Forest Dunes, Roscommon, Michigan

Thursday, I revisited Forest Dunes. I first played there in 2008 amid widespread speculation that the course would close. I was immediately enchanted.

Forest Dunes thankfully did not close, was revived by new owners and now is considered by many to be one of the best in the country.

Forest Dunes is a Tom Weiskopf design that is fun, challenging and beautiful. Here are just a few of the accolades

• Golf Digest: 2015/16 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses – #23 Forest Dunes
• Golf Digest: 2015/16 America’s Greatest Golf Courses – #118 Forest Dunes
• Matt Ginella — Morning Drive/Golf Channel: Best Courses You Can Play (U.S.) – #10 Forest Dunes
• Golfweek: Best Modern Courses (America) – #85 Forest Dunes
• Golfweek: Best Courses You Can Play (Michigan) – #3 Forest Dunes
• Golfweek: Best Residential Courses (America) – #35 Forest Dunes

As far as I am concerned, Forest Dunes is certainly in the conversation as the best course I’ve played in Michigan, along with Arcadia Bluffs, Greywalls, Tullymore and Black Lake. Unlike a lot of “drive-by” reviewers, I’ve played nearly 150 courses in Michigan, so I think I have some perspective on the subject (sadly, I played quite a few of them before I started systematically photographing and reviewing these courses for GolfBlogger. But I’ve made an effort to go back to replay and re-photograph the best of those.)

Forest Dunes is adding a second (and third) course … a highly unusual Tom Doak layout that can be played both forward and backward. I hope that, later this summer, the folk at Forest Dunes will let me take a look at the progress