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3.1
79 Reviews (79)
5 Stars
18
4 Stars
17
3 Stars
14
2 Stars
15
1 Stars
15
Conditions
2.5
Value
3.2
Layout
3.4
Friendliness
4.0
Pace
4.1
Amenities
2.8
54.4%
Recommend this course
43 out of 79 reviews
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Value
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Layout
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Friendliness
0
Pace
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Amenities
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0%
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About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 71
Length 6367 yards
Slope 126
Rating 70.6

Editor's Note: Course closed for business in 2018.

Course Details

Year Built 1971
Golf Season Open: 3/15 Closed: 11/01
Architect Al Watrous

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes
GPS No
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Caddies No
Golf Simulator No
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes
Practice Hole No

Policies

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

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Reviews

3.1
79 Reviews (79)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 738
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Michigan Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Walked

Sad that Course Closed

Course was a very enjoyable and playable 18 hole resort course. Everything was for the most part in front of you and it was at one time a very well maintained course. I believe it was the only course designed by Al Watrous

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

So sad

We had played this course in the past 5-10 years and enjoyed it so we thought we would go back. Needless to say the course has lost its luster and is in really bad shape. Did the front 9 and then went back in to get a refund for the back which they gave us no problem. They explained to us that they have had some challenging times which they should have told us upon arrival.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Poor condition

Course was in very poor condition bad tee boxes,bad fairways and very bad greens. It looks like they only mow the fairway weeds. Will not return ever.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Course in terrible shape and layout is difficult to understand. Would not come back.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Terrible Condition

This course is in terrible condition. They should be embarrassed to charge people money to play that. The greens have multiple burn out spots and are rock hard. I've played Black Forest multiple times and it seems as if the facility as a whole has started to decline. Terribly dissatisfied.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Bad Conditions

The greens we in terrible shape, and the tee boxes weren't any better. This course is maybe worth $10 but that pushing it. I would never reccomend this course to anyone who can shoot under 150. Play any other course around but stay away from here.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Going down hill fsst.

The course is really going down hill. Greens have many issues. Traps are full of grass and very poor. I playex this about two years ago and it was very nice. Wouls mot recommend.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 48
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Poor Conditions

This is the second year that I've played this course, and no improvements! The tee boxes are rough; the fairways are adequate; however, many of the greens were horrible. When we played last year they said it was because of the previous winter, but the problem still exists. Many other courses with better value in this area.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wilderness Valley

Sorry but this course is in the worse shape of any golf course I have ever played. Most all of the greens are destroyed to poor maintenance. The rough hadn't been mowed in weeks. The fairways were in fair condition. Our golf cart died on the fourth hole, no answer from the front desk for help. Fortunately there was a maintenance man in the vicinity, who was very helpful. The staff were very friendly but the course shape is just horrible.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Buyer beware!!

The greens are unplayable for the most part. Most of the sand traps have grass and weeds growing in them and are unplayable. Played this course two years ago and it was in good condition. There are weeds everywhere around the clubhouse. Layout is really good, but shouldn't be charging what they are charging for this course.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 45
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wow,but....

We booked a round on the valley course the morning we were leaving ,and when we got there no other golfers were in sight,so I asked the young man at the desk if we could play the Tom Doak designed black forest course instead(this is a highly acclaimed design with a 147 slope on 475 acres of pristine NoMi forest with no houses).He agreed,but warned us the course was not in very good shape and people had complained about it every day.Well,having played many a cow pasture in my day I was not that scared and interested in the design enough that I decided to try it anyway.So,let me say that this property is a fabulous slice of golf design and location.Doak put together wild bunkering,elevation changes,and secluded holes in a masterful way.BUT,on a really sad note,the owner has almost let the course go completely to seed.Numerous fairways have critter damage,the amazing bunkers have not been weeded,sanded ,or even raked for eons.No fertilizer or weed control has been applied for at least this season.Some of the greens had some mold,but surprisly they still putted true .All in all,we were really glad we got a chance to experience the course as it may not be a golf property the next time we get up north.There is no superintendent or pga pro on staff anymore.Wonderful golf course,just left us feeling really sad it had been neglected so badly.On a high note,i shot one of my best scores of the summer.I would recommend this course just to enjoy the design if you are a course architect fan like I am.

Conditions Poor
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course maintenance is terrible

Second year in a row the course has been in terrible shape!

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Sad to see how this has changed

I have played the Valley Course almost every year for 15 or 20 years and have always looked forward to it. However, this year I could not believe how the condition has deteriorated. The greens had large patches of bumpy brown dead grass and there were clumps of weeds growing in the bunkers. This was my "have to play" course every year when I visited family in Gaylord. This was my father's favorite course and we played here together many times and I am sorry he is no longer with us, but at least he can't see how bad this once gorgeous course is.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

The end of an era

I have played this course since the early nineties and I can honestly say it is the end of an era. I have not played it in the last two years and was completely shocked by the overall condition. It is without doubt, the worst condition of any course I have played. It has the appearance of a course with an uncertain future. The sandtraps were unplayable and the greens were horrifying. There are too many good golfcourses in this price range to spend your money here.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 06/29/2017

I made the same mistake. The owners/employees are all over this website trying to spin it like people are being too picky. Anybody coming to play here will be disappointed. This doesn't belong in the Gaylord Mecca any longer.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Pretty

The views were very pretty. Staff was really friendly. Greens were awful. Beginning of June and half dead.

Conditions Poor
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Needs a lot of TLC.

This used to be one of our favorite courses. The greens had no grass. The fairways had too much grass and the rough and sand traps are completely ignored.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 34
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played
Used cart

Feedback Please....

I have NOT played either course in a couple years and based on one review of the Black Forest it seems as if its still the same as it was then. I'm looking for some truthful feedback regarding conditions of The Valley course. When I played back in June '15, the fairways and greens were brown, dry and very crispy, TERRIBLE. I'm hoping things have changed but I have many doubts.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fast Fall Round

For $15 this course was a good deal. It was a brisk fall morning and I was the only person on the course. It was a fun 2:15 min round.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Disappointed

I golfed at Wilderness Valley a few times about 20 years ago and loved it. I returned two years ago and was a bit disappointed. Yesterday, I was terribly disappointed. There are virtually no tee boxes for women. Instead we tee off a mound of dirt with a few weeds on it.

The staff was very friendly. The carts worked well, but the maintenance is very poor. I will not play there again sadly.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
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