Low Handicap Golf

By Low Handicap Golf | Updated May 2026

Michigan doesn’t get the national golf attention it deserves. You hear about Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Bandon Dunes — all great, no argument. But if you live within a day’s drive of the Mitten State and you haven’t made a northern Michigan golf trip, you’re leaving some of the finest public golf in America on the table. Michigan leads the entire country in number of public golf courses — 748 and counting — and the quality at the top of that list competes with any golf destination on the continent.

I’ve been fortunate enough to play up and down this state for years, from the lakeside bluffs in Arcadia to the dunes of Grand Haven to the pine-framed fairways in Gaylord. Some of these courses are bucket-list destinations. Some are hidden gems that punch way above their price tag. All ten of them are worth loading up the car for.

Here are the ten Michigan golf courses you need to play — along with honest assessments of difficulty, who they suit best, and what you’ll realistically pay to play them.

1. Arcadia Bluffs — Bluffs Course | Arcadia, MI

Greens Fees: $125–$265 (peak season) | Difficulty: Challenging | Best for: Serious golfers, bucket-list trippers

If you only play one Michigan golf course in your lifetime, it should be this one. The Bluffs Course at Arcadia Bluffs sits on 245 acres overlooking 3,100 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline, and from the moment you step onto the first tee the experience is unlike anything else in the Midwest. The course plays like a genuine seaside links — fescue-covered dunes, revetted sod-face bunkers, wide sandy waste areas, and greens that can be maddeningly tricky when the wind comes off the lake.

Regularly ranked among America’s Top 100 Public Courses, the Bluffs stretches to 7,404 yards from the tips with a par of 72, but the middle tees at 6,535 yards offer a genuinely satisfying challenge for most handicap levels. The 12th hole — a par four played along the shoreline atop the bluffs — is one of the most photographed holes in Midwest golf, and for good reason. Stay at the on-site lodge if you can. The combination of the accommodations, the sunset views from the course, and the overall experience makes this one of the best stay-and-play destinations in the country.

2. Forest Dunes — Tom Weiskopf Course | Roscommon, MI

Greens Fees: ~$160–$235 (plus cart) | Difficulty: Challenging | Best for: Serious golfers, golf trip groups

Deep in the Huron National Forest, about 90 minutes southeast of Traverse City, Forest Dunes is one of Michigan’s crown jewels — and Golf Digest ranks the Weiskopf course among the top 25 public courses in the entire country. The front nine winds through corridors of red and white pines in classic parkland style. Then the back nine opens up into something that genuinely recalls Pine Valley — exposed native sand areas, scrubby underbrush, and dramatic risk-reward decisions that demand your full attention.

The 17th is a par four measuring just 302 yards that plays through dramatic native dunes. You can go for it or you can lay back. Both options are terrifying in their own way. The fact that Forest Dunes also has The Loop (Tom Doak’s reversible masterpiece), Bootlegger (a 10-hole par-3 short course), and excellent on-site lodging makes it the single best multi-day golf destination in the state for the dedicated player.

3. The Loop at Forest Dunes | Roscommon, MI

Greens Fees: ~$160–$235 (plus cart) | Difficulty: Moderate–Challenging | Best for: Architecture enthusiasts, bucket-list golfers

Two courses from the same resort on this list — and both earn it. The Loop is Tom Doak’s North American masterpiece and one of the most genuinely unique playing experiences in golf. It’s a fully reversible course: the same 18 greens and fairways are played counterclockwise one day (the Red routing) and clockwise the next (the Black routing). Every hole changes completely depending on which direction you’re playing. The concept is drawn from the earliest links courses of Scotland, and Doak’s execution is brilliant.

Some golfers love The Loop immediately. Others need a second round to fully appreciate it. Either way, it’s unlike anything else you’ll ever play. Book a stay-and-play package and get both directions in over two days — that’s the correct way to experience this course.

4. American Dunes Golf Club | Grand Haven, MI

Greens Fees: ~$195–$220 (standard) | Difficulty: Challenging | Best for: Serious golfers, veterans and military (special rates available)

Jack Nicklaus took the former Grand Haven Golf Club — a wooded, decades-old design — and transformed it into something spectacular. He cleared the trees, opened up the property, and sculpted a heaving lunar landscape of sand dunes and dramatic green complexes that bears almost no resemblance to what stood there before. The result is a course that plays through wide sand barrens with large, boldly shaped putting surfaces, and a variety of hole shapes and angles that keeps every round feeling fresh.

American Dunes also has a story worth knowing: the club donates over $1 million annually to the Folds of Honor Foundation, which supports the families of injured and fallen military members. Veterans and first responders receive significant discounts on their rounds. It’s a special place to play for all kinds of reasons.

5. Bay Harbor Golf Club | Bay Harbor, MI

Greens Fees: ~$100–$195 | Difficulty: Moderate–Challenging | Best for: All handicap levels, group golf trips, scenery seekers

Bay Harbor Golf Club, part of the Boyne Golf family, offers 27 holes divided across three nines — The Links, The Quarry, and The Preserve — each dramatically different from the others. The Links nine plays along the shoreline of Lake Michigan with sweeping bluff views. The Quarry winds through a 40-foot shale gorge with stone cliffs, natural ponds, and a waterfall. The Preserve meanders through hardwood forest and wetlands. Playing any combination of 18 gives you two completely different golf experiences in one round.

Bay Harbor is also one of the most accessible courses on this list for a range of skill levels — it’s challenging without being punishing, and the scenery carries you through any rough stretches. For a golf group that includes a mix of serious players and occasional golfers, Bay Harbor is hard to beat as a destination everyone will enjoy.

