by Michigan is one of the greatest states for public golf. It boasts a combination of excellent high-end courses and plenty of affordable options for the golf nut.
This is not a final list. Over time, courses will be added and removed depending on research and experience. This is meant to be a guide to help golfers find affordable and architecturally interesting golf courses that might be overlooked and underappreciated.
Requirements:
- The highest rate charged for walking is less than $100.00
- Must have regular tee times available to the public
- Must have architectural interest beyond your typical local course
The DeVries Trio
Perhaps the most underrated and affordable golf trip is the Grand Rapids area. Destination resorts are fantastic, but can be secluded and often difficult to get to. Grand Rapids has an airport and a city filled with restaurants and breweries to choose from. It’s also home to three designs from one of the world’s most underappreciated modern architects, Mike DeVries.
Pilgrim’s Run Golf Club – Mike DeVries – Pierson, MI
Peak walking rate: $69
Pilgrim’s Run is fun golf. The par-73 course has 18 great green complexes on a nice piece of land. The golf course had an interesting origin, with DeVries working with owner Bob Van Kampen and his six employees who each designed three holes. DeVries, with the help of superintendent Kris Schumaker, put all of the ideas together to create a great public option, 30 minutes from Grand Rapids.
Mines Golf Course – Mike DeVries – Walker, MI
Peak walking rate: $54
Set on some severe land, the Mines delivers some dramatic holes that flow with the natural topography. DeVries’s natural bunkering sits perfectly into the landscape, providing strategic interest and beautiful aesthetics. The Mines is a mere 8 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids.
Diamond Springs Golf Course – Mike DeVries – Hamilton, MI
Peak walking rate: $30
40 minutes from Grand Rapids is Diamond Springs, a prime example of what golf needs more of. Diamond Springs maintains a single cut of grass across its entire property. This keeps maintenance costs down and allows the golf course to be affordable and sustainable. Set in sand hills, Diamond Springs has terrific natural land that DeVries took full advantage of.
Stoatin Brae at Gull Lake – Renaissance Golf – Kalamazoo, MI
Peak Walking Rate: $99
Stoatin’ Brae is the new prize of the Gull Lake Resort. The course was designed and built by Tom Doak’s talented associates at Renaissance Golf. Brian Schneider, Brian Slawnik, Don Placek, and Erik Iverson built a strategic test over a nice rolling property. The course features some fantastic holes, such as the short par-4 8th. The stretch of 10-14 lends a crescendo to the stellar routing. Stoatin’ Brae’s native areas are a little too penal and thick for my liking, but that’s a fixable situation.
Champion Hill Golf Course – Jim Cole – Beulah, MI
Peak walking rate: $41
Typically the “designed by owner” label is reason enough to cringe and think of disastrous maximalist designs that offend my sensibilities. Champion Hill and Jim Cole bucked that trend, not once but twice at Champion Hill and Pinecroft. Champion Hill sits on an incredible sandy property with rolling hills, topography reminiscent of Crystal Downs. Cole built a golf course that accentuates the land, has simple effective bunkering, and quality green sites. Champion Hill shows how simple golf can be good golf, with a price that reflects that.
Pinecroft Golf Course – Jim Cole – Benzonia, MI
Peak walking rate: $41
Similar to its sister course Champion Hill, Pinecroft is on a great (though in my opinion not quite as good) piece of land. The course has a few more design quirks than Champion Hill and offers better views of Crystal Lake. The sister courses offer a $30 replay rate for golfers looking to play both in a day.
Manistee Golf and Country Club – Tom Bendelow – Manistee, MI
Peak walking rate: $35
Manistee gets little acclaim but boasts stunning Lake Michigan bluff views. The Bendelow design’s greens have shrunk significantly, and the course doesn’t fully take advantage of its site, but it’s still worth a stop.
Rackham Golf Course – Donald Ross – Huntington Woods, MI
Peak walking rate: $40
Few public golf facilities have the rich history of Rackham. The Donald Ross design was commissioned thanks to Horace Rackham, who donated the land to the city. Rackham immediately became of the country’s finest public facilities. Legendary prize fighter Joe Louis regularly played Rackham, and it was home to Ben Davis, one of the country’s first African American PGA pros. The design lost a little luster when a highway easement claimed a large part of the origial design. But the Ross-designed back nine remains intact, and it’s a course that should be cherished by the local golf community.
