Forest Dunes

Forest Dunes is Golf Digests number 25 public course (and has been ranked in the top 100 since 2007). The course certainly deserves the ranking and the round I had there was great (Note I said “the round,” not “my play”… that’s an important distinction); however, the golf is not what I will remember the most. The best part, hands down, of my visit to Roscommon was the service and attention we received from the staff. This is difference-making, plan-you-trip-around-it level service.

One quick example: we are on a long (golf) road trip (50 rounds in 50 states in 50 days) and had commented (online) about the logistical issues related to planning “laundry days” during the trip. Noticing this and without being asked, the staff at Forest Dunes made arrangements for us to be able to do laundry while staying on property. It’s simple, but it’s little “attention to detail” things like this that bring you back to a destination spot. This was just one of several times when the observant and pro-active staff exceeded not just our expectations; but any imaginary notions of service we might have entertained. Everyone we met at Forest Dunes was enthusiastically engaging.

And then there was the golf. I’d say I played 18 holes of great golf, but that would imply two things that are incorrect 1) that I had played well and 2) that I had played 18 holes. Forest Dunes has a “bye” (or bonus) 19th hole; a short par 3 over water playing about 97 yards on average to a green with a bunker in the dead center of it. It’s just another example of the course going the extra mile (or in this case the extra 20th of one).

The course layout is terrific with essentially two different looks. The front nine is forested and light on waste areas and bunkers while the back is links’ish with a much more open look and vast amounts of waste. Holes 12 and 14 on the back play and look a little more like the front but for the most part the looks are consistent, front and back.

As I was a bit errant with my tee shots today, I was pleased to find that many of the waste areas are easily played out of. I also benefitted from playing in the spring when the grasses hadn’t fully come in yet; there was at least one ball I was able to play that my partner said would have been unplayable later in the year. There is only water on 5 holes (6 if you count #19) but it is very much in play on each of the holes that has it.

The course does not have a great deal of elevation change, however they use a variety of design elements to keep the track both challenging and interesting. One of the things I particularly liked was the lack of penalty for a “pretty good” shot (many courses tend to tilt their fairways, for example, so that only very good shots leave a player on even footing with the ball, I tend to view this as “too much”). Forest Dunes will certainly bite you for making a bad shot, but the less than perfect nature of a “decent shot” is not unnecessarily compounded.

There are also a couple holes which are set up to force the player to make a decision on how to attack the green. I’ve played lots of courses with split greens of one fashion or another, but few of them are as demanding when it comes to thinking through your approach. The aptly named “Gamble” 6th hole is a great example of this. With a shorter more direct route - which requires a 200 yard carry over a fairway wide bunker - to the green on the right and a longer, but much safer off the tee, path to the left; the player can choose their level of risk/reward tolerance.

Other features are the drivable par 4 17th (I hit a 189 yard 6 iron from the “II” tees to about 75 yards) and another spilt fairway choice (shorter and narrower vs. longer and wider) on a #10 hole bearing the moniker “Decision.” The course is also easily walked which, for me, really enhances the round.

Forest Dunes is a great course and an even better experience. My wife and I have already discussed returning for a two (or three) day stay in order to play the new Loop course (a completely reversible course that switches direction every other day) and get in another round at the Dunes. We will almost certainly be back and can’t recommend making the trip out to play this track strongly enough.

Hilarious course.. maybe it was because it is brand new.. Even our caddies didn't know what was going on. Some cool designed holes but the severity of the greens will crush people. Not really that fun to play.

The high handicaps that I played with did not finish several holes.. Love the layout ..

This was my first time playing here, but certainly not the last! I was fortunate enough to play it last summer during preview play. The course was very firm (the greens may have been some of the firmest I've ever putted on), and sometimes the bounces were a bit unfair, but hey, that's golf! The one thing I would improve is the native area off the fairway. Although the fairways were very wide, they were very firm. One of us would hit a drive, and we would think it was perfect, but it would go bounding into the native area, where we spent a lot of time looking for lost golf balls. Overall, I think the course was a little rough around the edges, but it certainly lived up to all the hype!

