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The West at Forest Akers Golf Course
Rating Snapshot
About
The West Course at Forest Akers is one of two 18-hole courses owned and operated by Michigan State University in East Lansing. The West is the premier tournament layout for the Spartan golf teams and also hosted the Division III Women’s National Golf Championship in 2021. The rolling and forested layout was originally designed by Bruce Matthews but was extensively renovated in the 1990s by Arthur Hills and received further updates in 2010. In the early 2000s, a new clubhouse and hotel was built on property that altered the routing of the golf course. There is also an extensive practice facility across the street at the East course and accessible to the public. The West Course is considered one of the Midwest’s finest, public-access campus courses and one of the best layouts in the Lansing area.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 7013 yards | 75.3 | 141 |
| Black (W) | 72 | 7013 yards | 81.9 | 154 |
| Green | 72 | 6412 yards | 71.7 | 137 |
| Green (W) | 72 | 6412 yards | 77.8 | 140 |
| White | 72 | 5694 yards | 68.6 | 127 |
| White (W) | 72 | 5694 yards | 73.6 | 134 |
| Fossum | 72 | 5307 yards | 66.5 | 127 |
| Fossum (W) | 72 | 5307 yards | 71.3 | 129 |
| Silver | 72 | 5012 yards | 65.5 | 114 |
| Silver (W) | 72 | 5012 yards | 69.8 | 126 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 75.3/141 W: 81.9/154 | 423 | 592 | 426 | 322 | 338 | 436 | 202 | 546 | 184 | 3469 | 214 | 414 | 227 | 494 | 415 | 394 | 427 | 514 | 422 | 3521 | 6990 |
| Green M: 71.7/137 W: 77.8/140 | 381 | 562 | 389 | 294 | 316 | 394 | 174 | 495 | 163 | 3168 | 165 | 384 | 213 | 460 | 385 | 366 | 399 | 477 | 385 | 3234 | 6402 |
| White M: 68.2/130 W: 73.6/134 | 340 | 472 | 372 | 279 | 276 | 344 | 145 | 451 | 138 | 2817 | 154 | 346 | 182 | 431 | 356 | 334 | 304 | 428 | 342 | 2877 | 5694 |
| Fossom M: 66.5/127 | 310 | 472 | 322 | 270 | 276 | 290 | 112 | 451 | 114 | 2617 | 154 | 346 | 153 | 431 | 317 | 295 | 304 | 428 | 269 | 2697 | 5314 |
| Fossum W: 71.3/129 | 310 | 472 | 322 | 270 | 276 | 290 | 112 | 451 | 114 | 2617 | 154 | 346 | 153 | 431 | 317 | 295 | 304 | 428 | 269 | 2697 | 5314 |
| Silver M: 65.5/121 W: 69.8/126 | 310 | 406 | 322 | 270 | 252 | 290 | 112 | 420 | 114 | 2496 | 140 | 258 | 153 | 404 | 317 | 295 | 294 | 371 | 269 | 2501 | 4997 |
| Handicap | 11 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 2 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 9 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
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Reviews
Reviewer Photos
Awesome Course!
The course was in impeccable shape! All morning tee times were blocked off until 11 for maintenance and you could tell they really take pride in that course. It was in the best shape I had ever seen it! I would definitely reccomend playing a round on the West course!
Really, white tees AND silver-white tees?
I could see what looked like the white tees so drove up to them only to be fooled SEVERAL times as I saw that they were the silver-white tees that looked nearly exactly like the white tees until you stepped out of the cart and got within 10 feet of them.
Thanks capassa for the 5 star review. Your insight about the color of the tee markers will be taken under advisement. Go Green!
Love this course
Perfect day for golf and the course was in great condition! Had the best 9 of the year with the back 9 a reminder to keep practicing.
I look forward to the next time I am in the area to stop in and play!!
Thanks for the 5-star review MarvelousJ! We love this review. So happy you caught us on a great condition day for your best 9 of the year. Go Green!
MSU course
The course has undergone a complete renovation (by alumnus Arthur Hills) since I last played there years ago.
I really enjoyed playing here and I highly recommend this course.
Thanks for the 4-star review u00000701476! Welcome back, we are happy you enjoyed playing here and let's try to get out here again this year. Go Green!
