From the moment you pull up to the grounds at Arcadia Bluffs and you look out at the view from the back porch, you will be mesmerized and won’t believe that you’re in northern Michigan.
You’ll feel like you’ve been transported overseas, as the course provides you with views overlooking Lake Michigan that is vast and resembles the ocean as you look down over the link-style design.Â
One of our favorite parts of this incredible golf resort is the dichotomy of the experience that they provide you. The Bluffs Course was the original course that put this destination on the map, and in 2018 the team at Arcadia Bluffs added The South Course to the mix to enhance your experience and give you a completely different experience from The Bluffs Course. The South Course is a nod to early American golf course designs, and you’ll often hear comparisons to the looks of courses like Chicago Golf Club, an elite private club that is often ranked as one of the top private facilities in the country.Â
Combine epic golf with first-class accommodations and incredible cuisine, and it’s the perfect recipe for a golf experience that you are sure to enjoy.
The Bluffs CourseÂ
The original design debuted in 1999, with The Bluffs Course opening to immediate acclaim — and rightfully so. This links-style course designed by Warren Henderson features lush green fairways that are outlined by thick rough with pops of golden fescue, creating a visually stunning experience as you make your way around this special design.Â
The front nine opens up with three par-3s, three par-4s, and three par-5s, creating an interesting routing that utilizes the space provided to maximize your experience. Our favorite hole on the front is the par-5 5th hole as it features a stunning backdrop of Lake Michigan that only gets better as you make your way down the hole. The tee shot here is fairly straightforward, but strategy reaches a premium on your second shot as long-hitters may try and go for this green in two, and if you do be sure to be accurate as this 56-yard-long green that is amply protected by a multitude of bunkers and thick rough for any shot that slides long or right. Even a lay-up shot here demands precision, and when you do, you’ll often have a short iron into this massive green that features three main tiers where finding the right level is crucial.Â
The 5th hole is a perfect example of what your day around The Bluffs Course entails: plenty of room off of the tee and your approach shots tend to be to large greens with tons of undulation, so utilizing the slopes is a must in order to get your shots close to the pin. Oh yeah…and insanely beautiful views!Â
The front nine is fantastic, but the back nine is the star of the show here. The 11th through the 13th hole plays right along the cliffs that feature a more than 80-foot drop down to Lake Michigan that feels much more like an ocean than a lake.Â
As is the mark of many special golf courses, you’ll look back on every hole and you literally can’t pick out one thing that you didn’t love about it. Every hole is special, and the dramatic elevation changes, scenic vistas, and wonderful design and conditioning will leave you wanting to plan your next getaway here the second after your final putt drops.Â
The South CourseÂ
Think about how many golf resorts you’ve been to where the feel and vibe of the multiple courses on property are tough to distinguish from one another as everything tends to have the same look and feel. That is definitely not the case at Arcadia Bluffs, as the magnificent duo of Dana Fry and Jason Straka created The South Course, the perfect complementary experience to The Bluffs Course, elevating the level of the entire property to another level.Â
The course is only one mile away from The Bluffs Course, but the feel here is quite different. The course is vast, and it feels and plays big. It doesn’t feature all of the dramatic elevation changes or the backdrop of Lake Michigan that The Bluffs Course provides, but we love that about it. Instead, The South Course pays homage to the distinct design features from yesteryear that could be found at the elite private clubs of early American golf course design.Â
One of the most distinct design features that you’ll immediately notice is the squared off, 90-degree corners that you’ll find on both the tee boxes and even on the greens. These clean lines that are a nod to the designs of the past somehow give this course a modern feel as this is now often found in today’s home architectural designs.Â
Even though the course has a simple and clean look to it, don’t for a second think that you’re in for an easy stroll around the course as the vast property features very few trees except for the outlining boundaries of the property, so the winds from nearby Lake Michigan are quite prevalent and will factor in on pretty much every hole for you. The greens are quite massive, but they play much smaller as there are a multitude of false fronts and drop offs that can make for a challenging up and down.Â
In addition to the clean lines of the greens and tee boxes, the bunkering around The South Course is extremely unique and eye-catching. You’ll often find that the cross bunkers feature a more rectangular look versus your typical pot-bunker feel, and even the bunkers that guard the corners of the squared off greens tend to have a uniform width further accentuating the unique squared off design features.Â
In a day and age where excess seems to be so prevalent, The South Course is a perfect reminder of how simplicity can be magnificent as this course is a must-play for any visit to Arcadia Bluffs.
AccommodationsÂ
Arcadia Bluffs offers guests three different options when it comes to staying onsite — The Lodge, the Bluffs Lodge, and The Cottages.Â
The Lodge: It is located above the main floor of the clubhouse and provides golfers with 15 extremely well-appointed guest rooms with a California King size bed and 1 Suite option that offers an additional great room area if you need a little more room to enjoy the breathtaking views of Lake Michigan.Â
The Bluffs Lodge: Located adjacent to the main clubhouse, The Bluffs Lodge is the perfect home base for golf groups as the rooms offer a modern and functional design with two queen beds, a spacious bathroom with one of the best showers we’ve ever seen, and a state-of-the-art fitness center to get your body primed and ready for a perfect day on the course.Â
The Cottages at Arcadia Bluffs: For those who are looking for a private sanctuary for their group during your visit to Arcadia Bluffs, look no further than The Cottages. These 1,900 square foot accommodations are configured with 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms and can either feature King Beds in each bedroom or 2 Twin X-Long beds if you are looking to accommodate 8 golfers under one roof. The Cottages also feature a Great Room with a gas fireplace and a wet bar, a kitchenette, microwave and a mini fridge so your group will have all of the comforts of home while you are away.Â
Recommendation
Arcadia Bluffs is special. There’s no doubt about that. The Bluffs Course gets so much of the love here, and rightfully so, but we also adore The South Course and we’re shocked by the number of golfers who don’t include a round here on their itinerary. Don’t make that same mistake, and make sure you plan accordingly to include at least one round on each course during your visit.Â
The lodging accommodations here are fantastic, but they are also quite limited so planning is a must for your visit to Arcadia Bluffs. For example, during our last visit we were there on a Monday and Tuesday which are traditionally slower days for a golf resort, and the tee times on The Bluffs Course were sold out all the way through the final twilight tee time. The demand is that high right now, so be sure to start planning immediately if you’re trying to get here this season or even next year.Â
The great thing about Arcadia Bluffs is you can experience the resort with just a one-night getaway with a round on your day of arrival, and a round on your day of departure. That being said, a two-night stay will give you more time to truly enjoy all of the features of this incredible resort.Â
With so much bucket-list golf in northern Michigan and the fact that the state is known for the sun setting at around 9:30 p.m., many golfers love being able to include Arcadia Bluffs as one of a couple or even a few stops during a multi-day golf trip. If you’re looking for any advice on how to maximize this, reach out to us at Groups@golfstayandplays.com as we’d be happy to help provide you with some advice on how to maximize your Michigan golf vacation.Â