Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course

This was quite the track. Not my first rodeo, but ‘‘twas for some in the crew and the course itself did not disappoint.

We did, however, have to deal with a 1.5 hour fog delay which resulted in a 6.5 hour round waiting on every hole (back to this in a moment).

The course itself was nothing short of spectacular. Excellent views, impeccable shape and some really challenging golf. BUUTT the waits, man the waits. I get the fog delay, but there is no reason for a round to take 7 hours. Green fees were $130, I feel like $80 went for the course and the additionally $50 was to soak in the views at each 20 minute wait on the tee, it was like Cedar Point and totally took away from the bluff-perience...ahhh well, we had fun and the 2.5 hours extra spent on the course meant there was no time for a post-round feast at the course.

I am an intermediate level golfer. This course was challenging but very fun. I have to say it is the most fun I have had playing golf and not scoring well. The scenery was amazing. The amenities were top notch. I have played Spyglass Hill at Pebble Beach and I believe this course to be better. The price was very fair for a well groomed course and awesome practice facilities. Dinner was the round was pricey but the meal was outstanding. Our group will definitely play here again. If you are in Northern Michigan, this is a must golf.

The views and layouts are amazing, but the fun stops once you're at the greens. Too many times I hit good shots into the greens, fixing ball marks within 10' of the hole, only to find my ball 20-50' away and behind mounds and tiers that made the putts literally impossible to keep close, or even on the green. One putt in particular, 20' from the hole, but had to go over a tall mound to the hole on the downslope which lead to a false front. The 'play' was to hit the ball 90* away from the hole, up an adjacent slope, and hope the ball settles back within 15' for the par putt. This happened WAY too many times throughout the round. At $199 I'll easily pass on playing this course again anytime soon. Many other courses nearby have better bang for the buck.

I maybe biased in my reviews because I love Links golf. I have played pebble, Bethpage, Whistling Strights , Bay Hill etc. This experience is down right better. From the moment you drive up, you get a feeling that something magical is taking place.

I can’t believe that some clown wrote that the greens don’t hold. He gave the course 4 Stars? Are you kidding me? You hit your fairways and you can control the spin and distances associated with the greens. The greens are extremely fast and true .

This is my new favorite course in the states. The views alone are worth the 195 price point.

I can’t wait to come back. What a treat.

Believe everything you've heard about Arcadia Bluffs. People say the sunsets here are some of the best you'll ever see, and I agree with that 100%. Don't get distracted by the views, however, because this course is a test and it needs your full attention. The starter will help you choose the correct tee boxes to make sure you have the most enjoyable experience possible. The fairways play fast but fair and the greens are always speedy. The conditioning is top notch, from the tee boxes all the way to the sod bunkers (which you don't want to end up in). There is only one thing that I can complain about, and that is the pace of play. With a golf course this spectacular, there are bound to be many people here, and that can cause some backups. The rangers usually help speed things up, but sometimes you're just stuck. I wouldn't let slow pace of play discourage you from playing here. You can easily put it out of your mind and enjoy what lies before you. This bucket list course is definitely one of the best in the states. Take a vacation and come to northern Michigan to play this gem on the lake.

lives up to the hype. Beautiful views, great layout, and top notch conditions. Gotta hit the right spots to score. I hit a number of greens that just couldn't hold. would love to go back.

I've played a number of courses in Ireland. This is the closest thing to Irish links golf that you will play here in the states.

This course truly lives up to the #1 ranking. The views are spectacular and the course was in perfect condition. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. It was definitely well worth the drive and price. I will definitely be playing there again.

For years I had been hearing about the great Arcadia Bluffs. I thought there was no way it would live up to the hype. It does. The layout of the course is fantastic and the changes in elevation need to been seen to be believed. It is a fair but challenging course. Even when your ball goes in the high stuff, most of the time you are able to find it and play it. It is not cheap to play, but the good courses rarely are. There only negative was that there were A LOT of ball marks on the greens. You would think the golfers who spend the money to play would care enough to fix their ball marks.

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course lived up to the hype. Staff was super friendly and were happy we were there. Club House is top notch and a the pre-round lunch on the patio was very good as were the views of course and Lake Michigan. Course was in pristine condition fairways are generous but anything off the fairway is trouble if you hit in the tall grass around each fairway good luck finding the ball, if ball is found very difficult to advance the ball. The greens are super fast and undulated, very hard to stop the ball and just have to tap putts. Play to front of greens. Very good views of Lake Michigan on almost every hole must hit a ball into Lake Michigan on #11. The bag pipe player and gallery on 18 are very cool. Expected pace of play is 4 hr 45 minute our group of high handicappers finished in 5 hours. The Marshals politely press the pace of play. I advise to just enjoy the views and the quality of the course and not get caught up on pace of play. We took advantage of the early Sunday 2:00 pm twilight rate . Highly recommend Arcadia Bluff a must play.

