Arcadia Bluffs

I have a love hate relationship with this course. It’s in immaculate condition even though it gets lots of okay, the setting is fantastic and many holes have fatatic views of Lake Michigan.
As far as the course, I absoloutely love the front 9. Not as many majestic views as the back 9 but the holes are much more interesting. Some difficult some a little easier but all are solveable if you hit the right shots. I really like the big down hill par 5s (3 and 5). They both have lots of trouble but if you put your ball in right spot you’ll have a good chance at a birdie. I also love #8 a steep uphill dog leg right Par 4 with a caverness bunker protecting the green.

The back 9 is the real money maker as far as spectacular vistas and views of the lake. But I hated many of the holes. Starting off on #10, a long par 4 with a blind tee shot that leaves a long iron approach from a generally down hill lie to an elevated narrow redan style green that slopes away. I just couldn’t figure out a way to solve it except to maybe drive it 50 yards farther in order to get a short iron in my hand. #12 is a spectacular hole that runs along the lake. It now has 2 greens but I’ve only ever played to the left green. Unfortunately that green is unholdable with a tail wind (which it has been all 4 times I played) and it drops off steeply off the back side. The last time I played it I was alone an hit about a dozen different shots to try and get a ball to stay on the green. Couldn’t do it, even when landing the ball well short of the green. If you have enough momentum to make it to the green then the steep front to back slope on the right side of the green just carry’s it thru.
#13 is a short downhill par 3 surround by dungeon. Again, straight downwind every time I’ve played and every ball that hits the green rolls straight to the back. #16 is like #10 but on steroids. Plays about 450 steeply down hill and the green slopes steeply away. Again I felt like I was faced with an unsolvable riddle. #17 is a diabolical par 3. 175+ into a headwind every time I played to an incredibly narrow green with no place to escape. A couple times I had to hit 3 wood. Too me it’s just a little bit to penal. I think it would be better suited as a shorter par 3. I don’t mind hard holes but I feel like every hole should have a solution that doesn’t require absolute perfection plus a good dose of luck to solve.

To sum it up, love the front 9, back 9 is spectacular but many of the holes have serious issues for me. I’d still recommend the course as it’s a spectacular setting and experience.

I’ve driven past it a couple times and listened to a couple of podcasts about it so I was excited to finally get the chance to play this golden age replica course. However, once I got to play it I would say it just wasn’t for me. The course was in fantastic shape for early November. The conditions were ideal with what I would call light winds for this course (probably 15-20 mph).
What I liked:
Greens ran very smooth and true
Nice wide fairways
Expansive views.
Generally pretty mild slopes on the greens
What I didn’t like:
The combination of elevated , extremely firm greens that ran off an pretty much every side, many with blind approaches. On the down wind holes or holes requiring a long iron or wood on the approach it was almost impossible to hold the greens. You could try and play the ground game but the elevated greens don’t allow a true bump and run and the always windy conditions make it very difficult to judge how far your ball is going to roll. I Had multiple shots run off one of the edges of the green. Then you are left with a chip shot that you have to elevate to get above the green edge that would be next to impossible to stop close to the hole.
Given the opportunity to place this every day and pick up the nuances of playing the ground game to these very tough greens I might learn to love it. But as a play once or twice resort course I just didn’t really enjoy it.

When you roll up to this course your jaw is not going to be on the floor. Its very nice but not stunning. Its when you actually start your round you realize that you are playing a work of art. The course really does play like a true links course (often times course claim its links style golf but its not, definitely not the case here.) There is a ton of bunkers and I was honored to find many of them within the first 3 holes. I loved the modern feel that you get from the architecture with the combination of links golf, its very different to what I am used to playing.

As the round progressed the more the course had me thinking. I had to think about a lot of shots, not just grip and rip. I think that may turn some people off, but I really enjoyed the challenge.

The conditions of the course were outstanding, perfect shape. Not a blemish on the course. The staff is awesome too, they give you a heads up about how the course plays, very firm.

This is a course that if you played it again you would save an easy 5+ strokes just by knowing where to hit the ball, what traps are in play, how the approach shots play, etc. If its your first time playing this course, expect to get your butt kicked a little, especially if its windy. I sure got my butt handed to me, but it was still an amazing round and an awesome golf course.

