Forest Dunes Golf Club

My wife and I played July 1st, teed off at 10:37 and finished with the 19th hole (yes they actually have a par 3 with a sand trap in the middle of the green to play after the round to "settle all bets") in 4 hours 10 minutes. Course was pretty nice, staff was great including the maintenance crew. Considering the northern Michigan location, I wouldn't expect anything less in customer service. It was unseasonably hot and humid for July 1st, 93 degrees with 50% humidity. The front nine is the "Forest" and the back nine is the "Dunes" portion of the course. We were extremely grateful for the wind, made the temps bearable. Plenty of water, and restrooms on the course, beverage carts were available also.
The course was easier than expected, huge greens, deep bunkers, some interesting green configurations, multiple tee boxes ranging from 4900 to 7100. Fairways are wide for those that spay the ball. Greens were fast, but thin. I thought for early July the greens would have been more plush.
Getting to the course was an adventure! We were coming from the north on I-75, and the navigation system told us to take the 4 Mile exit. Our GPS took us on some back roads, and if we didn't have an 4 wheel drive, we probably wouldn't have made it.
Overall the course was really nice, staff was very friendly, and for those that want to play a top course in Michigan this is a must play. My next trip to Forest Dunes would be to play the Loop with a caddie!

Played for the first time over the weekend. The course itself lived up to all the hype. Beautiful layout, fantastic views. We had to bump our tee time back from the morning to the afternoon because of rain, and the clubhouse staff couldn't have been more accommodating. We were told we got one of the "member" tee times in the afternoon, but didn't think anything of it until late in our round. The starter was really friendly on the first tee, especially for two of us in our foursome who were first timers. After that, however, we were approached about a half dozen times by rangers on the course to inform us about our "slow play." At the turn the starter informed us we were at a 2h45min pace, part of that being slowed down by a ranger on the course to let a twosome pass us. I felt that pace was sufficient for our group.

We surmised that we had a foursome of "members" behind us and they were complaining to the rangers about our "slow" play. It is apparent that staff caters to the membership, which I understand, but they could be a bit more friendly to guests. Our group came to an agreement that we won't play this course again as a result of how we were treated by the rangers.

We've golfed Forest Dunes for years and this place just keeps getting better.

The regular course was in great condition with perfect greens. We really enjoyed it. The staff there are top notch and are always looking out for you.

Disappointing, however, to find out that the new Loop is walking only. We won't be able to play it because of a knee condition. Just so disappointed in that. We are avid golfers but that was a deal breaker. Also, for now, there is only one restroom out on that course.

This year, they have added a new open structure off the patio that has a large fireplace, lots of seating and three flat screen TVs and a bar! It was terrific. Great addition to the regular immense patio that we love so much.

We staying in one of the new Villas - a 2 BR condo. These were really nice but somehow little things were missed in their design, like a place to plug your phone in at night on the nightstand. This is 2017 - how could they not include something like that? Did enjoy having a living room and small kitchen.

Practice areas are great. They are also adding an 18-hole putting course, which should be fun.

A top 2 public course and Michigan. It is a coin flip between this and Arcadia Bluffs, just depending on preference. What I love about Forest Dunes is that it is always in fabulous shape. The name suits the course as it is forest on the front 9 and dunes on the back. If the wind picks up on the back nine, your round can change in an instant. I highly recommend Forest Dunes. I still haven't played the Loop Course yet, because for the same price, I can't imagine it could surpass the Dunes course.

Let me start off by saying, the course and the resort are certainly worthy of all of the accolades they receive. I couldn’t have been more impressed, not only with the golf, but with the service and accommodations while I was at the resort. First class all the way.

There are enough reviews out there from every golf magazine and writer, that everyone pretty much knows that this course is a top 100 course and worthy of a trip to northern Michigan just to play it. I’ll add my two cents but it won’t be much different from the praise it has already received.

Pros: First, the course itself. The conditioning was great. One of the nicest courses, conditioning wise, you will ever step foot on. From tee to green, I had a hard time coming up with anything to criticize. Even if you miss some of the fairways and end up in a waste area, there is a good chance that you’ll find your ball AND will have a decent lie for a shot out. The greens are fast. Running at a 12 the day I played there. Yet, for being that fast, I didn’t feel like they were unfair.

