Northern MI golf course rec

We like to play a new, nice interesting course every year.

Thus far we've done Arcadia (twice), Bay Harbor, A Ga Ming, Little Traverse Bay. I've played the Schuss/Shanty courses and kinda meh on those. I know Ed Martin's Loan will probably chime in and say Forest Dunes and we may have to do it. It's the next one on the bucket list, I suppose. Anything else? Is Treetops worth doing outside of the Par 3 course?

NigelUno wrote:TreeTops is fun.  Used to be anyway.  It's been awhile.

1 out of every 11 households agree!

Anyone here ever play Black Lake?

Played Treetops last year....blech. Place was beat up. I liked the courses at Boyne Highlands. Forest dunes is a great track but there aint shit around it for miles and miles.

Black Lake is nice although I haven't played it in a few years.
It's got a few funky holes with forced carries but overall a nice tract.
DO NOT drive up in a foreign vehicle.

Of course you play Forest Dunes first, on the way up.       

Horse Fly Hills is my favorite. Beer a hole

I don't see Boyne on your list. That is about as good as it gets Highlands or Mountain

Kingsley Club.

I have spoken.

Greywalls. It's better than anything mentioned so far.

I wish I could play golf seriously but the amount of money needed to play at a steady rate is ungodly. Especially for a college kid who doesn't make shit. That said, I'd love to play some of these courses you guys are mentioning.

tTy wrote:Kingsley Club.

I have spoken.

Might as well ad True North and Crystal Downs.

I think they require collared shirts and no jeans but call first.

Play the Fazio course at Treetops (The Premier?) and then the 9 hole par three afterwards with about a case of beer.
Not a big fan of the original course or the Rick Smith courses. OK if you're doing an outing and staying there for a few days.

I don't think any of the private places are happening. Forest Dunes isn't as far as I thought. I've got a couple of ideas.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I don't think any of the private places are happening. Forest Dunes isn't as far as I thought. I've got a couple of ideas.

The thought of playing a round on a prestigious course with you and Pig wearing a torn out neckline, sweat and mustard stained wife beater and shorts with a broken zipper and a hole in the ass is very intriguing to me though

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I've got a couple of ideas.

That's concerning.

I'm probably not the best person to ask..

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I'm probably not the best person to ask..

I do not like golf because it does not involve guns.

Herbie Green wrote:I don't see Boyne on your list.  That is about as good as it gets Highlands or Mountain

I personally think the 2 mountain courses suck. Highlands is infinitely better than Mountain for golf.

Forest Dunes is the second best course in northern lower, IMHO. Unless you can get on Crystal Downs...in which case I would like to be your friend.

If you're considering TC area courses, there's an underrated one there named Lochenheath. Great under the radar course.

http://www.lochenheath.com/

tTy wrote:

The thought of playing a round on a prestigious course with you and Pig wearing a torn out neckline, sweat and mustard stained wife beater and shorts with a broken zipper and a hole in the ass is very intriguing to me though

He doesn't play the Thursday round. He reserves his magic for the Saturday scramble at Horsefly Hills. Only us serious types play Thursday. And Stallone maybe. And by serious I mean I will probably down at least a pint of bourbon during the round, and will struggle to break 100. But I will have a collared shirt on and no cargo shorts.

http://www.belvederegolfclub.com/

Nothing fancy but i really enjoy this place. Its just about the golf and history there.

Little Traverse Bay
Hidden River is decent
Belvedere is good
Forest Dunes is outstanding
The Dream is underrated and you can bring your own beer but it might be too far if you are staying in Kaltucky
tTy's got a good call on Kingsley Club
Elk Ridge was a little beat up from the winter in May but it's a good track

If you're willing to play Northeast Michigan courses, Red Hawk was in really good shape when I played it over Memorial Day weekend.

sprtnbrn wrote:If you're willing to play Northeast Michigan courses, Red Hawk was in really good shape when I played it over Memorial Day weekend.

That is one of my favorite east coast courses....and The Gales as well. The aforementioned Black Lake is decent.

The Black Bear is a decent course right off of 75. Not as nice as some of the others listed, but you can get a pretty damn good deal if you call up and ask. Think last time I played there (a few years back) it was about $30 for 19 holes (they have a "warm up" hole to start), and it never seems busy for whatever reason. So if you're going up that way anyway, it's a nice and fairly inexpensive round with some nice holes.

