Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club near Traverse City, Michigan
ARCADIA, Mich. -- Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, sitting on bluffs high above Lake Michigan, is one of Michigan's most coveted plays.
The golf course opened in 1999 and has since been rated among America's best public courses -- some even call it "Whistling Straits East" as it sits just 60 miles across the lake. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, designed by Rick Smith and Warren Henderson, sits on 245 acres of land that slopes from high ground down toward the lake. Man-made fescue dunes were crafted around the entire site, giving the course a links-style feel, especially considering the 50 sod-walled bunkers and large, very firm greens that average 8,000 feet.
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club features five par 5s and five par 3s, and three of the par 5s are in the first five holes, so be sure to bring your swing with you to the first tee box. The golf course plays 7,300 yards from the championship tees, though for daily play the course maxes out closer to 7,000.
New for 2010, Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club added a 15-room lodge above the clubhouse, which overlooks the entire course, so now golfers can stay-and-play here. Facilities include a full driving range and short game area, and golf carts are equipped with GPS. The course is a tough walk, but caddies are available when pre-arranged, and forecaddies are also available for hire.