Northern Michigan

The take

Northern Michigan is not a single resort destination. It is a curated golf route built around Arcadia, Roscommon, Petoskey/Harbor Springs, and Gaylord. Get the routing right and it feels like one of the great underrated golf trips in North America. Get it wrong and you spend the week staring at two-lane roads while your tee sheet slowly judges you.

The anchor courses are real: Arcadia Bluffs and The South Course, Forest Dunes and both directions of The Loop, Bay Harbor's Links/Quarry combination, The Heather and Donald Ross Memorial at The Highlands, and Treetops Masterpiece in Gaylord. Arcadia brings Lake Michigan drama. Forest Dunes brings Weiskopf and Doak architecture. Bay Harbor brings polished shoreline resort golf. Boyne and Treetops give the route depth if you plan it intelligently.

Read the full take

The best version is not "play everything." The best version is to pick two or three clusters, respect drive times, and use the long summer daylight to create variety without turning the trip into a moving violation. Everything else may be pleasant, convenient, or locally beloved, but it is not the editorial core of this guide.

Best version

Build around Arcadia and Forest Dunes first, then decide whether the group wants a Petoskey/Boyne lake-town finish or a Gaylord/Treetops extension. Four nights can work if the itinerary is disciplined. Five or six nights is the sweet spot if you want to play the full nine without making every transfer feel like a hostage negotiation.

Skip if

Insider notes

Build around Arcadia and Forest Dunes first, then decide whether the group wants a Petoskey/Boyne lake-town finish or a Gaylord/Treetops extension.
Four nights can work if the itinerary is disciplined.
Five or six nights is the sweet spot if you want to play the full nine without making every transfer feel like a hostage negotiation.

The courses

9 core rounds. Scan first, then click into the course detail when you want the full read.

Full destination course detailsExpand this section for the deeper course reads, then click again to hide it.Expand

#16GD Public

4.7(513)

14710 Northwood Hwy, Arcadia, MI 49613, USA

(231) 889-3001

Must play

Arcadia Bluffs - The Bluffs Course

Designer: Rick Smith and Warren Henderson
Year: 1999
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,412 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Premium seasonal public rate; verify current Arcadia Bluffs pricing before quoting hard numbers.

The Bluffs is the course that sells the trip before anyone reads the fine print. It is big, theatrical, wind-sensitive, and at times more about the lake than the routing, but that is not a complaint. If you are bringing a group to Northern Michigan and skipping this, you are not planning a golf trip. You are conducting a social experiment.

Strengths

Lake Michigan drama
Destination identity
Big first-impression value
Strong conditioning

Weaknesses

Premium pricing
Wind exposure
More scenic than subtle

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: 11, 12, 13, 18

#37GD Public

4.5(377)

6376 Forest Dunes Dr, Roscommon, MI 48653, USA

(989) 275-0700

Must play

Forest Dunes Golf Club

Designer: Tom Weiskopf
Year: 2002
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,116 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Premium seasonal resort/public rate; verify current Forest Dunes pricing.

Forest Dunes is the inland heavyweight. It has less postcard energy than Arcadia and more actual golf substance than many people expect. The setting is quiet, the routing is strong, and the whole place feels built for golfers who are there to play, not pose.

Strengths

Weiskopf routing
Sandy inland texture
Excellent conditioning
Strong self-contained resort feel

Weaknesses

Remote
Less visual drama than Arcadia
Limited town scene nearby

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: 9, 14, 17, 18

#53GD Public

4.6(146)

13637 Northwood Hwy, Bear Lake, MI 49614, USA

(800) 494-8666

Must play

Arcadia Bluffs - South Course

Designer: Dana Fry and Jason Straka
Year: 2018
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,412 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Premium seasonal public rate; verify current Arcadia Bluffs pricing.

The South Course is why Arcadia is more than a one-course postcard. It is cleaner, flatter, more restrained, and more strategic than The Bluffs. Some casual groups will call it less exciting. Those groups are allowed to be wrong.