A few things to say about Arcadia, right off the bat...

1. The views are spectacular
2. The course, in my opinion, starts you out easy on the front nine and up's it's game (as well as it's views) on the back
3. It is (at least in the paces I got in trouble) forgiving of mistakes off the tee (around the green not as much).
4. The practice facility is great, including having a chipping green that includes both regular bunkers and a massive practice pot bunker as well.

The golf itself at Arcadia Bluffs is very good. Mostly (especially on hte front nine and last few holes of the back) the fairways are wide and accessible off the tee and the greens are largely approachable. I will say that I felt approaching the greens from the right spots was more important than usual here. For example, on the par 5 third I thought I had put myself in good position left of the green-side bunker. I had a blind chip up to the green, but it seemed straightforward... until I got up there and found how narrow it was from that angle and that I had blown through it... bogey.

Bug again, I found it mostly forgiving... on both the fourth and eleventh holes I missed badly off the tee and had to send out a search party for my ball. However, in both cases I was able to find it, recover and save par. A lot of that had to do with not trying to do too much from trouble, however. I witnessed a few efforts at hero shots that produced nothing but blow-up holes. Arcadia is a good place to play with your head as well as your clubs.

My favorite holes were probably 10 (with a completely blind tee shot, at least if you follow the "candy-cane" line indicator) and 11 (an incredibly scenic par five running about as close to the lake as you can get). The par 4 12th now has 2 greens and a sign to let you know which is being used on that day (I'm told this ie because they fear losing the original (left) green on the whole to erosion). This caused a little confusion with my GPS yardage app as it didn't have the "new" green in it yet, but was a nice excuse to play it a little more organically.

I didn't find many bunkers, but with the exception of one - surprisingly thin sand - the few I found played very well. The course itself was in very good shape I thought. The greens weren't as fast as I expected; however, don't be overly fooled, they were plenty fast and the rollout on them can be significant if you misjudge the pace. I took a couple three putts from just not quite fully assessing the speed of the greens before rolling my ball.

I found the service at Arcadia above average, but not fantastic. Everyone I ran into was efficient, to be sure, but for the most part my interactions were very professional and brisk (one delightful exception was the starter who was outstanding). I was at Forest Dunes later in the week taking with someone about people playing the bootlegger barefoot and someone commented "can you imagine the stuffed shirts up at Arcadia allowing that"... while I didn't run into any snobbery in my time here, something did ring a little true about the general idea that it's a different - slightly more... formal, lets say - vibe here than the other northern Michigan courses I played on this trip. I wouldn't let it change your mind about a trip here (you should absolutely go at least once), but I'd say the air is a little crisper for more reasons that just the breeze coming off the lake.

YOu've probably read plenty about the views, so I won't belabor that, but I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention that this is a wonderfully pleasing course from a visual perspective. The wide panoramic views that are present from almost every hole make you feel like you on a ocean course and you'll simply never tire of looking around as you go.

I chose to walk this course (despite them "recommending" that I ride). I found it walkable and really enjoyed the stroll; however, there is a decent amount of elevation change and some fairly long walks from green to tee as well... so I wouldn't call it an easy walk by any stretch.

As with most that have played here, I'd absolutely recommend playing the Bluffs (I didn't play the South course, but I spent the rest of the week in Northern Michigan being told that was a mistake... so maybe make time for that too if you head this way). We very much enjoyed out time in Arcadia and will likely be back in the future.

What a spectacular piece of land with great views of Lake Michigan. A surprising amount of vertical changes throughout the course.
Overall it’s a pretty easy driving course with generous landing areas and some pretty good speed slots if you hit it in the right spots. Your score is made, and lost, on the approach shots though.
I enjoyed the layout of the front 9 much better than the back. You could position yourself off the tee to give yourself some decent approach shots into the greens. Most greens you could see, and if they had multiple tiers you had back stops or funnels you could play to in order to help out.
The back nine, while much more visually spectacular, was a much less enjoyable golf experience. The greens were much less accessible with a lot of uphill shots to mostly blind greens, tiny landing areas, lots of false fronts and many that just wouldn’t hold an approach shot from the distances you were coming in from. With no wind it might be a little fairer but with a stiff breeze, which I assume is the norm, several of the holes were almost unsolvable. And to top it off, when you did miss you were often severely penalized on your next shot. I was hitting the ball really good but on almost every hole on the back 9 I found myself either off the putting surface or 100 ft away. On 18, a blind uphill shot i over clubbed slightly to a back left pin and found myself on the back fringe. Playing back down the hill on a severe slope my chip slowly rolled 90 yards (yes yards) off the front and down the slope. I was so frustrated by that point I just picked up and called it a day.
Staff was great, condition was very good as well for this late in The season. Their November rates have to be the best thing going in Michigan if the weather is decent.
Overall I would say it is a must do for the spectacular scenery but I probably wouldnt go back.and do it again.