Great Course, Pace of play generally holds it back
Forest Akers West is a great Course and is always in very good shape. The hole layout offers a challenge from the front tees all the way back to the tips. The only thing that tends to consistently hold this course back is Pace of Play issues. On a typical busy day in the summer it is likely you will have to wait 5-10 minutes on every tee box for the group in front of you. This seems to have gotten worse over the past few years unfortunately, and sometimes can really put a hamper on your round.
Thanks for the 4-star review paintballrules18! We are constantly working on pace of play so thanks for the encouragement to keep working at it. Go Green!
Finally played 18 in 2.5 hours ... It was raining
Under normal circumstances, forest west is packed with foursomes that probably should be bowling. Its a fun course if the bowlers are at the bowling alley, instead of holding up the golfers at the golf course. The best way to ensure this is the case, is to go when its raining. Obviously, this presents a separate set of problems, but if your a low handicap player that isn't into screwing around all day, then its pretty much what you have to do.
Thanks for the 4-star review AmotoXracer! As long as no lightning and no flooding we'll be here when it rains for you. We are constantly working on pace of play, thanks for the encouragement to keep working at it. Go Green!
Great features, busy course
Great course, beautiful layout...but there was very slow pace and inexperienced golfers on such a nice course. I ended up taking a ball to the face off a drive that went less than 100 yds and hit the cart path. A hole in my lip and 7 stitches later, I can barely eat...but I'd go back and play this course again!!!
Thanks for the 4-star review Mitchell6182518! I checked with staff about anyone filling out an incident report for that day. Please let us know in the golf shop next time you are in so we can ensure all is well.
Thanks for the 4-star review marvdixon! We are always trying to encourage our team to keep up the good work and improve where needed so please let us know if there was anything that stuck out while you were here. Go Green!
Great Condition
We got paired up with another twosome which made the pace of play perfect with a bunch of other foursomes on the course. The course layout is fun but challenging and the condition of the course was excellent.
Thanks for the 5-star review tilyouredead03! Great to hear you had fun while being challenged out on the course. Go Green!
Thanks for the 5-star review Zachbush! We are always trying to encourage our team to keep up the good work so please let us know if there was anything that stuck out while you were here. Go Green!
Thanks for the 5-star review MarcusWinfrey! We are always trying to encourage our team to keep up the good work so please let us know if there was anything that stuck out while you were here. Go Green!
MSU has done a lot of improvements on the course. It really looks good and is in great shape. A little crowded on the day we played but that's to be expected with the price and weather.
Thanks for the 5-star review slubills1! We like the improvements too. We are constantly working on pace of play so thanks for the encouragement to keep working at it. Go Green!
Great Course!
This is a fun course that presents plenty of challenges. Ball placement on several holes is key, however, on other holes with a miss hit shot, you can still make up for it with openings. Pace of play was brutal, but the course itself makes up for that. Will play again.
Thanks for the 5-star review thale7! Glad to hear you had fun while being challenged out on the course. We are constantly working on pace of play so thanks for the encouragement to keep working at it. Go Green!
Any course Art Hills touches is worth playing
great distance from the tips. great elevation changes. love the layout. make this course a priority in Lansing area
Thanks for the 4-star review mcnultyn1! Let us know if there is anything we can do to earn that last star from you, but we'll take 4 out of 5 from an Ann Arbor reviewer anyday. ;) Go Green!
Thanks for the 5-star review u8717489! We are always trying to encourage our team to keep up the good work so please let us know if there was anything that stuck out while you were here. Go Green!
Don't waste your time
Course was so backed up the starter had me tee off 40 min after my tee time. Stuff all over greens and divoiots every where. 6 hour round of golf. No cart girl. One person working the snack bar took 20 min to buy a bottle of water. Workers have no golf edicate towards golfers. For the price your better off playing some where else in the Lansing area.
The west is the best
By far the best Big 10 course that I have played. I could practice on the short club area for hours and hours. They have a wonderful set up here.
Best of Battle Creek Package
SW Michigan Golf Around Package
Pohlcat Golf Getaway Package
The Loon Golf Resort Stay & Play Package
Thanks u375317605 for the 5 star review. We are always trying to encourage our team to keep up the good work so please let us know if there was anything that stuck out while you were here. Go Green!