Turtleneck wrote:

I do not like golf because it does not involve guns.

yep.. holding a golf club implies that I can't hold my gun concurrently..

and when I can't hold my gun, bad things can happen.

Bump for 2015.

Really wanted to play FD this year. Unfortunately on the Thursday we are looking at the earliest available tee time is 3:50 PM. WTF??

I'd like to play something not too far from 75 but not too far from Grayling/Gaylord as we have a guy driving up from Detroit area and meeting us at the course the day of. Looking for like a 12/1 tee time.

Of those listed:

Kingsley - private
Belvedere - far, and nothing available later than 11:30. Our guy won't make it.
Little Traverse - far, and played it
Boyne Mtn - meh
Boyne Highlands - far
Schuss/Shanty - played them, and meh
Treetops Fazio - ???
Crystal Downs - private
Black Lake - thought this was private? looks like we could get on, but it's far as fuck.
The Dream/Nightmare - too far South

Any other recs?

We could book the Fazio Treetops course at desirable times for $80. Anyone play it recently?

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Bump for 2015.

Really wanted to play FD this year. Unfortunately on the Thursday we are looking at the earliest available tee time is 3:50 PM. WTF??

I'd like to play something not too far from 75 but not too far from Grayling/Gaylord as we have a guy driving up from Detroit area and meeting us at the course the day of. Looking for like a 12/1 tee time.
Any other recs?

http://www.garlandusa.com/

I'd just play them all if I were you.

I've played the Nightmare & Dream, personally I like the Nightmare better but the Dream is usually in nicer shape and is has more of an up north feel. (bonus is that you used to be able to take coolers with you...been 3 or 4 years since I've played either)

The Quest is decent, but that is a 127 course not so much an I-75 course, just south of Houghton Lake.

Tried to get on Black Forest but had the same problem you describe with Forrest Dunes, so we played Wilderness Valley. I would not go out of my way for Wilderness, but I'm still looking to get a round in on Black Forest.

Wally Fairway wrote:I've played the Nightmare & Dream, personally I like the Nightmare better but the Dream is usually in nicer shape and is has more of an up north feel. (bonus is that you used to be able to take coolers with you...been 3 or 4 years since I've played either)

The Quest is decent, but that is a 127 course not so much an I-75 course, just south of Houghton Lake.

Tried to get on Black Forest but had the same problem you describe with Forrest Dunes, so we played Wilderness Valley. I would not go out of my way for Wilderness, but I'm still looking to get a round in on Black Forest.

it moved..

Elk Ridge was nice.

WBH - set Forest Dunes on your calendar for 2017. Then you can play the existing course and the new reversible course.

Quite simply, Doak is building 18 greens -- but 36 holes. By design, one day you will play starting at a first tee and finish on an 18th green. The next day, you will play an alternate first tee and out to the 17th green, then second tee to the 16th green and so on. The 18th green is used as 18 for both courses but played from two different directions.

http://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/forest-dunes-reversible-golf-course-roscommon-michigan-15230.htm

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I'm probably not the best person to ask..

How was Memorial Weekend up North?

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Bump for 2015.

Really wanted to play FD this year. Unfortunately on the Thursday we are looking at the earliest available tee time is 3:50 PM. WTF??

I'd like to play something not too far from 75 but not too far from Grayling/Gaylord as we have a guy driving up from Detroit area and meeting us at the course the day of. Looking for like a 12/1 tee time.

Of those listed:

Kingsley - private
Belvedere - far, and nothing available later than 11:30. Our guy won't make it.
Little Traverse - far, and played it
Boyne Mtn - meh
Boyne Highlands - far
Schuss/Shanty - played them, and meh
Treetops Fazio - ???
Crystal Downs - private
Black Lake - thought this was private? looks like we could get on, but it's far as fuck.
The Dream/Nightmare - too far South

Any other recs?

I haven't played Treetops in 10+ years but it was good last time I was there.

Black Lake is nice. You don't care for The Legend or Cedar River @ Shanty? I like both of those courses.

What about Hawk's Eye in Bellaire? The Chief was in shitty condition when I was there.

In Gaylord try The Loon or The Natural

Also, Elk Ridge in Atlanta (it may be too far for you). Great course.

There is an older course called Gaylord Country Club that is open to the public and is decent if you run out of options, not as nice as the others discussed but a solid fallback.

I might do the late one at Forest Dunes but bring plenty of strong bug spray.