6. Boyne Highlands — The Heather | Harbor Springs, MI

Greens Fees: ~$70–$130 | Difficulty: Moderate–Challenging | Best for: Mid-to-low handicappers, resort golf

Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed The Heather at Boyne Highlands back in the 1960s, and it remains the flagship of the Boyne Golf operation more than half a century later — which tells you something about the quality of the design. Tree-lined fairways, demanding approach shots, and the elevated terrain of Harbor Springs create a course that tests every part of your game without beating you into submission.

The Highlands complex includes four courses total — The Heather, The Donald Ross Memorial, The Arthur Hills, and The Moor — which makes it one of the best multi-course destinations in northern Michigan. Rates are reasonable relative to the Arcadia Bluffs and Forest Dunes tier, and the resort infrastructure means you can make a full weekend of it without blowing the budget.

7. Belvedere Golf Club | Charlevoix, MI

Greens Fees: ~$65–$95 | Difficulty: Moderate | Best for: Mid handicappers, golfers who appreciate classic design

Belvedere is technically semi-private — they offer public tee times — and that accessibility makes it one of the most rewarding course discoveries in Michigan. Designed in 1927 and routed through rolling terrain above Charlevoix with views of Round Lake and Lake Michigan in the distance, Belvedere has the kind of unhurried, classic character that you don’t find in modern resort courses. Mature trees, natural contours, and old-school green complexes reward thoughtful play over raw power.

It’s not the longest or most dramatic course on this list, but the conditions are consistently excellent and the pace of play is refreshingly smooth. If you’re building a northern Michigan golf trip and want a value-priced round with genuine charm between your high-end tee times, Belvedere is that course.

8. Arcadia Bluffs — South Course | Arcadia, MI

Greens Fees: $95–$175 | Difficulty: Moderate–Challenging | Best for: All handicap levels, architecture enthusiasts

The South Course at Arcadia Bluffs is a tribute to the design tradition of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor — architects whose work in the early 20th century influenced nearly every great course built since. Designed by Dana Fry and Jason Straka, the South Course features template holes modeled on some of the greatest designs in history: Redan par threes, Cape holes, Biarritz greens. It’s a more playable and walkable experience than the Bluffs Course but no less interesting strategically.

If you’re making the trip to Arcadia — and you should — play both courses. The Bluffs Course is the visual spectacle. The South Course is the architectural puzzle. Together they make Arcadia Bluffs one of the most complete golf destinations in the country.

9. The Fortress | Frankenmuth, MI

Greens Fees: ~$45–$80 | Difficulty: Moderate | Best for: Mid handicappers, golfers in southeast/central Michigan, value seekers

Named the best public golf course in Michigan for 2026 by independent rankings, The Fortress in Frankenmuth is the state’s best value destination and one of the finest courses you’ll find for under $80 anywhere in the Midwest. The design features stone fortress architecture, a distinctive European character, and excellent conditioning throughout. It’s not a bucket-list trek to northern Michigan — Frankenmuth is an easy drive for golfers from the Detroit or Saginaw areas — but the quality-to-price ratio is outstanding.

For a local course that punches well above its greens fee, The Fortress is the kind of place you play once and immediately book again. It’s also a great warm-up destination before a northern Michigan golf trip when you want to get the rust off without spending $200 on your first round.

10. Treetops Resort — Signature Course | Gaylord, MI

Greens Fees: ~$60–$115 | Difficulty: Challenging | Best for: Low handicappers, golfers who enjoy elevation, groups staying in Gaylord

Gaylord is Michigan’s self-proclaimed “Golf Mecca,” and with good reason — the area has more quality courses per square mile than almost anywhere in the state. Treetops Resort anchors that concentration with four courses on property, and the Rick Smith Signature Course is the standout: elevated tees, dramatic valley shots, and sweeping views across the northern Michigan tree line that are genuinely breathtaking in late summer and fall.

The Signature plays to 6,832 yards from the tips with elevation changes that make club selection a genuine mental exercise — what looks like a 170-yard shot can play 10 yards shorter when you’re hitting from 40 feet above the green. Fall foliage rounds at Treetops are a Michigan golf experience worth putting on the calendar specifically.

Planning Your Michigan Golf Trip: What to Know

When to go: Peak season runs June through September. October offers spectacular fall foliage but be prepared for wind and some course closures. Shoulder season (late May, early June) can deliver excellent conditions with lower rates.

Where to base yourself: Traverse City is the ideal hub for northern Michigan golf — a 90-minute drive in most directions covers Arcadia Bluffs, Forest Dunes, Boyne Highlands, Bay Harbor, and Belvedere. Book accommodation early for July and August weekends, especially if you’re targeting Arcadia.

Which courses to prioritize: For a first northern Michigan golf trip, the essential three are Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs Course), Forest Dunes, and Bay Harbor. Add American Dunes if you’re near Grand Haven. The other courses on this list reward repeat visitors who want to explore beyond the obvious bucket-list stops.

Booking advice: Arcadia Bluffs and Forest Dunes tee times in peak season go quickly — book as far out as the reservation system allows, particularly for midsummer weekends.

Final Thoughts

Michigan golf rewards the golfer who makes the trip. The courses at the top of this list compete with the best public golf anywhere in the country, and the scenery — Lake Michigan sunsets, northern forest corridors, sand dune landscapes — is a bonus you won’t find in most golf destinations. Whether you’re planning a solo pilgrimage up north or organizing a group trip, any combination of courses on this list will deliver a golf experience worth the drive.

The Mitten State doesn’t need more recognition. But it deserves it.

Low Handicap Golf may earn a commission through affiliate links on this page at no additional cost to you. Course details, greens fees, and rankings are based on current publicly available information and are subject to change — always confirm pricing directly with the course before booking.