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4.2
46 Reviews (46)
5 Stars
37
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5
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2
1 Stars
2
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.8
Layout
2.8
Friendliness
4.9
Pace
3.1
Amenities
4.7
97.5%
Recommend this course
42 out of 46 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Public/Resort
Style Links
Par 72
Length 7300 yards
Slope 146
Rating 75.7

Course Details

Year Built 1999
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season April 1st - November 14th
Architect Rick Smith (1999) Warren Henderson

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes
GPS Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill, Restaurant

Lodging

Lodging Available

Accolades

Reviews

4.2
46 Reviews (46)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
19th Hole Scenic Views 12
Patio Dining 11
Dinner 10
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 13
Elevation Changes 12
Undulating Greens 12
This course/club is great for:
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 14
Advanced Golfers 12
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 11
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 11

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

I have a love hate relationship with this course

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.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Played On
Reviews 103
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Idaho Advisor
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Stunning views and some pretty good golf as well...

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.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Spectacular views, disappointed in the layout

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.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

From a Virginia golfer

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. $$$$$

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Don't Forget Your Camera

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.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 27
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Don’t pass up Arcadia Bluffs, it’s a gem

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!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 168
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Chicago Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Arcadia Bluffs - A Stunning Northern Lake Michigan Oasis

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!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Outstanding!

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

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Outstanding

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.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 310
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Birmingham Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Arcadia Bluffs exceeds high expectations

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.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Overhyped and Overpriced

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.

Conditions Good
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 07/23/2020

Your review is obviously a total disregard.... Steep fee? $140? Pebble Beach is a 6 hour round and over $600... Whistling Straits is at least 5 hours and with caddie is over $600.... Not sure if you noticed also Arcadia has 5 par 5's and 5 par 3's which automatically make it slow! If you had a bad experience that is one thing but a rating of 1??? You obviously don't get around much!!!

Played On
Reviews 38
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
D C Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Amazing Must Play Course

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.)

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 47
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

The Bluffs - incredibly amazing but bring your A++++ game

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!!!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Evening at Arcadia Bluffs

2nd time to play here. Course is awesome, a great golf experience. My only advice is to plan on a 5 hour round and make sure you tee off early enough to get done before sunset. We didn't tee off until 4:40 and played the last hole in the dark. A little over 5 hour round. Waited on pretty much every shot. Go early and enjoy the scenery after the round. Also, play the South Course. It is a lot of fun.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

An amazing course that will absolutely live up to expectations. You cannot beat the views here, and the design and layout are top-notch. It is expensive, but it's honestly worth the price of admission. You will not soon forget your round here, and from the moment you drive up to the club house you'll be blown away by the views. I'd rate this one better than Whistling Straights, though not as difficult (thankfully).

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Scottish-like Course in Michigan

This is the third time I have played this course (4th of July) and it is truly exceptional. The views are amazing and the conditions are just as good. While the fairways are fairly wide and the rough is fairly deep, the course has deep fescue outside of that and a wayward drive will punish you. There are several blind tee shots so hitting at the aiming posts is key.

Combining the wind, tough course layout, and long drives (if you play from the back tees) the pace of play can be quite slow. Unfortunately, my group was stuck behind a foursome that spent 10 minutes looking for fescue shots, putting 1 foot putts, waiting to try and hit every par 5 in two but duffing the second shot. We asked the staff to urge them to play a little bit quicker but with no luck, a 4 hour and 15 minute round turned into a 5 hour and 30 minute round. With the sunshine and beautiful views it wasn't too bad.

The restaurant has indoors and outdoors and the outdoor seating is awesome and the indoor has a great view as well and the food is very good. We were very lucky in that the night we went, they had a bagpiper come out and play at sunset.