We had a foursome and a threesome on senior day. A 10:30 group showed up late and were sent out at 12:00. The first four holes we played we fine, but when we got to the 5th hole it was backed up. Waited on every shot on every hole after that which resulted in a 5 hour plus round. A couple things that were upsetting is that when we were waiting on the #7 tee two marshals were flirting with the girls at the hotdog stand while there were 4 groups on that hole. One of the marshals told us to keep up with the group in front of us as we had been waiting to tee off for some time before that. They then sent a young guy out to us on #8 green who just stood there and when one in our group asked what he was doing he said that he was going to tend the flag to speed up play. Didn't know how that would help when at least 4 groups in front was holding up the entire course. He followed us around for 3 holes which was very annoying. Our groups are fast players, playing ready golf and normally play in under 4 hours. The slow play took away from what should have been a great experience on a beautiful layout. Would not recommend playing there.

Prepare yourself for a great day playing one of Michigan's best golf courses when you tee it up at Arcadia Bluffs. I've had the good fortune to play this northwest Michigan gem two times and would play it everyday, if I could. The layout is terrific with a variety of shots and club selections. The scenery is spectacular! Lake Michigan is in view for many of the holes on the back nine. The greens are pristine and the staff is welcoming and friendly. I got to play on the Sr. rate day (Tuesday) for $90 and what a value! This course will challenge all levels of golfers and will make you want to come back again and again!

Played on a Tuesday, senior (55+) rate, well worth it!
My wife and I prefer to walk a course, and found the front 9 fairly easy, but much more challenging on the hillier back 9. Not many cut-outs to direct you from green to next tee. Course conditions were outstanding, especially the greens. The course reminded us of Irish or Scottish links, except greens here are much more receptive. This is guaranteed to be a top rated course for many years to come! A must play if you are looking for a premium course in the northern LP of Michigan.

Second time I played and it was great. If you more on budget for golf play on the Memorial, 4th of July or Labor day. Price goes down to $110. Nothing like being on the this course in the morning. Greens are very fast (we played after being top dressed very recently). When I say fast, like putting on hard wood floor. Make sure not to leave your chips or approach shots just on the green many false fronts and the ball will roll off. The only thing worst is to be in one the sand traps, especially one of those high wall ones. Also when you get to the 12th tee, tee one up and hit into the lake. Also the in the plans to build another course and more lodging.

Prior to our play i've reviewed quited a number of articles on Arcadia Bluffs to better understand whether it's worth the money. One blog recommended Bay Harbor over Arcadia and i just can tell - NO WAY!
As soon as we have arrived at the impressive club-house we already noted something special. We were lucky to just be by our own as a two-some and we enjoyed every minute, from the check-in to the dinner while watching the stunning sunset and listening to the scottish backpipe-player.
The course was in excellent condition, the greens were fast, almost too difficult to handle. Every hole offers dramatic and stunning views, number 10-13 are my favorites since you get close to the lake, although above it on the clips.
It's a 190 USD but it should be on every avid golfers bucket list. We'll return since it was so much fun to play.

From the moment you pull up you know this experience will be amazing. The views from the clubhouse are amazing and the golf is spectacular. I found this to be a risk-reward type round. The natural terrain makes for some fun shots, especially off the tee. The sand was the softest I had ever played out of. I would recommend this course to everyone I know.

I cannot say one negative thing about Arcadia Bluffs. It is a somewhat difficult layout, but one you can easily score on. Most fairways have wide driving areas, but demand a more accurate approach. Holes 1, 3, and 5 are all par 5's, allowing players to score early. Each hole has its own unique characteristics, and each one provides a view of Lake Michigan. Some favorite holes include 5, 8, and 16. In addition, the four-hole stretch of holes 10-13 are arguably the best in golf. Hole 10 is a long narrow par 4 playing through a chute of mounds, and is arguably the most difficult hole on the course. Hole 11 (my all-time favorite golf hole) is a long downhill slight dogleg left par 5, with the green on the edge of the bluffs over Lake Michigan. Holes 12 (mid-length par 4) and 13 (long par 3) directly parallel Lake Michigan. Finally, Hole 18 is an excellent finishing hole; it is an uphill slight dogleg right par 4 playing to a blind green on an uphill approach shot, and there is a good chance you will have a small gallery watching you. Just beyond Hole 18 is a set of lawn chairs in which guests can watch golfers finishing their round, enjoy drinks, listen to the bagpiper, and watch the sunset over the lake.

