Week Golf Road Trip in Michigan

[Pmac2325]

Looking for recommendations... My wife and I are planning a week long road trip through Michigan in mid September this year. We’ve done something similar the last few years with trips to Oregon, California, BC, and South Carolina. We like to free-wheel it a bit with loose plans and move between cities/towns. Good beer/wine and food are our other interests. We’ll likely play golf every day,,, like to mix in a few hidden gems and splurge once or twice on some upper tier courses. Never spent any time in MI, so don’t have much intel except basic research to this point. Thanks in advance.

[DavePelz4]

One of the best states for golf! Buck's Run, Pohl Cat, Tullymore/St. Ives, Lost Dunes are some of my faves although you'll get 50 additional names thrown in which will also be great choices.

[Lithovt]

Lots of great golf and breweries in Michigan. I grew up there and love visiting. Eagle Eye, Forest Dunes, Pilgrims Run, and LochenHeath are courses I have played and highly recommend them all. Have not played Arcadia Bluffs yet but it is on the list. Pecan crusted perch fillets at Jamestown Brewing Company in Ludington wth a flight of their beers is one of the more enjoyable meals I have ever had. Enjoy the trip!

[JNewsted]

Where are you coming from?

If you want to mix amazing golf, fun towns with some great food & culture, and phenomenal nature, go to the Upper Peninsula.

Home base in Marquette.

Great packages here: Northern Michigan Golf Packages | Stay & Play in the Upper Peninsula

Greywalls, Heritage, Sweetgrass, Sage Run, Timberstone... You can easily loop up the coast through Wisconsin, or cross the bridge and hit up Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Travese City. Then go to Kingsley, Arcadia x2 and about a dozen other worthwhile stops to choose from. I'm a homer with mega bias, but this one's an easy trip.

[Pmac2325]

Thanks for the feedback... particularly the brewery rec's. Definitely looking forward to the trip!

[gripandrip]

Any particular area of Michigan you are looking at? How much driving do you want to do? It's a big state.... Detroit to the UP.

[CDM]

Unless I am wrong, these are all in WIS? As you noted, really depends on where he is coming from.

We played Arcadia, Kingsley,, Tullymore and Forest Dunes and all of them are were great. I would check on Tullymore though as I have seen post of conditions not being so good on WRX lately. We did stay in Traverse City as JNewstead notes and it was great place to hang for a few days. There are some good courses I recall just NE of Traverse City but we did not play them, so you could look into those also.Side note, we flew into Detroit and out of Grand Rapids. Did the loop so to speak. I will say it was a fairly boring drive and not much around until you get to the northern portion of Michigan.

[Loomis13]

We went over July 4th, played Harbor Shores and they had a fantastic burger and micro brewery right next to it (you actually drive by the place going from hole to hole). Also played arcadia bluffs and there is a town like 15 minutes east thats on a lake that had good food.

[Curmudg3on]

The Boyne area has great golf and great food.

[brentdtw]

No, they're all in Michigan. Marquette, Marquette, Harris, Harris, and Iron Mountain respectively.

[CDM]

Sorry you are correct.... should of looked closer at that state line LOL Nice collection in that area for sure.

[HackerDave]

To the OP, let us know where you are flying into and out and we can give you some suggestions. Its a big state with a lot of craft breweries and great golf.

[postfold]

^^ THIS. There are a wide variety of ways to experience Michigan if you've got a week. Weather in mid-September should be great, even up north. By the end of the month it gets more hit-or-miss. If you're flying in, that usually means Detroit or Grand Rapids (or Chicago). Different recommendations for each starting point.

[Bubb]

I would recommend focusing on the Petoskey / Charlevoix / Harbor Springs area or Traverse City. The best courses I’ve played up there are Arcadia, Kingsley, Lochenheath, Bay Harbor and Forest Dunes, but there are many many other spectacular courses in Michigan. I could easily list 30 more gems and I would still be missing some because I haven’t played them all.

[Cwing]

Here now, coming back in two weeks......

This week was family trip and played Tullymore, Hawkshead and Harbour Shores out of South Haven.

 

[D^2]

On 8/2/2020 at 6:24 PM, Pmac2325 said:

Looking for recommendations... My wife and I are planning a week long road trip through Michigan in mid September this year. We’ve done something similar the last few years with trips to Oregon, California, BC, and South Carolina. We like to free-wheel it a bit with loose plans and move between cities/towns. Good beer/wine and food are our other interests. We’ll likely play golf every day,,, like to mix in a few hidden gems and splurge once or twice on some upper tier courses. Never spent any time in MI, so don’t have much intel except basic research to this point. Thanks in advance.

Putting a plug in for Hemlock in Ludington.  Maybe the best value in Michigan.  Near the two Arcadia courses - both are worth the splurge. 

 

If you play these, for restaurants look at Blue Fish in Manistee https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-fish-kitchen-manistee

 or Glenwood in Onekama.  https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-glenwood-onekama?osq=glenwood

 

[Pmac2325]

Thanks for all the intel!   We’re actually driving straight up (leaving this Friday), so flights (inbound/outbound airport not an issue).   As a couple of the replies recommended, believe we are going to drive up the west coast and spend the majority of time in the Ludington, Traverse City, Petoskey area.  Clearly, that area is chocked full of outstanding courses and good food/drink.  Thanks again. 

[vallygolf]

Do traverse city.  The cant miss courses are: Kingsly (private but accomodating with a pro phone call forecaddie required), Arcadia bluffs, Forest Dunes.  These are courses not to be missed that are public accessable. There are many other good courses, in that area but these are the only truly elite courses.  Try out the loop at forest dunes when you are there.  Its OK, but if it doesnt fit your plans it can be skipped.