Tullymore, Arcadia Bluffs, Forest Dunes, Kingsley....(Photos Attached)

[CDM]

Interesting. I thought for sure (walking around so maybe hard to tell) we saw a PAR 5 that when reversed was setup to be a PAR 4.

Guess we saw that wrong. LOL

 

Loved Forest Dunes and plan on going back so will have to play the LOOP now too.

[SilverBullets]

Interesting. I thought for sure (walking around so maybe hard to tell) we saw a PAR 5 that when reversed was setup to be a PAR 4.

Guess we saw that wrong. LOL

 

Loved Forest Dunes and plan on going back so will have to play the LOOP now too.

 

Yeah I am pretty sure it's just fully reversed. I mean The Black is a par 70 (36-34) and the Red is a Par 70 (34-36). The only spot that may have been different is around #12 on the Red. The one Par 3 looked very different and there is a spot where there are 3 greens almost in a triangle and everything is kind of bunched together. That is the only spot where I felt like we may have played a green or two out of order. But even then, I still think it was just revered. The only that may have been different was playing a par 3 on the red where it was the green for a par 4 on the Black and conversely playing a Par 4 on the Red where the green was a Par 3 on the Black. But I'm not even sure that happened. It really was a little hard to tell in that section. But that section of the course also doesn't flow very well. It's the one area of the course that I didn't really like. It felt a little chaotic there and was the one spot on the course where it was hard to tell where the next hole was. That was also the weak spot on the Par 3's of the Red. Where they felt like you were approaching the green backwards.... it's also hard to tell what hole you were on since there were no hole signs or indicators. So it's purely from memory.

 

Overall The Loop is pretty cool though. It's set back in the woods. It feels like you are in a totally different place. It looks nothing like Forest Dunes. It's very much it's own design and own course. It's more links style as opposed to Parkland (even though it's not even remotely close to water.. like I said.. Links STYLE)... it's 18 greens, with basically 1 continuous fairway through all 18 holes. The greens are surrounded by fairway with no rough or brush around them... if you miss the green long you just roll into the fairway from the other routing or a bunker from the other routing. There are no real tee boxes (except on a couple of the Par 3s). Just some flattened areas next to the greens in the fairway with tee markers placed in them. Kind of like how Old MacDonald is in Bandon. It's minimalist golf. Other than being reversible there are no gimmicks. Wide fairways, greens, and bunkers. With the exception of one or two greens on the Red routing, you could play the course not knowing it was reversible and would have no idea... you would simply think some of the blind bunkers with lips facing toward you that are 30 yards off the tee is kind of weird and you wouldn't understand how it was ever in play. What I am doing a terrible job of saying is if you had no clue the Loop went two directions.. you would show up to the Loop and play it in either direction thinking it's a pretty cool course and makes sense... Now, knowing its reversible and having a memory like me.. I knew where I was at all times.. My dad.. no freaking clue lol. You kind of have to experience it to make up your mind and understand it. After playing it, while hard to describe, it makes perfect sense.

 

As for what you saw... I think what gets confusing is that #17 on Black is a Par 5 and #18 is a par 4. So #1 on Red tees off next to the #18 green on Black and plays as a Par 4 to the #17 green on The Black (which was a green for a Par 5). Then #2 at The Red is a Par 5 using the fairway from #17 at the Black... You play into the #16 green from The Black which was a Par 3 (not sure if it was really a Par 3 but it doesn't matter for this example). So then where #16 was a Par 3 on the Black, on the Red #3 is a Par 3 but plays to the green that was used for #15 on the Black which may have been a Par 4. And it just rotates like that through the whole course. So #4 on red would then be a Par 4 playing to the green from #14 of the Black which was a Par 5. Once you see it it's very simple. Designing it, I am sure was a nightmare... explaining it is hard enough.

 

The thing I was the most impressed with was the green size. Doak could have made this project very easy by using gigantic greens. He didn't. The green size is basically the same as some of his other works I have played (thinking Black Forest and Pacific Dunes... Not Old MacDonald as they made it a point to have huge greens). He could have easily made greens almost like double greens. But the greens are the same size or only slightly bigger than your average modern course. That was the thing I was the most impressed with.

[MI517]

Oh and in addition to that... bring your own bottles of water and a protein bar or snack. There was no water on the course for players. There is no cart girl as there are no carts allowed on the course (because there are bunkers with lips facing both directions.. so there are times when a bunker will be 20 yards off the tee and you wont even be able to see it until you fall into it.... those bunkers obviously are in play for the other routing but not the one that you are playing that day). The course does not circle back to the clubhouse at the turn.. in fact, I believe the turn is made at one of the furthest points from the clubhouse. The snack shack at the turn was just beginning construction last week. I would say it's a safe bet that it won't be open in a month. There also were no trashcans on the course yet, no signs indicating what hole you are on and the first day we played there were no sprinkler heads with yardages... although during that round and during the round the next day they were installing them. If you are playing it without a caddie, bring a laser rangefinder... The course is not on any GPS system yet... The course is also not rated yet since it's not officially finished. Like I said, it's very bare bones right now. I would anticipate by the end of the month that some of those things will be installed on the course. Specifically trash cans and hopefully for anyone not using a caddie, they will install markers telling you where the next hole is. It's pretty easy to get turned around.

