Arcadia Bluffs vs. Forest Dunes

[BCowan]

Would anyone rather play Forest Dunes over Arcadia Bluffs?  I would personally, but I bet I am in the minority.

[Chris DeToro]

I would choose Forest Dunes every time actually.  One of my favorites in the state

[Jason Thurman]

Ben, have you played Forest Dunes? I know you haven't played Arcadia Bluffs. Are you just guessing which course you'd rather play?

[BCowan]

played neither.  Planning on playing Forest this summer...  I think you know which course I'd rather play.  It is good because it takes price point out of the equation since they are similarly priced.  Which I don't care about price point either

[Eric Smith]

I would choose Forest Dunes every time actually.  One of my favorites in the state

+1

Forest Dunes is one of my favorites anywhere.

[Matthew Lloyd]

I would choose Forest Dunes every time actually.  One of my favorites in the state

+1

Forest Dunes is one of my favorites anywhere.

+1 again. This is a no brainer for me.

[Ryan Taylor]

You are not the minority. Nearly every person I know that has played both prefers Forest Dunes. Why start this thread if you haven't played either?

[BCowan]

You are not the minority. Nearly every person I know that has played both prefers Forest Dunes. Why start this thread if you haven't played either?

   Everyone (non GCA) I have talked to can't stop talking about Arcadia Dunes.  I figured GCA was going mainstream, wanted to get others opinions.  Don't you think people who have played neither might want to know?

[Mike Schott]

Ben, you are trolling. There's a pretty fair balance in the AB thread. There's a lot of love for Forest Dunes. I'd venture to say that of the public courses Up North, it's either 1 or 2 on this site. Personally, I've played Forest Dunes and it's terrific. I have not played AB and am curious to see it but I'd play Belvedere and Ross Memorial for about the same money before I'd get to AB.

[Rob Curtiss]

I played them on back to back days on a trip back home to Michigan 2 years ago. I would say Forest Dunes is a better course . I loved the 2 different nines and the gently rolling land. It was my favorite course I had ever played at the time. A friend of mine has been there twice since though , and said the bugs are horrible there and he would never play there again.

As the other thread said about AB- AB has a grandness to it- probably because it is on the Lake.

I think it is hard to compare the two.  

I would play Forest Dunes 7 /Arcadia 3 out of 10.

[Nigel Islam]

I have a follow up question for you northerners. Which would be a better place to play for the non Michiganite- University of Michigan or Forest Dunes?

[Matthew Lloyd]

I have a follow up question for you northerners. Which would be a better place to play for the non Michiganite- University of Michigan or Forest Dunes?

Forest Dunes. The UM course is excellent but the odds of being stuck behind slow moving and rude former football coaches are simply too high. Forest Dunes can match any course anywhere in my opinion for quality.

[Tom Allen]

This will be blasphemy to some most all here, but I would play AB over FD if forced to choose.  Before you jump on, my reason is not for architectural merit.

For me, FD was very nice--in fact a great course.  But too typical of the courses I already play here in the Midwest.  Trees, parkland, water (to greatly oversimplify things).  So AB is more of an escape for me.  More linksy than I can play around here.  Manufactured yes, but a guilty pleasure, with quite a few interesting shots, tough putts, great views, and a setting on the lake to die for.  Sometimes, I just feel like having a greasy cheeseburger and fries, instead of a filet.  This comparison is one of those times.

(I had to cast at least one dissenting opinion in here, just to keep it interesting.)

[Matthew Lloyd]

This will be blasphemy to some most all here, but I would play AB over FD if forced to choose.  Before you jump on, my reason is not for architectural merit.

For me, FD was very nice--in fact a great course.  But too typical of the courses I already play here in the Midwest.  Trees, parkland, water (to greatly oversimplify things).  So AB is more of an escape for me.  More linksy than I can play around here.  Manufactured yes, but a guilty pleasure, with quite a few interesting shots, tough putts, great views, and a setting on the lake to die for.  Sometimes, I just feel like having a greasy cheeseburger and fries, instead of a filet.  This comparison is one of those times.

(I had to cast at least one dissenting opinion in here, just to keep it interesting.)

This is totally fair and reasonable.  When I'm up in northern Michigan I'm 90 minutes away from Arcadia or I'd probably go every trip for the same reasons you mention.  The fact that I'm not willing to make that drive every trip reveals my opinion of the course for what it really is, but I would really like the opportunity to play it more. If it's not a parking lot it's a really fun course to play.