As for the course design, Tom Weiskopf gets an A+ from me for this design. There’s an excellent balance of playability with risk/reward built in. Multiple holes throughout the course will offer you a safe shot off the tee but makes the second shot into the green longer or from an awkward angle. That same hole will also offer a “short cut” where there may be more trouble, but if you pull the “hero” shot off, your second shot is significantly easier than the “safe route.” Even on holes where the risk/reward isn’t obvious with split fairways, its still there with aggressive or conservative lines off of the tee as well as shots into the greens. Weiskopf did a great job with the placement of hazards, penalizing those who try to cut corners on the dog legs and don’t quite pull it off. This is evident immediately on the first tee where you have to choose your line over bunkers and a sandy waste area. Pull it off and you have significantly cut into the distance of the second shot into the green. Come up short and you will get caught in the bunker or waste area. You are then immediately staring a double bogey in the face.

Holes that stood out to me were the obvious risk/reward holes with split fairways or shortcuts around corners. The aforementioned 1st hole, the 5th hole, the 6th hole appropriately named “Gamble”, the 8th hole, the 10th hole appropriately named “Decision”, the 12th hole, and the drivable par 4 17th hole.

It’s worth mentioning that the variety of the landscape from the front 9 to the back 9 is also fun. The par 3 9th hole is a forced carry over water the entire way to the green. Similar in the way to play it, but different in the view from the tee is the par 3 16th hole. The forced carry is entirely over a sandy waste area. Both are visually intimidating in their own way.

I should also mention the room we stayed in at the resort was very clean, had all the amenities we needed, and provided a great view of the first tee on the Forest Dunes course. I’d certainly have no hesitation staying here again for a night or two.
Cons: It’s hard for me to really call anything a negative with this course because I can’t say there is anything that would prevent me from wanting to come back and play this course anytime I get the chance. Pace of play wasn’t great but it also wasn’t horrible. Yes, there were bugs, but after throwing on some bug spray, they were barely noticeable.

Verdict: Everything about this course makes it worthy of the top rankings it consistently receives. For golf in Michigan, its right up there with Arcadia Bluffs for me. The playability is something that all other golf course designers should strive for. This course is also an excellent compliment for the other course at the resort, The Loop. Two completely different types of golf are required for the two courses which will offer golfers an awesome variety. Both courses are easily in the top 5 courses I have ever played. If you ever get a chance, make the trip to northern Michigan and play it. Highly recommended by me and many other golf periodicals. Pictures from my round here as well as the Loop are on my Instagram and Twitter (same SN on both, Iamdiesel18).

Tips: When standing on the 9th tee box, look at the American flag next to the clubhouse to see what direction the wind is blowing by the green. It was crazy how you couldn’t feel the wind when on the tee box. Another tip is to spend the $6 for a yardage book. If you are going to play aggressively throughout the round, it helps to know all of the yardages to carry certain hazards and to stay short of others.

Excellent golf course met Elliott head pro on 17 tee box and chatted with super individual as was every other staff member friendly and welcoming will be back and junior friendly

Forest Dunes had been on my bucket list for years. The course is strong but not extremely difficult. Nice variety to the holes. The opening hole is a classic, starting with a tee shot that makes you decide just how confident in your swing you are. Wasn't fond of the par 4 13th, though maybe its just one of those holes you have to play a few times to figure out. Greens were smooth and had good speed.
Staff is outstanding. Lodge is a great place to stay and highly recommend the restaurant for breakfast (our two dinners there were just average and a little overpriced).
So the downside was the pace of play. We were told multiple times that 4:30 was the expected pace of play and was usually less than that. After 2 hours and 7 holes, ranger Bill took pity on us (again great staff!) and arranged for us to play thru 3 foursomes in the next few holes. Another group waved us through and we finished in about 4 hours. We then had dinner while we watched the next five groups finish in 5:10-5:20.
Would certainly recommend playing if in Northern Michigan.

Run, don't walk to Forest Dunes. Unbelievable maintenance, lay our, amenities, staff, housing, food, etc. No surprise that this course in on all of the lists.

Getting a chance to play a Top 25-in-the-country ranked public golf course was a thrilling proposition for me. I am sorry to report that I was more than a little disappointed with the experience, though. I expected more for the price that I paid. There was no course map on the scorecard, nor GPS available to help the first timer know where to hit and what to avoid. Access to water on the course was extremely limited. The staff was fine starting with check-in to a pleasant and helpful starter. The practice facility was very nice. The course (and its condition) was acceptable, but not quite the quality (greens, in particular) that I expected for this highly ranked of a course. The "bet settling" par 3 - 19th hole was a unique feature, I will admit. I would recommend this course to anyone who hasn't played it, but for this reviewer, once is enough.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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