MICHIGAN SUMMER TRIP

[TK3]

Hi Guys,

 

First - Merry Christmas to all!

 

Now - my buddies and I are planning a Golf trip to Michigan / Northern Michigan late June 2022..

 

Flying into Grand Rapids and playing Stoatin Brae, American Dunes and Arcadia Bluffs.  Also trying (via a good friend) to get on Crystal Downs & Kingsley Club. 

 

Has anyone played Stoatin Brae?  I have read fantastic reviews about the other courses, but this is the only one that I have some reservations about...

 

Also, if for some reason CD and K Club fall thru, we were looking at Forest Dunes as a replacement.

 

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers!

TK

[puttnforthe8]

Check the Midwest section...there is a lot of good info.  I am building my trip now as well.

 

Stoatin seems a tweener based on my reading with some 'significant' negatives when you read a lot; and there are some other alternatives to consider.   I am skipping it on my trip.

 

When are you going?  We will be trying to play Kingsley as well. 

[T-MAC]

Check out TreeTops resort and Elk's Ridge.

[vallygolf]

55 minutes ago, TK3 said:

Hi Guys,

 

First - Merry Christmas to all!

 

Now - my buddies and I are planning a Golf trip to Michigan / Northern Michigan late June 2022..

 

Flying into Grand Rapids and playing Stoatin Brae, American Dunes and Arcadia Bluffs.  Also trying (via a good friend) to get on Crystal Downs & Kingsley Club. 

 

Has anyone played Stoatin Brae?  I have read fantastic reviews about the other courses, but this is the only one that I have some reservations about...

 

Also, if for some reason CD and K Club fall thru, we were looking at Forest Dunes as a replacement.

 

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers!

TK

Not Sure if Kingsley has grown more picky with the golf boom or not, but in 2018 all it took was a call from my head pro (Im a member at a very, very, nonexclusive club).

[VNutz]

@TK3  I've yet to play Stoatin Brae, I heard mixed reviews. When it first opened many complained, but I recall last summer hearing better things, but have no personal experience. That said, SB is about an hour south of GR and in the opposite direction of any of the other courses you'll be playing. If you're on the fence I'd skip it and opt for something else up north, or Pilgrims Run along the way.

[TK3]

Thanks V

ill check up on Pilgrim’s Run. 
 

Merry Christmas 

[TK3]

3 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

Check the Midwest section...there is a lot of good info.  I am building my trip now as well.

 

Stoatin seems a tweener based on my reading with some 'significant' negatives when you read a lot; and there are some other alternatives to consider.   I am skipping it on my trip.

 

When are you going?  We will be trying to play Kingsley as well. 

June 28th - July 3rd.  Looking @ KGC on June 30th

[puttnforthe8]

1 hour ago, TK3 said:

June 28th - July 3rd.  Looking @ KGC on June 30th

 

Nice - we're going for Indy Race end of July then heading up for the golf after for a week.

[jjr]

If you get on Crystal forget the others and play there everyday, Lol

[TK3]

Keeping my fingers crossed.

It's that good of a course?

[postfold]

3 hours ago, TK3 said:

Thanks V

ill check up on Pilgrim’s Run. 
 

Merry Christmas 

 

Haven't played Stoatin Brae so can't comment on that, but I'd definitely play Pilgrim's Run on any trip up north.  Especially if you're flying in to Grand Rapids.

[puttnforthe8]

4 hours ago, jjr said:

If you get on Crystal forget the others and play there everyday, Lol

Can you pull some strings for us @jjr - come on, I know you can do it for your ole AZ pal! 🤪

Edited December 21, 2021 by puttnforthe8

[burnsniper]

3 hours ago, TK3 said:

Keeping my fingers crossed.

It's that good of a course?

Hands down the best front 9 in golf.  The back nine is not as good as the front but still has a handful of spectacular holes (Nos. 14, 17, and 18. IMO).

Edited December 21, 2021 by burnsniper

[jarederco]

Played stoatin Brae a half dozen times and it’s awesome. Pilgrim’s is good too but stoatin is more fun.

[Florida Gator]

I’ve played Stoatin quite a bit over the last few years and love it.  I wouldn’t skip playing it.

[david.c.w]

Crystal Downs will be a hard ticket.  I have a friend who is a member at 2 clubs in Chicago (one a Top 100) and Kingsley Club, and he has had a rough go at getting us on CD.  Kingsley is awesome if you can get on.

 

Don't sleep on Arcadia South.  It gets a bad rap for being "plowed farmland", but I think the layout and greens are very fun.  Is it on the bluffs?  No, but it is still a very fun and interesting course.

 

Forest Dunes is great, for sure try to get there.  I have not played The Loop, but I have heard that it did not live up to the massive hype it was getting.  Treetops is also a no-brainer if you are up there.  Maybe not the "best", but has been a staple of Michigan golf for a really long time.

