Arcadia Bluffs or Forest Dunes

Planning a buddies trip and need info on both. If you could only play one, which course would it be and why?

Both....but if I had to play only one it would be Arcadia.

Forest is a nice course and the dune holes helps it stand apart from other Michigan courses but Arcadia is a once in a lifetime play. It won't appeal to the purists but they're never satisfied. :)

Great info.

We have heard great things about both.

Are you just playing one course at each place? Arcadia now has two courses and Forest Dunes has three if you count both versions of the Loop. If playing all the courses at a venue, playing three rounds might sway me to Forest Dunes. If you are just going to play the original course at one of those places, I'd play Arcadia, but it would be a tough choice as I enjoyed both. They are different styles courses. Forest Dunes is a parkland while Arcadia is a faux links. Here are links to photo tours Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course Forest Dunes Golf

We usually arrive on a Wednesday afternoon and leave on Sunday. Play as much golf and drink as much beer in between. The original plan was to go to Forest Dunes but when I realized how close we were to Arcadia it made me start second guessing our plan.

You can not go wrong with either ..........but the Bluffs and South at Arcadia would win for me due to the views and the South architecture is just plain good in just a golf course comp buttttttt if you are playing a bunch of golf and drinking and staying on the resort it would be hard to beat FD now that they have the 10 Hole Par 3 course by Rhebb & Johns plus being able to play the Red one day and Black the next at The Loop is seriously like playing two different tracks on the same land which is pretty ridiculous, so its really up to how many guys you got where you are staying and what kind of golf you are looking for.

Depending on where you are coming in from and how tedious the travel is I would do both. Ill assume you are flying in to Traverse city. Book one night at FD and play it on Thursday. Drive to AB after your FD round (IMO both courses at AB are better than the loop) it will only take a couple of hours. Play Fri Sat Sunday at AB. Personally I would take one of the AB days and play nearby Kingsley Club. IMO best of the bunch from a design perspective and it isnt really close. Kingsley is private, but nearly anyone can get on with a pro shop call. I guess this all boils down to what kind of trip you want. AB, FD, and Kingsley represent three of the best courses you can play anywhere. If you want the best in golf this would be my recommendation. If you want more of a social guys trip with less travel and more beer, I would go to AB and call it good. AB has some large "Casitas" with a putting green in the back that sits away from the hotel but on the course. I would recommend to stay there if you can. FD is in a really remote part of the world. Only real option is the hotel on site.

interesting to know about Kingsley ...

I think I did a disservice by saying "anyone can get on". It was not meant that way. As a primarily national club they seem to be more willing to allow outside play when proper channels are utilized. To me it is the best club I have played in Michigan, and better IMO that its cross lake counterparts at Kohler. My next visit to Traverse city Kingsley will be my top priority to play again.

gotcha ... assumed they are not "open", but if they take some type of visitation, that's still good to know ...

Have you played Belvedere while you are up there? It looks really cool.

I almost went two Autumns back, but my timing coincided with their aeration.

Exactly. Perfectly said. Played both on a trip there a few years ago.

I love Arcadia. The views are spectacular and the courses are very fun if a little bit “tricked up.” However, the “tricked up” nature is what makes them great for destination courses. The rooms, service, and food at the Bluffs Lodge are also top notch. Also, having played many high profile courses, the green fees are actually a “deal.”

The main downside is that rounds on the Bluffs Course are 5+ hour rounds because everyone is taking pictures of the jaw dropping views and trying to figure out scary looking shots (tip just use a laser and you will realize that if playing the correct tees they re not actually hard shots - the just look that way). Also, on the Bluffs Course there are a ton of easy but forced carries which really messes up mid-high handicappers and results in a bunch of lost balls. Finally, at peak season the room prices are a bit higher than comparable resorts (but the golf is cheaper so I guess it evens out).

Plus if you have connections, there is always a chance you could drive up the road and play Crystal Downs.

AB is a very nice course ... views are truly spectacular ... a great architect, i think, could've come up with a more "creative" routing that didn't seem to zig zag all over to accommodate those views ... the greens are large and can be almost extremely undulating ... but, they are great views ... it's a resort course with "great views", but the price of $220 didn't seem to me to be over the top that much ... haven't played the South course ... if i were travelling thru northern michigan, i'd probably play it again ...

Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing

Good info. We will play 18 on Wednesday afternoon and then 36 a day (plus whatever else we can get in).

Play Arcadia Bluffs and it's not even close.

I think anybody that is a club member can get on. We had no issue getting eight golfers on.

We preferred Arcadia to Kingsley, but I would play Kingsley before Forest Dunes.

Both...did both on the same trip. If only one Arcadia. Loved both courses at Arcadia. Loved Forest Dunes at Forest Dunes but thought the Loop was good but not great (least favorite of all of them).

Arcadia views awesome

I think we are going to fly in on Wednesday and drive over to Arcadia. Play the Bluffs course that afternoon and spend the night there. Play 18 more in the morning and then drive over to FD. Play there that afternoon, Friday/Sat and head back home on Sunday.

AB

Anyone know what the guest fee is at Kingsley?

Thats very interesting about Kingsley. Looks like a beautiful course but didn't think there was any chance for us getting on as only 2 guys from our group are private club members. My yearly golf trip group just booked our trip Monday which includes playing both courses at Arcadia...bucket list course for me.

It was either 200 or 250 plus caddie if you are unaccompanied.

Thank you, sir!

I played Arcadia Bluffs three times last year, Forest Dunes and the Loop once each. First trip I took, drove up there on a weekday, was first out on Bluffs (me and my best friend), and we walked the course in 3.5 hours, spending plenty of time messing around/taking pictures. Went back around again in the afternoon in carts - it was a picture perfect day. Next trip, went to Bluffs first, then did 36 hole day at the Loop and Forest Dunes. Found ourselves wondering why we even bothered to go to FD/Loop. Given the similar price to play each, I would advise going to the Bluffs. It is about as much fun as I have ever had on a golf course, even if you pace of play is kinda slow. On that note, we got very annoyed by the glacial pace at FD, but we were there on a busy weekend in July. If you want to do both, make sure you do FD first. The entire Bluffs experience tends to make everything else feel like a letdown, IMO.

I played it 3 or 4 years ago as a guest of a member and in total with Caddie (used a cart) it was less then $200 all in with lunch. Not sure if it is cheaper playing as a guest of a member.

I played Arcadia Bluffs three times last year, Forest Dunes and the Loop once each. First trip I took, drove up there on a weekday, was first out on Bluffs (me and my best friend), and we walked the course in 3.5 hours, spending plenty of time messing around/taking pictures. Went back around again in the afternoon in carts - it was a picture perfect day. Next trip, went to Bluffs first, then did 36 hole day at the Loop and Forest Dunes. Found ourselves wondering why we even bothered to go to FD/Loop. Given the similar price to play each, I would advise going to the Bluffs. It is about as much fun as I have ever had on a golf course, even if you pace of play is kinda slow. On that note, we got very annoyed by the glacial pace at FD, but we were there on a very busy weekend in July.

Bluffs for sure. They're both wonderful, but there's more drama and visual at AB. You get the variety with the South course. FD is great, but I don't feel it can match it.