Strengths

Strategic contrast
Walkable rhythm
Golden Age inspiration
Strong complement to The Bluffs

Weaknesses

Less visual drama
Can feel austere to casual players
Overshadowed by the lakefront course

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: 5, 9, 13, 18

#63GD Public

Must play

The Loop - Black Course

Designer: Tom Doak
Year: 2016
Par: 70
Yardage: 6,805 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Seasonal resort/public rate; verify current Forest Dunes pricing.

The Loop Black is half of the reversible argument. It is subtle, clever, and more interesting the more you understand what is happening under your feet. The routing schedule matters because Black and Red alternate. If your group needs water hazards and cart-path theatrics, this may not land. If your group likes golf architecture, it absolutely should.

Strengths

Reversible concept
Different angles on the same land
Ground-game interest
Match-play value

Weaknesses

Abstract for some players
Less visual drama
Requires buy-in from the group

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: 4, 9, 14, 18

#68GD Public

4.6(7)

6376 Forest Dunes Dr, Roscommon, MI 48653, USA

(989) 275-0700

Must play

The Loop - Red Course

Designer: Tom Doak
Year: 2016
Par: 70
Yardage: 6,704 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Seasonal resort/public rate; verify current Forest Dunes pricing.

The Loop Red completes the trick. The same land becomes a different golf course, and that is the whole point. Play Red and Black if the trip is serious. Playing only one is like reading every other chapter and then reviewing the book.

Strengths

Completes the reversible idea
Firm ground-game decisions
Good walking rhythm
Architecture-geek appeal

Weaknesses

Subtle
Harder sell for casual players
Best appreciated with the Black Course

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: 3, 8, 15, 18

#100GD Public

Must play

Bay Harbor - Links/Quarry

Designer: Arthur Hills
Year: 1996
Par: 72
Yardage: About 6,942 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Premium Boyne resort/public seasonal rate; verify current Bay Harbor pricing.

Bay Harbor Links/Quarry is the scenic resort flex. It is not the deepest architecture play in the region, but it gives the trip a clean dose of Lake Michigan spectacle and polished vacation golf. Use it when the itinerary reaches Petoskey. Do not force it if the route is otherwise Arcadia and Roscommon.

Strengths

Lake Michigan views
Vacation feel
Quarry contrast
Resort polish

Weaknesses

Premium pricing
Less architecturally essential than Forest Dunes or The Loop
Route-dependent

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: Links 7, Links 8, Quarry 6, Quarry 9

2.7(160)

11450 E Holly Rd, Holly, MI 48442, USA

(810) 255-4029

Google Maps

Strong play

The Highlands - The Heather

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Year: 1965
Par: 72
Yardage: About 7,143 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Boyne resort/public seasonal rate; verify current pricing and package rules.

The Heather is the old-school Boyne round and still useful. It belongs when the trip is based around Harbor Springs or Bay Harbor and the group wants a classic resort course with history. It does not need to pretend to be Arcadia or Forest Dunes. That is not its job.

Strengths

Historic Boyne anchor
Playable resort rhythm
Good group fit
Classic RTJ Sr. framing

Weaknesses

Less modern interest
Not a standalone trip reason
Can be overshadowed by the bigger names

Strong play

0/5

Signature holes: 7, 14, 16, 18

4.4(16)

600 Highland Pike Rd, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, USA

(800) 462-6963

Strong play

The Highlands - Donald Ross Memorial

Designer: Various Donald Ross replica holes
Year: 1989
Par: 72
Yardage: About 6,814 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Boyne resort/public seasonal rate; verify current pricing and package rules.

Donald Ross Memorial is a concept course, not a museum piece. It borrows from famous Ross ideas and turns them into an accessible resort round. That makes it fun and useful, especially for groups staying at The Highlands. Just do not sell it as a lost Ross masterpiece. It is not that, and it is better when it does not try to be.

Strengths

Fun concept
Good variety
Group-friendly
Useful Boyne itinerary depth

Weaknesses

Not an original Ross design
Concept can feel uneven
Less essential than the anchors

Strong play

0/5

Signature holes: 1, 10, 15, 18

4.3(3,109)

3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord, MI 49735, USA

(989) 732-6711

Strong play

Treetops Resort - Masterpiece

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Year: 1987
Par: 71
Yardage: About 7,068 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Treetops resort/public seasonal rate; verify current pricing and package rules.