Played the course for the first time. It was an enjoyable experience but not one I could afford on a regular basis. It is challenging with some great views of Lake Michigan but I have played better courses for less money in Florida and South Carolina. $$$$$

To start, Arcadia Bluffs is easily the most beautiful and scenic golf course I've ever seen. The views of the lake and playing through the dunes are incredible and probably can't be had almost anywhere else in the country. This is a place where a five hour round would never bother you. This course is all about the views, so make sure you enjoy them while you're there. Make sure to take the time to enjoy the views from the tee boxes, many of which provide panoramic views of the property and offer great photo opportunities. Our group's caddie, Ethan, was also excellent and was among the best I've had at any resort or private club.
That being said, our group was a bit disappointed by the course conditions for our round. Two fairways had been recently aerated with the sod plugs not having been cleaned from the fairways. In many places, rough was either dead or extremely patchy and many of the course's trademark bunkers had crumbling sod walls. The biggest disappointment of the round was the 12th hole, which the course is moving due to erosion along the coast. This meant that the right side of the hole was fenced off and much of the hole had been stripped of sod. The course's greens were also much bumpier and pockmarked than the greens at the South Course just down the road. I certainly understand that this course is a money maker and many of these issues stem from the amount of play it receives, but we were hoping for a bit more from a course considered one of the 100 best in America.
Overall, at the $140 rate we paid to tee off just after 4:00 this course was an incredible value. The opportunity to play under the sunset coming off of the lake while the bagpiper played was an experience none of our foursome will ever forget. However, having been to the Bluffs once I'm not sure I would pay the standard $215 to play the course earlier in the day.

This course is a great attempt at making a golden age course that the public can play. Course conditions were firm and fast, and the greens were some of the fastest I've ever played. The conditions at the South Course were exceptional and were some of the best I've seen anywhere (I would consider them comparable to Valhalla or Victoria National). I would highly recommend a forecaddie for your first trip around the course, as there are multiple blind tee shots and it can be difficult to know where to place the ball on the greens due to their massive size and slopes.
As amazing as the conditions of the course were, the real stars of the course are the incredible green complexes. The greens feature severe slopes and most feature 3-4 large tiers or mounds. The imagination and skill demanded to play around these greens made for an entertaining day.

Arcadia Bluffs South is a very new golf course, that when it matures, it will provide a wonderful alternative to the Bluffs course. Great layout, long, but it does run firm and fast so it’s still playable. Wonderful RECTANGULAR greens that are firm, smooth, and fast. You will use every club in your bag, and it’s a fun layout. The staff is professional and very friendly. They have golf carts with GPS and this helps with a new course. Caddie’s are available, but I didn’t use one. The greens were hard and mostly unreceptive, but by next year they will be better. But HARD AND FAST is the true links experience, I just prefer a little softer greens (I don’t expect a parkland atmosphere, just no large bounces). I would certainly recommend this course and I will be returning!

Oh, and dinner in the restaurant was outstanding!

Arcadia Bluffs

I have been blessed to play some amazing golf courses (Bandon Dunes, Whistling Straits, Pebble Beach) and Arcadia Bluffs certainly holds their own in this group. What else do I need to say? This golf course is beautiful, challenging, fun, has outstanding conditions and is well worth the effort and the CA$H to play it. You will hit every club in your bag, with lots of elevation changes and wonderful greens. There are long par 5’s, short par 5’s; long par 4’s, short par 4’s; long par 3’s and short par 3’s. The greens are smooth, fast and wonderful. The sand is lovely, but STAY OUT OF THE DEEP BUNKER ON #10! This is a course that you could play EVERY DAY and not get bored. Do yourself a favor and reserve a caddie, it’s money well spent and both of my caddies were OUTSTANDING, and you will not regret the walk. The driving range was average, but there is a quality chipping area, and the putting green(s) and very representative of the course.

