Northern Michigan's Up North loop. · Vol. 01

The Ultimate
Michigan Golf Trip.

Michigan's golf is concentrated in the Up North region, Traverse City to Petoskey to Mackinac, ringed by the lakes. Crystal Downs, Arcadia Bluffs, and the Forest Dunes layouts make a tight summer week. Pure Michigan is open May through October only; September and the first half of October are peak.

Above · Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club

IUp North Loop IIDetroit Metro Bench IIIResort Triangle

Route I of III · Northern Michigan

The Up North Loop

Arcadia · Forest Dunes · Crystal Downs

Duration3 days

Total drive250 mi

Tariff$$

Approx. $1,900 / person, 3 days. Public-resort first two; Crystal Downs requires a member host. Season: late May–mid Oct.

Day
1
Arcadia Bluffs - South Course
Day 1 · Arcadia Bluffs
Fly into TVC (Cherry Capital). Drive an hour southwest. Bluffs 200ft above Lake Michigan.
- Arcadia Bluffs - South Course
  Arcadia Bluffs, Rick Smith / Warren Henderson 1999. The dunes course of the Midwest.
Day
2
Forest Dunes Golf Resort
Day 2 · Forest Dunes
Drive two hours east to Roscommon. The Doak Loop is the only reversible course in America, different routing AM vs PM.
- Forest Dunes Golf Resort
  Forest Dunes, Tom Weiskopf 2002 original plus Doak's reversible Loop alongside.
Day
3
Crystal Downs Country Club
Day 3 · Crystal Downs
Back west to Frankfort. MacKenzie and Maxwell 1933. Members-only but worth chasing a connection.
- Crystal Downs Country Club
  Crystal Downs, MacKenzie / Maxwell at their most idiosyncratic. Tiny greens, severe slopes.

Route II of III · Detroit Metro

The Detroit Metro Bench

Oakland Hills + Country Club of Detroit

Duration3 days

Total drive35 mi

Tariff$$$$

Approx. $4,000 / person, 3 days. Oakland Hills is sponsored-play only. The Detroit private bench is among the deepest in the Midwest.

Day
1
Oakland Hills Country Club
Day 1 · Oakland Hills South
Fly into DTW. Stay in Birmingham or Bloomfield. The Monster Hogan named in 1951. Hosting the U.S. Open again 2034.
- Oakland Hills Country Club
  Oakland Hills Country Club, Donald Ross 1918. Six majors and counting. Slope 148.
Day
2
Country Club of Detroit
Day 2 · Country Club of Detroit
In Grosse Pointe Farms. Harry Colt + C.H. Alison 1914. Restored by Bruce Hepner. The hidden Detroit-area classic.
- Country Club of Detroit
  Country Club of Detroit, Colt/Alison 1914.
Day
3
Indianwood Gold & Country Club
Day 3 · Indianwood Old
Lake Orion. William Connellan/Wilfrid Reid 1928. Restored, walking-only, U.S. Women's Open host.
- Indianwood Gold & Country Club
  Indianwood Golf and Country Club Old, 1928.

Route III of III · Petoskey / Gaylord

The Resort Triangle

Bay Harbor + Boyne Highlands + Treetops

Duration3 days

Total drive95 mi

Tariff$$$

Approx. $2,300 / person, 3 days. All public-resort. Season runs late May to mid-October.

Day
1
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club
Day 1 · Bay Harbor
Fly into PLN (Pellston) or TVC. Stay at the Inn at Bay Harbor. Arthur Hills 1996 along Lake Michigan.
- Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club
  Bay Harbor Golf Club, Arthur Hills 1996. Limestone-quarry holes along the bluffs.
Day
2
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club
Day 2 · Boyne Highlands
Half hour east to Harbor Springs. The Heather (Robert Trent Jones 1965) is the championship layout among Boyne's four.
- Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club
  Boyne Highlands The Heather, RTJ Sr. 1965.
Day
3
Treetops
Day 3 · Treetops Resort
Drive south to Gaylord. Five public layouts. Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s Masterpiece and Tom Fazio's Premier are the picks.
- Treetops
  Treetops Resort. The RTJ Sr. + Fazio + Smith course cluster.