Masterpiece is the Gaylord course that earns a spot in the curated Northern Michigan list. It has elevation, scale, and a little old-school RTJ bite. Include it when the route naturally runs through Gaylord. Do not tack it on just to say you did.

Strengths

Elevation
RTJ Sr. scale
Strong views
Distinct from Arcadia and Forest Dunes

Weaknesses

Route-dependent
Can feel severe from the wrong tees
Not worth derailing a clean itinerary

Strong play

0/5

Signature holes: 6, 11, 15, 18

Full course library

Where to stay, eat, and stray

Lodging

Where to stay

Arcadia Bluffs lodging

Stay here if Arcadia is the anchor. It is not cheap, but it protects the most important thing: getting the tee sheet and the bed in the same geography. The Lodge is the clean golf-first answer; nearby lake-town lodging is cheaper but adds friction.

Forest Dunes lodging

Forest Dunes is the cleanest self-contained base in the region. Stay here if you are playing Forest Dunes and both Loop directions. Driving in and out every day is missing the point, and it makes the reversible-course concept harder than it needs to be.

Inn at Bay Harbor

The polished Petoskey answer. Use it when the trip wants Bay Harbor, lake views, and a more elevated resort feel.

Dining

Where groups actually eat

Arcadia / Frankfort / Manistee

Keep Arcadia nights simple. The golf is the show. Dinner just needs to keep the group fed and out of the car.

Forest Dunes on-property dining

At Forest Dunes, convenience is not a compromise. It is the entire reason to stay on property.

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

This is the best dining cluster if the trip includes Bay Harbor, The Heather, and Donald Ross Memorial. Chandler's is the special-night room, Spring & Porter is the ambitious modern dinner, Stafford's Pier gives you waterfront whitefish, and Petoskey Brewing solves the post-round beer requirement without making anyone think too hard.

Things to do

Beyond the golf

Lake Michigan beaches and sunsets

The Arcadia, Frankfort, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs stretch gives the trip real summer scenery. Use sunset as part of the plan, not an accident.

Traverse City wine, breweries, and food

The best non-golf cluster in the region. Ideal for arrival, departure, or a lighter day.

Boating and fishing

Good fit for mixed groups and longer summer stays, especially around Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Traverse City.

Planning mechanics

Logistics

Flights, driving, walking

Flights

Traverse City (TVC): Best general airport for many Arcadia and west-side routes. Pellston (PLN): Useful for Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne, and Bay Harbor if flights work. Detroit (DTW): Major-airport road-trip option with more nonstop depth. Grand Rapids (GRR): Useful for some drive-market routes, but not magically close. Manistee (MBL): Small regional/private-friendly option for Arcadia routes. Gaylord / Otsego County and other regional airports: Useful for private aviation and Treetops routing.

Ground transportation

Rent cars. This is not a shuttle-friendly destination unless a resort package is handling one small piece of the trip. For groups of eight, consider a van or two SUVs and assign the drivers before the first round of drinks.

Walking

Walking works best at Arcadia, Forest Dunes, and The Loop. Resort courses vary by policy and terrain. Confirm current walking, caddie, and cart rules directly with each property.

Weather

When the trip works best

Best window

Apr, May, Jun, Jul

Weather reality

Conditions can materially change the value and feel of the trip.

Planning ranges

Cost and value levers

Arcadia Bluffs and South Course

Premium public seasonal pricing - Worth prioritizing if Arcadia is in the route.

Forest Dunes and The Loop

Premium resort/public seasonal pricing - Best value when staying on property and playing multiple rounds.

Bay Harbor Links/Quarry

Premium Boyne seasonal pricing - Pay for scenery and polish.

Itinerary builder

Build your itinerary

The sample on the right is an illustrative Streamsong example.

It is meant to show the depth and shape of a real plan. Build your own around your group, dates, rounds, lodging, dining, and travel timing.