I could write a novel on everything I loved about this course. That is how great it is. It is by far and away the greatest golf experience I have ever had, and would recommend it to any golfer. Play the greatest golf course in the greatest golf state, you will not regret it one bit. Come out to beautiful Northern Michigan where golfing "on the Edge of Perfection" is Perfection.

(played on June 3, 2014)

This is a world class golf experience. From the time I arrived until I left the staff was incredibly nice. The starter was especially cool/nice. The clubhouse and practice facilities were above and beyond what you expect at public facility. Even one as highly rated as Arcadia Bluffs. One other interesting tidbits I noticed was that all the outside service workers and halfway house workers were cute girls. Not sure if that's the case everyday but something that "stood out" as a younger guy.

I played on Cinco De Mayo May which was an absolute picture perfect day. I had a 3 pm t-time as a single which happened to be the very last of the day.The fescue was not up yet and with no wind the course was playing pretty easy all things considered. I lost one ball the entire round which I never thought was possible standing on the first tee. My only hiccup was a thinned 9 iron over the 12th green.

The first two holes are rather mundane but from 3 on it's draw dropping hole after draw dropping hole. The views of Lake Michigan are truly stunning. Since there was no one behind me I was able to take plenty of great pics. #10-#13 are about as good as it gets anywhere in the country. #11 and #12 might forever be my two favorite holes.

I paid the shoulder season rate of $85 which was an absolute steal. I will do everything in my power to make the 800 mile trek back. Northern Michigan is a mecca of great golf!

Arcadia Bluffs certainly gets a lot of the hype for public golf in Northern Michigan and its setting is a big reason why: All 18 holes sit on bluffs high above Lake Michigan. It's also a pretty fun routing with five par 3s and five par 5s.

I do think there are some better layouts tee-to-green in northern Michigan, like Forest Dunes most notably (or Crystal Downs if you can get on), but this loop is still a real treat. I don't know if there are any better par 5s in the state than the 11th, which tumbles over 600 yards towards the lake until you arrive at the green and you're right at the edge of the bluffs. This course is hardly easy (the greens are fast and tough to read), especially if the wind blows, and the 18th is really tough: it's severely uphill from the fairway to the green. There are bunkers all around, too. I don't know if the finisher needed to be this brutal.

Be sure to stick around after the round for dinner and drinks; it's a great porch sunset spot. Also, since the club built their onsite accommodations, they've stepped up their F & B game and the offerings are very good.

It's pretty tough to beat the experience here, and when you consider Whistling Straits across the way is double the cost, maybe even though Arcadia is Michigan's most expensive public course, it's still a pretty good value.

if you get the opportunity play it!!!! the scenery is beautiful and the golf course is up there with some of the best I have played. Not the easiest to get to, we flew from Omaha to Milwaukee and than took a puddle jumper to Manistee where the course will pick you up. Not the fastest round, but like I stated one of the best. stay there if you can because theres not to many other options

Search Arcadia Bluffs reviews on the Internet and you will find everything that you need to know. I will keep this short and sweet.

This has been the top course that I have ever played at. Hard but fair. Every hole is picturesque. So much so that after the round I went and bought a book from the pro shop so that I could relive every hole. Be ready to take some pictures of 11 and 12 as they are the "signature holes" of the course. They definitely love up to their billing.

i reserved a tee time as a single. I was paired up with another single and another couple. We teed off right at 4:10 PM. The pace of play was slow. We had to wait at every tee and every green. We finished just at 9:00 which was just as the sun had set. There were numerous course employees on the course helping to spot balls in order to speed up play. Frankly, with the environment I was playing in, I didn't mind the slow pace. The course was completely full. Every hole had at least one or two groups on it.

When I started playing golf, this is the kind of experience I was looking for. I didn't care how much I had to pay. I didn't care how I scored. I didn't care how long I had to wait. I just loved the challenge and the views.

This is definitely a course that if you live within driving distance, make the trip. If you can afford to fly to Michigan, make the trip. This is one that I will make the effort to make the yearly pilgrimage to even if I have to play it as a single.