 

If you are taking a caddie, request Jake or Jeremy. Jake is a college student was plays golf on his school's team. He is a graduate of Grayling high school. If you follow the Golf Channel, Matt Ginella did a special on him and his school after a tragic accident. He was my caddie for both rounds and I could not have been happier. He's a great kid. Jeremy is a transplant from The Golf Club of Houston. He has a lot of personality and was caddying for someone else in our group on day 1. Super nice guy, funny, a bit loud (which is good for someone like me). If you want to have fun that day, he's great guy to go with. He'll bust your chops when you deserve it. Ginella and Ashley Mayo used both Jeremy and Jake during their 100 hole hike at The Loop a couple of weeks ago.

 

Thanks for info. Will plan accordingly!

[BG5]

Arcadia bluffs will be building another course :). Michigan golf is just amazing

[CDM]

Interesting. I thought for sure (walking around so maybe hard to tell) we saw a PAR 5 that when reversed was setup to be a PAR 4.

Guess we saw that wrong. LOL

 

Loved Forest Dunes and plan on going back so will have to play the LOOP now too.

 

As for what you saw... I think what gets confusing is that #17 on Black is a Par 5 and #18 is a par 4. So #1 on Red tees off next to the #18 green on Black and plays as a Par 4 to the #17 green on The Black (which was a green for a Par 5). Then #2 at The Red is a Par 5 using the fairway from #17 at the Black... You play into the #16 green from The Black which was a Par 3 (not sure if it was really a Par 3 but it doesn't matter for this example). So then where #16 was a Par 3 on the Black, on the Red #3 is a Par 3 but plays to the green that was used for #15 on the Black which may have been a Par 4. And it just rotates like that through the whole course. So #4 on red would then be a Par 4 playing to the green from #14 of the Black which was a Par 5. Once you see it it's very simple. Designing it, I am sure was a nightmare... explaining it is hard enough.

 

 

We only walked a bit of the course and but there was some spots that seemed confusing. It probably was what you are referring too. I get the point on the traps being 30 yards from the tee, we noticed that too and took a second before it sank in that it is for the other routing.

[Ima3putter]

Just returned from 2 days at Forest Dunes. Played both the Red and Black courses on the Loop. I was a bit skeptical at first, but after playing these two courses I am a now a big fan. Each course has a very different personality and both courses will test your game. My only beef is the greens are a bit tricked up...but that is a Tom Doak signature. I would give both courses two thumbs up!

[johnnylongball]

Just returned from 2 days at Forest Dunes. Played both the Red and Black courses on the Loop. I was a bit skeptical at first, but after playing these two courses I am a now a big fan. Each course has a very different personality and both courses will test your game. My only beef is the greens are a bit tricked up...but that is a Tom Doak signature. I would give both courses two thumbs up!

 

I'm going to be playing the Loop in about 3 weeks. What are the conditions like? Have they improved much since SilverBullet's report?

[MI517]

Just played Loop - Red, playing black tomorrow barring rain. They've got complimentary water and trash cans out there now. Course is in fine condition for where it's at. Greens are a real test. Caddies leave a bit to be desired according to others in group. I carried my bag, I'm not in bad shape at all, but I recommend a pull cart.

[EntourageLife]

Arcadia bluffs will be building another course :). Michigan golf is just amazing

 

Building another course? Wonder if they'll create another environmental disaster like the first? If it wasn't for the fact that Michigan has been decimated by harsh economic failure for the past 15 years, the local government would NEVER allow them to build this second course let alone build the first. Absolutely appalling how bad the development team was that created that mess...

[kalamazoo]

Arcadia bluffs will be building another course :). Michigan golf is just amazing

 

Building another course? Wonder if they'll create another environmental disaster like the first? If it wasn't for the fact that Michigan has been decimated by harsh economic failure for the past 15 years, the local government would NEVER allow them to build this second course let alone build the first. Absolutely appalling how bad the development team was that created that mess...

 

I heard the new course will be the messiest environmental mess of all environmental messes. I heard they got rid of the old development team to find a team that would be even messier than the first.

 

Honestly though, I can't wait for the new course. I love Arcadia.

[PuttCurseRepeat]

Arcadia bluffs will be building another course :). Michigan golf is just amazing

 

Building another course? Wonder if they'll create another environmental disaster like the first? If it wasn't for the fact that Michigan has been decimated by harsh economic failure for the past 15 years, the local government would NEVER allow them to build this second course let alone build the first. Absolutely appalling how bad the development team was that created that mess...

 

I heard the new course will be the messiest environmental mess of all environmental messes. I heard they got rid of the old development team to find a team that would be even messier than the first.

 

Honestly though, I can't wait for the new course. I love Arcadia.

 

The use of spent fuel rods from the old Big Rock nuclear plant as flag sticks and the coal fired golf carts are going to be nice touches.

[tjblue]

I'm sensing a theme.... :golfer:

[Openwater22]

The theme is, RVP development through negligent practices caused the single biggest soil erosion event in the history of the Great Lakes. Regardless of anyones affection for the course at Arcadia Bluffs, please don't make light of the calamity caused by the development company. Hope they take better care next time around.