Forest Dunes Golf Club

Tee boxes were impeccable. Cart paths were smooth. Fairways were perfect. Rough was cut to a good length. Lots of seed. Cart paths were edged. Bunkers had good fluffy white sand in them. Greens ran very smooth (firm and fast). Workers were dressed upscale and had pleasant attitudes. Grass range with new Titleist balls.

That being said, when you charge $225 for an isolated course on a Thursday morning, there should be someone at bag drop to take our bags. You shouldn't cheap out on things like coolers in a cart with water because you want to sell them to us for $4/bottle. There should be jugs on the course to refill our bottles from. The GPS on the cart should have distance from ALL tees not just the tips, and I should be able to see the slopes of the greens.

The dunes don't really come into play on most holes. Hole 8 had a cool approach towards the clubhouse to an open area with water surrounding the green, but for the most part the layout of the front 9 is no different than most courses in the woods. Hole 10 was the most memorable/fun hole - a divided fairway with dunes between, with a U-shaped green to approach to with heavy slopes. Hole 13 was a very challenging green to approach.

Outside of that, it's a course in impeccable condition in the woods where you're hearing no airplanes, cars. Fun to play, not too challenging. You don't get any elevated tee boxes on par 3's. You don't have any spectacular views. Just a bunch of doglegs into the woods that most courses in the state have, and some dunes in areas where most people can carry (par 3's 40 yards short of the pin.

There's a 19th hole which is a par 3 with a bunker in the middle of the green which is unique. There's a Par 3 course to play (walking only) for a whopping $49.

The original course at Forest Dunes and still one of the top 15 in the state. One of Weiskopf’s best and a must play in the state. The strength of the course is the terrific u I wud layout that effortlessly transitions from forested
Holes to sandy dunes ones.

The 17th drivable par four is a favorite as well as the 19tg hole par 3 with a bunker in the green.

Long review, so for the TL;DR crown, here a short reader ROI...

1. Fantastic, beautiful course in terrific condition
2. A tee box for everyone, receptive and fair greens
3. Next level service experience
4. *Completely* different golf experience than the Loop, if your playing both during your stay

Forest Dunes was one of the first truly special golf courses I've played. I first played it in 2017 before I had played places like Bandon, Sand Hollow, the Prairie Club or Spyglass (to name a few examples), so I went in prepared for it to be not quite a great as I first thought it was. This turned out to be a false concern... Forest Dunes is as great as my first impression led me to believe.

Cut through forest and rolling sand every hole is scenic, challenging, and - largely - unique. After my first round there my favorite hole was split fairway par 4 sixth and, while I still love that hole, I think I may have switched allegiances to the par 4 ,12th. It's just a beautiful (yet rather simple) hole, with a pretty open fairway and a dogleg left into a green semi-protected by water front right... yet still very accessible.

This course is almost perfectly manicured from tee to green with the biggest flaws I found being unfixed ball marks on the greens (obviously not the clubs fault). I found the greens to be fair and roll nicely, the speed was good, but never punitive (*very* different than the Loop, if you go and play both, be sure to use the practice green for whatever course you play second for a bit before you jump on). I only found the sand once and it played very well, light and deep enough to take your normal sand swing and get the expected results.

Again, in a stark contrast to the Loop, your drives on this course are more a function of carry than roll out, so tee it high and let it fly. I had several tee shots that wound up within just a couple yards (sometimes feet) of where they landed. The greens were very receptive to approach shots and you can certainly put up a score here if you are on the right tee boxes for your skill level. On that note, there is no real reason not to be, Forest Dunes has 5 tee boxes before getting into combo tees... there is a proper length/difficulty for everyone here.

The courses defense is multifaceted, which I appreciated. It uses angles on several holes, strategic bunkering on others, and course management (with a few different risk/reward plays available throughout the course) on many. With the exception of a truly wayward shot into the thick scrub lining the course, not-good shots are not overly punished here, and in most cases, if you can find/see your ball, you can recover decently.

On thing I like about the course is that there are few side by side holes, so you rarely actually feel the presence of other golfers (although I did "take the opportunity" to share a fairway waste-area between 10 and 18 with some golfers going the other way while playing 10), It's just kind of you and the trees. My wife and I stopped multiple times to just enjoy the sound of the wind going through the trees... and pretty much nothing else (caveat to this: in the afternoon, as you play 10 and 18, you probably will hear the music coming from the Bootlegger short course).