[Matt Glore]

I'd play Arcadia over FD, for sure.  I don't think I'd play either unless I had the first tee time or a week day tee time.

Played both, both are very nice.  You have to take the scenery into account.  

[Matthew Lloyd]

Playing both this July on a long past due Michigan trip I have promised my best friend I would take with him.  He is originally from Jackson, MI.  Our plan is to play somewhere on the drive up (still undecided), 36 at Forest Dunes , 36 at Arcadia and then play at the club he grew up at in Jackson, MI before driving home.

I have always wanted to play Forest Dunes and he has always wanted to play Arcadia Bluffs.  I am sure I will like both but can't weigh in until I get back.

If anyone has any suggestions for the drive up from West Virginia let me know.  We will be driving through Columbus, OH.

if you drive up Michigan on 131 to get to Arcadia (probably unlikely if you're going north from Cbus) I would recommend checking out Tullymore en route -- that's a fun and very difficult course.

en route from West Virginia it may be convenient to check out Longaberger near Newark depending on what road you're going west on.  That course seems to generate a lot of controversy and spirited debate but it's another fun course to play.

the private golf in Columbus has been well documented on this site and elsewhere, but if you're looking for an out of the way public course Darby Creek gets my vote -- in Marysville outside the city.

[Brian Finn]

If anyone has any suggestions for the drive up from West Virginia let me know.  We will be driving through Columbus, OH.

Charlie - I'd be glad to have you at my place (Brookside G&CC) here in Columbus.  Let me know when you are going to be passing through.

[Bill_McBride]

Playing both this July on a long past due Michigan trip I have promised my best friend I would take with him.  He is originally from Jackson, MI.  Our plan is to play somewhere on the drive up (still undecided), 36 at Forest Dunes , 36 at Arcadia and then play at the club he grew up at in Jackson, MI before driving home.

I have always wanted to play Forest Dunes and he has always wanted to play Arcadia Bluffs.  I am sure I will like both but can't weigh in until I get back.

If anyone has any suggestions for the drive up from West Virginia let me know.  We will be driving through Columbus, OH.

Charlie, it's not hard to get on Kingsley Club, and it's better than anything there except Crystal Downs. 

[JLahrman]

If anyone has any suggestions for the drive up from West Virginia let me know.  We will be driving through Columbus, OH.

Charlie - I'd be glad to have you at my place (Brookside G&CC) here in Columbus.  Let me know when you are going to be passing through.

Brookside is well worth a visit in Columbus.

If you're going to go public and don't want to go too far off the beaten path, Champions is a fun course and it's within the 270 loop.

[BHoover]

Need to see pictures comparing Arcadia and Forest Dunes. 

[Mark Pritchett]

You are not the minority. Nearly every person I know that has played both prefers Forest Dunes. Why start this thread if you haven't played either?

   Everyone (non GCA) I have talked to can't stop talking about Arcadia Dunes.  I figured GCA was going mainstream, wanted to get others opinions.  Don't you think people who have played neither might want to know?

The non GCAer's must love Arcadia Dunes! 

[Brian Finn]

I've never played either course, and have actually heard quite a bit more about Forest Dunes than Arcadia (perhaps due to the company I keep).  I went out and looked at each website as well as a few photos of each.  They both look pretty great, but if not for opinions on this site, I think I would head to Arcadia before Forest Dunes (even as a gca nerd).  What about either course do people particularly like or dislike?  What makes FD better than Arcadia?  

[Richard Hetzel]

I have played both, and really enjoyed both. Although I think Forest Dunes is an awesome course I too would play Arcadia Bluffs say 6-7 times out of every 10 times around and not regret it one bit.

[Bob_Garvelink]

I played both courses in the same day last year and I feel that both tracks are awesome.  I prefer FD over AB for the simple fact that you can easily score well at FD and in my opinion AB is tough as nails.  I also feel the conditioning at FD is unique and to date is the best conditioned course I have ever played.

[Frank Kim]

Forest Dunes was originally supposed to private.  It opened up play to the public in the beginning until it could get enough members. It stayed semiprivate after that.  I played it the first year they allowed public play.  We had the whole course to ourselves and the conditioning was the best  I experienced in Michigan (lived in Michigan for 10 years).  Great course but you can't beat the views at Arcadia.