Arcadia Bluffs

8 buddies on a golf trip got beat up by The Bluffs. One of the nicest courses we’ve ever played in our 10 year golf trip history. With that said, it beat the crap out of us...twice. Especially the back 9. Also, pace of play is reallllly slow. The starter tells you the pace is 4:45 but it took us 5:20. Even with the slow pace, our group agreed we would return. Play the appropriate tees for sure. If you don’t hit it far, play the whites. Thanks Arcadia Bluffs for an awesome time!!!!

2nd time to play here. Course is awesome, a great golf experience. My only advice is to plan on a 5 hour round and make sure you tee off early enough to get done before sunset. We didn't tee off until 4:40 and played the last hole in the dark. A little over 5 hour round. Waited on pretty much every shot. Go early and enjoy the scenery after the round. Also, play the South Course. It is a lot of fun.

An amazing course that will absolutely live up to expectations. You cannot beat the views here, and the design and layout are top-notch. It is expensive, but it's honestly worth the price of admission. You will not soon forget your round here, and from the moment you drive up to the club house you'll be blown away by the views. I'd rate this one better than Whistling Straights, though not as difficult (thankfully).

Played this course a couple days after playing the Bluffs course. I have to say, this course is extremely difficult. I would say as of right now, it's almost set up for the pros because it is so firm; thus, increasing the difficulty.

Regarding the conditions... I said excellent because the course is pristine but here's the full scoop. The fairways are very very wide so there is some freedom to spray the ball but once in the fescue, it's best to just chop out. The fairways are still very firm and this will give one significant roll off the tee and when approaching the green (it's a smart play to land the ball short of the green and get it to bounce and roll onto the green). The greens are incredibly firm, which means that spinning a lob wedge from 80 yards with a full swing will yield a bounce, and no check (surprisingly). The greens are incredibly fast and that makes for some great putting! The greens all have false sides and hitting to the middle of the green is the safest play. The green-side bunkers have a ring of "rough" around them so if can leave a tough shot where the ball is stuck in the rough instead of the bunker (I wished they rolled into the bunker instead of staying the in the rough).

Overall, it's a great, very difficult course to play and I would recommend you play once (at your own peril lol) to say that you've played it but I would wait a couple of years until the conditions soften up.

This is the third time I have played this course (4th of July) and it is truly exceptional. The views are amazing and the conditions are just as good. While the fairways are fairly wide and the rough is fairly deep, the course has deep fescue outside of that and a wayward drive will punish you. There are several blind tee shots so hitting at the aiming posts is key.

Combining the wind, tough course layout, and long drives (if you play from the back tees) the pace of play can be quite slow. Unfortunately, my group was stuck behind a foursome that spent 10 minutes looking for fescue shots, putting 1 foot putts, waiting to try and hit every par 5 in two but duffing the second shot. We asked the staff to urge them to play a little bit quicker but with no luck, a 4 hour and 15 minute round turned into a 5 hour and 30 minute round. With the sunshine and beautiful views it wasn't too bad.

The restaurant has indoors and outdoors and the outdoor seating is awesome and the indoor has a great view as well and the food is very good. We were very lucky in that the night we went, they had a bagpiper come out and play at sunset.

I would definitely recommend playing this course!

Great layout and great course. Staff was great with check in and directions to practice areas and the first hole. After your round the locker room has a great changing and shower area! Generous fairways, but you can stray far!
They do have caddies, but I was paired with a local who know the course very well!

Really enjoyed the layout and course conditions and the practice areas, first class! Now for the not so great. Paid my money but no directions to the practice facilities. Another minus was they said there would be a beverage cart out. We did not see one all day and it was toasty!
The final negative is that as a single I was stuck in between 2 foursomes. The foursome let me through, but the three some in front of them did not ask me to join them?
Pace of play?
It is a GREAT NEW COURSE TO PLAY!