I cannot say enough about the service at Forest Dunes. From the clubhouse, to the starters, to the random maintenance person driving by on a cart in the parking lot... everyone on the property seems genuinely vested in you enjoying your stay. It's worth noting that this is not the "snooty" kind of "invested" you might receive at some high end places, it's more of a family/good friend investment vibe. Attention to detail is nice as well... I had a morning time on the Loop (Red) and then an afternoon time on the Dunes... the first thing the starter at the Dunes asked me was how my found at the Loop way, the second thing he said was "this is a different course" and then talked about speed of fairways, greens, etc. It was great.

There is no doubt I'll be back to Forest Dunes as soon as I'm able to be, and I highly recommend visiting and playing, it's is one of my favorite all time courses and the culture/environment only adds to that.

The course was amazing. It was in great shape and was a real challenge for all levels of golfers. We played the combo tees to ensure members of our group would enjoy the track and was very much a challenging experience for of us all. Par 3 were long and we protecting by big bunkers. There were a wide variety of par 4s, #14 being the toughest. The par 5s required great tee shots and accurate approaches.

This would certainly be a course I recommend to anyone that enjoys a golf focused escape!

I have to break this down into three parts: Golf Course, Staff/Services, and Golf Environment:
1. Golf Course: Tom Weiskopf did an outstanding job with this routing. Plenty of length for the long hitters and plenty of golf course for everybody else. There are 5 sets of tees and also a combo set to satisfy all tastes. The course provided the opportunity to use every club in the bag, as well as giving a reachable par 5 (maybe two), a driveable par 4 (for longer hitters), a long par 3, and a short par 3. The two finishing holes on both front and back nines are some of the best I’ve played. There are some elevation changes and plenty of changing green complexes. This course was manicured in an excellent manner as well. The greens were fast but receptive, but the fairways were a bit soft (some rain earlier in the week). I EASILY give this golf course a 5-star rating.
2. Staff and services: All of the Pro Shop staff were very courteous, and very customer oriented. The starters were all very friendly, knowledgeable and wanted to be sure all the guests had an opportunity to have a great time and that all the groups started on time. The outside staff were friendly and accommodating. We had requested caddies for our foursome, but somehow that got mixed up and we only had a forecaddie available. Our forecaddie was friendly, but truly provided no real additional knowledge that we did not gather fo ourselves from our hand-held GPS. His green reading was average. Our group determined that the $30/player would have been better spent on souvenirs from the Pro Shop.
3. Golf Environment: This is the area that needs MOST IMPROVEMENT if Forest Dunes wants to be held in the same regard as a golf destination as Whistling Straits, Bandon Dunes, etc. Imagine going to play Pinehurst, and Bushwood Country Club breaks out...That was much to our surprise. VERY LOUD MUSIC coming from multiple carts, 5+ hour round and course assistants that did nothing to move groups along. Many groups were yelling back & forth and just generally had no regard for normal golf course etiquette. At one point in the afternoon, we were told by a course assistant “To play ready golf, so every group can finish before dark.” But nothing was done to speed up play. We were told that “a couple of groups were holding everyone up (but nothing was done to remedy the pace). We were already on #15 and had been playing ready golf since the round started, so the admonishment to play ready golf did not sit well with us, as we waited almost every shot.

All this being said, Forrest Dunes is an excellent golf course and was lots of fun to play. I would go back there again, I would just have a better idea what to expect.

The Good: Forest Dunes in Roscommon, MI (about 30 minutes south of Gaylord) is an impeccably conditioned Tom Weiskopf design with beautiful contrasting nines that wind through woodlands on the front and sand dunes on the closing nine. What this Northwoods course lacks in lake views and elevation change makes up with fun, strategic holes with several interesting doglegs, excellent Par-3’s, and a super closing Par-5. Now a full-fledged resort with the additional of many great lodging options, it has a huge, immaculate clubhouse with full restaurant and very nice outdoor dining area with views of the 9th & 18th. Great service and very accommodating staff. Very solid amenities including expansive practice area and several comfort stations throughout the course. Decent value at $160 peak season considering the conditioning and overall experience.