Forest Dunes is IMO the best public course in MI. The layout is a very manageable and enjoyable walk . The variety of holes make the round very memorable. The front nine plays through the woods massaging players to shape the ball both ways off the tee, the memorable par 4 5th is a great "choose your route" hole that makes it very playable. The back nine then routes out into dunes style terrain. the driveable par 4 (#17, a Weiskopf Design Staple) is a great risk reward hole which can help your scorecard prior to the lengthy par 5 18th. the Bye Hole is a wonderful final 19th hole, designed to help settle four-some bets that is a great way to end the round. The entire facility (lodging, clubhouse, practice) is *****. DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE ON YOU NORTHERN MICHIGAN GOLF TRIPS

I played the Red then the Black. Couldn't believe I was on the same course. The look of each hole changed completely from the new direction. Doak's creative genius is on display here at every turn. The fairways are wide (28 to 55 yards wide). There is no rough. Extreme rough (10 to 18 inch tall sparse heather) boarders every fairway. Balls in the extreme rough are generally findable and recovery with a pitch out is recommended. Bunkers are strategic. They are in all the right places and many would be classed as extreme. Approach shots should be hit with care. You must be very tidy when running up to these greens. In true links style, balls hit to land on the green will bounce and roll off the back into places that are intended to make recovery very challenging. For a North American course the greens are as fast and firm as you will find. General conditions allow for Stimpmeter readings of 10"8" and more.

Mr. Doak has incorporated two unique green complex features that play completely differently on the Red and the Black. There are two Biarritz green complexes and on Black number 15 you will find a PERFECT Redan par 3.

The staff is outstanding! Every member will make sure your visit to Forest Dunes is a fond memory.

Take the time to enjoy this Genius Course in both directions. You will be amazed!

We took the last tee time available and because of the slow play we had to quit after fifteen holes because of darkness. Loved the course and want to go back at earlier tee time and have dinner there.

Have been looking forward to my first trip around the Loop ever since the first shovel hit the ground. It definitely exceeds my expectations. This is the first course I have played in Michigan with no rough. The fairways are accommodating but the greens and the junk are the courses defense. The greens are quick and undulating, no two are alike. The junk is thick and sturdy. You may find your ball in it, but you may not be able to hit it. Keep it in the fairway and get your approach close and you will score well. Thanks to the crew at FD for opening this up for preview play this summer. No question this will be one of the best new courses in America!

I was fortunate to be one of the few people to play The Loop, Red and Black, during the preview play that is currently happening. The design is fantastic!! Even though there are only 18 greens, the Red and Black are 2 very different golf courses. The fairways are very forgiving, so you better bring your A game when it comes to short game and putting!! Loved it!! When it completely grows in, Red and Black will rival the best courses in Michigan. Including its neighbor, Forest Dunes. Can't wait to play them all next year!!

Aaron

Houston, TX

One of the most beautiful places I’ve EVER played golf. It’s worth the drive and you will NOT be disappointed. The LOOP is one of the coolest concepts in golf, and I would highly recommend a “Stay and Play” package where you can play the Black and Red courses on back-to-back days!!!

The hype about this course is just that. I heard another golfer talking about it on the phone and called it "gimmicky." An apt description.

They opened this course for play too soon. It is NOT ready for play. The fairways basically are cross corn rows of grass in many areas that have not grown in. Beneath the grass everywhere are small pebbles in the dirt. The fairways are very hard. You can take a shallow divot, and the ball will roll out a good distance if you keep the ball on line. Of course, that also means if you are not on line, they tend to roll in to the "hazard" areas lining the fairway as there is no rough. To imagine the immaturity of the course conditions, just imagine a course you have played that is in decline and no longer maintained and you have a pretty good idea of this course's condition.

Greens are rock hard. I saw approach shots bounce 8 to 10 feet into the air and barely make a dent in the green. That doesn't mean they are super fast. They are reasonably fast, but not as fast as the greens on the Forest Dunes original course. And they roll true for the most part even though they are sometimes difficult to read accurately.

The course is walking only, and I understand it will always be walking only due to the nature of its reversibility. They are concerned with players driving carts into unseen bunkers facing the opposite direction from the direction the players are playing. The caddie fee is fairly typical of other courses. Of course you can play without a caddie and carry your clubs or use a pull cart, but the knowledge of the more experienced caddies is helpful to more experienced players in navigating the course especially with where to approach the greens given their non-receptiveness to your wedge shot. If you decide to use a caddy, request an experienced caddy. They have experienced caddies and high school or college kids with little or no experience. We had both. There is a difference. If you want a good caddy, ask for Jeremy if you insist on playing this course.

There are NO facilities on the course currently other than a porta potty after the 9th hole. I don't know what the future plans are for this. Also there was no drinking water on the course except an Igloo jug of water after #9 which was TOTALLY USELESS as there were no cups to drink it. It was a fairly warm day when we played, and we would have appreciated having the water. There was a beverage cart stationed after one of the holes to catch golfers who pass by, but it wasn't on the course until we reached it around hole #12 on only one of the two days we played. HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO PLACE ICE CHESTS WITH BOTTLED WATER STRATEGICALLY AROUND THE COURSE? FOR A FEW DOLLARS, THEY COULD PUT BOTTLED WATER AT EACH LOCATION. OR THEY COULD AT LEAST LET YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE THAT YOU NEED TO CARRY YOUR OWN--WHICH WE DID ON OUR SECOND ROUND PLAYING THE COURSE IN REVERSE..

