Course Details
- Course Type: Resort
- Architect: Tom Doak (2016)
- Par: 70
- Yardage: 6,805 (Red), 6,704 (Black)
- Rating: 71.9 (Red), 71.7 (Black)
- Slope: 124 (Red), 125 (Black
Course Accolades
- Golf Digest: #1 Best New Public Course (2016) & #8 in Michigan
- Golf Magazine: Best New US Course You Can Play (2016)
- Golf Week: #105 Modern, #36 Public USA, #23 Resort USA & #3 in Michigan
- Top100Courses: #6 in Michigan
Course Score
- Course Conditions: 8
- Green Complexes: 9
- Amenities: 7
- Practice Facilities: 8
- Service: 8
- Course Design: 8
- Value: 6
Total Score: 7.72
Course Review
The Good: The Loop at Forest Dunes, designed by the great Tom Doak in 2016, is one of the most unique golf experiences in the Midwest. A reverse routing with 18 green complexes and fairways that can be played either way on consecutive days, it has some of the most severe and fun greens that I’ve played. The Red course opens with a fairly benign, open tee shot but suckers you into thinking all is well. You’ll find this is the precursor to the rest of the course. Most Par-4’s Par-5’s are fairly straight away, but the standouts are the beautiful, tough Par-3’s. While several are short in stature, they have some bite! The Black course has better Par-4’s in my opinion compared to the Red design, particularly on the front nine. The green complexes for this routing appear even more interesting & challenging compared to the Red.Course conditions are meant to be extremely firm and fast, so they aren’t nearly as pristine as its sibling Forest Dunes. Now a full-fledged resort with the additional of many great lodging options, it has a huge, immaculate clubhouse with full restaurant and very nice outdoor dining area with views of the 9th & 18th of the Weiskopf course. Great service and very accommodating staff.
The Bad: Those expecting a beautifully conditioned resort course will be disappointed, but those that enjoy the bump-&-run style of play will be overjoyed. The concept of the design is brilliant; however I wish there was more uniqueness to the holes, particularly the Par-4’s. Perhaps this is simply because I played the Red routing first and it caused bias but of the green complexes are borderline unfair. Some of the green complexes are borderline unfair. Lacks some of the on-course amenities compared to Forest Dunes.
The Verdict: While many marvel at The Loop, particularly the Red routing, as their favorite course in Michigan, I don’t rank it quite as high. It’s a unorthodox concept that is brilliantly executed, but the Forest Dunes course is more my cup of tea. With that said, it’s a magically fun place to spend an afternoon with buddies and beers.
Best Hole(s): Red: The uphill, Par-4 18th with several fairway traps framing the hole is a beautiful end to an interesting round.
Midwest Golf Tripper 