The Bad: The golf carts lacking GPS is a little bit of a bummer. The greens putt very true but the complexes aren’t as interesting as the Loop and many of the other courses in the area. If you’re staying at one of the houses off-site from the course, make sure to not try to find it at night and after several dinner drinks.

The Verdict: Forest Dunes might be the best-conditioned public course I’ve played in a long time. Just a fun, pleasant walk (cart drive) in the park and a joy to play. A Top 5 public golf course I’ve played in the Midwest.

Best Hole: The Par-4 8th is an awesome dogleg right with a drive that must needle through trees left and a large fairway bunker on the right, unveiling an open approach to a downhill, peninsula green guarded by water right. The huge clubhouse in the distance is a nice touch.

I was expecting Forest Dunes to be the appetizer for the main course across the state at Arcadia Bluffs later this weekend, but I was blown away by what Weiskopf created in the scrub pines of Northern Michigan.

In fact, if I didn’t know better I would think I had played in the Southern Pines region of North Carolina. There are elements of Sand Valley, World Woods Pine Barrens, Mid Pines and Ghost Creek at Pumpkin Ridge included in the round. The holes are varied. The natural areas are imminently playable.

When scouting this track online I didn’t think much of the par 3s. They appeared to look alike and I feared redundancy. I couldn’t have been more wrong. They are each unique.

I was very impressed with the early season conditioning. Fairways were superb. Greens have a little further to go, but we’re extremely pure, if a bit on the slow side.

Favorite holes were the sixth with the fairway sunken behind a massive bunker and a tree bisecting it. The 10th gives you options on which way to drive it on a split fairway. The decision will undoubtedly be determined by which side of the green the pin is. A small pot bunker Is the centerpiece of the green complex. The 12th is a textbook par 4 that you will dream about playing long after the round. The par-3 16th demands a long iron approach of roughly 200 yards, but contouring allows for balls to feed to the back and right portions of the green. The short 17th is simply a joy to unlock.

The Bye hole with the bunker in the center of the green a la Riviera and San Antonio is a fun way to close out the day.

Forest Dunes’ practice area is second to none. An expansive range is bolstered by a Himalayas-esque chipping area and a putting green that spans like an amoeba through and around trees and grass knobs. A 10-hole short course is expected to be added later this summer.

In summary, the staff’s hospitality combined with the course’s excellence creates a memorable experience that is deserving of a Top 30 American public course ranking.

Designed by Tom Weiskopf Forest Dunes is nearly flawless execution of the classic parkland style. Bunkers almost seem elegantly placed next to green sides. The course meanders through corridors of a tall pine forest. Forest Dunes is exactly what the name says, a course weaved into a forest with a great mixture of rugged dunes, large waste areas strategically placed, ball attracting native areas and perfectly molded fairways. In classic Weiskopf fashion, most holes have a risk-reward option that will tempt the most conservative of players and trap the best of players. Weiskopf is known for his driveable par 4s and he has a beauty on 17, you can lay up 160 yards or carry a vast wasteland of sand and native areas. Forest Dunes is a great resort with friendly inviting staff, if you are looking for a course executing the designer's intentions and its name at the highest level, Forest Dunes is a must-play.

Pricing was to high, will not go back at this price point!

I don't quite get the hype for this course. It's good but not great. The layout is good, but there's nothing really here that will blow your mind or be particularly memorable, and there's way more forest than dunes. The conditions were quite good, but the greens were just of average speed. The worst thing was the gnats, and even 100% DEET does nothing for them. It was miserable to have a constant swarm of gnats everywhere on the course. There are many better and more interesting places to play in Michigan. We did not play the Loop course, but it appeared to be in terrible condition from what we could see.

First off I'm a huge fan of Weiskopf''s Cedar River at Shanty Creek (1999). I always wanted to get over to FD (2002) to see what Tom had in store for me. Finally did and so happy I ventured to out of the way Roscommon. FD is similar from the aspect that fairways and greensites are sculpted to allow thoughtful rolls that bring your ball back into play. I'm a lover of the ground game and FD provides that and more. Course looks "tight" but there's really a lot of room. Spectacularly beautiful/quiet and Tom has a few more greenside bunkers that require carry than Cedar River. Wonderful facilities which also has the Doak Reversible Loop course, putting course and next year a 10 hole short course. Nice clubhouse/bar areas as well. Expensive but worth it. Hardly anyone was there the Sunday after the 4th holiday. A tad buggy so bring some spray. We played in under 4 hours. Well maintained - greens were great. Already want to go back and stay for a week - play the Loop in both directions and then play FD in the afternoon shade. 10th hole is an interesting split fairway with crazy green and FD's short "driveable" 17th is even better than Weiskopf's short 17th at TPC Scottsdale which the pro's play Super Bowl weekend. Highly recommend a special visit or stay and play at this gem..