Monroe G&C.C. – Donald Ross – Monroe, MI
Peak walking rate: $40
Not all of the original Ross design remains at this one-time private facility. An early 2000s remodel added ponds on the outsides of doglegs and altered the routing of the hall of fame architect. Despite the disappointing changes, Monroe is still a good, playable option for public golf in Detroit.
Eagle Eye Golf Course – Chris Lutzke and Pete Dye – Bath, MI
Peak walking rate: $75
Designed by long-time Pete Dye associate Chris Lutzke with the help of his predecessor, Eagle Eye offers a strategic and challenging test. While there are plenty of water hazards in which to lose balls, Lutzke provided enough width and alternative routes for players to avoid them.
Black Forest at Wilderness Valley – Tom Doak – Gaylord, MI
Peak walking rate: $48
One of Tom Doak’s early designs featured a construction team of Doak, Gil Hanse and Mike DeVries. The trio built a course with a bunkering style akin to Billy Bell and the Los Angeles area George Thomas designs. Black Forest is one of the most challenging Doak designs, but unfortunately, this course is a shell of what it once was. Hopefully, the course’s management will turn around, as Black Forest has seen better days.
Angels Crossing Golf Club – Bruce Matthews III – Vicksburg, MI
Peak walking rate: $49
The 2004 Bruce Matthews work features massive green complexes and wide fairways. There are a few forgettable holes, but the sum of all parts is a strong offering with some thought-provoking holes, including the 250-yard Redan 12th.
Shadow Ridge Golf Course – Donald Ross – Ionia, MI
Peak walking rate: $23
Shadow Ridge’s back nine was designed by Donald Ross and set on a nice piece of land. The course expanded to 18 holes by purchasing the nine-hole course across the street. The Ross nine is the only one worth seeing, and it’s a shame that tree planting from the early 90’s has taken hold and narrowed the corridors.
Marquette Golf Club (Heritage Course) – Langford & Moreau – Marquette, MI
Peak walking rate: $43
Marquette is home to the accoladed Mike DeVries-designed Greywalls Course, but the original nine holes at the 36-hole facility were designed by the Chicago pair of Langford & Moreau. The bold green complexes and surrounds make the Heritage course a must-play when visiting Greywalls and the UP.
Wawashkamo Golf Club (9 holes) – Alex Smith – Mackinac Island, MI
Peak walking rate: $35
Built in the late 1800s, Wawashkamo has stood the test of time, still delivering a fun, playable test for all. The course retains the original greens and tee boxes from its 1898 design. Wawashkamo’s charm comes from its old school cop bunkering and tiny greens. The course also offers hickory rentals for $40/round.
Iron River Country Club – Langford & Moreau – Iron River, MI
Peak walking rate: $24
The 1932 Langford & Moreau-designed 9-holer is well worth a quick spin when in the UP. Iron River has the bold green complexes and bunkering that make a Langford & Moreau design unforgettable and easy to spot.
Cascades Golf Course – Tom Bendelow – Jackson, MI
Peak walking rate: $20
The 1929 Tom Bendelow design has fallen victim to shrinking fairways, greens, and the overplanting of trees, but it remains an enjoyable place to play golf. The original green complexes remain, and for $20 on the weekend, there are far worse places to spend an afternoon.
Belvedere Golf Club – William Watson – Charlevoix, MI
Peak walking rate: $75
High above the back nine at Belvedere Golf Club (Fried Egg Golf)
The semi-private facility is one of the more underrated courses in the country. Architect William “don’t call me Willie” Watson used the land and simple strategic bunkering to create an enjoyable round of golf. Tee times for the public can be tough during peak season, but before early June and after September, Belvedere welcomes all with open arms.
Places We Still Need to See:
Cadillac C.C. – Cadillac, MI
Peak walking rate: $55
Hiawatha Sportsman’s Club – Endgadine, MI