The entire inside and outside staff is friendly, professional and very knowledgeable. The merchandise in the pro shop is resort priced, but is of superior quality. I did not eat in the dining room, but I did enjoy a wonderful brat from the grill on the golf course. I WILL DEFINITELY RETURN TO PLAY HERE AGAIN and YOU SHOULD PLAY HERE TOO!

The Good: The South Course at Arcadia Bluffs is a beautifully-conditioned Dana Fry & Jason Straka homage to golf courses of yesteryear, particularly C.B. Macdonald’s Chicago Golf Club. With its huge, square green complexes and rectangular, church pew style sand bunkers scattered all over the place, its quite the sight. Excellent course conditions that present an opportunity for firm & fast conditions, the green complexes are the real challenge. Given that the greens are so large, the course can set up different golf courses with 6-8 various pin locations. Good Par 4’s and Par-5 variety, but the real showcase is the extremely demanding and fun Par-3’s. Similar in style and look to the original Arcadia Bluffs clubhouse, the South course’s amenities are top notch. Nice indoor dining area and quaint outdoor seating area with its own Adirondack chairs. One of the finest short game areas I’ve seen on a public course. GPS on carts is a nice plus. Decent value at $130 considering the cost of many other premier Midwestern resort courses.

The Bad: There’s not much change in elevation or variety in the designs, but this is easily forgotten once you step on the crazy green complexes. Some of the pin locations are absurdly difficult when we played and didn’t really allow for even the most skilled of golfers to hit shots close to the green. The greens putt perfectly but were almost too firm for the average weekend golfer. Lack of outdoor dining area, particularly during Covid-19, was a bummer.

The Verdict: While it doesn’t have the lake views of the cache of its older sibling, the South Course at Arcadia Bluffs was the pleasant surprise of my golf trip in 2020. The variety of the green complexes were the true standout and the main reason why many actually prefer to play this course more often than the Bluffs. A Top 5 Michigan course I’ve played.

Best Hole: Even though it led to a triple bogey, the Par-3 5th hole is an 190-yard demon that I can’t wait to play again. A very tough green that is hoisted well above the tee-area, its has a huge fall-off to the left if you miss the green.

The Good: Arcadia Bluffs is a mesmerizing design from William Henderson & Rick Smith, set upon the banks of Lake Michigan just south of Traverse City. You have views of the lake from almost every hole on this wonderful track, but even without the water this course would hold its own as one of the best in the Midwest. Easing into the round with a short, benign Par-5, you’re eventually thrust into as demanding a golf course as you will find in Michigan. Superb Par-3’s, particularly on the closing half and as good of a group of Par-5’s that I can remember. The holes of 10-13 are as a good a four-hole stretch as I’ve ever played. Superb course conditions and fun, undulating greens that are demanding yet fair. Absolutely beautiful clubhouse with stunning views of the lake from the 19th hole and very nice on-course amenities with GPS on carts, several half-way houses, and the bagpiper playing at sunset is a nice touch. Practice facility is top-notch (although a little out of the way from the course) & the staff will ensure you have a memorable experience. When you compare to Kohler and the inland Erin Hills, Arcadia Bluffs at $215 during peak season is a steal.

The Bad: Be prepared for a 5-hour round, no matter your tee-time at Arcadia Bluffs. We teed off at 4:10pm and barely got done by sunset. Some aspects of the routing are odd, particularly the 16th nudging right next to the clubhouse and then looping back for the final closing holes.

The Verdict: Arcadia Bluffs is the most stunning golf course I’ve ever played and the best public course I’ve encountered in the Midwest, just edging out Mammoth Dunes & Erin Hills. If you can catch for a twilight round or outside of peak season in the Spring or the Fall, its an incredible value. An incredible, overwhelming golf experience.