Forest Dunes is the first course at the resort and is well worth the drive from Detroit, Chicago or anywhere within a state or two. The name is perfect as the front nine plays through forest until the 9th hole and the back nine is through sandcapped duneland with some forest that really doesn't come into play.You might have Weiskopf's best work here. You get not one, but two quality drivable par 4s in the 12th and the wonderful 17th. The par 3s play use a variety of clubs and offer a swale, duneland or water in the front on three of them. Most notable is that the greens are more contoured than most of his designs but not so much that there are complaints. However, short game and putting are more interesting/challenging/fun than normal. Almost all of the par 4s and par 5s offer a risk/reward option off the tee making the course very strategic in nature. You are also set in nature the whole time so no houses, etc along the course. Pace of play was under 4 hours which was nice. The course can be penal if you are off your game; however, I think every ball that went off the beaten path was found by our groups.So the penalty is just trying to save par/bogie. The conditioning is excellent as bunkers, fairways and tee boxes were all top notch.
Off the course, you have multiple restaurants and bar areas with really good food and a nice patio bar for outdoor eating/drinking. A very nice setting. The golf has a putting greens, a putting course and driving range for all of your needs. The lodging has a lodge for couples or singles as well as villas/cottages for buddies trips. They are both walking distance from the course. I found the pro-shop, concierge, starter and everybody at the resort to be very kind and do everything they could to make your stay enjoyable.
Negatives are only one: plenty of bugs; however, bug spray will rectify that as one application took them away from me for the whole round.
Don't feel like paying full price? they have a replay rate, shoulder season rates and even a $100 a round rate for Fire/Police/Teachers, etc which I had never seen anywhere else.
Forest Dunes the course is quite different than the Loop in nature so they seem to have found a formula for people playing 36 and/or staying overnight. I suggest that you do the same. Played 36 a day for 3 days and wanted to come back for more.

A friend and I traveled to MI for a quick golf trip. We selected Forest Dunes and Arcadia Bluffs as our 2 targets. The drive from Traverse City wasn't too bad, the place is in the middle of no where in the Huron Forest. The staff was amazing, the clubhouse was fantastic. The pro shop was great, it was first class all the way. They have a number of tees to play from so it's not overwhelming for those that just want to have a good time. The course wasn't full when we were there so pace was fantastic. Wonderful conditions, lots of sand, and a ton of waste bunkers on the back 9. This is a course that you would dream to play on a weekly basis. If I live d in the area i would 100% be a member. If you're planning a trip, this is a slam dunk with Forest Dunes, the Loop and the new par 3 course you can really have a blast out there.

Forest dunes is an interesting course - some forest and some sand dunes. The scenery is great. But the course is difficult golf - it was too much sand for me - an intermediate golfer. I did not play the loop but will play that next time I go there

What an incredible course. Amazing, one of a kind layout. Very rewarding if you put the ball in play but the course will show its teeth if you miss in the wrong spot. The greens rolled true but were lightning fast. A really good test of golf. Great practice facility and the staff was very friendly. Well worth the visit. It will surely be one of best courses you’ll ever play.

I think this was a good course. Can't be really sure because there we so many gnats flying around you couldn't keep your eyes or mouth open. It really ruined the round. We had to race from shot to shot because they only way to get them away was to keep moving.
Until the gnats are gone or they find a bug spray that works I'd stay away.

The drive to Forest Dunes can be mundane, but the experience of the course is anything but. The staff is extremely friendly and will point you where you need to go. Top notch practice facilities and clubhouse. The course plays firm and fast, and everything rolls true. Even after a recent heat wave in northern Michigan, there were no yellow spots in the grass at all- amazing! The course was very fun to play and the views are gorgeous. It has taken a place in my top 5 Michigan courses. I recommend this course highly!