Forest Dunes & The Loop - Roscommon, Michigan

Golf

Oct 19

One of the best weekends of the year and by far the most anticipated weekend of the year is my yearly buddies’ golf trip. The group chat lasts all year with golf memes, analysis of each round you play, and then of course the planning of groceries & booze as we get closer to the trip. This was the 3rd year of our trip and the first one to a golf resort. In past years we would get an Airbnb and then travel each day to a different local course. While this is definitely a great way to do a buddi’s golf trip (especially if you are trying to do it on a budget) heading to a golf resort is truly an elevated experience.

A golf resort will have multiple courses for you to play during the trip and will also offer on-site lodging. You may have heard of some of the large golf resorts: Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, and Bandon Dunes but a newer resort in Michigan is quickly becoming one of the top golf destinations in the country. Forest Dunes Golf Club in Roscommon, MI is just a 5-hour drive from the west side of Cleveland (and 5.5 hours from Chicago) and the perfect location for a midwest buddies trip. With 3 golf courses and on-site housing for up to 8 guys, Forest Dunes has everything you need for your trip. Once you arrive on the property you do not need to get in the car again and are able to walk to the first tee or call the course for a golf cart to pick you up.

We originally booked this trip because Forest Dunes has 3 courses on-site plus a 10-hole short course. Let me tell you, they are all fantastic! The Forest Dunes course is located off the back porch of the clubhouse and is an 18-hole parkland-style course. With comparisons to two of the top-ranked courses in the world (Augusta National & Pine Valley) The Forest Dunes course is the #33 ranked public golf course in America by Golf Digest.

Across the clubhouse parking lot, you will find the most unique and fun course I have ever played (actually courses). The Loop is a reversible golf course with 18 greens that play in different directions every other day. This Tom Doak design is a links-style course that plays very differently in each direction. The Black routing plays clockwise around the course and was my favorite direction, it is ranked as the #59 public course in America by Golf Digest. The Red routing plays counterclockwise and is the #78 ranking public course in America by Golf Digest. The routings are so different with the bunkering & green entrances that it truly feels like you are on a different course from one day to the next. If you come to Forest Dunes you have to spend the night experiencing The Loop in both directions.

To put a cherry on top of all the great golf already offered here, there is the 10-hole Bootlegger short course. This is the perfect way to end the day after your 18-hole round. We played as an 8 some with our shoes off and some beverages in hand. The round on the Bootlegger was by far the most fun round of the trip. They also have a putting course but we did not make it there.

This trip was so great that we booked it again for next year and if you are looking for an A+ golf experience I highly recommend booking your trip at Forest Dunes before this golf paradise gains mainstream popularity. Please reach out to us if you are looking for assistance booking your next golf trip.