Arcadia Bluffs is American Golf Incarnate: You take a Cart (you can get a caddie, but I think that the course would be a far cry from an easy walk as there are a few green to tee transitions that are not short), because its on the water it is called a links, but it does not play like one at all (like Pebble, Whistling Straits, etc), The views are Fantastic, The off course amenities are top class, the round will take about 4.5 hours, you need to hit it high and straight, the design is mostly penal as trouble is everywhere. I am glad we had a day without wind as I can picture this place being a multi-sleeve round if the wind is up. Spent plenty of time searching for partners balls without wind; fairways can be quite tight on the back nine.
Now, you might be saying that the previous list sounds perfect to you and that is why Arcadia is doing well. I enjoyed my round and the day. Off the course, they have everything you need to get ready in a practice range and short game area. They have multiple restaurants, a terrace and an area with deck chairs to watch sunset complete with bagpiper. You can also watch people come in on the 18th. The experience is definitely 5 star. From what I understand, the lodging is too.
The course itself is set on cliffs high above Lake Michigan. The routing enables you to revisit the water on multiple occasions and the views are quite spectacular. The only negative of the course is the handful of tight fairways. The layout itself does present some shot options off the tee, plenty of bunkers, some elevated greens and greens which have some contour and plenty of sections divided by ridges, contour, etc. There are half pars on both sides on the par 4s. The par 3s are not redundant, play in all directions and demand accuracy. They also vary in length. You will definitely need your sand game and short game ready as the rough around the greens is tall and plenty of misses will find you with semi-blind uphill shots. A very good course.
Over all,I wish I could give 4.5 stars as it is deserving of it. Between the Bluffs and the South Course, Arcadia offers two courses that are very different and I find that to be a great thing. If you are a golfer seeking to play in Michigan, Arcadia and Forest Dunes should be your first two destinations.

I thought that the South Course would have been polarizing and reviews would have a love it or hate it showing. I am pleasantly surprised that all reviews are favorable. I would have thought that an old school architecture course with firm fast conditions, ground game emphasis, massive contoured greens and no water in sight would have been hated by plenty. I am glad that I am wrong; instead, it has been nothing but love by reviewers and add me to that list.
The course itself is all that is mentioned above and then some. Very Linksy firm and fast golf here. Take 15 yards off your approach shot and watch the roll. It is also very strategic as plenty of fairways have bunkers in the middle of them or cross bunkers. Both of these force decisions and accuracy. I've only seen this at links courses, but they are prevalent in Golden Age Private courses in the USA. The style of golf is mentally engaging and shotmaking is emphasized. Using slopes to bring the ball towards the pin happens frequently. Thinking about the run that your drive will have forces different lines on tee shots. In the end, you are going to have a lot of fun. I wish that I had time for 36 as things are learned in the first round that would help with future rounds. This could be a course for a lifetime as different pin positions and wind will demand different angles and shots.
Off the course, they have a driving range, putting green and chipping green. There is a temporary clubhouse which really just has a proshop and small restaurant but it has a good menu. (They are building a full clubhouse and maybe some lodging) The drive from the main lodge is only 10 minutes so not a big deal. Pace of play was great as I went out as a single and only had to play through one foursome. I was done in about 2.5 hours. Twilight rates make it reasonable. I also think that this course is quite walkable and the only walk of any type of distance would be between the two nines.
Over all this is a can't miss if you are in Michigan. Any golf trip to Northern Michigan should have this on the agenda. A unique, wonderful and fun public course experience.

A buddy and I traveled to MI to play Arcadia and Forest Dunes. The play really is special, it's beautiful and picturesque. The clubhouse is nice, but I didn't think the bar area is anything super special, so I'm not giving a 5 star for the amenities, b/c the clubhouse was beautiful but not captivating. The pro shop was fine but they need to get someone a bit younger or with better style to work on their shirts and hats, most were extremely lame and SUPER expensive. The logo isn't good, just doesn't look good on a shirt or clothing item. I was disappointed b/c I couldn't force myself to buy even a hat that I thought was stylish. The course itself is fantastic... great challenges, excellent conditions, the views, oh the views. The sad part for us was that it rained by hole 7 and we played in really cold and wet conditions through the back 9. It was difficult to fully appreciate the place b/c we were, well... wet and cold. That obviously has some bearing on my opinion of the place. The only layout fault was that multiple par 3's were the same length from the white tees, 160 yards. We paid $215 to play here and didn't have an option due to location to stop our round, although the pro shop offered us 18 holes the following 2 days but we couldn't swing it. I would play here again but at the $215 price tag it made me wonder how many great courses were around with similar topography that are MUCH better values, we passed about 10 courses on the way there. I would likely play some of the other courses in the area before spending big on this one, but if you haven't played it you should do it for the experience.

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.

Started off the 6 course, 3-day weekend with 20 bros at the South course. The training facility was pristine with everything you could imagine, use the bunkers because you’ll need the practice to slay this beast.

On to the course, it was in great shape but I feel like the rough and fescue need to grow a bit. My playing partners consistently blasted it, what one would guess is, outta bounds but no balls were ever lost and they had quite a day scrambling around the pitch.

The greens played a bit slower than expected. Be wary, every hole there is a trap waiting 250-290 yards in the fairway ready to eat your ball. The greens don’t get friendlier as most are better protected by bunkers than Fort Knox is with barbed wire.