Best Hole: While there are many great holes, the long, downhill Par-5 11th may be the most visually spectacular golf hole I’ve ever played. Remember to take pictures!

I've wanted to play this course for years...and finally got a chance this past Sunday. Everything about this place is top-notch. I thought it was extremely playable too...the only issue I had was with some of the greens and the bunkers. Quite a few greens are a little ridiculous to try to putt (without knowing how they break) and a couple bunkers you literally cannot get out of because of the vertical wall in front of you.

Overall, the course was in phenomenal shape and every hole is a picture waiting to happen. I can't wait to play it again

JUst played Fathers Day. This was one of the few Top 100 public I had never played before, as it isn't exactly easy to get to, and its on the way to nowhere. But so glad I did.

GD put this as it no. 13 Public course, and I actually think that is underrating it. The land is incredible, and they did an excellent job with the routing. Thre were a couple of holes that reminded me directly of Shinnecock, and the hazards were just as puniching, but the elevations at Arcadia are more dramatic - more like Tralee.

The conditions were perfect. Was a bright, sunny hot day after the fog burned off, and the fairways and greens played crispy and fast - just like a links course should, and which is replicated at very few public courses in the country.

As for the rest of the customer experience, I thought the people there were great. Sat at the bar and had an excellent lunch (have the lobster bique) with those fantastic views. People sat around the 18th greem watching players finish. Its all really a great day, and compared to other courses whih can be considered a competitor, Arcadia Bluffs is a real bargain.

I may be suffeng from recency bias as I just played it, but I would actually put this course at no. 2 Public behind Pebble Beach, as much as I love Bandon and Kiawah.

Some notes:
1) Play as early as possible. Later rounds take forever, which is understandable onsdering how difficult this is for average golfers like us.

2) We played the other course too. Its really ineresting, its in great shape, and was fun to play. Having said that, if I ever make it back there, I'm playing 36 at the Bluffs before I play the South.

3) We also played the courses at Forest Dunes and Tullymore on this trip. Great golf, but make no mistake - Arcadia Bluffs is the star of the show.

Arcadia Bluffs is billed in the yardage guide as a true Irish links on American soil. I have never played golf in Ireland, but I have played in Scotland. The Bluffs course, and the similarities, made the hair on the back of my neck stand up merely three holes in. Why? A constant 25-30 mph wind. Blustery conditions. Cavernous bunkers that will not only swallow your ball, but you just the same. All that was missing were sheep.

The reality of bucket list golf is that more often than not, the expectation rarely lives up to the realization. There are a myriad of reasons: greens fee is too expensive, conditioning was underwhelming, 5 1/2-hour round, played horribly, Course was too hard or unfair. But not Arcadia Bluffs.

Golf Digest ranks it the 13th best public course in America, and I could argue that is too low. It is a crime that Golf.com has it No. 36.

The prevailing wind comes from the west off of Lake Michigan. Today, however, I encountered the direct opposite. It blew toward the lake, making some of the par 4s - like nos. 7, 14 and 18 - more like par 5s. The trade off was that normally tough holes, like the par-5 11th played downwind and was reached in two with 4-iron off the tee, followed by a 247-yard 5-iron that scooted the final 50 or so yards onto the green. Wind can make layup shots dicey and it will absolutely affect putts on these exposed greens, particularly the third.

The bunkering on the course steals the show. They pockmark the hillsides and litter the fairways. The sod-walled bunkers can be intimidating. None more than the one that protects the front-left greenside at No. 10. I swear it is 10-feet deep!

The beginning of the round allows for a quick start with three par 5s among the opening five holes, but it is the inward nine that will leave you longing to play here again.

Finally, I think I prefer Arcadia Bluffs to Whistling Straits. Both are similar. The Straits course has more holes on the water. Arcadia Bluffs, however, benefits from having a view of the lake from most holes, even if they aren’t on the water. I think the holes at AB are better designed and offer the more sensation of elevation change, which presents a sense of adventure.

At $130 through the end of May, I’m not sure I’ve encountered a better value for a top 15 public course.

Oh where to start? Arcadia, I wanted you to be great. I did. I wanted you to live up to the hype. I wanted you to overwhelm me. Unfortunately you did not. In fact, you underwhelmed me. I’ll start with the good: beautiful clubhouse, nice views, good practice area, great greens.