I would definitely recommend playing this course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wonderful Experience

Great layout and great course. Staff was great with check in and directions to practice areas and the first hole. After your round the locker room has a great changing and shower area! Generous fairways, but you can stray far!
They do have caddies, but I was paired with a local who know the course very well!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 100
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Denver Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

The Epitome of Golf in America

Arcadia Bluffs is American Golf Incarnate: You take a Cart (you can get a caddie, but I think that the course would be a far cry from an easy walk as there are a few green to tee transitions that are not short), because its on the water it is called a links, but it does not play like one at all (like Pebble, Whistling Straits, etc), The views are Fantastic, The off course amenities are top class, the round will take about 4.5 hours, you need to hit it high and straight, the design is mostly penal as trouble is everywhere. I am glad we had a day without wind as I can picture this place being a multi-sleeve round if the wind is up. Spent plenty of time searching for partners balls without wind; fairways can be quite tight on the back nine.
Now, you might be saying that the previous list sounds perfect to you and that is why Arcadia is doing well. I enjoyed my round and the day. Off the course, they have everything you need to get ready in a practice range and short game area. They have multiple restaurants, a terrace and an area with deck chairs to watch sunset complete with bagpiper. You can also watch people come in on the 18th. The experience is definitely 5 star. From what I understand, the lodging is too.
The course itself is set on cliffs high above Lake Michigan. The routing enables you to revisit the water on multiple occasions and the views are quite spectacular. The only negative of the course is the handful of tight fairways. The layout itself does present some shot options off the tee, plenty of bunkers, some elevated greens and greens which have some contour and plenty of sections divided by ridges, contour, etc. There are half pars on both sides on the par 4s. The par 3s are not redundant, play in all directions and demand accuracy. They also vary in length. You will definitely need your sand game and short game ready as the rough around the greens is tall and plenty of misses will find you with semi-blind uphill shots. A very good course.
Over all,I wish I could give 4.5 stars as it is deserving of it. Between the Bluffs and the South Course, Arcadia offers two courses that are very different and I find that to be a great thing. If you are a golfer seeking to play in Michigan, Arcadia and Forest Dunes should be your first two destinations.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

Wet Day at Arcadia

A buddy and I traveled to MI to play Arcadia and Forest Dunes. The play really is special, it's beautiful and picturesque. The clubhouse is nice, but I didn't think the bar area is anything super special, so I'm not giving a 5 star for the amenities, b/c the clubhouse was beautiful but not captivating. The pro shop was fine but they need to get someone a bit younger or with better style to work on their shirts and hats, most were extremely lame and SUPER expensive. The logo isn't good, just doesn't look good on a shirt or clothing item. I was disappointed b/c I couldn't force myself to buy even a hat that I thought was stylish. The course itself is fantastic... great challenges, excellent conditions, the views, oh the views. The sad part for us was that it rained by hole 7 and we played in really cold and wet conditions through the back 9. It was difficult to fully appreciate the place b/c we were, well... wet and cold. That obviously has some bearing on my opinion of the place. The only layout fault was that multiple par 3's were the same length from the white tees, 160 yards. We paid $215 to play here and didn't have an option due to location to stop our round, although the pro shop offered us 18 holes the following 2 days but we couldn't swing it. I would play here again but at the $215 price tag it made me wonder how many great courses were around with similar topography that are MUCH better values, we passed about 10 courses on the way there. I would likely play some of the other courses in the area before spending big on this one, but if you haven't played it you should do it for the experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

The Loon Golf Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
GAYLORD | Enjoy up to 3 nights' accommodations at The Loon Resort’s Lodges at The Ridge and up to 4 rounds of golf at The Loon Golf Resort - Lakes, Loon, & Ridge Courses.

Destination Kohler - To Dye Four Golf Package

FROM $557 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake and 4 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River & Meadow Valley Courses) and Whistling Straits (Straits & Irish Courses).

SentryWorld Stay & Play Package

FROM $347 (USD)
STEVENS POINT, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The Inn at SentryWorld and 2 rounds of golf at SentryWorld Golf Course (site of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open).

Destination Kohler - Champions' Trail Golf Package

FROM $617 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn at Woodlake and 3 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River or Meadow Valleys Course) and Whistling Straits (Straits or Irish Course)

SW Michigan Golf Around Package

FROM $127 (USD)
GRAND RAPIDS/KALAMAZOO | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at Quality Inn – Battle Creek and 3 rounds of golf at The Medalist Golf Club, Angel’s Crossing Golf Club, and The Grande Golf Club.
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