Michigan might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of elite golf, but it should be. With over 850 courses spread across two peninsulas, bordered by four of the five Great Lakes, and home to some of the most acclaimed resort and public courses in the country, Michigan punches well above its weight as a golf destination. From the legendary designs along the Lake Michigan shoreline to hidden gems tucked into the rolling farmland of the Lower Peninsula, the state offers a range of golf experiences that rivals anything you’ll find in the Carolinas or the Desert Southwest — often at a fraction of the green fee.
Here’s your complete guide to the best golf courses in Michigan, covering public access courses, resort destinations, and the trip-planning details that will help you make the most of your time in the Great Lakes State.
Northern Michigan: The State’s Golf Crown Jewel
The stretch of northern Lower Michigan from Traverse City to Petoskey and Gaylord is one of the most concentrated golf corridors in America. The terrain — sandy soil left by retreating glaciers, dramatic elevation changes, and dense hardwood forests — produces the kind of natural golfing landscape that architects dream about.
Arcadia Bluffs (Arcadia)
Perched 200 feet above Lake Michigan, Arcadia Bluffs is Michigan’s most visually spectacular golf course. The Bluffs Course, designed by Warren Henderson and Rick Smith, plays along and above the lakeshore with panoramic water views from nearly every hole. The par-3 12th, played from an elevated tee to a green hanging on the bluff’s edge with the vast lake behind it, is one of the most photographed holes in American golf. The newer South Course offers a links-style contrast — treeless, windswept, and designed with pot bunkers and firm, running turf that plays nothing like its dramatic neighbor. Playing both courses in a day is one of the great golf experiences in the Midwest.
Forest Dunes (Roscommon)
Forest Dunes has quietly become one of the most innovative golf properties in the country. The original Tom Weiskopf-designed course is a classic parkland layout that winds through towering red pines on sandy soil. But the real draw is The Loop, a reversible course designed by Tom Doak that plays as an entirely different layout depending on the direction — clockwise on even days, counterclockwise on odd days. It’s one of only a handful of reversible courses in the world, and both routings are excellent. The property also includes a short course and practice facilities that make it a complete golf destination.
Kingsley Club (Kingsley)
While technically private, Kingsley Club deserves mention because it’s consistently ranked among the best courses in America and represents Michigan golf at its finest. Designed by Mike DeVries on a spectacular piece of land near Traverse City, it features massive elevation changes, dramatic green complexes, and a walking-only philosophy that recalls the origins of the game. If you can get an invitation through a member, don’t hesitate.
Treetops Resort (Gaylord)
Treetops offers five courses on a single property, making it one of the best-value golf resorts in the Midwest. The Robert Trent Jones Masterpiece features the famous par-3 6th — a 120-yard shot from a tee that sits 100 feet above the green, with nothing but forest between you and the flagstick. The Rick Smith Signature and Tom Fazio Premier courses round out a lineup that can keep you busy for a full week without repeating a hole.
The Traverse City Area
The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort (Acme)
Jack Nicklaus designed The Bear to be a stern test, and it delivers. At over 7,000 yards from the tips with heavily contoured greens and strategically placed bunkers, it’s one of the toughest public courses in Michigan. The setting is beautiful — rolling hardwood forest with distant views of Grand Traverse Bay — and the conditioning is consistently excellent. The adjacent Wolverine course (Gary Player design) offers a more forgiving but equally scenic alternative.
Manitou Passage (Cedar)
A newer addition to the northern Michigan golf scene, Manitou Passage offers a stunning Arnold Palmer-designed layout that winds through cherry orchards and hardwood forests with occasional glimpses of Lake Michigan in the distance. The course rewards strategic play over brute force, with multiple angle options on approach shots and green complexes that demand precise distance control.
Upper Peninsula Hidden Gems
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is sparsely populated and rarely visited by golfers from outside the state, which means you can play some genuinely excellent courses with virtually no wait times and green fees that feel like a time warp.
Greywalls at Marquette Golf Club (Marquette)
Designed by Mike DeVries on a dramatic site carved from the granite bluffs above Marquette, Greywalls features exposed rock formations, massive elevation changes, and a rugged beauty that’s unlike anything else in Michigan golf. The course plays through dense forest with several holes offering views of Lake Superior. Green fees are remarkably affordable for a course of this caliber, and the lack of crowds means you can play at your own pace and soak in the spectacular scenery.
