NW Michigan, lower peninsula - Arcadia Bluffs

[Wazmankg]

I played Arcadia Bluffs last summer while vacationing on Lake Michigan near Traverse City. It was really my only experience with a 5 star rated layout. It's been rated in the top 10 of US public courses by Golf Digest. It really was worth the $100 twilight I paid to play. It's built thoughout the dunes on a bluff over-looking Lake Michigan and the scenery is spectacular. Think Whistling Straits, but not as difficult. The setting is a very natural one which is something I find appealing. It looks as if very little dirt was moved to build it. There are 4 sets of tees from 5100 - 7300. We played it at about 6400 but I wish we'd moved up to the 6700+ yards. It's very playable and the fairways run more than I'm accustomed to. There is abundant dunegrass & heather rough and it's very well trapped but I didn't lose a ball there even though I missed several fairways. Even the knee high stuff was thin enough to find and get the clubhead on the ball. Few trees and almost no water unless you count Lake Michigan which is directly left on a few holes. The greens were tricky, very undulating and very fast but true. There are no straight putts there. I took 34 putts, which I was very proud of and was easily the best in my 4-some. It's located about 40 miles west of our state's traditional vacation golf country, home of several other top notch layouts including Nicklaus' The Bear in Traverse City as well as Rick Smith's Treetops layouts (home of TGC's par 3 challenge televised yearly). Highly recommended.