Golf of the Not So Common Man: Michigan Golf

Hello All, this may be my final post with regard to golf for quite a while. I will be heading to China, first for vacation for about a month and then possibly to work. I'll keep you posted on my travel blog.

Michigan is a wonderful place for golf. If I could spend a year (with good weather) I don't think I'd be able to hit all of the nice to very nice golf courses in this state. Although I must say most are only in the nice category not unlike North Carolina, Wisconsin or Minnesota. Most of these states are very wooded and like Michigan the courses, again, although beautiful and well cared for begin to look the same with many being tree-lined fareways.

As you've probably read in previous posts what I am looking for in a great course is the "wow" effect; either in my first drive up to the course or more specifically on one or more of the wholes.

Playing in Michigan there are only three courses that have the wow effect of the ones I played and those three are Arcadia Bluffs, Forest Dunes and Harbor Bay, in that order. And to be fair I didn't play Tullymore at St. Ives Resort which was highly ranked. So it could possibly displace any of the three I mentioned. My plans someday are to go back and play both Tullymore and play Harbor Bay again (this time in good weather).

Arcadia Bluffs, far and away, was my my favorite course. From the moment you drive up to the clubhouse to the last hole there isn't shortage of "wows." The clubhouse is spectacular and has just recently been finished to hosts guests and sets on top of the hill overlooking the entire course. Beautiful views abound from the clubhouse. And honestly there are too many wholes to recount which ones are "wow" holes and reach ones are simply challenging. The only draw back I had in my entire experience at Arcadia Bluffs was with the idiot guy behind the counter at the end of the day. Even though I told him I felt Arcadia Bluffs was my number one course he kept arguing with me that Forest Dunes and not Harbor Bay should be number two. Like why should he care which I put as number two. What a jerk!!

Anyway, enjoy the pictures in order of when I played them. Sorry I don't have any of Harbor Bay. It was raining and foggy on the day I played and I didn't actually finish the round, thus no pics. And yet it still is my No. 2.

Shepherd's Hollow - #37 - by far my least favorite