Sweetgrass at Island Resort (Harris)
Paul Albanese designed Sweetgrass on a site that features natural sand ridges, wetlands, and meadows in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The course has a links-like feel with wide fairways, firm turf, and a minimum of trees, allowing the wind off Lake Michigan to become the primary defense. The resort also includes the Sage Run course (a shorter, more strategic complement) and overnight accommodations that make it a convenient base for a UP golf trip.
Southeast Michigan and Metro Detroit
Shepherd’s Hollow (Clarkston)
Consistently rated among the best public courses in Michigan, Shepherd’s Hollow offers 27 holes of Arthur Hills-designed golf on a beautiful site in Oakland County, less than an hour from downtown Detroit. The routing takes full advantage of the hilly terrain, with several elevated tees offering sweeping views of the surrounding forest. It’s the best course within easy reach of Michigan’s largest metro area and an excellent option if you’re flying into Detroit and want to play before heading north.
Oakland Hills South Course (Bloomfield Hills)
One of America’s most famous championship courses, Oakland Hills has hosted six US Opens and multiple PGA Championships. The South Course was recently renovated by Gil Hanse ahead of the 2029 Ryder Cup, restoring Donald Ross’s original design intent while modernizing the course for the modern game. While strictly private, it’s worth mentioning because any serious golfer visiting Michigan should know about it — and because member guest events occasionally make it accessible to well-connected visitors.
West Michigan Along the Lakeshore
Hawkshead (South Haven)
Located near the charming lakeside town of South Haven, Hawkshead is a Jerry Matthews design that plays through towering oaks and maples with a quiet, secluded feel. It’s one of the best-conditioned public courses on Michigan’s western shore and offers genuine value — the green fee includes a cart, and twilight rates make it an affordable addition to any lakeshore trip. The layout is fair but engaging, with water coming into play on several holes and a risk-reward par-5 closing hole that can make or break your round.
Planning Your Michigan Golf Trip
The Michigan golf season runs from mid-April through mid-October, with the prime window falling in June through September when temperatures are comfortable, daylight is long, and courses are in peak condition. Northern Michigan can be cool in early May and late September — bring layers.
For a first visit, the strongest three-day itinerary centers on northern Michigan: play Arcadia Bluffs on day one (both courses if you can handle 36 holes), Forest Dunes on day two, and one of the Traverse City-area courses on day three. Stay in Traverse City for easy access to excellent restaurants, wineries, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — arguably the most beautiful stretch of freshwater coastline in the world.
For a longer trip, add two days in the Upper Peninsula for Greywalls and Sweetgrass, which gives you a road-trip feel that’s half the fun of Michigan golf. The drive from Traverse City across the Mackinac Bridge into the UP is stunning, and the UP’s uncrowded courses and wild landscapes add an adventure element that resort golf rarely provides.
Green fees in Michigan are notably lower than comparable courses in Scottsdale, Myrtle Beach, or the Monterey Peninsula. You can play world-class golf for 80 to 175 dollars per round at most top public courses, and off-peak and twilight rates can drop below 60 dollars. Resort packages that bundle lodging, golf, and meals offer even better value — Treetops and Forest Dunes both have all-inclusive options that work out to remarkable per-round prices.
If you’re building up to your Michigan trip, working on your game beforehand will help you enjoy these courses to the fullest. Our guide on fixing your slice can help straighten out your driver before you face the tight fairways at Forest Dunes, and our pre-round warm-up routine will make sure you’re ready to play your best from the first tee. For more destination inspiration, check out our guides to golf courses in Arizona, Florida, and Texas to compare what different regions of the country have to offer.
Michigan golf is one of the game’s best-kept secrets — world-class designs on spectacular natural sites, at prices that make it possible to play a different great course every day for a week. Whether you’re drawn to the bluff-top drama of Arcadia, the innovation of Forest Dunes, or the wild beauty of the Upper Peninsula, the Great Lakes State has a round of golf waiting that will surprise and delight you.