Build my itinerary

Illustrative sample output

Streamsong in 3 Days: 4 Rounds, Mixed Group

3 nights at Streamsong Lodge covering all 3 courses plus a repeat of whichever lands best with the group. With a mixed-skill group and a social thread running through the trip, the sequencing matters: start approachable, build toward bold, and protect evenings for the group to decompress together.

Recommendation

Start with Red to set the right tone for mixed players, not Black. Black's scale can deflate weaker players early and that poisons the rest of the trip.

Day 1

Morning: Arrive, check in to Streamsong Lodge, and get settled without rushing. Arrival timing is unknown, so do not force a same-day round.

Afternoon: If arriving early-to-midday, use the practice facilities to shake off travel; skip forcing an afternoon round on an unknown schedule.

Evening: Make this the nicer dinner night. Gather the group, debrief the plan, and use the evening to build energy for the heavy golf days ahead.

Insider note: Day 1 is the setup day, not a golf day. Burning a round here on travel legs is the most common mistake groups make at Streamsong.

Day 2

Morning: Tee off on Streamsong Red first thing. It is the most balanced course and the right anchor for a mixed-skill group on fresh legs.

Afternoon: Afternoon round on Streamsong Blue. It is more open and wind-affected, which rewards better players while staying manageable enough for the group.

Evening: Keep dinner casual and on property. Two rounds is a full day and the group needs to recover, not power through a production.

Insider note: Red in the morning lets the group settle in before Blue asks harder questions in the afternoon wind.

Day 3

Morning: Play Streamsong Black. Use it as the bold contrast round the guide describes, not as the centerpiece, and set expectations accordingly for higher-handicap players.

Afternoon: Replay the course that resonated most with the group. Red is the likely call for mixed groups, Blue for stronger players who want another look.

Evening: Final evening on property. Keep it relaxed since departure timing is unknown and no one should be grinding through dinner logistics.

Insider note: Black is the experience round, not the best round. Frame it that way for the group before the first tee so no one is quietly disappointed by the rougher edges.

Tradeoffs

Four rounds in two full golf days is aggressive but workable at a comfortable pace. The plan keeps Day 1 golf-free to protect legs and group cohesion rather than chasing a fifth round nobody would enjoy.

Black is scheduled for Day 3 morning rather than being skipped. It adds useful contrast and a memorable moment, but it was deliberately placed after the group already has two courses under its belt rather than as an opener.

The nicer dinner was placed on Day 1 rather than a golf day. This protects energy on the days that matter and gives the group something to build toward without splitting a long golf day around a formal meal.

Book first

Book all four tee times at Streamsong before lodging fills. The property manages its own tee sheet and availability tightens fast in peak season.

Confirm Streamsong Lodge rooms for all three nights in a single block. A small group of 3-4 makes this manageable, but winter weekends can still book out early.

Arrange caddies for at least Red and Blue if the group is open to walking. First-time looks benefit significantly from local knowledge on both courses.

Watchouts

Two rounds on Day 2 is the heaviest ask of the trip. If anyone in the mixed group is a high-handicapper or infrequent player, build in flexibility to skip the afternoon Blue round rather than grinding through it.

Streamsong is genuinely remote and there is no nightlife option off property. Groups expecting energy beyond the lodge bar will be disappointed, and that expectation gap kills trip morale faster than a bad round.

Black's scale and difficulty can frustrate less experienced players, especially after already playing 36 holes the day before. If the group's weakest player struggled on Day 2, consider swapping Black for a Red replay.

LodgingExpand

Northern Michigan lodging is really a routing decision wearing a hotel costume. Arcadia, Forest Dunes, Petoskey/Harbor Springs, and Gaylord are distinct bases. Pick the golf cluster first, then choose the bed. Doing that in reverse is how people end up with a beautiful rental house and a stupid amount of driving.

On-property lodge / golf property

0/5

Best for: Heather, Donald Ross Memorial, and Boyne package simplicity

Cost: Seasonal package pricing; premium courses may carry surcharges.

The Highlands is the practical Boyne base. It works for groups that want multiple resort rounds and less planning friction.

