I have a unique perspective on this subject, as I worked at Lost Dunes for three years and lived literally just behind the third green. Not much to do in Bridgeman, Michigan - so I can't imagine that there are too many people who have played more rounds there than I have. I also made it up to play Kingsley Club a couple of times as well. I think it is difficult to compare the two courses/clubs, as they are quite different.
Having come to Lost Dunes after two years at Yeamans Hall, in Charleston (where I also lived on the property) I already had an appreciation for what constituted an exceptional golf course. Ironically, even though LD was my first Doak course, it was not my first experience with Doak greens, as he and Jim Urbina renovated Yeamans Hall's greens immediately prior to my arrival there. In my opinion, Doak inherited an extremely challenging site at LD. An old quarry scooped out of ancient sand dunes (which necessitated a routing that had to utilize the periphery) combined with a busy interstate that bisects the parcel...not to mention the several environmental easements that had to be worked around (I was told that the entire area left of the 12th fairway was off-limits due to some sort of endangered flower!). Tom waxes poetic about the routings of Merion and Seminole in The Confidential Guide, but given the challenges of the site, and the quality of the finished product, I consider LD's routing to be nothing short of brilliant.
I still have yet to see a green complex the equal of #4 in scale, audacity, or sheer fun. Standing 235 yards out after a good tee shot, looking over that vast stretch of sand at a mid or bottom-tier hole location, and knowing that you might make anything from a 3 to an 8, is to me the essence of Lost Dunes. There are so many heroic tee shot opportunities it's hard to list them all....do you challenge the fairway bunker at #7? How much of the water do you dare try to carry at #'s 8 & 15? I'm not sure whether #10 is still a par-5 or not, but when it was, it was a classic risk-reward hole with so much strategy involved depending on the day's hole location.
There are so many things at Lost Dunes that I had not seen before and have not seen since, such as the greenside bunker at #11, the faux redan green complex at #5, and the aforementioned green at #4. It remains the most fun golf course I have ever played. And I can tell you this; I never noticed the interstate, even when standing on the back tee at #12.
As for the conditioning of the golf course I will agree that it is MUCH more fun to play when it is presented firm and fast. I played enough rounds there that I did get to experience it a few times. I know that several members, Ted Sturges included, lobbied Jeff to try to get him to allow the course to “brown up”. As I recall, there were several problems with that. First, the soil as LD does not lend itself particularly well to growing grass. I was always told that the grass would die very, very quickly if it went too long without water. Also, the superintendent, Steve Jotzat, is one of the best in the business, and Jeff trusts him completely, so if he says it’s not good to go brown, Jeff won’t. There isn’t a guy in the business that cares more about his golf course, either. I can recall multiple instances of heading out to the first tee by myself at 6PM after a day that saw not a single round of member/guest golf and getting an almost homicidal glare from Steve…he really hates it when people play his golf course.
Everything about Lost Dunes from a member/guest's perspective is classy and first-rate. Jeff Shearer made his money in the hospitality/F&B business - so the golf, as great as it is at Lost Dunes, is merely the beginning of the experience. First class accommodations, a staff dedicated to the experience, and possibly the best food you’ll ever find at a golf club all await you at Lost Dunes. I had no idea what to expect, but after having visited Butler National and Bob O’ Link, I realized what model Lost Dunes had been founded on – and it’s no coincidence that Jeff belonged to both clubs prior to building Lost Dunes. Some of you may agree or disagree, but I always got the impression that Lost Dunes is a Chicago club…100 miles removed from Chicago.
I only played Kingsley Club twice, on consecutive days back in 2004 while in town for the Michigan Open. The thing that struck me immediately upon arrival is the fact that they had not sunk a ton of money into a clubhouse, which I really liked. The low-key atmosphere suits the area perfectly. I really enjoyed the golf, and took lots of pictures. I have not seen either course in 8 years, but I really don’t think I could choose one course over the other. They are just far too different. The holes that stand out in my memory are the double fairway par-5 and a drivable, uphill par-4 with a really wild green – but I cannot remember which nines they occupy.
I think it’s impossible to compare the two, and not really fair to either one. If you want seclusion and a fantastic golf course, go to the Kingsley Club. If you want a shorter weekend trip with most of the amenities you might find at a big-city club, fantastic food, and a fantastic golf course, go to Lost Dunes. I’m pretty sure that there are at least a handful of guys who belong to both clubs; they would be a better source of information for any prospective member than someone who has only played both once or twice.