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| Forest Dunes Golf Club | |
|---|---|
| Name | Forest Dunes Golf Club |
| Location | Roscommon, Michigan, United States |
| Established | 2002 |
| Type | Private / Resort |
| Holes | 27 |
| Designer | Tom Doak; Tom Weiskopf (original); Coore & Crenshaw (remodel) |
| Par | 72 (Loop) |
| Length | ~7,200 yards (varies by routing) |
Forest Dunes Golf Club
Forest Dunes Golf Club is a private resort golf complex in Roscommon, Michigan, noted for dramatic links-style routing, a standout reversible “Loop” and championship routing amid northern hardwoods. The property has been associated with prominent designers and professional players, attracting attention from Tom Doak, Tom Weiskopf, Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, Mike DeVries, and touring professionals. The club sits near regional attractions including Houghton Lake, Au Sable River, Higgins Lake, M-18 (Michigan highway), and the Huron-Manistee National Forest.
Forest Dunes opened in the early 21st century following land acquisition by Michigan developers and investors with ties to Sawmill enterprises and regional tourism initiatives. The original 18-hole layout was influenced by routing options explored by Tom Weiskopf and collaborators, later enhanced when Tom Doak contributed grassing and bunker philosophy reminiscent of St. Andrews Links, Pebble Beach Golf Links, and Royal County Down. In the 2010s the club engaged Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw for significant redesign and the ambitious addition of a reversible nine-hole "Loop", reflecting routing experiments seen at venues like Pebble Beach Municipal Golf Links and echoing ideas from Shinnecock Hills Golf Club restorations. Ownership changes and investment rounds involved stakeholders connected to Midwest hospitality groups and resort operators with portfolios including Boyne Resorts, Grand Traverse Resort, and private equity interests from Michigan-based entrepreneurs. The club’s evolution paralleled regional development initiatives coordinated with local authorities including Roscommon County and tourism bureaus promoting Northern Michigan recreation.
The complex comprises multiple 18-hole and 9-hole routings with a marquee reversible "Loop" designed to play clockwise or counterclockwise, a concept discussed among designers such as Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, and Jack Nicklaus in professional circles. Coore & Crenshaw’s work emphasized native fescue, strategic bunker placement, and green complexes influenced by classic architects like Alister MacKenzie, A.W. Tillinghast, and Charles Blair Macdonald. The site’s soils and topography required collaboration with agronomists from Michigan State University Extension and turfgrass specialists who have worked on venues including Bethpage Black Course and TPC Sawgrass. Tees, fairways, and greens accommodate tournament setups comparable to U.S. Open and PGA Championship conditioning protocols, while routing connects to natural features similar to those preserved at Cypress Point Club and Peachtree Golf Club.
Forest Dunes has hosted professional and amateur events, invitational matches, and charity tournaments backed by regional sporting organizations and associations such as the PGA of America, Michigan Golf Association, and the USGA affiliate networks. The venue has been featured in qualifying rounds, pro-am exhibitions with touring professionals from the PGA Tour and LPGA circuits, and specialist links-style showcases akin to events at The Olympic Club and Whistling Straits. Corporate retreats and shotgun tournaments often partner with entities like Detroit Red Wings alumni foundations, regional philanthropic arms of United Way, and high-profile golf instruction clinics modeled on programs run by Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, and Sean Foley.
On-site facilities include a clubhouse with dining and banquet spaces drawing culinary influences from Michigan resort cuisine found at establishments like The Inn at Bay Harbor and Mission Point Resort, practice areas with short-game lawns and a driving range akin to training centers at Faldo Course, and lodging options through partnerships with local inns and condominium operators. Wellness and recreation services coordinate with nearby outdoor outfitters serving snowmobiling routes, cross-country skiing trails, and water sport providers on Houghton Lake. The property’s maintenance complex employs equipment comparable to standards at Augusta National Golf Club and storage protocols used by elite clubs, while pro shop merchandise aligns with suppliers such as Titleist, FootJoy, Callaway, TaylorMade, and Ping.
Forest Dunes collaborates with conservation organizations and agencies including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and local chapters of The Nature Conservancy to manage native habitat, dune vegetation, and water resources adjacent to the Au Sable River watershed. Native plant restoration echoes projects at sites like Indiana Dunes National Park and dune stabilization techniques informed by coastal work at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Integrated pest management and turf programs consult researchers from Michigan State University and the United States Golf Association green section to balance playability with wildlife protection for species similar to regional birds managed under Migratory Bird Treaty Act provisions. Stormwater management and wetland mitigation follow best practices promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency and state regulators.
Access policies combine private membership tiers, resort packages, and limited public access through affiliated lodging, reflecting models used by clubs such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Whistling Straits, and The Broadmoor. Membership categories include full, social, corporate, and reciprocal arrangements with clubs in networks like the PGA TOUR Superstore affiliate programs and reciprocal agreements reminiscent of those among private clubs in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. Booking windows and tee-time policies coordinate with regional tourism calendars managed by Pure Michigan promotional partners and local chambers of commerce.
The course and resort have been recognized in regional and national listings by publications and organizations including Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Golfweek, and specialty travel outlets that profile top resort courses alongside peers such as Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, and Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Design accolades cite contributions by Tom Doak, Bill Coore, and Ben Crenshaw, with coverage appearing in architecture retrospectives alongside historic works by Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones Sr., and Pete Dye.
Category:Golf clubs and courses in Michigan Category:Sports venues in Roscommon County, Michigan