Crystal Mountain’s Mountain Ridge golf course is beautiful in the fall
Bill Campbell of Ann Arbor sinks a birdie putt on the par-5 sixth on the Mountain Ridge course at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville on Sept. 27, 2023.
I made a pledge in 2025.
No, not to eat healthier, exercise more or tell loved ones “I love you” more often.
Let’s get serious here.
I pledged to play five Michigan public golf courses for the first time. And though they weren’t the exact five courses I listed this spring, I did not fail in my mission.
It’s a thing of beauty, to drive up to a parking lot and get a glimpse of new sights and surroundings you’ll be experiencing for the first time. The walk up to the first tee to view the canvas you’ll be traversing for the next four-plus hours is so freeing and exhilarating.
Sure, we all have our favorite golf courses we frequent each year.
But the unknown is tantalizing, like that Thanksgiving feast you’ve waited all day for and can’t wait to dig in and taste.
Here’s how each of the five Michigan public golf courses I played for the first time in 2025 looked.
The Orchards Golf Club, Washington Township
When I played: Mid-June.
Buzz: The Orchards has consistently been ranked among the top public courses in metro Detroit by the Free Press, including No. 2 in 2022 (our most recent compilation), as well as being named the top course in Macomb County by us in 2025. I finally made it out there and the big ballpark built on 525 acres of an apple orchard did not disapoint. The large bunkers, expansive fairways and variety in the holes stood out, and it’s the lone Michigan course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. Even the rain — and some poor shot execution — could not damper the fun.
Tullymore Golf Resort, Stanwood
When I played: Mid-August.
Buzz: This Jim Engh design is an approach-shot course if I’ve ever seen one. Tullymore, which ranked the Free Press’ top-10 vacation golf courses in 2018, winds over 800 acres carved through deep woods and wetlands. The real treat is the quirky multi-tiered greens, which make you want to play plenty of holes again after realizing what you missed with the day’s pin placement, or to see how different the approach might play the next day with a new pin. It’s a wonderful spot that’s all about golf.
Timber Trace Golf Club, Pinckney
When I played: Early September.
Buzz: Timber Trace was a pleasant surprise, and new ownership and staff should be commended for turning around a once-langushing course. Framed by woods, but not overcrowded, I never felt claustrophobic off the tee like at some courses. There was ample fairway to hit, yet a big miss into the trees or tall grass on the outskirts of fairways proved penal. The approach also provided a cushion to miss on the correct side. It’s a great deal, too.
Northville Hills Golf Club, Northville
When I played: Early September.
Buzz: The Arnold Palmer-designed Northville Hills just hit its 25-year anniversary. It’s well-maintained and oscilates nicely between fun and challenge. The fast, rolling greens are the star, with visually striking bunkering and other lurking hazards to catch a poorly struck shot. Keeping the ball in the generous fairways can give you a shot to sink some putts and make The King proud.
Forest Dunes Golf Club, Roscommon
When I played: Late September.
Buzz: Forest Dunes was made to be a golf facility. It currently has 64 holes (including both the Red and Black on The Loop, a reversible course), with a members-only course named SkyFall on the horizon. Forest Dunes’ original course stays true to its name, with most holes winding through forest and plenty of doglegs before eventually opening to dunesland. Designed by one-time British Open victor Tom Weiskopf, who died in 2022, Forest Dunes features his signature design element — a short par-4 down the stretch, on No. 17 here. The par-3s (Nos. 3, 11 and 16 specifically) stood out for the contrast of the rugged beauty of the natural landscape featuring tall grasses, dunes and bunkering while backed by towering trees. The vibe on the grounds was immaculate, with The Bootlegger par-3 course and The Loop next door screaming “overnight golf trip bucket list.” I’m sure Zach from Rochester, one of the players paired with me, loved Forest Dunes after draining an astonishing four consecutive birdies from Nos. 2-5 en route to six overall. A memory of a lifetime.
Marlowe Alter is an assistant sports editor at the Detroit Free Press. Email him at: malter@freepress.com.
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