The course has wide rolling fairways. It looked like it was carved out of a corn field. It reminded me of several courses I have played that also lack any character or aesthetic appeal. There are a few interesting holes such as #18 on the black course which plays uphill from the tee box with a dogleg to the right. It is hard to pick out holes to describe as they are monotonously similar. The best way to distinguish them are the greens. Some of them also are gimmicky like #6 or #11--which was it-- that had a valley running through it. I asked my playing partner which hole it was on and he couldn't remember it either. His response was: "It's hard to remember as there was nothing memorable or remarkable to distinguish the holes. There are no water hazards on the course, and while there are many bunkers on the course, I never landed in one, my partner landed in only one, and I can't remember the other players being in more than one or two. This suggests to me that they weren't that strategically placed to add the difficulty of the course. I kind of feel sorry for Lew Thompson having invested so much in a course that I think ultimately will not add to the draw of Forest Dunes which I have raved about to anyone who would listen over the last 5 years.

The concept of a reversible course was intriguing which is why we played it. Neither of us would play it again or recommend it to anyone else, and this course is definitely NOT bucket list golf. There are many more memorable courses in the area such as at the Tree Tops Resort and Shanty Creek Resort. I suggest you not waste your time or money. I look at as 7 hours I will never get back.

I play here every year. The place is perfect. Don't change a thing.

Awesome course with a great staff. Practice facility is something out of tour stop. Depending on the time of year you better have bug spray cause you will need it.

Can't say much bad about a course so far north and they do not use the rough winter as an excuse for the greens. I am hoping the price come down when the loop opens so I can play it annually. Got a good deal on golf now so I am happy. Enjoyed the range prior to round. Good Experiance.

Great practice facility, staff are amazing and all around a great course for all skill levels. Greens are fast and true. The only negative thing i would say about this course is bugs... Tons of bugs. Bring your bug spray and you'll be good. Definitely will come back again

Great playable layout! In great shape for this time of year. Enjoyed the range/practice area. Friendly, welcoming staff. Played on a Monday afternoon- great pace of play. I could sit outside the clubhouse for hours after finishing that 19th hole. This certainly will become a great destination golf resort with the completion of "the loop" and future projects. Bugs were an issue but did not bite, just annoying at times. Looking forward to returning.

A review of Forest Dunes is superfluous at this point, but just to pile some gravy on the rave reviews.

A must play course in Michigan. Top notch practice facilities, friendly and knowledgeable staff, a beverage/snack cart seemingly on every hole, true greens and a layout that is very aesthetically pleasing. There is not a blade of grass or grain of sand on this course that has not been mulled over and maintained impeccably.

Highly recommend and will be back next year

I know aerating is necessary but charging that much when the greens and fairways were aerated is a rip off

Hosted a Ryder cup style event. 4 rounds over 2 days.
Nothing about our trip to Forest Dunes disappointed. Course conditions were just as advertised. Greens were lightning fast. Couple of green structures were a bit ridiculous (#5 & #15) for par 5s but overall they were very fun to putt on. Course was actually a little more open off tee than I thought which was nice. Some very cool strategic holes (#6, #8, #10 & #12). Loved 3 finishing holes - strong par 3, drive-able par 4 then reachable par 5 with water left in play.

Most impressive thing about trip was the service of all the staff - treated group as if we were members all weekend which was appreciated.

Resort homes we stayed in were great for group our size. The lodge and new golf villas also looked awesome from outside.

Will definitely make a return trip. Only 2 1/2 hours from Detroit area is nice bonus

Played on a Thursday at 3pm for 100 bux. That's a pretty good deal for this course. Club house is beautiful. Everyone from the guy at check in to the ranger were very nice.
Course is two different nines. The front is Forest and the back is dunes. I enjoyed the variety of holes-very pretty holes with water as well. My favorite thing about this course was the greens. Very fast but rolled true. Very playable course-pretty open fairways but approach shots to greens were well guarded.
We ate dinner at the club house after the golf and it was awesome. Very good service and even better food.
Can't wait to come back and play here when the new course is up and running!

The course is beautifully manicured. The greens are smooth and fast. The problem is the price. The Grayling/Gaylord area of northern Michigan is full of finely manicured courses. Nothing here really puts this course above those. I paid $149.00 and could've found similar golf within 25 miles for $80.00.