Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
Arcadia, Michigan, United States
18 Holes · Par 72 · Green fees on request · Parkland
— About
About Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
Arcadia Bluffs South Course is a par 72 public course in Arcadia, Michigan, designed by Dana Fry and Jason Straka and opened in 2018. It is a tribute to the golden-age work of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor, in particular Chicago Golf Club, though it copies none of that club's holes. Square tees and greens, long ribbon bunkers with high sod faces and wide landing areas give it a firm, fast, ground-game character, with minimal trees and no water hazards. The greens are huge, averaging more than 9,000 square feet, and the course stretches to 7,412 yards from the back tees. It sits about a mile from the resort's original Bluffs course.
- Owner Rich Postma, a Chicago Golf Club devotee, commissioned the course, and the architects visited that club close to ten times while preparing the design.
- The 17th hole has rectangular church-pew bunkers.
- The routing is walkable, and caddies are available.
- Visitors can stay on the resort, which offers rooms in the clubhouse and lodge plus four-bedroom cottages of about 1,900 square feet.
History of Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
The South Course opened in the summer of 2018 as the second course at Arcadia Bluffs. Owner Rich Postma wanted a tribute to golden-age architecture, built around his admiration for Chicago Golf Club. Fry and Straka studied the Illinois club closely, then set out to capture its style and feel rather than replicate individual holes. The result is a layout of intersecting bunkers, centerline hazards, alternate routes of play and geometric shaping.
Signature holes at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
The par-4 13th is the hole most often singled out, with a punchbowl-style green that borrows from Biarritz and Punchbowl templates. The 5th is an uphill par 3 of about 200 yards with a false front.
When to play Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
The course is built to play firm and fast so that shots can run on to the greens. Expect the ball to run out, and expect the ground game to matter on approach shots.
Playing Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course): tips
The address is 13637 Northwood Hwy, Bear Lake, about a mile from the original Bluffs course, so check which course your tee time is for. The routing walks easily, and caddies can be booked. Green fees include a cart. Rooms and cottages are available on the resort for stay-and-play trips.
Visit Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
13637 Northwood Hwy, Bear Lake, MI 49614
Arcadia, Michigan, United States
— Facilities
Practical Information
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (South Course)
Is the South Course the same as the main Arcadia Bluffs course?
No. The South Course is a separate 18 that opened in 2018, roughly a mile from the original Bluffs course, which sits above the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Which course inspired the South Course design?
Chicago Golf Club and the Macdonald and Raynor tradition inspired it. The architects captured that style without copying any individual holes from the Illinois club.
Can you walk the South Course?
Yes. The routing is walkable and changes direction frequently, and caddies are available if you prefer one.