Pros

Easy Boyne logistics, Course volume, Good for groups

Cons

Less boutique, Not the architecture hub, Requires driving for Bay Harbor

Book / rates

Resort lodging / condos / group stays

Treetops Resort

0/5

Best for: Gaylord extension and Masterpiece-focused add-ons

Cost: Seasonal resort/package pricing; verify current rates.

4.3(3,109)(989) 732-6711

3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord, MI 49735, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

Treetops makes sense if Gaylord is in the plan. It does not make sense as a daily commute from the core Arcadia/Forest Dunes trip.

Pros

Best access to Masterpiece, Good for groups, Useful Gaylord base

Cons

Adds a separate cluster, Not near Arcadia or Forest Dunes, Resort feel is less polished than the lakefront options

Book / rates

Town hotels / rental houses

Traverse City / Petoskey / Harbor Springs hotels and rentals

0/5

Best for: Groups that want restaurants, lake-town evenings, and flexible bases

Cost: Summer demand can be aggressive; book early.

Town bases work when evenings matter. Stafford's Perry Hotel in Petoskey is the character pick; Inn at Bay Harbor is the polished lakefront pick; Traverse City is the food-and-wine arrival/departure tool. Just do not let a charming Airbnb seduce the itinerary into nonsense.

Pros

Better dining depth, Better non-golf appeal, More group-house options

Cons

More driving, Less golf-compound feel, Route discipline matters

Book / rates

DiningExpand

Dining is good enough, seasonal, and highly geographic. Traverse City and Petoskey/Harbor Springs have the best depth. Arcadia and Forest Dunes are more about convenience. Gaylord works fine if Treetops is part of the route. The rule is simple: eat near the bed, not near tomorrow's tee time.

Lake-town casual

Arcadia / Frankfort / Manistee

0/5

Best for: Arcadia nights

Keep Arcadia nights simple. The golf is the show. Dinner just needs to keep the group fed and out of the car.

Pros

Easy after Arcadia, Low-stress, Good summer-lake feel

Cons

Limited late-night, Limited high-end group depth

Golf-property dining

Forest Dunes on-property dining

0/5

Best for: Forest Dunes stays

4.5(377)(989) 275-0700

6376 Forest Dunes Dr, Roscommon, MI 48653, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

At Forest Dunes, convenience is not a compromise. It is the entire reason to stay on property.

Pros

Convenient, Group-friendly, No driving after drinks

Cons

Limited variety over multiple nights, Not a food-trip destination

Lake-town dining

Petoskey / Harbor Springs

0/5

Best for: Bay Harbor and Boyne trips

Harbor Springs, MI 49740, USA

Pros

Strongest lifestyle fit for the Petoskey cluster, Better date-night and group-dinner options, Good summer energy

Cons

Seasonal demand, Not useful for Arcadia/Forest Dunes nights

Food, wine, breweries, and arrival/departure nights

Traverse City

0/5

Best for: First night, final night, or groups wanting a real town base

Traverse City, MI, USA

Traverse City is the best town tool in the region. Use it at the beginning or end, or as a lifestyle base if the group accepts driving.

Pros

Best dining depth in the region, Strong airport convenience, Wineries and breweries

Cons

Not a perfect golf base for every course, Summer crowds

Regional dining note

Great Lakes whitefish rule

0/5

Best for: Ordering like you know where you are

Order whitefish at least once. Planked, grilled, buttered, not tortured. If every meal is a generic steak, you have missed the easiest local win on the board.

Pros

Local, simple, perfect after lake-wind golf

Cons

Easy to overthink

Resort and northern-town dining

Gaylord / Treetops

0/5

Best for: Masterpiece and Gaylord extension

4.3(3,109)(989) 732-6711

3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord, MI 49735, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

Gaylord dining is functional. If you are here, it is because Masterpiece fits the golf route, not because dinner changed your life.

Pros

Convenient if playing Treetops, Easy group meals, Good enough for one-night stop

Cons

Less distinctive than Traverse City or Petoskey, Not worth rerouting for food