travel and tourism arm. The descriptions below have been provided by Pure Michigan.
Arcadia Bluffs in Arcadia: “Arcadia Bluffs sits on 265 acres of windswept bluffs 180 feet above Lake Michigan.”
Forest Dunes in Roscommon: “Nestled on 1,300 acres of heavily wooded land within the Huron National Forest, Forest Dunes has become one of the country’s premier golf experiences.”
The Loop at Forest Dunes in Roscommon: “The Loop, with its revolutionary reversible design, is a walking-only experience featuring two different layouts playing from the same fairways to the same green complexes, which alternate directions on a daily basis.”
Greywalls in Marquette: “The course takes players through a wild ride and over a diverse but flowing variety of terrain: tumbling fairways, boldly contoured slopes, dramatic elevation changes, rolling and bunkered links land, and breathtaking panoramic views of Lake Superior.”
American Dunes in Grand Haven. One of Michigan’s newest golf courses is designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus to honor wounded veterans.
Tullymore in Stanwood: “It features generous movements of the fairways with clearly visible approaches, and has five sets of tees for golfers of all levels to enjoy.”
Bay Harbor Golf Club near Petoskey: “Bay Harbor Golf Club features 27-holes designed by Arthur Hills, which plays as three different course combinations (Links/Quarry, Quarry/Preserve, Preserve/Links).”
The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme: “The beautiful par 72, links-style course features Scottish terraced fairways, tiered greens, deep grassy roughs, moguls, mounds, and deep pot bunkers.”
Eagle Eye in Bath: “Chris Lutzke, in collaboration with Pete Dye, designed this rolling ‘links’ style championship golf course featuring magnificent shot values on every hole.”
Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix: “Belvedere is a place where you can walk the same footsteps and experience the same course where historic legends like Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Tom Watson to name a few, gathered.”
Related:
Photo credit: Getty Images