The bad: When you tell players your expected pace of play is 4:45 you’re just inviting them to play 5:30+ hour rounds...and guess what? They do. We teed off with what should have been plenty of time to finish before sunset only to be disappointed by darkness setting in on #16. But what about rangers you ask? Non-existant, a myth. Paid $140 for 16 holes, and it was by far the worst value of our trip.

Overpriced and terrible service? Check and check. We arrived an hour before our round, thinking that we had plenty of time to check out the clubhouse, pro shop, and grab some food before heading to the first tee. We go to the pro shop, intent on buying a bag tag as a souvenir. How much? $26. You’re kidding me right Arcadia. Royal County Down, you know, the #1 course in the world, charges $20. Royal Portrush, you know, host of the 2019 Open Championship, charges $18.

So we moved on from that and said hey lets grab some hot dogs. After being scoffed at by the bartender/waiter as if we were second class citizens (which everyone who worked there seemed to be condescending and aloof aside from the guy who provided transport from the parking lot to the clubhouse) we were charged $46 for 1 hot dog and 3 brats, which is, well, insane. A half hour goes by, which by the way at this point is getting very close to our tee time, and the items that take about 10 minutes to cook are still not out. I go ask about their status and am told “they’ll be out when they’re done.” Cool, thanks,. Finally got them about 10 minutes before our tee time, had to scarf them down, and then were told we would lose our spot if we did not get to the tee on time.

Lastly, the course is okay. Don’t get me wrong, it was in good condition (can’t say great because the walls of many bunkers are literally crumbling), but my main problem with Arcadia is that if you take this course, put it in the middle of the state, next to the Loop or Forest Dunes...it barely makes top 10 in the state and certainly does not rate ahead of either of the aforementioned. #s 11, 12, and 13 are all that you see in pictures and there are good views down to Lake Michigan on every hole...but it’s the same view: rich green fairways, brown fescue, and water beyond. Sunset was beautiful, but the water is so far down and removed from the course, there is no immediacy like you feel at say Pebble Beach, or even Bay Harbor, and because of where it is situated along the coastline (with no peninsula jutting out) there are no real views down the coast when you are on the lakeside holes. It’s a nice course, with a good layout, but for the steep fee they charge for everything, the poor service, the aloof attitude from their team members, and the downright terrible pace of play, it unfortunately fell at the bottom of the list of courses we played over the weekend which included (by order of over quality) The Loop, Bay Harbor, Forest Dunes, and Arthur Hills.

Arcadia, I wanted you to be great, I did, but you fell woefully short of that.

Challenging but fair Arcadia Bluffs sits on Lake Michigan and creates magic amongst the dunes. The real challenge is the approaches into greens. You can feel the inspiration from classic Links courses with huge pot bunkers, stunning seaside holes and tight fairways between the dunes. You will need all of your game when the wind blows. The course plays firm and fast and the greens are generous via the ground and the air. Many of my favorite holes are not even lakeside but the lakeside holes are stunning. As the waves lap against the beach you will feel like you are oceanside on the coast. The staff is very good especially the Marshals who often wait in fairways to show you where your ball is when wayward. The round will play slow but won't feel slow expect at least 5 hours, it is more about routing and find a lost ball we did not wait on the tee boxes. The Rangers are great, very friendly, helpful and keep the pace (they even mark your errant ball for you can find it faster.)

8 buddies on a golf trip thoroughly enjoyed the South course. Walked with caddies. Easy walk and a fun layout. Course and practice facilities were immaculate! Our caddies ( Travis & Ty) were really great. I’d definitely come back here again. My only complaint was that I requested individual caddies for each person in our group. When we checked in we were told we would only have 3 caddies. Only 2 caddies showed up.

8 buddies on a golf trip got beat up by The Bluffs. One of the nicest courses we’ve ever played in our 10 year golf trip history. With that said, it beat the crap out of us...twice. Especially the back 9. Also, pace of play is reallllly slow. The starter tells you the pace is 4:45 but it took us 5:20. Even with the slow pace, our group agreed we would return. Play the appropriate tees for sure. If you don’t hit it far, play the whites. Thanks Arcadia Bluffs for an awesome time!!!!