 

About 5 years ago we made the trip up and played a little place called Otsego in Gaylord.  When we got there it looked like it was abandoned.  Crappy gas carts, pro shop was closed and looked like it had not been touched since 1976, including the rotating pretzel.  All of a sudden some guy shows up, tosses us cart keys and we head out.  Not sure how it was being maintained, but it was actually in really good shape and was fun and windy though a bunch of mountains.  Not really a destination you would travel to, but if you find yourself with 4 hours to kill in Gaylord, see if it is still open

 

 

[vallygolf]

https://www.otsegoclub.com/golf/

 

Seems like it has become a bit more main stream.  Either it has clever marketing, or it in fact has greatly improved the facilities.

[D^2]

On 12/20/2021 at 12:20 PM, TK3 said:

Hi Guys,

 

First - Merry Christmas to all!

 

Now - my buddies and I are planning a Golf trip to Michigan / Northern Michigan late June 2022..

 

Flying into Grand Rapids and playing Stoatin Brae, American Dunes and Arcadia Bluffs.  Also trying (via a good friend) to get on Crystal Downs & Kingsley Club. 

 

Has anyone played Stoatin Brae?  I have read fantastic reviews about the other courses, but this is the only one that I have some reservations about...

 

Also, if for some reason CD and K Club fall thru, we were looking at Forest Dunes as a replacement.

 

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers!

TK

 

Yes play American Dunes and Arcadia Bluffs (of course).  Stoatin Brae is interesting and different but conditioning has been a problem and the greens have been hard and not receptive.  I would add Hemlock in Ludington which is on the way from American Dunes to Arcadia Bluffs.  And if you're a fan of classic golf courses, I would add Belvedere. 

[DE-ILLINI]

No Laying Up did a video series on Michigan Golf which just concluded.  There is an episode focusing on golf in Grand Rapids, another featuring Kingsley club, and a third featuring Belvedere.  In all there is a total of nine episodes.  They start in Detroit and work their way West and North.  You could check them out as they show the guys playing the courses and then provide their impressions.

 

https://nolayingup.com/videos

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by DE-ILLINI
Corrected grammar error

[ldchristopher]

I’ll second Hemlock if you’re playing Arcadia. It’s a great course with an excellent layout and some true northwoods-style golf that you don’t get the farther south you get in MI. Pilgrims is also outstanding and I’m a fan of Cedar Chase. Cedar has some rough edges but it’s super cheap, very difficult from the tips, and I always like the challenge. 

[TK3]

Thanks guys

 

Definitely playing Pilgrim’s Run and if we can’t make Crystal Downs or Kingsley work, then we’ll do Belvedere and Hemlock. 
 

and I’ll watch the video. 
 

cheers! 🎄⛳️

[Golferpaul]

We did a six-course trip a couple of years ago and here is how we ranked the courses:

 

The bottom line is that we were blown away by the quality of these courses. Even Hawk’s Eye at $57 green fee was very nice.  

1.       LochenHeath

2.       Arcadia Bluffs

3.       Kingsley Club

4.       Cedar River

5.       Forest Dunes

6.       Hawk’s Eye

[TK3]

Thanks guys

 

Just added Hemlock GC to our itinerary.  Keep the suggestions coming!

 

Merry Christmas 

[TK3]

20 hours ago, Golferpaul said:

We did a six-course trip a couple of years ago and here is how we ranked the courses:

 

The bottom line is that we were blown away by the quality of these courses. Even Hawk’s Eye at $57 green fee was very nice.  

1.       LochenHeath

2.       Arcadia Bluffs

3.       Kingsley Club

4.       Cedar River

5.       Forest Dunes

6.       Hawk’s Eye

Did you have to play with a member for Kingsley?  Or just a call from your club sufficed?

[jjr]

Crystal is a super tough get!

 

puttn@ when I get the planed trip secured I'll reach out, my buddy from V.C. will be setting it up!

[Golferpaul]

On 12/23/2021 at 1:07 PM, TK3 said:

Did you have to play with a member for Kingsley?  Or just a call from your club sufficed?

A call from our pro was all it took.   

[TK3]

18 minutes ago, Golferpaul said:

A call from our pro was all it took.   

Perfect 

thanks

[crunch27]

If you are flying in to Grand Rapids, you could look at Eagle Eye in East Lansing, about an hour east or Tullymore in Stanwood, about an hour north.  And if you are going way up north to Arcadia Bluffs, I like The Bear and LochenHeath in Traverse City.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Play both courses at Arcadia Bluffs! (I still need to play the newer, South course). Play the bluffs for your afternoon round for the awesome sunset views. I am playing Mines, Diamond Springs, American Dunes and Stotin Brae in June. 

[BG5]

10 minutes ago, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

Play both courses at Arcadia Bluffs! (I still need to play the newer, South course). Play the bluffs for your afternoon round for the awesome sunset views. I am playing Mines, Diamond Springs, American Dunes and Stotin Brae in June. 

 

I never understood the love for the Mines as its not that impressive in my opinion.  I played it for the first time last year and was not impressed.  I know it gets alot of love because of Devires (who I love) but the course is not that great in my opinon