3 Michigan Golf Courses Named Greatest In America
Though short golf seasons are a norm in Michigan due to its unpredictable weather, we do have some amazing options. Golf Digest dropped their annual list of America’s greatest golf courses and three courses in the Mitten made the list.
According to the golf magazine, the three Michigan golf courses named among the best are in Frankfort, Bloomfield Hills, and Arcadia. Since 1966, they have published America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. 1,800 panelists submitted more than 85,000 evaluations over their 10-year scoring criteria. Their experts evaluate candidate courses on six criteria on a scale of 1 to 10. These include shot options, challenge, layout variety, aesthetics, conditioning, and character.
Michigan Golf Course Ranked Number 14
The golf course that ranked the highest in the state at number 14 is Crystal Downs in Frankfort. In Northern Michigan, the private club was designed by Alister MacKenzie and Perry Maxwell. In fact, Maxwell lived on site while constructing the course. “Whomever did it, Crystal Downs has fairways that zigzag and rumble over the glacial landscape and greens that have doglegs in them,” wrote Golf Digest.
Next On The List
At number 20 is Oakland Hills’ South Course in Bloomfield Hills. It jumped up by one spot from last year’s ranking on the list. In Spring 2021, the course reopened after a major restoration from Gil Hanse that started in 2019. USA Today reported that the course is set to host the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur, the 2029 U.S. Women’s Amateur, the 2031 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2034 U.S. Open, the 2042 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2047 U.S. Amateur and the 2051 U.S. Open.
What other Michigan golf course was named among the best in America?
The final Michigan course on the list is Arcadia Bluffs’ Bluffs Course, along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Arcadia. Last year, the course was ranked at number 83. But this year it dropped to spot number 92. Unfortunately, its other course, the South Course did not make the list this year.
In 2021, Golf.com released its list of the top 100 public courses in America, with six courses making the list. The Loop at Forest Dunes, Arcadia Bluffs’ Bluffs and South courses, Greywalls in Marquette, Forest Dunes, and Stoatin Brae.
See the full list of the best golf courses in America according to Golf Digest here.
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