This past week, I played two more courses on Golf Magazine’s Top 20 Golf Courses In Michigan (public): Belvedere in Charlevoix, and Cedar River in Bellaire. As it stands, I’ve played all of their Top 10, and 16 of their top 20.
1. Forest Dunes, Roscommon ✓
2. Arcadia Bluffs, Arcadia ✓
3. Marquette (Greywalls), Marquette ✓
4. Tullymore, Stanwood ✓
5. Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry), Bay Harbor ✓
6. Lakewood Shores, Oscoda ✓
7. Black Lake, Onaway ✓
8. Treetops (Rick Smith Signature), Gaylord ✓
9. Belvedere, Charlevoix ✓
10. Cedar River at Shanty Creek, Bellaire ✓
11. Eagle Eye at Hawk Hollow, East Lansing ✓
12. Harbor Shores, Benton Harbor
13. Black Forest at Wilderness Valley, Gaylord ✓
14. Boyne Highlands (Heather), Harbor Springs
15. Shepherd’s Hollow (2nd/3rd Nines), Clarkston ✓
16. Grand Traverse Resort (The Bear), Acme
17. Sweetgrass, Harris ✓
18. Treetops (Tom Fazio), Gaylord ✓
19. Legend at Shanty Creek, Bellaire
20. Elk Ridge, Atlanta ✓
GolfWeek has a somewhat different and shorter list. I’ve played all of them.
1. Arcadia Bluffs, Arcadia ✓
2. Greywalls at Marquette GC, Marquette ✓
3. Forest Dunes, Roscommon ✓
4. Belvedere GC, Charlevoix ✓
5. Black Lake, Onaway ✓
6. Tullymore GC, Stanwood ✓
7. Eagle Eye GC at Hawk Hollow, Bath ✓
8. University of Michigan GC, Ann Arbor ✓
9. Lakewood Shores Resort (Gailes), Oscoda ✓
10. TimberStone Golf Club, Iron Mountain ✓
11. Treetops (Signature), Gaylord ✓
12. Sweetgrass, Harris ✓
13. Black Forest at Wilderness Valley, Gaylord ✓
14. Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry), Harbor Springs ✓
15. Orchards GC, Washington ✓
The biggest difference is that GolfWeek includes the University of Michigan Course, and Orchards GC. I agree that the UM course belongs on the list. I’m also a fan of The Orchards. There are, however, a couple of courses that I would add to the list, most notably Bedford Valley in Augusta, Michigan and Lyon Oaks, in Oakland County.
I’ll have my own list shortly.