Good luck, be ready for beach play

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 had the chance to play the brand new South Course twice over three days. I played from different tees in a different wind direction but walked both times. It's a very intuitive and walkable routing, something that can't be said for the more dramatic Bluffs course up the road.

The design here was a real treat and is sure to get a lot of attention as it matures. The site is certainly not showy like the Bluffs course but architect Dana Fry made the most of it, delivering something totally unique and unexpected given what seems to be the trends in resort golf these days. The angular, Chicago Golf/Seth Raynor-inspired shaping makes each shot engaging. I had a blast on it.

Each nine has a killer stretch of holes. On the front, Nos. 5-6-7 are great, and on the back, I especially love nos. 15-17. For those who think the Bluffs is too penal for them, it's really hard to get into too much trouble on the South.

What was especially impressive was the turf quality of the 007 bent grass, probably an 8.5-9/10 in terms of where they want it to be. Despite two days in a row of big storms, the fairways still rolled nicely and you could putt and bump-and-run shots into the green. Give the fescue areas another couple summers to really pop and make this place light up.

Arcadia hasn't made the big splash some other modern resorts have but they have slowly and methodically created a first-class destination over 20 years and now with two courses to play, a stay-and-play here is a real no-brainer.

Four of us had the real pleasure if playing this new Dana Fry creation, inspired by renowned Chicago Golf. It is A+ in every sense and highly recommend playing it next season.

This is probably the most mentally engaging course I have ever played. Every shot makes you think about where you want it to land. It was drizzling almost all day when I played this course, and the greens were still extremely firm and fast. There is almost no hope of having a ball spin backwards on these greens. You need to use the undulations to feed the ball towards the hole which makes for some very fun shots.

The greens. These are what make the course great. They roll perfectly, and have crazy undulations without being unfair. Each one is so unique.

Off the tee the fairways are pretty wide, but you do have to navigate the nasty fairway bunkers. If you go in one there is almost no shot of hitting the green. All of the bunkers were in perfect shape, even after a good bit of rain.

Some of the best holes:
Hole 2 is a short par 4 that is reachable for longer hitters with a severely undulating green. My buddy drove it and 3 putt for par.

Hole 5 is an uphill par 3 that may as well be an island green. Miss left and you are in a 6 foot deep bunker, miss right or short and your ball will roll 30 yards off the green.

Hole 9 is a long par 4 with a large false front in front of the green. The green is massive with two plateaus in the back right and left making two putts difficult if you are on the wrong tier.

Hole 12 is a Lions Mouth green which means it is shaped like a horse-shoe around a bunker in front of the green. Severely down hill off the tee, fun shot.

Hole 13 is a long uphill dogleg right with a pair of snake-eye bunkers 40 yards short of the green. The green is a giant punch-bowl style green funneling all shots towards the middle of it.

Hole 16 is a 230 yard par 3 that played into the wind for us, miss short or left and your ball will funnel into a collection area 15 feet below green level.

Hole 17 pays homage to Oakmont's famous church pew bunkers. DO NOT miss into these bunkers or you may be playing out straight sideways.

There is no clubhouse built yet at the South Course which was my only low mark from my experience there. There is no driving range but a really good putting and short game area. Pace of play was average, but I imagine the rain slowed everyone down a bit. You definitely need to add this to your must play list.

I'm going to start this review by saying for the most part, I will not be comparing the South course to the Bluffs course. There is such a huge different between the two that I don't believe it's fair to compare them. That being said, this is some of the most fun and challenging golf I've ever played.

Despite being inland, with no views of water and only two trees on the course, the views are captivating. The landscape rolls gently in some places and very harshly in others. The sun hitting the native grasses is gorgeous and the bunkers provide a delightful contrast amidst the greens and yellows.

The course plays very fast. Low shots will be your friend, especially off the tee and around the greens. It's in your best interest to roll your ball where it needs to end up instead of carrying it there. It's a play style that I've only ever had to use at the Kingsley Club, and it's one I thoroughly enjoy. It requires a lot more thinking and planning than the average golf course (especially around the crowed greens). The bunkers are strategically placed to gobble up your miss-hits. It's tough to make par after ending up in one, but it's a fun challenge. I don't think I've ever had to think this much while playing golf. It makes me want to play this course over and over.

With the opening of this course, I believe Arcadia Bluffs should be one of the top golf resorts in the Midwest. There are not many places where you can play two courses so uniquely different, both with breathtaking views. I love playing the Bluffs course, but the South course makes me want to come back just as much. I didn't think a new Arcadia course could possibly stand up to its older sibling, but the South course surprised me. Do yourself a favor and come play one of the most fun and unique golf courses you'll ever play in your life. I'll be back soon!

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.